The historie of graunde Amoure and la bell Pucel, called the Pastime of plesure co[n]teining the knowledge of the seue[n] sciences, [and] the course of mans life in this worlde. Iuuented [sic] by Stephen Hawes, grome of kyng Henry the seuenth his chamber. Pastime of pleasure Hawes, Stephen, d. 1523? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A02817 of text S106025 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 12950). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 305 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 109 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A02817 STC 12950 ESTC S106025 99841750 99841750 6353 2240897820

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A02817) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 6353) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 246:07) The historie of graunde Amoure and la bell Pucel, called the Pastime of plesure co[n]teining the knowledge of the seue[n] sciences, [and] the course of mans life in this worlde. Iuuented [sic] by Stephen Hawes, grome of kyng Henry the seuenth his chamber. Pastime of pleasure Hawes, Stephen, d. 1523? [216] p. Newely perused and imprynted by Iohn Wayland, aucthorised a prynter, by the Quenes highnes most gracious letters patentes, [London] : [1554] In verse. This edition lacks the publisher's preface. Colophon reads: Imprinted at London by Iohn Waylande, dwellynge in Fletestrete, at the sygne of the Sunne, ouer agaynst the Conduite. Anno do. M.D.L.iiii. the. i. day of Iune. .. Signatures: *⁴ A-Y⁴ 2A-2D⁴. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. eng eebo The historie of graunde Amoure and la bell Pucel, called the Pastime of plesure, co[n]teining the knowlege of the seue[n] sciences, [and] the course o Hawes, Stephen, 1554 218 50862 10 0 0 0 0 0 1.97 B The rate of 1.97 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2000-00 Assigned for keying and markup 2001-00 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2001-07 Sampled and proofread 2001-07 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2001-11 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

The Historie of graunde Amoure and la bell Pucel , called the Pastime of plesure , conteining the knowlege of the seuen sciences , & the course of mans life in this worlde . Inuented by Stephen Hawes , grome of kyng Henry the seuenth his chamber .

Newely perused and imprynted by Iohn Wayland , aucthorised a prynter , by the Quenes highnes most gracious letters patentes .

Thecontentesofthisboke. HOw graunde Amoure walked in a medowe , & met with Fame enuyronned with tongues of fyre . Ca. i. Of the swete report of Fame ; of the fayre ladye la bell Pucell , in the tower of Musike . cap. ii . How Fame departed from graunde Amoute , & left him gouernaunce and grace , and how he wente to the tower of doctrine . ca. iii How he was let in by countenaunce the portresse and of the marueylous building of the same tower Capitu. iiii . How science sent him first to Gramer , where he was receiued by dame congruitie . ca. v Howe he was receiued of Logyke . ca. vi How he was receiued of Rethorike , and what Rethoryke is . ca. vii Of the first part called Inuention , and a commendation of Poetes . ca. viii A replication agaynst ignoraunt persons . ca. ix Of disposition the. ii . part of Rethorike . ca. x Of Elocucion the thirde part of Rethorike , with colouryng of sentences . ca. xi Of pronunciation , the. iiii . part of rethorike . ca. xii Of memory , the. v. part of rethorike . ca. xiii A commendation of Gower , Chaucer , and Lid gate . ca. xiiii Of Arsmetrike . ca. xv Of musike mundain , humayn , & instrumental . ca. xvi How graunde Amoure was enamoured of la bell Pucell in the tower of musyke , and met wyth counsayle in a temple . ca. xvii Of the dolorous and lowly disputation betwene la bell Pucell , and graunde Amoure . ca. xviii How la bell Pucell graunted graunde Amoure loue , and of her dispiteous departage . ca. xix Of the great sorow that graunde Amour made after her departynge , and of the wordes of Counsayle . ca. xx How graunde amoure went to Geometrye , and what Geometry is . ca. xxi Of dame Astronomy . ca. xxii Of the direct operations of nature . ca. xxiii Of the fiue internal wyttes . ca. xxiiii Of the hye influences of the supernall bodyes . Capitu. xxv . How graund amoure departed from the tower of science , & went to the tower of chyualry , where he was let in by fortitude . ca. xxvi Of the marueylous argument , betwene Mars and Fortune . ca. xxvii How Mynerue ledde graunde amoure to kyng Melyzyus , whiche made him knyght . ca. xxviii How he departed from kyng Melyzyus , w hys greyhoundes , and attendaunce hys varlet , & met with false report , that chaunged his name to Godfrey gobilyue . ca. xxix How graunde amoure in the temple of Uenus made his supplication . ca. xxx . The copy of the letter that Uenus sent to la bel Pucell . ca. xxxi How Godfrey gobiliue was taken of Correction and punished . ca. xxxii How graunde Amoure discomfited the gyaunt w thre heades , & was receiued w. iii. ladyes . ca. xxxiii How he met with Perceueraunce , & reposed him in the manour place of dame comfort . ca. xxxiiii How he vainquished a gyaunt with seuen heads and was receiued of seuen ladyes . ca. xxxv How he made oblation to the goddesse Pallas , and sayled ouer the tempesteous floude . ca. xxxvi How he discomfited the wonderfull monster of the. vii . metalles made by enchauntment . ca. xxxvii How he was receiued of la bel Pucel . ca. xxxviii The mariage of graunde Amoure , and la bell Pucell . ca. xxxix How when graunde Amour had liued long with la bell Pucell , was arested by age , that brought to him policye and auarice . ca. xl How he was arested by death . ca. xli Howe remembraunce made his epitaphy on his graue . ca. xlii How Fame came into the temple with burnyng tongues , and of her praise . ca. xliii How Time came into the temple in a marueylous similitude , and of his replication . ca. xliiii How Eternitie came into the temple , and of her vertuous exhortation . ca. xlv The excusation of the Aucthour . ca. xlvi .

To the Reader .

SI the that all menne for the most part by a naturall inclination , desire rather to spend their dayes in pleasure and delectable pastimes , then in paineful studyes and tedious labours . And yet neuertheles by the secrete inspiracion of almighty God ( all men in general ) so insaciately thirsteth for the knowledge of wisdome and learnyng , that some for very earnest desire therof ( thoughe nature grudgeth ) cease not to spend their dayes and houres , with suche continuall and importunate trauayle in sekynge the same , that hauyng no regarde to the ouer pressyng of Nature , in searchynge with all diligence for the true vaine of knowledge , do sodainely bryng forth their owne confusion . Some contrariwise ( whom nature to muche ruleth ) beyng discomforted wyth painefull & tedious study , rather chose to be drowned in the stinkyng floude of ignoraunce , them wyth so muche sweate and paynes , to sayle ( wyth a by wynde ) into the pleasaunt Ilande of wisdome and science , which thing considered ( most gentle Reader ) I offer here vnto the for thy better instruction this little volume , conteynynge and treatyng vpon the seuen liberall sciences , & the whole course of mans lyfe , firste compiled & deuised by Stephen Hawes gentleman , grome of the chamber to the famous Prynce and seconde Salomon , kynge Henrye the seuenth . A man ( as by his worckes appeareth ) of a pleasaunte wytte , and singuler learnynge , wherin thou shalt finde at one tyme , wisdome and learnyng , with myrthe and solace . So that herein thou mayest easelye fynde ( as it were in pastyme ) wythout offence of nature that thyng , and in short space , whiche many great clarkes wythout great paynes and trauayle , & long continuaunce of time heretofore coulde neuer obteyne nor get , which as it was firste entituled by the Aucthoure , to be the pastime of pleasure , and vnder the same title so dedicated to the sayed worthye Prynce , by the Aucthoure therof : so shalt thou good reader wyth deliberate readyng therof , fynde it not onely the Pastyme of pleasure , but also of profite .

Fare wel .
To the high and mighty Prince , Henry the seuenth , by the grace of God , kyng of Englande , and of Fraunce , Lorde of Irelande . &c. RIght mighty prince , & redoubted souerayn Sayling forthe well , in the shyp of grace Ouer the waues of this life vncertayne , Ryght towarde heauen , to haue dwellyng place Grace dothe you guyde , in euery doubtfull case Your gouernaunce , doth euer more eschewe The synne of slouthe , enemy to vertue . Grace stirreth well , the grace of god is great Whych you hath brought to your ryall se , And in your ryght , it hath you surely sette Aboue vs all , to haue the soueraintie : Whose worthy power , and regall dygnitie All our rancour , and our debate gan cease And hath vs brought , both welthe , rest , and peace . From whom dyscendeth , by the ryghtful lyne Noble prynce Henry , to succede the crowne That in his youth , doth so clearely shyne In euery vertue , casting the vyce adowne : He shall of fame , attayne the hye renowne No doubte but grace , shall hym well enclose Whych by true ryght , sprang of the red rose . Your noble grace , and excellent hyenes For to accepte I beseche ryght humbly , Thys little boke , opprest wyth rudenes Without rethoryke , or colour crafty : Nothynge I am experte in poetry , As the monke of Bury , floure of eloquence Which was in the time of great excellence , Of your predecessour , the. b. kyng Henry , Unto whose grace , he dyd present Ryght famous bokes , of parfit memory : Of hys fayuyng wyth termes eloquent . Whose fatall ficcions , are yet permanent . Grounded on reason , wyth cloudy fygures He cloked the trouth of al his scriptures . The light of trouth , I lacke cunnyng to cloke To drawe a curtayne , I dare not to presume Nor hyde my matter , with a misty smoke My rudenes cunnyng , dothe so sore consume Yet as I may , I shall blowe out a fume To hyde my mynde , vnderneth a fable By couert coloure , well and probable . Besechyng your grace , to pardon mine ignoraunce Whiche this fayned fable , to eschue idlenes Haue so compiled , nowe without doubtaunce For to present , to your hye worthines To folowe the trace , and all the perfitenes Of my master Lydgate , with due exercise Suche fayned tales , I do fynde and deuise . For vnder a coloure , a truthe may arise As was the guise , in olde antiquitye Of the Poetes olde , a tale to surmise To cloke the trouthe , of their infirmitye Or yet on ioye , to haue moralitye I me excuse , if by necligence That I do offende , for lacke of science . Your graces most bounden seruaunt Stephen Hawes , one of the gromes of your maiesties Chamber , the. xxi . yeare of your prosperous raygne .
Howe graund Amour walked in a medowe , and met with Fame , enuironned with tongues of fire . Chap. i. WHen Phebus entred was , in Geminy Shinyng aboue , in his fayre golden spere And horned Dyane , then but one degre In the crabbe had entred , fayre & cleare When that aurora , did well appeare In the depured ayre , and cruddy firmament Forthe then I walked , without impediment In to a medowe bothe gaye and glorious Whiche Flora depainted with many a colour Like a place of pleasure most solacious Encensyng out , the aromatike odoure Of zepherus breathe , whiche that euery floure Throughe his fume , dothe alwaie engender So as I went among the floures tender By sodaine chaunce , a faire pathe I founde On whiche I loked , and right oft I mused And then all about , I behelde the grounde With the faire pathe , whiche I sawe so vsed My chaunce or fortune , I nothing refused But in the pathe , forth I went a pace To knowe whither , and vnto what place It woulde me bryng , by any similitude So forth I went , were it ryght or wrong Tyll that I sawe , of royall pulcritude Before my face , an ymage fayre and strong With two fayre handes , stretched out along Unto two hye wayes , there in particion And in the right hande , was this description This is the strayght waye of contemplacion Unto the ioyfull to wer perdurable Who that wyll walke , vnto that mancion He must forsake , all thynges variable With the vayne glory , so muche deceyuable And though the way , be hard & daungerous The last ende therof , shal be ryght precious . And in the other hande , ryght fayre wrytten was This is the waye , of worldly dignitye Of the actiue lyfe , who wyll in it passe Unto the tower , of fayre dame beautye Fame shal tell hym , of the way in certaintye Unto la bell pucell , the fayre lady excellent Aboue all other , in cleare beauty splendent I behelde ryght well , bothe the wayes twayne And mused oft , whyche was best to take The one was sharpe , the other was more plaine And vnto my selfe , I began to make A sodayne argument , for I myght not slake Of my great musyng , of this royall ymage And of these two wayes , so muche in vsage For thys goodly picture was in altitude , Nyne fote and more , of fayre marble stone Ryght well fauoured , and of great altitude Thoughe it were made , full many yeres agone Thus stode I musynge , my selfe all alone By right long tyme , but at the last I went The actyue way , with all my whole entent Thus all alone , I began to trauayle For the on my waye , by long continuaunce But often times , I had great maruayle Of the by pathes , so full of pleasaunce Whiche for to take , I had great doubtaunce But euermore , as nere as I myght I toke the waye , whiche went before me right And at the laste , when Phebus in the west Gan to auayle , with all his beames merye When cleare Dyana , in the fayre southest Gan for to ryse , lightyng our emispery With clowdes cleare , wythout the stormy pery Me thought a farre , I had a vysyon Of a picture , of marueylous facyon . To whiche I went , without lenger delaye Beholdyng well , the right faire portayture Made of fine copper , shydyng faire and gaye Full well truely , accordyng to measure And as I thought , nine fote of stature Yet in the breast , with letters fayre and blewe Was written , a sentence olde and true This is the waye , and the sytuacion Unto the toure , of famous doctrine Who that will learne , must be ruled by reason And with all his diligence , he must encline Slouthe to eschue , and for to determine And set his hert , to be intelligible To a willyng herte , is nought impossible Beside the ymage , I adowne me sette After my laboure , my selfe to repose Till at the last , with a gaspyng nette Slouth my head caught , with his whole purpose It vayled not , the bodye for to dispose Againste the heade , when it is applied The heade must rule , it can not be denied Thus as I satte , in a deadly slomber Of a great horne , I hearde a royall blast With which I awoke , and had a great wonder From whence it came , it made me sore agast I loked about , the night was well nere past And fayre golden Phebus , in the morow graye With clowdes redde , began to breake the daye I sawe come ridyng , in a valey farre A goodly Ladye , enuironned about With tongues of fire , as bright as any starre That fiery flambes , ensensed alway out Whiche I behelde , and was in great doubt Her Palfrey swift , rennyng as the winde With two white greyhounds , that were not behind When that these greyhoundes , had me so espied With faunyng chere , of great humilitie In goodly haste , they fast vnto me hied I mused why , and wherfore it shoulde be But I welcomed them , in euery degree They leaped oft , and were of me right faine I suffred them , and cherished them againe Their collers were of golde , and of tyssue fine Wherin their names , appeared by scripture Of Dyamondes that clerely do shine The letters were grauen fayre and pure To reade their names , I did my busye cure The one was gouernaunce , the other named grace Then was I gladde , of all this sodayne cace And then the Ladye , with fiery flambe Of brennyng tongues , was in my presence Upon her palfrey , whiche had vnto name Pegase the swifte , so faire in excellence Whiche sometime longed , with his preminence To kyng Percius , the sonne of Iubiter On whom he rode , by the worlde so farre To me she saied , she marueyled muche why That her greyhoundes , shewed me that fauoure What was my name , she asked me truely To whom I saied , it was la graunde Amoure Besechyng you to be to me succoure , To the tower of doctrine , and also me tell Your proper name , and where you do dwell . My name quod she , in all the world is knowen Iclipped Fame , in euery region For I my horne in sundrye wise haue blowen After the deathe , of many a champion And with my tongues , haue made aye mencion Of their great actes , agayne to reuiue In flamyng tongues , for to abide on liue . It was the custome of olde antiquitye When the golden world , had domination And nature highe , in her aucthoritie More stronger had , her operation Then she hath nowe , in her digression The people then did , all their busye payne After their death , in Fame to liue agayue Recorde of Saturne , the first kyng of Crete Whiche in his youth , throughe his diligence Founde first plowing , of the landes swete And after this , by his great sapience For the commen profite , and beneuolence Of all metalles , he made diuision One from an other , by good prouision . And then also , as some Poetes fayne He founde shotyng , and drawyng of the bowe Yet as of that , I am nothynge certaine But for his cunnynge , of hye degre and lowe He was well beloued , as I do well knowe Throughe whose laboure , and aye busy cure His fame shall liue , and shall right long endure In whose time raigned , also in Thessayle A parte of Grece , the kyng Melizyus That was right strong , and fierce in battaile By whose laboure , as the storye sheweth vs He brake first horses , wilde and rigorious Teachyng his men , on them right wel to ryde And he him selfe , did first the horse bestryde . Also Mynerue , the right hardy Goddesse In the same time , of so hyghe renowne Vainquished Pallas , by her great worthines And first made harneys , to laye his pride adowne Whose geeat defence , in euery realme and towne Was spredde about , for her hye chyualtye Whiche by her harneys , wanne the victorye Dothe not remayne , yet in remembraunce The famous actes , of the noble Hercules That so many monsters put to vtteraunce By his great wisdome , and hye prowes As the recule of Troye , beareth good witnes That in his time , he would no battayle take But for the wealthe , of the commens sake Thus the whole mindes , were euer fixt and set Of noble men , in olde time to deuise Suche thinges as were , to the commen profite For in that time , suche was their goodly guise That after death , their fame shoulde arise For to endure , and abide in mynde As yet in bokes , we maye them written fynde . O ye estates , surmouutyng in noblenes Remembre well , the noble paynyms all Nowe by their labour , they wanne the highnes Of worthy fame , to raygne memoriall And them applyed , euer in speciall Thinges to practise , whiche should profite be To the comen wealth , and their heires in fee .
Of the swete report of Fame , of the faire Lady la bel Pucel , in the tower of musike . Chap. ii . AND after this , Fame gan to expresse Of ieopardous waye to the tower perillous And of the beautye , and the semelinesse Of la bel Pucell , so gaye and glorious That dwelled in the tower so marueylous Unto which might come , no maner of creature But by great laboure , and hard aduenture For by the waye , there lye in waite Gyantes great , disfigured of nature That all deuoureth , by their euil conceite Against whose strength , there may no man endure They are so huge , and strong out of measure With many serpentes , foule and odious In sundry likenesse , blacke and tedious But beyonde them , a great sea there is Beyonde whiche sea , there is a goodly land Most full of fruite , replete with ioye and blisse Of right fine golde , appeareth all the sande In this faire realme , where the tower doth stand Made all of golde , enameled aboute With noble stories , whiche do appeare without In whiche dwelleth by great aucthoritye Of la bel Pucell , whiche is so fayre and bryght To whom in beautye , no peare I can see For lyke as Phebus , aboue all starres in lyght When that he is , in his spere aryght Dothe excede , with his beames cleare So dothe her beauty , aboue other appeare She is bothe good , aye wise , and vertuous And also discended of a noble lyne Ryche , comely , ryght meke , andboūteous All maner vertues , in her clearely shine No uyce of her , maye ryght longe domyne And I dame Fame , in euery Nacion Of her do make the same relation . Her swete report , so my hart set on fyre With brennyng loue , most hote and feruent That her to see , I had great desyre Saiynge to Fame , O Ladye excellent I haue determined in my iudgement For la bel Pucell , the most fayre ladye To passe the waye , of so great ieopardye . You shall quod Fame , attayne the victory If you wyll do , as I shal to you say And all my lesson , retayne in memory To the tower of doctrine , ye shall take your waye You are now wythin a dayes iourney Both these greyhoundes , shal kepe you company Loke that you cherishe them full gentely . And countenaunce the goodly portres , Shall let you in , full well and nobly And also she we you , of the perfectnes Of all the seuen sciences , ryght notably There in your mynde , you may ententifely Unto dame doctrine , geue perfite audience Whiche shall enfourme you , in euery science Fare well she sayed , I may not nowe abide Walke on your way , with all your whole delite To the tower of doctrine , at this morowe tide Ye shall to morowe , of it haue a syght Kepe on your waye , nowe before you ryght For I must hence , to specifye the dedes Of their worthines , accordyng to their medes . And with that she did , from me departe Upon her stede , swifter then the wynde When she was gone , full wofull was my hart With inward trouble , oppressed was my mynde Yet were the greyhoundes , left with me behind Whiche did me comforte , in my great vyage To the tower of doctrine , with their fawning courage . So forthe I went , tossynge on my brayne Greatly musynge , ouer hyll and vale The way was troublous , & ey nothing playne Tyll at the lalte , I came to a dale Beholdyng Phebus , declinyng lowe and pale With my greyhoundes , in the fayre twy light I sate me downe , for to rest me all nyght . Slouthe vpon me , so fast began to crepe That of fyne force , I downe me layed Upon an hyll , with my greyhoundes to slepe When I was downe , I thought me well apayed And to my selfe , these wordes then I sayed Who will attame , sone to his iourneys ende To nourishe slouthe , he may not condiscende .
Howe Fame departed from graunde Amoure , and left wyth hym gouernaunce and Grace , and howe he went to the tower of doctrine . Ca. iii. THus then I slept , til that Auroras bemes Gan for to spreade , about the firmament And the clere sunne , with his golden stremes Began for to rise , faire in the orient Without Saturnus , blacke encombrement And the litle birdes , makyng melodye Did me awake , with their swete armony . I loked about , and sawe a craggy roche Farre in the west , neare to the element And as I did then , vnto it approche Upon the toppe , I sawe refulgent The royall tower , of morall document Made of fine copper , with turrettes faire and hye Which against Phebus , shone so marueylously That for the verye perfect brightnes , What of the tower , and of the cleare sunne I coulde nothing , beholde the goodlines Of that palaice , where as doctrine did wonne Tyll at the last , with misty windes donne The radiant bryghtnes , of golden Phebus Auster gan couer , wyth clowdes tenebrus . Then to the tower I drewe nere and nere And often mused , of the great hyghnes Of the craggy rocke , which quadrant did appeare But the fayre tower , so muche of riches Was all about , sexangled doubtles Gargeyld with greyhoundes , & with many lyons Made of fyne golde , with diuers sundry dragons The little turrets , wyth ymages of golde About was set , which with the wynde aye moued Wyth propre vyces , that I did well beholde About the towers , in sundry wise they houed Wyth goodly pypes , in their mouthes ituned That wyth the wynde , they pyped a daunce Iclipped , amour de la hault pleasaunce .
Howe he was let in by Countenaunce the porteres , and of the maruelous buildynge of the same tower . Capitulo . iiii . THE tower was greate , and of maruelous wydenesse , To whiche there was , no way to passe but one Into the tower , for to haue an intresse A grece there was , ychesyled all of stone Out of the rocke , on whyche men did gone Up to the tower , and in likewise did I Wyth bothe the greyhoundes , in my company Tyll that I came , to a royall gate Where I sawe standyng , the goodly portres Whiche axed me , from whence I came alate To whom I gan , in euery thing expresse All myne aduenture , chaunce and busines And eke my name , I tolde her euery dell When she hearde thys , she liked me ryght well Her name she sayed , was called countenaunce Into the busy court , she did me then leade Where was a fountayne , depured of pleasaunce A noble spring , a royal conduit heade Made of fyne golde , enameled with redde And on the toppe , foure dragons blew and stoute This dulcet water , in foure partes did spoute Of whiche there flowed , foure riuers right cleare . Sweter than Nysus , or Ganges was their odour Tygrys , or Eufrates , vnto them no pere I dyd then taste , the aromatike licoure Fragrant of fume , swete as any flower And in my mouthe , it had a marueylous cent Of diuers spices , I knew not what it mente And after this , furder forthe me brought Dame countenaunce , into a goodly hall Of Iasper stones , it was wonderslye wrought The windowes cleare , depured all of christal And in the roufe , on hye ouer all Of golde was made , a right crafty vyne In stede of grapes , the Rubies there did shyne . The flore was paued , with berall clarified With pillers made , of stones precious Like a place of pleasure , so gayely glorified It might be called , a palaice glorious So muche delectable , and solacious The hall was hanged , hye and circuler With clothe of arras , in the richest maner That treated well , of a full noble story Of the doubty waye , to the tower perillous Howe a noble knight , shoulde winne the victory Of many a serpent , fowle and odious And the first matter , then appeared thus Howe at a venture , and by sodaine chaunce He met with Fame , by fortunes purueyaunce . Whiche did him she we , of the famous pulcritude Of la bell Pucell , so cleare in beauty Excellyng all other , in euery similitude Nature her fauoured , so muche in degree When he hearde this , with feruent amitie Accompanied , with grace and gouernaunce He toke his waye , without encombraunce Unto the right famous , tower of learnyng And so from thence , vnto the tower of chiualry Where he was made knight , the noble kyng Called Melyzyus , well and worthely And furdermore , it shewed full notably Upon the arras , imbrodred al of blew What was his name , with letters all of grewe Thus with his verlet , he toke on his waye To the perillous tower , and sytuation Metyng Folye , as he rode on his iourney Ridynge on a mare , by great illusion After whom , ensued fast correction And in her hande , a strong knotted whippe At euery iarte , she made him for to skyppe . And then correction , braught la graund amour Unto the tower , wheras he might well see Diuers men , makyng right great doloure That defrauded women , by their duplicitie Yet before this , in perfite certayntie As the arras well did make relation In Uenus temple , he made his oblation . After which he mette , an hydeous gyant Hauyng thre heades , of marueilous kinde With his great strokes , he did him daunt Castyng him downe , vnder the linde With force and might , he did him bynde Strikyng of his heades , then euerychone That of all thre heades , he left not one This terrible gyaunt , yet had a brother Whiche graunde amoure , destroyed also Hauinge foure heades , more then the other That vnto him wrought mikel wo But he slewe sone , his mortall foe Whiche was a great gyaunt , with heades seuen To marueylous , nowe for me to neuen Yet more ouer , he put to vtteraunce A venemous beast , of sundry likenes Of diuers beastes , of ryght great mischaunce Wherof the pycture , bare good witnes For by his power , and his hye worthines He did discomfyte , the wonderous serpente Of the same metals , made by enchauntment And eke the clothe , made demonstration How he wedded , the great ladye beauteous La bell Pucell , in her owne dominacion After his labour , and passage daungerous With solemne ioye , and mirthe melodious This famous storye , well pyctured was In the fayre hall , vpon the arras . The marshall , yclipped was dame Reason And the yewres , also obseruaunce The panter Pleasaunce , at euery season The good butler , curteys continuaunce And the chiefe coke , was called temperaunce . The lady chamberlayne , named fidelitye And the hye stewarde , Liberalitye . There sate dame Doctrine , that lady gent Whyche called me , vnto her presence For to knowe all the whole entent Of my commyng , vnto her excellence Madame I sayed , to learne your scyence I am comen , now me to applye Wyth all my cure , in perfect studye . And yet also , I vnto her then shewed My name and purpose , without doublenes For very great ioye , than were endued Her cristall eyes , full of lowlines When that she knewe , for very sikernes That I was he , that should so attayne La bell Pucell , with my busy payne . And after this , I had right good there Of meate and drinke , there was great plentye Nothing I wanted , were it chepe or dere Thus was I serued , with delicate dishes dainty And after this , with all humilitie I went to doctrine , praiyng her good grace For to assigne me , my first learnyng place Seuen daughters , most expert in cunnyng Without foly , she had well engendred As the seuen Sciences , in vertue so shinyng At whose encrease , there is great thankes rendred Unto the mother , as nothing surrendred Her good name , and her dulcet sounde Whiche did engender , their originall ground . And first to gramer , she first me sent To whose request , I did well obey With diligence , forth on my way I went Up to a chambre , depaynted fayre and gaye And at the chambre , in right riche araye We were let in , by highe aucthoritye Of the ryght noble , dame congruitie .
