Selected quad for the lemma: prince_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prince_n	day_n	king_n	wales_n	2,304	5	9.9362	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A32749	The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.; Works. 1687	Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.; Speght, Thomas, fl. 1600.; Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? Siege of Thebes.	1687 (1687)	Wing C3736; ESTC R3920	1,295,535	731

Image in the Habit of a Vowess and Dutchess crowned lying on the same Tomb and another Image under the Tomb so near as may be like unto her at the time of her Death with this Epitaph Orate pro anima serenissimae principissae Aliciae Suffolchiae hujus Ecclesiae Patronae primae fundatricis hujus Eleemosinariae quae obiit 20 die mensis Maii Anno Dom. 1475. Litera Dominicali A. Among many things that greatly renowned Geffrey Chaucer this was one saith Bale That he had a Kinswoman Quae Gulielmo Sudovolgiorum Duci nupsit ac magno in splendore Aquelmi vitam egit that is which being married to William Duke of Suffolk lived in great Honour at Ewelm His Revenues BUT now to return to Geffrey Chaucer although he had Lands and Revenues in divers Places and that to the yearly value as some say almost of a thousand Pounds yet the Place of his most Abode was at Woodstock in a fair House of Stone next to the King's Place called to this day Chaucer's House and by that Name passed by the Queen to the Tenant which there now dwelleth Chaucer took great Pleasure to lye there in regard of the Park in sundry of his Writings much by him commended as also to be near the Court where his best Friends were and they who were able to do him most Pleasure by whose means he had sundry Rewards bestowed upon him and that worthily for his good Service which often he performed and whereof in Chronicles and Records we may read His Service IN the last Year of King Edward the Third he with Sir Richard Dangle and Sir Richard Stan was sent to Montrevil to move a Marriage to be had between Richard Prince of Wales and the Lady Mary Daughter to the French King Some write that he with Petrark was present at the Marriage of Lionel Duke of Clarence with Violant Daughter of Galeasius Duke of Millain yet Paulus Jovius nameth not Chaucer but Petrark he saith was there And yet it may well be for it is in Record that twice or thrice he was employed in foreign Countries which if it be true well might the man be at such Charges and Expences as he might stand in need of King Richard the Second's Protection as after shall appear till he had better recovered himself But for his Service he was not unrewarded His Rewards CHaucer is called Armiger Regis for in the Patent Rolls of Part 1. of 50 Ed. 3. M. 5. the King maketh a Grant Armigero nostro Galfrido Chaucer This Armiger Regis was of good Worship and Reputation about the Prince being also the same that Scutifer Regis was to bear the King's Shield and other Armour of his both out and in the Wars By which Name of Scutifer Regis the King granted to him the Lands and Body of Sir Edmund Staplegat for the Manor of Bilsington in Kent to whom he paid 104 Pounds for the same as appeareth in Patent Part 2. de anno 49 Edw. 3. Again the King before that in 45 Edw. 3 as appeareth in pellis Exitus of the Exchequer had granted unto him twenty Marks by Year by the Name of Galfride Chaucer Valectus Hospitii which is Groom of the Palace a place of good Worship By which Name of Valectus also King Edw. 3. long before did entite Laurence Hastings Lord of Aburganey calling him Valectum nostrum being the King's Groom Page or Servant For unto this day certain Servitors of the Queens are called Pages and Grooms being of Worship and Reputation as are the Grooms of the Privy Chamber By which may be gathered in what Credit G. Chaucer was with King Edw. 3. Anno 8 Richardi 2. Galfridus Chaucer Contrarotulator Customarïorum Subsidiorum in portu Civitatis nostrae London Anno 17 Richardi 2. Viginti librae datae Galfrido Chaucero per annum durante vita Vigessimo secundo anno Richardi secundi concessum Galfrido Chaucer unum dolium vini per annum durante vita in portu civitatis London per manus capitalis Pincernae nostri Anno primo Henrici quarti Galfrido Chaucero Armigero literae patentes confirmatae pro viginti libris nummorum per annum durante vita uno dolio vini Eodem etiam anno concessae adhuc datae eidem Galfrido Chaucero Quadraginta marcae per annum durante vita His Friends FRiends he had in the Court of the best sort for besides that he always held in with the Princes in whose days he lived he had of the best of the Nobility both Lords and Ladies which favoured him greatly But chiefly John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster at whose commandment he made the Treatise Of the Alliance betwixt Mars and Venus and also the Book of the Dutchess Likewise the Lady Isabel Daughter to King Edward the Third and Wife to Ingeram de Guynes Lord De Coucy also the Lady Margaret Daughter to the same King married to John Hastings Earl of Penbrook did greatly love and favour Geffrey Chaucer and he again did as much honour them but especially the Lady Margaret as it may appear in divers Treatises by him written as in the Prologue of the Legend of good Women under the Name of the Daisy and likewise in a Ballad beginning In the season of Feuerier Others there were of great account whereof some for some causes took liking of him and other for his rare Gifts and Learning did admire him And thus he lived in honour many Years both at home and abroad Yet it seemeth that he was in some trouble in the days of King Richard the Second as it may appear in the Testament of Love where he doth greatly complain of his own rashness in following the multitude and of their hatred against him for bewraying their purpose And in that complaint which he maketh to his empty Purse I do find a written Copy which I had of Mr. Stow whose Library helped me in many things wherein ten times more is adjoyned than is in Print Where he maketh great Lamentation for his wrongful Imprisonment wishing death to end his days which in my Judgment doth greatly accord with that in the Testament of Love Moreover we find it thus in Record In the second Year of Richard the Second The King took Geffrey Chaucer and his Lands into his Protection the occasion whereof no doubt was some danger and trouble wherein he was fallen by favouring some rash attempt of the common People For living in such troublesome times wherein few knew what part to take no marvel if he came into some danger nay great marvel that he fell not into greater danger But as he was learned so was he wise and kept himself much out of the way in Holland Zeland and France where he wrote most of his Books His Books CHaucer had always an earnest desire to enrich and beautifie our English Tongue which in those days was very rude and barren and this he did following the Example of Dante

it as it lieth in the wey The broad riuer sometime wexeth drey The great tounes see we do wane and wend Then ye see that all this thing hath end And man and woman see shall we also That nedeth in one of the tearmes two That is to saine in youth or els in age He mote be dead a king as well as a page Some in his bed some in the deepe see Some in the large field as ye may see It helpeth not all goeth that ilke wey Then may you see that all thing mote dey What maketh this but Iupiter the king That is prince and cause of all thing Converting all to his proper will From which it is deriued sooth to tell And here again no creature on liue Of no degree auaileth for to striue * Then is it wisdome as thinketh me To make vertue of necessite And take it well that we may not eschew And namly that to vs all is dew And who so grutcheth ought he doth follie And rebell is to him that all may gie * And certainely a man hath most honour To dien in his excellence and flour When he is siker of his good name Then hath he don his frends ne him no shame And glader ought his friends be of his death When with honour iyold is vp the breath Then when his name apaled is for age For all foryetten is his vassellage Then it is best as for a worthy fame * To dien when he is best of name The contrary of all this is wilfulnesse Why grutchen we why haue we heauinesse That good Arcite of chiualry the flour Departed is with dutie and with honour Out of this foule prison of this life Why grutchen here his cosin and his wife Of his welfare that loueth him so wele Can he hem thank nay God wot neuer adele That both his soule and eke himselfe offend And yet they mow not her lusts amend What may I conclude of this long storie But after sorrow I rede vs be merrie And thanke Iupiter of all his grace And ere we departen from this place I rede we maken of sorrowes two One perfit ioy lasting euermo And look now where most sorrow is herein There woll I first amend and begin Sister qd he this is my full assent With all the people of my parlement Of gentle Palamon your owne knight That serueth you with wil hart and might And euer hath done sith ye first him knew That ye shall of your grace vpon him rew And take him for husband and for Lord Lend me your hand for this is our accord Let see now of your womanly pite He is a kings brothers sonne parde And though he were a poore batchelere Since he hath serued you so many a yere And had for you so great aduersite It must ben considered leueth me For gentle mercy ought to passen right Then said he thus to Palamon the knight I trow there need little sermoning To make you assenten to this thing