The life so short the craft so long to learn  
Thassay so hard so sharp the conquering  
The dreadful joy that always flit so yearn  
All this mean I by love that my feeling  
Astoneth with his wonderful working  
So sore iwis that when I on him think  
Note I well whether that I fleet or sink   

For all be that I know not love in deed  
Ne wot how he quiteth folk their hire  
Yet happeth me full oft in books read  
Of his miracles and his cruel ire  
There find I well he will be lord & sire  
I dare not say his strokis been so sore  
But god save such a lord I can no more   

Of usage what for lust & what for lore  
On books read I oft as I you told  
But wherefore I speak all this not yore  
Agon/ it happened me to behold  
Upon a book was written with frens' old  
And there upon a certain thing to learn  
The long day full fast I red & yearn   

For out of old fields as men saith  
Cometh all this new corn from year to year  
And out of old books/ in good faith  
Cometh all this new science that men lere  
But now to purpose of this matter  
To read forth I 'gan me so delight  
That all the day me thought it but a light   

This book the which I make of mention  
Entitled was right thus as I shall tell  
Tullius of the dream of scipyon  
Chapitres seven it had of heaven & hell  
And earth/ and souls that therein dwell  
Of the which as shortly as I can treat  
Of his sentence I will you say the great   

first tellith it when scipion was comen  
In asfrike/ how he meeteth macenies  
That him for joy In arms hath nim  
Than telleth he her speech and all the bliss  
That whas between them/ till the day 'gan miss  
And how his ancestor african so dear  
'Gan in his sleep that night to him appear   

Than telleth it that from a sterry place  
How african hath him cartage showed  
And warned him by fore all of his grace  
And said him what man lered or lewd  
That loveth common profit well it hewed  
He should in to a blissful place wend  
There as joy is with enten any end   

Than asked he if folk that here been deed  
Have life and dwelling in another place  
And african said ye withouten any dread  
And how our present worlds lives space  
Nis but a maner death what way we trace  
And rightful folk shall go after they die  
To heaven and showed him the galaxy   

Themie showed he him the little earth the here is  
At the regard of the heavens quantity  
And after showed he him the nine speris  
And after that the melody herd he  
That cometh of thilk spears thrice three  
That wells of music been and melody  
In this world here & cause of harmony   

then said he him/ sin the earth was so light  
And full of torment/ and of hard grace  
That he ne should him in this world delight  
then told he him in certain years space  
That every star should come in to his place  
There it was first/ & should be out of mind  
That in this world is done of all mankind   

then prayed him scipion to tell him all  
The way to come unto that heaven bliss  
And he him said first know thy self mortal  
And look ay bisyly that thou work & wisse  
To common prouffit/ & thou shalt not miss  
To comen swiftly in to that place dear  
That full of joy is/ and of souls clear   

But breakers of the law soothe to say  
And lecherons folk/ after they been deed  
Shall whirl about the world in pain  
Till many a world be passed out of dread  
And then forgiven all their wicked deed  
then shall they come to that blissful place  
To which to come/ god the send his grace   

The day 'gan fayllen and the dark night  
That reaveth beasts from her business  
Birafte me my book/ for lak of light  
And to my bed I 'gan me for to dress  
Fulfyld of thought and busy heaviness  
For both I had thing/ which that I nold  
And eek I ne had the thing that I would   

But finally my spirit at the last  
For weary of my labour all the day  
Took rest/ that made me to sleep fast  
And in my sleep I met as I lay  
How affriaine/ right in the self array  
That Scipion him saw/ before that tide  
Was come and stood right by my bed side   

The weary hunter sleeping in his bed  
To the wood again his mind goth anon  
The judge dreameth/ how his pleas been sped  
The carter dreameth/ how his cartis gone  
The rich of gold the knyht fight with his son  
The seek metith he drinketh of the ton  
The lover metith he hath his lady won   

Can I not say/ if the cause were  
For I had red of affrycan biforn  
That made me to meet that he stood there  
But thus said he thou hast the so well born  
In looking of mine old books to born  
Of the which/ macrobie roght not a light  
That somdele/ of thy labour I will the quite   

Cytherea thou blissful lady sweet  
That with thy firebrond dauntest whom the jest  
And madest me this sweven for to meet  
Be thou my help in this for thou mayst best  
As wisely/ as I saw the north north west  
When I began my sweven for to write  
So give me might to rhyme it and indite   

This foresaid african me hent anon  
And forth with him to a yate me brought  
Right of a park walled with great stone  
And on the yate/ with lrens' large ywrought  
There were verses wreton/ as me thought  
On either half/ of full great difference  
Of which I shall you tell the plain sentence   

through me men go in to that blissful place  
Of hertis hele and deadly wounds cure  
through me men gone unto the well of grace  
There green and lusty may shall ever endure  
This is the way to all good adventure  
Be glad thou redere and thy sorrow of cast  
all open am I pass in and speed the fast   

through me men gone thenne spoke the other side  
Unto mrotal strokes of the spear  
Of which disdaygn & danger is the guide  
There never tree shall fruit ne leaves bear  
This stream you leadeth to the sorrowful were  
There as the fish in prison is all dry  
The schewing is only the remedy   

