The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.

The Court of Love.

This Book is an imitation of the Romaunt of the Rose, shewing that all are subject to love, what impediments soever to the contrary: containing also those twenty Statutes which are to be ob∣served in the Court of Love.

WIth timerous heart, and trembling hand of drede, Of cunning naked, bare of eloquence, Vnto the floure of porte in womanhede I write, as he that none intelligence Of metres hath, ne floures of sentence: Saufe that me list my writing to conuey, In that I can to please her high nobley.

The blosomes fresh of Tullius gardein soot Present they not, my matter for to born: Poemes of Virgil taken here no root, Ne craft of Galfride, may not here sojourn: Why nam I cunning? O well may I mourn For lacke of science, that I cannat write Vnto the princes of my life aright.

No tearmes digne vnto her excellence, So is she sprong of noble stirpe and high: A world of honour and of reuerence There is in her, this will I testifie, Caliope thou suster wise and slie, And thou Minerua, guide me with thy grace, That language rude, my matter not deface.

Thy suger dropes sweet of Helicon Distill in me, thou gentle muse I pray, And thee Melpomene I call anone, Of ignoraunce the mist to chase away: And giue me grace so for to write and say, That she my lady of her worthinesse Accept in gree this little short treatesse,

That is entituled thus, The Court of Loue: And ye that ben Metriciens me excuse, I you beseech for Venus sake aboue, For what I mean in this, ye need not muse: And if so be my lady it refuse For lacke of ornate speech, I would be wo, That I presume to her to writen so.

But my entent and all my busie cure Is for to write this treatesse, as I can, Vnto my lady, stable, true, and sure, Faithfull and kind, sith first that she began Me to accept in seruice as her man: To her be all the pleasure of this book, That when her like she may it rede and look.

WHen I was young, at eighteene yeare of age, Lusty and light, desirous of pleasaunce, Approching on full sadde and ripe courage, Loue arted me to do my obseruaunce To his estate, and done him obeisaunce, Commaunding me y^• Court of Loue to see, Alite beside the mount of Citharee.

There Citherea goddesse was and quene: Honoured highly for her majeste, And eke her sonne, the mighty God I wene, Cupide the blind, that for his dignite A M. louers worship on their kne, There was I bid in paine of death to pere, By Mercury the winged messengere.

So then I went by strange & fer countrees, Enquiring aye what coast had to it drew The Court of Loue: & thiderward as bees, At last I see the people gan pursue: And me thoght some wight was there y^t knew Where that y^• court was holden ferre or nie, And after them full fast I gan me hie.

Anone as I them ouertooke, I said: Heile friends, whither purpose ye to wend? Forsooth (qd. ofte) that answered liche a maid, To Loues Court now go we gentle friend. Where is that place (qd. I) my fellow hend? At Citheron, sir said he, without dout, The king of Loue and all his noble rout

Dwelleth within a castle rially. So then apace I journed forth among, And as he said, so fond I there truly: For I beheld the toures high and strong, And high pinacles, large of hight and long, With plate of gold bespred on euery side, And precious stones, y^• stone werke for to hide.

No Saphire in Inde, no Rube rich of price, There lacked then, nor Emeraud so grene, Bales Turkes, ne thing to my deuice, That may the castle maken for to shene: All was as bright as sterres in Winter bene, And Phebus shone to make his peace ageine, For trespas done to high estates tweine.

Venus and Mars, the god & goddesse clere, When he them found in armes cheined fast, Venus was then full sad of hert and chere: But Phebus beams streight as is the mast, Vpon the castle ginneth he to cast, To please the lady, princes of that place, In signe he looketh after loues grace.

For there nis God in heauen or hell ywis, But he hath ben right soget vnto loue: Ioue, Pluto, or whatsoeuer he is, Ne creature in yearth, or yet aboue, Of these the reuers may no wight approue: But furthermore, the castle to descrie, Yet saw I neuer none so large and hie.

For vnto heauen it stretcheth, I suppose, Within and out depeinted wonderly, With many a thousand daisie rede as rose, And white also, this saw I verely: But who tho daisies might do signifie, Can I not tell, safe that the quenes floure, Alceste it was that kept there her sojoure:

Which vnder Venus lady was and quene, And Admete king & soueraine of that place, To whom obeied the ladies good ninetene, With many a thousand other bright of face: And yong men fele came forth with lusty pace, And aged eke, their homage to dispose, But what they were, I coud not well disclose.

Yet nere and nere forth in I gan me dress Into an hall of noble apparaile, With arras spred, and cloth of gold I gesse, And other silke of esyer auaile: Vnder the cloth of their estate sauns faile The king and quene there sat as I beheld: It passed joy of Helise the field.

There saints haue their comming & resort, To seene the king so rially beseine In purple clad, and eke the quene in sort, And on their heads saw I crownes tweine, With stones fret, so that it was no paine,

Withouten meat and drink to stand & see The kings honour and the rialtee.

And for to treat of states with the king, That ben of councel cheef, & with the quene: The king had Danger nere to him standing, The quene of loue, Disdain, & that was sene: For by the faith I shall to God, I wene Was neuer straunger none in her degree, Than was the quene in casting of her eye.

And as I stood perceiuing her apart, And eke the beames shining of her eyen, Me thought they weren shapen lich a dart, Sharp & persing, & smal and streight of line: And all her haire it shone as gold so fine, Dishiuil crispe, down hanging at her backe A yard in length: and soothly then I spake.

O bright regina, who made thee so faire? Who made thy colour vermelet and white? Wher wonneth y^• God, how far aboue y^e aire? Great was his craft, & great was his delite. Now maruell I nothing that ye do hight The quene of loue, and occupie the place Of Cithare: now sweet lady thy grace.

In mewet spake I so, that nought astart By no condition word, that might be hard: But in my inward thought I gan aduert, And oft I said my wit is dull and hard: For with her beauty, thus God wot I ferde, As doth the man yrauished with sight, When I beheld her cristall eyen so bright:

No respect hauing what was best to done, Till right anone beholding here and there, I spied a friend of mine, and that full sone, A gentlewoman was the chamberere Vnto the quene, that hote as ye shall here, Philobone, that loued all her life: When she me sey, she led me forth as blife:

And me demanded how and in what wise I thither come, and what my errand was? To seen the Court (qd. I) and all the guise, And eke to sue for pardon and for grace, And mercy aske for all my great trespas, That I none erst come to the court of loue: Foryeue me this, ye gods all aboue.

That is well said (qd. Philobone) indede: But were ye not assomoned to appere By Mercurius, for that is all my drede: Yes gentill feire (qd. I) now am I here, Ye yet what tho though that be true my dere: Of your free will ye should haue come vnsent, For ye did not, I deme ye will be shent.

For ye that reigne in youth and lustinesse, Pampired with ease, and jalous in your age, Your duty is, as farre as I can gesse, To loues court to dressen your viage, As soone as nature maketh you so sage, * That ye may know a woman from a swan, Or when your foot is growen halfe a span.

