The castell of pleasure The conueyaunce of a dreme how Desyre went to the castell of pleasure, wherin was the gardyn of affeccyon inhabyted by Beaute to whome he amerously expressed his loue vpon ye whiche supplycacyon rose grete stryfe dysputacyon, and argument betwene Pyte and Dysdayne.

TOrnyng & trauersynge hystoryes vnstedfaste In Ouydes bokes of transformacyon It was my fortune and chaunce at the laste In ouertornyng of y^e leues to se in what fncyō Phebus was inflamyd by inspyracyon Of cruell cupyde to hym immercyable Whiche of hym was worthy no commendacyon Shewynge hymselfe alwayes deceyuable Therfore I wolde gladly yf I were able The maner playnly and in fewe wordes dysclose How phebus and cupyd togyer were compenable Fyrst it to shewe I wyll me dyspose

¶ Phebus set on pryde and hault in corage Spake these wordes of grete audacyte Cupyde thou boy of yonge and tender aege How mayst thou be ••o bolde to compare with me These arowes becomes me as thou mayst clerely se Wherwith I maye wounde bothe man and beste And for that at all creatures be subgect to the So moche is thy power lesse than myn at eche feste Well well sayd cupyde it lyketh you to geste This sayd / he assended to the mount pernassus On the hyght his armes shortly abrode he keste And sayd I trust I shall this in haste dyscusse.

For a profe he toke forth of his arowy quyuer A golden darte with loue ryght penytrable Made sharpe at the poynt that it myght enter With it he stroke phebus with a stroke ryght lamentable It to resyste he was weyke and vnable The stroke of his power who can or may resyste

But he must obey / and to loue be agreable Cōstreyned by cupyde whiche may stryke whome he lyst Another darte he toke soone in his fyste Contrary to thoder ledyn blont and heuy With this he stroke Phebus loue or she wyste So that the more he desyred the more she dyd deny

¶ Her name was Daphnys whiche deuoyde of loue By dame saunce mercy whiche made hym to complayne Cupyde in sondry wyse his power dyde proue On thone with loue on thoder with dysdayne Thone dyd fle thoder wolde optayne Thone was gladde thoder was in wo Thone was pencyfe and oppressed with payne Thoder in Ioye cared not thoughe it were so By fere and dysdayne she dyd hym ouergo Lyke to an hare she ranne in haste He folowed lyke a grehounde desyre wrought hym wo But all was in vayne his labour was but waste.

The nyght drewe nye the daye was at a syde My herte was heuy I moche desyred rest Whan without confort alone I dyd abyde Seynge the shadowes fall frome the hylles in the west Eche byrde vnder boughe drewe nye to theyr nest The chymneys frome ferre began to smoke Eche housholder went about to lodge his gest The storke ferynge stormes toke the chymney for a cloke Eche chambre and chyst were soone put vnder locke Curfew was ronge lyghtes were set vp in haste They that were without for lodgynge soone dyd knocke Which were playne p̄cedentes y^e daye was clerely paste

¶ Thus a slepe I fell by a sodayne chaunce Whan I lacked lyght alone without conforte My sore study with slouthe dyde me enhaunce Myn eyes were heuy my tonge without dysporte Caused many fantasyes to me to resorte My herte was moche musynge my mynde was varyaūt So I was troubled with this vngracyous sorte That my herte & mynde to slouthe shortely dyde graunt Aboute the whiche whyles I was attendaunt Sodaynly came Morpheus & at a brayde Not affrayd but lyke a man ryght valyaunt Couragyously to me these wordes he sayde.

¶ Morpheus.

¶ Well knowen it is and noysed for a trothe Thoughe {per}chaūce it hath not attayned yet to your audy∣ence How Desyre in mynde hath made a solempne othe Beaute to serue without resistence So to contynue he doeth ryght well prepence Durynge his lyfe with loue stedfast and sure In parfyte loue to kepe one contynuaunce It is his mynde to do her suche pleasure.

¶ On faruent loue he set holy his mynde Loue is his pleasure yet loue putteth hym to payne Moche rule I ensure you hath nature and kynde In hym as is possyble in one to remayne He wolde fayne haue release and dare not yet complayne Howbeit to suche a poynte he is now brought That eyther to shewe his mynde he must shortly be fayne Or elles his Ioye is clerely solde and bought.

¶ For the whiche it is done me to vnderstande

That he wyll shortly now expresse his entent And this they saye he wyll take on hande To go to her presence wherfore be dylygent And walke with me and be obedyent And I shall soone knowe how he shall spede I must of duety holde me content So ye supporte me alwaye whan I haue nede

¶ The mountayne of courage

¶ This sayd sodaynly by a chaunce repentyne I was ascendynge a goodly mountayne About the whiche y^e sonne ouer eche syde dyd shyne Wherof the coulour made my herte ryght fayne To se the golden valeyes bothe fayre and playne But whan I to the toppe was nye auaunced None of my Ioyntes coude togyder contayne For Ioye my herte leped and my body daunced.

¶ What call ye this hyll I pray you tell This is the mountayne of lusty courage This hath ben inhabyted of many a rebell As vnkyndnes / enmyte / dysdayne / and dotage But now they be dystroyed by marcy all apparage So that now adayes here dwelleth none yet dysdayne hath goten a more stately auauntage For in the castell of pleasure she troubles many one.

