| sig: [A1] | ||
| ¶The castell of pleasure. | ||
| ref.ed: 75 | ||
| ¶The conueyaunce of a dreme how Desyre went to the castell of pleasure / wherin was the gardyn of affeccyon inhabyted by Beaute to whome he amerously expressed his loue vpon the whiche supplycacyon rose grete stryfe dysputacyon / and argument betwene Pyte and Dysdayne. | ||
| sig: [A1v] | ||
|
¶Coplande the prynter to the auctour. |
||
| ¶Your mynde consydered / and your good entent | ||
| Th'effecte regarded / in euery maner case | ||
| Your cyrcumstaunce / and labour dylygent | ||
| Who wyll construe / is of grete effycace | ||
| 5 | Your sentences morally t'enbrace | |
| Concerneth reason of lauryate grauyte | ||
| Yonge tender hertes / t'alictepossibly 'talecte' with amyte | ||
| ¶Your aege also flourynge in vyrent youthe | ||
| So to bestowe is gretly to commende | ||
| 10 | Bookes to endyte of maters ryght vncouthe | |
| Ensample gyuynge to all suche as pretende | ||
| In th'arte of loue theyr myndes to condescende | ||
| In termes freshe / theyr courage to endewe | ||
| Not with rude toyes / but elegant and newe | ||
| ref.ed: 76 | ||
| 15 | ¶Yet ben there many that lytell regarde | |
| Your pleasures castell / inhabyte with beaute | ||
| And I am sure wolde gyue but small rewarde | ||
| For this your labour / and studyous dyte | ||
| But had ye compyled some maner subtylte | ||
| 20 | Lucre to gete / theyr neyghbour to begyle | |
| They wolde alowe it a perfyte dyscrete style | ||
|
¶Th'auctour. |
||
| ¶My boke of loue / belonges to no suche arte | ||
| But to the pleasure / is his hoole affeccyon | ||
| Of gentyll people / whiche lyketh to take parte | ||
| 25 | In pleasaunt youth / with amorous dyleccyon | |
| Honour regarded / in clene cyrcumspeccyon | ||
| Layenge a ####ab#### parte / all wylfull vayne desyre | ||
| sig: A2 | ||
| To conforte them that brenne in louynge fyre | ||
|
¶Coplande. |
||
| ¶Bokes of loue innumerable prynted be | ||
| 30 | I mene of ladyes / and many a hardy k[ny]ght knyght] kynght 1530 | |
| Without regarde of sensuall nycete | ||
| In loue exploytynge / truely with all theyr myght | ||
| But loue of golde / these dayes blyndeth the syght | ||
| Of men and women / hauynge theyr delyte delyte] chefe delyte 1518 | ||
| 35 | Onely for mede to do theyr appetyte. | |
|
Th'auctour. |
||
| ¶Enprynt this boke / Coplande at my request | ||
| And put it forth to euery maner of state of] 1518 omits | ||
| ref.ed: 77 | ||
| It doeth no good lyenge styll in my chyst | ||
| To passe the tyme some wyll bye it algate | ||
| 40 | Cause it is newe / compyled now of late | |
| At leest way yonge folke / wyll gladly seke recure | ||
| Beauty to gete in the toure of pleasure. | ||
|
¶Coplande. Coplande.] 1518 omits
|
||
| At your instaunce / I shall it gladly impresse | ||
| But the vtteraunce I thynke wyll be but smale | ||
| 45 | Bokes be not set by theyr tymes is past I gesse | |
| The dyse and kardes / in drynkynge wyne and ale and] and and 1530 | ||
| Tables / cayles / and balles / they be nowe set a ####ab#### sale | ||
| Men let theyr chyldren vse al suche harlotry | ||
| That byenge of bokes they vtterly deny | ||
|
¶Finit prologus |
||
| ¶En passant le temps sans mal pe[n]cer. | ||
| sig: A2v | ||
| TOrnyng and trauersynge hystoryes unstedfaste | ||
| In Ouydes bokes of transformacyon | ||
| It was my fortune and chaunce at the laste | ||
| In ouertornyng of the leues to se in what f[a]cyon facyon] fncyon 1530 | ||
| 5 | 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 | ||
| 10 | The maner playnly and in fewe wordes dysclose | |
| ref.ed: 78 | ||
| How phebus and cupyd togy[d]er were compenable togy[d]er] togyer 1530, togyder 1518 | ||
| Fyrst it to shewe I wyll me dyspose | ||
| ¶Phebus set on pryde and hault in corage | ||
| Spake these wordes of grete audacyte | ||
| 15 | Cupyde thou boy of yonge and tender aege | |
| How mayst thou be so 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 | ||
| 20 | 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. | ||
| 25 | 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 | ||
| 30 | The stroke of his power who can or may resyste | |
| sig: A3 | ||
| But he must obey / and to loue be agreable | ||
| Constreyned by cupyde whiche may stryke whome he lyst | ||
| An-other darte he toke soone in his fyste | ||
| Contrary to th'oder ledyn blont and heuy | ||
