TOrnyng & trauersynge hystoryes vnstedfaste
In Ouydes bokes of transformacyon
It was my fortune and chaunce at the laste
In ouertornyng of y
e leues to se in what fncyō
Phebus was inflamyd by inspyracyon
Of cruell cupyde to hym immercyable
Whiche of hym was worthy no commendacyon
Shewynge hymselfe alwayes deceyuable
Therfore I wolde gladly yf I were able
The maner playnly and in fewe wordes dysclose
How phebus and cupyd togyer were compenable
Fyrst it to shewe I wyll me dyspose
¶ Phebus set on pryde and hault in corage
Spake these wordes of grete audacyte
Cupyde thou boy of yonge and tender aege
How mayst thou be
[...]o bolde to compare with me
These arowes becomes me as thou mayst clerely se
Wherwith I maye wounde bothe man and beste
And for that at all creatures be subgect to the
So moche is thy power lesse than myn at eche feste
Well well sayd cupyde it lyketh you to geste
This sayd / he assended to the mount pernassus
On the hyght his armes shortly abrode he keste
And sayd I trust I shall this in haste dyscusse.
For a profe he toke forth of his arowy quyuer
A golden darte with loue ryght penytrable
Made sharpe at the poynt that it myght enter
With it he stroke phebus with a stroke ryght lamentable
It to resyste he was weyke and vnable
The stroke of his power who can or may resyste
[Page]But he must obey / and to loue be agreable
Cōstreyned by cupyde whiche may stryke whome he lyst
Another darte he toke soone in his fyste
Contrary to thoder ledyn blont and heuy
With this he stroke Phebus loue or she wyste
So that the more he desyred the more she dyd deny
¶ Her name was Daphnys whiche deuoyde of loue
By dame saunce mercy whiche made hym to complayne
Cupyde in sondry wyse his power dyde proue
On thone with loue on thoder with dysdayne
Thone dyd fle thoder wolde optayne
Thone was gladde thoder was in wo
Thone was pencyfe and oppressed with payne
Thoder in Ioye cared not thoughe it were so
By fere and dysdayne she dyd hym ouergo
Lyke to an hare she ranne in haste
He folowed lyke a grehounde desyre wrought hym wo
But all was in vayne his labour was but waste.
The nyght drewe nye the daye was at a syde
My herte was heuy I moche desyred rest
Whan without confort alone I dyd abyde
Seynge the shadowes fall frome the hylles in the west
Eche byrde vnder boughe drewe nye to theyr nest
The chymneys frome ferre began to smoke
Eche housholder went about to lodge his gest
The storke ferynge stormes toke the chymney for a cloke
Eche chambre and chyst were soone put vnder locke
Curfew was ronge lyghtes were set vp in haste
They that were without for lodgynge soone dyd knocke
Which were playne p̄cedentes y
e daye was clerely paste
¶ Thus a slepe I fell by a sodayne chaunce
Whan I lacked lyght alone without conforte
My sore study with slouthe dyde me enhaunce
Myn eyes were heuy my tonge without dysporte
Caused many fantasyes to me to resorte
My herte was moche musynge my mynde was varyaūt
So I was troubled with this vngracyous sorte
That my herte & mynde to slouthe shortely dyde graunt
Aboute the whiche whyles I was attendaunt
Sodaynly came Morpheus & at a brayde
Not affrayd but lyke a man ryght valyaunt
Couragyously to me these wordes he sayde.
¶ Morpheus.
¶ Well knowen it is and noysed for a trothe
Thoughe ꝑchaūce it hath not attayned yet to your audyence
How Desyre in mynde hath made a solempne othe
Beaute to serue without resistence
So to contynue he doeth ryght well prepence
Durynge his lyfe with loue stedfast and sure
In parfyte loue to kepe one contynuaunce
It is his mynde to do her suche pleasure.
¶ On faruent loue he set holy his mynde
Loue is his pleasure yet loue putteth hym to payne
Moche rule I ensure you hath nature and kynde
In hym as is possyble in one to remayne
He wolde fayne haue release and dare not yet complayne
Howbeit to suche a poynte he is now brought
That eyther to shewe his mynde he must shortly be fayne
Or elles his Ioye is clerely solde and bought.
¶ For the whiche it is done me to vnderstande
[Page]That he wyll shortly now expresse his entent
And this they saye he wyll take on hande
To go to her presence wherfore be dylygent
And walke with me and be obedyent
And I shall soone knowe how he shall spede
I must of duety holde me content
So ye supporte me alwaye whan I haue nede
¶ The mountayne of courage
¶ This sayd sodaynly by a chaunce repentyne
I was ascendynge a goodly mountayne
About the whiche y
e sonne ouer eche syde dyd shyne
Wherof the coulour made my herte ryght fayne
To se the golden valeyes bothe fayre and playne
But whan I to the toppe was nye auaunced
None of my Ioyntes coude togyder contayne
For Ioye my herte leped and my body daunced.
¶ What call ye this hyll I pray you tell
This is the mountayne of lusty courage
This hath ben inhabyted of many a rebell
As vnkyndnes / enmyte / dysdayne / and dotage
But now they be dystroyed by marcy all apparage
So that now adayes here dwelleth none
yet dysdayne hath goten a more stately auauntage
For in the castell of pleasure she troubles many one.