Howe Science sent him firste to Grammer , where he was receiued by dame Congruitie . Capi. v. THe lady Gramer , in al humble wise Did me receine , into her goodly scole To whose doctrine , I did me aduertyse For to attayne , in her artyke pole Her gilted dewe , for to oppresse my dole To whom I sayed , that I would gladly learne Her noble cunnyng , so that I might decerne What that it is , and why that it was made To whiche she aunswered , then in speciall Because that cunnyng , should not pale ne fade Of euery science , it is origynall Whiche dothe vs teache , euer in generall In all good order , to speke directly And for to write , by true artografy . Sometyme in Egypt , raygned a noble kyng I clipped Enander , whiche did well abound In many vertues , especially in learnyng Which had a daughter , that by her studye found To write true latyn , the first perfect grounde Whose goodly name , as her story sayes Was called Carmentis , in her liuyng dayes Thus in the tyme , of olde antiquitie The noble Philosophers , with their whole delite For the commen profite , of all humanitie Of the seuen sciences , for to knowe the ryght They studied many , a long winters nyght Eche after other , their partes to expresse This was their guise , to eschue idlenes . The pomped carkes , wyth fode delicious They did not fede , but to their sustinaunce They folowed not their fleshe so vycious But ruled it , by prudent gouernaunce They were content , alway wyth suffisaunce They coueted not , no worldely treasure For they knewe , that it might not endure But nowe adayes , the contrary is vsed To winne the money , their studies be all set The commen profite , is often refused For well is he , that may the money get From his neyghbour , wythout any let They thinke nothyng , they shal from it passe When all that is , shal be turned to was The brittle fleshe , nourisher of vyces Under the shadowe , of euil slogardy Must ne des haunt , the carnall delyces When that the brayne , by corrupt glotony Up so downe , is turned then contrary Frayle is the bodye , to great vnhappines When that the heade , is full of dronkennes . So do they nowe , for they nothing prepence Howe cruel death , dothe them sore ensue They are so blynded , in worldly negligence That to their merite , they wyll nothyng renue The seuen sciences , their slouthe to eschue To an others profite , they take now no kepe But to their owne , for to eate , drynke , and slepe And all this dame Gramer , tolde me euery dele To whom I harkened , wyth all my diligence And after this , she taught me ryght well First my donet , and then my accedence I set my mynde , with percyng influence To learne her science , the first famous arte Eschuyng idlenes , and laiyng all aparte Madame quod I , for as muche as there be Uiii . partes of speche , I would knowe right faine What a nowne substantiue , is in his degree And wherfore it is , so called certayne To whom she aunswered , right gently agayne Saiyng alwaye , that a nowne substantyue Might stande without helpe of an adiectyue The latyn worde , whiche that is referred Unto a thing , whiche is substanciall For a nowne substantiue , is well auerred And with a gender , is declinall So , all the eyght partes in generall Are latyn wordes , annexed proprelye To euery speache , for to speake formally And Gramer is , the first foundement Of euery scyence , to haue construction Who knewe Grammer , without impediment Shoulde perfectly haue intellection Of a lytterall cense , and moralizacion To construe euery thyng ententiflye The worde is Grammer , well and ordinately By worde the worlde , was made originally The hye kyng saied , it was made incontinente He did commaunde , all was made shortlye To the world , the word is sentencious iudgment I marked well , dame Gramers sentment And of her then , I did take my lycence Goyng to Logyke , wyth all my diligence
Howe he was receiued of Logyke . Capit. vi . SO vp I went , vnto a chamber bryght Where was wont , to be a right fayre Lady Before whom then , it was my hole delite I kneled adowne , full well and mekely Besechyng her to enstruct me shortly In her noble science , whiche is expedient For man to knowe , in many an argument You shall quod she , my scyence well learne In time and space , to your great vtilitye So that in me lokyng , you shal then discerne A frende from foe , and good from iniquitie Ryght from wrong , ye shall knowe in certaintye My scyence is , all the yll to eschewe And for to knowe , the false from the true . Who will take payne , to folowe the trace In this wretched worlde , of trouth & ryghteousnes In heuen aboue , he shal haue dwelling place And who that walketh , the way of darkenes Spendyng his tyme , in worldely wretchednes A myddes the earth , in hell most horrible He shall haue payne , nothyng extinguyssyble So by Logyke , is good perceueraunce To deuide the good , and the euil a sunder It is alwaye , at mannes pleasaunce To take the good , and cast the euyl vnder If God made hell , it is therof no wonder For to punyshe man , that had intelligence To know good from yll , by true experience Logyke alway , dothe make probacion Prouyng the pro , well from the contrary In sundry wise , by argumentation Grounded on reason , well and wondersly Who vnderstode , all Logike truely Nothyng by reason , myght be in pleadynge But he the trouthe , shoulde haue in knowlegyng Her wise doctrine , I marked in memory And toke my leaue , of her hye person Because that I myght , no lenger tary The yere was spent , and so farre then gone And of my ladye , yet syght had I none Whiche was abidyng , in the tower of musyke Wherfore anone , I went to Rethoryke .
Howe he was receyued of Rethoryke , and what Rethorike is . Capit. vii . THan aboue Logike , vp we went a stayre Into a chamber , gaylye glorified Strowed with flowers , of al goodly ayre Where sate a Lady , greatly magnified And her true vesture , clearly purified And ouer her heade , that was bryght and shene She had a garlande , of the laurell grene Her goodly chamber , was set all about With depured mirrours , of speculation The fragraunt fumes , did well encense out All misty vapours , of perturbacion More liker was , her habitation Unto a place , whiche is celestiall Then to a terrayne , mancion fatall Before whom then , I did knele a downe Saiyng , O starre of famous eloquence O gilted Goddesse , of the hyghe renowne Enspyred , with the heauenly influence Of the dulcet well , of complacence Upon my mynde , with dewe aromatike Distyll adowne , thy lusty Rethoryke And depaynt my tonge , with thy royall flowers Of delicate odours , that I may ensue In my purpose , to glad my auditours And with thy power , that thou me endue To morallise , thy litterall censes true And clense away , the mist of ignoraunce With depured beames , of goodly ordinannce . With humble eares , of perfite audience To my request , she did then encline Saiyng she woulde , in her goodly science In short space , me so well indoctrine That my dull mynde , it shoulde enlumyne With golden beames , for euer to oppresse My rude language , and all my symplenes I thanked her , of her great gentlenes And axed her , after this question Madame I saied , I woulde knowe doubtles What Rethorike is , wythout abusyon Rethorike she saied , was founde by reason Man for to gouerne , well and prudently His wordes to order , his speache to purifye Fyue partes hath Rethorike , for to worke true Without whiche fyue , there can be no sentence For these fyue , do well euermore renue The matter perfite : with good intelligence Who that wyll se them , wyth all hys diligence Here folowyng , I shall them specifye Accordyng well , all vnto myne ordinary .
Of the first : called Inuention . And a commendation of Poetes . Capit. viii . THe first of them , is called Inuention Which surdeth , of the most noble warke Of. v. inwarde wittes , with whole affection As wryteth ryght many a noble clarke , Wyth misty coloure , of clowdes darke Howe commen wytte , dothe full well elect What it shoulde take , and what it shall abiecte And secondlye , by imagination To drawe a matter , ful facundious Full marueylous , is the operation To make of nought , reason sentencious Clokyng a trouthe , wyth coloure tenebrous For often vnder , a fayre fayned fable A trouthe appeareth , greatly profitable It was the guyse , in olde antiquitye Of famous poetes , ryght ymaginatife Fables to fayne , by good aucthoritye They were so wyse , and so inuentyfe Theyr obscure reason , fayre and sugratyfe Pronounced trouthe , vnder clowdy fygures By the inuention , of theyr fatall scriptures And thirdly , they had suche a fansy In thys hye art , to be intelligible Their fame encreasyng , euermore truely To slouthe euer , they were inuyncible To their wofull hartes , was nought impossible Wyth brennyng loue , of insaciate fyre Newe thynges to fynde , they set their desyre For thoughe a man , of hys propre mynde Be inuentyfe , and he do not applye His fantasye , vnto the busye kynde Of hys cunnynge , it may not ratifye For fantasye , must nedes exemplifye His new inuention , & cause hym to entende Wyth whole desyre , to bryng it to an ende And fourthly , by good estimation He must number , all the whole circumstaunce Of this matter , with breuiacion That he walke not , by long continuaunce The perambulat way , full of all variaunce By estimacion , is made annunciate Whether the matter , be long or breuiate For to Inuention , it is equipolent The matter founde , right well to comprehende In suche a space , as is conuenient For properlye , it dothe euer pretende Of all the purpose , the length to extende So estimation , may ryght well conclude The perfite number , of euery similitude And yet then , the retentife memory Whiche is the fift , must euer agregate All matters thought , to retayne inwardlye Tyll reason therof , hath made aprobate And by scripture , will make demonstrate Outwardly , accordyng to the thought To proue a reason , vpon a thyng of nought Thus when the fourth , hath wrought ful wonderly Then must the mynde , worke vpon them all By cours ingenious , to runne directly After their thoughtes , then in generall The mynde must cause them , to be memorial As after this , shall appeare more openlye All whole exprest , by dame Philosophye . O trust of vertue , and of royall pleasure Of famous Poetes , many yeres ago O insaciate couetise , of the special treasure Of newe inuencion , of idlenes the fo We may you laude , and often praise also And specially , for worthy causes thre Whiche to this daye , we may bothe here and see As to the first , your whole desire was set Fable to fayne , to eschue idlenes With ampliation , more cunnyng to get By the laboure , of iuuentife busines Touchyng the trouthe , by couert likenes To disnull vice , and the vycious to blame Your dedes therto , exemplified the same . And secondly , right well you did endite Of the worthy actes , of many a conqueroure Throughe which labour , that you did so write Unto this daye , rayneth the honoure Of euery noble , and myghty warriour And for your labour , and your bnsy paine Your fame yet liueth , & shal endure certaine And eke to praise you , we are greatly bounde Because our cunnyng , from you so precedeth For you therof , were first originall grounde And vpon your scripture , our science ensueth Your splendent verses , our lightnes renueth And so we ought , to laude and magnifie Your excellent springes , of famous poetry .
Capitu. ix . BUt rude people , opprest with blindnes Against your fables , will often solisgise Suche is their minde , such is their folishnes For they beleue , in no maner of wyse That vnder a coloure , a trouth may aryse For folyshe people , blynded in a matter Will often erre , when they of it do clatter O all ye cursed , and suche euil foles Whose sightes be blynded , ouer all with foly Open your eyes , in the pleasaunt scholes Of parfect cunnyng , or that you replye Against fables , for to be contrarye For lacke of cunnyng , no maruell though you erre In suche scyence , whiche is from you so farre For now the people , whiche is dull and rude If that they do reade , a fatall scripture And can not moralise , the similitude Whiche to their wittes , is so harde and obscure Then will they saye , that it is sene in vre That nought do poetes , but depaynt and lye Deceiuyng them , by tongues of flattery . But what for that , they can not defame The Poetes actes , whiche are in effect Unto them selues , remayneth the shame To disprayse that , which they can not correct And if that they , had in it inspect Than they would it praise , and often eleuate For it shoulde be to them , so delicate .
Capitulo . x. THe seconde part , of crafty Rethorike May well be called , disposicion That dothe so hye matters aromatike Adowne distyll , by consolation As olde Poetes , make demonstration That Mercury , throughe his preeminence His natiues endueth , with famous eloquence By very reason , it maye right well appeare That diuers persons , in sundry wise delite Their consolations , doth contrary so steere That many mindes , maye not agre aryght Suche is the planets , of their course and myght But what for that , be it good or yll Them for to folowe , it is at mans frewyll . And disposicion , the true seconde parte Of Rethorike , doth euermore dyrect The matters found , of this noble arte Geuyng them place , after the aspect And oft tyme , it hath the inspect As from a fayre , perfite narration Or els by a stedfast , argumentation The which was constitute , by beginnyng As on the reason , and if apparaunce Of the cause , then by outward semyng Be harde and difficult , in the vttraunce So as the minde , haue no perceueraunce Nor of the beginnyng , can haue audience Then must narration , begyn the sentence And if it be , a little probable From any maner stedfast argument We order it , for to be right stable And then we neuer begyn our sentment Recityng letters , not conuenient But this commutation , shoulde be rufused Without cause or thing , make it be vsed This that I write , is harde and couert To them that haue , nothing intelligence Up so downe , they make it oft transuert Or that they can knowe , the , experience Of this craft , and facundious science By disposition , the rethoricyan To make lawes , ordinately began Without disposicion , none order gan be For the disposition , ordreth euery matter And geueth the place , after the degree Without order , without reason we clatter Where is no reason , it vayleth not to chatter Disposition , ordreth a tale dyrectlye In a perfect reason , to conclude truely The fatall problemes , of olde antiquitye Cloked with mist , and with clowdes darke Ordered with reason , and hye aucthoritye The trouth did shewe , of all their couert warke Thus haue they made , manye a noble clarke To disnul mischefe , and inconuenience They made our lawes , with great diligence Before the lawe , in a tomblyng barge The people sayled , without perfectnes Throughe the worlde , all about at large They had no order , nor no stedfastnes Tyil rethoricians , founde iustice doubtles Ordeynyng kynges , of right high dignitie Of all commens , to haue the soueraintie . The barge to stere , with lawe and iustice Ouer the waues , of this life transitorye To direct wronges , and also preiudyce And tho that wil , resist a contrarye Against their kyng , by iustice openly For their rebellion , and euill treason Shall suffer death , by right and reason O what laude , glory , and great honoure Unto these poetes , shal be notified The whiche distilled , aromatike lycoure Clensyng our syght , with order purified Whose famous draughtes , so exemplified Set vs in order , grace , and gouernaunce To lyue dyrectlye , without encombraunce . But many one , the whiche is rude and dull Will despise their worke , for lacke of cunnyng All in vayne , they do so hale and pull When they therof , lacke vnderstandyng They grope ouer , where is no felyng So dull they are , that they can not fynde This royall art , for to perceyue in mynde
Capitu. xi . ANd then the thyrde parte , is elocution When inuention , hath the purpose wrought And set it in order , by disposicion Without this thyrd part , it vayleth ryght nought Thoughe it be founde , and in order brought Yet Elocution , wyth the helpe of Mercury The matter exorneth , ryght well facundiously In fewe wordes , swete and sentencious Depaynted wyth golde , harde in construction To the artike eares , swete and delicious The golden Rethoryke , is good refection And to the reader , ryght consolation As we do golde , from copper purifye So that Elocution , dothe right well clarifye The dulcet speache , from the language rude Tellyng the tale , in termes eloquent The barbary tongue , it dothe farre exclude Electyng wordes , whiche are expedient In latyn , or in englyshe , after the entent Encensyng out , the aromatyke fume Our language rude , to exile and consume But what auayleth , euermore to sowe The precious stones , among gruntyng hogges Draffe vnto them , is more meter I trowe Let an hare and swyne , be amonge curre dogges Thoughe to the hares , were tyed great clogges The gentle beast , they will regarde nothyng But to the swyne , take course of runnyng TO cloke the sentence , under misty fygures By many colours , as I make relacion As the olde poetes , couered their scriptures Of whiche the first , is distribution That to the euyl , for theyr abusion Dothe gyue payne , and to the worthye Laude and prayse , them for to magnifye . Of beast or byrde , they take a similitude In the condicion , lyke to the partye Feble , fayre , or yet of fortitude And vnder coloure , of this beast priuely The morall sence , they cloke full subtillye In prayse or disprayse , as it is reasonable Of whose faynyng , fyrste rose the fable Concludyng reason , greatly profitable Who that their fables , can well moralyse The frutefull sentences , are delectable Thoughe that the ficcion , they do so deuise Under the coloure , the trouthe dothe arise Concludyng reason , riches , and cunnyng Pleasure , example , and also learnyng . They fayned no fable , without reason For reasonable is , all their moralitie And vpon reason , was their conclusion That the commen witte , by possibilitie May well adiudge , the perfite veritye Of their sentence , for reason openly To the commen witte , it dothe so notifye . Ryches . Their frutefull sentence , was great riches The whiche right surely , they myght well domine For lordeship , wealthe , and also noblesse The chaunce of fortune , can sone determine But what for this , she can not decline The noble science , whiche after pouertie May bryng a man , agayne to dignitye Scyence . Their sentence is cunnyng , as appeareth well For by cunnyug , their arte dothe engender And without cunnyng , we knowe neuer a dele Of their sentence , but may sone surrender A true tale , that myght to vs render Great pleasure , if we were intelligible Of their cunnyng , nothyng impossible Pleasure . O what pleasure , to the intelligent It is to knowe , and haue perseueraunce Of their cunnyng , so muche expedient And therof , to haue good vtteraunce Readyng newe thinges , of so great pleasaunce Feadyng the minde , with fode insaciate The tales newe , they are so delicate . Example . In an example , with a misty cloude Of couert likenes , the poetes do write And vnderneth the trouthe , dothe so shroude Bothe good and yll , as they lyst acquite With similitude , they did so well endite As I hereafter , shall the trouthe sone shewe Of all their misty , and their fatall dewe . The poetes fayne , how that kyng Athias Heauen shoulde beare , vpon his shoulders hye Because in cunnyng , he did all other passe Especially , in the highe astronomye Of the sixe planets , he knewe so perfectly The operations , howe they were domified For whiche poetes , him so exemplified . And in likewise , vnto the sagittary They feyne the centaures , to be of likenes As halfe man , and halfe horse truely Because Mylizyus , with his worthines Did first attaine , and breake the wildenes Of the royall stedes , and ryght swiftly His men and he , rode on them surely . And also Pluto , sometyme kyng of hell A citye of Grece , standyng in the ssayle Betwene greate rockes , as the boke dothe tell Wherin were people , without any fayle Huge , fierce , and strong in battaile Tyrauntes , theues , replete with treason Wherfore poetes , by true comparison Unto the deuils , blacke , and tedious Did them resemble , in terrible fygure For their misliuyng , so foule and vycious As to this daye , it dothe appeare in vre Of Cerberus , the defloured picture The porter of hell , wyth thre heades vgly Lyke an horrible gyant , fierce , and wonderly . Because alway , his customed tyranny Was eleuate in harte , by hygh presumption Thinkyng him selfe , most strong and mighty And secondly , he was destruction Of many Ladyes , by euill compulcion And thirdly , his desire insaciable Was to get riches , ful innumerable . Thus for these thre vyces abhōminable They made him , wyth thre heads serpentine And like a fende , his bodye semblable For his pride , auarice , and also rapyne The morall sence , can sone illumine The fatall picture , to be exuberaunt And to our syght cleare , and not variaunt . Also rehearsed , the cronicles of Spaine Howe redoubted Hercules , by puyssaunce Fought with an Ydre , ryght great certayne Hauyng seuen heades , of full great mischannce For when that he , wyth all his valeaunce Had stricken of an heade , right shortly An other anone , arose ryght sodaynely . Seuen sophims , full harde and fallacious Thys Ydre vsed , in preposition Unto the people , and was full rygorious To deuoure them , where lacked responsion And when one reason , had conclusion An other reason , then incontinent Began againe , with subtyll argument . For whiche cause , the Poetes couertly With seuen heades , dothe this Ydre depaynt For these seuen sophims , full ryght closely But of rude people , the wittes are so faynt That with their cunnyng , they can not acquaynt . But who that list , their science to learne Their obscure fygures , he shall well decerne O redolent well , of famous poetrye O cleare fountayne , replete with swetenes Refleryng out , the dulcet delicacye Of foure ryuers , in marueylous wydenes Fayrer then Tygrys , or yet Eufrates For the first ryuer , is vnderstandyng The seconde riuer , close concludyng . The thirde riuer , is called nouelrye The fourth ryuer , is called carbuncles Amiddes of whom , the tower is so goodly Of Uyrgill , standeth most solacious Where he is entyred , in stones precious By thys fayre tower , in a goodly grene This well dothe spryng , both bryght and shene To vnderstandyng , these . iiii . accident Doctrine , perseueraunce , and exercise And also therto , is equipolent Euermore , the perfite practise For first doctrine , in all goodly wise The perseuerant trouthe , in his booth of wil In vnderstandyng , for to knowe good from yll So famous poetes , did vs endoctrine Of the ryght way , for to be intellectife Their fables they did , ryght so ymagyne That by example , we may voyde the strife And without mischefe , for to leade our life By the aduertence , of their stories olde The fruite wherof , we may full well beholde Depaynted on arras , howe in antiquitie Destroyed was , the great citye of Troye For a little cause , grounded on vanitye To mortal ruyne , they turned their ioye Their vnderstandyng , they did then occoy Nothing prepensyng , how they did prepare To scourge them selues , & bryng them in a snare . Who is opprest , with a little wrong Reuengyng it , he may it sone encrease For better it is , for to suffer among An iniury , as for to kepe the peace Then to begyn , whiche he shall neuer cease Warre once begon , it is harde to knowe Who shall abide , and who shall ouerthrow . The hyghe power , honoure , and noblenesse Of the mighty Romayns , to whose excellence All the wide worlde , so muche of greatnes Unto their empyre , was in obedience Suche was their famous porte , and preeminence Tyll win them selues , there was a contrauersy Makyng them lese , their worthy sygneoury It is euer , the grounde of Sapience Before that thou , accomplyshe outwardly For to reuolue , vnderstandyng and prepence All in thy selfe , full often inwardely The beginnyng , and the middle certainelye With the ende , or thou put it in vre And worke with councell , that thou maiest be sure And who that so dothe , shall neuer repent For his dedes is founded , on a perfect ground And for to fall , it hath none impediment Wyth surenes , it is so hyghe walled rounde In wealth and riches , it must nedes abounde On euery syde , it hath suche ordinaunce That nothyng can , do it anoyaunce Thus the Poetes conclude full closelye Their fruitefull probles , for reformation To make vs lerne , to lyue dyrectly Their good entent , and true construction Shewyng to vs , the whole affection Of the way of vertue , wealth , and stablenes And to shutte the gate , of mischeuous entres And euermore , they are ymaginatyue Tales newe , from day to daye to fayne The erryng people , that are retractiue As to the ryght way , to bryng them agayne And who that list , their sentence retayne It shall hym profite , if he wyll apply To do therafter , full conuenientlye . Carbuncles , in the moste darke nyght Dothe shyne fayre , wyth cleare radiant beames Exilyng darkenes , wyth his rayes lyght And so these Poetes , wyth their golden streames Deuoyde our rudenes , wyth great fyery leames Their centencious verses , are refulgent Encensyng out , the odoure redolent . And is their worke also extinguishible Nay truely , for it dothe shyne ryght cleare Throughe cloudes darke , vnto the odible To whom truely , it may nothyng appeare Where cunnynge fayleth , the scyence so deare Ignoraunce hateth , with feruent enuy And vnto cunnyng , is mortall enemy . O ygnoraunce , with slouthe so opprest Open thy curtayne , so ryght dymme and darke And euermore remember , the behest Of thy laboure , to vnderstande thy warke Of many a noble , and ryght famous clarke Fy vpon slouth , the nourisher of vyce Whiche vnto youthe , dothe often preiudyce Who in youthe lyst , nothyng to learne He wyll repent him , often in hys age That he the cunnyng , can nothyng decerne Therfore nowe youthe , with lusty courage Rule thy fleshe , and thy slouthe asswage And in thy youthe , the scyence engender That in thine age , it may the worshyp render Cunnyng is lyght , and also pleasaunt A gentle burden , wythout greuousnes Unto hym , that is ryght well appliaunt For to beare it , with all his busines He shall attaste , the welle offruitefulues Whiche Uirgyll clarified , and also Tullius With latyn pure , swete , and delicious . From whence my master lidgate derified , The depured rethorike , in Englyshe language To make our tongue , so clearely purified That the vyle termes , shoulde nothing arage As like a pye , to chatter in a cage But for to speake , with rethorike formally In the good order , withouten vylany . And who his bokes , list to heare or see In them he shall finde , elocution With as good order , as any maye be Kepyng full close , the moralization Of the trouthe , of his great intencion Whose name is regestred , in remembraunce For to endure , by long continuaunce . Nowe after this , for to make relation Of famous rethorike , so in this party As to the fourthe part , pronunciation I shall it shewe , anone ryght openly With many braunches , of it sykerly And howe it taketh , the whole effect In euery place , degre and aspect .
Capitu. xii . WHen the matter , is founde by inuention Be it merye , or yet of great sadnes Set in a place , by the disposition And by elocucions , famous clearenes Exornate well , and ready to expresse Then pronunciacion , with chere and countenaunce Conueniently , must make the vtteraunce . With humble voyce , and also moderate Accordyng , as by him is audience And if there be , a ryght hye estate Then vnder honoure , and obedience Reasonably done , vnto his excellence Pronouncyng his matter , so facundious In all due maner , to be sentencious . For thoughe a matter , be neuer so good I fit be tolde , with tongue of barbary In rude maner , without the discrete mode It is disturbaunce , to a whole company For to se them , so rude and boystously Demeane them selues , vtteryng the sentence Without good maner , or yet intelligence It is a thing , ryght greatly conuenable To pronounce the matter as it is conuenient And to the hearers , ryght delectable When the vtterer , wythout impediment With right good maner , countenaunce . and entent Dothe tell his tale , vnto them treatably Kepyng his maner , and voyce full moderatly This is the custome , that the poetes vse To tell their tale , with all due circumstaunce The vylayne courage , they do muche refuse That is boysteous , and rude of gouernaunce And euermore , they do to them auaunce Nurture , maner , and all gentlenes In their behauyng , wyth all semelines . And thus the gentle , rethorician Throughe the laboure , of his royall cleargye The famous nurture , oryginally began Oppressyng our rudenes , and our foly And for to gouerne vs , ryght prudently The good maner , encreaseth dignitie And the rudenes , also iniquitie The famous poete , who so list to here To tell his tale , it is solatious Beholdyng his maners , and also his chere After the maner , be it sadde , or ioyous If it be sadde , his chere is dolorous As in bewaylyng , a wofull tragedy That worthy is , to be in memory . And if the matter , be ioyfull and gladde Lyke countenaunce , outwardly they make But moderation , in their mindes is had So that outrage , may them not ouertake I can not write , to muche for their sake Them to laude , for my tyme is shorte And the matter long , which I must report .
Capitulo . xiii . ANd the. v. parte , is then memoratyfe The whiche , the perfect ministration Ordinatly causeth , to be retentyfe Driuyng the tale , to good conclusion For it behoueth , to haue respection Unto the tale , and the very grounde And on what ymage , he his matter founde . If to the oratour , many a sundry tale One after other , treatably be tolde Then sundry ymages , in his closed male Eche for a matter , he dothe then well holde Like to the tale , he doth then so beholde And inwarde , a recapitulation Of eche ymage , the moralization Whiche be the tales , he grounded priuely Upon these ymages , signification And when time is , for him to specifye All his tales , by demonstration In due order , maner , and reason Then eche ymage , inwarde dyrectly The oratour , dothe take full properly So is enprynted , in his propre mynde Euery tale , with whole resemblaunce By this ymage , he dothe his matter finde Eche after other , withouten variaunce Who to this arte , will geue attendaunce As therof to knowe , the perfectnes In the Poetes schole , he must haue intresse Then shall he knowe , by perfect study The memoriall arte , of rethorike defuse It shall to him , so well exemplifye If that him list , the science to vse Thoughe at the first , it be to him obtuse With exercise , he shall it well augment Under clowdes darke , and termes eloquent . But nowe of dayes , the synne of auaryce Exileth the mynde , and the whole delite To couet cunnyng , whiche is great preiudice For insaciatly , so blinded is their syght With the siluer , and the golde so bryght They nothing thinke , on fortune variable Whiche all their riches , can make transmutable The olde sawes , they ryght cleane abiect Whiche for our learnyng , the poetes did write With auarice they are so sore infect They take no hede , nothing they write Whiche morally , did so nobly endite Reprouyng vyce , praysyng the vertue Whiche idlenes , did euermore eschue . Nowe , will I cease , of lusty rethoryke I maye not tarye , for my tyme is shorte For I must procede , and shewe of arismetrike With diuers numbres , whiche I must report Hope inwardely , dothe me well comforte To brynge my boke , vnto a fynishment Of all my matter , and my true entent .