Commeth nere take your lady by the hond Betwixt hem was maked anon the bond That hight Matrimonie or mariage By all the counsaile of the Baronage And thus with all blisse and melody Hath Palamon iwedded Emely And God that all this world hath ywrought Send him his loue that it hath so dere bought For now is Palamon in all we le Liuing in blisse in richesse and in hele And Emely him loueth so tenderly And he her serueth so gentilly That neuer was there no word hem betwene Of iealousie or of any other tene Thus endeth Palamon and Emely And God saue all this faire company The MILLERS Tale. NIcholas a Scholar of Oxford practiseth with Alison the Carpenters wife of Osney to deceive her Husband but in the end is rewarded accordingly ¶ The Millers Prologue WHen that the Knight had thus his tale ytold In all the company nas there yong ne old That he ne said it was a noble storie And worthie to be drawne in memorie And namely the gentiles eueriehone Our host lough and sware so mote I gone * This goeth aright vnbokeled is the male Let see now who shall tell another tale For truly the game is well begon Now telleth us sit Monke if you can Somewhat to quite with the knights tale The Miller for dronken was all pale So that vnneths vpon his horse he sat Ne nold availe neither hood ne hat Ne abide no man for his courtesie But in Pilats voice he began to crie And s●●re by armes blood and bones I can a noble tale for the nones With which I woll now quite the knight his tale Our host saw that he was dronken of ale And said abide Robin leue brother Some better man shall tell vs first another Abide and let vs wirch thriftely By Gods soule qd he that woll not I For I woll speake or els goe my way Our host answered tell on a deuill way Thou art a foole thy wit is ouercome Now hearketh qd the Miller all some But first I make protestatioun That I am drunke I know it by my soun And therefore if I mispeake or say Wite it the ale of Southwarke I you pray For I woll tell a legend and a life Both of a Carpenter and his wife * How that a clarke set a Wrights cap The Reue answered said stint thy clap Let be thy leaud drunken harlottrie * It is a sinne and eke a great follie To apairen any man or him defame And eke to bring wiues in such blame Thou maiest inough of other things faine This drunken Miller spake full soon againe And saied my leue brother Oswold * Who hath no wife he is no cokewold But I say not therefore that thou art one There been full good wiues many one Why art thou angry with my tale now I haue a wife parde as well as thou * Yet now I for all the Oxen in my plough Take vpon me more then is inough To deemen of my selfe that I am one I woll beleeue well that I am none * An husband should not been inquisitife Of Gods priuity ne of his wife For so he find Gods foison there Of the remnant needeth not to enquere What should I more say but this Millere He nold his word for no man forbere But told his churles tale in this mannere Me forthinketh I shall rehearce it here And therefore euery gentle wight I pray Deemeth not for Gods loue that I say Of euill intent but that I mote rehearse Her tales all been they better or werse Or else falsen some of my matere And therefore who so list it not to here Turne ouer the leafe and chuse another tale For ye shall find ynow great and smale Of historiall thing touching gentlenesse And eke moralitie and holinesse Blame not me if that ye chuse amis The Miller is a churle ye know well this So was the Reue eke and other mo And harlotrie they told eke both two Auise you and put me out of

many reignes great In the Orient with many a faire cite Appertainaunt vnto the maiestie O Rome with strength held the mfull fast Ne neuer might her foemen doe her fle All the while that Odinates dayes last Her battailes who so list hem for to rede Againe Sapor the king and other mo And how all this proces fill in dede Why she conquered and her title therto And after of her mischiefe and her wo How that she was besieged and itake Let him to my maister Petrarke go That writeth ynough of this I vndertake When Odenat was dead she mightily The realmes held and with her owne honde Ayenst her foes she fought so truely That ther nas no prince ne king in all the lond But were full glad if they that grace fond That she ne should vpon his londe warrey With her they made aliaunce by bond To be in peace and let hem ride and pley The Emperour of Rome Claudius Ne him beforne the Romain Galien Ne durst neuer be so coragious Ne non Armen ne non Egipcien Ne Surrien ne none Arabien Within the field that durst with her fight Lest that she would hem with her hondes sleen Or with her maine put hem to flight In kings habite wenten her sonnes two As the lawfull heires of her realmes all And Hermanno and Titamallo Her names were as Perciens hem call * But aie fortune hath in her honie gall This mightie Queene may no while endure Fortune out of her reigne made her to fall To wretchednesse and to misauenture Aurelian when that the gouernance Of Rome came into his honds twey He shope vpon this Queene to do vengeance And with his legions he tooke his way Toward Zenobia and shortly for to say He made her flie and at last her hent And fettered her and eke her children tway And wan the land home to Rome he went Emongest other things that he wan Her chair that of gold was wrought pierre This great Romaine this Aurelian Hath with him lad that for men should it see All beforne his triumph walked she With golden chaines on her necke honging Crowned she was as after he degre And full of pierre charged her clothing Alas fortune she that whilom was Dredefull to kings and to Emperours Now gaureth all the people on her alas And she that helmed was in stark stoures And wan by force townes strong and toures Shall on her head now weare autremite And she that bare the septer full of floures Shall beare a distafe her cost for to quite Nero. ALthough that Nero were as vicious As any fende that lieth full low adown Yet he as telleth vs Suetonius All this world had in subiectioun Both East and West and Septentrioun Of Rubies Saphires and of Perles white Were all his clothes broudred vp and down For he in gemmes greatly gan delite More delicate more pompous of aray More proude was neuer Emperour than he That like cloth that he had weared o day After that time he nold it neuer see Nettes of golde threde had he great plente To fish in Tiber when him list to play His lusts were as law in his degre For fortune as his friend would him obay He Rome brent for his dilicacie The Senatours he slue vpon a day To heare how her wiues would weepe crie And slow his brother and by his sister lay His mother made he in a pitous aray For he her wombe let slit to behold Where he conceiued was so welaway That he so little of his mother told No teares out of his eyen for that sight He came but saied a faire woman was she Great wonder is that he coud or might Be Domisman of her dead beaute The wine to bring him commaunded he And dranke anon none other wo he made * When might is joined vnto cruelte Alas too deepe will the venume wade In youth a maister had this Emperour To teach him lettrure and courtesie For of moralite he was the flour And in his time but if his bookes lie And whiles his maister had of him maistrie He made him so cunning and so souple That long time it was or tyrannie Or any vice durst in him encouple Senek his maister was of which I deuise Because Nero had of him such drede For he for his vices would him chastise Discreetly as by word and not by dede Sir he would say an Emperour mote nede Be vertuous and hate tyrannie For which he made him in a bathe to blede On both his armes till he must die This Nero had eke a customaunce In youth ayenst his maister to rise And afterward him thought great grevaunce Because he often would him chastise Therefore he made him to die in this wise He chose in a bathe to die in this manere Rather than to have another turmentise And thus hath Nero slaine his maister dere Now fell it so that fortune list no longer The high pride of Nero to cherishe For tho he were strong yet was she stronger She thought thus by God I am too nice To set a man that is fulfilled of vice In high degree and an Emperour him call By God out of his seat I woll him trice When he least weneth soonest shall he fall The people rose upon him on a night For his defaut and when he it aspied Out of his dores anon he hath him dight Alone and there he wend have been allied He knocked fast and aye the more he cried The faster shet they the dores all Tho wist he well he had himselfe beguiled And went his way no lenger durst he call The people cried rombled up and down That with his ears he heard how they saied Where is this false tyrant this Neroun For feare full neere out of his wit he braied And to his gods right pitously he praied For succour but it might not betide For drede of this him thought that he deid And ran into a garden him to hide And in this garden found he chorles twey Sitting by a fire great and red And to the chorles two he gan to prey To slea him and to gird off his hed That to his body when he were ded Were no despite done for his defame Himselfe he slough he could no better red Of which fortune lough had then game Holofernes WAs neuer capitaine vnder a king That reignes mo put in subjectioun Ne stronger was in field of all thing As in his time ne greater of renoun Ne more pompous in high presumptioun Than Holoferne which fortune aye kist And so licourous●y lad him up and doun Till that he dead was ere that he wist * Not onely that this world had of him awe For lesing of richesse and liberte But he made euery man renie his lawe Nabuchodonosor was lord saied he None other God should honoured be Ayenst his hest there dare no wight trespace Saue in Bethulia a strong cite Where Eliachem was priest of that place But take keepe of the