¶ Now goodly Iustes here on they excersyse
By thactyfnes of many a champyon
And these well gargaled galeryes they dyd deuyse
To thentente that ladyes myght haue prospeccyon
And to suche as were worthy graunte loue & affeccyon
And also whan theyr lust were theyr courage to vse
[Page]To daunce amonges them they toke a dyreccyon
As they myght well and not them selfe abuse
¶ Whan I aduerted of these galeryes y
• quadrāt facyon
The meruaylous mountayne so well made playne
Me thought that syth the incarnacyon
Was neuer seen a more goodly mountayne
For Ioye my herte leped I was so fayne
Of it I was so ioyous and so well appade
I coude in no wyse my mynde refrayne
To suche tyme this as prayse of it I made
O puyssaunt courage chefe cause of conforte
Thou mayst well be nye the castell of pleasure
O hyll thupholder of all doughty dysporte
Of marcyall manhode thou arte the treasure
Out of thy bankes is goten the bre
That causeth the pastymes of parfyte prowes
O mountayne god graunt the longe to endure
Syth thou arte lanterne of lastynge lustynes.
¶ So forth we walked on that goodly hyll
To that we came to the bankes syde
To se the fayre castell than we stode styll
And to se the rennynge ryuer there we dyde abyde
To haue a lowe water we taryed the tyde
The name of this water then thus he dyd expresse
To dystroye chaungeable & peple oppressed w
t pryde
They call this water the lauer of lowlynes
On the stones of stedfastnes rennes this water clere
To ouercome folkes chaūgeable & proude of herte & mȳde
[Page]Suche men shall be put in ryght grete daunger
For than swelleth the water contrary to his kynde
So that they can not the steppynge stone fynde
By the meane wherof they be troubled so sore
With the wylde wawes wauerynge with the wynde
That for lacke of helpe they are ryght soone forlore.
¶ But blessed be god we came in good season
Well passe this same I trust we shall in haste
Be not flowyshe but arme you with reason
How ye shall gete ouer in mynde afore well caste
To be to forwarde ye may soone make waste
So forth we wente in pacyent humylyte
And whan I this water was well past
I loked backe and sayd this in breuyte.
O lowly lauer slydynge ouer the stones of stedfastnes
O ryall ryuer whiche proueth perfytely
All proude people that delytes in doublenes
Thou drownest them in thy stremys ryght shortly
Thou hast a more praysable proprety
Then euer had the well of helycon
The mother of mekenes conserue the perpetually
Syth thou arte the mother water of vertues many one
¶ So whan I towarde the castell dyrected my loke
Whiche then was not from me a full stones caste
I remembred that I had redde in many a boke
That in this place of plesure were many a stormy blast
Notwithstondynge I thought all perylles had be past
Whan I sawe of this castell the royall gates
Yet afore I knewe that pleasour coude not last
[Page]There as dysdayne is in fauour with estates
¶ This royall castell was on eche syde quadraunt
Gargaled with goodly grehoundes & beestes many one
The tyrannous tygre the stronge & myghty elephaunt
With a castell on his backe whiche he bare alone
The lyons syry eyes with rubyes there shone
The golden grephyn with clees of asure
The vnycorne alowe with a rufull mone
Stode there as desolate of lyuely creature.
¶ The walles were allectynge of adamantes
The wyndowes of crystall were well fortyfyed
And as I was lokynge on these elyphauntes
On the gates two scryptures I aspyed
Them for to rede my mynde than I applyed
Wryten in golde and yndye blewe for folkes furtheraūce
They betoken two wayes as after well I tryed
These scryptures as I remembre thꝰ sowned i substaūce
¶ Who as in to this place wyll take his entrynge
Must of these wayes haue fre eleccyon
yf he lyst be lusty lepe daunce and synge
Or yf in worldly welthe he set his affeccyon
In honour ryches or prosperous inuencyon
He shall be conueyed yf he wyll so ensewe
Elles to the scrypture vnderneth let hym gyue intencyon
whiche is set out in letters of yndye blewe.
¶ Who so doeth sette his pleasure and delyte
His faruent herte to conioyne stedfastly
On the loue of Beaute a blossom ryght wyte
[Page]Or on ony of her ladyes let hym ententyfely
Be content his mynde and courage to apply
To suche as to conduyt all folkes lyeth in wayte
For none can without theyr leue passe them by
Nor yet attayne to beautes hygh estate
This sayd my mynde mused gretely
Whiche of these wayes I was best to take
Wherby I called to remembraunce shortly
How Hercules of aege but tendre and wake
New at yeres of dyscresyon his mynde sore brake
whā he sawe two wayes y
e one of
vtue y
e other of pleasure
And of the nyght it caused hym ryght ofte to wake
By cause he knewe not the waye of pefyte measure.
Yet suche was his fortune ryght happy was his chaūce
Whiche toke the waye so moche praysable
This to pleasure and welthe doeth men auaunce
This other doeth enduce one to be amyable
I am hereby moche troubled my mynde is vnstable
what remedy shall I fynde to make my mynde stedfast
I wyll endeuer me to reason to be conformable
All my wyttes serched I trust it so to caste
¶ This golden scrypture is ryght moche pleasaunte
And hath dampned the eyes of men many one
I am sore troubled to whiche waye sholde I graunte
Syth I am now here in maner as man alone
This loue lasteth whan all ryches is gone
Therfore I thynke it best with it to be content
Consyderynge that fewe theyr mysfortune wyll mone
That haue mo faces than hertes as dayly is euydent.
