Geoffrey Chaucer - The Nun's Priest's Tale lyrics

A povre wydwe, somdeel stape in age 2821 Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage, 2822 Biside a grove, stondynge in a dale. 2823 This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale, 2824 Syn thilke day that she was last a wyf, 2825 In pacience ladde a ful symple lyf, 2826 For litel was hir catel and hir rente. 2827 By housbondrie of swich as God hire sente 2828 She foond hirself and eek hir doghtren two. 2829 Thre large sowes hadde she, and namo, 2830 Three keen, and eek a sheep that highte malle. 2831 Ful sooty was hire bour and eek hir halle, 2832 In which she eet ful many a sklendre meel. 2833 Of poynaunt sauce hir neded never a deel. 2834 No deyntee morsel pa**ed thurgh hir throte; 2835 Hir diete was accordant to hir cote. 2836 Repleccioun ne made hire nevere sik; 2837 Attempree diete was al hir phisik, 2838 And exercise, and hertes suffisaunce. 2839 The goute lette hire nothyng for to daunce, 2840 N' apoplexie shente nat hir heed. 2841 No wyn ne drank she, neither whit ne reed; 2842 Hir bord was served moost with whit and blak, -- 2843 Milk and broun breed, in which she foond no lak, 2844 Seynd bacoun, and somtyme an ey or tweye; 2845 For she was, as it were, a maner deye. 2846 A yeerd she hadde, enclosed al aboute 2847 With stikkes, and a drye dych withoute, 2848 In which she hadde a cok, hight chauntecleer. 2849 In al the land, of crowyng nas his peer. 2850 His voys was murier than the murie orgon 2851 On messe-dayes that in the chirche gon. 2852 Wel sikerer was his crowyng in his logge 2853 Than is a clokke or an abbey orlogge. 2854 By nature he knew ech ascencioun 2855 Of the equynoxial in thilke toun; 2856 For whan degrees fiftene weren ascended, 2857 Thanne crew he, that it myghte nat been amended. 2858 His coomb was redder than the fyn coral, Page 200 2859 And batailled as it were a castel wal; 2860 His byle was blak, and as the jeet it shoon; 2861 Lyk asure were his legges and his toon; 2862 His nayles whitter than the lylye flour, 2863 And lyk the burned gold was his colour. 2864 This gentil cok hadde in his governaunce 2865 Sevene hennes for to doon al his plesaunce, 2866 Whiche were his sustres and his paramours, 2867 And wonder lyk to hym, as of colours; 2868 Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte 2869 Was cleped faire damoysele pertelote. 2870 Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire, 2871 And compaignable, and bar hyrself so faire, 2872 Syn thilke day that she was seven nyght oold, 2873 That trewely she hath the herte in hoold 2874 Of chauntecleer, loken in every lith; 2875 He loved hire so that wel was hym therwith. 2876 But swich a joye was it to here hem synge, 2877 Whan that the brighte sonne gan to sprynge, 2878 In sweete accord, my lief is faren in londe! 2879 For thilke tyme, as I have understonde, 2880 Beestes and briddes koude speke and synge. 2881 And so bifel that in a dawenynge, 2882 As chauntecleer among his wyves alle 2883 Sat on his perche, that was in the halle, 2884 And next hym sat this faire pertelote, 2885 This chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte, 2886 As man that in his dreem is drecched soore. 2887 And whan that pertelote thus herde hym roore, 2888 She was agast, and seyde, herte deere, 2889 What eyleth yow, to grone in this manere? 2890 Ye been a verray sleper; fy, for shame! 2891 And he answerde, and seyde thus: madame, 2892 I pray yow that ye take it nat agrief. 2893 By god, me mette I was in swich meschief 2894 Right now, that yet myn herte is soore afright. 2895 Now god, quod he, my swevene recche aright, 2896 And kepe my body out of foul prisoun! 2897 Me mette how that I romed up and doun 2898 Withinne our yeerd, wheer as I saugh a beest 2899 Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areest 2900 Upon my body, and wolde han had me deed. 2901 His colour was bitwixe yelow and reed, 2902 And tipped was his tayl and bothe his eeris 2903 With blak, unlyk the remenant of his heeris; 2904 His snowte smal, with glowynge eyen tweye. 2905 Yet of his look for feere almoost I deye; 2906 This caused me my gronyng, doutelees. 