Pallas the goddesse glorious Whiche that you taught a perfite remedye For to deuoyde the craft of forcery It was no wonder though that I was glad After the payne and tribulation That in many places I right often had For to attayne the hye promocion Of la bell Pucelles domination Considerynge in my passage daungerous All I subdued to me contrarious And then ryght sone with great solemnitie So forthe we rode to the solemne mancion Of la bell Pucelles worthy dignitie Whiche was a tower of marueylous fashion Replete with ioye without suggestion Walled with siluer and many a story Upon the wall enameled royally So at the last we came vnto the gate Whiche all of siluer was knotted properlye Where was a lady of right hye estate Whiche vs receiued well and nobly And then Perceueraunce went full shortly To la bell Pucell shewyng euery thing Of mine aduenture and sodayne commyng Howe graunde Amoure was receiued of la bell Pucell Capit. xxxviii WHen she it knewe then right incontinent She called to her Peace dame Mercy With Iustice reason the lady excellent Pleasaunce grace w t good dame memorye To wayte vpon her full ententiflye Me to receiue with all solemne ioye A downe her chamber she went on her waye And in the meane while the gentle porteresse Called countenaunce on my way then me ledde Into the base courte of great widenes Where all of golde there was a conduite heade With many dragons enameled with redde Whiche did spoute out the dulcet lycoure Like crystall cleare with aromatike odoure Aloft the base tower foure ymages stode Whiche blewe the clarious well and wondersly Aloft the towers the golden fanes good Did with the winde make full swete armony Them for to here it was great melody The golden towers with cristall clarified About were glased most clearely purrified And the grauel wherupon we went Full like the golde that is moste pure and fine Withouten spotte of blacke encombrement About our fete it did right clearely shyne It semed more like a place celestine Then an earthly mansion whiche shall away By long tyme and processe an other day And towarde me I did se then commyng La bell Pucell the moste fayre creature Of any faire earthly person liuyng Whiche with me mette with cheare so demure Of the shinyng golde was all her vesture I did my duty and once or twise iwys Her lippes soft I did full swetely kysse Aha quod she that I am very fayne That you are come for I haue thought long Sythen the time that we parted in twaine And for my sake you haue had often wrong But your courage so hardy and strong Hath caused you for to be victorious Of your enemies so muche contrarious With her faire hande white as any lillye She did me leade into a royall hall With knottes kerued full right craftely The windowes fayre glased with cristall And all about vpon the golden wall There was enameled with fygures curious The siege of Troye so harde and dolorous The floore was paued with precious stones And the roufe of marueylous Geometry Of the swete Cypres wrought for the nonce Encensyng out the euill odours mistye Amiddes the roufe there shone full wonderfly A poynted Dyamonde of marueylous bygnes With many other great stones of riches So vp we went to a chamber fayre A place of pleasure and delectacion Strowed with flowers flagraunte of ayre Without any spotte of perturbacion I behelde right well the operation Of the marueylous roufe set full of Rubies And tynst with saphers and many turkeys The walles were hanged with golden arras Whiche treated well of the siege of Thebes And yet all about vs depured was The cristallyne windowes of great bryghtnes I can nothing extende the goodlines Of this palaice for it is impossible To shewe al that vnto me was vysible But la bell Pucell full right gentilly Did sit adowne by a windowe side And caused me also full swetely By her to sit at that gentle tide Welcome she saied ye shall with me abide After your sorowe to liue in ioye and blisse You shall haue that you haue deserued iwys Her redolent wordes of swete influence Degouted vapoure moste aromatike And made conuersion of my complacence Her depured and her lusty rethorike My courage reformed that was so lunatike My sorowe defeted and my minde did modefy And my dolourous hart began to pacifye All thus my loue we began to deuise For eche of other were ryght ioyous Then at the last in a marueylous wise Full sodainely there came vnto vs Little Cupide with his mother Uenus Whiche was well cladde in a faire mantell blewe With golden hartes that were perst a newe And rounde about vs she her mantle cast Saiyng that she and her sonne Cupide Woulde vs conioyne in mariage in haste And to let knowe all your courte so wyde Sende you Perceueraunce before to prouide To warne your ladyes for to be ready To morowe by time right well and solemnely We aunswered bothe our hartes were in one Saiyng that we did ryght well agree For all our foes were added and gone Right gladde I was that ioyfull daye to see And then anone with great humilitie La bell Pucell to a fayre chamber bright Did me then bring for to rest all nyght And she toke her leaue I kissed her louely I went to bedde but I coulde not slepe For I thought so muche vpon her inwardely Her moste swete lokes into my hart did crepe Percyng it throughe with a wounde so depe For Nature thought euery houre a daye Tyll to my lady I shoulde my dette well paye ¶ Of the great mariage betwene graunde Amoure and labell Pucell Capit. xxxix THen Perceueraunce in all goodly haste Unto the stewarde called Liberalitie Gaue warnyng for to make ready fast Agaynst this tyme of great solemnitie That on the morowe halowed shoulde be She warned the cooke called Temperaunce And after that the ewres Obseruaunce With Pleasaunce the panter and dame Curtesy The gentle butler