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GOOD COUNSEL OF CHAUCER.
Fly from the press, and dwell with soothfastness; truthfulness.
Suffice[29] unto thy good, though it be small;
For hoard hath hate, and climbing tickleness;[30]
Praise hath envy, and weal is blent over all.[31]
| Savour[32] no more than thee behové shall. |
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| Rede well thyself that other folk shall rede; |
counsel. |
| And truth thee shall deliver--it is no drede. |
there is no doubt. |
| Paine thee not each crooked to redress, |
every crooked thing. |
In trust of her that turneth as a ball:
Great rest standeth in little busi-ness. |
Fortune. |
| Beware also to spurn against a nail; |
_nail--to kick against |
| Strive not as doth a crocké with a wall. |
[the pricks._ |
Demé thyself that demest others' deed;
And truth thee shall deliver--it is no drede. |
judge. |
| That thee is sent receive in buxomness: |
submission |
The wrestling of this world asketh a fall.
Here is no home, here is but wilderness:
Forth, pilgrim, forth!--beast, out of thy stall!
Look up on high, and thanké God of[33] all.
Waivé thy lusts, and let thy ghost[34] thee lead, |
tempts destruction |
And truth thee shall deliver--it is no drede.
This needs no comment. Even the remark that every line is worth
meditation may well appear superfluous. One little fact only with regard
to the rhymes, common to this and the next poem, and usual enough in
Norman verse, may be pointed out, namely, that every line in the stanza
ends with the same rhyme-sound as the corresponding line in each of the
other stanzas. A reference to either of the poems will at once show what
I mean.
The second is superior, inasmuch as it carries one thought through the
three stanzas. It is entitled A Balade made by Chaucer, teaching what is
gentilnesse, or whom is worthy to be called gentill.
The first stock-father of gentleness-- _ancestor of the race
What man desireth gentle for to be [of the gentle._
Must follow his trace, and all his wittés dress _track, footsteps:
Virtue to love and vices for to flee; [apply._
For unto virtue longeth dignity, belongeth.
And not the reverse falsely dare I deem,[35]
All wear he mitre, crown, or diadem. although he wear.
The first stock was full of righteousness; the progenitor.
True of his word, sober, piteous, and free;
Clean of his ghost, and loved busi-ness, pure in his spirit.
Against the vice of sloth in honesty;
And but his heir love virtue as did he, except.
He is not gentle, though he rich seem,
All wear he mitre, crown, or diadem.
Vicesse may well be heir to old Richesse, Vice: Riches.
But there may no man, as men may well see,
Bequeath his heir his virtue's nobleness;
That is appropried unto no degree, rank.
But to the first father in majesty,
That maketh his heirés them that him queme, please him.
All wear he mitre, crown, or diadem.
I can come to no other conclusion than that by the first stock-father
Chaucer means our Lord Jesus.
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