The book of fame made by Gefferey Chaucer House of fame Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A18553 of text S108768 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 5087). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 89 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 26 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A18553 STC 5087 ESTC S108768 99844424 99844424 9235 2240886495

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A18553) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9235) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1:04) The book of fame made by Gefferey Chaucer House of fame Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400. [64] p. Enprynted by Wylliam Caxton, [[Westminster] : [1483]] Caption title. Printer's name from colophon; place and date of publication from STC. Edited by William Caxton.--STC. In verse. Signatures: a-d (a1 and d8 are blanks). Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng eebo The book of fame made by Gefferey Chaucer Chaucer, Geoffrey, 1483 52 12452 261 0 0 0 0 0 209.6 F The rate of 209.6 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2002-02 Assigned for keying and markup 2002-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-04 Sampled and proofread 2002-04 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
The book of Fame made by Gefferey Chaucer GOd torne vs euery dreme to good For it is wonder thyng by the wod To my wyt / what cousyth sweuenys On the morowe / or on euenys And why th effect foloweth of some And of some it shal neuer come Why that it is a visyon And why thys / a reuelacion Why thys a dreme / why that a sweuen And not to euery man / syche euen Why thys a fanton / why they oracles I note / but who so of thyse myracles The causes knowe bet than I Deuyne he / for I certaynly Ne can hem not ne neuer thynke To besy my wyt / for to swynke To knowe of her signyfycacions T●e gendres ne dystynctions Of the tymes of hem ne the causis Or why thys is more than that is Or yef folkes complexions Make hem dreme of reflexions Or ellis thus as other seyne For the grete feblenes of her brayn By abstynence / or by sekenes Pryson / stryf / or grete dystres Or ellys by dysordynance Or naturel accustomance That some men be to curyous In studye / or melancolyous Or thus / so inly ful of drede That noman may hym bote rede Or ellis that deuocion Of some / and contemplacion Causen suche dremes ofte Or that the cruel lyf vnsofte Of them that loues leden Oft hopen moche or dreden That purely her impressions Causen hem to haue visions Or yf spyrites ●an the myght To make folk to dreme on nyght Or yf the soule of propre kynde Be so perfyght as men fynde That it wote / what is to come And that he warneth alle and some Of eueryche of her auentures By auysyons or by fygures But that our flessh hath no myght To vnderstande it a ryght For it is warned to derkly But why the cause is / not wote I Wel worth of thys thyng clerkis That treten of that and of other werkis For I of none oppynyon No● as nowe / make mencion B●t on●y that the holy rode Torne vs euery dreme to good For neeur syth I was born Ne noman els me byforn Mette I trowe stedfastly So wonderful a dreme / as dide I THe tenthe day of decembre The whyche as I can remembre I wyl make inuocacio● Wyth a deuoute specyal deuocion Vnto the god of slepe anone That dwellyth in a caue of stone Vpon a streme that cometh fro le●e That is a flode ful vnswetr Besyde a folke that men clepe cym●rye Ther slepeth ay thys god vnmerye Wyth hys slepy thousand sones That allewey to slepe / her woon i● And to thys god / that I of rede Praye that he wyl me spede My sweuene for to telle a ryght Ye● ony dreme stonde in hys myght And he that mouer is of al That is and was / and euer shal So yeue hem Ioye that it here Or alle that they dreme to yere And for to stande alle in grace Of her loues / or in what place That hem were leuest for to stonde And shelde hem / from pouerte & shonde And from euery vnhapp and dysese And sende hem that may hem plese That taketh wel / and scorneth nought Ne it mysdeme in her thought Thurgh malicious intencion And he thurgh hys presumpcion Or hate / 〈◊〉 sc●●ne / or thurgh enuye Despyte . or Iape / or felonye Mysdeme it / pray I Ihesus good Dreme he barefoot or dreme be shood That euery harme / that ony man Hath had syth the world began Befalle hym therof / or he sterue And graunte / that he may it deserue Lo wyth suche a conclusion As had of hys vysion Cresus / that was kyng of lyde That he vpon a gy●et dyde Thys prayer shal he haue of me I am no bette in charyte NOw herkene as I haue you seyd What that I mette / or I abreyd Of decembre the tenthe daye Whan it was nyght to slepe I laye Ryght as I was wont to done And fyl a slepe / wonder sone As he that was wery for go On pylgremage myle● two To the corps of seynt leonard To maken lythe that erst was hard But as I slepte / me mette I was Wy●hin a temple y made of glas In whyche / there were mo ymages Of gold / standyng in dyuers stages And mo ryche tabernacles And wyth perte / mo pynnacles And mo ryche portretures And queynt maner of fygures Of gold werke / than I sawe euer For certeynly I nyst neuer Where that I was / but wel wyse I It was of venus redyly The temple for in portreture I sawe anone her fygure Naked fletyng in a see And also on her hede parde Rose garlondes smellyng as a mede And also fleyng aboute her hede He● douues / and dan Cupydo Her blynd sone / And vlcano That in hys face was ful brown But I romed vp and down I fonde that on a wal there was Thus wryten on a table of bras I wyl now synge yf that I can The armes and also the man That fyrst cam thurgh hys destyne Fugytyf fro Troye / the contre In to Itaylle wyth moche pyne Vnto the strondes of lauyne And tho began the storye anon As I shal telle you eche on Fyrst sawe I the destruction Of Troye thurgh the greke Synon Wyth hys fals vntrewe forsweryng And wyth hys chere and hys lesyng Made the hors / brought in to Troye By whyche Troians loste theyr Ioye And after thys was graued alas How ylion assayled was And wonne / and kyng Priamus slayn And plyto hys sone certayn Dyspytously of dan Pirrus And next that / saw I how Venus Whan that she sawe the castel brende Down from heuen she gan descende And bad her sone / En●as flee And how he fled / and how that he Escaped was / from alle the prees And toke hys fader olde Anchyses And dare hym on hys back awey Cryeng alas / and we●eawey The whyche Anchises in hys hand Bare tho the goddes of the land Thylke / that vnbrennyd were Thenne sawh I next in al thys fere How Creusa daun Eneas wyf Whom that he loued as hys lyf And her yong sone Iulo And eke askanius also Fledden eke wyth drery chere That it was pyte for to h●re And in a forest as they wente At a tornyng of a wente How Creusa was y lost / alas That ●ede note I how it was How he her sought / and how her ghoos● Bad hym ●le the grekes hoost And seyde he most in to Itaylle As was hys destyne / sauns fayll● That it was pyt● for to here Whan her spyryte gan appere 〈◊〉 worde● / that to hym she ●eyd● And for to k●pe her sone she preyd● There sawe I grauen eke / how he Hys fader eke and hys meyne Wyth hys shyppis gan to saylle Tolbard the contre of I wylle As streyght as that they myght go There sawe I eke / the cruel Iuno That art dan Iubit●rs wyf That hast hated alle thy lyf Alle the Twian blood Renne and crye as thou were wood On Eolus the god of wyndes To blowen out of alle kyndes So lowde that he shold drenche Lord . lady . grome . and w●nche Of alle the