stighed to heuin he made his testament Where he bequeath to his disciples there And yaue his peace which is y● foundement Of charity without whose assent The worlds peace may neuer well be tried Ne loue kept ne law iustified The Iews with y● painims hadden werre But they among hemself stode euer in peace Why should then our peace stand out of erre Which Christ hath chose vnto his own encrese For Christ is more than was Moyses And Christ hath set the parfite of the law The which should in no wise be withdraw * To yeue vs peace was cause why Christ dide Without peace may nothing stond auailed But now a man may see on euery side How Christs faith is euery day assailed With painims destroyed and so batailed That for defaut of helpe and of defence Vnneth hath Christ his due reuerence The right faith to keepe of holy church The first point is named of knighthode And euery man is hold for to worch Vpon the point that stant to his manhode But now alas the fame is spred so brode That euery man this thing complaineth And yet is there no man that helpe ordaineth The worlds cause is waited ouer all There be the warres ready to the full But Christs own cause in speciall There ben the swerds and the speares dull And with the sentence of the Popes bull As for to done the folke paine obay The church is tourned all another way It is wonder aboue any mans wit Without war how Christs faith was won And we that be vpon this earth yet Ne keepe it nat as it was first begon To euery creature vnder the sonne Christ bad himselfe that we should preach And to the folke his Euangely teach * More light it is to keep than to make But that we founden made tofore hond We keepe not but let it lightly slake The peace of Christ hath al to broke his bond We rest our selfe and suffren euery lond To slee each other as thing vndefended So stant the war and peace is not amended But though the head of holy church aboue Ne do not all his hole businesse Among the people to set peace loue These kings oughten of her rightwisenesse Her owne cause among hemselfe redresse * Tho Peters ship as now hath lost his stere It lithe in hem the barge for to stere If holy church after the duty Of Christs word ne be nat all auised To make peace accord and vnity Among the kings that be now deuised Yet natheles the law stant assised Of mans wit to be so reasonable Without that to stand himselfe stable Of holy church we ben children all And euery child is hold for to bow Vnto the mother how that ever it fall Or els he must reason disallow And for that cause a knight shall first auow The right of holy church to defend That no man shall the priuiledge offend Thus were it good to set all in euin The worlds princes and the prelates both For loue of him which is the king of heuin And if men should algate wexen wroth The sarazins which vnto Christ ben loth Let men be armed ayenst hem to fight So may the knight his deed of armes right Vpon iii. points stant Christs peace oppressed First holy church in her selfe deuided Which ought of reason first to be redressed But yet so high a cause is not decided And thus when humble patience is prided The remenaunt which that they should rule No wonder is though it stand out of rule * Of that the head is sicke the limmes aken These reigns that to Christs peace belongen For worlds good these deadly wars maken Which helpelesse as in balaunce hongen The head aboue hem hath nat vnderfongen To set peace but euery man sleeth other And in this wise hath charity no brother The two defauts that bringen in the third Of miscreants that seene how we debate Between the two they fallen in amid Where now all day they find an open gate Lo thus the deadly warre stant algate But euer I hope of king Henries grace That he it is which shall the peace embrace My worthy noble prince and king annoint Whom God hath of his grace so preserued Behold and see the world vpon this point As for thy part that Christs peace be serued So shall thy high mede be deserued To him which all shall quite at last * For this life here may no while last See Alexander Hector and Iulius See Machabeus Dauid and Iosue See Charlemaiue Godefray and Arthus Fulfilled of warre and of mortality Her fame abitte but all is vanity For death which hath the warres vnder foot Hath made an end of which there is no boot So many a man the soth wete and know That peace is good for euery king to haue * The fortune of the warre is euer vnknow But where peace is there is y● marches saue That now is vp to morrow is vnder graue * The mighty God hath all grace in hand Without him men may not long stand At the tennes to win or lese a chase May no life wete or that the ball be ronne * Al stant in God with thing men shal purchase The end is in him or that it be begonne * Men saine the woll when it is well sponne Doth that the cloth is strong and profitable And els it may neuer be durable The worlds chaunces vpon auenture Ben euer set but thilke chaunce of pees Is so behouely to the creature That is aboue all other peerlees But it may not beget nathelees Among the men to last any while But where the hert is plaine without guile The peace is as it were a sacrament Tofore the God and shall with words plaine Without any double entendement Be treated for the trouth cannot faine * But if the men within himselfe ben vaine The substaunce of the peace may not be trew But euery day it chaungeth vpon new But who that is of charity parfite He voideth all sleights ferre away And set his word vpon the same plite Where that his hert hath found a siker way And thus when conscience is truly way And that these ben handled with the wise It shall abide and stand in all wise The Apostle saith * Ther may no life be good Which is not grounded vpon charity For charity ne shed neuer blood So hath the warre as there no property For thilke vertue which is said pity With charity so ferforth is acquainted That in her may no false semblant be painted Cassodore whose writing is authorised Saith * Where that pity reigneth is grace Through which y● peace hath al his welth assised So that of warre he dredeth no manace Where pity dwelleth in the same place There may no deadly cruelty sojourne Wherof that mercy should his way tourne To see what pity forthwith mercy doth The cronique is at Rome in thilke empire Of Constantine which is a tale sooth When him was leuer his owne death desire Than do the

thee as loud as I may crie And then she began this song full hie I shrew all hem that been of loue vntrue And when she had song it to the end Now farewell qd she for I mote wend And god of loue that can right well may As much joy send thee this day As any yet louer he euer send Thus taketh y● Nightingale her leaue of me I pray to God alway with her be And joy of loue he send her euermore And shilde vs fro the Cuckow and his lore For there is not so false a bird as he Forth she flew the gentle Nightingale To all the birds that were in that dale And gate hem all into a place in fere And besoughten hem that they would here Her disease and thus began her tale The Cuckow well it is not for to hide How the Cuckow and I fast haue chide Euer sithen it was day light I pray you all that ye doe me right On that foule false vnkind bridde Then spake o bird for all by one assent This matter asketh good auisement For we been birdes here in fere And sooth it is the Cuckow is not here And therefore we woll haue a parliment And thereat shall the Egle be our Lord And other peres that been of record And the Cuckow shall be after sent There shall be yeue the judgement Or els we shall finally make accord And this shall be without nay The morrow after saint Valentines day Vnder a Maple that is faire and grene Before the chamber window of the quene At Woodstocke vpon the grene lay She thanked hem then her leaue toke And into an Hauthorne by that broke And there she sate and song vpon that tree Terme of life loue hath withhold me So loud that I with that song awoke Explicit O Leud book with thy foule rudenesse Sith thou haste neither beauty ne eloquence Who hath thee caused or yeue thee hardinesse For to appeare in my Ladies presence I am full siker thou knowest her beneuolence Full agreeable to all her abying For of all good she is the best liuing Alas that thou ne haddest worthinesse To shew to her some pleasaunt sentence Sith that she hath through her gentillesse Accepted the seruant to her digne reuerence O me repenteth that I ne had science And leiser al 's to make thee more florishing For of all good she is the best liuing Beseech her meekely with all lowlinesse Though I be ferre from her in absence To think on my trouth to her stedfastnesse And to abridge of my sorrowes the violence Which caused is wherof knoweth your sapience She like among to notifie me her liking For of all good she is the best liuing Lenuoye A Vrore of gladnesse and day of lustinesse Lucern a night with heauenly influence Illumined root of beauty and goodnesse Suspires which I effunde in silence Of grace I beseech alledge let your writing Now of all good sith ye be best liuing Explicit Scogan unto the Lords and Gentlemen of the Kings House In the written Copies the Title hereof is thus Here followeth a moral Ballad to the Prince the Duke of Clarence the Duke of Bedford the Duke of Gloucester the Kings Sons by Henry Scogan at a