endued With so muche beauty and dame Grace also Your vertuous maners hath so muche renued Exile disdayne and let her from you go And also straungenes vnto loue the foe And let no couetise your true hart subdue But that in ioye ye may your youthe ensue For I of loue the Goddesse dame Uenus Right well do knowe that in the worlde is none That vnto you shalbe more ioyous Then graunde Amoure that loueth you alone Sythe he so did it is many dayes agone Who euer sawe a faire yong hart so harde Whiche for her sake would se her true loue marde And so shall he without ye take good hede Ifhe so be ye be cause of the same For loue with death will ye rewarde his mede And if ye do ye be to muche to blame To loue vnloued ye knowe it is no game Wherfore me thinke ye can do no lesse But with your loue his paynes to redresse If ye do not this may be his songe Wo worthe the time that euer he you mette Wo worthe your harte so doyng him wronge wo worthe the houre that his true hart was set wo worthe disdayne that woulde his purpose let wo worthe the flower that can do no boote Wo worthe you that perst him at the roote Wo worthe my loue the cause of my sorowe Wo worthe my lady that will not it release wo worthe fortune bothe euen and morowe wo worthe trouble that shall haue no peace Wo worthe cruelty that may neuer cease Wo worthe youthe that will no pitie haue Wo worthe her that will not her loue saue Wo worthe the trust without assuraunce Wo worthe loue rewarded with hate wo worthe loue replete with variaunce wo worthe loue without a frendly mate wo worthe the hart with loue at debate wo worthe the beauty whiche toke me in snare wo worthe her that will not cease my care Wo worthe her maners and her goodlines Wo worthe her eyes so cleare and amiable wo worthe suche cause of my great sickenes wo worthe pitie on her not tendable wo worthe her minde in disdaine so stable wo worthe her that hath me fettred fast And wo worthe loue that I do spende in waste Wherfore of right I pray you to remember All that I write vnto you right nowe Howe your true loue is of age but tender His humble seruice we praye you alowe And he him selfe shall euermore enprowe You for to please and geue the soueraintie Howe can you haue a more true loue then he And fare ye well there is no more to saye Under our signet in our courte royall Of September the. xxii daye She closed the letter and to her did call Cupide her sonne so deare in speciall Commaundyng him as fast as he might To la bell Pucell for to take his flyght So did Cupide with the letter flye Unto la bell Pucels domination There that he sped full well and wondersly As I shall after make relation But to my matter with breuiacion A turtle I offred for to magnifye Dame Uenus hye estate to glorifye She me exhorted for to be right hardy Forthe on to trauaile and to dreade nothing I toke my leaue of her full humbly And on my way as I was ridyng This Godfrey gobilyue came rennyng With his little nagge and cried tary tary For I wyll come and beare you company Capit. xxxii ANd forbicause that I was then full sadde And by the way he made me good game To haue his company I was somwhat glad I was not proude I toke of him no shame He came to me and saied ye are to blame So to ride louryng for a womans sake Unto the deuill I do them all betake They be not stedfast but chaunge as the mone When one is gone they loue another sone Who that is single and will haue a wife Right out of ioye he shall be brought in strife Thus when Godfrey did so merye make There did a lady vs sone ouertake And in her hande she had a knotted whippe At euery yerke she made Godfrey to skipe Alas he saied that euer I was borne Nowe am I take for all my mocke and scorne I loked about when that I hearde him crye Seyng this lady on her palfrey ride hye Madame I saied I pray you me tell Your proper name and where that ye dwell My name quod she is called Correction And the tower of chastice is my mancion This strong thefe called false report With vilayne courage and an other sort And vile perlers false coniecture All these I had in prison full sure But this false report hath broken prison With his subtill craft and euill treason And this iourney priuely to spede He hath cladde him in this foles wede Nowe haue I aunswered you your question And I pray you of a like solution You seme me thinke for to be a knyght I pray you tell me first your name aright My name quod I is la graunde Amoure A well quod she you are the perfite floure Of all true louers as I do well knowe You shall attayne la bell Pucell I trowe I knowe right