Here begynneth the Iustes of the moneth of Maye parfurnysshed [and] done by Charles brandon. Thomas knyuet. Gyles Capell, [and] Wyllyam Huffy. The .xxii. yere of the reygne of our souerayne lorde kynge Henry the seuenth.

¶ Here begynneth the Iustes of the moneth of Maye parfurnysshed & done by Char∣les brandon. Thomas knyuet. Gyles Ca¦pell / & Wyllyam Hussy. The .xxii. yere of the reygne of our souerayne lorde Kynge Henry the seuenth.

[illustration]

THe moneth of May with amerous beloued Plasauntly past wherin there hath ben {pro}ued Feates of armes and no persones reproued That had courage

¶ In armoure bryght to shewe theyr personage On stedes stronge sturdy and corsage But rather praysed for theyr vassellage As reason was

¶ In whiche season thus fortuned the cace A lady fayre moost beautyuous of face With seruauntes foure brought was in to a place Staged about

¶ Wheron stode lordes and ladyes a grete route And many a knyght and squyer also stoute That the place was as full as it be mought On euery syde

¶ That to beholde the Iustes dyde abyde Tyll that the pryse by the Iudges was tryed And by the herodes that trouthe well espyed Therfore puruayde

¶ Thus these foure seruauntes of this lady foresayd Entred the felde / there for to be assayde Gorgyously apparayled and arayde And for pleasaunce

¶ And in a maner for a cognysaunce Of Mayes month they bare a souenaunce Of a verte cocle was the resemblaunce Tatched ryght fast

¶ About theyr neckes as longe as May dyde laste But about theyr neckes it was not caste For chalēge / but they weere it tyll May was past Redy to Iust

¶ Theyr armure clere relucent without ruste Theyr horses barded trottynge on the duste Procured gentyll hertes vnto luste And to solace

¶ Specyally suche as Venus dyde enbrace Or as of Cupyde folowed the trace Or suche as of Mars desyred the grace For to attayne

¶ And as touchynge this lady souerayne Had suche beaute / it wolde an herte constrayne To serue her / though he knewe to lese his payne She was so shene

¶ She and her seruauntes clad were all in grene Her fetures fresshe none can dyscryue I wene For beaute she myght well haue ben a quene She yonge of aege

¶ Was set moste goodly hye vpon a stage Vnder a hauthorne made by the ourage Of Flora that is of heuenly parage In her hande was

¶ Of halfe an houre with sande rennynge a glas So contryued it kepte truely the space Of the halfe houre and dyde it neuer passe But for to tell

¶How this lady that so ferre dyde excell Was named yf I aduyse me well Lady of May she hyght / after Aprell Began her reygne.

¶Whose tyme durȳge her seruaūtes toke grete payne. Before her to shewe pleasure souerayne. So that in felde who that came them agayne In armoure bryght.

¶On horsbacke mounted for to proue theyr myght Two seruauntes of this lady of delyte Sholde be mounted / armed / and redy dyght At a tyltes ende

¶That to parfurnysshe theyr chalenge dyde entende Fyrst one of them halfe houre sholde dyspende With hym that came fyrste in felde to defende With coronall.

¶With grete speres that were not shapen small And whan a spere was broken forthewithall The trompettes blewe with sounes musycall Halfe houre done

¶Another chalenger was redy sone With another defendaunt to rone And so the defendauntes one after one Eche day by twayne

¶Chalengers answered were to theyr grete payne And artycled it was in wordes playne That yf a chalenger ony hurte dyde sustayne Another myght

¶Of his felowes came to felde redy dyght To maynteyne his felowes chalenge and ryght Theyr artycles also dyde it recyte Thus who came there

¶Horsed and in armoure burnysshed clere As a defendaunt he sholde chose his spere And rynne halfe houre with a chalengere Whiche season doone

¶A trumpet blewe to gyue warnynge ryght soone Thus the Iustes helde frome twayne after none Tyll syxe was strycke of clockes mo than one Whiche houres past

¶The defendauntes the tylte a bout compast And with trumpettes out of the felde they past The chalengers in the felde abode laste Euery eche day

¶And one of them the lady dyde conuaye That named was the yonge lady of May Frome her hye stage with floures made so gaye And there redy

¶Was his felawe hym to accompany Thus the chalengers melodyously About the tylte rode also ryght warrely In theyr armure

¶Complete saue of theyr heed peces pure And in this wyse they made departure Accompanyed with many a creature Yonge and lusty

¶On horses gambawdynge wonderously That it semed as to a mannes eye That they wolde haue hanged styll in the skye Other there were.

¶That were Ioly and gorgyas in theyr gere And whan they lyst coude well handle a spere That came eche day to serue other men there On eche party.

¶And dyde in eche thynge indeferently It came be ye sure of ryght grete curtesy Of the chalengers I shall you certefy How they were prest.

¶Twyse in the weke in the felde redy drest Durynge the May and chosen for dayes best Were sondaye and thursday and metelyest To shewe pleasure

¶With speres grete them to auenture And who in presence of this lady pure Brake moost speres a golde rynge sholde recure Of this lady.

¶And agayne on the party contrary Yf the defendaunt on his party Of speres alowed breke not so many As chalengere.

¶Or he went thens humbly he sholde apere Before this lady moost comly of chere And to present vnto her a rynge there This ordre set.

¶Was with artycles moo wherof to treate Sholde be to longe but who best had the feate Was gladdest man / but he the pryce dyde gete That speres brake

¶Most in the felde yet other had no lake Of speres brekynge for to here the crake Wolde cause ony lusty herte pleasure to take What with the brute

¶Of trumpettes and many another flute Of taboryns and of many a douce lute The mynstrelles were proprely clade in sute All this deuyse

¶Was worthy prayse after my poore aduyse Syth it was to no mannes preiudyse To passe the tyme this merciall excercyse Was commendable.

¶Specyally for folkes honourable And for other gentylmen therto able. And for defence of realmes profytable Is the vsage.

¶Therfore good is to haue parfyght knowlage For all men that haue youth or metely age How w^t the spere theyr enemyes to outrage At euery nede.

¶And how he sholde also gouerne his stede And for to vse in stede of other wede To were armure complete from fote to hede Is ryght metely.

¶ It encourageth also a body Enforcynge hym to be the more hardy And syth it is so necessary

¶ I them commende That to defende Them selfe pretende Valyauntly

¶ And dyscommende Them that dyspende Theyr lyfe to ende In vayne foly

¶ Some reprehende Suche as entende To condescende To chyualry

¶ God them amende And grace them sende Not to offende More tyll they deye

¶ Thende of the Iustes of Maye.