day he set in workyng The bodies aboue to haue their mouyng In the. xii signes them selues to domifye Some rethrogarde and some directly The fift daye he did fishes make In the sea the great stormy flowde To and fro their courses for to take And in the water for to haue their fode Like to the same colde alway their bloude The sirt daye beastes with fowles sensatiue And man also with soule intellectyue The seuenth day he rested of his worke Nothing constrayned as of werines As writeth many a right famous clarke But that he had accomplished doubtles His purposed purpose by infinite prowes As to vs dothe most plainely discure The perfect grounde of holy scripture Thus God him selfe is chefe astronomer That made all thing accordyng to his will The sunne the mone and euery little starre To a good entent and for no maner of yll Withouten vayne he did all thing fulfyll As astronomy dothe make apparaunce By reason he weyed all thinges in balaunce Capitulo xxiii ANd for as muche that he made nature First of all to haue domination The power of her I shall anone discure Howe that she taketh her operation And where vpon is her foundation I simple and rude opprest with negligence Shall discriue the might of her preeminence For thoughe that aungell be inuincible In palpable and also celestiall Without substaunce as incencible Yet haue they nature whiche is angelicall For nature naturyng naturate made all Heauen and earth and the bodies aboue By course of nature for to worke and moue On man or beast without any misse She worketh directly after the aspect Of the matter be it more or lesse I wisse And dothe therof the whole forme direct After the qualitie it dothe take effect If there be more then may one suffise A by member she will then more deuise As that in vre ye may it dayly se Upon one hande some hath thombes twayne And other also sometime armes thre The superstuitie is cause therof certayne Whiche that dame nature dothe constrayne So for to do for she leseth nought Of the matter but hath it wholy wrought And in likewise where is not sufficient Of the matter for the whole formation There lacketh a member by great impediment So that there can be no perfite fashion As may be iudged by perfite reason After the qualitie of the matter lackyng So lacketh they of natures formyng Some lacketh a legge some an arme also Some a finger and some more or lesse All these causes with many other mo Nature worketh so directly doubtles Upon the matter as I do expresse After the qualitie in many a sundry wise The kinde of her we ought nothing despise Some be fayre and replete with grace Some be fayre and yet right vnhappy Some be foule and can sone purchase Landes and possessions to them shortly Some be fooles and some be right wittye Wherupon I shal shewe a difference Of the. v. wittes by good experience Capit. xxiiii THe eyen the eares and also the nose The mouth hands inward wits are none But outward offices as ye may suppose To the inward wittes whiche do iudge alone For vnto them all thinges haue gone By these outward gates to haue the knowleging By the inwarde wittes to haue decernyng These are the fiue wittes remouyng inwardly First commen witte and then ymagination Fantasy and estimation truely And memory as I make narration Eche upon other hath occupation First the commen witte vnto the front applied Dothe thinke decerne it may not be denied Of the eyen the office onely is the syght To se the fayre the lowe or altitude The white or blacke the heauy or the light The litle or great the weake or fortitude The vgly fauoure or yet the pulcritude This is the vse of the eyen enteare To se all thinges whiche may well appeare But of them selues they can decerne nothing One from an other but the commen witte Decerneth coloures by spirituall cunning To the fiue inwarde wittes it is so well knitte Nothing is sene but it dothe iudge it It dothe decerne the good from badnes The hye the lowe the foule the fairenes The nose also euery ayre dothe smell But yet it hath nothing aucthoritie If it be swete for to iudge and tell But the commen witte dothe it in certainetie Decernyng sauours in euery degre Knowyng the swete ayre from the stinkyng When that the nose therof hath smellyng The eares also ryght well geue audience Unto a tale hearyng it right perfectly But they can not discerne the sentence To knowe wherupon it dothe so ratifie Upon great wisdome or els vpon foly Thus whether the tale be ryght good or badde By the commen witte the knowledge is had Foly hath eares as well as Sapience But he can not determine by his hearyng What tale it is for lacke of intelligence For the commen witte is all vnderstandyng And that he lacketh to geue him knowyng Wherfore the eares are but an intresse To the cōmen witte that sheweth the perfectnes The mouthe tasteth bothe swete and bitternes But the commen