| 35 | 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 [was] deuoyde of loue was] 1530 omits, was 1518 | ||
| By dame saunce mercy whiche made hym to complayne | ||
| Cupyde in sondry wyse his power dyde proue | ||
| ref.ed: 79 | ||
| 40 | On th'one with loue on th'oder with dysdayne | |
| Th'one dyd fle th'oder wolde optayne | ||
| Th'one was gladde th'oder was in wo | ||
| Th'one was pencyfe and oppressed with payne | ||
| Th'oder in Ioye cared not thoughe it were so | ||
| 45 | 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 | ||
| 50 | 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 | ||
| 55 | 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 | ||
| 60 | Which were playne precedentes the daye was clerely paste | |
| sig: A3v | ||
| ¶Thus a ####ab#### 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 | ||
| 65 | Caused many fantasyes to me to resorte | |
| My herte was moche musynge my mynde was varyaunt | ||
| So I was troubled with this vngracyous sorte | ||
| ref.ed: 80 | ||
| That my herte and mynde to slouthe shortely dyde graunt | ||
| Aboute the whiche whyles I was attendaunt | ||
| 70 | Sodaynly came Morpheus and 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 perchaunce it hath not attayned yet to your audyence | ||
| 75 | 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 | ||
| 80 | 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 | ||
| 85 | 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 | ||
| sig: [A4] | ||
| 90 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 81 | ||
| And walke with me and be obedyent | ||
| And I shall soone knowe how he shall spede | ||
| 95 | 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 the sonne ouer eche syde dyd shyne | ||
| 100 | 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. | ||
| 105 | ¶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 marcyall apparage | ||
| 110 | 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 th'actyfnes of many a champyon | ||
| 115 | And these well-gargaled galeryes they dyd deuyse | |
| To th'entente that ladyes myght haue prospeccyon | ||
| ref.ed: 82 | ||
| And to suche as were worthy graunte loue and affeccyon | ||
| And also whan theyr lust were theyr courage to vse | ||
| sig: [A4v] | ||
| To daunce amonges them they toke a dyreccyon | ||
| 120 | As they myght well and not them-selfe abuse | |
| ¶Whan I aduerted of these galeryes the quadrant facyon | ||
| The meruaylous mountayne so well made playne | ||
| Me-thought that syth the incarnacyon | ||
| Was neuer seen a more goodly mountayne | ||
| 125 | 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 | ||
| 130 | Thou mayst well be nye the castell of pleasure | |
| O hyll th'upholder of all doughty dysporte | ||
| Of marcyall manhode thou arte the treasure | ||
| Out of thy bankes is goten the vre | ||
| That causeth the pastymes of parfyte prowes | ||
| 135 | 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 | ||
| 140 | 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 and peple oppressed with pryde | ||
| They call this water the lauer of lowlynes | ||
| ref.ed: 83 | ||
| 145 | On the stones of stedfastnes rennes this water clere | |
| To ouercome folkes chaungeable and proude of herte and mynde | ||
| sig: [A5] | ||
| 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 stone] stones 1518 | ||
| 150 | 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 | ||
| 155 | Be not flowyshe but arme you with reason flowyshe] to flowyshe 1518Flowyshe: see OED "fluish", 'somewhat weak or drooping'Flowyshe: see OED "fluish", 'somewhat weak or drooping' | |
| 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 | ||
| 160 | 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 | ||
| 165 | 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 | ||
| 170 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 84 | ||
| Notwith ####ab#### stondynge I thought all perylles had be past | ||
| Whan I sawe of this castell the royall gates | ||
| 175 | Yet afore I knewe that pleasour coude not last | |
| sig: [A5v] | ||
| There-as dysdayne is in fauour with estates | ||
| ¶This royall castell was on eche syde quadraunt | ||
| Gargaled with goodly grehoundes and beestes many one | ||
| The tyrannous tygre the stronge and myghty elephaunt | ||
| 180 | With a castell on his backe whiche he bare alone | |
| The lyons fyry eyes with rubyes there shone | ||
