¶Certaine selected Histories for Christian Recreation.
¶The argument.
¶ Christe beyng borne, the Angelles reueile the same with glad tidinges vnto the poore shepherdes. The starre seen in the Easte. The Sages repare with their presentes, to doe homage vnto the Sauiour of the worlde.
To the tune of
La bonetta.
IF Angels voice, did first reioyse
In spiritus concordia:
To shepherdes poore, singing euermore
Deo in excelsis gloria.
Christ God & man, eche christiā
Of due, muche more this daie,
Ought dedicate, in blisfull state,
Thy birthe with glorie aie.
If wisemen three, brought presentes free
Their true loue also to declare:
The first brought golde, the second was bold,
With Mirrhe hym to prepare.
The thirde Insence, with full pretence,
Thei mekely offred thus all three,
Christe God and man, to worship than,
In Bethleem borne truely.
¶The Moralization.
OF these giftes thus, we maie discusse,
As skilfull writers duely scan:
Golde first of all, Treasure to call,
Of wisedome in Christe tokenyng than.
Mirrhe doeth include, a harte indude,
With true repentaunce aye.
Insence eke tells, deuotion dwelles,
In mynde with stedfast staye.
In token true, of honour due,
Their Sauiour Christe chefe Kyng vnto,
These giftes gaue thei, whereby we maie,
Our Christian duetie shewe.
This solempne feast, let euery geast,
Biden in Christes faithe and feare:
To Christes birth, newe men forthwith,
In loue and life appeare.
Golde, Mirrhe, Insence, from conscience,
Of synne and vice, bare and deuoyde,
To Christ our Kyng, thus for to bryng,
Let our care alwaies be employde.
Let faithe stedfaste, man whiche thou haste▪
Receiued by Baptisme,
In promise made, neuer to fade,
As golde giue this to hym.
Let hope of heale, in vs preuaile,
By Christe whiche hym in name professe▪
[Page]That he maie haue, our soules to saue,
This Mirrhe giue more and lesse.
Let loue likewise, our due comprise,
Bothe towardes God, and also man:
To Christe Iesus, we rightly thus,
Doe bryng our Insence than.
Bis.
With one cleare voyce, thus to teioyce,
In Christes birthe then doe all wee,
That beare Christes name, practise the same,
Henceforthe perpetually.
And let vs praie, in faithe alwaie,
That Christe our Sauiour,
His Churche our Queene, & realme frō tene
Preserue maie euermore.
Finis.
The argument.
Mannes praier is a melodie to God, whiche although it baue some good successe in the worlde, yet there is now and then a whistelyng charmer stirred vp to bereue and spoyle vs of this enioyed felicitie.
To the tune of
La bande la shaft.
Ehouah vouche thy ioyfull spirite,
Eche Christian harte to ioye this daie,
As by a Starre thou didst vizite,
[Page]Kynges in the Easte them to displaie,
The birthe of Christe at Bethleem,
A Sauiour vnto mortall men.
Minerua and you
Muses nyne,
Assist me with your sacred aide:
Some solempne song to frame with tyme,
From ioyfull harte to be conuaide,
With thankfull voyce to celebrate,
Christes birthe now to commemorate.
Tiberius Emperour once did raigne,
In Musicke muche delighted he:
Who huntyng on a tyme certaine,
Did heare a noyse of melodie.
A Harper twas harde by did plaie,
Whereat this prince amasde did staie.
And tournes his horse vnto that place,
Approchyng nere a riuer long:
He did discrie where then there was,
The Musician plaiyng his Harpe vpon,
The tenour of whose song was this,
Mans praier to God a melodie is.
The Emperour ioyfull this to heare,
Demaunded the Musician tho,
Why he so pleasantly plaied there,
My Lorde saieth he that will I showe,
[Page]These thirtie yeres and vpwards I,
Haue vsed here this harmonie.
Suche grace and vertue in my noyse,
The Goddes by fate haue graunted me:
That fishes from this riuer reioyse,
To come to hande and taken bee,
So that relieue I did with all,
My self, my wife, and children small.
But out alacke this Harper saies,
Good sir it hath chaunste contrary:
Vnto my mynde within fewe daies,
A charmer came whiche chearfully,
On the further bancke did whistle so,
That he hath fecht the fishe me fro.