¶ Now goodly Iustes here on they excersyse By thactyfnes of many a champyon And these well gargaled galeryes they dyd deuyse To thentente that ladyes myght haue prospeccyon And to suche as were worthy graunte loue & affeccyon And also whan theyr lust were theyr courage to vse

To daunce amonges them they toke a dyreccyon As they myght well and not them selfe abuse

¶ Whan I aduerted of these galeryes y^• quadrāt facyon The meruaylous mountayne so well made playne Me thought that syth the incarnacyon Was neuer seen a more goodly mountayne For Ioye my herte leped I was so fayne Of it I was so ioyous and so well appade I coude in no wyse my mynde refrayne To suche tyme this as prayse of it I made

O puyssaunt courage chefe cause of conforte Thou mayst well be nye the castell of pleasure O hyll thupholder of all doughty dysporte Of marcyall manhode thou arte the treasure Out of thy bankes is goten the bre That causeth the pastymes of parfyte prowes O mountayne god graunt the longe to endure Syth thou arte lanterne of lastynge lustynes.

¶ So forth we walked on that goodly hyll To that we came to the bankes syde To se the fayre castell than we stode styll And to se the rennynge ryuer there we dyde abyde To haue a lowe water we taryed the tyde The name of this water then thus he dyd expresse To dystroye chaungeable & peple oppressed w^t pryde They call this water the lauer of lowlynes

On the stones of stedfastnes rennes this water clere To ouercome folkes chaūgeable & proude of herte & mȳde

Suche men shall be put in ryght grete daunger For than swelleth the water contrary to his kynde So that they can not the steppynge stone fynde By the meane wherof they be troubled so sore With the wylde wawes wauerynge with the wynde That for lacke of helpe they are ryght soone forlore.

¶ But blessed be god we came in good season Well passe this same I trust we shall in haste Be not flowyshe but arme you with reason How ye shall gete ouer in mynde afore well caste To be to forwarde ye may soone make waste So forth we wente in pacyent humylyte And whan I this water was well past I loked backe and sayd this in breuyte.

O lowly lauer slydynge ouer the stones of stedfastnes O ryall ryuer whiche proueth perfytely All proude people that delytes in doublenes Thou drownest them in thy stremys ryght shortly Thou hast a more praysable proprety Then euer had the well of helycon The mother of mekenes conserue the perpetually Syth thou arte the mother water of vertues many one

¶ So whan I towarde the castell dyrected my loke Whiche then was not from me a full stones caste I remembred that I had redde in many a boke That in this place of plesure were many a stormy blast Notwithstondynge I thought all perylles had be past Whan I sawe of this castell the royall gates Yet afore I knewe that pleasour coude not last

There as dysdayne is in fauour with estates

¶ This royall castell was on eche syde quadraunt Gargaled with goodly grehoundes & beestes many one The tyrannous tygre the stronge & myghty elephaunt With a castell on his backe whiche he bare alone The lyons syry eyes with rubyes there shone The golden grephyn with clees of asure The vnycorne alowe with a rufull mone Stode there as desolate of lyuely creature.

¶ The walles were allectynge of adamantes The wyndowes of crystall were well fortyfyed And as I was lokynge on these elyphauntes On the gates two scryptures I aspyed Them for to rede my mynde than I applyed Wryten in golde and yndye blewe for folkes furtheraūce They betoken two wayes as after well I tryed These scryptures as I remembre th{us} sowned i substaūce

¶ Who as in to this place wyll take his entrynge Must of these wayes haue fre eleccyon yf he lyst be lusty lepe daunce and synge Or yf in worldly welthe he set his affeccyon In honour ryches or prosperous inuencyon He shall be conueyed yf he wyll so ensewe Elles to the scrypture vnderneth let hym gyue intencyon whiche is set out in letters of yndye blewe.

¶ Who so doeth sette his pleasure and delyte His faruent herte to conioyne stedfastly On the loue of Beaute a blossom ryght wyte

Or on ony of her ladyes let hym ententyfely Be content his mynde and courage to apply To suche as to conduyt all folkes lyeth in wayte For none can without theyr leue passe them by Nor yet attayne to beautes hygh estate

This sayd my mynde mused gretely Whiche of these wayes I was best to take Wherby I called to remembraunce shortly How Hercules of aege but tendre and wake New at yeres of dyscresyon his mynde sore brake whā he sawe two wayes y^e one of vtue y^e other of pleasure And of the nyght it caused hym ryght ofte to wake By cause he knewe not the waye of pefyte measure.

Yet suche was his fortune ryght happy was his chaūce Whiche toke the waye so moche praysable This to pleasure and welthe doeth men auaunce This other doeth enduce one to be amyable I am hereby moche troubled my mynde is vnstable what remedy shall I fynde to make my mynde stedfast I wyll endeuer me to reason to be conformable All my wyttes serched I trust it so to caste

¶ This golden scrypture is ryght moche pleasaunte And hath dampned the eyes of men many one I am sore troubled to whiche waye sholde I graunte Syth I am now here in maner as man alone This loue lasteth whan all ryches is gone Therfore I thynke it best with it to be content Consyderynge that fewe theyr mysfortune wyll mone That haue mo faces than hertes as dayly is euydent.

