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Als wel the Maister as the grom。
The mihti kinges retenue
That dai may stonde of no value 3410
With worldes strengthe to defende；
For every man mot thanne entende
To stonde upon his oghne dedes
And leve alle othre mennes nedes。
That dai mai no consail availe；
The pledour and the plee schal faile；
The sentence of that ilke day
Mai non appell sette in delay；
Ther mai no gold the Jugge plie；
That he ne schal the sothe trie 3420
And setten every man upriht；
Als wel the plowman as the kniht：
The lewed man； the grete clerk
Schal stonde upon his oghne werk；
And such as he is founde tho；
Such schal he be for everemo。
Ther mai no peine be relessed；
Ther mai no joie ben encressed；
Bot endeles； as thei have do；
He schal receive on of the tuo。 3430
And thus Silvestre with his sawe
The ground of al the newe lawe
With gret devocion he precheth；
Fro point to point and pleinly techeth
Unto this hethen Emperour；
And seith； the hihe creatour
Hath underfonge his charite；
Of that he wroghte such pite；
Whan he the children hadde on honde。
Thus whan this lord hath understonde 3440
Of al this thing how that it ferde；
Unto Silvestre he thanne ansuerde；
With al his hole herte and seith
That he is redi to the feith。
And so the vessel which for blod
Was mad； Silvestre； ther it stod；
With clene water of the welle
In alle haste he let do felle；
And sette Constantin therinne
Al naked up unto the chinne。 3450
And in the while it was begunne；
A liht； as thogh it were a Sunne；
Fro hevene into the place com
Wher that he tok his cristendom；
And evere among the holi tales
Lich as thei weren fisshes skales
Ther fellen from him now and eft；
Til that ther was nothing beleft
Of al his grete maladie。
For he that wolde him purefie； 3460
The hihe god hath mad him clene；
So that ther lefte nothing sene；
He hath him clensed bothe tuo；
The bodi and the Soule also。
Tho knew this Emperour in dede
That Cristes feith was forto drede；
And sende anon hise lettres oute
And let do crien al aboute；
Up peine of deth that noman weyve
That he baptesme ne receive： 3470
After his Moder qweene Heleine
He sende； and so betwen hem tweine
Thei treten； that the Cite all
Was cristned； and sche forth withall。
This Emperour； which hele hath founde；
Withinne Rome anon let founde
Tuo cherches； which he dede make
For Peter and for Poules sake；
Of whom he hadde avisioun；
And yaf therto possessioun 3480
Of lordschipe and of worldes good。
Bot how so that his will was good
Toward the Pope and his Franchise；
Yit hath it proved other wise；
To se the worchinge of the dede：
For in Cronique this I rede；
Anon as he hath mad the yifte；
A vois was herd on hih the lifte；
Of which al Rome was adrad；
And seith： 〃To day is venym schad 3490
In holi cherche of temporal；
Which medleth with the spirital。〃
And hou it stant of that degree
Yit mai a man the sothe se：
God mai amende it； whan he wile；
I can ther to non other skile。
Bot forto go ther I began；
How charite mai helpe a man
To bothe worldes； I have seid：
And if thou have an Ere leid； 3500
Mi Sone； thou miht understonde；
If charite be take on honde；
Ther folweth after mochel grace。
Forthi； if that thou wolt pourchace
How that thou miht Envie flee；
Aqueinte thee with charite；
Which is the vertu sovereine。
Mi fader； I schal do my peine：
For this ensample which ye tolde
With al myn herte I have withholde； 3510
So that I schal for everemore
Eschuie Envie wel the more：
And that I have er this misdo；
Yif me my penance er I go。
And over that to mi matiere
Of schrifte； why we sitten hiere
In privete betwen ous tweie；
Now axeth what ther is； I preie。
Mi goode Sone； and for thi lore
I woll thee telle what is more； 3520
So that thou schalt the vices knowe：
For whan thei be to thee full knowe；
Thou miht hem wel the betre eschuie。
And for this cause I thenke suie
The forme bothe and the matiere；
As now suiende thou schalt hiere
Which vice stant next after this：
And whan thou wost how that it is；
As thou schalt hiere me devise；