well ye are aduenturous Onwarde your way to the tower perillous And for as muche as the night is neare I humbly pray you for to take the cheare That I may make you in my tower this night It is here by you shall of it haue sight And I pray you to helpe me to bynde This false reporte as you shoulde do by kinde What Godfrey quod I will ye chaung your name Nay nay qood he it was for no shame But alas for wo that she hath me taken I must obey it can not be forsaken His fete were fettred vndernethe his nagge And bounde his handes behinde to his bagge Thus Correction with her whippe did driue The little nagge wyth Godfrey gobilyue Till at the last we gan to approche Her royall tower vpon a craggy roche The night was come for it was right late Yet right anone we came to the gate Where we were let in by dame Measure That was a faire and a goodly creature And so Correction brought me to the hall Of gete well wrought glased with cristall The roufe was golde and amiddes was set A carbuncle that was large and great Whose vertue cleare in the hall so bright About did cast a great marueylous lyght So forthe we went into a chamber faire Where many ladyes did them selues repayre And at our commyng then incontinent They welcomed vs as was conuenient But of Correction they were very glad Whiche false report againe taken had There was quene Panthasile with Penalape Quene Helene and quene Menelape Quene I thesyle and quene Proserpyne The lady Meduse and yong Polixyne With many moe that I do not rehearse My time is shorte I muste fro them reuerce And dame Correction into a chamber ledde Me right anone for to go to my bedde What nede I shewe of my great cheare and rest I wanted nought but had all of the best And so I
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
well her hose I neuer sawe so fayre a creature Nothing she lacketh as I do suppose That is longyng to faire dame Nature Yet more ouer her counteuaunce so pure So swete so louely woulde any hart enspire With feruent loue to attayne his desire But what for her maners passeth all She is bothe gentle good and vertuous Alas what fortune did me to her call Without that she be to me pitifull With her so fettred in paynes dolorous Alas shall pitie be from her exiled Whiche all vertues hath so vndefiled Thus in my minde when I had engraued Her goodly countenaunce and faire fygure It was no wonder that I was amased My hart and minde she had so tane in cure Nothing of loue I durst to her discure Yet for bicause I was in her presence I toke arquayntaunce of her excellence My hart was drenched in great sorowe depe Though outwardly my countenaunce was light The inwarde wo into my hart did crepe To hide my payne it was great force and might Thus her swete beauty with a sodaine sight My hart hath wounded whiche must nedes obey Unto suche a sorowe nowe alas well away For she is gone and departed right farre In her countrey where she dothe abid She is nowe gone the fayre shinyng starre O lady Uenus I pray the prouide That I may after at the morowe tide And by the waye with hart right rigorious To subdue mine enemies to me contrarious And yet thy grace most humbly I praye To sende thy sonne little Cupide before With louyng letters as fast as thou maye That she may knowe somewhat of paynes sore Whiche for her sake I suffer euermore Nowe lady Uenus with my whole entent Of life or deathe I abide thy iudgement Well then saied Uenus I haue perseueraunce That you knowe somewhat of mighty power Whiche to my courte sue for acquaintaunce To haue release of your great paines sower Abide a while ye must tary the houre The time runneth towarde right fast Ioye cometh after when the sorowe is past Alas I saied who is fettred in chaynes He thinketh long after deliueraunce Of his great wo and eke mortall paynes For who abideth painefull penaunce Thinketh a shorte while a longe continuaunce Who may not speake with her he loueth best It is no wonder thoughe he take no rest Abide quod she you must a while yet tary Thoughe to haue comfort ye right long do thinke I shall prouide for you a lectuary Whiche after sorowe into your hart shall synke Though you be brought now vnto deaths brinke Yet dreade exile and liue in hope and trust For at the last you shall attayne your lust And specially I geue to you a charge To fixe your loue for to be true and stable Upon your Lady and not to flee at large As in sundry wise for to be variable In corrupt thoughtes vile and culpable Prepence nothing vnto her dishoncstie For lone dishonest hath no certaintie And sithen that I was cause you begone