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Hrre folowyth the Interpretacōn of the names of goddis and goddesses of this treatyse folowynge as Poetes wryte.

¶ Phebus is no moche to saye
as the sonne
Appollo is the same
o [...] ellys god of lyghte
Morpleus
shewer of dremys
Pluto
god of helle
Mynos
Iuge of helle
Cerberus
porter of helle
Colus
the wynde or god of the ayre
Dyana
goddesse of wode and chace
Phebe
the mone or goddesse of waters
Auro [...]a
goddesse of the morowe or the spryngyng of the daye
Mars
god of bataylle
Iupiter
god of wysdom
Iuno
goddesse of rychesse
Saturne
god of colde
Ceres
goddesses of corne
Cupido
god of loue
Othea
goddesse of wysdom
fortune
the variaunt goddesse
Pan
god of shepeherdes
Isys
goddesse of frute
Neptunus
god of the see
Mynerue
goddesse of the batayll or of haruest
Bachus
god of wyne
Mercurius
god of langage
Venus
goddesse of loue
Discorde
goddesse of debate & stryfe
Attropos
dethe
¶ Here endyth the Interpretacōn of the names of goddis and goddesses as is [...]ehercyd in thys treatyse folowynge. /

Here begynneth this present treatyse

Whan Phebꝰ in y • crabbe had n [...]r his cours rōne
And toward y • lyō his iorney take
To loke on Pi [...]tagoras spere I had begōne
Syttynge all solytary alone besyde a lake
Musyng on a manere how y • I myght make
Reason & sensualyte in one to acorde
But I coude not bryng abowte y • monacorde
For longe e [...] I myght slepe me gan oppresse
So poderously I cowde make none [...]stacle
In myn heed was falle suche an heuynesse
I was feyne to drawe to myne habytacle
To rowne w t a pylow me semyd best tryacle
So layed I me downe my diseesè to releue
Anone cam in Morpleꝰ & toke me by the sleue
And as I so laye half in a traunse
Twene slepynge & wakyng he bad me aryse
For he sayd I must yeue attendaunce
To the grete court of Mynos the Iustyce
Me nought auaylled ayen hym to sylogyse
For it is oft sayd by them y • yet lyues
He must nedes goo y • the deuyll dryues
Whan I sawe no better but I must go
I sayd I was redy at his cōmaundement
Wheder y • he wolde me lede to or fro
So vp I arose & forth wyth hym went
Tyll he had me brought to the parlyament
Where Pluto sate & kepte his astate
And wyth hym Mynos the Iuge dysperate
But as we thyderward went by the waye
I hym besought his name me to tell
Morpleus he sayd y • me calle maye
A syr sayd I then where do ye dwell
In heuen or in erthe or ellys in helle
Nay he sayd myn abydyng most comynly
Is in a lytyll corner callyd Fantasy
And assone as he thyse wordes had sayd
Cerberus the porter of helle w t his cheyne
Brought thyder Colus in ragg [...] euyll arayd
Ayen whom Neptunꝰ & Dyana dyd cōpleyne
Sayeng thus o Mynos thou Iuge souereyne
Yeue thi cruel Iugement a [...]ēst this traytour so
y • we may haue cause to preyse thy lorde Pluto
Then was there made a proclamacōn
In Plutoes name cōma [...]nded stylence
Vpon the payn of streyte corre [...]ōn
y • Dyana & Neptunus myght haue audyence
To declare ther greyf of the grete offence
To them do by Colus wheron they cōpleyned
And to begyn Dyana was constreyned
Whyche thus began as ye shall here
Sayeng in this wyse. o thou lorde Pluto
w t thy Iuge Mynos syttyng wyth the in fere
Execute your fury vpon Colus so
Acordyng to the offence y • he to me hath do
That I haue no cause ferther to apele
Whyche yf I do shall not be for your wele
Remembre fyrst how I a goddesse pure
Ouer all desertes forestes & chaces
Haue take the gydyng & vnder my cure
This traytour Colus hath many of my plac [...]
Distroyed wyth his blastes & dayly me menac [...]
Where ony wode is he shall make it playne
Yf he to his lyberte maye resorte agayne
The grettest trees that ony man may fynde
In forest to shade the dere for ther comfort
He bre [...]ith them ason [...] & rēteth them rote & r [...]de
Out of the erthe this is his disport
So y • the dere shall haue no resort
Within short tyme to no manere shade
Where thrugh the game is lykly to fade
Whyche to my name a reproche synguler
[Page]Sholde be for euer whyle the worlde laste
And to all the goddys an hyghe displeyser
To see the game so distroyed by his blast
Wherfore a remedy puruey in hast
And let hym be punysshyd after his offence
Consydre the cryme. & yeue your sentence
And whā thꝰ Dyana had made her cōpleynt
To Mynos y • Iuge in Plutoes presence
Came forth Neptunꝰ w t vysage pale & feynt
Desyrynge of fauour to haue audyence
Sayenge thus Pluto to thy magnyfycence
I shall reherce what this creature
Colus hath done me out of mesure
Thou knowest well that I haue the charge
Ouer all the see. & therof god I am
No shyp may sayle. [...]eruell bote nor barge
Gret karyke: nor hulke w t ony lyuynge man
But yf he haue my sau [...]conduyte than
Who me offendyth wythin my Iurisdiccōn
O wyth to submytte hym to my correccōn
But in as moche as it is now soo
That ye hym here haue as your prysonere
I shall you shewe my compleynt loo
Wherfore I praye you y • ye woll it here
And lete hym not escape out of your daungere
Tyll he hath made ful seeth & recompence
For hurt of my name thrugh his grete offence
Fyrst to begynne▪ this Colus hath ofte
Made me to retorne my course ayenst nature
w t his grete blastis whan he hath be a lofte
And charged me to labour ferre out of mesure
y • it was grete merueylle how I myght endure
The [...]ome of my swete woll it testifye
That on the see bankes lyeth beten full hye
Secondly where as my nature is
Bothe to ebbe & flowe & so my course to kepe
Oft of myn entent hath he made me mys
Where as I sholde haue fyllyd dyches depe
At a full water I myght not thyder crepe
Before my season came to retorne ageyne
And then went I faster than I wolde certeyne
Thus hath he me dryue ayenst myn entent
And contrary to my course naturall
Where I sholde haue be he made me be absent
To my grete dishonour & in especyall
Oo thyng he vsed that was worst of all
For where as I my [...]aufgarde grauntyd
[...]y in that cost he comynly hauntyd
Of very pure malyce & of sylfewyll
Them to distroye in dyspyte of me
To whom I promysed both in good & yll
To be her protectour in all aduersyte
That them sholde falle vpon the see
And euyn sodenly er they cowde beware
Wyth a sodeyn piry he lappy [...] them in care
And full oft syth wyth his boystous b [...]
Er they myȝt beware he droof hē on the sond [...]
And other whyle he brake toppe saylle & mast
Whyche caused thē to peryssh er they cam̄ to lōd [...]
Then cursyd they y • tyme y • euer me fonde
Thus among the people lost is my name
And so by his labour put I am to shame
Consyder this mater & ponder my cause
Tender my compleynt as rygour requyreth
Shewe forth your sentence w t a breyf [...]ause
I may not long tary the tyme fast expyreth
The offence is grete wherfore it desyreth
The more greuous pay [...] & hasty Iugement
For offence don wylfully wyll non a [...]ysement
And▪ whan y • god Pluto a whyle hȳ bethought
He ro [...]d w t Mynos to know what was to do
Then he sayd openly loke thou faylle nought
Thy sentence to [...]eue wythout fauour so
Lyke as thou hast herde y • causes me [...]yd y • to
And so euynly dele twene thyse partyes twey [...]
y • none of them haue cause on y • other cōpley [...]
Then sayd Mynos full Indifferently
To Dyana & Neptunꝰ. is there ony more
That ye woll declare agayn hym openly
Nay in dede they sayd we kepe none in store
We haue sayd ynough to punysshe hym fore
Yf ye in this mater be not parcyall
Remēbre your name was wonte to be egall
Well then sayd Mynos now lete vs here
What this boystous Colus for hȳselfe can say
For here (prima facie) to vs doth apere
That he hath offended noo man can say nay
Wherfore thou Colus wythout more desay
Shape vs an answere to thyn aculement
And ellys I must procede on thy Iugement
And euen as Colꝰ was onwarde to haue sayd
For his ercuse. came in a messengere
Fro god Appollo to Pluto & hym prayd
On-his behalfe y t he wythout daungere
Wolde to hym come & brynge w t hym in fere
Dyana & Neptunus vnto his banket
And yf they disdeyned hȳself he wold them fet
Moreouer he sayd the god Appollo
Desyreth to haue respyt of the Iugement
Of Colus bothe of Mynos & Pluto
So Dyana & Neptunꝰ were therwith content
And yf they were disposyd to assent
That he myght come vnto his presence
He it desyred to knowe his offence
What say ye herto sayd Pluto to them tweyn
Wyll ye bothe assente y t it shall be thus
Ye sayd the goddesse for my parte certeyn
And I also sayd this Neptunus
I am well plesyd quod this Colus
And whan they had a whyle thus togyd spoke
Pluto cōmaunded the courte to be broke
And then togyder went they in fere
Pluto & Neptunus ledynge the goddesse
Whom fololowed Cerberꝰ wyth his prysonere
And alder last wyth grete heuynesse
Cam I & Morpleus to the forteresse
Of the god Appollo vnto his banket
Where many goddys & goddesses met
Whan Appollo sawe that they were come
He was ryght glad & prayed them to syt
Nay sayd Dyana this is all & some
Ye shall me perdone I shall not lyt yet
I shall fyrst knowe why Colus abyt
And what execucyon shall on hym be do
For his offence. well sayd Appollo
Madame ye shall haue all your pleysere
Syth it woll none other wyse be
But fyrst I you pray lete me the matere here
Why he is brought in this perplexyte
Well sayd Pluto. that shall ye soone see
And gan to declare euyn by and by
Both ther compleyntes ordynatly
And whan Appollo had herde the reporte
Of Pluto in a manere smylynge he sayd
I see well Colus. thou hast smalle comforte
Thyself to excuse thou mayst be dismayd
To here so grete compleyntes ayenst the layd
That notwithstondyng yf thou can say ought
For thyn owne wele. saye & tary nought
Forsoth sayd Colus yf I had respyte
Herto an answere cowde I countrefete
But to haue her grace more is my delyte
Wherfore I praye you all for me entrete
y t I may by your request her good grace gete
And what payne or greyf ye for me prouyde
Wythout ony grutchyng I shall it abyde
[...]oo good madame sayd god Appollo
What maye he do more but sewe to your grace
Beholde how the terys from his eyen go
[Page]It is satisfaccōn half for his trespace
Now glorious goddesse shew your pytous face
To this poore prysoner at my request
All we for your honour thynke thus is best
And yf it lyke you to do in this wyse
And to foryeue hym clerely his offence
One thynge surely I woll you promyse
Yf he oft rebelle and make resistence
Or disobeye vnto your sentence
For euery tree that he makyth fall
Out of the erth. an hūdryd aryse shall
So that your game shall not discrease
For lacke of shade I dare vndertake
Well syr Appollo sayd she then woll I sease
Of all my rancour & mercy wyth you make
And then god Neptunus of his mater spake
Sayeng thꝰ. Appollo though Dyana hȳ relese
Yet shall he sue to me to haue his pese
A sayd Appollo ye wende I had foryete
You for my lady Dyana the goddesse
Nay thynke not so for I woll you entrete
As well as her wythout longe processe
Wyll ye agree y t Phebus your maystresse
May haue the gydynge of your varyaunce
I shall abyde qd he her ordynaunce
Well then qd Appollo I praye you goddis all Nota
And goddesses y t ben here present
That ye companably woll aborde fall
Nay then sayd Othea. it is not conuenyent
Adue ordre in euery place is exspedyent
To be had wherfore ye may not let
To be your owne marchall at your owne banket
And whan Appollo see it wolde none other be
He callyd to hym Aurora the goddesse
And sayd though ye wepe yet shal ye before me
Ay kepe your course & put yourself in presse
So he her set fyrst at his owne messe
W t her moyst clothes wyth terys all be spreynt
The medowes in may shewe therof ther cōpleynt
Next her sat Mars myghty god and stronge
Wyth a flāme or tyre enuyronned all about
A crowne of yren on his heed a spere in honde
It semyd by his chere as he wolde haue fouze
And next vnto hym as I perceyue mought
Sate the goddesse Dyana in mantell fyne
Of blak sylk purflyd wyth poudryd hermyne
Lyke as she had take the mantell & the rynge
And next vnto her arayed ryally
Sate the god Iupiter in his demenynge
Full sad & wyse he semyd sykerly
A crowne of tynne stode on his heed
And y t I recorde of all phylosophres
That lytyl store of coyne kepe in ther cofres
