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How that I mihte love winne：
Bot yit I am as to beginne
Of that I wolde make an ende；
And for I not how it schal wende；
That is to me mi moste sorwe。
Bot I dar take god to borwe； 960
As after min entendement；
Non other wise necgligent
Thanne I yow seie have I noght be：
Forthi per seinte charite
Tell me； mi fader； what you semeth。
In good feith； Sone； wel me qwemeth；
That thou thiself hast thus aquit
Toward this vice； in which no wit
Abide mai； for in an houre
He lest al that he mai laboure 970
The longe yer； so that men sein；
What evere he doth it is in vein。
For thurgh the Slowthe of Negligence
Ther was yit nevere such science
Ne vertu； which was bodely；
That nys destruid and lost therby。
Ensample that it hath be so
In boke I finde write also。
Phebus； which is the Sonne hote；
That schyneth upon Erthe hote 980
And causeth every lyves helthe；
He hadde a Sone in al his welthe；
Which Pheton hihte； and he desireth
And with his Moder he conspireth；
The which was cleped Clemenee；
For help and conseil； so that he
His fader carte lede myhte
Upon the faire daies brihte。
And for this thing thei bothe preide
Unto the fader； and he seide 990
He wolde wel； bot forth withal
Thre pointz he bad in special
Unto his Sone in alle wise；
That he him scholde wel avise
And take it as be weie of lore。
Ferst was； that he his hors to sore
Ne prike； and over that he tolde
That he the renes faste holde；
And also that he be riht war
In what manere he lede his charr； 1000
That he mistake noght his gate；
Bot up avisement algate
He scholde bere a siker yhe；
That he to lowe ne to hyhe
His carte dryve at eny throwe；
Wherof that he mihte overthrowe。
And thus be Phebus ordinance
Tok Pheton into governance
The Sonnes carte； which he ladde：
Bot he such veine gloire hadde 1010
Of that he was set upon hyh；
That he his oghne astat ne syh
Thurgh negligence and tok non hiede；
So mihte he wel noght longe spede。
For he the hors withoute lawe
The carte let aboute drawe
Wher as hem liketh wantounly；
That ate laste sodeinly；
For he no reson wolde knowe；
This fyri carte he drof to lowe； 1020
And fyreth al the world aboute；
Wherof thei weren alle in doubte；
And to the god for helpe criden
Of suche unhappes as betyden。
Phebus； which syh the necgligence；
How Pheton ayein his defence
His charr hath drive out of the weie；
Ordeigneth that he fell aweie
Out of the carte into a flod
And dreynte。 Lo now； hou it stod 1030
With him that was so necgligent；
That fro the hyhe firmament；
For that he wolde go to lowe；
He was anon doun overthrowe。
In hih astat it is a vice
To go to lowe； and in service
It grieveth forto go to hye；
Wherof a tale in poesie
I finde； how whilom Dedalus；
Which hadde a Sone； and Icharus 1040
He hihte； and thogh hem thoghte lothe；
In such prison thei weren bothe
With Minotaurus； that aboute
Thei mihten nawher wenden oute；
So thei begonne forto schape
How thei the prison mihte ascape。
This Dedalus； which fro his yowthe
Was tawht and manye craftes cowthe；
Of fetheres and of othre thinges
Hath mad to fle diverse wynges 1050
For him and for his Sone also；
To whom he yaf in charge tho
And bad him thenke therupon；
How that his wynges ben set on
With wex； and if he toke his flyhte
To hyhe； al sodeinliche he mihte
Make it to melte with the Sonne。
And thus thei have her flyht begonne
Out of the prison faire and softe；
And whan thei weren bothe alofte； 1060
This Icharus began to monte；
And of the conseil non accompte
He sette； which his fader tawhte；
Til that the Sonne his wynges cawhte；
Wherof it malt； and fro the heihte
Withouten help of eny sleihte
He fell to his destruccion。
And lich to that condicion
Ther fallen ofte times fele
For lacke of governance in wele； 1070
Als wel in love as other weie。
Now goode fader； I you preie；
If ther be more in the matiere
Of Slowthe； that I mihte it hiere。
Mi Sone； and for thi diligence；
Which every mannes conscience
Be resoun scholde reule and kepe；
If that thee list to taken kepe；
I wol thee telle； aboven alle
