The Testament of Love I

<326ra>ALAS Fortune alas/I that som tyme in delycyous houres was wont to enioy blysful stoundes/am nowe dryue by vnhappy heuynesse to bewayle my sondrye yuels in tene. Trewly I leue/in myn herte is writte of perdurable letters al the entencyons of lamentacion that nowe ben ynempned/for any maner disease outwarde in sobbyng maner/sheweth sorowful yexynge from within. Thus from my comforte I gynne to spylle/syth she that shulde me solace/is ferre fro my presence. Certes her absence is to me an hell/my sternyng dethe thus in wo it myneth/that endelesse care is throughout myne herte clenched/blysse of my ioye/that ofte me murthed is turned in to galle/to thynke on thyng that may not at my wyl in armes me hent. Myrth is chaunged in to tene/whan swynke is there contynually/that reste was wont to soiourne and haue dwellynge place. Thus wytlesse thoughtful/syghtlesse lokynge/I endure my penaunce in this derke prisone/caytisned fro frendshippe and acquayntaunce/and forsaken of al that any wode dare speke. Straunge hath by waye of intrucyoun made his home/there me shulde be/if reason were herde as he shulde. Neuer the later yet hertly lady precious Margarit/haue mynde on thy seruaunt/and thynke on his disease/how lyghtles he lyueth/sithe the beames brennende in loue of thyn eyen arn so be went/that worldes and cloudes atwene vs twey wol nat suffre my thoughtes of hem to be enlumyned. Thynke that one vertue of a Margarite precious is amonges many other the sorouful to comforte yet wyl of that me sorouful to comforte is my luste to haue nought els at this tyme/dede ne dethe/ne no maner traueyle hath no power myne herte so moche to fade/as shulde to here of a twynckelynge in your disease. Ah/god forbede that/but yet lette me dey/lette me sterue withouten any measure of penaunce/rather than myne hertely thynking comforte in ought were diseased. What maye my seruyce aueyle in absence of her/that my seruyce shulde accepte? is this nat endlesse sorowe to thynke? Yes/yes god wote/myne hert breaketh nygh a sonder/<326ra><326rb>howe shulde the grounde without kyndly noriture bringen forthe any frutes? Howe shulde a shippe withouten a sterne in the great see be gouerned? Howe shulde I withouten my blysse/my herte/my desyre/my ioye/my goodnesse/endure in this contrarious prison/that thynke euery hour in the day an hundred wynter? Wel may nowe Eue sayne to me Adam/in sorowe fallen from welth/driuen arte thou out of paradise/with sweate thy sustenaunce to be swynke. Depe in this pynynge pytte with wo I lygge ystocked/with chaynes lynked of care and of tene. It is so hye from thens I lye and the commune erth/there ne is cable in no lande maked/that myght stretche to me to drawe me in to blysse/ne steyers to stey on is none/so that without recouer endlesse here to endure I wotte wel I purueyde. O/where arte thou nowe frenshyppe/that somtyme with laughande chere/madest bothe face and countenaunce to me wardes? truely nowe arte thou went out of towne/but euer me thynketh he weareth his olde clothes/and that the soule in the whiche the lyfe of frendshyppe was in/is drawen out from his other spyrites. Nowe than farewel frendshyp/and farewel felawes/me thynketh ye al han taken your leaue: no force of you al at ones. But lady of loue ye wote what I mene/yet thinke on thy seruaunt/that for thy loue spylleth/al thynges haue I forsake to folowen thyn hestes: rewarde me with a thought/though ye do naught els. Remembraunce of loue lythe so sore vnder my brest/that other thought cometh not in my mynde/but gladnesse to thynke on your goodnesse and your mery chere/frendes and sorowe to thynke on your wreche and your daunger/from whiche Christe me saue. My great ioye it is to haue in meditacion the bounties/the vertues/the nobley in you printed: sorowe and hel comen at ones/to suppose that I be veyned. Thus with care/sorowe/and tene am I shapte myn ende with dethe to make. Nowe good goodly thynke on this. O wretched foole that I am fallen in to so lowe/the heate of my brennyng tene hath me al defased: how shulde ye lady sette prise on so foule fylthe? My connynge is thynne/my wytte is exiled/<326rb><326va>lyke to a foole naturel am I comparysoned. Trewly lady but your mercy the more were/I wote wel al my labour were in ydel: your mercy than passeth right. God graunt that proposycion to be verifyed in me/so that by truste of good hope/I mowe come to the hauen of ease/and sythe it is impossyble/the colours of your qualyties to chaunge: and forsothe I wote wel wemme ne spotte maye not abyde/there so noble vertue haboundeth/so that the defasyng to you is verily ymagynable/as countenaunce of goodnesse with encresynge vertue/is so in you knytte to abyde by necessary maner/yet if the reuers might fal/which is ayenst kynde/I wol wel myn herte ne shulde therfore naught flytte by the leste poynt of gemetrye/so sadly is it sonded/that away from your seruyce in loue maye he not departe. O loue/whan shal I ben pleased? O charyte/whan shal I ben eased? O good goodly/whan shal the dyce turne?/O ful of vertue do the chaunce of comforte vpwarde to fal. O loue/whan wolt thou thynke on thy seruaunt?/I can no more but here out caste of al welfare/abyde the daye of my dethe/or els to se the syght that might al my wellynge sorowes voyde/and of the flodde make an ebbe. These diseases mowen wel by duresse of sorowe/make my lyfe to vnbodye/and so for to dye: but certes ye lady in a ful perfectyon of loue ben so knytte with my soule/that dethe may not thilke knotte vnbynde ne departe/so that ye and my soule togyther is endelesse/in blysse shulde dwel/and there shal my soule at the ful ben eased/that he may haue your presence to shewe thentent of his desyres: Ah dere god/that shal be a great ioye. Nowe erthely goddesse take regarde of thy seruant/though I be feble/for thou arte wonte to prayse them better/that wolde conne serue in loue/al be he ful mener than kynges or princes/that wol not haue that vertue in mynde. Nowe precious Margaryte/that with thy noble vertue haste drawen me in to loue first/me wenynge therof to haue blisse/as galle and aloes are so moche spronge/that sauour of swetnesse may I not ataste. Alas that your benigne eyen/in whiche that mercy semeth to haue al his nori<326va><326vb>ture/nyl by no waye tourne the clerenesse of mercy to mewardes. Alas that your brennande vertues/shynyng amomges al folke/and enlumynynge al other people by habundaunce of encreasing/sheweth to me but smoke and no light. These thynges to thinke in myn herte maketh euery day wepyng in myn eyen to renne. These lyggen on my backe so sore/that importable burthen me semeth on my backe to be charged/it maketh me backwarde to meue/whan my steppes by comune course euen forthe pretende: These thynges also on right syde and lyft/haue me so enuolued with care/that wanhope of helpe is throughout me ronne/trewly and leue that gracelesse is my fortune/whiche that euer sheweth it mewardes by a cloudy disease/al redy to make stormes of tene/and the blysful syde halte styl awayward and wol it not suffre to mewardes to turne: no force/yet wol I not ben conquered.
    O/alas that your nobley so moche among al other creatures commended by folowynge streme by al maner vertues/but ther ben wonderful/I not whiche that let the flode to come in to my soule/wherfore purely mated with sorowe thorough sought/my selfe I crye on your goodnesse to haue pyte on this caytife/that in the inrest degre of sorowe and disease is lefte/and without your goodly wyl from any helpe and recouery. These sorowes maye I not sustene/but if my sorowe shulde be tolde and to you wardes shewed/although moche space is bytwene vs twayne/yet me thynketh that by suche ioleynynge wordes/my disease gynneth ebbe. Trewly me thynketh that the sowne of my lamentacious wepyng/is right nowe flowe in to your presence/and there cryeth after mercy and grace/to which thing me semeth the lyst none answere to yeue/but with a deynous chere ye commaunden it to auoyde/but god forbyd that any worde shuld of you springe to haue so lytel routh. Parde pyte and mercy in euery Margarite is closed by kynde amonges many other vertues/by qualites of comforte/but comfort is to me right naught worthe/withouten mercy and pyte of you alone/whiche thynges hastely god me graunt for his mercy.<326vb>
<327ra>REhersynge these thynges and many other/without tyme or moment of rest me semed for anguysshe of disease/that al togyder I was rauysshed/I can not tel howe/but holy al my passyons and felynges weren loste/as it semed for the tyme/and sodainly a maner of drede light in me al at ones/nought suche feare as folke haue of an enemy that were myghty/and wolde hem greue or done hem disease: For I trowe this is wel knowe to many persones/that otherwhyle if a man be in his soueraignes presence/a maner of ferdenesse crepeth in his herte/not for harme/but of goodly subiection: namely as men reden that aungels ben aferde of our sauyour in heuen. And parde there ne is/ne maye no passyon of disease be/but it is to meane that angels ben adradde/not by frendes of drede/sythen they ben perfytely blyssed/as affection of wonderfulnesse and by seruyce of obedyence/suche ferde also han these louers in presence of their loues/and subiectes aforne their soueraynes: Right so with ferdenesse myn herte was caught. And I sodainly astonyed/there entred in to the place there I was lodged a lady/the semelyest and moste goodly to my syght/that euer to forne apered to any creature/and trewly in the blustrynge of her looke/she yaue gladnesse and comforte sodaynely to al my wyttes/and ryght so she dothe to euery wyght that cometh in her presence. And for she was so goodly (as me thought) myne herte beganne somdele to be enbolded/and wexte a lytel hardy to speke/but yet with a quakynge voyce/as I durste/I salued her/and enquired what she was/and why she so worthy to syght/dayned to entre in to so foule a dongeon/and namely a prisone/without leaue of my kepers. For certes al thoughe the vertue of dedes of mercy stretchen to vysyten the poore prisoners/and hem after that faculties ben had to comforte/me semed that I was so ferre fallen in to myserye and wretched hyd caytifnesse/that me shulde no precyous thynge neyghe: and also that for my sorowe euery wyght shulde ben<327ra><327rb>heauy /and wysshe my recouery. But whan this lady had somdele apperceyued/as wel by my wordes as by my chere/what thought besyed me within/with a good womanly countenaunce she sayde these wordes.
