The House of Fame

1286 And fond me lous, and noght y-holde,

  1287 And eft y-mused longe whyle

  1288 Upon these walles of beryle,

  1289 That shoon ful lighter than a glas,

  1290 And made wel more than hit was

  1291 To semen, every thing, y-wis,

  1292 As kinde thing of fames is;

  1293 I gan forth romen til I fond

  1294 The castel-yate on my right hond,

  1295 Which that so wel corven was

  1296 That never swich another nas;

  1297 And yit hit was by aventure

  1298 Y-wrought, as often as by cure.

  1299 Hit nedeth noght yow for to tellen,

  1300 To make yow to longe dwellen,

  1301 Of this yates florisshinges,

  1302 Ne of compasses, ne of kervinges,

  1303 Ne how they hatte in masoneries,

  1304 As, corbetz fulle of imageries.

  1305 But, lord! so fair hit was to shewe,

  1306 For hit was al with gold behewe.

  1307 But in I wente, and that anoon;

  1308 Ther mette I crying many oon, --

  1309 `A larges, larges, hold up wel!

  1310 God save the lady of this pel,

  1311 Our owne gentil lady Fame,

  1312 And hem that wilnen to have name

  1313 Of us!' Thus herde I cryen alle,

  1314 And faste comen out of halle,

  1315 And shoken nobles and sterlinges.

  1316 And somme crouned were as kinges,

  1317 With crounes wroght ful of losenges;

  1318 And many riban, and many frenges

  1319 Were on hir clothes trewely.

  1320 Tho atte laste aspyed I

  1321 That pursevauntes and heraudes,

  1322 That cryen riche folkes laudes,

  1323 Hit weren alle; and every man

  1324 Of hem, as I yow tellen can,

  1325 Had on him throwen a vesture,

  1326 Which that men clepe a cote-armure,

  1327 Enbrowded wonderliche riche,

  1328 Al-though they nere nought y-liche.

  1329 But noght nil I, so mote I thryve,

  1330 Been aboute to discryve

  1331 Al these armes that ther weren,

  1332 That they thus on her cotes beren,

  1333 For hit to me were impossible;

  1334 Men mighte make of hem a bible

  1335 Twenty foot thikke, as I trowe.

  1336 For certeyn, who-so coude y-knowe

  1337 Mighte ther alle the armes seen

  1338 Of famous folk that han y-been

  1339 In Auffrike, Europe, and Asye,

  1340 Sith first began the chevalrye,

  1341 Lo! how shulde I now telle al this?

  1342 Ne of the halle eek what nede is

  1343 To tellen yow, that every wal

  1344 Of hit, and floor, and roof and al

  1345 Was plated half a fote thikke

  1346 Of gold, and that nas no-thing wikke,

  1347 But, for to prove in alle wyse,

  1348 As fyn as ducat in Venyse,

  1349 Of whiche to lyte al in my pouche is?

  1350 And they wer set as thikke of nouchis

  1351 Fulle of the fynest stones faire,

  1352 That men rede in the Lapidaire,

  1353 As greses growen in a mede;

  1354 But hit were al to longe to rede

  1355 The names; and therfore I pace.

  1356 But in this riche lusty place,

  1357 That Fames halle called was,

  1358 Ful moche prees of folk ther nas,

  1359 Ne crouding, for to mochil prees.

  1360 But al on hye, above a dees,

  1361 Sitte in a see imperial,

  1362 That maad was of a rubee al,

  1363 Which that a carbuncle is y-called,

  1364 I saugh, perpetually y-stalled,

  1365 A feminyne creature;

  1366 That never formed by nature

  1367 Nas swich another thing y-seye.

  1368 For altherfirst, soth for to seye,

  1369 Me thoughte that she was so lyte,

  1370 That the lengthe of a cubyte

  1371 Was lenger than she semed be;

  1372 But thus sone, in a whyle, she

  1373 Hir tho so wonderliche streighte,

  1374 That with hir feet she therthe reighte,

  1375 And with hir heed she touched hevene,

  1376 Ther as shynen sterres sevene.

  1377 And ther-to eek, as to my wit,

