The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works

Name: The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works
Author: Gower, John

Gower, John

Poetry

[Sidenote: [LOVE-DELICACY.]]
    And riht so changeth his astat[774]
  He that of love is delicat:
  For though he hadde to his hond
  The beste wif of al the lond,
  Or the faireste love of alle,
  Yit wolde his herte on othre falle                               670
  And thenke hem mor delicious
  Than he hath in his oghne hous:
  Men sein it is nou ofte so;[775]
  Avise hem wel, thei that so do.
  And forto speke in other weie,
  Fulofte time I have herd seie,
  That he which hath no love achieved,
  Him thenkth that he is noght relieved,
  Thogh that his ladi make him chiere,
  So as sche mai in good manere                                    680
  Hir honour and hir name save,[776]
  Bot he the surplus mihte have.
  Nothing withstondende hire astat,
  Of love more delicat
  He set hire chiere at no delit,
  Bot he have al his appetit.[777]
    Mi Sone, if it be with thee so,
  Tell me.
                                        [Sidenote: Confessio Amantis.]
          Myn holi fader, no:
  For delicat in such a wise
  Of love, as ye to me devise,                                     690
  Ne was I nevere yit gultif;
  For if I hadde such a wif
  As ye speke of, what scholde I more?
  For thanne I wolde neveremore
                                              [Sidenote: =P. iii. 25=]
  For lust of eny wommanhiede
  Myn herte upon non other fiede:
  And if I dede, it were a wast.
  Bot al withoute such repast
  Of lust, as ye me tolde above,
  Of wif, or yit of other love,                                    700
  I faste, and mai no fode gete;
  So that for lacke of deinte mete,
  Of which an herte mai be fedd,
  I go fastende to my bedd.
  Bot myhte I geten, as ye tolde,
  So mochel that mi ladi wolde
  Me fede with hir glad semblant,
  Though me lacke al the remenant,
  Yit scholde I somdel ben abeched
  And for the time wel refreched.                                  710
  Bot certes, fader, sche ne doth;
  For in good feith, to telle soth,
  I trowe, thogh I scholde sterve,
  Sche wolde noght hire yhe swerve,
  Min herte with o goodly lok[778]
  To fede, and thus for such a cok
  I mai go fastinge everemo:
  Bot if so is that eny wo
  Mai fede a mannes herte wel,
  Therof I have at every meel                                      720
  Of plente more than ynowh;
  Bot that is of himself so towh,
  Mi stomac mai it noght defie.
  Lo, such is the delicacie
                                              [Sidenote: =P. iii. 26=]
  Of love, which myn herte fedeth;
  Thus have I lacke of that me nedeth.
    Bot for al this yit natheles
  I seie noght I am gylteles,
  That I somdel am delicat:
  For elles were I fulli mat,                                      730
  Bot if that I som lusti stounde
  Of confort and of ese founde,
  To take of love som repast;
  For thogh I with the fulle tast[779]
  The lust of love mai noght fiele,
  Min hunger otherwise I kiele
  Of smale lustes whiche I pike,

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The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works

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