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
for me to tell Sythen the tyme that his life was gone In all this realme his pere did not dwell Aboue all other he did so excell None sythe his tyme in arte woulde succede After their death to haue for their mede But many a one is ryght well expert In this cunnyng but vpon aucthoritie They fayne no fables pleasaunt and couerte But spende their time in vaynefull vanitie Makyng ballades of feruent amitie As gestes and trifles without fruitefulnes Thus all in-vayne they spende their busines I little or nought expert in poetrye Of my master Lidgate will folowe the trace As euermore so his name to magnifye With suche little bokes by Gods grace I fin this worlde I may haue the space The little cunnyng that his grace me sent In tyme among in suche wise shalbe spent And yet nothing vpon presumption My master Lydgate I will not enuy But all onely is myne intencion With suche laboure my selfe to occupy As white by blacke dothe shyne more clearely So shal their matters appeare more pleasaunt Bisyde my draughtes rude and ignoraunt Capitu. xv NOWe in my boke further to procede To a chamber I wente replete w t ryches Where sate arismetrike in a golden wede Like a lady pure and of great worthines The walles about did fnll well expresse With golde depainted euery perfect number To adde detray and to deuide a sunder The roufe was painted with golden beames The windowes cristall clearely clarified The golden raies and depured streames Of radiant Phebus that was purified Right in the bull that time so domified Throughe windowes was resplendishant About the chamber faire and radiaunt I kneled downe right sone on my knee And to her I saied O lady marueylous I right humbly beseche your maiestie Your arte to shewe me so facundious Whiche is defuse and right fallacious But I shall so apply mine exercise That thevery trouthe I shall well deuise My science said she is right necessary And in the middes of the sciences all It is nowe set right well and perfectly For vnto them it is so speciall Numbring so their workes in generall Without me they had no perfectnes I must them number alway doubtles Without number is no maner of thing That in our sight we may well se For God made all at the beginnyng In number perfite well in certaintie Who knewe arsmetrike in euery degre All maner number in his minde were had Bothe to detray and to deuide and adde But who will knowe all the experience It behoueth him to haue great learning In many thinges with true intelligence Or that he can haue perfite rekenyng In euery number by expert cunnyng To rehearse in englishe more of this science It were folie and eke great negligence I thought full long till I had a sight Of la bell Pucell the most fayre ladye My minde vpon her was bothe day and night The feruent loue so perst me inwardly Wherfore I went anone right shortly Unto the tower swete and melodious Of dame musike so gaye and glorious Capitu. xvi WHen splendēt Phebus in his middaye speare Was highe in Gemine in the freshe season Of lustye Maye with golden beames cleare And darke Dyane made declination When Flora florished in this nacion I called vnto minde right inwardly The report of Fame so muche ententislye Of la bell Pucell in the tower musicall And ryght anone vnto the tower I went Where I sawe a temple made of Crystal In whiche musyke the lady excellent Played on base organes expedient Accordyng well vnto dyopason Dyapenthe and eke dyetesseron In this temple was great solemnitie And of muche people there was great prease I loked about whether I coulde se La bell pucell my langour to cease I coulde not se her my payne did encrease Tyll that I spied her aboue in a vaute Whiche to my hart did make so sore assaut With her beauty cleare and swete countenaunce The stroke of loue I coulde nothing resist And anone without lenger circumstaunce To her I went or that her person wist Her thought I knewe not she thought as she list By her I stode with hert sore and faynt And did my selfe with her sone acquaynt The commen witte did full little regarde Of dame musyke the dulcet armonye The eares hearde not for the mynde inward Uenus had wrapt and taken feruently Imagination wrought full priuely The fantasye gaue perfect iudgement Alway to her for to be obedient By estimation muche doubtfully I cast Whether I shoulde by long tyme and space Atteyne her loue or els to loue in waste My hart sobbed and quaked in this case I stode by her ryght neare in the place With many other fayre ladies also But so fayre as she I neuer sawe no mo The feast done dame musyke did go She folowed after and she woulde not tary Fare well she saied for I must part you fro Alas thought I that fortune dothe so vary My sadde body my heauy harte did carye I could not speake my harte was neare broken But wyth my heade I made her a token When she was gone inwardely then wrought Upon her beauty my minde retentife Her goodly fygure I graued in my thought Except her selfe all were expulsyfe My minde to her was so ententyfe That I folowed her into a temple farre Replete with ioye as bryght as any starre Where dulcet Flora her aromatyke dewe In the fayre temple adowne did distyll All abroade the fayre dropes did shewe Encencyng out all the vapours yll With suche a swetenes Flora did fulfyll All the temple that my gowne well shewed The lycoure swete of the droppes endued And so to a chamber full solacious Dame musyke went with la bell Pucell All of Iasper with stones precious The roufe was wrought curiously and well The windowes glased maruelously to tell With clothe of tissue in the riches maner The walles were hanged hie and cyrculer There sate dame musike with all her minstrelsy As tabours trumpets with pipes melodious Sakbuttes