2907 Avoy! quod she, fy on yow, hertelees! 2908 Allas! quod she, for, by that God above, 2909 Now han ye lost myn herte and al my love. 2910 I kan nat love a coward, by my feith! 2911 For certes, what so any womman seith, 2912 We alle desiren, if it myghte bee, 2913 To han housbondes hardy, wise, and free, 2914 And secree, and no nygard, ne no fool, 2915 Ne hym that is agast of every tool, 2916 Ne noon avauntour, by that God above! 2917 How dorste ye seyn, for shame, unto youre love 2918 That any thyng myghte make yow aferd? 2919 Have ye no mannes herte, and han a berd? 2920 Allas! and konne ye been agast of swevenys? 2921 Nothyng, God woot, but vanitee in sweven is. 2922 Swevenes engendren of replecciouns, 2923 And ofte of fume and of complecciouns, 2924 Whan humours been to habundant in a wight. 2925 Certes this dreem, which ye han met to-nyght, 2926 Cometh of the greete superfluytee 2927 Of youre rede colera, pardee, 2928 Which causeth folk to dreden in hir dremes 2929 Of arwes, and of fyr with rede lemes, 2930 Of rede beestes, that they wol hem byte, 2931 Of contek, and of whelpes, grete and lyte; 2932 Right as the humour of malencolie 2933 Causeth ful many a man in sleep to crie 2934 For feere of blake beres, or boles blake, 2935 Or elles blake develes wole hem take. 2936 Of othere humours koude I telle also 2937 That werken many a man sleep ful wo; 2938 But I wol pa**e as lightly as I kan. 2939 Lo catoun, which that was so wys a man, 2940 Seyde he nat thus, -- ne do no fors of dremes? -- 2941 Now sire, quod she, whan we flee for the bemes, 2942 For goddes love, as taak som laxatyf. 2943 Up peril of my soule and of my lyf, 2944 I conseille yow the beste, I wol nat lye, 2945 That bothe of colere and of malencolye 2946 Ye purge yow; and for ye shal nat tarie, 2947 Though in this toun is noon apothecarie, 2948 I shal myself to gerbes techen yow 2949 That shul been for youre hele and for youre prow; 2950 And in oure yeerd tho herbes shal I fynde 2951 The whiche han of hire propretee by kynde 2952 To purge yow bynethe and eek above. 2953 Foryet nat this, for goddes owene love! 2954 Ye been ful coleryk of compleccioun; 2955 Ware the sonne in his ascencioun 2956 Ne fynde yow nat repleet of humours hoote. 2957 And if it do, I dar wel leye a grote, Page 201 2958 That ye shul have a fevere tercaine, 2959 Of an agu, that may be youre bane. 2960 A day or two ye shul have digestyves 2961 Of wormes, er ye take youre laxatyves 2962 Of lawriol, centaure, and fumetere, 2963 Or elles of ellebor, that groweth there, 2964 Of katapuce, or of gaitrys beryis, 2965 Of herbe yve, growyng in oure yeerd, ther mery is; 2966 Pekke hem up right as they growe and ete hem yn. 2967 By myrie, housbonde, for youre fader kyn~ 2968 Dredeth no dreem, I kan sey yow namoore. 2969 Madame, quod he, graunt mercy of youre loore. 2970 But nathelees, as touchyng daun catoun, 2971 That hath of wysdom swich a greet renoun, 2972 Though that he bad no dremes for to drede, 2973 By god, men may in olde bookes rede 2974 Of many a man moore of auctorite 2975 Than evere caton was, so moot I thee, 2976 That al the revers seyn of this sentence, 2977 And han wel founden by experience 2978 That dremes been significaciouns 2979 As wel of joye as of tribulaciouns 2980 That folk enduren in this lif present. 2981 Ther nedeth make of this noon argument; 2982 The verray preeve sheweth it in dede. 2983 Oon of the gretteste auctour that men rede 2984 Seith thus: that whilom two felawes wente 2985 On pilgrimage, in a ful good entente; 2986 And happed so, yhey coomen in a toun 2987 Wher as ther was swich congregacioun 2988 Of peple, and eek so streit of herbergage, 2989 That they ne founde as muche as cotage 2990 In which they bothe myghte ylogged bee. 2991 Wherfore they mosten of necessitee, 2992 As for that nyght,departen compaignye; 2993 And ech of hem gooth to his hostelrye, 2994 And took his loggyng as it wolde falle. 2995 That oon of hem was logged in a stalle, 2996 Fer in a yeerd, with oxen of the plough; 2997 That oother man was logged wel ynough, 2998 As was his aventure or his fortune, 2999 That us governeth alle as in commune. 