    O my nory/wenyst thou that my maner be/to foryet my frendes or my seruauntes? naye (quod she) it is my ful entente to vysyte and comforte al my frenshippes and alyes/as wel in tyme of perturbation/as of moost propertye of blysse/in me shal vnkyndnesse neuer be founden. And also sithen I haue so fewe especial trewe nowe in these dayes/wherfore I maye wel at more leysar come to hem that me deseruen/and if my comynge maye in any thynge auayle/wete wel I wol come often.
    Nowe good lady (quod I) that art so fayre on to loke/reynynge honny by thy wordes/blysse of paradise arn thy lokynges/ioye and comforte are thy mouynges. What is thy name? Howe is it that in you is so mokel werkynge vertues enpight/as me semeth/and in none other creature that euer sawe I with myne eyen? My disciple (quod she) me wondreth of thy wordes and on the/that for a lytel disease haste foryeten my name: Woste thou not wel that I am Loue/that first the brought to thy seruyce? O good lady (quod I) is this worshyppe to the or to thyne excellence for to come in to so foule a place? Parde somtyme tho I was in prosperyte/and with forayne goodes enuolued/I had mokyl to done to drawe the to myn hostel/and yet many wernynges thou madest er thou lyste fully to graunt/thyne home to make at my dwellyng place: and nowe thou comest goodly by thyne owne vyse/to comforte me with wordes/and so there thoroughe I gynne remembre on passed gladnesse. Trewly lady I ne wotte whether I shal say welcome or none/sythen thy comyng wol as moche do me tene and sorowe/as gladnesse and myrthe: se why. For that me comforteth to thynke on passed gladnesse/that me anoyeth efte to be in doynge. Thus thy comynge bothe gladdeth and teneth/and that is cause of moche sorowe: Lo lady/howe<327rb><327va>than I am comforted by your commynge/and with that I gan in teeres to distylle/and tenderly wepe. Nowe certes (quod Loue) I se wel (and that me ouerthynketh) that wytte in the fayleth/and arte in poynte to dote.
    Trewly (quod I) that haue ye maked/and that euer wol I rue. Wottest thou not wel (quod she) that euery shepeherde ought by reson to seke his sperkelande shepe that arne ronne in to wyldernesse/amonge busshes and peryls/and hem to their pasture ayen bringe/and take on hem priuy besy cure of kepyng? and tho the vnconnynge shepe scattred wolde ben loste rennyng to wyldernesse/and to desertes drawe/or els wolden put hem selfe to the swalowyng wolfe/yet shal the shepeherde by busynesse and trauayle so put him forthe/that he shal not let hem be loste by no waye. A good shepeherde putteth rather hys lyfe to ben loste for his shepe. But for thou shalte not wene me beyng of werse condycion/trewly for euerych of my folke/and for al tho that to mewarde be knyt in any condycion/I wol rather dye than suffre hem throughe errour to ben spylte. For me lyste/and it me lyketh/of al myne a shepherdesse to be cleped. Wost thou not wel I fayled neuer wight/but he me refused/and wolde neglygently go with vnkyndenesse? And yet parde haue I many such holpe and releued/and they haue ofte me begyled/but euer at the ende it discendeth in their owne neckes. Haste thou not radde howe kynde I was to Paris/Priamus sonne of Troy? How Jason me falsed for al his false behest? Howe Sesars sonke/I lefte it for no tene tyl he was troned in my blysse for his seruyce. What (quod she) most of al/maked I not a louedaye bytwene god and mankynde/and chese a mayde to be nompere/to put the quarel at ende? Lo/howe I haue trauayled to haue thanke on al sydes/and yet lyst me not to rest/and I mi3t fynde on home I shulde werche. But trewly myn owne disciple/bycause I haue the founde at al assayes in thy wyl to be redy myn hestes to haue folowed/and haste ben trewe to that Margaryte perle/that ones I the shewed/and she alwaye ayenwarde hath made but daunge<327va><327vb>rous chere/I am come in propre person to put the out of errours/and make the gladde by wayes of reason/so that sorow ne disease shal no more hereafter the amaistry. Wherthrough I hope thou shalte lyghtly come to the grace/that thou longe haste desyred/of thylke iewel. Haste thou not herde many ensamples/howe I haue comforted and releued the scholers of my lore? Who hath worthyed kynges in the felde? Who hath honoured ladyes in boure by a perpetuel myrrour of their truthe in my seruyce? Who hath caused worthy folke to voyde vyce and shame? Who hath holde cyties and realmes in prosperyte? If the lyste cleape ayen thyn olde remembraunce/thou coudest euery poynte of this declare in especial/and say that I thy maystresse haue be cause/causyng these thynges and many mo other. Nowe iwys madame (quod I) al these thynges I knowe wel my selfe/and that thyn excellence passeth the vnderstandyng of vs beestes/and that no mannes wytte erthely may comprehende thy vertues. Wel than (quod she) for I se the in disease and sorowe/I wote wel thou arte one of myn nories/I maye not suffre the so to make sorowe/thyn owne selfe to shende: but I my selfe come to be thy fere/thyne heuy charge to make to seme the lesse/for wo is him that is a lone: And to the sorye to ben moned by a sorouful wight it is great gladnesse. Right so with my sycke frendes I am sicke/and with sorie I can not els but sorowe make/tyl whan I haue hem releued/in suche wyse that gladnesse in a maner of counterpaysyng shal restore as mokyl in ioye as the passed heuynesse byforne dyd in tene. And also (quod she) whan any of my seruauntes ben a lone in solytary place/I haue yet euer besyed me to be with hem/in comforte of their hertes/and taught hem to make songes of playnte and of blysse/and to endyten letters of rethorike in queynt vnderstondynges/and to bethynke hem in what wyse they might best their ladyes in good seruyce please/and also to lerne maner in countenaunce/in wordes/and in bearyng/and to ben meke and lowly to euery wight/his name and fame to encrease/and to yeue gret yeftes and large/that his<327vb><328ra>renome maye springen/but the therof haue I excused for thy losse and thy great costages/wherthroughe thou arte nedy/arne nothinge to me vnknowen/but I hope to god somtyme it shal ben amended/as thus as I sayd. In norture haue I taught al myne/and in curtesye made hem expert their ladyes hertes to wynne/and if any wolde endeynous or proude or be enuyous/or of wretches acqueyntaunce/hastelyche haue I suche voyded out of my schole: for al vyces trewly I hate: vertues and worthynesse in al my power I auaunce. Ah worthy creature (quod I) and by iuste cause the name of goddesse dignely ye mowe beare: In the lythe the grace thorough whiche any creature in this worlde hath any goodnesse/trewly al maner of blysse and preciousnesse in vertue out of the springen/and wellen/as brokes and ryuers proceden from their springes/and like as al waters by kynde drawen to the see/so al kyndely thynges thresten by ful appetyte of desyre to drawe after thy steppes/and to thy presence aproche/as to their kyndely perfection: howe dare than beestes in this worlde aught forfete ayenst thy deuyne purueyaunce? Also lady ye knowen al the priuy thoughtes/in hertes no counsayle maye ben hydde from your knowyng. Wherfore I wote wel lady that ye knowe your selfe that I in my conscience am and haue ben wyllynge to your seruyce/al coude I neuer do as I shulde/yet forsothe fayned I neuer to loue otherwyse than was in myn herte: and if I coude haue made chere to one/and ythought another/as many other doone aldaye afore myn eyen/I trowe it wolde not me haue vayled. Certes (quod she) haddest thou so done/I wolde not nowe haue the here vysited. Ye wete wel lady eke (quod I) that I haue not playde raket/nettyl in/docke out/and with the wethercocke waued/and trewly there ye me sette/by acorde of my conscience/I wolde not flye/tyl ye and reason by aperte strength maden/myn herte to tourne. In good faythe (quod she) I haue knowe the euer of tho condycions/and sythen thou woldest (in as moch as in the was) a made me priuy of thy counsayle/and iuge of thy conscience/though I for<328ra><328rb>soke it in tho dayes/tyl I saw better my tyme/wolde neuer god that I shuld nowe fayle/but euer I wol be redy wytnessyng thy sothe/in what place that euer I shal/ayenst al tho that wol the contrary susteyne: And for as moche as to me is naught vnknowen ne hyd of thy priuy hert/but al hast thou tho thynges made to me open at the ful/that hath caused my comynge in to this prison to voyde the webbes of thyne eyen/to make the clerely to se the errours thou hast ben in/and bycause that men ben of dyuers condycions/some a dradde to saye a sothe/and some for a sothe anone redy to fyght/and also that I maye not my selfe ben in place to withsay thilke men that of the speken/otherwyse than the sothe/I wol and I charge the in vertue of obedyence/that thou to me owest/to writen my wordes/and sette hem in writynges that they mowe as my witnessynge ben noted amonge the people. For bookes written neyther dreden ne shamen/ne stryue conne/but onely shewen the entente of the writer/and yeue remembraunce to the herer: and if any wol in thy presence saye any thynge to tho writers/loke boldely/truste on Mars to answere at the ful. For certes I shal hym enfourme of al the trouthe in thy loue/with thy conscience/so that of his helpe thou shalte not varye at thy nede. I trowe the strongest and the beste that maye be founde/wol not transuers thy wordes/wherof than woldest thou drede.
    GRetly was I tho gladed of these wordes/and as who sayth wexen somdele light in herte/both for the auctorite of witnesse/and also for sykernesse of helpe of the forsayd beheste/and sayd. Trewly lady nowe am I wel gladded through comforte of your wordes: be it nowe lykynge vnto your nobley to shewe whiche folke diffame your seruauntes/sythe your seruyce ought aboue al other thynges to ben commended. Yet (quod she) I se wel thy soule is not al out of the amased cloude: the were better to here thyng that the myght light out of thyn heuy charge/and after knowyng of thyn owne helpe/than to styrre swete wor<328rb><328va>des/and such resons to here: for in a thoughtful soule (and namely suche one as thou arte) wol not yet suche thynges synken. Come of therfore and let me sene thy heuy charge/that I may the lyghtlyer for thy comforte puruey.