And therefore gracious Lorde saieth he,
As you are potent Emperour,
And sole prince of this Imperie,
I humblie craue your good succour,
For to expell and banishe hence,
The charmer and his euill pretence.
Tiberius courteous aunswere gaue,
Frende by no meanes but one I maie:
Thy case redresse, a hooke I haue,
Of golde within this Casket gaie,
[...]olde here of me the same doe take,
[Page]And to this rodde with baite faste make.
Then vse the sleight that longs thereto,
On warblyng Harpe to plaie adrest,
The fishes friskyng to and fro,
Vpon the baite them selues will rest.
And when thou feelest them feede on faste,
Drawe vp the fishe on lande them caste.
So shalt thou hereby frustrate quite,
This subtill charmer of his praie,
If thou demainest thee thus a right,
Confused he shall walke his waie,
The Harper did this hest fulfill,
And fecht vp fishe euen at his will,
A meanyng hereof Morall wise,
My muse in modest maner showe,
Who this
Tiberus Emperour is,
The Riuer and Harper also.
With Fishe and Charmer who thei be,
Discribed in auncient historie.
¶The Moralization.
CHriste to
Tiberius is comparde,
Which loueth to heare the melod
[...] ▪
Of praier vnto hym prefarde,
And doeth delite huntyng to bee.
To saue the soule by Sathan sought,
[Page]His spoyle to make and bryng to nought:
This Riuer with the Fishe therein,
Resembled are the Worlde vnto,
And people fraught with odious synne,
The poore man plaiyng there also,
[...]che Preacher is with sacred lore,
That drawes vp fishe to heauenly shore.
But then a Charmer steppeth there,
The Preachers harpe which doth disturb
[...]
In triple trade doeth he appere,
To caste the soules in slepe absurde,
And whom to sleepe he can not win,
As Ianglers vaine he hems them in.
And if he make no Ianglers vaine,
Enuie in hym yet vigor hath,
To lure these soules for to abstaine,
And quite forsake the perfecte path,
That either thei become abiecte,
Or neuer the wiser in effecte.
Wherefore needes must the golden hooke,
Bee had of euery Preacher here,
[...]or Goddes deuine grace must thei looke,
That thei maie fishe in faithe and feare,
[...]uche comfortable noyse to make,
Bothe Charmer and the fishe to take.
Where sith in faithe we Christe professe,
God graunt we thereof frutes maie giue,
With praier to hym and neuer cease,
Elizabeth our Queene long liue,
Vs to protecte by grace deuine,
And gaine celestiall ioyes in fine.
Finis.
¶The Argument.
¶Amongst the children of this worlde, all are not of one seede and generation, and therefore puttyng apart the bondwoman and her children, from the freewoman and her issue, thei are to be reputed accordyngly.
To the tune of
Sondaie Mornyng.
APollo with thy sacred lore,
My sclender skill and penne direct,
The birthe of Christe still to adore:
With solempne sacred songe select,
Dame
Pallas with thy Nimphes be preste,
To further this my thirde requeste.
A noble kyng sometymes did raigne,
With witte and wealthe, endued was he:
A Queene he had, with whom certaine,
He liude a tyme, though vicious shee.
Three sonnes by straunge seede procreate,
Digressyng had, base borne by kynde,
[Page]On her the fourth sonne he begate,
More greater comfort to his mynde.
It chaunced that when
Atrapos,
Of fatall life bereft this Kyng:
The Queene with her sonnes did dispose,
The funeralles accomplishyng.
In yearth with pompe the corps to laye,
With stately tombe enshrinde for aye.
Whiche doen beholde within short space,
These sonnes emong them did contende:
Who should succede in fathers place,
In fine yet did thei condiscende.
Vnto an auncient knight to goe,
Whiche Secretarie was of late:
To the dead Kyng, and hym thei doe,
Commit their case to arbitrate.
The knight when he with pacience heard,
Them and their case considered well:
To them he thus his mynde declared,
My Lordes doe yeelde to my councell.
Your purpose then shall well proceed,
This saied thei, hereunto agreed.
My sentence so assigne you shall,
The buried corps againe vp take:
[...]nd that you gree emongst you all,
[Page]Your bowes and shaftes prepard do make
To shoote thereat incontinent,
And who so pearceth deepest in,
The same I deeme by myne assent,
Bothe regal croune and realme shall win.
All fowre sonnes hereto did agree,
The buried corps and take from ground,
Thei binde it faste vnto a tree:
Eche one to giue his deepest wounde.