¶ My mynde thus establysshed I was about to prayse This palays precyous and castell ryght confortable Whan I had chosen the surest of these wayes So than I was brought on an euyn table For to go to beautye I was than agreable And the rather bycause of morpheus desyre Whiche sayd that to hym company was deceyuable This castell then thus praysed I enflamed w^t loues fyre

¶ O precyous palays of pryncely pulchrytude Walled with admantes whiche draweth by vyolence Accordynge to thy power and thy stones fortitude All thynges of yron / so this castell by influence Draweth to hym hertes as I sawe & dyd prepence Therfore o castell Iesu the preserue Lest by some pery we myght be dryuen hens For durynge lyfe and helthe I entende the to obserue.

¶ Whan I was entred in to this ryall place Confort me welcomed with an herty semblaunce Sayenge what wolde ye that ye came to his place Come forwarde and be not afrayd your selfe to auaunce To speke with desyre I dyd me hyder enhaunce She sayd desyre is but a lytle past I shall you to hym brynge yf ye haue good vtteraunce I trust ye shall by my good helpe to se hym in hast.

So forthe we walked within this base courte grene Ye shall se here she sayd many goodly pastymes Ye shall haue suche Ioye as ofte hath not be sene ••••••utynge dauncynge balades and rymes ••••••gynge pypynge ye shall se at sondry tymes

All maner of gamynge ye shall se excercysed And vpon all quarelles troubles and crymes Ryght solempne Iustes be here oft enterprysed

But what way wyll ye take I had forgot all this whyle Whether wyll ye to the hall or to beaute now expresse For here the wayes partes I wos lyke you to begyle In Beautyes presence I wolde fayne be doubteles Athen ye must be conueyd by my syster kyndnes In dede syr I had lyke to haue serued you gently But se where she goeth let vs make shorte our processe For to her presence brynge you now wyll I

¶ Good syster kyndnes I praye yon conuey This gentylman whiche sayth wolde speke with desyre At your request I can not saye hym naye Yf it were in me to gyue hym an hole empyre But is he I praye you enflamed with loues fyre That after desyre he goeth so fast appace Tusshe this mater spede I hertly you requyre And I shall tell you that in an other place.

¶ Well good ynoughe go ye aboute your besynes Syr for comforte sake ye be ryght hertly welcome Then conforte to the gate dyd her redresse For sorowe wherof I was in maner dumme I was so mased yet whan my mynde was come I thanked her in my hartyest maner possyble Besechynge god to sende her suche a some As myght recompense double and tryble.

¶ What moeued you to come in to these partyes

And I praye you by whome were ye hyther brought That ye haue passed so well the Ieoperdyes By the meane of Morpheus as now I hyther sought For I wolde haue entred in though dere I hadit bought One cause was fantasy I can not it denye Syr hyder be ye welcome as hertely as can be thought And I trust in haste ye shall se fantasy

¶ This sayd I was nye the gardyn of affeccyon Whiche apperyd to my syght bothe gay and gloryous Enuyronde with emyraudes to it a free proteccyon The pereynge dyamonde the amatiste amorous The stedfast Saphyr the blew turkes ryght precyous With many other stones I lacke cōnynge them to shewe Me thought it a new paradyse delycate and delycyous It shone so fresshly and bare so grete auewe.

¶ But where is Morpheus I merueyle y^t I hym lacke He was here with me not very longe agone By that I had this sayd I sodenly loked backe I sawe hym and an other stande talkynge alone I praye you who is this I haue not seen suche one It is fantasy to ye maye se that folkes of a quayntaunce Where soeuer they mete the one wyll other mone As these two do now without varyaunce.

¶ Kyndnes than steppeth forth w^t a mery coūtynaunce Sayd syster fantasy why talke ye with this man Ye had nede be wyse lest there happen suche chaunce As I fere not but well ynough ye can Well well sayd fantasy why do ye fere me than But syster fantasy ye must let this man entre your warde

To speke with desyre for his colour is pale and wanne Therfore to his retourne good syster be his sauegarde

¶ Ye fere ye not but I wyll hym well hede Ye wolde be gone well do and kepe your charge Lest there be some that of your helpe hath nede For there is many one y^t wolde gyue mony ryght large To haue you at theyr pleasure alway in theyr barge That I well knowe and yet they get me not And as ye sayd vnto me hede your owne charge Thus fare ye well and regarde your chaunce and lot

¶ Kyndnes departed yet her power was present Awaye with fantasy enclosed in her herte Than fantasy in at the gate dyd sprent I leped in after and sodaynly dyd sterte Whan I sawe me enclosed about with a couerte Set full of myrt trees the apple tre appered playne Of pyramus and Thysbe dystroyed by loues darte Whiche made me ofte to wysshe that I were out agayne

¶ Alas quod I what sodayne aduenture I se this worlde is but vncertayne I was late Ioyus as euer was creature And now I foly••shly haue locked me in loues chayne I wene I be ī laborinth{us} where my notaur{us} dyd remayne A blynde Cupyde is this thy guerdon Makest thou folkes blynde doest thou so entertayne Suche louers as sewe to the for theyr padon.

