Tho shryghte this faucon yet more pitously Than ever she dide, and fil" to grounde anon, And lyth aswowne,' deed, and lyk a stoon, Til Canacee hath in hir lappe hir take Un-to the tyme she gan of swough awake. And, after that she of hir swough gan breyde," Ryght in hir haukes ledene 10 thus she seyde: “That pitee renneth " sone in gentil herte, Feling his similitude in peynes smerte, Is preved 12 al-day,13 as men may it see,
As wel by werk as by auctoritee;
For gentil herte kytheth 14 gentillesse.
I se wel, that ye han of my distresse
Compassion, my faire Canacee,
Of verray wommanly benignitee
That Nature in your principles hath set.
But for non hope for to fare the bet,15
But for to obeye un-to your herte free,
And for to maken other be war 16 by me,
As by the whelp chasted " is the leoun,
Ryght for that cause and that conclusioun,18
Whyl that I have a leyser 10 and a space,
Myn harm I wol confessen, er I pace.'
And ever, whyl that oon " hir sorwe tolde,
That other 22
23 she to water wolde,24
weep, as
Til that the faucon bad hir to be stille;
And, with a syk,25 ryght thus she seyde hir wille.
"Ther 28 I was bred, allas that harde day!
And fostred in a roche 27 of marbul gray
So tendrely, that nothing eyled me,
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And kepeth in semblant alle his observances
That sowneth in-to' gentillesse of love.
As in a toumbe is al the faire above,
And under is the corps, swich as ye wot,2
Swich was this ypocrite, both cold and hot,
And in this wyse he served his entente,
That (save the feend) non wiste3 what he mente.
Til he so longe had wopen and compleyned,
And many a yeer his service to me feyned,
Til that myn herte, to pitous and to nyce,3
Al innocent of his corouned malice,
For-fered of his deth, as thoughte me,
Upon his othes and his seuretee,
Graunted him love, on this condicioun,
That evermore myn honour and renoun
Were saved, bothe privee and apert;
This is to seyn, that, after his desert,
I yaf him al myn herte and al my thought God wot and he, that otherwyse nought
And took his herte in chaunge for myn for ay.
"But sooth is seyd gon sithen many a day, 536
'A trew wyght 10 and a theef thenken nat oon.'
And, whan he sey " the thing so fer ygon,
That I had graunted him fully my love,
In swich a gyse 12 as I have seyd above,
And yiven 13 him my trewe herte, as fre
As he swoor that he yaf his herte to me;
Anon this tygre, ful of doublenesse,
Fil on his knees with so devout humblesse,
With so hey reverence, and, as by his chere,14 545
So lyk a gentil lovere of manere,
So ravisshed, as it semed, for the joye,
That never Jason, ne Paris of Troye,—
Jason? certes, ne non other man,
Sin 15 Lameth was, that alderfirst 16 bigan
To loven two, as wryten folk biforn,
Ne never, sin 15 the firste man was born,
Ne coude man, by twenty thousand part,
Countrefete the sophimes of his art;
Ne were worthy unbokele his galoche,
Ther doublenesse or feyning sholde approche,
Ne so coude thanke a wyght as he did me!
His maner was an heven for to see
enough heal then fell 9 started 10 11 language runs 13 constantly 14 makes known, shows
And I so lovede him for his obeisance,
And for the trewthe I demede in his herte,
That, if so were that any thing him smerte,
Al were it never so lyte,19 and I it wiste, 20
Me thoughte I felte deth myn herte twiste.
And, shortly, so ferforth1 this thing is went,2
That my wil was his willes instrument;
This is to seyn, my wil obeyede his wil
In alle thing, as fer as reson fil,3
Keping the boundes of my worshipe ever.
Ne never hadde I thing so leef,* ne lever,
As him, God wot! ne never shal namo."
"This lasteth lenger than a yeer or two,
That I supposed of him nought but good.
But fynally, thus atte laste it stood,
That fortune wolde that he moste twinne
Out of that place which that I was inne.
Greet was the sorwe for the haukes harme That Canacee and alle hir wommen made; They nisten' how they myghte the faucon glade. But Canacee hom bereth hir in hir lappe, And softely in plastres gan hir wrappe Ther-as she with hir beek had hurt hir-selve. Now can nat Canacee but herbes delve 9 Out of the grounde, and make salves newe Of herbes precious, and fyne of hewe, To helen 10 with this hauk; fro day to nyght She doth hir bisynesse and al hir myght. And by hir beddes heed she made a mewe," And covered it with velouettes 12 blewe,
Wher me was wo, that is no questioun; I can nat make of it discripcioun;
For o thing dar I tellen boldely,
I knowe what is the peyne of deth ther-by;
Swich harm I felte for he ne myghte bileve."
So on a day of me he took his leve,
So sorwefully eek, that I wende 1o verraily
That he had felt as muche harm as I,
Whan that I herde him speke, and sey " his hewe.
But natheles, I thoughte he was so trewe,
And eek that he repaire
12 sholde ageyn
With-inne a litel whyle, soth to seyn;
And reson wolde eek that he moste go
For his honour, as ofte it happeth so,
That I made vertu of necessitee,
And took it wel, sin 13 that it moste be.
