¶ Here begynneth the Temple of glas
FOr thought constreynt & greuous heuynes
For pensyfhed and hyghe distres
To bed I wente now this other nyght
whan that lucyna with hyr pale lyght
was Ioyned last with phebus in aquarye
Amyd decembre / whan of Ianuarye
Ther be kalendes of the new yere
And derke dyane horned and nothyng clere
Had her beames vnder a mysty cloude
wish in my bed for cold I gan me shroude
All desolate for constraynt of my woo
The long nyght walowyng to and fro
Tyll at laste er I gan take kepe
Me dyde oppresse a sodeyn dedly slepe
with in the whiche me thought I was
Rauysshed in spiryte in to a Temple of glas
I nyste how ferre in wyldernes
That founded was as by lyclynes
Not vpon stele / but on a craggy roche
Lyke yse I frore / and as I dide approche
Agayn the sonne that shone soo clere
As ony crystall and euer nere and nere
As I gan nyghe this grysly dredfull place
I wex astonyed / the lyght soo in my face
Began to smyte / soo persyng euer in one
On euery parte where that I gan gone
[Page]That I ne myght no thyng as I wolde
Aboute me consydere and beholde
The wonder estres for bryghtnes of the sonne
Tyll atte last certayn skyes donne
with wynde chaced han her cours I went
Tofore the stremes of tytan and I blent
Soo that I myght within and withoute
wherso I wolde beholden me aboute
For to reporte the facyon and manere
Of all this place that was circuler
In compas wyse / round by entayle wrought
And whan I had longe gone and sought
I founde a wyket and entred in as fast
In to the temple and myn eyen cast
On euery syde now lowe and now eft alofte
And right anone as I gan walken softe
yf I the so [...]he a right reporte shall
I sawe depaynted vpon a wall
From este to weste many a fayr ymage
Of sondry louers lyke as they were of age
Isette in ordre after they were trewe
with lyfly colours wonder fresh of hue
And as me thought I sawe som̄ syt & som̄ stāde
And som̄ knelyng with bylles in theyr hande
And som̄ with complaynt wofull and pyetous
with dolefull chere to putten to venus
Soo as she sate fletyng in the see
Vpon her woo for to haue pytee
[Page]And fyrst of all I saugh there of cartage
Dido the quene so goodly of vysage
That gan complayne hyr auenture and caas
How she deceyued was of Eneas
For all his hestes and his othes sworne
And sayd alas that euer she was borne
whan she sawe that ded she must be
And next I sawe the complaynt of Medee
How that she falsed was of Iason
And nygh by venus sawe I sytte Atheon
And all the maner how the boor hym slough
For whom she wepte and had pyne ynough
There sawe I also how that Penolope
For she so longe her lord ne myght see
was of colour bothe pale and grene
And al ther next was the fresh quene
I mene Alcest the noble trewe wyf
And for admete how she lost her lyf
And for her trouth yf I shall not lye
How she was torned in to a daysye
There was Grssyldes Innocence
And all her mekenes and pacyence
There was eke I soude and many other moo
And all the torment and the cruell woo
That she had for trystram all her lyue
And how that Tisbe her hert dide ryue
with thylke swerd of syr Pyramus
And all the maner how that Theseus
[Page]The mynotaure slow amyd the hous
That was for wrynked by crafte of dedalus
whan he was in pryson shit in Crete
And how that philles felte of loues hete
The grete fyre of demephon allas
And for his falshed and for his trespas
Vpon the walles depeynt men myght see
How she henge vpon a fylberd tree
And many a story moo than I rekene can
were in the temple / and how that parys wan
The fayr Eleyne a lusty fresh quene
And how achylles was for Polycene
I slayn vnwardly within troye toune
All this lawe I walkyng vp and doune
There sawe I wreton eke the hole tale
How philomene in to a nyghtyngale
I torned was / and proigne vnto a swalowe
And how the sabyns in theyr maner halowe
The feste of lucresse yet in Rome toun
There sawe I also the sorow of palamon
That he in pryson felte and all the smert
And how that he thurgh vnto his hert
was hurt vnwaarly by castyng of an eye
On fayr fresh the lusty yong Emelye
And all the stryf bytwene hym and his brother
And how that one faught with that other
within the groue / tyll they by theseus
Accorded were as Chaucer telleth vs
[Page]And furthermore as I gan beholde
I sawe how phebus with an arowe of golde
I wounded was thurgh out his syde
Only by enuye of the god Cupide
And how that diane vnto a laurer tree
I torned was whan that she dide flee
And how that Ioue began to chaūge his cope
Only for loue of the fayre Europe
And in to a bulle / whan he did her sue
Lyste of his godhed his forme to transmewe
And how that he by transmutacyon
The shap gan take of Amphitryon
For Alcumena soo passyng was of beante
Soo was he hurt for all his deyte
with louys dart / and myght it not escape
There sawe I also how mars was take
Of vulcanus and with venus founde
And with the cheynes / Inuysible bounde
There was also all the Poesye
Of hym Mercurye and all the Philogye
And how that she for her sapience
I wedded was to the god of eloquence
And how the Muses lowly dide obeye
Hyghe in to heuyn this lady to conueye
And with her songe how she was magnefyed
with Iubyter there to be stellefyed
And vppermore depaynt men myght see
How with her ryng the goodly canace
[Page]Of euery fowle / the leydons and songe
Coude vndstond as she walked theym amonge
And how her brother soo often holpen was
In his myschyef / by the stede of bras
And furthermore in the temple were
Full many a thousand louers here and there
In sondry wyse redy to complayne
Vnto the goddesse / of her woo and payne
How they were hyndred some for enuye
And how the serpent of fals Iolousye
Full many a louer hath put a back
And causeles on them haue leyd a lack
And som̄ there were that playned on absence
That were exiled and put out of presence
Thurgh wycked tonges and fals suspeccyon
withoute mercy or ony remissyon
And other also her seruyse spent in vayn
And of her lady were not loued agayn
And also other that for pouerte
Dursten in noo wyse her grete aduersyte
Discouere ne open / leest they were refused
And some for wantyng also were accused
And also other that loued secretly