Capitu. xiiii . O Thoughtfull harte , tombled all about Upon the sea , of stormy ignoraunce For to sayle forthe , thou art in greate doubt Ouer the waues , of great encombraunce Without any comfort , safe of esperaunce Whiche the exhorteth , hardely to sayle Unto thy purpose , wyth diligent trauayle . Aufryeus auster , bloweth frowardlye Towarde the lande , and habitation Of thy well fauoured , and most fayre lady For whose sake , and delectation Thou hast take , this occupacion Principally , ryght well to attayne Her swete rewarde , for thy busy payne . O pensyfe harte , in the stormy pery Mercury northwest , thou maist se appeare After tempest , to gladde , thine emispery Hoyse vp thy sayle , for thou must drawe neare Towarde the ende , of thy purpose so cleare Remembre the , of the trace and daunce Of poetes olde , wyth all thy purueyaunce . As moral Gower , whose sentencious dewe Adowne restareth , with fayre golden beames And after Chaucers , all abroade dothe shewe Our vyces to clense , his depared streames Kindlyng our hartes , wyth the fiery leames Of morall vertue , as is probable In all his bokes , so swete and profitable The boke of fame , whiche is sentencious He drewe him selfe , on his owne inuention And then the tragidies , so piteous Of the nintene ladyes , was his translation And vpon his ymagination He made also , the tales of Caunterbury Some vertuous , and some glad and merye And of Troylus , the piteous doloure For his ladye Cresyde , full of doublenes He did be wayle , full well the langoure Of all his loue , and great vnhappines And many other bokes doubtles He did compyle , whose goodly name In prynted bookes , dothe remayne in fame . And after him , my master Lydgate The monke of bury , did him well apply Bothe to contryue , and eke to translate And of vertue , euer in especially For he did compyle , then full nyally Of our blessed ladye , the conuersation Saynt Edmundes life , martred with treason Of the fall of Princes , ryght wofully He did endite , in all piteous wise Folowyng his auctoure , Bocas rufully A ryght great boke , he did truely compryse A good ensample , for vs to despyse This worlde so full , of mutabilitie In whiche no man , can hane a certaintie . And thre reasons , ryght greatly profitable Under coloure , he cloked craftely And of the chorle , he made the fable That shitte the byrde , in a cage so closely The pamflete , sheweth it expreslye He fayned also , the court of sapience And translated , with all his diligence . The great boke , of the last destruction Of the citye of Croye , whylome so famous Howe for a woman , was the confusion And betwene vertue , and the life vicious Of Gods and Goddesses , a boke solacious He did compyle , and the tyme to passe Ofloue he made , the bryght temple of glasse Were not these thre , greatly to commende Whiche them applied , such bokes to contriue Whose famous draughtes , no man can amend The tyme of slouthe , they did from them driue After their deathe , for to abide on lyue In worthy fame , by many a nacion Their bokes , their actes , do make relation O master Lydgate , the most dulcet spryng Of famous rethoryke , wyth ballade royall The chefe originall , of my learnyng What vayleth it , on you for to call Me for to ayde , nowe in especiall Sythen your bodye , is now wrapte in chest I pray God to geue , your soule good rest O what losse is it , of suche a one It is to great truely , for me to tell Sythen the tyme , that his life was gone In all this realme his pere did not dwell Aboue all other , he did so excell None sythe his tyme , in arte woulde succede After their death , to haue for their mede But many a one , is ryght well expert In this cunnyng , but vpon aucthoritie They fayne no fables , pleasaunt and couerte But spende their time , in vaynefull vanitie Makyng ballades , of feruent amitie As gestes and trifles , without fruitefulnes Thus all in-vayne , they spende their busines I little or nought , expert in poetrye Of my master Lidgate , will folowe the trace As euermore , so his name to magnifye With suche little bokes , by Gods grace I fin this worlde , I may haue the space The little cunnyng , that his grace me sent In tyme among , in suche wise shal be spent . And yet nothing , vpon presumption My master Lydgate , I will not enuy But all onely , is myne intencion With suche laboure , my selfe to occupy As white by blacke , dothe shyne more clearely So shal their matters , appeare more pleasaunt Bisyde my draughtes , rude , and ignoraunt
Capitu. xv . NOWe in my boke , further to procede To a chamber I wente , replete with ryches Where sate arismetrike , in a golden wede Like a lady pure , and of great worthines The walles about , did full well expresse . With golde depainted , euery perfect number To adde , detray , and to deuide a sunder . The roufe was painted , with golden beames The windowes cristall , clearely clarified The golden raies , and depured streames Of radiant Phebus , that was purified Right in the bull , that time so domified Throughe windowes , was resplendishant About the chamber , faire and radiaunt I kneled downe , right sone on my knee And to her I saied , O lady marueylous I right humbly , beseche your maiestie Your arte to shewe , me so facundious Whiche is defuse , and right fallacious But I shall so , apply mine exercise That thevery trouthe , I shall well deuise My science said she , is right necessary And in the middes of the sciences all It is nowe set , right well and perfectly For vnto them , it is so speciall Numbring so , their workes in generall Without me , they had no perfectnes I must them number , alway doubtles Without number , is no maner of thing That in our sight , we may well se For God made all , at the beginnyng In number perfite , well in certaintie Who knewe arsmetrike , in euery degre All maner number , in his minde were had Bothe to detray , and to deuide and adde . But who will knowe , all the experience It behoueth him , to haue great learning In many thinges , with true intelligence Or that he can , haue perfite rekenyng In euery number , by expert cunnyng To rehearse in englishe , more of this science It were folie , and eke great negligence . I thought full long , till I had a sight Of la bell Pucell , the most fayre ladye My minde vpon her , was bothe day and night The feruent loue , so perst me inwardly Wherfore I went anone , right shortly Unto the tower , swete and melodious Of dame musike , so gaye and glorious .
Capitu. xvi . WHen splendent Phebus , in his middaye speare Was highe in Gemine , in the freshe season Of lustye Maye , with golden beames cleare And darke Dyane , made declination When Flora florished , in this nacion I called vnto minde , right inwardly The report of Fame , so muche ententislye Of la bell Pucell , in the tower musicall And ryght anone , vnto the tower I went Where I sawe , a temple made of Crystal In whiche musyke , the lady excellent Played on base organes , expedient Accordyng well , vnto dyopason Dyapenthe , and eke dyetesseron In this temple , was great solemnitie And of muche people , there was great prease I loked about , whether I coulde se La bell pucell , my langour to cease I coulde not se her , my payne did encrease Tyll that I spied her , aboue in a vaute Whiche to my hart , did make so sore assaut . With her beauty cleare , and swete countenaunce The stroke of loue , I coulde nothing resist And anone , without lenger circumstaunce To her I went , or that her person wist Her thought I knewe not , she thought as she list By her I stode , with hert sore and faynt And did my selfe , with her sone acquaynt . The commen witte , did full little regarde Of dame musyke , the dulcet armonye The eares hearde not , for the mynde inward Uenus had wrapt , and taken feruently Imagination , wrought full priuely The fantasye , gaue perfect iudgement Alway to her , for to be obedient . By estimation , muche doubtfully I cast Whether I shoulde , by long tyme and space Atteyne her loue , or els to loue in waste My hart sobbed , and quaked in this case I stode by her , ryght neare in the place With many other , fayre ladies also But so fayre as she , I neuer sawe no mo . The feast done , dame musyke did go She folowed after , and she woulde not tary Fare well she saied , for I must part you fro Alas thought I , that fortune dothe so vary My sadde body , my heauy harte did carye I could not speake , my harte was neare broken But wyth my heade , I made her a token When she was gone , inwardely then wrought Upon her beauty , my minde retentife Her goodly fygure , I graued in my thought Except her selfe , all were expulsyfe My minde to her , was so ententyfe That I folowed her , into a temple farre Replete with ioye , as bryght as any starre . Where dulcet Flora , her aromatyke dewe In the fayre temple , adowne did distyll All abroade , the fayre dropes did shewe Encencyng out , all the vapours yll With suche a swetenes , Flora did fulfyll All the temple , that my gowne well shewed The lycoure swete , of the droppes endued And so to a chamber , full solacious Dame musyke went , with la bell Pucell All of Iasper , with stones precious The roufe was wrought , curiously and well The windowes glased , maruelously to tell With clothe of tissue , in the riches maner The walles were hanged , hie and cyrculer There sate dame musike , with all her minstrelsy As tabours , trumpets , with pipes melodious Sakbuttes , organs , and the recorder swetely Harpes , lutes , and crowdes right delicious Cimphans , doucemers , with claricymbals glorious Rebeckes , claricordes , eche in their degre Did sit about their Ladyes maiestye Before dame musike , I did knele adowne Saiyng to her , O faire Ladye pleasaunt Your prudence raigneth most hye in renowne For you be euer , right concordaunt With perfite reason , whiche is not variaunt I beseche your grace , with all my diligence To instruct me , in your novle science It is she saied , right greatly profitable For musike dothe set , in all vnitie The discorde thinges , whiche are variable And deuoydeth mischiefe , and great iniquitie Where lacketh musike , there is no plenty For musike is concorde , and also peace Nothing without musike , may well encrease The seuen sciences , in one monacorde Eche vpon other , do full well depende Musike hath them , so set in concorde That all in one , may right well extende All perfite reason , they do so comprehende That they are way , and perfite doctrine To the ioye aboue : whiche is celestine And yet also , the perfect phisyke Whiche appertcyneth , well to the bodye Dothe well resemble , vnto the musyke When the inwarde intrailes , turneth contrary That nature can not , worke dyrectly Then dothe phisyke , the partes interiall In order set , to their originall . But yet phisyke , can not be liberall As the seuen scyences , by good aucthoritie Whiche leadeth the soule , the way in speciall By good doctrine , to dame eternitie Onely of phisike , it is the propertie To ayde the body , in euery sickenes That is right fraile , and full of brittlenes And because phisike , is appendant Unto the body , by helpe of medicine And to the soule , nothing apportenaunt To cause the body for to encline In eternall health , so the soule to domine For to the body , the sciences seuen Dothe teache to leade , the soule to heauen And musyke it selfe , is melodious To reioyce the eares , and comfort the braine Sharpyng the wittes , with sound' solacious Deuoydyng bad thoughtes , whiche did remayne It gladdeth the hart , also well certaine Length the lyfe , with dulcet armonye As is good recreation , after study . She commaunded her minstrels , right anone to play Mamours the swete , and the gentle daunce With la bell Pucell , that was fayre and gay She me recommended , with all pleasaunce To daunce true measure , withoute variaunce O lorde God , howe glad then was I So for to daunce , with my swete ladye . By her proper hande , soft as any silke With due obeysaunce , I did her then take Her skynne was white , as whales bone or mylke My thoughtes was rauished , I might not aslake My brennyng hart , she the fire did make These daunces truely , musyke hath me taught To lute or daunce , but it auayled nought . For the fyre kindled , and waxed more and more The dauncyng blewe it , with her beauty cleare My hart sickened , and began to waxe sore A minute . vi . houres , and. vi . houres a yere I thought it was , so heauy was my chere But yet for to couer , my great loue aryght The outwarde countenaunce , I made glad & light And for feare mine eyes , should mine hart bewray I toke my leaue , and to a temple went And all alone , I to my selfe did saye Alas what fortune , hath me hither sent To deuoyde my ioye , and my hart torment . No man can tell , howe great a paine it is But if he will fele it , as I do iwysse Alas O lady , howe cruell art thou Of piteous doloure , for to builde a nest In my true hart , as thou doest ryght nowe Yet of all ladyes , I must loue the best Thy beauty therto , did me surely arest Alas with loue , when that it dothe the please Thou maiest cease my care , & my payne sone ease . Alas howe sore , may I nowe bewayle The piteous chaunce , whiche did me happe My ladyes lokes , did me so assayle That sodaynely , my harte was in a trappe By Uenus caught , and with so sore a clappe That throughe , the great stroke did perse Alas for wo , I coulde not reuerse . Farewell all ioye , and all perfect pleasure Fare well my lust , and my likyng For wo is comen , with me to endure Nowe must I leade , my life in mournyng I may not lute , or yet daunce , or syng O la bell Pucell , my lady glorious You are the cause , that I am so dolorous Alas faire lady , and mine owne swete hart With my seruyce , I yelde me to your will You haue me fettred , I may not astart At your pleasure , you maye me saue or kyll Because I loue you , wyll you me spyll Alas it were , a piteous case in dede That you with death , shoulde rewarde my mede . A a , that I am right wo begon For I of loue , dare not to you speake For feare of nay , that may encrease my mone Anay of you might , cause my hart to breake Alas I wretche , and yet vnhappy peke Into suche trouble , misery , and thought With sight of you , I am into it brought And to my selfe , as I made complaint I spied a man , right nere me beforue Whiche right anone , did with me acquaynt Me thinke he sayed , that ye are neare forlorne With inwarde payne , that your hart hath borne Be not to pensyfe , call to mynde agayne Howe of one sorowe , ye do nowe make twayne Mine inwarde sorowe , ye begyn to double Go your way quod I , for ye can not me ayde Tell me he sayed , the cause of your trouble And of me nowe , be nothing afrayed Me thynke that sorowe , hath you ouerlayed Driue of no lenger , but tell me your mynde It may me happe , a remedy to fynde . A a quod I , it vayleth not your speache I wyll wyth you , neuer haue medlyng Let me alone , the most vnhappy wretche Of all the wretches , that is yet liuyng Suche is the chaunce , of my bewaylyng Go on your waye , you are nothing the better To me to speake , to make my sorowe greater For so the he sayed , remember thinges thre The first is , that ye may sorowe long Unto your selfe , or that you ayded be And secondly , in great paynes stronge To muse alone , it myght turne you to wrong The thirde is , it myght you well ease truely To tell your mynde , to a frende ryght trusty It is a iewell , of a frende of trust As at your nede , to tell your secretenes Of all your payne , and feruent lust His councell sone , may helpe and redresse Your paynefull wo , and mortall heauines Alone is nought , for to thinke and muse Therfore good sonne , do me not refuse . And sythe that you are , plunged all in thought Beware the pytte , of dolorous dispayre So to complayne , it vayleth you right nought It may so fortune , ye loue a ladye fayre Whiche to loue you , will nothing repayre Or els ye haue lost , great lande or substaunce By fatall chaunce , of fortunes ordinaunce Tell me the cause , thoughe that it be so In case you loue , I knowe it by experience It is a payne , engendryng great wo And harde it is , for to make resistaunce Agaynst suche loue , of feruent vyolence The loue is dreadfull , but neuertheles There is no sore , nor yet no syckenes But there is a salue , and remedy therfore So for your payne , and your sorowe great Councell is medicine , whiche may you restore Unto your desire , without any let If ye will tell me where your harte is set In thy chayre of sorowe , no great doubt it is To fynde a remedye , for your payne I wys A phisition truely , can little decerne Ony maner sickenes , without sight of vryne No more can I , by good counsaile you learne All suche wofull trouble , for to determine But if you mekely , will to me enclyne To tell the cause , of your great greuousnes Of your inwarde trouble , and wofull sadnes Then I began , with all my diligence To heare him speake , so grounded on reason And in my minde , did make aduertence Howe it was holesome , in tribulation To saue a good , and a true companion For to knowe my sorowe , and wofull grefe It might me comforte , and right well relefe And of him then , I asked this question What was his name , I prayed him me tell Councell quod he , the whiche solucion In my wofull minde , I liked right well And priuely I did , his lesson spell Saiyng to him , my chaunce and destiny Of all other , is the most vnhappy . Why so quod he , thoughe fortune be straunge To you a while , turnyng of her face Her louryng chere , she may right sone chaung And you accept , and call vnto her grace Dispayre you not , for in good time and space Nothing there is , but wisdome may it w●● To tell your mynde , I praye you to begyn . Unto you quod I , with all my whole assent I will tell you trouthe , and you will not bewraye Unto none other , my matter and entent Nay nay quod he , you shall not se that daye Your whole affiaunce and trust , well ye may Into me put , for I shall not vary But kepe your councell , as a secretary . And then to him , in the maner folowyng I did complayne , with sighyng teares depe Alas quod I , you shall haue knowlegyng Of my heauy chaunce , that causeth me to wepe So wo I am , that I can neuer slepe But wallowe and tumble , in the trappe of care My hart was caughte , or that I was ware It happened so , that in a temple olde By the tower of musike , at great solemnitie La bell pucell , I did right well beholde Whose beauty cleare , and great humilitie To my hart did cast , the darte of amitie After whiche stroke , so harde and feruent To her excellence , I came incontinent Beholdyng her chere , and louely countenaunce Her garmentes riche , and her propre stature I regestered well , in my remembraunce That I neuer sawe , so fayre a creature So well fauouredly , create by nature That harde it is , for to wryght with ynke All her beautie , or any harte to thinke . Fayrer she was , then was quene Helene Proserpyne , Cresyde , or yet Ypolyte Medea , Dydo , or yong Polexyne Alcumena , or quene Menelape Or yet dame Rosamonde , in certaintie None of all these , can haue the preeminence To be compared , to her highe excellence Duryng the feast , I stode her neare by But then her beauty , encreased my paine I coulde nothing , resist the contrary She wrapt my hart , in a brennyng chayne To the musicall tower , she went then againe I went after , I coulde not be behinde The chaine she haled , whiche my hart did binde . Till that we came , into a chamber gaye Where that musike , with all her minstrelsy Diuers base daunces , most swetely did playe That them to here , it was great melody And dame musike , commaunded curteously La bell pucell , with me then to daunce Whom that I toke , with all my pleasaunce By her swete hande , beginnyng the trace And long did daunce , till that I might not hide The painefull loue , whiche did my hart embrace Bicause wherof , I toke my leaue that tide And to this temple , where I do abide Forth then I went , alone to bewaile My mortall sorowe , without any faile , Nowe haue I tolde you , all the very trouth Of my wofull chaunce , and great vnhappines I pray you , nothing with me to be wrothe Whiche am drowned , in careful wretchednes By fortune plunged , full of doublenes A a said councell , doubt ye neuer a deale But your disease , I shall by wisedome heale Remember you , that neuer yet was he That in this worlde , did leade all his life In ioye and pleasure , without aduersitie No worldly thing , can not be without strife For vnto pleasure , paine is affirmatife Who will haue pleasure , he must first apply To take the payne , with his cure busely . To deserue the ioye , which after doth ensue Rewardyng paine , for the great busines No doubt your Lady , wil vpon you rue Seyng you apply , all your gentlenes To do her pleasure , and seruice doubtles Harde is the harte , that no loue hath felt Nor for to loue , will then encline and melt . Remember ye , that in olde antiquitie Howe worthy Troylus , that mighty champion What paine he suffered , by great extremitie Offeruent loue , by a great long season For his lady Cresyde , by great tribulation After his sorowe , had not he great ioye Of his lady , the fayrest of all Troy And the famous knight , yclipped Ponthus Whiche loued Sydoyne , so moche entirely What paine had he , and what care dolorous For his lady , with loue so marueylously Was not her hart , wounded right wofully After his paine , his ladie did her cure To do him ioye , honoure , and pleasure . Who was with loue , more wofully arayed Then were these twaine , and many other mo The power of loue , had them so asayed That and I liste , I coulde rehearse also To whom true loue , hath wrought mykle wo And at the ende , haue had their desire Of all their sorowe , for to quenche the fire Languishe no more , but plucke vp thy hart Exile dispayre , and liue a while in hope And kepe your loue , all close and couert It may so fortune , that your lady wil grope Somewhat of loue , for to drynke a sope Thoughe outwardely , she dare not let you knowe But at the last , as I beleue and trowe . She can not kepe it , so priuye and close But that somewhat , it shall to you appeare By countenaunce , howe that her loue arose If that she loue you , the loue it is so deare When you come to her , she wil make you chere With countenaunce , according vnto loue Full priuely , for to come to her aboue Sending of loue , the messenger before Whiche is her eyes , with louelye lokes swete For to beholde you , then euer more and more After the time , that you together mete With louing wordes , she wil you then grete Sorowe no more , for I thinke in my minde That at the last , she will be good and kinde Alas quod I , she is of hye degre Borne to great lande , treasure , and substaunce I feare to sore , I shal disdayned be The whiche will trouble , all my greuannce Her beautie is , the cause of my penaunce I haue no great lande , treasure , and riches To winne the fauoure , of her noblenes . What thoughe quod he , drawe you not backe For she hath inough , in her possession For you bothe , for you shall neuer lacke If that ye order it . by good reason And so in perfect consideration , She will with loue , her grene flouryng age Passe forthe in ioye , pleasure , and courage Youthe is alway , of the course right light Hote , and moyst , and full of lustines Moste of the ayre , it is ruled by ryght And her complexion , hath chiefe intresse Upon sanguine , the ayres holesomenes She is not yet in all , aboue . xviii . yere Of tender age , to pleasure most deare Golde or siluer , in any maner of wise For sanguyne youth , it is all contrary So for to couet , for it dothe arise Onely engendred , vpon the malencoly Which is drye , colde , and also earthly In whiche the golde , is truely nutrified Farre from the ayre , so clearely purified Thus couetise , shall nothing surmount Your yong ladies hart , but onely nature Shall in her minde , make her to account The great losse of youthe , her speciall treasure She knoweth she is , a right faire creature No doubt it is , but yet priuely among So hye is nature , with his workes strong . That she of force , the mans company Must well couet , for she may not resist Dame natures worke , whiche is so secretely Thoughe she be maide , let her saye what she list She woulde haue man , thoughe no man it wist To make her ioye , when nature doth agre Her thought is hers , it is vnto her free . Who spareth to speake , he spareth to spede I shall prouide , for you conuenient A gentle time , for to attaine your mede That you shall go , to your lady excellent And right before , take good aduisement Of all the matter , that ye will her shewe Upon good reason , and in wordes fewe Thus past we time , in communication The after none , with many a sentment And what for loue , was best conclusion We demed oft , and gaue a iudgement Till that in the euen , was refulgent Fayre golden Mercury , with his beames bryght About the ayre , castyng his pured light Then to a chamber , swete and precious Councell me ledde , for to take my rest The night was wete , and also tenebrous But I my selfe , with sorowe opprest Did often muse , what was for me best Unto my fayre lady , for to tel or saye And all my dreade was , for feare of a nay . Thoughe that my bedde , was easy and softe Yet did I tomble , I might not iye still On euery side , I turned me full oft Upon the loue , I had so set my will Longyng right sore , my minde to fulfyll I called councell , and prayed him to wake To geue me councell , what were best to take Ha ha quod he , loue dothe you so pricke That yet your hart , will nothing be eased But euermore , be feble and sicke Till that your lady , hath it well pleased Thoughe ye thinke long , yet ye shal be pleased I woulde quod I , that it were as ye saye Fy fye quod he , driue suche dispayre away And liue in hope , whiche shall do you good Ioye cometh after , when the payne is past Be ye pacient , and sober in mode To wepe and waile , all is for you in waste Was neuer payne , but it had ioye at last In the fayre morowe : rise and make you ready At nine at the clocke , the time is necessarye For vs to walke , vnto your Lady gent The bodies aboue , be then well domified To helpe vs forwarde , without impediment Loke what ye saye , loke it be derified From perfect reason , well exemplified Forsake her not , though that the saye nay A womans guise , is euermore to delay . No castell can be , of so great a strength If that there be , a sure siege to it layed It must yelde vp , or els be wonne at length Thoughe that tofore , it hath bene long delayed So continuaunce , may you right well ayde Some womans harte , can not so harded be But busy labour , may make it agree Laboure and diligence , is full marueylous Whiche bryngeth a louer , to his promocion Nothing to loue , is more desierous Then instaunt laboure , and delectation The harded harte , it geueth occasion For to consider , howe that her seruaunt To attayne her loue , is so attendant . Thus all in communyng , we the night did passe Tyll in the ayre , with clowes fayre and redde Rysen was Phebus , shinyng in the glasse In the chamber , his golden rayes were spredde And Dirane , declinyng , pale as any leade When the little byrdes , swetely did syng With tunes musicall , in the faire mornyng