First for to loue I shal a letter make Unto your lady and sende it by my sonne Little Cupide that shall it to her take That she your sorowe may detraye or slake Her harded hart it shall well reuolue With piteous wordes that shall it desolue And right anone as the maner foloweth She caused Sapience a letter to write Lo what her fauoure vnto me auayleth When for my sake she did so well endite As I shall shewe in a short respite The gentle forme and tenoure of her letter To spede my cause for to attayne the better ¶ The copye of the Letter Capi. xxxi RIght gentle hart of grene flowryng age The starre of beautie and of famous port Consider well that your lusty courage Age of his cours must at the last transporte Nowe trouthe of right dothe our selfe exhorte That you your youthe in ydlenes will spende Withouten pleasure to bring it to an ende What was the cause of your creacion But man to loue the worlde to multiplye As to sowe the sede of generation With feruent loue so well conueniently The cause of loue engendreth perfitely Upon an entent of dame Nature Whiche you hath made so fayre a creature Then of dame Nature what is the entent But to accomplishe her faire sede to sowe In suche a place as is conuenient To Goddes pleasure for to encrease and growe The kinde of her ye may not ouerthrowe Saye what ye list ye can nothing denye But otherwhile ye thinke full priuely What the man is and what he can do Of chamber worke as nature will agree Thoughe by experience ye knowe nothing therto Yet oft ye muse and thinke what it may be Nature prouoketh of her strong degre You so to as hath bene her olde guise Why will you then the true loue despise In our courte there is a byll presented By graunde Amoure whose hart in duresse You fast haue fettred not to be absented From your person with mortall heauines His hart and seruice with all gentilnes He to you oweth as to be obedient For to fulfill your swete commaundement What you auayleth your beauty so faire Your lusty youthe and gentle countenaunce Without that you in your minde will repayre It for to spende in ioye and pleasaunce To folowe the trace of dame Natures daunce And thus in doyng you shall your seruaunt heale Of his disease and hurt you neuer a deale One must you loue it can not be denied For harde it is to voyde you of the chaunce Then loue him best that you haue so arayed With fiery chaynes fettred in penaunce For he is ready without doubtaunce In euery thing for to fulfill your will And as ye list ye may him saue or spill Alas what payne and mortall wo Were it to you and ye were in like case With him dismaide whiche you haue rayed so Woulde you not then thinke it a long space In his swete hart to haue a dwellyng place Then in your minde ye may reuolue that he Moste long dothe thinke that ioyfull day to se. Is not he yong bothe wise and lustye And eke descended of the gentle line What will you more haue of him truely Then you to serue as true loue will encline But as I thinke you do nowe determine To fyxe your mynde for worldly treasure Though in your youthe ye lese your pleasure Alas remember first your beautye Your youthe your courage and your tender hart What payne here after it may to you be When you lacke that whiche is true louers desert I tell you this your selfe to conuerte For little knowe ye of this payne iwys To liue with him in whom no pleasure is Where that is loue there can be no lacke Fye on that loue for the lande or substaunce For it must nedes right sone a backe When that youth hath no ioye nor pleasaunce In the party with natures suffisaunce Then will you for the sinne of auarice Unto your youthe do suche a preiudice Thus sithen Nature hath you well
rockes hye I loked about and on the hill abode Till in the vale I sawe full hastely To me come ridyng a lady sikerly I well behelde the hye waye so vsed But of this lady right often I mused Till at the last we did mete together Madame I saied the hye God you saue She thanked me and did aske me whither That I so rode and what I woulde haue Truely quod I nothing els I craue Of the hye God but to be so fortunate La bell Pucell to haue to my mate What is your name then saied she La graunde amoure for sothe madame quod I Then was she glad as any one might be And saied she was sent fro mine owne ladye Tidynges I saied I praye you hartely Your lady quod she is in perfect health And woulde be glad to heare of your wealth She promised you in a garden grene To loue you best of any creature So do the she yet as I thinke and wene Though that disdayne brought her to her lure But of