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He herde and understod the bond；
How he was set to his penance；
And as it were a man in trance 1800
He torneth him al sodeinly；
And syh a lady lay him by
Of eyhtetiene wynter age；
Which was the faireste of visage
That evere in al this world he syh：
And as he wolde have take hire nyh；
Sche put hire hand and be his leve
Besoghte him that he wolde leve；
And seith that forto wynne or lese
He mot on of tuo thinges chese； 1810
Wher he wol have hire such on nyht；
Or elles upon daies lyht；
For he schal noght have bothe tuo。
And he began to sorwe tho；
In many a wise and caste his thoght；
Bot for al that yit cowthe he noght
Devise himself which was the beste。
And sche； that wolde his hertes reste；
Preith that he scholde chese algate；
Til ate laste longe and late 1820
He seide： 〃O ye； my lyves hele；
Sey what you list in my querele；
I not what ansuere I schal yive：
Bot evere whil that I may live；
I wol that ye be my maistresse；
For I can noght miselve gesse
Which is the beste unto my chois。
Thus grante I yow myn hole vois；
Ches for ous bothen； I you preie；
And what as evere that ye seie； 1830
Riht as ye wole so wol I。〃
〃Mi lord；〃 sche seide； 〃 grant merci；
For of this word that ye now sein；
That ye have mad me soverein；
Mi destine is overpassed；
That nevere hierafter schal be lassed
Mi beaute； which that I now have；
Til I be take into my grave；
Bot nyht and day as I am now
I schal alwey be such to yow。 1840
The kinges dowhter of Cizile
I am； and fell bot siththe awhile；
As I was with my fader late；
That my Stepmoder for an hate；
Which toward me sche hath begonne；
Forschop me； til I hadde wonne
The love and sovereinete
Of what knyht that in his degre
Alle othre passeth of good name：
And； as men sein； ye ben the same； 1850
The dede proeveth it is so；
Thus am I youres evermo。〃
Tho was plesance and joye ynowh；
Echon with other pleide and lowh；
Thei live longe and wel thei ferde；
And clerkes that this chance herde
Thei writen it in evidence；
To teche how that obedience
Mai wel fortune a man to love
And sette him in his lust above； 1860
As it befell unto this knyht。
Forthi； my Sone； if thou do ryht；
Thou schalt unto thi love obeie；
And folwe hir will be alle weie。
Min holy fader； so I wile：
For ye have told me such a skile
Of this ensample now tofore；
That I schal evermo therfore
Hierafterward myn observance
To love and to his obeissance 1870
The betre kepe： and over this
Of pride if ther oght elles is；
Wherof that I me schryve schal；
What thing it is in special；
Mi fader； axeth； I you preie。
Now lest； my Sone； and I schal seie：
For yit ther is Surquiderie；
Which stant with Pride of compaignie；
Wherof that thou schalt hiere anon；
To knowe if thou have gult or non 1880
Upon the forme as thou schalt hiere：
Now understond wel the matiere。
Surquiderie is thilke vice
Of Pride； which the thridde office
Hath in his Court； and wol noght knowe
The trowthe til it overthrowe。
Upon his fortune and his grace
Comth 〃Hadde I wist〃 fulofte aplace；
For he doth al his thing be gesse；
And voideth alle sikernesse。 1890
Non other conseil good him siemeth
Bot such as he himselve diemeth；
For in such wise as he compasseth；
His wit al one alle othre passeth；
And is with pride so thurghsoght；
That he alle othre set at noght；
And weneth of himselven so；
That such as he ther be nomo；
So fair； so semly； ne so wis；
And thus he wolde bere a pris 1900
Above alle othre； and noght forthi
He seith noght ones 〃grant mercy〃
To godd； which alle grace sendeth；
So that his wittes he despendeth
Upon himself； as thogh ther were
No godd which myhte availe there：
Bot al upon his oghne witt
He stant； til he falle in the pitt
So ferr that he mai noght arise。
And riht thus in the same wise 1910
This vice upon the cause of love
So proudly set the herte above；
And doth him pleinly forto wene
That he to loven eny qwene
Hath worthinesse and sufficance；
And so withoute pourveance
Fulofte he heweth up so hihe；
That chippes fallen in his yhe；
And ek ful ofte he weneth this；