And of her lady durst axe noo mercy
Leest that she wolde of hym haue despyte
And some also that putten right grete wyte
On double louers that loue thynges newe
Thurgh whos falsenes hyndred be the trewe
[Page]And some there were as it is ofte founde
That for her lady many a blody wounde
Endured hath in many a regyon
whyles that an other hath had possessyon
All of his lady and bereth a way the fruyt
Of his labour and of all his suyt
And other complayned of Rychesse
How he with tresour doth his besynesse
To wynne agaynst all kynde and right
where as true louers haue noo force ne myght
And some ther were as maydens yonge of age
That playnen soo with pipyng and with rage
That were coupled agayn all nature
with croked olde that may not longe endure
For to perfourme the luste of loues playe
For hit ne sit not vnto fresshe maye
For to be coupled to olde Ianuarye
They be soo dyuerse that they must varye
For olde is grutchyng and malencolyous
Ay full of yre and suspecyous
And yought entendeth to Ioye and lustynes
To myrth and play and to all gladnes
Alas that euer hit shold falle
Soo swete sugre ycoupled be to galle
Thise yonge folke cryeden oft sythe
And prayd venus her power to kythe
Vpon this myschyef and shape remedye
And right anone I herde other crye
[Page]with sobbyng teres and pyetous sowne
To fore the goddesse by lamentacyon
That were constrayned in theyr youthe
And in childhode as is ofte couthe
I entryd were in to relygyon
Or they had yeres of discrecyon
That all her lyf can not but complayn
In wyde copes perfeccyon for to fayne
Full couertly for to coueren theyr smert
And shewe the contrary of theyr hert
Thus sawe I wepe many a fayr mayde
That on theyr frendes all the wyte they layde
And other next I sawe there in grete rage
That they were maryed in theyr tendre age
without fredome of free eleccyon
where loue hath selde domynacyon
For loue at large and at lyberte
wolde frely chese and not with suche trete
And other sawe I full ofte wepe and wrynge
That they in men fonde suche varyenge
To loue a season while that beaulte flourith
And after by disdayn soo vngoodly lourith
On her that whilom he callyd his lady dere
That was to hym so pleysaunt and entyer
But lust with fayrnes is soo ouergoon
That in her herte trouthe abydeth noon
And som̄e also I sawe in teres reyne
And pyetously on god and kynde pleyne
[Page]That euer they wold on ony creature
Soo moche beaute passyng by mesure
Sette on a woman to gyue occasion
A man / to loue to his confusion
And namely there / where he shall haue noo grace
For with a loke forth by as he dooth pace
Full ofte falleth thurgh castyng of an eye
A man is wounded that he must nedis deye
That neuer perauenture after he shall her see
why wyll god doo soo grete a cruelte
To ony man / or to his creature
To make hym soo moche woo endure
For her / percas / whom he shall in noo wyse
Reioyse neuer / but soo forth in Iuyse
Lede his lyf tyll that he be in his graue
For he ne durst of hyr no mercy craue
And also perauenture though he durst & wolde
He can not wyte where he hyr fynde sholde
I sawe there also / and therof had I routhe
That som̄e were hyndred by couetyse & slouthe
And some also for theyr hastynes
And other also for theyr rechelesnes
But at the last as I walked and behelde
Besyde pallas with her crystall shelde
Tofore the statute of venus set on heyght
There kneled a lady in my syght
Tofore the goddesse / whiche as the sonne
Passeth the sterrys / and also the stormes donne
[Page]And lucyfer to voyde the nyghtes sorowe
In clerenes passeth erly the morowe
And soo as Maye hath the souereynte
Of euery moneth the fayrnes and beaute
And as the Rose in swetnes and odour
Surmounteh tloures / and bame of all lycour
Hath the pryse / and as the rubye bryght
Of all stones in beaute and in syght
As it is knowe hath the Regalye
Ryght soo this lady with her goodly eye
And with the stremes of hyr loke soo bryght
Surmounteth all thourgh beaute in my syght
That for to tell her grete semelynes
Her womanhed her porte and her fayrnes
Hit was a meruayle / how euer that nature
Cowde in her werkes make a creature
Soo angelyk soo goodly one to see
Soo femynyn or passyng of beaute
whos sonnysshe heer bryghter than goldwyre
Lyche phebus beames shynyng in his spyre
The goodlyhed also of her fresshe face
Soo replenyshed of beaute and of grace
Soo well ennewed by nature and depeynt
As Rose and lylyes to gyder were meynt
Soo egally by good proporcyon
That as me thought by myn inspeccyon
I gan meruaylle how god or werke of kynde
Myghten of beaute suche a tresour fynde
[Page]Te yeuen hyr soo passyng excellence
For in good fayth thurgh her hye presence
The temple was enlumyned enuyron
And for to speke of her condicyon
She was the beste that myght be on lyue
For there was none yt with her myght stryue
To speke of bounte or of gentylnesse
Of womanhede or of lowlynesse
Of curtesye or of goodlyhede
Of speche of chere or of semelyhede
Of poort benygne or of dalyaunce
The best taught and therto of pleysaunce
She was the welle also of honeste
An examplayr and myrrour also was she
Of secretnes / of trouthe / of faythfulnes
And to all other lady and maystres
To shewe vertue who soo lyst to lere
And soo this lady right humble of chere
[...]rnelyng I sawe / clad in grene and whyte
To fore venus goddesse of all delyte
Enbrowded all with stones and perre
Soo rychely that Ioye it was to see
with sondry rolles on her garnement
For texpowne the trouth of her entent
To shewe fully that for her humblesse
And for her vertue and her stablenesse
That she was rote of all womanly pleysaūce
Therfore her word / withoute varyaūce
[Page]Enbrowded as men myght see
De mieulx en mieulx with stones of perre
This is to sayne that she was soo benygne
From better to better her hert doth resygne
And all her wyll to venus the goddesse
whan that her lyst her harmes to redresse
For as me thought sommhat by her chere
For to complayne she had grete desyre
For in her hande she helde a lytyll bylle
For to declare the sūme of all her wylle
And to the goddesse her quarell for to shewe
Theffect of whiche was in wordes sewe
¶ The copye of the supplycacyon.
