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"Certes," quod I, "it nis no doute, that it is right worthy to ben reverenced."

"Lat" us," quod she, "adden thanne reverence to suffisaunce and to power, so that we demen 15 that thise three thinges ben al o' thing."

"Certes," quod I, "lat us adden it, yif we wolen graunten the sothe." 17

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"What demest thou thanne?" quod she; "is that a derk thing and nat noble, that is suffisaunt, reverent, and mighty, or elles that it is right noble and right cleer by celebritee of renoun? Consider thanne," quod she, we han graunted her-biforn," that he that ne hath nede of no-thing, and is most mighty and most digne13 of honour, yif him nedeth any cleernesse of renoun, which cleernesse he mighte nat graunten of him-self, so that, for lakke of thilke 20 cleernesse, he mighte seme the febeler on any syde or the more out-cast?" GLOSE: 21 This is to seyn, nay; for who-so that is suffisaunt, mighty, and reverent, cleernesse of renoun folweth of the forseyde" thinges; he hath it al redy of his suffisaunce.

Boece. "I may nat," quod I, "denye it; but I mot graunte, as it is, that this thing be right celebrable by cleernesse of renoun and noblesse."

"Thanne folweth it," quod she, "that we adden cleernesse of renoun to the three forseyde thinges, so that ther ne be amonges hem no difference?"

"This is a consequence," quod I.

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"In which manere?" quod I.

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"Thilke man," quod she, "that secheth "1 richesses to fleen povertee, he ne travaileth 22 him nat for to gete power; for he hath levere 23 ben derk and vyl; and eek withdraweth from him-self many naturel delyts, for he nolde 25 lese 26 the moneye that he hath assembled. But certes, in this manere he ne geteth him nat suffisaunce that power forleteth," and that molestie 28 prikketh, and that filthe maketh out-cast, and that derkenesse hydeth. And certes, he that desireth only power, he wasteth and scatereth richesse, and despyseth delyts, and eek" honour that is withoute power, ne he ne preyseth 20 glorie no-thing.30 Certes, thus seest thou wel, that manye thinges faylen to him; for he hath somtyme defaute of many necessitees, and many anguisshes byten 31 him; and whan he ne may nat don 3 tho 33 defautes a-wey, he forleteth " to ben mighty, and that is the thing that he most desireth. And right thus may I maken semblable 34 resouns of honours, and of glorie, and of delyts. For so as every of thise forseyde thinges is the same that thise other

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"Certes," quod I, "it is cleer and open, thogh it were to a blinde man; and that shewedest thou me ful wel a litel her-biforn, whan thou enforcedest thee to shewe me the causes of the false blisfulnesse. For but-yif 19 I be bigyled, thanne is thilke 20 the verray blisfulnesse parfit," that parfitly maketh a man suffisaunt, mighty, honourable, noble, and ful of gladnesse. And, for thou shalt wel knowe that I have wel understonden thise thinges with-in my herte, I knowe wel that thilke blisfulnesse, that may verrayly yeven oon of the forseyde thinges, sin 22 they ben al oon, I knowe, douteles, that thilke thing is the fulle blisfulnesse."

Philosophie. "O my norie," 23 quod she, "by this opinioun I seye 15 that thou art blisful, yif thou putte this ther-to that I shal seyn.' "What is that?" quod I.

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"Trowest 25 thou that ther be any thing in thise erthely mortal toumbling thinges that may bringen this estat?"

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"Certes," quod I, "I trowe it naught; thou hast shewed me wel that over 27 thilke good ther nis no-thing more to ben desired."

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"Thise thinges thanne," quod she, "that is to sey, erthely suffisaunce and power and swiche thinges, either they semen lykenesses of verray good, or elles it semeth that they yeve to mortal folk a maner of goodes that ne ben nat parfit; but thilke good that is verray and parfit, that may they nat yeven."

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"I acorde me wel," quod I.

