We brake our fast, and we made vs readye
To La bell Pucell, on our way to ryde
My stede was brought, I lept vp shortlye
So did the ladyes, they woulde nothing abide
Thus forthe we rode, at the morowe tyde
Out of the castell, with all ioye and pleasure
Forthe on our waye, at all aduenture.

CAPI. XXXVI.

So long we rode, ouer hill and valey
Tyll that we came, into a wildernes
On euery syde, there wilde beastes laye
Right straunge and fierce, in sundry likenes
It was a place, of dissolute darkenes
The ladyes and I, were in feare and doubt
Tyll at the last, that we were gotten out.

Of the great woode, vpon a craggy roche
When cleare Dyana, in the Scorpion
Agaynst fayre Phebus, began to approche
For to be, at her whole opposition
We sawe from farre, a goodly region
Where stode a palaice, hye and precious
Beyonde an hauen, full tempestuous

Of depured cristall, her whole ymage was
The temple walles, were right olde and browne
And then right sone, before her highe renowne
Prostrate we fell, mekely to the grounde
And sodainely, we were cast in a sownde

Thus as we laye, in a deadely chaunce
We thought to her, we made peticion
And all in Englishe, with long circumstaunce
She shewed us, all the whole condicion
Of the marueylous, serpentes operation
And did shewe vs, a perfite remedy
To withstande, all the craft of Sorcery

And in likewise, as the maner foloweth
In depured verses, of crafty eloquence
Euery thing, vnto vs she sheweth
And first of all, with all our diligence
These verses we saied, vnto her excellence
But she with crafty, verses eloquent
Gaue vs an aunswere, full expedient.

When golden Phebus, in the first houre Of his owne daye, began for to domime The sorceresse, the false roote of doloure All of golde, that was so pure and fyne Of the best, made the heade serpentyne And eke therof, she did make his face Full lyke a mayde, it was a wonders case.

And euery houre, as the planettes raygned
She made the serpent, of the metalles seuen
Till she her purpose, had fully attayned
And when fiue bodies, aboue on the heauen
Went retrogarde, marueylously to neuen
With diuers quartyls, and the more combust
In the dragon's tayle, to let a louers lust.

These cursed witches, Disdayne and Straungenes
Made the monster, of a subtile kynde
To let my purpose, and all my gladnes
But that dame Pallas, of her gentle minde
Of marueylous herbes, a remedye did finde
And anone a boxe, of marueylous oyntment
She toke to me, to withstande the serpent.

Thus all esmarueyled, we did then awake
And in my hand, I had the oyntment
Closed in a boxe, of whiche I shoulde take
To anoynt my harneys, for the serpent
Whiche shall deuoyde, his fire so feruent
And my swerde also, to cause to depart
Astrothe the fende, so set with magikes arte.

Then whe the sunne, with his beames mery
Began to rise, in the fayre morowe gray
All about, lightyng our emispery
Exilyng mistes, and darke clowdes away
And when we sawe, that it was bright daye
Nere by the ryuage, at the last we spied
A goodly shippe, which unto us fast hyed.

And right anone, by the riuage syde
She cast an anker, and did vs than hayle
With a peale of gunnes, at the morowe tyde
Her bonet she vailed, and gan to strike sayle
She was right large, of thre toppes without faile
Her boate she made out, and sent to the lande
What that we were, to knowe and vnderstande

Tyll at the last, beside a craggy roche
I sawe the dragon, whiche did me espye
And nere and nere, as I gan to approche
I behelde his heade, with his great body
Whiche was mishaped, full ryght wondersly
Of golde so shyne, was bothe his heade and face
Full like a mayde, it is a marueylous case.

His necke siluer, and thicke like a bull
His brest stele, and like an olyphant
His forelegges laten, and of feders full
Right like a gripe was euery tallaunt
And as of strength he nothing did want
His backe afore, like bristles of a swyne
Of the fyne copper, did moste clearly shine.