The first the kyngs right hande did hitte,
Wherefore it was awarded fitte.
That he as onely heire and Lorde,
Of Fathers lande proclaimed should bee,
The secondes shafte with fleshe begorde,
Through fathers mouthe did perce truly▪
Wherefore to haue the soueraigne swaie,
And cheef rule of his Fathers lande,
More certainly he ought thei saie,
Of twaine the firmer lot to stande.
The thirde his harte did penitrate,
By reason whereof thought it was,
That he without strife or debate:
Should cheefly rule in Fathers place,
But when the fourth sonne should prepare,
To shoote he shrikte with wofull care.
Criyng alacke, this lucklesse daie,
[Page]I doe lament, heare thus to see,
Thy corps oh Father can he saie,
Of thy sonnes wounded now to bee.
The Goddes defende that liue or deade,
My Fathers corps, I perishe should:
This saied, hym in his Fathers steade,
To raigne as Kyng the nobles would.
The other three sonnes were dismist,
From all and euery rule or swaie,
My muse no longer now desist,
The Morall hereof to displaie.
[...]his Kyng wise noble and wealthie,
To Iesus Christe compared maie bee:
Moraliztion.
[...]hiche did mankinde his spouse ordaine,
But she in tyme did violate:
[...]he sacred bedde with whoredomes staine,
After straunge Goddes a miscreate.
[...]onceiued and brought forthe sonnes three,
Pagants, Iues and Papiste secte:
[...]hereof the first did wounde truely.
The Kinges right hande with shaft infecte.
[...]hē thei (Christes doctrine whiche doth sit,
At right hande of his Father deare:)
[...]d quite forsake his seruaunts smite,
With sondrie woundes vpon yearth heare.
[Page]
As persecutyng Pagans fell,
Enemies to Christe and his Gospell.
The seconde sonne eke putatiue,
The Kyng of Kynges more deepely perst,
When as the Iewes to hym did giue,
Vineger and Gall to quenche his thirst.
The thirde moste wicked sonne of three,
With poysoned shafte did nothyng spare:
To wound Christes harte the King most hie,
The Papists doe this sonne declare.
While thei doe striue with might and maine,
Christes faithfull flocke on yearth to quell:
Which should one corps and soule containe
In frutes, in frutes of the Gospell.
How haue thei whet their arrowes sharpe,
To pearce Christes & his members harte.
The fourthe sonne now define I thus,
That wailde and would not shoote at all:
Because he sawe so mischeuous,
Pretence of sonnes vnnaturall.
Eche Christian true the fourth sonne is,
Whiche feareth God and would none ill:
If he doe ill, to sacrifise,
In righteousnesse he hath good will.
Suche a one my songe doeth signifie,
[Page]
In sacred throne celestiall:
Shall raigne with Christe in Maiestie,
At the laste daie Iudiciall.
For whiche in faithe and feare letts praie,
That Christe from ill preserue vs maie.
And as we subiectes all are bounde,
For our noble Queene Elizabeth:
Our praiers to God with ioyfull sounde,
Let vs directe, in health and wealth.
That it would please the Kyng of Kynges,
Christe our anker, marke, and staye:
Her to preserue in all good thyngs,
And prosper vs her subiectes aye▪
Finis.
The Argument.
¶The life present procureth either fauour, and grace at the handes of God, if we retourne in tyme, either els neglectyng tyme, purchaseth vs his heauie indingnation, bothe now and in the worlde to come.
To the tune of
Beckinghams Galliarde.
YE sacred Nimphes of Hellicon,
By Ioues almight decree:
Vouchesafe once more to looke vpon,
This fourth solempnitie.
[Page]
Caliope with thy christall voyce my Musicke adiuuate,
From ioyfull harte with
Thākfull mouth, Christes birth to celebrate
In tyme to watche, in tyme to wake,
While candle lasts to come,
Vpon this theame, I here doe make,
This admonition,
Tyme let vs spende, well till the ende,
Of howre glasse bee out runne.
Liue here must wee in full pretence,
To giue no libertie:
To synne by will or negligence,
Our light to dampnifie.
As
Alexander sometyme kyng of
Macedonia lande:
Decreed in Courte a Candle should
Bee light and burnyng stande.
