sig: [A1] | |
¶Here begynneth a lytell prosses or matter called the chaunce of the dolorous louer newely compyled or made by Crystofer_Goodwyn The yere of our Lorde god. a .M.ccccc.xx. | |
sig: [A1v] | |
¶The prologue of the auctour. |
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Vpon a certayne tyme as it befell | |
I was all pensyfe and thoughtfull in my herte | |
For sondry thynges whiche I knewe full well | |
Coude not be remedyed as touchynge my parte | |
5 | Wherfore I ymagynynge from me to astarte |
Suche thoughtes and fantasies comynge thrugh yde[l]nes ydelnes] ydenes 1520 | |
And euen so I began this lytell mater or prosses | |
For as I haue redde in bokes and in storyes olde | |
Of all vyces the chefe rote of Idelnes | |
10 | And yf it be as wyse men haue tolde |
Whiche veryfyenge of the same playnly dyde expres | |
That of all synnes Slouthe is chefe maystres | |
Into the whiche lest I sholde fall I made for fere | |
This treatyse callyd the chaunce of the dolorous louer | |
15 | Not for no prasynge but my spyrytes to wake |
Whiche at that tyme were full rude and dull | |
And so I you requyer that you wyll it take | |
Whiche that dothe entende for to rede it full | |
Or it to here and so I trust that you wyll | |
20 | That slouthe to auoyde whiche enemy is to vertue |
Thys werke I toke in honde that after dothe ensewe | |
¶Thus endeth the prologue. |
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sig:
A2
¶Here fo[lo]weth a lytell treatyse called The chaunce of the dolorous louer.
foloweth] foweth 1520
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AS it fortuned me for to passe | |
Thrughe straunge countres my solace to take. | |
Whan the feldes were resplendent and couered with grasse | |
And with swete herbes and floures delycate | |
5 | And byrdes melodyously syngynge on euery busshe or stake |
I mene in the pleasaunt tyme of Autom | |
Whiche nexte vnto vere may haue the chefe rome | |
And thus as I rode my-selfe all a_lone | |
Musynge of thynges that were in tymes past | |
10 | By the space of thre dayes and than aboute none |
My waye I dyde lose by rydynge ouer-fast | |
Than I was full sory yet at the last | |
A pleasaunt way I founde I thanke god of his grace | |
In whiche I entred and rode in an esye pace | |
15 | For my Iournayes whiche I had the dayes afore |
And also the wayes that I had reden wronge | |
Had made me full wery and also faynte and sore | |
That ferther on my hors I coude not endure longe | |
Wherfore I thought me to rest and with that I herde a songe | |
20 | Nere-by whiche was so melodyous and swete |
That all my werynes I dyde all forgete | |
sig: [A2v] | |
¶To knowe what it myght be I had grete purpose | |
Wherfore thyderwarde full fast I dyde me hye | |
And then before me I sawe a grene close | |
25 | Enuyronned with grete trees and hedges full strongly |
Yet not-withstandynge I entred pryuely | |
In at the gate wiche open then I founde | |
And there I tyed my horse and lyghted on the grounde. | |
¶And whan I within this close entred was | |
30 | Beynge nothynge rounde but of compas quadrant |
I behelde it well in euery corner and place | |
Sayenge to my-selfe that suche another skant | |
Coulde not be founde of floures so habundaunt | |
As was this lytell close whiche before truely | |
35 | I herde the songe that was songe so swetely |
¶And in beholdynge this felde rounde aboute | |
Ryght agaynst me then dyde I espye | |
A waye whiche as this close wente out | |
Also in another place truely | |
40 | I sawe a byrde whiche sange full hye |
Vpon foure floures castynge so swete a sauour | |
Yt they quyckened my spyrytes with theyr doulcet odour | |
¶And euer this byrde full plesauntly dyde synge | |
With her sugered notes very lowde and shyll | |
45 | That all aboute the place her Iocounde voyce dyd rynge |
Whom dylygently to here I stode full softe and styll | |
And to vnderstonde I fyxed my mynde and wyll | |
The dytte of her songe whyche was so certayne | |
God sende euery true louer his lady to optayne | |
sig: A3 | |
50 | ¶Than to this swete byrde or auys [I drewe my-selfe] nere Upper margin trimmed. |
And as I wente I stombled on a busshe | |
And almost had a fall and with a ragged bryere | |
I was constrayned to make a grete russhe | |
