The House of Fame Read online

420 With him, and gan to shippe go.

  421 And yet he had y-sworn to here,

  422 On al that ever he mighte swere,

  423 That, so she saved him his lyf,

  424 He wolde have take hir to his wyf;

  425 For she desired nothing elles,

  426 In certein, as the book us telles.

  427 But to excusen Eneas

  428 Fulliche of al his greet trespas,

  429 The book seyth, Mercurie, sauns faile,

  430 Bad him go into Itaile,

  431 And leve Auffrykes regioun,

  432 And Dido and hir faire toun.

  433 Tho saw I grave, how to Itaile

  434 Daun Eneas is go to saile;

  435 And how the tempest al began,

  436 And how he loste his steresman,

  437 Which that the stere, or he took keep,

  438 Smot over-bord, lo! as he sleep.

  439 And also saw I how Sibyle

  440 And Eneas, besyde an yle,

  441 To helle wente, for to see

  442 His fader, Anchises the free.

  443 How he ther fond Palinurus,

  444 And Dido, and eek Deiphebus;

  445 And every tourment eek in helle

  446 Saw he, which is long to telle.

  447 Which who-so willeth for to knowe,

  448 He most rede many a rowe

  449 On Virgile or on Claudian,

  450 Or Daunte, that hit telle can.

  451 Tho saw I grave al tharivaile

  452 That Eneas had in Itaile;

  453 And with King Latine his tretee,

  454 And alle the batailles that he

  455 Was at him-self, and eek his knightes,

  456 Or he had al y-wonne his rightes;

  457 And how he Turnus refte his lyf,

  458 And wan Lavyna to his wyf;

  459 And al the mervelous signals

  460 Of the goddes celestials;

  461 How, maugre Iuno, Eneas,

  462 For al hir sleighte and hir compas,

  463 Acheved al his aventure;

  464 For Iupiter took of him cure

  465 At the prayere of Venus;

  466 The whiche I preye alwey save us,

  467 And us ay of our sorwes lighte!

  468 Whan I had seyen al this sighte

  469 In this noble temple thus,

  470 `A, Lord!' thoughte I, `that madest us,

  471 Yet saw I never swich noblesse

  472 Of images, ne swich richesse,

  473 As I saw graven in this chirche;

  474 But not woot I who dide hem wirche,

  475 Ne wher I am, ne in what contree.

  476 But now wol I go out and see,

  477 Right at the wiket, if I can

  478 See o-wher stering any man,

  479 That may me telle wher I am.'

  480 When I out at the dores cam,

  481 I faste aboute me beheld.

  482 Then saw I but a large feld,

  483 As fer as that I mighte see,

  484 Withouten toun, or hous, or tree,

  485 Or bush, or gras, or ered lond;

  486 For al the feld nas but of sond

  487 As smal as man may see yet lye

  488 In the desert of Libye;

  489 Ne I to maner creature,

  490 That is y-formed by nature,

  491 Ne saw, me for to rede or wisse.

  492 `O Crist,' thoughte I, `that art in blisse,

  493 Fro fantom and illusioun

  494 Me save!' and with devocioun

  495 Myn yen to the heven I caste.

  496 Tho was I war, lo! at the laste,

  497 That faste be the sonne, as hye

  498 As kenne mighte I with myn ye,

  499 Me thoughte I saw an egle sore,

  500 But that hit semed moche more

  501 Then I had any egle seyn.

  502 But this as sooth as deeth, certeyn,

  503 Hit was of golde, and shoon so bright,

  504 That never saw men such a sighte,

  505 But-if the heven hadde y-wonne

  506 Al newe of golde another sonne;

  507 So shoon the egles fethres brighte,

  508 And somwhat dounward gan hit lighte.

  Explicit liber primus.

  Book II Incipit liber secundus.

  Proem.

  509 Now herkneth, every maner man

  510 That English understonde can,

  511 And listeth of my dreem to lere;

  512 For now at erste shul ye here

  513 So selly an avisioun,

  514 That Isaye, ne Scipioun,

  515 Ne King Nabugodonosor,

  516 Pharo, Turnus, ne Elcanor,

  517 Ne mette swich a dreem as this!

  518 Now faire blisfull, O Cipris,

  519 So be my favour at this tyme!

  520 And ye, me to endyte and ryme

  521 Helpeth, that on Parnaso dwelle

  522 By Elicon the clere welle.

  523 O Thought, that wroot al that I mette,

  524 And in the tresorie hit shette

  525 Of my brayn! now shal men see

  526 If any vertu in thee be,

  527 To tellen al my dreem aright;

  528 Now kythe thyn engyne and might!

  The Dream.