And sent his Heralds to eche place,
And coaste where he bare swaie:
With trumpetts blast, his will to blase,
To subiects all. That thei
Which had tānsgrest, should come in prest
To Courte without delaie,
If any subiecte had transgrest,
Gainst
Alexander kyng,
[Page]Let hym appeare, his case redrest,
Should bee in eche suche thyng.
So that before the kyng he came,
Whiles candle light did caste:
And if he tarried paste that tyme,
His labour was but waste.
And who soeuer had doen offence,
And came not in due tyme,
To hym plaine death for negligence,
The kyngs will did assigne,
Of better and wourse, some had recourse,
Toth courte giltie of crime.
The storie telles a nomber greate,
Appearde before the kyng:
The Candle castyng light and heate,
Had pardon for eche thyng.
A nomber greate there were also,
To come at all refused,
On those the kyng the penaltie,
Without redemption vsed.
And some that while the Candle burnde,
In commyng staied so longe:
The Candle out, that thei retournde,
With woe and wailyng songe,
We Christians here, how to appere,
Eche one maie learne emong.
¶The Moraliziation.
CHriste is this
Alexander Kyng,
That swaies the sacred sworde:
We subiectes his here all liuyng,
If wee doe feare this Lorde.
As he is fauourable, and with
Mercie full repleate:
So mercifull doeth he appeare,
To synners small and greate.
Not limityng a tyme onely,
Of life to mortall men,
But lends vs sacred lore, whereby
He maie our hartes lighten,
With Candle light of deuine might,
Let vs take due tyme then.
And let vs come when Christe, doeth call
While Candle light doeth last,
Then pardon we procure vs shall,
Before the tyme bee past.
So shall we blessed light enioye,
And Christes pardon aye:
And feare no worldly foes annoye,
That would seeke our decaie.
With humble faithfull Englishe harte,
To Christe praie we eche one,
[Page]Our roiall Queene for to imparte:
His blessed light vpon:
And vs to stande with lamps in hande,
By hym in ioyfull throne.
Finis.
¶The Argument.
Mannes life is likened to a continuall warfare, and conflicte with Sathan. The Serpente and the Tode fightyng together, the Serpente beyng reserued by helpe of man, sheweth exā ple of gratitude. The Tode that sought the Serpentes destruction, hath in fine his due guardon.
To the tune of
Flearyng fancie, syngyng the iiii. and v. line of euery verse alike.
TO encrease in Christe our comfort still,
Reuailed vs by sondrie meanes,
Though scripture fraught with sacred skill,
Doe farre surmount all humane dreames
[...]mongst a sorte of pithie theames,
This prophane storie merits praise,
Christes cōbate & conquest which bewraies.
Caesar Augustus liuyng than,
A noble knight his subiect was:
[...] valiaunt worthie gentleman,
Who ridyng once as he did passe,
[Page]A Forest through, by happe alasse,
A Tode with Serpent fightyng sawe,
Eche others bloud deadly to drawe.
With tried force a tyme fought thei,
The Tode hauyng the masterie,
This gentle knight did straight assaie,
In Serpents quarell happe to trie.
Wounded the same Tode greuouslie,
But not without a mortall wounde,
Hym self escaped and fled the grounde.
The Serpent also thence did flee,
And when in place this worthie knight,
Alone thought beste his wounde to see,
From stately steede alacke did light.
His inwurde partes with poyson dight,
He founde where did encrease his greef,
And homewards rides to haue releef.
Where long tyme languishyng in paine,
So that his will and Testament:
For to bee made, he did ordaine,
Prepared to dye incontinent,
Yet when as by the fire feruent,
For comfort further laied he was,
And that dispaire in hym had place.
Euen then beholde the Serpent late,
In whose defence this greef he cought,
Was entered in at this knights gate,
And seen by seruants, straight thei sought
To shewe their maister thinkyng nought,
Of suche a happe then did he will,
The Serpent should be brought hym till,
The knight when he the Serpent sawe,
The same it was did well agnise,
In whose defence through ouerthrawe,
Hym self to feight did enterprise,
Against the Tode though ieoperdies,
Of death thereby his life pursewed,
Yet as he was with witte endewed.
Commaunded all his seruaunts there,
That thei should not the Serpent noye,
Saiyng, daunger none I feare,
He will me doe but rather ioye.
The Serpent then did hym employe,
In open presence them emong,
To sucke the poyson with his tong,
Whereof takyng sacietie,
Out of the house forthwith he ran,
And purged his stomacke presently,
Of poyson in hym taken than,
[Page]And to the wounde a freshe he came,
Sixe tymes by course till he did voide,
The poison suckt, the knight emploide.