Supper among the Merchants in the Vintry at London in the House of Lewis John MY noble sonnes and eke my lords dere I your father called vnworthely Send vnto you this little Treatise here Written with mine owne hand full rudely Although it be that I not reuerently Haue written to your estates I you pray Mine vnconning taketh benignely For Gods sake and herken what I say I complain me sore when I remember me The suddaine age that is vpon me fall But more I complain my mispent juuentute The which is impossible ayen for to call But certainly the most complaint of all Is to thinke that I haue be so nice That I ne would vertues to me call In all my youth but vices aye cherice Of which I aske mercy of the Lord That art almighty God in majesty Beseking to make so euen accord Betwixt thee and my soule that vanity Worldly lust ne blind prosperity Haue no lordship ouer my flesh so frele Thou Lord of rest and parfite vnity Put fro me vice and kepe my soule he le And yeue me might while I haue life space Me to confirme fully to thy pleasaunce Shew to me the abundaunce of thy grace And in good werks grant me perseueraunce Of all my youth forget the ignoraunce Yeue me good will to serue thee ay to queme Set all my life after thine ordinaunce And able me to mercy or thou deme My lords dere why I this complaint write To you whom I loue most entirely Is for to warne you as I can endite * That time lost in youth folily Greueth a wight bodily and ghostly I meane him that to lust and vice entend Wherefore lords I pray you specially Your youth in vertue shapeth to dispend * Plant the root of youth in such a wise That in vertue your growing be alway Looke alway goodnesse be in your exercise That shall you mighty make at each assay The fiend to withstand at each affray Passeth wisely this perillous pilgrimage Think on this word and werke it euery day That shall you yeue a parfite floured age Taketh also hede how y● these noble clerkes Writen in her bookes of great saprence Saying that faith is ded withouten werkes And right so is estate with negligence Of vertue and therefore with diligence * Shapeth of vertue so to plant the root That ye thereof haue full experience To worship of your life and soules boot * Taketh also hede that lordship ne estate Without vertue may not long endure Thinketh eke how vices vertue at debate Haue ben and shall while the world may dure And euer the vicious by auenture Is ouerthrow and thinketh euermore That God is Lord of all vertue and figure Of all goodnesse and therfore follow his lore My maister Chaucer God his soule saue That in his language was so curious He said that the father which is dead graue Biqueth nothing his vertue with his hous Vnto his children and therefore labourous Ought ye be beseeking God of grace To yeue you might for to be vertuous Through whichye miȝt haue part of his place * Here may ye see that vertuous noblesse Commeth not to you by way of auncestry But it commeth by lefull businesse Of honest life and not by slogardry Wherefore in youth I rede you edisie The house of vertue in such a manere That in your age may you keepe and gie Fro the tempest of worlds wawes here * Thinketh how betwixe vertue and estate There is a parfite blessed Mariage Vertue is cause of peace vice of debate In mans soule the which be full of courage Cherisheth then vertue vices to outrage Driueth hem away let hem haue no wonning In your soules leseth not the heritage Which God hath yeue to

trauailed and so faint That neither knew I kirke ne saint Ne what was what ne who was who Ne auised what way I would go But by a venturous grace I rise and walkt sought pace and pace Till I a winding staire found And held the vice aye in my hond And vpward softly so gan creepe Till I came where I thought to sleepe More at mine ease and out of preace At my good leisure and in peace Till somewhat I recomfort were Of the trauell and great feare That I endured had before This was my thought without more And as a wight witlesse and faint Without more in a chamber paint Full of stories old and diuers More than I can now rehearse Vnto a bed full soberly So as I might full sothly Pace after other and nothing said Till at the last downe I me laid And as my mind would giue me leue All that I dreamed had that eue Before all I can rehearse Right as a child at schoole his verse Doth after that he thinketh to thriue Right so did I for all my liue I thought to haue in remembraunce Both the paine and the pleasaunce The dreame whole as it me befell Which was as ye here me tell Thus in my thoughts as I lay That happy or unhappy day Wot I not so haue I blame Of the two which is the name Befell me so that there a thought By processe new on sleepe me brought And me gouerned so in a while That againe within the yle Me thought I was whereof the knight And of the ladies I had a sight And were assembled on a greene Knight and lady with the queene At which assembly there was said How they all content and paid Were wholly as in that thing That the knight there should be king And they would all for sure witnesse Wedded be both more and lesse In remembraunce without more Thus they consent for euermore And was concluded that the knight Depart should the same night And forthwith there tooke his voiage To journey for his marriage And returne with such an host That wedded might be least and most This was concluded written and sealed That it might not be repealed In no wise but aie be firme And all should be within a tearme Without more excusation Both feast and coronation This knight which had thereof the charge Anon into a little barge Brought was late against an eue Where of all he tooke his leaue Which barge was as a mans thought After his pleasure to him brought The Queene her selfe accustomed aye In the same barge to play It needeth neither mast ne rother I haue not heard of such another No maister for the gouernaunce Hie sayled by thought and pleasaunce VVithout labour East and VVest All was one calme or tempest And I went with at his request And was the first prayed to the fest VVhen he came in his countree And passed had the wauy see In an hauen deepe and large He left his rich and noble barge And to the court shortly to tell He went where he wont was to dwell And was receiued as good right As heire and for a worthy knight VVith all the states of the lond VVhich came anon at his first sond VVith glad spirits full of trouth Loth to do fault or with a slouth Attaint be in any wise Their riches was their old seruise VVhich euer trew had be fond Sith first inhabit was the lond And so receiued there her King That forgotten was no thing That owe to be done ne might please Ne their soueraine Lord do ease And with them so shortly to say As they of custome had done aye For seuen yere past was and more The father the old wise and hore King of the land tooke his leue Of all his barons on an eue And told them how his dayes past VVere all and comen was the last And hertily prayed hem to remember His sonne which yong was and tender That borne was their prince to be If he returne to that countree Might by aduenture or grace VVithin any time or space And to be true and friendly aye As they to him had bene alway Thus he them prayd without more And tooke his leaue for euermore Knowen was how tender in age This young prince a great viage Vncouth and straung honours to seche Tooke in hond with little speeche VVhich was to seeke a princes That he desired more than riches For her great name that floured so That in that time there was no mo Of her estate ne so well named For borne was none that euer her blamed Of which princes somewhat before Here haue I spoke and some will more So thus befell as ye shall heare Vnto their lord they made such cheare That joy was there to be present To see their troth and how they ment So very glad they were ech one That them among there was no one That desired more riches Than for their Lord such a princes That they might please and that were faire For fast desired they an heire And said great surety were ywis And as they were speaking of this The prince himselfe him auised And in plaine English vndisguised Them shewed hole his journey And of their counsell gan them prey And told how he ensured was And how his day he might not passe VVithout diffame and great blame And to him for euer shame And of their counsell and auise There he prayth them once or twise And that they would within ten daies Auise and ordaine him such waies So that it were no displeasaunce Ne to this Realme ouer great grieuaunce And that he haue might to his feast Sixty thousand at the least For his intent within short while Was to returne vnto his yle That he came fro and kepe his day For nothing would he be away To counsaile tho the Lords anon Into a chamber euerychone Togither went them to deuise How they might best and in what wise Puruey for their Lords pleasaunce And the Realmes continuaunce Of honor which in it before Had continued euermore So at the last they found the waies How within the next ten daies All might with paine and diligence Be done and cast what the dispence Might draw and in conclusion Made for ech thing prouision When this was done wholly tofore The prince the lords all before Come and shewed what they had done And how they couth by no reason Find that within the ten daies He might depart by no waies But would be fifteene at the least Or he returne might to his feast And shewed him euery reason why It might not be so hastily As he desired ne his day He might not keepe by no way For diuers causes wonder great VVhich when he heard in such an heat He fell for sorow and was seke Still in his bed whole that weke And nigh the tother for the shame And for the doubt and for the blame That might on him be aret And oft vpon his brest he her And said alas mine