her hart nowe you shall be sure Be of good chere and for nothing dismaye I spake with her but nowe this other day And she my selfe vnto you hath sent My name is called dame Perceueraunce A little before that I from her went To her came Cupide with great circumstaunce And brought a letter of Uenus ordinaunce Whiche vnto her he did anone present When she it reade and knewe the entent All inwardly full wondersly dismaied Withouten worde she did stande right well Her harded hart was full well delayed What for to do she knewe not good or yll You for to helpe or let you so spyll Disdayne and Strangenes did stand then therby Seing her countenaunce they gan to drawe nye Madame quod they why are ye so sadde Alas quod she it is no maruaile why Right nowe of Cupide a letter I had Sent from Uenus full right marueilously By whiche I haue perceyued vtterly That a yong knight called graunde amoure Dothe for my sake suffer suche doloure That of constraint of wo full heauines He is nere deade all onely for my sake Shall he nowe dye or shall I him relese Of his great wo and to my mercy take Abide quod Strangenes and your sorowe slake Haue you him sene in any time before Yes yes quod she that dothe my wo restore At penticost no we many dayes agone Musike to heare at great solemnitie To and fro he walked him selfe all alone In a great temple of olde antiquitie Till that by fortune he had espied me And right anone or that I was ware To me he came I knewe nought of his care He semed gentle his maners right good I behelde right well all his condicion Humble of chere and of goodly mode But I thought nothing of his affliction But his behauoure shewed the occasion Of feruent loue as then in mine entent I oft did deme and geue a iudgement So after this I did then sone depart Home to my countrey where I did abide When I was gone full heauy was his hart As Cupide saieth I must for him prouide A gentle reamedy at this sodayne tide And for my sake he is aduenturous To subdue mine enemies to me contrarious A quod Disdayne knowe ye his substaunce Why will you loue suche a one as he Though he seme gentle and of good gouernaunce You shall haue one of farre hier degree He is nothing mete as it semeth me To be your fere your fauoure to attaine What is it to you thoughe he suffer payne Coulde your selfe let his eyen to haue a sight Of your beauty or his hart to be set What skilleth you though that he dye this night You called him not when he with you mette And he will loue you you can not him let Be as be may ye shall haue mine assente Him for to forsake as in most expedient Alas madame then saied dame Strangenes When he cometh hither your courage abate Loke hye vpon him beware of mekenes And thinke that you shall haue an hye estate Let not graunde amoure say to you chekmate Be straunge vnto him as ye know nothing The perfite cause of his true commyng And in meane while came to her presence Dame Peace and Mercy and to her they saied Alas madame consider your excellence And howe your beauty hath him so arayed If you haue him ye may be well apayed And doubt you not if that ye loue for loue God will sende riches to come to you aboue Will you for loue let him dye or perishe Whiche loueth you so with feruent desyre And you your selfe may his sorowe minishe That with your beauty set his hart a fire Your swete lokes did his hart enspire That of fine force he must to you obey To liue or dye there is no more to say Alas quod Peace will ye let him endure In mortall payne withouten remedy Sithen his harte you haue so tane in cure Your hastye dome loke that ye modefy Exile Disdaine and Strangenes shortly And sende Perceueraunce as fast as ye may To comfort him in his troublous iourney Then in her minde she gan to reuolue The louyng wordes of Mercy and Peace Her hardy hart she gan for to dissolue And inwardly she did to me release Her perfite loue your great payne to cease And did exile then from her to wildernes Bothe dame disdayne and eke dame strangenes And did me sende to you incontinent With this goodly shelde that ye shoulde it were For her swete sake as is conuenient It is sure ye shall not nede to feare The stroke of swerde or yet the grate of spere She prayeth you for to be of good chere Aboue all men ye are to her most deare Nowe sayed Perceueraunce I pray you repose This long nyght with my cosen comfort A gentle ladye as any may suppose She can you tell and also well exhort Of la bell Pucell with a true report I thanked her of her great goodnes And so we rode with ioye and gladnes Tyll that we came vnto a manour place Moted