Ioyned to hym in syttyng next there was
The goddesse Iuno full rychely beseene
In a sercote y t shone as bryght as glas
Of goldsmythꝭ werke w t spanglꝭ wrouȝt by dene
Of ryal ryches wantyd she non I wene
And next by her sate the god Saturne
That oft tyme causith many one to morne
But he was clad me thought straungely
For of fro [...] & snowe was all his aray
In his honde he helde a fawchon all blody
It semyd by his chere as he wold make a fray
A baudrik of ysikles abowte his necke gay
He had. & aboue an hyghe on his heed
Couchid w t heylstones he ware a croune of leed
And next in ordre was set by his syde
Ceres the goddesse in a garmente
Of sakcloth made with sleues large & wyde
Embroudryd wyth sheuys & sycklys bente
Of all manere greynes she scalyd the parente
In token that she was the goddesse of corne
Olde poetes say she bereth the heruest horne
Then was there set the god Cupido
[Page]All fresshe & galaūt and costly in aray
Wyth ouches & rynges he was beset so
The palys therof shone as thouȝ it had be day
A kerchyf of pleysaūce stode ouer his helme ay
The goddesse Ceres he lokyd in the face
And wyth one arme he dyde her enbrace
Next to Cupido in order by and by
Of worldly wysdom sate the forteresse
Callyd Othea cheyf grounde of polycy
Reweler of knighthede of prudence y • goddesse
Clad all in purpure was she more & lesse
Sauf on her heed a crowne there stode
Couchyd wyth perlys oryent fyne & gode
And next to her was god Pluto set
Wyth a derke myst enuyroned all aboute
His clothynge was made of a smoky net
His colour was both wythin & wythoute
Full derke & dȳme his eyen grete & stoute
Of fyre & sulphure all his odour waas
That wo was me while I behelde his faas
Fortune the goddesse wyth her party face
Was vnto Pluto next in order set
Varyaunt she was ay in short space
Her whele was redy to torne wythout let
Her go wne was of gawdy grene chamelet
Chaungeable of sondry dyuers coloures
To the condicyons acordynge of her shoures
And by her sate though he vnworthy were
The rude god Pan of shepeherdes the gyde
Clad in russet frese & brechyd lyke a bere
Wyth a grete tarboxe hangynge by his syde
A shep [...]roke in his hōde he spared for no pryde
And at his fete lay a prykeryd curie
He ratelyd in the throte as he had the murie
Isys the goddesse bare hym company
For at the table next she sat by his syde
In a close kyrtyll enbrowdexyd [...]nryously
Wyth braunches & leuys brode large & wyde
Giene as ony grasse in the somer tyde
Of all manere fruyt she had the gouernaūce
Of sauours odoriferous was her sustynaūce
Next her then was god Neptunus set
He sauored lyke a fyssher of hȳ I spake before
It semyd by his clothes as they had be wet
About hȳ in his gyrdelstede hȳge fysshꝭ manya score
Of his straūge aray meruelyd I sore
A shyp wyth a toppe & sayle was his creste
Me thought he was gayly disgysed at y t feste
Then toke Minerue the goddesse her sete
Ioyntly to Neptunus all in curas clad
Gaūlett on her hondꝭ & sabatoūs on her fete
She loked euer about as thouȝ she had be mad
An hamer & a sythe on her heed she had
She wered two bokelers one by her syde
That other ye wot wher this was al her pryde
Then cam y • god bachꝰ & bi her set hȳ downe
Holdynge in his honde a cup full of wyne
Of grene vyne leuys he ware a Ioly cowne
He was clad in clustres of grapis good & fyne
A garlonde of yuy he chose for his sygne
On his heed he had a thredebare kendall hode
Algymlot and a fauset therupon stode
Next him sate Phebns wyth her colour pale
Fat she was of face but of complexyon feynt
She sayd she ruled neptunꝰ & made hȳ to auale
And ones in y • mōth w t phebꝰ was she meȳt
Also ne were she. Ceres were ateynt
Thus she sat & tolde the myght of her nature
And on her heed she ware a crowne of syluer pure
Ioyntly to her Mercurins toke his see
As came to his course wytnesse the zodiake
He had a gylden tonge as fyll for his degree
In eloquence of langage he passyd al the pake
For in his talkyng noman cowde fynde lake
A boxe with quyksyluer he had in his honde
Multiplyers knowe it well in euery londe
By hȳ sate dam̄ Venꝰ with colour ciistallyne
Whose long here shone as wyre of golde bryȝt
Crispe was her skynne & her eyen columbyne
Rauysshyd myn herte her chere was so lyght
Patronesse of plesaūce be named wel she myȝt
A smocke was her wede garnysshid curiously
But aboue all other she had a wanton ey
On her heed she ware a reed copre crowne
A nosegay she had made full plesauntly
Betwyx her & Aurora. Appollo set hȳ downe
W t his beames bryght he shone so feruently
That he therwyth gladed all the company
A crowne of pure golde was on his heed set
In sygne y t he was mayster & lorde of y t banket
Thꝰ was y • table set roūde about Nota
W t goddys & goddesses as I haue you tolde
Awaytynge on the boorde was a grete route
Of sage philosophres & poetes many folde
There was sad Sychero & Aristotle olde
Tholome Dorethe & Dyogenes
Plato Messehala & wyse Socrates
Sortes & Saphirꝰ w t Hermes stode behynde
Auicen & Aueroys wyth them were in fire
Galien & Ypocras y t physyk haue in mynde
W t helpe of Esculapion toward them drew ner̄
Virgile Orace Ouid and Omet
Euclide & Alberte yaue ther attendaunce
To do the goddes & goddesses plesaunce
Hore berded Orpheꝰ was there with his harpe
And as a poete musicall made he melody
Other mȳstrel had they non̄ saf Pan gan carp̄
Of his lewde bagpype y t causyd the company
To lauȝ. yet many mo were yf I shold not ly
Some yonge some olde bothe better & werse
But mo of ther names can I not reherse
Of all maner deyntees there was habundaūce
Of metis & drynkis foyson plenteuous
In came discorde to haue made va [...]yāunce
But there was no rome to set her in y • houe
The goddys remembryd the scysme odious
Amonge the thre goddesses y t she had wrought
At the fest of Peleus wherfore they thought
They wolde not wyth her dele in auenture
Lest she them brought to some in conuenyent
She seyng this was wroth out of mesure
And in grete wrathe oute of the paleys went
Sayeng to herselfe y t chere sholde they repent
And anone w t Attropos happyd she to mete
As he had be a ghost came in a wȳdyng shete
She toke hȳ by the honde & rowned in his ere
And tolde hȳ of the banket y t was so delycate
Hou she was receyued & what chet had she thet
And how euery god sate in his astate
Is it thꝰ sayd Attropos what in deuylles date
Well he sayd I se well how the game gooth
Ones for your sake shal I make them wroth
And whan she had hym all togyder tolde
From her he departyd & of her toke his leue
Sayeng y t sor her sake his way take he wolde
In to the palays his maters to meue
And er he thens went he trowyd them to grene
Wyth suche tydynges as he sholde them tell
So forth in he went & spake wordes fell
Whan he came in the presence of the goddis all
As he had be wood he lokyd hym aboute
His shete from his body downe he let fall
And on a rude mauer he saluted all the route
Wyth a bolde voys carpyng wordes stoute
But he spake all holowe as it had be one
Had spoke in a nother world y • had wo begone
He stode forth boldly with grym countenaunce
Sayeng on this wyse as ye shall here
All ye grete goddys yeue attendaunce
Vnto my wordes wythout all daungere
Remembre how ye made me your offycere
All tho wyth my darte fynally to chastyse
[Page]That you disobeyed or wold your law dispyse
And for the more surete ye sealed my patent
Geuyng me full power so to occupy
What to I haue enployed myn entent
And that can dame Nature well testyfy
Yf she be examyned she woll it not deny
For whan she forsaky [...]h ony creature
I am ay redy to take hym to my cure
Thus haue I ouely wyth all my dilygence
Executyd the offyce of olde antiquite
To me by you graūtid by your comin sentence
For I sparyd none hyghe nor lowe degree
So that on my part noo defawte hath be
For as soone as ony to me cōmytted was
I smote hym to y • herte he had none other gras
Ecto [...] of Troy for all his chyualry
Alerandre the grete & myghty conquerour
Iulius Cesar wyth all his company
Dauid nor Iosue nor worthy Artour
Charles the noble y • was so grete of honour
Or Iudas Machabee for all his true hert
Nor Godfrey of Boleyn cowde me not astert
Nabugodonozor for all his grete prode
Nor the kynge of Egypte the cruel [...]harao
Iason ne hercules went they neuer so wyde
Cosdras hanyball nor gentyll Sypyo
Cyrus Achylles or many a nother [...]o
For seyre or fowle gate of me no grace
But al be at the last. I sesed them w t my mace
Thus haue I brought euery creature
To an ende bothe man fysshe foule & be [...]st
And euery other thyng in whom dame nature
Hath ony Iurisdyccōn etheyr moost or leest
Excepte oonly one in whom your beheest
Is to me broke for ye me promysed
That my myȝt of non shold haue be dispised
When of the contrary dare I well auowe
Is true for one there is that woll not apply
Vnto my correccion nor in no wyse bowe
To the dynt of my dart for dole nor desteny
What comfort he hath nor the cause why
That he so rebellyth I can not thynke of ryȝt
But yf ye haue hȳ graūtid your alders safcondyght
And yf ye so haue then do ye not as goddys
For a goddys wrytynge may not reuersyd be
Yf it sholde I wolde not yeue two pesecoddis
For graunt of your patent of offyce nere of fee
Wherfore in this matere do me equytee
Accordynge to my patent. for tyll this be doo
Ye haue nomo & my seruise ne my good wylloo
And whan all y • goddys had Attropos herde
As they had be wood they brayde vp attonys
And sayd the [...] wold not rest til he wer conquerd
Taken & distroyed body blood & bones
And y • they swore grete othes for the nones
Ther lawe to dispyse y • was so malapert
They sayd he shold be taught for to be so pert
Well sayd Appollo yf he on the erthe be
W t my brennyng chare I shall hym confounde
In fayth qd Neptunus & yf he kepe the see
He may be full sure. he shall soone be drownde
A syr sayd Mars this haue we well fownde
That ony disobeyed our godly precept
We may well thynke we haue to longe slept
But neuerthelesse where I maye hym fynde
W t thond & lyghtnyng about I shal hym chace
And I qd Satnrnus before and behynde
W t my bytter colde shal shewe hȳ harde grace
Wel sayd Mercurius yf I may see his face
For euer of his speche I shall hym depryue
So y • hym were better be deed than a lyue
Ye quod Othea yet waye he well be
In the ayre where he wyll & axe you no leue
Wherfore my counsell is that all we
May entreate Neptunꝰ his rancour to foryeue
[Page]And then I dout not Colꝰ wyll hym myscheue
So may ye be sure he shall you not escape
And els of all your angre woll he make but a Iape
But for to telle you how Col [...]s was brought
In daunger of Pluto yet had I forgete
Wherfor on this matere ferder woll I nought
Procede tyll I therof haue knowledge you lete
It felle on a daye the weder was wete
And Colus thought he wolde on his disport
Goo to reioyce his spyrytes & comfort
He thouȝt he wolde se what was in the groūde
And in crauers forth he gan hym dresse
A drowthe had the erthe late before founde
That caused it to chȳne & crase more & lesse
Sodenly by weet constreyned by duresse
Was the groūde to close his superficiall face
So streyte y • to scape Colus had no space
This seyng Colus he styll wythin abode
Sekyng wher he myȝt haue gon̄ out fer or nere
Anone he was aspyed & one to Pluto rode
And tolde hȳ how Colus was in his daungere
Then sayd he to Cerberꝰ fet me y t prysonere
Tyll I haue hȳ seen let hym not go at large
As thou wolt answer of hym I yeue y • charge
Thus was this Colus take prysoner
Then happyd it so y t the same daye
Pluto had prefyxed for a grete mater
Mynos to syt in his robe of raye
Wherfore Cerberus toke the next way
And lad hȳ to the place where the cour [...] shalbe
Whed as I tolde you Morpleus brought me
So thyder came Dyana caryed in a carre
To make her compleynt as I tolde you all
& so dyde Neptunꝰ y • doth both make & mar [...]e
Walowyng w t his wawes & tōblyng as a ball
Ther ma [...]s they meued fall what may befall
Ther was the fyrst syght y t euer I them sawe
And yf I neuer doo eft I recke not a strawe
But now to my matere to retorne agayn
And to begynne newe. where I left
Whan all the goddys had done ther besy pay [...]
