The Example of Vertu / The Example of Virtue

DAme Sapyence taryed a lytell whyle

Behynd the other saynge to Dyscrecyon

And began on her to laugh and smyle

Axynge her how I stode in condycyon

Well she sayd in good perfeccyon

But best it is that he maryed be

For to eschewe all yll censualyte

I knowe a lady of meruelous beaute

Spronge out of hyghe and noble lynage

Replete with vertue and full of bounte

Whiche vnto youth were a good maryage

For she is comen of royall apparage

But herde it wyll be to gete her loue

Without youth frayltye do sore reproue

I kneled downe than vpon my kne

Afore dame Sapyence with humble chere

Besechynge her of me to haue pyte

And also Dyscrecyon her syster dere

Than dame Sapyence came me nere

Saynge youth wyll ye haue a wyfe

And her to loue durynge her lyfe

Ye madame that wolde I fayne

Yf that she be both fayre and bryght

I wyll her loue euer more certayne

And pleas her alway with all my myght

Of suche a persone wolde I haue a syght

With all my herte now at this houre

Wolde to god I had so fayre a floure

Than sayd dyscrecyon there is a kynge

Dwellynge fer hens in a fayre castell

Of whome I oft haue herd grete talkynge

Whiche hath a doughter as I you tell

I trowe that youth wyll lyke her well

She is both good eke fayre and pure

As I report me vnto dame Nature

But yf that youth sholde her go seke

Ye must syster than hym well indue

With your grete power so good and meke

That he all frayltye may eschue

For by the way it wyll oft pursue

On hym by flatery and grete temptacyon

That shall brynge hym in tribulacyon

As for that sayd she he shall not care

For he shall theym sone ouercome

And of theyr flatery ryght well beware

For I to hym shall gyue grete wysedome

Theyr dedes to withstande & make theym dõme

Wherfore dere syster as I you pray

Vnto her lede hym now on the way

Loke that ye send me in his necessyte

By dame swyftnes full sone a letter

By whiche that I may knowe the certaynte

That I may come to ayde hym beter

So that fraylte to hym be no freter

And though I be not alway vysyble

With hym my power he hath inuyncyble

Than sayd dame Sapyence to dyscrecyon

Fare well dere syster I may not tary

Loke ye of youth haue the tuycyon

That he fall not into vaynglory

And that ye puruey for hym shortly

That he may wedde the fayre dame clennesse

Whiche for her loue haue ben in duresse

With that dame Sapyence downe went

In to her place that was the doctrynall

Of famous clerkes in connynge splendent

A myrrour of lernyng that was dyuynall

With all the craftes artyfycyall

Byfore her dame Fortune went to her mancyon

And eke dame hardynes to her habytacyon

FOrth than went dyscrecyon and I

Out of the castell into a grene

Where byrdys sange by grete melody

There daunst also the fayre quene

Besyde a ryuer named Ephesene

Ouer whiche we wente to the other syde

That was a medowe both longe and wyde

Longe there we wandred tyll at the last

We came vnto a ryght grete wyldernes

By that tyme Phebus was ouer past

Wherfore we walked in grete derkenes

The whiche to me was a grete heuynes

For Lucyna eke dyd her shrowde

Vnder a blacke and mysty clowde

For she was horned and no thynge cleere

And entred into the sygne of caprycorne

Ryght ferre from phebus fulgent speere

And not ayenst hym the crowne had worne

I went vp and downe tyll on the morne

That phebus his golden reyes dyd sprede

Than dyscrecyon ferther forth me lede

Amonge thornes sharpe & bestes wylde

There was the lyon the wolf & the bere

But I coude mete nother man ne chylde

But many serpentes that dyde me fere

And by a swete smelle I knewe a pantere

So forth I went by longe contynuaunce

Tyll that I sawe an herber of pleasaunce

To whiche I toke anone my waye

Where that I sawe a lady excellent

Rydynge on a goote in fresshe arraye

Ryght yonge of age & lusty of entent

Prayenge me to her for to assent

As to fulfyll the flesshly pleasure

Whiche she desyred me out of mesure

Nay sayd dyscrecyon that may not be

No sayd I in no maner of wyse

To her request I wyll now agree

But euermore here foule lust despyse

For I my selfe do now aduyse

To kepe me chast that I may mary

Fayre dame Clennes that noble lady

SO forth I went walkynge my iournay

Metynge a lady olde and amyable

Syttynge in a castell both fressh and gay

On an olyphauntes backe in strength so stable

Whiche it to bere was good and able

Hauynge in her hande a cup of golde

Sette with perles ryght many afolde

She sayd she was the lady of rychesse

The quene of welth and worldely glory

Praynge me to company with her noblenesse

And she than wolde promote me shortely

To innumerable ryches and make me worthy

Where I am poore and sette by nought

By her to worshyp I sholde be brought

Vnto her I answered I wolde not so

As for to hunt in the parke of pryde

The whiche to Clennes is mortall fo

But with Dyscrecyon I wyll abyde

Whiche doth a wyfe for me prouyde

By whome I shall haue the possessyowne

Of heuenly kyngdome & grete renowne

So forth I went and had grete trauayle

Without the comfort of ony persone

Saue of dyscrecyon whiche dyd me counsayle

As she went walkynge with me alone

Vnto her I made full grete mone

And lykened the wyldernes by morall scence

Vnto worldely trouble by good experyence

She sayd the fyrst lady that I dyd mete

Iclyped was dame Sensualyte

Whiche can well flater with wordes swete

Causynge a man to fall into fragylyte

And for to haunt the carnall freylte

Whiche vnto clennes is abhomynable

For they in werke be gretely varyable

