Here endeth a lytyll tratyse named Le assemble de dyeus

WHan Phebus in the crabbe had nere his cours ronne And toward the Leon his Iourney gan take To loke on Pyctagoras spere I had bgonne Syttyng all solytary allone besyde a lake Musyng on a maneer how that I myght make Reason and sensualyte in one to accorde But I coude not bryng about that monacorde For longe er I myght slepe me gan oppresse Soo ponderously I coude make none obstacle In myne hede was fall suche an heuynesse I was fayne to drawe to myne habytacle To rowne with a pylow me semyd best tryacle Soo leyde I me downe my dyssease to releue Anone cam in Morpleus & toke me by the sleue And as I soo laye halfe in a traunse Twene slepyng and wakyng he bad me aryse For he sayd I must yeue attendaunce To the grete Courte of Mynos the Iustyse Me nought auayled ayene hym to sylogyse For hit is oft sayd by hem that yet lyues He must nedes go that the deuell dryues Whan I see noo better ▪ but I must go I sayd I was redy at his commaundement wheder that he wolde me lede to or fro Soo vp I arose and forth with hym went Tyll he had me brought to the parlyament where Pluto sate and kepte his estate And with hym Mynos the Iuge desperate But as we thyderwarde went by the waye I hym besought his name me to tell Morpleus he sayd thou me call maye A syr sayd I than where doo ye dwell In heuen or to erthe eyther ellys in hell Nay he sayd myn abydyng moost comonly Is in a lytyll corner called fantasy And as soone as he these wordes had sayd Cerberus the porter of hell with his cheyne Brought theder Colus in ragges euyll arayd Agayn whom Neptunus & Dyana dyd compleyne Sayeng thus O Mynos thou Iuge souereyne Gyue thy cruell Iugement ayen this traytour so That we may haue cause to preyse thy lord Pluto Then was there made a proclamacyon In Plutoos name commaunded sylence Vpon the payne of strayte correccyon That Dyana & Neptunus might haue audyence To declare her greef of the grete offence To theym do by Colus wheron they compleyned And to begynne Dyana was constreyned whiche thus began as ye shall here Sayeng in this wyse . O thou lord Pluto with thy Inge Mynos syttyng with the in fere Execute youre fury vpon Colus so Accordyng to the offence that he to me hath do That I haue noo cause forther to apele whiche yf I do shall not be for your we le Remembre fyrste how I a goddesse pure Ouer all desertes . forestes and chaces Haue take the guydyng and vnder my cure This traytour Colus hath many of my places Destroyed with his blastes & dayly me manaces where ony wood is he shall make it pleyne If he to his lyberte maye resorte ageyne The gretest trees that ony man may fynde In forest to shade the deere for her comfort He breketh hem asondre or rendeth hem rote & rynde Oute of the erthe this is his dysport Soo that the deere shall haue noo resort within short tyme to noo maner shade where thorugh the game is lykly to fade whiche to myn name a reproche synguler Sholde be for euer whyle the worlde last And to all the goddis an hyghe dyspleser To see the game soo dystroyed by his blast wherfore a remedye puruey in hast And lete hym be punysshed after his offence Consyder the cryme . and yeue your sentence And whan thus Dyana had made her compleynt To Mynos the Iuge in Plutoos presence Came forth Neptunus with vysage pale & feyne Desyryng of fauour to haue audyence Sayeng thus Pluto to thy magnyfycence I shall reherse what this creature Colus hath done me out of mesure Thou knowest well that I haue the charge Ouer all the see . and therof god I am Noo shyp maye sayle . keruell boot nor barge Grete karyke . nor hulke with ony lyuyng man But yf he haue my saue conduyte than who me offendeth within my Iurysdiccyon Oweth to submyt hym to my correccyon But in asmekyll as hit is now soo That ye hym here haue as your prysonere I shall you shewe . my compleynt loo wherfore I praye you that ye wyll hit here And lete hym not escape out of your daungere Tyll he haue made full seethe and recompence For hurt of my name thrugh this grete offence Fyrste to begynne . this Colus hath ofte Made me to retourne my course agayn nature with his grete blastys whan he hath be a lofte And charged me to labour ferre out of mesure That it was grete meruayle how I myght endure The com of my swete wyll it testyfye That on the see bankes lythe beten full hye Secondly where as my nature is Both to ebbe & flowe and so my course to kepe Ofte of myne entente hath he made me mys where as I sholde haue fylled dykes depe At a full water I myght not theder crepe Before my season came to retourne ageyne And than went I faster than I wolde certeyne Thus he hath me dryuen ayen myn entent And contrary to my course naturall where I shold haue be he made me be absent To my grete dyshonoure & in especyall Do thyng he vsed that worst was of all For where as I my sauegarde graunted Ay in that cost he comonly haunted Of verrey pure malyce and of sylfe wyll Theym to dystroye in dyspyte of me To whome I promysed both in good and yll To be her protectour in all aduersyte That to theym sholde fall vpon the see And euen sodeynly er they coude beware with a sodeyn pyry he lapped hem in care And full ofte syth with his boystous blast Er they myght be ware . he drofe him on the sande And otherwhyle he brake toop seyle & mast whiche caused theym to perysshe er they cam to lam de Then cursed they the tyme that euer they me fande Thus among the people lost is myn name And soo by his labour put I am to shame Consyder this mater and ponder my cause Tendre my compleynt as rygour requyreth Shewe forth your sentence with a breef clause I may not long tarye the tyme fast expyreth The offence is grete wherfore hit desyreth The more greuous payne and hasty Iugement For offence done wylfully wyll none auysement And whan the god Pluto a whyle had him be thought He rowned w● Mynos to know what was to do Then he sayd openly loke thou fayle nought Thy sentence to yeue without fauour so Lyke as thou hast herd the causes meuyd the to And so euenly dele twene these partyes tweyn That none of hem haue case on the other compleyn Then sayd Mynos full Indyfferently To Dyana & Neptunus . is there ony more That ye wyll declare agayn hym openly Nay in dede they sayd we kepe none in store we haue sayd ynough to punysshe hym fore If ye in this mater be not parcyall Remembre your name was wonte to be egall well than sayd Mynos now let vs here what this boystous Colus for hymselfe can saye For here Prima facie . to vs dooth apere That he hath offended noo man can say naye wherfore thou Colus without more delaye Shape vs an answere to thyne accusement And ellys I muste procede vpon thy Iugement And euen as Colus was on warde to haue sayd For his excuse . came in a messengere Fro god Apollo . to Pluto and hym prayd On his behalfe that he withoute daungere wolde to hym come & bryng with hym in fere Dyana and Neptunus vnto his banket And yf they dysdeyned hymselfe he wold hem f●● Moreouer he sayd to the god Apollo Desyred to haue respyte of the Iugement Of Colus bothe of Mynos and Pluto So Dyana & Neptunus were therwith content And yf they were dysposed to assent That he myght come vnto his presence He hit desyred to know his offence what sey ye herto sayd Pluto to hem tweyn wyll ye bothe assente that hit shall be thus ye sayd the goddesse for my parte certeyn And I also sayde this Neptunus I am well pleased quod this Colus And whan they had a whyle thus togyder spoke Pluto commaunded the courte to be broke And than togeder went they in fere Pluto and Neptunus ledyng the goddesse whome folowed Cerberus with his prysonere And alder laste with grete heuynesse Came I and Morpleus to the forteresse Of the god Appollo vnto his banket where many goddys and goddesses met whan Apollo see that they were come He was ryght glad and prayed hem to syt Nay sayd Dyana this is all and some ye shall me pardone I shall not syt yet I shall fyrste knowe why Colus abyte And what execucyon shall on hym be do For his offence . well sayd Apollo Madame ye shall haue all youre pleysere Syth that hit wyll none otherwyse be But fyrste I you praye let me the mater here why he is brought in this perplexite well sayd Pluto . that shall ye soone se And gan to declare euen by and by Bothe her complayntes ordynatly And whan Apollo had herde the reporte Of Pluto in a maner smylyng he sayde I see well Colus . thou haste small comforte Thy selfe to excuse thou mayste be dysmayde To here soo grete complayntis ayene the layde That notwithstondyng yf thou can sey ought For thyne one wele . sey and tary nought Forsothe sayd Colus yf I had respyte Nota Her to an answere cowde I counterfete But to haue her grace more is my delyte wherfore I praye you all for me entrete That I may by your request her good grace gete And what payne or greef ye for me prouyde withoute ony grutchyng I shall hit abyde Loo good Madame sayd god Apollo what maye he doo more but sew to your grace Beholde how the teeres from his eyen go Hit is satysfaccyon halfe for his trespace Now gloryous goddesse shewe your pyteous face To this poore prysoner at my request All we for your honour thynke thus is best And yf hit lyke you to doo in this wyse And to foryeue hym clerely his offence One thyng suerly I wyll you promyse If he ofte rebelle and make resystence Or dysobey vnto your sentence For euery tree that he maketh fall Out of the erthe . an hundred aryse shall Soo that your game shall not dyscrease For lacke of shade I dare vndertake well syr Apollo sayd she than wyll I cease Of all my rancour and mercy with you make And than god Neptunus of his mater spake Sayeng thus Apollo though Dyana hym relese Yet shall he sue to me to haue his pese A sayd Apollo ye wende I had foryete you for my lady Dyana the goddesse Nay thynke not soo . for I wyll you entrete As well as hyr without long processe wyll ye agree that Phebus your maystresse Maye haue the guydyng of your varyaunce I shall abyde quod he . her ordynaunce well than quod Apollo . I praye you goddis all Nota And goddesses eke that be here present That ye companably wyll a boorde fall Nay than sayd Othea . hit is not conuenyent A dew ordre in euery place is expedyent To be had wherfore ye may not let To be your owne marchall at your own banket And whan Apollo see hit wolde none other be He called to hym Aurora the goddesse And sayd though ye wepe yet shall ye before me Ay kepe your course and put your selfe in presse Soo he her set fyrst at his owne messe with her moyst clothes with teres all be spreynt The medewes in may shew therof her compleynt Next her sat Mars myghty god and stronge with a flamme of fyre enuyrounde all aboute A crown of yron on his hede a spere in his honde Hit semyd by his chere as he wold haue fought And next vnto hym as I perceue mought Sate the goddesse Dyana in a mantell fyne Of black sylke purfyly