  1378 I saugh a gretter wonder yit

  1379 Upon hir eyen to beholde;

  1380 But certeyn I hem never tolde;

  1381 For as fele eyen hadde she

  1382 As fetheres upon foules be,

  1383 Or weren on the bestes foure

  1384 That goddes trone gunne honoure,

  1385 As Iohn writ in th'Apocalips.

  1386 Hir heer, that oundy was and crips,

  1387 As burned gold hit shoon to see.

  1388 And sooth to tellen, also she

  1389 Had also fele up-stonding eres

  1390 And tonges, as on bestes heres;

  1391 And on hir feet wexen saugh I

  1392 Partriches winges redely.

  1393 But, lord! the perrie and the richesse

  1394 I saugh sitting on this goddesse!

  1395 And, lord! the hevenish melodye

  1396 Of songes, ful of armonye,

  1397 I herde aboute her trone y-songe,

  1398 That al the paleys-walles ronge!

  1399 So song the mighty Muse, she

  1400 That cleped is Caliopee,

  1401 And hir eighte sustren eke,

  1402 That in hir face semen meke;

  1403 And evermo, eternally,

  1404 They songe of Fame, as tho herde I: --

  1405 `Heried be thou and thy name,

  1406 Goddesse of renoun and of fame!'

  1407 Tho was I war, lo, atte laste,

  1408 As I myn eyen gan up caste,

  1409 That this ilke noble quene

  1410 On hir shuldres gan sustene

  1411 Bothe tharmes and the name

  1412 Of tho that hadde large fame;

  1413 Alexander, and Hercules

  1414 That with a sherte his lyf lees!

  1415 Thus fond I sitting this goddesse,

  1416 In nobley, honour, and richesse;

  1417 Of which I stinte a whyle now,

  1418 Other thing to tellen yow.

  1419 Tho saugh I stonde on either syde,

  1420 Streight doun to the dores wyde,

  1421 Fro the dees, many a pileer

  1422 Of metal, that shoon not ful cleer;

  1423 But though they nere of no richesse,

  1424 Yet they were maad for greet noblesse,

  1425 And in hem greet and hy sentence,

  1426 And folk of digne reverence,

  1427 Of whiche I wol yow telle fonde,

  1428 Upon the piler saugh I stonde.

  1429 Alderfirst, lo, ther I sigh,

  1430 Upon a piler stonde on high,

  1431 That was of lede and yren fyn,

  1432 Him of secte Saturnyn,

  1433 The Ebrayk Iosephus, the olde,

  1434 That of Iewes gestes tolde;

  1435 And bar upon his shuldres hye

  1436 The fame up of the Iewerye.

  1437 And by him stoden other sevene,

  1438 Wyse and worthy for to nevene,

  1439 To helpen him bere up the charge,

  1440 Hit was so hevy and so large.

  1441 And for they writen of batailes,

  1442 As wel as other olde mervai
les,

  1443 Therfor was, lo, this pileer,

  1444 Of which that I yow telle heer,

  1445 Of lede and yren bothe, y-wis,

  1446 For yren Martes metal is,

  1447 Which that god is of bataille;

  1448 And the leed, withouten faille,

  1449 Is, lo, the metal of Saturne,

  1450 That hath ful large wheel to turne.

  1451 Tho stoden forth, on every rowe,

  1452 Of hem which that I coude knowe,

  1453 Thogh I hem noght be ordre telle,

  1454 To make yow to long to dwelle.

  1455 These, of whiche I ginne rede,

  1456 Ther saugh I stonden, out of drede:

  1457 Upon an yren piler strong,

  1458 That peynted was, al endelonge,

  1459 With tygres blode in every place,

  1460 The Tholosan that highte Stace,

  1461 That bar of Thebes up the fame

  1462 Upon his shuldres, and the name

  1463 Also of cruel Achilles.

  1464 And by him stood, withouten lees,

  1465 Ful wonder hye on a pileer

  1466 Of yren, he, the gret Omeer;

  1467 And with him Dares and Tytus

  1468 Before, and eek he Lollius,

  1469 And Guido eek de Columpnis,

  1470 And English Gaufride eek, y-wis;

  1471 And ech of these, as have I Ioye,

  1472 Was besy for to bere up Troye.