They weyte to contryue how he sholde be reft
Of his lyf y t Attropos had noo cause eft
To cōpleyn. then Phebus stert vpon her fete
And sayd I pray you let me speke a worde yete
Othea menyth well to saye on this wyse
But al to entrete Neptunus I hope shal not nede
Mesemyth I alone durst take y e enterpryse
Er I am begyled or ellys I shall spede
How say ye Neptunꝰ shall I do this dede
Wyll ye your rancour sesse at my request
Madame qd he rulyth me as you lyketh best
Gramercy sayd she of your good wyll
That it pleaseth you to shewe me that fa [...]our
Wherfor the goddys hye pleasure to fulfyll
Performe my desyre▪ & leue all olde rancour
Foral our alders wele & sauyng of our honour
Agayn this Colus y t ye longe haue had
It is done qd he forsoth then am I glad
Sayd he now then Colus be y • to vs trew
[...]repe well the ayre & our grete rebell
May we then soone euer to vs subdew
Yes & that quod Colus shall ye here tell
Nowhere in the ayre shall he rest nor dwell
Yf he do therof put me in the fawte
Wyth my bytter blastes. so shall I hȳ assawte
What sayd the god Pluto what is his name
That thus presumyth agay [...] vs to rebell
Vertue qd attropos y • haue he moche shame
He is neuer confounded. thus of him here I tell
A sayd this Pluto. in dede I knowe hym well
He hath be euer myn vtter e [...]e [...]ye
Wherfor this mater agayn hym take woll I
For all the baytes y • ye for hym haue layde
Wythout myn helpe ben not worth a pe [...]e
For though ye all the contrary had sayde
[Page]Yet wold he brede ryȝt nyghe your althers ere
No manere of thyng can hȳ hurt nor dere
Saue oonly one a sont of my bastarde
Whose name is Syce he kepyth my vawarde
Wherfore you Cerberus now I y • discharge
Of Colus. & woll that thou hether fette
My dere sone vyce & saye that I him charge
That he to me come wythout ony lette
Armyd all poynt [...]. for a daye is sette
That he wyth vertue for all the goddys sake
In our defence. must on hym bataylle ta [...]e
Forth then went Cerberus w t his fyry chey [...]e
And brought thyd vyce as he [...]na [...]ded was
Agayne noble vertue y • batayll to dereygne
On a glydyng serpent ryd [...]ng a grete [...]as
Formed lyke a dragon scalid harde as glas
Whoos mouth flamyd fyre without fayll
Wynges had it serpentyne & a longe tayll
Armed was vyce all [...] [...]e bo [...]ie
Harde as ony borne blacker ferrt than so [...]
An vngoodly sorte folowed him parde
Of vnhappy capteyns of myscheyf crop & [...]ote
Pryde was y • fyrst. y • next hym rode god [...]te
On a roryng lyon. next whom came enuye
Syttyng on a [...]f he had a scornfull ey
Wrath bestrode a wyld bore & next hȳ gan ride
In his honde he bare a blody na [...]yd s [...]crde
Next whom cam couetyse y • goth so fer & wyde
Ridyng on an oliphaflt as he had ben aferde
After whom to de gloteny w t his fat berde
Syttynge on a bere wish his grete bely
And next hym on a gote folowyd lechery
Slouth was so slepy he came all behynde
On a dulle asse a full wery pase
Thyse were the captey [...] y • vyce cowde fynde
Best to set his felde & folowe on the chase
As for pety capteyns many mother wase
[...] sacrilege symony & dyssy [...]lacyon
Manslaughter murdre theft & extorcōn
Arrogaunce presumpcōn wyth contumacy
Contempcōn contempt & inobedyence
Malyce frowardnes grete I [...]lacy
Wodnesse bate stryfe & Impacyence
Vnkyndnes oppressyon w t woful necligence
Murmour myscheyf falshede & detraccōn
Vsury periury lye & adulacōn
Wronge rauyne sturdy vyolence
Fals Iugement wyth obstynacy
Disceyte dronkenes & Improuidence
Bol [...]ue [...] in yll wyth fowle & rybawdy
Fornycacōn Incest & auoutry
[...]sham fastnes wyth prodigalyce
Blaspheme veynglory & worldly vanyte
Ignoraunce diffydence wyth Ipocrisy
Scysme rancour debate & offence
Heresy [...]our wyth ydolatry
New fangylnesse & subtyll [...]l [...] pretense
Inordynat desyre of worldly excellense
Feyned pouerte wyth apostasy
Dys [...]aund [...] scorne & vnkynde Ielousy
Hoor [...]ene bawdry false mayntenauer
Treason abusyon & pety [...]
Vsurpac [...]n wyth horryble [...]engraunce
Came al [...] laste of that company
All thyse pety capteyns folowed by & by
She [...] themself to the palays wyde
And sayd they were redy y • bu [...]aylle to abyde
Idylnesse s [...]t the coruyn [...] to araye
Wythout the palayes on a fayt felde
But there was an hoste for to make a fraye
I t [...]o [...] suche a nother neuer man behelde
Many was y • wepyn among the y • they welde
What people they were y • came to y • disporte
I shall you declare of many a sondry sorte
There were hosters braggers & brybores
[Page]Praters facers s [...]retchers & wrythers
Shamefull shakerles sol eyn shaueldores
Oppressers of people & myghty crakers
Mayntenours of quarelles horryble lyers
Theues traytours wyth false heretykes
Charmers sorcerers & many scysmatykes
Preuy symonyakes wyth false vsurers
Multyplyers coyne wasshers & clyppers
Wronge vsurpers wyth grete extorcyoners
Bakbyters glosers & fayre flaterers
Malicyous murmurers wyth grete claterers
Tregetours triphelers feyners of tales
Lastyuous lurdeyns & pikers of males
Rowners vagabundes forgers & lesynges
Robbers [...]euers rauenouse ryfelers
Choppers of chyrches fynders of tydynges
Matters of maters and mony makers
Scalkers by nyght wyth euesdroppers
Fyghters brawlers brekers of louedayes
Getters chyders causers of frayes
Tityuylles tyrauntes wyth tormentours
Cursyd apostatis relygyous dissymulers
Closshers cardes wyth comyn hasardoures
Tyburne coloppis & pursekyters
Pyllary knyghtes dowble tollynge myllers
Gay Ioly tapsters wyth hostlers of the stewes
Hoor [...] & [...]awo [...] that many bale brewes
Bolde blaspherners wyth false ypocrytes
Brotheilers brokers abhomynable swerers
Dryuelled dastardes dyspysers of ryghtes
Homycydes poyseners & comyn murderes
Scoloes caytysses & comberouse clappers
Ydolatrees enchaur tours wyth false renegates
Sotyll ambid [...]t [...]es & sekers of debates
Pseudo prophetes false sodomytes
Ouelmer [...] of chyldren wyth [...]omycacours
Wytewoldes I suffre synne to ther syghtes
Auourerers & abhomynable auauntours
Of sȳne gret claypers & makers of damours
Vnthrystes & vnlustes came also to that game
W t luskꝭ & losellis y • myȝt not thryue for sham̄
Thyse were the comyns came thyd y • day
Redy bowne in batayll vertue to abyde
Appollo them beholdyng began for to say
To the goddꝭ & goddesses beyng there y • tyde
Me semyth conuenyent an herowde to ryde
To vertue & byd to batayll make hym bone
Hȳself to defende forsoth it shall be sone
And lete hym not be sodenly take
All dispurueyed or then he be ware
For th [...]e sholde our dyshonour awake
Yf he were cowardly take in a snare
Ye quod vyce, for y • haue I no care
I woll auauntage take where I may
That herynge Morpleus p [...]uely stale away
And went to warne vertue of all this afray
And bad hym awake & make hȳself strong
For he was lyke to endure that daye
A grete mortall shoure [...] were euesonge
Wyth vyce wherefore he bad hym not longe
Tary to sende after more socour
Yf he dyde it sholde tourne hym to dolour
And breifly the matere to hym he declared
Lyke as ye haue herde begynnynge & ende
Well quod vertue be shall not be sparyd
To the fride I woll wende how it wende
But gramercy Morpleꝰ myn owne dere frende
Of your true hert & faythfull entent
That ye in this mater to mewarde haue ment
This done Morpleus departyd away
Fro vertue to y • palays recornyng agayn
None hym aspyed y • I dare well say
Io whyche tyme vertue dyde his besy payn
People to reyse his querell to mentayn
Ymaginacōn was his messengere
He went to warne people bothe f [...]e & ne [...]e
And had them come in all the hast they myght
For to strengthe Vertue for wythout fayll
He sayd he sholde haue longe er it were nyght
Wyth Vyce to do a myghty stronge batayll
Of vngraycous gestꝭ he bryngeth a longe tayl
Wherfore it behouyth to helpe at this nede
And after this shal Vertu rewarde your mede
Whan Ymagynacōn had goon his cyrcuyte
To Vertues frendis thus all aboute
w tin short tyme many men of myghte
Gadryd to vertue in all that they moute
They him comfortid & bad hym put no doute
His vtter enmye Vyce to ouerthrowe
Thouȝ he w t hȳ brought neuer so grete arowe
And whan vertue se the substaūce of his hoost
He prayed al the comyus to the felde them hye
Wyth ther pety capteyns both leest & moost
And w t his capteyns sholde folowe redyly
For he sayd he knewe well y • Vyce was ful ny
& who myght fyrst of y • felde recouer the centre
Wold kepe out y e other he shold not esely entre
Then sent he forth baptym to the felde before
And prayed hym hertly it to ouerse
That nomaner trayne nor caltrop therin were
To noye nor hurt hym nor his meyne
And whan he thyder came he began to se
How Vyce his purseuaunt cryme orygynall
Was entred before & had seased vp all
But assone as herof Baptym had a syght
He fled fast awaye & left the felde alone
And anone baptym entred wyth his myght
Serching al aboute wher this cryme had gone
But y • felde was clene defawte fonde he none
Then came vertue after wyth his grete hoost
And his myghty capytayns both lest & moost
But to enfourme you how he thyder cam
And what maner capiteyns he to y • feld brouȝt
Hymself sykerly was the fyrst man
Of all his grete hoost y t thyderwarde songht
Syttyng in a chare y t rychely was wrought
Wyth golde & perles & gemmes precyous
crowned wyth laurer as lorde vyctoryous
Foure doughty knyghtes abowte y • chare went
At euery corner one it for to gyde
And conuey acordyng to vertues entent
At the fyrst corner was ryghtwysnesse y t tyde
Prudence at the seconde was set to abyde
At y • third strength y • fourth kept temperaunce
Thyse the chare gyded to vertues plesaunce
Next to the chare. vij. capiteyns there rode
Echone after other in order by & by
Humylyte was the fyrst a lambe he bestrode
Wyth countenaüce de [...]re he rode full soberly
A fawcon gentyll stode on his helme an hy
And next after him came there charyte
Rydyng on a tygre as fyll to his degre
Rody as a rose ay he kept his chere
On his helme an hyghe a pellp [...]n he bare
Next whō cam pacience y • nowhef hath no pet
On a camell ridynge as boyde of all care
A femx on his helm stode so forth gan he fare
Who next hym folowyd but lyberalyte
Sittyg on a drom [...]an y t was both gode & fre
On his helme for his crest he bare an ospray
And next after hym folowed abstynence
Rydynge on an harte was tiappured & agy
He s [...]myd a lorde of ryght grete excellence
A popymay was his crest he was of gret defence
Next hȳ folowed chastite on an vnycorne
Aimed at all poyntes behynde & beforne
A turtyldoue he bare on hye for his crest
Then came gode besynesse last of those. vij.