Hym self Milke to administrate,
Vnto the Serpent, then beholde,
The Tode entered the knights gate,
Whiche late with poison deade and colde,
Did wounde this courteous knight so bolde
In purpose came aduenged to bee,
Of knight and Serpent presently.
The knight when as he hereof hearde,
Vnto his seruaunts all did saie,
Sirs nought dismaie be not afearde,
This is the Tode without all naie,
Whom I did wounde this other daie,
In defence of this Serpent heare,
For whose sake eke my wounde I beare.
So that I will if this Serpent,
By any meanes my healthe restore,
He shall escape incontinent,
And if you loue my life therefore,
This Tode destroye withouten more,
The seruaunts hearyng what he saied,
With swordes & staues on Tode then laied.
By meanes whereof the Tode thei kilde,
The Serpent hereat ioyfull was,
And thankfully his due fulfilde,
As gratefull, and touchyng the case,
Tourned aboute his feete apace,
Where thus departyng this Serpent,
The knight was healed incontinent.
¶The Moralization.
THe morall hereof to define,
First the Emperour here comparde,
To our heauenlie Father we assigne,
The same of duetie best referde,
The Knight olso whereof you heard,
Our Sauiour Iesus Christe doeth meane,
The Tode declares Sathan certaine.
The Serpent man is termed well,
First for the poyson of his synne,
Next for the medicen to expell,
Poyson receiued hym self within,
As for Christes Image eke in hym,
For man against the Deuill ought feight,
To vanquishe hym by deuine sleight.
Because there is none other wight,
But thou oh Christe our Sauiour,
[Page]Whiche in defence of man doeth fight,
Against Sathan the Tode therefore,
When mankinde was through synne forlore,
Christe sought for vs against Sathan,
And in our right hym ouercame.
Albeit not in one place onely,
He wounded was but sondrie greef,
As well in hym self feele did he.
As in his members greate mischieef,
He suffered doen for their relieefe,
Man if thou be thankfull therefore,
Haue Serpents helpe for him in store.
That is to saie, thou oughtest vizite,
Christe in his members greeued here,
In pouertie or other plight,
Miserable if it appere,
Them to releeue as needes require:
And what thou so doest vnto them,
Take it for well rendred againe.
But if the Tode retourne doe make,
After firste sight harme to renewe,
In Christe to thee then courage take,
And seeke the meanes hym to subdewe,
Then certainly eche firme vertue,
In Baptisme firste receiued by thee,
[Page]Obserued shall bryng full remedie.
So shalt thou Sathan vanquishe quite,
And purchace peace perpetuall,
Of bodie and soule with Angells bright,
In perren ioyes celestiall,
Whiche to enioye God graunt vs all,
That after our combate yearthly here,
Conquerours with Christe we maie appere.
Finis.
The argument.
¶Mannes life is a waifaryng or trauillyng. To finde forthe three felicities, but in steade of gropyng for the sweete, here we taste of the sower, neither attaine wee our desired porte of rest in this life, but in the worlde to come.
¶To the tune of the
Sturdie rocke, syngyng the iiii. and v. line of euery verse alike.
REsigne now Muses all your mone,
To me amased sillie wight,
Which wanderyng long, & far haue gone,
Voide of releef, rest and delight,
Doe comfort myne enfebled spirite,
Forced in verse to verifie,
No ioye on yearth of certaintie.
I reade
Ganterus so by name,
Did wishe a place of endlesse ioye,
When on a daie to passe it came,
Earely to walke he did emploie,
And so farre went without anoie,
Till he entred a lande into,
Whose kyng deceast but lately tho.
It chaunced there after shorte tyme,
The Nobles had intelligence,
Of his manhoode, and doe encline,
Their councells all with diligence,
Hym as their Prince of excellence.
To chuse in royall seate to raigne,
Whereat
Ganterus ioyed certaine.
The night come on his seruaunts weight,
With due attendaunce in degree,
And brought hym to a chamber streight,
Where stoode a bedde bedect richely,
At the heade whereof he then did see,
A Lyon laied, and at the foote,
A Dragon dreadfully whiche lookt.