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"Thanne," quod she, "for as mochel' as thou hast knowen which is thilke verray blisfulnesse, and eek whiche thilke thinges ben that lyen falsly blisfulnesse, that is to seyn, that by deceite semen verray goodes, now behoveth thee to knowe whennes and where thou mowe 10 seke thilke verray blisfulnesse." "Certes," quod I, "that desire I greetly, and have abiden " longe tyme to herknen it.'

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"But for as moche," quod she, "as it lyketh " to my disciple Plato, in his book of 'in Timeo,' that in right litel thinges men sholden bisechen 13 the help of God, what jugest thou that be now to done, so that we may deserve to finde the sete 15 of thilke verray good?"

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"Certes," quod I, "I deme " that we shollen clepen 17 the Fader of alle goodes; for withouten him nis ther no bing founden a-right." "Thou seyst a-right," quod she; and bigan anon to singen right thus:

METRE IX

"O thou Fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest this world by perdurable 18 resoun, that comaundest the tymes to gon 19 from 20 sin 21 that age 22 hadde beginninge; thou that dwellest thy-self ay stedefast and stable, and yevest 23 alle othre thinges to ben moeved; 24 ne foreine 25 causes necesseden 26 thee never to compoune27 werk of floteringe 28 matere, but only the forme of soverein " good y-set with-in thee with-oute envye, that moevede thee freely. Thou that art alder-fayrest,30 beringe31 the faire world in thy thought, formedest this world to the lykenesse semblable of that faire world in thy thought. Thou drawest al thing of thy soverein 20 ensaumpler," and comaundest that this world, parfitliche y-maked, have

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freely and absolut his parfit parties.' Thou bindest the elements by noumbres proporcionables, that the colde thinges mowen acorden with the hote thinges, and the drye thinges with the moiste thinges; that the fyr, that is purest, ne flee nat over hye, ne that the hevinesse ne drawe nat adoun over lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres. Thou knittest to-gider the mene sowle of treble kinde, moevinge alle thinges, and devydest it by membres acordinge; and whan it is thus devyded, it hath asembled a moevinge in-to two roundes; it goth to torne ayein to him-self, and envirouneth a ful deep thought, and torneth the hevene by semblable 10 image. Thou by evene-lyke " causes enhansest the sowles and the lasse 12 lyves, and, ablinge 13 hem heye " by lighte cartes,15 thou sowest 10 hem in-to hevene and in-to erthe; and whan they ben converted" to thee by thy benigne lawe, thou makest hem retorne ayein to thee by ayein-ledinge 1o fyr.

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"O Fader, yive 20 thou to the thought to styen " up in-to thy streite 22 sete,23 and graunte him to enviroune the welle of good; and, the lighte y-founde, graunte him to fichen 24 the clere sightes of his corage 25 in thee. And scater thou and to-breke 20 thou the weightes and the cloudes of erthely hevinesse, and shyne thou by thy brightnesse. For thou art cleernesse; thou art peysible 27 reste to debonaire 28 folk; thou thy-self art biginninge, berer, leder, path, and terme; to loke on thee, that is our ende." 30