His hynder legges, was like to a catte
All of tynne, and like a scorpion
He had a tayle, with a heade therat
All of leade of pliaunt fashion,

His hart stele, without menission

Towarde me he came, roaryng like the thunder Spittyng out fyre, for to se great wonder.

In his forheade, with letters all of grewe
Was written, my name is Malyce priuy
That olde debate, can full sone renue
Betwene true louers, wyth coloure crafty
Agaynst Graunde Amoure, I shall so fortifye
My euill subtill power, and cursed courage
To let him truely, of his hye passage.

I toke my boxe, as Pallas commaunded
And my swerde and shelde, with all my armure
In euery place, I ryght well anoynted
To hardines, I toke my hart in cure
Makyng me ready, and when I thought me sure
I toke my swerde, and with an hardy harte
Towarde the dragon, I began to starte

And as I gan, my great stroke to charge
He blewe out so muche fyre innumerable
That on the grounde, I did my might discharge
The smoke was darke, full greatly domageable
And the hote fire, was so intollerable
About me fliyng, that vnneth I myght
Throughe my vysure, cast abroade my sight.

But the swete oyntment, had suche a vertue
That the wilde fire, myght nothing endomage
Me throughe heate, for it did extue
The magikes art, with great aduauntage
Causyng the fyre, right well to asswage
And with my swerde, as nothing agast
Upon the serpent, I did strike full fast.

His body was great as any tunne
The deuill about, did his bodye beare
He was as egre, as grype or lyon

So with his tallauntes, he did my harneyes teare
That oft they put me, in a mortall feare
Tyll at the last, I did his body perce

With my good swerde, he might it not reuerce.

Right therwithall, the dragon to brast
And out there flewe, right blacke and tedious
A foule Ethiope, whiche suche smoke did cast
That all the ylande, was full tenebrous
It thundred loude, with clappes tempestious
Then all the ladyes, were full sore adreade
They thought none other, but that I was deade

The spirite vanished, the ayre waxed cleare
Then did I loke, and beholde about
Where was the tower, of my lady so deare
Tyll at the laste, I had espied it out
Set on a rocke, ryght hye without doubt
And all the ladyes, with perceueraunce
To me did come, with ioye and pleasaunce.

Forsothe quod they, you are muche fortunate
So to subdue, the serpent venemous
Whiche by sorcery, was surely ordinate
You for to flea, with fire so vycious
Blessed be Pallas, the goddesse glorious
Whiche that you taught, a perfite remedye
For to deuoyde, the craft of sorcery.

It was no wonder, though that I was glad
After the payne, and tribulation
That in many places, I right often had
For to attayne, the hye promocion
Of La bell Pucelles domination
Considerynge, in my passage daungerous
All I subdued, to me contrarious

And then ryght sone, with great solemnitie
So forthe we rode, to the solemne mancion
Of La bell Pucelles, worthy dignitie
Whiche was a tower, of marueylous fashion
Replete with ioye, without suggestion
Walled with siluer, and many a story
Upon the wall, enameled royally.

So at the last, we came vnto the gate
Whiche all of siluer, was knotted properlye
Where was a lady, of right hye estate
Whiche vs receiued, well and nobly
And then Perceueraunce, went full shortly
To La bell Pucell, shewyng euery thing
Of mine aduenture, and sodayne commyng.

And in the meane while, the gentle porteresse
Called Countenaunce, on my way then me ledde
Into the base courte, of great widenes
Where all of golde, there was a conduite heade
With many dragons, enameled with redde
Whiche did spoute out, the dulcet lycoure
Like crystall cleare, with aromatike odoure.

Aloft the base tower, foure ymages stode
Whiche blewe the clarions, well and wondersly
Aloft the towers, the golden fanes good
Did with the winde, make full swete armony
Them for to here, it was great melody
The golden towers, with cristall clarified
About were glased, most clearely purrified

And the grauel wherupon we went

Full like the golde, that is moste pure and fine

LA

Withouten spotte, of blacke encombrement
About our fete, it did right clearely shyne
It semed more like a place celestine,
Then an earthly mansion, whiche shall away
By long tyme and processe, an other day.