These versis of gold & black ywreton were  
The which I 'gan a stound to biholde  
For with that one increased ay my fere  
And with that other began my heart to bold  
That one me heat that other me cold  
None in wit had I for error for to cheese  
To entre or i'll or me to save or lose   

For right as between adamantes two  
Of even might/ a piece of iron set  
Ne hath no might/ to move to ne fro  
For what that one may hale/ that other let  
So farid I/ that nist whether me was bet  
To entre/ or leaven/ till african my guide  
Me hente/ and shof in at the gates side   

And said it stands written in thy face  
Thine error if thou tell it not to me  
But dread the not/ to come in to this place  
For this writing is not meant by the  
Ne by none/ but if he loves servant be  
For thou of love hast lost the taste I guess  
As sekeman hath/ of sweet and bitterness   

But nevertheless all if that thou be dull  
If that thou can not do/ yet may thou see  
For many a man the may not stand apull  
Yet liketh to him/ at wrestling for to be  
And deemeth yet whether he do better or he  
And if thou hadst cunning for tendite  
I should the show matter of to write   

With that my hand in his he took anon  
Of which I comfort caght/ & went in fast  
But lord so I was glad/ and we'll begone  
For all overwhere that I mine eyen cast  
Were trees clad with leaf the ay shall last  
Each in his kind with colour fresh & green  
As emerawde/ that joy it was to seen   

The byldar oak/ and eke the hardy all he  
The pillar elm/ the coffer unto carayn  
The boxtre piper holin to whips basshe  
The sailing fir/ the cypress death to plain  
The shoter ewe/ the asp for shaftiss plain  
The olive of peace/ and eke the dronkin vine  
The victor palm/ the lawrer to divine   

A garden saw I full of blossom bows  
Upon a river in a green meed  
There as sweetness evermore enough is  
Of flouris. white. blue. yellow. & red  
And cold well streams nothing deed  
That swymmen full of small fishes light  
With fins read/ & scales silver bright   

On every bough the birds heard I sing  
With voice of angels in her harmony  
Some besied them their birds forth to bring  
Thee little conies to their play 'gan high  
And further all about I 'gan espy  
The dreadful Xoo the buk the heart and hind  
Squerels and small bestis of gentle kind   

On justrumentis of strenges in accord  
Heard I so play a ravishing sweetness  
That god that maker is of all and lord  
Ne heard never better as I guess  
there with awinde uneath it might be less  
Made in the levis green a noise soft  
According to the fowls song a loft   

The air of the place so attempre was  
That never was grievance of heat ne oold  
there was eke every wholesome spice and grass  
Ne noman may there wax seek ne old  
Yet was their joy more a thousand fold  
Then any man can tell ne new would it night  
But ay clear day to any man's sight   

Under a tree beside a well I say  
Cupid our lord his arrows forge & file  
And at his feet, his how already lay  
And will his daughter/ tempered all the while  
The heeds in the well and with her wile  
She touched them after they should serve  
Some for to slay/ & some to wound & carve   

There I was ware of pleasance anon right  
And of array and lust/ and our tasye  
And of the craft the can and hath the might  
To do by force a wight to do folly  
Dysfygurate was she/ I will not lie  
And by himself under an oak I guess  
saw I delight that stood by gentilesse   

I saw beauty withouten any attire  
And youth full of game and jollity  
fool hardynes-flaterie and desire  
Messagery and meed and other three  
Their names shall not her be told for me  
And upon pillars great of jasper long  
I saw a temple of bras/ yfound strong   

About the temple dainised always  
Wommen enough of which some there were  
Fair of themself & some of 'em were gay  
In kyrtlies all disheveled went they there  
That was their office always year by year  
And on the temple/ of dwes' whit & fair  
Saw I sitting many a thousand payr   

Before the temple door full soberly  
Damn peace sat with a curtain in her hand  
And by her side wonder discretely  
Dame patience sitting there I fond  
With face pale upon on hill of sand  
And aldernext with in and eke with out  
behest and art and of their folk a rout   

Within the temple of sighs hot as fire  
I heard a swogh that 'gan about run  
Which sighs were engendered with desire  
That made every altar for to brenne  
Of new flame and well espied I then  
That all the causis of sorewes that they dry  
Comen of the bitter goddess jealousy   

The god priapus saw I as I went  
Within the temple in sovereign place stand  
In such array as when the ass him shent  
With cry by night & with his sceptre t honde  
Full busily men gun assay and fond  
Upon his heed to set of sundry hew  
Garlands full of fresh flowers new   