Ridyng on a pantere a sondry coloured best
Gloryously beseen as he had come fro heuen
A crane on his heed stode his crest for to steuen
All thyse. vij. capteyns had standardes of price
[Page]Eche of them accordyng after his deuyse
Many pety capteyns after these went
As true fayth & hope mercy peas & pyte
Ryght trouth mekenesse wyth good entent
Goodnes concorde & perfyte vnyte
Honest true loue wyth symplycite
Prayer fastynge preuy almesdede
Ioyned wyth the artycles of the crede
Confessyon contricōn & satisfaccōn
Wyth sorowe for synne & grete repentaunce
Foryeuenesse of trespas wyth good disposycōn
Resystence of wronge performyng of penaūce
Holy deuocyon wyth good contynuaunce
Presthode them folowed wyth the sacramentis
And sadnesse also wyth the cōniaūdementis
Suffraunce in trowble wyth Innocency
Clennesse contynence & vyrgynyte
[...]yn [...]nesse reuerence wyth curtesy
Contente & plesyd wyth pyteous pouerte
Entendyng well mynystryng equyte
Twene ryght & wronge hole Indifferency
And labouryng the seruyse of god to multiply
Refure of rychesse & worldly vaynglory
Perfeccōn wyth perfyt contemplacōn
Relygyon professyon well kept in memory
Very drede of god wyth holy predycacōn
Celestyall sapyence wyth ghostly Inspyracōn
Grace was the gyde of all this grete meyny
Whom folowed cūnynge wyth his genealogy
That is to say gramer & sophistry
Philosophy naturall logyk & rethoryk
Arsmetryk geometry wyth astronomy
Canon & cyuile melodyous musyk
Noble theology & corporall physyk
Moralyzacōn of holy scrypture
Profounde poetry & drawyng of pycture
These folowed cūnyng & thyder w t hym [...]m
Wyth many one mo offryng ther seruyse
To vertu at y t nede but notwithstondyng that
Some he refusyd & sayd in no wyse
They sholde w t hym go & as I cowde auyse
Thyse were ther names fyrst nygramancy
Geomancy magyk & glotony
Adriomancy ornomancy wyth piromancy
Fysenomy also and palmestry
And all ther sequelys yf I shall not ly
Yet cūnynge prayed vertue he wolde not deny
Them for to knowe nor disdeyne w t his ey
On them to loke wherto vertu graunted
Hou be it in his werrꝭ he wold not they haūted
So bad they cūnyng lyghtly to departe
From vertues felde & they seeng this
By comyn assent hyred them a carte
And made them be caryed towarde vyce ywys
Frothensforth to serue hȳ they wold not mys
Full loth they werr to be maysterles
In stede of better the worse there they ches
But forth to relese all the remenaunt
Of pety capteyns y t wyth vertue were
Moderate dyete & wysdom auenaunt
Euen wyȝt & mesure ware of contagyous gere
Loth to ofende & louyng ay to lere
Worship & profyt wyth myrthe in manere
Thise pety capteyns w t vertue were in fere
Comens them folowed a grete multytude
But in comparyson to that other syde
I trowe there was not brefely to conclude
The tenth man that batayll to abyde
Yet neuerthelesse I shall not fro you hyde
What maner people they were & of what sect
As nere as my wyt therto wyll me dyrecte
There were notable & famous doctours
Example yeuers of lyuyng gracyous
Perpetuell pcestis & dyscrete confessours
Of holy scrypture declarers fructuons
[Page]Rebukers of synne & myscheues odyous
Fysshers of soules & louers of clennes
Dispysers of veyn & worldly ryches
Peasyble prelates Iusticiall gouernours
Founds of chyrches wyth mercyful pecres
Reformers of wronge of ther progenytours
On paynfull poore pyteous compassyoneres
Well menyng marchauntes w t tru artyfyceres
Virgyns pure and also Innocentes
Holy matrones wyth chaste contynentes
Pylgryms & palmers wyth true laborers
Holy heremytes good solycitours
Monasterial monkes & wel disposyd freres
Chanons & nonnes faythfull professours
Of worldly people true coniugatours
Louers of Criste confounders of yll
And all y t to godwarde yeue her good wyll
Mayntenours of ryght very penytentis
Distroyers of errour causers of vnyte
True actyfe lyuers y t set ther ententis
The dedes to perfourme of mercy & pyte
Contemplatyf people y t desyre to be
Solytary seruauntes vnto god allone
Rad than to haboūde in rychesse enerychone
Thyse w t many mo than I reherce can
Were come thyther redy y • batayll to abyde
And take suche parte as fyll to vertue than
Vyce to ouercome they hoped for all his pryde
All though y t he had more people on his syde
For the men y t vertue had were full sure
To trust on at nede & cūnynge in armure
Macrocosme was the name of the felde
Where this grete batayll was set for to be
In y • myddes therof stode conscyence & behelde
Whyche of them shold be brought to captiuyte
Of y t noble-tryumphe Iuge wolde he be
Synderesys sate hym w tin closed in a parke
w t his tables in his honde ther dedes to marke
To come in to the felde were highe ways fyue
Free to both partyes large brode & wyde
Vertu wold not tary but hyed hȳ thyd blyue
Leest he were by vyce disceyued at that tyde
Long out of the felde lothe he was to abyde
In auenture y t he out of it were not kept
For then wold he thynke he had to long slept
This meane tyme whyle vertu thus prouyded
For hym & his people the felde for to wynne
He chargyd euery man by grace to be gyded
And all y • euer myght the felde to entre in
In all that season went orygynall synne
To lete vyce knowe how baptym w t his hoste
Had entred macrocosme & serched euery coste
A sayd vyce then see I well it is tyme
Baners to display & standardes to auaunce
Almost tolong haddest thou taryed cryme
To let vs haue knowlege of this purueaūce
Yet I trowe I shal lerne hym a newe da [...]ce
Wherfore I cōmaunde you all wythout delay
Toward y • felde drawe in all the hast ye may
Then sayd y • god Pluto y t all men myght here
Vyce I the charge as thou wolt eschew
Our heuyous Indygnacōn y u drawe not arere
But put the forth boldly to ouerthrow vertew
In fayth quod attropos & I shall after sew
For yf he escape your hondes this day
I tell. you my seruyce haue loste for ay
Forth then rode vyce w t all his hole strength
On his stede serpentyne as I tolde you before
The host y • hym folowed was of gret length
Amōg whō wer penoūs & gnitors many a scot
But er he went thydward I shal you tell mot
Of his pety capitayns he made many a knyȝt
For they shold not fle but manly w t hym fyȝt
He dubbyd falshode wyth dissymulacōn
Symony vsury wrong & rybawdy
Malyce disceyte lye wythout extorcōn
[Page]Periury diffydence and apostasy
Wyth boldnesse in yll to bere them company
Thyse. xiiij. knyghtes made vyce that daye
To wȳne ther sporꝭ they sayd they wold assay
In lyke wyse vertue dubbyd on his syde
Of his pety capteyns other fourtene
Whyche made ther auow wyth hym to abyde
Ther spores wold they wȳne y t day it shold be sene
Thise were ther names yf it be as I wene
Fayth hope & mercy trouth & also ryght
Wyth resystence of wronge a ful hayrdy wyȝt
Confessyon contricyon wyth satysfaccyon
Very drede of god perfourmynge of penaūce
Perfeccōn cunnynge & good dysposycōn
And all knytte to vertue they were by alyaūce
Wherfore to hym they made assuraunce
That felde to kepe as longe as they myght
And in this querell agayn vyce to fyght
The lorde of macrocosme & ruler of that fee
Was callyd frewyll chaunger of the chaunce
To whom vertue sent embassatours thre
Reson discrecyon & good remembraunce
& prayed hȳ be fauorable his honour tenhaūce
For but he had his fauour at y t poynt of nede
He stode in gret doute he coude not lyȝtly spede
In lyke wyse vyce embassatours thre
For his party vnto frewyll sent
Temptacōn foly and sensualyte
Prayeng hym of fauour y t he wolde assent
To him as he wolde at his cōmaundement
Haue hym eft sonys whan he lyst to call
On hȳ for ony thyng y t afterwarde myȝt fall
Ansuere yaue he none to neyther party
Saue oonly he sayd the batayll wolde he se
To wyte whyche of them shold haue y • victory
It hynge in his balaunce the ambyguyte
He sayd he wolde not restreyne his lyberte
Whan he came where sorowe sholde awake
Then it shold be know what part he wold take
Whan vertue & vyce by ther ambassatours
Knew of this answere they stode in gret doute
Netheles they sayd they wold endure tho shours
& make an end shortli of y t they wēt aboute
So forth came vyce wyth all his grete route
Er he came at the felde he sent yet pryuely
Sensualyte before in maner of a spy
Whyche sewe the felde w t his vnkynde sede
That causyd vertue after moche wo to fele
For therof grewe nonght but all oonly wede
Whiche made the grounde as slypper as an ele
He wente ayen to vyce & to [...]de hym euery dele
How he had done & bad hym come away
For he had so purueyd y t vyce shold haue y t day
So as it happed at the felde they mete
Frewyll vertue & vyce as tripartyte
Saaf vertue a lyll before the felde had gete
And els his auaūtage forsoth had be ful lyght
Not for then encombred so was neuer wyght
As vertu & his men were w t the ranke wede
That in the felde grewe of sensualytees sede
But assone as vyce of vertue had a syght
He gan swage gonnnes as he had ben wede
That heryng vertue comaunded euery wyght
To pauyse hym vnder the sygne of the rode
& bad them not drede. but kepe styll wher they stode
It was but a shoure shold sone confoūde
Wherfor he cōmaūded them stonde & kepe ther groūde
Aod whan vyce came nere to the felde
He callyd sore for bowes & bad them shote fast
But vertu & his meyne bare of w t the shelde
Of y • blessyd tri [...]y [...]e ay tyll shot was past
& whan shot was done vyce came forth at last
Purposyng the felde wyth assawte to wyn
but vertu kept it long he myȝt not entre therin
All y t tyme frewyll stode & hym bethought
[Page]To whyche he myȝt leue & what part he wold take
At last sensualite had him so ferre brouȝt
y • he sayd playnly he vertue wolde forsake
And in vyces quarell all his power make
I wys qd reason y t is not for the beste
No forse sayd frewyll I wyll do as me lyst
Vertue was full heuy whan he se frewyll
Take part wyth vyce but yet neuerthelesse
