Be in myn herte, now and everemore ! PROVERBE OF CHAUCER. WHAT these clothes thus manyfolde, Litel therof he shal distreyne." THE COMPLEYNT OF VENUS Amen. (300 r.) THERE пys so high comfort to my plesare, Whan that I am in eny hevynesse, As for to have leyser of remembraunce Upon the manhod and the worthynesse, Upon the truth and on the stedfastnesse Of him whos I am al whiles I may dure. Ther oghte blame me no creature, For every wight preiseth his gentilesse. In him ys bounte, wysdom, governaunce, Wel more then eny mannes witte can gesse; 10 For grace hath wolde so ferforthe hym avaunce, 1 Fur cloak. 2 Keep, effectively grasp. Cf. Canterbury Tales. 1. 6827. Fourteen spurious lines are often appended to this poem. This poem is complementary to the Compleynt of Mars, and the two are usually printed as one poem. For convenience the numbers given to the lines by Tryrwhitt are noted here. THE COMPLEYNT OF VENU. 191 That of knyghthode he is parfite richesse; 20 Thus oght I blesse wel myn aventure, (320 T.) (330 T.) She wold al knowe throgh her espyinge. Security. Appropriate. Watch. Suffered for. 40 (340 T.) A lytel tyme his gift ys agreable, But ful encomberouse is the usynge; For subtil Jelosie, the deceyvable, Ful often tyme causeth desturbynge. Thus be we ever in drede and suffrynge; In no certeyn1 we languisshen in penaunce, And han ful often mony an harde myschaunce, Al the reverse of any glad felynge. But certys, Love, I sey not in such wise, That for tescape out of youre lace 2 I mente, 50 For I so longe have be in your servise, 3 That for to let you wil I never assente. (350 T.) No fors! ye! thogh Jelosye me turmente,. And therfore certys to myn endyng day, And certis, Love, whan I me wel avise 5 Of eny estate that man may represente, 7 Now love wel, hert, and loke thou never stente, And let the jealouse put it in assay, (360 T.) That for no peyn I wille not sey nay; And most agreable unto myn entente. 1 Certainty. • Frankness. • Snare. Choose. 8 Leave you. • Matter. 5 Inform TO SCOGAN. Seche no ferther, neythir way ne wente,' 193 Thus wol I ende this Compleynt or this Lay, To love hym beste ne shal I never repent. L'Envoy. Princes! resseyveth this Compleynt in gre, Unto your excelent benignite, Directe, aftir my litel suffisaunce; 4 For elde, that in my spirit dulleth me, 70 (372 T.) Welnyghe bereft out of my remembraunce; Of Graunson, floure of hem that make in France! (380 T.) L'ENVOY DE CHAUCER A SCOGAN." TO-BROKEN been the statutes hye in hevene, 1aat creat weren eternaly to dure, 8 Favor. Age.. 1 Lane. • Satisfaction. One Sir Oto de Graunson was in the court of Richard II., but it is not certain that he is the "maker" or poet here extolled, to whom Chaucer owns his indebtedness for the original of the Compleynt of Venus. 6 These lines appear to be addressed to a jester referred to by Ben Jonson as A fine gentleman and Master of Arts Of Henry the Fourth's time, that made disguises There is some doubt about his identity, however, and Mr. Dyce ays that the"facetious" Scogan was named John, and flourished after Chaucer's death. If this be true, Shakespeare committed an anachronism by introducing a reference to him into 2 King Henry IV., act iii., sc. 2, 1. 32. Scogan's iests were published in the six eenth and seventeenth centuries. VOL. III. 13 Syth that I see the bryghte goddis sevene Mowe wepe and wayle, and passioun endure, As may in erthe a mortale creature: Allas fro whennes may thys thinge procede? Of whiche errour I deye almost for drede. 4 8 us here. By worde eterne whilome was yshape, That fro the fyfte sercle 2 in no manere, Ne myght a drope of teeres doun eschape; 10 But now so wepith Venus in hir spere, That with hir teeres she wol drenche Allas! Scogan, this is for thyn offence! Thou causest this deluge of pestilence. Havesthow not seyd in blaspheme of this goddis, 20 Thurgh pride, or thrugh thy grete rekelnesse, 6 1 The reference appears to be to the great rains and pestilences of the latter part of the fourteenth century. 2 See vol. i., Introduo tion, for astrological allusions. 3 Sphere. 4 Drown. Michael mas (September 29th). Revenged." |