witte decerneth properly If it be soure or replete with swetenes Nor yet the handes fele nothing certainely But the commen witte decerneth subtilly Whether it be harde moist or of drynes Hote heauy soft or yet colde doubtles Thus commen witte worketh wondersly Wpon the. v. gates whiche are receptatyue Of euery thing for to take inwardely By the commen witte to be affirmatyue Or by decernyng to be negatiue The commen witte the first of wittes all Is to decerne all thinges in generall And then secondly ymagination When the commen witte hath the thing elect It worketh by all due inclinacion For to bryng the matter to the whole affect And fantasy then hath the whole aspect The ymagined matter to bring to finishment With good desire and inwarde iudgement And estimacion dothe well comprehende The space the place and all the purueyaunce At what tyme the power myght entende To bryng the cause vnto perfect vtteraunce Often it weygheth the cause in balaunce By estimation any thing is numbred By lengthe or shortnes howe it is accombred Fiftely the mynde when the fourth haue wrought Retayned all tyll the mynde haue made An outwarde knowledge to the matter thought Because nothing shall decline and fade It kepeth the matter nothinge rethrogarde But dyrectly till the minde haue proued All suche matters whiche the. iiii haue moued Plato the cunnyng and famous clarke That well experte was in Philosophy Dothe ryght rehearse vpon natures warke Howe that she worketh vpon al wondersly Bothe for to minishe and to multiplye In sundry wise by great direction After the matter with all the whole affection In my natiue language I will not expresse More of her worke for it is obscure Who will therof knowe all the perfectnes In philosophy he shall finde it ryght sure Whiche all the trouth can to him discure No man can attayne perfect runnyng But by long study and diligent learnyng Capit. xxv THe
be contrarious But what for that your selfe in speciall Remember there is no loue so ioyous As is your owne to you most precious Will you geue your youthe and your flouryng age To them against your minde in mariage Pucell Against my ininde of that were I lothe To wedde for feare as them to obey Yet had I rather they were somewhat wrothe For I my selfe do beare the locke and keye Yet of my minde and will do many a daye Mine owne I am what that I list to do I stande vntied there is no ioye therto Amoure O swete lady the good perfect starre Of my true hart take ye nowe pitie Thinke on my paine whiche am tofore you here With your swete eyes beholde you and se Howe thought and wo by great extremitie Hath chaunged my hue into pale and wanne It was not so when I to loue began Pucell So me thinke it dothe right well appeare By your coloure that loue hath done you wo Your heuy countenaunce your doleful cheare Hath loue suche might for to aray you so In so short a space I maruell muche also That ye woulde loue me so sure in certayne Before ye knew that I woulde loue agayne Amoure My good deare hart it is no maruaile why Your beauty cleare and lonely lokes swete My hart did perce with loue so sodainely At the firste time that I did you mete In the olde temple when I did you grete Your beauty my hart so surely assayed That sithe that time it hath to you obeyed Capitu. xix Pucell YOur wo and paine all your languishyng Continuaily ye shall not spende in vayne Sithē I am cause of your great morning Nothinge exile you shall I by disdaine Your hart and mine shall neuer part in twaine Thoughe at the first I woulde not condescende It was for feare ye did some yll entende Amoure With thought of yll my minde was neuer mixt To you madame but alway cleane and pure Bothe day and night vpon you whole perfixt But I my minde yet durst nothing discure Howe for your sake I did suche wo endure Till nowe this houre with dredfull hart so faint To you swete hart I haue made my complaint I demed oft you loued me before By your demenoure I did it espye And in my minde I iudged euermore That at the last ye woulde full secretely Tell me your minde of loue right gentlely As ye haue done so my mercy to craue In all worship you shall my true loue haue Amoure O lorde God then howe ioyfull was I She loked on me with louely countenaunce I kiste her once or twise right swetely Her depured vysage repleate with pleasaunce Reioyced my hart with amerous purueyaunce O lady cleare that perst me at the rote O floure of comfort all my heale and bote O gemme of vertue and lady excellent Aboue all other in beauteous goodlines O eyen bright as starre refulgent O profounde cause of all my sickenes Nowe all my ioye and all my gladnes Woulde God that we were ioyned in one In mariage before this daye were gone Pucell A a saied she ye must take payne a while I must depart by the compulcion Of my frendes I will not you begile Thoughe they me leade to