3000 And so bifel that, longe er it were day, 3001 This man mette in his bed, ther as he lay 3002 How that his felawe gan upon hym calle, 3003 And seyde,, -- allas! for in an oxes stalle 3004 This nyght I shal be mordred ther I lye. 3005 Now help me,deere brother, or I dye. 3006 In alle haste com to me! -- he sayde. 3007 This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde; 3008 But whan that he was wakened of this sleep, 3009 He turned hym, and took of this no keep. 3010 Hym thoughte his dreem nas but a vanitte. 3011 Thus twies in his slepyng dremed hee; 3012 And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe 3013 Cam, as hym thoughte, and seide, -- I am now slawe. 3014 Bihood my bloody woundes depe and wyde! 3015 Arys up erly in the morwe tyde, 3016 And at the west gate of the toun, -- quod he, 3017 -- A carte ful of dong ther shaltow se, 3018 In which my body is hid ful prively; 3019 Do thilke carte arresten boldely. 3020 My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn., 3021 And tolde hym every point how he was slayn, 3022 With a ful pitous face, pale of hewe. 3023 And truste wel, his dreem he foond ful trewe, 3024 For on the morwe, as soone as it was day, 3025 To his felawes in he took the way; 3026 And whan that he cam to his oxes stalle, 3027 After his felawe he bigan to calle. 3028 The hostiler answerede hym anon, 3029 And seyde,,sire, your felawe is agon. 3030 As soone as day he wente out of the toun., 3031 This man gan fallen suspecioun, 3032 Remembrynge on his dremes that he mette, 3033 And forth he gooth no lenger wolde he lette 3034 Unto the west gate of the toun, and fond 3035 A dong carte, wente as it were to donge lond, 3036 That was arrayed in that same wise 3037 As ye han herd the dede man devyse. 3038 And with an hardy herte he gan to crye 3039 Vengeance and justice of this felonye. 3040 My felawe mordred is this same nyght, 3041 And in this carte he lith gapyng upright. 3042 I crye out on the ministres, -- quod he, 3043 -- That sholden kepe and reulen this citee. 3044 Harrow! allas! heere lith my felawe slayn! -- 3045 What sholde I moore unto this tale sayn? 3046 The peple out sterte and caste the cart to grounde, 3047 And in the myddel of the dong they founde 3048 The dede man, that mordred was al newe. 3049 O blisful god, that art so just and trewe, 3050 Lo, how that thou biwryest mordre alway! 3051 Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. 3052 Mordre is so wlatsom and abhomynable 3053 To god, that is so just and resonable, 3054 That he ne wol nat suffre it heled be, 3055 Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or thre. 3056 Mordre wol out, this my conclusioun. Page 202 3057 And right anon, ministres of that toun 3058 Han hent the carter and so soore hym pyned, 3059 And eek the hostiler so soore engyned, 3060 That they biknewe hire wikkednesse anon, 3061 And were anhanged by the nekke bon. 3062 Heere may men seen that dremes been to drede. 3063 And certes in the same book I rede, 3064 Right in the nexte chapitre after this 3065 I gabbe nat, so have I joye or blis 3066 Two men that wolde han pa**ed over see, 3067 For certeyn cause, into a fer contree, 3068 If that the wynd ne hadde been contrarie, 3069 That made hem in a citee for to tarie 3070 That stood ful myrie upon an haven-syde; 3071 But on a day, agayn the even-tyde, 3072 The wynd gan chaunge, and blew right as hem leste. 3073 Jolif and glad they wente unto hir reste, 3074 And casten hem ful erly for to saille. 3075 But to that o man fil a greet mervaille: 3076 That oon of hem,in slepyng as he lay, 3077 Hym mette a wonder dreem agayn the day. 3078 Hym thoughte a man stood by his beddes syde, 3079 And hym comanded that he sholde abyde, 3080 And seyde hym thus: -- if thou tomorwe wende, 3081 Thow shalt be dreynt; my tale is at an ende. 3082 He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette, 3083 And preyde hym his viage for to lette; 3084 As for that day, he preyde hym to byde. 3085 His felawe, that lay by his beddes syde, 3086 Gan for to laughe, and scorned him ful faste. 