sworne of yore To his Crowne justly him restore And when they were at large out of the toun Vnto Arge they be descended doun And like her oth and her assurance As they were bound only of ligeance To him they come in full lowly wise Lowly to done what him list deuise And when he had her trouth full conceiued He hath to grace goodly hem receiued Assigning hem her place amid the hoast Assembled there from many a diuerse coast That finally in this company Ygadred was the floure of Cheualry Ychosen out of all Greekes lond The most knightly and manfull of her hond That as I trow sith the world began There was not seene so many a manly man So we le horsed with spere and with shield Togider sembled soothly in a field There men might see many strange guises Of arming new and vncouth deuises Euery man after his fantasie That if I should in order specifie Euery peece longing to armure And thereupon doe my busie cure It were in sooth almost a dayes werke And the tearmes also been so derke To rehearse hem clearely and to rime I passe ouer for lacke of time And tell I will forth of her lodging How Adrastus the noble worthy king Hath euery lord like to his degree Receiued wele within the citee And there they had like to her pleasaunce Of what needeth fulsome habundance For men and horse plenty of vitaile Commaunding that nothing ne faile That all these noble worthy werriours Both high and low and poore souldiours Yserued were of what they haue need For Adrastus presently tooke heed That it availeth a King to pay his People truely her fond Full lich a King touching her tearme day That they toforne were serued to her pay He was so free he list nothing restraine And no man had cause to complaine For hunger thrust ne for indigence But all thing ready was vnto her presence And in a Prince it is ful great repriefe To suffer his people liue at mischiefe It is ful heauy and greuous in her thought If he habound and they haue right nought He may not both possede body and hart He to be rich and seene his people smart He may the body of power wel constraine But her heart hath a full long raine Maugre his might to louen at her large * There may no King on hearts set a charge Ne hem coarten from her libertee Men saine ful often how that thought is free For which ech prince Lord and gouernour And specially ech conquerour Let him beware for all his high noblesse That bounty free dome plenty and largesse By one accord that they his bridle lede Least of his people when he hath most nede He be defrauded when he is but alone Then is too late for to make his mone But in his Court let him first deuise To exile Scarcehead and Couetise Then is likely with freedome if he ginne Loue of his people euermore to winne To reigne long in honour and contune Aye to encrease by fauour of Fortune And his enemies manly to oppresse * For loue is more than great richesse How love availeth more to a King than Gold or Riches Gold faileth oft but loue will abide For life or death by a lords side And the treasour shortly of a king Stondeth in loue aboue all thing Farewell lordship both morrow and eue Specially when loue taketh his leue And who so list it Mirrour for to make Of knightly freedome let him ensample take Of Adrastus the manly king famous So liberall and so bounteous Vnto his people at all times found Which made him strong his fomen to confound And loue only his enemies to werrey All Greece made his bidding to obey Of one accord to knightly by his side All at ones to Thebes for to ride For tauenge sith they were so strong The great injury and importable wrong Vnto his sonne and to his next allie As ye to forne haue heard me specifie But whiles Greekes rest a time in pees I will resort vnto Ethiocles Which in Thebes warely hath espied By his friends as he was certified Of the Greekes wholly the ordinaunce Her purpose eke and her purueyaunce And thereof had in heart a manner drede And first he tooke his counsaile and his rede How Ethiocles made him strong ayenst the coming of the Greeks Of the Lords and Barons of the toun And of the wisest of his regioun How he might maken resistence Manly to stonden at defence To be so strong that there were no dout And in the countries adjacent about And eke also in forreine regions He hath withhold all the champions And thereupon he sent out his espies And his friends and his next allies And all the worthy dwelling enuiroun Young fresh and lusty he gadred to the toun Maskewed his wals and his toures And stuffed hem with manly souldeours Round about he set many gonnes Great and small and some large as tonnes In his hasty passing feruent heat He spent his treasour and yaue yefts great Vnto knights and worthy men of name * And euermore to encrease his fame He yaue to lords jewels manyfold Clothes of Veluet Damaske and of gold To get him hearts soothly as I rede To helpe him now in his great nede And prudently purueyed him toforne Of flesh of fish of wine and of corne Set his Captaines early and late With full great stuff stonding at euery gate And made also by werkemen that were trew Barbicans and Bulwerkes strong and new Barreres cheines ditches wonder deepe Making his auow the city for to keepe While he liueth despite of all his fone And by his gods of mettall and of stone Full oft he swore both of hert and thought That it shall first full deare ben ybought And many a man with polax swerd knife Before this towne shall first lese his life And there shall eke many sides blede Ere that his brother possibly possede The toun in pees like as Greekes wene But at end the trouth it shall be sene Let him beware and we le toforne prouide For Adrastus on that other side For his party was not negligent But on a day held his parlement All his lords sitting enuiron To driue shorteley a pleine conclusion And vp tapoint the fine of her entent But some thought it full expedient Ere they procede to werke by thauise Of one that was full prudent and wise And circumspect in his werkes all A worthy Bishop into age fall And called was soothly by his name Amphiorax of whom the great fame How the Bishop Amphiorax was sent for to come unto the Greeks Throgh all the lands both East and South Among the Greekes passingly was couth A man in sooth of old antiquity And most accept of authority First by reason of his high estate And eke he was so fortunate And in his werkes was also secre With the gods knowing her priuite By graunt of whom as bookes specifie He had a spirit of trew prophecie And

no force of thy reddour To him that ouer himselfe hath maistre * My suffisaunce shall be my succour For finally fortune I defie O Socrates thou stedfast champion She might neuer be thy turmentour Thou neuer dredest her oppression Ne in her chere found thou no fauour Thou knew the deceit of her colour And that her most worship is for to lie I know her eke a false dissimulour For finally fortune I defie The answer of Fortune * No man is wretched but himselfe it wene Ne that hath in himselfe suffisaunce Why saist thou then I am to thee so kene That hast thy selfe out of my gouernance Say thus graunt mercy of thine habundance that thou hast lent or this thou shalt not striue What wost thou yet how I thee woll auance And eke thou hast thy best friend aliue I haue thee taught deuision betweene Friend of effect and friend of countenaunce Thee needeth not the gall of an Hine That cureth eyen darke for her pennaunce Now seest thou clere that were in ignoraunce * Yet holt thine anker yet thou maistarriue There bounty beareth y● key of my substance And eke thou hast thy best friend aliue How many haue I refused to sustene Sith I haue thee fostred in thy pleasaunce Wolt thou then make a statute on thy quene That I shall be aye at thine ordinaunce Thou born art in my reigne of variaunce About the whele with other must thou driue My lore is bet then wicke is thy greuaunce And eke thou hast thy best friend aliue The answer to Fortune Thy lore I dampne it is aduersity My frend maist thou not reue blind goddesse That I thy friends know I thanke it thee * Take hem againe let hem go lie a presse The niggardes in keeping her richesse Pronoslike is thou wolt her toure assaile * Wicke appetite commeth aye before sicknesse In general this rule may not faile Fortune Thou pinchest at my mutability For I thee lent a droppe of my richesse And now me liketh to withdraw me Why shouldest thou my royalty oppresse The sea may ebbe and flow more and lesse The welken hath might to shine rain hail Right so must I kithe my brotilnesse In generall this rule may not fail The Plaintife Lo the execution of the majesty That all purueigheth of his rightwisenesse That same thing fortune clepen ye Ye blind beasts full of leaudnesse * The heauen hath property of sikernesse This world hath euer restlesse trauaile The last day is end of mine entresse In generall this rule may not faile Thenuoye of Fortune Princes I pray you of your gentilnesse Let not this man and me thus cry and plain And I shall quite you this businesse And if ye liste releue him of his pain Pray ye his best frende of his noblesse That to some better state he may attain Lenuoy TO broken been the statutes hie in heauen That create were eternally tendure Sithe that I see the bright Goddes seuen Mowe wepe and waile and passion endure As may in yearth a mortall creature Alas fro whens may this thing procede Of which errour I die almost