    Nowe certes lady (quod I) the moste comforte I myght haue/were vtterly to wete me be sure in herte of that Margaryte I serue/and so I thinke to don with al mightes whyle my lyfe dureth. Than (quod she) mayste thou therafter/in suche wyse that mysplesaunce ne entre? In good fayth (quod I) there shal no misplesauce be caused through trespace on my syde. And I do the to weten (quod she) I set neuer yet person to serue in no place (but if he caused the contrary in defautes and trespaces) that he ne spedde of his seruyce. Myn owne erthly lady (quod I tho) and yet remembre to your worthynesse howe long sythen by many reuoluyng of yeres/in tyme whan Octobre his leaue gynneth take/and Nouembre sheweth hym to syght/whan bernes ben ful of goodes as is the nutte on euery halke/and than good londe tyllers gynne shape for the erthe/with great trauayle to bringe forthe more corne to mannes sustenaunce/ayenst the nexte yeres folowyng. In suche tyme of plentie/he that hath an home/and is wyse/lyste not to wander meruayles to seche/but he be constrayned or excited: oft the lothe thyng is doone by excytacion of other mannes opynyon/whiche wolden fayne haue myn abydynge/take in herte of luste to trauayle and se the wyndyng of the erthe in that tyme of wynter/by woodes that large stretes werne in/by smale pathes that swyne and hogges hadden made/as lanes with ladels their maste to seche/I walked thynkynge alone a wonder great whyle/and the great beestes that the woode haunten and adorneth al maner forestes/and heerdes gone to wylde: than er I was ware I neyghed to a see banke/and for ferde of the beestes shypcrafte I cryde: For lady I trowe ye wete wel your selfe nothyng is werse than the beestes that shulden ben tame/if they catche her wyldenesse/and gynne ayen waxe ramage: thus forsothe was I a ferde/and to shyppe me hyed. Than were there ynowe to lache myn<328va><328vb>handes and drawe me to shyppe/of whiche many I knewe wel the names. Syght was the first/lust was a nother/thought was the thirde/and wyl eke was there a mayster: these broughten me within borde of this shyppe of traueyle. So whan the sayle was sprad and this shyppe gan to moue/the wynde and water gan for to ryse/and ouerthwartly to turne the welken/the wawes semeden as they kyste togyder/but often vnder colour of kyssynge is mokel olde hate priuely closed and kepte. The storme so straungely and in a deuouring maner gan so faste vs assayle/that I supposed the date of my deth shulde haue made there his gynnyng/nowe vp nowe downe/nowe vnder the wawe and nowe abouen was my shyppe a great whyle. And so by mokel duresse of wethers and of stormes/and with great auowyng pylgrimages I was driuen to an yle/where vtterly I wende first to haue be rescowed/but trewly as the first gynnyng/it semed me so peryllous the hauen to catche/that but thorowe grace I had ben comforted/of lyfe I was ful dispayred. Trewly lady if ye remembre a right of al maner thynges/your selfe came hastely to sene vs see driuen/and to weten what we weren: but first ye were deynous of chere/after whiche ye gonne better alyght/and euer as me thought ye lyued in great drede of disease/it semed so by your chere. and whan I was certifyed of your name/the lenger I loked in you/the more I you goodly dradde/and euer myn herte on you opened the more/and so in a lytel tyme my shyppe was out of mynde. But lady as ye me lad I was ware bothe of beestes and of fysshes a great nombre throngyng togyder: amonge whiche a muskel in a blewe shel had enclosed a Margaryte perle/the moste precious and best that euer to forne came in my syght/and ye tolden your selfe that ylke iewel in his kynde was so good and so vertuous/that her better shulde I neuer fynde/al sought I therafter to the worldes ende/and with that I helde my peace a great whyle: and euer sythen I haue me bethought on the man that sought the precious Margarytes/and whan he had founden one to his lykyng/he solde al his good to bye that<328vb><329ra>iewel: Iwys thought I and yet so I thynke/nowe haue I founden the iewel/that myne herte desyreth/wherto shulde I seche further/trewly nowe wol I stynte/and on this Margaryte I sette me for euer. Nowe than also sythen I wyste wel it was your wyl that I shulde so suche a seruyce me take/and so to desyre that thing/of whiche I neuer haue blisse/there lyueth none/but he hath disease: your might than that brought me to suche seruyce/that to me is cause of sorowe and of ioye/I wonder of your worde that ye sayne/to bringen men in to ioye/and parde ye wete wel that defaut ne trespace may not reasonably ben put to me wardes/as ferre as my conscience knoweth: But of my disease me lyst now a whyle to speke/and to enforme you in what maner of blysse ye haue me thronge. For truly I wene that al gladnesse/al ioye/and al myrthe is beshet vnder locke/and the keye throwe in suche place that it may not be founde: my brennyng wo hath altred al my hewe. Whan I shulde slepe/I walowe and I thynke/and me disporte. Thus combred/I seme that al folke had me mased. Also lady myne/desyre hath longe dured/some speking to haue/or els at the lest haue ben enmoysed with syght: and for wantynge of these thinges/my mouthe wolde and he durst/pleyne right sore/sythen yuels for my goodnesse arne manyfolde to me yolden. I wonder lady trewly/saue euermore your reuerence/howe ye mowe for shame suche thynges suffre on your seruaunt to be so multyplied: Wherfore knelyng with a lowe herte I pray you to rue on this caytife/that of nothyng now may serue. Good lady if ye lyste nowe your helpe to me shewe/that am of your priuyest seruantes at al assayes in this tyme/and vnder your wynges of protection. No helpe to me wardes is shapen/howe shal than straungers in any wyse after socoure loke/whan I that am so priuy/yet of helpe I do fayle? Further maye I not/but thus in this prison abyde: what bondes and chaynes me holden/lady ye se wel your selfe? A renyant foriuged hath not halfe the care. But thus syghyng and sobbyng I wayle here alone/and nere it for comforte of your presence/right here wolde I sterue. And<329ra><329rb>yet a lytel am I gladed/that so goodly suche grace and none hap haue I hente/graciously to fynde the precious Margarite/that al other lefte men shulde bye/if they shulde therfore sel al her substaunce. Wo is me that so many let games and purpose brekers ben maked wayters/suche prisoners as I am euermore to ouerloke and to hynder/and for suche lettours it is harde any suche iewel to wynne. Is this lady an honour to thy deytie? me thynketh by right/suche people shulde haue no maistrye/ne ben ouerlokers ouer none of thy seruauntes. Trewly were it leful vnto you/to al the goddes wolde I playne/that ye rule your deuyne purueyaunce amonges your seruantes nothyng as ye shulde. Also lady my moeble is insuffysaunt to counteruayle the price of this iewel/or els to make theschange: eke no wight is worthy suche perles to weare/but kynges or princes/or els their peres: this iewel for vertue wold adorne and make fayre al a realme/the nobley of vertue is so moche that her goodnesse oueral is commended. Who is it that wolde not wayle but he might suche rychesse haue at his wyl/the vertue therof out of this prison may me delyuer/and naught els. And if I be not ther thorowe holpen/I se my selfe withouten recouery: Although I might hence voyde/yet wolde I not/I wolde abyde the daye that destenye hath me ordeyned/whiche I suppose is without amendement/so sore is myn herte bounden/that I maye thynken none other. Thus strayte (lady) hath sir Daunger laced me in stockes/I leue it be not your wyl: and for I se you taken so lytel hede/as me thynketh/and wol not maken by your might the vertue in mercy of the Margaryte on me for to stretche/so as ye mowe wel/in case that you lyste: my blysse and my mirthe arne feld/sicknesse and sorowe ben alwaye redy/the cope of tene is wounde aboute al my body/that stondyng is me best/vnneth maye I lygge for pure miseasy sorowe/and yet al this is lytel ynoughe to be the ernest syluer/in forwarde of this bargayne/for treble folde/so mokel muste I suffer/er tyme come of myn ease. For he is worthy no welthe/that maye no wo suffer. And certes I am heuy to thynke on these thynges/<329rb><329va> but who shal yeue me water ynough to drinke/lest myn eyen drie for rennyng stremes of teares? Who shal waylen with me myne owne happy heuynesse? who shal counsaile me nowe in my lykyng tene/and in my goodly harse? I not. For euer the more I brenne/the more I coueyte: the more that I sorow/the more thrist I in gladnesse. Who shal than yeue me a contraryous drinke/to stanche the thurste of my blysful bytternesse? Lo thus I brenne and I drenche/I shyuer and I sweate/to this reuersed yuel was neuer yet ordeyned salue/for soth al lyches ben vnconnyng/saue the Margaryte alone/any suche remedye to puruey.
    AND with these wordes I brast out to wepe/that euery teere of myne eyen for greatnesse semed they boren out the bal of my syght/and that al the water had ben out ronne. Than thought me/that loue gan a lytel to heauy for miscomfort of my chere/and gan soberly and in easy maner speke/wel auysinge what she sayd. Comenly the wyse speken easyly and softe for many skylles: One is/their wordes are the better byleued/and also in easy speakynge/auysement men may catche/what to put forthe/and what to holden in. And also the auctorite of easy wordes is the more/and eke they yeuen the more vnderstandynge to other intencion of the mater. Right so this ladye easely and in a softe maner gan say these wordes.
    Meruayle (quod she) great it is/that by no maner of semblaunt/as ferre as I can espye/thou lyst not to haue any recour/but euer thou playnest and sorowest/and wayes of remedye for folysshe wylfulnesse the lyste not to seche: but enquyre of thy next frendes/that is thyne inwytte/and me that haue ben thy maystresse and the recour and fyne of thy disease/or of disease is gladnesse and ioy/with a ful nessel so helded/that it quencheth the felynge of the firste tenes. But thou that were wonte not onely these thynges remembre in thyne herte/but also fooles therof to enfourmen/in adnullynge of their errours/and distroyeng of their derke opynions/and in comforte of their seare thoughtes: now canst thou not ben comforte of thyn owne soule/in thyn<329va><329vb>kyng of these thynges. O where haste thou be so longe commensal/that hast so mykel eeten of the potages of foryetfulnesse/and dronken so of ignorance/that the olde soukyng whiche thou haddest of me/arne a maystred and lorn fro al maner of knowyng? O this is a worthy person to helpe other/that can not counsayle him selfe. And with these wordes for pure and stronge shame I woxe al reed.