¶ My mynde thus establysshed I was about to prayse
This palays precyous and castell ryght confortable
Whan I had chosen the surest of these wayes
So than I was brought on an euyn table
For to go to beautye I was than agreable
And the rather bycause of morpheus desyre
Whiche sayd that to hym company was deceyuable
This castell then thus praysed I enflamed w
t loues fyre
¶ O precyous palays of pryncely pulchrytude
Walled with admantes whiche draweth by vyolence
Accordynge to thy power and thy stones fortitude
All thynges of yron / so this castell by influence
Draweth to hym hertes as I sawe & dyd prepence
Therfore o castell Iesu the preserue
Lest by some pery we myght be dryuen hens
For durynge lyfe and helthe I entende the to obserue.
¶ Whan I was entred in to this ryall place
Confort me welcomed with an herty semblaunce
Sayenge what wolde ye that ye came to his place
Come forwarde and be not afrayd your selfe to auaunce
To speke with desyre I dyd me hyder enhaunce
She sayd desyre is but a lytle past
I shall you to hym brynge yf ye haue good vtteraunce
I trust ye shall by my good helpe to se hym in hast.
So forthe we walked within this base courte grene
Ye shall se here she sayd many goodly pastymes
Ye shall haue suche Ioye as ofte hath not be sene
[...]utynge dauncynge balades and rymes
[...]gynge pypynge ye shall se at sondry tymes
[Page]All maner of gamynge ye shall se excercysed
And vpon all quarelles troubles and crymes
Ryght solempne Iustes be here oft enterprysed
But what way wyll ye take I had forgot all this whyle
Whether wyll ye to the hall or to beaute now expresse
For here the wayes partes I wos lyke you to begyle
In Beautyes presence I wolde fayne be doubteles
Athen ye must be conueyd by my syster kyndnes
In dede syr I had lyke to haue serued you gently
But se where she goeth let vs make shorte our processe
For to her presence brynge you now wyll I
¶ Good syster kyndnes I praye yon conuey
This gentylman whiche sayth wolde speke with desyre
At your request I can not saye hym naye
Yf it were in me to gyue hym an hole empyre
But is he I praye you enflamed with loues fyre
That after desyre he goeth so fast appace
Tusshe this mater spede I hertly you requyre
And I shall tell you that in an other place.
¶ Well good ynoughe go ye aboute your besynes
Syr for comforte sake ye be ryght hertly welcome
Then conforte to the gate dyd her redresse
For sorowe wherof I was in maner dumme
I was so mased yet whan my mynde was come
I thanked her in my hartyest maner possyble
Besechynge god to sende her suche a some
As myght recompense double and tryble.
¶ What moeued you to come in to these partyes
[Page]And I praye you by whome were ye hyther brought
That ye haue passed so well the Ieoperdyes
By the meane of Morpheus as now I hyther sought
For I wolde haue entred in though dere I hadit bought
One cause was fantasy I can not it denye
Syr hyder be ye welcome as hertely as can be thought
And I trust in haste ye shall se fantasy
¶ This sayd I was nye the gardyn of affeccyon
Whiche apperyd to my syght bothe gay and gloryous
Enuyronde with emyraudes to it a free proteccyon
The pereynge dyamonde the amatiste amorous
The stedfast Saphyr the blew turkes ryght precyous
With many other stones I lacke cōnynge them to shewe
Me thought it a new paradyse delycate and delycyous
It shone so fresshly and bare so grete auewe.
¶ But where is Morpheus I merueyle y
t I hym lacke
He was here with me not very longe agone
By that I had this sayd I sodenly loked backe
I sawe hym and an other stande talkynge alone
I praye you who is this I haue not seen suche one
It is fantasy to ye maye se that folkes of a quayntaunce
Where soeuer they mete the one wyll other mone
As these two do now without varyaunce.
¶ Kyndnes than steppeth forth w
t a mery coūtynaunce
Sayd syster fantasy why talke ye with this man
Ye had nede be wyse lest there happen suche chaunce
As I fere not but well ynough ye can
Well well sayd fantasy why do ye fere me than
But syster fantasy ye must let this man entre your warde
[Page]To speke with desyre for his colour is pale and wanne
Therfore to his retourne good syster be his sauegarde
¶ Ye fere ye not but I wyll hym well hede
Ye wolde be gone well do and kepe your charge
Lest there be some that of your helpe hath nede
For there is many one y
t wolde gyue mony ryght large
To haue you at theyr pleasure alway in theyr barge
That I well knowe and yet they get me not
And as ye sayd vnto me hede your owne charge
Thus fare ye well and regarde your chaunce and lot
¶ Kyndnes departed yet her power was present
Awaye with fantasy enclosed in her herte
Than fantasy in at the gate dyd sprent
I leped in after and sodaynly dyd sterte
Whan I sawe me enclosed about with a couerte
Set full of myrt trees the apple tre appered playne
Of pyramus and Thysbe dystroyed by loues darte
Whiche made me ofte to wysshe that I were out agayne
¶ Alas quod I what sodayne aduenture
I se this worlde is but vncertayne
I was late Ioyus as euer was creature
And now I foly
[...]shly haue locked me in loues chayne
I wene I be ī laborinthꝰ where my notaurꝰ dyd remayne
A blynde Cupyde is this thy guerdon
Makest thou folkes blynde doest thou so entertayne
Suche louers as sewe to the for theyr padon.