3087 -- no dreem, -- quod he, -- may so myn herte agaste 3088 That I wol lette for to do my thynges. 3089 I sette nat a straw by thy dremynges, 3090 For swevenes been but vantees and japes. 3091 Men dreme alday of owles and of apes, 3092 And eek of many a maze therwithal; 3093 Men dreme of thyng that nevere was ne shal. 3094 But sith I see that thou wolt heere abyde, 3095 And thus forslewthen wilfully thy tyde, 3096 God woot, it reweth me; and have good day! -- 3097 And thus he took his leve, and wente his way. 3098 But er that he hadde half his cours yseyled, 3099 Noot I nat why, ne what myschaunce it eyled, 3100 But casuelly the shippes botme rente, 3101 And ship and man under the water wente 3102 In sighte of othere shippes it bisyde, 3103 That with hem seyled at the same tyde. 3104 And therfore, faire pertelote so deere, 3105 By swiche ensamples olde maistow leere 3106 That no man sholde been to recchelees 3107 Of dremes; for I seye thee, doutelees, 3108 That many a dreem ful soore is for to drede. 3109 Lo, in the lyf of seint kenelm I rede, 3110 That was kenulphus sone, the noble kyng 3111 Of mercenrike, how kenelm mette a thyng. 3112 A lite er he was mordred, on a day, 3113 His mordre in his avysioun he say. 3114 His norice hym expowned every deel 3115 His sweven, and bad hym for to kepe hym weel 3116 For traisoun; but he nas but seven yeer oold, 3117 And therfore lite tale hath he toold 3118 Of any dreem, so hooly was his herte. 3119 By god! I hadde levere than my sherte 3120 That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I. 3121 Dame pertelote, I sey yow trewely, 3122 Macrobeus, that writ the avisioun 3123 In affrike of the worthy cipioun, 3124 Affermeth dremes, and seith that they been 3125 Warnynge of thynges that men after seen. 3126 And forthermoore, I pray yow, looketh wel 3127 In the olde testament, of daniel, 3128 If he heeld dremes any vanitee. 3129 Reed eek of joseph, and ther shul ye see 3130 Wher dremes be somtyme -- I sey nat alle -- 3131 Warnynge of thynges that shul after falle. 3132 Looke of egipte the kyng, daun pharao, 3133 His bakere and his butiller also, 3134 Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes. 3135 Whoso wol seken actes of sondry remes 3136 May rede of dremes many a wonder thyng. 3137 Lo cresus, which that was of lyde kyng, 3138 Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree, 3139 Which signified he sholde anhanged bee? 3140 Lo heere andromacha, ectores wyf, 3141 That day that ector sholde lese his lyf, 3142 She dremed on the same nyght biforn 3143 How that the lyf of ector sholde be lorn, 3144 If thilke day he wente into bataille. 3145 She warned hym, but it myghte nat availle; 3146 He wente for to fighte natheles, 3147 But he was slayn anon of achilles. 3148 But thilke tale is al to longe to telle, 3149 And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle. 3150 Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun, 3151 That I shal han of this avisioun 3152 Adversitee; and I seye forthermoor, 3153 That I ne telle of laxatyves no stoor, 3154 For they been venymous, I woot it weel; 3155 I hem diffye, I love hem never a deel! 3156 Now let us speke of myrthe, and stynte al this. 3157 Madame pertelote, so have I blis, 3158 Of o thyng God hath sent me large grace; Page 203 3159 For whan I se the beautee of youre face, 3160 Ye been so scarlet reed aboute youre yen, 3161 It maketh al my drede for to dyen; 3162 For al so siker as in principio, 3163 Mulier est hominis confusio, -- 3164 Madame, the sentence of this latyn is, 3165 -- womman is mannes joye and al his blis. -- 3166 For whan I feele a-nyght your softe syde, 3167 Al be it that I may nat on yow ryde, 3168 For that oure perche is maad so narwe, allas! 3169 I am so ful of joye and of solas, 3170 That I diffye bothe sweven and dreem. 3171 And with that word he fley doun fro the beem, 3172 For it was day, and eke his hennes alle, 3173 And with a chuk he gan hem for to calle, 3174 For he hadde founde a corn, lay in the yerd. 3175 Real he was, he was namoore aferd. 3176 He fethered pertelote twenty tyme, 3177 And trad hire eke as ofte, er it was pryme. 