organs and the recorder swetely Harpes lutes and crowdes right delicious Cimphans doucemers w t claricymbals glorious Rebeckes claricordes eche in their degre Did sit about their Ladyes maiestye Before dame musike I did knele adowne Saiyng to her O faire Ladye pleasaunt Your prudence raigneth most hye in renowne For you be euer right concordaunt With perfite reason whiche is not variaunt I beseche your grace with all my diligence To instruct me in your novle science It is she saied right greatly profitable For musike dothe set in all vnitie The discorde thinges whiche are variable And deuoydeth mischiefe and great iniquitie Where lacketh musike there is no plenty For musike is concorde and also peace Nothing without musike may well encrease The seuen sciences in one monacorde Eche vpon other do full well depende Musike hath them so set in concorde That all in one may right well extende All perfite reason they do so comprehende That they are way and perfite doctrine To the ioye aboue whiche is
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
be contrarious But what for that your selfe in speciall Remember there is no loue so ioyous As is your owne to you most precious Will you geue your youthe and your flouryng age To them against your minde in mariage Pucell Against my ininde of that were I lothe To wedde for feare as them to obey Yet had I rather they were somewhat wrothe For I my selfe do beare the locke and keye Yet of my minde and will do many a daye Mine owne I am what that I list to do I stande vntied there is no ioye therto Amoure O swete lady the good perfect starre Of my true hart take ye nowe pitie Thinke on my paine whiche am tofore you here With your swete eyes beholde you and se Howe thought and wo by great extremitie Hath chaunged my hue into pale and wanne It was not so when I to loue began Pucell So me thinke it dothe right well appeare By your coloure that loue hath done you wo Your heuy countenaunce your doleful cheare Hath loue suche might for to aray you so In so short a space I maruell muche also That ye woulde loue me so sure in certayne Before ye knew that I woulde loue agayne Amoure My good deare hart it is no maruaile why Your beauty cleare and lonely lokes swete My hart did perce with loue so sodainely At the firste time that I did you mete In the olde temple when I did you grete Your beauty my hart so surely assayed That sithe that time it hath to you obeyed Capitu. xix Pucell YOur wo and paine all your languishyng Continuaily ye shall not spende in vayne Sithē I am cause of your great morning Nothinge exile you shall I by disdaine Your hart and mine shall neuer part in twaine Thoughe at the first I woulde not condescende It was for feare ye did some yll entende Amoure With thought of yll my minde was neuer mixt To you madame but alway cleane and pure Bothe day and night vpon you whole perfixt But I my minde yet durst nothing discure Howe for your sake I did suche wo endure Till nowe this houre with dredfull hart so faint To you swete hart I haue made my complaint I demed oft you loued me before By your demenoure I did it espye And in my minde I iudged euermore That at the last ye woulde full secretely Tell me your minde of loue right gentlely As ye haue done so my mercy to craue In all worship you shall my true loue haue Amoure O lorde God then howe ioyfull was I She loked on me with louely countenaunce I kiste her once or twise right swetely Her depured vysage repleate with pleasaunce Reioyced my hart with amerous purueyaunce O lady cleare that perst me at the rote O floure of comfort all my heale and bote O gemme of vertue and lady excellent Aboue all other in beauteous goodlines O eyen bright as starre refulgent O profounde cause of all my sickenes Nowe all my ioye and all my gladnes Woulde God that we were ioyned in one In mariage before this daye were gone Pucell A a saied she ye must take payne a while I must depart by the compulcion Of my frendes I will not you begile Thoughe they me leade to a farre nacion My hart shalbe without variacion With you present in perfite sikernes As true and stable without doublenes To me to come is harde and daungerous When I am there for gyantes vgly With monsters also blacke and tedious That by the way awaite full cruelly For to destroye you yll and vtterly When you that waye do take the passage To attaine my loue by hye aduauntage Amoure All that madame was to me certified By good dame Fame at the beginnyng When she to me of you well notified As she came from the tower of learnyng Of all suche enemies the might excluding I promise vnto you here full faithfully When I depart from dame astronomy That I will to the tower of chiualry And for your sake become aduenturous To subdue all enemies to me contrary That I may after be right ioyous With you my lady most swete and precious Wo worthe the cause of your departynge Whiche all my sorowes is in renuyng Alas what pleasure and eke without disport Shall I now haue when that ye be gone Ha ha truely nowe without good comfort My dolorous hart shalbe left alone Without your presence to me is none For euery houre I shall thinke a yere Till Fortune bryng me vnto you more neare Yet after you I will not be right long But haste me after as fast as I may In the tower of chiualry I shall make me strong And after that passe shortly on my way With diligent labour on my iourney Spite of your enemies I shall me so spede That in short time ye may reward my mede I thanke you quod she with my hart entire But yet with me ye shall make couenaunte As I to you am right lefe and deare Unto no person ye shall so aduaunte That I to loue you am so attendaunt For any thing your councell not bewraye For that full sone might vs bothe betray And to tell