The seconde was pryde enduyd with couetyse

A lady of ryght fruytles medytacyon

Delytynge gretly in the synne of auaryce

The whiche is cause of her dampnacyon

For she by her fals supportacyon

Blyndeth many a mannes conscyence

And dryueth ryght oft fer in absence

So ferther I went tyll at the last

I was in a mase goynge in and oute

Ther was none other way I was agast

But forth I walked in grete doute

Now here now there and so rounde aboute

Than sayd vnto me dame Dyscrecyon

Ye are in the besynes of worldely fastyon

Therein I trauayled by longe space

Tyll that I mette a lady gloryous

Indued with vertue and grete grace

To whom I sayd o lady precyous

As ye seme to be good and vertuous

I you beseche now without delaye

Vnto dame Clennes to teche me the waye

I Sapyence now wyll shewe to the

The ryght waye vnto fayre clennes

And yf thou wylt be ruled by me

Thou shalt mary that noble prynces

Yes that wyll I sayd than douteles

Dyscrecyon sayd she wolde be my suerte

Sapyence sayd none better myght be

Than sayd dyscrecyon to dame sapyence

Welcome to vs my syster dere

And I to her dyd humble reuerence

Saynge who had went to fynde you here

Yes she sayd I haue ben neere

You often tymes syth my departynge

And haue ben cause of your goode gydynge

COme on your waye walke on a pace

For ye longe for to haue a syght

Of dame Clennes so clere a face

So goodely of body in beauty bryght

That there can not be so fayre a wyght

So forth we walked to a ryuer syde

That ebbed and flowed at euery tyde

Than I saw a castell a pales royall

Bylded with marble blacke as the gette

With glasse wyndowes as clere as crystall

Whiche on the other syde was sette

No man to the castell myght gette

But ouer the water on a lytell brydge

Not halfe so brode as a hous rydge

But as I cast myn eye than asyde

I saw a lady wounderous fayre

Demure of contenaunce without pryde

That went her selfe for to repayre

By the water syde to take the ayre

Beholde and se than sayd dame sapyence

Yonder is dame Clennes the sterre of excellence

Full glad was I than in my mynde

For to se that flour of complacence

The syght of her dyd my herte bynde

Euer her to loue with percynge influence

Vnto her I sayd o well of contynence

Vnto your grace fayne wolde I go

Ner lettynge of this water blo

To me she answered than agayne

Saynge this worlde withouten mys

Is but a vanyte no thynge certayne

In the lyke wyse as this water is

Ye can not come to me now ywys

But by that brydge that goth ouer

This stormy troublous & wawy water

Therof sayd sapyence he shall not lette

Well sayd Clennes be you his gyde

And dyscrecyon also for to be sette

For to vpholde hym vnto the other syde

That he do not in the water slyde

So to the brydge they dyde me lede

I quacked than for fere and drede

I sawe there wryten this lytterall sence

No man this brydge may ouer go

But he be pure without neglygence

And stedfast in goddes byleue also

Yf he be ignoraunt and do not so

He must nedys into this water fall

Ouer the heed and be drowned with all

They led me ouer this brydge so peryllous

Tyll that I came to a preuy place

Where were wryten with letters gloryous

This is the kyngdome of grete grace

No man by yonde this marke may trace

But yf he be brought in by dame wysedome

If he so be he is moche welcome

So forthermore yet forth we went

Into a hall that was solacyous

Made of precyous stones splendent

That theym to se it was ryght wounderous

They were there so gretly plenteuous

That the hall paued was for the nones

With none other grauell but precyous stones

There was dame Clennes that lady gent

And eke her fader the kynge of loue

He satte in a chayre ryght clere and excellent

At the vpper ende of the hall aboue

He satte styll and dyd not remoue

Gyrde with wylowes and myght not se

No maner a thynge in his degre

He had two wynges ryght large and grete

And his body also was naked

And a dart in his ryght hand was sette

And a torche in his left hand brenned

A botell aboute his necke was hanged

His one leg armed and naked the other

Hym for to se it was a wonder

Sapyence bad me meruayll no thynge

For she wold shewe me the sygnifycacyon

Why he so sate by shorte rekenynge

Accordynge to a morylyzacyonB

Now of the fyrste to make relacyon

Loue sholde be gyrde faste with stabylyte

Without whiche loue can haue no suerte

Loue may not se but is alway blynde

And wenyth no man can haue perseueraũce

Where that he loueth by naturall kynde

But he do shewe hym by wordes of vteraũce

Trught he bewreyeth hym by contenaunce

For hard it wyll be loue so to couere

But that som man shall it perceuere

Also his nakednes doth sygnyfy

That true loue no thynge ellys desyreth

But the very persone and eke body

That he so well and feruentely loueth

His wynges also well betokenyth

That his mynde fleeth vnto the persone

That he doth loue so well alone

And also loue is stryken with a sharpe darte

That maketh a man for to complayn

Whan that it hath wounded sore his herte

It brenneth hote lyke fyre certeyn

Than loue his purpose wolde fayne atteyn

And is euermore both hoot and drye

Tyll his lady gyue hym drynke of mercy

His one legge is armed to defende

The ryght that longeth vnto amyte

And wronge loue for to amende

His naked legge betokeneth charyte

That is the Ioye of grete felycyte

So charyte ryght loue and good concorde

With stablynes reygneth in this myghty lorde

THan forth me led good dame Sapyence

Afore that myghty lordes mageste

Come on she sayd put the in presence

