Notes

1] This poem consists in twenty-two MSS. and was first printed by Caxton, c. 1477-8. In the MSS. it has such titles as The good counceyl of chawcer and Moral balade of Chaucyre. In the Chaucer Society reprint Furnivall entitled it Truth. One scribe, Shirley, heads the poem: Balade that Chaucier made on his deeth bedde, which would fix the date in 1400, but his statement has been questioned. The present text is from MS. Brit. Mus. Add. 10310, the only one that includes the Envoy. This is addressed to one Vache, probably Sir Philip de la Vache (1346- 1408), son in-law to Chaucer's friend, Sir Lewis Clifford. A prosperous courtier, he lost his offices between 1386 and 1389, but afterwards recovered favour. It has been suggested that the poem was addressed to him during the time of his misfortune. Much of the thought of this poem is from Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, which Chaucer translated.

pres. Crowd.
sothefastnesse. Truth.

2] Let thy property suffice thee, though it be small.

3] tykelnesse. Instability.

4] wele blent overal. Prosperity blindeth everywhere.

6] reede. Advise.

7] Cf. John, viii, 32.
hit is no drede. There is no doubt.

8] Tempest the nought. Do not distress thyself.

9] In trust of Fortune who continually turns her wheel.

10] Much happiness stands in little anxiety.

11] Beware of kicking against an awl (Cf. Acts, ix, 5).

12] crokke. Crock, pot.

13] Daunte. Rule, dominate.

15] buxumnesse. Submissiveness, obedience.

18] beste. Beast.

19] of. For.

20] heye weye. The main road.
gost. Spirit. Cf. Romans, viii, 4; Gal., vi, 16.

22] Vache. See introductory note.
olde wrechednesse. Long continued wretchedness (over thy misfortunes).

23] thral. Slave.

24-25] Crie hym mercy, that ... Made thee of nought. Thank him who, out of his goodness, created thee of nothing.

27] other. Perhaps the poet himself.
mede. Reward.

Other poems by Geoffrey Chaucer