| The golden grephyn with clees of asure | ||
| The vnycorne alowe with a rufull mone This and the preceding line are replaced in 1518 with the single line: The golden grephyn with a rufull mone | ||
| Stode there as desolate of lyuely creature. | ||
| 185 | ¶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 | ||
| 190 | Wryten in golde and yndye-blewe for folkes furtheraunce | |
| They betoken two wayes as after well I tryed | ||
| These scryptures as I remembre thus sowned in substaunce | ||
| ¶Who as in-to this place wyll take his entrynge | ||
| Must of these wayes haue fre eleccyon | ||
| 195 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 85 | ||
| Elles to the scrypture vnderneth let hym gyue intencyon | ||
| 200 | 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 | ||
| sig: [A6] | ||
| Or on ony of her ladyes let hym ententyfely | ||
| 205 | 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 | ||
| 210 | 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 | ||
| Whan he sawe two wayes the one of vertue the other of pleasure | ||
| 215 | And of the nyght it caused hym ryght ofte to wake | |
| By ####ab#### cause he knewe not the waye of pe[r]fyte measure. perfyte] pefyte 1530 | ||
| Yet suche was his fortune ryght happy was his chaunce | ||
| Whiche toke the waye so moche praysable | ||
| This to pleasure and welthe doeth men auaunce | ||
| 220 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 86 | ||
| 225 | ¶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 | ||
| 230 | 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. | ||
| sig: [A6v] | ||
| ¶My mynde thus establysshed I was about to prayse | ||
| This palays precyous and castell ryght confortable | ||
| 235 | 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 | ||
| 240 | This castell then thus praysed I enflamed with 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 | ||
| 245 | Draweth to hym hertes as I sawe and dyd prepence | |
| Therfore 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 | ||
| 250 | Confort me welcomed with an herty semblaunce | |
| Sayenge what wolde ye that ye came to [t]his place this] his 1530, 1518 | ||
| Come forwarde and be not afrayd your-selfe to auaunce | ||
| ref.ed: 87 | ||
| To speke with desyre I dyd me hyder enhaunce | ||
| She sayd desyre is but a lytle past | ||
| 255 | 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 | ||
| 260 | As lutynge dauncynge balades and rymes | |
| Syngynge pypynge ye shall se at sondry tymes | ||
| sig: B1 | ||
| All maner of gamynge ye shall se excercysed | ||
| And vpon all quarelles troubles and crymes | ||
| Ryght solempne Iustes be here oft enterprysed | ||
| 265 | 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 w[a]s lyke you to begyle was] wos 1530, was 1518 | ||
| In Beautyes presence I wolde fayne be doubteles | ||
| A then ye must be conueyd by my syster kyndnes | ||
| 270 | 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 you conuey | ||
| This gentylman whiche sayth wolde speke with desyre | ||
| 275 | At your request I can not saye hym naye | |
| Yf it were in me to gyue hym an hole empyre | ||
| ref.ed: 88 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 280 | 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 | ||
| 285 | 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 | ||
| sig: B1v | ||
| 290 | 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 had it bought | ||
| One cause was fantasy I can not it denye | ||
| 295 | Syr hyder be ye welcome as hertely as can be thought as can] can 1518 | |
| 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 wtih emyraudes to it a free proteccyon | ||
| 300 | The percynge dyamonde the amatiste amorous | |
| ref.ed: 89 | ||
| The stedfast Saphyr the blew turkes ryght precyous | ||
| With many other stones I lacke connynge them to shewe | ||
| Me-thought it a new paradyse delycate and delycyous | ||
| It shone so fresshly and bare so grete auewe. | ||
| 305 | ¶But where is Morpheus I merueyle that 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 | ||
| 310 | It is fantasy lo ye maye se that folkes of a ####ab#### quayntaunce | |
| Where-soeuer they mete the one wyll other mone | ||
| As these two do now without varyaunce. | ||
| ¶Kyndnes than steppeth forth with a mery countynaunce | ||
| Sayd syster fantasy why talke ye with this man | ||
| 315 | 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 | ||