Thow miht thiself the betre avise。 3530
Explicit Liber Secundus
Incipit Liber Tercius
Ira suis paribus est par furiis Acherontis；
Quo furor ad tempus nil pietatis habet。
Ira malencolicos animos perturbat； vt equo
Iure sui pondus nulla statera tenet。
Omnibus in causis grauat Ira； set inter amantes；
Illa magis facili sorte grauamen agit：
Est vbi vir discors leuiterque repugnat amori；
Sepe loco ludi fletus ad ora venit。
If thou the vices lest to knowe；
Mi Sone； it hath noght ben unknowe；
Fro ferst that men the swerdes grounde；
That ther nis on upon this grounde；
A vice forein fro the lawe；
Wherof that many a good felawe
Hath be distraght be sodein chance；
And yit to kinde no plesance
It doth； bot wher he most achieveth
His pourpos； most to kinde he grieveth； 10
As he which out of conscience
Is enemy to pacience：
And is be name on of the Sevene；
Which ofte hath set this world unevene；
And cleped is the cruel Ire；
Whos herte is everemore on fyre
To speke amis and to do bothe；
For his servantz ben evere wrothe。
Mi goode fader； tell me this：
What thing is Ire？ Sone； it is 20
That in oure englissh Wrathe is hote；
Which hath hise wordes ay so hote；
That all a mannes pacience
Is fyred of the violence。
For he with him hath evere fyve
Servantz that helpen him to stryve：
The ferst of hem Malencolie
Is cleped； which in compaignie
An hundred times in an houre
Wol as an angri beste loure； 30
And noman wot the cause why。
Mi Sone； schrif thee now forthi：
Hast thou be Malencolien？
Ye； fader； be seint Julien；
Bot I untrewe wordes use；
I mai me noght therof excuse：
And al makth love； wel I wot；
Of which myn herte is evere hot；
So that I brenne as doth a glede
For Wrathe that I mai noght spede。 40
And thus fulofte a day for noght
Save onlich of myn oghne thoght
I am so with miselven wroth；
That how so that the game goth
With othre men； I am noght glad；
Bot I am wel the more unglad；
For that is othre mennes game
It torneth me to pure grame。
Thus am I with miself oppressed
Of thoght； the which I have impressed； 50
That al wakende I dreme and meete
That I with hire al one meete
And preie hire of som good ansuere：
Bot for sche wol noght gladly swere；
Sche seith me nay withouten oth；
And thus wexe I withinne wroth；
That outward I am al affraied；
And so distempred and esmaied。
A thousand times on a day
Ther souneth in myn Eres nay； 60
The which sche seide me tofore：
Thus be my wittes as forlore；
And namely whan I beginne
To rekne with miself withinne
How many yeres ben agon；
Siththe I have trewly loved on
And nevere tok of other hede；
And evere aliche fer to spede
I am； the more I with hir dele；
So that myn happ and al myn hele 70
Me thenkth is ay the leng the ferre；
That bringth my gladschip out of herre；
Wherof my wittes ben empeired；
And I； as who seith； al despeired。
For finaly； whan that I muse
And thenke how sche me wol refuse；
I am with anger so bestad；
For al this world mihte I be glad：
And for the while that it lasteth
Al up so doun my joie it casteth； 80
And ay the furthere that I be；
Whan I ne may my ladi se；
The more I am redy to wraththe；
That for the touchinge of a laththe
Or for the torninge of a stree
I wode as doth the wylde Se；
And am so malencolious；
That ther nys servant in myn hous
Ne non of tho that ben aboute；
That ech of hem ne stant in doute； 90
And wenen that I scholde rave
For Anger that thei se me have；
And so thei wondre more and lasse；
Til that thei sen it overpasse。
Bot； fader； if it so betide；
That I aproche at eny tide
The place wher my ladi is；
And thanne that hire like ywiss
To speke a goodli word untome；
For al the gold that is in Rome 100
Ne cowthe I after that be wroth；
Bot al myn Anger overgoth；
So glad I am of the presence
Of hire； that I all offence
Foryete； as thogh it were noght；
So overgladed is my thoght。
And natheles； the soth to telle；
Ayeinward if it so befelle
That I at thilke time sihe
On me that sche miscaste hire yhe； 110
Or that sche liste noght to loke；
And I therof good hiede toke