a farre nacion My hart shalbe without variacion With you present in perfite sikernes As true and stable without doublenes To me to come is harde and daungerous When I am there for gyantes vgly With monsters also blacke and tedious That by the way awaite full cruelly For to destroye you yll and vtterly When you that waye do take the passage To attaine my loue by hye aduauntage Amoure All that madame was to me certified By good dame Fame at the beginnyng When she to me of you well notified As she came from the tower of learnyng Of all suche enemies the might excluding I promise vnto you here full faithfully When I depart from dame astronomy That I will to the tower of chiualry And for your sake become aduenturous To subdue all enemies to me contrary That I may after be right ioyous With you my lady most swete and precious Wo worthe the cause of your departynge Whiche all my sorowes is in renuyng Alas what pleasure and eke without disport Shall I now haue when that ye be gone Ha ha truely nowe without good comfort My dolorous hart shalbe left alone Without your presence to me is none For euery houre I shall thinke a yere Till Fortune bryng me vnto you more neare Yet after you I will not be right long But haste me after as fast as I may In the tower of chiualry I shall make me strong And after that passe shortly on my way With diligent labour on my iourney Spite of your enemies I shall me so spede That in short time ye may reward my mede I thanke you quod she with my hart entire But yet with me ye shall make couenaunte As I to you am right lefe and deare Unto no person ye shall so aduaunte That I to loue you am so attendaunt For any thing your councell not bewraye For that full sone might vs bothe betray And to tell me I pray you hartely Yonder is councell howe were you acquainted He is bothe honest and true certainely Dothe he not knowe how your hart is fainted With feruent loue so surely attainted If he so do yet I nothing repent He is so secrete and true of entent Truely madame because ye are contente I shall you tell howe the matter was When that your beauty clearely spendent Into my hart full wondersly did passe Like as fayre Phebus dothe shine in the glasse All alone with inwarde care so rent Into a temple forthe on my way I wente Where that I walked plunged in the pitte Of great dispayre and he then me mette Alas he saied me thinke ye lose your witte Tell me the trouthe nowe without any let Why ye demeane suche mortall sorowe great Auoyde quod I you shall nothing it knowe You can not helpe me in the case I trowe But he suche reason and fruitefull sentence Did for him laye that I tolde him all When he it knewe with all his diligence He did me comfort then in speciall Unto my minde he bade me to call Who spareth to speake he to spede dothe spare Go tell your lady the cause of your care By whose councell grounded in wisdome To the entent I shoulde spede the better And right shortly I did then to you come But dreade alway made my sorow greater After great paine the ioyes is the sweter For who that tasteth painefull bitternes The ioye to him is double swetenes And therwithall I did vnto her bryng Councell my frende and full right meke Did him receiue as he was comming And of all thinges she did him beseke After her parting the same weke To haste me forwarde to my iourneyes ende Thereto quod I I do well condescende Fare well quod she I may no lenger tarye My frendes will come of
celestine And yet also the perfect phisyke Whiche appertcyneth well to the bodye Dothe well resemble vnto the musyke When the inwarde intrailes turneth contrary That nature can not worke dyrectly Then dothe phisyke the partes interiall In order set to their originall But yet phisyke can not be liberall As the seuen scyences by good aucthoritie Whiche leadeth the soule the way in speciall By good doctrine to dame eternitie Onely of phisike it is the propertie To ayde the body in euery sickenes That is right fraile and full of brittlenes And because phisike is appendant Unto the body by helpe of medicine And to the soule nothing apportenaunt To cause the body for to encline In eternall health so the soule to domine For to the body the sciences seuen Dothe teache to leade the soule to heauen And musyke it selfe is melodious To reioyce the eares and comfort the braine Sharpyng the wittes with sound ' solacious Deuoydyng bad thoughtes whiche did remayne It gladdeth the hart also well certaine Length the lyfe with dulcet armonye As is good recreation after study She cōmaūded her minstrels right anone to play Mamours the swete and the gentle daunce With la bell Pucell that was fayre and gay She me recommended with all pleasaunce To daunce true measure withoute variaunce O lorde God howe glad then was I So for to daunce with my swete ladye By her proper hande soft as any silke With due