¶ I had forgeten the proces of alayne
I nothynge regarded the verses of vyrgyll
[Page]Whiche sayth to hyde colours is but vayne
The worst colour ofte taken the fayrer abydes styll
For these that be fayr ofte chaunge theyr wyll
Al thynges as they shewe is not in substaunce
Whiche I perceyued now hath done me moche yll
That thus frome the shewe hath grete varyaunce
What moued hath your mynde why morne ye thus alone
Haue ye lost ony frende or ony other thynge
Nay thabsens of conforte ryght sore I mone
Whiche sayd I sholde here folkes bothe lute & synge
Thus she tolde me at our last partynge
And I can not se what waye that sholde ensewe
For but yf ye suche pastymes to me brynge
To all my Ioye I maye well saye adewe.
¶ Doubte ye not but ye shall se thynges pleasaunte
If ye wyll be content to for bere a lytell space
For conforte about no man contynually is attendaūte
None erthly creature shall styll stande in her grace
Ioye reconcyled after angre she foloweth apace
After a grete pery the wether semeth more clere
There is no man that hath ben in wofull case
But after that prosperyte is to hym more dere.
¶ None erthly pleasure maye be atteyned w
tout payne
Recorde the story in the tenth boke of Ouyde
Rehersed by Uenus to make Adonis of her fayne
Now atalante sore set on pryde
Out ranne all folkes she wolde none abyde
They y
t coude out renne her sholde haue her in maryage
They y
t coude not were slayne none spared nor set a syde
[Page]This loue was made egall to that anauntage
¶ Many coragyous wowers dyd assaye this Ieoperdy
But all were dystroyed she dyd them ouer go
yet as hyppomētes sawe her moster pulde doune thē by & by
He sayd I blamed these wrōge I knewe not y
• rewarde so
As I do now / whiche workes to me moche wo
My fortune vnprouyded shall neuer be lefte alone
God alwayes helpeth bolde men and fortune also
I se therby promoted men many one
¶ So venus perceyuynge the feruent stedfastnesse
Of this true louer lothe that he sholde be loste
Put in his mynde as Ouyde doeth expresse
To take two golden apples or thre at the mooste
To throwe downe one of them she taught hȳ suche a toste
Whan he ranne ayenst his lady y
t she myght it take
So whā at sōdry times he had throwē doune all his coste
He out ranne her & gate her to be his worldly make
¶ Suche was his fortune by his grete boldnes
Thoughe it were to his payne yet it gate hym pleasure
For Uenus in conclusyon doeth bolde louers redres
As ye may se dayly in vre
This sayd we were in a gardyn ryght pure
Depaynted with blossomes of sondry odoures
Lo quod she how saye ye haue ye not now pleasure
To walke & knowe y
e propertes of these goodly floures
¶ Pryncypally the prymrose aboue floures all
With foure leues / and the roses these be moste in value
Clicia was chaūged ī to a marygold which is a memoryal
[Page]Of her louer the sonne for she doeth hym ensue
At rysynge at settynge amonge the droppes of dewe
Narcissus was chaunged in to a water cresse
Hiachynthus in to a floure delyse as ouyde doeth shewe
Rehersynge of the same floures many a propre proces.
This som thinge pulles vp my herte & encreseth my ꝯfort
Wherfore I wyll applye to you with due dylygence
Lo se here be all the floures of loue and dysporte
I had almoost forgote my selfe it were tyme I were hens
I wyll go and now present you to eloquence
Whiche is here by at the well of helycon
Me thynke I se her therfore as I prepence
Best is to present you now whan she is alone
¶ O famous floure O lady eloquence
Pleseth you to take with you this gentylman
So that ye may haue suche preemynence
As to hym in no wyse shewe I can
I holde me well content but there is a man
Named desyre whiche wolde speke with my lady
There aboute I go / well good ynoughe than
That ye haue put it of so longe meruell haue I
¶ Than she talked to me of blysses
Tellynge me that he was a man ryght eloquent
Than to lene at the herbar where Beaute sat at ese
It pleased eloquence / yet the bowes were so bent
That we coude not se thrugh / yet fantasy was present
As we well herde by her communycacyon
And shewynge the maner of desyres entent
She ordered her wordes moche after this facyon.
¶ Fantasy.
¶ O well of womanhede to vs lady and maystres
Pleaseth your hyghnes of your aboundaunt grace
To knowe how Desyre in ryght grete heuynes
Requyred me to moeue you whan I had space
That he myght speke w
t you & to appoynt tyme & place
Whan he myght a wayte on you & gyue you attendaunce
To shewe you all his grefe and in what wofull case
He doeth endure without dyssemblaunce.
¶ Beaute.
¶ Ye knowe well fantasy I am nothynge accompanyed
Lyke as I wolde be whan he shall attayne my presence
Therfore as best is let this be applyed
Go ye and call hyther your syster credence
Let eloquence be nyghe lest there happeth some offence
For it is mete they be nyghe at this grete besynes
Quod dysdayne it is mete my lady haue preemynens
Lyke as becometh her estate and noblenes
¶ Forth went fantasy to do her message
Desyre thought he taryed very longe
And sore he was moeued with faruent corage
He thought he wold Ieoꝑde though it sholde happē wrōg
And in his grete trouble he called fantasye amonge
Saynge ye forgete ye hede not my grete payne
Yf som chaūce haue happed her I may sȳge a woful song
Or elles I fere me she be let by dysdayne.