¶ I had forgeten the proces of alayne I nothynge regarded the verses of vyrgyll

Whiche sayth to hyde colours is but vayne The worst colour ofte taken the fayrer abydes styll For these that be fayr ofte chaunge theyr wyll Al thynges as they shewe is not in substaunce Whiche I perceyued now hath done me moche yll That thus frome the shewe hath grete varyaunce

What moued hath your mynde why morne ye thus alone Haue ye lost ony frende or ony other thynge Nay thabsens of conforte ryght sore I mone Whiche sayd I sholde here folkes bothe lute & synge Thus she tolde me at our last partynge And I can not se what waye that sholde ensewe For but yf ye suche pastymes to me brynge To all my Ioye I maye well saye adewe.

¶ Doubte ye not but ye shall se thynges pleasaunte If ye wyll be content to for bere a lytell space For conforte about no man contynually is attendaūte None erthly creature shall styll stande in her grace Ioye reconcyled after angre she foloweth apace After a grete pery the wether semeth more clere There is no man that hath ben in wofull case But after that prosperyte is to hym more dere.

¶ None erthly pleasure maye be atteyned w^tout payne Recorde the story in the tenth boke of Ouyde Rehersed by Uenus to make Adonis of her fayne Now atalante sore set on pryde Out ranne all folkes she wolde none abyde They y^t coude out renne her sholde haue her in maryage They y^t coude not were slayne none spared nor set a syde

This loue was made egall to that anauntage

¶ Many coragyous wowers dyd assaye this Ieoperdy But all were dystroyed she dyd them ouer go yet as hyppomētes sawe her moster pulde doune thē by & by He sayd I blamed these wrōge I knewe not y^• rewarde so As I do now / whiche workes to me moche wo My fortune vnprouyded shall neuer be lefte alone God alwayes helpeth bolde men and fortune also I se therby promoted men many one

¶ So venus perceyuynge the feruent stedfastnesse Of this true louer lothe that he sholde be loste Put in his mynde as Ouyde doeth expresse To take two golden apples or thre at the mooste To throwe downe one of them she taught hȳ suche a toste Whan he ranne ayenst his lady y^t she myght it take So whā at sōdry times he had throwē doune all his coste He out ranne her & gate her to be his worldly make

¶ Suche was his fortune by his grete boldnes Thoughe it were to his payne yet it gate hym pleasure For Uenus in conclusyon doeth bolde louers redres As ye may se dayly in vre This sayd we were in a gardyn ryght pure Depaynted with blossomes of sondry odoures Lo quod she how saye ye haue ye not now pleasure To walke & knowe y^e propertes of these goodly floures

¶ Pryncypally the prymrose aboue floures all With foure leues / and the roses these be moste in value Clicia was chaūged ī to a marygold which is a memoryal

Of her louer the sonne for she doeth hym ensue At rysynge at settynge amonge the droppes of dewe Narcissus was chaunged in to a water cresse Hiachynthus in to a floure delyse as ouyde doeth shewe Rehersynge of the same floures many a propre proces.

This som thinge pulles vp my herte & encreseth my {con}fort Wherfore I wyll applye to you with due dylygence Lo se here be all the floures of loue and dysporte I had almoost forgote my selfe it were tyme I were hens I wyll go and now present you to eloquence Whiche is here by at the well of helycon Me thynke I se her therfore as I prepence Best is to present you now whan she is alone

¶ O famous floure O lady eloquence Pleseth you to take with you this gentylman So that ye may haue suche preemynence As to hym in no wyse shewe I can I holde me well content but there is a man Named desyre whiche wolde speke with my lady There aboute I go / well good ynoughe than That ye haue put it of so longe meruell haue I

¶ Than she talked to me of blysses Tellynge me that he was a man ryght eloquent Than to lene at the herbar where Beaute sat at ese It pleased eloquence / yet the bowes were so bent That we coude not se thrugh / yet fantasy was present As we well herde by her communycacyon And shewynge the maner of desyres entent She ordered her wordes moche after this facyon.

¶ Fantasy.

¶ O well of womanhede to vs lady and maystres Pleaseth your hyghnes of your aboundaunt grace To knowe how Desyre in ryght grete heuynes Requyred me to moeue you whan I had space That he myght speke w^t you & to appoynt tyme & place Whan he myght a wayte on you & gyue you attendaunce To shewe you all his grefe and in what wofull case He doeth endure without dyssemblaunce.

¶ Beaute.

¶ Ye knowe well fantasy I am nothynge accompanyed Lyke as I wolde be whan he shall attayne my presence Therfore as best is let this be applyed Go ye and call hyther your syster credence Let eloquence be nyghe lest there happeth some offence For it is mete they be nyghe at this grete besynes Quod dysdayne it is mete my lady haue preemynens Lyke as becometh her estate and noblenes

¶ Forth went fantasy to do her message Desyre thought he taryed very longe And sore he was moeued with faruent corage He thought he wold Ieo{per}de though it sholde happē wrōg And in his grete trouble he called fantasye amonge Saynge ye forgete ye hede not my grete payne Yf som chaūce haue happed her I may sȳge a woful song Or elles I fere me she be let by dysdayne.