And in a privy corner in disport  
Fond I venus/ and her pert richesses  
That was full noble/ and haute in of her port  
Derk was the place but afterward lightness  
I saw a little uneath it might be less  
And on a bed of gold she lay to rest  
Till that the hot son go to the west   

Her gilt hairs with a gold thread  
Y bounden were untressid as she lay  
And naked fro the breast unto the heed  
Men might her see & soothly for to say  
The remanant well covered to my pay  
Right with a subtle coverchef of wlence  
there was no thykker cloth of defence   

The place gave a thousand savours sweet  
And bachus god of win sat by her side  
And ceres next that doth of hunger boat  
And as I saw amids lay cupide  
To women on knees two young folk cried  
To been their help but thus I lete her lie  
And ferther in the temple I 'gan espy   

That in despite of diane the chaste  
Full many a vow broken hung on the wall  
Of maidens such as 'gan her time waste  
In her service and painted overall  
Full many a story which I touch shall  
A few as of caliste and athalant  
And many a one of which the name I want   

Semiramis/ candace/ and hercules  
Cibelle/ dido/ tesbe/ and piramus  
Tristram/ ysowde/ paris/ and achilles  
Helen/ cleopatre/ and troilus  
Silla/ and eke the mother of romulus  
Alle these were painted on that other side  
And all their love & in what plight they died   

When I was comen again/ in to the place  
That I of spoke that was so sweet and green  
Forth welk I though/ myself to solace  
There was I waar/ where there sat a queen  
That as the light summer son sheen  
Passeth the star/ right so over measure  
She fairer was than any creature   

And in a lawnde upon a hill of flouris  
Was set this noble goddess nature  
Of braunchis were her hallis & bowris  
Y wrought after her taste and her measure  
Ne there was fowl that cometh of engendrure  
That they ne were priest in her presence  
To take their doom/ and give her audience   

For this was on saint valentyns' day  
When every bird cometh te cheese his make  
Of every kind/ that men think may  
And that so huge a noise 'gan they make  
That earth & tree/ and see & every lake  
So full was/ that vunethe was their space  
For me to stand/ so full was the place   

And right as abeyn in the plaint of kind  
devised nature of such array & face  
In such array men might her there find  
This noble empress full of grace  
Bade every fowl to take her owen place  
As they were wont always fro year to year  
On saint valentyns' day to stonden there   

That is to say the fowl of Xavyne  
Were highest set & then the fowls small  
That eaten as hem nature would incline  
As worm or thing of which I tell no tale  
And waterfowle sat lowest in the dale  
But fowls that live by seed sat on the green  
And that so feel that wonder was to seen   

There might men the rial eagle find  
That with his sharp look pierceth the son  
And other eagles of a lower kind  
Of which that clerks well devysen con  
There was the tyrant with his feathers done  
And grey I mean the goshawk that doth pine  
To birds for his outrageous ravin   

The gentle fallcon that with his fet distreineth  
The kings hand the hardy sperehauke eke  
The quails foo the merlion that paineth  
Himself full oft the lark for to seek  
There was the dove with her eyen meek  
The jealous swan again his death that singeth  
The owl eke that of death the bodwor● bringeth   

The crane the geamnt with his trompes sown  
The thief the chough & eke the I angling pie  
The scorning jaye the eagles foo herowne  
The false lapwynk full of treachery  
The stare that the council can bewray  
The tame ruddok and the coward kite  
The cock the orloge of the thorpes light   

The sparrow venus soon the nightingale  
That clepeth forth the green leaves new  
The swallow mortherar of the fowls small  
That maken hovy of flowers fressh of hew  
The wedded turtle with her heart true  
The peacock with his armgelliss feathers bright  
The pheasant scorner of the cock by night   

The waker goose/ the cuekow ever unkind  
The popengay full of delycaisye  
The drake/ stroyer of his owen kind  
The stork wrekar of adultery  
The hot cormerannt full of gluttony  
The ravens & crows with their voice of air.  
The throstil old/ and the frosty feldfare   

What should I say of fowlis of every kind  
That in this world have feathers & stature  
Men might in that place assembled find  
Before the noble gods of nature  
And each of 'em died his busy cure  
benignly to cheese or for to take  
By her accord his fourmel or his make   

But to the point nature held on her hand  
A fourmele eagle of shap the gentillest  
That ever she among her works fond  
The most benign/ and the goodliest  
In her was every virtue at his rest  
So farforth/ the nature herself had bliss  
To look on her/ and oft her bek 'gan kiss   

Naturve the vicar of thalmighty lord  
That hot. cold. heavy. light. moist & dry  
Hath knit by even nombre and accord  
In easy wis began to speak and say  
Fowlis take keep of my sentence I prey  
And for your ease in furthring of your need  
As fast as I may speak I will you speed   