And towarde me, I did se then commyng
La bell Pucell, the most fayre creature
Of any faire earthly person liuyng,
Whiche with me mette, with cheare so demure
Of the shinyng golde, was all her vesture
I did my duty, and once or twise iwys
Her lippes soft, I did full swetely kysse.

Aha quod she, that I am very fayne
That you are come, for I haue thought long
Sythen the time, that we parted in twaine
And for my sake, you haue had often wrong
But your courage, so hardy and strong
Hath caused you, for to be victorious
Of your enemies, so muche contrarious.

With her faire hande, white as any lillye
She did me leade, into a royall hall
With knottes kerued, full right craftely
The windowes fayre, glased with cristall
And all about, vpon the golden wall
There was enameled, with fygures curious
The siege of Troye, so harde and dolorous

The floore was paued, with precious stones
And the roufe, of marueylous geometry
Of the swete Cypres, wrought for the nonce
Encensyng out, the euill odours mistye
Amiddes the roufe, there shone full wondersly
A poynted dyamonde, of marueylous bygnes
With many other, great stones of riches.

So vp we went, to a chamber fayre
A place of pleasure, and delectation
Strowed with flowers, flagraunte of ayre
Without any spotte of perturbacion
I behelde right well the operation,
Of the marueylous roufe, set full of rubies
And tynst with saphers, and many turkeys

The walles were hanged, with golden arras
Whiche treated well, of the siege of Thebes
And yet all about vs depured was,

The cristallyne windowes, of great bryghtnes
I can nothing extende the goodlines
Of this palaice, for it is impossible
To shewe all that vnto me was vysible.

But La bell Pucell, full right gentilly
Did sit adowne, by a windowe side
And caused me also, full swetely
By her to sit, at that gentle tide
Welcome she saied, ye shall with me abide
After your sorowe, to liue in ioye and blisse
You shall haue that, you haue deserued iwys

Her redolent wordes, of swete influence
Degouted vapoure, moste aromatike
And made conuersion, of my complacence
Her depured, and her lusty rethorike
My courage reformed, that was so lunatike
My sorowe defeted, and my minde did modefy
And
my dolourous hart, began to pacifye.

All thus my loue, we began to deuise
For eche of other, were ryght ioyous
Then at the last, in a marueylous wise
Full sodainely, there came vnto vs
Little Cupide, with his mother Venus
Whiche was well cladde, in a faire mantell blewe
With golden hartes, that were perst anewe

And rounde about vs, she her mantle cast
Saiyng that she, and her son Cupide
Woulde vs conioyne, in mariage in haste
And to let knowe, all your courte so wyde
Sende you Perceueraunce, before to prouide
To warne your ladyes, for to be ready
To morowe by time, right well and solemnely

We aunswered, bothe our hartes were in one
Saiyng that we, did ryght well agree
For all our foes, were added and gone
Right gladde I was, that ioyfull daye to see
And then anone, with great humilitie
La bell Pucell, to a fayre chamber bright
Did me then bring, for to rest all nyght

And she toke her leaue, I kissed her louely
I went to bedde, but I coulde not slepe
For I thought so muche, vpon her inwardely
Her most swete lokes, into my hart did crepe
Percyng it throughe, with a wounde so depe
For Nature thought, euery houre a daye
Tyll to my lady, I shoulde my dette well paye.

OF THE GREAT MARIAGE, BETWENE GRAUNDE AMOURE, AND LA BELL PUCELL. CAPIT. XXXIX.

Then Perceueraunce, in all goodly haste
Unto the stewarde, called Liberalitie
Gaue warnyng for to make ready fast
Agaynst this tyme, of great solemnitie
That on the morowe, halowed shoulde be
She warned the cooke, called Temperaunce
And after that the ewres Obseruaunce.