    And she than seyng me so astonyed by dyuers stoundes/sodainly (whiche thynge kynde hateth) gan deliciously me comforte with sugred wordes/puttyng me in ful hope that I shulde the Margarite getten/if I folowed her hestes/and gan with a fayre clothe to wypen the teares that hyngen on my chekes: and than sayd I in this wyse. Nowe wel of wysedom and of al welthe/withouten the may nothyng ben lerned/thou bearest the keyes of al priuy thinges. In vayne trauayle men to catche any stedshyp/but if ye lady first the locke vnshet/ye lady lerne vs the wayes and the by pathes to heuen: ye lady maken al the heuenly bodyes goodly and benignely to done her course/that gouernen vs beestes here on erthe. ye armen your seruauntes ayenst al debates/with imperciable harneys/ye setten in her hertes insuperable blode of hardynesse/ye leaden hem to the parfyte good. Yet al thynge desyreth/ye wern no man of helpe that wele done your lore/graunt me nowe a lytel of your grace/al my sorowes to cease. Myne owne seruaunt (quod she) trewly thou syttest nye myne herte/and thy badde chere gan sorily me greue: but amonge thy playnyng wordes me thought thou allegest thynges to be lettyng of thyne helpynge/and thy grace to hynder/wherthroughe me thynketh that wanhope is crope thorough thyn hert: God forbyd that nyse vnthrifty thought shulde come in thy mynde thy wyttes to trouble/sythen euery thyng in comyng is contyngent/wherfore make no more thy proposycion by an impossyble. But nowe I praye the reherse me ayen tho thynges/that thy mistrust causen/and thylke thynges I thynke by reason to distroyen/and put ful hope in thyn herte. What vnderstondest thou there (quod she) by that thou saydest/many lette games are thyn<329vb><330ra>ouerlokers. And also by that thy moeble is insuffysant/I not what thou therof meanest.
    Trewly (quod I) by the first/I say that ianglers euermore arne spekynge rather of yuel than of good/for euery age of man rather enclyneth to wickednesse/than any goodnesse to auaunce. Also false wordes spryngen so wyde/by the steeryng of false lyeng tonges/that fame als swiftely flyeth to her eares/and sayth many wicked tales/and as soone shal falsenesse ben leued as truthe/for al his gret sothnesse. Now by that other (quod I) me thynketh thilke iewel so precious/that to no suche wretche as I am/wolde vertue therof extende/and also I am to feble in worldly ioyes/any suche iewel to countreuayle. For suche people that worldly ioyes han at her wyl/ben sette at the highest degree/and most in reuerence ben accepted/for false wenyng maketh felycite therin to be supposed: but suche caytiues as I am euermore ben hyndred. Certes (quod she) take good hede and I shal by reason to the shewen/that al these thynges mowe nat let thy purpose/by the leest poynt that any wight coude pricke.
    REmembrest nat (quod she) ensample is one of the strongest maner/as for to preue a mannes purpose. Than if I nowe by ensample enduce the to any proposytion/is it nat proued by strength? Yes forsothe (quod I) Wel (quod she) raddest thou neuer howe Paris of Troye and Heleyne loued togyder/and yet had they not entrecomuned of speche? Also Acrisyus shette Dane his doughter in a tour/for suertie that no wight shulde of her haue no maistry in my seruyce/and yet Jupiter by signes without any speche had al his purpose ayenst her fathers wyl. And many suche mo haue ben knytte in trouthe and yet spake they neuer togyder/for that is a thyng enclosed vnder secretnesse of pryuite/why twey persons entremellen hertes after a sight. The power in knowyng of such thynges so preuen/shal nat al vtterly be yeuen to you beestes/for many thynges in suche precious maters/ben reserued to iugement of deuyne purueyaunce/for among lyueng people/by mannes consyderacion moun they nat be determyned. Wherfore I saye/al<330ra><330rb>the enuy/al the ianglynge that welny people vpon my seruautes maken efte/is rather cause of esployte/than of any hyndringe. Why than (quod I) suffre ye such wrong/and moun whan ye lyst/lightly al such yuels abate/me semeth to you it is a great vnworship. O (quod she) holde nowe thy peace/I haue founden to many that han ben to me vnkynde/that trewly I wol suffre euery wight in that wyse to haue disease/and who that contynueth to the ende wel and trewly/hem wol I helpen/and as for one of myne in to blysse to wende/as marcial doyng in Grece. Who was ycrowned/by god nat the strongest/but he that rathest come and lengest abode and contynued in the iourney/and spared nat to traueyle as long as the play lest. But thilke person that profred him nowe to my seruyce therin is a while/and anon voydeth and redy to another/and so nowe one he thynketh and nowe another/and in to water entreth and anon respireth/such one lyst me nat in to perfyte blysse of my seruyce bringe. A tree ofte set in dyuers places wol nat by kynde endure to bringe forth frutes. Loke nowe I pray the/howe myne olde seruauntes of tyme passed contynued in her seruyce/and folowe thou after their steppes/and than myght thou not fayle/in case thou worche in this wyse. Certes (quod I) it is nothyng lych/this worlde to tyme passed/eke this countre hath one maner/and another countre hath another. And so may nat a man alwaye put to his eye the salue that he healed with his hele. For this is sothe/betwixe two thynges lyche/ofte dyuersite is required.
    Nowe (quod she) that is sothe/dyuersite of nation/dyuersite of lawe/as was maked by many reasons/for that dyuersyte cometh in by the contrarious malyce of wicked people/that han enuyous hertes ayenst other. But trewly my lawe to my seruauntes euer hath ben in general/whiche may nat fayle/for right as mannes lawes/that is ordayned by many determinations/may nat be knowe for good or badde/tyl assay of the people han proued it/and to what ende it draweth/and than it sheweth the necessite therof/or els the impossibilyte. Right so the lawe of my seruauntes so wel hath ben proued in general/that hytherto hath it not fayled.<330rb><330va>
    Wyste thou not wel that al the lawe of kynde is my lawe/and by god ordayned and stablisshed to dure by kynde reasoun/wherfore al lawe by mannes wytte purueyde/ought to be vnderputte to lawe of kynde/whiche yet hath be commune to euery kyndely creature/that my statutes and my lawe that ben kyndely/arne general to al peoples. Olde doynges/and by many turnynges of yeres vsed/and with the peoples maner proued/mowen nat so lightly ben defased/but newe doynges contrariauntes suche olde/often causen diseases and breaken many purposes. Yet saye I nat therfore/that ayen newe mischefe/men shulde nat ordaynen a newe remedye/but alwaye looke it contrary not the olde/no ferther than the malyce stretcheth. Than foloweth/it the olde doynges in loue han ben vnyuersal/as for most exployte forthe vsed: wherfore I wol not yet that of my lawes nothynge be adnulled. But thanne to thy purpose/suche iangelers and lokers/and wayters of games/if the thynke in aught they mowe dere/yet loue wel alwaye/and sette hem at naught/and lette thy porte ben lowe in euery wightes presence/and redy in thyne herte to maynteyne that thou hast begonne/and a lytel the fayne with mekenesse in wordes/and thus with sleyght shalt thou surmount and dequace the yuel in their hertes. And wysdome yet is to seme flye otherwhyle there a man wol fyght. Thus with suche thynges/the tonges of yuel shal ben stylled: els fully to graunt thy ful meanynge/for sothe euer was and euer it shalbe/that myn enemyes ben aferde to truste to any fightynge: and therfore haue thou no cowardes herte in my seruyce/no more than somtyme thou haddest in the contrarye/for if thou drede suche iangleres thy viage to make: vnderstande wel that he that dredeth any rayne to sowe his cornes/he shal haue than bernes. also he that is aferde of his clothes/let him daunce naked. Who nothyng vndertaketh/and namely in my seruyce/nothyng acheueth. After great stormes the wether is often mery and smothe. After moche clatering/there is mokyl rownyng: thus after iangling wordes cometh huysshte/peace/and be styl. O good lady (quod I than) se<330va><330vb>nowe howe seuen yere passed and more/haue I graffed and groubed a vyne/and with al the wayes that I coude I sought to a fed me of the grape/but frute haue I none founde. also I haue this seuen yere serued Laban to a wedded Rachel his doughter/but blere eyed Lya is brought to my bedde/whiche alway engendreth my tene/and is ful of chyldren in trybulacion and in care: and although the clippynges and kyssynges of Rachel shulde seme to me swete/yet is she so barayne/that gladnesse ne ioye by no way wol springe/so that I may wepe with Rachel/I may not ben counsayled with solace/sythen issue of myn hertely desyre is fayled. Nowe than I pray that to me sone fredom and grace/in this eyght yere/this eighteth mowe to me bothe be kynrest and masseday after the seuen werkedays of trauayle/to folowe the christen lawe: and what euer ye do els/that thilke Margaryte be holden so lady in your priuy chambre/that she in this case to none other person be commytted. Loke than (quod she) in this case to none other person be commytted: Loke than (quod she) thou perseuer in my seruyce/in whiche I haue the grounded/that thilke skorne in thyn enemyes mowe this on thy person be not sothed: lo this man began to edefye/but for his foundement is bad/to the ende may he it not bringe. For mekenesse in countenaunce/with a manly hert in dedes/and in longe contynuaunce/is the conysance of my lyuery/to al my retynue delyuered. What wenyst thou that me lyst auaunce suche persons as louen the first syttynges at feestes/the highest stoles in churches and in hal/loutynges of peoples in markettes and fayres/vnstedfaste to byde in one place any whyle togyder/wenyng his owne wyt more excellent than other/scornyng al maner deuyse but his own: Nay nay god wot/these shul nothing parten of my blysse. Truly my maner here toforne hath ben/worshyp with my blysse/Lyons in the felde/and lambes in chambre/Egles at assaute and maydens in halle/foxes in counsayle/styl in their dedes/and their protection is graunted redy to ben a bridge/and their baner is arered like wolues in the felde. Thus by these wayes shul men ben auaunced: ensample of Dauid that from kepyng<330vb><331ra>of shepe/was drawen vp in to the order of kyngly gouernaunce/and Jupiter from a bole to ben Europes fere/and Julius Cesar from the lowest degre in Rome/to be mayster of al erthly princes/and Eneas from hel/to be king of the countre there Rome is nowe stondyng. And so to the I say/thy grace by beryng therafter may set the in suche plyght/that no ianglyng may greue the lest tucke of thy hemmes/that are their ianghes/is not to counte at a cresse in thy disauauntage.
