love shulde ben founden; for among al other planettes
moste soveraynly they shynen, as dignitees in reverence of estates
rather than good han and occupyen. Ful many also there ben
that in okes and in huge postes supposen love to ben grounded,
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as in strength and in might, whiche mowen not helpen their owne
wrecchidnesse, whan they ginne to falle. But [of] suche diversitè
of sectes, ayenst the rightful beleve of love, these errours ben forth
spredde, that loves servantes in trewe rule and stedfast fayth in
no place daren apere. Thus irrecuperable joy is went, and anoy
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endless is entred. For no man aright reproveth suche errours,
but [men] confirmen their wordes, and sayn, that badde is noble
good, and goodnesse is badde; to which folk the prophete biddeth
wo without ende.
Also manye tonges of greet false techinges in gylinge maner,
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principally in my tymes, not only with wordes but also with armes,
loves servauntes and professe in his religion of trewe rule pursewen,
to confounden and to distroyen. And for as moche as holy †faders,
that of our Christen fayth aproved and strengthed to the Jewes, as
to men resonable and of divinitè lerned, proved thilke fayth with
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resones, and with auctoritès of the olde testament and of the newe,
her pertinacie to distroy: but to paynims, that for beestes and
houndes were holde, to putte hem out of their errour, was †miracle
of god shewed. These thinges were figured by cominge of th'angel
to the shepherdes, and by the sterre to paynims kinges; as who
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sayth: angel resonable to resonable creature, and sterre of miracle
to people bestial not lerned, wern sent to enforme. But I, lovers
clerk, in al my conning and with al my mightes, trewly I have no
suche grace in vertue of miracles, ne for no discomfit falsheedes
suffyseth not auctoritès alone; sithen that suche [arn] heretikes
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and maintaynours of falsitès. Wherfore I wot wel, sithen that
they ben men, and reson is approved in hem, the clowde of errour
hath her reson beyond probable resons, whiche that cacchende
wit rightfully may not with-sitte. By my travaylinge studie I have
ordeyned hem, †whiche that auctoritè, misglosed by mannes
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reson, to graunt shal ben enduced.
Now ginneth my penne to quake, to thinken on the sentences
of the envyous people, whiche alway ben redy, both ryder and
goer, to scorne and to jape this leude book; and me, for rancour
and hate in their hertes, they shullen so dispyse, that although
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my book be leude, yet shal it ben more leude holden, and by
wicked wordes in many maner apayred. Certes, me thinketh,
[of] the sowne of their badde speche right now is ful bothe myne
eeres. O good precious Margaryte, myne herte shulde wepe if
I wiste ye token hede of suche maner speche; but trewly, I wot
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wel, in that your wysdom shal not asterte. For of god, maker of
kynde, witnesse I took, that for none envy ne yvel have I drawe
this mater togider; but only for goodnesse to maintayn, and
errours in falsetees to distroy. Wherfore (as I sayd) with reson
I thinke, thilke forsayd errours to distroye and dequace.
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These resons and suche other, if they enduce men, in loves
service, trewe to beleve of parfit blisse, yet to ful faithe in
credence of deserte fully mowe they nat suffyse; sithen 'faith hath
no merite of mede, whan mannes reson sheweth experience in
doing.' For utterly no reson the parfit blisse of love by no waye
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may make to be comprehended. Lo! what is a parcel of lovers
joye? Parfit science, in good service, of their desyre to comprehende
in bodily doinge the lykinge of the soule; not as by
a glasse to have contemplacion of tyme cominge, but thilke first
imagined and thought after face to face in beholding. What
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herte, what reson, what understandinge can make his heven to be
feled and knowe, without assaye in doinge? Certes, noon. Sithen
thanne of love cometh suche fruite in blisse, and love in him-selfe
is the most among other vertues, as clerkes sayn; the seed of
suche springinge in al places, in al countreys, in al worldes shulde
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ben sowe.
But o! welawaye! thilke seed is forsake, and †mowe not ben
suffred, the lond-tillers to sette a-werke, without medlinge of
cockle; badde