for drede By word eterne whilom was it shape That fro the fifth cercle in no manere Ne might of teares doune escape But now so weepeth Venus in her sphere That with her teares she wol drench vs here Alas Scogan this is for thine offence Thou causest this deluge of pestilence Hast thou not said in blaspheme of y● goddis Through pride or through thy gret rekelnes Such things as in the law of loue forbode is That for thy lady saw not thy distresse Therfore thou yaue her vp at Mighelmesse Alas Scogan of olde folke ne yong Was neuer erst Scogan blamed for his tong Thou drew in scorne Cupide eke to record Of thilke rebell word that thou hast spoken For which he woll no lenger be thy Lord And Scogan though his bow be not broken He woll not with his arowes be ywroken On thee ne me ne none of our figure We shall of him haue neither hurte ne cure Now certes frend I drede of thine vnhape Lest for thy gilte the wreche of loue procede On all hem that been hore round of shape That be so likely folke to spede Then we shall of our labour haue our mede But well I wot thou wolt answere and say * Lo old Grisell list to renne and play Nay Scogan say not so for I me excuse God helpe me so in no rime doubtles Ne thinke I neuer of sleepe wake my muse That rusteth in my sheath still in pees While I was yong I put her forth in prees But all shall passe that men prose or time Take euery man his tourne as for his time * Scogan thou knelest at the stremes hedde Of grace of all honour and of worthiness In th ende of which I am dull as dedde Forgotten in solitary wildernesse Yet Scogan thinke on Tullius kindness Mind thy frende there it may fructifie Farewel and looke thou neuer eft loue defie Explicit * GO forth King rule thee by Sapience Bishop be able to minister doctrine Lorde to true counsaile yeue audience Womanhode to chastity euer encline Knight let thy deedes worship determine Be righteous Iudge in sauing thy name Rich do almose lest thou lese bliss with shame * People obey your king and the law Age be ruled by good religion True seruant be dredful kepe thee vnder aw And thou poore fie on presumpcion Inobedience to youth is vtter destruction Remember you how God hath set you lo And doe your part as ye be ordeined to Th. Occleve to his empty Purse TO you my purse and to none other wight Complaine I for ye be my Lady dere I am sorry now that ye be light For certes ye now make me heauy chere Me were as lefe laid vpon a bere For which vnto your mercy thus I crie Be heauy againe or els mote I die Now vouchsafe this day or it be night That I of you the blissful sowne may here Or see your colour like the sunne bright That of yelowness had neuer pere Ye be my life ye be my hertes stere Queene of comfort and of good companie Be heauy againe or els mote I die Now purse that art to me my liues light And sauiour as downe in this world here Out of this towne helpe me by your might Sith that you woll not be my treasure * For I am shaue as nere as any frere But I pray vnto your curtesie Be heauy againe or els mote I die Explicit Occleve unto the King O Conquerour of Brutes Albion Which that by line and free election Been very king this to you I send And ye that may all harmes amend Haue minde vpon my supplicacion Explicit A Ballad of good counsail translated out of Latin verses into English by Dan John Lidgate cleped the Monk of Bury COnsider well every circumstaunce Of what estate ever thou bee Riche strong or mighty of puissance

anone beholding here and there I spied a friend of mine and that full sone A gentlewoman was the chamberere Vnto the quene that hote as ye shall here Philobone that loued all her life When she me sey she led me forth as blife And me demanded how and in what wise I thither come and what my errand was To seen the Court qd I and all the guise And eke to sue for pardon and for grace And mercy aske for all my great trespas That I none erst come to the court of loue Foryeue me this ye gods all aboue That is well said qd Philobone indede But were ye not assomoned to appere By Mercurius for that is all my drede Yes gentill feire qd I now am I here Ye yet what tho though that be true my dere Of your free will ye should haue come vnsent For ye did not I deme ye will be shent For ye that reigne in youth and lustinesse Pampired with ease and jalous in your age Your duty is as farre as I can gesse To loues court to dressen your viage As soone as nature maketh you so sage * That ye may know a woman from a swan Or when your foot is growen halfe a span But sith that ye by wilfull negligence This xviii year hath kept your self at large The greater is your trespas and offence And in your neck you mote bere all y● charge For better were ye ben withouten barge Amidde the sea in tempest and in raine Then biden here receiuing wo and paine That ordained is for such as them absent Fro loues court by yeres long and fele I ley my life ye shall full soone repent For loue will r●iue your colour lust and he le Eke ye must bait on many an heauy mele No force ywis I stirred you long agone To draw to court qd little Philobone Ye shall well see how rough and angry face The king of Loue will shew when ye him se By mine aduise kneel down ask him grace Eschewing perill and aduersite For well I wote it woll none other be Comfort is none ne counsell to your ease Why will ye then the king of Loue displease O mercy God qd iche I me repent Caitife wretch in hert in will and thought And after this shall be mine hole entent To serue please how dere that loue be bought Yet sith I haue mine own pennance ysought With humble sprite shall I it receiue Though that the king of Loue my life bereiue And though that feruent loues qualite In me did neuer wortch truly yet I With all obeisaunce and humilite And benigne hert shall serue him till I die And he that lord of might is great and hie Right as him list me chastice and correct And punish me with trespace thus infect These words said she caught me by the lap And led me forth in till a temple round Both large and wide and as my blessed hap And good auenture was right soone I found A tabernacle reised from the ground Where Venus sat and Cupide by her side Yet halfe for drede I can my visage hide And eft againe I looked and beheld Seeing full sundry people in the place And mister folk some that might not weld Their lims wele me thought a wonder case The temple shone with windows all of glass Bright as the day with many a fair image And there I see the fresh queene of Cartage Dido that brent her beauty for the loue Of false Eneas and the weimenting Of her Annelida true as Turtle doue To Arcite fals and there was in peinting Of many a prince and many a doughty king Whose martirdom was shewed about y● wals And how that fele for loue had suffred fals But sore I was abashed and astonied Of all tho folke that there were in that tide And then I asked where they had wonned In diuers courts qd she here beside In sundry clothing mantill wise full wide They were arraied and did their sacrifise Vnto the God and goddesse in their guise Lo yonder folk qd she y● kneele in blew They weare the colour aye and euer shall In signe they were and euer will be trew Withouten chaunge and soothly yonder all That ben in black and mourning cry and call Vnto the gods for their loues bene Som sick some dede som all to sharp kene Yea then qd I with done these priests here Nonnes and Hermites Freres and all tho That sit in white in russet and in grene Forsooth qd she they waylen of their wo. O mercy Lord may they so come and go Freely to court and haue such liberty Yea men of each condition and degre And women eke For truly there is none Exception made ne neuer was ne may This court is ope and free for euerichone The king of loue he will not say them nay He taketh all in poore or rich array That meekely sew vnto his excellence With all their hert and all their reuerence And walking thus about with Philobone I see where come a messengere in hie Streight from the king which let command anone Throughout the court to make an ho cry All new come folke abide and wote ye why The kings lust is for to seene you sone Come nere let see his will mote need be done Then gan I me present tofore the king Trembling for fere with visage pale of hew And many a louer with me was kneeling Abashed sore till vnto the time they knew The sentence yeue of his entent full trew And at the last the king hath me behold With sterne visage seid what doth this old Thus ferre ystope in yeres come so late Vnto the court forsooth my liege qd I An hundred time I haue ben at the gate Afore this time yet coud I neuer espie Of mine acqueintaunce any in mine eie And shame fastnesse away me gan to chace But now I me submit vnto your grace Well all is pardoned with condition That thou be true from henceforth to thy might And seruen loue in thine entention Sweare this then as ferre as it is right thou shalt haue grace here in thy quenes sight Yes by y● faith I owe to your croun I swere Though death therefore me thir●th with his spere And when y● king hod seene vs euerychone He let commaund an Officer in hie To take our faith and shew vs one by one The statutes of the court full busily Anon the booke was leid before their eie To rede and see what thing we must obserue In Loues Court till that we die and sterue ANd for that I was lettred there I red The statutes hole of Loues Court hall The first statute that on the booke was spred Was to be true in thought and deeds all Vnto the king of Loue the lord ryall And to the quene as faithfull and as kind As I coud thinke with hert will and mind The Second statute secretly to kepe Councell of loue not blowing euery where All that I

