Section 19

Erly in the morow to fhrape in the Vale,
To fynde my dener amongs the Wormys finale.
1 p. The Laborer ys gladder at hys Plough, Erly on the morow to fcde hyra on bakon : Then fum ben that have trefour y nowgh ; And of ai deyntes plentjeand foyfon $ And no fredom with hys poceffion ; To go at large but as Bere at the (lake, To pas hys bondes but yf he leve take.
20.Takethysanfwer ful for conclufion, To fynge in prifon thow fchalt not me conftreync s Tyll y have fredom in woddis up and downe : To fle at large on bowys both rough and plaine, And of refon thow fchuldeft not difdeyn :
Of roy defy re but laugh and have good game,
But who ys a Chorle wold every man wer the fame.
11. Well quod the Cborle fith hit woll not be, That y defyre by my talkyng ; Magre thy wyll thow fchalt chefe on of thre s Within a Cage merele to fyng,^ Or to the Kychyn y fchall thy bode bryngej
Pul thy federis that byn fo bryght and clere,
And after rod or bake the to mydynere.
22. Then quod the Bjrde to reflbn y fey not ney, Towchyng my fong a ful anfwer thow haft : And when my federis pulled byn awey, If y be rolled or bake in a paft, Thow fchalt of m e have a final repafte :
But yf thow wylt werke by my councel, Thow may ft by me have a gret avay le.
Gg 23. jt
218 Hermes *Bird.
23.Ifthowwoicto my rede aflene, Andfuffermego fcelc fro Prefon : Witowte raunfom or any oder rent $
Y fchall the gyf a notabil grete gwerdon, The thre grete Wyfdomy% acordytig to refon ;
Mor of valew, take hede what y profier, Than a! the Gold that ys (bet in thy Cofer.
24. Truft me wel y fchal the not deceyve. Well quod the Chork tel and letfe .- Nay quod the Bjrde a forne confeyve ; Who fchal teche of Refon he moft go fres Hit fitteth a Mafter to have hys Liberte :
And at large to teche hys ieflbn, Hafe me not fufpe&e y mene no trefon.
25. Wcl quod the Cforley holde me content,
Y truft the promys whkh thow haft made to me j The Byrdefc forth the ChorU wis of fent : And toke hys. flight np to the Lawrer tre, Then thought fche thus now that y ftand fre i
With fnaris panters y caft not al my fyve, Nor wyth no Jyme twygges no mor to ftrive.
26. He ys a Fole that fchaped ys daungere, That broke hys feteris and fled ys fro Prefon , For to refort agene :fof brentecbifdedreds fyre ? Eche man bewar of Wifdom and refon, Of fuger ftrawed that hideth falfe poyfon 5
Ther ys no venom fo perilus in fcherpnes, As whan y t hath triakcle of lyknes.
27. Who dredeth no pereH in perell he fchal fallen Smothe Watres byn of fithes depe 1 The Quayle pipe can moft faifely calle ; Tyl the Quayle under the net doth crepe ; A bleryed Fowler truft not thogh he wepe :
Eschew hys thumbe, of weping take no hede, That fraaie Byrdys can nyp by the hede.
2S And
Hermes Ttird. 210
28. And now that y fuch daunger am fcaped, Y wyl bcwar and afore provide : That of no Fowlar y wil no mors be Japed, From theyre lyrae twygges to fly far afyde, There perel ys perel to abyde ;
Com ner thow Chorle, take hede to my fpechej Of thre Wyfdomys that y fchal the teche.
19. Yefnot of Wyfdom to hafty credens, To every Tale nor eche tydyng ; But confyder of Refon and Prudens ; Among Talys ys many a grete Icfyng, Hafty credens hath cawfed grete byndcryng :
Report of talis and tydyngys broght up new,
Maketh many a man ful on trew.
30. For on party take thys for my Raunfom, Lerne the fecond grownded of fcripture : Defy re thow not by no condition Thyng that ys ympoflybyl to recute, JYorldly defyres ftante alle in a venture : And who defyreth to foare hygh a lofte, Oft tyme by foden turne he falleth on lofte,
3 1 .The thyrd is thy s,bewar both even and morrow, Forget yt nought but lerne thys of me: For Treior loft, make never to grete Sorrow ; Wych in no wyfe may not recovered be, For who that taketh forrow for loiT in that degree :
Reken fyrft hys loflfe, and after reken hys peyne,
Of one forrow he maketh Sorrowys tweyne.