But sith that ye by wilfull negligence This xviii. year hath kept your self at large, The greater is your trespas and offence, And in your neck you mote bere all y^• charge: For better were ye ben withouten barge Amidde the sea in tempest and in raine, Then biden here, receiuing wo and paine

That ordained is for such as them absent Fro loues court by yeres long and fele. I ley my life ye shall full soone repent, For loue will r••iue your colour, lust, and hele: Eke ye must bait on many an heauy mele: No force ywis: I stirred you long agone To draw to court (qd. little) Philobone.

Ye shall well see how rough and angry face The king of Loue will shew, when ye him se: By mine aduise kneel down & ask him grace, Eschewing perill and aduersite, For well I wote it woll none other be, Comfort is none, ne counsell to your ease, Why will ye then the king of Loue displease?

O mercy God (qd. iche) I me repent, Caitife & wretch in hert, in will and thought, And after this shall be mine hole entent To serue & please, how dere y^t loue be bought: Yet sith I haue mine own pennance ysought, With humble sprite shall I it receiue, Though that y^e king of Loue my life bereiue.

And though that feruent loues qualite In me did neuer wortch truly: yet I With all obeisaunce and humilite, And benigne hert shall serue him till I die: And he that lord of might is great and hie, Right as him list me chastice and correct, And punish me with trespace thus infect.

These words said, she caught me by the lap, And led me forth in till a temple round, Both large and wide: and as my blessed hap And good auenture was, right soone I found A tabernacle reised from the ground, Where Venus sat, and Cupide by her side, Yet halfe for drede I can my visage hide.

And eft againe I looked and beheld, Seeing full sundry people in the place, And mister folk, & some that might not weld Their lims wele, me thought a wonder case, The temple shone with windows all of glass, Bright as the day, with many a fair image, And there I see the fresh queene of Cartage

Dido, that brent her beauty for the loue Of false Eneas, and the weimenting Of her Annelida, true as Turtle doue, To Arcite fals: and there was in peinting Of many a prince, and many a doughty king, Whose martirdom was shewed about y^• wals And how that fele for loue had suffred fals.

But sore I was abashed and astonied Of all tho folke that there were in that tide,

And then I asked where they had wonned: In diuers courts (qd. she) here beside, In sundry clothing mantill wise full wide They were arraied, and did their sacrifise Vnto the God, and goddesse in their guise.

Lo yonder folk (qd. she) y^• kneele in blew, They weare the colour aye and euer shall, In signe they were and euer will be trew Withouten chaunge: and soothly yonder all That ben in black, and mourning cry and call Vnto the gods, for their loues bene, Som sick, some dede, som all to sharp & kene.

Yea then (qd. I) w^t done these priests here, Nonnes and Hermites, Freres, and all tho, That sit in white, in russet, and in grene: Forsooth (qd. she) they waylen of their wo. O mercy Lord, may they so come and go Freely to court, and haue such liberty? Yea men of each condition and degre,

And women eke: For truly there is none Exception made, ne neuer was ne may: This court is ope and free for euerichone, The king of loue he will not say them nay: He taketh all in poore or rich array, That meekely sew vnto his excellence With all their hert and all their reuerence.

And walking thus about with Philobone I see where come a messengere in hie Streight from the king, which let command anone, Throughout the court to make an ho & cry: All new come folke abide, and wote ye why, The kings lust is for to seene you sone: Come nere let see, his will mote need be done.

Then gan I me present tofore the king, Trembling for fere with visage pale of hew, And many a louer with me was kneeling, Abashed sore, till vnto the time they knew The sentence yeue of his entent full trew: And at the last the king hath me behold With sterne visage, & seid, what doth this old

Thus ferre ystope in yeres, come so late Vnto the court? forsooth, my liege (qd. I) An hundred time I haue ben at the gate Afore this time, yet coud I neuer espie Of mine acqueintaunce any in mine eie: And shame fastnesse away me gan to chace, But now I me submit vnto your grace.

Well, all is pardoned with condition That thou be true from henceforth to thy might And seruen loue in thine entention, Sweare this, & then as ferre as it is right, thou shalt haue grace here in thy quenes sight. Yes by y^• faith I owe to your croun, I swere, Though death therefore me thir••th with his spere.

And when y^• king hod seene vs euerychone, He let commaund an Officer in hie To take our faith, and shew vs one by one The statutes of the court full busily: Anon the booke was leid before their eie, To rede and see what thing we must obserue In Loues Court, till that we die and sterue.

ANd for that I was lettred, there I red The statutes hole of Loues Court & hall: The first statute that on the booke was spred, Was to be true in thought and deeds all Vnto the king of Loue the lord ryall, And to the quene as faithfull and as kind, As I coud thinke with hert, will and mind.

The Second statute secretly to kepe Councell of loue, not blowing euery where All that I know, and let it sinke and flete, It may not sowne in euery wights ere: Exiling slaunder aye for drede and fere, And to my lady which I loue and serue, Be true and kind her grace for to deserue.

The Third statute was clerely writ also, Withouten chaunge to liue & die the same, None other loue to take for wele ne wo, For blind delite, for ernest nor for game: Without repent for laughing or for grame, To biden still in full perseueraunce, All this was hole the kings ordinaunce.

The Fourth statute to purchase ever to here, And stirren folke to loue, and beten fire On Venus auter, here about and there, And preach to them of loue and hote desire, And tell how loue will quiten well their hire: This must be kept, and loth me to displease: If loue be wroth, passe: for there by is ease.

The Fift statute, not to be daungerous, If that a thought would reue me of my slepe: Nor of a sight to be ouer squemous, And so verely this statute was to kepe, To turne and wallow in my bed and wepe, When that my lady of her cruelty Would from her heart exilen all pity.

The Sixt statute, it was for me to vse, Alone to wander, void of company, And on my ladies beauty for to muse, And to thinke it no force to liue or die, And eft againe to thinke the remedie, How to her grace I might anone attaine, And tell my wo vnto my soueraine.

The Seuenth statute, was to be patient, Whether my lady joyfull were or wroth, For words glad or heauy, diligent, Wheder that she me helden lefe or loth: And hereupon I put was to mine oth, Her for to serue, and lowly to obey, In shewing her my chere ye xx. sith aday.

The Eight statute to my remembraunce, Was to speaken and pray my lady dere, With hourely labour & great entendaunce, Me for to loue with all her hert entere, And me desire and make me joyfull chere, Right as she is surmouning euery faire, Of beauty well and gentle debonaire.

The Ninth statute, with letters writ of gold, This was the sentence how that I and all, Should euer dread to be to ouerbold Her to displease, and truely so I shall, But ben content for thing that may fall, And meekely take her chastisement, and yerd, And to offend her euer ben aferd.