Of the dolorous and lowly disputation , betwene la bell Pucell , and graunde Amoure . Capit xviii . COuncell and I , then rose full quickely And made vs ready , on our way to walke In your clenly wede appareled properly What I woulde saie , I did vnto him talke Tyll on his boke , he began to calke Howe the sunne , entred was in Geminy And eke Dyane , full ot mutabilitie Entred the Crabbe , hir propre mancion Then ryght amiddes , of the Dragons head And Uenus and she , made coniunction From her combust way , she had her so sped She had no let , that was to be dredde The assured ayre , was depaynted cleare With golden beames , of fayre Phebus speare Then forth so went , good councell and I At. bi . at clocke , vnto a garden fayre By musikes tower , walled most goodly Where la bell Pucell , vsed to repayre In the swete mornyng , for to take the ayre Among the ffowers , of aromatyke fume The misty ayre , to exile and consume And at the gate , we mette the portresse That was right gentle , and called curtesye Whiche salued vs , with wordes of mekenes And asked vs , the very cause and why Of our commyng , to the garden sothell Cruely saled we , for nothing but well A little to speake , with la bell Pucell . Truely quod she , in the garden grene Of many a swe●e , and sundry houre She maketh a garlande , that is verye shene With trueloues wrought , with many a coloure Replete with swetenes , and dulcet odoure And all alone , withouten , company Amiddes an harber , she sitteth pleasauntly Nowe stande you styll , for a little space I will let her , of you haue knowledgyng And right anone , she wente to her grace Tellyng her then , howe we were commyng To speake with her , greatly desirynge Truely she saied , I am ryght well content Of their commyng , to knowe the whole entent Then good curtesy , without tariyng Came vnto vs , with all her diligence Praiyng vs , to take our entrynge And come vnto , the ladies presence To tell your errande , to her excellence Then in we went , to the garden glorious Like to a place , of pleasure most solacious With Flora painted , and wrought curiously In diuers knottes , of marueylous greatnes Rampande Lyons , stode vp wonderfly , Made all of herbes , with dulcet swetenes With many dragons , of marueylous likenes Of diuers floures , made full craftely By Flora couloured , with colours sundrye Amiddes the garden , so muche delectable There was an harber , fayre and quadrant To Paradise , right well comparable Set all about , with floures flagrant And in the middle , there was resplendishaunt A dulcet spring , and marueylous fountaine Of golde and asure , made all certaine In wonderfull , and curious similitude There stode a dragon , of fine golde so pure Upon his tayle , of mighty fortitude Wrethed and skaled , all wyth asure Hauyng thre heades , diuers in figure Whiche in a bathe , of the siluer great Spouted the water , that was so dulcet . Beside whiche fountaine , the most fayre lady La bell Pucell , was gayly sittyng Of many floures , fayre and royally A goodly chaplet , she was in makynge Her heere was downe , so clearely shinyng Like to the golde , late purified with fire Her heere was bryght , as the drawen wyre Like to a ladye , for to be right true She ware a fayre , and goodly garment Of most fine veluet , all of Indy blewe With armines powdred , bordred at the vent On her fayre handes , as was conuenient A payre of gloues , right slender , and soft In approchyng nere , I did beholde her oft . And when that I came , before her presence Unto the grounde , I did knele adowne Saiyng O Ladye , most fayre of excellence O starre so clere , of vertuous renowne Whose beauty fayre , in euery realme and towne Indued with grace , and also goodnes Dame Fame the her selfe , dothe euermore expresse Amoure . Please it your grace , for to geue audience Unto my wofull , and piteous complainte Howe feruent loue , wythout resistence My carefull hart , hath made lowe and faynt And you therof , are the whole constraynt Your beauty truely , hath me fettred fast Without your helpe , my life is neare hand past . Pucell . Stande vp quod she , I maruell of this cace What sodayne loue , hath you so arayed With so great payne , your hart to embrace And why for me , ye shoulde be so dismayed As of your life , ye nede not to be afrayed For ye of me nowe , haue no great awe But when ye list , ye may your loue with drawe Amoure . Then stode I vp , and right so did she Alas I saied then , my hart is so set That it is yours , it may none other be Your selfe hath caught it , in so sure a nette That if that I may not , your fauour get No doubt it is , the great paine of loue May not asswage , till death it remoue . Pucell . Truely quod she , I am obedient Unto my frendes , whiche do me so gyde They shall me rule , as is conuenient In the snare of loue , I will nothing slide My chaunce or fortune , I will yet abide I thanke you , for your loue right humblye But I your cause , can nothing remedy . Amoure . Alas madame , if I haue enterprised A thing to hye , truely for my degree All those causes , whiche I haue commised Hath bene on fortunes , gentle vnitie Trustyng truely , that she woulde fauour me In this case , wherfore nowe excuse Your humble seruaunt , and not me refuse Pucell . Ha ha , what vayleth all your flattery Your fayned wordes , shal not me appose To make mine hart , to encline inwardly For I my selfe nowe , do nothing suppose But for to proue me , you flatter and glose You shal not dye , as long as you speake There is no loue , can cause your hart to breake Amoure . I woulde madame , you had prorogatiue To knowe the priuitie , of my perfect mynde Howe all in payne , I leade a wofull liue Then as I trowe , ye woulde not be vnkinde But that some grace , I might in you finde To cause mine hart , whiche you fettred sure With brennyng chaynes , suche wo to endure Pucell . By very reason , I may geue iudgement That it is the guise , of you euerychone To faine you sicke , by subtill argument When to your lady , you list to make your mone But of you true , there is fewe or none For all your payne , and wordes eloquente With dame repentaunce , I will not be shent Amoure . O swete madame , nowe all my destiny Unhap and happy , vpon you dothe knowe If that you call me , vnto your mercy Of all happy , the most happy I trowe Then shall I be , of hye degree or lowe And if ye list , so me then to forsake Of all vnhappy , none shal be my make . Pucell . Your fortune on me , is not more applied Then vpon other , for my minde is free I haue your purpose , oft inoughe denied You knowe your aunswere , nowe certaintie What nede your wordes , of curiositie Woe here no more , for you shall not spede Go loue an other , where ye may haue mede . Amoure . That shall I not , thoughe that I continue All my life , in payne and heauines I shall not chaunge you , for none other new You are my lady , you are my mistris Whom I shall serue , with all my gentlenes Exyle him neuer , from your hart so deare Whiche vnto his , hath set you most neare Pucell . The minde of men , chaungeth as the mone If you mete one , whiche is fayre and bright Ye loue her best , till ye se right sone An other fayrer , vnto your owne sight Unto her then , your mind is turned ryght Truely your loue , though ye make it straunge I knowe full well , ye will it often chaunge . Amoure . Alas madame , nowe the bright lodes starre Of my true hart , where euer I go or ride Thoughe that my bodye , be from you a farre Yet my hart onely , shall with you abide When then you list , ye may for me prouide A remedy swete lady , of my harte It is your owne , it can nothing astart . Pucell . Nay truely , it can nothing be mine For I therof , take no possession Your hart is yours , by substanciall line It is not in my domination , Loue where ye list , at euery season Your hart is free , I do not it accept It is your owne , I haue it neuer kept . Amoure . Alas madame , ye may say what yon list With your beauty , ye toke mine hart in snare Your louely lokes , I coulde not resist Your vertuous maner , encreaseth my care That of all ioye , I am deuoyde and bare I se you right often , when I am a slepe And when I wake , do sigh with teares depe Pucell . So great deceite , among men there is That harde it is , to finde one full stable Ye are so subtill , and so falfe iwys Your great deceite , is nothing commendable In stories olde , it is well probable Howe many ladies , hath bene right falsely With men deceyued , yll and subtilly Amoure . O good madame , thoughe that they abused Them to their ladies , in their great deceipt Yet am I true , let me not be refused Ye haue me taken , with so faire a baite That ye shall neuer , out of my conceite I can not wrinche , by no wile nor croke My hart is fast , vpon so sure a hoke Pucell . Ye so saied they , til that they had their will Their will accomplished , they did fle at large For men say well , but they thinke full yll Though outward swetenes , your tong doth enlarg Yet of your hart , I neuer can haue charge For men do loue , as I am right sure Nowe one , nowe an other , after their pleasure Amoure . All that madame , I knowe right perfectly Some men there be , of that condicion That them delite , often in nouelry And many also , loue perfection I cast all suche nouels , in abiection My loue is set , vpon a perfite grounde No falshede in me , truely shal be founde . Pucell . Ye say full well , if ye meane the same But I in you can haue no confidence I thinke right well , that it is no game To loue vnloued , with percing influence You shall in me finde , no suche negligence To graunt you loue , for ye are vnthrifty As two or thre , to me dothe specifie . Amoure . Was neuer louer , without enemies thre As enuy , malice , and perturbaunce Their tongues are poyson , vnto amitie What man on liue , can vse suche gouernaunce To attaine fauoure , withouten variaunce Of euery person , but right priuely Behinde his backe , some saieth vnhappilye Pucell . Trouthe it is , but yet in this case Your loue and mine , is full farre a sunder But thoughe that I do , your hart so race If I dreade you , it is therof no wonder With my frendes , I am so sore kept vnder I dare not loue , but as they accorde They thinke to wedde me , to a mighty Lorde Amoure . I knowe madame , that your frendes all Unto me , sure will be contrarious But what for that , your selfe in speciall Remember there is , no loue so ioyous As is your owne , to you most precious Will you geue your youthe , and your flouryng age To them , against your minde in mariage Pucell . Against my ininde , of that were I lothe To wedde for feare , as them to obey Yet had I rather , they were somewhat wrothe For I my selfe , do beare the locke and keye Yet of my minde , and will do many a daye Mine owne I am , what that I list to do I stande vntied , there is no ioye therto , Amoure . O swete lady , the good perfect starre Of my true hart , take ye nowe pitie Thinke on my paine , whiche am tofore you here With your swete eyes , beholde you and se Howe thought and wo , by great extremitie Hath chaunged my hue , into pale and wanne It was not so , when I to loue began . Pucell . So me thinke , it dothe right well appeare By your coloure , that loue hath done you wo Your heuy countenaunce , & your doleful cheare Hath loue suche might , for to aray you so In so short a space , I maruell muche also That ye woulde loue me , so sure in certayne Before ye knew , that I woulde loue agayne Amoure My good deare hart , it is no maruaile why Your beauty cleare , and lonely lokes swete My hart did perce , with loue so sodainely At the firste time , that I did you mete In the olde temple , when I did you grete Your beauty my hart , so surely assayed That sithe that time , it hath to you obeyed
Capitu. xix . Pucell . YOur wo and paine , & all your languishyng Continuaily , ye shall not spende in vayne Sithen I am cause , of your great morning Nothinge exile you , shall I by disdaine Your hart and mine , shall neuer part in twaine Thoughe at the first , I woulde not condescende It was for feare , ye did some yll entende Amoure With thought of yll , my minde was neuer mixt To you madame , but alway cleane and pure Bothe day and night , vpon you whole perfixt But I my minde , yet durst nothing discure Howe for your sake , I did suche wo endure Till nowe this houre , with dredfull hart so faint To you swete hart , I haue made my complaint I demed oft , you loued me before By your demenoure , I did it espye And in my minde , I iudged euermore That at the last , ye woulde full secretely Tell me your minde , of loue right gentlely As ye haue done , so my mercy to craue In all worship , you shall my true loue haue Amoure . O lorde God then , howe ioyfull was I She loked on me , with louely countenaunce I kiste her once or twise , right swetely Her depured vysage , repleate with pleasaunce Reioyced my hart , with amerous purueyaunce O lady cleare , that perst me at the rote O floure of comfort , all my heale and bote O gemme of vertue , and lady excellent Aboue all other , in beauteous goodlines O eyen bright , as starre refulgent O profounde cause , of all my sickenes Nowe all my ioye , and all my gladnes Woulde God that we were , ioyned in one In mariage before , this daye were gone Pucell . A a saied she , ye must take payne a while I must depart , by the compulcion Of my frendes , I will not you begile Thoughe they me leade , to a farre nacion My hart shal be , without variacion With you present , in perfite sikernes As true and stable , without doublenes To me to come , is harde and daungerous When I am there , for gyantes vgly With monsters also , blacke and tedious That by the way , awaite full cruelly For to destroye you , yll and vtterly When you that waye , do take the passage To attaine my loue , by hye aduauntage . Amoure . All that madame , was to me certified By good dame Fame , at the beginnyng When she to me , of you well notified As she came from , the tower of learnyng Of all suche enemies , the might excluding I promise vnto you , here full faithfully When I depart , from dame astronomy That I will to , the tower of chiualry And for your sake , become aduenturous To subdue all enemies , to me contrary That I may after , be right ioyous With you my lady , most swete and precious Wo worthe the cause , of your departynge Whiche all my sorowes , is in renuyng . Alas what pleasure , and eke without disport Shall I now haue , when that ye be gone Ha ha truely , nowe without good comfort My dolorous hart , shal be left alone Without your presence , to me is none For euery houre , I shall thinke a yere Till Fortune bryng me , vnto you more neare Yet after you , I will not be right long But haste me after , as fast as I may In the tower of chiualry , I shall make me strong And after that , passe shortly on my way With diligent labour , on my iourney Spite of your enemies , I shall me so spede That in short time , ye may reward my mede I thanke you quod she , with my hart entire But yet with me , ye shall make couenaunte As I to you , am right lefe and deare Unto no person , ye shall so aduaunte That I to loue you , am so attendaunt For any thing , your councell not bewraye For that full sone , might vs bothe betray And to tell me , I pray you hartely Yonder is councell , howe were you acquainted He is bothe honest , and true certainely Dothe he not knowe , how your hart is fainted With feruent loue , so surely attainted If he so do , yet I nothing repent He is so secrete , and true of entent Truely madame , because ye are contente I shall you tell , howe the matter was When that your beauty , clearely spendent Into my hart , full wondersly did passe Like as fayre Phebus , dothe shine in the glasse All alone , with inwarde care so rent Into a temple , forthe on my way I wente Where that I walked , plunged in the pitte Of great dispayre , and he then me mette Alas he saied , me thinke ye lose your witte Tell me the trouthe nowe , without any let Why ye demeane , suche mortall sorowe great Auoyde quod I , you shall nothing it knowe You can not helpe me , in the case I trowe But he suche reason , and fruitefull sentence Did for him laye , that I tolde him all When he it knewe , with all his diligence He did me comfort , then in speciall Unto my minde , he bade me to call Who spareth to speake , he to spede dothe spare Go tell your lady , the cause of your care By whose councell , grounded in wisdome To the entent , I shoulde spede the better And right shortly , I did then to you come But dreade alway , made my sorow greater After great paine , the ioyes is the sweter For who that tasteth , painefull bitternes The ioye to him , is double swetenes And therwithall , I did vnto her bryng Councell my frende , and full right meke Did him receiue , as he was comming And of all thinges , she did him beseke After her parting , the same weke To haste me forwarde , to my iourneyes ende Thereto quod I , I do well condescende Fare well quod she , I may no lenger tarye My frendes will come , of that were I lothe I shall retaine you , in my memory And thei it knewe , they woulde with me be wroth To loue you best , I promise you my trouth And then mine eyen , great sorowe shewed With teares salte , my chekes were endued Her eyes graye , began to loke right redde Her gaye white coloure , began for to pale Upon her chekes , so the droppes were spredde Whiche from her eyen , began to aduale From her swete hart , she did the sighes hale Neuer before , as I trowe and wene Was suche departing , true louers betwene We wiped our chekes , our sorowes to cloke Outwardly fayning vs , to be gladde and mery That the people should , not perceiue the smoke Of our hote fire , to light the emispery Thoughe inwardly , with a stormy pery The fire was blowen , yet wee did it couer Because abroade , it shoulde nothing perceuer Out of the garden , to an hauen side Forthe we went , where was a shippe ryght large That taried there , after the flowyng tide And so then did there , many a boate and barge The shippe was great , fiue . C. tunne to charge La bell Pucell , right anone me tolde In yonder shippe , whiche that ye beholde Forthe must I sayle , without lenger delay It is full sea , my frendes will come sone Therfore I pray you to go hence your way It draweth fast nowe , towarde the none Madame quod I , your pleasure shal be done With wofull hart , and great sighes oft I kissed her lippes , that were swete and soft She vnto me , nor I vnto her coulde speake And as of that , it was no great wonder Our hartes swelled , as that they shoulde breake The fire of loue , was so sore kept vnder When I from her , shoulde departe asunder With her fayre heade , she did lowe encline And in like wise , so did I with myne
Of the greate sorowe that graunde Amoure made after her departyng , and of the wordes of Councell . Capitu. xx . HEr frendes and she , on their way they sayled Along the hauen , god them saue and brynge Unto the land , I heard when that they haled With a great peale of gunnes , at their departyng The marueylouse tower , of famous cunnyng No gunne was shotte , but my hart did wepe For her departyng , with wofull teares depe Councell me comforted , as euer he might With many stories , of olde antiquitie Remember he saied , that neuer yet was wight That liued alway , in great tranquilitie But that him happed , some aduersitie Then after that , when the payne was past The double ioye , did comfort them at last . Ye nede nothing , for to make great doloure Fortune to you , hath bene right fauourable Makyng you , to attayne the good fauour Of your lady , so swete and amiable No doubt it is , she is true and stable And demeane you so , that in no wise No man perceiue , or of your loue surmise . Be hardy , fearce , and also couragious In all your battailes , without feblenes For ye shall be , right well victorious Of all your enemies , so full of subtilnes Arme you with wisdome , for more surenes Let wisdome worke , for she can stedfastlye In time of nede , resist the contrary Was neuer man , yet surely at debate With Sapience , but that he did repent Who that is ruled , by her highe estate Of his after witte , shall neuer be shent She is to man , right beneuolent With walles sure , she dothe him fortifie When it is nede , to resist a contrary . Was neuer place , where as she did guide With enemies , brought to destruction A remedy , she can so well prouide To her high worke , is no comparison It hath so strong , and sure foundation Nothing there is that can it molifye So sure it is , agaynst a contrarye Of her alwayes , it is the perfect guise To begyn nothing , of mutabilitie As is the warre , whiche may sone arise And will not downe , it maye so sturdy be The beginner oft , hath the iniquitie When he began , wisdome did reply In his great nede , to resist the contrary The mighty Pryant , sometime king of Troye With all his citye , so well fortified Little regarded , all his wealth and ioye Without wisedome , truely exemplified His proper death , him selfe he nutrified Agaynst his warre , wisdome did replye At his great nede , to resist the contrary And where that wisdome , ruleth hardines Hardines then is , euer inuincible There may nothing , it vainquishe or oppresse For prudence is , so well intelligible To her there is , nothing impossible Her grounded worke , is made so perfitely That it must nedes , resist the contrary To wofull creatures , she is goodly leche With her good sister , called pacience To the tower of ioye , she dothe them tell weche In the way of hope , without resistence Who to her l●st , to apply his diligence She will him bringe , to worship shortelye That he shall well , resist the contrary . Right so let wisdome , your sorowe surrende And hye you fast , vnto dame Geometry And let no thought , in your hart engender Eur after this , speake to astronomy And so from thence , to the tower of chiualry Whe●e of the worthy king Melyzyus You shal be made , sone knight aduenturous And fare you well , for I must from you go To other louers , whiche are in dispaire As I did you , to comfort them also It is great nede , that I to them repayre Haboundaunt teares , their hartes do refleire Fare well quod I , my good frende so true I woulde with me , ye might alway ensue Then agayne I went , to the tower melodious Of good dame musike , my leaue for to take And priuely , with these wordes dolorous I saied O tower , thou maiest wel aslake Suche melody nowe , in the more to make The gemme is gone , of all famous port That was chefe cause , of the great comfort Whilome thou was , the faire tower of light But nowe thou art , replete with darkenes She is nowe gone , that shone in the so bright Thou wast sometime , the tower of gladnes Nowe maist thou be , the tower of heauines For the chefe is gone , of all thy melody Whose beauty cleare , made most swete armony The faire carbuncle , so full of clearenes That in the truely , did most purely shine The pearle of pitie , replete with swetenes The gentle gillofloure , the goodly columbine The redolent plante , of the dulcet vyne The dede aromatike , may no more encense For she is so farre , out of thy presence A a truely , in the time so past Mine errande was , the often for to se Nowe for to enter , I may be agast When thou art hence , the starre of beauty For all my delite , was to beholde the A tower tower , all my ioye is gone In the to enter , comfort is there none So then inwardly , my selfe bewaylyng In the tower I went , into the habitacle Of dame musike , where she was singyng The ballades swete , in her fayre tabernacle Alas thought I , this is no spectacle To fede mine eyen , whiche are nowe all blynde She is not here that I was wont to finde . Then of dame musike , with all lowlines I did take my leaue , withouten tariyng She thanked me , with all her mekenes And all alone , forthe I went musyng A a quod I , my loue and likyng Is nowe farre hence , on whom my whole delite Daiely was set , vpon her to haue sight Farewell swete harte , farewell , farewel , farewel Adieu , adieu , I woulde I were you by God geue me grace , with you sone to dwell Like as I did , for to se you dayly Your lowly cheare , and gentle company Reioysed my hart , with fode most delicate Mine eyen to se you , were insaciate Nowe good swete hart , my lady and mistrys I recommende me , vnto your pitie Besechyng you , with all my gentilnes Yet other while , to thinke vpon me What payne I suffer , by great extremitie And to pardon me , of my tude writyng For with wofull hart , was mine endityng
Capitu. xxi . SO forthe I went , vpon a craggy roche Unto the tower , most wonderfully wrought Of Geometrye , and as I did approche The altitude , all in my mynde I sought Sixe hundred fore , as I by number thought Quadrant it was , and did heue and sette At euery storme , when the winde was great Thus at the last , I came into an hall Hanged with arras , ryche and precious And euery windowe , glased with Cristall Like a place of pleasure , muche solacious With knottes sexangled , gaye and glorious The●●●●● did hange , right high and pleasantly By geometry made , right well and craftely In this marueylous hall , replete with riches At the hye ende , she sate full worthely I came anone , vnto her great nobles And kneled adowne , before her mekely Madame I saied , ye worke full royally I beseche you , with all my diligence To instruct me , in your wonderfull science . My science saied she , it is most profitable Unto astronomy , for I do it measure In euery thing , as it is probable For I my selfe , can right well discure Of euery starre , whiche is sene in vre The marueylous greatnes , by me measuryng For god made all , at the beginnyng . By good measuryng , both the height and depenes Of euery thing , as I vnderstande The length and breadth , with all the greatnes Of the firmament , so passyng the lande And who my cunnyng , list to take in hande In his emispery , of hye or lowe degre Nothing there is , but it may measure be . Thoughe that it be , from vs hye , and farre If any thing fall , we may it truly se As the sunne or mone , or any other starre We may therof , knowe well the quantitie Who of this science , dothe knowe the certentie All maistries might , measure perfitely For geometrye , dothe shewe it openlye Where that is measure , there is no lackyng Where that is measure , whole is the body where that is measure , good is the liuyng Where that is measure , wisdome is truely where that is measure , worke is dyrectly Where that is measure , natures workynge Nature encreaseth , by right good knowledgynge . Where lacketh measure , there is no plentie Where lacketh measure , sicke is the courage where lacketh measure , there is iniquitie where lacketh measure , there is great outrage where lacketh measure , is none aduauntage where lacketh measure , there is great glottony Where lacketh measure , is most vnhappy For there is no hye , nor great estate Withouten measure , can kepe his dignitie It doth preserue him , bothe early and late Kepyng him from , the pitte of pouertie Measure is moderate , to all bountie Greatly nedefull , for to take the charge Man for to rule , that he go not at large Who loueth measure , can not do amisse So perfitely is , the highe operation Among all thinges , so wonderfull it is That it is full , of all delectation And to vertue , hath inclination Measure also , dothe well exemplifie The hasty dome , to swage and modefye . Without measure , wo worthe the iudgement Without measure , wo worthe the temperaunce without measure , wo worthe the punishment without measure , wo worthe purueyaunce Without measure , wo worthe the sustenaunce Without measure , wo worthe the sadnesse And without measure , wo worthe the gladnes Measure measuryng , measuratly taketh Measure measuryng , measuratly dothe all Measure measuryng , measuratly maketh Measure measuryng , measuratlye guide shall Measure measuryng , measuratly dothe call Measure measuryng , to right hye preeminence For alway measure , is grounde of excellence Measure measureth , measure in effect Measure measureth , euery quantitie Measure measureth , alway the aspecte Measure measureth , in certaintie Measure measureth , in the stabilitie Measure measureth , in euery doubtfull case And measure is the lodestarre of all grace . Affect of measure , is long continuaunce Quantitie without measure is nought Aspect of measure , deuoydeth repentaunce Certayne woulde weye , all thinges thought Stabilitie , vpon a perfect grounde is wrought Case doubtfull may , yet a while abide Grace may in space , a remedy prouide Countenaunce causeth , the promocion Nought auayleth 〈◊〉 , without attendaunce Repenaunce is after all abusion Thought afore , woulde haue had perceueraunce Wrought howe should be , by dede the mischaunce Abide nothing , till thou do the dede Prouide in minde , how thou maist haue mede . Promocion groweth , after good gouernaunce Attendaunce dothe , attayne good fauoure Abusion is causer , of all variaunce Perceueraunce causeth the great honoure Mischaunce alway , is rote of doloure Dede done , can not be called agayne Mede well rewarded , bothe with ioye and payne . Then I toke my leaue , and went from Geometry Towarde astronomy as fast as I myght For all my minde , was set right inwardly Upon my lady , that was fayre and bryght My hart with her , was bothe day and nyght She had it locked , with a locke so sure It was her owne , she had therof toe cure
Capitu. xxii . THen forthe I went , into a medowe grene With flora painted , in many a sundry colour Like a gay goddesse , of all flours the quene She encensed out , her aromatike odoure The brethe of zepherus , encreased the floure Amyddes the medowe fayre , resplendishant Was a pauilion , ryght hye and quadrant . Of grene sarcenet , bordred with golde Wherin did hange , a fayre astrology Whiche oft astronomy , did full well beholde Unto whom then , I came full shortly And kneled adowne , before her mekely Besechyng her , of her great gentlenes Of her science , to shewe the perfectnes . My science sayed she , it is right reasonable And is the last , of the sciences seuen Unto man , it is also ryght profitable Shewyng the course , aboue of the heauen Ryght marueylous , for any man to neuen Who knewe astronomy , at euery maner season Myght set in order , euery thing by reason . Also the other . vi . sciences liberall By astronomy , principally were founde And one were loste , they were vanished all Eche vpon other , hath so sure a grounde In all the worlde , that is so wide and rounde Is none so wise , that can them multiply Nor knowe them all , right well and surely . The high astronomer , that is God omnipotent That the first day , deuided all the light From the darkenes , with his will prepotent And the second day , with his excellent might The waters aboue , he did deuide a ryght From the earthly waters , whiche are inferial The thirde day , herbes and fruites in special In earth he planted , for to haue their life By diuers vertues , and sundry growyng So to continue , and be vegitatife And the fourthe day , he set in workyng The bodies aboue , to haue their mouyng In the. xii . signes , them selues to domifye Some rethrogarde , and some directly The fift daye , he did fishes make In the sea , the great stormy flowde To and fro , their courses for to take And in the water , for to haue their fode Like to the same , colde alway their bloude The sirt daye , beastes with fowles sensatiue And man also , with soule intellectyue . The seuenth day , he rested of his worke Nothing constrayned , as of werines As writeth many a right famous clarke But that he had , accomplished doubtles His purposed purpose , by infinite prowes As to vs dothe most plainely discure The perfect grounde , of holy scripture Thus God him selfe , is chefe astronomer That made all thing , accordyng to his will The sunne , the mone , and euery little starre To a good entent , and for no maner of yll Withouten vayne , he did all thing fulfyll As astronomy , dothe make apparaunce By reason he weyed , all thinges in balaunce
Capitulo . xxiii . ANd for as muche , that he made nature First of all , to haue domination The power of her , I shall anone discure Howe that she taketh , her operation And where vpon , is her foundation I simple and rude , opprest with negligence Shall discriue the might , of her preeminence For thoughe that aungell be inuincible In palpable , and also celestiall Without substaunce , as incencible Yet haue they nature , whiche is angelicall For nature , naturyng , naturate made all Heauen and earth , and the bodies aboue By course of nature , for to worke and moue . On man or beast , without any misse She worketh directly , after the aspect Of the matter , be it more or lesse I wisse And dothe therof , the whole forme direct After the qualitie , it dothe take effect If there be more , then may one suffise A by member , she will then more deuise . As that in vre , ye may it dayly se Upon one hande , some hath thombes twayne And other also , sometime armes thre The superstuitie , is cause therof certayne Whiche that dame nature , dothe constrayne So for to do , for she leseth nought Of the matter , but hath it wholy wrought . And in likewise , where is not sufficient Of the matter , for the whole formation There lacketh a member , by great impediment So that there can be , no perfite fashion As may be iudged , by perfite reason . After the qualitie , of the matter lackyng So lacketh they , of natures formyng . Some lacketh a legge , some an arme also Some a finger , and some more or lesse All these causes , with many other mo Nature worketh , so directly doubtles Upon the matter , as I do expresse After the qualitie , in many a sundry wise The kinde of her , we ought nothing despise . Some be fayre , and replete with grace Some be fayre , and yet right vnhappy Some be foule , and can sone purchase Landes and possessions , to them shortly Some be fooles , and some be right wittye Wherupon I shal shewe a difference , Of the. v. wittes , by good experience .
