Classic Poem

Prologue

I N autumn, when the son in Virgine
By radiant heat enriped hath our corn;
When Luna, full of mutability,
As emperess the diadem hath worn
Of our pole arctic, smiling half in scorn
At our folly and our unsteadfastness;
The time when Mars to warr─ù him did 'dress;

I, calling to mind the great authority
Of poets old, which full craftily,
Under as covert terms as could be,
Can touch a truth and cloak it subtilly
With fresh─ù utterance full sententiously,
Diverse in style, some spared not vice to wyte,
Some of morality nobly did endite;

Whereby I rede their renown and their fame
May never die, but evermore endure.
I was sore moved to aforce the same,
But Ignorance full soon did me discure,
And shewed that in this art I was not sure;
For to illumine, she said, I was to-dull,
Advising me my pen away to pull,

And not to write: for he so will attain
Exceeding further than his conning is,
His head may be hard, but feeble is his brain,
Yet have I knowen such ere this.
But of reproach surely he may not miss
That climbeth higher than he may footing have:
What an he slide down, who shall him save?

Thus up and down my mind was drawen and cast,
That I ne wist what to do was best;
So sore enwearied, that I was at the last
Enforced to sleep and for to take some rest,
And to lie down as soon as I me 'dressed.
At Harwich port slumbering as I lay
In mine host─ùs house, called Powers Key,

Methought I saw a ship, goodly of sail,
Come sailing forth into the haven broad,
Her tackling rich and of high appareil:
She cast an anchor, and there she lay at road.
Merchants her boarded to see what she had load.
Therein they found royal merchandise,
Fraughted with pleasure of what ye could devise.

But then I thought I would not dwell behind;
Among all others I put myself in press.
Then there could I none acquaintance find:
There was much noise; anon one cried, " Cease!"
Sharply commanding each man hold his peace.
" Masters," he said, " the ship that ye here see
The Bouge of Court it hight for certainty.

" The owner thereof is lady of estate
Whose name to tell is Dame Sanspeer;
Her merchandise is rich and fortunate,
But who will have it must pay therefor dear;
This royal chaffer that is shipped here
Is called Favour, to stand in her good grace."
Then should ye see there pressing in apace

Of one and other that would this lady see;
Which sat behind a traves of silk─ù fine,
Of gold of tissue the finest that might be,
In a throne which far clearer did shine
Than Phoebus in his sphere celestine;
Whose beauty, honour, goodly port
I have too little conning to report.

But of each thing there as I took heed,
Among all other was written in her throne
In gold letters, these words, which I did read:
Gardez le fortune, qui est mauvais et bone!
And, as I stood reading this verse myself alone,
Her chief gentlewoman, Danger by her name,
Gave me a taunt, and said I was to blame.

To be so pert to press so proudly up:
She said she trowed that I had eaten sauce;
She asked if ever I drank of sauce's cup.
And I then softly answered to that clause,
That so to say I had given her no cause.
Then asked she me, " Sir, so God thee speed,
What is thy name?" and I said, it was Drede.

" What moved thee," quod she, " hither to come?"
" Forsooth," quod I, " to buy some of your ware."
And with that word on me she gave a glum
With brow─ùs bent, and 'gan on me to stare
Full dainously, and fro me she did fare,
Leaving me standing as a mazed man,
To whom there came another gentlewoman:

Desire her name was, and so she me told,
Saying to me, " Brother, be of good cheer,
Abash you not, but hardely be bold,
Advance yourself to approach and come near:
What though our chaffer be never so dear,
Yet I advise you to speak, for any drede:
Who spareth to speak, in faith, he spareth to speed."

" Mistress," quod I, " I have none acquaintance
That will for me be mediator and mean;
And this another, I have but small substance."
" Peace," quod Desire, " ye speak not worth a bean!
If ye have not, in faith, I will you lene
A precious jewel, no richer in this land:
Bon Aventure have here now in your hand.

" Shift now therewith, let see, as ye can
In Bouge of Court chevisaunce to make;
For I dare say that there nis earthly man
But, an he can Bon Aventure take,
There can no favour nor friendship him forsake;
Bon Aventure may bring you in such case
That ye shall stand in favour and in grace.