Betwene hope and drede thus troubled ryght He stepte forth with a solempne semblaunce Thoughe I neuer attayne her I wyl th{us} endure no more So than forwardes he dyd hym selfe auaunce Lo quod dysdayne se ye this sodayne chaunce

Here is desyre what sodeyn smoke caused this Drawe y^• trauers quod Beaute let vs here this vtteraūce He entred and kneled downe & spake nothynge amysse

¶ The supplycacyon made by desyre to Beaute.

¶ O excellent empresse whiche guydeth in your guardon This goodly gardyn of amyable affeccyon Whiche also graunteth to true louers pardon All obstynate people ye subdue to correccyon It is also in your power and eleccyon Louers to redres vnder Uen{us} ye haue moste power By you they must be ordered after your dyreccyon Whiche in your gardyn sholde gader ony floure.

¶ Pleaseth your hyghnes to gyue hede and intent To this expressynge of my wofull payne Late to slepe whan I was dylygent To me there happed a grete cause to complayne None erthly conforte coude in me remayne Cupyde had bewrapped myne herte so sore To serche meane to slepe it was but vayne I was neuer so troubled syth that tyme nor before.

¶ To me there came as I well perceyued Late sent from Cupyde a golden darte ryght hote Whiche perced me so sore whan I it fyrst receyued That neyther salues nor surgyens coude helpe nor be my bote They durst not serche y^e wounde it laye at myn herte rote And for that there was but one that coude it remedy It pleased me not than to go to here a mote But ofte on Cupyde it caused me out to crye.

¶ It was your loue whiche was cause of all this I can not denye it but shewe it in wordes playne I durst to none erthy shewe my woo as it is To ouercome this feruent loue I dyde my besy payne But when I sawe it auyled not than I was fayne To labour for socour then I thought it best But yfones grace be shewed none can sure helth obteyne Thefore trustynge on pyte of this poynt I dyde rest.

¶ Wherfore o lady preelecte pryncesse On all louers hauynge the soueraynty I hertely beseche you my wo to redresse The cause consydered of my grete ieoperdy I trust ye nether wyll ne can this my request deny For I haue founde suche grace in your eyes or this That yf all the peryll in the worlde sholde on it ly I coude not forbere but tell you as it is.

¶ No worldly ryches to you I can promyse Moste I can saye is that ye shall be my moste conforte But god which to al folkes after theyr merites can deuyse Rewarde or punishement moste egally he doeth sorte He is the lorde of pyte Iusques a la mort Gyue you rewarde and preserue you at all houres Of perfyte loue he bereth a pryncy porte And to encrease my Ioye I aske no more but yours

¶ Dysdayne

A proude presumptuous {per}sone goeth neuer w^tout offence ye haue well acquyted you now ye haue tolde this tale It came of a hyghe wyt yf ye well prepence Within her owne gardyn my lady to assaylle Without her lycence it lyked you to rayle

On cruell Cupyde your pryde wyll haue a fall I trust to se you gladde your bonet to auayle And amonge the waykest be put backe to the wall

Lyke as a sodayn rebuke moche greueth ones herte Whiche late hath begonne to be aduenturous So this caused desyre sore astonyed to sterte Sayenge I haue attempted a thyng ryght Ieopardous To attayne the presence of my lady moste beautyus I can make none answere nor vtterly denye That but I haue presumed on a loue precyous It in this case I blame but hope and fantasy

¶ I knowe no remedy what is best to be done But yf pyte with this pryncesse be present I may aswell elles go muse about the mone As hyther to come to shewe myn intent As longe as dysdayne contynueth yll content Wherfore for pyte I hertly call and crye That she were with beaute me thynke it expedyent To dysdayne in open audyence then spake pyte

¶ Pyte.

¶ what moeueth you dysdayne this man this to reproue Whiche I am sure came in none yll entent But to expresse and represse his mynde & faruent loue Hath he ony vngoodly wordes i my ladyes presence spent I perceyue no pryde in hym me thynketh hym dylygent And yf ye haue ony cause in hym now speke Yf not▪ I assure you I can not be content That w^t vnsyttynge wordes ye shold his herte thus breke

Dysdayne.

Fayre maystres I made not these wordes on my fyngers

Wene ye I wolde speke them & haue no grounde wheron But fyrst I wyll say I shrewe his fyrst bryngers In y^e parlour w^tout the gate he myght haue stand alone But I wyll tell you my causes syth ye be suche one As must haue accomptes / nay therof ye shall pardon me I wyll seke for an other whiche shall my trubles mone I wyll fyrst knowe your rule / what wote ye where ye be

¶ Pyte.

¶ Ye well ynoughe it semeth better then you Except to reason ye be more conformable It is my ladyes power our reasons to allowe I take no suche thnge on me I knowe I am not able I haue neyther power ne cōmaūdemēt but as is agreable To my ladyes pleasure but by reasons to make argumēt That suche reasons well weyed my mynde may be stable And by contraryous reasons to serche out his true entent

¶ Dysdayne.

¶ I am cōtent to put my cause in to my ladyes handes As it shall please her I must holde me content But I owe you no seruyce I holde of you no landes To shewe you my cause afore my lady I consent Let her ordre me as she shall thynke conuenyent Why sholde he come without leue to her presence Answere to this as ye thynke expedyent Me thynke to my lady he hath done a grete offence.