Ye known well how that saint valentins' day  
By my statute and through my governance  
Ye come for to cheese and i'll your way  
With your make as I prik you with plesance  
But nevertheless my rightful ordinance  
May I not let for all this world to win  
That he that is most worthy shall begin   

The tersel eagle as ye that known weal  
The foul Xial above you in degree  
The wise the worthy secret true as steel  
The which I formed as ye may see  
In every point as it best liketh me  
Hit needeth not his shap you to devise  
He shall first cheese and speaken in his guise   

And after him by order shall ye cheese  
After your kind/ every as you liketh  
And as your hap is/ shall ye win or lose  
But which of you/ the love most entriketh  
God send 'em her/ that sorest for him siketh  
And there with all/ the tercel 'gan she call  
And said my son the choice is to the fall   

But nevertheless on this condition  
Mote be the choice/ of every that is here  
That she agree to his election  
Who so he be that shall be her fere  
This is our usage/ alway year by year  
And who so may have at this time his grace  
In blissful time he come in to this place   

With heed inclined & with full humble cheer  
This rial tercel spoke and tarried nought  
Unto my sovereign lady/ and not my fere  
I cheese and cheese withwil heart & thought  
The fourmel on your hand so we wrought  
whose I am all/ and ever shall her serve  
Do what her list to do me live or starve   

Beseeching her of mercy and of grace  
As she that is my lady sovereign  
Or late me die present in this place  
For certes long I may not live in pain  
For in my heart carven is every vain  
And having reward only to my truth  
My dear heart have of my woe some ruth   

And if I be found to her untrue  
Disobeysannt or wilful negligent  
Auaunter/ or in process love anew  
I pray to/ god this be my judgement  
That with these fowls I be all to rend  
That ilk day/ that ever she me find  
To her untrue/ or in my guilt unkind   

And sith that none loveth her so well as I  
All be that she never of love me behette  
Thenne ought she be mine through her mercy  
For other bond can I none on her knit  
Ne never for none other shall I let  
To loven her/ how far so that she wend  
Say what you list/ my tale is at an end   

Right as the fresh red rose new  
Again the summer son coloured is  
Right so for shame/ as wexen 'gan the hew  
Of this fourmel/ when she herd all this  
She neither answered well/ ne said amiss  
So sore abashed was she/ till that nature  
Said daughter/ dread you not I you assure   

Another tersel eagle spoke anon  
Of lower kind and said that should not be  
I love her better/ than ye do by saint john  
Or at the lest/ I love as weal as ye  
And longer have served her in my degree  
And if she should love/ for long loving  
To me alone should been the guerdoning   

I dare eke say if she me find falls  
Unkind jangler/ or rebel in any wise  
Or jealous/ do me hang by the hals  
And but I bear me in her service  
As weal as my wit can me suffice  
from point to point her honour for to save  
Take she my life/ and all the good I have   

The third tersel eagle answered though  
Now sizs ye seen the little leisure here  
For every foul crieth out to been ago  
Forth with his make/ or with his lady dear  
And eke nature herself/ ne will not here  
For tarrying/ not half that I would say  
And but I speak/ I must for sow we die   

Of long service avaunt I me nothing  
But as possible is me to die this day  
For woe/ as he that hath be languishing  
This twenty year/ and well it happen may  
A man to serve bet/ and more to pay  
In half a year/ all if it were no more  
Than some men do/ that have served full yore   

I say not this by me/ for I ne can  
Do no service/ that may my lady please  
But I dar say/ I am her truest man  
As to my doom/ and feignest would her please  
At short words/ till that death me sese  
I will been hers/ whether I wake or wink  
And true in all that heart may think   

Of all my life/ sith first that I was boar  
So gentle plea in love or other thing  
Ne herd I never/ ne noman me before  
Who that had leisure and cunning  
For to rehearse their cheer and speaking  
And from the morn/ 'gan their speech last  
Till downward went the son wonder fast   

The noise of foulis for to be delivered  
So loud rung/ have done/ and let us wend  
That well I wend the wood had alto shyverd  
Come of/ they cried/ alas ye will us shend  
When shall your cursed pleting have an end  
How should a judge either party leave  
For ye or nay withouten any prove   

The goose the doke and the cukko also  
Cryden keke. keke cuckoo. queke. queke high  
That through mine eris the noise went tho  
The goose said all this is not worth a flye  
But I can shape hereof a Xemedye  
And I will say my verdict fair & swith  
For waterfoule who so be wroth or blithe   

And I for wormfowle/ said the lewd cuckoo  
For I will of mine owen authority  
For common speed/ take on me the charge now  
For to deliver us/ it were great charity  
Ye may abide a wile yet pard  
Said the turtle/ if it be your will  
Awight may speak/ him were better be still   