" But of one thing I warn you ere I go:
She that steereth the ship, make her your friend."
" Mistress," quod I, " I pray you tell me why so,
And how I may that way and mean─ùs find."
" Forsooth," quod she, " however blow the wind,
Fortune guideth and ruleth all our ship:
Whom she hateth shall over the seaboard skip;

" Whom she loveth, of all pleasure is rich,
Whiles she laugheth and hath lust for to play;
Whom she hateth, she casteth in the ditch,
For when she frowneth, she thinketh to make a fray;
She cherisheth him, and him she casteth away."
" Alas," quod I, " how might I have her sure?"
" In faith," quod she, " by Bon Aventure."

Thus, in a row, of merchants a great rout
Sued to Fortune that she would be their friend:
They throng in fast, and flocked her about;
And I with them prayed her to have in mind.
She promised to us all she would be kind:
Of Bouge of Court she asketh what we would have,
And we asked Favour, and Favour she us gave.

DREDE

The sail is up, Fortune ruleth our helm,
We want no wind to pass now over all;
Favour we have tougher than any elm,
That will abide and never from us fall.
But under honey ofttime lieth bitter gall:
For, as methought, in our ship I did see
Full subtil persons, in number four and three.

The first was Favell, full of flattery,
With fables false that well could feign a tale;
The second was Suspect, which that daily
Misdeemed each man, with face deadly and pale;
And Harvy Hafter, that well could pick a male,
With other four of their affinity,
Disdain, Riot, Dissimuler, Subtilty.

Fortune their friend, with whom oft she did dance;
They could not fail, they thought, they were so sure;
And oftentimes I would myself advance
With them to make solace and pleasure.
But my disport they could not well endure:
They said they hated for to deal with Drede.
Then Favell 'gan with fair speech me to feed.

FAVELL

" No thing earthly that I wonder so sore
As of your conning, that is so excellent;
Deyntee to have with us such one in store,
So virtuously that hath his day─ùs spent;
Fortune to you gifts of grace hath lent:
Lo, what it is a man to have conning!
All earthly treasure it is surmounting.

" Ye be an apt man, as any can be found,
To dwell with us, and serve my lady's grace;
Ye be to her, yea, worth a thousand pound!
I heard her speak of you within short space,
When there were divers that sore did you menace;
And, though I say it, I was myself your friend,
For here be divers to you that be unkind.

" But this one thing — ye may be sure of me;
For, by that Lord that bought dear all mankind,
I cannot flatter, I must be plain to thee!
An ye need ought, man, shew to me your mind,
For ye have me whom faithful ye shall find;
Whiles I have ought, by God, thou shalt not lack,
And if need be, a bold word I dare crack!

" Nay, nay, be sure, whiles I am on your side
Ye may not fall, trust me, ye may not fail.
Ye stand in favour, and Fortune is your guide,
And, as she will, so shall our great ship sail:
These lewd cockwats shall nevermore prevail
Against you hardely, therefore be not afraid.
Farewell till soon, but no word that I said!"

DREDE

Then thanked I him for his great gentleness.
But, as methought, he ware on him a cloak
That lined was with doubtful doubleness;
Methought, of words that he had full a poke;
His stomach stuffed oft times did reboke.
Suspect, methought, met him at a braid,
And I drew near to hark what they two said.

" In faith," quod Suspect, " spake Drede no word of me?"
" Why? what then? wilt thou let men to speak?
He saith he cannot well accord with thee."
" Twyste," quod Suspect, " go play! him I ne reke!"
" By Christ," quod Favell, " Drede is sullen freke.
What, let us hold him up, man, for a while?"
" Yea so," quod Suspect, " he may us both beguile."

And when he came walking soberly,
With hum and ha, and with a crooked look,
Methought his head was full of jealousy,
His eyen rolling, his hand─ùs fast they quoke;
And to meward the straight way he took.
" God speed, brother!" to me quod he then,
And thus to talk with me he began.

SUSPECT

" Ye remember the gentleman right now
That communed with you, methought a pretty space?
Beware of him, for, I make God avow,
He will beguile you and speak fair to your face.
Ye never dwelt in such another place,
For here is none that dare well other trust —
But I would tell you a thing, an I durst!

" Spake he, i'faith, no word to you of me?
I wot, an he did, ye would me tell.
I have a favour to you, whereof it be
That I must shew you much of my counsel.
But I wonder what the devil of hell
He said of me, when he with you did talk!
By mine advice use not with him to walk.

" The sovianest thing that any man may have
Is little to say, and much to hear and see;
For, but I trusted you, so God me save,
I would─ù nothing so plain─ù be:
To you onlie, methink, I durst shrive me,
For now am I plenarly disposed
To shew you things that may not be disclosed."