Capit. xxiiii . THe eyen , the eares , and also the nose The mouth & hands , inward wits are none But outward offices , as ye may suppose To the inward wittes , whiche do iudge alone For vnto them , all thinges haue gone By these outward gates , to haue the knowleging By the inwarde wittes , to haue decernyng These are the fiue wittes , remouyng inwardly First commen witte , and then ymagination Fantasy , and estimation truely And memory , as I make narration Eche upon other , hath occupation First the commen witte , vnto the front applied Dothe thinke , decerne , it may not be denied Of the eyen , the office onely is the syght To se the fayre , the lowe , or altitude The white or blacke , the heauy , or the light The litle or great , the weake or fortitude The vgly fauoure , or yet the pulcritude This is the vse , of the eyen enteare To se all thinges , whiche may well appeare . But of them selues , they can decerne nothing One from an other , but the commen witte Decerneth coloures , by spirituall cunning To the fiue inwarde wittes , it is so well knitte Nothing is sene , but it dothe iudge it It dothe decerne , the good from badnes The hye , the lowe , the foule , the fairenes The nose also , euery ayre dothe smell But yet it hath , nothing aucthoritie If it be swete , for to iudge and tell But the commen witte , dothe it in certainetie Decernyng sauours , in euery degre Knowyng the swete ayre , from the stinkyng When that the nose , therof hath smellyng The eares also , ryght well geue audience Unto a tale ; hearyng it right perfectly But they can not , discerne the sentence To knowe wherupon , it dothe so ratifie Upon great wisdome , or els vpon foly Thus whether the tale , be ryght good or badde By the commen witte , the knowledge is had Foly hath eares , as well as Sapience But he can not determine , by his hearyng What tale it is , for lacke of intelligence For the commen witte , is all vnderstandyng And that he lacketh , to geue him knowyng Wherfore the eares , are but an intresse To the commen witte , that sheweth the perfectnes The mouthe tasteth , bothe swete and bitternes But the commen witte , decerneth properly If it be soure , or replete with swetenes Nor yet the handes , fele nothing certainely But the commen witte , decerneth subtilly Whether it be harde , moist , or of drynes Hote , heauy , soft , or yet colde doubtles Thus commen witte , worketh wondersly Wpon the. v. gates , whiche are receptatyue Of euery thing , for to take inwardely By the commen witte , to be affirmatyue Or by decernyng , to be negatiue The commen witte , the first of wittes all Is to decerne , all thinges in generall And then secondly , ymagination When the commen witte , hath the thing elect It worketh by all , due inclinacion For to bryng the matter , to the whole affect And fantasy , then hath the whole aspect The ymagined matter , to bring to finishment With good desire , and inwarde iudgement And estimacion , dothe well comprehende The space , the place , and all the purueyaunce At what tyme the power , myght entende To bryng the cause , vnto perfect vtteraunce Often it weygheth , the cause in balaunce By estimation , any thing is numbred By lengthe or shortnes , howe it is accombred Fiftely the mynde , when the fourth haue wrought Retayned all , tyll the mynde haue made An outwarde knowledge , to the matter thought Because nothing , shall decline and fade It kepeth the matter , nothinge rethrogarde But dyrectly , till the minde haue proued All suche matters , whiche the. iiii . haue moued Plato the cunnyng , and famous clarke That well experte , was in Philosophy Dothe ryght rehearse , vpon natures warke Howe that she worketh , vpon al wondersly Bothe for to minishe , and to multiplye In sundry wise , by great direction After the matter , with all the whole affection In my natiue language , I will not expresse More of her worke , for it is obscure Who will therof , knowe all the perfectnes In philosophy , he shall finde it ryght sure Whiche all the trouth , can to him discure No man can attayne , perfect runnyng But by long study , and diligent learnyng
Capit. xxv . THe right hye power , nature naturyng Naturate made , the bodyes aboue In sundry wise , to take their workyng That aboute the worlde , naturallye do moue As by good reason , the philosophers proue That the planets and starres , instrumentes be To natures workyng , in euery degre . God gaue great vertue , to the planets all And specially , vnto depured Phebus To enlumine the worlde , euer in speciall And then the mone , of her selfe tenebrous Made light with the beames , gay and glorious Of the sunne , is fayre resplendishaunt In the long nyght , with rayes radiaunt By these twayne , euery thyng hath growynge Bothe vegitatiue , and censatyue also And also intellectiue , without leasyng No earthly thyng , may haue life and go But by the planets , that moue to and fro When that God set them , in operation He gaue them vertue , in diuers fashion Some hote and moyst , and some colde and drye Some hote and drye , moist and colde Thus euery one , hath vertues sundrye As is made mencion , in the bokes olde They shew their power & worke , many a folde Man vpon them , hath his disposion By the naturate power , of constellation What shoulde I write more , in this matter hye In my maternall tonge , opprest with ignoraunce For who that list , to learne astronemye He shall fynde , all fruitfull pleasaunce In the latine tongue , by goodly ordinaunce Wherfore of it , I will no lenger tarye For feare from trouth , that I happen to vary Of dame astronomy , I did take my licence For to trauell , to the tower of chiualry For all my mynde , with percyng influence Was set vpon , the most fayre ladye La bell Pucell , so muche ententiflye That euery day , I did thinke fiftene Till I againe , had her swete person sene . TO you expert , in the seuen science Nowe all my masters , I do me excuse If I offended , by my great necligence This little worke , yet do ye not refuse I am but yonge , it is to me obtuse Of these matters , to presume to endite But for my learnyng , that I list to write Under obedience , and the correction Of you my masters , expert in cunnyng I me submit , nowe with whole affection Unto your perfite vnderstanding , As euermore mekely , to you enclinynge With diligent laboure , nowe wout doubtaunce To detray , or adde , all at your pleasaunce .
Howe graunde Amoure came to the tower of chiualrye . Capi. xxvi . WHen clene Aurora , with her golden beames Gan to enlumine , the darke clowdy ayre And combust Dyane , her great fiery lemes Amiddes of the bull , began to reflayre Then on my iourney , my selfe to repayre With my verlet , called attendaunce Forthe on I rode , by long continuaunce With my greyhounds , bothe grace & gouernaunce Ouer an hill , and so downe in a valey Among the thornes , of great encombraunce The goodly greyhoundes , taught me on my waye So forthe I passed , my troublous iourney Till that I came , into a royall playne With flora paynted , in many a sundry vayne With purple colour , the floure enhewed In diuers knottes , with many one full blewe The gentle gillofloure , his odoure renued With sundry herbes , replete with vertue Among these floures , as I did ensue Castyng my syght , sodaynely so farre Ouer a tower , I sawe a flambynge starre Towarde this tower , as I rode nere and nere I behelde the rocke , of marueilous altitude On whiche it stode , that quadrant did appere Made all of stele , of wonderous fortitude Gargeylde with beastes , in sundry sunilitude And many turrettes , aboue the towers hye With ymages was set , full marueylously Towarde this tower , forthe on my way I went Tyll that I came , to a mighty fortresse Where I sawe hange , a marueylous instrument With a shelde and helmet , before the entres I knewe nothing , therof the perfectnes But at aucuture , the instrument I toke And blewe so loude , that all the tower I shoke When the porter , hearde the hydeous sounde Of my right lusty , and stormy blast That made the walles , therof to redounde Full like a knight , that was nothing agast Towarde the gate , he gaue him selfe to haste And opened it , and asked my name And fro whence I came , to certifie the same . My name quod I , is graunde Amoure Of late I came , from the tower of doctrine Where I attayned , all the high honoure Of the seuen sciences , me to enlumyne And from thence , I did determine Forthe to trauaile , to this tower of chiualry Where I haue blowen , this blast so sodainely When he hearde this , ryght gentilly he said Unto this tower , ye must resort by right For to renue , that hath bene longe decayed The flower of chiualry , with your whole delite Come on your way , it draweth toward night And therwithall , he ledde me to his warde Me to repose , in pleasaunt due safeguarde After the trauell , my selfe for to ease I did there rest , then in all goodly wise And slept right well , without any disease Tyll on the morowe , the sunne did arise Then vp I rose , as was my perfect guise And made me ready , into the courte to go With my verlet , and my greyhoundes also The gentle porter , named stedfastues Into the base courte , on my way me brought Where stode a tower , of marueylous highnes That all of Iasper , full wondersly was wrought As any man , can printe in his thought And foure ymages , aboue the tower there were On horse backe armed , and euery one a speare . These ymages were made , full curiouslye With their horses , of the stele so fine And eche of them , in their places sundry About were set , that clerely did shine Like Dyane cleare , in her celestyne And vnder eche horse , there was full priuelye A great whele made , by crafty Geometry . With many cogges , vnto whiche were tied Diuers cordes , that in the horses hollowe To euery ioynte , full wonderslye applied When the wheles went , the horses did folowe To trotte and galop , bothe euen and morow Breakyng their speares , & coulde them discharge Partyng a sunder , for to turney at large
Capi. xxvii . BEside this tower , of olde foundation There was a temple , strongly edified To the highe honoure , and reputation Of the mighty Mars , it was so fortified And for to knowe , what it signified I entred in , and sawe of golde so pure Of worthy Mars , the marueylous picture . There was depaynted , all about the wall The great destruction , of the citye of Troy And the noble actes , to raygne memoriall Of the worthy Hector , that was all their ioye His dolorous death , was harde to occoye And so when Hector , was cast all downe The hardy Troylus , was most hygh of renowne . And as I cast my sight so aside Beholdyng Mars , howe wonderfully he stode On a whele toppe , with a lady of pryde Haunced about , I thought nothing but good But that she had , two faces in one hode Yet I kneled adowne , and made myne orison To doubty Mars , with great deuocion Saiyng , O Mars , O god of the warre The gentle lodestarre , of an hardy hart Distyll adowne , thy grace from so farre To cause all feare , from me to astarte That in the felde , I may ryght well subuert The hydeous monsters , and winne the victory Of the sturdy gyauntes , with famous chyualry O prynce of honoure , and of worthy fame O noble knyghtes , of olde antiquitie O redoubted courage , the causer of their name Whose worthy actes , Fame caused to be In bokes written , as ye may well se So geue me grace , ryght well to recure The power of Fame , that shall long endure . I thought me past , all childely ygnoraunce The. xxi . yere , of my yonge flouryng age I thought that Uenus , myght nothyng auaunce Her strength agaynst me , with her lusty courage My witte I thought , had suche aduauntage That it shoulde rule , bothe Uenus and Cupide But alas for wo , for all my sodayne pride . WHen that Phebus entred was , in Geminye Towarde the crabbe , takyng ascention At the time , of the great solemnitie From heauen aboue , of Gods descention In a great temple , with whole entencion As I went walkyng , my selfe to and fro Full sodaynely , Uenus wrought me suche wo For as I cast then , my syght all aloft I sawe Uenus , in beauty so cleare Whiche caused Cupide , with his dart so soft To wounde my hart , with feruent loue so deare Her louyng countenaunce , so highe did appeare That it me rauished , with a sodaine thought Alas for wo , it auayled me right nought To geue audience , vnto the melody Of waytes and organs , that were at the feast Loue had me wounded , so sore inwardly What was to do , I knewe not the best Replete with sorowe , and deuoyde of rest Sithen the time , that she my hart so wounded My ioy and pride , she hath full lowe confounded . And so nowe , for to attayne her grace As thou doest knowe , become aduenturous Besechyng the , in this perillous case O Mars me succoure , in time tempestious That I may passe , the passage daungerous And to thy laude , honoure , and glory I shall a temple , right strongly edifye Well then saied Mars , I shall the fortify In all thy warre , as fast as I can But for thy payne , I knowe no remedy For Uenus raygned , when that thou began First for to loue , makyng the pale and wanne . And of the trouthe , to make relation Thou was borne vnder , her constellation Wherfore thou must , of very perfite ryght Unto her sue , by the disposicion Whiche the constrayneth , with whole delite For to loue ladyes , by true affection Suche is her course , and operation Wherfore when thou hast learned perfitely The for to gouerne , by prudent chiualrye . Then to fulfill , thy right hye enterprise Forthe on thy way , thou shalt thy iourney take Unto a temple , in all humble wise Before dame Uenus , thine oblation to make Whiche all thy paine , maye sone redresse and slake For at that time , she holdeth a parliment To redresse louers , of their impediment Aha quod fortune , with the faces twayne Behinde sir Mars , I haue a great maruayle That thou doest promise him , that he shal attayne Unto his purpose , with all diligent trauayle Throughe thine ayde , eke strength and counsayle Sythence dependeth , in mine ordinaunce Him to promote , or bryng to mischaunce My power , estate , and royall dignitie Dothe turne the whele , of worthely glory Often vp so downe , by mutabilitie Haue not I promoted , full noblye Many a lowe degre , to raygne full royallye And often haue made , a transmutation Of worldely wealthe , into tribulation Thus can I make , an alterasion Of worthely honoure , whiche dothe depende All onely in my dominacion Throughe the worlde , my whele dothe extende As reason dothe , ryght well comprehende Of my great chaunces , whiche are vnsure As dayly dothe appere well in vre . If I shoulde worke , with perfect stedfastnes As to exalt some , to be honourable And that they knewe , by perfite sykernes That it shoulde dure , and not be variable It were a thing , vnto me culpable For great orguel pride , shoulde them so blynde To know them selues , they should lose their mind Thus when that they , shoulde them selues forget And in no wise , their owne person knowe Full little then , they woulde by me sette That them exalted , to hye degree from lowe And by my chaunce , coulde nought then ouerthrow Thus shoulde they do , & dreade me nothing Wherfore my whele , is euermore turnyng And where that I , shoulde turne my face Castyng some , in pytte of pouertye They were condempned , without any grace As for to attayne , any prosperitie Whiche were a cause , of greate iniquitie For riche mens goodes , I must oft translate Unto the pore , them for to eleuate And thirdely , I shoulde lose my name For this worde fortune , is well derified Of an accident chaunce , bothe good or shame When that the dede , is so exemplified Wherfore by reason , I must be duplified And nothing stable in my hye warke As writeth many , a ryght noble clarke Therfore by reason , I must be mutable And turne my whele , ryght oft vp so downe Labouryng in workes , whiche are vnstable On some to laughe , & on some I must frowne Thus all about , in euery realme and towne I shewe my power , in euery sundry wise Some to descende , and on some to arise Wherfore my power , dothe right well excell Aboue the Mars , in thine house enclosed For to rule man , thou hast power neuer adell Saue after the , somewhat he is disposed Thy constelation , hath him so apposed Who vnder the , taketh his natiuitie Yet God hath geuen him , power to rule the Wherfore I am , of a farre higher power Then thou arte , for there is no defence Agaynst my will , at any time or houre And in my name , there is a difference For in these wordes , in my magnificence Predestinate , and also desteny As I shall shewe , anone more formably Predestinate , dothe right well signifie A thing to come , whiche is prepared None but God doth knowe it openly Tyll that the dede , cause it to be declared For many a one , when they well fared Full little thought , that tribulation To them was ordeyned , by predestination The desteny , is a thing accident And by the worke , dothe take the effect Tyll it be done , it is ay precedent No man from it , can him selfe abiect Thus euery chaunce , dothe fortune direct Wherfore by reason , la graunde Amoure Must sue vnto me , to do him socoure A ha quod Mars , suche a one as thou I neuer knewe , before this season For thou thy selfe , doest so muche enproue Aboue the heauens , by exaltation But what for all , thy commendation Arte thou nowe any thing substanciall Spirituall , or els yet terrestriall Howe can a worke , p●●fitely be grounded But in these two , and thou arte of those Wherfore for nought , thou maiest be confounded For nought in substaunce , can nothing transpose Of none effect , thou canst thy selfe disclose Howe hast thou power , in any maner of case In heauen or earth , without a dwellyng place But that Poetes , hath made a figure Of thee , for thy great signification The chaunce of man , so for to discure Accordyng to a moralization , And of the trouthe , to make relation The man is fortune , in his proper dede And not thou , that causeth him to spede What neadeth him , vnto him selfe to sue Sithens thou art , the dedes of his chaunce Thou to rule man , it is a thing not true Nowe wherupon , dothe hang this ordinaunce But accedent , vpon the gouernaunce Of the hye bodyes , whiche dothe man dispose The dede to do , as him lyst purpose .
Capi. xxviii TO heare of Mars , the maruelous argument And of Fortune , I was sore amased Tyll that I sawe , a lady excellent Clearely armed , vpon whom I gased And her armes , full priuely I blased The shelde of golde , as I well vnderstande With a lyon of asure , throughe passande . To me she came , with lowely countenaunce And bade me welcome , vnto that mancion Leadyng me forthe , with ioye and pleasaunce Into an hall , of marueylous fashion Right strongly fortified , of olde foundation The pillers of yuory , garnished with gold With pearles set , and brodred many a folde The flore was paued , with stones precious And the roufe , was braunched curiously Of the beaten golde , bothe gaye and glorious Knotted with pommaunders right swetely Encencyng out , the yll odours misty And on the walles , right well did appeare The siege of Thebes , depaynted fayre and cleare There were knyghtes , pla●yng at the chestes Whiche sawe Minerue , leade me in the hall They lefte their playe , and all their busines And welcomed me , right gently withall With sir Nurture , then most in speciall Accompanied of his brother Curtesy They made me chere then , full effectuallye . And after that , they brought me vp a stayre Into a chamber , gayly glorified And at the dore , there stode a knight right fayre Y clipped trouthe , right clearely purified His countenaunce was , ryght well modified To me he sayed , that before myne entresse Him for to loue , I shoulde him promise Of ryght he sayed , I haue in custodye This chamber dore , of kyng Melizyus That no man enter , into it wrongfully Without me trouthe , for to be chiualrous Here knyghtes be made , to be victorious I shall you promise , quod I fayethfully You for to loue , and serue perdurably Abide quod he , I will speake with the kyng Tell me your name , and habitation And the chefe cause , nowe of your comyng That I to him , may make relation To knowe his minde , without variation La graunde Amoure , my name is saied I The cause of my commyng , intentifly Is forbicause that I haue enterprised Nowe for the sake , of fayre la bell pucell To passe the passage , whiche I her promised That is so daungerous , with serpentes cruell And for as muche , as I knowe neuer a deale The feates of armes , to attayne honoure I am come to learne , with diligent laboure Then forthe he wente , vnto the maiestie Of kyng Melizyus , the myghty conqueroure Saiyng O power , so hye in dignitie O prince victorious , and famous Emperoure Of iustyng truely , the originall floure One graunde Amoure , woulde be acceptable In your hye courte , for to be tendable With all my harte , I will quod he accepte Him to my seruice , for he is ryght worthy For vnto doctrine , the hye waye he kept And so from thence , to the tower of chiualry He shall attayne , great actes wondersly Go on your way , and bryng him fast to me For I thinke long , him to beholde and se And then the good knight trouthe , incontinent Into the chamber so pure , sone me ledde Where sate the kyng , so muche beniuolent In purple clothed , set full of rubyes redde And all the floore , on whiche we did treade Was cristall clere , and the roufe at nyght With carbuncles , did geue a marueylous lyght The walles were hanged , with clothe of tissue Brodred with pearles , and rubies rubiconde Mixte with emeraudes , so full of vertue And bordred about , with many a dyamonde An heauy hart , it will make ioconde For to beholde , the marueylous riches The lordship , wealth , and the great worthines There sate Melizyus , in his hye estate And ouer his heade , was a payre of balaunce With his crowne , and scepter , after the true rate Of another worldly king , for to haue gouernance In his hande a ball , of right great circumstaunce Before whom then , I did knele adowne Saiyng O Emperoure , most hye of renowne I the beseche , of thyne haboundaunt grace Me to accept in this courte , the for to serue So to continue , by long time and space Of chiualry , that I may nowe deserue The order ryght , and well it to obserue For to attayne , the hye aduauntage Of the enterprise , of my doubty vyage Welcome he saied , to this court ryall Mynerue shall arme you , with great diligence And teache you the scates , of armes all For she them knoweth , by good experience In the olde time , it was her science And I my selfe , shall geue you a worthy stede Called galantyse , to helpe you in your nede . I humbly thanked , his great highnes And so to Mynerue , I did then apply Whiche did me teache , with siker perfitnes For to haunt armes , right well and nobly Sapience me ruled , well and prudently Thus among knightes , for to iust and tourney Mynerue me taught , in sundry wise all day It was a ioyfull , and a knightly sight For to beholde so fayre , and goodly a sorte Of good knightes , armed clere and bryght That I sawe there , whiche did me well exhort Armes to haunt , with couragious comforte Mynerue me taught , my strokes and defence That in short space , was no resistence Against my power , and mighty puissaunce To my wilfull harte , was nought impossible I bare my selfe , so without doubtaunce My hart made , my courage inuincible Of whiche the trou the , was sone intelligible With my behauyng , before the preeminence Of kyng Milizyus , famous excellence Whiche ryght anone , for dame Mynerue sent And me also , with sir trouthe to obey We thought full little , what the matter ment But vnto hym , we toke anone the way Entryng the chamber , so fayre , cleare , and gay The kyng vs called , vnto his persone Saiyng , I will graunde amoure anone Truely make knyght , for the time approcheth That he must haunte , and seke aduenture For la bell Pucell , as true loue requireth And first of all , began to me discure The high order , howe I should take in cure And then anone , he began to expresse What knighthode was , to perfite sykernes . Knighthode he sayed , was first established The commen wealthe , in ryght to defende That by the wrong , it be not minished So euery knight , must truely condescende For the commen wealthe , his power to entende Agaynst all suche rebels contrarious Them to subdue , with power victorious For knyghthode is not , in the feates of warre As for to fight , in quarell ryght or wrong But in a cause , whiche trouthe can not defarre He ought him selfe , for to make sure and strong Iustice to kepe , myxt with mercy among And no quarell , a knyght ought to take But for a trouthe , or for the commens sake For first good hope , his legge harneyes shoulde be His habergion , of perfect ryghteousnes Gyrde fast , wyth the girdle of chastitie His riche placarde , shoulde be good busines Brodered with almes , so full of larges The helmet mekenes , and the shelde good fayeth His swerde Gods worde , as . S. Paule sayeth Also true wydowes , he ought to restore Unto their ryght , for to attayne their dower And to vpholde , and mayntayne euermore The wealth of maydens , with his myghty power And to his souerayne , at euery maner hower To be ready , true , and eke obeysaunt In stable loue fyxte , and not variaunt Thus after this noble , and solemne doctrine He made me knyght , and gaue me in charge Unto these poyntes , right lowe to encline And to stere well , the frayle tumblyng barge Ouer vayne glory , when I sayle at large When the winde is ryght , the barge can not fayle Unto his purpose , so with hardines to sayle I did well regester , in my remembraunce Euery thing , whiche he hath to me tolde And right anone , in good resemblaunce The kyng I thanked , with courage ryght bold Of his great giftes , and grace many a folde Whiche vnto me , ryght openly he shewed With golden droppes , so liberally endued I toke my leaue , of his ryght hye estate And then Mynerue , into the hall me brought Accompanied of trouth , my faythfull mate Us for to solace , there lacked ryght nought That any man , can prynte in his thought The knyghtes all , vnto their armes went To bryng me forwarde , with a true entent And Mynerue armed me , as she coulde deuise And brought vnto me , my fayre barbed stede On whom I mounted , in all goodly guise With shelde and speare , as nothing to dreade In ryght to fight , for to attayne my mede So with me went , bothe my greyhounds twayne And good attendaunce , my verlet certayne . The good knight trouth , brought me on my way Accompanied then , with sir Fidelitie With haute courage , betrapped fayre and gay With shinyng trappers , of curiositie And then also , there rode forthe with me The sturdy knight , well named Fortitude With the noble veterane , sir Consuetude . And eke sir Iustice , and sir Misericorde Sir Sapience , with good sir Curtesye With famous nurture , and then syr Concord Accompanied me , full ryght gently Out of the castell , ridyng royally And dame Mynerue , the chiualreous Goddesse Did me endue then , with harty hardines And when we came , into a goodly playne Right of them all , I toke my licence Me thought it time , that they turne agayne Unto the kyng , with all their diligence I made mine othe , with percyng influence Unto them all , for to remayne full true In stedfast loue , all treason to eschue Full lothe they were , fro me to depart Euery one of them , as ye may vnderstande With salt teares , full wofull was my hart When all on rowe , they toke me by the hande Adue they saied , and grace with you stande You for to ayde , when that you do fight And so they turned , vnto the castell ryght . And good dame Mynerue , vnto me then saied Be not adredde , of your hye enterprise Be bolde , and hardy , and nothing afrayed And rather dye , in any maner of wise To attayne honoure , and the life despise Then for to liue , and to remaine in shame For to dye with honoure , it is a good name Farewell she saied , and be of good cheare I must depart , I may no lenger tary Ryde on your way , the wether is full cleare Seke your aduenture , and loke ye not vary From your hye order , by any contrary And therwithall , forthe on her way she rode Right so did I , whiche no lenger abode With bothe my greyhoundes , and my verlet Throughe the playne , and into wildernes And so aloft , among the hilles great Tyll it was nyght , so thicke of darkenes That of constraint , of very werines We lighted adowne , vnder an hyll syde Unto the day , to rest vs there that tide . And when my page , my helmet vnlaced He layed it downe , vnderneth my heade And to his legge , he my stede enbraced To grase about , while on the grasse he fedde And then also , his horse in like stede With bothe our greyhoundes , liyng vs nere by And slouth our heades , had caught so sodaynely That all the night , we slept in good rest Till agaynst day , began to neye and crye My stede galantise , with a roaryng brest And eke began , to stampe full marueylouslye Whose hye courage , awaked vs wondersly And ryght anone , we cast vp our eyes Beholdyng aboue , the fayre crystall skyes Seyng the cloudes , rayed fayre and redde Of Phebus , risyng in the orient And aurora , her golden bemes spredde About the ayre , clearely refulgent Withouten mistye blacke , encombrement Up I arose , and also my page Makyng vs ready , for to take our voage