with poudryd hermyne Lyke as he had take the mantell and the ryng ▪ And next vnto hyr arayed royally Sate the god Iupyter in his demenyng Full sad and wyse he semed sykerly A crowne of tynne stood on his hede And that I recorde of all phylosophres That lytyll store of Coyne kepe in her cofres Ioynes to hym in syttyng next there was The goddesse Iuno full rychely beseene In a sercote that shone as bryght as glas Of goldsmytthes werke with spangles wrought be dene Of royal rychesse wanted she none I wene And next by her sate the god Saturne That oft sythe causeth many one to morne But he was clad . me thought straungely For of frost and snowe was all his aray In his honde he helde a fawchon all blody Hit semyd by his chere as he wold make a fray A bawdryk of Isykles aboute his neck gay He had . and aboue an hyghe on his hede Couchyd with hayle stones he wered a crowne of lede And next in ordre was set by his syde Ceres the goddesse in a garmente Of sacke clothe made with sleues large & wyde Embrowdered with sheues and sykelys bente Of all maner greynes she sealyd the patente In token that she was the goddesse of corne Olde Poetes say she bereth the heruest horne Then was there set the god Cupydo All fresshe and galaunt and costly in aray with ouches and rynges he was beset so The paleys therof shone as though bit had be day A kerchyfe of plesaunce stode ouer his helme ay The goddesse Ceres he loked in the face And with one arme he hyr dyde enbrace Next to C●●●do in order by and by Of worldly wysdome sate the forteresse Called Othea chref grounde of polycy Rewler of knyghthode of prudence the goddesse Clad all in purpure was she more and lesse Saaf on her hede a crowne there stood Cowchyd with perles oryent fyne and good And next to her was god Pluto set with a derke myst enuyronde all aboute His clothyng was made of a smoky net His colour was bothe within and withoute Foule derke and dymme his eyen grete & stoute Of fyre and sulphure all his odour wase That wo was me whyle I behelde his face Fortune the goddesse with her party face was vnto Pluto next in ordre set Varyaunt she was ay in short space Her whele was redy to tourne without let Her gowne was of gawdy grene chamelet Chaungeable of sondry dyuerse coloures To the condycyons accordyng of her shoures And by her sate though he vnworthy were The rewde god Pan of sheperdys the gyde Clad in russet frcse and breched lyke a bere with a grete tarboxe hangyng by his syde A shepecrook in his honde he spared for no pryde And at his feete lay a prykeryd curre He rateled in the throte as he had the murre Isys the goddesse bare hym company For at the table next she sat by his syde In a close kyrtell enbrowdered curyously with braunches and leues brood large & wyde Grene as ony grasse in the somer tyde Of all maner frute she had the gouernaunce Of sauours odoryferous was her su●ynaūce Next her than was god Neptunus set He sauored lyke a fyssher of hym I spake before Hit semed by his clothes as they had be wet About him in his gyrdelstede hyng fysshes many a score Of his straunge aray merueyled I sore A shyp with a toppe and sayle was his crest Me thought he was gayly dysgysed at that fest Than toke Mynerue the goddesse her sete Ioyntly to Neptunus all in curas clad Gaūclettis on her hondis & sabatoūs on her fete She loked euer about as though she had be mad An hamer and a sythe on her hede she had She wered two bokelers one by her syde That other ye wote were this was all her pryde Than cam the god Bachus & by her set him downe Holdyng in his honde a cup full of wyne Of grene vyne leues he wered a Ioly crowne He was clad in clustres of grapes good & fyne A garland of yuy he chose for his sygne On his hede he had . a thredebare kendall hood A gymlot and a fauset therupon stood Next hym sate Phebus with her colour pale Fat she was of face but of complexion feynt She sayd she reuled Neptunus & made him to auale And ones in the moneth with Phebus was she meynt Also ne were she . Ceres were ateynt Thus she sat & tolde the myght of her nature And on her hede she wered a crowne of syluer pure Ioyntly to her Marcuryus toke his see As came to his course wytnesse the zodyake He had a gylden tonge as fyll for his degree In eloquence of langage he passed all the pake For in his talkyng noman coude fynde lake A boxe with quyksyluer he had in his honde Multyplyers knowe hit well in euery londe By hym sate dam Venus with colour crystallyne whoos long here shone as wyre of golde bryght Cryspe was her skyne her eyen columbyne Rauysshed myn herte her chere was soo lyght Patronesse of pleasaunce be named wel se myght A smocke was her wede garnysshed curyously But aboue all other she had a wanton ey On her hede she wered a rede coper crowne A nosegay she had made full pleasauntly Betwene her & Aurora . Apollo set hym downe with his beames bryght he shone so feruently That he therwith gladyd all the company A crowne of pure golde was on his hede set In sygne that he was mayster & lord of that banket Thus was the table set rounde aboute Nota with goddis & goddesses as I haue you tolde Awaytyng on the boorde was a grete route Of sage phylosophers & poetes many folde There was sad Sychero and Arystotyll olde Tholome Dorothe with Dyogenes Plato Messehala and wyse Socrates Sortes & Saphyrus with hermes stood behynde Auycen and Autroys with hem were in fere Galyen & Ypocras that physyk haue in mynde with helpe of Esculapyon toward hem drow nere Virgyle Orace Ouyd and Omere Euclyde and Alberte yaue her attendaunce To doo the goddys and goddesses pleasaunce Whore berded Orpheus was there with his harpe And as a poete musykall made he melody Other mynstral had they non safe Pan gan to carpe Of his leud bagpyp̄ whiche causid that company To lawe yet many mother were yf I shold notly Some yonge some olde bothe better and werse But mo of her names can I not reherse Of all maner deyntees there was habundaunce Of metys & drynkes foyson plenteuous In came Dyscorde to haue made varyaunce But there was no rome to set her in that hous The goddys remembred the scysme odyous Among the three goddesses that he had wrought At the fest of Peleus wherfore they thought They wolde not with her dele in auenture Lest she theym brought to some inconuenyent She seyng this was wrothe out of mesure And in that grete wrathe out of the paleys went Sayeng to hyr selfe that chere sholde they repent And anone with Attropos happed she to mete As he had ben a goost cam in wyndyng shete She toke him by the honde & rowned in his eare And tolde hym of the banket that was so delycate How she was receyued & what chere she had there And how euery god sate in his estate Is it thus qd Attropos what in the deuyllis date well he sayde I see well how the game gothe Ones yet for your sake shall I make hem wrothe And whan she had hym all togyder tolde From her he departed and of her toke his leue Sayeng that for her sake his way take he wolde In to the paleys his maters to meue And er he thens went he trowed hem to greue with suche tydynges as he sholde hem tell Soo forth in he went and spake wordes fell whan he came in the presence of the goddys all As he had be wood he loked hym aboute His shete from his body downe he let fall And on a rewde maner he saluted all the route with a bolde voys carpyng wordes stoute But he spake all holow as hit had be one Had spoke in a nother world that had wo begon He stood forth boldly with grym contenaunce Sayeng on this wyse as ye shall here All ye grete goddys yeue attendaunce Vnto my wordes without all daungere Remembre how ye made me your offycere All tho with my dart fynally to chastyse That you dysobeyed or wolde your law dispyse And for the more suerte ye sealed my patent Gyuyng me full power soo to occupy wherto I haue enployed myn entent And that can dame Nature well testyfy If she be examyned she wyll hit not deny For whan she forsaketh ony creature I am ay redy to take hym to my cure Thus haue I deuly with all my dylygence Executed the offyce of olde antyquyte To me by you graunted by your comon sentence For I spared none hyghe nor lowe degre Soo that on my parte noo defaute hath be For as soone as ony to me commytted wase I smote hym to the hert he had none other grase Ector of Troy for all his chyualry Alexander the grete & myghty conquerour Iulyus Cesar with all his company Dauyd nor Iosue nor worthy Artour Charles the noble that was so grete of honour Nor Iudas Machabee for all his trewe hert Nor Godfery of Boleyn coude me not astert Nabugodonozor for all his grete pryde Nor the kyng of Egypte cruell Pharao Iason ne Hercules wente they neuer so wyde Cosdras Hanyball nor gentyll Sypyo Cyrus Achylles nor many a nother mo For teyre or foule gat of me noo grace But all be at the last . I sesed hem with my mace Thus hauy brought euery creature To an ende bothe man fysshe foule and beste And euery other thyng in whome dame nature Hath ony Iurysdyccyon eyther moost or leste Excepte oonly one in whome your beheste Is to me broke for ye me promysed That my myght of non shold haue be dispysed wherof the countrary dare I well auowe Is trewe for one there is that wyll not apply Vnto my correccyon nor in nowyse bowe To the dynt of my dart for dole nor desteny what comfort he hath nor the cause why That he so rebelleth I can not thynke of ryght But yf ye haue him graunted your alders safecōdyghe And yf ye so haue than do ye not as goddys For a goddys wrytyng may not reuersyd be If it sholde I wolde not yeue two pesecoddys For graunt of your patent of offyce nere of fee wherfore in this mater do me equytee Accordyng to my patent . for tyll this be doo ye haue nomore my seruyce nor my good wyl loo And whan all the goddys had Attropos hered As they had be wood they brayde vp attones And sayd they wold not rest tyll he were conquered Taken & destroyed body blood & bones And that they swere grete othes for the nones Her lawe to dyspyce that was so malapert They sayd he shold be taught for to be so pert well sayd Apollo yf he on erthe bee with my brennyng chare I shall hym confounde In feyth quod Neptunus & yf he kepe the see He may be full sure . he shall soone be drownde A syr sayd Mars this haue we well fownde That ony dysobeyed oure godly precept we may well thynke we haue to longe slept But neuerthelesse where I may hym fynde with thundre & lyghtnyng about I shal him chase And I quod Saturnus before and behynde with my bytter colde shall shew him harde grase well sayd Mercuryus yf I may see his fase For euer of his speche I shall hym depryue Soo that hym were better be dede than a lyue ye quod Othea yet maye he well be In the ayre where he wyll & axe you no leue wherfore my counseyll is that all we May entreate Neptunus his rancour to foryeue And then I doute not Colus wyll him myscheue Soo may ye be sure he shall you not escape And elles