troians nacion Wythout ony of her sauacion Ther sawe I suche tempest arys● That euery hert myght agryse To see hyt p●ynted on the wa● Ther sawe I eke g●●uen wyth al Venus / how ye my lady d●●e Wepyng wyth ful woful chere Prayng Iubiter on hye To saue and kepe that nauy● Of that Trogean Eneas Syth that he her sone was Ther sawe I Ioues and venus kysse And graunted was of the tempest lysse Ther sawe I how the tempest stent● And how wyth peyne he went● And pryuely toke a ryuage In the contre of Cartage And on the morow / hou that he And a knyght that hyght Ach●te Metten wyth venus that daye ●●yng in a queynt a●aye As she had be an huntrresse Wyth wynde blowyng her tresse And how Eneas began to pleyne Whan he knewe her / of hys peyne And how hys shippes dreynt were Or ellis y lost he nyst where How she gan hym conforte th● And bad hym to Cartage go And there he shold hys folke fynde That in the see were left behynde And shortly of thys thyng to pass● She made Eneas so in grace Of Dido quene of that contre That shortly for to tellen / she Becam hys loue / and lete hym d● Alle that wedd●●g longeth to What shold I speke more queynt Or peyne / my wordes to peynte To speke of loue / it wyl not be I can not of that fa●●lte And eke to tellen of the manere How they fyrst acqueynted were It were a long processe to t●ke And ouer longe for yow to dwell● Ther sawe I graue / how Eneas Told to Dido euery ●●as That hym was tyd vpon the see And efte grauen was how that sh● Made of hym shortly at a worde Her lyf / her loue / her lust / her lord And dyde to hym alle reuerence And leyd on hym alle dyspen●● That ony womman myght do Wenyng alle hyt had be soo As he her swore and h●rtly demed That he was good / for he suche semed Alas what harme doth apparenc● Whan it is fals in existen●e 〈◊〉 he to her a traytour was Wherfor she slowe her self alas Lo how a womman doth amys To loue hym that vnknowen is For euery trust / lo thus it faryth It is not all gold that glaryth For also browke I myn hede Ther may be vnder goodlyhede Couerd many a sherewd vyce Therfore be no wyght so nyce To take a loue only for chere Or for speche or frendely manere For thus shal euery womman fynde And swere / how he is vnkynde Or fals prouyd / or double was Alle thys saye I by Eneas And dido / and her nece loste That louyd al to sone a ghoste Therfore I wyl saye o prouerbe That he that fully knoweth the herbe May saufly leye it to hys eye Wythouten drede that is no lye But lete vs speke of Eneas How he betrayed her alas And left her ful vnkyndly So whan she alle sawe vtterly That he wold her of trouth faylle And wende fro her in to Itaylle She began to wrynge her handes two Alas quod she / that myn hert is wo● Alas is euery man thus trewe That euery yere wyl haue a newe Yf hyt so long tyme endure Or ellis thre perauenture And thus of one / he wyl haue fame In magnefyeng hys owen name Another for frenshyp seyth he And yet shal the thyrde be That is taken / for delyte Lo or els for synguler prouffyte In suche wordes gan compleyne Dido / of her grete peyne As me mette / dremyng redyly None other auctour alege wyl I Alas quod she my swete herte Haue pyte of my sorowes smerte And sle me not / go not away O woful Dido / weleaway Quod she / to her self tho O Eneas what wyl ye do O that loue / ne oth ne your bonde That ye swore wyth your ryght honde Ne my cruel deth quod she May hold yow stylle wyth me O. haue ye of my deth pyte Y Y wys my owne dere h●rte ye Knowe ful wel that neuer yet As fer as euer I had wytte Agylte yow in thought ne in dede O men haue ye suche goodlyhede In speche / and neuer a dele in trouthe Alas / that euer had routhe Ony womman / on a fals man Nowe I see wel and telle can We wretchyd wymmen can no arte For certayn for the more parte Thus we ben seruyd euerychone How sore ye men can grone Anon as we haue you resceyuyd Certaynly / we be dysceyuyd For though your loue laste a seson Wayte vppon the conclusion And eke how ye determyne And for the more par● defyne O weleaway / that I was born For thurgh yow my name is born ●nd myn actes red and songe Oueral thys londe in euery tonge Of wyckyd fame / for ther nys No thyng so swyft / ●o as she is O syth euery thyng is wyst Though it be couerd wyth the myst Eke though I myght / endure euer That I haue don / recouer I neuer That I ne shal be sayd / alas Y shamed was thurgh Eneas And that I shal thus Iuged be Lo / ryght as she hath now / she Wyll done eftsones hardely Thus seyth the peple preuely But that is don / is not to done But alle ●er compleynt / ne her mo●● Cer●●yn auayleth not a s●●e And whan she wyst sothly / ●e Was for●h in to hys shyp goon S●e in to her chambre w●nte anon● And ca●led for her suster Anne And beganne h●r to compleyne than●● And sayd that she the cause was That she so loued alas And thus councey●●yd she her to But what whan thys sayd was and d● S●e roof h●rself to the herte And so deyde / thurgh h●r smert● But alle the maner / hou she deyde And alle the wordes how she seyde Who so to knowe / hath it in purpoo● Rede Vyrgyle in Eneydo● O● the e●ystle of Ouyde What that she wrote / or she deyde And nere it were to longe t●ndyte By god I wolde it here wryte But welawey / the harme and routhe That hath betyd for suche vntrouthe As men may ofte in bookes rede And alday / it is yet in dede That for to thynken it tren is Lo Demophon / duk of Athenes How he forswore hym falsely And trayed Phillis wyckedly That kynges doughter was of trace And falsely gan hys terme pace And whan she wyst / that he was fa●● She henge her self by the hals For he had don her suche vntrowthe Lo was not thys / a woo and routhe Eke loke how fals and recheles Was to Breseyda Achylles And Paris to Oenone And Iason to ysyphyle And eft Iason to Med●a And Hercules to Dionyra For he l●ft her for Yolee That made hym catche hys deth parde How fals was eke Thescus That as the story telleth vs How he betrayed Adriane The deuyl be hys soule bane For had he sanged or ●ow●id He muste haue ben all deuourid Yef that Adrian had not be And for she had of hym pyte She made hym from the deth escape And he made her a ful fals Iape For after thys / wythin a whyle He left her slepyng wythin an yle Desert allone wythin the s●e And scale away / and lete her be And toke her suster / Phed●a tho Wyth hym / and gan to shyp go And yet had he sworn to ●ere On alle that euer he myght swere That so she sauyd hym hys lyf He wolde taken her to hys wyf For she desyred nothyng ellis In certeyn / as the book vs tellis But texcuse thys Eueas Fullych of hys grete trespaas The book sayth sauns faylle The goddis bad hym go to Itaylle And leuen Affryques regyoun And Dido and her fayr toun Tho I sawe graue hou to ytaylle Dan Eneas is goon to saylle And hou the tempest al began And hou he lost hys stere●man Whyche that the stern / or he tok● kepe Smot● ouer the bord / lo er he lepe And also saugh I how s●byle And Eneas besyde an yle To helle wenten for to see Hys fader Anchyses the fre And how he there fonde Polymarus And also Dido / and Deyphebus And euerych torment eke in helle Sawe he whyche no tonge can telle Whyche / who so lyste to knowe He muste rede many a rowe In Virgyle / or in Claudian Or daunt / that it tellen can There sawe I eke alle the arryuaylle That Eneas had made in to ytaylle And wyth kyng latyn hys tret●e And alle the bataylles that he Was at hym self / and alle hys knyghtis Or he had alle ywonne hys ryghtis And whan he turnus reft hys lyf And wan lauyna to hys wyf And alle the meruayllous signals Of the goddes celestyals How maugre Iuno / Eneas For alle her