obeysaunce I did her then take Her skynne was white as whales bone or mylke My thoughtes was rauished I might not aslake My brennyng hart she the fire did make These daunces truely musyke hath me taught To lute or daunce but it auayled nought For the fyre kindled and waxed more and more The dauncyng blewe it with her beauty cleare My hart sickened and began to waxe sore A minute vi houres and. vi houres a yere I thought it was so heauy was my chere But yet for to couer my great loue aryght The outwarde coūtenaunce I made glad light And for feare mine eyes should mine hart bewray I toke my leaue and to a temple went And all alone I to my selfe did saye Alas what fortune hath me hither sent To deuoyde my ioye and my hart torment No man can tell howe great a paine it is But if he will fele it as I do iwysse Alas O lady howe cruell art thou Of piteous doloure for to builde a nest In my true hart as thou doest ryght nowe Yet of all ladyes I must loue the best Thy beauty therto did me surely arest Alas with loue when that it dothe the please Thou maiest cease my care my payne sone ease Alas howe sore may I nowe bewayle The piteous chaunce whiche did me happe My ladyes lokes did me so assayle That sodaynely my harte was in a trappe By Uenus caught and with so sore a clappe That throughe the great stroke did perse Alas for wo I coulde not reuerse Farewell all ioye and all perfect pleasure Fare well my lust and my likyng For wo is comen with me to endure Nowe must I leade my life in mournyng I may not lute or yet daunce or syng O la bell Pucell my lady glorious You are the cause that I am so dolorous Alas faire lady and mine owne swete hart With my seruyce I yelde me to your will You haue me fettred I may not astart At your pleasure you maye me saue or kyll Because I loue you wyll you me spyll Alas it were a piteous case in dede That you with death shoulde rewarde my mede A a that I am right wo begone For I of loue dare not to you speake For feare of nay that may encrease my mone Anay of you might cause my hart to breake Alas I wretche and yet vnhappy peke Into suche trouble misery and thought With sight of you I am into it brought And to my selfe as I made complaint I spied a man right nere me beforue Whiche right anone did with me acquaynt Me thinke he sayed that ye are neare forlorne With inwarde payne that your hart hath borne Be not to pensyfe call to mynde agayne Howe of one sorowe ye do nowe make twayne Mine inwarde sorowe ye begyn to double Go your way quod I for ye can not me ayde Tell me he sayed the cause of your trouble And of me nowe be nothing afrayed Me thynke that sorowe hath you ouerlayed Driue of no lenger but tell me your mynde It may me happe a remedy to fynde A a quod I it vayleth not your speache I wyll wyth you neuer haue medlyng Let me alone the most vnhappy wretche Of all the wretches that is yet liuyng Suche is the chaunce of my bewaylyng Go on your waye you are nothing the better To me to speake to make my sorowe greater For so the he sayed remember thinges thre The first is that ye may sorowe long Unto your selfe or that you ayded be And secondly in great paynes stronge To muse alone it myght turne you to wrong The thirde is it myght you well ease truely To tell your mynde to a frende ryght trusty It is a iewell of a frende of trust As at your nede to tell your secretenes Of all your payne and feruent lust His councell sone may helpe and redresse Your paynefull wo and mortall heauines Alone is nought for to thinke and muse Therfore good sonne do me not refuse And sythe that you are plunged all in thought Beware the pytte of dolorous dispayre So to complayne it vayleth you right nought It may so fortune ye loue a ladye fayre Whiche to loue you will nothing repayre Or els ye haue lost great lande or substaunce By fatall chaunce of fortunes ordinaunce Tell me the cause thoughe that it be so In case you loue I knowe it by experience It is a payne engendryng great wo And harde it is for to make resistaunce Agaynst suche loue of feruent vyolence The loue is dreadfull but neuertheles There is no sore nor yet no syckenes But there is a salue and remedy therfore So for your payne and your sorowe great Councell is medicine whiche may you restore Unto your desire without any let If ye will tell me where your harte is set In thy chayre of sorowe no great doubt it is To fynde a remedye for your payne I wys A phisition truely can little decerne Ony maner sickenes without sight of vryne No more can I by good counsaile you learne All suche wofull trouble for to determine But if you mekely will to me enclyne To tell the cause of your great greuousnes Of your inwarde trouble and wofull sadnes Then I began with all my diligence To heare him speake so grounded on reason And in my minde did make aduertence Howe it was holesome in tribulation To saue a good and a true companion For to knowe my sorowe and wofull grefe It might me comforte and right well relefe And of him then I asked this question What was his name I prayed him