of all your angre wyll he make but aiape But for to tell you how Colus was brought In daunger of Pluto yet had I forgete wherfore on this mater forther wyll I nought Procede tyll I therof haue knowleche you lete Hit fell on a daye the weder was wete And Colus thought he wolde on his desporte Goo to reioyse his spyrytes and comforte He thought he wold see what was in the grounde And in a krauers forthe he gan hym dresse A drowthe had the erthe late before founde That caused it to chyne & krauy more & lesse Sodeynly by weet constrayned by duresse was the grounde to close his superfycyall face Soo strayte that to scape Colus had noo space This seyng Colus he styll within abode Sekyng where he myght haue gone oute fer ornere Anone he was alpyed & one to Plutorode And tolde him how Colus was in his daungere Then sayd he to Cerberus fet me that prysonere Tyll I haue hym seen let hym not go at large As thou wylt answer of hym I yeue the charge Thus was this Colus take prysoner Than happed hit soo that the same day Pluto had prefixed for a grete mater Mynos to syt in his roob of Ray wherfore Cerberus toke the next way And led hym to the place where the court shal be wheder as I tolde you Morpleus brought me Soo thyder came Dyana caryed in a carre To make her compleynt as I tolde you all And so dyd Neptunus that doth both make & marre walewyng with his wawes & tomblyng as a ball Her maters they meuyd fall what may befall There was the fyrst syght that euer I theym sawe And yf I neuer do efte I recke not a strawe But now to my mater to retourne agayne And to begynne . newe where I left whan all the goddis had done her besy payne They wey to contryue how he sholde be reft Of his lyfe that Attropos had noo cause eft To complayn than Phebus stert vpon her fete And sayd I praye you let me speke a worde yete Othea meneth well to sey on this wyse But al to entrete Neptunus I hope shal not nede Me semeth I aloue durst take that enterpryse Er I am begyled or elles I shall spede How say ye Neptunus shall I do this dede wyll ye your rancour sease at my request Madame quod he reule me as ye lyketh best Gramercy sayd she of your good wyll That it pleaseth you to shewe me that fauour wherfore the goddys hygh pleasure to fulfyll Performe my desyre . & leue all olde rancour For our alders wele & sauyng of our honour Agayn this Colus that ye long haue had Hit is done quo● he forsoth than am I glad Sayd he now than Colus be thou to vs trew Kepe well the eyr and our grete rebell May we than soone euer to vs subdew yes and that quod Colus shall ye here tell Nowhere in the eyre shall he rest nor dwell If he doo therof put me in the faute with my bytter blastes . soo shall I hym asaute what sayd the god Pluto what is his name That thus presumeth agayn vs to rebell Vertue quod Attropes that haue he mykyll shame He is neuer confounded . thus of hym here I tell A sayd this Pluto . in dede I know hym well He hathe be euer myne vtter enemy wherfore this mater agayne hym take wyll I For all the baytys that ye for hym haue layde without myne helpe be not worthe a peere For though ye all the countrarye had sayde Yet wold he brede ryght nygh your althrys eere No maner of thyng can hym hurt nor deere Saue oonly one a sone of my bastarde whoos name is vyce he kepeth my vawarde wherfore you Cerberus now I the dyscharge Of Colus . and wyll that thou hyder fette My dere sone Vyce & say that I hym charge That he to me come withoute ony lette Armed all poyntes . for a daye is sette That he with vertue for all the goddys sake In our defence . must on hym batayll take Forth then went Cerberus with his fyry cheyne And brought theder Vyce as he cōmaūden was Agayne noble Vertue that batayll to dereygne On a glydyng serpent rydyng a grete pas Formyd lyke a dragon scalyd harde as glas whoos mouth flammed fyer without fayll wynges had hit serpentyne and a long tayll Armed was Vyce all in cure boyle Harde as ony horne blacker fer than soot An vngoodly sorte folowed hym parde Of vnhappy capteyns of myscheyf cropp̄ & root Pryde was the fyrst . the next hym rood god woot On a roryng lyon . next whom came Enuye Syttyng on a wolfe he had a scornfull ey wrathe bestrode a wylde bore & next him ganryde In his honde he bare a bloody naked swerde Next whom cam Couetyse that gooth so fer & wyde Rydyng on a Olyfaunt as he had ben aferde After whom rood Gloteny with his fat berde Syttyng on a bere with his grete bely And next hym on a goot folowed Lechery Slouthe was soo slepy . he came all behynde On a dull asse a full wery pase Thyse were the capteyns that Vyce coude fynde Best to set his felde and folowe on the chase As for pety Capteyns many moo there wase As sacrylege symony and dyssymulacyon Manslaughter mordre theft and extorcyon Arrogaunce presumpcyon with contumacy Contempcyon contempt and Inobedyence Malyce frowardnes grete Ielacy woodnesse hate stryfe and Impacyence Vnkyndnesse opp̄ssyon with wofull neclygence Murmour myscheef falshood and detraccyon Vsury periury lye and adulacyon wronge rauyne sturdy vyolence False Iugement with obstynacy Dysceyte dronkenes and Improuydence Boldnes in yll with foule and rybaudy Fornycacyon Incest and auoutry Vnshamefastnes with prodygalyte Blaspheme vaynglory and worldly vanyte Agnoraunce dyffydence with Ipocrysy Scysme rancour debate and offense Heresy errour with ydolatry New fangylnesse and sotyll false pretense Inordynat desyre of worldly excellense Feyned pouerte with apostasy Dysclaunder scorne and vnkynde Ielousy Hoordome bawdry false mayntenaunce Treason abusyon . and pety brybry Vsurpacyon with horrybly vengeaunce Came alder laste of that company All these pety capteyns folowed by and by Shewyng theymselfe in the paleyse wyde And sayd they were redy that batayll to abyde Iolynesse set the comons in araye without the paleyse on a fayre felde But there was an oost for to make a fraye I crowe suche a nother neuer man behelde Many was the wepyn among hem that they welde what people they were that came to that dysporte I shall you declare of many a sondry sorte There were bosters hraghers and brybores Praters fasers strechers and wrythers Shamefull shakerles soleyn shaueldores Oppressours of people and myghty crakers Mayntenours of quarelles horryble lyers Theues traytours with false heretykes Charmers sorcerers and many scysmatykes Preuy symonyakes with false vsurers Multyplyers coyn wasshers and clyppers wronge vsurpers with grete extorcyoners Bacbyters glosers and fayre flaterers Malycyous murmurers with grete claterers Tregetours triphelers feyners of tales Lastyuous lurdeyns and pykers of males Rowners vagaboundys forgers and lesynges Robbers reuers rauenouse ryfelers Choppers of chyrches fynders of tydynges Marrers of maters and monye makers Stalkers by nyght with euesdroppers Fyghters brawlers brekers of lofedayes Getters chyders causers of frayes Ty●yuylles tyrauntes with tormentoures Cursed apostatis relygyous dyssymulers Closshers carders with comon hasardoures Tyburne coloppys and pursekytters Pylary knyghtes double tollyng myllers Gay Ioly tapsters with hostelers of the stewes Hoores and bawdes that many bale brewes Bolde blasphemers with false ypocrytes Brothellers brokers abhomynable swerers Dryuelles dastardes dyspysers of ryghtes Homycydes poyseners and comon morderers Skoldes caytyffes comberouse clappers Ydolatres enchauntours with false renegates Sotyll ambydextres and sekers of debates Pseudo prophetes false sodemytes Quesmers of childern with fornycatours wetewoldis that suffre synne in her syghtes Auouterers and abhomynable auauntours Of synne gret clappers & makers of clamours Vnthrystes & vnlustes came also to that game with luskes & loselles that myght not thryue for sha me These were the comons came thyder that day Redy bowne in batayll Vertue to abyde Apollo theym beholdyng began for to say To the goddis & goddesses beyng there the tyde Me semeth conuenyent an herowde to ryde To Vertue & byd him to batayll make him bone Hymselfe to defende forsothe hit shall be sone And let hym not be sodeyuly take All dyspurueyde or than he beware For than sholde our dyshonour awake If he were cowardly take in a snare Be quod Vyce for that haue I noo care I wyll auauntage take where I may That heryng Morpleus pryuely stale away And went to warne Vertue of all this afray And bad hym awake & make hymselfe strong For he was lyke to endure that day A grete mortall shoure er hit were euesong with Vyce wherfore he bade hym not long Tary to sende after more socour If he dede hit sholde tourne hym to dolour And brefely the mater to hym he declared Lyke as ye haue herde begynnyng and ende well quod Vertue he shall not be spared To the felde I wyll wende how it wende But gramercy Morpleus myn owne dere frend● Of your trewe herte & feythfull entent That ye in this mater to me warde haue ment This done Morpleus departed away Fro Vertue to the paleys retournyng agayn None hym aspyed that I dar well say In whiche tyme Vertue dyde his besy payn People to reyse his quarell to mentayn ymagynacyon was his messengere He went to warne people bothe fer & nere And bad hem come in all the haste they myght For to strengthe Vertue for without fayll He sayd he sholde haue longe or it were nyght with Vyce to do a myghty strong batayll Of vngracyous gastes he bryngeth a long tayll wherfore it behoueth to helpe at this nede And after this shall Vertue rewarde your mede whan ymagyuacyon had gone his cyrcuyte To Vertues frendys thus all aboute within shorte tyme many men of myghte Gadered to Vertue in all that they moute They hym comforted & bad hym put no doute His vtter enmy Vyce to ouerthrowe Though he with him brought neuer so gret arowe And whan Vertue see the sustaunce of his oost He prayed all the comons to the felde hem hy with her pety capteyns both leste and moost And with his capteynes sholde folow redely For he sayd he knew well that Vyce was full ny And who myght fyrst of the felde recouer the centre wolde kepe out that other he shold not easely entre Than sent he forth baptyme to the felde before And prayed hym hertely hit to ouerse That nomaner trayne nor caltrop therin wore To noy nor hurt hym nor his meyne And whan he thyder came he began to se How Vyce his purseuaunt cryme orygynall was entred before and had seased vp all But as soone as herof baptyme had a syght He fled fast away & left the felde allone And anone Baptyme entred with his myght Serchyng al about where this cryme had gone But the felde was clene defaute fonde he none Than came Vertue after with his grete oost And his myghty capytayns both lest & moost But to enforme you how he thyder cam And what maner capiteyns he to the feld brought Hymselfe sekerly was the fyrst man Of all his grete boost the thyderwarde sought Syttyng in a chare that rychely was wrought with golde and peerles & gemmes precyous