| sig: B2 | ||
| To speke with desyre for his colour is pale and wanne | ||
| 320 | 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 that wolde gyue mony ryght large | ||
| 325 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 90 | ||
| ¶Kyndnes departed yet her power was present | ||
| 330 | Alwaye 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 | ||
| 335 | 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 | ||
| 340 | And now I folysshly haue locked me in loues chayne | |
| I wene I be in laborinthus where mynotaurus dyd remayne | ||
| A blynde Cupyde is this thy guerdon | ||
| Makest thou folkes blynde doest thou so entertayne entertayne] certayne 1518 | ||
| Suche louers as sewe to the for theyr pa[r]don. pardon] padon 1530, pardon 1518 | ||
| 345 | ¶I had forgeten the proces of alayne | |
| I nothynge regarded the verses of vyrgyll | ||
| sig: B2v | ||
| 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 | ||
| 350 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 91 | ||
| What moued hath your mynde why morne ye thus alone | ||
| Haue ye lost ony frende or ony other thynge | ||
| 355 | Nay th'absens of conforte ryght sore I mone | |
| Whiche sayd I sholde here folkes bothe lute and 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 | ||
| 360 | To all my Ioye I maye well saye adewe. | |
| ¶Doubte ye not but ye shall se thynges pleasaunte | ||
| If ye wyll be content to forbere a lytell space | ||
| For conforte aboute no man contynually is attendaunte | ||
| None erthly creature shall styll stande in her grace | ||
| 365 | 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 without payne | ||
| 370 | Recorde the story in the tenth boke of Ouyde | |
| Rehersed by Venus to make Adonis of her fayne | ||
| How atalante sore set on pryde | ||
| Out ####ab#### ranne all folkes she wolde none abyde | ||
| They that coude out ####ab#### renne her sholde haue her in maryage | ||
| 375 | They that coude not were slayne none spared nor set a ####ab#### syde | |
| sig: B3 | ||
| This loue was made egall to that a[u]auntage | ||
| ref.ed: 92 | ||
| ¶Many coragyous wowers dyd assaye this Ieoperdy | ||
| But all were dystroyed she dyd them ouer ####ab#### go | ||
| Yet as hyppomenes sawe her moster pulde doune them by and by hyppomenes] hyppomentes 1530, hypomentes 1518 | ||
| 380 | He sayd I blamed these wronge I knewe not the 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 | ||
| 385 | ¶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 hym suche a toste | ||
| 390 | Whan he ranne ayenst his lady that she myght it take | |
| So whan at sondry times he had throwen doune all his coste | ||
| He out ####ab#### ranne her and 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 | ||
| 395 | For Venus 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 | ||
| 400 | To walke and knowe the propertes of these goodly floures | |
| ref.ed: 93 | ||
| ¶Pryncypally the prymrose aboue floures all | ||
| With foure leues / and the roses these be moste in value | ||
| Clicia was chaunged in-to a marygold which is a memoryal | ||
| sig: B3v | ||
| Of her louer the sonne for she doeth hym ensue | ||
| 405 | 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 and encreseth my confort | ||
| 410 | 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 | ||
| 415 | 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 [h]e may haue suche preemynence he] ye 1530, he 1518 | ||
| 420 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 94 | ||
| 425 | ¶Than she talked to me of [v]lysses vlysses] blysses 1530 | |
| 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 | ||
| 430 | As we well herde by her communycacyon | |
| And shewynge the maner of desyres entent | ||
| She ordered her wordes moche after this facyon. | ||
|
¶Fantasy. |
||
| sig: [B4] | ||
| ¶O well of womanhede to vs lady and maystres | ||
| Pleaseth your hyghnes of your aboundaunt grace | ||
| 435 | To knowe how Desyre in ryght grete heuynes | |
| Requyred me to moeue you whan I had space | ||
| That he myght speke with you and to appoynt tyme and place | ||
| Whan he myght awayte on you and gyue you attendaunce | ||
| To shewe you all his grefe and in what wofull case | ||
| 440 | 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 | ||
| 445 | 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 95 | ||
| ¶Forth went fantasy to do her message | ||