O lady Venus Moder of Cupide
That all this world hast in gouernaūce
And hertes hye that hawten by pryde
Enclynest mekely to thyn obeyssaūce
Causer of Ioye Relees of penaūce
And with thy stremes canst euery thyng discerne
Thurgh heuenly fyre of loue that is eterne
O blesfull sterre persaunt and full of lyght
Of beames gladsom / deuoyder of derkenes
Chyef recomfort after the blacke nyght
To voyde wofull hertes out of theyr heuynesse
Take now good hede lady and goddesse
[Page]Soo that my bylle may your grace atteyne▪
Redresse to fynde of that I me complayne
For I am bounde to thyng that I nolde
Frely to chese there lacke I lyberte
And soo I want of that myn herte wolde
The body is knyt / though my thought be free
Soo that I must of necessyte
My hertes lyst outward contrarye
Though we be oon the dede must varye
My worshyp sauf I faylle eleccyon
Agayn all ryght bothe of god and kynde
Therto be knyt vnder subieccyon
Fro whens fer both ar out of mynde
My thought gooth fourth my body is behynde
For I am here / and yond my remembrance
Betwene two so hange I in balance
Deuoyde of Ioye / of woo I haue plente
what I desire / that may I not possede
For that I nolde is redy ay to me
And that I loue / for to sue I drede
To my desyre contrary is my mede
And thus I stonde departed in tweyne
Of wyll and dede ylaced in a cheyne
For though I brenne with feruence and hete
[Page]within myn hert I mote complayne of colde
And by excesse though I swelte and swete
Me to complayne god wote I am not bolde
Vnto no wyght / nor one word vnfolde
Of all my payne / alas the hard stounde
The hotter yt I brenne / the colder is my woūde
For he that hath myn hert faythfully
And hool my loue in all honeste
withoute chaunge all be hit secretly
I haue no space with hym for to be
O lady venus consyder now and see
Vnto theffecte and complaynt of my byll
Syth lyf and deth I put all in thy wyll
And tho me thought the goddes did enclyne
Mekely her hede and softly gan expresse
That in short tyme her torment shold fyne
And how of hym for whom all her distresse
Contynued had and all her heuynesse
She shold haue Ioye and of her purgatorye
Be holpen soone and so lyue forth in glorye
And sayd doughter for thy sad trouthe
Thy faythfull menyng and Innocence
That planted be with outen ony slouthe
In your persone deuoyde of all offence
Soo han atteyned to our audyence
[Page]That with our grace ye shall be well releuyd
I you behete of all that hath you greuyd
And for that ye be euer of one entent
withoute chaunge or mutabilyte
And in your paynes ben soo pacyent
To take lowly your aduersyte
And that soo longe thurgh the cruelte
Of olde saturne my fader vnfortuned
your woo shall now no lenger be contuned
And thynketh this within a lytyll whyle
Hit shall aswage and ouer passen soone
For men by laysir passen many a myle
And ofte after a drepyng mone
The weder clereth / & whan the storme is done
The sonne shyneth in his spyre bryght
And Ioye waketh whan woo is put to flyght
Remember eke how neuer yet no wyght
Ne cam̄ to worshyp without som̄ debate
And folke reioyse also more of lyght
That they with derkenes were waped & mate
No mans chaunce is allewaye fortunate
Ne no wyght prayseth of sugre the swetnes
But they toforeh aue tasted bytternes
Grysyld was asayed atte full
[Page]That torned after to encrese of Ioye
Penolope gan eke for sorowes dulle▪
For that her lord abode so long at troye
Also the torment there coude no man accoye
Of dorygene flour of all Bretaygne
Thus euer Ioye is fyn and ende of payne
And trusteth this for conclusyon
The ende of sorow is Ioye voyde of drede
For holy sayntes thurgh her passyon
Haue heuyn wonne by theyr souerayn mede
And plente gladly folowed after nede
And so my doughter after your greuaunce
I you behote ye shall haue full plesaunce
For euer of loue the maner and the gyse
Is for to hurte his seruaunt and to wounde
And when he hath taught them his empryse
He can in Ioye make them to habounde
And sith that ye haue in my laas be bounde
without grutchyng or rebellyon
ye muste of right haue consolacyon
This is to sayne dowteth neuer a deell
That ye shall haue full possessyon
Of hym that ye now cherysshe soo well
In honest maner with oute offencyon
By cause I knowe your entencyon
[Page]Is truly sette in party and in all
To loue hym best and moost in specyall
For he that ye haue chosen you to serue
Shall be to you suche as ye desyre
withoute chaunge fully [...]yll he sterue
Soo with my brond I haue sette hym a fyre
And with my grace I shall hym enspyre
That he in herte shall be ryght at your wyll
whether ye lyst to saue hym or to spyll.
For vnto you I shall his herte so lowe
withoute spotte of ony doblenesse
That he ne shall escape from the bowe
Though that hym selfe by vnstedfastnesse
I mene of cupyde that shall hym soo distresse
Vnto your hande with tharowe of golde
That he ne shall escape though he wolde
And syth ye lyst of pyte and of grace
In vertue only his youthe to cherysshe
I shall by aspecte of my benygne face
Make hym teshewe euery synne and vyce
Soo that he shall haue noo maner spyce
In his corage to loue thynges newe
He shall to you soo playne be found and trewe
And whan this goodly fayr fresshe of hue
[Page]Humble and benygne of trouth crop̄ and rote
Conceyned had how venus gan to rewe
On her prayer playnly to doo bote
To chaunge her bytter attones in to lote
She fyll on knees of hyghe deuocyon
And in this wyse began her oryson
Hyghest of hye quene and Emperes
Goddesse of loue / of good yet the best
That thurgh your beaute withoute vyce
whylom conquered thappell atte fest
That Iubyter thurgh his hye request
To all the goddes aboue celestyall
Made in his palays moost Imperyall
To you my lady vpholder of my lyf
Mekely I thanke soo as I may suffyse
That ye lyst now with herte ententyf
Soo gracyously for me to deuyse
That whyle I lyue with humble sacrefyse
Vpon your awters your fest yere by yere
I shall encence caste in to the fyre
For of your grace I am full reconsyled
From euery trouble vnto Ioye and ease
That sorowes all be from me exyled
Syth ye my lady lyst now tappease
My paynes olde and fully my disease
[Page]Vnto gladnes soo sodenly to torne
Hauyng noo cause from hensforth to morne
For sythen ye soo mekely lyst to daunte
To my seruyse hym that loueth me best
And of your bounte soo gracyously to graunte
That he ne shall varye though hym lyste
wherof my herte is fully brought to reste
For now and euer o lady my benygne
That hert and wyll I hooly to you resygne
Thankyng you with all my full herte
That of your grace and vysitacyon
Soo humbly lyste hym to conuerte
Fully to be at my subieccyon
withoute chaunge or transmutacyon
Vnto his last / now laude and reuerence
Be to your name and excellence
This all and sūme and chyef of my request
And hooll substance of my full entent
you thankyng euer of your graunt and hest
Both now and euer that ye me grace sent
To conquere hym that neuer shall repent
Me for to serue and humbly for to please
As fynall tresour of my hertes ease
And thenne anone venus cast a doun
[Page]In to her lappe brasiches whyte and grene
Of hawthorn that went enuyron
Aboute her heed that Ioye was to sene
And bad her kepe hem honestly and clene
whiche shold not fade ne neuer wexe olde
If she her biddyng kepe as she hath tolde
And as these bowes be bothe fayr and swete
Folowe theffecte that they doo specyfye
This is to sayne bothe in cold and hete