Crowned with laurer as lord vyctoryous Foure doubty knyghtes about the chare went At euery corner one hit for to gyde And conuey accordyng to Vertue his entent At the fyrst corner was ryghtwysnesse that tyde Prudence at the seconde was set to abyde At the thryd strength the fourth kept temperaunce These the chare gyded to Vertue his pleasaunce Next to the chare seuen capteyns there roode Echone after other in ordre by and by Humylyte was the fyrst a lambe he bestroode with contenaunce demure he rood full soberly A fawcon gentyll stood on his helme on hy And next after hym came there charyte Rydyng on a tygre as fyll to his degre Roody as a roose ay he kept his chere On his helme on hyghe a pellycan he bare Next whom cam pacyence that no where hath no pere On a camell rydyng as voyde of all care A fenix on his helm stood so forth gan he fare who next hym folowed but lyberalyte Syttyng on a dromedary that was both good & fre On his helme for his crest he bare on ospray And next after hym folowed abstynence Rydyng on an herte was trapure and gay He semed a lorde of ryght grete excellence A popyniay was his crest he was of gret dyffence Next hym folowed chastyte on an vnycorne Armed at all poyntes behynde and beforne A tortyldoue he bare on hyghe for his crest Than came good besynesse last of tho seuen Rydyng on a panter a sondry coloured best Gloryously beseen as he had come from heuen A crane on his hede stood his crest for to steuen All these . vii . capteyns had standardis of pryce Eche of hem accordyng after his deuyse Many pety capteyns after these went As trew feyth and hope mercy pease & pyte Ryght trouth mekenesse with good entent Goodnes concorde and parfyte vnyte Honest trewe loue with symplycyte Prayer fastyng preuy almysdede Ioyned with the artycles of the crede Confessyon contrycyon and satysfaccyon with sorow for synne and grete repentaunce Foryeuenesse of trespas with good dysposycyon Resystence of wrong performyng of penaunce Holy deuocyon with good contynuaunce Preesthode theym folowed with the sacvamētis And sadnesse also with the commaundementis Suffraunce in trouble with Innocensy Clennesse contynence and virgynyte Kyndenesse reuerence with curtesy Contente & pleased with pyteous pouerte Entendyng well mynystryng equyte Twene ryght & wrong hole Indyfferency And laboryng the seruyce of god to multyply Refuse of rychesse & worldly vaynglory Perfeccyon with parfyte contemplacyon Relygyon professyon well kept in memory Verrey drede of god with holy predycacyon Celestyall sapyence with goostly Inspyracyon Grace was the guyde of all this gret meyny whome folowed konnyng with his genealogy That is to say Gramer and Sophystry Phylosophy naturall Logyke & Rethoryke Arsmetryke Geometry with Astronomye Canon and Cyuyle melodyous Musyke Nobell Theologye and corporall Physyke Moralyzacyon of holy scrypture Profounde Poetry and drawyng of pycture These folowed konnyng & thyder with him cam with many one moo offryng her seruyce To Vertu at the nede but notwithstondyng than Some he refused and sayd in nowyse They sholde with hym go & as I coude auyse These were her names fyrst Nygromancy Geomansy Magyke and Glotony Adryomancy Ornomancy with Pyromancy Fysenomy also and Pawmestry And all her sequelys yf I shall not ly Yet konnyng prayed Vertue he wold not deny Theym for to know nor dysdayne with his ey On hem to loke wherto Vertue graunted How be it in his werres he wold not they haunted Soo had they konnyng lyghtly to departe From Vertue his felde and they seyng this By comon assent hyred theym a carte And made hem be caryed towarde Vyce I I wys Fro thens forthe to serue him they wold not mys Full lothe they were to be maysterles In stede of the better the worse there they ches But forth to relese all the remenaunt Of pety capteyns that with Vertue were Moderate dyete and wysdome auenaunt Euen wyght & mesure ware of contagyous gere Lothe to offende and louyng ay to lere worshyp and profyt with myrthe in manere These pety captayns with Vertue were in fere Comons hem folowed a grete multytude But in come pyson to that other syde I trow there was not brefely to conclude The .x. man that batayll to abyde yet neuerthelesse I shall not fro you hyde what maner people they were & of what secte As nere as my wyt therto wyll me dyrecte There were notable and famous doctours Example yeuers of lyuyng gracyous Perpetuell prestes and dyscrete confessours Of holy scrypture declarers fructuous Rebukers of synne & myschyues odyous Fysshers of soules & louers of clennes Dyspysers of vayne and worldly ryches Peasyble prelates Iustycyall gouernours Founders of chirches with mercyfull peeres Roformers of wrong of her progenytours On paynfull poore pyteous compassyoneres well menyng merchaūces with trew artifyceres Virgyns pure and also Innocentes Holy matrones with chaste contynentes Pylgryms & palmers with trew laborers Holy heremytes goddys solycytours Monasteryall monkes & well dysposed freres Chanons and nonnes teythfull professours Of worldly people trewe coniugatours Louers of cryste confounders of yll And all that to godwarde yeue her good wyll Mayntenours of ryght verrey penytentis Dystroyers of errour causers of vnyte Trew actyfe lyuers that set her ententis The dedes to performe of mercy and pyte Contemplatyfe people that desyre to be Solytary seruauntes vnto god allone Rather than to habounde in rychesses euerychone These with many mo than I reherse can were come thyder redy that batayll to abyde And take suche parte as fyll to Vertue than Vyce to ouercome they hoped for all his pryde All though that he had more people on his syde For the men that Vertue had were full sure To trust on at nede & konnyng in armure Macrocosme was the name of the felde where this grete batayll was set for to be In the myddes therof stode conscyence & behelde whiche of hem sholde be brought to captyuyte Of that noble tryumphe Iuge wolde he be Synderesys sate him within closed as in a parke with his tables in his honde her dedes to marke To come in to the felde were hygh wayes fyue Free to both partyes large brood and wyde Vertu wold not tary but hyghed him thyder blyue Leste he were by vyce deceyued at that tyde Longe out of the felde lothe he was to abyde In auenture that he out of hit were not kept For than wolde he haue thought he had to long slept In this mene tyme whyle Vertu thus prouyded For hym & his people the felde for to wynne He charged euery man by grace to be guyded And all that euer myght the felde to entre ynne In all that season wente orygynall synne To lete Vyce know how baptym with his oost Had entred Macrocosme & serched euery coost A sayd vyce than I see well hit is tyme Baners to dysplay & standardes to auaunce All moost to longe haddest thou taryed cryme To let vs haue knowlege of this purueaunce yet I trow I shall lerne hem a new daunce where fore I commaunde you all without delay Toward the felde draw in all the hast ye may Than sayd the god Pluto that all men myght here Vyce I the charge as thou wylt eschew Our heuyous Indygnacyon thou draw not arere But put the forth boldly to ouerthrow Vertew In feyth quoth Attropos & I shall after sew For yf he escape your hondys this day I tell you my seruyce haue lost for ay Forth than rode Vyce with all his hole strength On his stede serpentyne as I tolde you before The oost that hym folowed was of a gret length Among whom were penouns & gnytors many a score But as he went thedward I shall tell you more Of his pety captayns he made many a knynht For they shold not fle but manly with him fyght He doubled falshode with dyssymulacyon Symony vsure wrong and rybawdy Malyce deceyte lye without extorcyon Periury dyffydence and apostasy with boldnesse in yll to bere hem company These .xiiii. knyngtes made Vyce that day To wynne theyr spores they sayd they wold asay In lyke wyse Vertue doubled on his syde Of his pety capteyns other fourtene whiche made her auowe with hym to abyde Her spores wold they wynne that day it shold be sene These were her names yf it be as I wene Feythe hope and mercy trouthe & also ryght with resystence of wrong a full hardy wyght Confessyon contrycyon with satysfaccyon Verrey drede of god performyng of penaunce Perfeccyon konnyng and good dysposycyon And all knyt to Vertue they were by allyaunce wherfore to hym they made assuraunce That felde to kepe as longe as they myght And in his quarell agayne Vyce to fyght The lord of Macrocosme and rewler of that fee was called frewyll chaunger of the chaunse To whome Vertue sent embassatours three Reson dyscresyon & good remēbraūse And prayed him be fauorable his honoure to enhaunse For but he had his fauour at that poynt of nede He stood in gret doute he coude not lightly spede In lyke wyse Vyce embassatours thre For his party vnto Frewyll sent Temptacyon foly and sensualyte Prayng hym of fauour that he wolde assent To hym as he wolde at his commaundement Haue hym eftsones whan he lyst to call On hym for ony thyng that afterward myght fall Answere yaue he none to neyther party Saue oonly he sayd the batayll wolde he se To wete whiche of hem shold haue the vyctory Hit hyng in his balaunce the ambyguyte He sayd he wolde not restrayne his lyberte whan he come where sorow sholde awake Than it shold be know what part he wyll take whan Vertu & Vyce be her ambassatours Knew of this answere they stood in gret doute Neutheles they sayd they wold endure tho shours And make an ende shortly of that they went aboute Soo forth came Vyce with all his grete route Er he came at the felde he sent yet pryuely Sensualyte before in maner of a spy whiche sewe the felde with his vnkynde seede That caused Vertue after mykyll woo to feele For therof grewe nought but all oonly weede whiche made the grounde as sleper as an yele He went ayene to Vyce & tolde hym euery dele How he had done and bad hym come away For he had so purueyde that Vyce shold haue the day Soo as hit happed at the felde they mete Frewyll Vertue and Vyce as trypartyte Saaf Vertue a lytyll before the felde had gete And ellis his auauntage forsoth had be full lyght Not for then encombred so was neuer wyght As Vertu & his men were with the ranke wede That in the felde grew of sensualytees sede But as soone as Vyce of Vertue had a syght He gan swage gonnes as he had be wode That heryng Vertue commaunded euery wyght To pauyse hym vnder the sygne of the rode And bad hem not drede . but kepe styll where they stode It was but a shour shold soone confounde wherfore he commaunded theym stande & kepe her grounde And whan Vyce cam nerer to the felde He called sore for bowes & bad hem shote fast But Vertu & his meyny bare of with the shelde Of the blessyd Trynyte ay tyll shot was past And whan shot was done Vyce cam forth at last Purposyng the felde with assaute to wyn But vertu kept it long he myght not enter theryn All