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With gret travaile of Scole toke
In sondri forme forto boke；
That we mai take here evidences
Upon the lore of the Sciences；
Of craftes bothe and of clergie；
Among the whiche in Poesie
To the lovers Ovide wrot
And tawhte； if love be to hot； 2670
In what manere it scholde akiele。
Forthi； mi Sone； if that thou fiele
That love wringe thee to sore；
Behold Ovide and take his lore。
My fader； if thei mihte spede
Mi love； I wolde his bokes rede；
And if thei techen to restreigne
Mi love； it were an ydel peine
To lerne a thing which mai noght be。
For lich unto the greene tree； 2680
If that men toke his rote aweie；
Riht so myn herte scholde deie；
If that mi love be withdrawe。
Wherof touchende unto this sawe
There is bot only to poursuie
Mi love； and ydelschipe eschuie。
Mi goode Sone； soth to seie；
If ther be siker eny weie
To love； thou hast seid the beste：
For who that wolde have al his reste 2690
And do no travail at the nede；
It is no resoun that he spede
In loves cause forto winne；
For he which dar nothing beginne；
I not what thing he scholde achieve。
Bot overthis thou schalt believe；
So as it sit thee wel to knowe；
That ther ben othre vices slowe；
Whiche unto love don gret lette；
If thou thin herte upon hem sette。 2700
Toward the Slowe progenie
Ther is yit on of compaignie；
And he is cleped Sompnolence；
Which doth to Slouthe his reverence；
As he which is his Chamberlein；
That many an hundrid time hath lein
To slepe； whan he scholde wake。
He hath with love trewes take；
That wake who so wake wile；
If he mai couche a doun his bile； 2710
He hath al wowed what him list；
That ofte he goth to bedde unkist；
And seith that for no Druerie
He wol noght leve his sluggardie。
For thogh noman it wole allowe；
To slepe levere than to wowe
Is his manere； and thus on nyhtes；
Whan that he seth the lusti knyhtes
Revelen； wher these wommen are；
Awey he skulketh as an hare； 2720
And goth to bedde and leith him softe；
And of his Slouthe he dremeth ofte
Hou that he stiketh in the Myr；
And hou he sitteth be the fyr
And claweth on his bare schanckes；
And hou he clymbeth up the banckes
And falleth into Slades depe。
Bot thanne who so toke kepe；
Whanne he is falle in such a drem；
Riht as a Schip ayein the Strem； 2730
He routeth with a slepi noise；
And brustleth as a monkes froise；
Whanne it is throwe into the Panne。
And otherwhile sielde whanne
That he mai dreme a lusti swevene；
Him thenkth as thogh he were in hevene
And as the world were holi his：
And thanne he spekth of that and this；
And makth his exposicion
After the disposicion 2740
Of that he wolde； and in such wise
He doth to love all his service；
I not what thonk he schal deserve。
Bot； Sone； if thou wolt love serve；
I rede that thou do noght so。
Ha； goode fader； certes no。
I hadde levere be mi trowthe；
Er I were set on such a slouthe
And beere such a slepi snoute；
Bothe yhen of myn hed were oute。 2750
For me were betre fulli die；
Thanne I of such a slugardie
Hadde eny name； god me schilde；
For whan mi moder was with childe；
And I lay in hire wombe clos；
I wolde rathere Atropos；
Which is goddesse of alle deth；
Anon as I hadde eny breth；
Me hadde fro mi Moder cast。
Bot now I am nothing agast； 2760
I thonke godd； for Lachesis；
Ne Cloto； which hire felawe is；
Me schopen no such destine；
Whan thei at mi nativite
My weerdes setten as thei wolde；
Bot thei me schopen that I scholde
Eschuie of slep the truandise；
So that I hope in such a wise
To love forto ben excused；
That I no Sompnolence have used。 2770
For certes； fader Genius；
Yit into nou it hath be thus；
At alle time if it befelle
So that I mihte come and duelle
In place ther my ladi were；
I was noght slow ne slepi there：
For thanne I dar wel undertake；
That whanne hir list on nyhtes wake
In chambre as to carole and daunce；
Me thenkth I mai me more avaunce； 2780
If I mai gon upon hir hond；
Thanne if I wonne a kinges lond。
For whanne I mai hire hand beclippe；
With such gladnesse I daunce and skippe；
Me thenkth I touche noght the flor；