with the ladyes all Eche in her office was prepared shortly Agaynst this feast so muche triumphall And la bell Pucell then in speciall Was vp by time in the morowe graye Right so was I when I sawe the daye And right anone la bell Pucell me sent Agaynst my weddyng of the saten fyne White as the mylke a goodly garment Braudred with pearle that clearely dyd â—â—â—ne And so the mariage for to determine Uenus me brought to a royall chapell Whiche of fine golde was wrought euerydell And after that the gay and glorious La bel Pucel to the chapell was leade In a white vesture fayre and precious With a golden chaplet on her yelowe heade And Lex ecclesie did me to her wedde After whiche weddyng there was a great feast Nothing we lacked but had of the best What shoulde I tary by long continuaunce Of the feast for of my ioye and pleasure Wisdome can iudge without variaunce That nought I lacked as ye may be sure
that were I lothe I shall retaine you in my memory And thei it knewe they woulde with me be wroth To loue you best I promise you my trouth And then mine eyen great sorowe shewed With teares salte my chekes were endued Her eyes graye began to loke right redde Her gaye white coloure began for to pale Upon her chekes so the droppes were spredde Whiche from her eyen began to aduale From her swete hart she did the sighes hale Neuer before as I trowe and wene Was suche departing true louers betwene We wiped our chekes our sorowes to cloke Outwardly fayning vs to be gladde and mery That the people should not perceiue the smoke Of our hote fire to light the emispery Thoughe inwardly with a stormy pery The fire was blowen yet wee did it couer Because abroade it shoulde nothing perceuer Out of the garden to an hauen side Forthe we went where was a shippe ryght large That taried there after the flowyng tide And so then did there many a boate and barge The shippe was great fiue C. tunne to charge La bell Pucell right anone me tolde In yonder shippe whiche that ye beholde Forthe must I sayle without lenger delay It is full sea my frendes will come sone Therfore I pray you to go hence your way It draweth fast nowe towarde the none Madame quod I your pleasure shalbe done With wofull hart and great sighes oft I kissed her lippes that were swete and soft She vnto me nor I vnto her coulde speake And as of that it was no great wonder Our hartes swelled as that they shoulde breake The fire of loue was so sore kept vnder When I from her shoulde departe asunder With her fayre heade she did lowe encline And in like wise so did I with myne ¶ Of the greate sorowe that graunde Amoure made after her departyng and of the wordes of Councell Capitu. xx HEr frendes and she on their way they sayled Along the hauen god them saue and brynge Unto the land I heard wheÌ„ that they haled With a great peale of gunnes at their departyng The marueylouse tower of famous cunnyng No gunne was shotte but my hart did wepe For her departyng with wofull teares depe Councell me comforted as euer he might With many stories of olde antiquitie Remember he saied that neuer yet was wight That liued alway in great tranquilitie But that him happed some aduersitie Then after that when the payne was past The double ioye did comfort them at last Ye nede nothing for to make great doloure Fortune to you hath bene right fauourable Makyng you to attayne the good fauour Of your lady so swete and amiable No doubt it is she is true and stable And demeane you so that in no wise No man perceiue or of your loue surmise Be hardy fearce and also couragious In all your battailes without feblenes For ye shall be right well victorious Of all your enemies so full of subtilnes Arme you with wisdome for more surenes Let wisdome worke for she can stedfastlye In time of nede resist the contrary Was neuer man yet surely at debate With Sapience but that he did repent Who that is ruled by her highe estate Of his after witte shall neuer be shent She is to man right beneuolent With walles sure she dothe him fortifie When it is nede to resist a contrary Was neuer place where as she did guide With enemies brought to destruction A remedy she can so well prouide To her high worke is no comparison It hath so strong and sure foundation Nothing there is that can it molifye So sure it is agaynst a contrarye Of her alwayes it is the perfect guise To begyn nothing of mutabilitie As is the warre whiche may sone arise And will not downe it maye so sturdy be The beginner oft hath the iniquitie When he began wisdome did reply In his great nede to resist the contrary The mighty Pryant sometime king of Troye With all his citye so well fortified Little regarded all his wealth and ioye Without wisedome truely exemplified His proper death him selfe he nutrified Agaynst his warre wisdome did replye At his great nede to resist the contrary And where that wisdome ruleth hardines Hardines then is euer inuincible There may nothing it vainquishe or oppresse For prudence is so well intelligible To her there is nothing impossible Her grounded worke is made so perfitely That it must nedes resist the contrary To wofull creatures she is goodly leche With her good sister called pacience To the tower of ioye she dothe them tell weche In the way of hope without resistence Who to her lâ—st to apply his diligence She will him bringe to worship shortelye That he shall well resist the contrary Right so let wisdome your sorowe surrende And hye you fast vnto dame Geometry And let no thought in your hart engender Eur after this speake to astronomy And so from thence to the tower of chiualry Wheâ—e of the worthy king Melyzyus You shalbe made sone knight aduenturous And fare you well for I must from you go To other louers whiche are in dispaire As I did you to comfort them also It is great