  529 This egle, of which I have yow told,

  530 That shoon with fethres as of gold,

  531 Which that so hye gan to sore,

  532 I gan beholde more and more,

  533 To see hir the beautee and the wonder;

  534 But never was ther dint of thonder,

  535 Ne that thing that men calle foudre,

  536 That smoot somtyme a tour to poudre,

  537 And in his swifte coming brende,

  538 That so swythe gan descende,

  539 As this foul, whan hit behelde

  540 That I a-roume was in the felde;

  541 And with his grimme pawes stronge,

  542 Within his sharpe nayles longe,

  543 Me, fleinge, at a swappe he hente,

  544 And with his sours agayn up wente,

  545 Me caryinge in his clawes starke

  546 As lightly as I were a larke,

  547 How high I can not telle yow,

  548 For I cam up, I niste how.

  549 For so astonied and a-sweved

  550 Was every vertu in my heved,

  551 What with his sours and with my drede,

  552 That al my feling gan to dede;

  553 For-why hit was to greet affray.

  554 Thus I longe in his clawes lay,

  555 Til at the laste he to me spak

  556 In mannes vois, and seyde, `Awak!

  557 And be not so a-gast, for shame!'

  558 And called me tho by my name,

  559 And, for I sholde the bet abreyde --

  560 Me mette -- `Awak,' to me he seyde,

  561 Right in the same vois and stevene

  562 That useth oon I coude nevene;

  563 And with that vois, soth for to sayn,

  564 My minde cam to me agayn;

  565 For hit was goodly seyd to me,

  566 So nas hit never wont to be.

  567 And herewithal I gan to stere,

  568 And he me in his feet to bere,

  569 Til that he felte that I had hete,

  570 And felte eek tho myn herte bete.

  571 And tho gan he me to disporte,

  572 And with wordes to comforte,

  573 And sayde twyes, `Seynte Marie!<
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  574 Thou art noyous for to carie,

  575 And nothing nedeth hit, parde!

  576 For al-so wis god helpe me

  577 As thou non harm shalt have of this;

  578 And this cas, that betid thee is,

  579 Is for thy lore and for thy prow; --

  580 Let see! darst thou yet loke now?

  581 Be ful assured, boldely,

  582 I am thy frend.' And therwith I

  583 Gan for to wondren in my minde.

  584 `O god,' thoughte I, `that madest kinde,

  585 Shal I non other weyes dye?

  586 Wher Ioves wol me stellifye,

  587 Or what thing may this signifye?

  588 I neither am Enok, ne Elye,

  589 Ne Romulus, ne Ganymede

  590 That was y-bore up, as men rede,

  591 To hevene with dan Iupiter,

  592 And maad the goddes boteler.'

  593 Lo! this was tho my fantasye!

  594 But he that bar me gan espye

  595 That I so thoghte, and seyde this: --

  596 `Thou demest of thy-self amis;