3178 He looketh as it were a grym leoun, 3179 And on his toos he rometh up and doun; 3180 Hym deigned nat to sette his foot to grounde. 3181 He chukketh whan he hath a corn yfounde, 3182 And to hym rennen thanne his wyves alle. 3183 Thus roial, as a prince is in his halle, 3184 Leve I this chauntecleer in his pasture, 3185 And after wol I telle his aventure. 3186 Whan that the month in which the world bigan, 3187 That highte march, whan God first maked man, 3188 Was compleet, and pa**ed were also, 3189 Syn march bigan, thritty dayes and two, 3190 Bifel that chauntecleer in al his pryde, 3191 His sevene wyves walkynge by his syde, 3192 Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne, 3193 That in the signe of taurus hadde yronne 3194 Twenty degrees and oon, and somwhat moore, 3195 And knew by kynde, and by noon oother loore, 3196 That it was pryme, and crew with blisful stevene. 3197 The sonne, he seyde, is clomben up on-evene 3198 Fourty degrees and oon, and moore ywis. 3199 Madame pertelote, my worldes blis, 3200 Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they synge, 3201 And se the fresshe floures how they sprynge; 3202 Ful is myn herte of revel and solas! 3203 But sodeynly hym fil a sorweful cas, 3204 For evere the latter ende of joye is wo. 3205 God woot that worldly joye is soone ago; 3206 And if a rethor koude faire endite, 3207 He in a cronycle saufly myghte it write 3208 As for a sovereyn notabilitee. 3209 Now every wys man, lat him herkne me; 3210 This storie is also trewe, I undertake, 3211 As is the book of launcelot de lake, 3212 That wommen holde in ful greet reverence. 3213 Now wol I torne agayn to my sentence. 3214 A col-fox, ful of sly iniquitee, 3215 That in th grove hadde woned yeres three, 3216 By heigh ymaginacioun forncast, 3217 The same nyght thurghout the hegges brast 3218 Into the yerd ther chauntecleer the faire 3219 Was wont, and eek his wyves, to repaire; 3220 And in a bed of wortes stille he lay, 3221 Til it was pa**ed undren of the day, 3222 Waitynge his tyme on chauntecleer to falle, 3223 As gladly doon thise homycides alle 3224 That in await liggen to mordre men. 3225 O false mordrour, lurkynge in thy den! 3226 O newe scariot, newe genylon, 3227 False dissymulour, o greek synon, 3228 That broghtest troye al outrely to sorwe! 3229 O chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe 3230 That thou into that yerd flaugh fro the bemes! 3231 Thou were ful wel ywarned by thy dremes 3232 That thilke day was perilous to thee; 3233 But what that God forwoot moot nedes bee, 3234 After the opinioun of certein clerkis. 3235 Witnesse on hym that any parfit clerk is, 3236 That in scole is greet altercacioun 3237 In this mateere, and greet disputisoun, 3238 And hath been of an hundred thousand men. 3239 But I ne kan nat bulte it to the bren 3240 As kan the hooly doctour augustyn, 3241 Or boece, or the bisshop bradwardyn, 3242 Wheither that goddes worthy forwityng 3243 Streyneth me nedely for to doon a thyng, -- 3244 Nedely clepe I symple necessitee; 3245 Or elles, if free choys be graunted me 3246 To do that same thyng, or do it noght, 3247 Though God forwoot it er that was wroght; 3248 Or if his wityng streyneth never a deel 3249 But by necessitee condicioneel. 3250 I wol nat han to do of swich mateere; 3251 My tale is of a cok, as ye may heere, 3252 That tok his conseil of his wyf, with sorwe, 3253 To walken in the yerd upon that morwe 3254 That he hadde met that dreem that I yow tolde. 3255 Wommennes conseils been ful ofte colde; 3256 Wommannes conseil broghte us first to wo, 3257 And made adam fro paradys to go, 3258 Ther as he was ful myrie and wel at ese. 3259 But for I noot to whom it myght displese, Page 204 3260 If I conseil of wommen wolde blame, 3261 Pa**e over, for I seyde it in my game. 3262 Rede auctours, where they trete of swich mateere, 3263 And what they seyn of wommen ye may heere. 3264 Thise been the cokkes wordes, and nat myne; 3265 I kan noon harm of no womman divyne. 