nede that I to them repayre Haboundaunt teares their hartes do refleire Fare well quod I my good frende so true I woulde with me ye might alway ensue Then agayne I went to the tower melodious Of good dame musike my leaue for to take And priuely with these wordes dolorous I saied O tower thou maiest wel aslake Suche melody nowe in the more to make The gemme is gone of all famous port That was chefe cause of the great comfort Whilome thou was the faire tower of light But nowe thou art replete with darkenes She is nowe gone that shone in the so bright Thou wast sometime the tower of gladnes Nowe maist thou be the tower of heauines For the chefe is gone of all thy melody Whose beauty cleare made most swete armony The faire carbuncle so full of clearenes That in the truely did most purely shine The pearle of pitie replete with swetenes The gentle gillofloure the goodly columbine The redolent plante of the dulcet vyne The dede aromatike may no more encense For she is so farre out of thy presence A a truely in the time so past Mine errande was the often for to se Nowe for to enter I may be agast When thou art hence the starre of beauty For all my delite was to beholde the A tower tower all my ioye is gone In the to enter comfort is there none So then inwardly my selfe bewaylyng In the tower I went into the habitacle Of dame musike where she was singyng The ballades swete in her fayre tabernacle Alas thought I this is no spectacle To fede mine eyen whiche are nowe all blynde She is not here that I was wont to finde Then of dame musike with all lowlines I did take my leaue withouten tariyng She thanked me with all her mekenes And all alone forthe I went musyng A a
and boystously Demeane them selues vtteryng the sentence Without good maner or yet intelligence It is a thing ryght greatly conuenable To pronounce the matter as it is conuenient And to the hearers ryght delectable When the vtterer wythout impediment With right good maner countenaunce and entent Dothe tell his tale vnto them treatably Kepyng his maner and voyce full moderatly This is the custome that the poetes vse To tell their tale with all due circumstaunce The vylayne courage they do muche refuse That is boysteous and rude of gouernaunce And euermore they do to them auaunce Nurture maner and all gentlenes In their behauyng wyth all semelines And thus the gentle rethorician Throughe the laboure of his royall cleargye The famous nurture oryginally began Oppressyng our rudenes and our foly And for to gouerne vs ryght prudently The good maner encreaseth dignitie And the rudenes also iniquitie The famous poete who so list to here To tell his tale it is solatious Beholdyng his maners and also his chere After the maner be it sadde or ioyous If it be sadde his chere is dolorous As in bewaylyng a wofull tragedy That worthy is to be in memory And if the matter be ioyfull and gladde Lyke countenaunce outwardly they make But moderation in their mindes is had So that outrage may them not ouertake I can not write to muche for their sake Them to laude for my tyme is shorte And the matter long which I must report Capitulo xiii ANd the. v. parte is then memoratyfe The whiche the perfect ministration Ordinatly causeth to be retentyfe Driuyng the tale to good conclusion For it behoueth to haue respection Unto the tale and the very grounde And on what ymage he his matter founde If to the oratour many a sundry tale One after other treatably be tolde Then sundry ymages in his closed male Eche for a matter he dothe then well holde Like to the tale he doth then so beholde And inwarde a recapitulation Of eche ymage the moralization Whiche be the tales he grounded priuely Upon these ymages signification And when time is for him to specifye All his tales by demonstration In due order maner and reason Then eche ymage inwarde dyrectly The oratour dothe take full properly So is enprynted in his propre mynde Euery tale with whole resemblaunce By this ymage he dothe his matter finde Eche after other withouten variaunce Who to this arte will geue attendaunce As therof to knowe the perfectnes In the Poetes schole he must haue intresse Then shall he knowe by perfect study The memoriall arte of rethorike defuse It shall to him so well exemplifye If that him list the science to vse Thoughe at the first it be to him obtuse With exercise he shall it well augment Under clowdes darke and termes eloquent But nowe of dayes the synne of auaryce Exileth the mynde and the whole delite To couet cunnyng whiche is great preiudice For insaciatly so blinded is their syght With the siluer and the golde so bryght They nothing thinke on fortune variable Whiche all their riches can make transmutable The olde sawes they ryght cleane abiect Whiche for our learnyng the poetes did write With auarice they are so sore infect They take no hede nothing they write Whiche morally did so nobly endite Reprouyng vyce praysyng the vertue Whiche idlenes did euermore eschue Nowe will I cease of lusty rethoryke I maye not tarye for my tyme is shorte For I must procede and shewe of arismetrike With diuers numbres whiche I must report Hope inwardely dothe me well comforte To brynge my boke vnto a fynishment Of all my matter and my true entent Capitu. xiiii O Thoughtfull harte tombled all about Upon the sea of stormy ignoraunce For to sayle forthe thou art in greate doubt Ouer the waues of great encombraunce Without any comfort safe of esperaunce Whiche the exhorteth hardely to sayle Unto thy purpose wyth diligent trauayle Aufryeus auster bloweth frowardlye Towarde the lande and habitation Of thy well fauoured and most fayre lady For whose sake and delectation Thou hast take this occupacion Principally ryght well to attayne Her swete rewarde for thy busy payne O pensyfe harte