    EVer (quod she) hath the people in this worlde desyred to haue had great name in worthynesse/and hated foule to beare any fame/and that is one of the obiections thou alegest to be ayen thyne hertely desyre. ye forsothe (quod I) and that so comenly the people wol lye/and bringe aboute suche enfame. Nowe (quod she) if men with leasynges put on the enfame/wenest thy selfe therby ben enpeyred? That wenyng is wronge/se why: for as moche as they lyen thy meryte encreaseth/and make the ben more worthy to hem that knowen of the the soth/by what thyng thou art apeyred/that in so mokyl thou arte encreased of thy beloued frendes: and sothly a wounde of thy frende to the lasse harme/ye sir/and better than a false kyssyng in disceyuable glosyng of thyne enemye/aboue that than to be wel with thy frende maketh suche enfame. Ergo thou art encresed and not apeyred. Lady (quod I) somtyme yet if a man be in disease/thestymacion of the enuyous people ne loketh nothyng to desertes of men/ne to the merytes of their doynges/but only to the auenture of fortune/and therafter they yeuen their sentence: and some loken the voluntary wyl in his herte/and therafter telleth his iugement/not takyng hede to reason ne to the qualite of the doyng/as thus. If a man be ryche and fulfylde with worldly welfulnesse/some commenden it/and sayne it is so lente by iuste cause: and he that hath aduersyte/ they sayne he is weaked/and hath deserued thilke anoye. The contrarye of these thinges some men holden also/and sayne that to the ryche prosperyte is puruayed in to his confusyon/and vpon this mater/many au<331ra><331rb>torites of many and great wytted clerkes they alegen. And some men sayn/though al good estymacion forsaken folk that han aduersyte/yet is it meryte and encrease of his blysse/so that these purposes arne so wonderful in vnderstandyng/that trewly for myn aduersyte nowe I not howe the sentence of the indifferent people wyl iugen my fame. Therfore (quod she) if any wyght shulde yeue a trewe sentence on suche maters/the cause of the disease maist thou se wel/vnderstande thervpon after what ende it draweth/that is to sayne good or badde/so ought it to haue his fame/or by goodnesse enfame by badnesse: for euery reasonable person/and namely of a wyse man/his wytte ought not without reason to forne herde/sodainly in a mater to iuge. After the sawes of the wise/thou shalt not iuge ne deme toforne thou knowe. Lady (quod I) ye remembre wel that in moste laude and praysyng of certayne sayntes in holy churche/is to rehersen their conuercion from badde in to good/and that is so rehersed/as by a perpetual myrrour of remembraunce in worshyppynge of tho sayntes/and good ensample to other misdoers in amendement. Howe turned the romayne zedeoreys fro the romaynes/to be with Hanybal ayenst his kynde nacion: and afterwardes him semyng the romayns to be at the next degre of confusyon/turned to his olde alyes/by whose wytte after was Hanybal discomfyted. Wherfore to enfourme you lady the maner why I meane/se nowe in my youth I was drawe to ben assentaunt and in my mightes helpyng to certayn coniuracions/and other great maters of ruling of cytezins/and thilke thynges ben my drawers in/and exitours to tho maters werne so paynted and coloured/that at the prime face/me semed them noble and glorious to al the people: I than wenyng mykel meryte haue deserued in furtheryng and mayntenaunce of tho thynges/besyed and laboured with al my dyligence/in werkynge of thylke maters to the ende. And trewly lady to tel you the sothe/me rought lytel of any hate of the mighty senatours in thilke cyte/ne of comunes malyce/for two skylles: One was I had comforte to ben in<331rb><331va>suche plyte/that bothe profyte were to me and to my frendes. Another was for commen profyte in comynaltie is not but peace and tranquylite/with iust gouernaunce proceden from thylke profyte/sythen by counsayle of myne inwytte/me thought the firste paynted thynges/malyce and yvel meanynge/withouten any good auaylyng to any people: and of tyrannye purposed/and so for pure sorowe and of my medlynge and badde infame that I was in ronne/tho teeres lasshed out of myne eyen/were thus awaye wasshe/than the vnder hydde malyce and the rancoure of purposynge enuye fornecaste and ymagyned/in distruction of mokyl people/shewed so openly/that had I ben blynde/with myne hondes al the circumstaunce I might wel haue feled.
    Nowe than tho persones that suche thynges haue caste to redresse/for wrathe of my first medlynge/shopen me to dwel in this pynande prison/tyl Lachases my threde no lenger wolde twyne. And euer I was sought/if me lyste to haue grace of my lyfe/and frenesse of that prison/I shulde openly confesse howe peace myght ben endused to enden al the firste rancours. It was fully supposed my knowyng to be ful in tho maters. Than lady I thought that euery man that by any waye of right/rightfully done/maye helpe any comune helpe to ben saued/whiche thynge to kepe aboue al thynges I am holde to mayntayne/and namely in distroyeng of a wrong/al shulde I therthrough enpeche myn owne fere/if he were gylty/and to do misdede assentaunt. And mayster ne frende maye nought auayle to the soule of him that in falsnesse deyeth/and also that I nere desyred wrathe of the people/ne indignacion of the worthy/for nothynge that euer I wrought or dyd/in any doyng my selfe els/but in the mayntenaunce of these foresayd errours/and in hydynge of the priuytees therof. And that al the peoples hertes holdynge on the errours syde/weren blynde and of elde so ferforthe begyled/that debate and stryfe they maynteyned/and in distruction on that othersyde/by whiche cause the peace/that moste in comunaltie shulde be desyred/was in poynte to be broken and ad<331va><331vb>nulled. Also the cytie of London/that is to me so dere and swete/in whiche I was forthe growen/and more kyndely loue haue I to that place than to any other in erthe/as euery kyndely creature hath ful appetyte to that place of his kyndly engendrure/and to wylne reste and peace in that stede to abyde: thylke peace shulde thus there haue ben broken/and of al wyse it is commended and desyred. For knowe thynge it is/al men that desyren to comen to the perfyte peace euerlastyng/must the peace by god commended/bothe mayntayne and kepe. This peace by angels voyce was confyrmed/our god entrynge in this worlde. This as for his Testament he left to al his frendes/whanne he retourned to the place from whence he came: this his Apostel amonesteth to holden/without whiche man perfytely may haue none insyght. Also this god by his comyng/made not peace alone betwene heuenly and erthly bodyes/but also amonge vs on erthe/so he peace confyrmed/that in one heed of loue/one body we shulde perfourme. Also I remembre me wel howe the name of Athenes was rather after the god of peace than of batayle/shewynge that peace moste is necessarye to comunalties and cytes. I than so styred by al these wayes toforne nempned/declared certayne poyntes in this wyse. Firste that thilke persones that hadden me drawen to their purposes/and me not wetyng the priuy entent of their meanynge/drawen also the feoble wytted people/that haue none insyght of gubernatyfe prudence/to clamure and to crye on maters that they styred/and vnder poyntes for comune auauntage/they enbolded the passyfe to take in the actyues doynge/and also styred innocentes of connyng to crye after thynges/whiche (quod they) may not stande but we ben executours of tho maters/and auctorite of execucion by comen election to vs be delyuered/and that muste entre by strength of your mayntenaunce/for we out of suche degree put/oppressyon of these olde hyndrers shal agayne surmounten and putten you in such subiection/that in endelesse wo ye shul complayne. The gouernementes (quod they) of your cyte lefte in the handes of tor<331vb><332ra>cencious cytezyns shal bringe in pestylence and distruction to you good men/and therfore let vs haue the comune admynistracion to abate suche yuels. Also (quod they) it is worthy the good to commende/and the gylty desertes to chastice. There ben cytezens many for ferde of execucion that shal be doone/for extorcions by hem commytted/ben euermore ayenst these purposes/and al other good menynges. Neuer the latter lady/trewly the meanynge vnder these wordes/was fully to haue apeched the mighty senatoures/whiche hadden heauy herte for the misgouernaunce that they seen. And so lady whan it fel that free election/by great clamour of moche people/for great disease of misgouernaunce so feruently stoden in her election/that they hem submytted to euery maner face/rather than haue suffred the maner and the rule of the hated gouernours/not withstandynge that in the contrary helden moche comune meyny that haue no consyderacion/but onely to voluntary lustes/withouten reason. But than thylke gouernour so forsaken/faynynge to forne his vndoynge for misrule in his tyme/shope to haue letted thilke electyon/and haue made a newe him selfe to haue ben chosen/and vnder that mokyl rore haue arered. These thynges lady knowen amonge the princes/and made open to the people/draweth in amendement/that euery degree shal ben ordayned to stande there as he shulde/and that of errours comyng herafter/men may lightly to forne hande puruaye remedye/in this wyse peace and rest to be furthered and holde. Of the whiche thynges lady/thylke persones broughten in answere to forne their moste souerayne iuge/not coarted by paynynge dures/openly knowlegeden/and asked therof grace/so that apertely it preueth my wordes ben sothe/without forgynge of leasynges.
    But nowe it greueth me to remembre these dyuers sentences/in ianglynge of these shepy people: certes me thynketh they oughten to maken ioye that a sothe maye be knowe. For my trouthe and my conscience ben wytnesse to me bothe/that this knowynge sothe haue<332ra><332rb>I sayde for no harme ne malyce of tho persones/but onely for trouthe of my sacrament in my leigeaunce/by whiche I was charged on my kynges behalfe. But se ye not nowe lady/how the felonous thoughtes of this people/and couyns of wicked men/conspyren ayen my sothfast trouth. Se ye not euery wi3t that to these erronyous opinyons were assentaunt and helpes to the noyse/and knewen al these thynges better than I my seluen/apparaylen to fynden newe frendes/and cleapen me false/and studyen howe they mowen in her mouthes werse plyte nempne. O god what maye this be/that thylke folke whiche that in tyme of my mayntenaunce/and whan my might auayled to stretch to the forsayd maters/tho me commended/and yaue me name of trouth/in so manyfolde maners that it was nyghe in euery wightes eere/there as any of thilke people weren: and on the other syde/thilke company somtyme passed/yeuynge me name of badde loos. Nowe bothe tho peoples turned the good in to badde/and badde in to good/whiche thyng is wonder/that they knowynge me sayng but sothe/arne nowe tempted to reply her olde praysynges/and knowen me wel in al doynges to ben trewe/and sayne openly that I false haue sayd many thynges. And they aleged nothynge me to ben false or vntrewe/saue thilke mater knowleged by the parties hem selfe: and god wote other mater is none. Ye also lady knowe these thynges for trewe/I auaunte not in praysyng of my selfe/therby shulde I lese the precious secre of my conscience. But ye se wel that false opinyon of the people for my trouthe/in tellyng out of false conspyred maters/and after the iugement of these clerkes/I shulde not hyde the sothe of no maner person/mayster ne other/Wherfore I wolde not drede/were it put in the consyderacion of trewe and of wyse. And for comers hereafter shullen fully out of denwere/al the sothe knowe of these thinges in acte/but as they werne I haue put it in scripture/in perpetuel remembraunce of true meanynge. For trewly lady me semeth/that I ought to beare the name of trouthe/that for<332rb><332va>the loue of rightwysnesse haue thus me submytten: But nowe than the false fame which that clerkes sayn flyeth as faste as dothe the fame of trouthe/shal so wyde sprede/tyl it be brought to the iewel that I of meane/and so shal I ben hyndred withouten any measure of trouthe.
