Chaucerian and Other Pieces. Various

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СКАЧАТЬ love shulde ben founden; for among al other planettes

      moste soveraynly they shynen, as dignitees in reverence of estates

      rather than good han and occupyen. Ful many also there ben

      that in okes and in huge postes supposen love to ben grounded,

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      as in strength and in might, whiche mowen not helpen their owne

      wrecchidnesse, whan they ginne to falle. But [of] suche diversitè

      of sectes, ayenst the rightful beleve of love, these errours ben forth

      spredde, that loves servantes in trewe rule and stedfast fayth in

      no place daren apere. Thus irrecuperable joy is went, and anoy

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      endless is entred. For no man aright reproveth suche errours,

      but [men] confirmen their wordes, and sayn, that badde is noble

      good, and goodnesse is badde; to which folk the prophete biddeth

      wo without ende.

      Also manye tonges of greet false techinges in gylinge maner,

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      principally in my tymes, not only with wordes but also with armes,

      loves servauntes and professe in his religion of trewe rule pursewen,

      to confounden and to distroyen. And for as moche as holy †faders,

      that of our Christen fayth aproved and strengthed to the Jewes, as

      to men resonable and of divinitè lerned, proved thilke fayth with

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      resones, and with auctoritès of the olde testament and of the newe,

      her pertinacie to distroy: but to paynims, that for beestes and

      houndes were holde, to putte hem out of their errour, was †miracle

      of god shewed. These thinges were figured by cominge of th'angel

      to the shepherdes, and by the sterre to paynims kinges; as who

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      sayth: angel resonable to resonable creature, and sterre of miracle

      to people bestial not lerned, wern sent to enforme. But I, lovers

      clerk, in al my conning and with al my mightes, trewly I have no

      suche grace in vertue of miracles, ne for no discomfit falsheedes

      suffyseth not auctoritès alone; sithen that suche [arn] heretikes

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      and maintaynours of falsitès. Wherfore I wot wel, sithen that

      they ben men, and reson is approved in hem, the clowde of errour

      hath her reson beyond probable resons, whiche that cacchende

      wit rightfully may not with-sitte. By my travaylinge studie I have

      ordeyned hem, †whiche that auctoritè, misglosed by mannes

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      reson, to graunt shal ben enduced.

      Now ginneth my penne to quake, to thinken on the sentences

      of the envyous people, whiche alway ben redy, both ryder and

      goer, to scorne and to jape this leude book; and me, for rancour

      and hate in their hertes, they shullen so dispyse, that although

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      my book be leude, yet shal it ben more leude holden, and by

      wicked wordes in many maner apayred. Certes, me thinketh,

      [of] the sowne of their badde speche right now is ful bothe myne

      eeres. O good precious Margaryte, myne herte shulde wepe if

      I wiste ye token hede of suche maner speche; but trewly, I wot

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      wel, in that your wysdom shal not asterte. For of god, maker of

      kynde, witnesse I took, that for none envy ne yvel have I drawe

      this mater togider; but only for goodnesse to maintayn, and

      errours in falsetees to distroy. Wherfore (as I sayd) with reson

      I thinke, thilke forsayd errours to distroye and dequace.

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      These resons and suche other, if they enduce men, in loves

      service, trewe to beleve of parfit blisse, yet to ful faithe in

      credence of deserte fully mowe they nat suffyse; sithen 'faith hath

      no merite of mede, whan mannes reson sheweth experience in

      doing.' For utterly no reson the parfit blisse of love by no waye

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      may make to be comprehended. Lo! what is a parcel of lovers

      joye? Parfit science, in good service, of their desyre to comprehende

      in bodily doinge the lykinge of the soule; not as by

      a glasse to have contemplacion of tyme cominge, but thilke first

      imagined and thought after face to face in beholding. What

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      herte, what reson, what understandinge can make his heven to be

      feled and knowe, without assaye in doinge? Certes, noon. Sithen

      thanne of love cometh suche fruite in blisse, and love in him-selfe

      is the most among other vertues, as clerkes sayn; the seed of

      suche springinge in al places, in al countreys, in al worldes shulde

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      ben sowe.

      But o! welawaye! thilke seed is forsake, and †mowe not ben

      suffred, the lond-tillers to sette a-werke, without medlinge of

      cockle; badde СКАЧАТЬ