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reeding in the Bible, namelich' in the historial parties of the Oold Testament and of the Newe, is miche delectable and sweete, and drawith the reders into a devocioun and a love to God and fro love and deinte 3 of the world; as y have had her-of experience upon suche reders and upon her now-seid disposicioun. And thanne bi-cause that the seid reeding was to hem so graceful, and so delectable, and into the seid eende so profitable, it fil into her conceit forto trowe ful soone, enformyng and tising ther-to unsufficient[1] leerned clerkis, that God had mad or purveied the Bible to mennis bihove 10 after 11 as it were or bi the utterist degre of his power and kun13 for to so ordeyne, and therfore al the hoole Bible (or, as summen trowiden,15 the Newe Testament) schulde conteyne al that is to be doon in the lawe and service to God bi Cristen men, withoute nede to have ther-with eny doctrine.10 Yhe, and if y' schal seie 18 what hath be 19 seid to myn owne heering, sotheli 20 it hath be seid to me thus, "that nevere man errid bi reding or studiyng in the Bible, neither eny man myghte erre bi reeding in the Bible, and that for such cause as is now seid:" notwithstonding that ther is no book writen in the world bi which a man schal rather take an occasioun forto erre, and that for ful gode and open trewe causis, whiche ben spoken and expressid in the ij. parti " of the book clepid 22 The Just Apprising of Holi Scripture.23 But certis thei tooken her mark amys: for thei puttiden al her motyve 25 in her affeccioun or wil forto so trowe; and not in her intelleccioun or resoun; and in lijk maner doon wommen, for thei reulen hem silf as it were in alle her governauncis aftir her affeccioun and not aftir resoun, or more aftir affeccioun than after doom 26 of resoun; bicause that affeccioun in hem is ful strong and resoun in hem is litle, as for the more parti of wommen.

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And therfore even right as a man jugid amys and were foule begilid and took his mark amys, if he schulde trowe that in hony were al the cheer, al the comfort, al the thrift which is in al other mete, bi-cause that hony is swettist to him of alle othere metis; so he is begilid and takith his mark amys, if he therfore

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trowe that in Holi Scripture is al the doctrine necessarie to man for to serve God and forto kepe his lawe; bi cause that Holi Scripture is so miche1 delectable, and for 2 that bi thilk delectacioun he bringith yn myche cheer and coumfort and strengthith the wil forto the more do and suffre for God. And so me thinkith to suche men good counseil were forto seie to hem, that thei be waar of childrenys perel,* which is that bi-cause children loven sweete meetis and drinkis ful miche, therfore whanne thei comen to feestis thei feeden hem with sweete stonding-potagis and with sweete bake-metis, and leven othere substancial and necessarie metis; trowing that bi so miche tho' sweete meetis ben the more holsum, how miche more thei ben swetter than othere metis: and therfore at the laste thei geten to hem therbi bothe losse of dewe nurisching and also sumtyme vilonie.10 Certis in lijk maner y have wiste suche men, that han " So over miche yeven hem to reding in the Bible aloone, have gete to hem losse 14 of sufficient and profitable leernyng which in other wheris thei mighten have gete, and also vilonie forto avowe and warante that thei couthen 17 the trewe sentence 18 and trewe understonding of the Bible, whanne and where thei not couthen1 so understonde, neither couthen 10 mentene 20

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1 much, very 2 because 3 that same ♦ peril, danger A dish made variously of boiled apples, sweet wine, honey or sugar and currants, almonds, etc. Recipes are given in Two Fifteenth Century Cook-books, pp. 15 and 29. pics and pasties 10 injury

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what the ther ynne understoden, and also forto avowe and warante that in the Bible were miche more and profitabiler and of other soort kunnyng' than can ther-yn be founde. And therfore to alle suche men mai be seid what is seid Proverbs XXV. č.2 in sentence thus: Thou hast founde hony, ete therof what is ynough and no more; lest thou overfillid caste it up out ayen, and thanne is it to thee vilonie: and what is writen aftir in the same chapiter there in sentence thus: Forto ele miche of hony is not good to the eter. So that whanne-evere thou takist upon thee forto understonde ferther in the Bible than thi wit1 may or can therto suffice withoute help of a substancial clerk, thanne etist thou of hony more than ynough, and doost ayens the bidding of Seint Poul, Romans xij. č. soone after the bigynnyng." And whanne thou attendist forto leerne Holi Scripture, and attendist not ther-with forto have eny other leernyng of philsophie or of divynite, bi thin owne studie in bookis ther-of maad' or bi teching and informacioun of sum sad clerk yovun to thee, thanne thou etist hony aloon and feedist thee with hony oonli. And this feding schal turne into thin 10 unhoolsumnes," right as if thou schuldist ete in bodili maner noon other mete than hony, it schulde not be to thee hoolsum.

