them bothe And after wente of loue her leue to take And charged theÌ„ whether they were leefe or lothe Bytwene theÌ„ twayne no more quarelles to make But late theyr stryfe an theyr debat slake And eschewe hate and loue togyder agayne What meruayle though theyr hertes dyde quake Towardes Uenus whan they sholde go certayne By wene them wente his good lady pyte And led them by the handes in full frendly gyse And sayd to them now syth ye are with me I shall you two make to morowe or ye ryse My cosyns germayns your hate to depryse And Uenus shall you of one accorde Whiche wyll not suffre in no manere wyse Her owne folkes to be at dyscorde Than they aryued all in a stronge yle That was made ryght stronge about with all Ofbrennynge brondes by crafte abyle Bycause it was so derke in especyall Were two foules whiche ostrydges men call Bare on hygh in the eyre in lettere Of golde enhameled of aâ—ure at all Uenus the goddesse of loue moost entere I sawe his lettere whiche borne was so hye Couered with cloth of grete substaunce And she in whome all Ioye is moost trewly And gladnesse contynued with pleasaunce A robe of purple she had at her ordeynaunce With flames of fyre and sperles lyght Whiche was made to the suffysaunce Of yonge louers for comforte day and nyght And whan madame pyte founde there presente Herte eye Her lady venus of loue goddesse With a sote salue she dyde her presente And sayd madame to your hygh noblenesse Are come these two knyghtes of grete prowess The herte and the eye to knowe your entente Whome loue hath drede and with humblenesse Now at this tyme by me to you hath sente To that intente that of theyr grete debate As ye my lady commaunded by me That ye myght knowe the cause of all theyr hate For he wolde ye had the soueraynte By cause he knoweth verely that ye Can best Iuge them as to theyr behoue Also he wote that ye be oonly she Bycause all goodnes falleth to loue And than Uenus with a goodly countenaunce Toke to her these noble champyons Which had so longe at theyr vtteraunce With hardy hertes fought as were lyons Whiche trowed well in theyr opynyons Yf pyte had not take them into warde And made to staunche theyr heuy accyons Ony of them to scape it had ben harde The herte hym set anone vp his kne And sayd Uenus our souerayne lady dere Syth it pleaseth you to knowe the certaynte Of our dyscord the very trew manere Not lyenge a worde but both playne and clere I shall you tell begynnynge and the ende Of our debate thus standynge here in fere Yf it please your hyghnesse now to entende That forthe with venus gaue the herte lycence That he sholde of his cause the substaunce Also the eye sholde ordayne his sentence To answere hym in waye of replyaunce And eke they were charged on theyr alygeaunce That in theyr causes they sholde nothynge varye And for to stande at venus ordeynaunce And none of them therto say naye The herte attayned his cause thus trewely Saynge to venus our souerayne lady goddesse Lo here nature hath gyuen to me the eye To sette me in the way of ryghtwysnesse To fynde Ioye solace and also gladnesse And he hath taken a pyler to beholde The fayre plesaunte aud floure of lustynesse Whiche fro me parted soner than I wolde And of that pleasure that the eye had take He warned me and that ryght sodaynly And than anone in me there dyde awake Louely desyre and remembraunce trewly And lodged them in me full plesauntly And so dyde thought and in many other mo And also swete hope to holde me company And hap comforte lakked not also And after this it happed me full yll For the eye had no lyst there to abyde Tyll I requyred as it was skyll Other that I had chosyn to be me gyde But her absentynge taught me well that tyde That who soeuer that is ferre from the eye Is ferre from the herte and thus on euery syde I lyue in tourmente and grete paynes trewly Wherfore yf he had not thus set his syghte I had not be taken in the snare But that I had yet hope my Ioy vp ryght And in no wyse I sholde haue this care For his beholdynge causeth euyll fare As to me for this rale is full trewe That folkes say that women called are That the eye seeth the herte doth rewe For in the eye is the gate whiche in no wyse Sholde not open to lete in heuynesse But alway sholde be redy to