Vpon the right side of that bed,
An vglie Beare was couched lowe,
And on the lefte side, doune were laid,
Serpents and Todes in lothsome showe,
[Page]Hereat
Ganterus masde, would knowe,
Of those his seruaunts then present,
What by these strange beasts here was mēt.
Saiyng, is this bed ordained me,
Yea soueraigne Lorde thei aunswerde so,
For tofore this our kynges truely,
Here lodged and died long agoe,
Deuoured by these beasts here loe,
Hereat
Ganterus grudgyng saied,
This I mislike all ill apaied.
Your kyng will I not be therefore,
And so departed from that place,
Ariuyng to an other shore,
Where eke to rule he chosen was,
The night aprochte, then in like case,
He was conducte to take his rest,
Where was a bed with sharpe swords drest.
Whereat he castyng vp his eyes.
Demaunded if he should lye there,
Yea Lorde, eche seruaunt certefies,
Our kyngs in this bed lodged were▪
Bereft and are of life so deare,
Saieth he all saue this likes me well,
Your kyng to be I list nought mell.
Yet tariyng in those coastes that night,
No soner was
Aurora seene,
But he preparde in pensiue plight,
To leaue that lande and Lordship cleene,
And languishyng three daies in teene,
At length it was his lucke to spie,
An olde man in the waie to lye.
This olde man had in his right hande,
A staffe, and seyng
Ganterus come,
Required of hym to vnderstande,
Whence, and whither he would in somme
And who he was to giue reason,
I come from countrees farre saieth he,
My name
Ganterus hight truely.
And whether saieth the olde man tho,
Doest thou intende to take thy waie,
Ganterus saied, I must now go,
Three thynges to finde, whiche I ne maie,
What three bee those? tholde man can saie,
Ganterus aunswered his request,
Thus as to hym it seemed best.
The first abundaunce without want,
The seconde ioye without distresse,
The thirde is light not anoyant,
With ircksome and lothsome darknesse,
[Page]The olde man heard him thus expresse,
And saied my frende, this staffe doe take,
By this waie straight thy iourney make.
Then shalt thou see before thy face,
A hill bothe tedious, huge and highe,
Toth toppe whereof is a foote pace,
Whiche doeth contain vii. steppes onely,
Vpon the same thy trauell trye,
And when toth toppe thou doest attaine,
Thou shalt beholde, and see there plaine.
A Pallace princely edified,
There rest, and ere thou further trie,
With staffe at gate three tymes aplied,
Doe knocke. The Porter by and by,
Will aunswere thee, and then pardie,
Shewe hym this staffe, and saie to hym.
That I doe craue thyne enteraunce in,
And if he then graunt thee ingresse,
There shalt thou finde thy hartes desire,
Then
Ganterus did so doubtlesse,
As he was willed of this olde sier,
And to the Porter commyng nier,
His staffe once seen, receiued he was,
Where he found all thyngs brought to pas.
¶The Moralization.
EXplane now must the meanyng here,
Who this
Ganterus called maie bee,
Eche Christian good maie well appere,
Like to
Ganterus, whiche simplie,
Despiseth worldly vanitie,
And is from tyme to tyme enclinde,
These three thyngs to seeke for and finde;
The firste aboundance as is saied,
Withouten want or penurie,
The seconde, ioye nothyng delaied,
The thirde light from all darknesse free,
And these obtained can not bee,
But in the life of lastyng ioye,
Our toyle thereto we must imploye.
O man therefore like iourney make,
With
Ganterus for three daies space,
By Praier first doe vndertake,
By Fastyng nexte, this pilgremes race.
Thirdlie, by Almose in any case,
These three daies trauell till thou come,
Vnto the first supposed Kyngdome.
Some mundaine ioyes there shalt thou finde
And people thee to intertaine,
[Page]There worldly pleasures are enclinde,
To chuse thee, as a prince to raigne,
Puffyng thy harte with pride annoyde,
But looke about thy chamber well,
There stands a bedde, its death to tell.
This bed mans life is likened to,
Where in a short tyme he doeth lye,
Neare to whiche lurcks a Lyon lo,
Sathan, gainst vs his force to trye,
A Dragon eke wee shall espye.
And by hym coucht an vgly Beare,
Whiche waite (as death) on vs echewhere.
Todes and Serpents there also are,
Thone showes, mannes giltie conscience,
The other doeth his synnes declare,
To accuse and condempne negligence,
Of these hauyng intelligence,
Wee maie doe well quicke spede to make,
This worlde our Kyngdome to forsake.