in the stormy pery Mercury northwest thou maist se appeare After tempest to gladde thine emispery Hoyse vp thy sayle for thou must drawe neare Towarde the ende of thy purpose so cleare Remembre the of the trace and daunce Of poetes olde wyth all thy purueyaunce As moral Gower whose sentencious dewe Adowne restareth with fayre golden beames And after Chaucers all abroade dothe shewe Our vyces to clense his depared streames Kindlyng our hartes wyth the fiery leames Of morall vertue as is probable In all his bokes so swete and profitable The boke of fame whiche is sentencious He drewe him selfe on his owne inuention And then the tragidies so piteous Of the nintene ladyes was his translation And vpon his ymagination He made also the tales of Caunterbury Some vertuous and some glad and merye And of Troylus the piteous doloure For his ladye Cresyde full of doublenes He did be wayle full well the langoure Of all his loue and great vnhappines And many other bokes doubtles He did compyle whose goodly name In prynted bookes dothe remayne in fame And after him my master Lydgate The monke of bury did him well apply Bothe to contryue and eke to translate And of vertue euer in especially For he did compyle then full nyally Of our blessed ladye the conuersation Saynt Edmundes life martred with treason Of the fall of Princes ryght wofully He did endite in all piteous wise Folowyng his auctoure Bocas rufully A ryght great boke he did truely compryse A good ensample for vs to despyse This worlde so full of mutabilitie In whiche no man can hane a certaintie And thre reasons ryght greatly profitable Under coloure he cloked craftely And of the chorle he made the fable That shitte the byrde in a cage so closely The pamflete sheweth it expreslye He fayned also the court of sapience And translated with all his diligence The great boke of the last destruction Of the citye of Croye whylome so famous Howe for a woman was the confusion And betwene vertue and the life vicious Of Gods and Goddesses a boke solacious He did compyle and the tyme to passe Ofloue he made the bryght temple of glasse Were not these thre greatly to commende Whiche them applied such bokes to contriue Whose famous draughtes no man can amend The tyme of slouthe they did from them driue After their deathe for to abide on lyue In worthy fame by many a nacion Their bokes their actes do make relation O master Lydgate the most dulcet spryng Of famous rethoryke wyth ballade royall The chefe originall of my learnyng What vayleth it on you for to call Me for to ayde nowe in especiall Sythen your bodye is now wrapte in chest I pray God to geue your soule good rest O what losse is it of suche a one It is to great truely
celestine And yet also the perfect phisyke Whiche appertcyneth well to the bodye Dothe well resemble vnto the musyke When the inwarde intrailes turneth contrary That nature can not worke dyrectly Then dothe phisyke the partes interiall In order set to their originall But yet phisyke can not be liberall As the seuen scyences by good aucthoritie Whiche leadeth the soule the way in speciall By good doctrine to dame eternitie Onely of phisike it is the propertie To ayde the body in euery sickenes That is right fraile and full of brittlenes And because phisike is appendant Unto the body by helpe of medicine And to the soule nothing apportenaunt To cause the body for to encline In eternall health so the soule to domine For to the body the sciences seuen Dothe teache to leade the soule to heauen And musyke it selfe is melodious To reioyce the eares and comfort the braine Sharpyng the wittes with sound ' solacious Deuoydyng bad thoughtes whiche did remayne It gladdeth the hart also well certaine Length the lyfe with dulcet armonye As is good recreation after study She cōmaūded her minstrels right anone to play Mamours the swete and the gentle daunce With la bell Pucell that was fayre and gay She me recommended with all pleasaunce To daunce true measure withoute variaunce O lorde God howe glad then was I So for to daunce with my swete ladye By her proper hande soft as any silke With due obeysaunce I did her then take Her skynne was white as whales bone or mylke My thoughtes was rauished I might not aslake My brennyng hart she the fire did make These daunces truely musyke hath me taught To lute or daunce but it auayled nought For the fyre kindled and waxed more and more The dauncyng blewe it with her beauty cleare My hart sickened and began to waxe sore A minute vi houres and. vi houres a yere I thought it was so heauy was my chere But yet for to couer my great loue aryght The outwarde coūtenaunce I made glad light And for feare mine eyes should mine hart bewray I toke my leaue and to a temple went And all alone I to my selfe did saye Alas what fortune hath me hither sent To deuoyde my ioye and my hart torment No man can tell howe great a paine it is But if he will fele it as I do iwysse Alas O lady howe cruell art thou Of piteous doloure for to builde a nest In my true hart as thou doest ryght nowe Yet of all ladyes I must loue the best Thy beauty therto did me surely arest Alas with loue when that it dothe the please Thou maiest cease my care my payne sone ease Alas howe sore may I nowe bewayle The piteous chaunce whiche did me happe My ladyes lokes did me so assayle That sodaynely my harte was in a trappe By Uenus caught and with so sore a clappe That throughe the great stroke did perse Alas for wo I coulde not reuerse Farewell all ioye and all perfect pleasure Fare well my lust and my likyng For wo is comen with me to endure Nowe must I leade my life in mournyng I may not lute or yet daunce or syng O la bell Pucell my lady glorious You are the cause that I am so dolorous Alas faire lady and mine owne swete hart With