This yongest, which that wente un-to the toun,

Ful ofte in herte he rolleth up and doun 510 The beautee of thise florins newe and brighte.

"O lord!" quod he, "if so were that I mighte

Have al this tresor to my-self allone, Ther is no man that liveth under the trone1

Of god, that sholde live so mery as I!" 515 And atte laste the feend, our enemy, Putte in his thought that he shold poyson beye,2

With which he mighte sleen his felawes tweye;

I yow assoile, by myn heigh power, 585 Yow that wol offre, as clene and eek as cleer

As ye were born; and, lo, sirs, thus I preche.

And Iesu Crist, that is our soules leche,
So graunte yow his pardon to receyve;
For that is best; I wol yow nat deceyve.590
But sirs, o word forgat I in my tale;
I have reliks and pardon in my male,1
As faire as any man in Engelond,
Whiche were me yeven by the popes

Werk wel thy-self, that other folk canst rede;13

And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.

ΙΟ

Tempest thee noght al croked to redresse,
In trust of hir that turneth as a bal;
Gret reste11 stant 15 in litel besinesse,
And eek be war to sporne16 ageyn an al;
Stryve noght, as doth the crokke with
the wal.

Daunte1 thyself, that dauntest otheres dede;

And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.

That of yelownesse hadde never pere.
Ye be my lyf, ye be myn hertes stere,'
Quene of comfort and of good companye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye!

Now purs, that be to me my lyves light, 15
And saveour, as doun2 in this worlde here,
Out of this toune help me through your
might,

Sin that ye wole nat been my tresorere;
For I am shave as nye3 as any frere.4
But yit I pray un-to your curtesye:
Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I dye!
LENVOY DE CHAUCER

20

In settyng36 and in sowyng swonken37 ful harde,

And wonnen that theos38 wasturs3

glotonye distruen.40

39

in

And summe putten hem to pruide11 · apparayld42 hem ther-after,

In continaunce43 of clothinge comen dis

hem monye,* For love of ur16 lorde lyveden47 ful streite, In hope for to have hevenriche48 blisse; As ancres19 and hermytes that holdeth

hem50 in heore51 celles, Coveyte not in cuntre52 to cairen53 aboute, For non likerous54 lyflode55 heore licam56 to plese.

30

And summe chosen chaffare57 to cheeven58 the bettre,

As hit semeth to owre siht

men thryveth;

that suche

And summe murthes59 to maken as mun

And get gold with here gle61 · giltles I trowe. Bote japers62 and jangelers,63 Iudas children,

Founden64 hem fantasyes65

hem maaden,

35

and fooles

And habbeth wit at heor wille66 worchen67 gif hem luste;

That 68 Poul precheth of hem I dar not

69

preoven heere;

I fond there freres all the foure ordres, 55 Prechinge the peple for profyt of heore wombes,"

lyked his wordes,

ANONYMOUS

NOAH'S FLOOD

THE WATERLEADERS AND DRAWERS

OF DEE

First God, sitting in some high place, or in clouds, if it can be done, speaks to Noah, standing with all his family outside the ark.

GOD. I, God, that all the world have wrought,

Heaven and earth, and all of nought,

I see my people in deed and thought
Are foully set in sin.

My spirit shall not remain in any man
That through fleshly liking is my fone,4
But till six score years be gone,

To look if they will blynne.11

Man that I made I will destroy,
Beast, man, and fowl that fly,
For on earth they do me annoy,
The folk that are thereon;

It harms me so hurtfully,
The malice now that does multiply,

his bulle;

He bonchede27 hem with his brevet28 and

That ever I made man.

Therefore, Noah, my servant free, That righteous man art, as I see, A ship soon thou shalt make thee Of trees dry and light;

30 reached, got.

33 rascals.

36 all the fault of.

16 construe.

23 shrive.

26 kissed.

29 eyes.

31 bull.

39 if it were not for them.

41 cease.

34 practise.