3266 Faire in the soond, to bathe hire myrily, 3267 Lith pertelote, and alle hire sustres by, 3268 Agayn the sonne, and chauntecleer so free 3269 Soong murier than the mermayde in the see; 3270 For phisiologus seith sikerly 3271 How that they syngen wel and myrily. 3272 And so bifel that, as he caste his ye 3273 Among the wortes on a boterflye, 3274 He was war of this fox, that lay ful lowe. 3275 Nothyng ne liste hym thanne for to crowe, 3276 But cride anon, cok! cok! and up he sterte 3277 As man that was affrayed in his herte. 3278 For natureelly a beest desireth flee 3279 Fro his contrarie, if he may it see, 3280 Though he never erst hadde seyn it with his ye. 3281 This chauntecleer, whan he gan hym espye, 3282 He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon 3283 Seyde, gentil sire, allas! wher wol ye gon? 3284 Be ye affrayed of me that am youre freend? 3285 Now, certes, I were worse than a feend, 3286 If I to yow wolde harm or vileynye! 3287 I am nat come youre conseil for t' espye, 3288 But trewely, the cause of my comynge 3289 Was oonly for to herkne how that ye synge. 3290 For trewely, ye have as myrie a stevene 3291 As any aungel hath that is in hevene. 3292 Therwith ye han in musyk moore feelynge 3293 Than hadde boece, or any that kan synge. 3294 My lord youre fader -- God his soule blesse! -- 3295 And eek youre mooder, of hire gentillesse, 3296 Han in myn hous ybeen to my greet ese; 3297 And certes, sire, ful fayn wolde I yow plese. 3298 But, for men speke of syngyng, I wol seye, -- 3299 So moote I brouke wel myne eyen tweye, -- 3300 Save yow, I herde nevere man so synge 3301 As dide youre fader in the morwenynge. 3302 Certes, it was of herte, al that he song. 3303 And for to make his voys the moore strong, 3304 He wolde so peyne hym that with bothe his yen 3305 He moste wynke, so loude he wolde cryen, 3306 And stonden on his tiptoon therwithal, 3307 And strecche forth his nekke long and smal. 3308 And eek he was of swich descrecioun 3309 That ther nas no man in no regioun 3310 That hym in song or wisedom myghte pa**e. 3311 I have wel rad in -- daun burnel the a**e --, 3312 Among his vers, how that ther was a cok, 3313 For that a preestes sone yaf hym a knok 3314 Upon his leg whil he was yong and nyce, 3315 He made hym for to lese his benefice. 3316 But certeyn, ther nys no comparisoun 3317 Bitwixe the wisedom and discrecioun 3318 Of youre fader and of his subtiltee. 3319 Now syngeth, sire, for seinte charitee; 3320 Lat se, konne ye youre fader countrefete? 3321 This chauntecleer his wynges gan to bete, 3322 As man that koude his traysoun nat espie, 3323 So was he ravysshed with his flaterie. 3324 Allas! ye lordes, many a fals flatour 3325 Is in youre courtes, and many a losengeour, 3326 That plesen yow wel moore, by my feith, 3327 Than he that soothfastnesse unto yow seith. 3328 Redeth ecclesiaste of flaterye; 3329 Beth war, ye lordes, of hir trecherye. 3330 This chauntecleer stoond hye upon his toos, 3331 Strecchynge his nekke, and heeld his eyen cloos, 3332 And gan to crowe loude for the nones. 3333 And daun russell the fox stirte up atones, 3334 And by the gargat hente chauntecleer, 3335 And on his bak toward the wode hym beer, 3336 For yet ne was ther no man that hym sewed. 3337 O destinee, that mayst nat been eschewed! 3338 Allas, that chauntecleer fleigh fro the bemes! 3339 Allas, his wyf ne roghte nat of dremes! 3340 And on a friday fil al this meschaunce. 3341 o venus, that art goddesse of plesaumce, 3342 Syn that thy servant was this chauntecleer, 3343 And in thy servyce dide al his poweer, 3344 Moore for delit than world to multiplye, 3345 Why woldestow suffre hym on thy day to dye? 3346 O gaufred, deere maister soverayn, 3347 That whan thy worthy kyng richard was slayn 3348 With shot, compleynedest his deeth so soore, 3349 Why ne hadde I now thy sentence and thy loore, 3350 The friday for to chide, as diden ye? 3351 For on a friday, soothly, slayn was he. 3352 Thanne wolde I shewe yow how that I koude pleyne 3353 For chauntecleres drede and for his peyne. 