me I pray you hartely Yonder is councell howe were you acquainted He is bothe honest and true certainely Dothe he not knowe how your hart is fainted With feruent loue so surely attainted If he so do yet I nothing repent He is so secrete and true of entent Truely madame because ye are contente I shall you tell howe the matter was When that your beauty clearely spendent Into my hart full wondersly did passe Like as fayre Phebus dothe shine in the glasse All alone with inwarde care so rent Into a temple forthe on my way I wente Where that I walked plunged in the pitte Of great dispayre and he then me mette Alas he saied me thinke ye lose your witte Tell me the trouthe nowe without any let Why ye demeane suche mortall sorowe great Auoyde quod I you shall nothing it knowe You can not helpe me in the case I trowe But he suche reason and fruitefull sentence Did for him laye that I tolde him all When he it knewe with all his diligence He did me comfort then in speciall Unto my minde he bade me to call Who spareth to speake he to spede dothe spare Go tell your lady the cause of your care By whose councell grounded in wisdome To the entent I shoulde spede the better And right shortly I did then to you come But dreade alway made my sorow greater After great paine the ioyes is the sweter For who that tasteth painefull bitternes The ioye to him is double swetenes And therwithall I did vnto her bryng Councell my frende and full right meke Did him receiue as he was comming And of all thinges she did him beseke After her parting the same weke To haste me forwarde to my iourneyes ende Thereto quod I I do well condescende Fare well quod she I may no lenger tarye My frendes will come of
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
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
winne the victory Of the sturdy gyauntes with famous chyualry O prynce of honoure and of worthy fame O noble knyghtes of olde antiquitie O redoubted courage the causer of their name Whose worthy actes Fame caused to be In bokes written as ye may well se So geue me grace ryght well to recure The power of Fame that shall long endure I thought me past all childely ygnoraunce The. xxi yere of my yonge flouryng age I thought that Uenus myght nothyng auaunce Her strength agaynst me with her lusty courage My witte I thought had suche aduauntage That it shoulde rule bothe Uenus and Cupide But alas for wo for all my sodayne pride WHen that Phebus entred was in Geminye Towarde the crabbe takyng ascention At the time of the great solemnitie From heauen aboue of Gods descention In a great temple with whole entencion As I went walkyng my selfe to and fro Full sodaynely Uenus wrought me suche wo For as I cast then my syght all aloft I sawe Uenus in beauty so cleare Whiche caused Cupide with his dart so soft To wounde my hart with feruent loue so deare Her louyng countenaunce so highe did appeare That it me rauished with a sodaine thought Alas for wo it auayled me right nought To geue audience vnto the melody Of waytes and organs that were at the feast Loue had me wounded so sore in wardly What was to do I knewe not the best Replete with sorowe and deuoyde of rest Sithen the time that she my hart so wounded My ioy and pride she hath full lowe confounded And so nowe for to attayne her grace As thou doest knowe become aduenturous Besechyng the in this perillous case O Mars me succoure in time tempestious That I may passe the passage daungerous And to thy laude honoure and glory I shall a temple right strongly edifye Well then saied Mars I shall the fortify In all thy warre as fast as I can But for thy payne I knowe no remedy For Uenus raygned when that thou began First for to loue makyng the pale and wanne And of the trouthe to make relation Thou was borne vnder her constellation Wherfore thou must of very perfite ryght Unto her sue by the disposicion Whiche the constrayneth with whole delite For to loue ladyes by true affection Suche is her course and operation Wherfore when thou hast learned perfitely The for to gouerne by prudent chiualrye Then to fulfill thy right hye enterprise Forthe on thy way thou shalt thy iourney take Unto a temple in all humble wise Before dame Uenus thine oblation to make Whiche all thy paine maye sone redresse and slake For at that time she holdeth a parliment To redresse louers of their impediment Aha quod fortune with the faces twayne Behinde sir Mars I haue a great maruayle That thou doest promise him that he shal attayne Unto his purpose with all diligent trauayle Throughe thine ayde eke strength and counsayle Sythence dependeth in mine ordinaunce Him to promote or bryng to mischaunce My power estate and royall dignitie Dothe turne the whele of worthely glory Often vp so downe by mutabilitie Haue not I promoted full noblye Many a lowe degre to raygne full royallye And often haue made a transmutation Of worldely wealthe into tribulation Thus can I make an alterasion Of worthely honoure whiche dothe depende All onely in my dominacion Throughe the worlde my whele dothe extende As reason dothe ryght well comprehende Of my great chaunces whiche are vnsure As dayly dothe appere well in vre If I shoulde worke with perfect stedfastnes As to exalt some to be honourable And that they knewe by perfite sykernes That it shoulde dure and not be variable It were a thing vnto me culpable For great orguel pride shoulde them so blynde To know them selues they should lose their mind Thus when that they shoulde them selues forget And in no wise their owne person knowe Full little then they woulde by me sette That them exalted to hye degree from lowe And by my chaunce coulde nought theÌ„ ouerthrow Thus shoulde they do dreade me nothing Wherfore my whele is euermore turnyng And