¶ Pyte

¶ The cause consydered I trust ye wyll saye That whan he came hyther he mynded no dyspleasure As to warde my lady he came for the next waye And as in his wordes he hath ordred hym by measure He neyther sought hyther for golde ne treasure But cupyde constrayned his courage to make more haste

And but yf ye fynde some other cause then this I am sure For this my lady wyll not hym out of her fauoure caste

¶ Dysdayne.

¶ Forther he hath made a grete exclamacyon Complaynynge on cupyde callynge hym cause of his wo Saynge in this wyse or moche after this facyon The golden darte of Cupyde constreyneth melo I can not se by what meane it sholde be so Sayenge he desyreth my lady it to redresse For than he sholde haue sought to Uen{us} as many one do And haue made his complaynt to that excellent goddesse

¶ Pyte.

¶ And yf ye well consyder he is worthy more prayse That he to my lady made his supplycacyon Than yf he had compassed her by more crafty wayes It cometh of a good courage & he is worthy {con}mendacyon That he dare speke and trust to haue no replycacyon Agayne his mynde feruent loue was cause of this The whiche in hym had so grete operacyon To make hym tell the trouth were it well or amysse.

¶ Dysdayne.

Wene ye he be so feruente nay I waraūt you he shall lyue Yf neuer more trouble came to his herte Wene ye without cause he wolde to her loue gyue Not knowynge her mynde to make hym so to smerte He can well ynoughe fayne loue Ouyde layde aparte De arte amandi whiche techeth one to loue Or els the squyer of ven{us} dyd hym in the euenynge starte And so to cast his fantasy hym sodaynly dyd moeue

¶ Pyte.

¶ Nay his colour dyscryueth of loue the feruent fyre He is not crystened that can suche countynaunce fayne

Iupyter whiche had subdued many to his empyre As sodaynly with loue Cupyde dyd hym retayne And whan he to danaes in a golden shoure dyde cōplayne His grefe consydered and well knowen for a trothe She graunted hym loue and caused hym to remayne What wyll ye haue forther than sure promyse and othe

¶ Dysdayne.

¶ As for promyse and othe I lytell them regarde For as it is sayd wordes is nothynge but wynde Was not parys false of promyse and harde Whan to Enone he was so vnkynde Whiche by a solempne othe to her dyd hym bynde That he wolde mary her in all goodly haste But whan the golden apple. iij. goddesses dyd fynde His Iugement fulfylled his wordes proued but waste

¶ Pyte.

¶ He was enflamed but by aduenture His pouerte made hym content his mynde to expresse yet whan of his Iugement he had theffect & pleasure None of his dedes accorded shortly nor in processe But the dedes of Desyre folowed doubtles For accordynge to his wordes he made grete labour Hertely requyrynge my lady hym to redresse Promysynge her the vtterest of his lytle power.

¶ Dysdayne.

¶ Perchaunce that was more for ryches than for loue Or bycause of her grete parentage he dyd to her sewe So many one hath done as by experyence I can proue Whiche appereth so euedently y^t I nede no exēples shewe Mo laboreth for lucre whan a thynge is fallen newe Than by feruent loue to attayne hault noblenes Whiche causeth oft ladyes in heuy case to rewe

And be more ware to whome they theyr myndes expresse

¶ Pyte.

Thoughe many one haue so done can ye thynke in your reason That desyre so entendyd whan he hyther came Consyder it well and ye wyll thynke at this season It was faruent courage that brought hym to his blame Whiche had suche power in hym y^t he lesse fered shame Where as yf he had sued for ryches he wolde not so haue done As ye may vnderstande & yf ye regarde his name Ye wyll saye that pure loue was cause of it alone.

Dysdayne.

Admytte it was for loue yet many are chaungeable Thoughe longe it hath contynued in approued kyndenes Was not Iason to Medea longe agreable yet after it chaunged he refused her in proces What cruell herte had he whiche for her gentylnes In none other wyse dyd her recompence He regarded neyther kynred nor noblenes This well consydered who wolde to theym gyue credence

¶ Pyte.

¶ ye may not blame all thoughe some be chaungeable I can tell you hystoryes of louers ryght stedfast Pyramus and Thysbe contynued very stable As longe as lyfe dyd in theyr bodyes last Whan thone was deed thoder to deth dyd haste Loue surely conioyned is a grete pleasure Than why sholde ye all louers out of fauour cast Syth Thysbe of Pyramus had so grete a treasure

¶ Dysdayne.

¶ All these hystoryes are not profe suffycyent Syth hystoryes of bothe partes are ryght notable Therfore with these reasons I wyll not be content

But I wyll you put a questyon good and reportable Whether loue comynge by effeccyon be more durable Or loue comȳge by {con}dicyons heron shall be our argument Me thynke loue comynge by {con}dycyons is lesse varyable How thynke ye now speke shewe your mynde & entent

¶ Pyte.

¶ Me thynke contrary and for this reason That loue comynge by effeccyō shold endure a lēger space Loue is a comoynynge of two hertes for a season Thoughe perauenture they cōtynue not longe in a place Yet in theyr absence suche loue encreaseth a pace where as yf it came by condycyous it coude not reuyue But yf so were they myght be in suche case That they myght contynue togyder all theyr lyue.