| 450 | Desyre thought he taryed very longe | |
| And sore he was moeued with faruent corage | ||
| He thought he wold Ieoperde though it sholde happen wrong | ||
| And in his grete trouble he called fantasye amonge | ||
| Saynge ye forgete ye hede not my grete payne | ||
| 455 | Yf som chaunce haue happed her I may synge a woful song | |
| Or elles I fere me she be let by dysdayne. | ||
| Betwene hope and drede thus troubled ryght [sore] sore] 1530, 1518 omit | ||
| He stepte forth with a solempne semblaunce | ||
| Thoughe I neuer attayne her I wyl thus endure no more | ||
| 460 | So than forwardes he dyd hym-selfe auaunce | |
| Lo quod dysdayne se ye this sodayne chaunce | ||
| sig: [B4v] | ||
| Here is desyre what sodeyn smoke caused this | ||
| Drawe the trauers quod Beaute let vs here this utteraunce | ||
| He entred and kneled downe and spake nothynge amysse | ||
|
¶The supplycacyon made by desyre to Beaute. |
||
| 465 | ¶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 | ||
| 470 | Louers to redres vnder Venus ye haue moste power | |
| By you they must be ordered after your dyreccyon | ||
| Whiche in your gardyn sholde gader ony floure. | ||
| ref.ed: 96 | ||
| ¶Pleaseth your hyghnes to gyue hede and intent | ||
| To this expressynge of my wofull payne | ||
| 475 | 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 | ||
| 480 | 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 | ||
| 485 | They durst not serche the 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. | ||
| sig: [B5] | ||
| ¶It was your loue whiche was cause of all this | ||
| 490 | I can not denye it but shewe it in wordes playne | |
| I durst to none erthy shewe my woo as it is erthy] erthly 1518 | ||
| To ouercome this feruent loue I dyde my besy payne | ||
| But when I sawe it au[a]yled not than I was fayne auayled] auyled 1530 | ||
| To labour for socour then I thought it best | ||
| 495 | But yf ones grace be shewed none can sure helth obteyne | |
| The[r]fore trustynge on pyte of this poynt I dyde rest. Therfore] Thefore 1530 | ||
| ¶Wherfore o lady preelecte pryncesse | ||
| On all louers hauynge the soueraynty | ||
| I hertely beseche you my wo to redresse | ||
| 500 | The cause consydered of my grete ieoperdy | |
| ref.ed: 97 | ||
| 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. | ||
| 505 | ¶No worldly ryches to you I can promyse No] Now 1518 | |
| Moste I can saye is that ye shall be my moste conforte | ||
| But god which to al folkes after theyr merites can deuyse merites] meryte 1518 | ||
| Rewarde or punishement moste egally he doeth sorte Rewarde] Rewardes 1518 | ||
| He is the lorde of pyte Iusques a la mort | ||
| 510 | Gyue you rewarde and preserue you at all houres | |
| Of perfyte loue he bereth a prync[el]y porte pryncely] pryncy 1530, pryncely 1518 | ||
| And to encrease my Ioye I aske no more but yours | ||
|
¶Dysdayne |
||
| A proude presumptuous persone goeth neuer without offence | ||
| Ye haue well acquyted you now ye haue tolde this tale | ||
| 515 | It came of a hyghe wyt yf ye well prepence | |
| Within her owne gardyn my lady to assaylle her] your 1518 | ||
| Without her lycence it lyked you to rayle | ||
| sig: [B5v] | ||
| On cruell Cupyde your pryde wyll haue a fall | ||
| I trust to se you gladde your bonet to auayle | ||
| 520 | And amonge the waykest be put backe to the wall | |
| ref.ed: 98 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 525 | 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 | ||
| 530 | But yf pyte with this pryncesse be present | |
| I may as well 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 | ||
| 535 | 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 and faruent loue | ||
| 540 | Hath he ony vngoodly wordes in 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 with vnsyttynge wordes ye shold his herte thus breke | ||
| ref.ed: 99 | ||
|
Dysdayne. |
||
| 545 | Fayre maystres I made not these wordes on my fyngers | |
| sig: [B6] | ||
| Wene ye I wolde speke them and haue no grounde wheron | ||
| But fyrst I wyll say I shrewe his fyrst bryngers | ||
| In the parlour without the gate he myght haue stand alone | ||
| But I wyll tell you my causes syth ye be suche one | ||
| 550 | 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 | ||
| 555 | It is my ladyes power our reasons to allowe | |
| I take no suche th[y]nge on me I knowe I am not able thynge] thnge 1530, thynge 1518 | ||