The Tenth statute, was egally to dis∣cerne, Betwene the lady and thine ability, And thinke thy selfe art neuer like to yerne, By right her mercy nor her equity, But of her grace and womanly pity: For though thy selfe be noble in thy strene, A thousand fold more noble is thy quene.

Thy liues lady, and thy soueraine, That hath thine hert al hole in gouernaunce, Thou mayest no wise it taken to disdaine, To put thee humbly at her ordinaunce, And giue her free the reine of her Plesaunce, * For liberty is thyng that women looke, And truly els the matter is a crooke.

The xi. statute, thy signes for to know With eye and finger, and with smiles soft, And low to couch, and alway for to show, For drede of spies, for to winken oft: And secretly to bring up a sigh aloft, * But still beware of ouermuch resort, For that parauenture spilleth all thy sport.

The xii. statute remember to obserue: For all the paine thou hast for loue and wo, All is too lite her mercy to deserue, Thou musten think, whereuer thou ride or go: And mortall wounds suffer thou also, All for her sake, and thinke it well besette Vpon thy loue, for it may not be bette.

The xiii. statute, whylome is to thinke, What thing may best thy lady like & please, And in thine herts bottome let it sinke: Some thing deuise, & take for it thine ease, And send it her, that may her hert appease: Some hert, or ring, or letter, or deuice, Or precious stone, but spare not for no price.

The xiiii. statute eke thou shalt assay, Formely to keepe the most part of thy life: Wish y^t thy Lady in thine armes lay, And nightly dreme, thou hast thy nights herts wife, Sweetly in armes, strayning her as blife: And when thou seest it is but fantasie, See that thou sing not ouer merely.

* For too much joy hath oft a wofull end, It longeth eke this statute for to hold, To deme thy lady euermore thy friend, And thinke thy selfe in no wise a cokold. In euery thing she doth but as she should: * Construe the best, beleeue no tales new, For many a lye is told, y^• seemeth full trew.

But think that she, so bounteous & faire, Coud not be false: imagine this algate, And think y^• tonges wicked would her appair, Sclandering her name & worshipfull estate, And louers true to setten at debate: And though thou seest a faut right at thine eye, Excuse it bliue, and glose it pretily.

The xv. statute, vse to swere and stare, And counterfeit a lesing hardely, To saue thy ladies honour euery where, And put thy selfe for her to fight boldely: Say she is good, vertuous, and ghostly, Clere of entent, & heart, yea, thought & will, And argue not for reason ne for skill.

Againe thy ladies pleasure ne entent: For loue will not be countrepleted indede: * Say as she saith, then shalt thou not be shent, The Crow is white, ye truly so I rede: And aye w^t thing that she thee will forbede, Eschew all that, and giue her soueraintee, Her appetite follow in all degree.

The xvi. statute keepe it if thou may, * Seuen sith at night thy lady for to please, And seuen at midnight, seuen at morrow day, And drinke a caudle earely for thine ease. Do this, and keep thine head from all disease, And win the garland here of louers all, That euer came in court, or euer shall.

Full few, think I, this statute hold & keep: But truely this my reason giueth me fele, That some louers should rather fall asleepe, Than take on hand to please so oft and wele. There lay none oth to this statute adele, But keep who might, as gaue him his corage Now get this garland lusty folke of age:

Now win who may ye lusty folke of youth, This garland fresh, of floures red and white, Purple and blew, and colours fell vncouth, And I shall croune him king of all delite, In all the court there was not to my sight A louer true, that he ne was adrede, When he expresse hath heard the statute rede.

The xvii. statute, when age approcheth on, And lust is laied, and all the fire is queint, As freshly then thou shalt begin to fonne And dote in loue, and all her image paint In thy remembraunce, till thou begin to faint, As in the first season thine hert began: And her desire, though thou ne may ne can.

Performe thy liuing actuell, and lust, Regester this in thine remembraunce: rust, Eke when thou maist not keep thy thing from Yet speake and talke of pleasaunt daliaunce, For y^t shall make thine hert rejoice & daunce, * And when thou maist no more y^• game assay, The statute bid thee pray for them that may.

The xviii. statute, holy to commend, To please thy lady, is that thou eschew With sluttishnesse thy selfe for to offend, Be jollife, fresh, and fete, with things new,

Courtly with manner, this is all thy due, * Gentill of port, and louing cleanlinesse, This is the thing, that liketh thy maistresse.

And not to wander liche a dulled Asse, Ragged and torne, disguised in array, Ribaud in speech, or out of measure passe, Thy bound exceeding, thinke on this alway: * For women been of tender hearts aye, And lightly set their pleasure in a place, When they misthinke, they lightly let it passe.

The xix. statute, meat and drinke forgete: Ech other day, see that thou fast for loue, * For in the court, they liue withouten mete, Saue such as cometh from Venus all aboue, They take none hede, in pain of great reproue Of meat and drinke, for that is all in vaine, Onely they liue by sight of their soueraine.

The xx. statute, last of euerychone, Enroll it in thyne herts priuitee: To wring & waile, to turne, & sigh & grone, When that thy lady absent is from thee, And eke renew the words all that she Between you twain hath said, & all the chere That thee hath made, thy liues lady dere.

And see thine hert in quiet, ne in rest Sojourne, till time thou seene thy Lady eft, But where she won, by south, or east, or west, With all thy force, now see it be not left: Be diligent, till time thy life be reft, In that thou mayest, thy lady for to see, This statute was of old antiquitee.

An officer of high authority, Cleped Rigour, made vs to swere anone: He nas corrupt with partiality, Fauour, prayer, ne gold that clerely shone: Ye shall (qd. he) now sweren here echone, Yong and old, to kepe in that they may The statutes truly, all after this day.

O God thought I, hard is to make this oth: But to my power shall I them obserue, In all this world nas matter halfe so loth To sweare for all: for though my body sterue, I have no might them hole to obserue. But herken now, the case how it befell, After my oth was made, the troth to tell,

I tourned leaues, looking on this booke, Where other statutes were of women shene, And right forthwith Rigour on me gan looke Full angerly, and sayed vnto the queene I traitour was, and charged me let been, There may no man (qd. he) the starute know, That long to women, hie degree ne low.

In secret wise they kepten been full close, They soune echone to liberty, my friend, Pleasaunt they be, & to their owne purpose, There wote no wight of them, but God and fiend, Ne naught shall wit, vnto the worlds end. The queen hath yeue me charge in pain to die Neuer to rede ne seene them with myne eie.

* For men shall not so nere of counsaile bene With womanhood, ne knowen of her guise, Ne w^t they think, ne of their wit then giue, I me report to Salomon the wise, And mighty Sampson, which beguiled thrise With Dalida was, he wote that in a throw, There may no man statute of women know.