I am a seed foul one of unworthiest  
That wot I well and little of cunning  
But better is that a wyghtis tongue rest  
Than entermete them of such doing  
Of which they neither read can ne sing  
And who so doth/ full fowl himself acloyeth  
For office uncommitted/ full oft annoyeth   

Nature which that always had an ere  
To mormur of the lewdness by kind  
With facondewis said hold your tongues there  
And I shall soon I hope a council find  
You to deliver/ and fro this noise unbind  
I charge of every folk/ that ye one call  
To say the verdict/ for you fowls all   

assented were to this conclusion  
The birds all/ and the fowls of Xavyne  
Have chosen first/ by plain election  
The tercelet of the falcon to define  
all her sentence/ and as him list termine  
And to nature/ him gun present  
And she accept him with glad intent   

The tercelet said thrnne in this manere  
Full hard were it to preven by reason  
Who loveth best this gentle fourmel here  
For every hath such replication  
That by skills may none be brought down  
I can not see that argumentis avail  
Theme seemeth it we'll/ there must be battle   

all ready quoth these terselis eagles though  
Nay sirs said he/ if I durst it say  
Ye do me wrong/ my tale is not all dod  
For sirs take ye not to grief I you pray  
Hit may not gone as ye would in this way  
Our is the wis that have the charge on hand  
And to the judges domes ye moat stand   

And therefore peace I say/ as to my wit  
Me would think/ how that the worthiest  
Of knighthood/ and longest had used it  
Most of estate/ of blood the gentillest  
Were sitting for her/ if that her jest  
And of these three/ she wot herself I trow  
Who that he be/ for it is ethe to know   

The waterfowles have her heeds laid  
together/ and of short advisement  
When everyth had his large golye said  
They seyden soothly all by one assent  
How that the goose with her fecund gent  
That she desired to prononce our need  
Shall tele our tale/ & pray to god lxr speed   

And for these waterfowlis/ though began  
The goose to speak in her kakeling  
She said peace/ now take keep every man  
And herkne which a reason I shall forth bring  
My wit is sharp/ I love no tarrying  
I say I read him though he were my brother  
But she will love him let him love another   

Lo here a parsight reason of a goose  
Quod the sparrowhawk/ never moat she the  
Lo such is it to have a tongue loose  
Now pard fool/ yet were it bet for the  
Have hold thy peace/ than showed thy nicety  
Hit lieth not in his wit/ ne in his will  
But sooth is said/ a fool can not be still   

The laughter rose of gentle fowls all  
And right anon the seed fowl chosen had  
The turtle true/ and 'gan her to him call  
And prayed her to say/ the soothe sad  
Of this matter/ and asked what she rad  
And she answered that plainly her intent  
She would declare/ and soothly what she meant   

Nay god forbid/ a lover should change  
The turtle said/ and wax for shame all red  
If that his lady/ evermore be strange  
Yet let him serve her ever/ till he be deed  
For sooth I praise not the goose's reed  
For if she died/ I would none other make  
I would be hers/ till that the death me take   

We'll boarded qd the doke by my hat  
That men should always loven causeless  
Who can a reason find or wit in that  
danceth he merry he that is myrthles  
Who should recche that is reccheles  
Ye queke said the doke full weal and fair  
There been more stars god wot than a pair   

Now fie chorle qd the gentle tercelet  
Out of the donghyl cam that word full right  
Thou can not see which thing is well beset  
Thou farist by love/ as owl doth by light  
The day them blinds well they see by night  
Thy kind is of so low wrecchednes  
That what love is thou can not see ne guess   

though 'gan the cuckoo put him forth in press  
For fowlis that eaten worms & said by live  
So I qd he may have my make in peace  
I recche never how long that ye siryve  
Late each of 'em be sullen all their live  
This is my read sith they may not accord  
This short lesson needeth not to record   

Ye have the glutton filled enough his paunch  
Than are we weal said the merlion  
Thou murderer of the heysug on the branch  
That brought the forth thou rewful glutton  
Live thou sullen worms corupsion  
For no force is of lak of thy nature  
Go lewd be thou whiles this world may dure   

Now peace said nature I command here  
For I have herd all your opinion  
And maffay yet are we never the near  
But finally this is my conclusion  
That she herself shall have the election  
Of whom her list who so be wroth or blithe  
Him that she cheese shall her have as swith   

For sith it may not here discussed be  
Who loveth her best as said the terselet  
then shall I do this favour to her that she  
Shall have right him on whom her heart is set  
And he her that his heart hath on her knet  
This judge I nature for I may not lie  
To none estate I have none other eye   

But as for council for to these a make  
If it were reason/ then would I  
council you the Xyal tercel take  
As said the tercelet full skilfully  
As for the gentilest and most worthy  
Whom I have wrought so well to my plesance  
That to you ought have been a suffisance   