That thou mayst se dame clennes beaute

Ponder in thy mynde by veryte

That so fayre as she was not quene helyn

Quene Ipolyte or yonge Polyxyn

This lady is clene without corrupcyon

And wereth thre crownes for her vyrgynyte

One is for people of perfyt relygyon

An other for maydens kepynge chastyte

The therde for true wedowes as y^u mayst se

I wyll the now to her fader present

Her for to mary yf she wyll consent

Than sayd dame sapyence o noble emperour

O souerayne lorde and royall potestate

O vyctoryous prynce & famous conquerour

O kynge of loue and seaser of debate

To the no creature may say chekmate

I present the now this vertuous knyght

For to mary clennes your doughter bryght

I thanke you he sayd for your good wyll

But he that to Clennes maryed must be

He must my commaundement fyrste fulfyll

As to scomfyte the dragon with heedes thre

That is a serpent of grete subtylte

Whiche well betokeneth as we do fynde

The worlde the flesshe & the deuyll by kynde

Sapyence sayd I sholde not fayle

To do his commaũdement for Clennes sake

As for to sle the dragon in batayle

That lay in a marys in a grete lake

Whiche was moche stynkynge foule & blake

Wysedome bade me be not aferde

For she wolde gyue me a shelde and swerde

And arme me also with fayre armure

To vaynquysshe that dragon so ferse & grete

She sayd it sholde be so good and sure

That I no harme of hym sholde gete

Though he his teth on me had sete

Yet sholde I slee hym for all his myght

By my grete strokes whan I dyd fyght

Fyrst she my legge harneys sette on

And after my plackerd of grete ryches

She armed me her selfe alone

And laced my helmet of her gentylnes

I thanked her for her grete goodnes

And gaue me my swerde and sheld also

Saynge lete vs to the dragon go

This is the armure for the soule

That in his epystole wrote saynt Poule

Good hope thy legge harneys shall be

The habergyn of ryghtwysnes gyrde w^t chastyte

Thy plackarde of besynes w^t braũches of almes dede

Thy shelde of beleue and mekenes for the hede

Thy swerde shall be the to defend

The worde of god the deuyll to bl[ey]ndeC

Dame sapyence & I dyd take our lycence

Of the kynge of loue in vertue depured

And of his doughter shynynge in excellence

Whiche to me sayd with wordes assured

O vertuous knyght you for me haue dured

In grete wo & payne but thynke you verely

To scomfyt that dragon by wysedome shortly

Than went we forth to that serpent

In merueylous trauayle of sorowe and bale

By that tyme the daye ryght fayre was spent

And phebus his course began to auale

But at the last we came into a dale

Wher we felt the sauer of a dungeon

Of the foule and stynkynge dragon

Nere to that dragon there was a way

That men vsed vpon a fayre hyll

Vnto hyghe heuen so fressh and gay

But that dragon lette theym theyr wyll

And by the way he dyd theym kyll

Bryngynge theym vnto the dungeon

Iclyped the place of grete oblyuyon

I had not be there halfe an houre

But that this dragon me approched

As though that he wolde me deuoure

He so fersly than on me marched

The batayle bytwene vs longe contynued

But he had me ryght sone ouercome

If I had not helpe of dame wysedome

I strake at hym fast with my swerde

And with my shelde dyd me defende

Wysedome bad me not be aferde

But my stroke that for to amende

As fer as my myght weld extende

So by her wordes I plucked vp myn herte

And dyd than vnto the dragon sterte

But he caught me than in his clawes

And so we wrasteled longe to gyder

But he hyld me sharpely in his pawes

Tyll wysedom my feblenesse dyd consyder

Beholde she sayd dame clennes yonder

Than as a syde I cast all my syght

I sawe that lady so pure and bryght

My strength than dobeled an hundred folde

And I from hym brake by vertuous prowes

My herte was warme that afore was colde

With the cõfortable syght of fayre dame clennes

Than I to hym gaue strokes of exces

And with my sharpe swerde cut of anone

Two of his heedes leuynge hym but one

These two heedes by good morall sens

The worlde and the flesshe do sygnyfy

As I in scrypture haue intellygence

The fyrste the worlde that is transytory

Lyeth bytwene man and heuenly glory

Lettynge hym often of his passage

If it of hym can gete auauntage

The seconde is the flesshly desyre

That troubleth a man ryght sore within

Settynge his courage vpon a fyre

Causynge hym to enclyne to dedely syn

His flessh the batayll of hym doth wyn

Often bryngynge hym into dampnacyon

If repentaunce were not his saluacyon

Repentaunce alway requyreth mercy

And penaunce to god is a satisfaccyon

For god desyreth euermore truely

An humble herte full of contrycon

And the worlde desyreth restytucyon

Of goodes that haue be goten wrongfully

To be restored vnto the ryghtfull party

Whan I by wysedom had won the vyctory

Of these two heedes I was ryght glad

His thyrde heed marched ayenst me sharpely

But I my swerd in my hand had

Strykynge at hym with strokes sad

And blode of hym coude I drawe none

For he had nother flesshe ne bone

But at the last I dyd hym vaynquysshe

Dryuynge hym home to his derke regyon

Of infernall payne that shall not fynysshe

For hell is called his propre mancyon

And of all other of his opynyon

That do the preceptes of god forsake

And to deuelyche werkes theym do be take

God by his ryghtwysnes made a lawe

By whiche man for dedely synne is condẽpned

If god his vengeaunce do not withdrawe

In euerlastynge payne he sholde be prysoned

But and man mercy of hym requyred

With penytent hert he sholde it haue

And with his mercy he wyll man saue

¶ Capitulum .xii.