DREDE

Then I assured him my fidelity
His counsel secret never to discure,
If he could find in heart to trust─ù me;
Else I prayed him, with all my busy cure,
To keep it himself, for then he might be sure
That no man earthly could him betray,
Whiles of his mind it were locked with the key.

" By God," quod he, " this and thus it is . . ."
And of his mind he shewed me all and some.
" Farewell," quod he, " we will talk more of this . . ."
So he departed where he would be come.
I dare not speak, I promised to be dumb.
But, as I stood musing in my mind,
Harvy Hafter came leaping, light as lynde.

Upon his breast he bare a versing-box,
His throat was clear, and lustily could fayne.
Methought his gown was all furred with fox,
And ever he sang, " Sith I am nothing plain . . ."
To keep him from picking it was a great pain:
He gazed on me with his goatish beard,
When I looked on him, my purse was half afeard.

HARVY HAFTER

" Sir, God you save! why look ye so sad?
What thing is that I may do for you?
A wonder thing that ye wax not mad!
For, an I study should as ye do now,
My wit would waste, I make God avow!
Tell me your mind: methink ye make a verse;
I could it scan, an ye would it rehearse!

" But to the point shortly to proceed,
Where hath your dwelling been ere ye came here?
For, as I trow, I have seen you indeed
Ere this, when that ye made me royal cheer.
Hold up the helm, look up, and let God steer:
I would be merry, what wind that ever blow!
Heave and ho rumbelow, row the boat, Norman, row!

" Princes of Youth can ye sing by rote?
Or Shall I sail with you a fellowship assay?
For on the book I cannot sing a note.
Would to God, it would please you some day
A ballad book before me for to lay,
And learn me to sing re mi fa sol !
And, when I fail, bob me on the noll.

" Lo, what is to you a pleasure great
To have that conning and ways that ye have!
By Godd─ùs soul, I wonder how ye gate
So great pleasure, or who to you it gave.
Sir, pardon me, I am an homely knave,
To be with you thus pert and thus bold:
But ye be welcome to our household.

" And, I dare say, there is no man therein
But would be glad of your company.
I wist never man that so soon could win
The favour that ye have with my lady.
I pray to God that it may never die.
It is your fortune for to have that grace —
As I be saved, it is a wonder case!

" For, as for me, I served here many a day
And yet unneth I can have my living:
But, I require you, no word─ù that I say!
For, an I know any earthly thing
That is again you, ye shall have weeting.
And ye be welcome, sir, so God me save!
I hope hereafter a friend of you to have."

DREDE

With that, as he departed so from me,
Anon there met with him, as methought,
A man, but wonderly beseen was he.
He looked haughty; he set each man at nought;
His gawdy garment with scorn─ùs was all wrought;
With indignation lined was his hood:
He frowned, as he would swear by Cock─ùs blood.

He bit the lip, he looked passing coy;
His face was belimmed, as bees had him stung:
It was no time with him to jape nor toy.
Envy had wasted his liver and his lung,
Hatred by the heart so had him wrung
That he looked pale as ashes to my sight.
Disdain, I ween, this comerous crab is hight.

To Harvy Hafter then he spake of me,
And I drew near to hark what they two said.
" Now," quod Disdain, " as I shall saved be,
I have great scorn, and am right evil apayed."
Then quod Harvy Hafter, " Why art thou so dismayed?"
" By Christ," quod he, " for it is shame to say:
To see yon Johan Dawes, that came but yesterday,

" How he is now taken in conceit,
This Doctor Dawcock, Drede, I ween, he hight.
By Godd─ùs bones, but if we have some slight
It is like he will stand─ù in our light."
" By God," quod Harvy, " and it so happen might.
Let us therefore shortly at a word
Find some means to cast him overboard."

" By Him that me bought," then quod Disdain,
" I wonder sore he is in such conceit!"
" Turd!" quod Hafter, " I will thee nothing layne,
There must for him be laid some pretty bait;
We twain, I trow, be not without deceit:
First pick a quarrel, and fall out with him then,
And so outface him with a card of ten."

Forthwith he made on me a proud assault,
With scornful look moved all in mood;
He went about to take me in a fault;
He frowned, he stared, he stamped where he stood.
I looked on him, I wend he had been wood.
He set the arm proudly under the side,
And in this wise he 'gan with me to chide.