Wher-with she was a_ferde and sodaynly dyde flusshe | |
55 | And wolde no longer tary but with all her myght |
From thens I wyst not whyther fast she toke her flyght | |
¶Than I was full sory whan I sawe her gone | |
Not-withstondynge I knewe there was no remedy | |
And streyght vnto the place I walked all alone | |
60 | From whiche a lytell before I dyde se her flye |
And whan I was this foresayd place by | |
I wyst not well wheder I dyde wake or slepe | |
So grete a swetnes in-to my stomake dyde bete | |
¶And whan I was reuyued and come to my-selfe agayne | |
65 | I behelde the meruaylous facyon of this foresayd place |
Whiche was square and also lowe and playne | |
Compassed rounde about with hye herbes and gras | |
So that no man myght se in but at one space | |
Whiche was opyn wherin to entre I dyde purpose | |
70 | Thynkynge there my-selfe for to repose |
¶And whan I had entred in this lytell gardyn grene | |
Whiche full smothe and lowe was with herbes | |
In all my lyfe I had ne[u]er sene | |
An arbour that was so pleasant I_wys | |
75 | Wherin stode in the myddes |
Of this sayd place foure delycyous floures | |
Castynge meruaylous swete and delycyous sauoures | |
sig: [A3v] | |
[¶Vnto the whiche] I wente and downe by them dyd lye Upper margin trimmed. | |
And ouer this as I lay ryght well I dyde beholde | |
80 | What herbes and floures they were yf I coude dyscry |
Then of all theyr names I myght rede as I wolde | |
The fyrst letters whiche were of beten golde | |
Syngulerly set on euery floure aboue | |
Growyng after the maner of a goodly trewe-loue | |
85 | The fyrste floure to my thynkynge was of a crymsyn pure |
Hauynge an A wryten hym vpon | |
Whiche stode for the fyrst letter of his name I was ryght sure | |
Yet what floure it was I lay musynge longe | |
And whan I had all studyed yet knewe I none | |
90 | Name that it had wherfore I was ryght sore |
For it passed all other in swetenes and beaute | |
The seconde floure was a vyolet full swete | |
That had on hym wryten of hys name the fyrst lettre | |
Whiche was an .V. bothe fayre and grete | |
95 | In all the worlde coude not be a better |
The .iij. herbe or floure whiche myght none be swetter | |
Was Isope of sauour bothe good and holsome | |
Whiche had for his name an I vpon hym wryten | |
¶The souerayne herbe sauge was the fourte | |
100 | Whiche all other herbes in vertue dothe excell |
As in olde tyme wyse men dyde reporte | |
Whiche had wryten vpon hym an .S. as I you tell | |
For the fyrste letter of his name meruaylously well | |
And than full well I knewe these herbes amonge | |
105 | Sate this lytell byrde or auys syngynge of her songe |
sig: [A4] | |
¶All these foure floures so swete and delectable | |
Grewe lyke a trewe-loue as I be_fore dyde tell | |
Hauynge this golde lettres without ony fable | |
Eche one his owne whiche I to_geder dyde spell | |
110 | And whan I had set them to_gyder than I knewe wel |
That it was the name of my true loue | |
Whome specyally I desyryd nexte god aboue | |
And thus whan I had rede the name of my lady dere | |
From w[h]ome I was departed not longe afore whome] wome 1520 | |
115 | Sodaynly was chaunged all my mery chere |
And my herte began to be full heuy and sore | |
With greuous grones and syghes more and more | |
So than in fayth it was no grete wondre | |
Though in a hundrede peaces it had brast a_sondre | |
120 | ¶From her the departynge to me so greuous was |
Whome to the sayd floures full well lyken I myght | |
She is so goodly and beautefull of face | |
So curteys so gentyll so amyable and so bryght | |
That in the wyde worlde suche another wy[gh]t wyght] wyhgt 1520 | |
125 | Coude not be founde so full of grace and goodnes |
As is this myne owne swete lady and maystres | |
¶And whan I had ben a longe tyme in this heuynes | |
The absence of my loue ryght peteously be_waylynge | |
It came to my mynde my sorowes to releys | |
130 | Some balade to make whiche that I myght synge |
And thus I began ryght dolorously wepynge | |
By_cause of her the syghte I had lost | |
Whome in this worlde I desyre moost | |
sig: [A4v] | |
¶Here-after foloweth the balade of the dolorous louer. |
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O Myserable creature wrapped all in wo | |
135 | Full well may I complayne both morne and wepe |