Her nose directed streight and euen as line With forme and shape thereto conuenient In which the goddes milk white path doth shine And eke her eyen ben bright orient As is the Smaragde vnto my judgement Or yet these sterres heauenly small bright Her visage is of louely rede and white Her mouth is short and shit in little space Flaming somedeale not ouer redde I mean With pregnant lips thick to kisse percace * For lippes thinne not fat but euer lene They serue of nauȝt they be not worth a bean For if the basse been full there is delite Maximian truly thus doth he write But to my purpose I say white as snow Been all her teeth and in order they stond Of one stature and eke her breath I trow Surmounteth all odours that euer I found In sweetnesse and her body face and hond Been sharpely slender so that from the head Vnto the foot all is but womanhead I hold my peace of other things hidde Here shall my soule and not my tong bewray But how she was arraied if ye me bidde That shall I well discouer you and say A bend of gold and silke full fresh and gay With her intresse broudered full wele Right smoothly kept and shining euerydele About her necke a flower of fresh deuise With Rubies set that lusty were to sene And she in goun was light and summer wise Shapen full wele the colour was of grene With aureat sent about her sides clene With diuers stones precious and rich Thus was she rayed yet saw I neuer her lich For if that Ioue had but this lady seine Tho Calixto ne yet Alemenia They neuer hadden in his armes leine Ne he had loued the faire Eurosa Ye ne yet Dane ne Antiopa For all their beauty stood in Rosiall She seemed lich a thing celestiall In bounty fauour port and seemelinesse Pleasaunt of figure mirrour of delite Gracious to seene and root of all gentilnesse With angell visage iusty redde and white There was not lack saufe daunger had alite This goodly fresh in rule and gouernaunce And somdele strange she was for her pleasaunce And truly sone I took my leaue and went When she had me enquired what I was For more and more impressen gan the dent Of loues dart while I beheld her face And eft againe I come to seeken grace And vp I put my bill with sentence clere That followeth after rede and ye shall here O ye fresh of beauty the root That nature hath formed so wele and made Princes and quene and ye that may do boot Of all my langour with your words glad Ye wounded me ye made me wo bestad Of grace redresse my mortall greefe as ye Of all my harme the very causer be Now am I caught and vnware suddainly With persaunt streames of your eye so clere Subject to been and seruen you mekely And all your man iwis my lady dere Abiding grace of which I you require That mercilesse ye cause me not to sterue But guerdon me liche as I may deserue For by my troth all the days of my breath I am and will be your in will and hert Patient and meeke for you to suffer death If it require now rue vpon my smart And this I swere I neuer shall out start From loues court for none aduersitie So ye would rue on my distresse and me My desteny my fate and houre I blisse That haue me set to been obedient Onely to you the floure of all iwis I trust to Venus neuer to repent For euer redy glad and diligent Ye shall me find in seruice to your grace Till death my life out of my body race Humble vnto your excellence so digne Enforcing aye my wits and delite To serue and please with glad hert and benigne And been as Troylus Troyes knight Or Antonie for Cleopatre bright And neuer you me thinkes to renay This shall I keepe vnto mine ending day Enprint my speech in your memoriall Sadly my princes salue of all my sore And think y● for I would becommen thrall And been your owne as I haue sayd before Ye must of pity cherish more and more Your man and tender after his desert And giue him courage for to been expert For where y● one hath set his hert on fire And findeth neither refute ne pleasaunce Ne word of comfort death will quite his hire Alas that there is none allegeaunce * Of all their wo alas the great greuaunce To loue vnloued but ye my lady dere In other wise may gouerne this matere Truly gramercy friend of your good will And of your profer in your humble wise But for your seruice take and keep it still And where ye say I ought you well to cherise And of your greefe the remedy deuise I know not why I nam acquainted well With you ne wot not sothly where ye dwell In art of loue I write and songs make That may be song in honour of the king And quene of Loue and then I vndertake He that is sadde shall then tull merry sing And daungerous not ben in euery thing Beseech I you but seene my will and rede And let your answere put me out of drede What is your name rehearse it here I pray Of whence and where of what condition That ye been of let see come off and say Faine would I know your disposition Ye haue put on your old entention But what ye meane to serue me I ne wote Saufe that ye say ye loue me wonder hote My name alas my hert why makes thou straunge Philogenet I calld am fer nere Of Cambrige clerk y● neuer think to chaunge Fro you y● with your heuenly stremes clere Rauish mine hert and ghost and all infere Since at the first I write my bill for grace Me thinke I see some mercy in your face And with I mene by gods y● al hath wrought My bill now maketh small mention That ye been lady in mine inward thought Of all mine hert withouten offencion That I best loue and sith I begon To draw to court lo then what might I say I yeeld me here vnto your nobley And if that I offend or wilfully By pompe of hert your precept disobay Or done againe your will unskilfully Or greuen you for earnest or for play Correct ye me right sharply then I pray As it is seene vnto your womanhede And rew on me or els I nam but dede Nay God forbede to fesse you so with grace And for a word of sugred eloquence To haue compassion in so little space Then were it time that some of vs were hens Ye shall not find in me such insolence * Eye what is this may ye not suffre sight How may ye looke vpon the candle light That clerer is and hotter than mine eie And yet ye sayd the beames perse and frete How shall ye then the candle light endrie For well wote ye that hath the sharper hete And there ye bid me you correct and bete

honour for aye Haue I here lost cleane this day Dead would I be alas my name Shall aye he more henceforth in shame And I dishonoured and repreued And neuer more shall be beleeued And made swich sorow that in trouth Him to behold it was great routh And so endured the dayes fiftene Till that the Lords on an euen Him come and told they ready were And shewed in few words there How and what wise they had purueyd For his estate and to him said That twenty thousand knights of name And fourty thousand without blame All come of noble ligine Togider in a compane VVere lodged on a riuers side Him and his pleasure there tabide The prince tho for joy vp rose And where they lodged were he goes VVithout more that same night And these his supper made to right And with them bode till it was dey And forthwith to take his journey Leuing the streight holding the large Till he came to his noble barge And when this prince this lusty knight VVith his people in armes bright VVas comen where he thought to pas And knew well none abiding was Behind but all were there present Forthwith anon all his intent He told them there and made his cries Through his ofte that day twise Commaunding euery liues wight There being present in his sight To be the morow on the riuage VVhere he begin would his viage The morrow come the cry was kept Few was there that night that slept But trussed and purueied for the morrow For fault of ships was all their sorrow For saue the barge and other two Of ships there saw I no mo Thus in their douths as they stood Waxing the sea comming the flood Was cried to ship goe euery wight Then was but hie that hie might And to the barge me thought echone They went without was left not one Horse male trusse ne bagage Salad speare gard brace ne page But was lodged and roome ynough At which shipping me thought I lough And gan to maruaile in my thought How euer such a ship was wrought For what people that can encrease Ne neuer so thicke might be the prease But all had roome at their will There was not one was lodged ill For as I trow my selfe the last Was one and lodged by the mast And where I looked I saw such rome As all were lodged in a towne Forth goth the ship said was the creed And on their knees for their good speed Downe kneeled euery wight a while And praied fast that to the yle They might come in safety The prince and all the company With worship and without blame Or disclaunder of his name Of the promise he should retourne Within the time he did sojourne In his lond biding his host This was their prayer least and most To keepe the day it might not been That he appointed had with the queen To returne without slouth And so assured had his trouth For which fault this prince this knight During the time slept not a night Such was his wo and his disease For doubt he should the queene displease Forth goeth the ship with such speed Right as the prince for his great need Desire would after his thought Till it vnto the yle him brought Where in hast vpon the sand He and his people tooke the land With herts glad and chere light Weening to be in heauen that night But or they passed a while Entring in toward that yle All clad in blacke with chere piteous A lady which neuer dispiteous Had be in all her life tofore With sory