that tyme Frewyll stood & hym bethought To whiche he myght leue & what part he wold take At last sensualyte had him so fer brought That he sayd playnly he dtu wold forsake And in Vyce his quarell all his power make Iwys quoth reason that is not for the beste Nota Noforse sayd frewyll I wyll do as my lyste Vertue was full heuy when he see frewyll Take part with Vyce but yet neuerthelesse He dyde that he myght the felde to kepe styll Tyll Vyce with frewyll so sore gan him oppresse That he was constrayned clerely by duresse A lytyll tyne abacke to make abew retret All thyng consydered hit was the best feet Fyrst to remembre how Vyces parte was Ten ayene one strenger by lyklynesse And than how frewyll was with hym alas whoo coude deme Vertue but in heuynesse Moreouer to thynke how that slyper grasse That of sensualyte his vnkynde seede grew Vnder foote in standyng encombred Vertew yet notwithstondyng Vertue his men all Nobelly theym bare and faught myghtyly How be it that sleper grasse made many of hem fall And from thense in maner departe sodeynly That seyng Vyce his oost began to shout & cry And sayd on in Pluto name on & all is oure For this daye shall Vyce be made a conqueroure Thus Vertu was by myght of Vyce & Frewyll Dreuen out of the felde it was the more pyte How be hit yet Baptyme kept his grounde styll And with hym abode feythe hope & vnyte And konnyng also with comons a gret meyne Confessyon contrycyon were redy at her honde And satysfaccyon Vyce to withstonde But all the tyme whyle Vertue was away A myghty conflycte kept they with Vyce his route And yet neuerthelesse for all that grete affray Hope stood vp ryght & feythe wolde neuerloute And euermore sayd Baptym syres put no doute Vertue shall retourne & haue his entente This felde shall be our & elles let me be shent de And whyle these pety capteyns susteyned thus the fel with Vertu his reward came good ꝑseueraunce An hogy myghty hoost & whan he behelde How Vertu hym withdrew he toke dysplesaunce And whan he to him cam he said ye shal your chaunce Take as it falleth wherfore retorne ye must Yet ones for your sake with Vyce shall I Iust Alas that euer ye sholde leese thus your honour And therwith also the hyghe perpetuell crowne whiche is for you kept in the celestyall tour wherfore be ye called Crystis champyone How is it that ye haue noo compassyone On baptyme feyth & hope konnyng & vnyte That stand so harde bestad & fyght as ye may see All the tresour erthely vnder the fyrmament That euer was made of goddys creacyon To reward theym euenly were not equyualent For her noble labour in his afflyccyon wherfore take vpon you your Iurisdyccyon Rescu yonder knyghtes & recontynu fyght And elles a dew your crowne for all your grete myght with these & suche wordes as I haue you tolde By good perseueraunce vttred in this wyse Vertue hym remembred & gan to wexe bolde And sayd yeue trew knyghtis to rescu I auyse Let vs no lenger tary from this entrepryse Agayn to the felde soo Vertue retourned That caused hem be mery that long afore had morned Auaunt baner qd he in the name of Ihesu And with that his people set vp a gret shoute And cryed with a loude voyce a Vertu a Vertu Then began Vyce his hoost for to loke aboute But I trow ꝑseueraunce was not long withoute He bathed his swerd in his foos blood The boldest of hem all not ones him withstood Constaunce hym folowed & brought him his spere But when ꝑseueraunce saw Vyce on his stede Noman coude hym let tyll he came there For to byd hym ryde I trow it was no nede All Vertu his oost prayed for his good spede Agayn Vyce he rode with his gret shaft And hym ouerthrew for all his sotyll craft That seyng Frewyll came to conscyence And gan hym to repente that he with hym had be Prayeng hym of counsell for his grete offence That he agayn Vertu had made his arme what was best to doo to humylyte Qd conscyence must thou go so he hym thyder sent Dysguysed that he were not knowen as he went And whan he thyder came humylyte hym toke A token & bad hym go to confessyon And shew hym his mater with a pyteous loke whiche done he hym sent to contrycyon And fro thensforthe to satysfaccyon Thus fro poost to pyler was he made to daunce And at the last he went forthe to penaunce But now for to tell you when vyce was outhrow A grete part of his oost about hym gan resorte But he was so febyll that he coude noman know And whan they see that they knew no comforte But caryed hym a way be a preuy porte And as they hym caryed dyspeyre with him met with Vyce his rewarde he cam theym for to fet Then came there downe goodly ladyes tweyn From the hyghe heuen aboue the fyrmament And sayd the gret Alpha & Oo moost souereyn For that nobell tryumphe had hem thyder sent One of hem to dryue Vyce to grete torment with a fyry strong that she bare in her hande And so he dede dyspere & all his hole bande The name of this lady was called Prestyence She neuer left Vyce ne none that wolde him folow Tyll they were commytted by the dyuyne sentence All to payne perpetuell & Infynyte sorow Rightwysnes went to se that noman shold hem borow Thus all entreted sharpely were they tyll Cerberus Had hem beshut within his gates tenebrus And all the whyle the Prestyence with her scorge smert To rewarde Vyce gan her thus occupy with all his hole bende after her desert That other gloryous lady that cam fro heuen on hy Hauyng in her honde the palme of vyctory Came downe to Vertue & toke hym to the present Sayeng thus that Alpha & Oo hath hym sent And as ferre as I a ryght coude vnderstonde That ladyes name was Predestynacyon Vertue & his hoost she blessyd with her honde And in heuen graunted hem habytacyon where to eche of hem reserued was a crown She sayd in token that they enherytours Of the glory were & gracyous conquerours whiche done the ladyes ayene togyder met And towarde heuen vp they gan to sty Embraced in armes as they had be knet Togyder with a gyrdell but soo sodeynly As they were vanysshed saw I neuer thyng with ey And anone Vertue with all his company Knelyd downe & thanked god of that vyctory Yet had I foryete when Vyce was ouerthrowe To haue tolde you how many of Vyce his oost Gan to seke pease & darked downe full lowe And besought mercy what so euer hit cost To be her mene to Vertu ellis they were but lost And some in lyke wyse to feyth & hope sought what to do for pease they sayd they ne rought Some also to baptyme sewed to be her mene Som to one som to other as they hem gete myght But all to confessyon went to make hem clene And as they cam to conscyence he theym bad go lyght Er than olde Attropos of hem had a syght For yf he so theym toke lost they were for euer He sayd Vyce to forsake is better late than neuer Some eke for socour drew to cyrcumcysyon But by hym coude they gete but small fauour For he in that company was had but in derysyon Neuerthelesse to feyth he bad hem go labour Prayeng theym for olde acqueyntance theym socour well qd feth for his sake I shall do that I may do But fyrst for the best way baptyme go ye to For by hym soonest shall ye recouer grace whiche shall to Vertue bryng you by processe wherfore in ony wyse loke ye make good face And let noman know of your heuynesse So they were by baptym brought out of dystresse Tourned all to Vertue & when this was done Vertue commaunded Frewyll before hym come To whom thus he sayd I haue grete meruayll ye durst be so bolde Vyces parte to take who bad you do so & yaue you that counsayle Iustly vnto that ye shall me preuy make Then sayd Frewyll & swemfully spake Knelyng on his knee with a chere benygne I pray you syr let pyte your e●res to me enclyne And I shall you tell the verrey sothe of all How it was & who made me that waye drawe Forsothe Sensualyte his ꝓpre name they call A sayd reason then I knowe well that felawe wylde he is & wanton of me stant him none awe Is he so qd Vertue well he shall be taught As a player sholde to drawe a nother draught And with that came sadnesse with his sobre chere Bryngyng sensualyte beyng full of thought And sayd that he had take hym prysonere A welcome sayd Vertue now haue I that I sought Blessyd be that good lord as thou wolde is it nought why art thou so wanton & wylde he sayd for shame Er thou go at large thou shalt be made more tame worde But stande a part a whyle tyll I haue spoke a with Frewyll a lytyll & then shalt thou know what shal be thy fynaunce & then he sayd in borde Vnto Frewyll the ben of your bowe Begynneth to slake but suche as ye haue sowe Must ye nedes repe there is none other way Not withstondyng that let se what ye can say what is your habylyte me to recompense For the grete harme that ye to me haue do Forsothe sayd Frewyll in open audyence But oonly Macrocosme more haue I not lo Take that yf it please you I wyll that hit be so If I may vnderstande ye be my good lorde In dede sayd Vertue to that wyll I acorde Then made Vertue Reason his lyeftenaunt And yaue him a gret charge Macrocosme to kepe That done Sensualyte yelde hym recreaunt And began for to angre bytterly to wepe For he demed surely his sorow shold not slepe Then made Vertue Frewyll bayll vnd Reason The felde for to occupy to his behoue the season And then sayd Vertue to Sensualyte Thou shalt be rewarded for thy besynesse Vnder this fourme all fragylyte Shalt thou forsake bothe more & lesse And vnd the guydyng shalt thou be of sadnesse All though hit somwhat be agayn thy hert Thy Iugement is yeuen thou shalt it not astert And euen with that came in dame Nature Sayeng thus to Vertue syr ye do me wrong By duresse & constraynt to put this creature Gentyll Sensualyte that hath me serued long Clerely from his lyberte & set hym among Theym that loue hym not to be her vndlowte As it were a cast awaye or a shoo clowte And parde ye know well a rewle haue I must within Macrocosme forsoth I saye not nay Qd Vertu but sensualyte shall not perform your lust Lyke as he hath do before this yf I may Therfro hym restrayn sadnesse shall assay How be it ye shall haue your hole lyberte within Macrocosme as ye haue had fre And whan Vertue had to Nature sayd thus A lytyll tyne his ey castyng hym besyde He see in a corner standyng Morpleus That hym before warned of the verryly tyde A syres sayd Vertue yet we must abyde Here is a frende of oure may not be foryete After his deserte we shall hym entreate Morpleus sayd Vertue I thanke you hertely For your trewe herte & your grete laboure That ye lyst to come to me soo redely when ye vnderstood the comyng of the shoure I thanke god & you of sauyng of myn honour whefore this preuylege now to you I graunt That within Macrocosme ye shall haue youre haunt And of fyue posternes the keyes shall ye kepe Lettyng in & out at hem whome ye lyst As long as in Macrocosme your fad wyll crepe Blere whos ey ye wyll hardly with your myst And kepe your werkes close there as in a chyst Saaf I wolde desyre you