Betwene hope and drede thus troubled ryght
He stepte forth with a solempne semblaunce
Thoughe I neuer attayne her I wyl thꝰ endure no more
So than forwardes he dyd hym selfe auaunce
Lo quod dysdayne se ye this sodayne chaunce
[Page]Here is desyre what sodeyn smoke caused this
Drawe y
• trauers quod Beaute let vs here this vtteraūce
He entred and kneled downe & spake nothynge amysse
¶ The supplycacyon made by desyre to Beaute.
¶ O excellent empresse whiche guydeth in your guardon
This goodly gardyn of amyable affeccyon
Whiche also graunteth to true louers pardon
All obstynate people ye subdue to correccyon
It is also in your power and eleccyon
Louers to redres vnder Uenꝰ ye haue moste power
By you they must be ordered after your dyreccyon
Whiche in your gardyn sholde gader ony floure.
¶ Pleaseth your hyghnes to gyue hede and intent
To this expressynge of my wofull payne
Late to slepe whan I was dylygent
To me there happed a grete cause to complayne
None erthly conforte coude in me remayne
Cupyde had bewrapped myne herte so sore
To serche meane to slepe it was but vayne
I was neuer so troubled syth that tyme nor before.
¶ To me there came as I well perceyued
Late sent from Cupyde a golden darte ryght hote
Whiche perced me so sore whan I it fyrst receyued
That neyther salues nor surgyens coude helpe nor be my bote
They durst not serche y
e wounde it laye at myn herte rote
And for that there was but one that coude it remedy
It pleased me not than to go to here a mote
But ofte on Cupyde it caused me out to crye.
¶ It was your loue whiche was cause of all this
I can not denye it but shewe it in wordes playne
I durst to none erthy shewe my woo as it is
To ouercome this feruent loue I dyde my besy payne
But when I sawe it auyled not than I was fayne
To labour for socour then I thought it best
But yfones grace be shewed none can sure helth obteyne
Thefore trustynge on pyte of this poynt I dyde rest.
¶ Wherfore o lady preelecte pryncesse
On all louers hauynge the soueraynty
I hertely beseche you my wo to redresse
The cause consydered of my grete ieoperdy
I trust ye nether wyll ne can this my request deny
For I haue founde suche grace in your eyes or this
That yf all the peryll in the worlde sholde on it ly
I coude not forbere but tell you as it is.
¶ No worldly ryches to you I can promyse
Moste I can saye is that ye shall be my moste conforte
But god which to al folkes after theyr merites can deuyse
Rewarde or punishement moste egally he doeth sorte
He is the lorde of pyte Iusques a la mort
Gyue you rewarde and preserue you at all houres
Of perfyte loue he bereth a pryncy porte
And to encrease my Ioye I aske no more but yours
¶ Dysdayne
A proude presumptuous ꝑsone goeth neuer w
tout offence
ye haue well acquyted you now ye haue tolde this tale
It came of a hyghe wyt yf ye well prepence
Within her owne gardyn my lady to assaylle
Without her lycence it lyked you to rayle
[Page]On cruell Cupyde your pryde wyll haue a fall
I trust to se you gladde your bonet to auayle
And amonge the waykest be put backe to the wall
Lyke as a sodayn rebuke moche greueth ones herte
Whiche late hath begonne to be aduenturous
So this caused desyre sore astonyed to sterte
Sayenge I haue attempted a thyng ryght Ieopardous
To attayne the presence of my lady moste beautyus
I can make none answere nor vtterly denye
That but I haue presumed on a loue precyous
It in this case I blame but hope and fantasy
¶ I knowe no remedy what is best to be done
But yf pyte with this pryncesse be present
I may aswell elles go muse about the mone
As hyther to come to shewe myn intent
As longe as dysdayne contynueth yll content
Wherfore for pyte I hertly call and crye
That she were with beaute me thynke it expedyent
To dysdayne in open audyence then spake pyte
¶ Pyte.
¶ what moeueth you dysdayne this man this to reproue
Whiche I am sure came in none yll entent
But to expresse and represse his mynde & faruent loue
Hath he ony vngoodly wordes i my ladyes presence spent
I perceyue no pryde in hym me thynketh hym dylygent
And yf ye haue ony cause in hym now speke
Yf not▪ I assure you I can not be content
That w
t vnsyttynge wordes ye shold his herte thus breke
Dysdayne.
Fayre maystres I made not these wordes on my fyngers
[Page]Wene ye I wolde speke them & haue no grounde wheron
But fyrst I wyll say I shrewe his fyrst bryngers
In y
e parlour w
tout the gate he myght haue stand alone
But I wyll tell you my causes syth ye be suche one
As must haue accomptes / nay therof ye shall pardon me
I wyll seke for an other whiche shall my trubles mone
I wyll fyrst knowe your rule / what wote ye where ye be
¶ Pyte.
¶ Ye well ynoughe it semeth better then you
Except to reason ye be more conformable
It is my ladyes power our reasons to allowe
I take no suche thnge on me I knowe I am not able
I haue neyther power ne cōmaūdemēt but as is agreable
To my ladyes pleasure but by reasons to make argumēt
That suche reasons well weyed my mynde may be stable
And by contraryous reasons to serche out his true entent
¶ Dysdayne.
¶ I am cōtent to put my cause in to my ladyes handes
As it shall please her I must holde me content
But I owe you no seruyce I holde of you no landes
To shewe you my cause afore my lady I consent
Let her ordre me as she shall thynke conuenyent
Why sholde he come without leue to her presence
Answere to this as ye thynke expedyent
Me thynke to my lady he hath done a grete offence.