Capit. xxix . ANd so forthe we rode , till we sawe afarre To vs came ridyng , on a little nagge A folyshe dwarfe , nothyng for the warre With a hode , a bell , a foxtayle , and a bagge In a pyed coate , he rode brygge a bragge And when that he , vnto vs drewe nye I beheld his body , and his visenamye . His heade was great , betled was his browes His eyen holowe , and his nose croked His bryes brystled , truely lyke a sowes His chekes heerie , and God wotte he loked Full like an ape , here and there he toted With a pyed bearde , and hangyng lyppes great And euery tothe , as blacke as any gete His necke short , his shoulders stode awry His breast fatte , and bolne in the waste His armes great , with fingers crokedly His legges kewed , he rode to me fast Full like a patron , to be shaped in haste Good euen he saied , and haue good day If that it like you , for to ride merely away . Welcome I sayed , I pray the nowe tell Me what thou art , and where thou dost dwell Sotheych quod he , when I cham in kente At home I cham , though I be hether sent I tham a gentilman , of muche noble kynne Thoughe Iche be cladde , in a knaues skynne For there was one , called Peter Pratefast That in all his life , spake no worde in waste He wedded a wife , that was called Maude I trowe quod I , she was a gorgious baude Thou lyest quod he , she was gentle and good She gaue her husbande , many a furde hode And at his meales , without any misse She woulde him serue , in clenly wise iwys God loue her soule , as she loued clenlines And kepe her dishes , from all foulenes When she lacked clowtes , without any fayle She wyped her dishes , with her dogges tayle And they had issue , Sym sadle gander That for a wife , in all the worlde did wander Tyll at the last , in the wynters nyght By thamys he sayled , and ariued a ryghte Among the nunnes , of the grene coate He went to lande , out of his prety boate And wedde there one , that was comen of newe He thought her stable , and faiethfull , and true Her name was Betres , that so clenlye was That no filthe by her , in any wise should passe For in her lise , that any man coulde spye She let no fart , nor yet fiste truely And betwene them bothe , they did get a sonne Whiche was my father , that in Kent did wonne His name was Dauy dronken nole He neuer dranke , but in a fayre blacke bole He toke a wife , that was very fayre And gate me on her , for to be his heyre Her name was Alyson , that loued nought elles But euermore , to ryng her blacke belles Nowe are they deade all , so mote I well thryue Except my selfe , Godfrey gobilyue Whiche ride about , a wife me to seke But I can finde none , that is good and meke For all are shrewes , in the worlde about I coulde neuer mete , with none other route For some deuils will , their husbandes beate And those that can not , they will neuer let Their tonges cease , but geue thre wordes for one Fie on them all , I will of them haue none Who loueth any , for to make him sadde I wene that he become , worse then madde They are not stedfast , nothing in their minde But alway turnyng , like a blast of winde For let a man loue them , neuer so well They will him loue againe , neuer a deale For thoughe a man , all his life certayne Unto her sue , to haue release of payne And at the last , she on him do rue If by fortune , there come another newe The first shal be clene , out of her fauoure Recorde of Creside , & of Troylus the doloure They are so subtile , and so false of kynde There can no man wade , beyonde their minde Was not Aristotle , for all his cleargy For a woman wrapt , in loue so marueylously That all his cunnyng , he had sone forgotten This vnhappy loue , had his minde so broken That euermore , the salt teares downe hayled When the chaunce of loue , he him selfe bewayled Aferde he was , of the true loue to breake For saiyng naye , when he therof shoulde speake Till of constraint , of wofull heauines For to haue remedy , of his sore sickenes When he her spied , right secrete alone Unto her he went , and made all his mone Alas he saied , the cause of my wo Mine onely lady , and mistris also Whose goodly beautie , hath my harte enrached With feruent loue , and fiery lemes entached Wherfore take pitye , of the paynefull sorowe Of me your seruaunt , bothe euen and morowe She stode right styll , and hearde what he saied Alas quod she , be ye no more dismayed For I am content , to fulfill your wyll In euery maner , be it good or yll Of this condicion , that ye shall release Me first of wo , and great distresse . For I my selfe , haue thought many a day To you to speake , but for feare of a nay I durst neuer , of the matter meue Unto your person , lest it shoulde you greue Nay nay quod he , with all my whole entente I shall obey , to your commaundement Well then quod she , I shall you nowe tell Howe the case standeth , truely euery dele For you knowe well , that some women do long After nyce thinges , be it ryght or wrong Right so must I , vpon your backe nowe ryde In your mouthe also , a brydle you to guide And so a brydle , she put in his mouthe Upon his backe she rode , bothe northe and southe About a chamber , as some clarkes wene Of many persons , it was openly sene Lo what is loue , that can so fore blynde A Philosopher , to bryng him out of kynde For loue dothe passe , any maner of thing It is harde , and priuy in workyng So on the grounde , Aristotle crept And in his teeth , she long the bridle kept Till she therof , had inoughe her fyll And yet for this , he neuer had his wyll She did nothing , but for to mocke and scorne This true louer , whiche was for loue forlorne But when he knewe , the poynt of the case The fiery anger , did his hart enbrace That he him selfe , did anone well knowe His anger did , his loue so ouerthrowe And right anone , as some Poetes write He that great mockage , did her well acquite . Did not a woman , the famous Uirgyle By her great fraude , full craftely begile For on a daye , for his owne disport To the courte of Rome , he gan to resorte Among the ladyes , the time for to passe Till at the last , like Phebus in the glasse So did a lady , with her beauty cleare Shine throughe his hart , with suche loue so deare Then of great force , he must nedes obey She of his minde , bare bothe the locke and key So was his hart , set vpon a fire With feruent loue , to attayne his desire She had him caught , in suche a wily snare Great was his payne , and muche more his care To fynde a time , when it shoulde be meued To her of loue , and he nothing repreued Thus euery day , by ymagination In his minde , was suche perturbation And at the last , he had founde a time He thought to speake , and vnto him no cryme Mercy lady , nowe in all humble wise To her he saied , for if ye me despise So hath your beauty , my true hart arayed It is no maruaile , thoughe I be afrayed To you to speake , if that you denye My purpose , truely I am marde vtterly So do I loue you , with all my hart entere With in warde care , I bye your beauty dere I must abide , with all my whole entente Of life or death , your onely iudgement With fayned eares , of perfite audience She did him heare , geuyng this sentence Uyrgyll she saied , I woulde fayne you ease Of your trouble , and of your great disease But I wotte not howe , that it shoulde be Without turnyng vs , to great dishonestie If it be knowen , then bothe you and I Shal be reheyted at , full shamefully But what for that , I haue me bethought A prety craft , by me shal be wrought . Ye knowe my chamber , ioyneth to a wall Beyng right hye , and a windowe withall Sone at nyght , when all folke be at rest I shall take a basket , as me thinketh best And therto I shall , a long coarde well tye And from the windowe , let it downe priuely Right so when it is , adowne on the grounde Ye may well enter , in it bothe hole and sounde And my two maydens , the whiche secrete be Shall anone helpe , to hale you vp with me Lo in this wise , you may haue right well Your owne desire , in shorte space euery dell . At a. xi . of the clocke , in the nyght so darke They did appoint , for to fulfill this warke He often thanked , her great gentilnes And so departed , with great gladnes And so he went , vnto his studye Passyng the time , him selfe full merely Tyll that the clocke , did strike aleuen Then to the wall , he went full euen And founde the basket , at the grounde already And entred into it , full sodaynlye Waggyng the rope , whiche the lady espied Whiche to the windowe , right anone her hied With her two maydens , she did him vp winde Amiddes the wall , and left him there behinde That was fiue fadom , and more from the ground When him selfe , in suche a case he founde . Alas he saied , myne owne lady saue Mine honestie , and what ye list to haue Ye shall haue it , at your owne desire Nowe winde me vp , my hart is on fire Thou shalt quod she , in that place abide That all the citye , so ryght long and wide May the beholde , and the matter knowe For mine honesty , and thy shame I trowe So there he hong , tyll noone of the daye That euery person , which went by the way Might him well se , and also beholde And vnto them , the very cause she tolde Lo howe with shame , she her loue rewarded His payne and sorowe , she nothing regarded Thus at the last , he adowne was brought Replete with shame , it vayled him right nought Thus with great anger , he his loue confounded Healyng the stroke , whiche that she had wounded And by his craft , he in Rome did drenche Euery fyre , for he left none to quenche And towarde Rome , a great circuite aboute There was no fyre , that was vn put out He at her buttockes , set a brennyng cole No fyre there was , but at her ars hole She turned her toute , that was crispe and fatte All about Rome , did fetche their fire therat One of an other , myght no fire get It woulde not kindle , without he it fet From her ars , by the magykes arte She blewe the fire , when she let a fart Thus euery man , might beholde and se With the light of fire , her prety priuitye . Thus all the citye , vpon her did wonder For perfite sorowe , her hart was nere a sunder And thus Uyrgile , with crafty subtilnes Rewarded her falshode , and doublenes All this I tell , thoughe that I be a fole To the yong knyght , for thou maist go to schole . In time commyng , of true loue to learne Beware of that , for thou canst not decerne Thy ladies mynd , though that she speake the faire Her hart is false , she will no trouth repayre Nay quod I , they are not all disposed So for to do , as ye haue here disclosed Aha quod he , I trowe well yebe A true louer , so mote I thriue and the Let not thy ladye , of thy hart be rother When thou art gone , she will sone haue an other Thus forth we rode , till we sawe a farre A royall tower , as bryght as any starre To whiche we rode , as fast as we myght When we came there , adowne my stede I lyght So did this Godfrey gobiliue also , Into the temple , after me gan go There sate dame Uenus , and Cupide her sonne Whiche had their parliament , right newly begone To redresse louers , of their payne and wo Whiche in the temple , did walke to and fro And euery one , his bill did present Before Uenus , in her highe parliament The temple of her royall consistory , Was walled all about , with yuorye All of golde , like a place solacious The roufe was made , of knottes curious I can nothing , extende the goodlines Of her temple , so muche of riches This Godfrey gobilyue , went lightly Unto dame Sapience , the secretarye That did him make , this supplication To the goddesse Uenus , with breuiation O lady Uenus , of loue the Goddesse Redresse my paine , of mortall heauines I did once woe , an olde mayden ryche A foule thefe , an olde wydred wiche Fayre mayed I sayed , will ye me haue Nay sir so God me kepe and saue For you are euill fauoured , and also vgly I am the worse , to se your visnamy Yet was she fouler , many an hundred folde Then I my selfe , as ye may well beholde And therwithall , he caused to depaynte His face and hers , all vnder his complainte And to Uenus , he made deliueraunce Of his complaynt , by a shorte circumstaunce Whiche right anone , when she had it sene Began to laughe , with all the courte I wene Lo here the figures , of them bothe certayne Iudge whiche is best fauoured of them twayne . THus godfrey gobilyue , did make sucha sport That many louers , to him did resorte When I sawe time , I went to Sapience Shewyng to her , with all my diligence Howe that my hart , by Uenus was trapt With a snare of loue , so priuely bewrapt And in her tower , to haue a dwellyng place I seke aduentures , to attaine her grace Her name quod I , la bell Pucell is Bothe east and west , she is well knowen ywys And my name , la graunde Amoure is called Whose hart with payne , she all about hath walled With her beautie , whiche dame nature create Aboue all other , in most high estate Well saied Sapience , I thinke in my minde Her loue & fauoure , you shall attayne by kinde And I will drawe , to you incontinent All your complaynt , as is conuenient Unto dame Uenus , to see directly For your payne and sorowe , sone a remedye . She drewe my piteous lamentation , Accordyng to this supplication .
The Supplication . Capit. xxx . O Uenus lady , and excellent Goddesse O celestiall starre , hauyng the souerayntie Aboue all other starres , as lady and princes As is accordynge , vnto your deitye Pleaseth it nowe , your great benignitie Unto my complaynt , for to geue audience Whiche burne in loue , with pearcyng vyoence For so it happened , that the lady Fame Did with me mete , and gan to expresse Of a faire lady , whiche had vnto name La bell Pucell , come of hye noblesse Whose beauty cleare , and comely goodlines From day to day , dothe right well renue With grace brydled , and with great vertue She tolde me , of her fayre habitation And of the wayes , therto full daungerous Her swete report , gaue me exhortation Unto my hart , for to be couragious To passe the passage , harde and troublous And to bryng me out , of great encombraunce She me deliuered , bothe grace and gouernaunce So forthe we wente , to the tower of scyence For to attayne , in euery artyke poole And first doctrine , by good experience Unto dame Gramer , did set me to schole Of misty ignoraunce , to oppresse the dole And so I ascended , vnto dame logyke And after her , vnto lusty Rethortke Tyll at the last , at a feast solemply To a temple I went , dame musyke to heare Play on her organs , with swete armony But then on loft , I sawe to me appeare The flower of comfort , the starre of vertue cleare Whose beauty bright , into my hart did passe Like as fayre Phebus , dothe shyne in the glasse So was my hart , by the stroke of loue With sorowe perst , and with mortall payne That vnneth I myght , from the place remoue Where as I stode , I was so take certayne Yet vp I loked , to se her agayne And at aduenture , with a sory mode Up then I went , where as her person stode And first of all , my hart gan to learne Right well to regester , in remembraunce Howe that her beauty , I might then decerne From toppe to tooe , endued with pleasaunce Whiche I shall shewe , withouten variaunce Her shining heere , so properly she dresses A loft her forhcade , with fayre golden tresses Her forheade stepe , with fayre browes ybent Her eyen gray , her nose straight and fayre In her white chekes , the faire bloude it went As among the wite , the redde to repayre Her mouthe right small , her breathe swete of ayre Her lippes soft , and ruddy as a rose No hart on liue , but it woulde him appose . With a little pitte , in her well fauoured chynne Her necke long , as white as any lillye With vaynes blewe , in which the bloude ranne in Her pappes rounde , and therto right pretye Her armes slender , and of goodly bodye Her fingers small , and therto right long White as the milke , with blewe vaynes among . Her fete proper , she gartred well her hose I neuer sawe so fayre a creature Nothing she lacketh , as I do suppose That is longyng , to faire dame Nature Yet more ouer , her countenaunce so pure So swete , so louely , woulde any hart enspire With feruent loue , to attayne his desire . But what for her maners passeth all She is bothe gentle , good , and vertuous Alas what fortune , did me to her call Without that she be to me pitifull , With her so fettred , in paynes dolorous Alas shall pitie , be from her exiled Whiche all vertues , hath so vndefiled Thus in my minde , when I had engraued Her goodly countenaunce , and faire fygure It was no wonder , that I was amased My hart and minde , she had so tane in cure Nothing of loue , I durst to her discure Yet for bicause , I was in her presence I toke arquayntaunce , of her excellence My hart was drenched , in great sorowe depe Though outwardly , my countenaunce was light The inwarde wo , into my hart did crepe To hide my payne , it was great force and might Thus her swete beauty , with a sodaine sight My hart hath wounded , whiche must nedes obey Unto suche a sorowe , nowe alas well away . For she is gone , and departed right farre In her countrey , where she dothe abid She is nowe gone , the fayre shinyng starre O lady Uenus , I pray the prouide That I may after , at the morowe tide And by the waye , with hart right rigorious To subdue mine enemies , to me contrarious . And yet thy grace , most humbly I praye To sende thy sonne , little Cupide before With louyng letters , as fast as thou maye That she may knowe , somewhat of paynes sore Whiche for her sake , I suffer euermore Nowe lady Uenus , with my whole entent Of life or deathe , I abide thy iudgement Well then saied Uenus , I haue perseueraunce That you knowe somewhat , of mighty power Whiche to my courte , sue for acquaintaunce To haue release , of your great paines sower Abide a while , ye must tary the houre The time runneth , towarde right fast Ioye cometh after , when the sorowe is past Alas I saied , who is fettred in chaynes He thinketh long , after deliueraunce Of his great wo , and eke mortall paynes For who abideth painefull penaunce Thinketh a shorte while , a longe continuaunce Who may not speake , with her he loueth best It is no wonder , thoughe he take no rest . Abide quod she , you must a while yet tary Thoughe to haue comfort , ye right long do thinke I shall prouide for you a lectuary , Whiche after sorowe , into your hart shall synke Though you be brought now , vnto deaths brinke Yet dreade exile , and liue in hope and trust For at the last , you shall attayne your lust And specially , I geue to you a charge To fixe your loue , for to be true and stable Upon your Lady , and not to flee at large As in sundry wise , for to be variable In corrupt thoughtes , vile , and culpable Prepence nothing , vnto her dishoncstie For lone dishonest , hath no certaintie And sithen that I , was cause you begone First for to loue , I shal a letter make Unto your lady , and sende it by my sonne Little Cupide , that shall it to her take That she your sorowe , may detraye or slake Her harded hart , it shall well reuolue With piteous wordes , that shall it desolue . And right anone , as the maner foloweth She caused Sapience , a letter to write Lo what her fauoure , vnto me auayleth When for my sake , she did so well endite As I shall shewe , in a short respite The gentle forme , and tenoure of her letter To spede my cause , for to attayne the better
The copye of the Letter . Capi. xxxi . RIght gentle hart , of grene flowryng age The starre of beautie , and of famous port Consider well , that your lusty courage Age of his cours , must at the last transporte Nowe trouthe of right , dothe our selfe exhorte That you your youthe , in ydlenes will spende Withouten pleasure , to bring it to an ende What was the cause , of your creacion But man to loue , the worlde to multiplye As to sowe the sede , of generation With feruent loue , so well conueniently The cause of loue , engendreth perfitely Upon an entent , of dame Nature Whiche you hath made , so fayre a creature Then of dame Nature , what is the entent But to accomplishe , her faire sede to sowe In suche a place , as is conuenient To Goddes pleasure , for to encrease and growe The kinde of her , ye may not ouerthrowe Saye what ye list , ye can nothing denye But otherwhile ye thinke , full priuely What the man is , and what he can do Of chamber worke , as nature will agree Thoughe by experience , ye knowe nothing therto Yet oft ye muse , and thinke what it may be Nature prouoketh , of her strong degre You so to , as hath bene her olde guise Why will you then , the true loue despise . In our courte , there is a byll presented By graunde Amoure , whose hart in duresse You fast haue fettred , not to be absented From your person , with mortall heauines His hart and seruice , with all gentilnes He to you oweth , as to be obedient For to fulfill , your swete commaundement . What you auayleth , your beauty so faire Your lusty youthe , and gentle countenaunce Without that you , in your minde will repayre It for to spende , in ioye and pleasaunce To folowe the trace , of dame Natures daunce And thus in doyng , you shall your seruaunt heale Of his disease , and hurt you neuer a deale . One must you loue , it can not be denied For harde it is , to voyde you of the chaunce Then loue him best , that you haue so arayed With fiery chaynes , fettred in penaunce For he is ready , without doubtaunce In euery thing , for to fulfill your will And as ye list , ye may him saue or spill Alas what payne , and mortall wo Were it to you , and ye were in like case With him dismaide , whiche you haue rayed so Woulde you not then , thinke it a long space In his swete hart , to haue a dwellyng place Then in your minde , ye may reuolue that he Moste long dothe thinke , that ioyfull day to se. Is not he yong , bothe wise and lustye And eke descended , of the gentle line What will you more , haue of him truely Then you to serue , as true loue will encline But as I thinke , you do nowe determine To fyxe your mynde , for worldly treasure . Though in your youthe , ye lese your pleasure Alas remember , first your beautye Your youthe , your courage , and your tender hart What payne here after , it may to you be When you lacke that , whiche is true louers desert I tell you this , your selfe to conuerte For little knowe ye , of this payne iwys To liue with him , in whom no pleasure is . Where that is loue , there can be no lacke Fye on that loue , for the lande or substaunce For it must nedes , right sone a backe When that youth hath , no ioye nor pleasaunce In the party , with natures suffisaunce Then will you , for the sinne of auarice Unto your youthe , do suche a preiudice . Thus sithen Nature , hath you well endued With so muche beauty , and dame Grace also Your vertuous maners , hath so muche renued Exile disdayne , and let her from you go And also straungenes , vnto loue the foe And let no couetise , your true hart subdue But that in ioye , ye may your youthe ensue For I of loue the Goddesse , dame Uenus Right well do knowe , that in the worlde is none That vnto you , shal be more ioyous Then graunde Amoure , that loueth you alone Sythe he so did , it is many dayes agone Who euer sawe , a faire yong hart so harde Whiche for her sake , would se her true loue marde And so shall he , without ye take good hede Ifhe so be , ye be cause of the same For loue with death , will ye rewarde his mede And if ye do , ye be to muche to blame To loue vnloued , ye knowe it is no game Wherfore me thinke , ye can do no lesse But with your loue , his paynes to redresse . If ye do not , this may be his songe Wo worthe the time , that euer he you mette Wo worthe your harte , so doyng him wronge wo worthe the houre , that his true hart was set wo worthe disdayne , that woulde his purpose let wo worthe the flower , that can do no boote Wo worthe you , that perst him at the roote Wo worthe my loue , the cause of my sorowe Wo worthe my lady , that will not it release wo worthe fortune , bothe euen and morowe wo worthe trouble , that shall haue no peace Wo worthe cruelty , that may neuer cease Wo worthe youthe , that will no pitie haue Wo worthe her , that will not her loue saue . Wo worthe the trust , without assuraunce Wo worthe loue , rewarded with hate wo worthe loue , replete with variaunce wo worthe loue , without a frendly mate wo worthe the hart , with loue at debate wo worthe the beauty , whiche toke me in snare wo worthe her , that will not cease my care Wo worthe her maners , and her goodlines Wo worthe her eyes , so cleare and amiable wo worthe suche cause , of my great sickenes wo worthe pitie , on her not tendable wo worthe her minde , in disdaine so stable wo worthe her , that hath me fettred fast And wo worthe loue , that I do spende in waste . Wherfore of right , I pray you to remember All that I write , vnto you right nowe Howe your true loue , is of age but tender . His humble seruice , we praye you alowe And he him selfe , shall euermore enprowe You for to please , and geue the soueraintie Howe can you haue , a more true loue then he . And fare ye well , there is no more to saye Under our signet , in our courte royall Of September , the. xxii . daye She closed the letter , and to her did call Cupide her sonne , so deare in speciall Commaundyng him , as fast as he might To la bell Pucell , for to take his flyght So did Cupide , with the letter flye Unto la bell Pucels domination There that he sped , full well and wondersly As I shall after , make relation But to my matter , with breuiacion A turtle I offred , for to magnifye Dame Uenus hye estate , to glorifye . She me exhorted , for to be right hardy Forthe on to trauaile , and to dreade nothing I toke my leaue , of her full humbly And on my way , as I was ridyng This Godfrey gobilyue , came rennyng With his little nagge , and cried tary , tary For I wyll come , and beare you company .
Capit. xxxii ANd forbicause , that I was then full sadde And by the way , he made me good game To haue his company , I was somwhat glad I was not proude , I toke of him no shame He came to me , and saied ye are to blame So to ride louryng , for a womans sake Unto the deuill , I do them all betake . They be not stedfast , but chaunge as the mone When one is gone , they loue another sone Who that is single , and will haue a wife Right out of ioye , he shall be brought in strife Thus when Godfrey , did so merye make There did a lady , vs sone ouertake And in her hande , she had a knotted whippe At euery yerke , she made Godfrey to skipe Alas he saied , that euer I was borne Nowe am I take , for all my mocke and scorne I loked about , when that I hearde him crye Seyng this lady , on her palfrey ride hye Madame I saied , I pray you me tell Your proper name , and where that ye dwell My name quod she , is called Correction And the tower of chastice , is my mancion This strong thefe , called false report With vilayne courage , and an other sort And vile perlers , false coniecture All these I had , in prison full sure But this false report , hath broken prison With his subtill craft , and euill treason And this iourney , priuely to spede He hath cladde him , in this foles wede Nowe haue I aunswered you , your question And I pray you of , a like solution You seme me thinke , for to be a knyght I pray you tell me first , your name aright My name quod I , is la graunde Amoure A well quod she , you are the perfite floure Of all true louers , as I do well knowe You shall attayne , la bell Pucell I trowe I knowe right well , ye are aduenturous Onwarde your way , to the tower perillous And for as muche , as the night is neare I humbly pray you , for to take the cheare That I may make you , in my tower this night It is here by , you shall of it haue sight And I pray you , to helpe me to bynde This false reporte , as you shoulde do by kinde What Godfrey quod I , will ye chaung your name Nay nay qood he , it was for no shame But alas for wo , that she hath me taken I must obey , it can not be forsaken His fete were fettred , vndernethe his nagge And bounde his handes , behinde to his bagge Thus Correction , with her whippe did driue The little nagge , wyth Godfrey gobilyue . Till at the last , we gan to approche Her royall tower , vpon a craggy roche The night was come , for it was right late Yet right anone , we came to the gate Where we were let in , by dame Measure That was a faire , and a goodly creature . And so Correction , brought me to the hall Of gete well wrought , glased with cristall The roufe was golde , and amiddes was set A carbuncle , that was large and great Whose vertue cleare , in the hall so bright About did cast , a great marueylous lyght So forthe we went , into a chamber faire Where many ladyes , did them selues repayre And at our commyng , then incontinent They welcomed vs , as was conuenient But of Correction , they were very glad Whiche false report , againe taken had There was quene Panthasile , with Penalape Quene Helene , and quene Menelape Quene I thesyle , and quene Proserpyne The lady Meduse , and yong Polixyne With many moe , that I do not rehearse My time is shorte , I muste fro them reuerce And dame Correction , into a chamber ledde Me right anone , for to go to my bedde What nede I shewe , of my great cheare and rest I wanted nought , but had all of the best And so I slept , tyll that aurora cleare Began to shine , amiddes her golden spere Then vp I rose , and my verlet also Whiche made me ready , and to my stede did go And dame Correction , at this morowe tyde Did me entreate , a while to abide And right anone , my breakefast was brought To make me cheare , there wanted right nought And after this , dame Correction Did leade me to a marueylous dongeon And first she ledde me , to the vpper warde Where shamefastnes , did vs well regarde For he was iaylour , and had at his charge Euery rebell , not for to go at large In the first warde , there went to and fro Bothe men and women , that might no furder go . But yet they hoped , for to haue releue Of their enprison , whiche did them so greue These prisoners , when true loue was meued They woulde driue of , and not release the greued . And for this cause , by equall iudgement Like as they did , here haue they punishment And shamefastnes , lower did vs bryng Where we sawe men , that were in tormentyng With many ladies , that their mouthes gagged . And false reporte , on me his heade wagged Then right anone , a lady gan to scrape His furred tonge , that he cried like an ape And vyle Peller , in like wise also His tonge was scraped , that he suffred wo And yet we went , into a deper vale Where I sawe men , that were in great bale In hollowe bushes , they did hange alofte Their heades downewarde , for to fall vnsoft And two ladyes , did their bodies bete With knotted whippes , in the fleshe to frete That the desire , it shoulde sone aswage And specially , of the vylayne courage These men , with sugred mouthes so eloquent A maydens hart , coulde right sone relent . And these yong maydens , for to take in snare They fayne great wo , and for to suffer care The folyshe maydens , did beleue they smarted That to their will , the men , them conuerted Thus when that they , had them so begiled And with their fraude , these maydens defiled They cast them of , they toke no lenger kepe Go where ye list , thoughe they crye and wepe . Therfore these ladyes , wyth their whippes harde Their bodies beate , that their bodies hath marde And euery man , as he hath deserued A payne there is , whiche is for him obserued Thus when I had , all the pryson sene With the torment , of many a one I wene And forthe we went , agayne to the hall My stede was ready , and brought to the wall And of the ladyes , cleare in excellence I toke my leue , with all due reuerence And thanked Correction , with my hart entire Of my repose , and of her louyng chere To me she saied , remember you well Of the swete beauty , of la bell Pucell When you her hart , in fetters haue chayned Let her haue yours , in likewise retayned Loke that your hart , your worde , & countenaunce Agree all in one , withouten variaunce It the for pitye , do release you your payne Consider it , and loue her best againe . Be true and secrete , and make none aduaunt When you of loue , haue a perfite graunte And if ye will come , vnto your wyll Bothe here and see , and then holde you styll Dreadc you nothing , but take a good harte For right sone , after you from hence depart Right high aduentures , vnto you shall fall In time of fyght , vnto your minde then call If you preuayle , you shall attayne the fame Of hye honoure , to certifie the same And therwith I light , vpon my stede Madame I saied , I praye God do you mede Fare well she saied , for you must nowe hence Adue quod I , with all my diligence .