about vnder a woode side Alight she saied for by right long space In payne and wo you did euer abide After an ebbe there cōmeth a flowyng tide So downe I light from my goodly stede After my paine to haue rest for my mede Then dame Perceueraunce on the way me ledde Into the place where did vs gentillye mete The lady Comfort without any dredde With countenaunce that was demure and swete In goodly maner she did vs then grete Leadyng vs to a chamber precious Dulcet of odoure and most solacious And priuely she asked a question Of Perceueraunce what I called was La graunde amoure without abusion Cosen quod she he dothe all louers passe Like as dothe Phebus in the pure glasse So dothe his dedes extolle the soueraintie Of the darke gyaunres by highe acthoritie When she it knewe she was of me ryght fayne Nothing I lacked that was to my pleasaunce After my trauayle and my wofull
elles But euermore to ryng her blacke belles Nowe are they deade all so mote I well thryue Except my selfe Godfrey gobilyue Whiche ride about a wife me to seke But I can finde none that is good and meke For all are shrewes in the worlde about I coulde neuer mete with none other route For some deuils will their husbandes beate And those that can not they will neuer let Their tonges cease but geue thre wordes for one Fie on them all I will of them haue none Who loueth any for to make him sadde I wene that he become worse then madde They are not stedfast nothing in their minde But alway turnyng like a blast of winde For let a man loue them neuer so well They will him loue againe neuer a deale For thoughe a man all his life certayne Unto her sue to haue release of payne And at the last she on him do rue If by fortune there come another newe The first shalbe clene out of her fauoure Recorde of Creside of Troylus the doloure They are so subtile and so false of kynde There can no man wade beyonde their minde Was not Aristotle for all his cleargy For a woman wrapt in loue so marueylously That all his cunnyng he had sone forgotten This vnhappy loue had his minde so broken That euermore the salt teares downe hayled When the chaunce of loue he him selfe bewayled Aferde he was of the true loue to breake For saiyng naye when he therof shoulde speake Till of constraint of wofull heauines For to haue remedy of his sore sickenes When he her spied right secrete alone Unto her he went and made all his mone Alas he saied the cause of my wo Mine onely lady and mistris also Whose goodly beautie hath my harte enrached With feruent loue and fiery lemes entached Wherfore take pitye of the paynefull sorowe Of me your seruaunt bothe euen and morowe She stode right styll and hearde what he saied Alas quod she be ye no more dismayed For I am content to fulfill your wyll In euery maner be it good or yll Of this condicion that ye shall release Me first of wo and great distresse For I my selfe haue thought many a day To you to speake but for feare of a nay I durst neuer of the matter meue Unto your person lest it shoulde you greue Nay nay quod he with all my whole entente I shall obey to your commaundement Well then quod she I shall you nowe tell Howe the case standeth truely euery dele For you knowe well that some women do long After nyce thinges be it ryght or wrong Right so must I vpon your backe nowe ryde In your mouthe also a brydle you to guide And so a brydle she put in his mouthe Upon his backe she rode bothe northe and southe About a chamber as some clarkes wene Of many persons it was openly sene Lo what is loue that can so fore blynde A Philosopher to bryng him out of kynde For loue dothe passe any maner of thing It is harde and priuy in workyng So on the grounde Aristotle crept And in hs teeth she long the bridle kept Till she therof had inoughe her fyll And yet for this he neuer had his wyll She did nothing but for to mocke and scorne This true louer whiche was for loue forlorne But when he knewe the poynt of the case The fiery anger did his hart enbrace That he him selfe did anone well knowe His anger did his loue so ouerthrowe And right anone as some Poetes write He that great mockage did her well acquite Did not a woman the famous Uirgyle By her great fraude full craftely begile For on a daye for his owne disport To the courte of Rome he gan to reforte Among the ladyes the time for to passe Till at the last like Phebus in the glasse So did a lady with her beauty cleare Shine throughe his hart with suche loue so deare Then of great force he must nedes obey She of his minde bare bothe the locke and key So was his hart set vpon a fire