* For it perauenture may right so befall, That they be bound by nature to deceiue, And spinne, & weep, and sugre strew on gall, The hert of man to rauish and to reiue, And whet their tongue as sharp as swerde or gleue, It may betide, this is their ordinance, So must they lowly doen their obseruaunce,

And keepe the statute yeuen them of kind, Of such as loue hath yeue hem in their life. * Men may not wete why turneth euery wind, Nor waxen wise, nor been inquisitife To know secret of maid, widow, or wife, For theytheir statutes haue to them reserued, And neuer man to know them hath deserued.

Now dresse you forth, the God of loue you guide (Qd. Rigour then) & seek the temple bright Of Cithera, goddesse here beside, Beseech her by influence and might Of all her vertue, you to teach aright, How for to serue your ladies, and to please Ye that been sped, and set your hert in ease.

And ye that ben vnpurueyed, pray her eke Comfort you soone with grace and destiny, That ye may set your hert there ye may like, In such a place, that it to loue may be Honour and worship, and felicity To you for aye, now goeth by one assent. Graunt mercy sir (qd. we) and forth we went,

Deuoutly soft and easie pace to see Venus the goddesse Image all of gold: And there we found a thousand on their knee, Some fresh and faire, some deadly to behold, In sundry Mantils new, and some were old, Some painted were with flames red as fire, Outward to shew their inward hote desire.

With dolefull chere, ful fell in their com∣plaint, Cried Lady Venus, rew vpon our sore, Receiue our bils, with teares all bedreint, We may not weepe, there is no more in store But wo and pain, vs fretteth more and more: Thou blisseful Planet, louers sterre so shene, Haue routh on vs, that sigh & carefull bene.

And punish Lady, greuously we pray, The false vntrue, with counterfeit plea∣saunce: That made their oth, be true to liue or dey, With chere assured, & with countenaunce: And falsely now they footen loues daunce,

Barraine of routh, vntrue of that they saied, Now that their lust and pleasure is alaied.

Yet eft againe a thousand million Rejoycing loue, leading their life in blisse, They sayd Venus, redresse of all diuision, Goddesse eternell, thy name Ihired is: By loues bond is knit all thing iwis, Beast vnto beast, the yearth to water wan, Bird vnto bird, and woman vnto man.

This is the life of joy that we been in, Resembling life of heauenly paradise, * Loue is exiler aye of vice and sinne, Loue maketh herts lusty to deuise, Honour and grace, haue they in euery wise, That been to loues law obedient, Loue maketh folke benigne and diligent,

* Aye stering them to drede vice and shame: In their degree, it maketh them honourable, And sweet it is of loue to beare the name, So that his loue be faithfull, true, and stable: Loue pruneth him, to semen amiable, Loue hath no faut, there it is erercised, But sole with them y^t have all loue dispised.

Honour to thee celestiall and clere Goddesse of Loue, and to thy celsitude, That yeuest vs light so fer doun from thy spere, Piercing our hearts with thy pulcritude, Comparison none of similitude May to thy grace be made in no degree, That hast vs set with Loue in vnitie.

Great cause haue we to praise thy name & thee, For thorough thee we liue in joy and blisse. Blessed be thou, most soueraine to see, Thy holy court of gladnesse may not misse: * A thousand sith we may rejoyce in this, That we ben thine with hert and all yfere, Enflamed with thy grace, and heauenly fere.

Musing of tho that spaken in this wise, I me bethought in my remembraunce Mine orizon right goodly to deuise, And pleasauntly with herts obeisaunce, Beseech the goddesse voiden my greuaunce, For I loued eke, saufe y^t I wist not where, Yet downe I set and sayd as ye shall here.

Fairest of all, that euer were or bee, Licour and light, to pensife creature, Mine hole affiaunce, and my lady free, My goddesse bright, my fortune and my vre, I yeue and yeeld my hert to thee full sure, Humbly beseeching lady of thy grace Me to bestow now in some blessed place.

And here I vow me, faithful, true, and kind, Without offence of mutabilitie, Humbly to serue, while I haue wit and mind, Mine hole affiaunce, and my lady free, In thilke place, there ye me signe to be: And sith this thing of new is yeue me aye To loue and serue, needly must I obey.

Be merciable with thy fire of grace, And fix mine hert, there beauty is and routh: For hote I loue, determine in no place, Saufe onely this, by God and by my trouth Troubled I was, with slumber, slepe, & slouth This other night, and in a visioun I see a woman romen vp and doun,

Of meane stature, and semely to behold, Lustie and fresh, demure of countenaunce, Yong & well shape, with hair shone as gold, With eyen as cristal, ferced with pleasaunce, And she gan stirre mine hert a lite to daunce: But suddainly she vanish gan right there, Thus I may say, I loue and wote not where.

For what she is, ne her dwelling I not, And yet I fele that loue distreineth me: Might iche her know, her would I faine God wot Serue and obey with all benignitie, And if that other be my destinie, So that no wise I shall her neuer see, Then graunt me her that best may liken me.

With glad rejoyce to liue in parfite hele, Deuoid of wrath, repent or variaunce: And able me to doe that may be wele Vnto my lady, with herts hie pleasaunce: And mighty goddes through thy purueiaunce My wit, my thoght, my lust & loue so guide, That to thine honor I may me prouide

To set mine hert in place there I may like, And gladly serue with all affection, Great is the paine, which at mine heart doth sticke, Till I be sped by thine election: Helpe Lady goddesse, that possession I might of her haue, that in all my life I clepen shall my quene, and hearts wife.

And in the court of Loue to dwell for aye My will it is, and done thee Sacrifice: Daily with Diane eke to fight and fraye, And holden werre, as might will me suffice: That goddesse chast, I keepen in no wise To serue, a Figge for all her chastity, Her law is for Religiousity.

And thus gan finish prayer, laud, & preice, Which that I youe to Venus on my knee, And in mine hert to ponder and to peice, I gan anone her Image fresh beautie: Heile to that figure sweet, and heile to thee Cupide (qd. I) and rose and yede my wey, And in the temple as I yede, I sey

A shrine surmounting, all in stones rich, Of which y^• force was pleasaunce to mine ey, With Diamond or Saphire, neuer liche I haue none seene, ne wrought so wonderly: So when I met with Philobone in hie, I gan demaund, who is this sepulture, Forsooth (qd. she) a tender creature

Is shrined there, and Pity is her name, She saw an Egle wreke him on a flie,

And pluck his wing, & eke him in his game, And tender hert of that hath made her die: Eke she would weep & mourn right pitously To seene a louer si••ffer great distresse, In all the court nas none, as I do gesse,

That coud a louer halfe so well auaile, Ne of his wo the torment or the rage Asken, for he was sure withouten faile, That of his greef she coud the heat assuage. In steed of Pity, speedeth hote courage The matters all of court, now she is dead, I me report in this to womanhead.

For weil and weep, and cry, & speak, & pray, Women would not haue pity on thy plaint, Ne by that mean, to ease thine hert conuay, But thee receiuen for their owne talent: And say that Pity causeth thee in consent Of reuth to take thy seruice and thy paine, In that thou maist, to please thy soueraine.

