HKB
he to love must subject be: Then held he all his scornes vanity, And said that lovers held a blissful life, Young men and old, and widow, maid, and wife.
“Bereave me, Goddess!” quoth he, “of thy might, My scornes all and scoffes, that I have No power for to mocken any wight That in thy service dwell: for I did rave; This know I well right now, so God me save, And I shall be the chief post* of thy faith, *prop, pillar And love uphold, the reverse whoso saith.”
Dissemble stood not far from him in truth, With party* mantle, party hood and hose; parti-coloured And said he had upon his lady ruth, *pity And thus he wound him in, and gan to glose, Of his intent full double, I suppose: In all the world he said he lov’d her weel; But ay me thought he lov’d her ne’er a deal. never a jot
Eke Shamefastness was there, as I took heed, That blushed red, and durst not be y-know She lover was, for thereof had she dread; She stood and hung her visage down alow; But such a sight it was to see, I trow, As of these roses ruddy on their stalk: There could no wight her spy to speak or talk
In love’s art, so gan she to abash, Nor durst not utter all her privity: Many a stripe and many a grievous lash She gave to them that woulde lovers be, And hinder’d sore the simple commonalty, That in no wise durst grace and mercy crave, For were not she, they need but ask and have; but for her
Where if they now approache for to speak, Then Shamefastness returneth them again: turns them back They think, “If we our secret counsel break, Our ladies will have scorn us certain, And peradventure thinke great disdain:” Thus Shamefastness may bringen in Despair; When she is dead the other will be heir.
“Come forth Avaunter! now I ring thy bell!” <40> I spied him soon; to God I make avow,* confession He looked black as fiendes do in Hell: “The first,” quoth he, “that ever I did wow, *woo Within a word she came, I wot not how, she was won with So that in armes was my lady free, a single word And so have been a thousand more than she.
“In England, Britain,* Spain, and Picardy, Brittany Artois, and France, and up in high Holland, In Burgoyne, Naples, and in Italy, *Burgundy Navarre, and Greece, and up in heathen land, Was never woman yet that would withstand To be at my commandment when I wo’ld: I lacked neither silver coin nor gold.
“And there I met with this estate and that; And her I broach’d, and her, and her, I trow: Lo! there goes one of mine; and, wot ye what? Yon fresh attired have I laid full low; And such one yonder eke right well I know; I kept the statute <41> when we lay y-fere:* together And yet yon same hath made me right good cheer.” *also
Thus hath Avaunter blowen ev’rywhere All that he knows, and more a thousand fold; His ancestry of kin was to Lier,* Liar For first he maketh promise for to hold His lady’s counsel, and it not unfold; — Wherefore, the secret when he doth unshit, disclose Then lieth he, that all the world may wit. *know
For falsing so his promise and behest,* trust I wonder sore he hath such fantasy; He lacketh wit, I trow, or is a beast, That can no bet himself with reason guy** *better *guide By mine advice, Love shall be contrary To his avail, and him eke dishonour, advantage So that in Court he shall no more sojour. *sojourn, remain