  1473 So hevy ther-of was the fame,

  1474 That for to bere hit was no game.

  1475 But yit I gan ful wel espye,

  1476 Betwix hem was a litil envye.

  1477 Oon seyde, Omere made lyes,

  1478 Feyninge in his poetryes,

  1479 And was to Grekes favorable;

  1480 Therfor held he hit but fable.

  1481 Tho saugh I stonde on a pileer,

  1482 That was of tinned yren cleer,

  1483 That Latin poete, dan Virgyle,

  1484 That bore hath up a longe whyle

  1485 The fame of Pius Eneas.

  1486 And next him on a piler was,

  1487 Of coper, Venus clerk, Ovyde,

  1488 That hath y-sowen wonder wyde

  1489 The grete god of Loves name.

  1490 And ther he bar up wel his fame,

  1491 Upon his piler, also hye

  1492 As I might see hit with myn ye:

  1493 For-why this halle, of whiche I rede

  1494 Was woxe on highte, lengthe and brede,

  1495 Wel more, by a thousand del,

  1496 Than hit was erst, that saugh I wel.

  1497 Tho saugh I, on a piler by,

  1498 Of yren wroght ful sternely,

  1499 The grete poete, daun Lucan,

  1500 And on his shuldres bar up than,

  1501 As highe as that I mighte see,

  1502 The fame of Iulius and Pompee.

  1503 And by him stoden alle these clerkes,

  1504 That writen of Romes mighty werkes,

  1505 That, if I wolde hir names telle,

  1506 Al to longe most I dwelle.

  1507 And next him on a piler stood

  1508 Of soulfre, lyk as he were wood,

  1509 Dan Claudian, the soth to telle,

  1510 That bar up al the fame of helle,

  1511 Of Pluto, and of Proserpyne,

  1512 That quene is of the derke pyne.

  1513 What shulde I more telle of this?

  1514 The halle was al ful, y-wis,

  1515 Of hem that writen olde gestes,

  1516 As ben on trees rokes nestes;

  1517 But hit a ful confus matere

  1518 Were al the gestes for to here,

  1519 That they of write, and how they highte.

  1520 But whyl that I beheld this sighte,

  1521 I herde a noise aprochen blyve,

  1522 That ferde as been don in an hyve,

  1523 Agen her tyme of out-fleyinge;

  1524 Right swiche a maner murmuringe,

  1525 For al the world, hit semed me.

  1526 Tho gan I loke aboute and see,

  1527 That ther come entring in the halle

  1528 A right gret company with-alle,

  1529 And that of sondry regiouns,

  1530 Of alleskinnes condiciouns,

  1531 That dwelle in erthe under the mone,

  1532 Pore and ryche. And also sone

  1533 As they were come into the halle,

  1534 They gonne doun on knees falle

  1535 Before this ilke noble quene,

  1536 And seyde, `Graunte us, lady shene,

  1537 Ech of us, of thy grace, a bone!'

  1538 And somme of hem she graunted sone,

  1539 And somme she werned wel and faire;

  1540 And somme she graunted the contraire

  1541 Of hir axing utterly,

  1542 But thus I seye yow trewely,

  1543 What hir cause was, I niste.

  1544 For of this folk, ful wel I wiste,

  1545 They hadde good fame ech deserved,

  1546 Althogh they were diversly served;

  1547 Right as hir suster, dame Fortune,

  1548 Is wont to serven in comune.

  1549 Now herkne how she gan to paye

  1550 That gonne hir of hir grace praye;

  1551 And yit, lo, al this companye

  1552 Seyden sooth, and noght a lye.

  1553 `Madame,' seyden they, `we be

  1554 Folk that heer besechen thee,

  1555 That thou graunte us now good fame,

  1556 And let our werkes han that name;

  1557 In ful recompensacioun

  1558 Of good werk, give us good renoun.'

  1559 `I werne yow hit,' quod she anoon,

  1560 `Ye gete of me good fame noon,

  1561 By god! and therfor go your wey.'

  1562 `Alas,' quod they, `and welaway!

  1563 Telle us, what may your cause be?'

  1564 `For me list hit noght,' quod she;

