132
Mayntenours of ryght, verrey penytentes,
Line 918
Distroyers of errour, causers of Vnyte,
Trew actyf lyuers that set her ententes
The dedes to performe of mercy and pyte,
Line 921
Contemplatyf peple that desyre to be
Solytary seruauntes vnto God alone,
Rather then to habounde in rychesse euerychone.
Line 924
133
These, with many mo then I reherse can,
Line 925
Were come thedyr redy that batayll to abyde,
And take such part as fyll to Vertew than.
Vyce to ouercome they hopyd for all hys pryde,
Line 928
All though that he had more pepyll on hys syde,
For the men that Vertu had were full sewre
To trust on at Nede & Konnyng in armure.
Line 931
134
Macrocosme was the name of the felde
Line 932
Where thys gret batayle was set for to be.
In the myddes therof stood Conscience, & behelde
Whyche of hem shuld be brought to captyuyte.
Line 935
Of that nobyll tryumphe iuge wold he be.
Synderesys sate hym withyn closyd as in a parke,
With hys tables in hys hand her dedys to marke.
Line 938
135
To come in to the felde were hygh weyes fyue,
Line 939
Free to bothe partyes, large, broode and wyde.
Vertu wold nat tary, but hyghyd hym thydyr blyue,
Lest he were by Vyce deceuyd at that tyde.
Line 942
Long out of the felde lothe he was to abyde,
In auentur that he out of hyt were nat kept,
For then wolde he haue thought he had to long slept.
136
In thys mene tyme whyle Vertu thus preuydyd
Line 946
For hym and hys pepyll the feld for to wynne,
He chargyd euery man by Grace to be guydyd,
And all that euer myght the felde to entre ynne.
Line 949
In all that seson went Orygynall Synne
To lete Vyce know how Baptym, with hys oost,
Had entryd Macrocosme & serchyd euery coost.
Line 952