3 2 . Aftur thys Leflbn the rByrde began a fonge, Ofhyrafcapegretely rejoycyng: And fche remembred hyr allefo of the wronge Don by the Chorle, fyrft at hyr takyng, And of the affray, and of hyr impre/onyng ;
Glad that fche was at large and owte of drede, Seyde unto hym hoveryng shove hys hede,
Gg2 33. Thow
no Hermes
33. Thow were quod fche a very natural Fofe To fuffer me departe of thy lewdnn :
Thow owthtys of right to complaine and make dole,
And in thy hert have grete heveries,
That thow haft loft fo paflyng grete riches :
Wych myght fuffice by valew in rekeyng
To pay the raunfom of a myghty Kyng.
34. Ther ys a Stone wych ys called fagownce, Of olde engendered within myne entrayle ;: Wych of fyne Golde poyfeth a grete unce ; Setryne of Colors lyke Garnetis of entayle, Wych makyth men vi&orius in batayle 5
And who that bereth on hym thys Stme9 Ys ful afured agey ne hys mortal Fone.
35. Who that hath thys in pofceffion, Schal fuffer no Povert ncrnon Indygens .- Bat of Trefour have plente and foyfon, And every Man fchal don hym reverence^ . Andean Enemy fchal don hym non offence ;
Bnt fro thi honde* now that I am gone, Pleyne gyf thow wilt for thy parte ys none*,
36. As y the abrayde her before, Of a (tone now that I had :
The wych now thow haft forlore V / :'
Be alle refon thow fchuldys ben fad, ! "
And in thi hert nothyng glad :
Now Chork y the tel in my device^
I was eyred and bred in Twite Paradyce*
37. Now mo namys y fchal the tef, Of my ftone that y cal fagownce 1 And of hys vermis with hys fme) | That ben fo fwete and fo odeferus, Wyth Ennock and Ely hath be my Fervis %
My fwete fonge thatfowndethfofcherpe, Wyth Angeiks^vdyfe that paffeth eny harpe.
j8r The
Hermes ISird. 221
38. The nigrum deamond that ys in Modems fees And the white Charbonkkel that rolleth in wave ; The fetryne Reby of ryebe degrus : That pafleth the ftonys of comen fawe, In theLapidery ys grown by olde lawe •
He paffeth all ftonys that ys under hevyn, After the cowrfe of kynde by the Planets fevyn.
39-Hyt ys for none Chorle to have fchuch trefour, That exfedeth alle Stonyt in the lapidery : And of alle vertuishe bereth the flowr, Wyth all joy and grace yt maketh man mery, That in thys worlde fchal never bynfory 5
Now very Chorle thow pafleth thy gras,
Y am at my leberte even as I was.
40. As Clerkys fyndeth in the Bybell, At Paradys yatis whan he was caft ;
By an Angel both fayr and ftyll,
A downe Kyng Ely founder ther I threft,
And of all ftonys yt was y left;
Soche ftonys in place few ben y brought,
Soroful ys the Ckorh -and hevyjn hys thowte,
41. Now more £W/* yt te! yean, ; And thow wolt to me take hede :
The *Byrde ofErmes ys my name, In ail the worlde that ys fo wyde, Wyth gletering of grace by every fyde,
Hofe rr.e myght have inhys covertowr,
He wer rychcher than eny Emperowr.
42. Ely fender the corquerowr my Ston fraotdowne Upon hys helme whan hyt pyght :
No mor then a pefe that ys fo rownde, Hyt was ther to no manys fyght, That leyde fo pleyne the manly Knyght $
Now y tel the wyth melde Stevyn,
Thys myghty grace cam owte fro Hevyn, * Gg3 43.Hye
in Hermes "Bird.
43. Hit cawfeth Love aad maketh men Gracius, And favorabd in ever mannes fyght :
HiE maketh acorde of two Folks e&vyus ; Comforteth Sorowful and maketh hevy hcrts lyght* Lyke paflyng of co!ur Sunny bryght ;
Y am a fole to tel the at onys,
Or to teche a Chorle the pryce of precious Stonys.
44. Men fchalle not put a precius Margareyt , AsRubeys, Saferys, and odtherStonys ynde; Emeraudys, nor rownde Periys whyte, Byforerude Swyne that love draffe of kynde: For a Sowe delyteth hyr as y fynde
Mor in fowle draffe hyr Pyg^s for to glad, Than al the Perry that comes owte of Granad.