where that I shoulde turne my face Castyng some in pytte of pouertye They were condempned without any grace As for to attayne any prosperitie Whiche were a cause of greate iniquitie For riche mens goodes I must oft translate Unto the pore them for to eleuate And thirdely I shoulde lose my name For this worde fortune is well derified Of an accident chaunce bothe good or shame When that the dede is so exemplified Wherfore by reason I must be duplified And nothing stable in my hye warke As writeth many a ryght noble clarke Therfore by reason I must be mutable And turne my whele ryght oft vp so downe Labouryng in workes whiche are vnstable On some to laughe on some I must frowne Thus all about in euery realme and towne I shewe my power in euery sundry wise Some to descende and on some to arise Wherfore my power dothe right well excell Aboue the Mars in thine house enclosed For to rule man thou hast power neuer adell Saue after the somewhat he is disposed Thy constelation hath him so apposed Who vnder the taketh his natiuitie Yet God hath geuen him power to rule the Wherfore I am of a farre higher power Then thou arte for there is no defence Agaynst my will at any time or houre And in my name there is a difference For in these wordes in my magnificence Predestinate and also desteny As I shall shewe anone more formably Predestinate dothe right well signifie A thing to come whiche is prepared None but God doth knowe it openly Tyll that the dede cause it to be declared For many a one when they well fared Full little thought that tribulation To them was ordeyned by predestination The desteny is a thing accident And by the worke dothe take the effect Tyll it be done it is ay precedent No man from it can him selfe abiect Thus euery chaunce dothe fortune direct Wherfore by reason la graunde Amoure Must sue vnto me to do him socoure A ha quod Mars suche a one as thou I neuer knewe before this season For thou thy selfe doest so muche enproue Aboue the heauens by exaltation But what for all thy commendation Arte thou nowe any thing substanciall Spirituall or els yet terrestriall Howe can a worke pâ—â—fitely be grounded But in these two and thou arte of those Wherfore for nought thou maiest be confounded For nought in substaunce can nothing transpose Of none effect thou canst thy selfe disclose Howe hast thou power in any maner of case In heauen or earth without a dwellyng place But that Poetes hath made a figure Of thee for thy great signification The chaunce of man so for to discure Accordyng to a moralization And of the trouthe to make relation The man is fortune in his proper dede And not thou that causeth him to spede What neadeth him vnto him selfe to sue Sithens thou art the dedes of his
se and also beholde And vnto them the very cause she tolde Lo howe with shame she her loue rewarded His payne and sorowe she nothing regarded Thus at the last he adowne was brought Replete with shame it vayled him right nought Thus with great anger he his loue confounded Healyng the stroke whiche that she had wounded And by his craft he in Rome did drenche Euery fyre for he left none to quenche And towarde Rome a great circuite aboute There was no fyre that was vn put out He at her buttockes set a brennyng cole No fyre there was but at her ars hole She turned her toute that was crispe and fatte All about Rome did fetche their fire therat One of an other myght no fire get It woulde not kindle without he it fet From her ars by the magykes arte She blewe the fire when she let a fart Thus euery man might beholde and se With the light of fire her prety priuitye Thus all the citye vpon her did wonder For perfite sorowe her hart was nere a sunder And thus Uyrgile with crafty subtilnes Rewarded her falshode and doublenes All this I tell thoughe that I be a fole To the yong knyght for thou maist go to schole In time commyng of true loue to learne Beware of that for thou canst not decerne Thy ladies mynd though that she speake the faire Her hart is false she will no trouth repayre Nay quod I they are not all disposed So for to do as ye haue here disclosed Aha quod he I trowe well yebe A true louer so mote I thriue and the Let not thy ladye of thy hart be rother When thou art gone she will sone haue an other Thus forth we rode till we sawe a farre A royall tower as bryght as any starre To whiche we rode as fast as we myght When we came there adowne my stede I lyght So did this Godfrey gobiliue also Into the temple after me gan go There sate dame Uenus and Cupide her sonne Whiche had their parliament right newly begone To redresse louers of their payne and wo Whiche in the temple did walke to and fro And euery one his bill did present Before Uenus in her highe parliament The temple of her royall consistory Was walled all about with yuorye All of golde like a place solacious The roufe was made of knottes curious I can nothing extende the goodlines Of her temple so muche of riches This Godfrey gobilyue went lightly Unto dame Sapience the secretarye That did him make this supplication To the goddesse Uenus with breuiation O lady Uenus of loue the Goddesse Redresse my paine of mortall heauines I did once woe an olde mayden ryche A foule thefe an olde wydred wiche Fayre mayed I sayed will ye me haue Nay sir so God me kepe and saue For you are euill fauoured and also vgly I am the worse to se your visnamy Yet was she fouler many an hundred folde Then I my selfe as ye may well beholde And therwithall he caused to depaynte His face and hers all vnder his complainte And to Uenus he made deliueraunce Of his complaynt by a shorte circumstaunce Whiche right anone when she had it sene Began to laughe with all the courte I wene Lo here the figures of them bothe certayne Iudge whiche is best fauoured