my seruyce I yelde me to your will You haue me fettred I may not astart At your pleasure you maye me saue or kyll Because I loue you wyll you me spyll Alas it were a piteous case in dede That you with death shoulde rewarde my mede A a that I am right wo begone For I of loue dare not to you speake For feare of nay that may encrease my mone Anay of you might cause my hart to breake Alas I wretche and yet vnhappy peke Into suche trouble misery and thought With sight of you I am into it brought And to my selfe as I made complaint I spied a man right nere me beforue Whiche right anone did with me acquaynt Me thinke he sayed that ye are neare forlorne With inwarde payne that your hart hath borne Be not to pensyfe call to mynde agayne Howe of one sorowe ye do nowe make twayne Mine inwarde sorowe ye begyn to double Go your way quod I for ye can not me ayde Tell me he sayed the cause of your trouble And of me nowe be nothing afrayed Me thynke that sorowe hath you ouerlayed Driue of no lenger but tell me your mynde It may me happe a remedy to fynde A a quod I it vayleth not your speache I wyll wyth you neuer haue medlyng Let me alone the most vnhappy wretche Of all the wretches that is yet liuyng Suche is the chaunce of my bewaylyng Go on your waye you are nothing the better To me to speake to make my sorowe greater For so the he sayed remember thinges thre The first is that ye may sorowe long Unto your selfe or that you ayded be And secondly in great paynes stronge To muse alone it myght turne you to wrong The thirde is it myght you well ease truely To tell your mynde to a frende ryght trusty It is a iewell of a frende of trust As at your nede to tell your secretenes Of all your payne and feruent lust His councell sone may helpe and redresse Your paynefull wo and mortall heauines Alone is nought for to thinke and muse Therfore good sonne do me not refuse And sythe that you are plunged all in thought Beware the pytte of dolorous dispayre So to complayne it vayleth you right nought It may so fortune ye loue a ladye fayre Whiche to loue you will nothing repayre Or els ye haue lost great lande or substaunce By fatall chaunce of fortunes ordinaunce Tell me the cause thoughe that it be so In case you loue I knowe it by experience It is a payne engendryng great wo And harde it is for to make resistaunce Agaynst suche loue of feruent vyolence The loue is dreadfull but neuertheles There is no sore nor yet no syckenes But there is a salue and remedy therfore So for your payne and your sorowe great Councell is medicine whiche may you restore Unto your desire without any let If ye will tell me where your harte is set In thy chayre of sorowe no great doubt it is To fynde a remedye for your payne I wys A phisition truely can little decerne Ony maner sickenes without sight of vryne No more can I by good counsaile you learne All suche wofull trouble for to determine But if you mekely will to me enclyne To tell the cause of your great greuousnes Of your inwarde trouble and wofull sadnes Then I began with all my diligence To heare him speake so grounded on reason And in my minde did make aduertence Howe it was holesome in tribulation To saue a good and a true companion For to knowe my sorowe and wofull grefe It might me comforte and right well relefe And of him then I asked this question What was his name I prayed him
me tell Councell quod he the whiche solucion In my wofull minde I liked right well And priuely I did his lesson spell Saiyng to him my chaunce and destiny Of all other is the most vnhappy Why so quod he thoughe fortune be straunge To you a while turnyng of her face Her louryng chere she may right sone chaung And you accept and call vnto her grace Dispayre you not for in good time and space Nothing there is but wisdome may it wâ—â— To tell your mynde I praye you to begyn Unto you quod I with all my whole assent I will tell you trouthe and you will not bewraye Unto none other my matter and entent Nay nay quod he you shall not se that daye Your whole affiaunce and trust well ye may Into me put for I shall not vary But kepe your councell as a secretary And then to him in the maner folowyng I did complayne with sighyng teares depe Alas quod I you shall haue knowlegyng Of my heauy chaunce that causeth me to wepe So wo I am that I can neuer slepe But wallowe and tumble in the trappe of care My hart was caughte or that I was ware It happened so that in a temple olde By the tower of musike at great solemnitie La bell pucell I did right well beholde Whose beauty cleare and great humilitie To my hart did cast the darte of amitie After whiche stroke so harde and feruent To her excellence I came incontinent Beholdyng her chere and louely countenaunce Her garmentes riche and her propre stature I regestered well in my remembraunce That I neuer sawe so fayre a creature So well fauouredly create by nature That harde it is for to wryght with ynke All her beautie or any harte to thinke Fayrer she was then was quene Helene Proserpyne Cresyde or yet Ypolyte Medea Dydo or yong Polexyne Alcumena or quene Menelape Or yet dame Rosamonde in certaintie None of all these can haue the preeminence To be compared to her highe excellence Duryng the feast I stode her neare by But then her beauty encreased my paine I coulde nothing resist the contrary She wrapt my hart in a brennyng chayne To the musicall tower she went then againe I went after I coulde not be behinde The chaine she haled whiche my hart did binde Till that we came into a chamber gaye Where that musike with all her minstrelsy Diuers base daunces most swetely did playe That them to here it was great melody And dame musike commaunded curteously La bell pucell with me then to daunce Whom that I toke with all my pleasaunce By her swete hande