| I haue neyther power ne commaundement but as is agreable | ||
| To my ladyes pleasure but by reasons to make argument | ||
| That suche reasons well weyed my mynde may be stable | ||
| 560 | And by contraryous reasons to serche out his true entent | |
|
¶Dysdayne. |
||
| ¶I am content 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 100 | ||
| 565 | 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 | ||
| 570 | That whan he came hyther he mynded no dyspleasure | |
| As to ####ab#### warde my lady he came for the next waye he came for] for he came 1518 | ||
| 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 | ||
| sig: [B6v] | ||
| 575 | 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 | ||
| 580 | The golden darte of Cupyde constreyneth me lo | |
| 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 Venus as many one do | ||
| And haue made his complaynt to that excellent goddesse | ||
| ref.ed: 101 | ||
|
¶Pyte. |
||
| 585 | ¶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 and he is worthy commendacyon | ||
| That he dare speke and trust to haue no replycacyon | ||
| 590 | 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 waraunt you he shall lyue | ||
| Yf neuer more trouble came to his herte | ||
| 595 | 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 venus dyd hym in the euenynge starte | ||
| 600 | 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 | ||
| sig: C1 | ||
| Iupyter whiche had subdued many to his empyre | ||
| As sodaynly with loue Cupyde dyd hym retayne | ||
| 605 | And whan he to danaes in a golden shoure dyde complayne | |
| 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 | ||
| ref.ed: 102 | ||
|
¶Dysdayne. |
||
| ¶As for promyse and othe I lytell them regarde | ||
| 610 | 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 | ||
| 615 | 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 th'effect and pleasure | ||
| 620 | 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. |
||
| 625 | ¶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 that I need no exemples shewe | ||
| ref.ed: 103 | ||
| Mo laboreth for lucre whan a thynge is fallen newe | ||
| 630 | Than by feruent loue to attayne hault noblenes | |
| Whiche causeth oft ladyes in heuy case to rewe | ||
| sig: [C1v] | ||
| 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 | ||
| 635 | 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 that he lesse fered shame | ||
| Where-as yf he had sued for ryches he wolde not so haue done | ||
| As ye may vnderstande and yf ye regarde his name | ||
| 640 | 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 | ||
| 645 | 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 | ||
| 650 | I can tell you hystoryes of louers ryght stedfast | |
| Pyramus and Thysbe contynued very stable | ||
| As longe as lyfe dyd in theyr bodyes last | ||
| ref.ed: 104 | ||
| Whan th'one was deed th'oder to deth dyd haste | ||
| Loue surely conioyned is a grete pleasure | ||
| 655 | 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 | ||
| sig: C2 | ||
| 660 | But I wyll you put a questyon good and reportable | |
| Whether loue comynge by effeccyon be more durable | ||
| Or loue comynge by condicyons heron shall be our argument | ||
| Me-thynke loue comynge by condycyons is lesse varyable | ||
| How thynke ye now speke shewe your mynde and entent | ||
|
¶Pyte. |
||
| 665 | ¶Me-thynke contrary and for this reason | |
| That loue comynge by effeccyon shold endure a lenger space | ||
| Loue is a conioynynge of two hertes for a season | ||
| Thoughe perauenture they contynue not longe in a place | ||
| Yet in theyr absence suche loue encreaseth a ####ab#### pace | ||
| 670 | Where-as yf it came by condycyo[n]s 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 remembraunce therof remayneth in memory | ||
| And contynueth longe to theyr grete conforte | ||
| 675 | In what frendely maner and how gentylly | |
| His loue to hym dyd at sondry tymes resorte | ||
| ref.ed: 105 | ||
| Fyndy[n]ge with hym goodly pastymes and dysporte Fyndynge] Fyndyge 1530 | ||
| Hauynge no lust frome hym to dysseuer | ||
| Methynke of suche as are of this sorte | ||
| 680 | 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 th'oder oftymes breketh many a slepe | ||
| 685 | It is so penytrable and so subtylly doeth crepe | |
| Upon a man whiche maketh it so stable | ||