¶ Pyte
¶ The cause consydered I trust ye wyll saye
That whan he came hyther he mynded no dyspleasure
As to warde my lady he came for the next waye
And as in his wordes he hath ordred hym by measure
He neyther sought hyther for golde ne treasure
But cupyde constrayned his courage to make more haste
[Page]And but yf ye fynde some other cause then this I am sure
For this my lady wyll not hym out of her fauoure caste
¶ Dysdayne.
¶ Forther he hath made a grete exclamacyon
Complaynynge on cupyde callynge hym cause of his wo
Saynge in this wyse or moche after this facyon
The golden darte of Cupyde constreyneth melo
I can not se by what meane it sholde be so
Sayenge he desyreth my lady it to redresse
For than he sholde haue sought to Uenꝰ as many one do
And haue made his complaynt to that excellent goddesse
¶ Pyte.
¶ And yf ye well consyder he is worthy more prayse
That he to my lady made his supplycacyon
Than yf he had compassed her by more crafty wayes
It cometh of a good courage & he is worthy ꝯmendacyon
That he dare speke and trust to haue no replycacyon
Agayne his mynde feruent loue was cause of this
The whiche in hym had so grete operacyon
To make hym tell the trouth were it well or amysse.
¶ Dysdayne.
Wene ye he be so feruente nay I waraūt you he shall lyue
Yf neuer more trouble came to his herte
Wene ye without cause he wolde to her loue gyue
Not knowynge her mynde to make hym so to smerte
He can well ynoughe fayne loue Ouyde layde aparte
De arte amandi whiche techeth one to loue
Or els the squyer of venꝰ dyd hym in the euenynge starte
And so to cast his fantasy hym sodaynly dyd moeue
¶ Pyte.
¶ Nay his colour dyscryueth of loue the feruent fyre
He is not crystened that can suche countynaunce fayne
[Page]Iupyter whiche had subdued many to his empyre
As sodaynly with loue Cupyde dyd hym retayne
And whan he to danaes in a golden shoure dyde cōplayne
His grefe consydered and well knowen for a trothe
She graunted hym loue and caused hym to remayne
What wyll ye haue forther than sure promyse and othe
¶ Dysdayne.
¶ As for promyse and othe I lytell them regarde
For as it is sayd wordes is nothynge but wynde
Was not parys false of promyse and harde
Whan to Enone he was so vnkynde
Whiche by a solempne othe to her dyd hym bynde
That he wolde mary her in all goodly haste
But whan the golden apple. iij. goddesses dyd fynde
His Iugement fulfylled his wordes proued but waste
¶ Pyte.
¶ He was enflamed but by aduenture
His pouerte made hym content his mynde to expresse
yet whan of his Iugement he had theffect & pleasure
None of his dedes accorded shortly nor in processe
But the dedes of Desyre folowed doubtles
For accordynge to his wordes he made grete labour
Hertely requyrynge my lady hym to redresse
Promysynge her the vtterest of his lytle power.
¶ Dysdayne.
¶ Perchaunce that was more for ryches than for loue
Or bycause of her grete parentage he dyd to her sewe
So many one hath done as by experyence I can proue
Whiche appereth so euedently y
t I nede no exēples shewe
Mo laboreth for lucre whan a thynge is fallen newe
Than by feruent loue to attayne hault noblenes
Whiche causeth oft ladyes in heuy case to rewe
[Page]And be more ware to whome they theyr myndes expresse
¶ Pyte.
Thoughe many one haue so done can ye thynke in your reason
That desyre so entendyd whan he hyther came
Consyder it well and ye wyll thynke at this season
It was faruent courage that brought hym to his blame
Whiche had suche power in hym y
t he lesse fered shame
Where as yf he had sued for ryches he wolde not so haue done
As ye may vnderstande & yf ye regarde his name
Ye wyll saye that pure loue was cause of it alone.
Dysdayne.
Admytte it was for loue yet many are chaungeable
Thoughe longe it hath contynued in approued kyndenes
Was not Iason to Medea longe agreable
yet after it chaunged he refused her in proces
What cruell herte had he whiche for her gentylnes
In none other wyse dyd her recompence
He regarded neyther kynred nor noblenes
This well consydered who wolde to theym gyue credence
¶ Pyte.
¶ ye may not blame all thoughe some be chaungeable
I can tell you hystoryes of louers ryght stedfast
Pyramus and Thysbe contynued very stable
As longe as lyfe dyd in theyr bodyes last
Whan thone was deed thoder to deth dyd haste
Loue surely conioyned is a grete pleasure
Than why sholde ye all louers out of fauour cast
Syth Thysbe of Pyramus had so grete a treasure
¶ Dysdayne.
¶ All these hystoryes are not profe suffycyent
Syth hystoryes of bothe partes are ryght notable
Therfore with these reasons I wyll not be content
[Page]But I wyll you put a questyon good and reportable
Whether loue comynge by effeccyon be more durable
Or loue comȳge by ꝯdicyons heron shall be our argument
Me thynke loue comynge by ꝯdycyons is lesse varyable
How thynke ye now speke shewe your mynde & entent
¶ Pyte.
¶ Me thynke contrary and for this reason
That loue comynge by effeccyō shold endure a lēger space
Loue is a comoynynge of two hertes for a season
Thoughe perauenture they cōtynue not longe in a place
Yet in theyr absence suche loue encreaseth a pace
where as yf it came by condycyous it coude not reuyue
But yf so were they myght be in suche case
That they myght contynue togyder all theyr lyue.