WHan I had scomfyte this serpent venymous

Sapyence to me ryght gentely sayd

Blessyd be god ye are so gracyous

That ye shall mary Clennes the mayd

But yet erwhyles ye were afrayd

Ye I sayd and swet full ryght sore

Tyll ye newe strength dyd me restore

This batayll was grete & longe endured

Whiche caused me to be ryght wery

But sapyence with her wordes me mured

With walles of comfort makynge me mery

Come on she sayd and walke on lyghtly

Vnto the castell that we come fro

I answered to her I wolde do so

Than forth we went a grete pace

Tyll that we came to the castell syde

There mette vs ladyes with grete solace

And welcomed vs at the same tyde

So fayre a sort in the worlde so wyde

May not be founde by no maner of reason

As I sawe there at the same season

The fyrste lady that dyd vs mete

Iclyped was dame perseueraunce

Whiche to me sayd with wordes swete

Blessyd be god of your good gouernaunce

That hath kept you from the incomberaunce

Of the serpent with the heedes thre

And caused you vyctor of hym to be

Than came dame fayth that lady gloryous

Welcome she sayd with wordes amyable

I am ryght glad ye ar so vyctoryous

Of that foule dragon so abhomynable

She sayd that I was euermore stable

In her in dede eke worde and thought

Or elles my labour had ben to nought

Than spake the lady fayre dame charyte

Welcome vertue the noble veteran

Sythens that ye alway haue loued me

From the fyrst season that ye began

Bothe in your youth & syth ye were man

Ye haue had me in humble reuerence

And haue ben ruled by my preemynence

Than sayd dame prayer in my presence

Ye neuer cast me in oblyuyaunce

By no slouth nor wordely neglygence

But haue had me in grete remembraunce

Whiche hath ben to me very grete pleasaunce

Wherfore welcome vertue my dere

Vnto this castell that ye se here

Than came fast to me dame lowelynes

Clyppynge me harde with louely chere

Byddynge me welcome with grete gladnes

As by her contenaũce it dyd well appere

Come on she sayd and walke on nere

So than amonge these fayre ladyes all

I went in to the grete castell hall

And there met me dame clennes blyue

And dame grace bare vp her trayne

Whiche euer to her was affyrmatyue

From whome dame clennes myght not refrayne

Than sayd she to me I am ryght fayne

That ye ar comen in to this place

Where ye shall wedde me in short space

Vpon my kne I kneled than downe

Saynge o sterre of the blysse eterne

O well of vertue and of grete renowne

O dyuyne comfort moost sempyterne

Whan I your beautye do so well decerne

Ye set myn hert vpon a brennynge fyre

With feruent loue to come to my desyre

To me she answered in this wyse

O my dere herte my spouse so pure

Why do ye not on your fete aryse

You of my true loue shall be sure

For ye my hert haue now in cure

Lete vs go now to our fader reuerente

So forthe vnto hym than we wente

Whan that we came afore his fayre face

Dame clennes made curtesye vnto the grounde

Saynge o fader kynge of grete grace

This knyght to loue ye are now bounde

And so am I for I haue often founde

Grete kyndnes on hym both nyght and day

For he hath loued me ryght well alway

Welcome he sayd ryght noble knyght

How haue ye done sythens your departynge

Haue ye scomfyted with your myght

The merueylous dragon so gretly slynkyngeD

Ye I sayd with the power shynynge

Of my maystresse good dame sapyence

I dyd hym vaynquysshe by her experyence

Wher is dame Sapyence than sayd he

And eke her syster dame dyscrecyon

Syr I sayd they are comen with me

And they haue had me in iurisdyccyon

Syns my departynge without destruccyon

Than spake dame sapyence by her faculte

Vnto that myghty lordes mageste

Saynge this knyght than cleped vertue

Hath loued your doughter by longe contynuaũce

With stable loue so faythfull and true

And for her sake hath put to vteraunce

The thre heeded dragon by wyse puruyaunce

Wherfore me thynke he ought to mary

Your doughter Clennes that noble lady

The kynge sayd me thynke the same

If that my doughter wyll agre

And she do not she moche is to blame

Consyderynge his wysedome & grete beaute

Come hyder he sayd my doughter fre

To be wyfe to vertue wyll ye consent

Ye fader she sayd with hole entent

Than he called vnto his presence

Perseueraunce charyte and fydelyte

With lowlynes prayer and intellygence

Shewynge vnto theym the certeynte

How clennes his doughter wedded shall be

Vnto me now vertu in all godely hast

By fore that thre dayes be ryght fully past

He called me than to his magnyfycence

Byddynge me go to bed and to rest

In the chaumbre of clene conscyence

Than so to do I thought it the best

For phebus was tourned into the west

So sapyence and I went forthe to bed

For lake of rest oppressed was my hed

A lytyll welp within this chaumbre was

