Chaucerian and Other Pieces. Various

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СКАЧАТЬ to recken, as to thilke that may nat be nombred. For

      †of the thinges ended is mad comparison; as, oon litel, another

      greet; but in thinges to have an ende, and another no ende,

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      suche comparisoun may nat be founden. Wherfore in heven to

      ben losed with god hath non ende, but endlesse endureth; and

      thou canst nothing don aright, but thou desyre the rumour therof

      be heled and in every wightes ere; and that dureth but a pricke

      in respecte of the other. And so thou sekest reward of folkes

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      smale wordes, and of vayne praysinges. Trewly, therin thou

      lesest the guerdon of vertue; and lesest the grettest valour of

      conscience, and uphap thy renomè everlasting. Therfore boldely

      renomè of fame of the erthe shulde be hated, and fame after deth

      shulde be desyred of werkes of vertue. [Trewly, vertue] asketh

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      guerdoning, and the soule causeth al vertue. Than the soule,

      delivered out of prison of erthe, is most worthy suche guerdon

      among to have in the everlastinge fame; and nat the body, that

      causeth al mannes yvels.

      Ch. VIII. 1. Ofte; read Eft. sterne; read steren. I supply with. 2. the. 3. howe. se. 4. meditation. I supply shal. 6. toforne. 8. the. 9. comforte. 11. one shepe. 12. loste. nowe. 13. arte. shepeherd. the. 15. great. 16. the.

      17. wyfe. I supply in. hoole. 20. the. 21. wotte. nowe. arte sette. 22. the. 23. bene. 26. thynge. 28. stones repeated in Th. 29. counsayle. apertely. 30. therrours. meanynges. ferre. 31. wystyst. leaue. 32. eare. 33. menne. the. 36. meanynge. 37. I supply and. wolte. parfytely. 37. consolatyoun. 38. pleasaunce. 39. hert. mothers; read moders. I supply she. 40. the. 42. I supply is. 44. correctioun. al; read of. After errour I omit distroyeng (gloss upon forgoing). 47. encreased. sette. 48. dothe. 49. gothe. worshippe.

      52. wenyste. Naye nay god wotte. 53. encreasyng. 55–7. passeth (twice); passyst (third time). ete. 57. eatynge. become. 61. whome. 63. begon. ganne. 65. leaueth. wronge. withsay. 68. Nowe. 71. done. 72. song. 73. howe. gate. 74. wyfe. 75. none. 76–7. the (twice). 78. profyte. 81. done. 87. ferre. 88. stretcheth.

      91. wretched. 96. respecte. 97. borne. 98. onely. 101. reason. 102. parfitely. Howe. 107. one. 108. Fye. 110. nothynge. 112. Howe. great (twice). 113. nowe. 115. great. 116. maye. wolte. 118. fayre. one grayne of wheate. thousande. 120. one. thother. 121–2. maye. 123. ofte; read of the. made. one. 124. great.

      126. none. 127. canste nothynge done. rumoure. 128. healed; read deled? eare. 129. rewarde. 131. valoure. consyence. 134. Supply Trewly, vertue. 136. prisone. guerdone.

      CHAPTER IX.

      Of twey thinges art thou answered, as me thinketh (quod

      Love); and if any thing be in doute in thy soule, shewe

      it forth, thyn ignoraunce to clere, and leve it for no shame.'

      'Certes,' quod I, 'there is no body in this worlde, that aught

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      coude saye by reson ayenst any of your skilles, as I leve; and by

      my witte now fele I wel, that yvel-spekers or berers of enfame

      may litel greve or lette my purpos, but rather by suche thinge my

      quarel to be forthered.'

      'Ye,' quod she,'and it is proved also, that the ilke jewel in

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      my kepinge shal nat there-thorow be stered, of the lest moment

      that might be imagined.'

      'That is soth,' quod I.

      'Wel,' quod she, 'than †leveth there, to declare that thy

      insuffisance is no maner letting, as thus: for that she is so worthy,

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      thou shuldest not clymbe so highe; for thy moebles and thyn

      estate arn voyded, thou thinkest [thee] fallen in suche miserie,

      that gladnesse of thy pursute wol nat on thee discende.'

      'Certes,' quod I, 'that is sothe; right suche thought is in myn

      herte; for commenly it is spoken, and for an olde proverbe it is

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      leged: "He that heweth to hye, with chippes he may lese

      his sight." Wherfore I have ben about, in al that ever I might,

      to studye wayes of remedye by one syde or by another.'

      'Now,' quod she, 'god forbede †that thou seke any other

      doinges but suche as I have lerned thee in our restinge-whyles,

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      and suche herbes as ben planted in oure gardins. Thou shalt

      wel understande that above man is but oon god alone.'

      'How,' quod I, 'han men to-forn this tyme trusted in writtes

      and chauntements, and in helpes of spirites that dwellen in the

      ayre, and therby they han getten their desyres, where-as first, for

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      al his manly power, he daunced behynde?'

      'O,' quod she, 'fy on suche maters! For trewly, that is

      sacrilege; and that shal have no sort with any of my servauntes;

      in myne eyen shal suche thing nat be loked after. How often is

      it commaunded by these passed wyse, that "to one god shal men

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      serve, and not to goddes?" And who that liste to have 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

      lyvelich werkinge, by goddes purveyaunce, СКАЧАТЬ