Syth my louely lady I am departed fro | |
That was so gentell so goodly fayre and swete | |
So dulcet a byrde or auys a man can not gete | |
Wherfore I maye saye alas my mortall payne. | |
140 | From her the departynge full nyghe hath me slayne. |
sig: B1 | |
¶Sle me it wyll ye and that ryght shortely | |
Without that I maye within a lytell space | |
Haue of her a syghte or elles ryght gladly | |
Wolde I dye euen in this same place | |
145 | And neuer to se no-body more in the face |
Wherfore I beseche dame venus aboue | |
To sende me agayne the syght of my true loue | |
¶Alas vnfortunate man what thynge dyd I mene | |
Frome her whan I departed whome I so moche set by | |
150 | Alas nowe out of her fauoure clene |
I shall be caste than may I bothe sobbe and cry | |
And also to be sorowfull euer tyll I dye | |
Wherfore alas my mortall payne | |
Frome her to departe full nyghe hathe me slayne | |
155 | ¶O rubycunde ruby and perle moost oryent |
O gyloffer gentyll and swete floure-delyce gyloffer: =gillyflower | |
O daynty dyamounde and moost resp[l]endent resplendent] respendent 1520 | |
O doulset blossome of a full grete pryce | |
O swete maystres aboue all creatures mooste wyse creatures] creatueres 1520 | |
160 | Wherfore I beseche dame venus aboue |
To sende me agayne the syght of you my true loue | |
¶In vertue to Magulon I maye you well acounte | |
In wysdome to lady Florypes ye do insewe | |
In mekenes Gryselde ye do surmounte | |
165 | In stedfastnes to Clerymounde that lady true |
In beaute to the lady Eglantyne I maye deme you | |
And euer alas my mortall payne | |
Frome you the departynge full nyghe hath me slayne | |
sig: [B1v] | |
¶Also foure letters ye haue in your name | |
170 | In tokenynge of loue ye sholde be true |
Of whiche these floures haue the same | |
That be so swete and full of vertue | |
Wherfore to theym I may well lyken you | |
And yet I beseche dame venus aboue | |
175 | To sende me agayne the syght of my true loue |
¶This floure vnknowen and vyolet in swetenes | |
This Isope so holsome thys sage so souerayn a thynge | |
You passe and excell thrughe your goo[d]nes goodnes] goones 1520 | |
Also to this byrde or auys that here a_fore dyde synge | |
180 | With your dulcet voyece ye maye be lykened my dere swetynge |
But euer alas my mortall payne | |
Frome you the departynge well-nyghe hathe me slayne | |
¶Alas dere lady ye be myne onely hope | |
My Ioye my herte and the substaunce of my lyfe | |
185 | My payne my sorowe and also my dethe god wote |
Agaynst whiche I can make no maner of stryfe | |
Nor other remedy I knowe but styll morne and syghe | |
And yet I beseche dame venus aboue | |
To sende me agayne the syght of my true loue | |
190 | ¶That I myght to your goodly parsone declare |
How faythefull I haue ben how stedfast and how true | |
But alas I fere that ye be voyde and bare | |
Of pyte and compassyon whiche I full sore may rewe | |
For then my wo and sorowe shall renewe | |
195 | Wherfore alas my mortall payne |
From you the departynge well-neyghe hath me slayne | |
sig: B2 | |
¶Alas I trowe a Iewe on me wolde take compassyon | |
Knowynge my faythfulnes and my louynge herte | |
Which euer to her I haue borne with all my hole entencion | |
200 | And styll purpose to do and neuer for to reuerte |
From her my mynde thoughe she vntrewe astarte | |
And yet I beseche dame venus aboue | |
To sende me agayne the syght of her whome I do loue | |
Alas to call her vntrue I am gretely to blame | |
205 | Seynge that as yet I neuer shewed my mynde |
Vnto her goodnes alas I durste not for shame | |
Wherfore I am yet in good hope that I shall her fynde | |
To me her owne true seruaunte bothe louynge and kynde | |
And yet alas my mortall payne | |
210 | Frome her the departynge full nyghe hathe me slayne |
¶She is so gentell so louely and so meke | |
So fayre so swete so good to more and les | |
That whan I on her thynke I wene my herte shal breke | |
For the loue of her I am in so grete dystres | |
215 | Whiche is myne owne dere lady and maystres |
Wherfore I beseche dame venus aboue | |
To sende me agayne the syght of my true loue | |
¶Of all her goodnes what sholde I more endyght | |
The halfe wherof it wolde not well suffyse | |
220 | For to be declared in an hole seuyn-nyght |