Then come wee to the seconde lande.
Where carnall pleasures beare the swaie,
(To whom consentyng) out of hande,
Sonnes of perdition vs make thei,
Then to our chamber takyng our waie,
Letts looke toth bed, rhere shall we see,
[Page]The same euen hell it self to bee.
The sharpe swordes there doe represent,
(For carelesse gluttons carle) preparde,
Who tastes in hell endlesse torment,
To late repentyng afterwarde,
The handlyng of poore Christe so harde,
If wee well waie this lodgyng place,
Haste vs from carnall Kyngdome apace.
Then if wee will further to trie,
These three thynges wee desire to finde,
Letts walke on till tholde man wee espie,
Euen Iesus Christe guide of mankinde,
With staffe of faithe for vs assignde,
To giue vs that repentaunce pure,
Whiche had) shall our desires procure.
The foote pace then wee maie ascende,
Whiche leadeth vs to life sincere,
Seuen stepps it hath, if we pretende,
To finde those three we sought wel eare,
Goe we vp these stepps (whiche appere,
The woorkes of mercie seuen to bee,
Our desires then obtaine shall wee.
These shall conducte vs to that place,
Whiche wee looke for. But comming than
[Page]Toth gate where is all this sollace,
We must knocke thrise with staffe in hand
That is, thus muche to vnderstande,
Contrition, Confession and satissisance,
Must then helpe vs in thenteraunce.
The Porter then to vs will stepp,
Gods deuine goodnesse doeth he meane,
Who after this our trauell greate,
Thus furnisht will not vs disdaine,
But gladlie vs will entertaine,
In wealth withouten want, in ioye,
And light, that last voide of all noye.
For whiche the Lorde in mercie guide,
Our goyngs and doyngs to directe,
That from his feare we neuer slide,
But that to our steps we so respecte,
That his gracious gates we maie amplecte,
And with Christe entertained bee,
To rest in endlesse felicitie.
Finis.
¶The constaunte course in spirituall combate and turneiment of eche faithfull Christian, against Antechrist our malignant aduersarie obtaineth in fine condigne rewarde of tranquile felicie in this worlde, and in the worlde to come, perpetuall felicities inspeakeable.
¶To the tune of
Iocundarie.
MArche now my muse w
t martiall might,
In spirituall combate conqueryng:
Condigne rewarde doeth euer light,
On verteous worthie trauellyng.
Declare of
Adonias kyng,
That pretie Historie,
In wealth who sometyme florishyng:
Delighted muche to see,
His knights at tourney practisyng,
The feates of cheualrie.
It happened that vpon a daie,
By Proclamation made there:
His knights in armour should araie,
Them selues eche with shield and spere.
Then by decree he did ordaine,
What knight so euer could,
Hym self with prowes best demaine,
Haue worthie hier he should:
[Page]This knowne of knights a noble traine,
Came tourney for to holde.
The daie of their appearaunce come,
And their assembly made so:
The kyng did will of those knights some,
In one parte should aside go.
The other halfe of them theare,
He made them selues deuide,
The first parte chosen streight to beare,
Their armour did prouide:
To lait in place of purpose wheare,
The tourney should bee tride.
Then gaue the kyng commaundement,
Who on the parte contrary:
With speare to doe his best was bent,
To touche, awaie take, and carry.
The armour so that doune was laied,
The owner thereof presently,
Out of the troupe should be conuaied:
To tourney with his enemie,
And for the purpose was a maied,
Ordained to arme hym redily.
[...]hat doen encounter should her knight,
Gainst hym that toucht the armour late,
[Page]Whom if he foilde or put to flight,
That daie he should bee decorate.
With royall croune and placed bee,
At table with the kyng,
A certaine knight with valiancie:
Conditions these hearyng,
With diligence about lookte hee,
Euery shielde beholdyng.
Emongst them all he marked one,
With apples three gilt garnisht:
In greate desire that shielde alone,
His greedie mynde had rauisht.
And that same shield he toucht with spere,
Straight waie the other knight,
Who ought it, of the maide there:
Did make hym self bee dight,
And entereth listes withouten feare,
Against the other wight.
In tourney whiche loe he that ought,
The armour toucht by prowesse,
Behaded hym that so had sought,
To cary awaie his harnesse.
And as the kyng commaunded it,
Of late, the conquerour,