45. Heche thyng drawes to hys femblable, Fyfrties in the See, Beftys on the Stronde ; The Eyr for Fowlys ys commendabyl,
To the Plowghman for to tyll hys Londe, And to a Chorle a Muk-forke in hys honde.
Y lefe my tyme eny more to tare To tell the "bewtr of the Lapidare.
4
Thi Lyme twygges and Panters y dcRe ;
To let me gon thow were fowle over feen,
To lefe the richch^s only of folye :
Y am nowfre to fyng and to fle
VVher that my lyft : and he is a Fole at all That goth at large, and maketh hymfelfe thrall.
47^ To here of VVifdome thi neresbehalfe defe, Like a Naffe that lyfteth upon an Harpe • Thow muft go pype in a Ive leffe: Better ys to me to fyng on Thornes fcharpe, Than in a Cage wyth a Chorle to carpe :
For hyt wasfeyd of Folkes many ycre agone, A Charles Chorte js oft me be gone.
48, Now
Hermes "Bird.
48. Now Chorle y have the her tolde, My vertuys her wyth grete experience ; Hyt were to fume roan bettet thanGoIde; To the y t ys no fruftias a fentence,
A Chepys Croke to the ys better than a Launce : Adew now Glohbs wyth herte fore, In Charles clowchys com y never more.
49. The Chorle felt hys herte part in tweyne, For very forow and in funder ryve :
Alas quod he y may wel wepe and pleyne j As a wreche never lyke to thryve, But for to indure in povert all my ly ve : Foroffolyand ofwylfulnes, Y have now loft all holy my ryches.
50.I wasaLordey crye owte on Fortune, And had grete Trefor late in my keepyng • Wych myght have made me long to contune j Wyth that ilke^/otf* to have levyd aKyng, Yf y had fet hyt in a Ryng :
Borne it upon me y had gode y nowe, Than fchuld y no mor have gon to the plowe*
5 1. Whan the Byrde faw the Chorle thusmprne,
That he was hevyofhyschere,
Sche take her ffyght and agayne returne :
Toward hym andifay d as ye fchal here,
G dull Qhorle wifdom for to lere $ That y the taute allys lefebyhynde, Reyfed awey and dene owte of thy meynde.
5 2. Taw tey the not thys Wyfdome in fentens,
To every tale brought up of new,
Not to haftyle gyf not ther to credens ;
Unto tymethow know hit betrew,
All ys not Gold that fcheweth Goldys hew i Norftonysallby nature as y fynde, Byn not Saferus that fchewy th colour ynde.
223
214*
Hermes 'Bird.
53. In thys Doftryne y loft my labour, To teche the fuch Pf overbys of fubftaunce ; Now mayft thow fee thy lewd Blynde error ; For ail ray body poyfed in Balans,
Weyth not a nounce iewde ysthi remembratmce ; Yet have y mor poyfe clofyd in rsyne entrayle, Than all my Body fet for Countervayle.
54, All my Body weyth not an unce, How myght y have then in me a Hon :
That poyfeth mor than doth .a grete fagounce %
Thy brayne ys dull thi witte almoft gbn,
Of hre Wyfdomys thow haft loft on; Thow fchulds not after my fentence, To every tale gefe to haftyly credence.
55.Ibaddealfobewarbotheven andmorowe, For thynge loft by fuden adventur • Thow fchulds not make to moche forow; Whan thow feyft thow mayft not hit recover, Her thow fayleft wych doth thy beiy cure ; Inthefnare to catch me agayne, Thow art a Fole thy labor ys in vayne.
56. In the thyrde alfo thow doft rave,
Y bad thow fchulds in no maner wyfe Covet thyng the wych thow mayft not have, In wych thow haft fogetyn myne empryfe, Thaty may fay playnly to devyfe,
Thow haft in madnes forgetyn all thre, Notabyl Wyfdomys that y taute the.
57. Hit wer but fofy mor wyth the to carpe, Or to teche of Wyfdomys mor or lefle %
Y holde hym madde that bryngs forth hys Harpe, Theron to teche a rode for doilyd Aflfe,
And mad ys he that fy ngyth a Fo!e a Made 2
And he ys moft madd that doth hys befynefle, To teche a Chorle the termys of Gentlenefle.
5 3. And
Hermes 'Bird.
58. And femeblabilly in Apryll and in May, Whan gentyi Byrds moft make melody ; But the Cockow can fyng butoo lay ; In odthir tewnys fche hath no fantefy : Thus every thyng as Clerks do fpecify ;
As Frute c n the Trees, and Folke of every age,
Fro whenfe they come they have a tallage.