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THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES

SIR THOMAS MALORY (1400?-1470) londe; for there was but russhyng and rydyng,

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LE MORTE DARTHUR

BOOK XXI. CAPITULUM IIIJ

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Than were they condesended1 that kyng Arthure and Syr Mordred shold mete betwyxte bothe theyr hoostes, and everyche of them shold brynge fourtene persones; and they came wyth thys word unto Arthure. Than sayd he, "I am glad that thys is done." And so he wente in to the felde. And whan Arthure shold departe, he warned al hys hoost that, and they see ony swerde drawen, "Look ye come on fyersly, and slee that traytour Syr Mordred, for I in noo wyse truste hym." In lyke wyse Syr Mordred warned his hoost that, "And ye see ony swerde drawen, look that ye come on fyersly, and soo slee⚫ alle that ever before you stondeth, for in no wyse I wyl not truste for thys treatyse; for I knowe wel my fader wyl be avenged on me." And soo they mette as theyr poyntemente was, and so they were agreyd and accorded thorouly; and wyn was fette' and they dranke. Ryght soo came an adder oute of a lyte hethe busshe, and hyt stonge a knyght on the foot; and whan the knyght felte hym' stongen, he looked doun and sawe the adder, and than he drewe his swerde to slee the adder, and thought

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of none other harme. And whan the hoost on bothe partyes 10 saw that swerde drawen, than they blewe beamous," trumpettes, and hornes, and shouted grymly. And so bothe hoostes dressyd 12 hem 13 to-gyders." And kyng Arthur took his hors and sayd, "Allas! thys unhappy day," and so rode to his partye; and Syr Mordred in like wyse. And never was there seen a more doolfuller bataylle in no Crysten

1 agreed 2 if 3 fiercely slay treaty appointment fetched 8 heather himself 10 sides 11 trumpets or horns 12 arranged, arrayed 13 themselves 14 together

fewnyng1 1 and strykyng, and many a grymme worde was there spoken eyder' to other, and many a dedely stroke. But ever kyng Arthur rode thorugh-oute the bataylle of Syr Mordred many tymes, and dyd ful nobly as a noble kyng shold, and at al tymes he faynted never, and Syr Mordred that day put hym in devoyr3 and in grete perylle.

And thus they faughte alle the longe day, and never stynted tyl the noble knyghtes were

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stylle tyl it was nere nyghte, and by that tyme was there an hondred thousand layed deed $ upon the down. Thenne was Arthure wode " wrothe oute of mesure, whan he sawe his peple so slayn from hym. Thenne the kyng loked aboute hym, and thenne was he ware, of al hys hoost and of al his good knyghtes were lefte no moo on lyve but two knyghtes, that one was Syr Lucan de Butlere, and his broder Syr Bedwere; and they were ful sore wounded. "Jhesu, mercy," sayd the kyng, "where are al my noble knyghtes becomen? Alas! that ever I shold see thys dolefull day, for now," sayd Arthur, "I am come to myn ende. But wolde to God that I wyste where were that traytour Syr Mordred that hath caused alle thys meschyef." Thenne was kyng Arthure ware where Syr Mordred lenyd 10 upon his swerde emonge a grete hepe of deed men. Syr Lucan, "for yonder I have espyed the "Now gyve me my spere," sayd Arthur unto traytour that alle thys woo hath wrought." "Syr, late" hym be," sayd Syr Lucan, "for he is unhappy; and yf ye passe thys unhappy day, ye shalle be ryght wel revengyd upon hym. dreme, and what the spyryte of Syr Gauwayn Good lord, remembre ye of your nyghtes tolde you this nyght, yet God of his grete goodnes hath preserved you hyderto; therfore for Goddes sake, my lord, leve of 12 by thys,13 for blessyd by "God, ye have wonne the felde;

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