3354 Certes, swich cry ne lamentacion, 3355 Was nevere of ladyes maad whan ylion 3356 Was wonne, and pirrus with his streite swerd, 3357 Whan he hadde hent kyng priam by the berd, 3358 And slayn hym, as seith us eneydos, 3359 As maden alle the hennes in the clos, 3360 Whan they had seyn of chauntecleer the sighte. Page 205 3361 But sovereynly dame pertelote shrighte 3362 Ful louder than dide hasdrubales wyf, 3363 Whan that hir housbonde hadde lost his lyf, 3364 And that the romayns hadde brend cartage. 3365 She was so ful of torment and of rage 3366 That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, 3367 And brende hirselven with a stedefast herte. 3368 O woful hennes, right so criden ye, 3369 As, whan that nero brende the citee 3370 Of rome, cryden senatoures wyves 3371 For that hir husbondes losten alle hir lyves, -- 3372 Withouten gilt this nero hath hem slayn. 3373 Now wole I turne to my tale agayn. 3374 This sely wydwe and eek hir doghtres two 3375 Herden thise hennes crie and maken wo, 3376 And out at dores stirten they anon, 3377 And syen the fox toward the grove gon, 3378 And bar upon his bak the cok away, 3379 And cryden, out! harrow! and weylaway! 3380 Ha! ha! the fox! and after hym they ran, 3381 And eek with staves many another man, 3382 Ran colle oure dogge, and talbot and gerland, 3383 And malkyn, with a dystaf in hir hand; 3384 Ran cow and calf, and eek the verray hogges, 3385 So fered for the berkyng of the dogges 3386 And shoutyng of the men and wommen eeke, 3387 They ronne so hem thoughte hir herte breeke. 3388 They yolleden as feendes doon in helle; 3389 The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle; 3390 The gees for feere flowen over the trees; 3391 Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees. 3392 So hydous was the noyse, a, benedicitee! 3393 Certes, he jakke straw and his meynee 3394 Ne made nevere shoutes half so shrille 3395 Whan that they wolden any flemyng k**e, 3396 As thilke day was maad upon the fox. 3397 Of bras they broghten bemes, and of box, 3398 Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and powped, 3399 And therwithal they skriked and they howped. 3400 It semed as that hevene sholde falle. 3401 Now, goode man, I prey yow herkenth alle: 3402 Lo, how fortune turneth sodeynly 3403 The hope and pryde eek of hir enemy! 3404 This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak, 3405 In al his drede unto the fox he spak, 3406 And seyde, sire, if that I were as ye, 3407 Yet sholde I seyn, as wys God helpe me, 3408 Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle! 3409 A verray pestilence upon yow falle! 3410 Now am I come unto the wodes syde; 3411 Maugree youre heed, the cok shal heere abyde. 3412 I wol hym ete, in feith, and that anon! 3413 The fox answerde, in feith, it shal be don. 3414 And as he spak that word, al sodeynly 3415 This cok brak from his mouth delyverly, 3416 And heighe upon a tree he fleigh anon. 3417 And whan the fox saugh that the cok was gon, 3418 Allas! quod he, o chauntecleer, allas! 3419 I have to yow, quod he, ydoon trespas, 3420 In as muche as I maked yow aferd 3421 Whan I yow hente and broghte out of the yerd. 3422 But, sire, I dide it in no wikke entente. 3423 Com doun, and I shal telle yow what I mente; 3424 I shal seye sooth to yow, God help me so! 3425 Nay thanne, quod he, I shrewe us bothe two. 3426 And first I shrewe myself, bothe blood and bones, 3427 If thou bigyle me ofter than ones. 3428 Thou shalt namoore, thurgh thy flaterye, 3429 Do me to synge and wynke with myn ye; 3430 For he that wynketh, whan he sholde see, 3431 Al wilfully, God lat him nevere thee! 3432 Nay, quod the fox, but God yeve hym meschaunce, 3433 That is so undiscreet of governaunce 3434 That jangleth whan he sholde holde his pees. 3435 Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees 3436 And necligent, and truste on flaterye. 3437 But ye that holden this tale a folye, 3438 As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, 3439 Taketh the moralite, goode men. 3440 For seint paul seith that al that writen is, 3441 To oure doctrine it is ywrite, ywis; 3442 Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille. 3443 Now, goode god, if that it be thy wille, 3444 As seith my lord, so make us alle goode men, 3445 And brynge us to his heighe blisse! amen. 3446