Ther as he noght beloved is； 1920
To be beloved alther best。
Now； Sone； tell what so thee lest
Of this that I have told thee hier。
Ha； fader； be noght in a wer：
I trowe ther be noman lesse；
Of eny maner worthinesse；
That halt him lasse worth thanne I
To be beloved； and noght forthi
I seie in excusinge of me；
To alle men that love is fre。 1930
And certes that mai noman werne；
For love is of himself so derne；
It luteth in a mannes herte：
Bot that ne schal me noght asterte；
To wene forto be worthi
To loven； bot in hir mercy。
Bot； Sire； of that ye wolden mene；
That I scholde otherwise wene
To be beloved thanne I was；
I am beknowe as in that cas。 1940
Mi goode Sone； tell me how。
Now lest； and I wol telle yow；
Mi goode fader； how it is。
Fulofte it hath befalle or this
Thurgh hope that was noght certein；
Mi wenynge hath be set in vein
To triste in thing that halp me noght；
Bot onliche of myn oughne thoght。
For as it semeth that a belle
Lik to the wordes that men telle 1950
Answerth； riht so ne mor ne lesse；
To yow； my fader； I confesse；
Such will my wit hath overset；
That what so hope me behet；
Ful many a time I wene it soth；
Bot finali no spied it doth。
Thus may I tellen； as I can；
Wenyng beguileth many a man；
So hath it me； riht wel I wot：
For if a man wole in a Bot 1960
Which is withoute botme rowe；
He moste nedes overthrowe。
Riht so wenyng hath ferd be me：
For whanne I wende next have be；
As I be my wenynge caste；
Thanne was I furthest ate laste；
And as a foll my bowe unbende；
Whan al was failed that I wende。
Forthi； my fader； as of this；
That my wenynge hath gon amis 1970
Touchende to Surquiderie；
Yif me my penance er I die。
Bot if ye wolde in eny forme
Of this matiere a tale enforme；
Which were ayein this vice set；
I scholde fare wel the bet。
Mi Sone； in alle maner wise
Surquiderie is to despise；
Wherof I finde write thus。
The proude knyht Capanes 1980
He was of such Surquiderie；
That he thurgh his chivalerie
Upon himself so mochel triste；
That to the goddes him ne liste
In no querele to beseche；
Bot seide it was an ydel speche；
Which caused was of pure drede；
For lack of herte and for no nede。
And upon such presumpcioun
He hield this proude opinioun； 1990
Til ate laste upon a dai；
Aboute Thebes wher he lay；
Whan it of Siege was belein；
This knyht； as the Croniqes sein；
In alle mennes sihte there；
Whan he was proudest in his gere；
And thoghte how nothing myhte him dere；
Ful armed with his schield and spere
As he the Cite wolde assaile；
Godd tok himselve the bataille 2000
Ayein his Pride； and fro the sky
A firy thonder sodeinly
He sende； and him to pouldre smot。
And thus the Pride which was hot；
Whan he most in his strengthe wende；
Was brent and lost withouten ende：
So that it proeveth wel therfore；
The strengthe of man is sone lore；
Bot if that he it wel governe。
And over this a man mai lerne 2010
That ek fulofte time it grieveth；
Whan that a man himself believeth；
As thogh it scholde him wel beseme
That he alle othre men can deme；
And hath foryete his oghne vice。
A tale of hem that ben so nyce；
And feigne hemself to be so wise；
I schal thee telle in such a wise；
Wherof thou schalt ensample take
That thou no such thing undertake。 2020
I finde upon Surquiderie；
How that whilom of Hungarie
Be olde daies was a King
Wys and honeste in alle thing：
And so befell upon a dai；
And that was in the Monthe of Maii；
As thilke time it was usance；
This kyng with noble pourveance
Hath for himself his Charr araied；
Wher inne he wolde ride amaied 2030
Out of the Cite forto pleie；
With lordes and with gret nobleie
Of lusti folk that were yonge：
Wher some pleide and some songe；
And some gon and some ryde；
And some prike here hors aside
And bridlen hem now in now oute。
The kyng his yhe caste aboute；
Til he was ate laste war
And syh comende ayein his char 2040
Two pilegrins of so gret age；
That lich unto a dreie ymage
Thei weren pale and fade hewed；
And as a bussh which is besnewed；
Here berdes weren hore and whyte；
Ther was of kinde bot a lite；
That thei ne semen ful