    THan gan Loue sadly me beholde/and sayd in a chaunged voyce/lower than she had spoken in any tyme. Fayne wolde I (quod she) that thou were holpen/but haste thou sayd any thynge whiche thou myght not prouen? Parde (quod I) the persones/euery thyng as I haue sayd/han knowleged hem selfe. Yea (quod she) but what if they hadden nayed/howe woldest thou haue maynteyned it. Sothely (quod I) it is wel wyste bothe amongest the greatest/and other of the realme/that I profered my body so largely in to prouynge of tho thynges/that Mars shulde haue iuged the ende: but for sothnesse of my wordes they durste not to thylke iuge truste. Nowe certes (quod she) aboue al fames in this worlde/the name of marcial doynges moste pleasen to ladyes of my lore/but sythen thou were redy/and thyne aduersaryes in thy presence refused thilke doyng/thy fame ought to be so borne/as if in dede it had take to the ende. And therfore euery wight that any droppe of reason hath/and hereth of the infame/for these thynges hath this answere to saye: trewly thou saydest for thyne aduersaryes thy wordes affirmed. And if thou haddest lyed/yet are they discomfyted/the prise leaned on thy syde/so that fame shal holde down infame/he shal bringe vpon none halfe.
    What greueth the thyne enemye to sayne their owne shame/as thus: We arne discomfyted/and yet our quarel is trewe. Shal not the loos of thy frendes ayenward dequace thilke enfame/and saye they graunted a sothe without a stroke or fighting. Many men in bataile ben discomfyted and ouercome in a right ful quarel/that is goddes priuy iugement in heuen: but yet although the partie be yolden/he may with wordes saye his quarel is trewe/and to yelde him in the contrarye for drede of<332va><332vb>dethe/ he is compelled: and he that graunteth and no stroke hath feled/he maye not crepe away in this wyse/by none excusacion. Indifferent folke wyl say/ye who is trewe/who is false/him selfe knowlegeth tho thinges. Thus in euery syde fame sheweth to the good and no badde. But yet (quod I) some wyl say I ne shulde for no dethe haue discouered my maystresse/and so by vnkyndnesse they wol knette infame to pursue me aboute: thus enemyes of wyl in manyfolde maner wol seche priuy serpentynes queyntyses/to quenche and distroye by venym of many besynesses the light of truthe/to make hertes to murmure ayenst my persone/to haue me in hayne withouten any cause. Nowe (quod she) here me a fewe wordes/and thou shalte fully ben answerde I trowe. Me thynketh (quod she) right nowe by thy wordes/that sacrament of swearyng/that is to say/chargyng by othe was one of the causes to make the discouer the malicious ymaginatyons tofore nempned/euery othe by knyttynge of copulation muste haue these lawes/That is trewe iugement and rightwysenesse/in whiche thynge if any of these lacke/the othe is ytourned in to the name of periury: than to make a trewe serment/most nedes these thynges folowe/for ofte tymes a man to saye sothe/but iugement and iustyce folowe he is forsworne: ensample of Herodes for holdynge of his serment was dampned.
    Also to saye truthe rightfullyche but in iugement otherwhile is forboden/by that al sothes be nat to sayne. Therfore in iugement in truthe and rightwisenesse is euery creature bounden vp payne of periury ful knowyng to make/tho it were of his owne persone for drede of synne/after that worde better is it to dey than lyue false/and al wolde peruerted people false reporte make in vnkyndnesse/in that entent thy fame to reyse/whan lyght of truthe in these maters is forthe sprongen/and openly publysshed among commens/than shal nat suche derke enfame dare appere for pure shame of his falsnesse/as some men ther ben that their owne enfame can none otherwyse voide or els excuse/but be hyndringe of other men<332vb><333ra>nes fame/which that by non other cause/cleapen other men false/but for with their owne falsnesse mowen they nat ben auaunsed/or els by false sklaundynge wordes/other men shendyn their owne trewe sklaunder/to make seme the lasse/for if such men wolden their eyen of their conscience reuoluen/shulden sene the same sentence they legen on other/springe out of their sydes/with so many braunches it were impossyble to nombre. To whiche therfore maye it be sayd in that thynge/this man thou demest/therin thy selfe thou condempnest. But (quod she) vnderstande nat by these wordes/that thou wene me saye the to be worthy sclaunder/for any mater tofore written/truely I wolde wytnesse the contrary/but I saye that the beames of sclaundryng wordes/may nat be done awaye tyl the daye of dome. For howe shulde it nat yet amonges so great plentie of people ben many shrewes/sithen whan no mo but eight persons in Noes shippe were closed/yet one was a shrewe and skorned his father. These thynges (quod she) I trowe/shewen that false fame is nat to drede/ne of wyse persons to accepte/and namely nat of thy Margarite/whose wysedom here after I thynke to declare/wherfore I wotte wel suche thynge shal nat her asterte/than of vnkyndnesse thyne othe hath the excused at the fulle. But nowe if thou woldest nat greue/me lyst a fewe thynges to shewe. Say on (quod I) what ye wol/I trowe ye meane but trouthe/and my profyte in tyme comynge. Trewly (quod she) that is sothe/so thou con wel kepe these wordes/and in the inrest secre chambre of thyne herte/so faste hem close that they neuer flytte/than shalte thou fynde hem auaylyng. Loke nowe what people haste thou serued/whiche of hem al in tyme of thyne exile euer the refresshed/by the valewe of the leste coyned plate that walketh in money. Who was sorye or made any rewth for thy disease? if they hadden getten their purpose of thy misauenture sette they nat an hawe. Lo whan thou were enprisonned/howe faste they hyed in helpe of thy delyueraunce. I wene of thy dethe they yeue but lyte: They loked after no<333ra><333rb>thynge/ but after their owne lustes. And if thou lyste say the sothe/al that meyny that in this brigge the broughten/lokeden rather after thyne helpes/than the to haue releued.
    Owen nat yet some of hem money for his commens? Paydest nat thou for some of her dispences/tyl they were tourned out of Selande? Who yaue the euer ought for any rydynge thou madest? yet pardye some of hem token money for thy chambre/and putte tho pens in his purse vnwetynge of the renter.
    Lo for which a company thou medlest/that neyther the ne them selfe myghten helpe of vnkyndnesse/nowe they beare the name that thou supposest of hem for to haue. What myght thou more haue done than thou dyddest/but if thou woldest in a false quarel haue been a stynkynge martyr? I wene thou fleddest as longe as thou myght/their pryuite to counsayle/whiche thynge thou helest lenger than thou shuldest. And thilke that ought the money no penny wolde paye/they wende thy returne hadde ben an impossyble. Howe might thou better haue hem proued/but thus in thy nedy diseases? Nowe haste thou ensaumple for whom thou shalte meddle: trewly this lore is worthe many goodes.
    OFte gan Loue to sterne me these wordes/thynke on my speche/for trewly here after it wol do the lykynge/and howe so euer thou se Fortune shape her wheele to tourne/this meditation by no waye reuolue. For certes Fortune sheweth her fayrest/whan she thynketh to begyle. And as me thought here toforne thou saydest thy loos in loue/for thy rightwysenesse ought to be raysed/shulde be a lowed in tyme comynge. Thou myght in loue so the haue/that loos and fame shul so ben raysed/that to thy frendes comforte/and sorowe to thyne enemys endlesse shul endure.
    But if thou were the one shepe amonges the hundred were loste in deserte/and out of the way hadde erred/and nowe to the flocke arte restoored/the shepeheerd hath in the no ioye/and thou ayen to the forrest tourne. But that right as the sorowe and anguysshe was great in tyme of thyne out waye goynge/ryght so<333rb><333va>ioye and gladnesse shal be doubled to sene the conuerted/and nat as Lothes wyfe ayen lokynge/but hoole counsayle with the shepe folowynge/and with them grasse and herbes gadre. Neuer the later (quod she) I saye nat these thynges for no wantrust that I haue in supposynge of the otherwyse thanne I shulde/For trewly I wotte wel/that nowe thou arte sette in suche a purpose/out of whiche the lyste nat to parte. But I saye it/for many men there bene/that to knowynge of other mennes doynges setten al their cure/and lightly desyren the badde to clatter rather than the good/and haue no wyl their owne maner to amende. They also hate of olde rancoure lightly hauen/and there that suche thynge abydeth/sodaynly in their mouthes procedeth the habundaunce of the herte/and wordes as stones/stones out throwe. Wherfore my counsayle is euer more openly and apertely/in what place thou sytte/countreplete therrours and meanynges/in as ferre as thou hem wystyst false/and leaue for no wyght to make hem be knowe in euery bodyes eare/and be alwaye pacient and vse Jacobes wordes/what so euer menne of the clappen/I shal sustayne my ladyes wrathe whiche I haue deserued/so longe as my Margarite hath rightwysed my cause. And certes (quod she) I wytnesse my selfe/if thou thus conuerted sorowest in good meanynge in thyne herte/wolte from al vanyte parfitely departe/in consolatyoun of al good pleasaunce of that Margaryte/whiche that thou desyrest after wyl of thyne hert/in a maner of a mothers pyte/shul fully accepte the in to grace. For ryght as thou rentest clothes in open syghte/so openly to sowe hem at his worshippe withouten reprofe commended. Also right as thou were ensample of moche folde errour/right so thou must be ensample of manyfolde correctioun/so good sauour to forgoyng al errour distroyeng causeth dilygent loue/with many playted praysynges to folowe/and than shal al the fyrste errours make the folowynge worshyppes to seme hugely encreased/blacke and white sette togyder/euery for other more semeth/and so<333va><333vb>dothe euery thynges contrary in kynde. But infame that gothe alwaye tofore/and praysynge worshippe by any cause folowynge after/maketh to ryse the ylke honour in double of welth/and that quencheth the spotte of the fyrst enfame. Why wenyste I saye these thinges/in hyndringe of thy name? Naye nay god wotte/but for pure encreasyng worshyp thy rightwysenesse to commende/and thy trouthe to seme the more. Wost nat wel thy selfe/that thou in fourme of making passeth nat Adam that ete of the apple. Thou passeth nat the stedfastnesse of Noe/that eatynge of the grape become dronke. Thou passyst nat the chastyte of Lothe/that lay by his doughter. Eke the nobley of Abraham/whom god reproued by his pride. Also Dauydes mekenesse/whiche for a woman made Vrye be slawe. What also Hector of Troye/in whome no defaute myght be founde/yet is he reproued that he ne hadde with manhode nat suffred the warre begon/ne Paris to haue went in to Grece/by whom ganne al the sorowe: for trewly hym lacketh no venym of pryue consentyng/whiche that openly leaueth a wronge to withsay.