flygt and compas Achyeuyd alle hys auenture For Iubiter toke on hym ●ure At the prayer of venus The I praye alway saue vs And vs aye of our sorowes lyghte Whan I had alle seyn thys syght In thys noble temple thus Ay lord / thought I that madest vs Yet sawe I neuer suche noblesse Of ymages / ner suche rychesse As I sawe grauen in thys chyrche But not wote I / who dide hem wyrche Ne where I am ne in what contre But anone I gan out see Ryght at the wyket / yf I can Seen oughwher / ony steryng man That wold haue told where I am Whan I out of the dore cam I fast aboute me behelde Then sawe I but a large felde As fer as euer I myght see Wythoute toun / hous / or tree Or busshes or gras / or ered londe For alle the felde was but of sonde As smal as man may see at eye In the deserte of lybye Ne I no maner creature That is fourmed by natūre Ne sawe I / me to rede or wysse O Cryst thought I / that art in blysse From fanton / and illusioun Me saue / and wyth deuocioun Myn eyen to the heuen I caste Tho was I ware / ●o at the laste That fast by the sonne an hye As kenne myght I / wyth myn ●ye Me thought I sawe an Egle fore But that it semed moche more Than I had ony Egle I seen Thys is as soth / as d●th certeyn It was of gold / and shone so bryght That neuer sawe men suche a syght But yf the heuen had y wonne Alle newe of gold another sonne So shone the Egles fethers bryght And sone downward gan it lyght Explicit liber primus Incipit liber secundus TOw herkene euery maner man Hat ony maner of englyssh can And listeneth / of my dreme to lere For at the fyrst / shal ye here So s●ly / and so dredeful a vision That I saye that neuer Scipio● Ne kynge Nabugodonosor Pharao . Turnus . ne Elcanor Ne metten suche a dreme as thys Now fayr blysful O cyprys So be my fauour at thys tyme That ye me tendytr and ryme Helpe ye that in pornaso dwelle By syde Elycon the clew welle O. thought . that wrot alle that I mette And in the tresorye it sette Of my brayn / now shal men see Yf ony vertu / in the be To telle alle my dreme a ryght Now kythe thyn engyn and myght Thys Egle / of whyche I now haue told That hys fethers shoon alle of gold Whyche that so hye gan to sore I gan beholden more and more To seen her beaute / and the wonder But neuer was ther dynte of thonder Ne that thyng that men calle fowdre That smyte sone a tour to powdre And in hys swyft comyng brende That so swythe gan douneward descende And thys fowle whan I behelde Whan I a rowme was in the felde And wyth hys grym pawys stronge Wythin hys sharpe nayles longe Me fleyng / at a swap he hente And wyth hys sours / agayn vp wente Me caryeng in hys clawes starke As lyghtly as I had ben a larke How hye I can not telle yow For I cam vp I nyste neuer how For so astoned and assweued That euery vertu in my heued What wyth hys sours and my drede That alle my felyng gan to dede For why it was a grete affraye Thus I longe / in hys clawes laye Tyl atte laste / he to me spack In mannes voys / and sayd awake And sayd be not agast so for shame And callyd me tho by my name And for I shold better abreyde Me to awake / thus he seyde Ryght in the same voys and steuen That vseth one / that I can neuen And wyth that voys soth to seyn My mynde cam to me ageyn For it was godely sayd to me So was it neuer wont to be And here wyth alle I gan to ste●e As he me in hys feet ●ere Tyl that he felt that I had ●ete And felte eke tho myn herte bete And tho gan he me to dysporte And wyth gentyl wordes me conforte And seyde twyes seynt Marye Thou art a noyous thyng to carye And nothyng nedeth it parde For also wys god helpe me As thou no harme shal haue of thys And thys was that betyd the is Is for thy bore and for thy prowe Lete see darst thou loke yet nowe Be ful ensured boldely I am thy frende / and therwyth I Gan for to wondre in my mynde O god quod I that madest alle kynde Shal I none otherwyse dye Whether Ioue wyl me stellyfye Or what thyng may thys signefye I am nether Enock ne Helye Ne Romulus ne Ganemede That were bore vp as men rede To heuen / wyth dan Iubiter And made the goddis boteler Lo thys was tho my fantasye But he that bare gan espye That I so thought / and seyd thys Thou d●mest of thy self amys For Ioue is not ther aboute I dar the put ful out of d●ute To make of the yet a sterre But er I bere the moche ferre I wyl the telle what I am And whyther thou shalt and why I cam To do thys so that thou take Good herte / and not for fere quake Gladly quod I / now wel quod he Fyrst I that in my f●et haue the Of whom thou hast feer and wonder I am dwellyng / wyth the god of thoeder Whyche men callen Iubiter That doth me fleen ful oft fer To do alle hys comandement And for thys cause he hath me sent To the / herke now by thy trouthe Certeyn he hath of the routhe That thou hast so truly Longe seruyd ententyfly Hys blynde neuew Cupido And fayr venus also Wyth oute guerdon euer yet And netheles hast set thy wyt Al though in thy hede / ful lytyl is To make bookes . songes . or ditees In ryme or ellis in Cadence As thou best canst in reuerence Of loue and of hys seruantis eke That ha●e hys seruyse sought and seke And peynest the to preyse hys arte Al though thou haddest neuer parte Wherfore also god me blesse Ioues holt hyt grete humblesse And vertu / eke thou dost wake On nyght and makest thyn hede ake In thy studye / so thou wrytest And euermore of loue endytest In honour of hym and preysyng And in hys folkes furthryng And in her mater alle deuysest And not hym ne hys folk de●pisest Alle though thou mayst go in the daunce Of hem that hym lyst not auaunce Wherfore as I seyde ywys Iubyter considereth wel thys And also ●eau sire of other thyngis That is / thou hast no tydynges Of loues folk / yf they be glade Ne of nothyng els / that god made And not only fro fer contre That no tidynges comen to the Not of thy very neygheboris That dwellen almost at thy doris Thou herest neyther that ne thys For whan thy labour alle don is And hast made alle thy rekenyngis In stede of rest and of newe thyngis Thou gost home / to thyn hous anone And also dombe as a stone Thou sittest at an other book Tyl fully daswed is thy book And lyuest thus as an hermyte Alle though thyn abstynence is lyte And therfore Ioues thurgh hys grace Wylle that I shal bere the to a place Whyche that hyte the hous of fame And to ●o the sporte and game In some recompensacion Of thy labour and deuocyon that tho● hast had / lo causeles To god Cupido the recheles And thus thys god for hys meryte Wyl wyth some maner thyng the quyte So that thou wylt be of good chere For trust wel / that thou shalt her● Whan we be comen / there I saye Mo wonder thynges / I dar wel laye And of loues folk mo tydynges Bothe sothsawes / and lesynges And mo loues / new begonne And longe serued tyl loue is wonne And mo louers casuelly That ben betyd / noman wote why But as a blynd man sterteth an hare And more Iolyte / and welfare Whyle they fynde loue of stele As thynke men / and oueral wele Mo dyscordis / and mo Ielousyes Mo murmures / and mo nouelryes And also mo dyssymylacions And eke feyned reperacions And mo berdes in two oures Wythoute rasour or sysours Y made than graynes be of sondes And eke mo haldyng in hondes And also mo renouelances Of olde forleten acqueyntances Mo louedayes / and mo accordes Than on Instrumentis ben cordes And eke of loue moo eschaunges Than euer cornes were in graunges Vnnethe may thou trrowen thys Quod he / no so helpe me god as wys Quod I / ne why quod he / for it Were impossyble to my wyt Though fame had alle the pyes In alle a ●oyame / and alle espyes How that she shold