With feruent loue to attayne his desire She had him caught in suche a wily snare Great was his payne and muche more his care To fynde a time when it shoulde be meued To her of loue and he nothing repreued Thus euery day by ymagination In his minde was suche perturbation And at the last he had founde a time He thought to speake and vnto him no cryme Mercy lady nowe in all humble wise To her he saied for if ye me despise So hath your beauty my true hart arayed It is no maruaile thoughe I be afrayed To you to speake if that you denye My purpose truely I am marde vtterly So do I loue you with all my hart entere With in warde care I bye your beauty dere I must abide with all my whole entente Of life or death your onely iudgement With fayned eares of perfite audience She did him heare geuyng this sentence Uyrgyll she saied I woulde fayne you ease Of your trouble and of your great disease But I wotte not howe that it shoulde be Without turnyng vs to great dishonestie If it be knowen then bothe you and I Shalbe reheyted at full shamefully But what for that I haue me bethought A prety craft by me shalbe wrought Ye knowe my chamber ioyneth to a wall Beyng right hye and a windowe withall Sone at nyght when all folke be at rest I shall take a basket as me thinketh best And therto I shall a long coarde well tye And from the windowe let it downe priuely Right so when it is adowne on the grounde Ye may well enter in it bothe hole and sounde And my two maydens the whiche secrete be Shall anone helpe to hale you vp with me Lo in this wise you may haue right well Your owne desire in shorte space euery dell At a. xi of the clocke in the nyght so darke They did appoint for to fulfill this warke He often thanked her great gentilnes And so departed with great gladnes And so he went vnto his studye Passyng the time him selfe full merely Tyll that the clocke did strike aleuen Then to the wall he went full euen And founde the basket at the grounde already And entred into it full sodaynlye Waggyng the rope whiche the lady espied Whiche to the windowe right anone her hied With her two maydens she did him vp winde Amiddes the wall and left him there behinde That was fiue fadom and more from the ground When him selfe in suche a case he founde Alas he saied myne owne lady saue Mine honestie and what ye list to haue Ye shall haue it at your owne desire Nowe winde me vp my hart is on fire Thou shalt quod she in that place abide That all the citye so ryght long and wide May the beholde and the matter knowe For mine honesty and thy shame I trowe So there he hong tyll noone of the daye That euery person which went by the way Might him well
se and also beholde And vnto them the very cause she tolde Lo howe with shame she her loue rewarded His payne and sorowe she nothing regarded Thus at the last he adowne was brought Replete with shame it vayled him right nought Thus with great anger he his loue confounded Healyng the stroke whiche that she had wounded And by his craft he in Rome did drenche Euery fyre for he left none to quenche And towarde Rome a great circuite aboute There was no fyre that was vn put out He at her buttockes set a brennyng cole No fyre there was but at her ars hole She turned her toute that was crispe and fatte All about Rome did fetche their fire therat One of an other myght no fire get It woulde not kindle without he it fet From her ars by the magykes arte She blewe the fire when she let a fart Thus euery man might beholde and se With the light of fire her prety priuitye Thus all the citye vpon her did wonder For perfite sorowe her hart was nere a sunder And thus Uyrgile with crafty subtilnes Rewarded her falshode and doublenes All this I tell thoughe that I be a fole To the yong knyght for thou maist go to schole In time commyng of true loue to learne Beware of that for thou canst not decerne Thy ladies mynd though that she speake the faire Her hart is false she will no trouth repayre Nay quod I they are not all disposed So for to do as ye haue here disclosed Aha quod he I trowe well yebe A true louer so mote I thriue and the Let not thy ladye of thy hart be rother When thou art gone she will sone haue an other Thus forth we rode till we sawe a farre A royall tower as bryght as any starre To whiche we rode as fast as we myght When we came there adowne my stede I lyght So did this Godfrey gobiliue also Into the temple after me gan go There sate dame Uenus and Cupide her sonne Whiche had their parliament right newly begone To redresse louers of their payne and wo Whiche in the temple did walke to