¶ Dysdayne

¶ yes the remembraūce therof remayneth in memory And contynueth longe to theyr grete conforte In what frendely maner and how gentylly His loue to hym dyd at sondry tymes resorte Fyndyge with hym goodly pastymes and dysporte Hauynge no lust frome hym to dysseuer Me thynke of suche as are of this sorte Loue sholde contynue and last for euer.

¶ Pyte

¶ More surely enprynted is and conioyned stedfastly The loue by effeccyon entreth the herte more depe Than of the other for they rest quyetly where thoder oftymes breketh many a slepe It is so penytrable and so subtylly doeth crepe Upon a man whiche maketh it so stable Where in thoder yf one suche corne dyd repe He wolde to her be aswell agreable.

¶ Dysdayne.

¶ Perauenture he thynkes suche condycyons be in none As in his loue so substancy all and stedfast He weneth she be incomperable a lone So y^t all worldly stormes can not blowe downe his mast Not Eolus yf he came with his moost stormy blast Nor thesyphone coude cause betwene theym dyscorde So durably he trustes that loue wyll last He weneth that Cupyde be so contynuall a lorde

¶ Pyte.

¶ Consyder the grounde and than it dyscus Where the grounde fayleth can be no suraunce Cessante causa cessat et effectus Take awaye the condycyons where is the remēbraunce All is clene gone but where affeccyon doeth enhaunce There is no chaunge but loue perpetuall No dyspleasure can dyspoynt theyr desyred dalyaunce But be entred in the boke of fame to be memoryall

¶ Thauctour.

Dysdayne to speke was very desyrous Had not credence interrupted his language Whiche made suche haste to her lady amerrous That somthynge she poynted because of her vyage For the whiche she lyke a woman ryght sage Made a pause and spake in wordes compendyous And tellynge she was comen accordynge to her message And in this wyse she spake in wordes effectuous

¶ Credence.

¶ It pleaseth your grace of your beneuolence To dyrect to me by fantasy your letters myssyue Wherby I consydered and ryght well dyd prepence That I without contradyccyon excuse or stryfe

Sholde resorte to your presence syth I durynge my lyue Am boūde to your {con}maundemēt yet haue I done offence But I dyd it for this entent elles me from lyfe depryue That me thought it not mete to gyue hasty eredence

¶ Beaute.

¶ I repute no blame in you ye came in good season ye haue well aspyed your tyme I holde me content your excuse I allowe it is grounded on reason Here hath ben moche besynes syth ye hens went Now I wyll declare my pleasure syth ye be present As touchynge desyre after whose supplycacyon Betwene Pyte & Dysdayne hath ben a sore argument Tyll ye interrupted theyr cōmunycacyon

¶ Pyte and dysdayne gyue ye good audyence And ye desyre take this for an answere Syth now is comyn tome credence I wyll no lenge make delay nor defarre But I cōmaunde you two to cese your plees and warre And you desyre I wyll to my fauour take Syth me to please aduenture so well ye darre I were to blame yf I sholde you forsake

¶ Forther I wyll that ye enioye and procede The moost parte of this gardyn of affeccyon yf ye lacke ony thynge ye shall haue it at nede And for the tender zele amyte and dyleccyon That I haue to you ye shall haue proteccyon Ouer me and myn durynge my mortall lyfe I wyll moreouer be subdued to your correccyon yf it lyke you to mary me & haue me to your wyfe

¶ Thauctour.

¶ O noble wordes ioyous and confortable Prudence propre pastyme pleasure and prouysyon In this good lady were ryght notable From dotage dysdayne daunger and derysyon I wene she was preserued by some vysyon For the whiche desyre of good and herty mynde Spake these wordes without mysprysyon His mynde expressynge by wordes propre and kynde

¶ Desyre.

¶ Oprecyous pryncesse of preelecte pulcrytude I can not compasse your compassyble kyndnes Whan it hath pleased your benygnyte & gratytude That I myght entre your gardyn my mynde to expres I am of no suche abylyte as ye make me doubtles But syth ye haue enhabled me of your benygnyte God rewarde you y^t it hathe pleased you to enhaunce my dygnyte.

¶ The eternall god rewarde you accordyngly yf ony of his powers regarde folkes petyouse yf Iustyce be in ony place acquyted duely O what worlde brought forth your body delycyouse What parentes gate suche one to be so amerouse your coūtenaūce doeth reioyse me & encreseth my myrthe your vertue proueth your parentage to be of noble byrthe

¶ As longe as y^e flodes renne with water vyolent As longe as shadowes shall about hylles appere And whyle there shall be ony sterres in the fyrmament So longe shall your loue my herte and body stere your honour and name shall be expressed without fere Syth ye be not varyaunt but stedrast and substancyall Therfore god you acquyte with Ioye perpetuall.

¶ Thauctour.

¶ This sayd he was auaūced by cōmaūdemēt of beaute To her owne sete the chayre of preemynence Where as dysdayne was so enuyouse and angre That she fared as one without intellygence Saynge I wyll nolenger tary I wyll go hens Syth that as soone is auaunced aman of yesterdaye Hauynge no good property as one that without offence Hath contynued from yonge aege in seruyce alway.