here alle thys Or they aspyen that or thys Quod he to me / that can I preue By reson worthy for to leue So that thou gyue thyn aduertence To vnderstonde my sentence Fyrst shal thou here wher she dwellyth Ryght so as thyn owen book telleth Her palays stondeth as I shal saye Ryght euen amyddes of the waye Betwen heuen / erthe / and see That what so euer in alle the thre Is spoken in pryue or appert The way therto is so smert And stant eke in so Iust a place That euery sowne mote to it pace Or what so comyth / from ony tonge Be it rowned / red or songe Or spoken in sewerte / or drede Certeyn it mote thethyr nede Now herkne wel / for why I wyl Tellen the a proper Skyl And a worthy demonstracion In myn ymagynacion Geffrey / thou wotest wel thys That euery kynde that is Hath a kyndly stede that he May best in it conserued be Vnto whyche place euery thyng Thurgh hys kyndly enclynyng Meueth for to come to Thenne that is away therto As thus / lo hou thou mayst alday see That ony thyng / that heuy be As stone or lede / or thyng of weyght And bere it neuer so hygh on heyght Let● go thyn hand / it falleth doun Ryght so saye I by fyre and soun Or smoke or other thynges lyght Alleway they seke vpward on hyght Lyght thynges vp and downward charge Whyle eueryche of hem be at large And for thys cause thou mayst wel see That euery ryuer vnto the see Enclyned is to goo by kynde And by thyse skylles I fynde Haue fysshes dwellyng in flood and see And trees eke on erthe be Thus euery thyng by hys reson Hath hys owen propre mancion The whyche he seketh to repayre Ther as it shold not apayre Lo thys sentence is knowen couthe Of euery phylosophers mouthe As Aristotle and dan Platon And other clerkys many ●on And to conferme my reson Thou wost wel that speche is a soune Or ellis noman myght it here Now herke what I wyl the lere Sown is not / but eyer y broken And euery speche / that is spoken Lowde or pryue / fowl or fayr In hys substance is but an ayer For as flame is but lyghtyd smoke Ryght so is sowne / ayer y broke But thys may be in many wyse Of whyche I wyl the deuyse As Sowne cometh of pype or harpe For whan a pype is blowen sharpe The ayer is twyst wyth violence And rent / lo thys is my sentence Eke whan men harpe strengis smyte Whether it be moche or lyt● Lo wyth the serooke / the ayer to breketh And ryght so brekyth it / when men spekyth Thys most thou wel / what thyng is speche Now hens forth / I wyl the teche How eueryche speche / voys or sown Thurgh hys multyplycacion Though it were pype or mowse Mote nedes come to fames howse I● proue it thus / take hede now By experience for yf thow Threwe in a water now a stone Wel wost thou it wyl make anone A lytyl roundel as a cercle Perauenture as brode as a couer●l● Brodder than hym self was And thus fro roundel to compas Eche a●oute other goyng Causeth of others steryng And multyplyeng euermo Tyl it be so ferre go ●●at it at bothe brynkys be Alle though / thou may it not see Aboue it goth / yet alway vnder It is / though thou thynke it wonder And who so sayth / of trouth I varye Byd hym proue the contrarye And ryght thus / euery word ywys That lowde or preuy spoken is Moueth fyrst / in the eyer abowte And of hys mouyng out of dowte Another eyer / anon is moued As I haue of the water proued That euery cercle causeth other Ryght so of eyer / my leue brother Eueryche eyer in other steryth More and more / and speche vp beryth Or voys or noys / word or sowne Ay thurgh multiplicacion Tyl it be at the hows of fame Take it on ernest / or in game Now haue I told yf thou haue mynde How speche or sowne / of pure kynde Enclyned is vpward to moue Thys maysthow fele wel by proue Ha . a . quod he lo so I can Lewdely vnto a lewde man Speke and shewe hym suche skylles That he may take hym by the bylles So palpable the skylles be But telle me thys / now pray I the How thynketh the / my conclusion A good persuasion Quod I / and lyke to be Ryght so as thou hast proued me By god quod he / and as I lene Thou shalt haue yet or it be eue Of euery word / of thys senteuce ●●d also pro●f by experience And wyth thyn eres heren woll Top and tayll / and eu●rydell That euery word / that spoken is Cometh in to fames hous ywys As I haue sayd / what wylt thou more And wyth thys word / vpper to sore He began and seyd by seynt Iame Now wyl we speken al of game How faryst thou now . quod he to me Wel quod I / now see quod he By thy trouth yond adoun Where that thou knowest ony toun Or house / or ony other thyng And whan thou hast of ought knowyng Loke that thou warne me And I anone shal telle the How fer thou art nowe ther fro And I adoun gan to loke tho And behelde feldes and pleynes Now hylles / and now mounteynes Now valeyes / and now forestes And now vnnethe grete bestes Now ryuers / now grete cyt●es Now townes / now grete trees Now shyppes sayllyng in the see But thus sone / in a whyle he Was flowen fro the ground so hye Tat alle the world as to myn eye Nomore semed than a prykke Or els the eyer was so thykke That I myght it not decerne Wyth that he spack to me so yerne And seyde / seest thou ony token Or ought / that in the world is of spoken I sayd nay / no wonder is Quod he / for neuer ha●f so hyr as thys Nas Alysaunder of Macedo Kynge / ne of rome dan Scipio That saw in dreme poynt deuys Heuen and helle and paradys Ne eke the wryght Dedalus Ne hys sone Nyse Icharus That flawe so hye / that the hete Hys wynges malte / and he fyl wete In myd the see / and there he dreynte For whome was made a grete compleynt Now torne vpward / quod he / thy face And beholde thys large space Thys eyer / but loke that thou ne be A drad of h●m / that thou shalt ●e For in thys regyon certeyn Dwelleth many a Cytezeyn Of whyche speketh dan plato These ben the eyrissh bestes ●o And tho sawe I alle the meyne Bothe goon and also flee Lo quod he / caste vp thyn eye Se yonder lo the Galaxye The whyche men clepe the mylky wey● For it is whyt / And some perfeye Callen it watlyng strete That ones was brente wyth the hete Whan the sonnes sone the rede That hyte Pheton wold lede Algate hys faders carte and ● gye The cart hors gan wel aspye That he coude / no gouernaunce And gan for to lepe and daunce And bere hym vp and now doun Tyl he sawe the Scorpyoun Whyche that in heuen / a signe is yet And he for fere / lost hys wyt Of that / and lete the reynes gon Of thyse hors and they anon Gan vp to mounte and doun descend● ●yl bothe eyer and erthe brende Tyl Iubiter / lo at the laste Hym slowe / and fro the cart caste Lo is it not a grete myschaunce To let● a fole haue gouernaunce Of thynges / that he can not demeyn And wyth thys word soth for to seyn He gan alway vpper to sore And gladed me than more and more So faythfully to me spak he Tho gan I loke vnder me And behelde the ayrisshe bestes Clowdes mystes and tempestes Snowes . Hayles . raynes / and wyndes And alle th engendryng in her kyndes And alle the wey / thurgh whyche I cam O god quod I that made adam Moche is thy myght and noblesse And tho thought I vpon Boece That wryt●th / a thought may fle so hye Wyth fethers of phylosophye To passen eueriche Element And he hath so fer y went Thenne may be see behynd hys bak Clowde and alle that I of spack Tho gan I waxe in a were And seyd / I wote wel I am here Whether in body / or in ghoost I note ywys / but god thou wost For more clere entendement Nadde he me neuer yet sent Thenne thought I on Marcyan And eke on anteclaudyan That soth was theyr discrypcion Of alle the heuens regyon As f●r a● I sawe the preue And therfore I can hem beleue Wyth that the Egle can to cry● Late