He dyde y t he might the felde to kepe styll
Tyll vyce w t frewyll so sore gan hym oppresse
That he was constreyned clerely by duresse
A lytyll tyne abacke to make abew retret
All thyng consydred it was the best feet
Fyrst to remembre how vyces parte was
Ten ayenst one stronger by lyklynesse
And then how frewyll was wyth hym alas
who cowde deme vertue but in heuinesse
Morcouer to thynke how y t slyper grasse
That of sensualyte his vnkynde sede grew
Vnder fote in stondyng encombred vertew
Yet notwythstondyng vertues men all
Nobely them bare & faught myghtely
How be it the slypper glasse made many of hē fall
And from thens in maner depart sodenly
y t seeng vyces hoost began to shoute & cry
& sayd on in plutoes name on & al is oure
For this day shal vyce be made a conqueroure
Thꝰ vertu was by myght of vyce & frewyll
Dryuen out of the felde it was the more pyte
How be it yet baptim kepte his grounde styll
And wyth hym abode fayth hope & vnyte
And cūnynge also wyth comyns a gret meyne
Confessyon contricōn were redy at ther honde
And satysfaccōn vyce to wythstonde
But all the tyme whyle vertue was away
A myghty conflict kept they wyth vyces route
And yet neuertheles for all y t gret affray
Hope stode vpryght & fayth wolde neuer loute
And euermore sayd baptym syres put no doute
Verte shall retourne & haue his entente
This felde shall be ours & elles let me be shent
& while thise pety capteȳs susteyned thꝰ y e feld
w t vertue his rewarde came good perseueraūce
An huge myghty hoste & whan he behelde
How vertue hȳ wythdrew he toke displesaūce
& whā he to hȳ cam̄ he sayd ye shal your chaūce
Take as it falleth wherfore retorne ye must
Yet ones for your sake w t vyce shall I Iust
Alas that euer ye sholde lese thus your honour
And therwyth also y • hyghe perpetuell crowne
Whyche is for you kept in the celestyall tour
Wherfore be ye called Cristis champyone
How is it that ye haue no compassyone
On baptysme fayth & hope cūnynge & vnyte
y t stonde so harde bestad & fyght as ye may see
All the tresour erthly vnder the fyrmament
That euer was made of goddis creacōn
To reward them euynly were not equyualent
For ther noble labour in his afflyccōn
Wherfore take vpon you your Iurisdiccōn
Rescu yonder knyghtes & recontynu fyght
& elles a du your crowne for all your gret myȝt
w t thyse & suche wordes as I haue you tolde
Bi good perseueraūce vttred in this wyse
Vertu hym remembred & gan to wexe bolde
And sayd yone true knyghtes to rescu I auyse
Let vs no lenger tary from this enterpryse
Agayn to the felde soo vertue retorned
y t caused hem be mery y t long aforhad morned
Auaunt baner quod he in the name of Ihesu
And w t that his people set vp a gret shoute
And cryed wyth a loude voys a vertu a vertu
Ther began vyces hoste for to loke aboute
But I trowe perseueraūce was not long w tout
He bathed his swerde in his foes blood
The boldest of them all not ones hym w tstood
Constaūce him folowed & brought hȳ his spet
But whan ꝑseueraūce sawe vyce on his stede
Noman cowde hym let tyll he came there
For to bid hym ryde I trowe it was no nede
All vertues host prayed for his good spede
Agayn vyce he rode with his grete shaft
And hym ouerthrewe for all his subtyll craft
That seeng frewyll came to conscyence
And gan hym to repent y t he w t hym had be
Prayeng hym of counseyl for his grete offence
That he ayenst vertue had made his arme
What was best to do to humylyte
Qd conscyence must y u go so he hȳ thyder sent
Dysguysed y t he were not knowen as he went
And whan he thyd came humylyte hym toke
A token & bad hym goo to confessyon
And shewe hym his matere w t a pyteous loke
Whyche done he hym sent to contrycōn
And fro thensforth to s [...]tysfaccōn
Thꝰ fro post to pylar was he made to daunce
And at last he went forth to penaunce
But now to tell whan vyce was ouerthrow
A gret part of his host abowte hȳ gan resorte
But he was so feble y t he cowde noman know
And whan they se y t they knew no comforte
But caryed hym away by a preuy porte
And as they hȳ caryed dispeyre w t hym met
w t vyce his rewarde he cam theym for to fet
Then came ther doune goodly ladyes tweyne
From the hye heuen aboue the fyrmament
And sayd y t grete Alpha & o moost souereyn
For y t noble tryumphe had them thyder sent
One of them to dryue vyce to grete torment
Wyth a fyre stronge y t she bare in her honde
And so he dyde dispeyre & all his hoole bonde
The name of this lady was callyd Prestience
She neuer left vyce ne none y t wold hȳ folow
Tyll they were cōmytted by y • dyuyne sentence
All to payn perpetuel & Infynyte sorowe
Ryȝtwysnes wēt to se y t no mā shold hē borow
Thus al entretyd sharply wer they tyl cerberꝰ
Had them beshyt wythin his yates tenebrus
& all y t whyle y e prestience w t her scourge smert
To rewarde vyce gan her thus occupy
Wyth all his hole bende after ther desert
y • other gloryous lady y t cam fro heuen on hy
Hauyng in her honde the palme of vyctory
Cam downe to vertu & toke hȳ to the present
Sayeng thus y t Alpha & oo hath hym sent
And as ferre as I a ryght cowde vndstonde
That ladyes name was Predestinacyon
Vertue & his hoste she blessyd w t her honde
And in heuen grauntid them habitacion
Wherto eche of them reseruyd was a crown
She sayd in token y t they Inherytours
Of the glory were & gracious conquerous
Whyche done the ladyes togyd agayn met
And toward heuen vp they gan to [...]y
Embraced in armys as they had be knet
Togyder wyth a gyrdyll but soo sodeynly
As they wer vanishid sawe I neuer thȳg w t ey
And anone vertue w t all his company
Knelyd downe & thankyd god of y t vyctory
Yet had I [...]oryete whan vyce was ouer throwe
To haue tolde you how many of vyces host
Gan to seke peas & darkyd downe full lowe
And besought mercy what so euer it cost
To be ther mene to vertu els they wer but lost
& some in lyke wise to fayth & hope sought
What to do for peas they sayd they ne rought
Som̄ also to baptym sewed to be ther mene
Som to one som to other as them gete myght
but all to confession went to make them clene
& as they cam to conscyence he thē bad go lyȝt
Er than olde attropos of them had a syght
For yf he so them toke lost they were for euer
[Page]He sayd vyce to forsake is better late thā neuer
Some eke for socour drewe to circn̄cisyon
But by hȳ cowde they gete but smalle fauour
For he in the cōpany was had but in derysyon
Neuertheles to fayth he bad them go labour
Prayeng them for old aqueȳtaūce them socour
Well qd fayth for his sake I shall do y t I may do
But fyrst to y • best way baptym go ye to
For by hym sonest shall ye recouer grace
Whyche shall to vertue bryng you by processe
Wherfore in ony wyse loke ye make good face
And let no man knowe of your heuynesse
So they wer̄ by baptȳ brought out of dystresse
Tomed al to vertue & whan this was done
Vertue cōmaunded Frewyll before hym come
To whom thus he sayd I haue grete merueyll
Ye durst be so bolde vyces parte to take
Who bad you do so & yaue you y • counseyll
Iustly vnto y t ye shall me preuy make
Then sayd frewyll & swemfully spake
Knelyng on his knee w t a chere benygne
I pray you syr let pyte your eres to me ēnclyne
And I shall you tell the very soth of all
How it was & who made me y • way drawe
Forsoth Sensualyte his propre name they call
A sayd Reson then knowe I well y t felowe
Wylde he is & wanton of me stant hȳ noū awe
Is he so qd Vertue well he shall be taught
As a playr sholde to drawe a nother draught
And wyth y t cam Sadnesse w t his sobre chere
Bryngyng Sensualyte beyng ful of thought
And sayd y t he had take hym prysonere
A welcom sayd vertue now haue I y • I sought
Blessyd be y t good lord as y u wold is it nought
Whi art y • so wanton & wyld he sayd for sham̄
Er y u goo at large y u shalt be made more tame
S [...]ond a part a whyle tyl I haue spoke a word
Wyth Frewyll a lytyll & then shalt y u knowe
what shalbe thy fynaūce & then sayd in bord
Vnto Frewyll they ben of your bowe
Begynneth to slake but suche as ye haue sowe
Must ye nedes repe there is none other waye
Notwythstondyng y t let se what ye can saye
What is your habylyte me to recompence
For the gret harme y • ye to me haue do
Forsoth sayd Frewyll in open audyence
But only Macrocosme more haue I not lo
Take that yf it pleyse you I woll y t it be so
Yf I maye vndstonde ye be my good lorde
In dede sayd vertue to that woll I acorde
Then made vertue reason his lyeftenaunt
& yaue hȳ a grete charge macrocosme to kepe
That done sensualyte yelde hym recreaunt
And began for angre hytterly to wepe
For he denyd surely his sorowe shold not slepe
Then made vertue fre [...]yll bayll vnd reason
The felde to ocupy to his behoue y t season
And then sayd vertue to sensualyte
Thou shalt be rewarded for thy besynesse
Vnder this fourme all fragylyte
Shalt thou forsake bothe more & lesse
And vnd the gydyng shalt y u be of sadnesse
All though it somwhat be ayenst thy hert
Thy Iugement is yeuen y ushalt it not astert
And euen wyth y t came in dame Nature
Sayeng thus to vertue syr ye do me wronge
By duresse & constreynt to put this creature
Gentyll sensualyte y t hath me serued longe
Clerely from his lyberte & set hym amonge
Theym y • loue hym not to be ther vndlowte
As it were a cast a way or a shoo clowte
And parde ye knowe well a rule haue I must
w tin macrocosme forsoth I say not nay
Qd vertu but sēsualite shalnot ꝑform̄ your luste
Lyke as he hath do before this yf I may
[Page]Therfro hym restreyn sadnesse shall assay
How be it ye shall haue your hole lyberte
Wythin macrocosme as ye haue had free
And whan vertue had to nature sayd thus
A lytyll tyne his ey castyng hym besyde
He sawe in a corner stondyng morpleus
That hym before warnyd of the veryly tyde
A syres sayd vertue yet we must abyde
Here is a frende of oures may not be foryete
After his deserte we shall hym entrete