Be ye of one hert and of one fantasye
As arn these leues whiche may not dye
By no duresse of stormes that ben kene
Nomore in wynter than in somer grene
Right soo by ensample of wele or woo
For Ioye torment or for aduersyte
whether soo fortune fauour / or be foo
For pouert ryches or prosperyte
That ye your hert kepe in one degre
To loue hym best for no thynge that ye fayne
whom I haue boūd so low vnder your chayne
And with ye word the goddesse shoke her hede
And was in pees and spake as tho nomore
And therwith all full femynyn of drede
Me thought this lady syghen gan full sore
And sayd agayn / lady that mayst restore
[Page]Hertes in Ioye from theyr aduersyte
To do your wyll de mieulx en mieulx ma gree
Thus euer slepyng dremyng as I laye
within the temple me thought I saye
Grete prees of folke with murmure wōderfull
To croude and shoue / the temple was soo full
Eueryche full besy / in his owne cause
That I ne may shortly in a clause
Discryuen all the rytes and the guyse
And eke I wante connyng to deuyse
How some there were with blood encence & mylke
And some with floures sote & softe as sylke
And some with sparowes and douues whyte
That for to offren gan hem delyte
Vnto the goddesse with syghe and prayer
Hem to relese of that they moost desyre
That for the prees shortly to conclude
I went my waye for the multytude
Me for to refresshe out of the prees aloue
And by my selfe me thought as I gan goone
within the estres and gan a whyle tarye
I sawe a man that walked all solytarye
That as me semeth for heuynes and dole
Hym to compleyne / that he walked so sole
withoute espyeng of ony other wyght
And yf I shall discryue hym aryght
If that he had not be in heuynes
[Page]Me thought he was / to speke of semelynes
Of shap of fourme / and also of stature
The moost passyng / that euer yet nature
Made in her werkes / and lyke to be a man
And therwith all as I reherce can
Of face and chere the moost gracyous
To be byloued happy and ewrous
But as it semed outward by his chere
That he complayned for lacke of his desyre
For by hym selfe as he walked vp and doun
I herde hym make a lamentacyon
And sayd alas / what thyng may this be
That now am boūde that whilom was fre
And went at large at myn eleccyon
Now am I caught vnder subieccyon
For to become a very homager
To god of loue / where or I cam here
Felte in myn herte / nought of loues payne
But now of new / within her fyry chayne
I am enbraced soo that I maye not stryue
To serue and loue while I am on lyue
The goodly fresse in the temple yonder
I sawe right now / that I had wonder
How euer god / for to rekene all
Myght make a thyng soo celestyall
Soo angelyke on erthe to appere
For with the stremes of her eyen clere
I am wounded euen to the hert
[Page]That fro the deth I may not astert
And moost I meruayle that soo sodeynly
I was soo yolde to be at her mercy
whether that she lyst me to lyue or deye
withoute more / I must her lust obeye
And take mekely my sodeyn auenture
For syth my lyf / my deth / and eke my cure
Is in her hand it wyll not auaylle
To grutche agayn / for of this bataylle
The palme is hers / and playnly the victorye
If I rebelled honour none ne glorye
I myght not in ony wyse acheue
Syth I am yolden / how shold I thenne preue
To renne awaye / I wote hit wyll not be
Though I be loos / at large I may not flee
O god of loue how sharp is now thyn arowe
How mayst thou now soo cruelly & soo narowe
withoute cause hurte me and wounde
And takest none hede my sorowes to founde
But lyke a byrde that fleeth at her desyre
Tyll sodeynly within the pantore
She is caught though late she was at large
A newe tempest forcasteth now my barge
Now vp now doun / with wynde it is so blowe
Soo am I possed and almost ouerthrowe
Fordryue in derknes of many sondry wawe
Alas whan shall this tempest ouerdrawe
To clere the skyes of myn aduersyte
[Page]The lode sterre what that I ne may see
Hit is soo hyd with clowdes that be blacke
Alas whan wyll this torment ouerslacke
I can not wyte / for who is hurt of newe
And bledeth inward tyll he w [...]xe pale of hue
And hath his wound vnwarly fresshe & grene
And hit is not knowē vnto the harmes kene
Of myghty cupyde that can soo hertes daunte
That no man may in his warre hym vaunte
To gete a pryce but oonly by mekenes
For there ne vayleth stryue ne sturdynes
Soo maye I saye that with a loke am yolde
And haue no power to stryue though I wolde
Thus stonde I euer betwix lyf and deth
To loue and serue whyle I haue breth
In suche a place where I dare not playne
Lyke hym that is in torment and in payne
And knoweth not to whom to discure
For there that I haue holy set my cure
I dare not well for drede ne for daunger
And for unknowen tellen how the fyre
Of loues bronde is kyndled in my breste
Thus am I murdred and slayn atte leste
Soo pryuely within my thought
O lady venus whom I haue sought
Soo wysshe me now what me is best to doo
That am distraught with my selfe soo
That I ne wote what waye for to torne
[Page]Sauf by my selfe soleyn for to morne
Hangyng in balance betwixe hope and drede
without comforte remedye or rede
For hope biddeth pursue and assaye
And agaynward drede answerth naye
And now with hope I am set a lofte
But drede and daunger hard & nothyng softe
Hath ouerthrowe my trust and put a doun
Now at my large / now fetred in prysoun
Now in torment / now in souerayn glorye
Now in paradyse and now in purgatorye
As man dispayred in a double werre
Borne vp with hope / & thenne anone daūger
Me draweth a backe / and sayth it shall not be
For where as I of myne aduersyte
Am bolde som whyle mercy to requyre
Thenne cometh dispair & begynneth me to lere
A newe lesson to hope full the contrarye
They ben soo dyuerse they wyll doo me varye
And thus I stande dismayed in a traunce
For whan that hope were lykly me tauannce
For drede I tremble & dare one word not speke
And yf hit soo be / that I not out breke
To tell the harmes that greuen me soo sore
But in my selfe encrece them more and more
And to be slayn fully me delyte
when of my deth she is noo thyng to wyte
For but yf she the constreynt playnly knowe
[Page]How shold she euer / on my paynes rue
Thus oft tyme with hope I am meuyd
To tell her all / how I am greuyd
And to be hardy on me for to take
To axe mercy / but drede doth me thēne awake
And thenne wanhope answeryth me agayn
That better were that she haue disdayne
To deye attones vnknowen of ony wyght
And therwith all biddeth hope anone ryght
Me / to be bolde and praye her of grace
And syth all vertues be portreyd in her face
Hit were not syttyng / that pyte were behynde
And right anone within my self I fynde
A newe plee brought on me with drede
That me soo maseth that I see noo spede
By cause he sayd that stonyeth all my blood
I am soo symple and she is soo good
Thus hope and drede in me wyll not seace
To plete and stryue my harmes to encrece
But at hardest yet or I be dede
Of my distresse syth I can noo rede
But stande doun styll as ony stone
To fore the goddesse I wyll me haste anone
And compleyne withoute more sermon
Though deth be fyn and full conclusyon
Of my request / yet I wyll assaye
And right anone me thought I saye
This wofull man as I haue memorye
[Page]Full lowly entre in to an oratorye
And kneled adoun in full humble wyse
To fore the goddesse and gan anone deuyse
His pyteous quarell with a dolefull chere
Sayeng right thus as ye shall here
¶ The complaynte of the man.