be quod he thy fantasye Wylt thou here of sterris ought Nay certay●ly quod I ryght nought And why quod he / for I am olde Elles wold I haue the tolde Quod he / sterres names lo And alle the heuens signes to And whyche they be / no fo rs quod I Yes parde quod he / wost thou why Whan thou redest poetrye How the goddes can stellefye Byrd fyssh / or hym or here As the ra●en and othere Or Ariones harp fyn Castor Polux or Delphyn Or Athalantes doughters seuen How alle these ar sette in heuen For tho●gh thou haue hem oft in honde Yet nost thou where they stonde No fo●s quod I / hyt is no nede As wel I l●ue so god me spede Hem that wryten of thys matere As though I knewe her places here And eke they shynen here so bryght I shuld shenden alle my syght To loke on hem / that may wel be Quod he / And so forth bare he me A whyle / And tho he gan to crye That neuer herd I thyng so hye Hold vp thyn hede / for it is wel Seynt Iulyen lo / bonne hostel See here the hous of fame lo Mayst thou not here that I do What quod I the grete sown Quod he / that rombleth vp and down In fames hous / ful of tydyngis Both of fayr speche / and of other thyngis And of fals and so●h compowned ●erkne wel / it is not rowned Herest thou not the grete swough Yes parde quod I / wel ynough And what sown is it lyke quod he Peter lyke the betyng of the see Quod I / ay●nst the roches holow Whan tempestes don her shyppes swalow And that a man stand out of doute A myle thens and here it rowte Or ellis like the humblyng After the clappe of a thondryng Whan Ioues hath the eyer y bete But it doth me for fere swete Nay drede the not therof quod he It is nothyng / that wyl greue the Thou shalt haue no harme truly And wyth that word / both he and I As nyghe the place arriued were As men myght cast wyth a spere I nys● how but in a strete He sette me fayr on my fete And sayd walke forth a paas And tel thyn auenture and caas That thou shalt fynde in fames place Now quod I whyle we haue space To speke or that I go fro the For the loue of god telle me In soth that I wyl of the lere Yef thys noyse / that I here Be as I haue herd the telle Of folk that forth in erth dwelle And here in the same wyse As I the herd or thys deuyse And that her lyues body nys In alle that hous / that yonder i● That maketh / alle thys lowde fare No quod he by seynt clare And also wys god helpe me ●ut o thyng / I wyl warne the Of the whyche / thou wylt haue wonder Lo to the hous of fame yonder Thou wost how comyth euery speche It nedeth not the more to teche But vnderstande ryght wel thys Whan ony speche y comen is Vnto that palays anon ryght It weye●h lyche the same weyght Whyche that in erthe the word spack Be he clothed rede or black And hath so very hys lykenes That spack the word / and thou wylt gesse That it the same body be Man or woman he or she And is not thys a wonder thyng Yes quod I / by heuens kyng And wyth thys word / fare wel quod he And here wyl I abyde the And god of heuen sende the grace Some good to lerne in thys place And I of hym toke leue anon And gan forth to the palays gon Explicit liber secundus Incipit liber Tercius O God of science and of lyght Appollo thurgh thy grete myght Thys lytyl last boke / thou now gye Not that I wyl for maystrye Here arte poetical be shewd But the ryme that is so lewd Made it somwhat agreable Though some vers faylle ●illable And that I do no dylygence To shewe craft / but sentence And yf dyuyne vertu thou Wylt helpe me to shewe now That in my hede markyd is Lo that is for to meuen thys The house of fame to dyscryue Thou shalt see me go as blyue Vnto the next lawrer I see And kysse it for it is thy tre Now entre in to my brest anon Whan I was from the Egle gon I gan beholde vpon thys place And certayn or I further pace I wyl you alle the shap deuyse Of hous of Cyte / and of the wyse How I gan to the place approche That stant vpon so hye a roche Ther standeth none so hye in spayne But vp I clam wyth moche payne Aud though to clymbe / it greuyd me Yet I ententyf was to see And for to poure wonder lowe Yef I coude ony wyse knowe What maner stone thys roche was For it was lyke a lymed glas But that it shewed more clere But of what congelyd matere It was / I ne wyst redyly But at the last espyed I And fonde that it was euerydeel A roche of yse / and not of steel Thought I by seynt Thomas of kent Thys were a feble found●ment To bylden on / a place so hy● He aught hym wel to gloryfye That heron bylt so god me saue Tho sawe I alle the halle y graue Wyth famous folkes names fele That haue ben in moche wele And her fames wyde blowe But wel vnnethe myght I know● ●ny letters for to rede Her names / for out of drede They weren almost ouerthowed so That of the lettres / one or two Were molte away / of euery name So vnfamous was wax her fame But men saye / what may euer laste Tho gan I in myn herte co●ste That they were molte away for hete And not away wyth stormes bete For on that other syde / I saye On thys hyll that northward lay How it was wreton ful of names Of folk that had afore grete fames Of olde tyme / And yet they were As fressh as men had wreton hem there The self day / or that houre That I on hem gan to poure But wel I wyste / what it made It was conseruyd / wyth the shade Of a castel / that so stode on hye Alle the wrytyng that I sye And stode eke in so colde a place That hete myght it not deface Tho gan I on thys hyll to gon And fonde on the ceppe a wone That alle the men that ben on lyue Ne han the connyng to dyscryue The beaute of that ylke place Ne coude caste the compace Suche an other for to make That myght of beaute be hys make Ne so wonderly y wrought That it astonyed / yet my thought And maketh alle my wyt to swynke On thys caste● for to thynke So that the grete beaute The cast craft and curiosite Ne can I not to yow deuyse My wytt may it not suffyse But netheles alle the sulstaunce I haue yet in my remembraunce For why / me thought by seynt gyl● Alle was of stone of beryle Bo●he the castel and the tour And eke the halle and euery bour Wythoute peces or Ioynynges But many subtyl compas●ynges As bab●uwryes and pynnacles Ymageryes and tabernacles I sawe eke and ful of wyndowes As flakes fallen in grete snowys And eke in euery of eche pynacles Were sondry habytacles In whyche stoden alle they wythouten Ful the castel all abowten Of alle maner of mynstrallis And gestours that tellen talis Bothe of wepyng / and of game And of alle / that longeth vnto fame There herd I pleye on an harpe That sowned wel and sharpe Hym Orpheus ful craftely And on hys syde fast by Sat the harper / Oryon And gacides Chyryon And other harpers many one And the bryton Glaskyryon And smale harpers / wyth her gl●ys Sat vnder hem in dyuerse seys And gon on hem vpward to gape And counterfeted hem as an ape Or as craft count●rfete kynde Tho sawe I hem behynde A fer from hem / as by hem selue Many thousand tyme twelue That made lowde mynstraleyes An cornmuse or shalemeyes And many an other / pype That craftely began to pyp● Bothe in dowced and in rede That ben at festes wyth the brede And many a floyte and lytelynge horn And pype● made of stree of corn As haue thyse lytyl herde gromes That kepen bestis in the bromes There sawe I thenne dan Cytherus And of Atthenes / dan proserus The Marcia / that bost her skyn Both in face . body and chyn For that she wold enuyen lo To py●en bet than Appollo The●● sawe I eke / famous old and yong Pypers of the duc●e tonge To lerne houe dauncis sprynges Reyes / and the strange thynges Tho sawe I in an other place Standyng in a large spac●● Of hem that maken blody