But this is counsaile, keepe it secretly, (Qd. she) I nolde for all the world about, The queene of Loue it wist, and wite ye why, For if by me this matter springen out, In court no lenger should I out of dout Dwellen, but shame in all my life endry, Now keepe it close (qd. she) this hardely.

Well, all is well, now shall ye seen she said The fairest lady vnder Sunne that is: Come on with me, demean you lich a maid, With shamefast drede, for ye shall speak ywis With her that is the mirrour joy and blisse: But somewhat strange & sad of her demean She is, beware your countenaunce be seen

Nor ouer light, ne rechelesse, ne too bold, Ne malapert, ne renning with your tong, For she will you obeisen and behold, And you demand why ye were hence so long Out of this court, without resort among: And Rosiall her name is hote aright, Whose heart as yet is yeuen to no wight.

And ye also been, as I vnderstond, With loue but light auanced, by your word, Might ye by hap your freedom maken bond, And fall in grace with her, and wele accord, Well might ye thank y^e God of Loue & lord, For she that ye saw in your dreame appere, To loue such one, what are they then the nere.

Yet wote ye what, as my remembraunce Me yeueth now, ye faine where that ye say, That ye with loue had neuer acquaintaunce, Saue in your dream riʒt late this other day: Why yes parde, my life that durst I lay, That ye were caught vpon an heath, when I Saw you complain, and sigh full pitously.

Within an herber, and a gardein faire Where flowers grow, and herbes vertuous, Of which the sauour swete was and the aire, There were your self full hote and amorous: Iwis ye been too nice and daungerous, I would ye now repent, and loue some new, Nay by my troth, I said I neuer knew

The goodly wight, whose I shal be for aye: Guide me the lord, that loue hath made & me. But forth we went into a chamber gay, There was Rosiall, womanly to see, Whose streames, sotell piercing of her eye, Mine hert gan thrill for beauty in the stound, Alas (qd. I) who hath me yeue this wound.

And then I drede to speake, till at the last I grete the lady reuerently and wele, When that my sigh was gone and ouerpast, Then doun on keens ful humbly gan I knele, Beseeching her my feruent wo to kele, For there I tooke full purpose in my mind Vnto her grace, my painfull hert to bind.

For if I shall all fully her discriue, Her head was round, by compasse of nature, Her haire as gold, she passed all on liue, And Lilly forehed had this creature, With liueliche browes, flawe of colour pure, Betwene y^e which was meane disceueraunce From euery brow, to shew a due distaunce.

Her nose directed streight, and euen as line, With forme and shape thereto conuenient, In which the goddes milk white path doth shine, And eke her eyen ben bright & orient, As is the Smaragde, vnto my judgement, Or yet these sterres heauenly small & bright, Her visage is of louely rede and white.

Her mouth is short, and shit in little space, Flaming somedeale, not ouer redde I mean, With pregnant lips, & thick to kisse percace, * For lippes thinne not fat, but euer lene, They serue of nauʒt, they be not worth a bean, For if the basse been full, there is delite, Maximian truly thus doth he write.

But to my purpose, I say white as snow Been all her teeth, and in order they stond Of one stature, and eke her breath I trow Surmounteth all odours that euer I found In sweetnesse, and her body, face, and hond Been sharpely slender, so that from the head Vnto the foot, all is but womanhead.

I hold my peace, of other things hidde, Here shall my soule, and not my tong bewray, But how she was arraied, if ye me bidde, That shall I well discouer you and say, A bend of gold and silke, full fresh and gay, With her intresse, broudered full wele, Right smoothly kept, and shining euerydele.

About her necke a flower of fresh deuise, With Rubies set, that lusty were to sene, And she in goun was light and summer wise, Shapen full wele, the colour was of grene, With aureat sent about her sides clene,

With diuers stones, precious and rich, Thus was she rayed, yet saw I neuer her lich.

For if that Ioue had but this lady seine, Tho Calixto ne yet Alemenia, They neuer hadden in his armes leine, Ne he had loued the faire Eurosa, Ye ne yet Dane ne Antiopa, For all their beauty stood in Rosiall, She seemed lich a thing celestiall.

In bounty, fauour, port, and seemelinesse, Pleasaunt of figure, mirrour of delite, Gracious to seene, and root of all gentilnesse, With angell visage, iusty redde and white: There was not lack, saufe daunger had alite This goodly fresh in rule and gouernaunce, And somdele strange she was for her plea∣saunce.

And truly sone I took my leaue and went, When she had me enquired what I was, For more and more impressen gan the dent Of loues dart, while I beheld her face, And eft againe I come to seeken grace, And vp I put my bill, with sentence clere, That followeth after, rede and ye shall here.

O ye fresh, of beauty the root, That nature hath formed so wele and made Princes and quene, and ye y^t may do boot Of all my langour with your words glad, Ye wounded me, ye made me wo bestad, Of grace redresse my mortall greefe, as ye Of all my harme the very causer be.

Now am I caught, and vnware suddainly With persaunt streames of your eye so clere, Subject to been, and seruen you mekely, And all your man, iwis my lady dere, Abiding grace, of which I you require, That mercilesse ye cause me not to sterue, But guerdon me, liche as I may deserue.

For by my troth, all the days of my breath I am and will be your in will and hert, Patient and meeke, for you to suffer death If it require, now rue vpon my smart, And this I swere, I neuer shall out start From loues court for none aduersitie, So ye would rue on my distresse and me.

My desteny, my fate, and houre I blisse, That haue me set to been obedient Onely to you, the floure of all iwis, I trust to Venus neuer to repent, For euer redy, glad, and diligent, Ye shall me find in seruice to your grace, Till death my life out of my body race.

Humble vnto your excellence so digne, Enforcing aye my wits and delite To serue and please with glad hert and be∣nigne, And been as Troylus Troyes knight, Or Antonie for Cleopatre bright, And neuer you me thinkes to renay, This shall I keepe vnto mine ending day.

Enprint my speech in your memoriall Sadly my princes, salue of all my sore, And think, y^• for I would becommen thrall, And been your owne, as I haue sayd before, Ye must of pity cherish more and more Your man, and tender after his desert, And giue him courage for to been expert.

For where y^• one hath set his hert on fire, And findeth neither refute ne pleasaunce, Ne word of comfort, death will quite his hire, Alas that there is none allegeaunce * Of all their wo, alas the great greuaunce To loue vnloued, but ye my lady dere, In other wise may gouerne this matere.

Truly gramercy friend of your good will, And of your profer in your humble wise, But for your seruice, take and keep it still, And where ye say, I ought you well to che∣rise, And of your greefe the remedy deuise, I know not why: I nam acquainted well With you, ne wot not sothly where ye dwell.

In art of loue I write, and songs make, That may be song in honour of the king And quene of Loue, and then I vndertake, He that is sadde, shall then tull merry sing, And daungerous not ben in euery thing Beseech I you, but seene my will and rede, And let your answere put me out of drede.