of them twayne THus godfrey gobilyue did make sucha sport That many louers to him did resorte When I sawe time I went to Sapience Shewyng to her with all my diligence Howe that my hart by Uenus was trapt With a snare of loue so priuely bewrapt And in her tower to haue a dwellyng place I seke aduentures to attaine her grace Her name quod I la bell Pucell is Bothe east and west she is well knowen ywys And my name la graunde Amoure is called Whose hart with payne she all about hath walled With her beautie whiche dame nature create Aboue all other in most high estate Well saied Sapience I thinke in my minde Her loue fauoure you shall attayne by kinde And I will drawe to you incontinent All your complaynt as is conuenient Unto dame Uenus to see directly For your payne and sorowe sone a remedye She drewe my piteous lamentation Accordyng to this supplication ¶ The Supplication Capit. xxx O Uenus lady and excellent Goddesse O celestiall starre hauyng the souerayntie Aboue all other starres as lady and princes As is accordynge vnto your deitye Pleaseth it nowe your great benignitie Unto my complaynt for to geue audience Whiche burne in loue with pearcyng vyoence For so it happened that the lady Fame Did with me mete and gan to expresse Of a faire lady whiche had vnto name La bell Pucell come of hye noblesse Whose beauty cleare and comely goodlines From day to day dothe right well renue With grace brydled and with great vertue She tolde me of her fayre habitation And of the wayes therto full daungerous Her swete report gaue me exhortation Unto my hart for to be couragious To passe the passage harde and troublous And to bryng me out of great encombraunce She me deliuered bothe grace and gouernaunce So forthe we wente to the tower of scyence For to attayne in euery artyke poole And first doctrine by good experience Unto dame Gramer did set me to schole Of misty ignoraunce to oppresse the dole And so I ascended vnto dame logyke And after her vnto lusty Rethortke Tyll at the last at a feast solemply To a temple I went dame musyke to heare Play on her organs with swete armony But then on loft I sawe to me appeare The flower of comfort the starre of vertue cleare Whose beauty bright into my hart did passe Like as fayre Phebus dothe shyne in the glasse So was my hart by the stroke of loue With sorowe perst and with mortall payne That vnneth I myght from the place remoue Where as I stode I was so take certayne Yet vp I loked to se her agayne And at aduenture with a sory mode Up then I went where as her person stode And first of all my hart gan to learne Right well to regester in remembraunce Howe that her beauty I might then decerne From toppe to tooe endued with pleasaunce Whiche I shall shewe withouten variaunce Her shining heere so properly she dresses A loft her forhcade with fayre golden tresses Her forheade stepe with fayre browes ybent Her eyen gray her nose straight and fayre In her white chekes the faire bloude it went As among the wite the redde to repayre Her mouthe right small her breathe swete of ayre Her lippes soft and ruddy as a rose No hart on liue but it woulde him appose With a little pitte in her well fauoured chynne Her necke long as white as any lillye With vaynes blewe in which the bloude ranne in Her pappes rounde and therto right pretye Her armes slender and of goodly bodye Her fingers small and therto right long White as the milke with blewe vaynes among Her fete proper she gartred
well her hose I neuer sawe so fayre a creature Nothing she lacketh as I do suppose That is longyng to faire dame Nature Yet more ouer her 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
slept tyll that aurora cleare Began to shine amiddes her golden spere Then vp I rose and my verlet also Whiche made me ready and to my stede did go And dame Correction at this morowe tyde Did me entreate a while to abide And right anone my breakefast was brought To make me cheare there wanted right nought And after this dame Correction Did leade me to a marueylous dongeon And first she ledde me to the vpper warde Where shamefastnes did vs well regarde For he was iaylour and had at his charge Euery rebell not for to go at large In the first warde there went to and fro Bothe men and women that might no furder go But yet they hoped for to haue releue Of their enprison whiche did them so greue These prisoners when true loue was meued They woulde driue of and not release the greued And for this cause by equall iudgement Like as they did here haue they punishment And shamefastnes lower did vs bryng Where we sawe men that were in tormentyng With many ladies that their mouthes gagged And false reporte on me his heade wagged Then right anone a lady gan to scrape His furred tonge that he cried like an ape And vyle Peller in like wise also His tonge was scraped that he suffred wo And yet we went into a deper vale Where I sawe men that were in great bale In hollowe bushes they did hange alofte Their heades downewarde for to fall vnsoft And two ladyes did their bodies bete With knotted whippes in the fleshe to frete That the desire it shoulde sone aswage And specially of the vylayne courage These men with sugred mouthes so eloquent A maydens hart coulde right sone relent And these yong maydens for to take in snare They fayne great wo and for to suffer care The folyshe maydens did beleue they smarted That to their will the men them conuerted Thus when that they had them so begiled And with their fraude these maydens defiled They cast them of they toke no lenger kepe Go where ye list thoughe they crye and wepe Therfore these ladyes wyth their whippes harde Their bodies beate that their bodies hath marde And euery man as he hath deserued A payne there is whiche is for him obserued Thus