and fro And euery one his bill did present Before Uenus in her highe parliament The temple of her royall consistory Was walled all about with yuorye All of golde like a place solacious The roufe was made of knottes curious I can nothing extende the goodlines Of her temple so muche of riches This Godfrey gobilyue went lightly Unto dame Sapience the secretarye That did him make this supplication To the goddesse Uenus with breuiation O lady Uenus of loue the Goddesse Redresse my paine of mortall heauines I did once woe an olde mayden ryche A foule thefe an olde wydred wiche Fayre mayed I sayed will ye me haue Nay sir so God me kepe and saue For you are euill fauoured and also vgly I am the worse to se your visnamy Yet was she fouler many an hundred folde Then I my selfe as ye may well beholde And therwithall he caused to depaynte His face and hers all vnder his complainte And to Uenus he made deliueraunce Of his complaynt by a shorte circumstaunce Whiche right anone when she had it sene Began to laughe with all the courte I wene Lo here the figures of them bothe certayne Iudge whiche is best fauoured of them twayne THus godfrey gobilyue did make sucha sport That many louers to him did resorte When I sawe time I went to Sapience Shewyng to her with all my diligence Howe that my hart by Uenus was trapt With a snare of loue so priuely bewrapt And in her tower to haue a dwellyng place I seke aduentures to attaine her grace Her name quod I la bell Pucell is Bothe east and west she is well knowen ywys And my name la graunde Amoure is called Whose hart with payne she all about hath walled With her beautie whiche dame nature create Aboue all other in most high estate Well saied Sapience I thinke in my minde Her loue fauoure you shall attayne by kinde And I will drawe to you incontinent All your complaynt as is conuenient Unto dame Uenus to see directly For your payne and sorowe sone a remedye She drewe my piteous lamentation Accordyng to this supplication ¶ The Supplication Capit. xxx O Uenus lady and excellent Goddesse O celestiall starre hauyng the souerayntie Aboue all other starres as lady and princes As is accordynge vnto your deitye Pleaseth it nowe your great benignitie Unto my complaynt for to geue audience Whiche burne in loue with pearcyng vyoence For so it happened that the lady Fame Did with me mete and gan to expresse Of a faire lady whiche had vnto name La bell Pucell come of hye noblesse Whose beauty cleare and comely goodlines From day to day dothe right well renue With grace brydled and with great vertue She tolde me of her fayre habitation And of the wayes therto full daungerous Her swete report gaue me exhortation Unto my hart for to be couragious To passe the passage harde and troublous And to bryng me out of great encombraunce She me deliuered bothe grace and gouernaunce So forthe we wente to the tower of scyence For to attayne in euery artyke poole And first doctrine by good experience Unto dame Gramer did set me to schole Of misty ignoraunce to oppresse the dole And so I ascended vnto dame logyke And after her vnto lusty Rethortke Tyll at the last at a feast solemply To a temple I went dame musyke to heare Play on her organs with swete armony But then on loft I sawe to me appeare The flower of comfort the starre of vertue cleare Whose beauty bright into my hart did passe Like as fayre Phebus dothe shyne in the glasse So was my hart by the stroke of loue With sorowe perst and with mortall payne That vnneth I myght from the place remoue Where as I stode I was so take certayne Yet vp I loked to se her agayne And at aduenture with a sory mode Up then I went where as her person stode And first of all my hart gan to learne Right well to regester in remembraunce Howe that her beauty I might then decerne From toppe to tooe endued with pleasaunce Whiche I shall shewe withouten variaunce Her shining heere so properly she dresses A loft her forhcade with fayre golden tresses Her forheade stepe with fayre browes ybent Her eyen gray her nose straight and fayre In her white chekes the faire bloude it went As among the wite the redde to repayre Her mouthe right small her breathe swete of ayre Her lippes soft and ruddy as a rose No hart on liue but it woulde him appose With a little pitte in her well fauoured chynne Her necke long as white as any lillye With vaynes blewe in which the bloude ranne in Her pappes rounde and therto right pretye Her armes slender and of goodly bodye Her fingers small and therto right long White as the milke with blewe vaynes among Her fete proper she gartred