情色书屋

THE TALE02
书名： 坎特伯雷故事集 作者： （英） 乔叟 本章字数： 23559 更新时间： 2024-06-13 17:43:43

Satan, that ever us waiteth to beguile,

Saw of Constance all her perfectioun,

And *cast anon how he might quite her while;**considered how to have

And made a young knight, that dwelt in that town,revenge on her*

Love her so hot of foul affectioun,

That verily him thought that he should spill* *perish

But* he of her might ones have his will. *unless

He wooed her, but it availed nought;

She woulde do no sinne by no way:

And for despite, he compassed his thought

To make her a shameful death to dey;* *die

He waiteth when the Constable is away,

And privily upon a night he crept

In Hermegilda’s chamber while she slept.

Weary, forwaked* in her orisons, *having been long awake

Sleepeth Constance, and Hermegild also.

This knight, through Satanas’ temptation;

All softetly is to the bed y-go,* *gone

And cut the throat of Hermegild in two,

And laid the bloody knife by Dame Constance,

And went his way, there God give him mischance.

Soon after came the Constable home again,

And eke Alla that king was of that land,

And saw his wife dispiteously* slain, *cruelly

For which full oft he wept and wrung his hand;

And ill the bed the bloody knife he fand

By Dame Constance: Alas! what might she say?

For very woe her wit was all away.

To King Alla was told all this mischance

And eke the time, and where, and in what wise

That in a ship was founden this Constance,

As here before ye have me heard devise:* *describe

The kinges heart for pity *gan agrise,* *to be grieved,to tremble*

When he saw so benign a creature

Fall in disease* and in misaventure. *distress

For as the lamb toward his death is brought,

So stood this innocent before the king:

This false knight, that had this treason wrought,

*Bore her in hand* that she had done this thing: *accused her falsely*

But natheless there was great murmuring

Among the people, that say they cannot guess

That she had done so great a wickedness.

For they had seen her ever virtuous,

And loving Hermegild right as her life:

Of this bare witness each one in that house,

Save he that Hermegild slew with his knife:

This gentle king had *caught a great motife* *been greatly moved

Of this witness, and thought he would inquere by the evidence*

Deeper into this case, the truth to lear.* *learn

Alas! Constance, thou has no champion,

Nor fighte canst thou not, so well-away

But he that starf for our redemption, *died

And bound Satan, and yet li’th where he lay,

So be thy stronge champion this day:

For, but Christ upon thee miracle kithe,* *show

Withoute guilt thou shalt be slain *as swithe.**immediately*

She set her down on knees, and thus she said;

“Immortal God, that savedest Susanne

From false blame; and thou merciful maid,

Mary I mean, the daughter to Saint Anne,

Before whose child the angels sing Osanne,* *Hosanna

If I be guiltless of this felony,

My succour be, or elles shall I die.”

Have ye not seen sometime a pale face

(Among a press) of him that hath been lad* *led

Toward his death, where he getteth no grace,

And such a colour in his face hath had,

Men mighte know him that was so bestad* *bested,situated

Amonges all the faces in that rout?

So stood Constance, and looked her about.

O queenes living in prosperity,

Duchesses, and ye ladies every one,

Have some ruth* on her adversity! *pity

An emperor’s daughter, she stood alone;

She had no wight to whom to make her moan.

O blood royal, that standest in this drede,* *danger

Far be thy friendes in thy greate need!

This king Alla had such compassioun,

As gentle heart is full filled of pity

That from his eyen ran the water down

“Now hastily do fetch a book,” quoth he;

“And if this knight will sweare, how that she

This woman slew, yet will we us advise* *consider

Whom that we will that shall be our justice.”

A Briton book, written with Evangiles,* *the Gospels

Was fetched, and on this book he swore anon

She guilty was; and, in the meanewhiles,

An hand him smote upon the necke bone,

That down he fell at once right as a stone:

And both his eyen burst out of his face

In sight of ev’rybody in that place.

A voice was heard, in general audience,

That said; “Thou hast deslander’d guilteless

The daughter of holy Church in high presence;

Thus hast thou done, and yet *hold I my peace?”**shall I be silent?*

Of this marvel aghast was all the press,

As mazed folk they stood every one

For dread of wreake,* save Constance alone. *vengeance

Great was the dread and eke the repentance

Of them that hadde wrong suspicion

Upon this sely* innocent Constance; *simple, harmless

And for this miracle, in conclusion,

And by Constance’s mediation,

The king, and many another in that place,

Converted was, thanked be Christe’s grace!