Redresse of sorowe O Citherea
That with the stremes of thy plesaūt hete
Gladest the Mounte of all Cirrea
where thou hast chosen thy paleys and sete
whos bryght beames ben wesshen and wete
In the Ryuer of Elycon the welle
Haue now pyte of that I shall yow telle
And nof disdayne ye of your benygnyte
My mortall woo O lady myn Goddesse
Of grace and bounte and mercyfull pyte
Benygnely to helpe and to redresse
And though soo be I can not well expresse
The greuous harmes that I fele in my herte
Haue neuer yet the lesse mercy of my smerte
This is to sayne O clere heuens lyght
That next the sonne sercled haue your spere
Syth ye me hurte with your dredfull myght
[Page]By influence of your beames clere
And that I by your seruyse now soo dere
As ye me brought in to this maladye
Be ye gracyous and shape ye remedye
For in you hooly lyeth helpe of all this care
And knowe best my sorowe and all my payne
For drede of deth / how I ne dare alas
To axen mercy ones / ne me complayne
Now with your fyre hert soo constrayne
withoute more / or I deye atte laste
That she may wyte what is my requeste
How I noo thyng in all this world desyre
But for to serue fully to myn ende
That goodly fresshe soo womanly of chere
withoute chaunge while I haue lyfe & mynde
And that ye wold suche grace sende
Of my seruyse that she not disdeyne
Sythen her to serue I may not me restreyne
And syth that hope me hath yeue hardynes
To loue her best and neuer to repente
whiles that I lyue with all my besynes
To drede & serue / though daūger neuer assente
And here vpon ye knowe myn entente
How I haue vowed fully in my mynde
To be her man / though I noo mercy fynde
For in my hert enprynted is foo sore
Her shap her forme and all her semelynes
Her porte her chere / her godenes more & more
Her womanhed and the her gentylnes
Her trouth / her fayth and her kyndnes
with all vertues eche set in her degree
Ther is noo lacke / sauyng oonly of pyte
Her sad demenyng of wyll not varyable
Of loke benygne / and rote of all plesaunce
And exemplayre to all that wyll be stable
Discrete prudente of wysdom suffysaunce
Myrrour of wytte ground of gouernaunce
A world of beaute compassed in her face
whos persant loke doth thurgh my hert race
And ouer this wonder secrete and true
A well of fredome and right bounteuous
And euer encrecyng in vertue new and newe
Of speche goodly / and wonder gracyous
Deuoyde of pryde / to poure not dispytous
And yf that I shortly shall not feyne
Saue vpon mercy I noo thyng compleyne
what wonder thenne / though I be with drede
Inly supprysed for to axen grace
Of her that is quene of womanhede
For well I wote in soo hyghe a place
[Page]Hit wyll not be / therfore I ouer pace
And take lowly what woo I endure
Tyll she of pyte me take to her cure
But one auowe playnly here I make
That whether soo be / she doo me lyf or deye
I wyll not grutche / but humbly hit take
And thanke god and wylfully obeye
For by my trouth my hert shall neuer reneye
For lyf ne deth mercy ne daunger
Of wyll and thought to be at her desyre
To ben as trewe as euer was Antonyus
To Cleopatre whyle hym lasted breth
Or on to Thesbe yong Pyramus
That was faythfull found / tyll theym depted deth
Right soo shall I tyll Antropos me sleeth
For wele or woo her faythful man be found
Vnto my last / lyke as my hert is bound.
To loue as well as dyde Achylles
Vnto his laste the fayre Polixene
Or as the grete famous Hercules
For dianyre that felte the shott kene
Right soo shall I saye right as I mene
whyle that I lyue / her bothe drede and serue
For lacke of mercy though she doo me sterue
Now lady venus to whom no thyng vnknowe
Is in the world hyde / ne nought may be
For there nys thyng neyther hye ne lowe
May be counceled from your pryuete
Fro whom my menyng is not now secree
But wyte fully that myn entent is true
And lyke my trouthe now on my payne rue
For more of grace than of presumpcyon
I axe mercy / and noo thyng of dute
Of lowly humbles / withoute offencyon
That ye enclyne of your benygnyte
your audyence vnto my humylyte
To graunt me that to you I clepe and calle
Some daye relees yet of my paynes alle
And sythe ye haue the guerdon and the mede
Of all louers pleynly in your honde
Now of grace and pyte take ye hede
Of my distres / that am vnder your bonde
Soo lowly bounde / as ye well vnderstonde
In that place where I toke fyrst my wounde
Of pyte suffre ye my helth may be founde
That lyke as she me hurte with a syght
Right soo with helth lete me her sustene
And as the stremes of her eyen bryght
whylom my hert with woundes sharp ▪ kene
[Page]Thurgh persed haue and yet be fresshe & grene
Soo as she me hurte / lete her me socour
Or ellys certayn I may not long endure
For lacke of speche I can say you noo more
I haue mater but I can not playne
My wytte is dull to tell all my sore
A mouth I haue / and yet for all my payne
For want of wordes I may not now attayne
To tell half / that dothe my hert greue
Mercy abydyng / tyll she me lyst releue
But this theffect of my mater fynall
with deth or mercy relees for to fynde
For hert body thought lyf lust and all
wyth all my reson and all my full mynde
And fyue wyttes of one assent I bynde
To her seruyse with oute ony stryf
And make her pryncesse of my deth or lyf
And now I pray of reuth and eke pyte
O goodly planet / o lady venus bryght
That ye your sone of his deyte
Lupide I mene that with his dredfull myght
And with his brond that is soo clere of lyght
Her herte soo to fyre and to marke
As ye me whylom brent with a sparke
That lyke wyse and with the same fyre,
She may be hit / as I now brenne and melte
Soo that her herte be flāmed with desyre
That she may knowe by feruēce how I swelte
For of pyte playnly yf she felte
The selfe hete that dooth myn hert enbrace
I hope of reuth she wyll doo me grace
And there with all Venus as me thought
Towardes this man ful benygnely
Gan cast her eye / lyke as that she rought
Of his disease / and sayed full goodly
Syth it is soo / that thou soo humbly
withoute grutchyng our hestes lyst obeye
Toward thyn helpe I wyll anone pourueye
And also my sone Lupide that is soo blynde
He shall be helpyng fully to performe
your hooll desyre / that noo thyng be behynde
Ne shall be lefte / soo we shall reforme
This pyteous cōplaynt / yt maketh y• to morne
That she for whom yu sorowest moost in hert
Shall thurgh her mercy relece all thy smert
whan she seeth tyme / thurgh our purueaūce
Be not to hasty / but suffre all thyng wele
For in abydyng / thurgh lowly obeyssaūce
Lyeth full redres / of all that ye now fele
[Page]And she shall be as trewe as ony stele
To you alone / by our myght and grace
If ye lyst mekely abyde a lytyll space
But vnderstande ye that all her cherisyng
Shall be grounded vpon honeste
That noo wyght shall by ony rehercyng
Deme amys of her in noo degre
For neyther mercy / reuth / nor pyte
She shall not haue ne take of the none hede
Ferther than longeth vnto her womanhede
Be not astonyed of noo wylfulnes