That lay wakynge and barked alway

That no man in to it sholde passe

That wolde with conscyence make a fray

I dyd slepe there tyll that it was day

Than vp I rose and made me redy

Callynge vnto me dame sapyence shortely

Saynge vnto her o lady and maystres

O comfortable salue vnto euery sore

O fontayne of welth and carbuncle of clernes

Without ye helpe me I am forlore

Wherfore I shewe you as now before

Without I mary fayre dame clennes

I shall endure in mortall heuynes

Therof sayd she be no thynge adred

For ye shall mary here ryght soone

By me your mater shall be well sped

And the same daye it shall be doone

Aboute the houre truely of noone

And there shall be at your good dyner

Charyte fayth penaunce and prayer

Dame sapyence led me into a gardeyn

Where Clennes was amonge floures swete

Her to repayre without dysdeyn

As I to her wente she dyd me mete

Bryngynge me a floure called the margarete

Whiche is a floure ryght swete and precyous

Indued with beaute and moche vertuous

This floure I kyst often ryght swetely

Settynge it nere vnto my hert

Dame Clennes loked vpon me louely

Saynge that I sholde not depert

Tyll she had shewed me a grete couert

So with her I wente without delay

Where byrdes sate on many a spray

By this tyme phebus had begon

His ascencyall cours in grete bryghtnes

In to the sygne of the fierous lyon

Exylynge the fenerous frosty coldnes

And depryuynge the noxyall derkenes

And also setherus his fragraunt breth

Dystylled had vpon euery heth

Than to her I sayd my lady dere

Beholde this weder so clere and fayre

How royall walkynge that it is here

Lyke a place of pleasure you to repayre

Amonge the floures so swete of ayre

An other she had as she me tolde

Bryghter than phebus a thousande folde

This is a place of recreacyon

My mynde to comfort after study

In welth pleasure and delectacyon

For yf I sholde my selfe applye

Euer to pray to god an hye

Without this place I may not be sure

In other tyme in prayer to endure

But the other gardyn is celestyall

That longeth to vs by enherytaunce

And is entayled to vs in generall

For our clene lyfe & vertuous gouernaũce

Who that vs loueth without doubtaũceE

With vs shall go to eternall glory

In short space or elles to purgatory

Than forth we went to her fader royall

Whiche welcomed vs by grete humylyte

Saynge my doughter dere and specyall

Ye shall this daye by grete solempnyte

Be wedded to vertue with benygnyte

We kneled downe and thanked his grace

And than forth we went to an other place

IN to a chapell gayly gloryfyed

And also hanged with cloth of tyssue

A place it was ryght gretly deyfyed

The roof was set with stones of vertue

As with rubyes and emeraudes bryght of hue

The rood loft was yuery garnysshed with gold

Set with dyamoundes ryght many a fold

Ther I dyd se the arke of god

With many sayntes that suffred martyrdom

And also I sawe there Moyses rod

And saynt Austyn that brought crystendom

Into englonde by his grete wysedom

And the xii. apostles that fast gan wryte

Of our byleue and eke dyd endyte

There was saynt peter the noble pope

That dyd stande on the ryght syde

Of the hyghe auter in a ryche cope

Dame clennes and I dyd there abyde

And vp there came than at that tyde

Dame prayer with her syster charyte

And eke dame penytence with humylyte

Than came dame fayth anone to vs

With ryghtwysenes peas and dame mercy

With dame contrycyon gay and gloryous

Whiche after theym dyd not longe tary

And than came bede and eke saynt gregory

With saynt ambrose the noble doctour

Whiche of our fayth was good protectour

Than came the kynge of feruent loue

Led with argos in goodely wyse

Without whome he myght not remoue

From his sete by ryght prudent gyse

Who loueth argos wyll not deuyse

Nor yet begynne no maner of thynge

Without in his mynde he se good endynge

Also saynt Ierome the noble cardynall

Came vp to vs by humble reuerence

Whiche euermore was a good doctrynall

Prechynge to vs by vertuous influence

With exhortacyon of dyuyne complacence

And than foure bysshoppes in grete dygnyte

Ryght connynge cernynge vnto the deyte

On hym wayted by grete dylygence

And neuer dyd forsake his company

But hym obeyed by good experyence

And from his cõmaundement dyd not vary

But in the chapell they dyd there tary

And than saynt Ierome wente to the kynge

Of feruent loue vnto hym saynge

O amyable kynge seasour of debate

O ioyner of vertue and well of vnyte

O royall emperour o souerayne estate

O messenger of feruent amyte

O feruent dart of cordyall pryuyte

Here is your doughter fayre dame clennes

That must be maryed with good ryghtwysenes

Vnto vertue the louely knyght

Whiche the batayle now hath won

By dame sapyence helpe and myght