¶ Dysdayne
¶ yes the remembraūce therof remayneth in memory
And contynueth longe to theyr grete conforte
In what frendely maner and how gentylly
His loue to hym dyd at sondry tymes resorte
Fyndyge with hym goodly pastymes and dysporte
Hauynge no lust frome hym to dysseuer
Me thynke of suche as are of this sorte
Loue sholde contynue and last for euer.
¶ Pyte
¶ More surely enprynted is and conioyned stedfastly
The loue by effeccyon entreth the herte more depe
Than of the other for they rest quyetly
where thoder oftymes breketh many a slepe
It is so penytrable and so subtylly doeth crepe
Upon a man whiche maketh it so stable
Where in thoder yf one suche corne dyd repe
He wolde to her be aswell agreable.
¶ Dysdayne.
[Page]
¶ Perauenture he thynkes suche condycyons be in none
As in his loue so substancy all and stedfast
He weneth she be incomperable a lone
So y
t all worldly stormes can not blowe downe his mast
Not Eolus yf he came with his moost stormy blast
Nor thesyphone coude cause betwene theym dyscorde
So durably he trustes that loue wyll last
He weneth that Cupyde be so contynuall a lorde
¶ Pyte.
¶ Consyder the grounde and than it dyscus
Where the grounde fayleth can be no suraunce
Cessante causa cessat et effectus
Take awaye the condycyons where is the remēbraunce
All is clene gone but where affeccyon doeth enhaunce
There is no chaunge but loue perpetuall
No dyspleasure can dyspoynt theyr desyred dalyaunce
But be entred in the boke of fame to be memoryall
¶ Thauctour.
Dysdayne to speke was very desyrous
Had not credence interrupted his language
Whiche made suche haste to her lady amerrous
That somthynge she poynted because of her vyage
For the whiche she lyke a woman ryght sage
Made a pause and spake in wordes compendyous
And tellynge she was comen accordynge to her message
And in this wyse she spake in wordes effectuous
¶ Credence.
¶ It pleaseth your grace of your beneuolence
To dyrect to me by fantasy your letters myssyue
Wherby I consydered and ryght well dyd prepence
That I without contradyccyon excuse or stryfe
[Page]Sholde resorte to your presence syth I durynge my lyue
Am boūde to your ꝯmaundemēt yet haue I done offence
But I dyd it for this entent elles me from lyfe depryue
That me thought it not mete to gyue hasty eredence
¶ Beaute.
¶ I repute no blame in you ye came in good season
ye haue well aspyed your tyme I holde me content
your excuse I allowe it is grounded on reason
Here hath ben moche besynes syth ye hens went
Now I wyll declare my pleasure syth ye be present
As touchynge desyre after whose supplycacyon
Betwene Pyte & Dysdayne hath ben a sore argument
Tyll ye interrupted theyr cōmunycacyon
¶ Pyte and dysdayne gyue ye good audyence
And ye desyre take this for an answere
Syth now is comyn tome credence
I wyll no lenge make delay nor defarre
But I cōmaunde you two to cese your plees and warre
And you desyre I wyll to my fauour take
Syth me to please aduenture so well ye darre
I were to blame yf I sholde you forsake
¶ Forther I wyll that ye enioye and procede
The moost parte of this gardyn of affeccyon
yf ye lacke ony thynge ye shall haue it at nede
And for the tender zele amyte and dyleccyon
That I haue to you ye shall haue proteccyon
Ouer me and myn durynge my mortall lyfe
I wyll moreouer be subdued to your correccyon
yf it lyke you to mary me & haue me to your wyfe
¶ Thauctour.
¶ O noble wordes ioyous and confortable
Prudence propre pastyme pleasure and prouysyon
In this good lady were ryght notable
From dotage dysdayne daunger and derysyon
I wene she was preserued by some vysyon
For the whiche desyre of good and herty mynde
Spake these wordes without mysprysyon
His mynde expressynge by wordes propre and kynde
¶ Desyre.
¶ Oprecyous pryncesse of preelecte pulcrytude
I can not compasse your compassyble kyndnes
Whan it hath pleased your benygnyte & gratytude
That I myght entre your gardyn my mynde to expres
I am of no suche abylyte as ye make me doubtles
But syth ye haue enhabled me of your benygnyte
God rewarde you y
t it hathe pleased you to enhaunce my dygnyte.
¶ The eternall god rewarde you accordyngly
yf ony of his powers regarde folkes petyouse
yf Iustyce be in ony place acquyted duely
O what worlde brought forth your body delycyouse
What parentes gate suche one to be so amerouse
your coūtenaūce doeth reioyse me & encreseth my myrthe
your vertue proueth your parentage to be of noble byrthe
¶ As longe as y
e flodes renne with water vyolent
As longe as shadowes shall about hylles appere
And whyle there shall be ony sterres in the fyrmament
So longe shall your loue my herte and body stere
your honour and name shall be expressed without fere
Syth ye be not varyaunt but stedrast and substancyall
Therfore god you acquyte with Ioye perpetuall.
¶ Thauctour.
[Page]
¶ This sayd he was auaūced by cōmaūdemēt of beaute
To her owne sete the chayre of preemynence
Where as dysdayne was so enuyouse and angre
That she fared as one without intellygence
Saynge I wyll nolenger tary I wyll go hens
Syth that as soone is auaunced aman of yesterdaye
Hauynge no good property as one that without offence
Hath contynued from yonge aege in seruyce alway.
