102
Pseudo prophetes, false sodomytes,
Line 708
Quelmers of chyldren, with fornycatours,
Wetewoldes that suffre syn in her syghtes,
Auouterers, & abhominable auauntours
Line 711
Of syn, gret clappers, & makers of clamours;
Vnthryftys, & vnlustes came also to that game,
With luskes, & loselles that myght nat thryue for shame.
103
These were the comons came thedyr that day
Line 715
Redy bowne in batayll Vertew to abyde.
Apollo, theym beholdyng, began for to say
To the goddes & goddesses beyng there that tyde,
Line 718
"Me seemeth conuenyent an herowde to ryde
To Vertew, & byd hym to batayll make hym bone,
Hymsylf to defende, for sowght he shalbe sone.
Line 721
104
"And let hym nat be sodenly take
Line 722
All dyspurueyde or then he beware,
For then shuld our dyshonour awake
Yef he were cowardly take in a snare."
Line 725
"Ee," quod Vyce, "for that haue I no care.
I will auauntage take where I may."
That heryng, Morpheus pryuyly stale away,
Line 728
105
And went to warne Vertew of all thys afray,
Line 729
And bade hym awake & make hymsylf strong,
For he was lyke to endure that day
A gret mortall shoure, er hit were euesong,
Line 732
With Vyce, wherfore he bade him nat long
Tary to sende aftyr more socour—
Yef he dede, hit shuld turne hym to dolour.
Line 735
106
And brefely the matyr to hym he declaryd,
Line 736
Lyke as ye haue herde begynnyng & ende.
"Well," quoth Vertu, "he shall nat be sparyd.
To the felde I wyll wende how hit wende.
Line 739
But gramercy, Morpheus, myn owne dere frende,
Of your trew hert & feythefull entent
That ye in thys mater to me ward haue ment."
Line 742