well her hose I neuer sawe so fayre a creature Nothing she lacketh as I do suppose That is longyng to faire dame Nature Yet more ouer her counteuaunce so pure So swete so louely woulde any hart enspire With feruent loue to attayne his desire But what for her maners passeth all She is bothe gentle good and vertuous Alas what fortune did me to her call Without that she be to me pitifull With her so fettred in paynes dolorous Alas shall pitie be from her exiled Whiche all vertues hath so vndefiled Thus in my minde when I had engraued Her goodly countenaunce and faire fygure It was no wonder that I was amased My hart and minde she had so tane in cure Nothing of loue I durst to her discure Yet for bicause I was in her presence I toke arquayntaunce of her excellence My hart was drenched in great sorowe depe Though outwardly my countenaunce was light The inwarde wo into my hart did crepe To hide my payne it was great force and might Thus her swete beauty with a sodaine sight My hart hath wounded whiche must nedes obey Unto suche a sorowe nowe alas well away For she is gone and departed right farre In her countrey where she dothe abid She is nowe gone the fayre shinyng starre O lady Uenus I pray the prouide That I may after at the morowe tide And by the waye with hart right rigorious To subdue mine enemies to me contrarious And yet thy grace most humbly I praye To sende thy sonne little Cupide before With louyng letters as fast as thou maye That she may knowe somewhat of paynes sore Whiche for her sake I suffer euermore Nowe lady Uenus with my whole entent Of life or deathe I abide thy iudgement Well then saied Uenus I haue perseueraunce That you knowe somewhat of mighty power Whiche to my courte sue for acquaintaunce To haue release of your great paines sower Abide a while ye must tary the houre The time runneth towarde right fast Ioye cometh after when the sorowe is past Alas I saied who is fettred in chaynes He thinketh long after deliueraunce Of his great wo and eke mortall paynes For who abideth painefull penaunce Thinketh a shorte while a longe continuaunce Who may not speake with her he loueth best It is no wonder thoughe he take no rest Abide quod she you must a while yet tary Thoughe to haue comfort ye right long do thinke I shall prouide for you a lectuary Whiche after sorowe into your hart shall synke Though you be brought now vnto deaths brinke Yet dreade exile and liue in hope and trust For at the last you shall attayne your lust And specially I geue to you a charge To fixe your loue for to be true and stable Upon your Lady and not to flee at large As in sundry wise for to be variable In corrupt thoughtes vile and culpable Prepence nothing vnto her dishoncstie For lone dishonest hath no certaintie And sithen that I was cause you begone First for to loue I shal a letter make Unto your lady and sende it by my sonne Little Cupide that shall it to her take That she your sorowe may detraye or slake Her harded hart it shall well reuolue With piteous wordes that shall it desolue And right anone as the maner foloweth She caused Sapience a letter to write Lo what her fauoure vnto me auayleth When for my sake she did so well endite As I shall shewe in a short respite The gentle forme and tenoure of her letter To spede my cause for to attayne the better ¶ The copye of the Letter Capi. xxxi RIght gentle hart of grene flowryng age The starre of beautie and of famous port Consider well that your lusty courage Age of his cours must at the last transporte Nowe trouthe of right dothe our selfe exhorte That you your youthe in ydlenes will spende Withouten pleasure to bring it to an ende What was the cause of your creacion But man to loue the worlde to multiplye As to sowe the sede of generation With feruent loue so well conueniently The cause of loue engendreth perfitely Upon an entent of dame Nature Whiche you hath made so fayre a creature Then of dame Nature what is the entent But to accomplishe her faire sede to sowe In suche a place as is conuenient To Goddes pleasure for to encrease and growe The kinde of her ye may not ouerthrowe Saye what ye list ye can nothing denye But otherwhile ye thinke full priuely What the man is and what he can do Of chamber worke as nature will agree Thoughe by experience ye knowe nothing therto Yet oft ye muse and thinke what it may be Nature prouoketh of her strong degre You so to as hath bene her olde guise Why will you then the true loue despise In our courte there is a byll presented By graunde Amoure whose hart in duresse You fast haue fettred not to be absented From your person with mortall heauines His hart and seruice with all gentilnes He to you oweth as to be