Chapter II: Part 2

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

Capitulum .x.

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 morylyzacyon 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 perseuera[un]ce Where that he loueth by naturall kynde But he do shewe hym by wordes of vtera[un]ce 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

Capitulum .xi.

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 [thou] 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 comma[un]dement 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 [with] chastyte Thy plackarde of besynes [with] bra[un]ches 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]nde

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 c[om]fortable 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 cond[em]pned 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

[P] 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 contena[un]ce 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 slynkynge 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 contynua[un]ce 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 gouerna[un]ce Who that vs loueth without doubta[un]ce 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

Capitulum .xiii.

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 c[om]maundement 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 a[un]gels 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 perseuera[un]ce 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 c[om]maundement 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

Capitulum .xiiii

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 [with] 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

Explicit exemplum virtutis

* * * * *
* * * *
* * * * *

Errors and Irregularities

_Transposed Text_

Two groups of pages appear to have been printed out of sequence. Each involves pages from the later part of a signature, so visible page numbering is absent. It is not known whether the error is from the original printing or from the facsimile reprint.

Pages 9-11 = aa.v.(recto) - aa.vi.(recto) [unnumbered]
Pages 69-71 = ff.iii.(recto) - ff.iiii.(recto) [unnumbered]

Pages beginning:

Vnto her I answerde o lady gloryous [printed as page 11]
Be to thy kynge euer true subgete
Whan she to me had made relacyon [printed as pages 9, 10]

Whan I had scomfyte this serpent venymous [printed as page 71]
Than came dame fayth that lady gloryous [printed as page 70]
And there met me dame clennes blyue [printed as page 69]

Printed folio numbers show an unusual pattern:
aa, cc, ee: 16 pages each
gg: 12 pages
bb, dd, ff, hh: 8 pages

_Numbers_

Numbers such as .x. were usually printed without spaces.

Chapter headings for .vi. and .vii. were printed near the bottom of the page-- as main text, not catchwords-- and again at the top of the following page. This pattern was not consistently followed for all chapters that began at the top of a page.

_Typographical Errors_

Unless otherwise noted, errors were left unchanged.

Tabula Libri, cap. viii:
-maunded Discrec[on]n to lede youth to marye with clen-
Tabula Libri, cap. ix:
... dyscrecyon he dyde withstande theyr temptac[on]n and ...
[error for Discrecy[on], temptacy[on]]
[Both words occur in full-length lines of prose. When the
typesetter saw that he needed an abbreviation to make the line
fit, he may have removed the wrong letter from the words to be
abbreviated.]
Morpleus to me than made abreyd [error for Morpheus]
Tyll eolus with blastes began to rore [text reads "colus"]
Whiche dyde enquere of prudent Iosethus
[error for Iosephus? compare "setherus" below]
He sholde there b enlumyned shortely [error for be enlumyned]
And with a for wytte kepte in store
[spacing ambiguous: may be one word "aforwytte"]
With all theyr cases dyd well avarre [v letterform in original]
For I by ryght must nedys enhaunce [text reads "enhauncce"]
Whan they ben wrought in to theyr degre [text reads "beu"]
He shall knowe thynges that be dyuyne [text reads "dyuyue"]
And by whiche he hiz k[yn]ge dysteyneth [text reads "k[yn]ne"]
[there is no evident reason for using an abbreviation in this line]
[for "hiz", see below]
To man exaltynge hym to noblenesse [text reads "exaltyuge"]
The worde of god the deuyll to bl[ey]nde
[e, required by rhyme, printed above y, required by sense]
In grete wo & payne but thynke you verely ["Ingrete" without space]
Lettynge hym often of his passage [text reads "Lettyuge"]
An humble herte full of contrycon [error for contrycyon]
The merueylous dragon so gretly slynkynge
[reading may be "stynkynge", but letterforms are closer to "sl-"]
And also setherus his fragraunt breth
[error for sepherus? compare "Iosethus" above]
Who that vs loueth without doubta[un]ce
[text reads "doubtau[un]ce", probably through confusion with
preceding line where -a[un]ce abbreviation was required by line
length]
And than dame mercy with contricyon
[text unchanged, but "contrycyon" is the usual form]
For to beleue in god omnypotent [be leue]
Therfore here are they dampned ryght wysey [error for wysely]
O geme of gentylnes & lanterne of plasure [error for pleasure]

_Unusual Letter_

In four places the text has an unusual letter. It has been variously transcribed as "z" or "[gh]" (yogh) according to context, but appears to be the identical letter every time:

Nexte vnto her sate the hyghe quene Azia
And by whiche he hiz k[yn]ge dysteyneth
Though he were hardy & wyse he my[gh]t not me forbere
Accordynge to a morylyzacyon