when I had all the pryson sene With the torment of many a one I wene And forthe we went agayne to the hall My stede was ready and brought to the wall And of the ladyes cleare in excellence I toke my leue with all due reuerence And thanked Correction with my hart entire Of my repose and of her louyng chere To me she saied remember you well Of the swete beauty of la bell Pucell When you her hart in fetters haue chayned Let her haue yours in likewise retayned Loke that your hart your worde countenaunce Agree all in one withouten variaunce It the for pitye do release you your payne Consider it and loue her best againe Be true and secrete and make none aduaunt When you of loue haue a perfite graunte And if ye will come vnto your wyll Bothe here and see and then holde you styll Dreadc you nothing but take a good harte For right sone after you from hence depart Right high aduentures vnto you shall fall In time of fyght vnto your minde then call If you preuayle you shall attayne the fame Of hye honoure to certifie the same And therwith I light vpon my stede Madame I saied I praye God do you mede Fare well she saied for you must nowe hence Adue quod I with all my diligence ¶ Howe graunde Amoure discomfited the Gyaunt with three heades and was receiued of three fayre Ladyes Capi. xxxiii WHen golden Phebus in the Capricorne Gan to ascende fast vnto Aquary And Ianus bifrus the croune had worn With his frosty bearde in Ianuary When cleare Dyana ioyned with Mercury The cristall ayre and assured firmament Were all depured without encumbrement Forthe then I rode at mine owne aduenture Ouer the mountaines and the craggy rockes To beholde the countres I had great pleasure Where corall growed by ryght hye stockes And the Popingayes in the tree toppes Then as I rode I sawe me beforne Beside a well hang bothe a shelde and a horne When I came there adowne my stede I light And the faire bugle I right well behelde Blasyng the armes as well as I myght That was so grauen vpon the goodly shelde First all of siluer did appeare the felde With a rampyng Lyon of fine golde so pure And vnder the shelde there was this scripture If any knight that is aduenturous Of his great pride dare the bugle blowe There is a gyaunt bothe fierce and rigorious That with his might shall him sone ouerthrow This is the waye as ye shall nowe knowe To la bell Pucell but withouten faile The sturdy gyaunt will geue you battaile When I the scripture once or twise had reade And knewe therof all the whole effect I blewe the horne without any dreade And toke good hart all feare to abiect Makyng me ready for I did suspect That the great gyaunt vnto me woulde haste When he had hearde me blowe so loude a blast I alite anone vpon my gentle stede About the well then I rode to and fro And thought right well vpon the ioyfull mede That I shoulde haue after my payne and wo And of my lady I did thinke also Tyll at the last my verlet did me tell Take hede quod he here is a fende of hell My greyhoundes leaped and my stede did start My spere I toke and did loke about With hardy courage I did arme my hart At last I sawe a sturdy gyaunt stoute Twelue fote of length to leare a great route Thre heades he had and he armed was Bothe heades and bodye all aboute with brasse Upon his first heade in his helmet crest There stode a fanc of the silke so fine Where was written with letters of the best My name is falshode I shall cause encline My neighbours goodes for to make them myne Alway I get their lande or substaunce With subtile fraude deceypt or variaunce And when a knight with noble chyualry Of la bell Pucell shoulde attayne the grace With my great falshode I worke so subtilly That in her hart he hath no dweilyng place Thus of his purpose I do let the case This is my power and my condicion Loue to remoue by a great illusion And of the seconde heade in a silken tassell There I sawe written ymagination My crafty witte is withouten fayle Loue for to bring in perturbacion Where la bell Pucell woulde haue affection To graunde amoure I shall a tale deuise To make her hate him and him to despise By my false witte so muche ymaginatife The trouthe full oft I bryng in disease Where as was peace I cause to be strife I will suffer no man for to liue in ease For if by fortune he will be displease I shall of hym ymagen suche a tale That out of ioye it
shall turne into bale And on the thirde heade in a stremer grene There was written my name is pariury In many a towne I am knowen as I wend Where as I list I do great iniury And do forswere my selfe full wrongfully Of all thinges I do hate conscience But I loue lucre with all diligence Betwene two louers I do make debate I will so swere that they thinke I am true For euer falshode with his owne estate To a lady cometh and sayeth to eschue An inconuenience that ye do not rue Your loue is nought ymagination knoweth I sweare in likewise and anone she troweth That we haue saied is of very trouthe Her loue she casteth right cleane out of minde That with her loue she is wonderfly wrough with fayned kindenes we do her so blinde Then to her louer she is full vnkinde Thus our thre powers were ioyned in one In this mighty gyaunt many dayes agone And when that I had sene euery thing My spere I charged that was very great And to this gyaūt so fiercely cōmyng I toke my course that I with him mette Breakyng my spere vpon his first helmet And right anone adowne my stede I light Drawyng my swerde that was faire and bright I clipped Clara prudence that was faire and sure At the gyaunt I stroke with all my valeaunce But he my strokes might right well endure He was so great and huge of puysaunce His glaue he did against me aduaunce Whiche was iiii fote and more of cuttyng And as he was his stroke dischargyng