This false knight was slain for his untruth

By judgement of Alla hastily;

And yet Constance had of his death great ruth;**compassion

And after this Jesus of his mercy

Made Alla wedde full solemnely

This holy woman, that is so bright and sheen,

And thus hath Christ y-made Constance a queen.

But who was woeful, if I shall not lie,

Of this wedding but Donegild, and no mo’,

The kinge’s mother, full of tyranny?

Her thought her cursed heart would burst in two;

She would not that her son had done so;

Her thought it a despite that he should take

So strange a creature unto his make.* *mate, consort

Me list not of the chaff nor of the stre* *straw

Make so long a tale, as of the corn.

What should I tellen of the royalty

Of this marriage, or which course goes beforn,

Who bloweth in a trump or in an horn?

The fruit of every tale is for to say;

They eat and drink, and dance, and sing, and play.

They go to bed, as it was skill* and right; *reasonable

For though that wives be full holy things,

They muste take in patience at night

Such manner* necessaries as be pleasings *kind of

To folk that have y-wedded them with rings,

And lay *a lite* their holiness aside *a little of*

As for the time, it may no better betide.

On her he got a knave* child anon, *male

And to a Bishop and to his Constable eke

He took his wife to keep, when he is gone

To Scotland-ward, his foemen for to seek.

Now fair Constance, that is so humble and meek,

So long is gone with childe till that still

She held her chamb’r, abiding Christe’s will

The time is come, a knave child she bare;

Mauricius at the font-stone they him call.

This Constable *doth forth come* a messenger,*caused to come forth*

And wrote unto his king that clep’d was All’,

How that this blissful tiding is befall,

And other tidings speedful for to say

He* hath the letter, and forth he go’th his way. *i.e. the messenger

This messenger, to *do his avantage,* *promote his own interest*

Unto the kinge’s mother rideth swithe,* *swiftly

And saluteth her full fair in his language.

“Madame,” quoth he, “ye may be glad and blithe,

And thanke God an hundred thousand sithe;* *times

My lady queen hath child, withoute doubt,

To joy and bliss of all this realm about.

“Lo, here the letter sealed of this thing,

That I must bear with all the haste I may:

If ye will aught unto your son the king,

I am your servant both by night and day.”

Donegild answer’d, “As now at this time, nay;

But here I will all night thou take thy rest,

To-morrow will I say thee what me lest.*” *pleases

This messenger drank sadly* ale and wine, *steadily

And stolen were his letters privily

Out of his box, while he slept as a swine;

And counterfeited was full subtilly

Another letter, wrote full sinfully,

Unto the king, direct of this mattere

From his Constable, as ye shall after hear.

This letter said, the queen deliver’d was

Of so horrible a fiendlike creature

That in the castle none so hardy* was *brave

That any while he durst therein endure:

The mother was an elf by aventure

Become, by charmes or by sorcery,

And every man hated her company.

Woe was this king when he this letter had seen,

But to no wight he told his sorrows sore,

But with his owen hand he wrote again,

“Welcome the sond* of Christ for evermore *will,sending

To me, that am now learned in this lore:

Lord, welcome be thy lust* and thy pleasance, *will,pleasure

My lust I put all in thine ordinance.

“Keepe* this child, albeit foul or fair, *preserve

And eke my wife, unto mine homecoming:

Christ when him list may send to me an heir

More agreeable than this to my liking.”

This letter he sealed, privily weeping.

Which to the messenger was taken soon,

And forth he went, there is no more to do’n.* *do

O messenger full fill’d of drunkenness

Strong is thy breath, thy limbes falter aye,

And thou betrayest alle secretness;

Thy mind is lorn,* thou janglest as a jay; *lost

Thy face is turned in a new array;* *aspect

Where drunkenness reigneth in any rout,* *company

There is no counsel hid, withoute doubt.

O Donegild, I have no English dign* *worthy

Unto thy malice, and thy tyranny:

And therefore to the fiend I thee resign

Let him indite of all thy treachery

‘Fy, mannish,* fy! O nay, by God I lie; *unwomanly woman

Fy, fiendlike spirit! for I dare well tell

Though thou here walk, thy spirit is in hell.

This messenger came from the king again,

And at the kinge’s mother’s court he light,* *alighted

And she was of this messenger full fain,* *glad

And pleased him in all that e’er she might.

He drank, and *well his girdle underpight*; *stowed away (liquor)

He slept, and eke he snored in his guise under his girdle*

All night, until the sun began to rise.