sown In tromp beme and claryoun For in fyght / and blood shedyng Is vsed good clarionyng There herd I trompe messenus Of whom that speketh virgilius There herd I Ioab trompe also Theodonas and other moo And alle that vsed claryon In Castyle lyon and Aragon That in her tymes / famous were To lernen / sawe I trompen there Ther sawe I sytte in her sees Ployenge vpon other lees Whyche I can not neuene ●o than sterris ben in heuene Of whyche I nyl / as now not ryme For ese of you / And l●sse of tyme For tyme y lost that knowe ye By no wey / recouered may be Ther sawe I pley Iogelers Magyciens and trageotours And phetonysses and charmeresses Olde wycches and sorceresses That vsen exorsisacions And many other Inuocacions And clerkes that connen wel Alle thys magyk naturel That craftely do her ententes To maken in certayn ascendentes Ymages lo / thurgh suche magyke To make a man / hole or seke Ther saw I the quene Medea And Cir●●s eke / and Caliophia There sawe I hermes / ballenus Lymote / and eke Symon magus There sawe I and knewe hym by name That by suche arte don men fame There sawe I / colle tregetour Vpon a table of Sycomour Pleye / an vncouth thyng to telle I sawe hym carye a wynd me●le Vnder a walnote shale What shold I make lenger tale Of alle the peple that I say I coud not telle tyl domesday Whan I had alle thys folke beholde And fonde me ●oos / and not holde And eft I mused a lenger whyle Vpon thys wall of Beryle That shone lyghter than a glas And made it wel more than it was As kynde thyng of fame is And thenne anon after thys I gan forth romen tyl I fonde The castel / that on my ryght honde Whyche so wel coruen was That neuer suche an other nas And yet it was by auenture Y wrought by grete and subtyl cure It nedeth not yow for to telle To make yow lenger to dwelle Of these yates florysshynges Ne of compaces ne of keruynges Ne how the hackyng in masonryes As corbettis / and ymageryes But lord so feyr it was to shewe For it was alle of gold behewe But in I wente and that anone There mette I cryeng many one A larges / A larges vp hold well God saue the lady of thys pele Our owen gentyle lady fame And hem that wylleth to haue a name Of vs / thus herd I cryen alle And fast comen out of the halle And shoke nobles / and sterlynges And crowned were they as kynges Wyth crownes wrought ful of lesynges And many reban and many thynges Were in her clothes truly Tho at laste / aspyed I That purseuauntes and herawdes That cryen ryche folkes lawdes It weren alle / and euery man Of them as I yow telle can Had on hym throwe a vesture Whyche men clepe a cote Armur● Enbrowdred wonderly ryche Alle though they were not ylyche But not wyl I so mot● I thryu● Be aboute to dyscryue Alle thyse armes what they weren That they thus on her cot●s beren For it to me were Impossible Men myght make of hem a byble Twenty fote thycke as I trowe For certayn who so coude knowe Myght there alle the armes see Of famous folk that had be In Affry●que . Europe / and Asy● Syth first lo chyualrye Lo how shold I telle alle thys Ne of the ha●le eke / what nede is To tellen yow that euery wal Of it / and ●●of and flore wyth al Was plated half a fote thykke Of gold / and that was not wykke But to proef in alle wyse As fyn as doket of venyse Of whyche to lyte in my powche is And were sette as thyck as owchys Ful of the fynest stones fayre That men reden in the lapydayre Or as grasses growen in a mede But it were al to longe to rede The names / And therfore I pace But in thys ryche lusty place That fames halle / called was Ful moche prees of folk / ther was No gronyng for somoche prees But al an hye vpon a dees Sat on a See Emperyal That was made of a rubye ryal Whyche a Carbuncle is y callyd I sawe perpetuelly y stalled A femynyn Creature That neuer formed by nature Suche Another thyng I say For altherfyrst soth to say ●e thought / that she was so lyte That the lengthe of a Cubyte Was lenger that she semed be But thus sone in a whyle she Her self / tho wonderly streyght That wyth her feet she th erthe reyght And wyth her hede she towchyd heuen Ther as shyneth the sterres seuen And therto yet as to my wyt I sawe as grete a wonder yet Vpon her eyen to beholde But certeynly / I hem neuer bolde For as f●ls eyen had she As fethers vpon fowles be Or weren on the bestis foure That goddis trone can honoure A● wryteth Iohn in the Apocalyps Her ●●er that was owndy and cryps As ●orned gold shone / as for to see And soth to tellen also she Had also fele stondyng eris And tonges / as on a beste ben h●eris And on her feet woxen sawe I Partrychs wynges redyl●y But lord the perry and rychesse I sawe syttyng on the goddesse And the heuenly melodye Of songes ful of Armonye I herde aboute her trone y songe That alle the palays wal ronge So songe the myghty muse she That clepyd is Calyope And her seuen sustren eke That in her faces semen meke And euermore eternally The songe of fame tho herd I Heryed be thou and thy name Goddesse of renoun and of fame Tho was I ware at the laste As I myn eyen gan vp caste That thys ylke noble quen● On her shuldres gan sustene Bothe Armes and the name Of tho that had large fame Alysandre and Hercules That wyth a sherte hys lyf l●es And thus fonde I syttyng thys goddesse In nobley honour and rychesse Of whyche I styn●e a whyle now Other thynges to tellen yow Tho sawe I stonde on thother syde Strayt doun to the doris wyde From the deys many a pyler Of metal that shone not ful cleer But though they were of no ryches Yet were they made for grete nobles And in hem grete sentence And folk of grete and dygne reuerence Of whyche to telle wyl I fonde Vpon a pyler sawe I stonde Alderfyrst / ther I seyghe Vpon a pyler stonde an hy● That was of ●ede and of yron fyne Hym that wrote th actes dyuyne The Ebrayk Iosephus the olde That of Iewes gestis tolde And bare vpon hys sholdres hy● The fame vp of the Iewery● And by hym / ther stoden seuene Wyse and worthy / for to neuene To helpen hym ●ere vp the charge It was so heuy and so large And for they wryten of bataylles As wel as of other meruaylles Thefor was ●o thys pyler Of whyche I you telle he●● 〈◊〉 l●de and y●●n bothe ywys 〈◊〉 yron Martis metal is Whyche that god is of bataylle And the leed wythoute faylle Is Lo the metall of saturne That hath ful large wh●le to turne To stonde forth on euery rowe Of hem / whyche I coude knowe Though I by ordre hem not telle To maken you to long to dwelle These of whyche I gan rede Ther sawe I stande out of drede Vpon a pyler hye and stronge That peynted was al endlong Wyth ●ygres blood in euery place The tholoph●n that hyght s●ace That bare of thebes vp the name Vpon hys sholdres and / the fame Also of cruel Achylles And by hym wythout lees Ful wonder hygh vpon a pyler Of yron he the grete Omer And wyth hym dares and Titus Before and eke he lollius And Guydo eke de Columpnys And Englysh Gaufryd eke ywys And eche of these as I haue Ioye Was besy for to bere vp Troye So heuy was therof the fame That for to bere it was no game But yet I gan ful wel aspy● Betwene hem was a lyt●l enuy● Other sayde that Omer made lyes Faynyng in hys poetryes And was to the grekis fauorable Therfore held he it but fable Tho sawe I stonde on a pyler That was of tynned y●en cler The latyn poete Virgyle That hath bo●e vp a longe whyle The fame of Pius Eneas And next on a pyler was Of Co●er / Venus clerk Ouyde That hath sowen wonder wyde The grete god of loue / hys fame And ther he bare vp wel hys name Vpon thys pyler / also hye As I myght see hyt wyth myn ●ye For whyche thys halle / wherof I rede Was waxe on heyght / length