This boke is compyled by Dan Iohn Lydgate monke of Burye, at the excitacion [and] styrynge of the noble and victorious prynce, Kynge Henry the fyfthe, i[n] the honoure glorie [and] reuerence of the byrthe of our moste blessed Lady, mayde, wyfe, [and] mother of our lorde Iesu Christe, chapitred as foloweth by this table

¶ A profytable declaracion of the prop••rtes of the Turtell / and the Doue Capitulo. lxxxi. (Book 81)

NOwe as me semeth in this hye fer••e That named is the Purification Euery man oughte to be glad and mery

And with good hert•• / and hol•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Deuoutely brynge his oblacion And offre fyrste the turtell of innocence Of very mekenes / and hertely pacience.

¶ And who y^• wolde this offrynge make a right He maye nat fayle / none of bothe two Fyrste shyne in clennes / with his chaste light As the Turtell / and therwith also Lyche the Doue / bothe in we••e and wo His herte daunte so by temporaunce To voyde rancour / and plante in sufferaunce.

¶ And as the Turtell by contemplacion For synne soroweth with greate waymentynge Onely for loue / of thylke eternall dileccion That lasteth ay / and hath none endynge And as the byrthe sheweth the comynge Of grene wherwith fresshe byrdes newe Right so of vertue / with floures fayre of hewe.

¶ He muste exampell of the Turtell take And be well ware / that he nat ne varye But lyue sole whan he hath loste his make And in prayer be also solitarie And loke alwaye that he nat ne tarye On no careyne of no flesshely hede And with all this to take also hede.

¶ That he his lyfe lede nat in vayne But like a Doue busely aspye

Where he 〈…〉〈…〉 maye the grayne And that he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 n••t out of companye Waytynge also the galle of enuye And that he haue ••y indignacion Of synfull luste out of corrupcion.

¶ Of any careyne to foster hym and fede And euermore with all his dusy payne Eschewynge synne / loue god and drede And with the Doue syghe and compleyne For his offence / and with wynges twayne Take his flight as ferforth as he can Thorowe parfyte loue / bothe to god and man.

¶ And as the Doue touchet eke her make Onely with kissynge / whan they to gyder gone So moste he▪ whether he slepe or wake Thorowe chastite / set his herte in one And lyke a Doue maketh his neste of stone This is to seye amonge all his pleasaunce He muste his ••lesshe daunte with penaunce.

¶ And as the Doue with her eyen meke Of kynde aspyeth amyd the Riuere The Haukes shadowe / whan he dothe her seke Sechynge his repaste / bothe ferre and nere Right so muste he with parfyte eyen clere Amyd the watres full of wo and stryfe In the wawes of his mortall lyfe.

¶ The dedely shadowe of the fende esche w••

That wayteth hym with snares large & huge And to the deth / ay dothe hym pursewe To trappe hym here in his deluge And lyke a Doue f••e to his refuge By grace onely if he maye escape Or deth bytraye hym with his sodeyne trape.

¶ And who so by clennes / with the Turtell 〈◊〉〈◊〉 As I tofore haue made mencion And lyke a Doue afore his perill fleeth Of deth to esche we the persecution And can be meke in tribulation I dare recorde it / write it for soth Truely to god / he his offerynge doth.

¶ And who that euer liueth in chastite And hath enuy enclosed in his herte He maye well offre / what so that he be To god a Turtell / but the Doue nought Wherfore they muste be to gyther brought That clennes by sothfaste vnite Without partynge / be knytte with charite.

¶ And sothely than there is no more to sayne Whan his offerynge and oblation Is iustely made to god of bothe twayne It is accepted of more deuocion And for to make a shorte discripcion Of the Turtell / and the Doues kynde Redeth these verses / and ye shull it fynde.

¶ Alta ••etit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cantando gemit veniens Uer Nunciat et caste viuit solus que moratur Pullos no••te fo•••• morticinium que fugit Erranea legat vol••••at sociata cadauera vita•• Felle care ••plang•••• so••ium que per oscula tangit Petro dat huic ••••dum fugit hoste flum••e visum Rostro non ledit geminos pullos bene nutrit.

¶ This feste also / bothe of more and lesse Through out the worlde / in euery region Called is the feste of ••andelmesse For sondry skylles / in conclusion As olde bokes make mencion And howe this feste fyrste toke his name So as I can / to you I wyll atame.