Eft* were his letters stolen every one, *again

And counterfeited letters in this wise:

The king commanded his Constable anon,

On pain of hanging and of high jewise,* *judgement

That he should suffer in no manner wise

Constance within his regne* for to abide *kingdom

Three dayes, and a quarter of a tide;

But in the same ship as he her fand,

Her and her younge son, and all her gear,

He shoulde put, and crowd* her from the land,*push

And charge her, that she never eft come there.

O my Constance, well may thy ghost* have fear, *spirit

And sleeping in thy dream be in penance,* *pain,trouble

When Donegild cast* all this ordinance.** *contrived**plan, plot

This messenger, on morrow when he woke,

Unto the castle held the nexte* way, *nearest

And to the constable the letter took;

And when he this dispiteous* letter sey,** *cruel**saw

Full oft he said, “Alas, and well-away!

Lord Christ,” quoth he, “how may this world endure?

So full of sin is many a creature.

“O mighty God, if that it be thy will,

Since thou art rightful judge, how may it be

That thou wilt suffer innocence to spill,* *be destroyed

And wicked folk reign in prosperity?

Ah! good Constance, alas! so woe is me,

That I must be thy tormentor, or dey* *die

A shameful death, there is no other way.

Wept bothe young and old in all that place,

When that the king this cursed letter sent;

And Constance, with a deadly pale face,

The fourthe day toward her ship she went.

But natheless she took in good intent

The will of Christ, and kneeling on the strond**strand, shore

She saide, “Lord, aye welcome be thy sond* *whatever thou sendest

“He that me kepte from the false blame,

While I was in the land amonges you,

He can me keep from harm and eke from shame

In the salt sea, although I see not how

As strong as ever he was, he is yet now,

In him trust I, and in his mother dere,

That is to me my sail and eke my stere.”* *rudder,guide

Her little child lay weeping in her arm

And, kneeling, piteously to him she said

“Peace, little son, I will do thee no harm:”

With that her kerchief off her head she braid,* *took,drew

And over his little eyen she it laid,

And in her arm she lulled it full fast,

And unto heav’n her eyen up she cast.

“Mother,” quoth she, “and maiden bright, Mary,

Sooth is, that through a woman’s eggement* *incitement,egging on

Mankind was lorn,* and damned aye to die; *lost

For which thy child was on a cross y-rent:* *torn,pierced

Thy blissful eyen saw all his torment,

Then is there no comparison between

Thy woe, and any woe man may sustene.

“Thou saw’st thy child y-slain before thine eyen,

And yet now lives my little child, parfay:* *by my faith

Now, lady bright, to whom the woeful cryen,

Thou glory of womanhood, thou faire may,* *maid

Thou haven of refuge, bright star of day,

Rue* on my child, that of thy gentleness *take pity

Ruest on every rueful* in distress. *sorrowful person

“O little child, alas! what is thy guilt,

That never wroughtest sin as yet, pardie?* *par Dieu; by God

Why will thine harde* father have thee spilt?***cruel **destroyed

O mercy, deare Constable,” quoth she,

“And let my little child here dwell with thee:

And if thou dar’st not save him from blame,

So kiss him ones in his father’s name.”

Therewith she looked backward to the land,

And saide, “Farewell, husband rutheless!”

And up she rose, and walked down the strand

Toward the ship, her following all the press:* *multitude

And ever she pray’d her child to hold his peace,

And took her leave, and with an holy intent

She blessed her, and to the ship she went.

Victualed was the ship, it is no drede,* *doubt

Abundantly for her a full long space:

And other necessaries that should need* *be needed

She had enough, heried* be Godde’s grace: *praised

For wind and weather, Almighty God purchase,**provide

And bring her home; I can no better say;

But in the sea she drived forth her way.

Alla the king came home soon after this

Unto the castle, of the which I told,

And asked where his wife and his child is;

The Constable gan about his heart feel cold,

And plainly all the matter he him told

As ye have heard; I can tell it no better;

And shew’d the king his seal, and eke his letter

And saide; “Lord, as ye commanded me

On pain of death, so have I done certain.”

The messenger tormented* was, till he *tortured

Muste beknow,* and tell it flat and plain, *confess

From night to night in what place he had lain;

And thus, by wit and subtle inquiring,

Imagin’d was by whom this harm gan spring.

The hand was known that had the letter wrote,

And all the venom of the cursed deed;

But in what wise, certainly I know not.

Th’ effect is this, that Alla, *out of drede,* *without doubt*

His mother slew, that may men plainly read,

For that she traitor was to her liegeance:* *allegiance

Thus ended olde Donegild with mischance.