and brede Wel more by a thousand dele Than it was erst / that saw I wele Tho saw I on a pyler by Of yron wrought ful sternly The grete poete dan Lucan That on hys sholdres bare vp than As hye as I myght see The name of Iulius and Pompee And by hym stoden alle these clerkis That wryte of Romes myghty werkis That yf I wold her names telle Alto ●onge must I dwelle And thenne vpon a pyler stode Of Sulphur lyche as he were wode Dan Claudian soth for to telle That bare vp alle the fame of helle Of Pluto and of Proserpyne That quene is of the derke pyne What shold I more telle of thys The halle was al ful ywys Of hem that writen olde gestis As ben in trees rokes nestis Wer● alle thyse gestes for to here But it is a ful confuse matere That they of wryte and how they hyght But whyle that I behelde that syght 〈◊〉 a noyse ●●prochen blyue 〈◊〉 fareth as bees don in an hyue Ayenst her tyme of out comyng Ryght suche a murmoryng Fye alle the world semed me Tho gan I loke aboute me and see That ther come entryng in to the halle A ryght grete company wyth alle And that of sondry regyons Of alle kyns condicions That dwelle in erthe vnder the mone Poure and ryche and also sone As they were come in to the halle They gonne on knees doun falle Before thys ylke noble quene And seyde graunte vs lady shene Ec●e of vs / of thy grace a bone And some of hem / she graunted sone And some she warned wel and fay● And some she graunted the contray● What ther grace was I nyste For of thyse folk ful wel I wyste They had good fame eche deserued Alle though they were dyuersly serued Ryght as her suster dame fortune Is wont to serue in Comune Now herkne how she gan to paye Hem / that gan her of grace praye And yet lo / alle thys companye Seyden soth / and not a lye Madame sayd they / we be Folke / that here besechen the That thou graunte vs now good fame And lete our werkes haue good name In ful recompensacioun Of good werkis / yeue vs renoun I warne yow quod she anon Ye gete of me good fame non By god / and therfore go your wey Alas / quod they and weleawey Telle vs what your cause be For me lyst not it / quod she No wyght shal speke ywys Gode ne harme / ne that ne thys And wyth that word she gan to calle Her messager that was in halle And bad that he shold fast gon Vpon peyne to be blynd anone For Eolus / the god of wynde Iy trace / ther ye shal hym fynde And byd hym bryng hys Claryon That is ful dyuerse of hys sown And it is cleped clere lawde Wyth whyche he wont is to herawde Hem that me lyst y preysed be And also byd hym / how that he Brynge eke hys other claryon That hyght sklaunder in euery town In whyche he wont is to deffame Hem that m● lyste / and do hem shame Thys Messager gan fast to goon And fonde where in a caue● of stoon In a contre that hyght Trace Thys Eolus wyth hard grace Helde the wyndes in dystresse And gan hem vnder hym to presse That they gonne as the beres rore He bonde and pressed hem so sore Thys messager gan fyrst crye Ryse vp quod he / and fast the hye Tyl thou at my lady be And take thy clarions eke wyth the And spede the faste / and he anon Toke to one that hyght Triton Hys claryon to beren tho And lete a certayn wynd go ●hat blew so hydously and hye That it left not a skye In alle the welkyn long and brood Thys Eolus nowher a bood Tyl he was come at fames fete And eke the man that Tryton hete And there he stode as styl as stone And here wythal ther cam anon An other huge Companye Of old folke / and gan to crye Lady graunte vs now good fame And lete our werkys haue that name Now in honour and gentylnes And also god your sowle bles For we han wel deserued it T●erfore is ryght / that we be quyt As thryue I quod she ye shal faylle Good werkis shall you not auaylle To haue of me good fame as now But wote ye what / I graunt yow That ye shal haue a shrewd name And wycked loos / and werse fame Though ye good loos haue wel deseruyd Now goth your w●y / for ye ben seruyd And thow dan Eolus / quod she Take forth thy trompe anon lete see That is I cleped sklaunder lyght And blowe her loos / that euery wyght Speke of hem harme and shrewdnes An stede of good and worthynes For thou shalt trompe alle the contrayre That they haue don / wel and fayre Alas thought I what auentures Haue thyse sory creatures That they among alle the pres Shuld thus be shamed gyltles But what it must nedes be What dide thys Eolus but he Toke out hys black trompe of bras That fowler than the deuyl was And gan thys trompe for to blowe As alle the world shold ouer throwe Thurgh out euery regyoun Wente hys fowle trompes sown As swyft as a pelet / out of a gonne Whan fyre is in to it ronne And suche a smoke / gan out wende Out of the fowle trompes ende Black / blo / grenyssh / swartysh rede As doth / whan men melte lede Lo al on hye / from the welle And therto one thyng saw I wel That the ferther / that it ranne The gretter waxen / it began As doth the ryuer from a welle And it stank / as the pyt of helle Alas thus was her shame y ronge And gyltles / on euery tonge Tho cam the thyrde companye And cam vp to the deys on hye And doun on knees / they fell anon And seyden / they ben euerychon Folk that han ful trewly Deserued fame rightfully And prayd hyt myght be knowe Ryght as it is and forth blowe I graunt quod she for now me lyst That now your good werkis ben wyst And yet ye shal haue better loos Ryght in despyte of alle your foos Than wor●hy is / and that anone Lete now quod she / thy trompe gone Thou Eolus / that is so blacke And oute thyn other trompe take That hyght lawde / And blowe it so That thurgh the world / her fame go Alle esyly / and not to faste That it be knowen at the laste Ful gladly / lady myn he seyde And out hys trompe of gold he breyde Anone / and set it to hys mouth And blewe it eest . west . and south And north as lowde as ony thonder That euery wyght hath of it wonder So brode it ran or that it stynte And certes alle the breth that wente Out of hys trompe / it smellyd As men a pyt ful of bawme heled Amonge a basket ful of roses Thys fauour dy●e he to her looses And ryght wyth thys I gan espye Ther cam the four●h companye But certeyn they were wonder fewe And gonne to stonde on a rewe And ●ayden cert●s lady bryght We haue don wel / wyth al our myght But we n● kepe to haue fame Hyde our werkys and our name For goddes loue / for certes we Haue certayn don hyt for bounte And for no maner other thyng I graunte you alle your askyng Quod she / lete alle your werkys be dede Wyth that aboute I torned my hede And sawe anon the fyrst rowte That to thys lady gan lowte And doun anon on knees falle And her , tho besoughten alle To hyde her good werkys eke And seyde they yeue not a leke Foe fame ne suche renoun For they for comtemplacioun And goddis loue had it wrought N● of fame wold they nought What quod she / be ye wood And wene ye to do good And for to haue of that no fame Haue ye despyte to haue a name Nay ye shal euerychon Blowe thy trompe and that anon Quod she thou Eolus / I hote And rynge thyse folkes werkis by note That alle the world may of it here And he gan blowe heer loos so clere In hys golden clarioun That thurgh the world wente the soun And so kyndely / and eke so softe That theyr fame was blowe a lofte Tho cam the syxt companye And gan faste / to fame crye Ryght veryly in thys manere They seyden mercy lady dere To t●lle certeyn as it is We haue don neyther that ne thys But ydle alle our lyf hath be But netheles we praye the That we may haue so good a fame And grete renom̄ and knowen name As they that haue do noble gestis And eschewyd alle her bestes As wel of