The Online Library of Liberty

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• Introduction
• Errata.
• Additions to ‘the Minor Poems’ In Vol. I.
• XXIV.: Womanly Noblesse.
• XXV.: Complaint to My Mortal Foe.
• XXVI.: Complaint to My Lode-sterre.
• Notes to the Preceding Poems.
• The Canterbury Tales. Group A.
• The Prologue.
• The Knightes Tale.
• The Miller’s Prologue.
• The Milleres Tale.
• The Reeve’s Prologue.
• The Reves Tale.
• The Cook’s Prologue.
• The Cokes Tale.
• Group B.
• Introduction to the Man of Law’s Prologue. (t. 4421-4446.)
• The Tale of the Man of Lawe.
• The Shipman’s Prologue.
• The Shipmannes Tale.
• The Prioress’s Prologue. (t. 13365-13382.)
• The Prioresses Tale.
• Prologue to Sir Thopas. (t. 13621-13641.)
• Sir Thopas.
• Prologue to Melibeus. (t. 13847-13875.)
• The Tale of Melibeus.
• The Monk’s Prologue. (t. 13895-13924.)
• The Monkes Tale.
• The Prologue of the Nonne Prestes Tale. (t. 14773-14798).
• The Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Group C.
• The Phisiciens Tale. (t. 11935-11957.)
• Words of the Host. (t. 12221-12239.)
• The Prologue of the Pardoners Tale. (t. 12263-12288).
• The Pardoners Tale. ( Numbered In Continuation of the Preceding. )
• Group D.
• The Wife of Bath’s Prologue. (t. 5583-5602; For T. 5582, See P. 164.)
• The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe.
• The Friar’s Prologue. (t. 6847-6868).
• The Freres Tale.
• The Somnour’s Prologue. (t. 7247-7270.)
• The Somnours Tale.
• Group E.
• The Clerk’s Prologue. (t. 7877-7898.)
• The Clerkes Tale.
• The Merchant’s Prologue. (t. 9089-9120).
• The Marchantes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Marchantes Tale.
• Group F.
• The Squieres Tale. (t. 10315-10334).
• The Franklin’s Prologue. (t. 11021-11040).
• The Frankeleyns Tale.
• Group G.
• The Seconde Nonnes Tale.
• The Canon’s Yeoman’s Prologue. (t. 16022-16043.)
• The Chanouns Yemannes Tale.
• Group H.
• The Manciple’s Prologue. (t. 16950-16968).
• The Maunciples Tale.
• Group I.
• The Parson’s Prologue. (t. 17312-17330).
• The Persones Tale.
• Appendix to Group A.
• The Tale of Gamelyn.

XXV.

COMPLAINT TO MY MORTAL FOE.

• • Al hoolly youres, withouten otheres part!
  • Wherefore? y-wis, that I ne can ne may
  • My service chaungen; thus of al suche art
  • The lerninge I desyre for ever and ay.
  • And evermore, whyl that I live may,5
  • In trouthe I wol your servant stille abyde,
  • Although my wo encresè day by day,
  • Til that to me be come the dethes tyde.
• • Seint Valentyne! to you I rénovele
  • My woful lyf, as I can, compleyninge;10
  • But, as me thinketh, to you a quarele
  • Right greet I have, whan I, rememberinge
  • BBitwene, how kinde, ayeins the yeres springe,
  • Upon your day, doth ech foul chese his make;
  • And you list not in swich comfórt me bringe,15
  • That to her grace my lady shulde me take.
• • Wherfor unto you, Cupide, I beseche,
  • Furth with Venús, noble lusty goddesse,
  • Sith ye may best my sorowe lesse and eche;
  • And I, your man, oppressed with distresse,20
  • Can not crye ‘help!’ but to your gentilnesse:
  • So voucheth sauf , sith I, your man, wol dye,
  • My ladies herte in pitè folde and presse,
  • That of my peyne I finde remedye.
• • To your conning, my hertes right princesse,25
  • My mortal fo, whiche I best love and serve,
  • I recommaunde my boistous lewednesse.
  • And, for I can not altherbest deserve
  • Your grace, I preye, as he that wol nat swerve,
  • That I may fare the better for my trouthe;30
  • Sith I am youres, til deth my herte kerve,
  • On me, your man, now mercy have and routhe.

[]From MS. Hail. 7578, fol. 15. At the bottom of fol. 14, back, is the last line of Chancer’s Complaint to Pity, beneath which is written ‘Balade.’ But the present poem is really a Complaint, like the preceding one. Rejected readings of the MS. are here given. There is no title in the MS. except ‘Balade.’

[1. ]holly; others parte.

[2. ]I wisse.

[3. ]By (surely an error for My); arte.

[4. ]lernynge; desire; euer (and u for v often).

[5. ]while; leue.

[6. ]trought (sic); youre; abide.

[7. ]be (for by).

[9. ]valentine; Renouele.

[10. ]compleynynge.

[12. ]grete; whanne; remembringe.

[13. ]Bytwene howe kende.

[14. ]Vppon youre; doith eche foule.

[15. ]lyste; suche comforte.

[21. ]cry helpe; vnto (for to); gentelnesse.

[22. ]safe.

[24. ]peine; fynde I may (for I finde); remydie.

[25. ]konnyngge; princes.

[26. ]foo.

[27. ]leudenesse.

[29. ]prey; swerne.

[30. ]trouth.

[31. ]herte wol kerue (I omit wol).

[32. ]haue; routh.