Howe graunde Amoure discomfited the Gyaunt with three heades . , and was receiued of three fayre Ladyes . Capi. xxxiii . WHen golden Phebus , in the Capricorne Gan to ascende , fast vnto Aquary And Ianus bifrus , the croune had worn With his frosty bearde in Ianuary , When cleare Dyana , ioyned with Mercury The cristall ayre , and assured firmament Were all depured , without encumbrement . Forthe then I rode , at mine owne aduenture Ouer the mountaines , and the craggy rockes To beholde the countres , I had great pleasure Where corall growed , by ryght hye stockes And the Popingayes , in the tree toppes Then as I rode , I sawe me beforne Beside a well hang , bothe a shelde and a horne When I came there , adowne my stede I light And the faire bugle , I right well behelde Blasyng the armes , as well as I myght That was so grauen , vpon the goodly shelde First all of siluer , did appeare the felde With a rampyng Lyon , of fine golde so pure And vnder the shelde , there was this scripture . If any knight , that is aduenturous Of his great pride , dare the bugle blowe There is a gyaunt , bothe fierce and rigorious That with his might , shall him sone ouerthrow This is the waye , as ye shall nowe knowe To la bell Pucell , but withouten faile The sturdy gyaunt , will geue you battaile . When I the scripture , once or twise had reade And knewe therof , all the whole effect I blewe the horne , without any dreade And toke good hart , all feare to abiect Makyng me ready , for I did suspect That the great gyaunt , vnto me woulde haste When he had hearde me , blowe so loude a blast . I alite anone , vpon my gentle stede About the well , then I rode to and fro And thought right well , vpon the ioyfull mede That I shoulde haue , after my payne and wo And of my lady , I did thinke also Tyll at the last , my verlet did me tell Take hede quod he , here is a fende of hell My greyhoundes leaped , and my stede did start My spere I toke , and did loke about With hardy courage , I did arme my hart At last I sawe , a sturdy gyaunt stoute Twelue fote of length , to leare a great route Thre heades he had , and he armed was Bothe heades and bodye , all aboute with brasse Upon his first heade , in his helmet crest There stode a fanc , of the silke so fine Where was written , with letters of the best My name is falshode , I shall cause encline My neighbours goodes , for to make them myne Alway I get , their lande or substaunce With subtile fraude , deceypt , or variaunce And when a knight , with noble chyualry Of la bell Pucell , shoulde attayne the grace With my great falshode , I worke so subtilly That in her hart , he hath no dweilyng place Thus of his purpose , I do let the case This is my power , and my condicion Loue to remoue , by a great illusion And of the seconde heade , in a silken tassell There I sawe written , ymagination My crafty witte , is withouten fayle Loue for to bring , in perturbacion Where la bell Pucell , woulde haue affection To graunde amoure , I shall a tale deuise To make her hate him , and him to despise . By my false witte , so muche ymaginatife The trouthe full oft , I bryng in disease Where as was peace , I cause to be strife I will suffer no man , for to liue in ease For if by fortune , he will be displease I shall of hym , ymagen suche a tale That out of ioye , it shall turne into bale . And on the thirde heade , in a stremer grene There was written , my name is pariury In many a towne , I am knowen as I wend Where as I list , I do great iniury And do forswere , my selfe full wrongfully Of all thinges , I do hate conscience But I loue lucre , with all diligence Betwene two louers , I do make debate I will so swere , that they thinke I am true For euer falshode , with his owne estate To a lady cometh , and sayeth to eschue An inconuenience , that ye do not rue Your loue is nought , ymagination knoweth I sweare in likewise , and anone she troweth That we haue saied , is of very trouthe Her loue she casteth , right cleane out of minde That with her loue , she is wonderfly wrough with fayned kindenes , we do her so blinde Then to her louer , she is full vnkinde Thus our thre powers , were ioyned in one In this mighty gyaunt , many dayes agone And when that I , had sene euery thing My spere I charged , that was very great And to this gyaunt , so fiercely commyng I toke my course , that I with him mette Breakyng my spere , vpon his first helmet And right anone , adowne my stede I light Drawyng my swerde , that was faire and bright . I clipped Clara prudence , that was faire and sure At the gyaunt I stroke , with all my valeaunce But he my strokes , might right well endure He was so great , and huge of puysaunce His glaue he did , against me aduaunce Whiche was . iiii . fote , and more of cuttyng And as he was , his stroke dischargyng Because his stroke , was heauy to beare I lept aside , from him full quickely And to him I ranne , without any feare When he had discharged , agayne full lightly He rored loude , and sware I shoulde abye But what for that , I strake at him fast And he at me , but I was not agast . But as he fought , he had a vauntage He was right hye , and I vnder him lowe Till at the last , with lusty courage Upon the side , I gaue him suche a blowe That I right neare , did him ouerthrowe But right anone , he did his mighte enlarge That vpon me , he did suche strokes discharge That I vnneth , might make resistence Against his power , for he was so strong I did defende me , agaynst his vyolence And thus the battayle , dured full right long Yet euermore , I did thinke among Of la bell Pucell , whom I shoulde attayne After my battailles , to release my payne . And as I loked , I sawe then auale Fayre golden Phebus , with his beames redde Then vp my courage , I began to hale Whiche nighe before , was agone and deade My swerde so entred , that the gyant bledde And with my strokes , I cutte of anone One of his legges , amiddes the thyghe bone . Then to the grounde , he adowne did fall And vpon me , he gan to loure and glumme Enforsyng him , so for to ryse withall But that I shortly , vnto him did come With his thre heades , he spitte all his venyme And I with my sworde , as fast as coulde be With all my force , cut of his heades three . When I had so , obtayned the victory Unto me then , my varlet well sayed You haue demeaned you , well and worthely My greyhoundes lept , and my stede then brayed And then from farre , I sawe well arayed To me come ridyng , thre ladyes right swete Forthe then I rode , and did with them mete . The first of them , was called Ueritie And the seconde , good Operation The thirde also , yclipped Fidelitie All they at once , with good opinion Did geue to me , great laudation And me beseched , with their hart entire With them to rest , and to make good chere . I graunted them , & then backewarde we rode The mighty gyaunt , to se and beholde Whose huge bodye , was more then fiue cart lode Whiche lay there bledyng , that was almost colde They for his deathe , did thanke me many a folde For he to them , was enemy mortall Wherefore his thre heades , they toke in speciall And then Ueritie , on the first fane Did set aloft , of falshode the heade And good Operacion , in likewise had tane Of ymagination , that full fore then bledde Upon his heade aloft , vpon his banner redde And in likewise , Fidelitie had serued Periuries heade , as he had well deserued And with swete songes , and swete armony Before me they rode , to their fayre castell So forthe I rode , with great ioye and glory Unto the place , where these ladyes did dwell Set on a rocke , beside a spryng or a well And fayre Obseruaunce , the goodly portresse Did vs receiue , with solemne gladnes Then to a chamber , that was very bryght They did me leade , for to take mine ease After my trouble , and my great sturdy fight But thre woundes I had , causyng my disease My payne and wo , they did sone appease And healed my woundes . with salue aromatike Tellyng me of a great gyaunt lunatike . Whose name truely , was called Uariaunce Whom I shoulde mete , after my departyng These ladies , vnto me did great pleasaunce And in the meane while , as we were talkyng For me my supper , was in ordeynyng Thus when by temperaunce , it was prepared And then to it we went , and ryght well fared Tell me quod Ueritie , if you be content What is your name , so hye aduenturous And who that you , into this coast hath sent Madame I saide , I was so amorous Of la bell Pucell , so fayre and beauteous La graunde amoure , truely is my name Whiche seke aduentures , to attayne the fame A ha quod she , I thought asmuche before That you were he , for your great hardines La bell Pucell , must loue you euermore Whiche for her sake , in your hye nobles Dothe suche acces , by chyualrous excesse Her gentle hart , may nothing denye To rewarde your mede , wyth loue full feruently . Thus did we passe time , in all maner of ioye I lacked nothing , that might make me solace But euermore , as noble Troylus of Troye Full oft I thought , on my faire ladyes face And her to se , a muche lenger space When time was come , to rest I was brought All to me longyng , there lacked right nought What shoulde I wade , by perambulucion My time is shorte , and I haue farre to sayle Unto the lande , of my conclusion The winde is east , right slowe without fayle To blowe my shippe , of diligent trauayle To the last ende , of my matter troublous With waues enclosed , so tempestuous . Right in the morowe , when aurora clere Her radiaunt beames , began for to spreade And splendent Phebus , in his golden spere The crystall ayre , did make fayre and redde Darke Dyane , declinyng pale as anye ledde When the little byrdes , swetely did syng Laudes to their maker , early in the mornyng .
Capit. xxxiiii . VP I arose , and did make me readye For I thought long , vnto my iourneys ende My greyhoundes lept , on me right merely To cheare me forwarde , they did condescende And the thre ladies , my cheare to amende A good breakefast , did for me ordayne They were right gladde , the gyaunt was slayne . I toke my leaue , and on my way I ryde Throughe the woodes , and on rockes hye I loked about , and on the hill abode Till in the vale , I sawe full hastely To me come ridyng , a lady sikerly I well behelde , the hye waye so vsed But of this lady , right often I mused . Till at the last , we did mete together Madame I saied , the hye God you saue She thanked me , and did aske me whither That I so rode , and what I woulde haue Truely quod I , nothing els I craue Of the hye God , but to be so fortunate La bell Pucell , to haue to my mate . What is your name , then saied she La graunde amoure , for sothe madame quod I Then was she glad , as any one might be And saied she was sent , fro mine owne ladye Tidynges I saied , I praye you hartely Your lady quod she , is in perfect health And woulde be glad , to heare of your wealth . She promised you , in a garden grene To loue you best , of any creature So do the she yet , as I thinke and wene Though that disdayne , brought her to her lure But of her hart nowe , you shall be sure Be of good chere , and for nothing dismaye I spake with her , but nowe this other day . And she my selfe , vnto you hath sent My name is called , dame Perceueraunce A little before , that I from her went To her came Cupide , with great circumstaunce And brought a letter , of Uenus ordinaunce Whiche vnto her , he did anone present When she it reade , and knewe the entent , All inwardly , full wondersly dismaied Withouten worde , she did stande right well Her harded hart , was full well delayed What for to do , she knewe not good or yll You for to helpe , or let you so spyll Disdayne and Strangenes , did stand then therby Seing her countenaunce , they gan to drawe nye . Madame quod they , why are ye so sadde Alas quod she , it is no maruaile why Right nowe , of Cupide , a letter I had Sent from Uenus , full right marueilously By whiche I haue , perceyued vtterly That a yong knight , called graunde amoure Dothe for my sake , suffer suche doloure That of constraint , of wo full heauines He is nere deade , all onely for my sake Shall he nowe dye , or shall I him relese Of his great wo , and to my mercy take Abide quod Strangenes , and your sorowe slake Haue you him sene , in any time before Yes yes quod she , that dothe my wo restore . At penticost , no we many dayes agone Musike to heare , at great solemnitie To and fro he walked , him selfe all alone In a great temple , of olde antiquitie Till that by fortune , he had espied me And right anone , or that I was ware To me he came , I knewe nought of his care He semed gentle , his maners right good I behelde right well , all his condicion Humble of chere , and of goodly mode But I thought nothing , of his affliction But his behauoure , shewed the occasion Of feruent loue , as then in mine entent I oft did deme , and geue a iudgement So after this , I did then sone depart Home to my countrey , where I did abide When I was gone , full heauy was his hart As Cupide saieth , I must for him prouide A gentle reamedy , at this sodayne tide And for my sake , he is aduenturous To subdue mine enemies , to me contrarious A quod Disdayne , knowe ye his substaunce Why will you loue , suche a one as he Though he seme gentle , and of good gouernaunce You shall haue one , of farre hier degree He is nothing mete , as it semeth me To be your fere , your fauoure to attaine What is it to you , thoughe he suffer payne . Coulde your selfe , let his eyen to haue a sight Of your beauty , or his hart to be set What skilleth you , though that he dye this night You called him not , when he with you mette And he will loue you , you can not him let Be as be may , ye shall haue mine assente Him for to forsake , as in most expedient Alas madame , then saied dame Strangenes When he cometh hither , your courage abate Loke hye vpon him , beware of mekenes And thinke that you shall haue , an hye estate Let not graunde amoure , say to you chekmate Be straunge vnto him , as ye know nothing The perfite cause , of his true commyng And in meane while , came to her presence Dame Peace and Mercy , and to her they saied Alas madame , consider your excellence And howe your beauty , hath him so arayed If you haue him , ye may be well apayed And doubt you not , if that ye loue for loue God will sende riches , to come to you aboue . Will you for loue , let him dye or perishe Whiche loueth you so , with feruent desyre And you your selfe , may his sorowe minishe That with your beauty , set his hart a fire Your swete lokes , did his hart enspire That of fine force , he must to you obey To liue or dye , there is no more to say Alas quod Peace , will ye let him endure In mortall payne , withouten remedy Sithen his harte , you haue so tane in cure Your hastye dome , loke that ye modefy Exile Disdaine , and Strangenes shortly And sende Perceueraunce , as fast as ye may To comfort him , in his troublous iourney Then in her minde , she gan to reuolue The louyng wordes , of Mercy and Peace Her hardy hart , she gan for to dissolue And inwardly , she did to me release Her perfite loue , your great payne to cease And did exile then from her , to wildernes Bothe dame disdayne , and eke dame strangenes . And did me sende , to you incontinent With this goodly shelde , that ye shoulde it were For her swete sake , as is conuenient It is sure , ye shall not nede to feare The stroke of swerde , or yet the grate of spere She prayeth you , for to be of good chere Aboue all men , ye are to her most deare . Nowe sayed Perceueraunce , I pray you repose This long nyght , with my cosen comfort A gentle ladye , as any may suppose She can you tell , and also well exhort Of la bell Pucell , with a true report I thanked her , of her great goodnes And so we rode , with ioye and gladnes . Tyll that we came , vnto a manour place Moted about , vnder a woode side Alight she saied , for by right long space In payne and wo , you did euer abide After an ebbe , there commeth a flowyng tide So downe I light , from my goodly stede After my paine , to haue rest for my mede . Then dame Perceueraunce , on the way me ledde Into the place , where did vs gentillye mete The lady Comfort , without any dredde With countenaunce , that was demure and swete In goodly maner , she did vs then grete Leadyng vs , to a chamber precious Dulcet of odoure , and most solacious . And priuely , she asked a question Of Perceueraunce , what I called was La graunde amoure , without abusion Cosen quod she , he dothe all louers passe Like as dothe Phebus , in the pure glasse So dothe his dedes , extolle the soueraintie Of the darke gyaunres , by highe acthoritie . When she it knewe , she was of me ryght fayne Nothing I lacked , that was to my pleasaunce After my trauayle , and my wofull payne Good meate and drinke , I had to sustenaunce We sate together , by long continuaunce But euermore Comfort , gaue exhortation To me of pacience , in tribulation . Thinke well quod she , that in the worlde is none Whiche can haue pleasure , without wo and care Ioye cometh after , when the payne is gone Was neuer man , that was deuoyde or bare Alway of ioye , after his wofull snare Who knoweth payne , and hath bene in trouble After his wo , his ioye is to him double . It may so fortune , that la bell Pucell Hath diuers frendes , that be not contente That her fauoure , ye shoulde attayne so well For you , of them , she may often be shent But what for that , she shall not her repent And if her frendes , be with you angrye Suffer their wordes , and take it paciently Against their yll , do vnto them good Them for to please , be alwaye diligent So shall you swage , the tempesteous floode Of their stormy mindes , so impacient And inwardly , they shall them selues repent That they to you , haue bene contrarious In suche fyrye anger , hote and furious . Thus by your wisdome , ye shall them so winne Unto your frendes , that did you so hate For it is reason , you shoulde obey your kynne As by obedience , bothe early and late Make them your frendes , without the debate For euermore , the spirite of pacience Dothe ouercome , the angry vyolence . Be hardy , bolde , and also couragious For after that , ye be gone from hence You shall mete , with a gyaunt rigorious Hauyng seuen heades , of yll experience You shall subdue him , with your prudence And other aduentures , shall vnto you fall Whiche Fame shall cause , to be memoriall When it was time , I was brought to bedde So all the long nyght , I endured in rest With suche a slouthe , itaken was my heade That my soft pyllowe , I founde a good gest For long before , I was so opprest With inwarde trouble , that I myght not slepe But oft wake , and sigh with teares depe
Capit. xxxv . WHen mornyng came , vp anone I rose And armed me , as fast as I might Forthe for to trauell , vnto my purpose I toke my leaue , & on my stede I light Thankyng dame Conforte , of her chere that nyght She with Perceueraunce , in my companye Forthe on the waye , we rode full merely Ouer the hethe , tyll we sawe from farre A royall castell , ryght strongly fortified Bulwarkes about , accustomed for warre On a craggy roche , it was so edified Walled with gete , so clearely purified To whiche we rode , and drewe nere and nere Till in our sight , did openly appeare . A mighty gyaunt . xv . fote of length With heades seuen , and armed full sure He semed well , to be a man of strength Then quod Perceueraunce , ye must put in vre This daye your power , in honoure to endure Against this gyaunt , your mortall enemy Be of good cheare , you shall haue victory . Besides this gyaunt , vpon euery tree I did se hang , many a goodly shelde Of noble knightes , that were of hye degree Whiche he had slayne , and murdred in the felde From farre this gyaunt , I right well behelde And towarde him , as I rode my way On his first heade , I sawe a banner gaye Wherin was written , dissimulation Whose nature false , is full of flatery That vnder a fayned commendation , Can cloke a mocke , and fraudefull subtilly So dothe he loue , deceyue oft priuely For the blinde loue , dothe perceiue right nought That vnder hony , the poyson is wrought And the seconde heade , was a banner blewe In whiche was written , in letters right white Delay my name is , that can long eschue A true louer , with my fatall respite That loue for loue , shall not him acquite For euermore , I lye oft in a wayte Loue to delay , and cast him from consayte . On the thirde head , in a banner square Al of reade , was written discomfort Causyng a louer , for to drowne in care That he of loue , shall haue no report But lokes hye , his hart to transport And I my selfe , shall him so assayle That he in loue , shall nothing preuayle On the fourthe heade , on the helmet crest There was a stremer , right white , large , & long Where on was written , with bise of the best My name is variaunce , that euer among The mind of loue doth chaung , with great wrong That a true louer , can not be certayne Loue for his mede , right stedfast to retayne . And yet aloft , on the fifte helmet In a blacke banner , was written enuy Whose hart euer , inwardly is fret When graunde amoure , shoulde attayne his ladye He museth oft , in him selfe inwardly To let the lady , for to set her harte On graunde amoure , for to release his smarte . In a russet banner , on the sixt heade There was written , this worde detraction That can open , in a couert stede His subtile male , replete with treason To cause a lady , to haue suspection Unto her true louer , with his bitter tale That she her loue , from him then did hale . On the seuenth heade , in a banner of riches Was written , with letters all of grewe My name truely , is called doublenes Whiche I do owe , vnto all ladyes true At a time vnware , my det shal be due To graunde amoure , for to make him repent That he his loue , on la bell Pucell spent . When in my minde , I had well agregate Euery thing , that I in him had sene Bothe of his heade , and of his hye estate I called for helpe , vnto the heauen quene The day was fayre , the sunne was bright & shene Beside a riuer , and a craggy roche This gyaunt was , whiche spied me approche . He hurled about , and cast his shelde afore And toke his axe , of myghty fortitude That was of length . xx . fote and more Whiche he had vsed , by long consuetude To daunce true louers , and their power exclude I toke my spere , and did it well charge And with hardines , I made my force enlarge . I toke my course , and to the gyaunt ranne On his seconde heade , breaking then asunder My myghty spere , that he to rore began With so base a crye , that I had great wonder His seuen heades so rored , like the thunder Right from my stede , I light to the grounde And drew clara prudence , that was whole & found The mighty gyaunt , his axe did vp lift Upon my heade , that the stroke shoulde fall But I of him , was full ware and swift I lept aside , so that the stroke withall In the grounde lighted , beside a stone wall Thre fote and more , and anone then I Did lepe vnto him , strikyng full quickely . But aboue me , he had suche altitude That I at him , coulde haue no full stroke He stroke at me , with many strokes rude And called me boye , and gaue me many a mocke At the last he saied , I shall geue the a knocke That with thy braynes , I shall the trees depaynt Abide quod I thou shalt be first full faint . And right anone , I by me espyed On the rockes side , twelue steppes full sure And then right fast , I vpon them hyed That we were bothe , about one stature My strength I doubled , and put so in vre The great strokes , that I cut of anone Sixe of his heades , leauyng him but one When he felt him selfe , hurt so greuously He stretched him vp , and lifte his axe a loft Strikyng at me , with strokes wondersly But I full swiftly , did geue backe full oft For to deuoyde , his great strokes vnsoft When he sawe this , he thought him forlore With a hideous voyce , he began to rore The battaile dured , betwene vs right long Till I sawe Phebus , declinyng full lowe I auaunced my swerde , that was sure and strong And with my might , I gaue him suche a blowe On his seuenth heade , that he did ouerthrowe When he was downe , he gan to crye and yell Full like a serpent , or a fende of hell . When I sawe this , as fast as might be A downe I came , and did then vnlace His seuenth helmet , right riche for to see And him beheaded , in a right short space And then full sone , there came to the place Perseueraunce , and my verlet also Alas they saied , we were for you right wo. But we were glad , when ye had forsaken The lowe vale , and vp the craggy fayre For your aduauntage , the hye waye had taken Thus as we talked , we did seladies fayre Seuen in number , that were debonaryre Upon white palfreys , eche of them did ryde To vs ryght gentilly , from the castell side . The first of them , was named Stedfastnes And the second , Amerous purueyaunce The thirde , was Ioye , after great heauines The fourth of them , was dame Continuaunce And the fift of them , called dame Pleasaunce The sixte was called , Report famous The seuenth amitie , to louers dolourous And right Anone , with al humilitie They lighte adowne , and then incontinente Eche after other , they came vnto me I ●issed them , with all my whole entente Hayle knyght they sayed , so cleare and excellent Whiche of this gyaunt , our hydeous enemy So worthely , hath wonne the victory . Ladyes he saied , I am muche vnworthy So to accept , your great prayse and fame They prayed me , to kepe them company I will quod I , or elles I were to blame They prayed me , to shewe them my name La graunde amoure it is , I saied in dede And then saied they , no wonder thoughe ye spede . No doubt it is , but ye shall obtayne La bell Pucell , so right fayre and clere We were with her , exiled by disdayne And then besieged , in this castell here With this great gyaunt , more then a whole yere And you this nyght , if it do you please In this pore castell , shall take your ease . I thanked them , and so I rode anone Into the castell , of olde foundation Walled about , with the blacke touche stone I toke there then , my recreation Among these ladyes , with commendation And when time came , that they thought best To a royall bedde , I was brought to rest . After my wery , and troublous trauayle I toke mine ease , tyll that it was day Then vp I rose , without any fayle And made me ready , for to ride my waye But then anone , into the chamber gaye The seuen ladyes came , with Perceueraunce Saiyng they woulde , geue me attendaunce . And bring me , to la bell Pucell Where that she is , in her court royall And likewise , as Phebus dothe hye excell In brightnes truely , the fayre starres all So in beauty , and vertue speciall She dothe cxcede , any earthly creature That is nowe made , by fayre dame Nature We brake our fast , and we made vs readye To la bell Pucell , on our way to ryde My stede was brought , I lept vp shortlye So did the ladyes , they woulde nothing abide Thus forthe we rode , at the morowe tyde Out of the castell , with all ioye and pleasure Forthe on our waye , at all aduenture .
Capi. xxxvi . SO long we rode , ouer hill and valey Tyll that we came , into a wildernes On euery syde , there wilde beastes laye Right straunge and fierce , in sundry likenes It was a place , of dissolute darkenes The ladyes and I , were in feare and doubt Tyll at the last , that we were gotten out . Of the great woode , vpon a craggy roche When cleare Dyana , in the scorpion Agaynst fayre Phebus , began to approche For to be , at her whole opposition We sawe from farre , a goodly region Where stode a palaice , hye and precious Beyonde an hauen , full tempestuous Then saied Perceueraunce , beholde ye and se Yonder is the palaice , gaye and glorious Of la bell Pucels great humilitie , A place of pleasure , most solacious But then we spied , a fende fallacious Beyonde the hauen , at the sure entresse Blowyng out fire , by marueylous widenes The fire was great , it made the ylande lyght He rored loude , it semed like the thunder But as me thought , he was of great might To knowe his likenes , we were farre asunder But of the fire , we did often wonder We asked Perceueraunce , what that it might be Alas quod she , with fraude and subtiltye . Of dame Strangenes , and of dame Disdayne When la bell Pucell , did them so abiect Because that they might not , reuert agayne With mortall enuy , they did then coniect To make a feude , in likewise to directe Syr graunde amoure , wyth the feruent fyre Of euill treason , to let his desire . For dame Disdaine , the crafty sorceres With arte magyke , hath wrought full craftely Of the. vii . metalles , a dragon doubtles And dame Strangenes , by her nygromancy Hath closed therin , a fende right subtilly That the fyre encenseth , by great outrage But graunde amoure , shall it well asswage Beneth this roche , there is well fortified An olde temple , to the laude and glory Of wise dame Pallas , it was so edified We will ride , vnto it full lightly And do oblation , vnto her truely She will vs tell , by good experience Howe we may scape , the brennyng vyolence . So to the temple , of dame Pallas Anone we rode , and did light adowne Of depured cristall , her whole ymage was The temple walles , were right olde and browne And then right sone , before her highe renowne Prostrate we fell , mekely to the grounde And sodainely , we were cast in a sownde Thus as we laye , in a deadely chaunce We thought to her , we made peticion And all in englishe , with long circumstaunce She shewed vs , all the whole condicion Of the marueylous , serpentes operation And did shewe vs , a perfite remedy To withstande , all the craft of Sorcery And in likewise , as the maner foloweth In depured verses , of crafty eloquence Euery thing , vnto vs she sheweth And first of all , with all our diligence These verses we saied , vnto her excellence But she with crafty , verses eloquent Gaue vs an aunswere , full expedient . When golden Phebus , in the first houre Of his owne daye , began for to domime The sorceresse , the false roote of doloure All of golde , that was so pure and fyne Of the best , made the heade serpentyne And eke therof , she did make his face Full lyke a mayde , it was a wonders case . And euery houre , as the planettes raygned She made the serpent , of the metalles seuen Till she her purpose , had fully attayned And when fiue bodies , aboue on the heauen Went retrogarde , marueylously to neuen With diuers quartyls , and the mone combust In the dragons tayle , to let a louers lust . These cursed witches , disdayne and straungenes Made the monster , of a subtile kynde To let my purpose , and all my gladnes But that dame Pallas , of her gentle minde Of marueylous herbes , a remedy did finde And anone a boxe , of marueylous oyntment She toke to me , to withstande the serpent . Thus all esmarueyled , we did then awake And in my hand , I had the oyntment Closed in a boxe , of whiche I shoulde take To anoynt my harneys , for the serpent Whiche shall deuoyde , his fire so feruent And my swerde also to cause to depart Astrothe the fende , so set with Magikes arte . THen when the sunne , with his beames mery Began to rise , in the fayre morowe gray All about , lightyng our emispery Exilyng mistes , and darke clowdes away And when we sawe , that it was bright daye Nere by the ryuage , at the last we spied A goodly shippe , whiche vnto vs fast hyed And right anone , by the riuage syde She cast an anker , and did vs than hayle With a peale of gunnes , at the morowe tyde Her bonet she vailed , and gan to strike sayle She was right large , of thre toppes without faile Her boate she made out , and sent to the lande What that we were , to knowe and vnderstande That so did walke , by the riuer coast And with two ladyes , we sodaynely mette So when that they , were come to vs almost From their shippe boate , curiously counterfaite Hayle knyght they saied , nowe from a lady great Called dame Pacience , we are hither sent To knowe your name and all the whole entent What you make here , and the ladyes all Truely quod I , ouer this stormy flowde We woulde haue passage , nowe in speciall Tary she sayde , it were to you not good There is a serpent , euill , right fierce , and woode On the other side , whiche will you deuoure Nay then quod I , my name is graunde amoure I haue discomfited , the gyauntes terrible For la bell Pucell , the most fayre ladye And for her sake , shal be inuincible Of this great monster , to haue the victory You haue quod they , demeaned you nobly And we anone , to our lady Pacience Will geue of you , perfite intelligence Thus they departed , and to their boate they went And the royall shippe , yclipped perfitenes They did aborde , and then incontinent Unto dame Pacience , they gan to expresse My name , mine actes , and all my prowes Ha ha quod she , howe glad may I nowe be Whiche in this place , may him bothe heare and se And in great haste , she made them rowe agayne Towarde the lande , with all due reuerence For to receyue me , and the ladyes certayne And so we then , with all our diligence Entred the boate , without resistence And did aborde then , perfitenes so sure Whiche the great waues , might right well endure And Pacience , with great solemnitie Did me receiue , and the ladyes also Welcome she sayed , by hye aucthoritye I am ryght gladde , that it hath happened so That la bell Pucell , must redresse your wo And on your selfe , with your worthy dedes Of Fame and her , hath wonne right hie medes And then their anker , they weyed in haste And hoyst their sayle , when many a clarion Began to blowe , the mornyng was past But Afrycus auster , made surrection Blowyng his belowes , by great occasion So forthe we sayled , right playne southwest On the other syde , where the Serpent did rest
Howe graunde Amoure discomfited the wonderfull monster of the seuen metalles , made by enchauntment . Capit. xxxvii . ANd at the lande , we ariued than With all the ladyes , in my company Whiche to praye for me , sodaynely began To the God Mars , lodestarre of chiualrye I toke my leaue , of them full gentilly And right anone , to finde out my fo This mortall dragon , I went to and fro . Tyll at the last , beside a craggy roche I sawe the dragon , whiche did me espye And nere and nere , as I gan to approche I behelde his heade , with his great body Whiche was mishaped , full right wondersly Of golde so shyne , was bothe his heade & face Full like a mayde , it is a marueylous case . His necke siluer , and thicke like a bull His brest stele , and like an Olyphant His forelegges laten , and of q full Right like a Gripe was euery tallaunt , And as of strength , he nothing did want His backe afore , like bristles of a swyne Of the fyne copper , did moste clearely shine . His hynder legges , was like to a catte All of tynne , and like a Scorpion He had a tayle , with a heade therat All of leade of pliaunt fashion , His hart stele , without menission Towarde me he came , roaryng like the thunder Spittyng out fyre , for to se great wonder . In his forheade , with letters all of grewe Was written , my name is malyce priuy That olde debate , can full sone renue Betwene true louers , wyth coloure crafty Agaynst graunde amoure , I shall so fortifye My euill subtill power , and cursed courage To let him truely , of his hye passage . I toke my boxe , as Pallas commaunded And my swerde and shelde , with all my armure In euery place , I ryght well anoynted To hardines , I toke my hart in cure Makyng me ready , and when I thought me sure I toke my swerde , and with an hardy harte Towarde the dragon , I began to starte And as I gan , my great stroke to charge He blewe out so muche fyre innumerable That on the grounde , I did my might discharge The smoke was darke , full greatly domageable And the hote fire , was so intollerable About me fliyng , that vnneth I myght Throughe my vysure , cast abroade my sight . But the swete oyntment , had suche a vertue That the wilde fire , myght nothing endomage Me throughe heate , for it did extue The Magikes art , with great aduauntage Causyng the fyre , right well to asswage And with my swerde , as nothing agast Upon the serpent , I did strike full fast . His body was great as any tunne The deuill about , did his bodye beare He was as egre , as Grype or Lyon So with his tallantes , he did my harneyes teare That oft they put me , in a mortall feare Tyll at the last , I did his body perce With my good swerde , he might it not reuerce . Right ther withall , the dragon to brast And out there flewe , right blacke and tedious A foule Ethiope , whiche suche smoke did cast That all the ylande , was full tenebrous It thundred loude , with clappes tempestious Then all the ladyes , were full fore adreade They thought none other , but that I was deade The spirite vanished , the ayre waxed cleare Then did I loke , and beholde about Where was the tower , of my lady so deare Tyll at the laste , I had espied it out Set on a rocke , ryght hye without doubt And all the ladyes , with perceueraunce To me did come , with ioye and pleasaunce . Forsothe quod they , you are muche fortunate So to subdue , the serpent venemous Whiche by sorcery , was surely ordinate You for to slea , with fire so vycious Blessed be Pallas , the goddesse glorious Whiche that you taught , a perfite remedye For to deuoyde , the craft of forcery . It was no wonder , though that I was glad After the payne , and tribulation That in many places , I right often had For to attayne , the hye promocion Of la bell Pucelles domination Considerynge , in my passage daungerous All I subdued , to me contrarious And then ryght sone , with great solemnitie So forthe we rode , to the solemne mancion Of la bell Pucelles , worthy dignitie Whiche was a tower , of marueylous fashion Replete with ioye , without suggestion Walled with siluer , and many a story Upon the wall , enameled royally . So at the last , we came vnto the gate Whiche all of siluer , was knotted properlye Where was a lady , of right hye estate Whiche vs receiued , well and nobly And then Perceueraunce , went full shortly To la bell Pucell , shewyng , euery thing Of mine aduenture , and sodayne commyng .