What is your name, rehearse it here I pray, Of whence and where, of what condition That ye been of, let see come off and say, Faine would I know your disposition Ye haue put on your old entention, But what ye meane, to serue me I ne wote, Saufe that ye say ye loue me wonder hote.

My name, alas, my hert why makes thou straunge, Philogenet I calld am fer & nere, Of Cambrige clerk, y^• neuer think to chaunge Fro you y^• with your heuenly stremes clere Rauish mine hert and ghost, and all infere, Since at the first I write my bill for grace, Me thinke I see some mercy in your face.

And w^t I mene, by gods y^• al hath wrought, My bill now maketh small mention, That ye been lady in mine inward thought Of all mine hert withouten offencion, That I best loue, and sith I begon To draw to court, lo then what might I say, I yeeld me here vnto your nobley.

And if that I offend, or wilfully By pompe of hert your precept disobay, Or done againe your will unskilfully, Or greuen you for earnest or for play, Correct ye me right sharply then I pray, As it is seene vnto your womanhede, And rew on me, or els I nam but dede.

Nay God forbede to fesse you so with grace, And for a word of sugred eloquence,

To haue compassion in so little space, Then were it time y^t some of vs were hens, Ye shall not find in me such insolence: * Eye what is this, may ye not suffre sight, How may ye looke vpon the candle light?

That clerer is and hotter than mine eie, And yet ye sayd the beames perse and frete, How shall ye then the candle light endrie, For well wote ye, that hath the sharper hete, And there ye bid me, you correct and bete, If ye offend, nay that may not be done, There come but few, y^t speden here so sone.

* Withdraw your eie, withdraw from pre∣sens eke: Hurt not your selfe, through foly with a look, I would be sorry so to make you sicke, A woman should beware eke whom she took: Ye beth a clerke, go serchen well my book, If any women ben so light to winne, Nay bide a while, tho ye were all my kinne.

So sone ye may not win mine hert in truth, The guise of court will seen your stedfastnesse: And as you done to haue vpon you reuth, Your owne desert, and lowly gentilnesse, That will reward you joy for heauinesse, And tho ye waxen pale, and grene and dede, Ye must it vse a while withouten drede,

And it accept and grutchen in no wise, But where as ye me heartely desire To lene to loue, me thinke ye be not wise, Cease of your language, cease I you require, For he that hath this twenty yeare ben here, May not obtaine, then maruaile I that ye Be now so bold of loue to treat with me.

Ah mercy hert, my lady and my loue, My rightwise princesse and my liues guide, Now may I plain to Venus all aboue, That ruthlesse ye me gaue this wound so wide: What haue I done, why may it not betide, That for my trouth I may receiued be? Alas then, your daunger and your cruelte.

* In wofull houre I got was, welaway, In wofull houre fostred and ifedde, In wofull houre iborne, that I ne may My supplication sweetly haue I spedde, The frosty graue and cold must be my bedde, Without ye list your grace & mercy shewe, Death with his axe so fast on me doth hewe.

So great disease and in so littell while, So littel joy that felte I neuer yet, And at my wo Fortune ginneth to smile, That neuer earst I felt so harde a fit: Confounden ben my spirites and my wit, Till that my lady take me to her cure, Which I loue beste of erthly creature.

But that I like, that may I not come by, Of that I plain, that haue I habondaunce, Sorrow & thought they sit me wonder nie, Me is withhold that might be my pleasance: Yet turne againe my worldly suffisaunce, O lady bright, and saufe your faithfull true, And or I die yet ones vpon me rewe.

With that I fell in sound & dede as stone, With colour slaine and wanne as asshe pale, And by the hand she caught me vp anon. * Arise (qd. she) what haue ye dronken dwale, Why slepen ye it is no nitertale: Now mercy sweete (qd. I) iwis affraied: What thing (qd. she) hath made you so dis∣maied.

Now wote I well that ye a louer be, Your hew is witnesse in this thing, she said: If ye were secret, ye might know (qd. she) Curteise and kind, all this shuld be alaid: And now mine hert, al that I haue missaid, I shall amend and set your hert in ease. That word it is (qd. I) that doth me please.

But this I charge, y^t ye the stents keepe, And breke them not for slouth nor ignoraunce. With that she gan to smile & laughen depe, Iwis (qd. I) I will do your pleasaunce: The xvi. statute doth me great greuaunce, But ye must that releasse or modifie. I graunt (qd. she) and so I will truly.

And softly then her colour gan appere, As Rose so red throughout her visage all, Wherefore me thinke it is accordyng here, That she of right be cleped Rosiall: Thus haue I won with words great and small Some goodly worde of her, that I loue best, And trust she shall yet sette mine hert in rest.

GOth on, she said to Philobone, and take This man with you, & lede him all about Within the court, and shewe him for my sake What louers dwell within, and all the rout Of officers him shew, for he is out of dout A straunger yet: come on (qd. Philobone) Philogenet with me now must ye gon.

And stalkyng soft with easie pace, I saw, About the kyng stonden all enuiron, Attendaunce, Diligence, and their felow Fortherer, Asperaunce, and many one, Dred to offend, there stood, and not alone, For there was eke the cruell aduersair, The louers foe that cleped is Dispair.

Which vnto me spake angrely and fell, And said, my lady me disseiue ne shall: Trowest thou (qd. she) that all y^t she did tell, Is true, nay nay, but vnder hony gall, Thy birth and hers they be nothing egall: Cast of thine hert, for all her words white, For in good faith she loueth thee but alite.

And eke remembre thine habilite, May not compare with her, this well thou wot: Ye then came Hope & said, my frend let be, Beleue him not: Dispaire he ginneth dote, Alas (qd. I) here is both cold and hote:

The one me biddeth loue, the toder nay, Thus wote I not what me is best to say.

But well wote I, my lady graunted me, Truly to be my woundes remedie, Her gentilnesse may not infected be With doublenesse, thus trust I till I die, So cast I to voide dispaires company, And taken hope to councel and to friend. Yea keep that well (qd. Philobone) in mind.

And there beside within a bay window, Stod one in grene ful large of bread & length, His beard as black as fethers of the Crow, His name was lust of wonder might & strength, And with Delite to argue there he think'th, For this was all his opinion, That loue was sinne: and so he hath begon

To reason fast, and ledge auctoritie: * Nay (qd. Delite) loue is a vertue clere, And from the soule his progresse holdeth he: Blind apetite of lust doth often stere, And y^• is sinne: for reason lacketh there, * For thou dost think thy neighbours wife to win: Yet thinke it well that loue may not be sinne.

For God, and seint, they loue right verely, Void of all sinne and vise this know I well, * Affection of flesh is sinne truly, But verray loue is vertue as I fele, For loue may thy freill desire ackele: For verray loue is loue, withouten sinne: Now stint (qd. Lust) thou spekest not worth a pinne.