deuyse To kepe me surely from all pensyuenesse And lette in hope good happe and gladnesse Comforte and Ioye and also good auenture For whome he sholde do his trewe besynesse And not to make an hasty auenture I fele well he dyde the contrarye For he hath lete wepynges and complayntes Entre in me he may not from it varye With whiche my Ioy with grete sorowmentes And all my comforte in me now attaynted is Whiche is to me a marterdome mortall Thus I conclude that by his constrayntes That he is causer of my sorowe all Than the eye whiche hym gretly applyed To fynde matere to his saluacyons With ryght goodly aduyse anone replyed Unto the hertes composycyons And sayd I se well by his accyons That he hath ben at scole I trowe of loue Whiche bryngeth forth plesaunte Intencyon Hymselfe further for his owne behoue And sayd lady Uenus of loue goddesse The herte sayth thus that he hath of nature Gyuen vnto hym as he doth expresse That he all way in gladnesse sholde endure Yet myght it hap by some auenture That he shall not in Ioye alway abounde For as I trowe there is no creature But in the contrary some tyme shall be founde Yet wyll I in no wyse my selfe excuse But that nature me made for hym doubtlesse And yet forsoth he ought me not to accuse That he bereth by me the heuynesse Of sorowe nor of no manere dystresse For in good fayth there can nothyng be done Without his consente as I can expresse For all the cause by hym is wrought alone And as the clocke may smyte in no wyse But that he haue some manere of moeuynge As he that kepeth hym lyst to deuyse So of myselfe in dede I haue nothynge But to beholde and then in tydynges brynge And thus the herte is cause of all trewly For without hym thus haue I no doynge But as an Instrumente forfoth am I Yf Ion her haue set all my beholdynge By his aduyse that causeth me therto And to this cause he is moost attendynge By his desyre her for to loue also Yf he absente hym and sorow come hym to I may not get that he lyst not to saue For as some say the herte the worke must do Yf he wyll not I may no pleasure haue So my lady I praye you to take hede To these cauâ—es and how I me excuse And kepe ye well my ryght and so procede Ayenst the herte whiche doth you obstuse To this intente that he shall not refuse But at the lest that he be take anone And piâ—â— in prysorn there to be recluse Tyll he haue amended all that is mysdone Than Uenus thought well that without theÌ„ too She myght in no wyse her courte mayntayne Wherfore the dyde the processe call her to And made to wryte the mater hole and playne And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there of sholde remayne In her owne hande what so euer be fall And for they sholde abyde her warde both twayn She made them swere afore her folkes all Of which trewely they were contente And Uenus than wrote vnto her seruauntes all And to all trewe louers the hole entente Them commaundynge both grete and small Eche man serche on payne that myght fall As to theyr aduyse whiche of them had ryght And this was the very cause in especyall There peas to make she dyde her wyll and myght And who coud brynge the very trewe reporte Of the oppenyon of this foresayd matere As for eyther sholde haue for his reporte Of her a chapelet of roses to were Than anone I founde all the substaunce clere Of my thoughtes whiche I had done byfore Whiche I wrote as ye haue herde me here With ony leasynge lesse or more I pray them whiche lede theyr lyfe And of trewe loue be set in the waye That of the herte and eye and the doutfull stryfe Wyll in theyr conceyte euerymaÌ„ assaye To sende his opynyon as sone as he may Unto Uenus and who the chapelet playne Shall get than to loue for hym I pray That to all his desyers he may attayne ¶ Here endeth a lytell treatyse called the dysputacyon or the complaynte of the herte through perced with the lokynge of the eye Inprynted at LondoÌ„ in Fletestrete at y e sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn de Worde WC Wynkyn ·de· Worde