  597 For Ioves is not ther-aboute --

  598 I dar wel putte thee out of doute --

  599 To make of thee as yet a sterre.

  600 But er I bere thee moche ferre,

  601 I wol thee telle what I am,

  602 And whider thou shalt, and why I cam

  603 To done this, so that thou take

  604 Good herte, and not for fere quake.'

  605 `Gladly,' quod I. -- `Now wel,' quod he: --

  606 `First I, that in my feet have thee,

  607 Of which thou hast a feer and wonder,

  608 Am dwellinge with the god of thonder,

  609 Which that men callen Iupiter,

  610 That dooth me flee ful ofte fer

  611 To do al his comaundement.

  612 And for this cause he hath me sent

  613 To thee: now herke, by thy trouthe!

  614 Certeyn, he hath of thee routhe,

  615 That thou so longe trewely

  616 Hast served so ententifly

  617 His blinde nevew Cupido,

  618 And fair Venus goddesse also,

  619 Withoute guerdoun ever yit,

  620 And nevertheles has set thy wit --

  621 Although that in thy hede ful lyte is --

  622 To make bokes, songes, dytees,

  623 In ryme, or elles in cadence,

  624 As thou best canst, in reverence

  625 Of Love, and of his servants eke,

  626 That have his servise soght, and seke;

  627 And peynest thee to preyse his art,

  628 Althogh thou haddest never part;

  629 Wherfor, al-so god me blesse,

  630 Ioves halt hit greet humblesse

  631 And vertu eek, that thou wolt make

  632 A-night ful ofte thyn heed to ake,

  633 In thy studie so thou wrytest,

  634 And ever-mo of love endytest,

  635 In honour of him and preysinges,

  636 And in his foIkes furtheringes,

  637 And in hir matere al devysest,

  638 And noght him nor his folk despysest,

  639 Although thou mayst go in the daunce

  640 Of hem that him list not avaunce.

  641 `Wherfor, as I seyde, y-wis,

  642 Iupiter considereth this,

  643 And also, beau sir, other thinges;

  644 That is, that thou hast no tydinges

  645 Of Loves folk, if they be glade,

  646 Ne of noght elles that god made;

  647 And noght only fro fer contree

  648 That ther no tyding comth to thee,

  649 But of thy verray neyghebores,

  650 That dwellen almost at thy dores,

  651 Thou herest neither that ne this;

  652 For whan thy labour doon al is,

  653 And hast y-maad thy rekeninges,

  654 In stede of reste and newe thinges,

  655 Thou gost hoom to thy hous anoon;

  656 And, also domb as any stoon,

  657 Thou sittest at another boke,

  658 Til fully daswed is thy loke,

  659 And livest thus as an hermyte,

  660 Although thyn abstinence is lyte.

  661 `And therfor Ioves, through his grace,

  662 Wol that I bere thee to a place,

  663 Which that hight THE HOUS OF FAME,

  664 To do thee som disport and game,

  665 In som recompensacioun

  666 Of labour and devocioun

  667 That thou has had, lo! causeles,

  668 To Cupido, the reccheles!

  669 And thus this god, thorgh his meryte,

  670 Wol with som maner thing thee quyte,

  671 So that thou wolt be of good chere.

  672 For truste wel, that thou shalt here,

  673 When we be comen ther I seye,

  674 Mo wonder thinges, dar I leye:

  675 Of Loves folke mo tydinges,

  676 Both soth-sawes and lesinges;

  677 And mo loves newe begonne,

  678 And longe y-served loves wonne,

  679 And mo loves casuelly

  680 That been betid, no man wot why,

  681 But as a blind man stert an hare;

  682 And more Iolytee and fare,

  683 Whyl that they finde love of stele,

  684 As thinketh hem, and over-al wele;

  685 Mo discords, mo Ielousyes,

  686 Mo murmurs, and mo novelryes,

  687 And mo dissimulaciouns;

  688 And feyned reparaciouns;

  689 And mo berdes in two houres

  690 Withoute rasour or sisoures

  691 Y-maad, then greynes be of sondes;

  692 And eke mo holdinge in hondes,

  693 And also mo renovelaunces

  694 Of olde forleten aqueyntaunces;

  695 Mo love-dayes and acordes

  696 Then on instruments ben cordes;

  697 And eke of loves mo eschaunges

  698 Than ever cornes were in graunges;

  699 Unnethe maistow trowen this?' --

  700 Quod he. `No, helpe me god so wis!' --

  701 Quod I. `No? why?' quod he. `For hit

  702 Were impossible, to my wit,

  703 Though that Fame hadde al the pyes

  704 In al a realme, and al the spyes,

  705 How that yet she shulde here al this,

  706 Or they espye hit.' `O yis, yis!'

  707 Quod he to me, `that can I preve

  708 By resoun, worthy for to leve,

  709 So that thou yeve thyn advertence

  710 To understonde my sentence.

  711 `First shalt thou heren wher she dwelleth,

  712 And so thyn owne book hit telleth;

  713 Hir paleys stant, as I shal seye,

  714 Right even in middes of the weye

  715 Betwixen hevene, erthe, and see;

  716 That, what-so-ever in al these three

  717 Is spoken, in privee or aperte,

  718 The way therto is so overte,

  719 And stant eek in so Iuste a place,

  720 That every soun mot to hit pace,

  721 Or what so comth fro any tonge,

  722 Be hit rouned, red, or songe,

  723 Or spoke in seurtee or in drede,

