The trauayled pylgrime bringing newes from all partes of the worlde, such like scarce harde of before. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed.

[illustration]

¶The armed Knight signifieth true Obedience in all estates, his armour, Strength: the shielde, Hope: the sworde, Courage: the speare, Aduenture: deliuered to the Author, by Thought being present in the fielde called Time.

The Author putting all feare aside, armeth himselfe, and so rideth foorth on his horse called W••ll.

WHen Time had said to me his mind, I pondred then in thought To worke & doe as he assignde, forthwith I armour cought, As 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then forste I put it on, by horned Cinthias light, And armour dight or Phoebus shone, so forth I tooke my flight, The Horse wheron I sate was, Will, whose force few youth may stay, My sworde was, Courage, prest to kill, so rode I on my way. My armour was both tough and strong, of strength it was new made, My shielde also was, Hope, among mine enimies to inuade. My speare was wrought and fabricate, with glittring gold most bright, Thereby that I asswage mought Hate, and put my foes to flight, Thus rode I on couragious, some prowesse for to winne, In passing forth most venterous, I practise did beginne. Two dayes I rode but nothing saw, among the hugie rockes, Not one aduenture worth a straw, so voyde I Momus mockes, Whereby I might recite at large, to please the Readers minde, I let that passe and put in charge, that Thought to me assignde: It is not n••edefull here to tell, my dolefull woe and paine, A thousand griefes aye set to quell, and Time did me disdaine, But when I had escapte the wayes, being past the mountaines great, A goodly greene there did appeare, which worldly pleasure hight. So much the place delighted me, my selfe I cleane forgat, Till that I did Aduenture sée, in midst of pleasures plat, A knight appeared there in sight, of corps both huge and great, Upon a stéede all, Ire, he hight as blacke as any Ieat. And towards me he came a mayne, with countnance fierce and grim, Regard, quoth he, in time, refraine, of me thou naught mayst win, Sée thou with spéede thy selfe prepare, for I will haue no naye, My might to prooue, if that thou dare, else here I will thée staye. Forthwith I graunted his request, but first his name to tell, And then to proue if he thought best, so would I with him mell, With irefull speach and loftie voyce, he aunswerde me in haste, Disagreement, who first hath choyse, all fleshe to stroy and waste, I Disagreement all would deflowre, from quiet peace and rest, Through Eluttonie encrease my powre, all other I detest, Not one if once I take in hande, from me may scarce escape, I rent and plucke as small as sand, nay few to me dare prate,

Sith thou art not Debilitie, nor Dolor which is fell, Thy force I hope to mollifie, I now thée know full well: Debilitie and Dolor eke, for these two doe I seeke, Who kéepes the wood of Antropos, and cause all flesh to gréete: Debilitie to most is knowne, by sicknesse or by age, Bicause the state in man consumes, to death his corps doth gage, But Dolor now is verie straunge, which may or may not bée Without corruption of that, wherein one may it sée. Debilitie therfore to him, I haue so ioynde in kinde, That Dolor he may well be callde, a foe to friendly minde, And why? bicause all flesh is loth with goodwill hence to part, Therefore I haue thought good as now, to ioyne them as one hart. Being both togither, are as one, still striuing man to win, When youthful yeres are gone and past, then age nedes must begin, With hollow eyen and visage grim, and countnance wan and pale, Thus Ioue aboue all times assignes, this newes account not stale. From those two, minde I to escape, if that by power I maye, Thou mayst be sure thou commest to late, to vanquish or to fraye, With that he spake with eger moode, as one distraught of wit, Though none of those, yet sure their friende, togither are we knit. Thy selfe defende, if that thou can, I minde thy force to prooue, Make no delay, doe surely stande, from me thou shalt not mooue: Our Speares on rest, we both fast set, ech other so did méete, That both to grounde we fell therwith, and after fought on féete. His Speare was shod with little Wit, wherewith he downe me cast, That counterbuffe I féele as yet, and shall while life doth last. Our speares at once cleane broken were, with swords ech other strake, So fierce was I, none could me feare, till Time my state did shake: With the licour of foolishnesse (therewith) were both swords wrought, With vaine desire and wilfulnesse, ech other strake aloft: The strokes were verie straunge to heare, that ech to other sent, And straight to me there did appeare, the ydle life so spent. Thus still togither did we fight, as fooles to striue with Time, Till at the last appeared night, yet Cinthia gaue hir shine, Whereby we both might well perceyue, all goodnesse crept away, By Diligence then was I faine, to craue as guide and stay.