hym the causes nede Of our stryfe betwene vs twayne And lete the trouthe for vs procede That he may knowe where the faute is in dede And lete hym Iuge for vs both ryghtfully Without mercy for ryght so god me spede In that quarell I dare well fyght trewely eye Than the eye answered in this manere That he wolde hym defende with all his myght Herte eye Than both two were accorded thus in fere To go towardes the courte of loue full ryght Whan they came to shewe theyr ryght Than sayd desyre of loue the marshall Tell thou thy cause anone here in our fyght Of our rumor that is bytwene you fall herte The herte than toke no maner of counseyll But his owne tale he tolde full trewely And desyre lo here my cause saunsfefayll The eye hath done to me vncurteysly Not longe a go he put his syght trewly On the fayrest and best where euer she go For his pleasure and not for myn trewly Ryght in this wyse as I shall telle you lo. Whan the eye had on her set his syght Loue put in me of his grete worthynesse Thought desyre pleasaunce these thre ful ryght Whiche sholde make me to stand in stedefulnesse For to loue her without doublenesse Yf than I myght her grace to attayne Whome I am lyke neuer to se doubtlesse Wherfore I haue grete heuynesse and payne And thus the eye hath sette me in such plyght For whan he sawe that I was thus take With loue of her he parted from him quyght Or that I coud my certaynte make Wherfore of tyme I trymble sore and quake And thynke ryght longe after allygeaunce Thus by the eye my wo begynneth to wake All in dyspayre thus standynge in balaunce And with this gryefe I am to deth brought And out of Ioye standefull forowfully All in dyscomforte as I ne rought Of erthely thynge so troubleth me the eye For yf the fayre had not so pleasauntely Her goodly loke on me be set so sore This sorowe had not comen to me trewly But I had lyued as I dyd before Wherfore I complayne me thus ryghtfully Of grete iniurye that the eye hath done And my cause is mente moost faythfully Wherfore to you I do submyssyon And on my trouth I make promyssyon To fyght with hym in loues hygh presence Byfore the whiche we shall knowe soone The ryght fro wronge without more dyffence eye The eye answered and sayd in this manere I haue done nothynge contrarye to thyne herte For though I cast myn loke bothe here and there Upon the fayre yf ye lyst well aduerte The herte sholde not in his conceyt peruerte Syth loue hath graunted me the hygh offyce I wyll it kepe an neuer fro it sterte Of hym I haue none other benefyce herte The herte replyed with his full entente And sayd thou eye thou arte fals and vntrewe I cast to fyght in this quarell presente The eye answered and sayd I am as trewe As euer thou were therfore in wordes fewe To knowe the ryght thy wedde I vp take And in presence of loue we shall it shewe Who hath the wronge and no more noyse to make Than whan desyre had herde the matere playne In myddes of Maye he sygned a day The grete quarell before loue to tarrayne And letters wryte and seald both to say With sealys of theyr armes fresshe and gay Eche one of them his ryght for to mayntayne Thus to be there in all best aray They made there both two theyr ê“mysse certayne Than wente this worthy mershall of loue To telle his lorde and mayster parte and all Of this affraye rehersed here aboue And loue anone commaunded forth with all To make a felde where in bothe grete and small Myght haue theyr syght closed about with lyces And there with all yf I the soth say shall A rych scaffolde arayde with delyces And whan loue had hym his charge thus tolde And anone was made a felde both longe wyde With double lystes all of ryght good golde Couered with tyssewe well on euery syde Nabugodonosor with all his pryde Whiche was the rychest kynge as in his dayes Had neuer suche one before that ylke tyde As was that felde with all the ryche arrayes For in that felde were two fayre entrees All made of Iasper and of clere crystall Whiche good worke men of straunge countrees With baryers of passynge fyne corall Had wrought ryght well by crafte especyall All set with keyes made of yuery Whiche a locke smyth that came fro portyngale Fyled with a fyle smothe and craftely The scaffolde of loue was made of ambre Founded on pyllours of ryght fayre baleys With warderobe an hall and also with chambre As though it were within a grete paleyse The tapettes also as the boke sayes Were the story of the rose the romaunce For louers to rede both clerkes and layes Were wryten ryght well