| Where in th'oder yf one suche corne dyd repe | ||
| He wolde to her be as well agreable. | ||
| sig: [C2v] | ||
|
¶Dysdayne. |
||
| ¶Perauenture he thynkes suche condycyons be in none | ||
| 690 | As in his loue so substancyall and stedfast | |
| He weneth she be incomperable a ####ab#### lone | ||
| So that 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 | ||
| 695 | 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 | ||
| 700 | Take awaye the condycyons where is the remembraunce | |
| ref.ed: 106 | ||
| 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 | ||
|
¶Th'auctour. |
||
| 705 | 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 | ||
| 710 | 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 | ||
| 715 | Wherby I consydered and ryght well dyd prepence | |
| That I without contradyccyon excuse or stryfe | ||
| sig: C3 | ||
| Sholde resorte to your presence syth I durynge my lyue | ||
| Am bounde to your commaundement yet haue I done offence | ||
| But I dyd it for this entent elles me from lyfe depryue | ||
| 720 | That me-thought it not mete to gyue hasty credence | |
|
¶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 | ||
| ref.ed: 107 | ||
| 725 | Now I wyll declare my pleasure syth ye be present | |
| As touchynge desyre after whose supplycacyon | ||
| Betwene Pyte and Dysdayne hath ben a sore argument | ||
| Tyll ye interrupted theyr communycacyon | ||
| ¶Pyte and dysdayne gyue ye good audyence | ||
| 730 | And ye desyre take this for an answere | |
| Syth now is comyn to me credence | ||
| I wyll no lenge[r] make delay nor defarre lenger] lenge 1530, lenger 1518 | ||
| But I commaunde you two to cese your plees and warre | ||
| And you desyre I wyll to my fauour take | ||
| 735 | 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 | ||
| 740 | 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 and haue me to your wyfe | ||
|
¶Th'auctour. Th'auctour.] 1518 omits
|
||
| sig: [C3v] | ||
| 745 | ¶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 | ||
| ref.ed: 108 | ||
| I wene she was preserued by some vysyon | ||
| 750 | For the whiche desyre of good and herty mynde | |
| Spake these wordes without mysprysyon | ||
| His mynde expressynge by wordes propre and kynde | ||
|
¶Desyre. |
||
| ¶O precyous pryncesse of preelecte pulcrytude | ||
| I can not compasse your compassyble kyndnes | ||
| 755 | Whan it hath pleased your benygnyte and 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 that it hathe pleased you to enhaunce my dygnyte. | ||
| 760 | ¶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 | ||
| 765 | Your countenaunce doeth reioyse me and encreseth my myrthe | |
| Your vertue proueth your parentage to be of noble byrthe | ||
| ¶As longe as the flodes renne with water vyolent | ||
| As longe as shadowes shall about hylles appere | ||
| And whyle there shall be ony sterres in the fyrmament | ||
| 770 | 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 stedfast and substancyall | ||
| Therfore god you acquyte with Ioye perpetuall. | ||
| sig: [C4] | ||
| ref.ed: 109 | ||
|
¶Th'auctour. |
||
| ¶This sayd he was auaunced by commaundement of beaute | ||
| 775 | To her owne sete the chayre of preemynence | |
| Wheras dysdayne was so enuyouse and angre | ||
| That she fared as one without intellygence | ||
| Saynge I wyll no lenger tary I wyll go hens | ||
| Syth that as soone is auaunced a man of yesterdaye | ||
| 780 | 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 | ||
| 785 | 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. | ||
| 790 | ¶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 | ||
| 795 | 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. | ||
| ref.ed: 110 | ||
| ¶Whiche lyberty encreased amonge them suche Ioyes | ||
| That me-thought I herde the sownynge of many an instrument | ||
| 800 | Whiche grete tryumphe and penytrable noyse | |
| Caused Morpheus to vanysshe incontynent. | ||
| sig: [C4v] | ||
| 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 | ||
| 805 | So astonyed I knewe not where I was perfytely. | |
|
¶Morpheus vanysshed th'auctour speketh in th[i]s this] ths 1530, this 1518 wyse
|
||
| ¶The daye was comyn and kest a dymme lyght | ||
| The sonne vnder clowdes by weder tempestyouse | ||
| Orryble thonder and lyghtnynge sore troubled my syght | ||
| And therwith a betynge shour a storme rygorouse | ||