beginnyng the trace And long did daunce till that I might not hide The painefull loue whiche did my hart embrace Bicause wherof I toke my leaue that tide And to this temple where I do abide Forth then I went alone to bewaile My mortall sorowe without any faile Nowe haue I tolde you all the very trouth Of my wofull chaunce and great vnhappines I pray you nothing with me to be wrothe Whiche am drowned in careful wretchednes By fortune plunged full of doublenes A a said councell doubt ye neuer a deale But your disease I shall by wisedome heale Remember you that neuer yet was he That in this worlde did leade all his life In ioye and pleasure without aduersitie No worldly thing can not be without strife For vnto pleasure paine is affirmatife Who will haue pleasure he must first apply To take the payne with his cure busely To deserue the ioye which after doth ensue Rewardyng paine for the great busines No doubt your Lady wil vpon you rue Seyng you apply all your gentlenes To do her pleasure and seruice doubtles Harde is the harte that no loue hath felt Nor for to loue will then encline and melt Remember ye that in olde antiquitie Howe worthy Troylus that mighty champion What paine he suffered by great extremitie Offeruent loue by a great long season For his lady Cresyde by great tribulation After his sorowe had not he great ioye Of his lady the fayrest of all Troy And the famous knight yclipped Ponthus Whiche loued Sydoyne so moche entirely What paine had he and what care dolorous For his lady with loue so marueylously Was not her hart wounded right wofully After his paine his ladie did her cure To do him ioye honoure and pleasure Who was with loue more wofully arayed Then were these twaine and many other mo The power of loue had them so asayed That and I liste I coulde rehearse also To whom true loue hath wrought mykle wo And at the ende haue had their desire Of all their sorowe for to quenche the fire Languishe no more but plucke vp thy hart Exile dispayre and liue a while in hope And kepe your loue all close and couert It may so fortune that your lady wil grope Somewhat of loue for to drynke a sope Thoughe outwardely she dare not let you knowe But at the last as I beleue and trowe She can not kepe it so priuye and close But that somewhat it shall to you appeare By countenaunce howe that her loue arose If that she loue you the loue it is so deare When you come to her she wil make you chere With countenaunce according vnto loue Full priuely for to come to her aboue Sending of loue the messenger before Whiche is her eyes with louelye lokes swete For to beholde you then euer more and more After the time that you together mete With louing wordes she wil you then grete Sorowe no more for I thinke in my minde That at the last she will be good and kinde Alas quod I she is of hye degre Borne to great lande treasure and substaunce I feare to sore I shal disdayned be The whiche will trouble all my greuannce Her beautie is the cause of my penaunce I haue no great lande treasure and riches To winne the fauoure of her noblenes What thoughe quod he drawe you not backe For she hath inough in her possession For you bothe for you shall neuer lacke If that ye order it by good reason And so in perfect consideration She will with loue her grene flouryng age Passe forthe in ioye pleasure and courage Youthe is alway of the course right light Hote and moyst and full of lustines Moste of the ayre it is ruled by ryght And her complexion hath chiefe intresse Upon sanguine the ayres holesomenes She is not yet in all aboue xviii yere Of tender age to pleasure most deare Golde or siluer in any maner of wise For sanguyne youth it is all contrary So for to couet for it dothe arise Onely engendred vpon the malencoly Which is drye colde and also earthly In whiche the golde is truely nutrified Farre from the ayre so clearely purified Thus couetise shall nothing surmount Your yong ladies hart but onely nature Shall in her minde make her to account The great losse of youthe her speciall treasure She knoweth she is a right faire creature No
chaunce Thou to rule man it is a thing not true Nowe wherupon dothe hang this ordinaunce But accedent vpon the gouernaunce Of the hye bodyes whiche dothe man dispose The dede to do as him lyst purpose Capi. xxviii TO heare of Mars the maruelous argumeÌ„t And of Fortune I was sore amased Tyll that I sawe a lady excellent Clearely armed vpon whom I gased And her armes full priuely I blased The shelde of golde as I well vnderstande With a lyon of asure throughe passande To me she came with lowely countenaunce And bade me welcome vnto that mancion Leadyng me forthe with ioye and pleasaunce Into an hall of marueylous fashion Right strongly fortified of olde foundation The pillers of yuory garnished with gold With pearles set and brodred many a folde The flore was paued with stones precious And the roufe was braunched curiously Of the beaten golde bothe gaye and glorious Knotted with pommaunders right swetely Encencyng out the yll odours misty And on the walles right well did appeare The siege of Thebes depaynted fayre and cleare There were knyghtes plaâ—yng at the chestes Whiche sawe Minerue leade me in the hall They lefte their playe and all their busines And welcomed me right gently withall With sir Nurture then most in speciall Accompanied of his brother Curtesy They made me chere then full effectuallye And after that they brought me vp a stayre Into a chamber gayly glorified And at the dore there stode a knight right fayre Y clipped trouthe right clearely purified His countenaunce was ryght well modified To me he sayed that before myne entresse Him for to loue I shoulde him promise Of ryght he sayed I haue in custodye This chamber dore of kyng Melizyus That no man