Of the foule thre heeded dragon

This maryage by me shall be don

Go ye now streyght into your tabernacle

Whiche is to you moost propre habytacle

Than the souerayne kynge to hym dyd call

Dame fayth dyscrecyon and dame sapyence

With dame contrycyon & charyte withall

And eke dame mercy and dame penytence

Vnto theym saynge ye haue intellygence

That this daye clennes my doughter dere

Shall be maryed to vertue that ye se here

Than they dyde all come vnto me

With dame peas and dame grace

And after theym came dame virgynyte

Whiche in her armes dyd me enbrace

Saynge that I was to her grete solace

Gyuynge me vnto my good maryage

A gowne of syluer for grete aparage

She gafe an other of the same

Vnto dame clennes puttynge it one

Vpon her back withouten blame

After whiche Clennes wente anone

Vnto her fader her selfe alone

And I with saynt Ierome dyd there tary

To wed dame Clennes that noble lady

And all the ladyes with meke contenence

Stode on a rewe besyde the closette

Of Clennes fader without resystence

Whiche hanged was gayly with blue veluet

And with perles & rubyes rychely set

Than forth came Clennes with two aũgels led

Whiche theyr golden wynges abrode dyd spred

Dame grace after her bare vp her trayn

And .xv. ladyes her dyd ensue

Fyrst went dame humylyte certayn

And after her than dyd pursue

Dame fayth in stablenes so true

Ledynge with her the fayre dame pease

That welth and ryches doth well encrease

Than went dame reason with perseueraũce

And than dame mercy with contricyon

And than exersyce with remembraunce

After whome went dame restytucyon

With dame prayer and dame confessyon

And dame charyte with obedyence

And after theym came fayre dame abstynence

Saynt Ierome dyd make there coniunccyon

Of dame Clennes and me in matrimonye

With heuenly wordes and vertuous fastyon

And aungels came downe from heuen hye

As saynt Mychell with gabryell & the gerachye

To helpe saynt peter the masse to synge

The organs went and the bellys dyd rynge

My penne for feblenes may not now wryte

Nor my tonge for domnes may not expresse

Nor my mynde for neglygence may not endyte

Of the aungelycall Ioye and swete gladnesse

That I sawe there without heuynesse

And whan this weddynge holy was fynysshed

The aungels than to heuen vanysshed

Than downe I went in to the hall

Where ordeyned was by grete solempnyte

A dyner of vertue moost celestyall

To whiche came my wyf full of benygnyte

On the one syde led by good auctoryte

With saynt Edmond the noble kynge

And martyr whiche dyd her downe brynge

And she was led on the other syde

With saynt Edward the kynge and confessour

And so bytwene theym wente this bryde

To whom all the ladyes made grete honour

As alway seruynge her without errour

And a lytell whyle anone after her

Ergos brought downe her noble fader

The kynge of loue than sat hym downe

At the table for that tyme to ette

Causynge dame Clennes for her renowne

On his one syde than for to be sette

And I on the other without ony lette

And besyde me sapyence and dyscrecyon

And than by theym sat dame contrycyon

Than sate saynt Edwarde with vyrgynyte

And afore hym sate dame obedyence

Saynt Edmond and dame charyte

And than dame prayer with dame abstynence

And than dame fayth shynynge in excellence

With saynt Ierome and saynt Austeyn

And than saynt gregory without dysdeyn

There was two aungels holdynge fast

The table cloth at euery ende

Knelynge downe humbly and stedfast

Whose seruyce no man coude amende

Other there were that dyd entende

Vs for to serue with theyr grete dylygence

That in theym founde coude be no neglygence

There dyd saynt Peter by grete holynes

Serue vs of our swete lordes body

Fyrst he serued the fader of clennes

And after that he serued her shortly

With charyte fayth and dame mercy

And I with dyscrecyon and dame sapyence

Of saynt Peter was serued with grete indulgence

So dame obedyence with contrycyon

With saynt Edwarde and virgynyte

In lyke wyse were serued without corrupcyon

And saynt Edmond with dame charyte

And saynt Ierome with dame humylyte

With saynt austyn and saynt gregory

What nede I lenger of theym specyfy

This was a fest moost swete and precyous

To fede the soule with dyuyne comfort

This was a mete moost dere and gloryous

That causeth all man for to resorte

To sempyternall lyfe and comforte

Than saynt ambrose beynge dyuyne

After our mete gafe vs good wyne

By this tyme was I .lx. yere olde

And desyred for to lyue in peace

For I began to growe two folde

And my feblenes dyde sore encreace

For nature her strength than dyd seace

Wherfore after this ghoostly fest

I thought with my wyfe to abyde in rest

And I to her sayd with louynge chere

O my swete spouse moost fayre and beauteous

To me euer ryght leyfe and dere