The Ro； which renneth on the Mor；
Is thanne noght so lyht as I：
So mow ye witen wel forthi；
That for the time slep I hate。
And whanne it falleth othergate； 2790
So that hire like noght to daunce；
Bot on the Dees to caste chaunce
Or axe of love som demande；
Or elles that hir list comaunde
To rede and here of Troilus；
Riht as sche wole or so or thus；
I am al redi to consente。
And if so is that I mai hente
Somtime among a good leisir；
So as I dar of mi desir 2800
I telle a part； bot whanne I preie；
Anon sche bidt me go mi weie
And seith it is ferr in the nyht；
And I swere it is even liht。
Bot as it falleth ate laste；
Ther mai no worldes joie laste；
So mot I nedes fro hire wende
And of my wachche make an ende：
And if sche thanne hiede toke；
Hou pitousliche on hire I loke； 2810
Whan that I schal my leve take；
Hire oghte of mercy forto slake
Hire daunger； which seith evere nay。
Bot he seith often； 〃Have good day；〃
That loth is forto take his leve：
Therfore； while I mai beleve；
I tarie forth the nyht along；
For it is noght on me along
To slep that I so sone go；
Til that I mot algate so； 2820
And thanne I bidde godd hire se；
And so doun knelende on mi kne
I take leve； and if I schal；
I kisse hire； and go forth withal。
And otherwhile； if that I dore；
Er I come fulli to the Dore；
I torne ayein and feigne a thing；
As thogh I hadde lost a Ring
Or somwhat elles； for I wolde
Kisse hire eftsones； if I scholde； 2830
Bot selden is that I so spede。
And whanne I se that I mot nede
Departen； I departe； and thanne
With al myn herte I curse and banne
That evere slep was mad for yhe；
For； as me thenkth； I mihte dryhe
Withoute slep to waken evere；
So that I scholde noght dissevere
Fro hire； in whom is al my liht：
And thanne I curse also the nyht 2840
With al the will of mi corage；
And seie； 〃Awey； thou blake ymage；
Which of thi derke cloudy face
Makst al the worldes lyht deface；
And causest unto slep a weie；
Be which I mot nou gon aweie
Out of mi ladi compaignie。
O slepi nyht； I thee defie；
And wolde that thou leye in presse
With Proserpine the goddesse 2850
And with Pluto the helle king：
For til I se the daies spring；
I sette slep noght at a risshe。〃
And with that word I sike and wisshe；
And seie； 〃Ha； whi ne were it day？
For yit mi ladi thanne I may
Beholde； thogh I do nomore。〃
And efte I thenke forthermore；
To som man hou the niht doth ese；
Whan he hath thing that mai him plese 2860
The longe nyhtes be his side；
Where as I faile and go beside。
Bot slep； I not wherof it serveth；
Of which noman his thonk deserveth
To gete him love in eny place；
Bot is an hindrere of his grace
And makth him ded as for a throwe；
Riht as a Stok were overthrowe。
And so； mi fader； in this wise
The slepi nyhtes I despise； 2870
And evere amiddes of mi tale
I thenke upon the nyhtingale；
Which slepeth noght be weie of kinde
For love； in bokes as I finde。
Thus ate laste I go to bedde；
And yit min herte lith to wedde
With hire； wher as I cam fro；
Thogh I departe； he wol noght so；
Ther is no lock mai schette him oute；
Him nedeth noght to gon aboute； 2880
That perce mai the harde wall；
Thus is he with hire overall；
That be hire lief； or be hire loth；
Into hire bedd myn herte goth；
And softly takth hire in his arm
And fieleth hou that sche is warm；
And wissheth that his body were
To fiele that he fieleth there。
And thus miselven I tormente；
Til that the dede slep me hente： 2890
Bot thanne be a thousand score
Welmore than I was tofore
I am tormented in mi slep；
Bot that I dreme is noght of schep；
For I ne thenke noght on wulle；
Bot I am drecched to the fulle
Of love； that I have to kepe；
That nou I lawhe and nou I wepe；
And nou I lese and nou I winne；
And nou I ende and nou beginne。 2900
And otherwhile I dreme and mete
That I al one with hire mete
And that Danger is left behinde；
And thanne in slep such joie I finde；
That I ne bede nevere awake。
Bot after； whanne I hiede take；
And schal arise upon the morwe；
Thanne is al torned into sorwe；
Noght for the cause I schal arise；
Bot for I mette i