With dreadful voice the formele her auswerd  
My right full lady goddess of nature  
Soothe it is that I am under your yard  
And must be yours while my life may dure  
And so must be every ilk a ceature  
And therefore grant me my first bone  
And mine intent/ I will you say right soon   

I grant it you qd she & right anon  
This formele eagle spoke in this degree  
All mighty queen unto this year be done  
I ask respite for to advise me  
And after that/ to have my choice free  
This is all & some/ that I will speak & say  
Ye get no more all if ye do me die   

I will not serve venus ne cupide  
Forsooth als yet by no manner of way  
Now sith it may non other ways betid  
Quod nature here is no more to say  
then will I that these fowls were away  
Each with his make for tarrying longer here  
And said 'em thus as ye shall after dear   

To you speak I ye terselliss quoth nature  
Be ye of good heart and serve ye all three  
Ayere is not so long to endure  
And ilk of you pain him in his degree  
For to do weal for god wot quit is she  
from you this year what after so befall  
This entermesse is dressed for you all   

And when this work all brought was to anende  
To every foul nature gave his make  
By even accord and on their way they wend  
And lord the bliss and joy they make  
For each of 'em 'gan other in wings take  
And with her necks each 'gan other wind  
Thanking always the noble gods of kind   

But first were chosen/ fowls for to synnge  
As year by year was always her usance  
To sing a roundel at her departing  
To do nature honour laud and pleasance  
The note I trow made was in france  
The words were such as ye may here find  
The next verse/ as I now have in mind   

Que bien aim/ tarde oublie  
And with the shouting/ when the soug was do  
That fowls made at her flight away  
I work/ and other books took me to  
To read upon/ and yet I read always  
I hope iwis to read so some day  
That I shall meet some thing for to far  
The better/ and thus to read I will not spare   
Explicit the temple of bras   