Because his stroke was heauy to beare I lept aside from him full quickely And to him I ranne without any feare When he had discharged agayne full lightly He rored loude and sware I shoulde abye But what for that I strake at him fast And he at me but I was not agast But as he fought he had a vauntage He was right hye and I vnder him lowe Till at the last with lusty courage Upon the side I gaue him suche a blowe That I right neare did him ouerthrowe But right anone he did his mighte enlarge That vpon me he did suche strokes discharge That I vnneth might make resistence Against his power for he was so strong I did defende me agaynst his vyolence And thus the battayle dured full right long Yet euermore I did thinke among Of la bell Pucell whom I shoulde attayne After my battailles to release my payne And as I loked I sawe then auale Fayre golden Phebus with his beames redde Then vp my courage I began to hale Whiche nighe before was agone and deade My swerde so entred that the gyant bledde And with my strokes I cutte of anone One of his legges amiddes the thyghe bone Then to the grounde he adowne did fall And vpon me he gan to loure and glumme Enforsyng him so for to ryse withall But that I shortly vnto him did come With his thre heades he spitte all his venyme And I with my sworde as fast as coulde be With all my force cut of his heades three When I had so obtayned the victory Unto me then my varlet well sayed You haue demeaned you well and worthely My greyhoundes lept and my stede then brayed And then from farre I sawe well arayed To me come ridyng thre ladyes right swete Forthe then I rode and did with them mete The first of them was called Ueritie And the seconde good Operation The thirde also yclipped Fidelitie All they at once with good opinion Did geue to me great laudation And me beseched with their hart entire With them to rest and to make good chere I graunted them then backewarde we rode The mighty gyaunt to se and beholde Whose huge bodye was more then fiue cart lode Whiche lay there bledyng that was almost colde They for his deathe did thanke me many a folde For he to them was enemy mortall Wherefore his thre heades they toke in speciall And then Ueritie on the first fane Did set aloft of falshode the heade And good Operacion in likewise had tane Of ymagination that full fore then bledde Upon his heade aloft vpon his banner redde And in likewise Fidelitie had serued Periuries heade as he had well deserued And with swete songes and swete armony Before me they rode to their fayre castell So forthe I rode with great ioye and glory Unto the place where these ladyes did dwell Set on a rocke beside a spryng or a well And fayre Obseruaunce the goodly portresse Did vs receiue with solemne gladnes Then to a chamber that was very bryght They did me leade for to take mine ease After my trouble and my great sturdy fight But thre woundes I had causyng my disease My payne and wo they did sone appease And healed my woundes with salue aromatike Tellyng me of a great gyaunt lunatike Whose name truely was called Uariaūce Whom I shoulde mete after my departyng These ladies vnto me did great pleasaunce And in the meane while as we were talkyng For me my supper was in ordeynyng Thus when by temperaunce it was prepared And then to it we went and ryght well fared Tell me quod Ueritie if you be content What is your name so hye aduenturous And who that you into this coast hath sent Madame I saide I was so amorous Of la bell Pucell so fayre and beauteous La graunde amoure truely is my name Whiche seke aduentures to attayne the fame A ha quod she I thought asmuche before That you were he for your great hardines La bell Pucell must loue you euermore Whiche for her sake in your hye nobles Dothe suche acces by chyualrous excesse Her gentle hart may nothing denye To rewarde your mede wyth loue full feruently Thus did we passe time in all maner of ioye I lacked nothing that might make me solace But euermore as noble Troylus of Troye Full oft I thought on my faire ladyes face And her to se a muche lenger space When time was come to rest I was brought All to me longyng there lacked right nought What shoulde I wade by perambulucion My time is shorte and I haue farre to sayle Unto the lande of my conclusion The winde is east right slowe without fayle To blowe my shippe of diligent trauayle To the last ende of my matter troublous With waues enclosed so tempestuous Right in the morowe when aurora clere Her radiaunt beames began for to spreade And splendent Phebus in his golden spere The crystall ayre did make fayre and redde Darke Dyane declinyng pale as anye ledde When the little byrdes swetely did syng Laudes to their maker early in the mornyng Capit. xxxiiii VP I arose and did make me readye For I thought long vnto my iourneys ende My greyhoundes lept on me right merely To cheare me forwarde they did condescende And the thre ladies my cheare to amende A good breakefast did for me ordayne They were right gladde the gyaunt was slayne I toke my leaue and on my way I ryde Throughe the woodes and on
