HKB
ravish and to reave, And whet their tongue as sharp as sword or gleve:* *glaive, sword It may betide this is their ordinance, So must they lowly do their observance,
“And keep the statute given them of kind, by nature Of such as Love hath giv’n them in their life. Men may not wit why turneth every wind, Nor waxe wise, nor be inquisitife To know secret of maid, widow, or wife; For they their statutes have to them reserved, And never man to know them hath deserved.”
Rigour then sent them forth to pay court to Venus, and pray her to teach them how they might serve and please their dames, or to provide with ladies those whose hearts were yet vacant. Before Venus knelt a thousand sad petitioners, entreating her to punish “the false untrue,” that had broken their vows, “barren of ruth, untrue of what they said, now that their lust and pleasure is allay’d.” But the mourners were in a minority;
Yet eft again, a thousand million, Rejoicing, love, leading their life in bliss: They said: “Venus, redress* of all division, healer Goddess eternal, thy name heried is! glorified By love’s bond is knit all thing, y-wis, assuredly Beast unto beast, the earth to water wan, *pale Bird unto bird, and woman unto man; <27>
“This is the life of joy that we be in, Resembling life of heav’nly paradise; Love is exiler ay of vice and sin; Love maketh heartes lusty to devise; Honour and grace have they in ev’ry wise, That be to love’s law obedient; Love maketh folk benign and diligent;
“Aye stirring them to dreade vice and shame: In their degree it makes them honourable; And sweet it is of love to bear the name, So that his love be faithful, true, and stable: Love pruneth him to seemen amiable; Love hath no fault where it is exercis’d, But sole* with them that have all love despis’d:” *only
And they conclude with grateful honours to the goddess — rejoicing hat they are hers in heart, and all inflamed with her grace and heavenly fear. Philogenet now entreats the goddess to remove his grief; for he also loves, and hotly, only he does not know where —
“Save only this, by God and by my troth; Troubled I was with slumber, sleep, and sloth This other night, and in a vision I saw a woman roamen up and down,
“Of mean stature, and seemly to behold, middling height Lusty and fresh, demure of countenance, Young and well shap’d, with haire sheen* as gold, shining With eyne as crystal, farced with pleasance; crammed And she gan stir mine heart a lite to dance; little But suddenly she vanish gan right there: Thus I may say, I love, and wot not where.” *know
If he could only know this lady, he would serve and obey her with all benignity; but if his destiny were otherwise, he would gladly love and serve his lady, whosoever she might be. He called on Venus for help to possess his queen and heart’s life, and vowed daily war with Diana: “that goddess chaste I keepen [care] in no wise to serve; a fig for all her chastity!” Then he rose and went his way, passing by a rich and beautiful shrine, which, Philobone informed him, was the sepulchre of Pity. “A tender creature,” she said,
“Is shrined there, and Pity is her name. She saw an eagle wreak* him on a fly, *avenge And pluck his wing, and eke him, in his game; for sport And tender heart of that hath made her die: Eke she would weep, and mourn right piteously, To see a lover suffer great distress. In all the Court was none, as I do guess,