obedient For to fulfill your swete commaundement What you auayleth your beauty so faire Your lusty youthe and gentle countenaunce Without that you in your minde will repayre It for to spende in ioye and pleasaunce To folowe the trace of dame Natures daunce And thus in doyng you shall your seruaunt heale Of his disease and hurt you neuer a deale One must you loue it can not be denied For harde it is to voyde you of the chaunce Then loue him best that you haue so arayed With fiery chaynes fettred in penaunce For he is ready without doubtaunce In euery thing for to fulfill your will And as ye list ye may him saue or spill Alas what payne and mortall wo Were it to you and ye were in like case With him dismaide whiche you haue rayed so Woulde you not then thinke it a long space In his swete hart to haue a dwellyng place Then in your minde ye may reuolue that he Moste long dothe thinke that ioyfull day to se. Is not he yong bothe wise and lustye And eke descended of the gentle line What will you more haue of him truely Then you to serue as true loue will encline But as I thinke you do nowe determine To fyxe your mynde for worldly treasure Though in your youthe ye lese your pleasure Alas remember first your beautye Your youthe your courage and your tender hart What payne here after it may to you be When you lacke that whiche is true louers desert I tell you this your selfe to conuerte For little knowe ye of this payne iwys To liue with him in whom no pleasure is Where that is loue there can be no lacke Fye on that loue for the lande or substaunce For it must nedes right sone a backe When that youth hath no ioye nor pleasaunce In the party with natures suffisaunce Then will you for the sinne of auarice Unto your youthe do suche a preiudice Thus sithen Nature hath you well
endued With so muche beauty and dame Grace also Your vertuous maners hath so muche renued Exile disdayne and let her from you go And also straungenes vnto loue the foe And let no couetise your true hart subdue But that in ioye ye may your youthe ensue For I of loue the Goddesse dame Uenus Right well do knowe that in the worlde is none That vnto you shalbe more ioyous Then graunde Amoure that loueth you alone Sythe he so did it is many dayes agone Who euer sawe a faire yong hart so harde Whiche for her sake would se her true loue marde And so shall he without ye take good hede Ifhe so be ye be cause of the same For loue with death will ye rewarde his mede And if ye do ye be to muche to blame To loue vnloued ye knowe it is no game Wherfore me thinke ye can do no lesse But with your loue his paynes to redresse If ye do not this may be his songe Wo worthe the time that euer he you mette Wo worthe your harte so doyng him wronge wo worthe the houre that his true hart was set wo worthe disdayne that woulde his purpose let wo worthe the flower that can do no boote Wo worthe you that perst him at the roote Wo worthe my loue the cause of my sorowe Wo worthe my lady that will not it release wo worthe fortune bothe euen and morowe wo worthe trouble that shall haue no peace Wo worthe cruelty that may neuer cease Wo worthe youthe that will no pitie haue Wo worthe her that will not her loue saue Wo worthe the trust without assuraunce Wo worthe loue rewarded with hate wo worthe loue replete with variaunce wo worthe loue without a frendly mate wo worthe the hart with loue at debate wo worthe the beauty whiche toke me in snare wo worthe her that will not cease my care Wo worthe her maners and her goodlines Wo worthe her eyes so cleare and amiable wo worthe suche cause of my great sickenes wo worthe pitie on her not tendable wo worthe her minde in disdaine so stable wo worthe her that hath me fettred fast And wo worthe loue that I do spende in waste Wherfore of right I pray you to remember All that I write vnto you right nowe Howe your true loue is of age but tender His humble seruice we praye you alowe And he him selfe shall euermore enprowe You for to please and geue the soueraintie Howe can you haue a more true loue then he And fare ye well there is no more to saye Under our signet in our courte royall Of September the. xxii daye She closed the letter and to her did call Cupide her sonne so deare in speciall Commaundyng him as fast as he might To la bell Pucell for to take his flyght So did Cupide with the letter flye Unto la bell Pucels domination There that he sped full well and wondersly As I shall after make relation But to my matter with breuiacion A turtle I offred for to magnifye Dame Uenus hye estate to glorifye She me exhorted for to be right hardy Forthe on to trauaile and to dreade nothing I toke my leaue of her full humbly And on my way as I was ridyng This Godfrey gobilyue came rennyng With his little nagge and cried tary tary For I wyll come and beare you company Capit. xxxii ANd forbicause that