¶ Than she torned her backe full skornfully And towarde the gates she hyed a hasty pace And from thens she was conueyd by fantasy To that she was clene without the palace Than pyte sayd what sory grace Where is dysdayne is she gone without leue For sothe that were a very heuy case yet I trust it sholde not many folkes greue.

¶ Noyse rumour and fame went shortly all abrode Within the garden that dysdayne was clerely gone whiche caused many louers that made longe abode To complayne to theyr ladyes they went all alone They fered than nothynge but made theyr mone And sone were sped and went out at the gate where as afore there coude not haue passed one Fantasy stode alwaye so contynuall thereat.

¶ whiche lyberty encreased amonge them suche Ioyes That me thought I herde y^e sownynge of many an instrument Whiche grete tryumphe & penytrable noyse Caused Morpheus to vanysshe incontynent

Because it was not necessary he sholde be present But auoyde from thens where is noyse and company Whan he was gone I waked and sodaynly dyd sprent So astonyed I knewe not where I was perfytely.

¶ Morpheus vanysshed thauctour speketh in ths wyse

¶ The daye was comyn and kest a dymme lyght The sonne vnder clowdes by weder tempestyouse Orryble thonder & lyghtnynge sore troubled my syght And therwith a betynge shour a storme rygorouse Waked me out of slepe it was so Ieoperdouse And where as I wened I had be waked w^t mynstrelsy It was contrary whiche made my mynde so troublouse That I coude no waye rest neyther syth stande ne lye Than I remembred all my dreme and fantasy Sayenge for the remembraunce of this sodayne chaūge I entende to wryte the maner herof ryght shortly That folkes may consyder this worlde is but straunge

¶ yet to the wyndowe I walked a softe pace Ofte syghynge and sobbynge with an heuy herte To se where I coude espye of pleasure the palace Or of thynhabytauntes therof perceyue ony parte Eyther conforte or kyndenes whiche made me to smerte Fantasy or eloquence whiche dyd desyre forder P••te with Beaute was whan I dyd thus departe I loked for theyr places where they stode in order▪ yf I coude se Credence walkynge in ony broder I loked for all these yet I sawe none alas Whiche brought to mynde wordes of salomō of wysdome recorder Uauitas vanitatū & oīa mūdi vanitas.

¶ Where is Sampson for all his grete strength Or where is the sage Salomon for all his prudence Dethe hath and wyll deuoure all at lenth For where is vlysses for all his eloquence Where became Crassus for his ryches and opulence Where is lucres for all her chastyte Where is alexander whiche subdued to his obedyence Moche of the worlde by his marcyalyte Where is Tully whiche had pryncypalyte Ouer all oratours in parfyte rethoryke Where be all the .iiij. doctours of dyuynyte Where is arystotyll for all his phylosophy and logyke.

¶ Be not all these departed frome this transytory lyfe yet theym to dyuers places our creatour dyd name With egall Iugement without debate or stryfe Accordynge to theyr merytes he dyd rewarde or blame Therfore for your soules helth vse vertue & drede shame And as to the worlde laboure alway for loue That ye may perpetually reyne in good fame It shall be to you all ryches aboue As by experyence oftymes it doeth proue Of suche as haue had subgets w^tout loue them to drede From they be of power than they do theyr mynde remoue And so theyr maysters fayle whan they haue nede

¶ And ye that wyll be louers of ladyes amyable ye maye not be sleuthfull but about theym dylygent And alwaye to theyr pleasures ye must be agreable yf ye intende theyr myndes to content But fyrst fyxe your mynde there as it may be well spent Be secrete and stedfast without mutabylyte

Be bolde and couragyous fulfyll theyr commaundement With a quycke and hasty spede as ye by possybylyte May or can nothynge is better than agylyte With contynuall presence nothynge can helpe more For Ouyde sayth els your loue shall not rest in trāquylyte Uanescet{que} absens et nouus intrat amor.

¶ These reasons reuolued in my remembraunce Whan that sorowe was somthynge modefyed Than grete trouble my mynde dyde enhaunce what sholde be cause that I had be occupyed with this dreme yet shortly I aspyed That this amerous study of Cupyde and Phebus was cause therof whiche coude not be denyed Therfore in mynde I dyd playnly duscus That I wolde study nomore and specyally thus I wolde muse no more in the euenynge so late But conclude this shortly in wordes compendyous Lest I sholde be as I was erste in myserable estate

¶ Uolunte ie ay mais ie ne veulx mon cuer chaunger.

¶ Thenuoye.

¶ Go humble style submytte the to correccyon Be not so bolde to presume to the presence Of ony but suche as be enuyronde with effeccyon Let them arrect theyr eeres to rebuke thy neglygence To them thou perteynest of due congruence Let them more curyously thy rurall termes affyle How thou sholdest be amended they haue best intellygence Therfore submytte the to theym my poore & humble style

¶ yf ony that be more sad delytynge in grauyte And yf forther age wolde agayne the gyue euydence Sayenge they were well occupyed y^t were troubled w^t the wrote not Ouyde in as low style whiche yf they prepence They may thynke y^t I to auoyde of slouthe the vyolence Made this without cloke or rethorycall language Thynkynge that I ought not of due conuenyence wryte the in so hyghe style as wyse storyes and sage.

Finis.