DISDAIN

" Rememberest thou what thou said yesternight?
Wilt thou abide by the words again?
By God, I have of thee now great despite!
I shall thee angre once in every vein:
It is great scorn to see such an hayne
As thou art, one that came but yesterday,
With us old servants such─ù masters to play!

" I tell thee, I am of countenance:
What weenest I were? I trow thou know not me!
By Godd─ùs wounds, but for displeasance,
Of my quarrel soon would I venged be.
But no force, I shall once meet with thee.
Come when it will, oppose thee I shall,
Whatsomever adventure thereof fall.

" Trowest thou, drevil I say, thou gawdy knave,
That I have deinte to see thee cherished thus?
By Godd─ùs side, my sword thy beard shall shave!
Well, once thou shalt be charmed, ywis.
Nay, straw for tales, thou shalt not rule us:
We be thy betters, and so thou shalt us take,
Or we shall thee out of thy cloth─ùs shake!"

DREDE

With that came Riot, rushing all at once,
A rusty gallant, to-ragged and to-rent;
And on the board he whirled a pair of bones,
Quater trey dews he clattered as he went.
" Now have at all, by Saint Thomas of Kent!"
And ever he threw and cast I wote n'ere what:
His hair was growen thorough out his hat.

Then I beheld how he disguised was:
His head was heavy for watching over night,
His eyen bleered, his face shone like a glass;
His gown so short that it ne cover might
His rump, he went so all for summer light.
His hose was garded with a list of green,
Yet at the knee they were broken, I ween.

His coat was checked with patches red and blue;
Of Kirby Kendal was his short demi;
And aye he sang, In faith, deacon, thou crew ;
His elbow bare, he ware his gear so nigh;
His nose a-dropping, his lipp─ùs were full dry;
And by his side his whinard and his pouch,
The devil might dance therein for any crowch.

Counter he could O lux upon a pot,
An ostrich feather of a capon's tail
He set up freshly upon his hat aloft.
" What revel rout!" quod he, an 'gan to rail
How oft he had hit Jennet on the tail,
Of Phyllis fetis, and little pretty Kate,
How oft he knocked at her clicket-gate.

What should I tell more of his ribaldry?
I was ashamed so to hear him prate:
He had no pleasure but in harlotry.
" Ay," quod he, " in the devil's date,
What art thou? I saw thee now but late."
" Forsooth," quod I, " in this court I dwell now."
" Welcome," quod Riot, " I make God avow.

RIOT

" And, sir, in faith why com'st not us among
To make thee merry, as other fellows done?
Thou must swear and stare, man, all day long,
And wake all night, and sleep till it be noon;
Thou mayest not study, or muse on the moon;
This world is nothing but eat, drink, and sleep,
And thus with us good company to keep.

" Pluck up thine heart upon a merry pin,
And let us laugh a pluck or twain at nale:
What the devil, man, mirth is here within!
What, lo man, see here of dice a bale!
A birdling-cast for that is in thy male!
Now have at all that lieth upon the board!
Fie on these dice, they be not worth a turd!

" Have at the hazard, or at the dozen brown,
Or else I pass a penny to a pound!
Now, would to God, thou would lay money down!
Lord, how that I woulde cast it full round!
Ay, in my pouch a buckle I have found,
The arms of Calais, I have no coin nor cross!
I am not happy, I run aye on the loss.

" Now run must I to the stew─ùs side
To weet if Malkin, my lemman, have got ought:
I let her to hire, that men may on her ride,
Her arm─ùs easy far and near is sought:
By Godd─ùs side, since I her hither brought
She hath got me more money with her tail
Than hath some ship that into Bordeaux sail.

" Had I as good an horse as she is a mare,
I durst adventure to journey thorough France;
Who rideth on her, he needeth not to care,
For she is trussed for to break a lance:
It is a curtal that well can winch and prance.
To her will I now all my poverty allege,
And, till I come, have here is mine hat to pledge."

DREDE

Gone is this knave, this ribald foul and lewd.
He ran as fast as ever that he might.
Unthriftiness in him may well be shewed,
For whom Tyburn groaneth both day and night.
And, as I stood and cast aside my sight,
Disdain I saw with Dissimulation
Standing in sad─ù communication.

But there was pointing and nodding with the head,
And many word─ùs said in secret wise;
They wandered aye, and stood still in no stead:
Methought alway Dissimuler did devise.
Me passing sore mine heart then 'gan agrise,
I deemed and dread their talking was not good.
Anon Dissimuler came where I stood.