Ne not despeyred of this dissolucyon
Lete reson brydle lust by buxumnes
withoute grutchyng or rebellyon
For Ioye shall folowe all this passyon
For who can suffre torment and endure
Ne maye not faylle / but folowe shall his cure
For to fore alle she shall the loue best
Soo shall I her withoute offencyon
By Influence enspyre in her brest
In honest wyse with full entencyon
For tenclyne by clene affeccyon
Her hert fully on the to haue reuthe
By cause I knowe that thou menest treuthe
Goo now to hyr where as he stant a syde
with humble chere / and put the in her grace
And all before lete hope be thy guyde
And though that drede wold with the pace
Hit sytteth well / but loke that thou arace
Out of thyn hert wanhope and dispeyr
To her presence er thou haue repeyr
And mercy fyrst shall thy waye make
And honest menyng afore doo thy message
To make pyte in her herte awake
And secretnes to further thy vyage
with humble porte to her that is soo sage
Shall meanes be / and I my selfe also
Shall the fortune / or thy tale be doo
Goo forth anone / and be right good of chere
For specheles noo thynge may you spede
Be good of trust and be noo thyng in were
Syth I my selfe shall helpen in this nede
For atte lest of her goodlyhede
She shall to the her audyence enclyne
And lowly to her tyll thou thy tale fyne
For well thou wost yf I shall not feyne
withoute speche thou mayst noo mercy haue
For who that wyll of his pryue peyne
Fully be cured his lyf to helpe and saue
[Page]He must mekely out of his hert graue
Discure his wounde and shewe hit his leche
Or ellys deye for defaute of speche
For he that is in mischyef reklees
To seche helpe I holde hym a wretche
And she ne may thyn hert bryng in pees
But yf thy compleynt to hyr hert stretche
woldest thou be cured and wylt no salue fetche
Hit wyll not be / for noo wyght may atteyne
To come to blysse / yf he lyst lyue in peyne
Therfore attones goo forth in humble wyse
To fore thy lady and lowly knele a doun
And in all trouthe thy wordes soo deuyse
That she on the haue compassyon
For she that is of soo hye renoun
In all vertues as quene and souerayn
Of womanhede shall rue on thy payn
And whan the goddes this lesson had tolde
Aboute me soo I gan beholde
Right soo astonyed stode in a traunce
To see the maner and coūtenaunce
And all the chere of this wofull man
That was of hue dedely pale and wan
with drede supprysed in his owne thought
[Page]Makyng chere as though he rought nought
Of lyf ne deth ne what soo hym betyde
Soo moche fere he had on euery syde
To put hym forth for to tell his payne
Vnto his lady / other to complayne
what woo he felte torment or disese
what dedely sorowe his hert dide sese
For reuthe of whiche his wooes I endyte
My penne I fele quake as I wryte
Of hym I had soo grete compassyon
For to reherce his weymentacyon
That vnnethe though with my selfe I stryue
I want connyng his paynes to discryue
[...]las to whom shall I for helpe calle
Not to the muses for cause they ben alle
Helpe of right in Ioye and not in woo
And in maters that they delyte also
wherfore they nyll as now dyrecte my style
Nor me enspyre alas the hard whyle
I can noo further but to Thesiphon
And to her suster to calle helpe vpon
That be goddesses of torment and payne
Now lete your teres in to myn ynke reyne
with woofull wordes my paper for to blotte
This woofull mater to peynt not / but spotte
To tell the maner of this dredefull man
Vpon his complaynt whan he fyrst began
To tell his lady whan he gan declare
[Page]His hyd sorowes / and his enyll fare
That at his herte constreyned soo sore
Theffect of whiche was this withoute more
Pryncesse of youthe and flour of gentylnes
Ensample of vertue ground of curtesye
Of beaute rote quene and eke maystres
To all wym̄en how they shall hem gye
And sothfast myrrour texemplyfye
The right way of porte and of womanhede
what I shall saye / of mercy take ye hede
Besechyng fyrst vnto your hye nobles
with quakyng hert of my Inward drede
Of grace and pyte and not of rightwysnes
Of very reuthe to helpen this nede
This is to say O well of goodlyhede
That I ne recke though ye doo me deye
Soo ye lyst fyrst to here what I seye
The dredefull stroke the grete force & myght
Of god Cupide that noo man may rebell
Soo Inwardly thurgh out myn hert right
I perced hath that I ne may councele
Myn hyd wound ne I ne may apele
Vnto noo gretter / this myghty god soo faste
you to serue hath me bound vnto my laste
That hert and all withoute stryf ar yolde
[Page]For lyf or deth to your seruyse alone
Right as the goddesse myghty Venus wolde
Tofore her mekely whan I made my mone
She me constreyned withoute chaunge anone
To your seruyse and neuer for to fayne
wherso euer ye lyst to doo me ease or payne
Soo that I can noo thyng but mercy crye
Of you my lady / and chaunge for noo newe
That ye lyst goodly tofore or that I deye
Of very reuthe vpon my paynes rue
For by my trouthe / and ye my paynes knewe
what is the cause of myne aduersyte
On myn dysese ye wold haue pyte
For vnto you trewe and eke secree
I wyll be founde to serue as I best can
And therwith all as lowly in eche degre
To you be alone as euer yet was man
Vnto his lady from the tyme I began
And shall soo forth withouten ony slouth
whiles that I lyue / by god and by my trouth
For leuer I had to deye sodeynly
Than you offende in ony maner wyse
And suffre paynes inward pryuely
Than my seruyse as now ye shold dispyse
For I right nought wyll axe in noo wyse
[Page]But for your seruaunt ye wold me accepte
And whan I trespace / goodly me correcte
And for to graunte of mercy the prayer
Oonly of grace and womanly pyce
From day to day that I myght lere
You for to plese / and therwith all that ye
Whan I doo mys / lyst for to teche me
In your seruyse how that I may amende
From hensforth and neuer you offende
For vnto me hit doth ynough suffyse
That for your man ye wold me resceyue
Fully to be as ye lyst deuyse
And as ferforth as my wyttes can conceyue
And therwith all lyke as ye preue
That I be true / to guerdone me of grace
Or ellys to punysshe after my trespace
And yf soo be that I may not atteyne
Vnto your mercy / yet graunte atte leste
In your seruyse for all my woo and payne
That I may deyen after my beheste
This is all and some the fyn of my request
Eyther with mercy your seruaunt to saue
Or mercyles that I may be begraue
And whan this benygne of her entent true
[Page]Conceyued hath the complaynt of this man
Right as the fresshe rody Rose newe
Of her colour to wexen she began
Her blood astonyed soo from her hert it ran
In to her face of very femynyte
Thurgh honest drede abasshed was she
And humbly she began her eyen caste
Towardes hym of hyr benygnyte
Soo that noo word by her lyppes paste
For hast nor drede mercy ne pyte
For soo demened she was in honeste
That vnduysed noo chyng fro her stert
Soo moche of reson was compassed in hert
Tyll atte last of whiche she did abrayd
Whan she his trouthe and menyng did fele
And vnto hym full goodly spake and sayd