  724 Certein, hit moste thider nede.

  725 `Now herkne wel; for-why I wille

  726 Tellen thee a propre skile,

  727 And worthy demonstracioun

  728
In myn imagynacioun.

  729 `Geffrey, thou wost right wel this,

  730 That every kindly thing that is,

  731 Hath a kindly stede ther he

  732 May best in hit conserved be;

  733 Unto which place every thing,

  734 Through his kindly enclyning,

  735 Moveth for to come to,

  736 Whan that hit is awey therfro;

  737 As thus; lo, thou mayst al day see

  738 That any thing that hevy be,

  739 As stoon or leed, or thing of wighte,

  740 And ber hit never so hye on highte,

  741 Lat goo thyn hand, hit falleth doun.

  742 `Right so seye I by fyre or soun,

  743 Or smoke, or other thinges lighte,

  744 Alwey they seke upward on highte;

  745 Whyl ech of hem is at his large,

  746 Light thing up, and dounward charge.

  747 `And for this cause mayst thou see,

  748 That every river to the see

  749 Enclyned is to go, by kinde.

  750 And by these skilles, as I finde,

  751 Hath fish dwellinge in floode and see,

  752 And trees eek in erthe be.

  753 Thus every thing, by this resoun,

  754 Hath his propre mansioun,

  755 To which hit seketh to repaire,

  756 As ther hit shulde not apaire.

  757 Lo, this sentence is knowen couthe

  758 Of every philosophres mouthe,

  759 As Aristotle and dan Platon,

  760 And other clerkes many oon;

  761 And to confirme my resoun,

  762 Thou wost wel this, that speche is soun,

  763 Or elles no man mighte hit here;

  764 Now herkne what I wol thee lere.

  765 `Soun is noght but air y-broken,

  766 And every speche that is spoken,

  767 Loud or privee, foul or fair,

  768 In his substaunce is but air;

  769 For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,

  770 Right so soun is air y-broke.

  771 But this may be in many wyse,

  772 Of which I wil thee two devise,

  773 As soun that comth of pype or harpe.

  774 For whan a pype is blowen sharpe,

  775 The air is twist with violence,

  776 And rent; lo, this is my sentence;

  777 Eke, whan men harpe-stringes smyte,

  778 Whether hit be moche or lyte,

  779 Lo, with the strook the air to-breketh;

  780 Right so hit breketh whan men speketh.

  781 Thus wost thou wel what thing is speche.

  782 `Now hennesforth I wol thee teche,

  783 How every speche, or noise, or soun,

  784 Through his multiplicacioun,

  785 Thogh hit were pyped of a mouse,

  786 Moot nede come to Fames House.

  787 I preve hit thus -- tak hede now --

  788 Be experience; for if that thou

  789 Throwe on water now a stoon,

  790 Wel wost thou, hit wol make anoon

  791 A litel roundel as a cercle,

  792 Paraventer brood as a covercle;

  793 And right anoon thou shalt see weel,

  794 That wheel wol cause another wheel,

  795 And that the thridde, and so forth, brother,

  796 Every cercle causinge other,

  797 Wyder than himselve was;

  798 And thus, fro roundel to compas,

  799 Ech aboute other goinge,

  800 Caused of othres steringe,

  801 And multiplying ever-mo,

  802 Til that hit be so fer ygoo

  803 That hit at bothe brinkes be.

  804 Al-thogh thou mowe hit not y-see,

  805 Above, hit goth yet alway under,

  806 Although thou thenke hit a gret wonder.

  807 And who-so seith of trouthe I varie,

  808 Bid him proven the contrarie.

  809 And right thus every word, y-wis,

  810 That loude or privee spoken is,

  811 Moveth first an air aboute,

  812 And of this moving, out of doute,

  813 Another air anoon is meved,

  814 As I have of the water preved,

  815 That every cercle causeth other.

  816 Right so of air, my leve brother;

  817 Everich air in other stereth

  818 More and more, and speche up bereth,

  819 Or vois, or noise, or word, or soun,

  820 Ay through multiplicacioun,

  821 Til hit be atte House of Fame; --

  822 Tak hit in ernest or in game.

  823 `Now have I told, if thou have minde,

  824 How speche or soun, of pure kinde,

  825 Enclyned is upward to meve;

  826 This, mayst thou fele, wel I preve.

  827 And that the mansioun, y-wis,

  828 That every thing enclyned to is,

  829 Hath his kindeliche stede:

  830 That sheweth hit, withouten drede,

  831 That kindely the mansioun

  832 Of every speche, of every soun,

  833 Be hit either foul or fair,

  834 Hath his kinde place in air.

  835 And sin that every thing, that is

  836 Out of his kinde place, y-wis,

  837 Moveth thider for to go

  838 If hit a-weye be therfro,

  839 As I before have preved thee,

  840 Hit seweth, every soun, pardee,

  841 Moveth kindeIy to pace

  842 Al up into his kindely place.

  843 And this place of which I telle,

  844 Ther as Fame list to dwelle,

  845 Is set amiddes of these three,

  846 Heven, erthe, and eek the see,

  847 As most conservatif the soun.

  848 Than is this the conclusioun,

  849 That every speche of every man,

  850 As I thee telle first began,

  851 Moveth up on high to pace