¶ Than she torned her backe full skornfully
And towarde the gates she hyed a hasty pace
And from thens she was conueyd by fantasy
To that she was clene without the palace
Than pyte sayd what sory grace
Where is dysdayne is she gone without leue
For sothe that were a very heuy case
yet I trust it sholde not many folkes greue.
¶ Noyse rumour and fame went shortly all abrode
Within the garden that dysdayne was clerely gone
whiche caused many louers that made longe abode
To complayne to theyr ladyes they went all alone
They fered than nothynge but made theyr mone
And sone were sped and went out at the gate
where as afore there coude not haue passed one
Fantasy stode alwaye so contynuall thereat.
¶ whiche lyberty encreased amonge them suche Ioyes
That me thought I herde y
e sownynge of many an instrument
Whiche grete tryumphe & penytrable noyse
Caused Morpheus to vanysshe incontynent
[Page]Because it was not necessary he sholde be present
But auoyde from thens where is noyse and company
Whan he was gone I waked and sodaynly dyd sprent
So astonyed I knewe not where I was perfytely.
¶ Morpheus vanysshed thauctour speketh in ths wyse
¶ The daye was comyn and kest a dymme lyght
The sonne vnder clowdes by weder tempestyouse
Orryble thonder & lyghtnynge sore troubled my syght
And therwith a betynge shour a storme rygorouse
Waked me out of slepe it was so Ieoperdouse
And where as I wened I had be waked w
t mynstrelsy
It was contrary whiche made my mynde so troublouse
That I coude no waye rest neyther syth stande ne lye
Than I remembred all my dreme and fantasy
Sayenge for the remembraunce of this sodayne chaūge
I entende to wryte the maner herof ryght shortly
That folkes may consyder this worlde is but straunge
¶ yet to the wyndowe I walked a softe pace
Ofte syghynge and sobbynge with an heuy herte
To se where I coude espye of pleasure the palace
Or of thynhabytauntes therof perceyue ony parte
Eyther conforte or kyndenes whiche made me to smerte
Fantasy or eloquence whiche dyd desyre forder
P
[...]te with Beaute was whan I dyd thus departe
I loked for theyr places where they stode in order▪
yf I coude se Credence walkynge in ony broder
I loked for all these yet I sawe none alas
Whiche brought to mynde wordes of salomō of wysdome recorder
Uauitas vanitatū & oīa mūdi vanitas.
¶ Where is Sampson for all his grete strength
Or where is the sage Salomon for all his prudence
Dethe hath and wyll deuoure all at lenth
For where is vlysses for all his eloquence
Where became Crassus for his ryches and opulence
Where is lucres for all her chastyte
Where is alexander whiche subdued to his obedyence
Moche of the worlde by his marcyalyte
Where is Tully whiche had pryncypalyte
Ouer all oratours in parfyte rethoryke
Where be all the .iiij. doctours of dyuynyte
Where is arystotyll for all his phylosophy and logyke.
¶ Be not all these departed frome this transytory lyfe
yet theym to dyuers places our creatour dyd name
With egall Iugement without debate or stryfe
Accordynge to theyr merytes he dyd rewarde or blame
Therfore for your soules helth vse vertue & drede shame
And as to the worlde laboure alway for loue
That ye may perpetually reyne in good fame
It shall be to you all ryches aboue
As by experyence oftymes it doeth proue
Of suche as haue had subgets w
tout loue them to drede
From they be of power than they do theyr mynde remoue
And so theyr maysters fayle whan they haue nede
¶ And ye that wyll be louers of ladyes amyable
ye maye not be sleuthfull but about theym dylygent
And alwaye to theyr pleasures ye must be agreable
yf ye intende theyr myndes to content
But fyrst fyxe your mynde there as it may be well spent
Be secrete and stedfast without mutabylyte
[Page]Be bolde and couragyous fulfyll theyr commaundement
With a quycke and hasty spede as ye by possybylyte
May or can nothynge is better than agylyte
With contynuall presence nothynge can helpe more
For Ouyde sayth els your loue shall not rest in trāquylyte
Uanescet
(que) absens et nouus intrat amor.
¶ These reasons reuolued in my remembraunce
Whan that sorowe was somthynge modefyed
Than grete trouble my mynde dyde enhaunce
what sholde be cause that I had be occupyed
with this dreme yet shortly I aspyed
That this amerous study of Cupyde and Phebus
was cause therof whiche coude not be denyed
Therfore in mynde I dyd playnly duscus
That I wolde study nomore and specyally thus
I wolde muse no more in the euenynge so late
But conclude this shortly in wordes compendyous
Lest I sholde be as I was erste in myserable estate
‘¶ Uolunte ie ay mais ie ne veulx mon cuer chaunger.’
¶ Thenuoye.
¶ Go humble style submytte the to correccyon
Be not so bolde to presume to the presence
Of ony but suche as be enuyronde with effeccyon
Let them arrect theyr eeres to rebuke thy neglygence
To them thou perteynest of due congruence
Let them more curyously thy rurall termes affyle
How thou sholdest be amended they haue best intellygence
Therfore submytte the to theym my poore & humble style
¶ yf ony that be more sad delytynge in grauyte
And yf forther age wolde agayne the gyue euydence
Sayenge they were well occupyed y
t were troubled w
t the
wrote not Ouyde in as low style whiche yf they prepence
They may thynke y
t I to auoyde of slouthe the vyolence
Made this without cloke or rethorycall language
Thynkynge that I ought not of due conuenyence
wryte the in so hyghe style as wyse storyes and sage.
Finis.