THE
COMPLEYNT
OF MARS.
Chaucer - Romuant of the Rose
Th.
by; F.
be.
1332.
_All_ put.
Tn.
sweuyn;
F. sweuene. 1334. Tn. sweuyn; F. sweuene. COLOPHON; _so in_ F. B.
* * * * *
IV.
THE COMPLEYNT OF MARS.
_The Proem. _
Gladeth, ye foules, of the morow gray,
Lo! Venus risen among yon rowes rede!
And floures fresshe, honoureth ye this day;
For when the sonne uprist, then wol ye sprede.
But ye lovers, that lye in any drede, 5
Fleeth, lest wikked tonges yow espye;
Lo! yond the sonne, the candel of Ielosye!
With teres blewe, and with a wounded herte
Taketh your leve; and, with seynt Iohn to borow,
Apeseth somwhat of your sorowes smerte, 10
Tyme cometh eft, that cese shal your sorow;
The glade night is worth an hevy morow! '--
(Seynte Valentyne! a foul thus herde I singe
Upon thy day, er sonne gan up-springe). --
Yet sang this foul--'I rede yow al a-wake, 15
And ye, that han not chosen in humble wyse,
Without repenting cheseth yow your make.
And ye, that han ful chosen as I devyse,
Yet at the leste renoveleth your servyse;
Confermeth it perpetuely to dure, 20
And paciently taketh your aventure.
And for the worship of this hye feste,
Yet wol I, in my briddes wyse, singe
The sentence of the compleynt, at the leste,
That woful Mars made atte departinge 35
Fro fresshe Venus in a morweninge,
Whan Phebus, with his fyry torches rede,
Ransaked every lover in his drede.
_The Story. _
? Whylom the thridde hevenes lord above,
As wel by hevenish revolucioun 30
As by desert, hath wonne Venus his love,
And she hath take him in subieccioun,
And as a maistresse taught him his lessoun,
Comaunding him that never, in hir servyse,
He nere so bold no lover to despyse.
F. sweuene. 1334. Tn. sweuyn; F. sweuene. COLOPHON; _so in_ F. B.
* * * * *
IV.
THE COMPLEYNT OF MARS.
_The Proem. _
Gladeth, ye foules, of the morow gray,
Lo! Venus risen among yon rowes rede!
And floures fresshe, honoureth ye this day;
For when the sonne uprist, then wol ye sprede.
But ye lovers, that lye in any drede, 5
Fleeth, lest wikked tonges yow espye;
Lo! yond the sonne, the candel of Ielosye!
With teres blewe, and with a wounded herte
Taketh your leve; and, with seynt Iohn to borow,
Apeseth somwhat of your sorowes smerte, 10
Tyme cometh eft, that cese shal your sorow;
The glade night is worth an hevy morow! '--
(Seynte Valentyne! a foul thus herde I singe
Upon thy day, er sonne gan up-springe). --
Yet sang this foul--'I rede yow al a-wake, 15
And ye, that han not chosen in humble wyse,
Without repenting cheseth yow your make.
And ye, that han ful chosen as I devyse,
Yet at the leste renoveleth your servyse;
Confermeth it perpetuely to dure, 20
And paciently taketh your aventure.
And for the worship of this hye feste,
Yet wol I, in my briddes wyse, singe
The sentence of the compleynt, at the leste,
That woful Mars made atte departinge 35
Fro fresshe Venus in a morweninge,
Whan Phebus, with his fyry torches rede,
Ransaked every lover in his drede.
_The Story. _
? Whylom the thridde hevenes lord above,
As wel by hevenish revolucioun 30
As by desert, hath wonne Venus his love,
And she hath take him in subieccioun,
And as a maistresse taught him his lessoun,
Comaunding him that never, in hir servyse,
He nere so bold no lover to despyse.