    Lo eke an olde prouerbe amonges many other/he that is stylle semeth as he graunted.
    Nowe by these ensamples/thou myght fully vnderstonde/that these thynges ben wrytte to your lernyng/and in rightwysenesse of tho persones/as thus: To euery wight his defaute commytted/made goodnesse afterwardes done/be the more in reuerence and in open shewyng/for ensample is it nat song in holy churche. Lo howe necessary was Adams synne/Dauyd the kyng gate Salomon the kyng/of her that was Vryes wyfe. Truly for reprofe is none of these thynges writte: Right so tho I reherce thy before dede/I repreue the neuer the more/ne for no vyllany of the are they rehersed/but for worshippe/so thou contynewe wel here after/and for profyte of thy selfe/I rede thou on hem thynke.
    Than sayde I right thus. Lady of vnyte and accorde/enuy and wrathe lurken there thou comest in place/ye weten wel your selue and so done many other/that whyle I admy<333vb><334ra>nystred the offyce of commen doynge/as in rulyng of the stablysshmentes amonges the people/I defouled neuer my conscyence for no maner dede/but euer by wytte and by counsayle of the wysest/the maters weren drawen to their right endes. And thus trewly for you lady I haue desyred suche cure/and certes in your seruyce was I nat ydel/as ferre as suche doynge of my cure stretcheth. That is a thyng (quod she) that may drawe many hertes of noble/and voice of commune in to glory/and fame is nat but wretched and fyckle.
    Alas that mankynde coueyteth in so leude a wyse/to be rewarded of any good dede/sithe glorie of fame in this worlde/is nat but hyndrynge of glorye in tyme commynge. And certes (quod she) yet at the hardest suche fame in to heuen/is nat the erthe but a centre to the cercle of heuen. A pricke is wonder lytel in respecte of al the cercle/and yet in al this pricke may no name be borne in maner of peersyng for many obstacles/as waters and wyldernesse/and straunge langages/and nat onely names of men ben stylled and holden out of knowlegynge by these obstacles/but also cytees and realmes of prosperite ben letted to be knowe/and their reason hyndred/so that they mowe nat ben parfitely in mennes proper vnderstandynge. Howe shulde than the name of a synguler londenoys passe the gloryous name of London/whiche by many it is commended/and by many it is lacked/and in many mo places in erthe nat knowen/than knowen: for in many countrees lytel is London in knowyng or in spech/and yet among one maner of people may nat such fame in goodnes come/for as many as praysen commenly as many lacken. Fye than on such maner fame/slepe and suffre him that knoweth preuyte of hertes/to dele suche fame/in thylke place there nothynge ayenst a sothe shal neyther speke ne dare apere/by attourney ne by other maner. Howe many great named and many great in worthynesse losed/han be tofore this tyme/that nowe out of memorie are slydden and clenely for geten/for defaute of writynges/and yet scriptures for great elde so ben defased/that no perpetualte maye in hem ben iuged. But if thou<334ra><334rb>wolte make comparisoun to euer/what ioye mayst thou haue in erthly name/it is a fayre lykenesse/a pees or one grayne of wheate/to a thousande shippes ful of corne charged.
    What nombre is betwene the one and thother/and yet mowe bothe they be nombred/and ende in rekenynge haue. But trewly al that may be nombred/is nothyng to recken/as to thilke that maye nat be nombred/for ofte thynges ended is made comparison/as one lytel/another great/but in thynges to haue an ende/and another no ende/suche comparisoun may nat be founden. Wherfore in heuen to ben losed with god hath none ende/but endlesse endureth/and thou canste nothynge done aright/but thou desyre the rumoure therof be healed and in euery wightes eare/and that dureth but a pricke/in respecte of the other. And so thou sekest rewarde of folkes smale wordes/and of vayne praysynges. Trewly therin thou lesest the guerdon of vertue/and lesest the grettest valoure of consyence/and vphap thy renome euerlastyng. Therfore boldely renome of fame of the erthe shulde behated/and fame after deth shulde be desyred/of werkes of vertue asketh guerdonyng/and the soule causeth al vertue. Than the soule delyuered out of prisone of erthe/is most worthy suche guerdone among to haue in the euerlastynge fame/and nat the body that causeth al mannes yuels.
OF twey thynges arte thou answered as me thynketh (quod Loue) and if any thynge be in doute in thy soule/shewe it forth thyne ignoraunce to clere/and leaue it for no shame. Certes (quod I) there ne is no body in this worlde/that aught coude saye by reason ayenst any of your skylles/as I leue/and by my wytte nowe fele I wel/that yuel spekers or bearers of enfame/may lytel greue or lette my purpose/but rather by suche thynge my quarel to be forthered. Yea (quod she) and it is proued also/that the ilke iewel in my kepynge shal nat there thorowe be steered/of the lest moment that myght be ymagyned. That is soth (quod I) Wel (quod she) than leneth there/to declare that thy insuffysance is no maner letting<334rb><334va>as thus/for that she is so worthy thou shuldest not clymbe so highe/for thy moebles and thyne estate arne voyded/thou thynkest fallen in suche myserie/that gladnesse of thy pursute wol nat on the discende. Certes (quod I) that is sothe: right suche thought is in myne hert/for commenly it is spoken/and for an olde prouerbe it is leged: He that heweth to hye/with chyppes he maye lese his syght. Wherfore I haue ben about in al that euer I myght/to studye wayes of remedye by one syde or by another. Nowe (quod she) god forbede are thou seke any other doynges/but suche as I haue lerned the in our restynge whyles/and suche herbes as ben planted in oure gardyns. Thou shalte wel vnderstande/that aboue man is but one god alone. Howe (quod I) han men to forne this tyme trusted in writtes and chauntementes/and in helpes of spirites that dwellen in the ayre/and therby they han getten their desyres/where as first for al his manly power he daunced behynde.
    O (quod she) fye on suche maters/for trewly that is sacrilege/and that shal haue no sort with any of my seruauntes/in myne eyen shal suche thynge nat be loked after. Howe often is it commaunded by these passed wyse/that to one god shal men serue and nat to goddes?