| 810 | Waked me out of slepe it was so Ieoperdouse | |
| And where-as I wened I had be waked with 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 | ||
| 815 | Sayenge for the remembraunce of this sodayne chaunge | |
| 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 | ||
| 820 | To se where I coude espye of pleasure the palace | |
| Or of th'ynhabytauntes therof perceyue ony parte | ||
| ref.ed: 111 | ||
| Eyther conforte or kyndenes whiche made me to smerte | ||
| Fantasy or eloquence whiche dyd desyre forder | ||
| Pyte with Beaute was whan I dyd thus departe | ||
| 825 | I loked for theyr places where they stode in order | |
| Yf I coude se Credence walkynge in ony b[or]der border] broder 1530, border 1518 | ||
| I loked for all these yet I sawe none alas | ||
| Whiche brought to mynde wordes of salomon of wysdome recorder | ||
| Va[n]itas vanitatum and omnia mundi vanitas. | ||
| sig: [C5] | ||
| 830 | ¶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 became] become 1518 | ||
| 835 | 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 | ||
| 840 | 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 | ||
| 845 | Accordynge to theyr merytes he dyd rewarde or blame | |
| ref.ed: 112 | ||
| Therfore for your soules helth vse vertue and 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 | ||
| 850 | As by experyence oftymes it doeth proue | |
| Of suche as haue had subgets without 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 | ||
| 855 | 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 | ||
| sig: [C5v] | ||
| 860 | 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 tranquylyte | ||
| 865 | Vanescetque 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 | ||
| 870 | 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 d[y]scus dyscus] duscus 1530, dyscus 1518 | ||
| ref.ed: 113 | ||
| That I wolde study no more and specyally thus | ||
| 875 | 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 | ||
| ¶Volunte ie ay mais ie ne veulx mon cuer chaunger. | ||
|
¶Th'enuoye. |
||
| ¶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 | ||
| 5 | 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 and humble style | ||
| sig: [C6] | ||
| ¶Yf ony that be more sad delytynge in grauyte | ||
| 10 | And yf forther age wolde agayne the gyue euydence | |
| Sayenge they were well occupyed that were troubled with the | ||
| Wrote not Ouyde in as low style whiche yf they prepence | ||
| They may thynke that I to auoyde of slouthe the vyolence | ||
| Made this without cloke or rethorycall language | ||
| 15 | Thynkynge that I ought not of due conuenyence | |
| Wryte the in so hyghe style as wyse storyes and sage. | ||
|
Finis. |
||
| ref.ed: 114 | ||
|
¶Lenuoy de Robert Coplande lymprimeur. |
||
| A Ton aucteur / vatan petit liuret | ||
| Et luy prier / dexcuser ton empraint | ||
| Ce fault ia / de par moy incorrect | ||
| Par sa copie souuent iestois constraint | ||
| 5 | De diuigner / ou lencre cestoit destaint | |
| Ce nonobstant / ien ay faict mon debuoir | ||
| Pour son plaisir / dassembler blanc et noir. | ||
| ¶Treshonoure filz / du seigneur latimer | ||
| Surnomme Neuyl / de noble parentaige | ||
| 10 | O maistre guillaume / en sens et vertu cler | |
| Aucteur de ce / comme bon clerc et saige | ||
| A vous / ie recommaunde cest ouuraige | ||
| De moy indigne / sinon par vostre suffraunce | ||
| En ce monstrant / ma folle ignoraunce. | ||
|
¶Fin de Lenuoy. |
||
|
sig:
[C6v]
¶Ballade royalle.
|
||
| THrone dhonneur / et de magnificence | ||
| Par excellence triumphant en haulteur | ||
| Playne de vigeur / et de doulce clemence | ||
| Par vraye semence / naturel seigneur | ||
| 5 | Henry la fleur / et gubernateur | |
| Dengleterre / en refulgence | ||
| Dieu le gard / de mal / et de douleur | ||
| Et honny soit qui mal y pence. | ||
|
¶R. Coplande to th'auctour. |
||
| ¶Take ye in gre / o worthy mayster myne | ||
| This rubryke frensshe / in verses incorrect | ||
| No meruayle is / thoughe theyr speche be not fyne | ||
| ref.ed: 115 | ||
| For in scole nor countre / I neuer toke effect | ||
| 5 | And frome your boke / let them be vndeiect | |
| Without your lycence / yf I dyd them impresse | ||
| Pardon I praye you / of this my homelynesse | ||
|
¶En passant le temps sans mal pencer. |
||
| ¶Quod Coplande. | ||
| ¶Enprynted at London in the Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynkyn de worde. | ||