And there I left them in their arguing, Roming ferther in the castell wide, And in a corner Lier stode talking, Of lesings fast, with Flatery there beside, * He said that woman weare attire of pride, And men were found of nature variaunt, And could be false & shewen beaw semblaunt.

Than flatery bespake and said, ywis See so she goth on patens faire and fete, It doth right well: what prety man is this, That rometh here, now truly drink ne mete Nede I not haue, mine hert for joy doth bete Him to behold, so is he goodly fresh: It semeth for loue his hert is tender & nesh.

This is the court of lusty folke and glad, And well becommeth their abite and array, O why be some so sory and so sad, Complaining thus in blacke & white & gray, Freres they ben, and Monkes in good fay: Alas for routh great dole it is to seene, To see them thus bewaile and sory been.

See how they cry & wring their hands white, For they so sone went to religion, And eke the Nonnes with vayle and wimple plight, Their thought is, they ben in confusion: Alas they sain we fain perfection, In clothes wide and lacke our libertie, But all the sinne mote on our frends be.

For Venus wote, we wold as faine as ye, That bene attyred here and welbesene, Desiren man and soue in our degre, Ferm and faithful right as wold the quene: Our frends wick in tender youth and grene, Ayenst our will made vs religious, That is the cause we mourn & wa••len thus.

Then said the Monk and Freres in the tide, Wel may we curse our Abbes and our place, Our statutes sharpe to sing in copes wide, Chastely to keepe vs out of loues grace, And neuer to fele comfort ne solace: Yet suffre we the heate of loues fire, And after that some other haply we desire.

O Fortune cursed, why now & wherefore Hast thou, they said, berafte vs libertie, Sithe nature yaue vs instrument in store, And appetite to loue and louers be? Why mote we suffer soch aduersite, Diane to serue, and Venus to refuse, Ful often sithe this matters doth vs muse?

We serue and honour sore ayenst our will, Of chastite the goddes and the queene, Vs leefer were with Venus biden still, And haue reward for loue and soget bene Vnto these women courtly, fresh, and shene, Fortune we curse thy wheele of variance, There we were well thou reuist our plesance.

Thus leaue I them with voice of plaint and care, In raging wo crying full petously, And as I yede full naked and full bare, Some I behold looking dispitously, On pouerty that dedly cast their eye, And welaway they cried, and were not faine, For they ne might their glad desire attaine.

For lacke of richesse worldly and good, They banne and curse, and weep, & sain alas, That pouerty hath vs hent y^t whilom stood At herts ease, and free and in good case, But now we dare not shew our self in place, Ne vs embold to dwell in company, There as our hert wold loue right faithfully.

And yet againward shriked euery Nonne, The pange of loue so straineth them to crie: Now wo the time (qd. they) that we be boun This hatefull ordre nise will done vs die, We sighe and sobbe, and bleden inwardly, Freting our self w^th thoght & hard complaint, That nie for loue we waxen wood and faint.

And as I stood beholding here and there, I was ware of a sort full languishing, Sauage and wild, of loking and of chere, Their mantelles and their clothes ey tering, And oft they were of nature complaining, For they their members lacked, foo•• & hand, With visage wry, and blind I vnderstand.

They lacked shape, and beauty to preferre Themself in loue: and said that God & kind,

Hath forged them to worshippen the sterre, Venus the bright, and leften all behind, His other werkes clene and out of mind: For other have their full shape and beauty, And we (qd. they) been in deformity.

And nie to them there was a company, That haue the susters waried and missaide, I meane the three of fatal destiny, That be our workers: sodenly abraide Out gan they cry as they had been affraide, We curse (qd. they) that euer hath nature, Iformed vs this wofull life to endure.

And there eke was contrite and gan repent, Confessing hole the wound that Cithere Hath with the darte of hote desire him sent, And how that he to loue must subject be, Then held he all his skornes vanity, And said that louers held a blisful life, Yong men & old, and widow, maid & wife.

Bereue me goddesse (qd. he) of thy might My skornes all and skoffes, that I haue No power for to moken any wight, That in thy seruice dwell: for I did raue: This know I well right now so god me saue, And I shal be the chief post of thy faith, And loue uphold, the reuers who so saith.

Dissemble stode not ferre from him in troth, With party mantil party hode and hose, And said he had vpon his lady routh, Aud thus he wound him in, & gan to glose Of his entent ful double I suppose, In all the world he said he loued her wele, But ay me thought he loued her nere a dele.

Eke shamfastnesse was there as I tooke hede, That blushed rede, and durst nat ben aknow She louer was, for thereof had she drede, She stode and hing her visage downe alow, But such a sight it was to seene I trow, As of these roses rody on their stalke, There coud no wight her spy to speak or talk.

In loues art so gan she to abashe, Ne durst not vtter al her preuity: Many a stripe and many a greuous lashe She gauen to them that wolden louers be, And hindered sore the simple cominalty, That in no wise durst grace & mercy craue, For were not she they need but ask & haue.

Where if they now aprochein for to speke, Then shamefastnesse returneth them again: They thinke, if we our secrets counsel breke, Our ladies wil haue scorn on vs certein, And perauenture thinken great disdein: Thus shame fastnesse may bringe•• in dispeire, When she is dede the toder will be heire.

Come forth a Vaunter, now I ring thy bel, I spied him sone, to God I make a vowe, He loked blacke as fendes doth in hell, The first (qd. he) that euer I did wowe, Within a worde she come, I wotte not how, So that in armes was my lady free, And so hath ben a thousand mo than she.

In England, Britain, Spain, & Picardy, Artois, and Fraunce, and vp in hie Holand, In Burgoine, Naples, and Italy, Nauerne, and Grece, and vp in Hethen lond Was neuer woman yet that wold withstond, To ben at commaundement when I wold, I lacked neyther siluer, coigne, ne gold.

And there I met with this estate and that, And here I broched her, and her I trow: Lo there goeth one of mine, & wotte ye what? You fresh attired haue I laid full lowe, And soch one yonder eke right well I know: I kept the statute when we lay ifere, And yet yon same hath made me right good chere.

Thus hath a Vaunter blowen euery where, Al that he knoweth, and more a thousand fold His auncestry of kinne was to lier, For first he maketh promise for to hold His ladies councel, and it not vnfold, * Wherfore y^• secret when he doth vnshitte, Then lieth he, that all the world may witte.

For falsing so his promise and behest, I wounder sore he hath such fantasie, He lacketh wit I trow or is a beast, That can no bet himself with reason gie, By mine aduise, loue shall be contrary To his auaile, and him eke dishonour, So that in court he shall no more sojour.

Take heed (qd. she) this little Philobone, Where enuy rocketh in the corner yond, And sitteth dirke, and ye shall see anone His leane body, fading both face and hond, Himselfe he fretteth, as I vnderstond, Witnesse of Ouid Methamorphosose, The louers fo he is, I will not glose.