Of your behest and your menyng wele
And your seruyse soo faythfull euery dele
Whiche vnto me soo lowly now ye offre
With all my hert / I thanke you of your profer
That for soo moche your entent is sette
Oonly in vertue I brydled vnder drede
Ye must of right nedis fare the bet
Of your request / and the better spede
But as for me I may of womanhede
[Page]Noo ferther graunte to you in myn entente
Than as my lady Venus wyll assente
For she well knoweth I am not at my large
To doon right nought but by her ordinaūce
Soo am I drowned vnder her dredefull charge
Her lyste tobbeye withoute varyaunce
But for my parte soo hit be plesaunce
Vnto the goddesse for trouth in your empryse
I you accepte fully to my seruyse
For she my herte hath in subieccyon
Whiche hooly is yours and neuer shall repente
In thought nor dede in myn eleccyon
Wytnes on Venus that knoweth myn entent
Fully tobeye hyr dome and Iugement
Soo as hyr lyste dispose and ordeyne
Right as she knoweth ye trought of vs tweyne
For vnto the tyme that Venus lyst prouyde
To shape awaye for our hertes ease
Bothe ye and I mekely must abyde
To take at gree / and not of our disease
To grutche agayn tyll that she lyst tappease
Our hyd woo soo Iuly that constreyneth
From day to day and our hertes peyneth
For in abydyng of woo and all affraye
[Page]Who soo can suffre is founden remedye
And for the beste full ofte is made delaye
Er men beheled of theyr maladye
Wherfore as Venus lyst this mater to gye
Lete vs agree / and take all for the best
Tyll her lyst / sette bothe our hertes in rest
For she is that byndeth and can constreyn
Hertes in one / this fortunate planete
And can releace louers of her peyne
To turne fully her bytter in to swete
Now blysfull goddes doun fro thy sterry sete
Vs to fortune cast your stremes shene
Lyke as ye knowe / that we trouth mene
And therwith all as I myn eyen caste
For to perceyue the maner of these tweyne
Tofore the goddesse mekely as they paste
Me thought I sawe with a golden cheyne
Venus / anone enbrace and constreyne
Her bothe hertes in one / for to perseuere
Whiles that they lyue / and neuer to disseuere
Seyeng right thus with a benygne chere
Syth it is soo / ye be vnder my myght
My wyll is thus / that ye my doughter dere
Full accepte this man as it is right
Vnto your grace anone here in my syght
[Page]That euer hath ben soo lowly you to serue
Hit is good skyll your thanke that he deserue
your honour sauf and also your womanhede
Hym to cherysshe / hit sytteth you right wele
Sych he is bounde vnder hope and drede
Amyd my cheyne that forged is of stele
ye must of mercy shape that he fele
In you some grace of his long seruyse
And that in hast lyke as I shall deuyse
This is to say that ye take hede
How he to yow oft faythfull it and true
Of all your seruaūtes / & no thyng for his mede
Of you ne asketh / but ye on hym rue
For he vowed hath to chaūge for noo newe
For lyf ne deth / for Ioye ne for payne
Ay to be yours / soo as ye lyst ordayne
wherfore ye muste or els it were wronge
Vnto your grace fully hym receyue
In my presence / by cause he hath soo longe
Hooly ben yours / as ye may conceyue
That from your mercy / yf ye hym weyue
I wyll my selfe recorde cruelte
In your persone / and grete lacke of pyte
Lete hym for his trouth fynde thenne agayn
[Page]For longe seruyse / guerdon hym with grace
And late your pyte weye doun his payn
For tyme is now daunger to arace
Oute of your hert / and mercy in to space
And loue for loue wold well beseme
To yeue agayn and this I playnly deme
And as for hym I wyll be his borowe
Of lowlyhede and besy attendaunce
How he shall be bothe eue and morowe
Full dilygent to doon his obseruaunce
And euer awaytyng / you to doo pleysaunce
wherfore my sone / lysten and take hede
Fully tobeye / as I shall the rede
And fyrst of all my wyll is that thou be
Faythfull in hert and constant as a wall
True humble / meke / and therwith all secre
withoute chaunge in partye or in all
And for noo torment that the fallen shall
Tempest the not / but euer in stedfastnes
Rote thyn herte / and voyde doublenes
And ferthermore haue in reuerence
These wm̄yen all for thy lady sake
And suffre neuer that men hem doo offence
For loue of one / but euermore vndertake
Hem to defende whether they slepe or wake
[Page]And ay be redy to holden theym partye
Ayenst all tho that to hem haue enuye
Be curtees ay and lowly of thy speche
To ryche and poure ay fresshe and well beseyn
And euer besy wayes for to seche
All true louers to release of her payne
Syth yu art one / & of noo wyght haue disdayn
For loue hath power hertes for to daunte
And neuer for cherysyng / the tomoche auaunt
Be lusty eke voyd of all trystesse
And take noo thought but euer be Iocound
And not to pensyf for none heuynes
And with thy gladnes / lete sadnes ay be found
whā woo approcheth / lete myrthe most haboūd
As manhod axeth / and though yu fele smert
Lete not to many knowe of thyn hert
And alle vertues besely thou sue
Vyces eschewe for the loue of one
And for noo tales thyn hert not renewe
word is but wynd that shall soon ouergoon
what euer thou here be dombe as ony stoon
And to answere to soone / not the delyte
For here she standeth yt all this shall the quyte
And whether thou be absent or in presence
[Page]None others beawte lete in thy hert myne
Syth I haue yeue hyr of beaute excellence
Aboue all other in vertue for to shyne
And thynke how in fyre mē arn wont to fyne
This pured gold to put hit in assaye
Soo to the proue / thou art put in delaye
But tyme shall come thou shalt for thy suffraū ce
Be well apayd and take for thy mede
Thy lyues Ioye and all thy suffysaūce
Soo that good hope alwaye thy brydell lede
Lete noo dispeyr hyndre the with drede
But ay thy trust vpon her mercy grounde
Syth none but she may thy sorowe sounde
Eche hour and tyme / weke / day / and yere
Be lyke faythfull and vary not for lyte
Abyde a while and thenne of thy desyre
The tyme neygheth that shall the most delyte
And lete noo sorowe in thy hert byte
For noo differryng / syth thou for thy mede
Shall reioyse in pees the flour of womanhede
Thynke how she is this worldis sonne & lyght
The sterre of beaute the floure eke of fayrnes
Bothe crop̄ and rote and eke the rubye bryght
Hertes to glade / ytroubled with derknes
And how I haue made her. thyn hertes empresse
[Page]Be glad therfore to be vnder her bonde
Now come nere doughter and take hym by the ▪honde
Vnto this fyn that after all these shours
Of his torment he maye be glad and lyght
whan by your grace ye take hym to be yours
For euermore anone here in my syght
And eke I wyll also as hit is right
withoute more his langour for to lysse
In my presence anone that ye hym kysse
That there maye be of all your old smertes
A full relees vnder Ioye assured
And that one locke be of your bothe hertes
Shet with my [...]eye of gold soo well pured
Oonly in sygne that ye haue recured
your hooll desyre here in this holy place
within my temple now in the yere of grace