With Pleasaunce the panter, and dame Curtesy
The gentle butler, with the ladyes all
Eche in her office, was prepared shortly
Agaynst this feast, so muche triumphall
And La bell Pucell, then in speciall
Was vp by time, in the morowe graye
Right so was I, when I sawe the daye.

And right anone, La bell Pucell me sent
Agaynst my weddyng, of the saten fyne
White as the mylke, a goodly garment
Brandred with pearle, that clearely dyd shine
And so the mariage for to determine,
Venus me brought, to a royall chapell
Whiche of fine golde, was wrought euerydell.

And after that, the gay and glorious
La bel Pucel, to the chapell was leade
In a white vesture, fayre and precious
With a golden chaplet, on her yelowe heade
And Lex Ecclesie, did me to her wedde
After whiche weddyng, there was a great feast
Nothing we lacked, but had of the best

What shoulde I tary, by long continuaunce Of the feast, for of my ioye and pleasure

Wisdome can iudge, without variaunce
That nought I lacked, as ye may be sure
Paiyng the swete due dette of nature
Thus with my lady, that was fayre and cleare
In ioye I liued, full ryght many a yere.

O lusty youth, and yong tender hart
The true companion, of my lady bright
God let vs neuer, from other astart

But all in ioye, to liue bothe daye and nyght
Thus after sorowe, joye ariued aryght
After my payne, I had sport and playe
Full little thought I, that it shoulde decaye.
Till that dame Nature, naturyng had made
All thinges to growe, vnto their fortitude
And nature naturyng, waxt retrograde
By strength my youthe, so for to exclude
As was euer, her olde consuetude
First to augment, and then to abate
This is the custome, of her hye estate.

Thus as I liued, in suche pleasure gladde
Into the chamber, came full priuely
A fayre olde man, and in his hand he had
A croked staffe, he wente full wekely
Unto me then, he came full softly
And with his staffe, he toke me on the breast
Obey he saied, I must you nedes arest.

My name is Age, whiche haue often sene
The lusty youthe, perishe vnhappely
Through the deserte, of the selfe I wene
And euermore, I do thinke inwardly
That my dedes of youthe, were of great foly
And thou thy selfe, right ioyous may be
To liue so long, for to be lyke to me.

Happy is he, that may well ouer passe
The narrowe brydge, ouer fragilitie

Of his wanton youthe, brittle as the glasse
For the youthe is open, to all frailtye
Ready to fal, into great iniquitye
Full well is he, that is brydled fast

With faire dame Reason, till his youthe be past

I obeyed his rest, there was no remedy
My youthe was past, and all my lustines
And right anone, to vs came Policye
With Auaryce, bringyng great riches
My whole pleasure, and delite doubtles
Was set vpon, treasure insaciate
It to beholde, and for to agregate.

The fleshely pleasure, I had cast aside
Little I loued, for to playe, or daunce
But euer I thought, howe I myght prouide
To spare my treasure, lande and substaunce
This was my minde, and all my purueyaunce
As vpon deathe, I thought little or neuer
But gathered riches, as I shoulde liue euer.

But when I thought, longest to endure
Death with his dart, arest me sodainely
Obey he sayed, as ye may be sure
You can resist, nothing the contrary
But that you must, obey me naturally
What you auayleth, suche treasure to take
Sythens by force, ye must it now forsake,

Alas quod I, nothing can me ayde

This worldely treasure, I must leaue behinde
For earth of earth, will haue his dette now payed
What is this worlde, but a blast of winde.
I must neades dye, it is my natife kinde
And as I was, at this conclusion

To me did come, dame Confession.

With dame Contricion, whiche gan to bewaile
My sinnes great, with whole repentaunce
And Satisfaction, without any fayle
With dame Conscience, did weye in balaunce
Howe that they might, then without doubtaunce
My treasure and good, so gotten wrongfully
To restore againe, to the rightfull party.