Morpleus sayd vertue I thanke you hertly
For your true herte & your grete labour
That ye lyst to come to me so redely
Whan ye vndstode the comyng of y t shour
I thank god & you of sauyng of myn houour
Wherfor this preuylege now to you I gran̄t
That w tin macrocosme ye shal haue your haūt
And of. v. posternes the keyes shall ye kepe
Lettyng in & out at them whom ye lyst
As long as in macrocosme your fad wyll crepe
Blere whos ey ye wyll hardly w t your myst
And kepe your werkes close there as in a chyst
Saaf I wold desyre you spare pollucōn
For nothȳge may me plese y • souneth to corrupcōn
& whan he had thꝰ sayd the keyes he hȳ toke
And towarde his castell w t his people went
Biddȳg reason take good hede & abowte loke
That sensualyte by nature were not shent
Kepe hym short he sayd tyll his lust be spent
For better were a chylde to be vnbore
Than let hȳ haue the wyll & for euer be lōre
& whan olde attropos had seen & herd all this
How vertue had opteyned astonyed as he stood
He sayd to hymself somwhat there is amys
I trowe well my patent be not all good
And ran to the palays as he had be wood
Sayeng to the goddis I se ye do but Iape
After a worthy whew haue ye made me gape
How a deuyl way sholde I vertue ouerthrow
Whan he dredyth not all your hole rowte
Hou can ye mak gode your patēt wold I know
It is to impossyble to brynge that abowte
For stryke hȳ may I not y t is out of doute
A good attropos sayd god appollo
An ansuere conuenyent shall y u haue herto
The wordes of thy patent dare I well say
Streche to no ferd but where dame nature
Hath Iurisdyccōn there to haue thy way
And largesse to stryke as longeth to thy cure
And as for vertu he is no creature
Vnd thy predycament conteyned of quantyte
Wherfore his distruccōn longeth not to the
A ha sayd attropos then see I well
That all the goddis be but countrefete
For oo god there is y t can euerydell
Torne as hym lyst bothe drye & wete
In to whose seruyse I shall assaye to gete
And yf I maye onys to his seruyce come
Youre names shall be put in oblyuyont
Thus went attropos fro the palays wrooth
But in the mene tyme whyle that he thef was
Glydynge by y e palays residyuacōn gooth
Towarde macrocosme with a peynted face
Clad lyke a pylgryme walkyng a grete pace
In the forme as he had be a man of Ynde
He wend haue made reson & sadnes both blȳde
Wyth sensualyte was he soone aqueynted
To whom he declared his mater pryuely
Yet he was espyed for all his face peynted
Then reson cōmaūded hym pyke thens lyȝtly
For his ease qd sadnesse so coūsell hym woll I
So was sensualyte ay kepte vnder foote
That to residytiacōn myght he do no bote
Then went he to nature & askyd her auyse
[Page]His entent to opteyne what was best to doo
She sayd euer syth vertue of vyce wan y • pryce
Reason w t sadnesse hath ruled the felde so
That I & sensualyte may lytyll for the doo
For I may nomore but oonly kepe my cours
And yet is sensualyte strenger kepe & wours
Thꝰ herȳg [...]e [...]idiuacōn frothens he went ayen
Ful of thouȝ [...] & sorowe y • he myght not spede
Then reson & sadnesse toke wedehokes tweyn
& al wylde wantons out of y • felde gan wede
W t all the slyper grasse y t grewe of the sede
That sensualyte before therin sewe
And fro thens forth kept it clene for vertewe
Then began newe grasse in the felde to sprȳg
All vnlyke y t other of colour fayr & bryght
But then I aspyed a meruelous thyng
For y • groūde of y • felde gan were hore & white
I cowde not consceyue how y • he myght
Tyll I was [...]nformyd & taught it to know
but wher vertue ocupieth must nedes wel grow
Yet in meane tyme whyle the felde thus grew
& reason wyth sadnes had therof gouernaūce
Many a preuy messenger thyd sent vertew
To knowe yf it were gyded to his plesaūce
Now prayer oft fastyng & oft tyme penaūce
And whan he myght goo pryuely almesdede
& bad hȳ to his power helpe wher he se nede
Whyle y • felde thus rulyd reason wyth sadnesse
Maugre dame nature for all her carnall myȝt
Came thyd attropos voyde of all gladnesse
Wrappyd in his shete & axyd yf ony wyght
Cowde wyssh hȳ the way to the lorde of lyght
Or ellys wher men myȝt fynde ryghtwysnesse
For [...]oth sayd reason I trowe as I gesse
At vertues castell ye may sooue him fynde
Yf ye lyst the labour thyder to take
And there shall ye knowe yf ye be not blynde
The next way to the lord of lyght I vndtake
So thyder went attropos petycyon to make
To ryghtwysnesse prayeng that he myght
Betake in to the seruyce of the lorde of lyght
What sayd ryghtwysnesse y • olde dotyng foole
Whom hast y • serued syth the worlde began
But only hym where hast y • goo to scole
Whether art y • double or ellys the same man
That y • were fyrst a syr sayd he than
I praye you hertly holde me excusyd
I am olde & feble my wyttes are dysusyd
Wel sayd ryghtwysnesse for asmoche as thow
knowyst not th [...] master thy nam̄ shal I chaūge
Deth shal y • be called from hens forward now
Among all the people y • shalbe had straūge
But whan y • begynnest to make thy chalaūge
Drad shalt thou be where so thou become
And to n [...] creature shalt y • be welcome
And for theym whom y • dydest serue
For as moche as they presume on them to take
y • hyghe name of god they shal as they deserue
Therfore be rewarded I dare vndertake
W t payn perpetuell among fendes blake
And ther names shall be put to oblyuyo [...]
Among men but it be in derysyon
A ha sayd attropos now begyn I wexe glad
That I shal thus auenged of them be
Syth they so long tyme haue made me so [...]ad
Ye quod ryghtwysnesse here what I say to the
The lorde of lyght sent the worde by me
That in macrocosme sesyne shall thou take
Wherfore thy darte redy loke thou make
And as soone as vertue y • vndstode
He sayd he was pleysyd y • it sholde so be
And euen forthwyth he cōmaunded presthode
To make hym redy the felde for to se
So thyder went presthode wyth benygnyte
[Page]Conueyeng thyder the blessyd sacrament
Of Eukarist but fyrst were thyder sent
Confessyon contricyon & satysfaccyon
Sorow for sȳne & grete repentaūce Nota
Holy deuocyon wyth good disposycyon
All thyse thyder came & also penaūce
As her dewte was to make purueaūce
Agayn the comyng of that blessyd lorde
Fayth hope & charyte therto were acorde
Reason w t sadnesse dyde his dylygence
To clense the felde wythin & whthout
And whan they se the bodyly presence
Of y t holy Eukarist lowly gan they loute
So was y • lorde receyued out of doute
Wyth all hūble chere debonayre & benygne
Lykly to his plesure it was a gret sygne
Then came to y • felde the mynyster fynall
Callyd holy vnccōn wyth a crismatory
The fyue hye wayes in especyall
Therof he anoynted & made it sanctuary
Whom folowed dethe whyche wolde not tary
His feruent power there to put in vre
As he was cōmaūded graūtyng dame nature
He toke his darte callyd his mortall laūce
And bent his stroke towarde the feldes herte
That seeng presthode bad good remēbraūce
Towarde the felde torne hym & aduerte
Fo [...] except hym all vertues thense must sterte
And euyn whth y t deth there sesyne toke
And then all the c [...]mpany clerely it forsoke
And as soone as deth thꝰ had sesyne take
The colour of the felde was chaūged sodenly
The grasse therin sere as thouh it had be bake
And the fyue hye wayes were mured vpon hy
y • fro thensforwarde none entre sholde therby
The posternes were also without lette
Bothe Inwarde & outward fyne fast shette
Whyche done sodenly deth vanysshyd away
And vertu exaltyd was aboue the fyrmament
Where he toke the crowne of glory y • is ay
Preparate by Alpha & oo omnypotent
y • swete frute of macrocosme thyd w t hȳ went
And on all this mater as I stode musyng thus
Agayn fro the felde to me came morpleus
Sayeng thꝰ what chere how liketh y • this fyȝt
Hast thou seen ynough or wyll y • se more
Nay syre I sayd my trouth I you plyght
This is suffycyent yf I knewe wherfore
This was to me shewed for therof the lor [...]
Coueyte I to haue yf I gete myght
Folowe me qd he and haue thy delyght
So I hym folowed tyll he had me brought
To a fouresqare herber walled rounde aboute
Loo qd morpleus here mayst [...] that y • sought
Fynde yf thou wyll I put the out of doute
A lytyll whyle we stode styll there wythoute
Tyll wytte cheyf porter of y t herber gate
Requyred by study lete vs in there ate
But whan I came I meruelyd gretly
Of that I behelde & herde ther reporte
For fyrst in a chare apparaylled ryally
Ther sate dame doctrine her chyldn to exhorte
And about her was many a sondry sorte
Some wyllynge to lerne dyuers s [...]yence
And some for to haue pertyte Intelligence
Crowned she was lyke an emperesse
W t. iij. crownes stondyng on her heed on [...]y
All thyng abowte her an Infynyte processe
Were to declare I tell you certaynly
Neuerthelesse some in mynde therof haue I
Whych I shal to you as god wyl yeue me grace
As I sawe and herde tell in short space
Fast by doctryne on that one syde
As I remembre sate holy texte
[Page]That opened his mouthe to the people wyde
But not in cōparyson to glose y t sate nexte
Moralizacōn wyth a cloke contexte
Sate & scripture was scribe to them all
He sate ay wrytyng of y t that sholde fall
Thyse were those that I there knewe
By no maner waye of olde acqueyntaūce
But as I before sawe them wyth vertewe
Company in felde & hauynge dalyaunce
And as I thus stode halfe in a traunce
Whyle they were occupyed in ther besynesse
Abowte the walles myn eyen gan I dresse
Where I behelde the meruelous story
That euer yet I sawe in ony pycture
For on tho walles was made memory
Syngulerly of euery creature
That there had b [...] bothe forme & stature
Whose names reherce I woll as I can
Brynge them to mynde in ordre euery man
Fyrst to begynne there was in portrature
Adam & Eue holdyng an appyl roūde
No [...] in a shyp & Abraham hauyng sure
A flyntstoon in his honde & Ysaac lay boūd [...]