    And who that lyste to haue myne helpes/shal aske none helpe of foule spirites. Alas/is nat man maked semblable to god? wost thou nat wel that al vertue of lyuelych werkynge by goddes purueyaunce is vnderputte to resonable creature in erthe/is nat euery thynge a thishalfe god? made buxome to mannes contemplation/understandynge in heuen and in erthe/and in helle. Hath not manne beynge with stones/soule of wexyng with trees and herbes. Hath he nat soule of felynge/with beestes/fysshes/and foules/and he hath soule of reason and vnderstandyng with aungels/so that in him is knytte al maner of lyuenges by a reasonable proporcioun. Also man is made of al the foure elementes. Al vnyuersytee is rekened in him alone: he hath vnder god pryncipalite aboue al thynges. Nowe is his soule here/nowe a thousande myle hence/nowe ferre nowe nygh/nowe hye nowe lowe/<334va><334vb>as ferre in a momente/as in mountenaunce of tenne wynter/and al this is in mannes gouernaunce and disposytion. Than sheweth it/that men ben lyche vnto goddes/and chyldren of moost heyght. But nowe sythen al thynges vnderputte to the wyl of reasonable creatures/god forbede any man to wynne that lordshippe/and aske helpe of any thynge lower than him selfe/and than namely of foule thynges innominable. Now than why shuldest thou wene to loue to highe/sythen nothynge is the aboue but god alone. Trewly I wote wel/that thylke iewel is in a maner euyn in lyne of degree there thou arte thy selue/and nought aboue/saue thus. Aungel vpon angel/manne vpon manne/and deuyl vpon deuyl/han a maner of soueraygntie/and that shal cease at the daye of dome: and so I say/thoughe thou be putte to serue the ylke iewel durynge thy lyfe/yet is that no seruage of vnderputtynge/but a maner of trauaylyng plesaunce/to conquere and gette that thou haste not. I sette nowe the hardest/in my seruice nowe thou deydest for sorowe of wantynge in thy desyres: trewly al heuenly bodyes with one voyce shul come and make melody in thy comynge/and saye welcome our fere/and worthy to entre in to Jupyters ioye/for thou with myght haste ouercome dethe/thou woldest neuer flytte out of thy seruyce/and we al shul nowe pray to the goddes rowe by rowe to make thilk Margarite that no routh had in this persone/but vnkyndely without comforte lette the deye/shal besette her selfe in suche wyse/that in erthe for parte of vengeaunce/shal she no ioye haue in loues seruyce/and whan she is deed/than shal her soule ben brought vp in to thy presence/and whyder thou wylte chese/thilke soule shal ben commytted. Or els after thy dethe anone al the foresayd heuenly bodyes by one accorde/shal benommen from thylke perle/al the vertues that firste her were taken/for she hath hem forfeyted/by that on the my seruaunt in thy lyue she wolde not suffre to worche al vertues withdrawen/by might of the hygh bodyes: Why than shuldest thou wene so any more. And if the lyste to loke vpon the lawe<334vb><335ra>of kynde/and with order whiche to me was ordayned/sothely none age/none ouertournynge tyme/but hytherto had no tyme ne power to chaunge the weddyng/ne the knotte to vnbynde of two hertes thorowe one assent in my presence/togyther accorden to enduren tyl dethe hem departe. What trowest thou euery ydeot wotte the menynge and the priuy entent of these thynges? they wene forsothe that suche accorde may not be/but the rose of maydenhede be plucked/do waye do waye/they knowe nothyng of this: for consente of two hertes alone/maketh the fastenynge of the knotte/neyther lawe of kynde ne mannes lawe/determyneth neyther the age ne the qualyte of persones/but onely accorde bytwene thylke twaye. And trewly after tyme that suche accorde by their consent in hert/is ensealed and put in my tresorye amonges my priuy thynges: than gynneth the name of spousayle/and although they breaken forwarde bothe/yet suche mater ensealed is kepte in remembrance for euer. And se nowe that spouses haue the name anon after accorde/though the rose be not take. The aungel bade Joseph take Marye his spouse/and to Egypte wende: Lo she was cleped spouse/and yet toforne ne after neyther of hem bothe mente no flesshly luste knowe/wherfore the wordes of trouthe acorden/that my seruauntes shulden forsake bothe father and mother/and be adherande to his spouse/and they two in vnyte of one flesshe shulden accorde. And this wyse two that werne firste in a lytel maner disacordaunt/hygher that one and lower that other/ben made euenlyche in gree to stonde. But nowe to enfourme the that ye ben lyche to goddes/these clerkes sayne/and in determynacion shewen/that thre thynges hauen the names of goddes ben cleaped/that is to sayn: man/dyuel/and ymages/but yet is there but one god/of whom al goodnesse/al grace/and al vertue cometh/and he his louyng and trewe/and euerlastyng/and pryme cause of al beyng thynges: but men ben goddes/louynge and trewe/but not euerlastyng/and that is by adopcyoun of the euerlastynge god. Dyuels ben goddes/styrrynge by a maner of lyueng/<335ra><335rb>but neyther ben they trewe ne euerlastynge/and their name of godlyheed thy han by vsurpacion/as the prophete saythe: Al goddes of gentyles/that is to say paynyms/are dyuels. But ymages ben goddes by nuncupacion/and they ben neyther lyuynge ne trewe/ne euerlastynge: After these wordes they cleapen goddes ymages wrought with mennes handes. But nowe reasonable creature/that by adopcion alone arte to the great god euerlastynge/and therby thou arte god cleped: lette thy fathers maners so entre thy wyttes/that thou myght folowe/in as moche as longeth to the thy fathers worshyppe/so that in nothynge thy kynde from his wyl declyne/ne from his nobley peruerte. In this wyse if thou werche/thou arte aboue al other thynges saue god alone/and so say no more thyn herte to serue in to hye a place.
FULly haue I nowe declared thyn estate to be good/so thou folow therafter/and that the abiection first be the aleged in worthynesse of thy Margaryte shal not the lette/as it shal forther the/and encrease the/it is nowe to declare/the last obiection in nothing may greue.
    Yes certes (quod I) bothe greue and let muste it nedes/the contrarye maye not ben proued/and se nowe why. Whyle I was glorious in worldly welfulnesse/and had suche goodes in welth as maken men ryche/tho was I drawe in to companyes that loos/prise/and name yeuen: tho louteden blasours/tho curreyden glosours/tho welcomeden flatterers/tho worshypped thylke/that nowe deynen nat to loke. Euery wight in such erthly wele habundant/is holde noble/precious/benigne/and wyse to do what he shal/in any degree that men hym set/al be it that the sothe be in the contrarye of al tho thynges: But he that can/ne neuer so wel him behaue/and hath vertue habundaunt in manyfolde maners/and be nat welthed with suche erthly goodes/is holde for a foole/and sayd his wytte is but sotted. Lo how false for auer is holde trewe. Lo howe trewe is cleaped false for wantyng of goodes. Also lady/dignytees of office maken men mykel comended as thus: he is so good/were he out his pere<335rb><335va>shulde men not fynde. Trewly I trowe of some suche that are so praysed/were they out ones/another shulde make him so be knowe/he shulde of no wyse no more ben loked after: but onely fooles wel I wotte/desyren suche new thynges. Wherfore I wonder that thilke gouernour/out of whome alone the causes proceden/that gouernen al thynges/whiche that hath ordeyned this worlde in werkes of the kyndely bodyes so be gouerned/not with vnstedfast or happyous thyng/but with rules of reason/whiche shewen the course of certayne thynges: why suffreth he suche slydyng chaunges/that misturnen suche noble thynges as ben we men/that arne a fayre parsel of the erthe/and holden the vpperest degre vnder god of benigne thinges/as ye sayden right nowe your selfe/shulde neuer man haue ben set in so worthy a place/but if his degre were ordayned noble. Alas/thou that knyttest the purueyaunce of al thynges/why lokest thou not to amenden these defautes: I se shrewes that han wicked maners/sytten in chayres of domes/lambes to punysshen/there wolues shulden ben punisshed. Lo vertue shynende naturelly/for pouertie lurketh and is hydde vnder cloude: but the moone false forsworne/as I knowe my selfe/for auer and yeftes hath vsurped to shyne by day light/with peynture of other mens praysinges: and trewly thilke forged ly3t fouly shulde fade/were the trouth away of colours feyned. Thus is nyght turned in to daye/and daye in to night/wynter in to sommer/and sommer in to wynter/not in dede/but in miscleapyng of folyche people.
    Now (quod she) what wenest thou of these thinges? how felest thou in thyn hert/by what gouernaunce that this cometh aboute?
    Certes (quod I) that wotte I neuer/but if it be that fortune hath graunt from aboue/to lede the ende of man as her lyketh. Ah nowe I se (quod she) thentent of thy meanyng: Lo bycause thy worldly goodes ben fullyche dispent/thou berafte out of dignite of office/in whiche thou madest the gatherynge of thilke goodes/and yet dyddest in that office by counsaile of wyse/any thing were ended: and true were vnto hem/whose profyte thou shuldest<335va><335vb> loke/and seest nowe many that in thilke heruest made of the mokel/and nowe for glosing of other/deyneth the nought to forther/but enhaunsen false shrewes/by wytnessynge of trouthe. These thynges greueth thyn herte to sene thy selfe thus abated/and than fraylte of mankynde ne setteth but lytel by the lesers of suche rychesse/haue he neuer so moche vertue/and so thou wenest of thy iewel to renne in dispyte/and not ben accepted in to grace: Al this shal the nothing hynder. Nowe (quod she) first thou woste wel thou lostest nothyng that euer mightest thou chalenge for thyn owne: Whan nature brought the forthe/come thou not naked out of thy mothers wombe? thou haddest no rychesse/and whan thou shalt entre in to the ende of euery flesshly body/what shalt thou haue with the than? So euery rychesse thou haste in tyme of thy lyuynge/nys but lente/thou might therin chalenge no propertie. And se nowe euery thing that is a mannes owne/he may do therwith what him lyketh/to yeue or to kepe: but richesse thou playnest from the lost/if thy might had stretched so ferforth/fayne thou woldest haue hem kept multyplied with mo other: and so ayenst thy wyl ben they departed from the/wherfore they were neuer thyn. And if thou laudest and ioyest any wight/for he is stuffed with suche maner richesse/thou arte in that beleue begiled/for thou wenest thilke ioye to be selynesse or els ease/and he that hath loste suche happes to ben vnsely. Ye forsoth (quod I). Wel (quod she) than wol I proue that vnsely in that wise is to preise/and so the tother is the contrary to be lacked. Howe so (quod I) For vnsely (quod she) begyleth nat/but sheweth thentent of her workyng. Et econtra. Selynesse begyleth/for in prosperite she maketh a iape in blyndnesse/that is she wyndeth him to make sorowe whan she withdraweth. Wolte thou nat (quod she) preise him better that sheweth to the his herte/tho it be with bytande wordes and dispitous/than him that gloseth and thinketh in their absence to do the many harmes Certes (quod I) the one is to commende/and the other to lacke and dispice. A ha (quod she) right so ease while he lasteth/gloseth and flatereth/and li3tly voydeth whan she most plesauntly sheweth/<335vb><336ra> and euer in her absence she is aboute to do the tene and sorowe in herte: but vnsely al be it with bytande chere/sheweth what she is/and so doth not that other/wherfore vnsely dothe not begyle. Selynesse disceyueth: vnsely put awaye doute. That one maketh men blynde/that other openeth their eyen in shewynge of wretchydnesse. The one is ful of drede to lese that is not his owne: that other is sobre and maketh men discharged of mokel heuynesse in burthen. The one draweth a man from very good/the other haleth hym to vertue by the hookes of thoughtes. And wenyst thou nat that thy disease hath done the mokel more to wynne/than euer yet thou lostest? and more than euer the contrary made the wynne. Is nat a great good to thy thynking/for to knowe the hertes of thy sothfast frendes. Pardy they ben proued to the ful/and the trewe haue disceuered from the false. Trewly at the goynge of the ylke brotel ioye/ther yede no more awaye/than the ylke that was nat thyne proper: he was neuer from that lyghtly departed/thyne owne good therfore leaueth it stylle with the. Nowe good (quod she) for howe moche woldest thou somtyme haue bought/this verry knowyng of thy frendes/from the flatterynge flyes that the glosed/whan thou thought thy selfe sely. But thou that playnest of losse in rychesse/hast founden the most dere worthy thynge that thou cleapest vnsely/hath made the moche thynge to wynnen. And also for conclusyoun of al/he is frende that nowe leaueth nat his hert from thyne helpes. And if that Margarite denyeth nowe nat to suffre her vertues shyne to the wardes/with spreadynge beames/as farre or farther than if thou were sely in worldly ioye: trewly I saye nat els but she is somdele to blame.
    Ah/peace (quod I) and speke no more of this/myne herte breaketh/nowe thou touchest any suche wordes. A wel (quod she) thanne lette vs syngen/thou herest no more of these thynges at this tyme.

Thus endeth the firste booke of the Testament of Loue/and herafter foloweth the seconde.<336ra>