Eternally be bounde of assuraunce
The knot is knyt / that maye not be vnbounde
That all the goddes of this allyaūce
Saturne / Ioue / and Mars as it is founde
And eke Cupide that fyrst did you wounde
Shall bere recorde / and euermore be wreke
On whiche of you / his trouth fyrst breke
Soo that by aspectes of theyr fyry lokes
[Page]withoute mercy shall falle the vengeance
For te be raced clene out of my bokes
On whiche of you be found of varyaūce
Therfore attones setteth your plesaūce
Fully to be while ye haue lyf and mynde
Of one accorde vnto your lyues ende
That yf the spiryte of newfanglenes
In ony wyse your hertes wold assaylle
To meue or styre to bryng in doublenes
Vpon your trouth to gyue a bataylle
Lete not your corage ne your force faylle
Nor none assaultes you flytten or remeue
For vnassayed noo man may trouth preue
For whyte is whytter yf it be sette by blacke
And swete is swetter after bytternes
And falshed euer is dryuen and putte abacke
where trouthe is roted withoute doublenes
withoute proue there may be noo sekernes
Of loue or hate and therfore of you twoo
Shall loue be more / for hit was bought wt woo
And euery thyng is had more in deute
And more of pryce whan it is dere bought
And eke loue stondeth more in seurte
whan it is tofore with payne woo & thought
Conquered was fyrst whan hit was sought
[Page]And euery conquest hath his excellence
In his poursute as it fyndeth resystence
And soo to you more sote and agreable
Shall loue be founde I doo you playnly assure
withoute grutchyng that ye were suffrable
Soo lowe soo meke pacyently to endure
That all attones I shall doo now my cure
For now and euer your hertes soo to bynde
That nought but deth shall the knot vnbynde
Now in this mater what shold I lenger dwelle
Come ye attones and doo as I haue sayd
And fyrst my doughter that are of boūte welle
In hert and thought be glad and well apayd
To doo hym grace that shall and hath obeyd
your lustes euer / and I wyll for his sake
Of trouth to you be bounde and vndertake
And soo forth within presence as they stand
Tofore the goddes this fayre and wele
Her humble seruaunt toke goodly by the hond
As he tofore her▪mekely dyd knele
And kyssed hym after fulfyllyng euery dele
from poynt to poynt in full thryfty wyse
As ye to forn had Venus herd deuyse
Thus is this man to Ioye and all plesaūce
[Page]From heuynes and from his paynes olde
Full reconcyled / and hath full snffysaūce
Of her that euer ment well / and wolde
That in good fayth and I tell sholde
The Inward myrthes dyd her hertes brace
For all my lyf to tell / it were to lytyll space
For he hath wonne hyr that he loueth best
And she to grace hath take hym of pyte
And thus her hertes ben bothe set in rest
withoute chaunge or mutabilyte
And Venus hath of her benygnyte
Confermed all what shall I lenger tary
These tweyne in one and neuer to vary
That for the Ioye in the temple aboute
Of this acorde by grete solempnyte
was laude and honour within and withoute
Gyue to Venus / and to the deyte
Of god Cupide / soo that Caliope
And all her sustren in her Armonye
Swete with theyr sōges ye goddds to magnifye
And all attones with notes loude and sharpe
They dyd her honour and her reuerence
And Orpheus among them with his harpe
Gan strynges touche with his dilygence
And Amphion that hath suche excellence
[Page]Of musyke ay dyde his besynesse
To plese and queme Venus the goddesse
Oonly for cause of the affynyte
Betwix these twoo not lusty to disseuere
And euery louer of lowe and hye degre
Gan Venus praye frothens forth and euer
That hooll of theym the loue may perseuere
withouten ende in suche wyse as they gonne
And more encrece that hit of hard was wonne
And the goddes heryng this request
As she that knewe the clene entencyon
Of bothe theym tweyne made a byhest
Perpetuelly by confyrmacyon
whiles they lyue of one affeccyon
They shall endure there is noo more to sayne
That neyther shall haue mater to complayne
Soo ferforth euermore in our eternall see
The goddes haue in our presence
Fully deuysed thurgh theyr deyte
And hooly concluded by her Influence
That by theyr myght and Iuste prudence
The loue of hem by grace and eke fortune
withoute chaunge shall euermore contune
Of whiche graunt the Temple enuyron
[Page]Thurgh hye comfort of theym yt were present
Anone was goon with a melodyous sown̄
In name of tho that trouth in loue ment
A balade newe in full good entent
Tofore the goddes with notes loude and clere
Syngyng right this anone as ye shall here
Fayrest of sterres that with your persaūt lyght
And with the cherysyng of your stremes clere
Causen in loue hertes to be lyght
Oonly by shynyng of your glad spere
Now lawde and pryce O Venus lady dere
Be to your name that haue withoute synne
This man fortuned his lady for to wynne
willy planete O esperus soo bryght
That wofull hertes can appese and stere
And euer are redy by your grace and myght
To helpe all tho that bye loue soo dere
And haue power hertes to sette on fyre
Honour to you of all that ben here Inne
That haue this man his lady made to wynne
O myghty goddesse day sterre after nyght
Gladyng the morowe whan ye doo appere
To voyde derknes by freshnes of your syght
Oonly with twynklyng of your plesaūt chere
To you we thanke louers that ben here
[Page]That ye this man and neuer for to twynne
Fortuned haue his lady for to wynne
And with the noyse and heuenly melodye
with that they made in her armonye
Thurgh out the temple for this mans sake
Out of my slepe anone I dyde awake
And for astonyed knewe as tho noo rede
For sodeyn chaūge oppressed with drede
My thought was cast in a traunce
Soo clene away was tho my remembraunce
Of all my dreme / wherof grete thought & woo
I had in herte and nyst what was to doo
For heuynes for that I had lost the syght
Of her that I all the long nyght
Had dremed of in myn aduysyon
wherof I made grete lamentacyon
By cause I had neuer in myn lyf beforn
Sawe none soo fayre syth that I was born
For loue of whom soo as I can endyte
I purpose here to make and wryte
A lytyll treatyse and processe make
In pryce of wym̄en oonly for her sake
Hem to comende as it is skyll and right
For her goodnes with all my myght
Prayeng to her that is soo bounteuous
Soo full of vertue and soo gracyous
Of womanhede and mercyfull pyte
[Page]This symple treatyse for to take in gre
Tyll I haue leyzer vnto her hye renoun
For to expowne my forsayd vysyoun
And tell in playn the signefyaunce
As it cometh to my remembraunce
Soo that here after my lady may hit loke
Now goo thy waye thou lytyll rude boke
To her presence as I the comaūde
And fyrst of all thou me recomaūde
Vnto hyr and to her excellence
And praye to hyr / hit be none offence
If ony word in the be myssayd
Besechyng her / she be not euyll apayd
For as her lyst I wyll the efte correcte
whan that her lyketh ageynward the directe
I mene that benygne and goodly of face
Now goo thy waye and put the in her grace
¶ Explicit the Temple of glas.