On an highe mouūt Iacob slepyng sounde
And a longe ladder stode hym besyde
Ioseph in a cisterne was also there y t tyde
Next whom stode Moyses with his tables two
Aaron & Vrre his armes supportyng
Ely in a brennyng chare was there also
And Elize stode clad in an hermytes clothyng
Dauid wyth an harpe & a stoon slyng
Ysaye Ieremy and Ezechiell
And closyd wyth lyons holy Danyell
Abacuc Michee wyth Malachy
And Ionas out of a whales body comyng
Samuel in a temple & holy zachary
Besyde an awter all blody stondyng
Ozee wyth Iudyth stode there conspyryng
The deth of Oloferne & Salomon also
A chylde wyth his swerde dyuydyng in two
Many mo prophetes certeynly there were
Whose names now come not to my mynde
Melchisedech also aspyed I there
Brede & wyne offrynge as fell to his kynde
Ioachym & Anna stode all behynde
Embracyd in armys to the golden gate
And holy Iohn Baptist in a desert sate
And now comyth to my remembraunce
I am auysed I sawe Sodechy
And Amos also wyth sobre countenaunce
Stondyng wyth her faces towarde Sophony▪
Neemye & Esdras bare them company
The holy man Iob as an Impotent
Then folowed in pycture w t Thoby pacyent
These wyth many mo on y t one syde
Of y t grene herber portrayed were
A sayd Morpleus a lytyll tyme abyde
Tourne thy face where thy backe was ere
And beholde well what thou seest there
Then I me tornyd as he me badde
Wyth hert stedfast & coūtenaunce sadd
Where I sawe Peter wyth his keyes stonde
Poul wyth a swerde Iames also
W t a scalop & Thomas holdyng in his honde
A spere & Philyp aproched hym to
Ia [...]s the lesse next them in pycture [...]o
Stode w t Barehilmew whyche was all flayn
Symon & Thadee shewed hou thei wer slayn
Mathy & Barnabe drawyng lottys stode
Next whom was mark a lyon hym by
His boke holdyng & Mathew in his mode
Resemblyd an angell w t wynges gloryously
Luke had a calfe to holde his boke on hy
And Iohn w t a cuppe & palme in his honde
[Page]An egle bare his boke thꝰ sawe I hem stonde
Gregori & Ierome austyn & Ambrose
W t pilyon [...] on ther hedes stode lyke doctours
Bernarde wyth Ancelme & as I suppose
Thomas of Alquine & Dominik confessours
Benet & Hew religyous gouernours
Martyne & Iohn wyth bysshop tweyne
Were there also & Crisostome certeyne
Behynde all thyse was worshypfull Bede
All behynde & next him stode Origene
Hydyng his face as he of his dede
Had them ashamed ye wote what I mene
For of errrour was he not all clene
And on that syde stode there last of all
The noble prophetissa Sybyll men her call
Let me remembre now I you pray
My brayne is so thynne I deme in my hert
[...]e of the felyshyp▪ y • I there say
In all this whyle haue Iouerstert
A benedicite none ere cowde I aduert
To thȳke on Andrew the apostle w t his crosse
Whome to forget [...] were a grete losse
Many one moo were peynted on y t walle
Whos names now come not to remēbraunce
But thyse I markyd in especyall
And moo cowde I telle in contynuaūce
Of tyme but for to shewe you the substaūce
Of this matere in the myddes of y t herbere
Sate doctryne coloured as ony cristall cl [...]re
Crowned as I tolde you late here before
Who [...]s apparayll was worth tresour Infynyt
All erthly rychesse count I noo more
To y in cōparyson valewyng than a myt
Ouer her heed houed a culuer fayr & whyt
Out of whos bylle proceded a grete le [...]e
Doūwarde to doctryne lyke a sonne beme
The wordes of doctryne ya [...]e grete redo [...]nce
In swetnes of sauour to her discyples all
It ferre exceded myrre & franke [...]sence
Or ony other tree spyce or ellys gall
& whan she me aspyed anone she gan me call
& cōmaūded morpleꝰ y t he shold bryng me nere
For she wold me shew theffect of my desyre
She sayd I knowe the cause of thy comyng
Is to vndstonde by myn enformacōn
Sensibly the matere of morpleꝰ shewyng
As he hath the ledde abowte in vysyon
Wherfore now I apply thy naturall reason
Vnto my wordes & er thou hens wende
Thou shalt it know begynnynge & ende
Fyrst where Colus to pluto was brought
By his owne neclygence taken prysonere
Wythin the [...]rthe for he to [...]erre sought
Sygnyfied is nomore by that matere
But oonly to shewe the how it dooth ap [...]
That welth vnbrydelyd dayl [...] at thyn [...]y
Encressyth mysrule & oft causyth foly
For lyke as Colꝰ beyng at his large
Streyted hȳself [...]hrugh his owne lewdenesse
For he wolde deale where he had no charge
Ryght so wantons by ther wyldnesse
Ofte tyme brynge themself in distresse
By cause they somtyme to largely d [...]l [...]
What may wors be suffred thā ouermoch wele
By mynos the Iuge of hell desperat
May be vndstonde goddis ryghtwysnes
That to euery wyght his payne deputate
Assygneth accordyng to his wyckydnes
Wherfore he is callyd Iuge of cruelnes
And as for dyana & neptunus compleynt
Fygured may be fooles reason feynt
For lyke as they made ther suggestyo [...]
To haue me colus from cours of his kynde
Whyche was impossyble to brynge to co [...]ōn
For euermore his lyberte haue woll the wynde
[Page]In lyke wyse foles other whyle be blynde
Wenyng to subdew wyth ther owne honde
That is ouermoche for an hoole londe
But what folowyth therof y t shalt y u here
Whan they were come to the bankete
The grete appollo wyth his sad chere
Soo fayr & curteysly gan them entrete
That he made ther berdes on the new gete
Loo what wysdome dooth to a foole
Wherfore are chyldren put to scole
Ofte is it seen wyth sobre countenaunce
That wysemen fooles ouercome ay
Tomyng as them lyst & all ther varyaunce
Chaunge from ernest in to mery play
What were they both amended that day
Whan they were dryuen to ther wyttes ende
Were they not fey [...]e to graunt to be his frende
Ryght so fooles whan they haue done
All that they can then be they fayne
Geue vp ther mater to oblyuyone
W tout rewarde they haue nomore brayne
And yet full oft hath it be sayn
Whan they it haue foryete & set at nought
y t they full dere haue afterwarde it bought
And as for all tho that represent
To he callyd goddys at that bank [...]
Resemble false ydollys but to this entent
Was morpleꝰ cōmaūded thyder the to fet
That y u sholdest knowe the maner & the get
Of the paynym lawe & of theyr byleue
How false ydolatry ledyth them by the sleue
For soone vpon the worldis creacōn
Whan adam & eue had broke the precept
Whyche clerkes calle the tyme of deuyacōn
The worldly people in paynym lawe slept
Tyll moyses vnd god the tables of stoon kept
In whyche tyme poetes feyned many a fable
To dyscrete reason ryght àcceptable
And to the entent that they shoulde sounde
To the eres of them the more pleasantly
y t them shold rede or here they yaue them a groude
And added names vnto them naturally
Of whom they spake & callyd them goddys hy
Some for y • strength & myȝt of ther nature
And some for ther subtyll wytty coniecture
By nature thus as the seuen planettes
Haue ther propre names by astronomers
But goddys were they callyd by olde poetes
For ther gret veruency of werhȳg in ther sperꝭ
Experyence preuyth this at al yeres
And for as other that goddys callyd be
For subtyll wytte that shall I teche the
How they by that hye name of god cam
In this sayd tyme the people was so rude
That what maner creature man or woman
Lowde ony nouelte contryne & conclude
For the comyn wele all the multytu [...]e
Of the comyn people a god sholde him call
Or a goddesse after it was fall
Of the same thynge that was so newe founde
As Ceres for she the crafte of tylth fonde
Wherby more plenteuouly corne dyde haboūde
The people her callyd thrugh out euery londe
Goddesse of corne wenyng in her honde
Had layn all power of cornes habūdaunce
Thꝰ were y • paynems dysceyued by ygnoraūce
In lyke maner Isys was callyd the goddesse
Of frute for she fyrst made it multiply
By the name of graffyng & so by processe
The name of pan gan to deyfy
For he fyrst founde the mene shepe to guy
Some toke it also by ther condycōn
As pluto fortune & suche other doon
Thus all y t poetes put vnder couerture
[Page]Of fable the rural people it toke
Properly as acte refusyng the fygure
Whyche errour some of them neuer forsoke
Oft a fals myrrour diceyueth a mannys loke
As thou mayst dayly preue at thyne ey
Thus were the paynyms disceyued generally
That seenge the deedly enmy of mankynde
By his power permyssyue entred the ymages
W tin the temples to make the people blynde
In ther ydolatry stondyng on hyghe stages
In so moche who vsyd dauugerous passages
Ony maner way by water or by londe
Whan dyd his sacryfice his ansuere redy fonde
Thus duryng the tyme of deuyacōn
From Adam to Moyses was ydolatry
Thrngh the worlde vsyd in comyn opynyon
Thyse were the goddys y t thou there sy
And as for the auayters y t stode them by
They polytyk phylosophers & poetes were
Whyche feyned the fables y t I speke of here
Then sessyd the tyme of deuyacōn
Whan Moyses receyued the tables of stone
Entryng the tyme of reuocacōn
O [...] the mount of synay stondynge alone
God gaue hym myght agayn all his fone
And then began the olde testament
Whyche to the people by Moyses was sent
And that tyme dured to the Incarnacōn
Of Crist & then began it to sesse
For then came the tyme of reconsylyacōn
Of man to god I telle the doutlesse
Whan the sone of man put hym in presse
Wylfully to suffre deth for mankynde
In holy scrypture this mayst thou fynde
This reconsylyacōn was the tyme of grace
Whan foūde was y t chyrche vpon y • fayr stone
And to holy Peter the keye delyuerd was
Of heuen then helle dyspolled was anone
Thus was makyude delyuerde from his fone
And then began the newe testament
That the crysten people byleue in present
Whyche thre tymes asondry dyuyded
Mayst thou here se yf thou lyst beholde
The fyrst hehynde the in pycture in prouyded
The second of y • lyft honde shew prophet olde
The. iij. on y • ryght honde her it is to y • tolde
Thus hast y u in vysyon the very fygure
Of thise. iij. tymes here shewed in portrayture
That is to say fyrst of deuyacōn
From Adam to Moyses recordyng scrypture
Seconde fro Moyses to the Incarnacōn
Of Crist kepyth reuocacyons cure
And as for the thyrde y u mayst be very sure
Wyll dure from thens tyll the worldes ende
But now the. iiij. must y u haue in mynde
Whyche is callyd properly y • tyme of pylgrimage
After some & some name it otherwyse
And call it the tyme of daūgerous passage
And somtyme of werre y t fully it dispyse
But what so it be named I woll the auyse
Remembre it well & prynte it in thy mynde
Wherof the fygure mayst y u me behynde
And elles remembre thyself in thyne herte
How vyce & vertue dayly them occupy
In maner one of them hym to peruerte
Another to bryng hym to endles glory
Thus they contynue fyght for the vyctory
It is no nede herof to telle the more
For in this short visyo [...] y u hast seen it before
And as for attropos greuous compleynt
Vnto the goddys betokenyth noo more
But oonly to shewe y • how frendly constreynt
On a stedfast herte weyeth full sore
Gode wyll requyreth good wyll ayen therfore
Dyscorde to deth hath ay be [...] a frende
For dyscorde bryngeth many to ther ende
Wherfore dethe thought he wolde auenged be
On his frendes quarell yf that he myghte
For her gret vnkyndnesse in somoche as she
Was amonge them all had so in despyte
And at banket made of soo lyte
Whiche caused hȳ among thē to cast in a bone
[...] founde them gnawyng ynough enerychone
Thus ofte is seen oo frende for a nother
Wyll say & doo & somtyme maters feyne
And also kynnesmen a cosyne or a brother
Wyll for his aly er he haue cause compleyne
And where y t he louyth do his besy peyne
His frendes mater as his owne to take
Whyche often causith moche sorowe awake
Be it ryght or wrong he chargyth not a myte
As towarde y t poynt he takyth lytyll hede
So y t he maye haue his frowarde appetyte