I was then full sadde And by the way he made me good game To haue his company I was somwhat glad I was not proude I toke of him no shame He came to me and saied ye are to blame So to ride louryng for a womans sake Unto the deuill I do them all betake They be not stedfast but chaunge as the mone When one is gone they loue another sone Who that is single and will haue a wife Right out of ioye he shall be brought in strife Thus when Godfrey did so merye make There did a lady vs sone ouertake And in her hande she had a knotted whippe At euery yerke she made Godfrey to skipe Alas he saied that euer I was borne Nowe am I take for all my mocke and scorne I loked about when that I hearde him crye Seyng this lady on her palfrey ride hye Madame I saied I pray you me tell Your proper name and where that ye dwell My name quod she is called Correction And the tower of chastice is my mancion This strong thefe called false report With vilayne courage and an other sort And vile perlers false coniecture All these I had in prison full sure But this false report hath broken prison With his subtill craft and euill treason And this iourney priuely to spede He hath cladde him in this foles wede Nowe haue I aunswered you your question And I pray you of a like solution You seme me thinke for to be a knyght I pray you tell me first your name aright My name quod I is la graunde Amoure A well quod she you are the perfite floure Of all true louers as I do well knowe You shall attayne la bell Pucell I trowe I knowe right well ye are aduenturous Onwarde your way to the tower perillous And for as muche as the night is neare I humbly pray you for to take the cheare That I may make you in my tower this night It is here by you shall of it haue sight And I pray you to helpe me to bynde This false reporte as you shoulde do by kinde What Godfrey quod I will ye chaung your name Nay nay qood he it was for no shame But alas for wo that she hath me taken I must obey it can not be forsaken His fete were fettred vndernethe his nagge And bounde his handes behinde to his bagge Thus Correction with her whippe did driue The little nagge wyth Godfrey gobilyue Till at the last we gan to approche Her royall tower vpon a craggy roche The night was come for it was right late Yet right anone we came to the gate Where we were let in by dame Measure That was a faire and a goodly creature And so Correction brought me to the hall Of gete well wrought glased with cristall The roufe was golde and amiddes was set A carbuncle that was large and great Whose vertue cleare in the hall so bright About did cast a great marueylous lyght So forthe we went into a chamber faire Where many ladyes did them selues repayre And at our commyng then incontinent They welcomed vs as was conuenient But of Correction they were very glad Whiche false report againe taken had There was quene Panthasile with Penalape Quene Helene and quene Menelape Quene I thesyle and quene Proserpyne The lady Meduse and yong Polixyne With many moe that I do not rehearse My time is shorte I muste fro them reuerce And dame Correction into a chamber ledde Me right anone for to go to my bedde What nede I shewe of my great cheare and rest I wanted nought but had all of the best And so I
slept tyll that aurora cleare Began to shine amiddes her golden spere Then vp I rose and my verlet also Whiche made me ready and to my stede did go And dame Correction at this morowe tyde Did me entreate a while to abide And right anone my breakefast was brought To make me cheare there wanted right nought And after this dame Correction Did leade me to a marueylous dongeon And first she ledde me to the vpper warde Where shamefastnes did vs well regarde For he was iaylour and had at his charge Euery rebell not for to go at large In the first warde there went to and fro Bothe men and women that might no furder go But yet they hoped for to haue releue Of their enprison whiche did them so greue These prisoners when true loue was meued They woulde driue of and not release the greued And for this cause by equall iudgement Like as they did here haue they punishment And shamefastnes lower did vs bryng Where we sawe men that were in tormentyng With many ladies that their mouthes gagged And false reporte on me his heade wagged Then right anone a lady gan to scrape His furred tonge that he cried like an ape And vyle Peller in like wise also His tonge was scraped that he suffred wo And yet we went into a deper vale Where I sawe men that were in great bale In hollowe bushes they did hange alofte Their heades downewarde for to fall vnsoft And two ladyes did their bodies bete With knotted whippes in the fleshe to frete That the desire it shoulde sone aswage And specially of the vylayne courage These men with sugred mouthes so eloquent A maydens hart coulde right sone relent And these yong