1150 And thou schalt make him couche as doth a quayle. JOHN GOWER. From his Tomb in St. Saviour's, Southwark. John Gower's "Confessio Amantis" is an English poem devised towards the close of the fourteenth century, like Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," for the introduction of a number of good stories told in verse. It is so planned that the stories are grouped with a moral purpose into sections contrived each as a lesson, enforced by various examples, against one of the seven deadly sins. There is an eighth section that warns kings of their duty. In the poem next to be read, John Gower tells a story levelled against one of the five ministers of Pride, Presumption. He had found the tale in older collections. It was first told in the Spiritual Romance of " Barlaam and Josaphat," written in Greek by a Greek monk, Joannes Damascenus, about the year 800, and translated into Latin before the thirteenth century. Vincent of Beauvais, who wrote a Historical Mirror, "Speculum Historiale,” about the year 1290, included in it this with the rest of the history of Barlaam and Josaphat. The tale had been repeated also in the "Gesta Romanorum," a mediæval collection of stories made for use in the teaching of the people. Thus it was told us by John Gower : And so befel upon a day, And that was in the month of May, That he will speak unto the king. 10 And bridle them3 now in now out. 15 And how the grené leavés sprung, 70 80 100 And thereupon gave such counseil Towards his king that was not heil,20 Whereof to be the better lered 21 50 He thinketh to make him afeared. It fell so that in thilke dawe 22 There was ordained by the law A trumpé with a sterné breath, says, in his "Parson's Tale," "Presumption is when a man undertaketh an emprise that him ought not to do, or elles that he may not do; and this is called surquidrie." 1 Chare, chariot. 2 Amayed, attended by his mates or companions. There is another word "amayed" or "amated," from another root, meaning dismayed. * Bridlen hem, the same form in other passages. From the old form "hem" we get the contraction 'em for " them." How that the jugément is give Of death, which shall not be forgive. That he was sickerliché dede,5 This lord a worthy lady had Unto his wife, which also drad Her lordés death; and children five Between them two they had alive, That weren young and tender of age, And of statúre and of viságe Right fair and lusty on to see. Then casten they that he and she All naked but of smock and sherte Of them that sawen thilké sight; 1 Assent, sent to. 2 Mot so don algate, always must do so. 3 Hest, command. First English "hæ's," from "hátan." Tho wist he, then knew he. 5 Sickerliche dede, surely dead. Rede, counsel. 7 He for all that did not know the truth. Algate, all ways, by all means. -Deie, die. But if so, unless. 10 Purchace (French 86 'pour chasser), hunt for, and so obtain. 11 To tender with, whereby to make tender, soften. 12 Seche, seek. 13 Sore a-flight, sorely jested or sneered. 160 "That they must fligger, scoff, deride, and jeer, First English "flítan," to dispute, blame. That ye may worldés death respite." "Ha, fool, how thou art for to wite," 19 For that thou say'st thou art in doubt Mine owné death through their image, Which God hath set by law of kind Whereof I may no boté 22 find. Right such am I in my degree, 200 210 220 10 LONDON LICKPENNY. To London once my steps I bent, By froward chance my hood was gone, Till to the King's Bench I was come. And pray'd him for God's sake to take heed. JOHN LYDGATE. From Harleian MS.-1766, page 5. the village of Lydgate, a few miles from Newmarket, was an ordained priest of the monastery of Bury St. Edmund's, where he taught rhetoric in the monastery school, and lived in repute over all the country as poet himself and teacher of the art of versifying to others. He wrote many legends of saints; he versified the tales of Troy and Thebes, and also the Falls of Princes, from a French metrical version of a Latin prose book by Boccaccio. His religious feeling will be illustrated in another volume. Here let us show that he could be lively when he pleased. describing a poor Kentish countryman who has come in search of justice to London, the licker up of pence, once had the widest popularity, and is even at this day well known to many readers. His poem Within this Hall, neither rich nor yet poor Lay down your silver, and here you may speed." 1 Yode, went. First English "gán," to go; present, "ic ga," I go; past, "ic eode," I went. The initial g has disappeared after becoming soft before the vowel sounds. The y in yode represents it. The past form now used with the verb "to go" is from another verb "to wend." 2 Silken hood, badge of a serjeant-at-law. 3 Ray, a rayed or striped cloth. Copen (Dutch "koopen"), buy. So in Dekker's "Shoemaker's Holiday," the skipper whose wonderful ship is bought to make Simon Eyre's fortune, recommends it as "good copen," well worth buying. Now Jesus, that in Bethlehem was bore, 110 And proffered me bread with ale and wine, Ribs of beef, both fat and full fine; A fairé cloth they gan for to sprede, But wanting Money I might not then speed. Then unto London I did me hie, Of all the land it beareth the prise. "Hot peascodés!" one began to cry, 66 Strawberry ripe!" and "Cherries in the rise!"2 60 One bade me come near and buy some spice, Pepper and saffroné they gan me bede,3 Then to the Cheap I began me drawn, Wheré much people I saw for to stand; And wanting Money I might not speed. Then went I forth by London Stone, Drapers much clot. me offered anon; Then comes me one cried, "Hot sheep's feet!" 70 The taverner took me by the sleeve, "Sir," saith he, "will you our wine assay?" I answered, "That cannot much me grieve, A penny can do no more than it may." I drank a pint, and for it I did pay. Then hiéd I me to Billingsgate, And oné criéd, "Hoo! Go we hence!" I prayed a barge man, for God'ses sake, 90 90 100 [pence; That he would sparé me my expence. Save London, and send true lawyers their meed! Geoffrey Chaucer, in his comic epilogue to the tale of " Griselda," counselled women not to imitate that heroine, "lest Chichevache you take." Among Lydgate's shorter poems is one written to accompany the public illustration of the popular myth, French in its origin, of Chichevache and Bicorn. French chiche (from the Latin ciccus, worthless) means niggardly, stingy; and vache is a cow. Chichevache means, therefore, the cow that has niggardly fare. Her husband, Bicornis the Two-horned, explains himself— as, indeed, Chichevache will also speak for herself-in the poem following. O prudent folkés, taketh heed, Of the husbands and their wives, Of their accord and their strives, With life or death which to darrain 6 6 Darrain, decide. From Latin "do," and "rationes," pleadings. The three words of the Roman Prætor in execution of his office were "do" in granting that a cause be brought "do," "dico," "addico;" for judgment; "dico" in pronouncing judgment; and "addico in adjudging to either disputant the matter in debate. To "arraign" was to call ad rationes to the pleadings; to "darraign" was to proceed to settling of the question. So Chaucer writes ("Knight's Tale," 772-4) "Two harneis hath he dight, Both sufficient and meté to darrain and Spenser ("Faerie Queene," I. iv. 40) "Therewith they gan to hurtlen greedily |