As I best myghte, I hidde fro him my sorwe, 595
And took him by the hond, Seint John to borwe,"
And seyde him thus: 'Lo, I am youres al;
Beth 15 swich as I to yow have ben, and shal.'
What he answerde it nedeth nat reherse,
Who can seyn bet 16 than he, who can do werse?
Whan he hath al wel seyd, thanne hath he doon.
Therfor bihoveth him a ful long spoon
That shal ete with a feend,' thus herde I seye.
So atte laste he moste 17 forth his weye,
And forth he fleeth,18 til he cam ther him leste.19
Whan it cam him to purpos for to reste,
I trowe he hadde thilke 20 text in mynde,
That 'alle thing, repeiring to his kynde,21
Gladeth him-self;' thus seyn men, as I gesse.
Men loven of propre kynde 22 newfangelnesse,"
As briddes doon that men in cages fede;
For though thou nyght and day take of hem hede,
And strawe hir cage faire and softe as silk,
And yive 24 hem sugre, hony, breed and milk,
Yet ryght anon, as that his dore is uppe,
He with his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppe,
And to the wode he wol 25 and wormes ete;
Ther he myghte lerne gentillesse aryght."
"Straw for your gentillesse," quod our host; 695
"What, frankeleyn? parde, sir, wel thou wost
That eche of yow mot tellen atte leste
A tale or two, or breken his biheste," 18
"That knowe I wel, sir," quod the frankeleyn;
"I preye yow, haveth me nat in disdeyn
Though to this man I speke a word or two."
"Tel on thy tale with-outen wordes mo."
"Gladly, sir host," quod he, "I wol obeye
Un-to your wil; now herkneth what I seye.
I wol yow nat contrarien in no wyse
As fer as that my wittes wol suffyse;
I preye to God that it may plesen yow,
Than wot I 19 wel that it is good ynow."
" 20
FROM THE PARLEMENT OF FOULES "Now welcom, somer, with thy sonne softe, That hast this wintres weders over-shake,2 And driven awey the longe nightes blake!" 682
Seynt Valentyn, that art ful hy on-lofte,3
Thus singen smale foules for thy sake:
"Now welcom, somer, with thy sonne softe,
That hast this wintres weders over-shake." 686
Wel han they cause for to gladen ofte,
Sith ech of hem recovered hath his make; 7
Ful blisful may they singen whan they wake:
"Now welcom, somer, with thy sonne softe,
That hast this wintres weders over-shake,
And driven awey the longe nightes blake!" 692
BALADE DE BON CONSEYL Fle fro the prees, and dwelle with sothfastnesse, Suffyce unto thy good, though hit be smal; For hord hath hate, and clymbing tikelnesse, Prees 10 hath envye, and wele blent overal; " Savour no more than thee bihove shal; Werk wel thy-self, that other folk canst rede; And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.13
Tempest thee noght al croked to redresse,
In trust of hir that turneth as a bal;
Gret reste stant 16 in litel besinesse.
And eek be war
18
to sporne ageyn an al; 19
Strive noght, as doth the crokke 20 with the wal.
Daunte thy-self, that dauntest otheres dede;
And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.
Therfore, thou vache,25 leve thyn old wrecchednesse;
Unto the worlde leve 28 now to be thral;
Crye Him mercy that 27 of His hy goodnesse
Made thee of noght, and in especial
1 storms 2 overturned 3 above 4 little birds 5 have 6 since 7 mate 8 truth 9 insecurity crowd
11 prosperity blinds everywhere
14 disturb 15 i.e. Fortune
16 stands, resides 20 crock, earthen pot 23 highway 24 spirit 27 thank him who
21 willing obedience 26 cease
1 acquitted praise judgment 7 give 8 pleasure
THE COMPLEINT OF CHAUCER TO
HIS EMPTY PURSE
To you, my purse, and to non other wight?
Compleyne I, for ye be my lady dere!
I am so sory, now that ye be light;
For certes, but3 ye make me hevy chere,*
Me were as leef be leyd up-on my bere; 5
For whiche un-to your mercy thus I crye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye!
Now voucheth sauf this day, or hit be night,
That I of you the blisful soun may here,
Or see your colour lyk the sonne bright,
That of yelownesse hadde never pere.
Ye be my lyf, ye be myn hertes stere,
Quene of comfort and of good companye,
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye!
2 creature 3 unless cheer bier be 8 guide "shaven as close 10 friar
LENVOY DE CHAUCER
O conquerour of Brutes Albioun !
Which that by lyne and free eleccioun
Ben verray king, this song to you I sende;
And ye, that mowen2 al myn harm amende,
Have mynde up-on my supplicacioun !
MORAL BALADE OF CHAUCER
The firste stok,3 fader of gentilesse-
What man that claymeth gentil for to be,
Must folowe his trace, and all his wittes dresse
Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee.
For unto vertu longeth dignitee,
And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme,"
Al were he mytre, crowne, or diademe.
This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse,
Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free,
Clene of his goste,' and loved besinesse,
Ageinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee;
And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he,
He is noght gentil, thogh he riche seme,
Al were he mytre, crowne, or diademe.
Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse;
But ther may no man, as men may wel see,
Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse;
That is appropred unto no degree,
But to the Firste Fader in Magestee,
That maketh him his heir, that can him queme,
Al were he mytre, crowne, or diademe.
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