Gentilesse

Moral Balade of Chaucier

The firste stok, fader of gentilesse -

What man that claymeth gentil for to be

Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse

Vertu to sewe, and vyces for to flee.

For unto vertu longeth dignitee,

And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme,

Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.

This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse,

Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free,

Clene of his gost, and loved besinesse,

Ayeinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee;

And, but his heir love vertu, as dide he,

He is noght gentil, thogh he riche seme,

Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.

Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse;

But ther may no man, as men may wel see,

Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse,

That is appropred unto no degree,

But to the firste fader in magestee,

That maketh his heir him that can him queme,

Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.

Glosses and Notes

Al: Although

Appropred: Given into the possession of, appropriated to the use of.

Ayeinst: Against.

Clene: Clean, pure, unmixed.

Diademe: A crown or a cloth headband; an imperial crown.

Fader: Father, parent, ancestor.

Gentilesse: Gentilesse of birth or character, nobility, courtesy, high breeding, delicacy, slenderness.

Gost: Spirit, soul.

Longeth: Belongs.

Mytre: Bishop's crown.

Queme: Please, satisfy.

Saufly: With safety.

Stok: Stock, race, origin.

Trace: Path, track.

Vyce: Vice, fault, error, defect.

Were: Wear.

Prepared by Jessica Ramirez Torres

http://english.edgewood.edu/chaucer-poems/gen_text.htm