Imatges de pàgina
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292 LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN. MS. Gg. 4. 27, CAMB.

Mynne handis ben nat shape for a knyf

As for to reue no man fro his lyf

What deuyl haue I with the knyf to do

And shal I haue myn throte kerue a two
Thanne shal I blede allas & me be shynde

And nedis cost this thyng muste haue an ende

Or he or I mot nedis lese oure lyf

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[leaf 480, back]

Now certys quod she syn I am his wif

And hath myn feyth 3it is it bet for me

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And helpeles so that/ or that she forth wente

Hire crewel fadyr dede hire for to hente

Allas lyno whi art thow so vnkynde

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Why ne haddist thow remembred In thyn mynde

To takyn hire & lad hire forth with the
ffor whan she saw that gon a-wey was he
And that she myghte nat so faste go
Ne folwyn hym she set hire don ryght tho
Til she was caught & fetered In prysoun
This tale is seyd for this conclusioun

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[Unfinisht.]

[Here begynyth the parlement of ffoulys.]

XII.

Truth

FROM THE

ADDITIONAL MS. 10,340, BRITISH MUSEUM,

THE ONLY COPY WITH THE ENVOY.

294

TRUTH. ADDIT. MS. 10,340.

TRUTH.

[Balade: esse, -al, -ede.]

[Additional MS. 10,340, British Mus., leaf 41, vellum.]

(1)

Fle fro pe pres & dwelle wip sopefastnesse.

Suffise pin owen þing þei it be smal.

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Reule weel þi self þat oper folk' canst' reede,
And troupe schal delyuere it is no drede

(2)

Tempest' pe nou3t' al croked to redresse
In trust of hire pat' tournep as a bal
Myche wele stant' in litel besynesse
Bywar perfore to spurne azeyns an al.
Stryue not' as dope pe crokke wip pe wal
Daunte pi self þat dauntest' operes dede
And troupe shal delyuere it' is no drede.

(3)

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Knowe pi contre loke vp þonk' god of al

Holde pe heye weye & lat pi gost' pe lede,

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Crie hym mercy. pat' of hys hie godnesse

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XIII.

The Compleynt of Venus

FROM

SHIRLEY'S MS. R. 3. 20, TRIN. COLL., CAMBR.

296

THE COMPLEYNT OF VENUS. MS. R. 3. 20.

The Compleynt of Venus.

[Following the Mars, see Parallel-Texts, p. 121.]

[Shirley's MS. R. 3. 20, Trin. Coll., Camb., leaf 139.]

And filowing begynneþe· a balade translated out of frenshe in to englisshe/ by Chaucier Geffrey þe frenshe made .sir. Otes de Grauntsome knigħt Savosyen/

(1) (Tern I. 1: -aunce, -esse, -ure = oure, 1. 23) er nys so hye. coumfort / to my plesaunce/

Whane pat .I. am / in any hevynes-e /
As for to haue leyser of Remembraunce/
Vpon pe manhoode / and pe worþynesse /
vpon pe trouthe/ and pe stedfastnesse /

Of him whos I am / alweys whyle I may dure /
ber aught to blamen me / no creature /

ffor he is croppe and roote / of gentylesse

(2) (I. 2)

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[from margin] 8

¶ In him is bountee / wysdam and gouuernaunce /
Weel more panne / any mannes wilt kan gesse
ffor grace hape wolde / so ferfoorthe him avaunce /
bat of knighthoode / he is parfyt Rychchesse /
Honnour/honourepe / him for his noblesse /
per to so wel hape / fortuned him nature/
þat I am his for euer / I him ensure /
ffor euery wight' / preysepe his gentylesse /

(3) (I. 3)

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And nought withstanding / al his souffisaunce

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His gentyle hert/ is of so gret humblesse /

To me in worde in werk · in countenaunce /

And me to serue / is al his besynesse /

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hat I am sette / in verray sikurnesse /
bus aught me wele / to blesse myn aventure

Sith pat him list / me serven and honneure / ffor euery wight / preysepe his gentylesse /

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