loue / as other thynge Al was vs / neuer broche ne rynge Ne ellis what fro women sent Ne ones in her hert y ment To make vs frendly chere But mought temen vs vpon bere Yet lete vs to the peple seme Suche as the world / may of vs dem● That wommen loued vs for wode That shal do vs as moche gode And to our hert as moche auayle To counterpoyse ese and trauayle ●s we had wonne wyth labour ●or that is dere bought tresour At regarde of our grete ese And yet ye muste vs more plese Lete vs beholde eke therto Worthy wyse / and good also And ryche and happy vnto loue For goddes loue / that sytteth aboue Though we may not the body hau● Of womm●n / yet so god me saue Lete men blowe of vs the name Suffyseth vs / that we haue the fame I graunte quod she / by my trouthe Now Eolus / wythouten slouthe Take out thy trompe of gold quod she And blowe as they haue axed me That euery man wene hem at ese Though they goo in bad bese Thys Eolus / gan it so blowe That thurgh the world it was knowe Tho cam the seuenth rowte anon And fyl on knees euerychone And sayd lady graunte vs soone The same thyng the same bone That to thyse next folk hast done Fy on you quod she euerychone Ye masty Swyne / ye Idle wretches Ful of roten and slowe triches What false theuys / where ye wolde Ben famous good / and no●hyng nolde Deserue why ne neuer thought Men rather yow to hangen ought For ye ●e lyke the slepy catte That wold haue fyssh / but wost thou what He wyl nothyng wete hys clawes Euyl thryft come on your Iawes And on myn / yf I hyt graunte Or do fauour you to auaunte Thou Eolus / ●hou ●yng of trace Go blow thy● folk a sory grace Quod she anon / and wost thou how As I shal telle the ryght now Say / ●hese ben they / that wolden honou● Haue / and do no kyns labour And do no good / and yet hem lawde That men wende / that be●e I sawde Ne coude hem not of loue werne And yet she that grynt at querne Is al to good to ese her herte Thys Eolus anon vp sterte And wyth hys black claryoun Began to blasyn out a soun As lowde as bellyth wynde in helle And eke therwyth soth to t●lle Thys sown was ful of Iapes As euer mowes were in Apes And that wende the world aboute That euery wyght gan on hem shoute And for to lawhe / as they were wood Suche game fonde they in her mode Tho cam there another companye That had y doon the trecherye The harme and grete wyckednesse That euery herte coude gesse And prayd hem to haue good fam● And that she nolde do hem no shame But yeue hem loos and good renoun And do it blowe in claryoun Nay wys quod she / it were a vyce Alle be there in me no Iustyce Me lyst not to do it now Ne I no wyl graunte it yow Tho cam there crepyng in a rowte And gan clappe al abowte Euery man vpon the Crowne That alle the halle gan sowne ●nd sayde lady lyef and d●ee We ben suche folkes as ye may here To telle alle the tale a ryght We ben shrewys euery wyght And haue delyte in wyckednes As good folke haue in godenes And Ioye to be knowen shrewes And ful of vyce and wycked thewes Wherfore we pray you on a rowe That our fame be suche y knowe In alle thyng suche as it is I graunte it yow quod she ywys But what art thou / that seyst thys tale That werest on thy hose a pale And on thy typet suche a belle Madame quod he soth to telle I am that ylke shrewe ywys That brente the temple of ysidis In Athenes lo that cyte And wherfor dedest thou so quod she By my trouthe quod he madame I wold fayn haue had a fame As other folke had / in the town Alle though they were of grete renoun For her vertu and her thewes Thought I / as grete fame haue shrewes Though it be for Shrewdnes As good folke haue for goodnes And sythen I may not haue that on That other nyl I not forgoon As for to gete a fame here The temple sette I on fyre Now late our loos be blowe swythe As wysly be thou euer blythe Gladly quod she / thou Eolus Herest thou not / what they prayen vs Madame yes ful wel quod he And I wyl trompen it parde And toke hys black trompe faste And gan to puffen and to blaste Tyl it was atte worldes ende Wyth that I gan aboute wende For one / that stode at my back Me thought ful goodly to me spack And seyd frende what is thy name Art thou come heder to haue fame Nay forsoth frende quod I I come not hether gramercy For no suche cause by my hede Suffyse●h me / as I were dede That no wyght haue my name in honde I wote my self best how I stonde For what I drye or what I thynke I wyl my self alle hyt drynke Certeyn for the more parte As ferforth as I can myn Arte What dost thou here thenne quod he Quod I that wyl I telle the The cause why I stonde here Some newe tydynges forto lere Some newe thyng I not what Tydynges eyther thys or that Of loue or suche thynges glade For certeynly he that me made To come heder sayd to me I Shulde bothe here and see In thys place wonder thynges But these be no suche tydynges As I mente / noo quod he And I answerde / noo parde For wel I wote / euer yet Syth that fyrst I had wytte That some folke / han desired fame Dyuersly and loos and name But certeynly I nyst ner how Where that fame dwellyth / or now Ne eke of her dyscripcion Ne also of her condicion Ne the ordre of her dome Knewe I not tyl I hether come Why than be loo these tydynges That thou now hether brynges That thou hast herd quod he to me But now no force / for wel I see What thou desirest for to here Come forth and stonde no lenger here And I wyl the wythouten drede In to suche another place lede There thou shalt here many one Tho gan I forth wyth hym goon Oute of the castel soth to saye Tho sawe I stonde in a valeye Vnder a castel fast by An hous lyke to domus dedaly That laborintus y cleped is Nas made so wonderly ywys Ne half so queyntly ywrought And euermo as swyft as thought Thys queynt hous aboute wente That neuermo styll it stente And ther come oute so grete a noyse That yf I had stande vpon oyse I myght it haue herd easely To rome I trow sikyrly And the noyse whyche I had herd For alle the world ryght so it f●rd As doth the rowtyng of the stone That fro th engyne is leten gone And al thys hous of whyche I rede Was made of twygges falow rede And grene eke / and some were whyt● Suche as men to these gates thwyte Or maken of these paners Or elles hattes or dossers They were a chekked bothe two And neyther of hym myght out goo And wyth the noyse of them wo Caxton I Sodeynly awoke anon tho And remembryd what I had se●n And how hye and ferre I had been In my ghoost / and had grete wonder Of that the god of thonder Had lete me knowen / and began to wryte Lyke as ye haue herd me endyte Wherfor to studye and rede alway I purpose to doo day by day Thus in dremyng and in game Endeth thys lytyl book of Fame
Explicit

I fynde nomore of this werke to fore sayd / For as f●r as I can vnderstonde / This noble man Gefferey Chaucer fynysshyd at the sayd conclusion of the metyng of lesyng and sothsawe / where as yet they ben chekked and maye not depar●e / whyche werke as me semeth is craftyly made / and dygne to be wreton & knowen / For he towchyth in it ryght grete wysedom & subtyll vnderstondynge / And so in alle hys werkys he excellyth in myn oppynyon alle other wryters in our Englyssh / For he wrytteth no voyde wordes / but alle hys mater is ful of hye and quycke sentence / to whom ought to be gyuen laude and preysynge for hys noble makyng and wrytyng / For of hym alle other haue borowed syth and taken / in alle theyr wel sayeng and wrytyng / And I humbly beseche & praye yow / emonge your prayers to remembre hys soule / on whyche and on alle crysten soul●s I beseche almyghty god to haue mercy Amen

Emprynted by Wylliam Caxton