Then in his hood I saw there faces twain:
That one was lean and like a pined ghost,
That other looked as he would me have slain;
And to meward as he 'gan for to coast,
When that he was even at me almost,
I saw a knife hid in his one sleeve,
Whereon was written this word, Mischief .

And in his other sleeve, methought, I saw
A spoon of gold, full of honey sweet,
To feed a fool, and for to prove a daw;
And on that sleeve these word─ùs were writ,
A false abstract cometh from a false concrete.
His hood was syde, his cope was russet gray:
These were the words that he to me did say.

DISSIMULATION

" How do ye, master? ye look so soberly!
As I be saved at the dreadful day,
It is a perilous vice, this envy.
Alas, a conning man ne dwell─ù may
In no place well, but fool─ù with him fray.
But as for that, conning hath no foe
Save him that nought can, Scripture saith so.

" I know your virtue and your literature
By that little conning that I have:
Ye be maligned sore, I you ensure;
But ye have craft yourself alway to save.
It is great scorn to see a misproud knave
With a clerk─ù than conning is to prate:
Let them go louse them, in the devil's date!

" For albeit that this 'long not to me,
Yet on my back I bear such lewd dealing:
Right now I spake with one, I trow, I see —
But what — a straw! I may not tell all thing!
By God, I say there is great heart-burning
Between the person ye wot of and you.
Alas, I could not deal so with a Jew!

" I would each man were as plain as I!
It is a world, I say, to hear of some:
I hate this feigning, fie upon it, fie!
A man cannot wot where to be come.
Ywis I could tell — but humlery, hum!
I dare not speak, we be so laid await,
For all our courte is full of deceit.

" Now by Saint Francis, that holy man and friar,
I hate these ways again you that they take!
Were I as you, I would─ù ride them full near,
And, by my troth, but if an end they make,
Yet will I say some word─ùs for your sake
That shall them angre, I hold thereon a groat:
For some shall, I ween, be hanged by the throat!

" I have a stopping oyster in my poke,
Trust me, an if it come to a need!
But I am loath for to raise a smoke,
If ye could be otherwise agreed.
And so I would it were, so God me speed,
For this may breed to a confusion
Without God make a good conclusion.

Nay, see where yonder standeth t'other man!
A flattering knave and false he is, God wot;
The drevil standeth to harken, an he can.
It were more thrift he bought him a new─ù coat;
It will not be, his purse is not on float:
All that he weareth, it is borrowed ware,
His wit is thin, his hood is thread─ùbare.

" More could I say, but what this is enow:
Adew till soon, we shall speak more of this.
Ye must be ruled as I shall tell you how;
Amends may be of that is now amiss.
And I am yours, sir, so have I bliss,
In every point that I can do or say.
Give me your hand, farewell, and have good-day!"

DREDE

Suddenly, as he departed me fro,
Came pressing in one in a wonder array.
Ere I was ware, behind me he said, " BO!"
Then I, astonied of that sudden fray,
Start all at once, I liked nothing his play:
For, if I had not quickly fled the touch,
He had plucked out the nobles of my pouch.

He was trussed in a garment strait:
I have not seen such another page,
For he could well upon a casket wait;
His hood all pounced and garded like a cage;
Light lime-finger! he took none other wage.
" Hearken," quod he, " lo here mine hand in thine!
To us welcome thou art, by Saint Quintine."

DECEIT

" But, by that Lord that is one, two, and three,
I have an errand to round in your ear . . .
He told me so, by God, ye may trust me,
Parde, remember when ye were there,
There I winked on you — wot ye not where?
In A loco , I mean juxta B :
Who is him that is blind and may not see!

" But to hear the subtilty and the craft,
As I shall tell you, if ye will hark again!
And, when I saw the whoreson would you haft,
To hold mine hand, by God, I had great pain:
For forthwith there I had him slain,
But that I drede murder would come out:
Who dealeth with shrews hath need to look about!"

DREDE

And as he rounded thus in mine ear
Of false collusion confettered by assent,
Methought I see lewd fellows here and there
Come for to slay me of mortal intent.
And, as they came, the shipboard fast I hent,
And thought to leap, and even with that woke,
Caught pen and ink, and wrote this little book.

I would therewith no man were miscontent,
Beseeching you that shall it see or read
In every point to be indifferent,
Sith all in substance of slumbering doth proceed.
I will not say it is matter indeed,
But yet oft-time such dreams be found true.
Now construe ye what is the residue!