The sorrow that this Alla night and day

Made for his wife, and for his child also,

There is no tongue that it telle may.

But now will I again to Constance go,

That floated in the sea in pain and wo

Five year and more, as liked Christe’s sond,* *decree,command

Ere that her ship approached to the lond.* *land

Under an heathen castle, at the last,

Of which the name in my text I not find

Constance and eke her child the sea upcast.

Almighty God, that saved all mankind,

Have on Constance and on her child some mind,

That fallen is in heathen hand eftsoon* *again

*In point to spill,* as I shall tell you soon! *in danger of perishing*

Down from the castle came there many a wight

To gauren* on this ship, and on Constance: *gaze,stare

But shortly from the castle, on a night,

The lorde’s steward, — God give him mischance, —

A thief that had *renied our creance,* *denied our faith*

Came to the ship alone, and said he would

Her leman* be, whether she would or n’ould. *illicit lover

Woe was this wretched woman then begone;

Her child cri’d, and she cried piteously:

But blissful Mary help’d her right anon,

For, with her struggling well and mightily,

The thief fell overboard all suddenly,

And in the sea he drenched* for vengeance, *drowned

And thus hath Christ unwemmed* kept Constance. *unblemished

O foul lust of luxury! lo thine end!

Not only that thou faintest* manne’s mind, *weakenest

But verily thou wilt his body shend.* *destroy

Th’ end of thy work, or of thy lustes blind,

Is complaining: how many may men find

That not for work, sometimes, but for th’ intent

To do this sin, be either slain or shent?

How may this weake woman have the strength

Her to defend against this renegate?

O Goliath, unmeasurable of length,

How mighte David make thee so mate?* *overthrown

So young, and of armour so desolate,* *devoid

How durst he look upon thy dreadful face?

Well may men see it was but Godde’s grace.

Who gave Judith courage or hardiness

To slay him, Holofernes, in his tent,

And to deliver out of wretchedness

The people of God? I say for this intent

That right as God spirit of vigour sent

To them, and saved them out of mischance,

So sent he might and vigour to Constance.

Forth went her ship throughout the narrow mouth

Of *Jubaltare and Septe,* driving alway, *Gibraltar and Ceuta*

Sometime west, and sometime north and south,

And sometime east, full many a weary day:

Till Christe’s mother (blessed be she aye)

Had shaped* through her endeless goodness *resolved,arranged

To make an end of all her heaviness.

Now let us stint* of Constance but a throw,** *cease speaking

And speak we of the Roman emperor, **short time

That out of Syria had by letters know

The slaughter of Christian folk, and dishonor

Done to his daughter by a false traitor,

I mean the cursed wicked Soudaness,

That at the feast *let slay both more and less.**caused both high and low to be killed*

For which this emperor had sent anon

His senator, with royal ordinance,

And other lordes, God wot, many a one,

On Syrians to take high vengeance:

They burn and slay, and bring them to mischance

Full many a day: but shortly this is th’ end,

Homeward to Rome they shaped them to wend.

This senator repaired with victory

To Rome-ward, sailing full royally,

And met the ship driving, as saith the story,

In which Constance sat full piteously:

And nothing knew he what she was, nor why

She was in such array; nor she will say

Of her estate, although that she should dey.* *die

He brought her unto Rome, and to his wife

He gave her, and her younge son also:

And with the senator she led her life.

Thus can our Lady bringen out of woe

Woeful Constance, and many another mo’:

And longe time she dwelled in that place,

In holy works ever, as was her grace.

The senatores wife her aunte was,

But for all that she knew her ne’er the more:

I will no longer tarry in this case,

But to King Alla, whom I spake of yore,

That for his wife wept and sighed sore,

I will return, and leave I will Constance

Under the senatores governance.

King Alla, which that had his mother slain,

Upon a day fell in such repentance;

That, if I shortly tell it shall and plain,

To Rome he came to receive his penitance,

And put him in the Pope’s ordinance

In high and low, and Jesus Christ besought

Forgive his wicked works that he had wrought.

The fame anon throughout the town is borne,

How Alla king shall come on pilgrimage,

By harbingers that wente him beforn,

For which the senator, as was usage,

Rode *him again,* and many of his lineage, *to meet him*

As well to show his high magnificence

As to do any king a reverence.

Great cheere* did this noble senator *courtesy

To King Alla and he to him also;

Each of them did the other great honor;

And so befell, that in a day or two

This senator did to King Alla go

To feast, and shortly, if I shall not lie,

Constance’s son went in his company.

