Reson and Sensuallyte, attributed to Lydgate, freely translated from
Les Echecs amoureux (lines 1-4873) — 7042 lines in
couplets
Author(s): John Lydgate (attrib.)
Title(s):
Reson and Sensuallyte
Subjects: allegories; chess, game of; Venus; Diana; love, pleasures of
Versification: —
two-line —
aa
1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Fairfax 16 (SC 3896), ff. 202-300
First Lines:TO alle folkys vertuouse
That gentil ben and
amerouse…
Last Lines:…Ther stood a povne of gret renoun
Callyd
delectacioun…
Attributed Title: Reson and sensuallyte compylid by John lydgat (add by hand of 16th century,
f. 202)
Facsimiles: Norton-Smith, John.
“Introduction.”
Bodleian Library MS Fairfax 16.
London: Scolar Press, 1979.
2.Source: London, British Library Addit. 29729, ff. 184-186
v
First Lines:to all folkys vertuouse
that gentill ben and
amerouse…
Last Lines:…next by the povne of thynkynge
so comfortable in all
thinge
ther stood a povne of gret renon
Callyd
delectacion…
Note: Ends incomplete, breaking off after four lines of the description of the
fourth pawn on his side in the chess game between himself and the
damsel.
Editions: Sieper, E.,
ed.
Lydgate’s Reson and Sensuallyte.
EETS
e.s. 84 (1901); repr. 1965.