spare Pollucyon For no thyng may me plese that souneth to corrupcyon And whan he had thus sayd the keyes he him toke And toward his castell with his peopell went Byddyng reason take good hede & about loke That sensualyte by Nature were not shent Kepe hym short he sayd tyll his lust be spent For better were a chylde to be vnbore Than let hym haue the wyll & for euer be lore And whan olde Attropos had seen & herde al this How Vertue had opteyned astonyed as he stood He sayd to hymselfe somwhat there is amys I trow well my patent be not all good And ran to the paleys as he had be wood Sayeng to the goddys I see ye do but iape After a worthy whew haue ye made me gape How a deuyll way sholde I Vertue ouerthrow when he dredeth not all your hole route How can ye make good your patent wold I know Hit is to Impossyble to bryng that aboute For stryke hym may I not that is out of doute A good Attropos sayd god Apollo An answere conuenyent shalt thou haue herto The wordes of thy patent dare I well say Stretche to no ferther but were dame Nature Hath Iurysdiccyon there to haue thy way Nota And largesse to stryke as longeth to thy cure And as for Vertue he is no creature Vnder the predycament conteyned of quantyte wherfore his destruccyon longeth not to the A ha sayd Attropos then I see well That all ye goddys be but counterfete For oo God there is that can euerydell Tourne as hym lyst bothe drye & whete In to whoos seruyce I shall assay to gete And yf I may ones to his seruyce come youre names shall be put to oblyuyone Thus went Attropos fro the paleys wrooth But in the mene tyme whyle that he there was Glydyng by the paleys resydyuacyon gooth Towarde Macrocosme with a peynted fase Clad lyke a pylgryme walkyng a grete pase In the forme as he had ben a man of ynde He wende haue made reson & sadnesse both blynde With sensualyte was he soone aqueynted To whome he declared his mater pryuely yet he was espyed for all his face peynted Then reson hy commaunded pyke him thens lightly For his ease qd sadnesse so counseyll hym wyll I Soo was sensualyte ay kepte vnder foote That to resydyuacyon myght he doo no boote Then went he to Nature & asked her auyse His entent to opteyne what was best to doo She sayd euer syth Vertu of Vyce wan the pryse Reason with sadnesse hath rewled the felde soo That I & sensualyte may lytyll for the doo For I may noo more but oonly kepe my cours And yet is sensualyte strenger kept & wours Thus heryng resydiuacōn fro thens he went ageyn Full of thought & sorow that he myght not spede Than reson & sadnesse toke wedehokes tweyn And all wylde wantones out of the felde gan wede With all the slyper grasse that grewe of the sede That sensualyte before therin sew And fro thens forth kept it clene for Vertew Than began new grasse in the felde to spryng All vnlyke that other of colour fayr & bryght But then I aspyed a meruelous thyng For the grounde of the felde gan wex hore & whyte I coude not conceyue how that be myght Tyll I was enformed & taught it to know But where Vertue occupyeth muste nedes well grow yet in the mene tyme while the felde thus grew And reson with sadnesse therof had gouernaunce Many a preuy messenger thyder sent Vertew To know yf it were guyded to his plesaunce Now prayer eft fastyng & often tyme penaunce And whan he myght goo pryuely almesdede And bad him to his power helpe where he se nede whyle the felde thus rewled reson with sadnesse Maugre dame Nature for al her carnall myght Nota Came thyder Attropos voyde of all gladnesse wrapped in his shete & axed yf ony wyght Coude wysshe hym the wey to the lord of lyght Or ellis where men myght fynde ryghwysnesse Forsothe sayd reasan I trow as I gesse At Vertue his castell ye may soone hym fynde If ye lyst the labour thyder to take And there shall ye knowe yf ye be not blynde The next wey to the lord of lyght I vndertake So thyder went Attropos petycyon to make To ryghtwysnesse prayeng that he myght Be take in to the seruyce of the lorde of lyght what sayd ryghtwysnesse thou olde dotyng foole whome hast thou serued syth the worlde began But oonly hym where hast thou go to scoole whether art thou double or elles the same man That thou were fyrst a syr sayd he than I praye you hertely holde me excused I am olde & febell my wyttes are dysused well sayd ryghtwysnes for as moche as thow knowest not thy mayst thy name shal I chaunge Dethe shalt thou be called from hens forward now Among all the people that shall be had straunge But whan thou begynnest to make thy chalaunge Dredde shalt thou be where so thou become And to noo creature shalt thou be welcome And as for theym whome thou dedest serue For as moche as they presume on hem to take That hygh name of god they shall as they deserue Therfore be rewarded I dare vndtake with payn perpetuell among fendes blake And her names shall be put to oblyuyon Among men but it be in derysyon A ha sayd Attropos now begynne I wex glad That I shall thus auenged of hem be Syth they so long tyme haue made me so mad yee qd ryghtwysnesse here what I say to the The lorde of lyght sent the worde by me That in Macrocosine sesyne shalt thou take wherfore thy darte redy loke thou make And as soone as Vertue that vnderstood He sayd he was pleased that it sholde soo be And euen forthwith he commaunded preesthood To make hym redy the felde for to se So thyder went preesthode with benygnyte Conueyentg thyder the blessyd sacrament Of Eukaryst but fyrst were thyder sent Confessyon contrycyon and satysfaccyon Nota Sorow for synne and grete repentaunce Holy deuocyon with good dysposycyon All these thyder came and also penaunce As her dewte was to make purueaunce Agayn the comyng of that blessyd lorde Feyth hope & charyte therto were acorde Reason with sadnesse dyde his dylygence To clense the felde within and without And whan they se the bodely presence Of that holy Eukaryst lowly gan they lout So was that lorde receyued out of dout with all humble chere debonayre & benygne Lykly to his pleasure it was a grete sygne Then came to the felde the mynyster fynall Called holy vnccyon with a crysmatory The fyue hye wayes in especyall Therof he anoynted & made hit sanctuary whome tolowed deth whiche wolde not cary His feruent power there to put in vre As he was commaunded grauntyng dame Nature Nota He toke his darte called his mortall launce And bent his stroke towarde the feldes herte That seyng preesthode bad good remenbraunce Towarde the felde tourne hym & aduerte For except hym all vertues thense must sterte And euen with that dethe there sesyne toke And then all the company clerely hit forsoke And as soone as dethe thus had sesyne take The colour of the felde was chaunged sodeynly The grasse therin seere as though it had be bake And the fyue hygh wayes were mured vpon hy That fro thensforward none entre shold therby The posternes were also without lette Bothe inwarde & outwarde fyne fast shette whiche done sodeynly deth vanysshed away And Vertu exalted was aboue the fyrmament where he coke the crowne of glory that is ay Preparate by Alpha & oo omnypotent The swete frute of macrocosme thyder with hem went And on all this mater as I stood musyng thus Agayn fro the felde to me came Morpleus Sayeng thus what chere how lyketh that this fyght Haste thou seen ynough or wyll thou see more Nay syr I sayd my trouthe I you plyght This is suffycyente yf I knew wherfore This was to me shewed for theroft he lore Coueyte I to haue yf I gete myght Folow me quod he and haue thy delyght Soo I hym folowed tyll he had me brought To a foresquare herber walled round aboute Loo qd Morpleus here mayst thou that thou sought Fynde yf thou wyll I put the out of doute A lytyll whyle we stood ●●yll there withoute Tyll wytte chyef porter of that herber gate Requyred by stodye lete vs in there ate But whan I came in I meruayled gretly Of that I behelde & herde there reporte For fyrst in a chayre apparaylled royally There sate dam doctryne her childern to exorte And about her was many a sondry sorte Some wyllyng to lerne dyuerse scyence And some for to haue perfyte intellygence Crowned she was lyke an Emperesse with .iii. crownes standyng on her hede on hy All thyng about her an Infynyte processe were to declare I tell you certaynly Neuerthelesse some in mynde therof haue I whiche I shall to you as god wyll yeue me grace As I sawe & herde tell in short space Fast by Doctryne on that one syde As I remembre sate holy Texte That opened his mouthe to the people wyde But not in comparyson to Glose that sate nexte Moralyzacyon with a cloke contexte Sate & Scrypture was scrybe to theym all He sate ay wrytyng of that that sholde fall These were tho that I there knewe By no maner waye of olde acqueyntaunce But as I before saw theym with Vertewe Company in felde & hauyng dalyaunce And as I thus stood halfe in a traunce whyle they were occupyed in her besynesse Aboute the walles myn ey gan I dresse where I behelde the meruaylous story That euer I yet sawe in ony pycture For on tho walles was made memory Syngulerly of euery creature That there had byn bothe forme & stature whoos names reherse I wyll as I can Bryng theym to mynde in ordre euery man Fyrst to begynne there was in portrature Adam & Eue holdyng an appell rounde Noe in a shyp & Abraham hauyng sure A flyntstone in his honde & Isaac lay bounde On an hyghe mounte Iacob slepyng sounde And a long ladder stood hym besyde Ioseph in a Cysterne was also there that tyde Next whom stood Moyses with his tables two Aaron & Vrre his armes supportyng Ely in a brennyng chare was there also And Elyze stood clad in an hermytis clothyng Dauyd with an harpe & a stone slyng Isaye Ieremy and Ezechyell And closed with lyons holy Danyell Abacuc Mychee with Malachy And Ionas out of a whales body comyng Samuell in a Temple & holy zachary Besyde an aulter all blody standyng Ozee with Iudyth stood there conspyryng The dethe of Oloferne & Salamon also A childe with his swerde dyuydyng in two Many moo ꝓphetis certaynly there were whoos names now come not to my mynde Melchysedech also aspyed I there Brede & wyne offryng as fyll to his kynde Ioachym and Anna stood all behynde Embraced in armes to the golden gate And holy Iohan baptyst in a desert sate And now cometh to my remembraunce I am auysed I sawe Sodechy And Amos also with sobre countenaunce Standyng with her faces towarde Sophony Neemye & Esdras bare hem company The holy man Iob as an Impotent Then folowed in pycture with Thoby pacyent These with many moo on that one syde Of that grene herber portrayed were A sayd Morpleus a lytyll tyme abyde Tourne thy face where thy backe was ere And beholde well what thou seest there Than I me tourned as he me badde with hert stedfast & countenaunce sadde where I saw Peter with his keyes stonde Poule with a swerde Iames also with a scalop & Thomas holdyng in his honde A spere & Phylyp aproched hym to Iames the lesse next hem in pycture lo Stood with Barthylmew which was all flayn Symon & Thadee shewed how they were flayn Mathy & Barnabe drawyng lottys stode Next whome was Marke a lyon hym by His book holdyng & Mathew in his mode Resemblyd an Angell with wynges gloryously Luke had a calfe to holde his book on hy And Iohan with a cuppe & palme in his honde An Egle bare his book thus saw I hem stonde Gregory & Ierome Austyne & Ambrose with pylyons on her hedes stood lyke doctours Bernarde with Anselme and as I suppose Thomas of alquyne & Domynyk confessours Benet & Hew relygyous gouernours Martyne & Iohan with bysshoppes tweyne were there also & Crysostome certeyne Behynde all these was worshypfull Bede All behynde & next hym stood Orygene Hydyng his face as he of his dede Had hem a shamed ye woot what I mene For of errour was he not all clene And on that syde stood there last of all The noble prophetyssa Sybyll men her call Let me remembre now I you pray My barayne is soo thynne I deme in myn hert Some of the feleshyp that I there say In all this whyle haue I ouerstert A benedycyte none ere coude I aduert To thynke on Andrew the apostle with his crosse whome to forgete were a grete losse Many one moo were peynted on that walle whos names now come not to my remembraunce But these I marked in especyall And moo coude I tell in contynuaunce Of tyme but forthe to shewe you the substaunce Of this mater in the myddes of that herbere Sate Doctryne coloured as ony crystall clere Crowned as I tolde you late here before whoos apparayll was worthe tresour Infynyte All erthely rychesse counte I noo more To that in comparyson valewyng then a myte Ouer her hede honyd a culuer fayre & whyte Out of whoos byll proceded a grete leme Downewarde to Doctryne lyke a sonne beme The wordes of Doctryne yaue grete redolence In swetnes of sauour to her dyscyples all Hit ferre exceded myrre and frankensence Or ony other tree spyce or ellys gall And whan she me aspyed anone she gan me call And commaunded Morpleus that he shold bryng me nere For she wolde me shewe the effecte of my desyre She sayd I know the cause of thy comyng Is to vnderstonde be myn enformacyon Sensybly the mater of Morpleus his shewyng As he hath the ledde aboute in vysyon wherfore now I apply thy naturall reason Vnto my wordes & er thou hens wende Thou shalt hit know begynnyng and ende Fyrst where Colus to Pluto was brought By his owne neclygence taken prysonere within the erthe for he to ferre sought Sygnyfyed is nomore be that matere But oonly to shewe the how it dooth apere That welthe vnbrydeled dayly at thyne ey Encreaseth mysrewle and ofte causeth foly For lyke as Colus beyng at his large Streyted hymselfe thrugh his owne lewdenesse For he wolde deele where he had no charge Ryght soo wantons by her wyldenesse Ofte sythe bryng hymselfe in dystresse Be cause they somtyme to largely deele what may wors be suffred than ouermykell wee le By Mynos the Iuge of hell desperate May be vnderstonde goddys ryghtwysnes That to euery wyght his payne deputate Assygneth acordyng to his wyckednes wherfore he is called Iuge of cruelnes And as for Dyana & Neptunus compleynt Fygured may be fooles reason feynt For lyke as they made her suggestyon To haue me Colus from cours of his kynde whiche was Impossyble to bryng to correccyon For euermore his lyberte haue wyll the wynde In lyke wyse fooles otherwhyle be blynde wenyng to subdew with her one honde That is ouermykell for all an hole londe But what foloweth therof that shall thou here when they were come to the bankete The grete Apollo with his sad chere Soo fayre & curtously gan theym entrete That he made her beerdys on the new gete Loo what wysdome dooth to a foole wherfore are children put to scoole Ofte is it seen with sobre contenaunce That wyse men fooles ouercome ay Tornyng as hem lyst & all her varyaunce Chaunge from ernest in to mery play what were they bothe amendeth that day when they were dreuen to her wyttes ende were they not fayne to graunt to be his frende Ryght soo fooles when they haue done All that they can than he they fayne Gyue vp her mater to oblyuyone without rewarde they haue nomore brayne And yet full ofte hath hit be sayne when they it haue foryete & set at nought That they full dere haue afterwarde it bought And as for all tho that represent To be called goddys at that banket Resemble false ydollys but to this entent was Morpleus commaunded thyder the to fet That thou sholdest know the maner & the get Of the paynym lawe and of her byleue How false ydolatry ledeth hem by the sleue For soone vppon the worldys creacyon when Adam and Eue had broke the precept whiche clerkes call the tyme of deuyacyon The worldly people in paynym law slept Tyll moyses vnd god the tables of stone kept In whiche tyme Poetes feyned many a fable To dyscrete Reason ryght acceptable And to the entent that they sholde sounde To the ●eres of hem the more pleasantly That theym sholde rede or here they yaue theym a ground And addid names vnto theym naturally Of whom they spake & callid hem goddis hy Some for the strength & myght of her nature And some for her sotyll wytty coniecture By nature thus as the seuen planettes Haue her propre names by Astronomeres But goddys were they called by olde Poetes For her gret feruency of werkyng in her speres Experyence preueth this at all yeres And for as other that goddys called be For sotyll wytte that shall I teche the How they by that hyghe name of god cam In this sayd tyme the people was so rude That what maner creature man or woman Loude ony newelte contryue and conclude For the comon wele all the multytude Of the comon people a god sholde hym call Or a goddesse after hit was fall Of the same thyng that was so newe founde As Ceres for she the crafte of tythe fonde wherby more plentouously corne dyd habounde The people her called thrugh out euery londe Goddesse of corne wenyng in her honde Had layn all power of cornes habundaunce Thus were the Paynems deceyued by ignoraunce In lyke maner Isys was called the goddesse Of frute for she tyrst made it multyply By the name of gryffyng & soo by processe The name of Pan gan to deyfy For he fyrst founde the mene shepe to guy Some toke it also by her condycyon As Pluto Fortune and suche other doon Thus all that Poetes put vnder couerture Of fable the rurall people hit toke Properly as acte refusyng the fygure whiche errour some of hem neuer forsoke Ofte a false myrour deceyueth a mannes loke As thou mayst dayly pryue at thyne ey Thus were the paynyms deceyued generally That seyng the dedely enemy of mankynde By his power permyssyue entred the ymagys within the Temples to make the peple blynde In her ydolatry standyng on hyghe stagys In somoche whoo vsed daungerous passagys Ony maner way by water or be londe when hyd his sacryfyce his answere redy fonde Thus duryng the tyme of deuyacyon From Adam to Moyses was ydolatry Thorugh the worlde vsed in comon opynyon These were the goddys that thou there sy And as for the a wayters that stood hem by They polytyke Phylosophers & Poetes were whiche feyned the fables that I speke of here Then seased the tyme of deuyacyon when Moyses receyued that tables of stone Entryng the tyme of reuocacyon On the mounte of Synay stondyng allone God yaue hym myght ayene all his fone And then began the olde testament whiche to the people by Moyses was sent And that tyme dured the Incarnacyon Ot Cryste and then began it to sese For then came the tyme of reconcylyacyon Of man to god I tell the doutlese when the sone of man put hym in prese wylfully to suffre dethe for mankynde In holy scrypture this mayst thou fynde This Reconcylyacyon was the tyme of grace when founded was the chirche vpon the fayre stone And to holy Peter the keye delyuered was Of heuen then hell dyspoyled was anone Thus was mankynde delyuered from his font And then began the newe testament That the crysten people beleue in present whiche .iii. tymes a sondry dyuyded Mayst thou here see yf thou lyst beholde The fyrst behynde the in pycture in prouyded The seconde of the lyft honde shew ꝓphet olde The .iii. on the ryght honde here it is to y● tolde Thus hast thou in vysyon the verrey fygure Of these .iii. tymes here shewed in purtrayture That is to say fyrst of deuyacyon From Adam to Moyses recordyng scripture Seconde fro Moyses to the Incarnacyon Of Cryst kepeth reuocacyons cure And as for the thryd thou mayst be verrey sure wyll dure from thens to the worldes ende But now the .iiii. must thou haue in mynde whiche is callid ꝓperly the tyme of pylgremage After some & some named it otherwyse And call hit the tyme of daungerous passage And some tyme of werre that fully hit dyspyse But what so it be named I wyll the auyse Remembre it well and prynte it in thy mynde wherof the fygure mayst thou me behynde And elles remembre thyselfe in thyne herte How Vyce & Vertue dayly theym occupy In maner one of hem hym to peruerte Another to bryng hym to endeles glory Thus they contynue fyght for the vyctory Hit is no nede herof to tell the more For in this short vysyon thou hast seen it before And as for Attropos greuous compleynt Vnto the goddys betokeneth noo more But oonly to shew the how frendely constreynt On a stedfast herte weyeth full sore Good wyll requyreth good wyll ayene therfore Dyscorde to Dethe hathe ay byn a frende For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende wherfore Dethe thought he wolde auenged be On his frendes quarell yf that he myghte For her gret vnkyndnesse in somoche as she was among hem all had so in despyte And at that banket made of soo lyte whiche caused hym among hem to cast in a bone That founde theym gnawyng ynough euerychone Thus ofte is seen oo frende for a nother wyll say & doo and some tyme maters feyne And also kynnysmen a cosyne or a brother wyll for his aly er he haue cause compleyne And where that he loueth doo his besy peyne His frendes mater as his owne to take whiche oft sythe causeth mochyll sorow awake Be hit ryght or wrong he chargeth not a myte As towarde that poynt he taketh lytyll hede So that he may haue his frowarde appetyte Performed he careth not how his soule spede Nota Of God or Deuyll haue suche lytyll drede How be it one there is that lord is of all whiche to euery wyght at last rewarde shall And as for the batayl betwene Vyce & Vertu holde Soo playnly appereth to the inwardly To make exposycyon therof new or olde were but superfluyte there fore refuse hit I In man shall thou fynde that werre kept dayly Lyke as thou hast seen it fowtyne before thy face The pycture me behynd sheweth it in lytyll space And as for Macrocosme it is nomore to say But the lesse worlde to the comon entent whiche applyed is to man both nyght & day Soo is man the felde to whiche all were sent On bothe partyes & they that thyder went Sygnyfye nomore but after the condycyon Of euery manes opynyon And as for the noble knyght Perseueraunce whiche gate the felde when it was almost gone Betokeneth nomere but the contynuaunce Of vertuous lyuyng tyll dethe hath ouergone who soo wyll doo rewarded is anone As Vertue was with the crowne on hy whiche is noo more but euerlastyng glory And as for Prestyence & Predestynacyon That eche of hem rewarded after his desert Is to vnderstonde nomore but dampnacyon To vycyous people is the verrey scourge smert Rewarde for they fro Vertue wolde peruert And endelesse Ioye is to hem that be electe Rewarded & to all that folow the same secte And as for the keyes of the posternes fyue whiche were to Morpleus rewarded for his labour Sygnyfye not elles but whyle man is on lyue His fyue inwarde wyttes shall be euery hour In his slepe occupyed in hele & in langour with fantasyes tryfels Illusyons & dremes whiche Poetes call Morpleus stremes And as for Resydyuacyon is nomore to say But after Confessyon tornyng ayene to synne whiche to euery man retorneth sanuz delay To vycyous lyuyng agayn hym to wynne whyle ony man lyueth wyll it neuer blynne That cursed conclusyon for to bryng aboute But Reason with Sadnes kepe it styll oute Here hast thou properly the verrey sentence Herde now declared of this vysyon The pycture also yeueth clere intellygence Therof beholden with good dyscresyon Loke well aboute and take consyderasyon As I haue declared whether hit soo be A syr quoth Morpleus what tolde I the Hast thou not now thyne hertes desyre Loke on you wall yonder before And all that tyme stood I in a wyre whiche way fyrst myn hert wolde yeue more To loke in a stody stood I therfore Neuerthelesse at last as Morpleus me badde I loked forwarde with contenaunce sadde where I behelde in portrayture The maner of the felde euen as it was Shewed me before & euery creature On bothe sydes beyng drawyng in small space Soo curyously in soo lytyll a compace In all this worlde was neuer thyng wrought Hit were Impossyble in erthe to be thought And when I had long beholde that pycture what qd Morpleus how longe shalte thou loke Daryng as a dastard on you portrayture Come of for shame thy wytte stante a croke I heryng that myn herte to me toke Towarde the fourthe wall tornyng my vysage where I sawe Poetes & Phylosophers sage Many one moo than at the banket Scrued the goddes as I layde before Som were made standyng & som in chayris set Som lokyng on bokis as they had stodyed sore Som drawyng almenakis & in her hondis bore Astyrlabes takyng the altytude of the sonne Among whome Dyogenes sate in a tonne And as I was lokyng on that fourthe wall Of Dyogenes beholdyng the ymage Sodeynly Doctryne began me to call And bad me tourne towarde hyr my vysage And soo then I dyde with humble corage what thynkest thou she sayd hast thou not th entent yet of these foure walles what they represent The pycture on the fyrst that standeth at my bake Sheweth the the present tyme of pylgremage Of whiche before I vnto the spake whiche is the tyme of daungerous passage The seconde dyscrettly agayne my vysage The tyme expresseth of Deuyacyon whyle paynyme lawe had the domynacyon The thryd wall standyng on my lyfte honde The tyme representeth of Reuocacyon And the fourthe standyng on my ryght honde Determyneth the tyme of Reconsylyacyon This is the effecte of thy vysyon wherfore the nedeth nomore theron to muse Hit were but veyne thy wyttes to dysuse But duryng the tyme of Reconsylyacyon Thy tyme of pylgremage loke well thou spende Nota And then well gracyous Predestynacyon Bryng the to glory at thy last ende And euen with that came to my mynde My fyrst conclusyon that I was aboute To haue dreuen er slepe made me to loute That is to say how Sensualyte with Reason to acorde myght be brought aboute whiche caused me to knele downe on my kne And beseke Doctryne determyne that doute Do lord god sayd Doctryne canst thou not withoute Me that conclusyon bryng to an ende Ferre is fro the wytte & ferther good mende And euen with that Dethe gan appere Shewyng hymselfe as though that he wolde His darte haue occupyed within that herbere But there was none for hym yong nor olde Saue oonly I Doctryne hym tolde And when I herde hyr with hym comon thus I me withdrew behynde Morpleus Dredyng full sore leest he with his dart Thorugh Doctrynes wordes ony entresse In me wolde haue had or claymed ony part whiche sholde haue caused me grete heuynesse within whiche tyme & short processe Came thyder Reason and Sensualyte A quoth Doctryne ryght welcome be ye Hit is not long sythe we of you spake Ye must er ye goo determyne a doute And euen with that she the mater brake To theym & tolde hit euery where aboute I wolde haue be thens yf I had moute For fere I loked as blake as a cole I wolde haue cropen in a mouse hole what quoth Doctryne where is he now That meued this mater straunge & dyffuse He is a cowarde I make myn auow He hyded his hede his mocyon to refuse Blame hym not qd Reason alway that to vse when he seeth Dethe soo nere at his honde Yet is his part hym to withstonde Or at the leste way elles fro hym flee As longe as he may who dooth otherwyse Is an ydeote quoth Sensualytee who dredeth not Dethe wyse men hym dyspyse what sayd Doctryne how long hathe this gyse Be holden & vsed thus a twixe you tweyne ye were not wonte to acorde certeyne yes quoth Reason in this poynt alway To euery man haue we yeuen our counsayll Dethe for to flee as long as they may Al though we otherwyse haue done our trauayll Eche other to represse yet withoute fayll In that poynt oonly dyscordeth we neuer Thus condescended therin be we for euer A ha sayd Doctryne then is the conclusyon Clerely determyned of the gret doute That here was meuyd & halfe in derysyon She me then called & bade me loke oute Come forthe she sayd & feere not this route And euen with that Reason & Sensualyte And Dethe fro thens were vanysshed all thre Then loked I forthe as Doctryne me badde when Dethe was gone me thought I was bolde To shewe myselfe but yet was I sadde Me thought my doute was not as I wolde Clerely and openly declared & tolde Hit sowned to me as a parable Derke as a myste or a fayned fable And Doctryne my conceyte gan espy wherfore sayd she standest thou soo styll wherin is thy thought art thou in stody Of thy questyon hast thou not thy fyll To the declared tell me thy wyll Herdest thou not Reason & Sensualyte Declared thy doubte here before the For sothe quoth I. I herde what they sayde But neuerthelesse my wytte is so thynne And also of Dethe I was so afrayde That hit is out where hit went ynne And so that mater can I not wynne without your helpe & benyuolence Therof to expresse the verray sentence well quoth Doctryne then yeue attendaunce Vnto my wordes & thou shalt here Openly declared the concordaunce At wene Sensualyte & Reason in fere If thou take hede hit clerely dooth apere How they were knette in one opynyon Bothe agayn Dethe helde contradyccyon whiche concordaunce nomore syguyfyeth To playne vnderstandyng but in euery mane Bothe Sensualyte & Reason applyeth Rather Dethe to flee then with hit to be tane Loo in that poynt accorde they holly thane And in all other they clerely dyscorde Thus is trewly set thy doubtfull monacorde I heryng that kneled on my kne And thanked her lowly for her dyscyplyne That she wouchesafe of her benygnyce Of tho gret doubtes me to enlumyne well was she worthy to be called Doctryne If it had be nomore but for the solucyon Of my demaunde & of this straunge vysyon And as I with myne hede began for to bow As me well ought to do her reuerence She thens departed I can not tell how But within a moment gone was she thens Then sayd Morpleus let vs go hens what sholde we here tarye lengere Hast thou not herde a generall answere To all thy maters that thou lyst to meue My tyme draweth nere that I must rest And euen therwith he toke me by the sleue And sayd goo we hens for that sholde I best As good is ynough as a grete fest Thou hast seen ynough holde the content And euen with that forthe with hym I went Tyll he had me brought agene to my bedde where he me founde and then pryuely He stale awaye I coude not vnderstande where he became but sodeynly As he came he went I tell you veryly whiche done fro slepe I gan to awake My body all in swet began for to shake For drede of the syght that I had sene wenyng to me all had be trew Actuelly done where I had bene That batayll holde twene Vyce & Vertew But when I see hit . hit was but a whew A dreme a fantasy & a thyng of nought To study theron I had nomore thought Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke For what cause shewed was this vysyon I knew not wherfore I toke pen & ynke And paper therof to make mencyon In wrytyng takyng consyderacyon That noo defaute were founde in me wheron accused I ought for to be For slouthe that I had left hit vntolde Neyther by mouthe nor in remembraunce Put it in wrytyng where thorugh manyfolde wayes of accusacyon myght torne me to greuaunce All this I sawe as I lay in a traunce But wheder it was with myne ey bodely Or not in certayn god knoweth & not I That to dyscerne I purpose not to dele Soo large by my wyll it longeth not to me were hit dreme or vysyon for your owne wele All that shall hit rede here rad or se Take therof the best & let the worst be Try out the corne clene from the chaff And then may ye say ye haue a sure staff To stande by at nede yf ye wyll it holde And walke by the way of Vertue his lore But alwey beware be ye yong or olde That your Frewyll ay to Vertue more Apply than to Vyce the easyer may be bore The burden of the felde that ye dayly fyght Agayn your . iii. enemyes for all her gret myght That is to say the Deuyll & the Flesshe And also the worlde with his glosyng chere whiche on you loketh euer newe & fresshe But he is not as he dooth apere Loke ye kepe you ay out of his daungere And soo the vyctory shall ye obteyne Vyce fro you exyled & Vertue in you reyne And then shall ye haue the tryumphall guerdon That god reserued to euery creature Aboue in his celestyall mansyon Ioye & blysse infynyte eternally to endure wherof we say we wolde fayne be sure But the way thyderwarde to holde be we lothe That oft sythe causeth the good lord to be wrothe And by our deserte our habytacyon chaungeth Fro Ioye to payne & woo perpetuelly From his gloryous syght thus he vs estraungeth For our vycyous lyuyng thorugh our owne foly wherfore let vs praye to that lorde of glory whyle we in erthe be that he wyll yeue vs grace So vs here to guyde that we may haue a place Accordyng to oure Regeneracyon with heuenly spyrytes his name to mahnyfy whiche downe descendeth for oure redempcyon Offryng hymselfe on the crosse to his fad on hy Now benygne Ihesu that boren was of Mary All that to this vysyon haue gyuen her audyence Graunte eternall Ioye after thy last sentence AMEN