Some men would say, at request of Constance

This senator had led this child to feast:

I may not tellen every circumstance,

Be as be may, there was he at the least:

But sooth is this, that at his mother’s hest* *behest

Before Alla during *the meates space,* *meal time*

The child stood, looking in the kinges face.

This Alla king had of this child great wonder,

And to the senator he said anon,

“Whose is that faire child that standeth yonder?”

“I n’ot,”* quoth he, “by God and by Saint John; *know not

A mother he hath, but father hath he none,

That I of wot:” and shortly in a stound* *short time

He told to Alla how this child was found.

“But God wot,” quoth this senator also,

“So virtuous a liver in all my life

I never saw, as she, nor heard of mo’

Of worldly woman, maiden, widow or wife:

I dare well say she hadde lever* a knife *rather

Throughout her breast, than be a woman wick’,**wicked

There is no man could bring her to that prick.**point

Now was this child as like unto Constance

As possible is a creature to be:

This Alla had the face in remembrance

Of Dame Constance, and thereon mused he,

If that the childe’s mother *were aught she* *could be she*

That was his wife; and privily he sight,* *sighed

And sped him from the table *that he might.* *as fast as he could*

“Parfay,”* thought he, “phantom** is in mine head. *by my faith

I ought to deem, of skilful judgement, **a fantasy

That in the salte sea my wife is dead.”

And afterward he made his argument,

“What wot I, if that Christ have hither sent

My wife by sea, as well as he her sent

To my country, from thennes that she went?”

And, after noon, home with the senator.

Went Alla, for to see this wondrous chance.

This senator did Alla great honor,

And hastily he sent after Constance:

But truste well, her liste not to dance.

When that she wiste wherefore was that sond,**summons

Unneth* upon her feet she mighte stand. *with difficult

When Alla saw his wife, fair he her gret,* *greeted

And wept, that it was ruthe for to see,

For at the firste look he on her se

He knew well verily that it was she:

And she, for sorrow, as dumb stood as a tree:

So was her hearte shut in her distress,

When she remember’d his unkindeness.

Twice she swooned in his owen sight,

He wept and him excused piteously:

“Now God,” quoth he, “and all his hallows bright**saints

So wisly* on my soule have mercy, *surely

That of your harm as guilteless am I,

As is Maurice my son, so like your face,

Else may the fiend me fetch out of this place.

Long was the sobbing and the bitter pain,

Ere that their woeful heartes mighte cease;

Great was the pity for to hear them plain,* *lament

Through whiche plaintes gan their woe increase.

I pray you all my labour to release,

I may not tell all their woe till to-morrow,

I am so weary for to speak of sorrow.

But finally, when that the *sooth is wist,* *truth is known*

That Alla guiltless was of all her woe,

I trow an hundred times have they kiss’d,

And such a bliss is there betwixt them two,

That, save the joy that lasteth evermo’,

There is none like, that any creature

Hath seen, or shall see, while the world may dure.

Then prayed she her husband meekely

In the relief of her long piteous pine,* *sorrow

That he would pray her father specially,

That of his majesty he would incline

To vouchesafe some day with him to dine:

She pray’d him eke, that he should by no way

Unto her father no word of her say.

Some men would say, how that the child Maurice

Did this message unto the emperor:

But, as I guess, Alla was not so nice,* *foolish

To him that is so sovereign of honor

As he that is of Christian folk the flow’r

Send any child, but better ’tis to deem

He went himself; and so it may well seem.

This emperor hath granted gentilly

To come to dinner, as he him besought:

And well rede* I, he looked busily *guess, know

Upon this child, and on his daughter thought.

Alla went to his inn, and as him ought

Arrayed* for this feast in every wise, *prepared

*As farforth as his cunning* may suffice. *as far as his skill*

The morrow came, and Alla gan him dress,* *make ready

And eke his wife, the emperor to meet:

And forth they rode in joy and in gladness,

And when she saw her father in the street,

She lighted down and fell before his feet.

“Father,” quoth she, “your younge child Constance

Is now full clean out of your remembrance.

“I am your daughter, your Constance,” quoth she,

“That whilom ye have sent into Syrie;

It am I, father, that in the salt sea

Was put alone, and damned* for to die. *condemned

Now, goode father, I you mercy cry,

Send me no more into none heatheness,

But thank my lord here of his kindeness.”

Who can the piteous joye tellen all,

Betwixt them three, since they be thus y-met?