enter into it wrongfully Without me trouthe for to be chiualrous Here knyghtes be made to be victorious I shall you promise quod I fayethfully You for to loue and serue perdurably Abide quod he I will speake with the kyng Tell me your name and habitation And the chefe cause nowe of your comyng That I to him may make relation To knowe his minde without variation La graunde Amoure my name is saied I The cause of my commyng intentifly Is forbicause that I haue enterprised Nowe for the sake of fayre la bell pucell To passe the passage whiche I her promised That is so daungerous with serpentes cruell And for as muche as I knowe neuer a deale The feates of armes to attayne honoure I am come to learne with diligent laboure Then forthe he wente vnto the maiestie Of kyng Melizyus the myghty conqueroure Saiyng O power so hye in dignitie O prince victorious and famous Emperoure Of iustyng truely the originall floure One graunde Amoure woulde be acceptable In your hye courte for to be tendable With all my harte I will quod he accepte Him to my seruice for he is ryght worthy For vnto doctrine the hye waye he kept And so from thence to the tower of chiualry He shall attayne great actes wondersly Go on your way and bryng him fast to me For I thinke long him to beholde and se And then the good knight trouthe incontinent Into the chamber so pure sone me ledde Where sate the kyng so muche beniuolent In purple clothed set full of rubyes redde And all the floore on whiche we did treade Was cristall clere and the roufe at nyght With carbuncles did geue a marueylous lyght The walles were hanged with clothe of tissue Brodred with pearles and rubies rubiconde Mixte with emeraudes so full of vertue And bordred about with many a dyamonde An heauy hart it will make ioconde For to beholde the marueylous riches The lordship wealth and the great worthines There sate Melizyus in his hye estate And ouer his heade was a payre of balaunce With his crowne and scepter after the true rate Of another worldly king for to haue gouernance In his hande a ball of right great circumstaunce Before whom then I did knele adowne Saiyng O Emperoure most hye of renowne I the beseche of thyne haboundaunt grace Me to accept in this courte the for to serue So to continue by long time and space Of chiualry that I may nowe deserue The order ryght and well it to obserue For to attayne the hye aduauntage Of the enterprise of my doubty vyage Welcome he saied to this court ryall Mynerue shall arme you with great diligence And teache you the scates of armes all For she them knoweth by good experience In the olde time it was her science And I my selfe shall geue you a worthy stede Called galantyse to helpe you in your nede I humbly thanked his great highnes And so to Mynerue I did then apply Whiche did me teache with siker perfitnes For to haunt armes right well and nobly Sapience me ruled well and prudently Thus among knightes for to iust and tourney Mynerue me taught in sundry wise all day It was a ioyfull and a knightly sight For to beholde so fayre and goodly a sorte Of good knightes armed clere and bryght That I sawe there whiche did me well exhort Armes to haunt with couragious comforte Mynerue me taught my strokes and defence That in short space was no resistence Against my power and mighty puissaunce To my wilfull harte was nought impossible I bare my selfe so without doubtaunce My hart made my courage inuincible Of whiche the trou the was sone intelligible With my behauyng before the preeminence Of kyng Milizyus famous excellence Whiche ryght anone for dame Mynerue sent And me also with sir trouthe to obey We thought full little what the matter ment But vnto hym we toke anone the way Entryng the chamber so fayre cleare and gay The kyng vs called vnto his persone Saiyng I will graunde amoure anone Truely make knyght for the time approcheth That he must haunte and seke aduenture For la bell Pucell as true loue requireth And first of all began to me discure The high order howe I should take in cure And then anone he began to expresse What knighthode was to perfite sykernes Knighthode he sayed was first established The commen wealthe in ryght to defende That by the wrong it be not minished So euery knight must truely condescende For the commen wealthe his power to entende Agaynst all suche rebels contrarious Them to subdue with power victorious For knyghthode is not in the feates of warre As for to fight in quarell ryght or wrong But in a cause whiche trouthe can not defarre He ought him selfe for to make sure and strong Iustice to kepe myxt with mercy among And no quarell a knyght ought to take But for a trouthe or for the commens sake For first good hope his legge harneyes shoulde be His habergion of perfect ryghteousnes Gyrde fast wyth the girdle of chastitie His riche placarde shoulde be good busines Brodered with almes so full of larges The helmet mekenes and the shelde good fayeth His swerde Gods worde as S. Paule sayeth Also true wydowes he ought to restore