maydens for to take in snare They fayne great wo and for to suffer care The folyshe maydens did beleue they smarted That to their will the men them conuerted Thus when that they had them so begiled And with their fraude these maydens defiled They cast them of they toke no lenger kepe Go where ye list thoughe they crye and wepe Therfore these ladyes wyth their whippes harde Their bodies beate that their bodies hath marde And euery man as he hath deserued A payne there is whiche is for him obserued Thus when I had all the pryson sene With the torment of many a one I wene And forthe we went agayne to the hall My stede was ready and brought to the wall And of the ladyes cleare in excellence I toke my leue with all due reuerence And thanked Correction with my hart entire Of my repose and of her louyng chere To me she saied remember you well Of the swete beauty of la bell Pucell When you her hart in fetters haue chayned Let her haue yours in likewise retayned Loke that your hart your worde countenaunce Agree all in one withouten variaunce It the for pitye do release you your payne Consider it and loue her best againe Be true and secrete and make none aduaunt When you of loue haue a perfite graunte And if ye will come vnto your wyll Bothe here and see and then holde you styll Dreadc you nothing but take a good harte For right sone after you from hence depart Right high aduentures vnto you shall fall In time of fyght vnto your minde then call If you preuayle you shall attayne the fame Of hye honoure to certifie the same And therwith I light vpon my stede Madame I saied I praye God do you mede Fare well she saied for you must nowe hence Adue quod I with all my diligence ¶ Howe graunde Amoure discomfited the Gyaunt with three heades and was receiued of three fayre Ladyes Capi. xxxiii WHen golden Phebus in the Capricorne Gan to ascende fast vnto Aquary And Ianus bifrus the croune had worn With his frosty bearde in Ianuary When cleare Dyana ioyned with Mercury The cristall ayre and assured firmament Were all depured without encumbrement Forthe then I rode at mine owne aduenture Ouer the mountaines and the craggy rockes To beholde the countres I had great pleasure Where corall growed by ryght hye stockes And the Popingayes in the tree toppes Then as I rode I sawe me beforne Beside a well hang bothe a shelde and a horne When I came there adowne my stede I light And the faire bugle I right well behelde Blasyng the armes as well as I myght That was so grauen vpon the goodly shelde First all of siluer did appeare the felde With a rampyng Lyon of fine golde so pure And vnder the shelde there was this scripture If any knight that is aduenturous Of his great pride dare the bugle blowe There is a gyaunt bothe fierce and rigorious That with his might shall him sone ouerthrow This is the waye as ye shall nowe knowe To la bell Pucell but withouten faile The sturdy gyaunt will geue you battaile When I the scripture once or twise had reade And knewe therof all the whole effect I blewe the horne without any dreade And toke good hart all feare to abiect Makyng me ready for I did suspect That the great gyaunt vnto me woulde haste When he had hearde me blowe so loude a blast I alite anone vpon my gentle stede About the well then I rode to and fro And thought right well vpon the ioyfull mede That I shoulde haue after my payne and wo And of my lady I did thinke also Tyll at the last my verlet did me tell Take hede quod he here is a fende of hell My greyhoundes leaped and my stede did start My spere I toke and did loke about With hardy courage I did arme my hart At last I sawe a sturdy gyaunt stoute Twelue fote of length to leare a great route Thre heades he had and he armed was Bothe heades and bodye all aboute with brasse Upon his first heade in his helmet crest There stode a fanc of the silke so fine Where was written with letters of the best My name is falshode I shall cause encline My neighbours goodes for to make them myne Alway I get their lande or substaunce With subtile fraude deceypt or variaunce And when a knight with noble chyualry Of la bell Pucell shoulde attayne the grace With my great falshode I worke so subtilly That in her hart he hath no dweilyng place Thus of his purpose I do let the case This is my power and my condicion Loue to remoue by a great illusion And of the seconde heade in a silken tassell There I sawe written ymagination My crafty witte is withouten fayle Loue for to bring in perturbacion Where la bell Pucell woulde haue affection To graunde amoure I shall a tale deuise To make her hate him and him to despise By my false witte so muche ymaginatife The trouthe full oft I bryng in disease Where as was peace I cause to be strife I will suffer no man for to liue in ease For if by fortune he will be displease I shall of hym ymagen suche a tale That out of ioye it