with good dyamaunce The chayre was also passynge fresshe and gay Where loue hymselfe in his estate syt sholde Of clere burell well polysshed soth to say And foure spare hawkes made of massy golde And on the backe there were to beholde Syxte carbuncles ryght well set and euen Whiche were clerer and bryghter many folde Than ben the planettes shynynge from heuen The day and the houre aboue sayd Whan the herte sholde fyght ayenst the eye Loue came hym selfe with his wynges dysplayd Dyscendynge downe of his scafolde trewely And in his chayre he sat downe softely A robe on hym embrodered with rych stones And fyne perles sette full craftely Browderede of emeraudes for the nones The flores fresshe of the crowne of loue And chamehyeux were made of grete rychesse And of clere saphers set all aboue All his wynges were of suche bryghtnesse Federed de byen en meulx doubtelesse As of tapyses shynynge wonderfully I trowe none aungelles the trouth to expresse Haue not theyr wynges made so plesauntly He had also a bowe of vnycorne And two strynges made of grete substaunce Of golde of cypresse at eche ende A shefe of arowes set in ordenaunce To teche the louers his trace to daunce Federed with fyne rubyes bryght and shene Whiche gaue hym for a grete pleasaunce Poynted with dyamondes sharpe and kene And whan that loue this noble god archere Had bowe and arowes set downe hym besyde Regarde his heraude with voyce inly clere Thryes as it was commaunded that tyde Called the herte that he sholde not lange abyde Whiche had promysed to fyght there tha day Ayenst the eye whiche was so full of pryde And not to make taryenge nor delay The herte came forthe to fyght ayenst the eye Upon a courser couered all with larmes His armes were made of sorowe truely Also thre syghes he bare in his armes Paynted well vpon his cote of armes They appered all with pyteous wepynge And his swerde w t whiche he sholde do his armes Was tempered with sorowfull complaynynge In whose companye came honoure also Hardynesse prowesse
and eke gentylnesse Thought and good hope and many other mo That were of his alyaunce as I gesse All clothed lyke for theyr worthynesse With roses reed and also with lylyes whyte Chapelettes they had eke for theyr noblenesse Of lauendre a floure of grete delyte And whan he entred into the fresshe felde Than from his hors he dessended lyghtely And on his knees fell downe and behelde This noble loue and salued hym goodly And a lytell after full worshypfully With drewe hym selfe and toke hym to his tente Whiche of roses many made was pleasauntly There tabyde the eye was his hole entente Than regarde this noble heraulde and wyse Called the eye before loue tapere Which was redy in all goodly wyse Armed with swete dysporte on a coursere Whiche to my conceyt had no where his pere And semed well he had no werynesse Couered with myrth embroded here and there His swerde was of solace and of lustynesse Of Ioye was made his cote of armes ryche Fygured all with pleasaunce and gladnesse Ryght goodly folke also none of them lyche He had as happed hym beaute and prowesse Goodly porte melodye and eke noblenesse Of peruyncle arayde all in grene And of mergelyne in ryght grete largesse His fayre coursers were couered all be dene And as sone as this full noble eye This lystes approched on fote he lyght And entred in and salued curteysly His worshypfull lorde loue as it was ryght Which had made promyse with the herte to fyght And after wente in to his pauylyon All arayde with gyllofres reed and whyght Whiche was worthe a kynges grete raunson The ordeyner of the felde named desyre Made come anone in to the hygh presence Of whiche was theyr noble lorde and fyre Both the herte and the eye full of prudence And made them swere vpon theyr conseyence That in theyr cause eche of them had ryght And to crye it in open audyence And not to tarye that they haue be hyght Than after this the herte went agayne Unto his tente his rest for to make And set hym on his sege the sothe for to fayne Made of eglantyne for his owne sake Also the eye his frendes had lete make A sege for hym of woderon plesauntly Where he made good watche I vndertake Upon the eye whan he sholde come trewely And after came loue the felde vnto And chose knyghtes to