SP.TheWynter treiythofhysWelfomwyndysi Of the gentyll Frute boftys the Gardener^ The Fy&r caftyth hys hokys and fays lynys^ Tocatche Fy fflie in the freflb Revy r , Of tyllyth 1 of Londe tretyth thepovvre-
The Gentylmari tretyth of Gentry,
The C/w^ dely tith to fpeke rebtwdryi
tfo. All on to a Faucon and a KyteH As good an Owle as a Popyngay K A dunghyll Douke asdeyntieth as a Snyte, Who fervys a Chorle hafe many a wofull day , Y caft me never her after mpr with the play 1
To fore a Qmh any more to fyng,
OfWyfdometocarpeinmy lyryng;
61. The Folke that fcball tbys Fabyl fc and rede,
New Forged Talys J. councel them to fir ~ For lojfe of Good take not " iogretehedeM Be not toSoroyfalffyrnom Covet not ityngthrtrnaynot be,
And remember wher ye goan,
A Chorljs Chorhjsoffe wobegon.
62* IJnto purpofe thys Proverh ys fa! ryve, {Redde arid reported by olde remembraunce • *A Chjldjs Byrde; and a Choky s Wjfe , Hath of tejythjs form and wfchawce. ' VVho hath f redom hath fnfSciaunce :
Better ysFredom wyth lytle in gladnes, Thamobe a Chorle wyth all worldly rychches J
Hh ^C^
%i6 Hermes *Bird,
6$. Go lytyl Quiar and rcoraraaunde me To my Majfter wy th humbyl aflfeccyon, Be fekynghym lowly of merfy and pete Ofthysrudemakyngto ha companion; And as towchyng thys Tranflacyon Owte of the Frenfhe^ how fo ever the Englyfihs > All thyng ys fayd under correccyon, Wy th Asportation of yowr benygnite.
FINIS.
2&7
THE TALE OFTHE
Written by our Ancient and famous Englifli Poet, (jeoffry Chaucer,
■ i ' » '
THE PROLOGUE OF
The Chanons Yeoman.
Han ended was the LyfeofSmt GcCylc, 1 JEr we fully had rydden fyve myle : ^tf Boughton tinder theblee usganatake A Man that clothed was in clothes blake$ And under that he had a whjte Surplyfe,
His hakcny that was all pomelygryfe •
Sofwete that itt wonder was to fee 5
It Jeemedthat he hadprecked myles three.
The borfe eke that his Toman rode uppo#,
So Swete9 that vimeth migh hegon:
About the faytrelljlods the fome full hye9
He was of fome as flecked as apye :
A Maletwyfolde on his croper lay •
Ittfemed that he carryed letel Aray •
All [fight for femer rode this worthy Many
And in my heart wondren I began,
Hh z What
Zi$ , The Prologue of
What that be was, till I under/lode,
How that his cloke was few ed to his bode:
For which whan I had long avyfedme *
I demyd himfome Chanon for to be :
His hatt hynge att his hacke by a Lace
lor he had rydden more then trot or face.
Herode aye pryckyng as he were wode^
A Clote leaf e he had layd under his bode, , For Swett and for to keepe his beede fim bete, But itt was joy for tofe bimfwete : Hisforeheed droned as a Stillatorie, But full of Playntaine or of Peritorie : And when he was come began crye, Gadfave (quod he) this lofty company : Fafi have I pricked (quod be) for your fake > Bycaufe that I wold you overtake y To ryden in this mery company.
His Toman was eke full of curtefy, And fay d, Syrs, now in the morowe tyde, Out of your hoftrye I faw you ride^ And warned here my Lord and Soverayne^ Which that to ryden with you isfullfayne : For his diflorte^ he loveth dalyance.
F rede for thy warning Godyeve thee good chanced Then fayd our Hojt, certayne in wold feme Thy Lord were wyfe9 andfol may well deme : He is full Iocunde, alfoe dare I lay, Can be ought tell a mery Tale or t way With which he glad may this company \;
Who Sir my Lord', ye without lye He can of my rt he and eke oflolyte, Notbutynough alfo Sir trufteth me • And ye him knewalfo well as doe T '
1 re
the Chanons Yeoman. 22p
Te wold wonder how well andthriftely
He con the werke and tfytt infondry wyfe$
He bath taken on him many a great Bmpryfe ;