* For where a louer thinketh him promote, Enuy will grutch, repining at his wele, It swelleth sore about his herts rote, That in no wise he cannot liue in hele, And if the faithful to his lady stele, * Enuy will noise and ring it round about, And sey much worse than done is out of dout.

And priuy thought rejoysing of himselfe, Stood not ferre thence in abite maruellous, Yon is (thought I) some spirit or some elfe, His subtill Image is so curious: How is (qd. I) that he is shaded thus With yonder cloth, I not of what colour? And nere I went and gan to lere and pore.

And framed him a question full hard, What is (qd. I) the thing thou louest best, Or what is bote vnto thy paines hard, Me thinke thou liuest here in great vnrest, Thou wandrest aye from south to east & west,

And east to north as ferre as I can see, There is no place in Court may holden thee.

Whom followest thou where is thy hertiset, But my demaund asoile I thee require, Me thought (qd. he) no creature may let Me to ben here, and where as I desire: For where as absence hath done out y^• fire, My mery thought it kindeleth yet againe, That bodely me thinke with my soueraine.

I stand & speake, & laugh, & kisse, and halse: So that my thought comforteth me ful oft, I think god wote, though al y^• world be false, I will be true, I thinke also how soft My lady is in speach, and this on loft Bringeth min hert with joy & great gladnes, This priuy thought alayeth mine heauines.

And w^t I thinke or where to be, no man In all this earth can tell Iwis but I: And eke there nis no swalow swift, ne swan So wight of wing, ne half so yerne can flie, For I can bene and that right sodenly, In heuen, in hell, in Paradise, and here, And with my lady when I will desire.

I am of counsell, ferre and wide I wote, With lorde and lady, and theyr preuitie I wotte it all, and be it colde or hote, They shall not speake without licence of me, I mine in soch as seasonable be, For first the thing is thought within y^t hart, Er any word out from the mouth astart.

And with y^• word Thought bad farewel and yede: Eke forth went I to seene the courts guise, And at the doore came in so God me spede, Twenty courteours of age and of assise, Liche high, and brode, and as I me aduise, The golden loue, and leden loue they hight, The tone was sad, the toder glad and light.

Yes draw your heart with all your force & might, To lustinesse and benas ye haue seid, And thinke that I no drope of fauour hight, Ne neuer had vnto your desire obeid, Till sodenly me thought me was affraied, To seene you ware so dede of countenaunce, And pite bade me done you some pleasaunce.

Out of her shrine she rose from death to liue, And in mine care full priuely she spake, Doth not your seruaunt hens away to driue, Rosial (qd. she) and then mine hert it drake, For tenderich: & where I found moch lacke, In your person, then I my selfe bethought, And saide, this is the man myne hearte hath sought.

Gramercy Pity, might I but suffise, To yeue due laude vnto thy shrine of gold, God wotte I would: for sith y^• thou did rise From death to liue for me, I am behold, To thanken you a thousand times told, And eke my lady Rosial the shene, Which hath in comfort set mine hert iwene.

And here I make mine protestacion, And depely swere as mine power to bene Faithful, deuoide of variacion, And her forbeare in anger or in tene, And seruiceable to my worldes quene, With al my reason and intelligence, To done her honour high and reuerence.

I had not spoke so sone the worde, but she, My souerain, did thanke me hertely, And said abide ye shall dwell still with me, Till season come of May, for then truly, The king of loue and all his company, Shall hold his feste full rially and well, And there I bode till that the season fell.

ON May day when y^• larke began to rise, To Matens went the lusty Nightingale, Within a temple shapen Hauthorn wise, He might not slepe in all the nightertale, But Domine labia gan he cry and gale, My lippes open lord of loue I cry, And let my mouth thy preising now bewry.

The Egle sang Venite bodies all, And let vs joy to loue that is our health, And to the deske anon they gan to fall, And who came late he preced in by stealth: Then sayd y^e Faucon our own herts wealth, Domine Dominus noster I wote, Ye be the God y^• done vs brenne thus hote.

Coeli enarrant said the Popingay, Your might is told in heauen & firmament, And then came in y^• gold finch freshe and gay, And said this Psalme with hertily glad in∣tent Domini est terra, This laten intent, The God of loue hath yerth in gouernaunce: And then y^e Wren gan scippen & to daunce.

Jube Domino O Lord of loue, I pray Commaund me well this lesson for to rede, This legende is of all that woulden dey Marters for loue, God yet the souls spede: And to thee Venus sing we out of drede, By influence of all thy vertue great, Besechyng thee to keepe vs in our heat.

The second lesson Robin Redebrest sang, Haile to the god and goddes of our lay, And to the lectorn amorously he sprong, Haile now (qd. eke) O fresh season of May, Our moneth glad that singen on the spray, Haile to the floures, rede, and white, & blewe, Which by their vertue maketh our lust new.

The third lesson the Turtil doue toke up, And thereat lough the Mauis in a scorne, He said, O God, as mote I dine or suppe, This folish Doue will giue us al an horne, There ben right here a M. better borne, To rede this lesson, which as well as he, And eke as hote, can loue in all degree.

The Turtil doue said, welcom, welcom May, Gladsom and light to louers that ben trew:

I thanke thee lord of loue that doth puruey, For me to rede this lesson al of dewe, For in good soth of corage I pursue, To serue my make till death vs must depart, And then Tu autem sang he all apart.

Te deum amoris sang the Thrustel cocke, Tuball himselfe the first Musician, With key of armony coude not on locke, So swete tewne as that the Thrustel can: The lorde of loue we praysen (qd. he) than, And so done al the foules great and lite, Honour we May, in fals louers dispite.

Dominus regnauit said the Pecocke there, The lord of loue that mighty prince iwis, He is receyued here and euery where: Now Iubilate sing: what meaneth this Said then the Linet? welcome lord of blisse: Out stert the Owle with Benedicite, What meaneth all this mery fare (qd. he.)

Laudate sang the Larke with voice ful shril, And eke the Kight O admirabile, This quere wil thorow mine ears pers and thril, But what, welcome this May season (qd. he) And honour to the lord of loue mote be, That hath this feste so solempne and so hie, Amen said al, and so said eke the Pie.

And forth the Cockow gan procede anon, With Benedictus thanking God in hast, That in this May would visite them echon, And gladden them all while the feast shal last: And therewithal a laughter out he brast, I thanke it God that I shuld end the song, And all the Seruice which hath ben so long.

Thus sang they all the seruice of the fest, And that was done right erly to my dome, And forth goth all y^• court both most & lest, To fetch y^• floures fresh, & braunch & blome, And namely Hauthorn brought both page & grome W^th fresh garlants party blew & white, And then rejoysen in their great delite.

Eke ech at other threw the floures bright, The Primerose, the Violete, & the gold, So then as I beheld the royall fight, My lady gan me sodenly behold, And with a trewe loue plited many a fold: She smote me through y^• very heart as bliue, And Venus yet I thanke I am aliue.

Explicit.