In whom no vertu mai befalle； 1080
Which yifth unto the vices reste
And is of slowe the sloweste。
Among these othre of Slowthes kinde；
Which alle labour set behinde；
And hateth alle besinesse；
Ther is yit on； which Ydelnesse
Is cleped； and is the Norrice
In mannes kinde of every vice；
Which secheth eases manyfold。
In Wynter doth he noght for cold； 1090
In Somer mai he noght for hete；
So whether that he frese or swete；
Or he be inne； or he be oute；
He wol ben ydel al aboute；
Bot if he pleie oght ate Dees。
For who as evere take fees
And thenkth worschipe to deserve；
Ther is no lord whom he wol serve；
As forto duelle in his servise；
Bot if it were in such a wise； 1100
Of that he seth per aventure
That be lordschipe and coverture
He mai the more stonde stille；
And use his ydelnesse at wille。
For he ne wol no travail take
To ryde for his ladi sake；
Bot liveth al upon his wisshes；
And as a cat wolde ete fisshes
Withoute wetinge of his cles；
So wolde he do； bot natheles 1110
He faileth ofte of that he wolde。
Mi Sone； if thou of such a molde
Art mad； now tell me plein thi schrifte。
Nay； fader； god I yive a yifte。
That toward love； as be mi wit；
Al ydel was I nevere yit；
Ne nevere schal； whil I mai go。
Now； Sone； tell me thanne so；
What hast thou don of besischipe
To love and to the ladischipe 1120
Of hire which thi ladi is？
Mi fader； evere yit er this
In every place； in every stede；
What so mi lady hath me bede；
With al myn herte obedient
I have therto be diligent。
And if so is sche bidde noght；
What thing that thanne into my thoght
Comth ferst of that I mai suffise；
I bowe and profre my servise； 1130
Somtime in chambre； somtime in halle；
Riht as I se the times falle。
And whan sche goth to hiere masse；
That time schal noght overpasse；
That I naproche hir ladihede；
In aunter if I mai hire lede
Unto the chapelle and ayein。
Thanne is noght al mi weie in vein；
Somdiel I mai the betre fare；
Whan I； that mai noght fiele hir bare； 1140
Mai lede hire clothed in myn arm：
Bot afterward it doth me harm
Of pure ymaginacioun；
For thanne this collacioun
I make unto miselven ofte；
And seie； 〃Ha lord； hou sche is softe；
How sche is round； hou sche is smal＇
Now wolde god I hadde hire al
Withoute danger at mi wille＇〃
And thanne I sike and sitte stille； 1150
Of that I se mi besi thoght
Is torned ydel into noght。
Bot for al that lete I ne mai；
Whanne I se time an other dai；
That I ne do my besinesse
Unto mi ladi worthinesse。
For I therto mi wit afaite
To se the times and awaite
What is to done and what to leve：
And so； whan time is； be hir leve； 1160
What thing sche bit me don； I do；
And wher sche bidt me gon； I go；
And whanne hir list to clepe； I come。
Thus hath sche fulliche overcome
Min ydelnesse til I sterve；
So that I mot hire nedes serve；
For as men sein； nede hath no lawe。
Thus mot I nedly to hire drawe；
I serve； I bowe； I loke； I loute；
Min yhe folweth hire aboute； 1170
What so sche wole so wol I；
Whan sche wol sitte； I knele by；
And whan sche stant； than wol I stonde：
Bot whan sche takth hir werk on honde
Of wevinge or enbrouderie；
Than can I noght bot muse and prie
Upon hir fingres longe and smale；
And now I thenke； and now I tale；
And now I singe； and now I sike；
And thus mi contienance I pike。 1180
And if it falle； as for a time
Hir liketh noght abide bime；
Bot besien hire on other thinges；
Than make I othre tariinges
To dreche forth the longe dai；
For me is loth departe away。
And thanne I am so simple of port；
That forto feigne som desport
I pleie with hire litel hound
Now on the bedd； now on the ground； 1190
Now with hir briddes in the cage；
For ther is non so litel page；
Ne yit so simple a chamberere；
That I ne make hem alle chere；
Al for thei scholde speke wel：
Thus mow ye sen mi besi whiel；
That goth noght ydeliche aboute。
And if hir list to riden oute
On pelrinage or other stede；
I come； thogh I be noght bede； 1200
And take hire in min arm alofte
And sette hire in hire sadel softe；
And so forth lede hire be the bridel；
For that I wolde noght ben ydel。