But of my tale make an end I shall,

The day goes fast, I will no longer let.* *hinder

These gladde folk to dinner be y-set;

In joy and bliss at meat I let them dwell,

A thousand fold well more than I can tell.

This child Maurice was since then emperor

Made by the Pope, and lived Christianly,

To Christe’s Churche did he great honor:

But I let all his story passe by,

Of Constance is my tale especially,

In the olde Roman gestes* men may find *histories<19

Maurice's life, I bear it not in mind.

This King Alla, when he his time sey,* *saw

With his Constance, his holy wife so sweet,

To England are they come the righte way,

Where they did live in joy and in quiet.

But little while it lasted, I you hete,* *promise

Joy of this world for time will not abide,

From day to night it changeth as the tide.

Who liv'd ever in such delight one day,

That him not moved either conscience,

Or ire, or talent, or *some kind affray,* *some kind of disturbance*

Envy, or pride, or passion, or offence?

I say but for this ende this sentence,* *judgment,opinion*

That little while in joy or in pleasance

Lasted the bliss of Alla with Constance.

For death, that takes of high and low his rent,

When passed was a year, even as I guess,

Out of this world this King Alla he hent,* *snatched

For whom Constance had full great heaviness.

Now let us pray that God his soule bless:

And Dame Constance, finally to say

Toward the town of Rome went her way.

To Rome is come this holy creature,

And findeth there her friendes whole and sound

Now is she scaped all her aventure:

And when that she her father hath y-found,

Down on her knees falleth she to ground,

Weeping for tenderness in hearte blithe

She herieth* God an hundred thousand sithe.***praises **times

In virtue and in holy almes-deed

They liven all, and ne'er asunder wend;

Till death departeth them, this life they lead:

And fare now well, my tale is at an end

Now Jesus Christ, that of his might may send

Joy after woe, govern us in his grace

And keep us alle that be in this place.

NOTES:

1. This tale is believed by Tyrwhitt to have been taken, with no material change, from the "Confessio Amantis" of John Gower, who was contemporary with Chaucer, though somewhat his senior. In the prologue, the references to the stories of Canace,and of Apollonius Tyrius, seem to be an attack on Gower, who had given these tales in his book; whence Tyrwhitt concludes that the friendship between the two poets suffered some interruption in the latter part of their lives. Gower was not the inventor of the story, which he found in old French romances, and it is not improbable that Chaucer may have gone to the same source as Gower, though the latter undoubtedly led the way. (Transcriber's note: later commentators have identified the introduction describing the sorrows of poverty, along with the other moralising interludes in the tale, as translated from "De Contemptu Mundi" ("On the contempt of the world") by Pope Innocent.)

2. Transcriber' note: This refers to the game of hazard, a dice game like craps, in which two ("ambes ace") won, and eleven ("six-cinque") lost.

3. Purpose: discourse, tale: French "propos".

4. "Peace" rhymed with "lese" and "chese", the old forms of "lose" and "choose".

5. According to Middle Age writers there were two motions of the first heaven; one everything always from east to west above the stars; the other moving the stars against the first motion, from west to east, on two other poles.

6. Atyzar: the meaning of this word is not known;but "occifer", murderer, has been suggested instead by Urry, on the authority of a marginal reading on a manuscript. (Transcriber's note: later commentators explain it as derived from Arabic "al-ta'thir", influence- used here in an astrological sense)

7. "Thou knittest thee where thou art not receiv'd,Where thou wert well, from thennes art thou weiv'd"i.e. "Thou joinest thyself where thou art rejected,and art declined or departed from the place where thou wert well." The moon portends the fortunes of Constance.

8. Fand: endeavour; from Anglo-Saxon, "fandian,"to try

9. Feng: take; Anglo-Saxon "fengian", German,"fangen".

10. Him and her on which thy limbes faithfully extend: those who in faith wear the crucifix

11. The four spirits of tempest: the four angels who held the four winds of the earth and to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea (Rev. vii. 1, 2).

12. Thennes would it not in all a tide: thence would it not move for long, at all.

13. A manner Latin corrupt: a kind of bastard Latin.

14. Knave child: male child; German "Knabe".

15. Heried: honoured, praised; from Anglo-Saxon,"herian." Compare German, "herrlich," glorious,honourable.

16. Beknow: confess; German, "bekennen."

17. The poet here refers to Gower's version of the story.

18. Stound: short time; German, "stunde", hour.

19. Gestes: histories, exploits; Latin, "res gestae".

上一章 下一章