Here next followeth a treatise/ which john Gkogan Sent unto the lords and gentlemen of the kings house/ exhorting them to lose no time in their youth/ but to use virtues.  
My noble sons/ and also my lords deer  
I your father called unworthily  
Send unto you/ this little tretyse here  
Wreton with my hand full rudely  
And though it be/ that I not reverently  
Have written to your estates/ I you pray  
Mine uncunning take it benygnly  
For god's sake/ and herkne what I say  
I complain when I remember me  
The sudden age/ that is upon me fall  
More I complain/ my myspent Iwente  
Which is Impossible again for to call  
But certainly/ the most complaint of all  
Is to think/ that I have been so nice  
That I ne would virtues to me call  
In all my youth/ but vices ay chery●●  
Of wylke I ask mercy of the lord  
That art almighty god in majesty  
Be seching the to make so even accord  
Between the and my soul/ that vanity  
Worldly lust nor blind prosperity  
Have no lordship/ of my flesh so freel  
The lord of virtue & perfect unity  
Put fro me vices/ for my souls heel  
And give me myht while I have life & space  
Me to conform fully to thy pleasance  
Show upon me the abundance of thy grace  
In good works grant me perseverance  
Of all my youth forget the igorance  
give me good will to serve the ay to queem  
Set all my life after thine ordinance  
And able me to mercy/ or thou dame  
My lords dear why I this ꝯpleyning write  
To you/ whom that I love eutierly  
Is for to warn you/ as I can indite  
That time lost in youth foolily  
grieveth a wight bodily and ghostly  
I mean him/ that to vices list intend  
Wherefore I pray you lords specially  
Your youth in virtue shape ye to dispend  
Think how between virtue and estate  
there is a blessed perfect marriage  
Virtue is cause of peace vice of debate  
In man's soul/ for which with full courage  
cherish ye virtue/ the vices to outrage  
drive ye away/ late hem have woning  
That your souls lose not the heritage  
Which god hath given to vertuus living  
Take ye heed also how folk of power degree  
through virtue have been set in great honour  
And ever have lived in great prosperity  
through cherishing of virtuous labour  
Think also/ how many agovernour  
Called to estate/ hath been set full low  
through misusing of right/ and of error  
Therefore I counceile/ vertu/ that ye know  
Thus by your elders ye may nothing claim  
As my master chawcer saith express  
But temporal thing/ that may hurt & maim  
then god is stock/ of virtuous noblesse  
And sithen he is lord of blessidnesse  
And made us all/ and for us all died  
Follow ye him in virtue with full business  
And of this thing/ herkne how it is saide  
The first stok/ father of gentleness  
What man that claimeth gentle for to be  
Must follow his trace and his wits dress  
Virtue to follow/ and vices for to i'll  
For unto virtue longeth dignity  
And not the reverce/ safely dar I dame  
All were he mytor crown or diadem  
This first stock was full of rightwiseness  
True of his word/ sober pietous and free  
clean of his ghost/ and loved business  
Again vice of sloth/ in honest  
And but his eyer love virtue as did he  
He is not gentle though he rich seem  
All were he mytor crown or diadem  
Vice may well be to hold richesses  
But there may no man/ almen may well see  
bequeatheth his eyer/ his virtuous noblesse  
That is appropered unto no degree  
But to the first father in majesty  
That makes 'em heirs/ that can hem qneme  
Al were he crown mytor or diadem  
Plant the rote of youth/ in such awyse  
That in virtue/ your growing be always  
Look ay goodness/ be in your exercise  
That shall you mighty make at each asay  
The friend for to withstand/ and his affray  
Pass ye wisely this perilous pilgrimage  
Think ye on this word & wirke every day  
That shall you give a perfect flourid age  
Take ye also heed/ how the these noble clerks  
Written our books/ of great sapience  
saying that faith is deed with out works  
So is estate without Intelligence  
Of virtue/ therefore with diligence  
Shape ye of virtue/ so to plant the rote  
That ye come by experience  
To worship of life/ and sowlis boat  
Think also that lordship/ ne other estate  
Without virtue/ may not long endure  
Think also/ how vice & virtue be at debate  
Hath been & shall be while the world may dure  
And ever the vicious/ by adventure  
Is overthrawe/ and thinketh evermere  
That god is lord of virtue & figure  
Of all goodness/ therefore follow ye the lore  
My master chawcer/ god his soul have  
That in his language was so curious  
He said the father that is dead & in grave  
bequeath nothing his virtue with his house  
Unto his son/ therefore laborious  
Own ye to be/ byseching god of grace  
through which/ ye aught to be virtuous  
And grant you to get part of his place  
Here may ye see/ that virtuous nobles  
Cometh not to you/ by way of auncetrye  
But it cometh through leeful business  
Of honest life/ and not by slogardye  
Wherefore in youth/ I read you edify  
The house of virtue/ in such a manner  
That in your age/ it keep you and gye  
From the tempest of worldly waves sere  
Lo he the noble poet of bretayne  
How he telleth in virtuous sentence  
The loss of youth/ & virtue 'gan complain  
Wherefore I pray you do your diligence  
For God's love/ and god's reverence  
To enprynte virtue/ in your mind  
That when ye come in your juges presence  
Ye be not set/ as vertules behind  
Ye lords/ can a manner now a days  
Thaugh one show you a virtuous matter  
Your fervent thought/ is of false alleys  
That of that art/ ye have no joy to here  
But as a ship that is withouten steer  
Ay rowing up & down without governance  
weening the the calm will last year by year  
Right so far ye through ignorance  
For very shame know ye not by reason  
That after an ebb there cometh a flood rage  
In such wise when youth passeth his season  
Cometh crooked and unwieldy age  
And soon after come kalends of dotage  
And if your youth no virtue hath provided  
all men will say/ fie on your vasselage  
Thus hath sloth/ fro worship you divided  
Borce the clerk/ as men may read and see  
Saith in his book of consolation  
What man desireth to have of the vyn tree  
plenteous fruit/ in the riping season  
Must aye eschew to do oppression  
Unto the rote/ whiles it is young & green  
Ye may see/ by this conclusion  
That youth vertueles doth oft moche tene  
Seen there again how virtuous noblesse  
Roted in youth with good perseverance  
driveth a way all vice and wretchedness  
As slogardy Xyot/ and distance  
Seen also/ holi virtue causeth suffisance  
And suffisance exyleth covetise  
Thus who so hath virtue/ hath all habonndance  
Of welfare/ as fer as reason can devise  
Take heed of Tullius and of him hostilius  
That fro povert come to high degree  
through virtue/ read ye also of julius  
The conqueror/ how pour a man was he  
That through his virtue & his humanity  
Of many a country/ had he governance  
Thus virtue bringeth to high degree  
Every wight that list do him attendance  
Reed here again of nero vertueles  
Take heed also of proud baltazare  
They hated virtues. equity and peace  
Look how antiochus fell fro his char  
That the skin & the bones all to tore  
Look what mischance they had for their vicis  
Who so will not by these signs beware  
I dar well say/ infortunate or nice he is  
I can say no more/ but hereby may ye see  
How virtue/ perfect charity causes  
And vices exyles all prosperity  
The best is to cheese as I guess  
But do as ye list/ I me excuse express  
I will be sorry/ if that ye me myschese  
God conform you/ in virtuous goodness  
So that through negligence/ no thing ye lose  
Thus endeth the treaty wiche john Skogan sent to the lords and estates of the kings house.   

