The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English worksGower, John
History
The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works
Gower, John
Poetry
And after this, so as I rede,[381] 5480
Fedra, the which hir Soster is,
He tok in stede of hire, and this
Fel afterward to mochel teene.
For thilke vice of which I meene,
Unkindeschipe, where it falleth,
The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth,
That he can no good dede aquite:
So mai he stonde of no merite
Towardes god, and ek also
Men clepen him the worldes fo; 5490
For he nomore than the fend
Unto non other man is frend,
Bot al toward himself al one.
Forthi, mi Sone, in thi persone
This vice above alle othre fle.
Mi fader, as ye techen me,
I thenke don in this matiere.
Bot over this nou wolde I hiere,
Wherof I schal me schryve more.
Mi goode Sone, and for thi lore,[382] 5500
After the reule of coveitise
I schal the proprete devise
Of every vice by and by.
Nou herkne and be wel war therby.
[Sidenote: [RAVINE.]]
viii. _Viribus ex clara res tollit luce Rapina,_
_Floris et inuita virgine mella capit._
In the lignage of Avarice,
[Sidenote: Hic tractat super illa specie cupida que Rapina
nuncupatur, cuius mater extorcio ipsam ad deseruiendum
magnatum curiis specialius commendauit.]
Mi Sone, yit ther is a vice,
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 312=]
His rihte name it is Ravine,[383]
Which hath a route of his covine.
Ravine among the maistres duelleth,
And with his servantz, as men telleth,[384] 5510
Extorcion is nou withholde:
Ravine of othre mennes folde
Makth his larder and paieth noght;
For wher as evere it mai be soght,
In his hous ther schal nothing lacke,
And that fulofte abyth the packe
Of povere men that duelle aboute.
Thus stant the comun poeple in doute,
Which can do non amendement;
For whanne him faileth paiement,[385] 5520
Ravine makth non other skile,
Bot takth be strengthe what he wile.[386]
So ben ther in the same wise
Lovers, as I thee schal devise,[387]
That whan noght elles mai availe,
Anon with strengthe thei assaile
And gete of love the sesine,[388]
Whan thei se time, be Ravine.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Forthi, mi Sone, schrif thee hier,
If thou hast ben a Raviner 5530
Of love.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Certes, fader, no:
For I mi ladi love so,[389]
That thogh I were as was Pompeie,[390]
That al the world me wolde obeie,
Or elles such as Alisandre,
I wolde noght do such a sklaundre;
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 313=]
It is no good man, which so doth.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
In good feith, Sone, thou seist soth:
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