chere and hert to tore Vnto this prince where he gan ride Come and said abide abide And haue no hast but fast retourne No reason is ye here sojourne For your vntruth hath vs discried VVo worth the time we vs allied VVith you that are so soone vntrew Alas the day that we you knew Alas the time that ye were bore For all this lond by you is lore Accursed be he you hider brought For all your joy is turnd to nought Your acquaintance we may complaine VVhich is the cause of all our paine Alas madame quoth tho this knight And with that from his horse he light VVith colour pale and cheekes lene Alas what is this for to mene VVhat haue ye said why be ye wroth You to displease I would be loth Know ye not well the promesse I made haue to your princesse VVhich to perfourme is mine intent So mote I speed as I haue ment And as I am her very trew Without change or thought new And also fully her seruand As creature or man liuand May be to lady or princesse For she mine heauen and whole richesse Is and the lady of mine heale My worlds joy and all my weale What may this be whence coms this speech Tell me Madame I you beseech For fith the first of my liuing Was I so fearfull of nothing As I am now to heare you speake For doubt I feele mine heart breake Say on madame tell me your will The remnaunt is it good or ill Alas qd she that ye were bore For for your loue this land is lore The queene is dead and that is ruth For sorrow of your great vntruth Of two partes of the lusty rout Of ladies that were there about That wont were to talke and play Now are dead and cleane away And vnder earth tane lodging new Alas that euer ye were vntrew For when the time ye set was past The queene to counsaile sone in hast What was to doe and said great blame Your acquaintaunce cause would and shame And the ladies of their auise Prayed for need was to be wise In eschewing tales and songs That by them make would ill tongs And sey they were lightly conquest And prayed to a poore feast And foule had their worship weiued When so vnwisely they conceiued Their rich treasour and their heale Their famous name and their weale To put in such an auenture Of which the sclaunder euer dure Was like without helpe of appele Wherefore they need had of counsele For euery wight of them would say Their closed yle an open way Was become to euery wight And well appreued by a knight Which he alas without paysaunce Had soone acheued thobeisaunce All this was moued at counsell thrise And concluded daily twise That bet was die without blame Than lose the riches of their name Wherefore the deaths acquaintaunce They chese and left haue their pleasaunce For doubt to liue as repreued In that they you so soone beleeued And made their othes with one accord That eat ne drinke ne speake word They should neuer but euer weping Bide in a place without parting And vse their dayes in penaunce Without desire of allegeaunce Of which the truth anon con preue For why the queen forth with her leue Toke at them all that were present Of her defauts fully repent And died there withouten more Thus are we lost for euermore What should I more hereof reherse

graine Of their heale might be certaine And laid it downe vpon the herse VVhere lay the queene and gan reherse Echone to other that they had seene And taling thus the sede wex greene And on the dry herse gan spring VVhich me thought a wondrous thing And after that floure and new seed Of which the people all tooke heed And said it was some great miracle Or medicine fine more than triacle And were well done there to assay If it might ease in any way The corses which with torch light They waked had there all that night Soone did the lords there consent And all the people thereto content With easie words and little fare And made the queenes visage bare Which shewed was to all about Wherefore in swoone fell whole the rout And were so sorry most and least That long of weping they not ceast For of their lord the remembraunce Vnto them was such displeasaunce That for to liue they called a paine So were they very true and plaine And after this the good abbesse Of the graine gan these and dresse Three with her fingers cleane and small And in the queenes mouth by tale One after other full easily She put and full conningly Which shewed soone such vertue That preued was the medicine true For with a smiling countenaunce The Queene vprose and of vsaunce As she was wont to euery wight She made good cheere for which sight The people kneeling on the stones Thought they in heauen were soule bones And to the prince where he lay They went to make the same assay And when the Queene it vnderstood And how the medicine was good She prayed she might haue the graines To releue him from the paines Which she and he had both endured And to him went and so him cured That within a little space Lusty and fresh on liue he was And in good hele and hole of speech And lough and said gramercy leech For which the joy throughout the town So great was that the bels sown Afraied the people a journay About the city euery way And come and asked cause and why They rongen were so stately And after that the queene thabbesse Made diligence or they would cesse Such that of ladies soone a rout Sewing the queene was all about And called by name echone and told Was none forgetten young ne old There might men see joyes new When the medicine fine and trew Thus restored had euery wight So well the queene as the knight Vnto perfit joy and hele That fleting they were in such we le As folke that would in no wise Desire more perfit paradise And thus when passed was the sorrow With mikle joy soone on the morrow The king the queene and euery lord With all the Ladies by one accord A generall assembly Great cry through the country The which after as their intent Was turned to a Parliament Where was ordained and auised Euery thing and deuised That please might to most and least And there concluded was the feast Within the yle to be hold With full consent of young and old In the same wise as before As thing should be withouten more And shipped and thither went And into straunge Realmes sent To kings queenes and duchesses To diuers princes and princesses Of their linage and can pray That it might like them at that day Of mariage for their sport Come see the yle and them disport Where should be jousts and turnaies And armes done in other waies Signifying ouer all the day After Aprill within May And was auised that ladies tweine Of good estate and well beseine With certaine knights and squiers And of the queenes officers In manner of an embassade With certain letters closed and made Should take the barge and depart And seeke my lady euery part Till they her found for any thing Both charged haue queene and king And as their lady and maistres Her to beseke of gentilnes At the day there for to been And oft her recommaund the queen And prayes for all loues to hast For but she come all woll be wast And the feast a businesse Without joy or lustinesse And tooke them tokens and good speed Praid God send after their need Forth went the ladies and the knights And were out fourteene daies and nights And brought my lady in their barge And had well sped and done their charge Whereof the queene so hartily glad Was that in soth such joy she had When the ship approched lond That she my lady on the sond Met and in armes so constraine That wonder was behold them twaine Which to my dome during twelue houres Neither for heat ne watry shoures Departed not no company Sauing themselfe but none them by But gaue them laysour at their ease To rehearse joy and disease After the pleasure and courages Of their young and tender ages And after with many a knight Brought were where as for that night They parted not for to pleasaunce Content was hert and countenaunce Both of the queene and my maistresse This was that night their businesse And on the morrow with huge rout This prince of lords him about Come and to my Lady said That of her comming glad and well apaid He was and full commingly Her thanked and full heartily And lough and smiled and said ywis That was in doubt in safety is And commaunded do diligence And spare for neither gold ne spence But make ready for on the morow Wedded with saint Iohn to borow He would be withouten more And let them wite this lese and more The morow come and the seruice Of mariage in such a wise Said was that with more honour Was neuer prince ne conquerour Wedde ne with such company Of gentilnesse in chiualry Ne of Ladies so great routs Ne so beseen as all abouts They were there I certifie You on my life withouten lie And the feast hold was in tentis As to tell you mine entent is In a rome a large plaine Vnder a wood in a champaine Betwixt a riuer and a well Where neuer had abbay ne sell Ben ne kirke house ne village In time of any mans age And dured three months the feast In one estate and neuer ceast From early the rising of the sonne Till the day spent was and yronne In justing dauncing and lustinesse And all that sowned to gentilnesse And as me thought the second morrow When ended was all old sorrow And in surety euery wight Had with his lady slept a night The Prince the Queene and all the rest Vnto my lady made request And her besought oft and praied To mewards to be well apaied And consider mine old trouth And on my paines haue routh And me accept to her seruise In such forme and in such wise That we both might be as one Thus prayed the Queene and euerichone And for there should be no nay They stint justing all a day To pray my lady and requere Be content and out of fere And with good heart make friendly