Where is your lande that is solacyous

Ye shewyd me of your gardeyn gloryous

Vnto whiche now fayne wolde I go

There for to dwell and you also

Syr she sayd the aungell raphaell

Shall with these martyrs & noble confessours

Brynge you thyder with theym to dwell

Where ye shall see all your progenytours

With many sayntes and gloryous auctours

This lande is heuen that to vs longeth

As our euydence the gospell telleth

Than came my fader in lawe to vs

Saynge by ryght I dyd combynd

Clennes my doughter with vertue precyous

And you must I loue by naturell kynde

For on you now is all my mynde

Afore hym I kyst my wyfe moost swetely

For we loued to gyder hote and truely

Than came my good aungell to me

Causynge me with hym for to go

With clennes my wyfe wher I dyd se

The paynes of hell full of grete wo

There was the dragon that I dyd slo

Bounde with chaynes in fyer infynall

With the seuen dedely synnes in generall

Than my good aungell to me sayd

If ye had loued dame sensualyte

The whiche with you dyd make a brayde

Ye had ben dampned by ryght and equyte

In to this pytte full of all iniquyte

Wherfore thanke god that sent you wysedome

Suche deedly perylles for to ouercome

Also the lady with the cup of golde

Is here condempned for her grete pryde

In endeles payne both hote and colde

Where in for synne she shall abyde

This is a dongeon longe and wyde

Made for theym that do synne dedely

And of cryst Ihesu wyll axe no mercy

This is a place full of all derkenes

Wherin be serpentes foull and odyous

This is a place of mortall heuynes

Where I sawe deuyles blacke and tedyous

Dampned soules turmented with hokes rygorous

This is the vppermoost parte of hell

In whiche paynyms dampned do dwell

For as moche as they lacked instruccyon

For to beleue in god omnypotent

They haue deserued the lesse correccyon

Yet theyr payne haue none extinguysshement

For they are dampned by true sentyment

For theyr byleue and fals idolatry

That made theyr goddes of mars & mercury

Than went we doune to an other vaute

Where Iewes lay in grete paynes stronge

Whome deuylles tourmented by grete assaute

Drawynge theym with hokes a longe

For theyr opynyon so fals and wronge

Whiche byleued not in the natyuyte

Of Ihesu cryst and the vyrgyn Mare

Nor yet that he dyd suffre passyon

Bothe for theym and all mankynde

Nother yet of his resurreccyon

In theyr byleue they are so blynde

Yet as in bokes wryten we do fynde

That they haue ben taught many a tyme

For to forsake theyr owne fals cryme

Than went we downe to a depper vale

Where crysten soules dyd weppe & crye

In grete sorowe payne and bale

Brennynge in fyer moost hote and drye

And some in Ice ryght depe dyd lye

For to expresse it is impossyble

The paynes there they are so horryble

These crysten men knowe goddes lawe

And euery daye had informacyon

From deuelysshe werkes theym to withdrawe

That they sholde not fall in dampnacyon

Yet wyll they not make sequestracyon

Of goddes cõmaundement but syn deedly

Therfore here are they dampned ryght wysey

And thou haddest set thy delectacyon

In flesshely pleasure and vayne glory

Thou haddest ben here without saluacyon

Without thou of god had axed mercy

Who that it axeth shall haue it truely

Yf he be contryt and do repent

That he his lyfe in yll hath spent

This place sythens it is moost heuy

Moost derke and moost ferre from lyghtnes

As philosophers afferme by astronomy

Is in the myddes of the erthe doutles

That is a place of dyssolate derkenes

Wherfore by reason it must nedes be sette

In the myddes of the erthe both longe & grette

MY good aungell by his grete vertue

Shewed me all this in a shorte space

And after hym I dyd than pursue

With my wyfe vnto the fayre place

That we came fro full of all solace

Where was my fader in the company

Of many sayntes that dyd there tary

My wyfe and me than for to brynge

To the place of eternall glory

With heuenly tewnes swetely syngynge

That theym to here it was grete melody

More than ony tonge can specyfy

This was theyr songe so swete and gloryous

That they dyd synge with voyce so vertuous

O celestyall kynge one two and thre

All people prayse the god and lorde

Whiche art in heuen o noble trynyte

Whose royall power and miserycorde

Confermed is by thyn hye accorde

On vs with trouth for to endure

Withouten ende as we are sure

Glory be to the fader almyghty

And to the sone and to the holy ghoost

Thre persones and one god truely

Whose power neuer can be loost

For he is lorde of myghtes moost

And so hath ben without begynnynge

And euer shall be without endynge

Whan we were in the ayre of asure

There dyd vs mete the noble Ierarchy

As Cherubyn and Seraphyn so pure

With other aungels in theyr company