payne Good meate and drinke I had to sustenaunce We sate together by long continuaunce But euermore Comfort gaue exhortation To me of pacience in tribulation Thinke well quod she that in the worlde is none Whiche can haue pleasure without wo and care Ioye cometh after when the payne is gone Was neuer man that was deuoyde or bare Alway of ioye after his wofull snare Who knoweth payne and hath bene in trouble After his wo his ioye is to him double It may so fortune that la bell Pucell Hath diuers frendes that be not contente That her fauoure ye shoulde attayne so well For you of them she may often be shent But what for that she shall not her repent And if her frendes be with you angrye Suffer their wordes and take it paciently Against their yll do vnto them good Them for to please be alwaye diligent So shall you swage the tempesteous floode Of their stormy mindes so impacient And inwardly they shall them selues repent That they to you haue bene contrarious In suche fyrye anger hote and furious Thus by your wisdome ye shall them so winne Unto your frendes that did you so hate For it is reason you shoulde obey your kynne As by obedience bothe early and late Make them your frendes without the debate For euermore the spirite of pacience Dothe ouercome the angry vyolence Be hardy bolde and also couragious For after that ye be gone from hence You shall mete with a gyaunt rigorious Hauyng seuen heades of yll experience You shall subdue him with your prudence And other aduentures shall vnto you fall Whiche Fame shall cause to be memoriall When it was time I was brought to bedde So all the long nyght I endured in rest With suche a slouthe itaken was my heade That my soft pyllowe I founde a good gest For long before I was so opprest With inwarde trouble that I myght not slepe But oft wake and sigh with teares depe Capit. xxxv WHen mornyng came vp anone I rose And armed me as fast as I might Forthe for to trauell vnto my purpose I toke my leaue on my stede I light Thankyng dame Cōforte of her chere that nyght She with Perceueraunce in my companye Forthe on the waye we rode full merely Ouer the hethe tyll we sawe from farre A royall castell ryght strongly fortified Bulwarkes about accustomed for warre On a craggy roche it was so edified Walled with gete so clearely purified To whiche we rode and drewe nere and nere Till in our sight did openly appeare A mighty gyaunt xv fote of length With heades seuen and armed full sure He semed well to be a man of strength Then quod Perceueraunce ye must put in vre This daye your power in honoure to endure Against this gyaunt your mortall enemy Be of good cheare you shall haue victory Besides this gyaunt vpon euery tree I did se hang many a goodly shelde Of noble knightes that were of hye degree Whiche he had slayne and murdred in the felde From farre this gyaunt I right well behelde And towarde him as I rode my way On his first heade I sawe a banner gaye Wherin was written dissimulation Whose nature false is full of flatery That vnder a fayned commendation Can cloke a mocke and fraudefull subtilly So dothe he loue deceyue oft priuely For the blinde loue dothe perceiue right nought That vnder hony the poyson is wrought And the seconde heade was a banner blewe In whiche was written in letters right white Delay my name is that can long eschue A true louer with my fatall respite That loue for loue shall not him acquite For euermore I lye oft in a wayte Loue to delay and cast him from consayte On the thirde head in a banner square Al of reade was written discomfort Causyng a louer for to drowne in care That he of loue shall haue no report But lokes hye his hart to transport And I my selfe shall him so assayle That he in loue shall nothing preuayle On the fourthe heade on the helmet crest There was a stremer right white large long Where on was written with bise of the best My name is variaunce that euer among The mind of loue doth chaung with great wrong That a true louer can not be certayne Loue for his mede right stedfast to retayne And yet aloft on the fifte helmet In a blacke banner was written enuy Whose hart euer inwardly is fret When graunde amoure shoulde attayne his ladye He museth oft in him selfe inwardly To let the lady for to set her harte On graunde amoure for to release his smarte In a russet banner on the sixt heade There was written this worde detraction That can open in a couert stede His subtile male replete with treason To cause a lady to haue suspection Unto her true louer with his bitter tale That she her loue from him then did hale On the seuenth heade in a banner of riches Was written with letters all of grewe My name truely is called doublenes Whiche I do owe vnto all ladyes true At a time vnware my det shalbe due To graunde amoure for to make him repent That he his loue on la bell Pucell spent When in my minde I had well agregate Euery thing that I in him had sene Bothe of his heade and of his hye estate I called for helpe vnto the heauen quene The day was fayre the sunne was bright shene Beside a riuer and a craggy roche This gyaunt was whiche spied me approche He hurled about and cast his shelde afore And toke his axe of myghty fortitude That was of length xx fote and more Whiche he had vsed by long consuetude To daunce true louers and their power exclude I toke my spere and did it well charge And with hardines I made my force enlarge I toke my course and to the gyaunt ranne On his seconde heade breaking then asunder My myghty spere that he to rore began With so base a crye that I had great wonder His seuen heades so rored like the thunder Right from my stede I light to the grounde And drew clara prudence that was whole foūd The mighty gyaunt his axe did vp lift Upon my heade that the stroke shoulde fall But I of him was full ware and swift I lept aside so that the stroke withall In the grounde lighted beside a stone wall Thre fote and more aud anone then I Did lepe vnto him strikyng full quickely But aboue me he had suche altitude That I at him coulde haue no full stroke He stroke at me with many strokes rude And called me boye and gaue me many a mocke At the last he saied I shall geue the a knocke That with thy braynes I shall the trees depaynt Abide quod I thou shalt be first full faint And right anone I by me espyed On the rockes side twelue steppes full sure And then right fast I vpon them hyed That we were bothe about one stature My strength I doubled and put so in