heauen Went retrogarde marueylously to neuen With diuers quartyls and the mone combust In the dragons tayle to let a louers lust These cursed witches disdayne and straungenes Made the monster of a subtile kynde To let my purpose and all my gladnes But that dame Pallas of her gentle minde Of marueylous herbes a remedy did finde And anone a boxe of marueylous oyntment She toke to me to withstande the serpent Thus all esmarueyled we did then awake And in my hand I had the oyntment Closed in a boxe of whiche I shoulde take To anoynt my harneys for the serpent Whiche shall deuoyde his fire so feruent And my swerde also to cause to depart Astrothe the fende so set with Magikes arte THen whē the sunne with his beames mery Began to rise in the fayre morowe gray All about lightyng our emispery Exilyng mistes and darke clowdes away And when we sawe that it was bright daye Nere by the ryuage at the last we spied A goodly shippe whiche vnto vs fast hyed And right anone by the riuage syde She cast an anker and did vs than hayle With a peale of gunnes at the morowe tyde Her bonet she vailed and gan to strike sayle She was right large of thre toppes without faile Her boate she made out and sent to the lande What that we were to knowe and vnderstande That so did walke by the riuer coast And with two ladyes we sodaynely mette So when that they were come to vs almost From their shippe boate curiously counterfaite Hayle knyght they saied nowe from a lady great Called dame Pacience we are hither sent To knowe your name and all the whole entent What you make here and the ladyes all Truely quod I ouer this stormy flowde We woulde haue passage nowe in speciall Tary she sayde it were to you not good There is a serpent euill right fierce and woode On the other side whiche will you deuoure Nay then quod I my name is graunde amoure I haue discomfited the gyauntes terrible For la bell Pucell the most fayre ladye And for her sake shalbe inuincible Of this great monster to haue the victory You haue quod they demeaned you nobly And we anone to our lady Pacience Will geue of you perfite intelligence Thus they departed and to their boate they went And the royall shippe yclipped perfitenes They did aborde and then incontinent Unto dame Pacience they gan to expresse My name mine actes and all my prowes Ha ha quod she howe glad may I nowe be Whiche in this place may him bothe heare and se And in great haste she made them rowe agayne Towarde the lande with all due reuerence For to receyue me and the ladyes certayne And so we then with all our diligence Entred the boate without resistence And did aborde then perfitenes so sure Whiche the great waues might right well endure And Pacience with great solemnitie Did me receiue and the ladyes also Welcome she sayed by hye aucthoritye I am ryght gladde that it hath happened so That la bell Pucell must redresse your wo And on your selfe with your worthy dedes Of Fame and her hath wonne right hie medes And then their anker they weyed in haste And hoyst their sayle when many a clarion Began to blowe the mornyng was past But Afrycus auster made surrection Blowyng his belowes by great occasion So forthe we sayled right playne southwest On the other syde where the Serpent did rest ¶ Howe graunde Amoure discomfited the wonderfull monster of the seuen metalles made by enchauntment Capit. xxxvii ANd at the lande we ariued than With all the ladyes in my company Whiche to praye for me sodaynely began To the God Mars lodestarre of chiualrye I toke my leaue of them full gentilly And right anone to finde out my fo This mortall dragon I went to and fro Tyll at the last beside a craggy roche I sawe the dragon whiche did me espye And nere and nere as I gan to approche I behelde his heade with his great body Whiche was mishaped full right wondersly Of golde so shyne was bothe his heade face Full like a mayde it is a marueylous case His necke siluer and thicke like a bull His brest stele and like an Olyphant His forelegges laten and of feders full Right like a Gripe was euery tallaunt And as of strength he nothing did want His backe afore like bristles of a swyne Of the fyne copper did moste clearely shine His hynder legges was like to a catte All of tynne and like a Scorpion He had a tayle with a heade therat All of leade of pliaunt fashion His hart stele without menission Towarde me he came roaryng like the thunder Spittyng out fyre for to se great wonder In his forheade with letters all of grewe Was written my name is malyce priuy That olde debate can full sone renue Betwene true louers wyth coloure crafty Agaynst graunde amoure I shall so fortifye My euill subtill power and cursed courage To let him truely of his hye passage I toke my boxe as Pallas commaunded And my swerde and shelde with all my armure In euery place I ryght well anoynted To hardines I toke my hart in cure Makyng me ready and when I thought me sure I toke my swerde and with an hardy harte Towarde the dragon I began to starte And as I gan my great stroke to charge He blewe out so muche fyre innumerable That on the grounde I did my might discharge The smoke was darke full greatly domageable And the hote fire was so intollerable About me fliyng that vnneth I myght Throughe my vysure cast abroade my sight But the swete oyntment had suche a vertue That the wilde fire myght nothing endomage Me throughe heate for it did extue The Magikes art with great aduauntage Causyng the fyre right well to asswage And with my swerde as nothing agast Upon the serpent I did strike full fast His body was great as any tunne The deuill about did his bodye beare He was as egre as Grype or Lyon So with his tallantes he did my harneyes teare That oft they put me in a mortall feare Tyll at the last I did his body perce With my good swerde he might it not reuerce Right ther withall the dragon to brast And out there flewe right blacke and tedious A foule Ethiope whiche suche smoke did cast That all the ylande was full tenebrous It thundred loude with clappes tempestious Then all the ladyes were full fore adreade They thought none other but that I was deade The spirite vanished the ayre waxed cleare Then did I loke and beholde about Where was the tower of my lady so deare Tyll at the laste I had espied it out Set on a rocke ryght hye without doubt And all the ladyes with perceueraunce To me did come with ioye and pleasaunce Forsothe quod they you are muche fortunate So to subdue the serpent venemous Whiche by sorcery was surely ordinate You for to slea with fire so vycious Blessed be