  1565 `No wight shal speke of yow, y-wis,

  1566 Good ne harm, ne that ne this.'

  1567 And with that word she gan to calle

  1568 Hir messanger, that was in halle,

  1569 And bad that he shulde faste goon,

  1570 Up peyne to be blind anoon,

  1571 For Eolus, the god of winde; --

  1572 `In Trace ther ye shul him finde,

  1573 And bid him bringe his clarioun,

  1574 That is ful dyvers of his soun,

  1575 And hit is cleped Clere Laude,

  1576 With which he wont is to heraude

  1577 Hem that me list y-preised be:

  1578 And also bid him how that he

  1579 Bringe his other clarioun,

  1580 That highte Sclaundre in every toun,

  1581 With which he wont is to diffame

  1582 Hem that me list, and do hem shame.'

  1583 This messanger gan faste goon,

  1584 And found wher, in a cave of stoon,

  1585 In a contree that highte Trace,

  1586 This Eolus, with harde grace,

  1587 Held the windes in distresse,

  1588 And gan hem under him to presse,

  1589 That they gonne as beres rore,

  1590 He bond and pressed hem so sore.

  1591 This messanger gan faste crye,

  1592 `Rys up,' quod he, `and faste hye,

  1593 Til that thou at my lady be;

  1594 And tak thy clarions eek with thee,

  1595 And speed the forth.' And he anon

  1596 Took to a man, that hight Triton,

  1597 His clariouns to bere tho, r />
  1598 And leet a certeyn wind to go,

  1599 That blew so hidously and hye,

  1600 That hit ne lefte not a skye

  1601 In al the welken longe an brood.

  1602 This Eolus no-wher abood

  1603 Til he was come at Fames feet,

  1604 And eek the man that Triton heet;

  1605 And ther he stood, as still as stoon.

  1606 And her-withal ther com anoon

  1607 Another huge companye

  1608 Of gode folk, and gunne crye,

  1609 `Lady, graunte us now good fame,

  1610 And lat our werkes han that name

  1611 Now, in honour of gentilesse,

  1612 And also god your soule blesse!

  1613 For we han wel deserved hit,

  1614 Therfore is right that we ben quit.'

  1615 `As thryve I,' quod she, `ye shal faile,

  1616 Good werkes shal yow noght availe

  1617 To have of me good fame as now.

  1618 But wite ye what? Y graunte yow,

  1619 That ye shal have a shrewed fame

  1620 And wikked loos, and worse name,

  1621 Though ye good loos have wel deserved.

  1622 Now go your wey, for ye be served;

  1623 And thou, dan Eolus, let see!

  1624 Tak forth thy trumpe anon,' quod she,

  1625 `That is y-cleped Sclaunder light,

  1626 And blow her loos, that every wight

  1627 Speke of hem harm and shrewednesse,

  1628 In stede of good and worthinesse.

  1629 For thou shalt trumpe al the contraire

  1630 Of that they han don wel or faire.'

  1631 `Alas,' thoughte I, `what aventures

  1632 Han these sory creatures!

  1633 For they, amonges al the pres,

  1634 Shul thus be shamed, gilteles!

  1635 But what! hit moste nedes be.'

  1636 What did this Eolus, but he

  1637 Tok out his blakke trumpe of bras,

  1638 That fouler than the devil was,

  1639 And gan this trumpe for to blowe,

  1640 As al the world shulde overthrowe;

  1641 That through-out every regioun

  1642 Wente this foule trumpes soun,