That dyd proclayme & synge on hye

With voyce insacyat moost melodyous

To god aboue Sanctus sanctus sanctus

There dyd I se the planettes seuen

Moue in ordre by alteracyon

To merueylous for me to neuen

For they seassed not theyr operacyon

Some assended some made declynacyon

Entrynge theyr houses of the .xii. synes

Some indyrectly and some by dyrecte lynes

To heuen we styed a place moost gloryous

Where that we dyd beholde the deyte

With insaciable contenaunce moost desyrous

And truely than the more that we

Dyd loke vpon his souerayne beaute

The more our desyre dyd encreace

This is a Ioye that shall not seace

This is a regyon moost full of swetnes

This is a realme of delectacyon

This is a lande of infenyte gladnes

Without ony stormy tribulacyon

This place is of eterne saluacyon

Where aungels and sayntes for theyr solace

Euermore do loke on goddes face

What sholde I wryte thynges of dyuynyte

Or endyght of suche maters hye

Sythen it no thynge longeth to my faculte

Therfore of it I wyll not lenger tarye

For fere that I in it sholde varye

And by cause that trouth shall be my mede

I wyll now leue and take me to my crede

So vertue and clennes by good ryght

Truely in maryage ioyned must be

For they loue to gyder with all theyr myght

Without dyscencyon or duplycyte

And they both are alway in vnyte

To whome heuen by tayll generall

Entayled is by a dede memoryall

Now are they to gyder to heuen gone

There for to dwell in Ioye eternall

Where that there is the heuenly trone

Of our sauyour Ihesu deere & specyall

Who that hym loueth truely ouer all

Ledynge his lyfe with vertue and clennes

Shall come vnto the glory endeles

But in the fynysshynge of my mater

To god the maker of all thynge

Deuoutely now I make my prayer

To saufe kynge Henry our ryghtfull kynge

From all treason and dolefull mornynge

And for to maynteyn the grete honour

Of this swete rede rose so fayre a colour

This floure was kepte ryght longe in close

Amonge the leuys holsom and sote

And regally sprange and arose

Out of the noble stoke and rote

Of the rede rose tre to be our bote

After our bale sente by grete grace

On vs to reygne by ryght longe space

O lorde god what Ioye was this

Vnto his moder so good and gracyous

Whan that she sawe her sone I wys

Of his ennemys to be so vyctoryous

It caused her to be moost Ioyous

And yet there of no wonder why

For he was ryght longe from her truely

A ioyfull metynge than bytwene

The moder and the sone so dere

A daye of gladnes bryght and shene

Fressher than phebus myddaye spere

Whan her sone to vs dyd appere

He dyd vs lyght with his pure bemys

Quenchynge of mars the fyrous lemys

O heuenly kynge o eternall emperoure

O thre persons and one god equall

I praye the to kepe from all doloure

This moder with her sone in specyall

With all theyr noble buddes in generall

And laude be to the that dyd enhaunce

Hym to his ryght and propre herytaunce

The whyte rose that w^t tempestes troublous

Aualed was and eke blowen asyde

The reed rose fortyfyed and made delycyous

It pleased god for hym so to prouyde

That his redolent buddes shall not slyde

But euer encrease and be vyctoryous

Of fatall brerys whiche be contraryous

Thus god by grace dyd well combyne

The rede rose and the whyte in maryage

Beynge oned ryght clere doth shyne

In all clennes and vertuous courage

Of whose ryght and royall lynage

Prynce Henry is spronge our kynge to be

After his fader by ryght good equyte

O noble prynce Henry our seconde treasure

Surmontynge in vertue & myrour of beaute

O geme of gentylnes & lanterne of plasure

O rubycound blossome and sterre of humylyte

O famous bud full of benygnyte

I pray to god well for to encrease

Your hyghe estate in rest and pease

O thoughfull hert for lack of connynge

Now layde to slepe this longe wynters nyght

Ryse vp agayne loke on the shynynge

Of fayre lucyna clere and bryght

Beholde eke mercury with his fayre lyght

Castynge a doune his stremys mery

It may well glad thyn emyspery

O gower fountayne moost aromatyke

I the now lake for to depure

My rudnes with thy lusty retoryke

And also I mys as I am sure

My mayster Chaucers to take the cure

Of my penne for he was expert

In eloquent termes subtyll and couert

Where is now lydgate flourynge in sentence

That shold my mynde forge to endyte

After the termes of famous eloquence

And strength my penne well for to wryte

With maters fresshe of pure delyte

They can not helpe me there is no remedy

But for to praye to god almyghty

For to dystyll the dewe of influence

Vpon my brayn so dull and rude

And to enlumyn me with his sapyence

That I my rudnes may exclude

And in my mater well to conclude

Vnto thy pleasure and to the reders all

To whome I excuse me now in generall