awayt vpon them twayne Thought swete hope and rememberaunce And honoure eke and I sholde not fayne All armed with margaretes certayne And eche of them bare in his hand a spere Of grene lauer well made both smoth playne To departe these champynyons yf nede were And than this loue whiche is worthy and dygne To whome no creature may hym resemble Unto regarde his heraulde made a sygne That he sholde make y e herte the eye to assemble And whan they were thus both two assemble The heralde cryed do your deuour anone For whiche the herte and the eye began to tremble And so dyde they that were presente eche one And thus the herte whiche was thappalaunte Out of his tente yssues ryght manly Whiche bare as he that was ryght valeaunt A spere heed with sorowe sekerly The eye from his pauylyon by and by Yssued also in his hande a launce The whiche he gyded full gentylmanly Herte eye Poynted it was ryght fresshely with plesaunce Forth with the herte hente in his fyst a spere Thryse byfore the eye namly he wente The eye anone as he that had no fere Came forth a goodly pace anone of his tente And the herte with a good auysemente Cast his spere and perced the vysere Of the eye whiche demed hym almoost shente And thought he was vnto deth ryght nere And whan the eye felte hym thus sore wounded Rudly ayenst the herte he wente anone And fyrst of all that his herte was founded His spere he caught manly and tyght soone Unneth the herte myght stande his fete vpon For he smote one of his platys a parte And of that stroke he had so moche to done That he demed that his body soule sholde parte Yet for all this his herte he toke agayne And ryght manly his swerde anone he toke And on the eye he smote ryght fast certayne Such myghty strokes that all the grounde shoke And than the eye with a courageous loke The herte strongly he bare so with his swerde Ayenst the lystes and hym not for soke Wherof the herte was than ryght sore aferde The herte sawe that he was in daungere And ryght nye dyscomfyted thus by the eye Full hardtly he cast away his spere And drewe his dagger well amsely And layde on fast and smote so feruently Upon the eye that he was nere attaynte And from his strokes he voyded lyghtly For whiche to couer he had grete constraynte And as they fought these grete chāpyons twayne With theyr sharpe daggers with so grete courage Whiche were lyke to fall downe in the playne Dame pyte than that lady swete and sage Came forth anone with a certayne message To loue and prayed her crande for to here Ryght as he sat on hygh vpon his stage Whiche came from venus his owne modet dere Than loue to her made glad and Ioyfull chere And gaue to her a welcome honourable Saynge thus dame pyte myn owne frende dere Syth my moder of her estate notable Uenus I meane the goddesse amyable Hath you commaunded thus to come to me Thynke it is to me ryght agreable To here your message what so it be And than pyte thanked loue ryght mekely Whiche was alway on knees as I rede Saynge ryght hygh lorde here is trewele A grete debate of these knyghtes in dede Whiche haue ben euer both in worde and dede Wykynge of loue the stepes for to shewe And of Uenus who so lyst to take hede Aboue all other seruauntes good and trewe Herte eye For whan Uenus herde this mortall stryfe That was betwene the herte and eye thus fall Of very loue and of herte attentyfe Cōsydereth the begynnynge and all And wote full well that her esate ryall Without them two may not be kepte vp ryght Nor her mayeste exalted be at all But they were redy alway in her syght And for they be bothe of her courte in fere She now commaundeth them to call agayne And byfore her they bothe must nedes appere As for this cause thus fell betwene them twayne For she wolde knowe the very cause all playne Of theyr debate whiche to her eere appertayneth And wolde they were in pease full fayne For all suche causes vnto her perteyneth Than loue for the whiche to gyue his obeyssaunce To his moder and wolde no more abyde Saynge thus she shole haue cognoyssaunce And there debate wolde no lenger hyde But called the watches that wente by theyr syde Chargynge them the champyons to dysioyne And to pyte whoo 's goodnesse is knowen wyde Delyuer both in peas them for to Ioyns The pyte bad them warne