With empty hand men may no hawks lure  
Buy if thou may/ for all is for to sell  
little wit sufficeth with good adventure  
And always as the wind standeth set thy mill  
The heaven to heavens lord/ & fiend to hell  
Man to the world pretend/ & thou shall strecche  
And ween thyself be nought/ & be a wrecche   

The good council of chawcer  

flee ye fro the press & dwell with soothfastness  
suffice unto the good if it be small  
For hoard hath hate/ & climbing tikelnes  
press hath envy/ & weal is blended over all  
savour no more/ than the behove shall  
Reed well thyself that other folk read  
And truth the shall delyve/ it is no dread   

pain the not each crooked to redress  
In trust of her/ that turneth as a ball  
great rest standeth in little business  
Beware also to spurn again an all  
strive not as doth a crock with a wall  
Deme thyself/ that deemest others deed  
And truth the shall deliver it is no dread   

That the is sent/ receive in buxomness  
The wrestling of this world axeth a fall  
Here is no home/ here is but wilderness  
Forth pilgrim/ forth best out of thy stall  
Look upon high/ and thank god of all  
Weyve thy lust/ and late thy ghost the lead  
And truth the shall deliver/ it is no dread  
ballad of the village without painting    


Playntyf to fortune  
This wrecchid worlds transmutacon  
As weal as woe/ now pour/ & now honour  
Without order or due discrecion  
Governed is/ by fortune's error  
But natheless the lack of her favour  
Ne may not do me sing/ though I die  
I ay tout perdu mon temps it labour  
For finally fortune I desfye   

Yet is me left the sight of my resoun  
To know friend fro foo/ in thy mirror  
So moche hath yet thy turning up & down  
Y taught me/ to known in an hour  
But truly no for'rs of thy reddour  
To him that over himself hath mastery  
My suffisance shall be my succour  
For finally fortune I defy   

O socrates thou steadfast champion  
She might never be thy tormentor  
Thou never dreddest her oppression  
Ne in her cheer fond thou no favour  
Thou knew the deceit of her colour  
And that her most worship is for lie  
I know her eke a false dissymylour  
For finally fortune I defy   

Thanswer of fortune to the pleintyf  
No man is wrecchid but himself it ween  
And he that hath himself/ hath suffisance  
Why sayest thou/ then I am to the so keen  
That hast thyself/ out of my governance  
say thus/ gramnt mercy of thin abundance  
That thou hast lent or this thou shalt not strive  
What woost thou yet/ how I the will advance  
And eke thou hast thy best friend a live   

I have the taught division between  
Friend of effect/ and friend of countenance  
The needeth not the gall of none hiene  
That cureth eyen dark for penance  
Now seest thou clear thou were in igorance  
Yet holt thine anchor/ & yet thou mayst arrive  
There bounty beareth the key of my substance  
And eke thou hast thy best friend a live   

How many have I refused to sustene  
Sin I have the fostered in thy pleasance  
Wilthou thenne make a statute on thy queen  
That I shall be ay at thine ordinance  
Thou born art in my reign of variance  
About the wheel with other must thou drive  
My lore is bet/ than wick is thy grievance  
And eke thou hast thy best friend a live   

Thanswer to fortune  
Thy lore I damn/ it is adversity  
My friend mayst thou not reave blind goddess  
That I thy friends know/ I thank it the  
Take 'em again/ lete hem go lie a press  
The niggards/ in keeping her richesses  
Prenostik is thou wolt her tower assail  
wick appetite cometh aye before sickness  
In general this rule may not fail   

Fortune  
Thou pynchest at my mutability  
For I the lent a drop of my richesses  
And now me liketh/ to withdraw me  
Why shouldest thou my Xyalte oppress  
The see may ebb and flow more and less  
The welkin hath might to shine teme & hail  
Right so must I/ kithe my brotylnesse  
In general this rule may not fail   

The pleyntyf  
Lo thexecucon of the majesty  
That all purveyeth of his rightwiseness  
That same thing/ fortune clepe ye  
Ye blind beasts full of lewdness  
The heaven hath property of sikernesses  
This world hath ever restless travail  
The last day is end of mine entrees  
In general this rule may not fail   

Thenuoye of fortune  
Pryncis I pray you of your gentilesse  
let not this man on me thus cry & plain  
And I shall quite you this business  
And if ye list/ relieve him of his pain  
Pray ye his best friend of his noblesse  
That to some better estate/ he may attain    

Thenuoye of chaucer to skegan  

To broken been the statutes high in heaven  
That create were/ eternally tendure  
Sin that I see/ the bright gods seven  
Mowe weep and wail/ and passion endure  
As may in earth a mortal creature  
Alas frowhens/ may this thing proceed  
Of which error/ I die almost for dread   

By word eterne whilom was it shape  
That fro the fifth cerl●●e in no manner  
Ne might of tears down escape  
But now so weepeth venus in her spear  
That with her teris/ she will drench us here  
Alas scogan/ this is for thine offence  
Thou causest this deluge of pestilence   

Hast thou not said in blaspheme of the gods  
through pride or through thy great rekelesnes  
Such thing as in the law of love forbade is  
That for thy lady/ saw not thy distress  
Therefore thou give her up at mighelmes  
Alas scogan of old folk ne young  
Was never erst scogan blamed for his tongue