If styll therat syt I sholde and neuer for to ryse | |
She is so beautefull so curtyes and so wyse | |
Wherfore alas my mortall payne | |
Frome her the departynge full nyghe hath me slayne | |
sig: [B2v] | |
225 | ¶Alas at this tyme I maye no more synge |
I feble my herte so fele and so sore | |
With lamentacyons and contynuall wepynge | |
Whiche doth in_dure euer more and more | |
Wherfore adue the best that euer was bore | |
230 | Alwaye besechynge dame venus aboue |
To sende me agayne the syght of my trewe loue | |
¶Adue my swetynge adue my darlynge dere | |
Adue my helthe and solas with paynes smarte | |
Adue the goodlyest that euer lyfe dyde bere | |
235 | Adue for whome I am bothe pale and swarte |
Yet crystes dere blessynge haue swete-herte | |
But euer alas my mortall payne | |
Frome you the departynge full nyghe hath me slayne | |
¶Adue adue my lyfe so swete | |
240 | Adue my dethe so sherpe and stronge |
Adue fayre byrde and auys so dulset | |
Adue for euer I cannot endure longe | |
Wherfore this is the last of my songe | |
Yet or I dye I beseche dame venus aboue | |
245 | To sende me agayne the syght of my true loue |
¶Here endeth the balade of the dolorous louer and fo[lo]weth of the aduenture that happened vnto hym shewed by vysyon in his slepe foloweth] foweth 1520
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sig: B3 | |
¶And thus whan I had of this balade made an ende | |
I began ryght strongely to sobbe syghe and wepe | |
Besechynge dame venus some conforte me to sende | |
And from all parelles my dere herte for to kepe | |
250 | And then for pure werynes I fell in a lytell slepe |
And as I slepte me-thought the foresayd auys | |
To me dyde come and bad me aryse | |
¶Saynge o thou slouthfull man and full of ydylnes | |
Wenest thou with slouggynge thy lady to optayne slouggynge: =slugging, 'playing the sluggard' | |
255 | Or by alone complaynynge her sorowes to redres |
Nay nay it must be throug[h]e grete labour and payne throughe] througe 1520 | |
And here thou doost but spende thy tyme in vayne | |
Wherfore I the counsayle that shortly to her thou go | |
Elles thy [m]ynde and purpose shalte thou neuer come to | |
260 | And be nothynge agast to shewe to her playne |
All thy mynde and wyll requyrynge her of grace | |
And when she knoweth the trouth then wyll she agayne | |
Some conforte the gyue and that within shorte space | |
Otherwyse loke neuer thy wyll to brynge to passe | |
265 | Farewell for I go hens and loke thou take good hede |
Vnto my forsayd wordes yf thou purpose to spede Vnto] Vnto to 1520 | |
¶Than out of my slepe sodaynly I made abrayde | |
And loked rounde aboute but nothynge I coude aspy | |
And than I remembred what the byrde to me had sayd | |
270 | And in my secrete mynde I prynted it surely |
Sayenge that I wolde do after it for me-thought truely | |
It was the best counsayll [that I] herde my lyfe-dayes that I] I that 1520 | |
Wherfore I concluded to ryse and go my wayes | |
sig: [B3v] | |
¶And whan I was vp I wente a full softe pace | |
275 | Vnto my horse whome I lefte behynde |
Whan I wente the songe to here and in the same place | |
Where-as I hym lefte I dyde hym fynde | |
Vppon whome I lyght all thoughtfull in my mynde | |
And rode forthe on my way besechynge our lorde Iesu | |
280 | To kepe my lady and me and all louers that be true |
AMEN | |
¶ Lenuoy of the auctour. |
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¶Go forthe lytell quayre with full due reuerence | |
Vnto the prynces of beauty souerayne | |
And the humbly submyt vnto her magnyfycence | |
Requyrynge her to take not in dysdayne | |
5 | This lytell werke whiche with grete labour and payne |
Her goodnes to declare I toke on honde to make | |
Though I vnworthy were suche thynges to vnder-take | |
Wherfore I beseche all you that shall ouer-rede | |
This lytell proses to haue me in no skornynge | |
10 | Nor me to dysprayse thoughe I so rudely enterprysed |
Suche maters to take in honde to me nothynge pertainynge | |
But where-as is amys there to be amendynge | |
Thus I you pray with my hole affeccyon | |
Whiche entendeth to rede or thys dytte to loke vppon | |
Finis. |
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¶Imprynted at London in Flete_strete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynkyn_de_Worde. |