Howe graunde Amoure was receiued of la bell Pucell . Capit. xxxviii . WHen she it knewe , then right incontinent She called to her , Peace & dame Mercy With Iustice & reason , the lady excellent Pleasaunce , grace , with good dame memorye To wayte vpon her , full ententiflye Me to receiue , with all solemne ioye A downe her chamber , she went on her waye And in the meane while , the gentle porteresse Called countenaunce , on my way then me ledde Into the base courte , of great widenes Where all of golde , there was a conduite heade With many dragons , enameled with redde Whiche did spoute out , the dulcet lycoure Like crystall cleare , with aromatike odoure . Aloft the base tower , foure ymages stode Whiche blewe the clarious , well and wondersly Aloft the towers , the golden fanes good Did with the winde , make full swete armony Them for to here , it was great melody The golden towers , with cristall clarified About were glased , most clearely purrified And the grauel wherupon we went Full like the golde , that is moste pure and fine Withouten spotte , of blacke encombrement About our fete , it did right clearely shyne It semed more like a place celestine , Then an earthly mansion , whiche shall away By long tyme and processe , an other day . And towarde me , I did se then commyng La bell Pucell , the moste fayre creature Of any faire earthly person liuyng , Whiche with me mette , with cheare so demure Of the shinyng golde , was all her vesture I did my duty , and once or twise iwys Her lippes soft , I did full swetely kysse . Aha quod she , that I am very fayne That you are come , for I haue thought long Sythen the time , that we parted in twaine And for my sake , you haue had often wrong But your courage , so hardy and strong Hath caused you , for to be victorious Of your enemies , so muche contrarious . With her faire hande , white as any lillye She did me leade , into a royall hall With knottes kerued , full right craftely The windowes fayre , glased with cristall And all about , vpon the golden wall There was enameled , with fygures curious The siege of Troye , so harde and dolorous The floore was paued , with precious stones And the roufe , of marueylous Geometry Of the swete Cypres , wrought for the nonce Encensyng out , the euill odours mistye Amiddes the roufe , there shone full wonderfly A poynted Dyamonde , of marueylous bygnes With many other , great stones of riches . So vp we went , to a chamber fayre A place of pleasure , and delectacion Strowed with flowers , flagraunte of ayre Without any spotte of perturbacion I behelde right well the operation , Of the marueylous roufe , set full of Rubies And tynst with saphers , and many turkeys The walles were hanged , with golden arras Whiche treated well , of the siege of Thebes And yet all about vs depured was , The cristallyne windowes , of great bryghtnes I can nothing extende the goodlines , Of this palaice , for it is impossible To shewe al that vnto me was vysible . But la bell Pucell , full right gentilly Did sit adowne , by a windowe side And caused me also , full swetely By her to sit , at that gentle tide Welcome she saied , ye shall with me abide After your sorowe , to liue in ioye and blisse You shall haue that , you haue deserued iwys Her redolent wordes , of swete influence Degouted vapoure , moste aromatike And made conuersion , of my complacence Her depured , and her lusty rethorike My courage reformed , that was so lunatike My sorowe defeted , and my minde did modefy And my dolourous hart , began to pacifye . All thus my loue , we began to deuise For eche of other , were ryght ioyous Then at the last , in a marueylous wise Full sodainely , there came vnto vs Little Cupide , with his mother Uenus Whiche was well cladde , in a faire mantell blewe With golden hartes , that were perst a newe And rounde about vs , she her mantle cast Saiyng that she , and her sonne Cupide Woulde vs conioyne , in mariage in haste And to let knowe , all your courte so wyde Sende you Perceueraunce , before to prouide To warne your ladyes , for to be ready To morowe by time , right well and solemnely We aunswered , bothe our hartes were in one Saiyng that we , did ryght well agree For all our foes , were added and gone Right gladde I was , that ioyfull daye to see And then anone , with great humilitie La bell Pucell , to a fayre chamber bright Did me then bring , for to rest all nyght And she toke her leaue , I kissed her louely I went to bedde , but I coulde not slepe For I thought so muche , vpon her inwardely Her moste swete lokes , into my hart did crepe Percyng it throughe , with a wounde so depe For Nature thought , euery houre a daye Tyll to my lady , I shoulde my dette well paye .
Of the great mariage , betwene graunde Amoure , and labell Pucell . Capit. xxxix . THen Perceueraunce , in all goodly haste Unto the stewarde , called Liberalitie Gaue warnyng for to make ready fast Agaynst this tyme , of great solemnitie That on the morowe , halowed shoulde be She warned the cooke , called Temperaunce And after that the ewres Obseruaunce . With Pleasaunce the panter , and dame Curtesy The gentle butler , with the ladyes all Eche in her office , was prepared shortly Agaynst this feast , so muche triumphall And la bell Pucell , then in speciall Was vp by time , in the morowe graye Right so was I , when I sawe the daye . And right anone , la bell Pucell me sent Agaynst my weddyng , of the saten fyne White as the mylke , a goodly garment Braudred with pearle , that clearely dyd ●●●ne And so the mariage for to determine , Uenus me brought , to a royall chapell Whiche of fine golde , was wrought euerydell . And after that , the gay and glorious La bel Pucel , to the chapell was leade In a white vesture , fayre and precious With a golden chaplet , on her yelowe heade And Lex ecclesie , did me to her wedde After whiche weddyng , there was a great feast Nothing we lacked , but had of the best What shoulde I tary , by long continuaunce Of the feast , for of my ioye and pleasure Wisdome can iudge , without variaunce That nought I lacked , as ye may be sure Paiyng the swete due dette of nature Thus with my lady , that was fayre and cleare In ioye I liued , full ryght many a yere . O lusty youth , and yong tender hart The true companion , of my lady bright God let vs neuer , from other astart But all in ioye , to liue bothe daye and nyght Thus after sorowe , ioye ariued aryght After my payne , I had sport and playe Full little thought I , that it shoulde decaye . Till that dame nature , naturyng had made All thinges to growe , vnto their fortitude And nature naturyng , waxt retrograde By strength my youthe , so for to exclude As was euer , her olde consuetude First to augment , and then to abate This is the custome , of her hye estate .
THus as I liued , in suche pleasure gladde Into the chamber , came full priuely A fayre olde man , and in his hand he had A croked staffe , he wente full wekely Unto me then , he came full softly And with his staffe , he toke me on the breast Obey he saied , I must you nedes arest . My name is age , whiche haue often sene The lusty youthe , perishe vnhappely Through the desecte , of the selfe I wene And euermore , I do thinke inwardly That my dedes of youthe , were of great foly And thou thy selfe , right ioyous may be To liue so long , for to be lyke to me . Happy is he , that may well ouer passe The narowe brydge , ouer fragilitie Of his wanton youthe , brittle as the glasse For the youthe is open , to all frailtye Ready to fal , into great iniquitye Full well is he , that is brydled fast With faire dame Reason , till his youthe be past I obeyed his rest , there was no remedy My youthe was past , and all my lustines And right anone , to vs came Policye With auaryce , bringyng great riches My whole pleasure , and delite doubtles Was set vpon , treasure insaciate It to beholde , and for to agregate . The fleshely pleasure , I had cast aside Little I loued , for to playe , or daunce But euer I thought , howe I myght prouide To spare my treasure , lande and substaunce This was my minde , and all my purueyaunce As vpon deathe , I thought little or neuer But gathered riches , as I shoulde liue euer .
BUt when I thought , longest to endure Death with his dart , arest me sodainely Obey he sayed , as ye may be sure You can resist , nothing the contrary But that you must , obey me naturally What you auayleth , suche treasure to take Sythens by force , ye must it nowe forsake . Alas quod I , nothing can me ayde This worldely treasure , I must leaue behinde For earth of earth , will haue his dette now payed What is this worlde , but a blast of winde . I must neades dye , it is my natife kinde And as I was , at this conclusion To me did come , dame Confession . With dame Contricion , whiche gan to bewaile My sinnes great , with whole repentaunce And Satisfaction , without any fayle With dame Conscience , did weye in balaunce Howe that they might , then without doubtaunce My treasure and good , so gotten wrongfutly To restore againe , to the rightfull party . Of holy churche , with all humilitie My rightes I toke , and then incontinent Nature auailed in so lowe degree That death was come , and all my life was spent Out of my bodye , my soule then it went To Purgatory , for to be purified That after that , it might be glorified .
Capi. xlii . THe good dame Mercy , with dame Charitie My body buried , full right humbly In a faire temple , of olde antiquitie Where was for me , a dyrege deuoutly And with many a masse , full right solemnely And ouer my graue , to be in memory Remembraunce made , this little epitaphy . O earth on earth , it is a wonders case That thou art blinde , and will not the knowe Though vpon earth , thou hast thy dwellyng place Yet earth at last , must nedes the ouerthrowe Thou thinkest the , to be no earth I trowe For if thou diddest , thou wouldest then apply To forsake pleasure , and to learne to dye . Pride . O earth of earth , why art thou so proude Nowe what thou art , call to remembraunce Open thine eares , vnto my song aloude Is not thy beutye , strength , and puissaunce Though it be cladde , with clothes of pleasaunce Uery earth , and also wormes fode When earth to earth , shall turne the bloude . Wrathe . And earth with earth , why art thou so wrothe Remember the , that it vayleth right nought For thou maiest thinke , of a perfite trouthe If with the earth , thou hast a quarell sought Amiddes the earth , there is a place ywrought When earth to earth , is turned properly The for thy sinne , to punishe wondersly . Enuy . And earth for earth , why hast thou Enuy And the earth vpon earth , to be more prosperous Then thou thy selfe , fretyng the inwardly It is a synne , right foule and vycious And vnto God , also full odious Thou thinkest I trowe , there is no punishment Ordeyned for sinne , by egall iudgement . Slouthe . Towarde heauen to folowe on the way , Thou art full slowe , and thinkest nothing That thy nature , dothe full sone decay And death right fast , is to the commyng God graunt the mercy , but no tyme enlongyng When thou hast time , take time and space When time is past , lost is the time of grace Couetise . And when earth to earth , is next to reuert And nature lowe , in the last age Of earthly treasure , earth dothe set his hart Insaciatly , vpon couetise to rage He thinketh not , his life shall asswage His good is his God , with his great riches He thinketh not , for to leaue it doubtles . Glotony . The pomped clarkes , with fode delicious Earth often feadeth , with corrupt glotony And nothynge , with workes vertuous The soule dothe fede , right well ententifly But without measure , full inordinately The body liueth , and will not remember Howe earth to earth , must his strenthe surrender Lechery . The vile carkasse , set vpon a fyre Dothe often haunt , the sinne of lechery Fulfillyng the fowle carnall desire , Thus earth with earth , is corrupt marueyloussye And earth on earth , will nothing purifye Till earth to earth , be neare subuerted For earth with earth , is so peruerted . O mortall folke , you may beholde and se Howe I lye here , sometime a mighty knight The ende of ioye , and all prosperitie Is death at last , through his course and myght After the day , there cometh the darke nyght For thoughe the day , be neuer so long At last the belles , ringeth to euensong And my selfe , called la graunde amoure Sekyng aduenture , in the worldely glory For to attaine , the riches and honoure Did thinke full little , that I shoulde here lye Till death did marke me , fuil right priuely Lo what I am , and wherto you must Like as I am , so shall you be all dust Then in your minde , inwardly despise The brittle worlde , so full of doublenes With the vyle fleshe , and right sone aryse Out of your slepe , of mortall heauines Subdue the deuill , with grace and mekenes That after your life , frayle and transitory You may then liue , in ioye perdurably .
Capit. xliii . ANd as remembraunce , mine epytaphy set Ouer my graue , in came dame Fame With brennyng tongues , without any let Saiyng that she would spreade about my name To liue in honoure , without any shame Though that deade were , my earthly body Yet my renowne , shoulde raigne eternally . The power , estate , and royall dignitye Of dame Fame , in euery region Is for to spreade , by hye aucthoritye The noble dedes , of many a champion As they are worthy , in mine opinion For thoughe his body , be deade and mortall His fame shall endure , and be memoriall . Did not graunde Amoure , with his royall dedes Winne la bell Pucell , the most fayre lady And of hye honour , attayned the medes In the demeanyng him , so worthely Sleyng the great terrible giauntes vgly And also the fyrye monster vyolent , Of the seuen metalles , made by enchauntment About the worlde , in euery nacion That euermore , he shall abide alyue Of his great actes , to make relation In bokes many , I shall of him contriue From one to other , I shall his name so dryue That euermore without extinguishment In burnyng tongues , he shall be parmanent Hector of Troy . Unto this day , raygneth the hye renowne Of the worthy Hector , prince vyctorious About is spreade , in euery region and towne His noble actes , and courage chyualrous . In full many bokes , right delicious Unto the readers , who list to geue audience To heare report , of hys great excellence Iosue . And in likewise , duke Iosue the gent Whiche was right strong , and fierce in battayle Whose noble feates , hyghe and excellent I haue caused , with diligent trauayle To abide in bokes , without any fayle Who list his story , for to see or here In the bible it dothe right well appeare . Iudas Machabeus . Also the noble and hardy feates of warre Of Iudas Machabeus , I about haue cast In euery nacion , for to raygne afarre Though that his life , out of this worlde be past His fame shall prospere , and shall neuer waste Thus with my power , of euery worthy I spreade his dedes , in tongues of memory . Dauid . Did not kyng Dauid , a lyons iawes teare In his tender youthe , he so hardy was The lyons crueltye , might nothing him feare And after that , he slewe great Golias All in his tyme , he did in honoure passe And I dame Fame , without any doubt Haue spreade his name , in all the worlde about . Alexander . Also king Alexander , the noble conqueroure Whose great power , in all the world was knowen Of me dame Fame , he wanne the honoure As I my trumpe , after his death haue blowen Whose sounde aloude , can not be ouer throwen Thus in flamyng tonges , all about I flye Through the worlde , with my winges swiftly . Iulius Cezar . And of the worthy , Cezar Iulius All about , wyth golden beames bryght His name shall dure , and be full glorious In all the worlde , with ardaunt tongues lyght His Fame shall raygne , he hath it wonne by right For to abide , and euer to augment Withouten let , or yet impediment . Arthure . Also yet Arthur , the good kyng of Britayne With all his knightes , of the rounde table I nowe dame Fame , shall make to remayne Their worthy actes , hygh and honourable Perpetually , for to be commendable In royall bokes , and gestes historiall Their Fame is knowen , ryght hye tryumphall . Charles . And then Charles , the great kyng of Fraunce With all his noble dousepers also , As Roulande and Oliuer , of his alyaunce With all the residue , and many other mo Their fame encreaseth , runnyng to and fro The hardy dedes , did them magnifye Unto me Fame , their names to notify . Godfrey of Boleyn . And Godfrey of Boleyn , of hardy courage That of the paynyms wanne the victory His worthy actes did theyr strength aswage Whose fame renowmed is full openly About the world reygnyng so royally In stamyng tongues to be intelligible His most hie actes so much inuincible . And in lykewyse wythout abatment I shall cause for to be memoryal The famous actes so highe beneuolent Of graunde amoure my knyght in speciall Hys name shall dure and be eternall For though his body be wrapt in claye Yet his good fame shal remayne alwaye And ryght anone she called remembraunce Commaundyng her ryght truely for to wryte Both of myne actes and my gouernaunce Whych than ryght sone began to endyte Of my feates of armes , in a short respyte Whose goodly stories , in tongues seuerall About were sent , for to be perpetuall . And thus I Fame , am euer magnified When earth in earth , hath tane his estate Thus after death , I am all glorified What is he nowe , that can my power abate Infinite I am , nothing can me mate The spryng of honour , and of famous clarkes My selfe I am , to renowne their warkes .
Capitu. xliiii . ANd as dame Fame , was in laudation Into the temple , with marueylous likenes Sodainely came Tyme , in breuiacion Whose similitude , I shall anone expresse Aged he was , wyth a bearde doubtles Of swalowes feaders , his wynges were long His body federed , he was hye and strong . In his left hande , he had an horology And in his ryght hande , a fyre brennyng A swerde about him , gyrte full surely His legges armed , clearely shynynge And on his noddle , darkely flamyng Was set Saturne , pale as any leade And Iupiter , amiddes his foreheade . In the mouthe Mars , and in his right winge Was splendent Phebus , with his golden beames And in his breast , there was resplendishyng The shinyng Uenus , with depured streames That all about , did cast her fyrye leames In his left wynge Mercury , and aboue his waste Was horned Dyane , her opposition past . My name quod he , is in diuision As time was , time is , and the time future I maruaile muche , of the presumption Of thee dame Fame , so puttyng in vre Thy great praise , saiyng it shall endure For to be infinite , euermore in prease Seyng that I , shall all thy honoure cease . Shall not I time , destroy bothe sea and lande The sunne , and mone , and the starres all By very reason , thou shalt vnderstande At last shall lese , their course in generall On time past , it vayleth not to call Nowe by this horologe , it dothe well appeare That my last name , dothe euermore draw neare . In my right hande , the great fire so feruent Shall burne the time , and also minyshe The fatall tongues , for it is accident Unto me time , all thinges to peryshe When my last ende , I shall accomplishe And thus in vaine , thou hast thy laboure spent When by me time , thou shalt be so brent . In eternitie , before the creation Of author and man , all thing was visible In Goddes lighte & due probacion Of his godheade , whiche is intelligible To whom nothing , can be impossible For in my selfe , a hye and sufficient Before all thinges , he was refulgent . Unto whom onely , is apparaunce Of my last ende , as mine origynall Was in his sight , without doubtaunce For onely of hym , it is especiall The hye power , and godhead infinall The future tence , to knowe dyrectly Unto whom , it appeareth openly . I am the lodestarre , to dame eternitie When man of earth , hath his creation After the minute , of his natiuitie He taketh then his operation , Upon me tyme , at euery season In the same houre , the worlde was create Originally , I toke mine estate . Coulde the nine worthyes so vyctorious , Do all their actes , without time or space Tyme is a thing , bothe gaye and glorious When it passeth , with vertue and grace Man in this worlde hath a dwellyng place Eyther hell or heauen , without leasyng Alway he getteth , in his time spendyng . Withouten tyme , is no earthly thing Nature , fortune , or yet dame Sapience Hardines , cleargy , or yet learnyng Past , future , or yet in presence Wherfore I am , of more hye preeminence As cause of fame , honoure and cleargy They can nothing , without him magnify . Do not I time , cause nature to augment Do not I time , cause nature to decay Do not I time , cause man to be present Do not I time , take his lyfe away Do not I time , cause death take his saye Do not I tyme , passe his youth and age Do not I time euery thing asswage . In time , Troy the citye was edified By tyme also , was the destroction Nothing without tyme , can be fortified No earthly ioye , nor tribulation Without tyme , is for to suffer passion The tyme of earth , was our destruction And the tyme of earth , was our redemption Adam of earth , sonne of virginitie And Eue by God , of Adam create These two , the worlde dampned in certainetie By disobedience , so foule and vycyate And all other , then from them generate Tyll peace , and mercy , made ryght to encline Out of the Lyon , to enter the vyrgyn . Like as the worlde , was destroyed totally By the vyrgyns sonne , so it semed well A vyrgyns sonne , to redeme it pyteously Whose hye Godheade , in the chosen vessell Forty wekes , naturally did dwell Nature wekes , naturally did god of kinde In the virgyn , he did suche nature finde . Thus without nature , nature wondersly In a virgyn pure , openly hath wrought To the God of nature , nothing truely Impossible is , for he made of nought Nature first , whiche naturyng hath taught Naturately , right naturate to make Why may not he then , the pure nature take . By his Godheade , of the virgyn Mary His elect mother , and arcke of testament Of holy churche , the blessed luminary After the birthe , of her sonne excellent Uirgyn she was , yet alway permanent Disnullyng the sectes , of false ydolatry And castyng downe , the fatall heresy . Thus when I tyme , in euery nacion Raygned in rest , and also in peace And Octauian , in his domination Through the worlde , and the peopled preace Letters had sent , his honoure to encrease Of all the number , for to be certaine For to obey him , as their souerayne . In whose time God toke his natiuitie For to redeme vs , with his precious bloude From the deuils bonde , of great iniquitie His hart was perst , hangyng on the rode Was not this time , vnto man right good Shall not I time , euermore abide Tyll that in Libra , at the dreadefull tide Of the day of dome , then in the balaunce Almighty God , shall be iust and egall To euery person , withouten doubtaunce Eche as they did deserue in generall Some to haue ioye , some payne eternall Then I am past , I may no lenger be And after me , is dame Eternitie .
ANd thus as Tyme made his conclusion , Eternitie in a fayre white vesture To the temple came , with whole affection And on her heade , a dyademe right pure With thre crownes , of precious treasure Eternitie she saied , I am nowe doubtles Of heauen quene , and of hell empresse . First God made heauen , his proper habitacle Though that his power , be in euery place In eterne heauen , is his tabernacle Time is there in no maner , of case Time renneth alway , his ende to embrace Nowe I my selfe , shall haue no endyng And my maker had no begynnyng . In heauen and hell , I am continually Withouten ende , to be in extinguissible As euermore , to rayne full royally Of euery thing , I am inuincible Man of my power , shall be intelligible When the soule , shall rise against the body To haue iudgement , to liue eternally . In heauen or hell , as he dothe deserue Who that loueth God , aboue euery thing All his commaundementes , he will then obserue And spende his tyme , in vertuous liuyng Idlenes wil euermore be eschuynge Eternallioye , he shall then attayne After his laboure , and his busy payne O mortall folke , reuole in your mynde That worldly ioye , and frayle prosperitie What is it like , but a blast of winde For you therof , can haue no certaintie It is nowe so full , of mutabilitie Set not your mynde , vpon worldly wealth But euermore , regarde your soules health . When earth in earth , hath tane his corrupt taste Then to repent , it is for you to late When you haue time , spende it nothing in waste Tyme past with vertue , must enter the gate Of ioye and blysse , with mine hye estate Without tyme , for to be euerlastyng Whiche God graunt vs , at our last endyng Nowe blessed lady of the health eternall The quene-of comfort , and of heauenly glory Saye to thy swete sonne , whiche is infinal To geue me grace , to winne the victory Of the deuill , the worlde , and of my body And that I may , my selfe well apply Thy sonne and the , to laude and magnifie . Explicit . The pastime of pleasure .
The excusation of the Aucthoure . Capit. xlvi . INto all Poetes , I do me excuse If that I offende , for lacke of science This little boke , yet do ye not refuse Though it be deuoyde , of famous eloquence Adde or detray , by your hye Sapience And pardon me , of my hye enterprise Whiche of late , this fable did fayne and deuise . Go little boke , I pray God the saue From misse metryng , by wrong impression And who that euer , list the for to haue That he perceyue , well thyne intencion For to be grounded , wythout presumption As for to eschue , the synne of ydlenes To make suche bokes , I apply my busines . Besechyng God , for to geue me grace Bokes to compyle , of morall vertue Of my master Lidgate , to folowe the trace His noble fame , for to laude and renue Whiche in his lyfe , the slouthe did eschue Makyng great bokes , to be in memory On whose soule , I pray God haue mercy . Finis .

Imprinted at London by Iohn Waylande , dwellynge in fletestrete , at the sygne of the Sunne . ouer agaynst the Conduite . Anno do . M. D. L. iiii . The. i. day of Iune .

Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum .