The lyf so short the craft so lo[n]ge to lerne

The lyf so short the craft so longe to lerne Th assaye so hard so sharp the conqueryng The dredeful ioye that alway flit so yerne Al this mene I by loue that my felyng Astoneth with his wonderful werkyng So sore ywis that whan I on hym thinke Note I wel whethir that I flete or synke For al be that I knowe not loue in dede Ne wote howe he quyteth folk their hyre Yet happeth me ful ofte in bookes rede Of his myraclys and his cruel yre There fynde I wel he wil be lord & sire I dare not saye his strokis ben so sore But god saue suche a lord I can nomore Of vsage what for lust & what for lore On bookes rede I ofte as I you tolde But wherfore I speke al this not yore Agon / it happed me to beholde Vpon a book was writen with frens olde And there vpon a certayn thing to lerne The long daye ful fast I redde & yerne For out of olde feldes as men seith Cometh al this newe corn from yere to yere And out of old bookes / in good feith Cometh al this newe science that men lere But now to purpose of this matere To rede forth I gan me so delite That al the day me thought it but a lyte This book the whiche I make of mencion̄ Entitled was right thus as I shal telle Tullius of the dreme of scipyon Chapitres seuen it had of heuen & helle And erthe / and sowles that therin dwelle Of the whiche as shortly as I can trete Of his sentence I wil you say the grete Fyrst tellith it whan scipion was comen In asfrike / how he meteth macenys That hym for ioye In armes hath ynome Than telleth he her speche and al the blys That whas bitwen them / til the day gan mys And how his auncester affrican so dere Gan in his slepe that nyght to hym appere Than tellith it that from a sterry place How affrican hath hym cartage shewd And warned hym by fore al of his grace And said hym what man lered or lewd That loueth comyn prouffyt wel yt hewed He shold in to a blisful place wende Ther as ioye is with enten ony ende Than asked he yf folk that here ben dede Haue lyf and dwellyng in another place And affrican sayd ye withouten ony drede And hou our present worldis lyues space Nis but a maner deth what way we trace And rightful folk shal goo after they dye To heuene and shewde hym the galaxye Themie shewde he hym the lityl erthe the here is At the regarde of the heuens quantyte And after shewed he hym the nyne speris And after that the melodye herd he That cometh of thilke sperys thries thre That wellis of musyk ben and melodye In this world here & cause of armonye Thenne said he hym / syn the erthe was so lite And ful of torment / and of hard grace That he ne shold hym in this world delite Thenne told he hym in certayn yeris space That eueri sterre shold come in to his place Ther it was first / & shuld be out of mynde That in this world is don of al mankynde Thenne praide hym scipion to tel hym all The way to come vnto that heuen blisse And he him said first knowe thi self mortal And loke ay bisyly that thou werk & wisse To comyn prouffit / & thou shalt not mysse To comen swiftly in to that place dere That ful of Ioye is / and of sowles clere But brekers of the lawe soth to sayne And lecherons folk / after they ben dede Shal whirle aboute the world in payne Til many a world be passid out of drede And thenne forgyuen al their wickid dede Thenne shal they come to that blisful place To which to come / god the sende his grace The day gan fayllen and the derk nyght That reueth bestes from her besynesse Birafte me my book / for lak of light And to my bed I gan me for to dresse Fulfyld of thought and besy heuynes For bothe I had thing / whiche that I nolde And eek I ne had the thing that I wolde But fynally my spirite at the laste For wery of my labour al the day Toke reste / that made me to slepe faste And in my slepe I mette as I laye How affriaine / right in the self araye That Scipion hym sawe / byfore that tyde Was come and stode right by my bed side The wery hunter slepyng in his bedde To the wood agayn his mynde goth anone The Iuge dremeth / hou his plees ben sped The carter dremeth / hou his cartis gone The rich of gold the knyht fight with his son The seke metith he drynketh of the tonne The louer metith he hath his lady wonne Can I not saye / yf the cause were For I had red of affrycan biforn That made me to mete that he stode there But thus said he thou hast the so wel born In lokyng of myn old bookes to born Of the whiche / macrobie roght not a lite That somdele / of thy labour I wil the quyte Citherea thou blisful lady swete That with thy firebrond dauntest whom the lest And madest me this sweuen for to mete Be thou my help in this for thou maist best As wisly / as I sawe the north north west Whan I began my sweuen for to wryte So gyue me myght to ryme it and endite This forsaid affrican me hente anone And forth with hym to a yate me brought Right of a parke walled with grete stone And on the yate / with lrens large ywrought There were verses wreton / as me thought On eyther half / of ful grete difference Of whiche I shal you telle the playn sentence Thurgh me men go in to that blisful place Of hertis hele and dedly wondes cure Thurgh me men gon vnto the welle of grace There grene and lusty may shal euer endure This is the waye to alle good auenture Be glad thou redere and thy sorow of caste Alle open am I passe in and spede the faste Thurgh me men gon thenne spak the other side Vnto mrotal strokes of the spere Of whiche disdaygn & daunger is the gyde Ther neuer tree shal fruyt ne leuys bere This streme you ledeth to the sorouful were There as the fyssh in pryson is al drye The schewyng is only the remedye Thise versis of gold & black ywreton were The whiche I gan a stounde to biholde For with that one encrecyd ay my fere And with that other began my herte to bolde That one me hete that other me colde None in wytte had I for errour for to chese To entre or fle or me to saue or lese For right as betwene adamantes two Of euen myght / a pece of yron sette Ne hath no myght / to meue to ne fro For what that one may hale / that other lette So farid I / that nyst whether me was bette To entre / or leuen / til affrican my gyde Me hente / and shof in at the gates side And said it standes wreton in thy face Thyn errour yf thou telle it not to me But drede the not / to come in to this place For this wrytyng is not ment by the Ne by none / but yf he loues seruant be For thou of loue hast lost the taste I gesse As sekeman hath / of swete and bitternesse But neuertheles al yf that thou be dull Yf that thou can not do / yet may thou see For many a man the may not stande apull Yet liketh to him / at wrastlyng for to be And demeth yet whethir he do better or he And yf thou haddest connyng for tendite I shold the shewe mater of to wryte With that my honde in his he toke anone Of whiche I confort caght / & went in faste But lord so I was glad / and we le begone For al ouerwhere that I myn eyen caste Were trees clad with leef the ay shal laste Eche in his kinde with colour fresh & grene As emerawde / that Ioye it was to sene The byldar oke / and eke the hardy all he The piler elme / the cofre vnto carayn The boxtre pyper holin to whyppes basshe The saylyng fyrre / the cypresse deth to playne The shoter ewe / the aspe for shaftis playn The olyue of pees / and eke the drōkin vyne The victour palme / the lawrer to deuine A gardyn sawe I ful of blossome bowes Vpon a ryuer in a grene mede Ther as swetnes euermore ynowh is Of flouris . white . blewe . yelowe . & rede And colde welle stremes nothing dede That swymmen ful of smale fisshes light With fynnes rede / & skales siluer bright On euery boughe the birdes herde I synge With voys of aungellis in her armonye Some besied them their birdes forth to bringe Thee litil conyes to their playe gan hye And further al aboute I gan aspye The dredeful Xoo the buk the herte and hinde Squerels and smale bestis of gentil kynde On Iustrumentis of strenges in accorde Herde I so pleye a rauysshyng swetenes That god that maker is of alle and lord Ne herde neuer better as I gesse Ther with awinde vnnethe it myght be lesse Made in the leuis grene a noyse softe Accordyng to the fowles song a lofte The ayer of the place so attempre was That neuer was greuance of hete ne oold Ther was eke euery holsome spice and gras Ne noman may there wexe seke ne old Yet was ther Ioye more a thousand fold Then any man can tell ne neu wold it night But ay clere day to any mannes sight Vnder a tree besyde a welle I saye Cupide our lord his arows forge & fyle And at his feet , his howe alredy laye And wylle his doughter / tempred al the while The heedes in the welle and with hir wile She touched them after they shuld serue Some for to slee / & some to wounde & kerue Ther I was ware of plesaunce anon ryght And of aray and lust / and our tasye And of the craft the can and hath the myght To do by force a wight to do folye Dysfygurate was she / I wil not lye And by hym self vnder an oke I gesse Sawe I delyte that stode by gentilesse I sawe bewte withouten ony atyre And yougthe ful of game and Iolyte Fole hardynes-flaterie and desire Messagery and mede and other thre Theyr names shal not her be told for me And vpon pilers grete of Iasper longe I sawe a temple of bras / yfound stronge Aboute the temple dainised alway Wommen ynowe of whiche some ther were Fayr of them self & some of hem were gay In kyrtlys al dissheueld went they there That was theyr office alway yere by yere And on the temple / of duues whyt & fayr Sawe I syttyng many a thousand payr Before the temple dore ful soberly Dame pees sat with a curteyn in her hond And by her side wonder discretly Dame pacience syttyng there I fonde With face pale vpon on hill of sonde And aldernext with in and eke with oute Byhest and arte and of their folk a rowte Within the temple of syghes hote as fire I herde a swogh that gan aboute renne Whiche sighes were engendrid with desire That made euery auter for to brenne Of newe flame and wel espied I thenne That all the causis of sorewes that they drye Comen of the bitter goddesse Ialousye The god priapus saw I as I wente Within the temple in souerayn place stonde In suche array as whan the asse hym shente With crye by nyght & with his septre t̄ honde Ful besily men gun assaye and fonde Vpon his hede to sette of sondry hewe Garlondes ful of fressh floures newe And in a preuy corner in disporte Fonde I venus / and her pert richesse That was ful noble / and haute in of her porte Derk was the place but afterward lightnesse I sawe a litil vnnethe it myght be lesse And on a bed of gold she laye to reste Til that the hote sonne yede to the weste Her gilt heris with a gold threde Y bounden were vntressid as she laye And naked fro the brest vnto the hede Men myght her see & sothly for to saye The remenant wel couerd to my paye Right with a subtil couerchef of wlence Ther was no thykker cloth of defence The place gaf a thousand sauours sote And bachus god of wyn sat by her syde And ceres next that doth of hunger bote And as I sawe amyddes laye cupide To wom on knees two yong folk cryde To ben their helpe but thus I lete her lye And ferther in the temple I gan espie That in despit of dyane the chast Ful many a vowe broken heng on the wal Of maydens suche as gan her tyme wast In her seruyse and paynted overal Ful many a storye whiche I touche shal A fewe as of caliste and athalant And many a one of whiche the name I want Semyramis / candace / and hercules Cibelle / dido / tesbe / and piramus Tristram / ysowde / paris / and achilles Helayne / cleopatre / and troylus Silla / and eke the moder of romulus Alle these were paynted on that other side And alle their loue & in what plite they dyde Whan I was comen agayn / in to the place That I of spak that was so swete and grene Forth welke I tho / my self to solace Ther was I waar / wher ther sat a quene That as the light somer sonne shene Passeth the sterre / right so ouer mesure She fayrer was than ony creature And in a lawnde vpon a hil of flouris Was set this noble goddesse nature Of braunchis wer her hallis & bowris Y wroght after her tast and her mesure Ne ther was fowle that cometh of engendrure That they ne were prest in her presence To take their dome / and gyue her audience For this was on seynt valentyns day Whan euery birde cometh te chese his make Of euery kynde / that men thynke may And that so huge a noyse gan they make That erthe & tree / and see & euery lake So ful was / that vunethe was ther space For me to stonde / so ful was the place And right as abeyn in the playnt of kynde Deuysed nature of suche araye & face In suche aray men myght her there fynde This noble emperesse ful of grace Bad euery fowle to take her owen place As they were wont alway fro yere to yere On seynt valentyns day to stonden there That is to saye the fowle of Xauyne Were hyghest set & then the fowles smale That eten as hem nature wold enclyne As worm or thing of whiche I telle no tale And waterfowle sat lowest in the dale But fowles that lyue by seed sat on the grene And that so fele that wonder was to sene There myght men the rial egle fynde That with his sharp loke perceth the sonne And other egles of a lower kynde Of whiche that clerkys wel deuysen conne Ther was the tyrant with his fethers donne And graye I mene the goshauke that doth pyne To birdes for his outrageous rauyne The gentil fallcon that with his fet distreineth The kynges hand the hardy sperehauke eke The quayles foo the merlion that peyneth Hym self ful ofte the larke for to seke There was the douue with her eyen meke The Ielouse swan̄ agayn his deth that syngeth The owle eke that of deth the bodwor● bringeth The crane the geānt with his trompes sowne The theef the choughe & eke the I angling pye The skornyng Iaye the egles foo herowne The fals lapwynk ful of trecherye The stare that the counceil can bewrye The tame ruddok and the coward kyte The cok the orloge of the thorpes lyte The sparow venus sone the nyghtyngale That clepeth forth the grene leues newe The swalow mortherar of the fowles smale That maken houy of floures fressh of hewe The wedded turtil with her herte trewe The pecok with his armgellis fethers bright The fesaunt skorner of the cok by nyght The waker goos / the cuekow euer vnkynde The popengay full of delycaisye The drake / stroyer of his owen kynde The stork wrekar of aduoultrye The hote cormeran̄t ful of glotonye The rauens & crowes with their voys of aire . The throstil olde / and the frosty feldfare What shold I saye of fowlis of euery kynde That in this world haue fethers & stature Men myght in that place assemblid fynde Before the noble goddes of nature And eche of hem dide his besy cure Benyngly to chese or for to take By her accord his fourmel or his make But to the poynt nature helde on her honde A fourmele egle of shap the gentillest That euer she amonge her werkis fonde The most benygne / and the goodlyest In her was euery vertu at his rest So ferforth / the nature her self had blisse To loke on her / and ofte her bek gan kysse Naturve the vicaire of th almyghty lorde That hote . colde . heuy . lyght . moyst & dreye Hath knytte by euen nombre and accord In esy wys began to speke and seye Fowlis take kepe of my sentence I preye And for your ese in furthryng of your nede As fast as I maye speke I wil you spede Ye knowen wel how that seynt valentins day By my statute and thurgh my gouernance Ye come for to chese and fle your way With your make as I prik you with plesance But neuertheles my rightful ordenance May I not lette for al this world to wynne That he that is most worthy shal begynne The tersel egle as ye that knowen wele The foule Xial abouen you in degre The wyse the worthy secrete trwe as stele The whiche I formed as ye may see In euery poynt as it best liketh me Hit nedeth not his shap you to deuyse He shal first chese and speken in his gyse And after hym by ordre shal ye chese After your kynde / eueriche as you liketh And as your hap is / shal ye wynne or lese But whiche of you / the loue moost entriketh God sende hem her / that sorest for him siketh And ther with al / the tercel gan she calle And said my sone the choyse is to the falle But neuertheles on this condicion Mote be the choys / of euerich that is here That she agree to his eleccion Who so he be that shal be her fere This is our vsage / alwaye yere by yere And who so may haue at this tyme his grace In blisful tyme he come in to this place With hede enclined & with ful humble chere This rial tercel spack and taried nought Vnto my souerayn lady / and not my fere I chees and chese withwil hert & thought The fourmel on your hand so wely wrought Whos I am al / and euer shal her serue Do what her lyst to do me lyue or sterue Besechyng her of marcy and of grace As she that is my lady souerayne Or late me dye present in this place For certes longe I may not lyue in payne For in my herte coruen is euery vayne And hauyng reward only to my trouthe My dere herte haue of my woo some routhe And yf I be founde to her vntrewe Disobeysan̄t or wilful necligent Auaunter / or in processe loue anewe I pray to / god this be my Iugement That with thise foules I be al to rent That ylke day / that euer she me fynde To her vntrewe / or in my gylt vnkynde And sith that none loueth her so wel as I Al be that she neuer of loue me behette Thenne ought she be myn thurgh her mercy For other bonde can I none on her knytte Ne neuer for none other shal I lette To louen her / hou ferre so that she wende Saye what you liste / my tale is at an ende Right as the fressh rede rose newe Agayn the somer sonne colourd is Right so for shame / as wexen gan the hewe Of this fourmel / whan she herd al this She neyther answerd wel / ne said amys So sore abasshid was she / til that nature Sayd doughter / drede you not I you assure Another tersel egle spack anone Of lower kynde and said that shuld not be I loue her better / than ye do by seynt Iohn Or at the leste / I loue as wele as ye And lenger haue serued her in my degre And yf she shold loue / for long louyng To me allone shold ben the guerdonyng I dare eke saye yf she me fynde fals Vnkynde Iangler / or rebell in ony wyse Or Ielouse / do me hange by the hals And but I bere me in her seruyse As wele as my wytte can me suffyse Fro poynt to poynt her honour for to saue Take she my lyf / and al the good I haue The thirde tersel egle answerd tho Now sizs ye sene the lityl leyser here For euery foule crieth out to ben ago Forth with his make / or with his lady dere And eke nature her self / ne wil not here For taryeng / not half that I wold seye And but I speke / I muste for sow we deye Of longe seruyse auaunt I me nothing But as possible is me to deye this daye For woo / as he that hath be languysshyng This twenty yere / and wel it happen maye A man to serue bette / and more to paye In half a yere / al yf it were no more Than some men doo / that haue serued ful yore I say not this by me / for I ne can Do no seruyse / that may my lady plese But I dar saye / I am her trewest man As to my dome / and faynest wold her plese At short wordes / til that deth me sese I wil ben heeris / whether I wake or wynke And trewe in al that hert may thynke Of al my lyf / sith first that I was bore So gentil plee in loue or other thing Ne herd I neuer / ne noman me bifore Who that had leyzer and connyng For to reherce their chere and spekyng And from the morn / gan their speche last Til dounward wente the sonne wonder fast The noyse of foulis for to be delyuerd So lowde ronge / haue don / and late vs wende That wel I wende the wode had alto shyuerd Come of / they cryed / alas ye wil vs shende Whan shal your cursid pleting haue an ende How shold a Iuge eyther partye leue For ye or nay withouten ony preue The goos the doke and the cukko also Cryden keke . keke cucko . queke . queke hye That thurgh myn eris the noyse wente tho The goos said al this is not worth a flye But I can shape herof a Xemedye And I wil saye my verdyte fair & swythe For waterfoule who so be wroth or blythe And I for wormfowle / said the lewd cuckow For I wil of myn owen auctorite For comyn spede / take on me the charge now For to delyuer vs / hit were grete charite Ye may abide a wyle yet parde Said the turtil / yf it be your will Awight may speke / hym were better be styll I am a sede foule one of vnworthyest That wote I wel and lityl of connyng But better is that a wyghtis tong rest Than entermete them of suche doyng Of whiche they nether rede can ne synge And who so doth / ful fowl him self acloyeth For offyce vncōmyttyd / ful ofte anoyeth Nature which that alway had an ere To mormur of the lewdnes by kynde With facōdewis saide holde your tongis there And I shal sone I hope a counceyl fynde You to delyuer / and fro this noyse vnbynde I charge of euery folk / that ye one calle To saye the verdyt / for you fowles alle Assentid were to this conclusion The birdes alle / and the foules of Xauyne Haue chosen first / by playn election The tercelet of the fawcon to diffyne Alle her sentence / and as hym list termyne And to nature / hym gunne presente And she accepte hym wyth glad entente The tercelet said thrnne in this manere Ful hard were it to preuen by reson Who loueth best this gentil fourmel here For euerich hath suche replecacion That by skylles may none be brought doun I can not see that argumentis auaylle Theme semeth it we le / ther must be batayll Alle redy quod these terselis egles tho Nay sirs said he / yf I durst it saye Ye do me wronge / my tale is not al dod For sirs take ye not to greef I you pray Hit may not gon as ye wold in this way Oure is the wys that haue the charge on honde And to the Iuges domes ye mote stonde And therfore pees I saye / as to my wytte Me wold thynke / hou that the worthyest Of knyghthode / and lengest had vsed it Most of estate / of blood the gentillest Were sittynge for her / yf that her lest And of thise thre / she wote her self I trowe Who that he be / for it is ethe to knowe The waterfowles haue her heedes leyd To geder / and of short auysement Whan eueryth had his large golye seyd They seyden sothly al by one assent How that the goos with her faconde gent That she desired to prononce our nede Shal tele our tale / & praye to god lxr spede And for these waterfowlis / tho began The goos to speke in her kakelyng She said pees / now take kepe euery man And herkne whiche a reson I shal forth bring My witte is sharp / I loue no taryeng I saye I rede hym though he were my brother But she wil loue hym late hym loue another Lo here a parsight reson of a goos Quod the sperhauke / neuer mote she the Lo suche is hit to haue a tonge loos Now parde fool / yet were it bet for the Haue hold thy pees / than shewd thy nycete Hit lyeth not in his wit / ne in his will But soth is said / a fole can not be styll The laughter rose of gentil fowles alle And right anon the seed fowl chosen had The turtle trewe / and gan her to hym calle And praid her to saye / the soth sad Of this matere / and asked what she rad And she answerd that pleynly her entent She wold declare / and sothly what she ment Nay god forbede / a louer shold change The turtle said / and wex for shame al rede Yf that his lady / euermore be strange Yet late hym serue her euer / til he be dede For sothe I preyse not the gooses reede For yf she deyde / I wolde none other make I wolde be hers / til that the deth me take We le bourded qd the doke by my hatte That men sholde alway louen causeles Who can a reson fynde or witte in that Daunseth he mery he that is myrthles Who shold recche that is reccheles Ye queke said the doke ful wele and fayr Ther ben mo sterres god wote than a pair Now fye chorle qd the gentil tercelet Out of the donghyl cam that word ful right Thou can not see whiche thing is wel beset Thou farist by loue / as owle doth by light The day them blindes wel they see by nyght Thy kynde is of so lowe wrecchednes That what loue is thou can not see ne gesse Tho gan the cuckow put hym forth in prees For fowlis that eten wormes & said by lyue So I qd he may haue my make in pees I recche neuer how longe that ye siryue Late eche of hem be soleyn al their lyue This is my rede sith they may not accorde This short lesson nedeth not to recorde Ye haue the gloton filled ynow his paunche Than ar we wele said the merlion Thou mortherer of the heysug on the branche That brought the forth thou rewful gloton Lyue thou soleyn wormes corupsion For no force is of lak of thy nature Go lewd be thou whiles this world may dure Now pees said nature I comande here For I haue herd alle your oppynyon And maffay yet ar we neuer the nere But fynally this is my conclusion̄ That she her self shal haue the election Of whom her list who so be wroth or blithe Hym that she chese shal her haue as swythe For sith it may not here discussed be Who loueth her best as said the terselet Thenne shal I do this fauour to her that she Shal haue right hym on whom her hert is set And he her that his herte hath on her knet This Iuge I nature for I may not lye To none estate I haue none other eye But as for counceyl for to these a make Yf it were reson / thenne wolde I Counceyl you the Xyal tercel take As said the tercelet ful skilfully As for the gentilest and most worthy Whom I haue wroght so wel to my plesance That to you ought haue ben a suffysaunce With dredeful voys the formele her auswerd My right ful lady goddesse of nature Soth it is that I am vnder your yerd And muste be youris while my lif may dure And so muste be euerych ylk a ceature And therfore graunte me my first bone And myn entent / I wil you saye right sone I graunt it you qd she & right anone This formele egle spake in this degre Al myghty quene vnto this yere be done I aske respyte for to aduyse me And after that / to haue my choyse fre This is al & some / that I wil speke & seye Ye gete no more al yf ye do me deye I wil not serue venus ne cupide Forsothe als yet by no maner of way Now sith it may non other wayes betide Quod nature here is nomore to saye Thenne will I that these fowles were away Eche with his make for taryeng lenger here And said hem thus as ye shal after dere To you speke I ye tersellis quod nature Bee ye of good herte and serue ye al thre Ayere is not so longe to endure And ylk of you peyne hym in his degre For to do wele for god wote quyt is she Fro you this yere what after so befalle This entermesse is dressid for you alle And whan this werk al broght was to anende To euery foule nature gaf his make By euen acorde and on their way they wende And lord the blisse and Ioye they make For eche of hem gan other in wynges take And with her neckis eche gan other winde Thankyng alway the noble goddes of kinde But first were chosen / fowles for to syn̄ge As yere by yere was alway her vsance To synge a roundel at her departyng To do nature honour laude and plesance The note I trowe made was in france The wordes were suche as ye may here fynde The next vers / as I now haue in mynde Que bien ayme / tarde oublie And with the shoutyng / whan the soug was do That fowles made at her flight away I woke / and other bokes toke me to To rede vpon / and yet I red alway I hope ywis to rede so some day That I shal mete some thinge for to fare The better / and thus to rede I wil not spare Explicit the temple of bras

Here next foloweth a tretyse / whiche Iohn Gkogan Sente vnto the lordes and gentilmen of the kynges hows / exortyng them to lose no tyme in theyr yougthe / but to vse vertues . My noble sones / and also my lordes deer I your fader called vnworthely Sende vnto you / this lytyl tretyse here Wreton with my hand ful rudely And though it be / that I not reuerently Have wreton to your estates / I you praye Myn vnconnyng take it benygnly For goddes sake / and herkne what I saye I complayne whan I remembre me The sodein age / that is vpon me falle More I compleyne / my myspent Iuuente Whiche is Impossible agayn for to calle But certaynly / the most complaynt of alle Is to thenke / that I haue ben so nyce That I ne wolde vertues to me calle In al my yougthe / but vyces ay chery●● Of wylke I aske mercy of the lord That art almyghty god in mageste Be sechyng the to make so euen accorde Betwene the and my sowle / that vanyte Worldly lust nor blynde prosperyte Haue no lordship / of my flessh so freel The lord of vertue & parfight vnyte Put fro me vices / for my sowles heel And gyue me myht while I haue lyf & space Me to conforme fully to thy plesaunce Shewe vpon me the habundance of thy grace In good werkis grante me perseueraunce Of al my yougthe forgete the ygnorance Geue me good will to serue the ay to queme Set al my lyf after thyn ordenance And able me to mercy / or thou deme My lordes dere why I this compleynyng wryte To you / whom̄ that I loue eutierly Is for to warne you / as I can endyte That tyme lost in yougthe folily Greueth a wight bodely and gostly I mene hym / that to vices list entende Wherfore I pray you lordes specially Your yougthe in vertue shape ye to dispende Thynke how betwene vertue and estate Ther is a blissid parfyght mariage Vertue is cause of pees vice of debate In mannes sowle / for which with ful corage Cherisshe ye vertue / the vices to outrage Dryue ye away / late hem haue wonnyng That your sowles lese not the heritage Whiche god hath gyuen to vertuus lyuyng Take ye hede also how folk of poure degre Thurgh vertue haue ben set in grete honour And euer haue lyued in gret prosperite Thurgh cherisshyng of vertuous labour Thynke also / how many agouernour Called to estate / hath ben set ful lowe Thurgh misusyng of right / and of errour Therfore I counceile / vertu / that ye knowe Thus by your eldres ye may nothing claime As my maister chawcer seith expresse But temperal thing / that may hurte & mayme Thenne god is stock / of vertuous noblesse And sythen he is lord of blessidnesse And made vs alle / and for vs alle deyde Folowe ye hym in vertue with ful besynesse And of this thing / herkne hou it is seyde The first stok / fader of gentilnesse What man that claymeth gentil for to be Must folowe his trace and his wittes dresse Vertue to folowe / and vices for to fle For vnto vertue longeth dignyte And not the reuerce / saufly dar I deme Al were he mytor crowne or dyademe This first stok was ful of rightwisnes Trewe of his word / sobre pyetous and free Clene of his goste / and loued besynes Agayn vice of slouthe / in honeste And but his eyer loue vertue as did he He is not gentil though he riche seme Al were he mytor crowne or diademe Vice may wel be to holde richesse But ther may no man / almen may wel see Bequethe his eyer / his vertuous noblesse That is appropred vnto no degre But to the first fader in mageste That makes hem eyres / that can hem qneme Al were he crowne mytor or diademe Plante the rote of yougthe / in suche awyse That in vertue / your growyng be alway Loke ay godenes / be in your excersyse That shal you myghty make at eche asay The frende for to withstonde / and his affray Passe ye wisely this perilous pilgremage Thynke ye on this word & wirke euery day That shal you gyue a parfyt flourid age Take ye also hede / hou the thise noble clerkis Wryten our bookes / of grete sapience Sayng that feyth is dede with oute werkis So is estate withoute Intelligence Of vertue / therfore with diligence Shape ye of vertue / so to plante the rote That ye come by experyence To worship of lyf / and sowlis bote Thynke also that lordship / ne other astate Withoute vertue / may not longe endure Thynke also / hou vice & vertue be at debate Hath ben & shal be whiles the world may dure And euer the vicyous / by auenture Is ouerthrawe / and thynketh euermere That god is lord of vertue & figure Of al godenes / therfore folowe ye the lore My maister chawcer / god his soule haue That in his langage was so curyous He saide the fader that is ded & in graue Bequeth nothing his vertue with his hous Vnto his sone / therfore laboryous Owe ye to be / bysechyng god of grace Thurgh whiche / ye ought to be vertuous And graunt you to gete part of his place Here may ye see / that vertuous nobles Cometh not to you / by way of auncetrye But it cometh thurgh leefful besynes Of honest lyf / and not by slogardye Wherfore in yougthe / I rede you edyfye The house of vertue / in suche a manere That in your age / it kepe you and gye Fro the tempest of worldly wawes sere Lo he the noble poete of bretayne Hou he telleth in vertuouse sentence The losse of yougthe / & vertu gan compleyne Wherfore I pray you do your diligence For goddis loue / and goddes reuerence To enprynte vertue / in your mynde That whan ye come in your Iuḡes presence Ye be not sette / as vertules behynde Ye lordes / can a manere now a dayes Thaugh one shewe you a vertuous matere Your feruent thought / is of fals alayes That of that arte / ye haue no Ioye to here But as a ship that is withouten stere Ay rowing vp & down withoute gouernance Wenyng the the calme wil last yere by yere Right so fare ye thurgh ygnoraunce For very shame knowe ye not by reson That after an ebbe ther cometh a flode rage In suche wyse whan yougthe passeth his seson Cometh croked and vnweldy age And sone after come kalendes of dotage And yf your yougthe no vertue hath prouided Alle men wil saye / fy on your vasselage Thus hath slouthe / fro worship you deuyded Borce the clerk / as men may rede and see Saith in his book of consolacon̄ What man desireth to haue of the vyn̄ tree Plentyuous fruyt / in the ripyng seson Muste aye eschewe to do oppression̄ Vnto the rote / whiles it is yong & grene Ye may see / by this conclusion That yougthe vertueles doth ofte moche tene Seen ther agayn how vertuous noblesse Roted in yougthe with gode perseuerance Dryueth a way al vice and wrecehidnesse As slogardy Xyot / and dystaunce Seen also / holi vertue causeth suffysance And suffysance exyleth couetyse Thus who so hath vertue / hath al habon̄dāce Of welfare / as fer as reson can deuyse Take hede of Tullius and of hym hostilius That fro pouert come to hyghe degre Thurgh vertue / rede ye also of Iulius The conquerour / hou poure a man was he That thurgh his vertue & his humanyte Of many a contre / had he gouernaunce Thus vertue bryngeth to hye degre Euery wight that list do hym attendance Rede here agayn of nero vertueles Take hede also of proud baltazare They hated vertuys . equyte and pees Loke how anthiocus fyl fro his chare That the skyn & the bones al to tare Loke what mischance they had for their vicis Who so wil not by thise signes beware I dar wel say / Infortunat or nyce he is I can say nomore / but hereby may ye see Hou vertue / parfight charite cawses And vices exyles al prosperyte The best is to chese as I gesse But do as ye list / I me excuse expresse I wil be sory / yf that ye me myschese God conforme you / in vertuous goodnes So that thurgh necligence / no thing ye lese Thus endeth the traytye wiche Iohn Skogan sent to the lordes and estates of the kynges hous .