Stanzas CLIV–CLXV

CLIV
This gift shall Lomer have of me,
— As sure as I'm a fairy's son,-
That he shall ' well-beloved ' be,
But wench or woman love he none
Nor lose his head for any one,
And that an hundred times a night
The trick for nought of him be done,
In spite of Holger the good knight.

CLV
To lovers sick and sorrowful,
(As well as Alain Chartier's Lay,)
At bedhead, a benature-full
Of tears I give, and eke a spray
Of eglatere or flowering May,
(To sprinkle with) in time of green ;
Provided they a Psalter say.
To save poor Villon's soul from teen.

CLVI
To Master James, that day and night
Himself at hoarding wealth doth kill,
I give as many girls to plight
(But none to marry) as he will.
For whom doth he his coffers fill ?
For those that are his kin, alack!
That which the sows' was, I hold ill
Should to the porkers not go back.

CLVII
Unto the Seneschal I bequeath, —
(Who once from debt did me release)
Besides the quality of Smith, —
The right of shoeing ducks and geese.
I send him all these fooleries,
To help him pass away the time,
Or make him spillets if he please :
One wearies of the best of rhyme.

CLVIII
The Captain of the Watch, also —
Two proper youths to serve as page ;
Marquet the Stout and Philippot,
Who for the most part of their age
Have served (whence are they the more sage)
The Blacksmiths' Provost. Wellaway!
If they should chance to lose their wage,
They must go shoeless many a day.

CLIX
Item, to Chappelain let there pass
My simple-tonsure chapelry,
Charged but with saying a low mass :
There little letters needed be.
My cure of souls he should of me
Have had ; but no one to confess
(To go by what he says) cares he,
Save chambermaids and mistresses.

CLX
Since my intent he well doth know,
To Jehan de Calais — (worthy wight !
Who saw me thirty years ago
And hath not since on me set sight,
Indeed, nor knoweth how I bight) —
If in this Testament befall
Or hitch or doubt, I give full right
To solve and mend them, one and all :

CLXI
To glose upon it and comment,
Define, eliminate, prescribe,
Diminish aught or aught augment,
To cancel it or it transcribe
With his own hand, although no scribe
He be ; such sense as he thinks fit,
At pleasure, good or bad, ascribe
Thereto : I sanction all of it.

CLXII
And if, perchance, some legatee,
Without my knowledge, should be dead,
It shall at the discretion be
Of Jehan de Calais aforesaid
To see my will interpreted
And otherwise the gift apply
Nor take it for himself instead :
I charge him on his soul thereby.

CLXIII
Item, my body, I ordain,
Shall at St. Avoye buried be :
And that my friends may there again
My image and presentment see,
Let one the semblant limn of me
In ink, if that be not too dear.
No other monument, perdie :
'Twould overload the floor, I fear.

CLXIV
Item, I will that over it
That which ensues, without word more,
In letters large enough be writ :
If ink fail (as I said before),
Let them the words with charcoal score,
So they do not the plaster drag :
'Twill serve to keep my name in store,
As that of a good crack-brained wag.

CLXV
HERE LIES AND SLUMBERS IN THIS PLACE
ONE WHOM LOVE WREAKED HIS IRE UPON :
A SCHOLAR, POOR OF GOODS AND GRACE,
THAT HIGHT OF OLD FRANÇOIS VILLON:
ACRE OR FURROW HAD HE NONE.
'TIS KNOWN HIS ALL HE GAVE AWAY;
BREAD, TABLES, TRESSELS, ALL ARE GONE.
GALLANTS, OF HIM THIS ROUNDEL SAY.