goddesse, take regarde of thy servant,
95
though I be feble; for thou art wont to prayse them better that
wolde conne serve in love, al be he ful mener than kinges or
princes that wol not have that vertue in mynde.
Now, precious Margaryte, that with thy noble vertue hast
drawen me in-to love first, me weninge therof to have blisse,
100
[ther]-as galle and aloes are so moche spronge, that savour of
swetnesse may I not ataste. Alas! that your benigne eyen, in
whiche that mercy semeth to have al his noriture, nil by no
waye tourne the clerenesse of mercy to me-wardes! Alas! that
your brennande vertues, shyning amonges al folk, and enlumininge
105
al other people by habundaunce of encresing, sheweth to me
but smoke and no light! These thinges to thinke in myn herte
maketh every day weping in myn eyen to renne. These liggen
on my backe so sore, that importable burthen me semeth on my
backe to be charged; it maketh me backwarde to meve, whan
110
my steppes by comune course even-forth pretende. These
thinges also, on right syde and lift, have me so envolved with
care, that wanhope of helpe is throughout me ronne; trewly,
†I leve, that graceles is my fortune, whiche that ever sheweth it
me-wardes by a cloudy disese, al redy to make stormes of tene;
115
and the blisful syde halt stil awayward, and wol it not suffre to
me-wardes to turne; no force, yet wol I not ben conquered.
O, alas! that your nobley, so moche among al other creatures
commended by †flowinge streme †of al maner vertues, but
ther ben wonderful, I not whiche that let the flood to come
120
in-to my soule; wherefore, purely mated with sorowe thorough-sought,
my-selfe I crye on your goodnesse to have pitè on this
caytif, that in the in[ne]rest degree of sorowe and disese is left,
and, without your goodly wil, from any helpe and recovery.
These sorowes may I not sustene, but-if my sorowe shulde be
125
told and to you-wardes shewed; although moche space is bitwene
us twayne, yet me thinketh that by suche †joleyvinge wordes my
disese ginneth ebbe. Trewly, me thinketh that the sowne of my
lamentacious weping is right now flowe in-to your presence, and
there cryeth after mercy and grace, to which thing (me semeth)
130
thee list non answere to yeve, but with a deynous chere ye
commaunden it to avoide; but god forbid that any word shuld of
you springe, to have so litel routh! Pardè, pitè and mercy in
every Margarite is closed by kynde amonges many other vertues,
by qualitees of comfort; but comfort is to me right naught worth,
135
withouten mercy and pitè of you alone; whiche thinges hastely
god me graunt for his mercy!
Ch. I. 2. enioy. 3. sondrye. 5. nowe. 6. disease outwarde. 7. comforte. 8. ferre. 9. hell. dethe. 10. endelesse. 12. hent. 13. swynke. 14. dwellynge-. wytlesse. 15. syghtlesse. prisone. 16. caytisned (for caytifued). 17. wode (!); for worde; read word. 18. made. reason. herde. 20. disease. 21. beames. 22. For be-went, Th. has be-went. 23. one. 25. wyl of; apparently an error for whyles (which I adopt). luste. 26. dede (for drede). 27. myne. 28. twynckelynge. disease. 29. lette (twice). dey. measure. 30. myne. comforte. 31. diseased. maye. aueyle. 32. endlesse.
33. wote; myne hert breaketh. 34. howe. grounde. forthe. 35. howe. shippe. great. 36. Howe. 39. nowe. sayne. 40. arte. weate. 44. stretche. 45. stey. endlesse. 46. wotte. I supply am. spurveyde. arte. nowe. 47. frenshyppe (sic). 48. nowe arte. 49. weareth. 51. Nowe. 53. leaue. 57. lythe. 59. frendes (sic); for ferdnes: cf. p. 9, l. 9. 60. Christe. 61. great. bounties. 62. hel. 63. veyned (sic); for weyued. 64. shapte. Nowe. 65. wretched. 66. heate. 68. wytte.
69. wote. 72. ease. sythe. 73. qualyties. 74. wote. wemme ne spotte maye. 75. Read unimaginable. 77. knytte. fal. 78. wol wel (for wot wel). 80. sonded; read souded. maye. 81. pleased. charyte. 82. eased. 83. comforte. fal. 85. out caste. daye. se. 86. flodde. 87. diseases. 89. perfectyon. knytte. dethe. 91. togyther is endelesse in blysse(!). dwel. 92. eased. 93. thentent. 94. great. Nowe. 95. arte wonte. 98. Nowe. haste. 100. I supply ther. 104. folke.
105. encreasing. 110. forthe. 112, 113. trewly and leue; read trewly I leve. 113. gracelesse. 114. disease. 115. halte. 117. (The sentence beginning O, alas seems hopelessly corrupt; there are pause-marks after vertues and wonderful.) 118. folowynge; read flowinge. by; read of. 119. flode. 122. caytife. inrest. disease. lefte. 124. maye. 125. tolde. 126. ioleynynge (sic). 127. disease. 128. nowe. 130. the lyst none. 131. worde. 134. qualites of comforte. worthe.
CHAPTER II.
Rehersinge these thinges and many other, without tyme
or moment of rest, me semed, for anguisshe of disese, that
al-togider I was ravisshed, I can not telle how; but hoolly all my
passions and felinges weren lost, as it semed, for the tyme; and
5
sodainly a maner of drede lighte in me al at ones; nought suche
fere as folk have of an enemy, that were mighty and wolde hem
greve or don hem disese. For, I trowe, this is wel knowe to many
persones, that otherwhyle, if a man be in his soveraignes