  1643 As swift as pelet out of gonne,

  1644 Whan fyr is in the poudre ronne.

  1645 And swiche a smoke gan out-wende

  1646 Out of his foule trumpes ende,

  1647 Blak, blo, grenissh, swartish reed,

  1648 As doth wher that men melte leed,

  1649 Lo, al on high fro the tuel!

  1650 And therto oo thing saugh I wel,

  1651 That, the ferther that hit ran,

  1652 The gretter wexen hit began,

  1653 As doth the river from a welle,

  1654 And hit stank as the pit of helle.

  1655 Alas, thus was hir shame y-ronge,

  1656 And giltelees, on every tonge.

  1657 Tho com the thridde companye,

  1658 And gunne up to the dees to hye,

  1659 And doun on knees they fille anon,

  1660 And seyde, `We ben everichon

  1661 Folk that han ful trewely

  1662 Deserved fame rightfully,

  1663 And pray yow, hit mot be knowe,

  1664 Right as hit is, and forth y-blowe.'

  1665 `I graunte,' quod she, `for me list

  1666 That now your gode werk be wist;

  1667 And yet ye shul han better loos,

  1668 Right in dispyt of alle your foos,

  1669 Than worthy is; and that anoon:

  1670 Lat now,' quod she, `thy trumpe goon,

  1671 Thou Eolus, that is so blak;

  1672 And out thyn other trumpe tak

  1673 That highte Laude, and blow it so

  1674 That through the world hir fame go

  1675 Al esely, and not to faste,

  1676 That hit be knowen atte laste.'

  1677 `Ful gladly, lady myn,' he seyde;

  1678 And out his trumpe of golde he brayde

  1679 Anon, and sette hit to his mouthe,

  1680 And blew hit est, and west, and southe,

  1681 And north, as loude as any thunder,

  1682 That every wight hadde of hit wonder,

  1683 So brode hit ran, or than hit stente,

  1684 And, certes, al the breeth that wente

  1685 Out of his trumpes mouthe smelde

  1686 As men a pot-ful bawme helde

  1687 Among a basket ful of roses;

  1688 This favour dide he til hir loses.

  1689 And right with this I gan aspye,

  1690 Ther com the ferthe companye --

  1691 But certeyn they were wonder fewe --

  1692 And gonne stonden in a rewe,

  1693 And seyden, `Certes, lady brighte,

  1694 We han don wel with al our mighte;

  1695 But we ne kepen have no fame.

  1696 Hyd our werkes and our name,

  1697 For goddes love! for certes we

  1698 Han certeyn doon hit for bountee,

  1699 And for no maner other thing.'

  1700 `I graunte yow al your asking,'

  1701 Quod she; `let your werk be deed.'

  1702 With that aboute I clew myn heed,

  1703 And saugh anoon the fifte route

  1704 That to this lady gonne loute,

  1705 And doun on knes anoon to falle;

  1706 And to hir tho besoughten alle

  1707 To hyde hit gode werkes eek,

  1708 And seyde, they yeven noght a leek

  1709 For fame, ne for swich renoun;

  1710 For they, for contemplacioun

  1711 And goddes love, hadde y-wrought;

  1712 Ne of fame wolde they nought.

  1713 `What?' quod she, `and be ye wood?

  1714 And wene ye for to do good,

  1715 And for to have of that no fame?

  1716 Have ye dispyt to have my name?

  1717 Nay, ye shul liven everichoon!

  1718 Blow thy trumpe and that anoon,'

  1719 Quod she, `thou Eolus, I hote,

  1720 And ring this folkes werk by note,