Lydgate's Reson and sensuallyte, ed. from the Fairfax ms. 16 (Bodleian) and the Additional ms. 29, 729 (Brit. mus.) by Ernst Sieper.

¶ Here telleth the auctour, how the god of love [folio 277] lad on hys one [one] om. F.] hand gladnesse and Doultz regarde.

And this dredeful god Cupide, That kan departen and devyde Line 5392 To hys servauntes wele or wo, Ryght as him lyst, for bothe two Ben in his honde fully committed, Tabyde sure or to be flytted, Line 5396

Line 5396 Al stant in his gouernaunce: Ioye, myrthe, or displesaunce, Al ys knet vnder hys bonde; And he lad vpon his honde Line 5400 A lady, passinge fair [fair] for A.] to se, And hir name was Beaute, A lady of ful gret plesaunce, For, fynally, hir aqueyntaunce [aqueyntaunce] aqueytaunce F.] Line 5404 Was to him most acceptable; Of port she was so agreable, So debonayre in euery part. And with him eke was doulz reguart Line 5408 And a lady, in sothnesse, Of whom the name was gladnesse. And this god most [most] om. A.] debonayre Bare twoo bowes ful contrayre Line 5412 And arwes eke of sondry guyse, Mervelouse for to devyse, With which, wher they be square or rounde, He kan hurte, Mayme, or wounde, Line 5416 And what tyme kan no man knowe. And touching hys first[e] bowe, Whiche that is so pleyn and smothe, Is wroght and made, this verray sothe, Line 5420 Al to gedre of yvory, Y-piked out ful craftyly, As any snowe passing white, And to be-hold of grete delyte. Line 5424 The tother, hydouse and ryght blak, [folio 277b] Wrought al oonly for the wrak, Ful of knottys and of skarrys, The tymber is so ful of warrys. Line 5428 And of his arwes to devyse, This is of hem pleynly themprise: To shete hem, whan he is purposyd, Lych as hertys be dysposyd Line 5432 And enclyned of nature, Ryght so love dooth his cure To marken hem, in conclusion, Most covenally in ther seson Line 5436

Line 5436 After dyuersyte of men; And they wer in novmbre ten; Thise arwes which that I reherse Sharpe fyled for to perse, Line 5440 And there namys [namys] nannys F. A.] by and by Be rehersed ceriously In the Rose, who taketh hede, In ordre ther ye may hem rede, Line 5444 Her names and condicion, Her force, her power, and renoun; Ther he may her kyndes knowe. And fyve vnto the first[e] bowe Line 5448 Ben of nature pertynent, Ryght faire and ryght convenient; And to reherse hem oon by oon, The first and hiest of echon, Line 5452 Most to be drad, as thought[e] me, Of ryghte callyd was beaute, The lady which that Cupide Lad in the erber by his syde. Line 5456 The secounde callyd was symplesse, And the thrid, in sothfastnesse, As the Rose lyst to devyse, Was ynamed ek fraunchise, Line 5460 Of which the fethres and the hede Wer verrayly, who kan take hede, [folio 278] Fulfilled with al curtesye. The fourthe was callyd companye, Line 5464 The whiche by fervence and desire Kyndleth ever lovys fire, Comfortable and ryght plesaunt. The fythe was callyd beausemblaunt, Line 5468 The whiche at the sharpe poynt With soot[e] bawme was enoynt, The sharpnesse [sharpnesse] shapnesse F.] to asswage [¶ Iste predicte sagitte mouent pruritus [pruritus] priuitus F. A.] et alliciunt amatores. [amatores] amarores A.] ] And to allayen the Damage In hertys, bothe yong and olde. And al the hedes wern of golde, Passyng sharp and ryght kervyng And to hurte eke percynge, Line 5476

Line 5476 Of temperrure they wer so fyne Thorgh an hert[e] for to Myne, That where so as they dyde assaylle Diffence noon myghte avaylle. Line 5480 The tother fyve wer nat faire, Ful hydous foule and ryght contrayre, Mortal of condicion [¶ quia ille affligunt amatores.] And of colour blak and broun, Line 5484 And so foule that yt was wonder, More dredful than stroke of thonder, And hateful vpon euery syde. The first of hem was callyd pride, Line 5488 And the seconde Felonye, The fetheres fret with villenye, And the thryd[e] callyd shame, Al envenymyd with dyffame, Line 5492 And the fourthe disesperaunce, Which with vnhap and meschaunce Wondeth hertys to the dethe And many hundred folkys slethe, Line 5496 The fyfte chaunge of thoughtys newe: Echoon ful hidouse of her hewe, And the poyntes of eche hede [folio 278b] Nat of Iren but of lede, Line 5500 Whiche tokne was of sorwe and woo; Cupide had hem forgyd soo Perilouse and hevy at the poynt, For with venym they wer enoynt, Line 5504 To make men, who vnderstood, To wexe furiouse and wood. And thise arwes most hateful With sorwe make men so dul Line 5508 Throgh her mortel Auenture That yt ys harde a man recure With-out[e] deth, this douteles, That the arwe of hercules Line 5512 Was nat of pereyl lych therto, Ther venym was ytempred so. And al thise arwes euerychon That I ha tolde of oon by oon, Line 5516

Line 5516 Bothe of Ioy and eke of peyne, And also eke the bowes tweyne Doulz regarde bare by hir syde, As hir lyst hem to devyde, Line 5520 And many other arwes kene, Wonder dredful to sustene. And thus Cupide and Dame beaute And doulz regarde, thise ylke thre Line 5524 Wente y-fere, this no doute, And folwyng hem a ful grete route. And first of al[le] kam rychesse, And next fraunchise and largesse, Line 5528 And also, as I koude espye, After hem kam Curtesye, Than ydelnesse and with hir youthe, And thise six, as yt ys kouthe, Line 5532 Confedred by a maner bonde, Euerych vpon others honde, Looth a-sonder to devyde, Suede ay the god Cupide, Line 5536 Ay to gedre tweyn and tweyn, [folio 279] And dyd also her [her] hys A.] besy peyn To serve love and nat repent With al her hool[e] trewe entent. Line 5540 And euerych for the more socour With him had his paramour; And al this folke most lusty Deduit hadde in his company, Line 5544 Comytted hooly to hys garde: ²Ten wythout[e] dowse regarde, Yonge, fresh, and lusty of visag[es [es cut off.] ],² [^2_2These two lines added in the margin.] As with-out wer ten ymages Line 5548 Portreyde in a nother guyse, As ye to forn han herd devyse.