Performed he careth not how his soule spede
Of god or deuyll haue suche lytyll drede
How be it one there is that lorde is of all
Whyche to euery wyght at last rewarde shall
& as for the batayll betwene vyce & vertu holde
So playnly apperyth to the Inwardly
To make exposycōn therof newe or olde
Were but superfluyte therfore refuse it I
In man shal thon fynde y t werre kept dayly
Lyke as y u hast seen it fowtin before thy face
y • pycture me behynde shewyth it in lytyl space
And for macrocosme it is nomore to say
But the lesse worlde to the comyn entent
Whyche applyed is to man both nyght & day
Soo is man the felde to whyche all were sent
On bothe partyes & they y t thyther went
Sygnyfy nomore but after the condycōn
Of euery mānes opynyon
And as for the noble knyght [...]erseueraunce
Whiche gate y • felde whan it was almost gone
Betokenyth nomore but the contynuaunce
Of vertuous lyuynge tyll deth hath ouergone
Who so woll do rewarden is anone
As vertue was wyth the crowne on hy
Whyche is nomore but euerlastyng glory
And as for prestience & predestinacōn
That eche of them rewarded after his desert
Is to vndstonde nomore but dampnacōn
To vycyous people is the very scourge smert
Rewarde for they fro vertue wolde peruert
And endlesse Ioye is to them y t ben electe
Rewarded & to all y t folowe the same secte
And as for the keyes of the posternes fyue
Whiche wer to morpleꝰ rewarde for his labour
Sygnyfye not elles but whyle man is on lyue
His fyue inwarde wyttes shall be euery hour
In his slepe occupyed in hele & in langour
Wyth fantasyes trifles Illusyons & dremes
Whyche poetes call morpleus stremes
And as for residynacon is nomore to say
But after confessyon tornyng aye [...] to synne
Whyche to euery man retorneth sauns delay
To vycyous lyuyng agayn hym to wynne
Whyle ony man lyueth woll it neuer blynne
That cursyd conclusyon for to brynge aboute
But reason wyth sadnesse kepe it styll oute
Here hast thou properly the very sentence
Herde now declaryd of this vysyon
The pycture also yeueth clere Intellygence
Therof beholde wyth good dyscresyon
Loke well abowte & take consyderasyon
As I haue declared whether it so be
A syr qd morpleus what tolde I the
Hast thou not thyne hertes desyre
Loke on you wall yonder before
And all that tyme stode I in a wyre
Whyche way fyrst myn hert wolde yeue more
To loke in a stody stode I therfore
Netherlesse at last as morpleus me badde
[Page]I lokyd forwarde wyth contenaunce sadde
Where I behelde in portrature
The manere of the felde euen as it was
Shewed me before & euery creature
On bothe sydes beynge drawen in small space
Soo curyously in so lytyll a compace
In all this worlde was neuer thyng wrought
It were impossyble in erthe to bethought
And whan I had longe behelde y t pycture
What qd morpleus how longshalt y u loke
Daryng as a dastarde on you portrayture
Come of for shame thy wytte stant a croke
I heryng that myn herte to me toke
Towarde y • fourth wall tornyng my vysage
Where I sawe poetes & philosophers sage
Many one moo than at the banket
Serued the goddes as I sayd before
Som were made stondyng & som in charys set
Som lokyng on bokis as they had stndyed sot
Som drawyng almenakis & in ther hōdes bot
Astyrlabes takynge the altitude of the sonne
Amonge whom dyogenes sate in a tonne
And as I was lokynge on that fourth wāll
Of dyogenes beholdyng the ymage
Sodeynly doctryne began me to call
And bad me torne towarde her my vysage
And so then I dyde wyth humble corage
What thȳkest y u she sayd hast y u not thentent
Yet of thyse foure walles what they represent
The picture on the fyrst y t stondith at my bak
Shewyth y • present tyme of pylgrymage
Of whyche before I vnto the spak
Why [...]he is the tyme of daungerous passage
The seconde discretly agayne my vysage
The tyme expreslyth of deuyacōn
Whyle paynyme lawe had che domynacōn
The thyrde walle stondyng on my lyfte hond
The tyme representyth of reuocacōn
And the fourth stondyng on my ryght honde
Determyneth the tyme of recousylyacōn
This is the effecte of thy vysyon
Wherfore the nedeth nomore theron to muse
It were but veyne thy wyttes to dysuse
But duryng the tyme of reconsylyacōn
Thy tyme of pylgrymage loke well y • spende
And then well gracyous predestynacōn
Bryng the to glory at thy last ende
And euen wyth y t came to my mynde
My fyrst conclusyon that I was aboute
To haue dreuen er slepe made me to loute
That is to say how sensualyte
W t reason to acorde myght be brought aboute
Whyche caused me to knele downe on my kne
And bescke doctryne determyne y t doute
O lord god sayd doctryn̄ canst y • not withoute
Me that conclusyon brynge to an ende
Ferre is fro the wytte & ferther good mende
And euyn wyth y t deth gan appere
Shewyng hymself as though y t he wolde
His dart haue ocupyed wythin y • herbere
But ther was none for hym yonge nor olde
Saue oonly I doctryne hym tolde
And whan I herde her w t hym comyn thus
I me wythdrewe behynde morpleus
Dredyng full sore leest he wyth his dart
Thrugh doctrynes wordes ony entresse
In me wolde haue had or claymed ony pārt
Whyche sholde haue causid me grete heuynesse
Wythin whyche tyme & short processe
Came thyder reason & sensualyte
A quod doctryne ryght welcome be ye
It is not longe syth we of you spake
Ye muster you goo determyne a doute
[Page]And euen wyth that she the mater brake
To theym & tolde it euery where aboute
I wolde haue be thens yf I had moute
For fere I lokyd as blacke as a cole
I wolde haue cropen in a mous hole
What quod doctryne where is he now
That meuyd this matere straunge & dyffuse
He is a cowarde I make myn auow
He hydeth his heede his mocōn to refuse
Blame hȳ not qd reason alway y t to vse
Whan he seeth deth so nere at his honde
It is his part hym to wythstonde
Or at the leest way elles fro hym flee
As longe as he may who doth otherwyse
Is an Ideote quod sensualytee
Who dredyth not dethe wyse men hym dispyse
What sayd doctryne how long hath this gy [...]e
Beholde & vsed thus atwyxe you tweyne
Ye were not wonte to acorde certeyne
Yes quod reason in this poynt alway
To euery man haue we yeue our counsayll
Dethe for to flee as longe as they may
All thouh we otherwyse haue don our [...]
Eche other to represse yet wythouce fayll
In that poynt oonly dyscorded we [...]euer
Thus condescended therin be we for euer
Aha sayd doctryne then is the conclusyon
Clerely determyned of the grete doute
That here was menyd & half in der [...]n
She me then callyd & bad me loke oute
Come forth she sayd & fere not this route
And euyn wyth y t reason & sensualyte
And deth fro thens were vanysshed all thre
Then loked I forth as doctryne me bad
Whan deth was gone me thought I was bolde
To shewe myself but yet I was sad
Me thoughte my doute was not as I wolde
Clerely & openly declaryd & tolde
It sowned to me as a parable
Derke as a myste or a feyned fable
And doctryne my conceyte gan espy
Wherfore sayd she stondest thou soo styll
Wherin is thy thought art thou in study
Of thy question hast thou not thy fyll
To the declared tell me thy wyll
Herdest thou not reason & sensualyte
Declared thy dought here before the
Forsothe quod I I herde what they sayde
But neuerthelesse my wytte is so thynne
And allo of dethe I was so afrayde
That it is out where it went inne
And so y • matere can I not wynne
Wythout your helpe & benyuolence
Therof so expresse the very sentence
Well qd doctryne then yeue attendaunce
Vnto my wordes & thou shalt here
Openly declared the concordaunce
A [...]wene sensualyte & reson in fere
Yf y • take bede it clerely dooth appere
How they were knytte in one openyon,
Bothe ay [...]nst dethe helde contradiccōn
Why [...] concordaunce nomore signyfieth
To playn vnderstondyng but in euery mane
Both s [...]usualyte & reason applyeth
Rather dethe to flee than w t it to be tane
Loo in y e poynt accorde they hooly thane
And in all other they clerely dyscorde
Thꝰ is sruly set thy doutfull monarcorde
I heryng that knelyd on my kne
And thanked her lowely for her discyplyne
That she vouchesauf of her benygnyte
Of tho grete doubtes me to enlumyne
Well was she worthy to be callyd doctryne
Yf it had be nomore but for the solusyon
[Page]Of my demaunde & of this straunge vysyon
And as I [...] myne hede began for to bowe
As me well ought to do her reuerence
She thens departyd I can not tell how
But wythin a moment gone was she thens
Then sayd morpleus lete vs go hens
What sholde we here tary lengere
Hast y u not herde a generall answere
To all thy materes that y u lyst to meue
My tyme drawyth nere that I must rest
And euen therwyth he toke me by the sleue
And sayd goo we hens for y t holde I best
As good is ynough as a grete fest
Thou hast seen ynough holde the conten
And euyn w t that forth wyth hym I went
Tyll he had me brought ayen to my bedde
Where he me founde & then pryuely
He stale away I cowde not vnderstonde
Where he became but sodeynly
As he came he went I tell you veryly
Whyche done fro slepe I gan to awake
My body all in swet gan for to shake
For drede of the syght that I had sene
Wenyng to me all had be trew
Actuelly done where I had bene
That batayll holde twene vyce & vertew
But whan I se it was but a whew
A dreme a fantasy & a thyng of nought
To study theron I had nomore thought
Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke
For what cause shewed was this visyon
I knewe not wherfore I toke penne & ynke
And paper therof to make mencyon
In wrytyng takyng consyderacyon
That no defawte were founde in me
Wheron accused I ought for to be
For slouth y t I had left it vntolde
Neyther by mouthe nor in remembraunce
Put it in wrytyng where thrugh many folde
Wayes of accusacōn miȝt torn̄ me to greuaūce
All this I sawe as I laye in a traūce
But whether it was w t myn ey bodily
Or not in certeyn god knowyth & not I
That to dyscerne I purpose not to dele
So large by my wyll it longyth not to me
Were it dreme or visyon for your owne wele
All that shall it rede here it rad or se
Take therof the best & let the worst be
Try out the corne clene from the chaff
And then may ye say ye haue a sure staff
To stonde by at nede yf ye woll it holde
And walke by the waye of vertues lore
But alway beware be ye yonge or olde
That your frewyll ay to vertue more
Apply than to vyce the casyer may be bore
The burden of the felde that ye dayly fyght
Ayenst your. iij. enmyes for all ther gret myght
That is to say the deuyll & the flesshe
And also the worlde wyth his glosyng chere
Whyche on you lokyth euer newe & fresshe
But he is not as he dooth appere
Loke ye kepe you ay out of his daungere
And soo the vyctory shall ye obteyne
Vyce fro you exyled & vertue in you reyne
And then shall ye haue y e tryūphall guerdon
That god reserueth to euery creature
Aboue in his celestyall mansyon
Ioye & blysse Infynyte eternally to endure
Wherof we saye we wolde feyne be sure
But the waye thidwarde to holde be we lothe
y t ofte sythe causeth y e gode lord to be wrothe
And by our deserte our babytacōn chaūgeth
Fro Ioye to payn & woo perpetuelly
From his gloryous syght thꝰ he vs estraūgeth
[Page]For our vicyous lyuyug thrugh our owne foly
Wherfore lete vs praye to that lorde of glory
Whyle we in erthe be y t he woll yeue vs grace
So vs here to guyde y t we may haue a place
Accordynge to our regeneracyōn
Wyth heuenly spyrytes his name to magnyfy
Whyche downe descended for our redempcyon
Offryng hȳself on the crosse to his fad on hy
Now benygne Ihesu y t borne was of Mary
All y t to this visyon haue geuen ther audyence
Graunte eternall Ioye after thy last sentence
AMEN ¶ Thus endeth this lytyll moralized treatyse compiled by dan Iohn Lydgat somtyme monke of Bury / on whose soule god haue mercy.

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