Of holy churche, with all humilitie
My rightes I toke, and then incontinent
Nature auailed in so lowe degree

That death was come, and all my life spent
Out of my bodye, my soule then it went
To Purgatory, for to be purified
That after that, it might be glorified.

CAPI. XLII.

The good dame Mercy, with dame Charitie
My body buried, full right humbly
In a faire temple, of olde antiquitie
There was for me, a dyrege deuoutly
And with many a masse, full right solemnely
And ouer my graue, to be in memory
Remembraunce made, this little epitaphy.

O earth on earth, it is a wonders case
That thou art blinde, and will not the knowe
Though vpon earth, thou hast thy dwellyng place
Yet earth at last, must nedes the ouerthrowe
Thou thinkest the, to be no earth I trowe
For if thou diddest, thou wouldest then apply
To forsake pleasure, and to learne to dye.

PRIDE.

O earth of earth, why art thou so proude
Nowe what thou art, call to remembraunce
Open thine cares, vnto my song aloude
Is not thy beutye, strength, and puissaunce
Though it be cladde, with clothes of pleasaunce
Very earth, and also wormes fode

When earth to earth, shall turne the bloude.

WRATHE.

And earth with earth, why art thou so wrothe
Remember the, that it vayleth right nought
For thou maiest thinke, of a perfite trouthe
If with the earth, thou hast a quarell sought
Amiddes the earth, there is a place ywrought
When earth to earth, is turned properly
The for thy sinne, to punishe wondersly.

ENUY.

And earth for earth, why hast thou Enuy
And the earth vpon earth, to be more prosperous
Then thou thy selfe, fretyng the inwardly
It is a synne, right foule and vycious
And vnto God, also full odious

Thou thinkest I trowe, there is no punishment
Ordeyned for sinne, by egall iudgement.

SLOUTHE.

Towarde heauen to folowe on the way,
Thou art full slowe, and thinkest nothing
That thy nature, dothe full sone decay
And death right fast, is to the commyng
God graunt the mercy, but no tyme enlongyng
When thou hast time, take time and space
When time is past, lost is the time of grace

COUETISE.

And when earth to earth, is next to reuert And nature lowe, in the last age

Of earthly treasure, earthe dothe set his hart Insatiatly, vpon couetise to rage

He thinketh not, his life shall asswage His good is his God, with his great riches He thinketh not, for to leaue it doubtles.

GLOTONY.

The pomped clarkes, with fode delicious
Earth often feadeth, with corrupt glotony
And not hynge, with workes vertuous
The soule dothe fede, right well ententiflye
But without measure, full inordinately
The body liueth, and will not remember
Howe earth to earth, must his strenthe surrender

LECHERY.

The vile carkasse, set vpon a fyre
Dothe often haunt, the sinne of lechery
Fulfillyng the fowle carnall desire,

Thus earth with earth, is corrupt marueylouslye
And earth on earth, will nothing purifye
Till earth to earth, be neare subuerted
For earth with earth, is so peruerted.

O mortall folke, you may beholde and se
Howe I lye here, sometime a mighty knight
The ende of ioye, and all prosperitie

Is death at last, through his course and myght
After the day, there cometh the darke nyght
For though the day, be neuer so long
At last the belles, ringeth to euensong

And my selfe, called La graunde Amoure
Sekyng aduenture, in the worldely glory
For to attaine, the riches and honoure
Did thinke full little, that I shoulde here lye
Till death did marke me, full right priuely
Lo what I am, and wherto you must
Like as I am, so shall you be all dust

Then in your minde, inwardly despise
The brittle worlde, so full of doublenes
With the vyle fleshe, and right sone aryse
Out of your slepe, of mortall heauynes
Subdue the deuill, with grace and mekenes
That after your life, frayle and transitory
You may then liue, in ioye perdurably.

CAPIT. XLIII.

And as remembraunce, mine epytaphy set
Ouer my graue, in came dame Fame
With brennyng tongues without any let
Saiyng that she would spreade about my name
To liue in honoure, without any shame