5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180
185
190
195
200
205
210
215
220
225
230
235
240
245
250
255
260
265
270
275
280
285
290
295
300
305
310
315
320
325
330
335
340
345
350
355
360
365
370
375
380
385
390
395
400
405
410
415
420
425
430
435
440
445
450
455
460
465
470
475
480
485
490
495
500
505
510
515
520
525
530
535
540
545
550
555
560
565
570
575
580
585
590
595
600
605
610
615
620
625
630
635
640
645
650
655
660
665
670
675
680
685
690
695
700
705
710
715
720
725
730
735
740
745
750
755
760
765
770
775
780
785
790
795
800
805
810
815
820
825
830
835
840
845
850
855
860
865
870
875
880
885
890
895
900
905
910
915
920
925
930
935
940
945
950
955
960
965
970
975
980
985
990
995
1000
1005
1010
1015
1020
1025
1030
1035
1040
1045
1050
1055
1060
1065
1070
1075
1080
1085
1090
1095
1100
1105
1110
1115
1120
1125
1130
1135
1140
1145
1150
1155
1160
1165
1170
1175
1180
1185
1190
1195
1200
1205
1210
1215
1220
1225
1230
1235
1240
1245
1250
1255
1260
1265
1270
1275
1280
1285
1290
1295
1300
1305
1310
1315
1320
1325
1330
1335
1340
1345
1350
1355
1360
1365
1370
1375
1380
1385
1390
1395
1400
1405
1410
1415
1420
1425
1430
1435
1440
1445
1450
1455
1460
1465
1470
1475
1480
1485
1490
1495
1500
1505
1510
1515
1520
1525
1530
1535
1540
1545
1550
1555
1560
1565
1570
1575
1580
1585
1590
1595
1600
1605
1610
1615
1620
1625
1630
1635
1640
1645
1650
1655
1660
1665
1670
1675
1680
1685
1690
1695
1700
1705
1710
1715
1720
1725
1730
1735
1740
1745
1750
1755
1760
1765
1770
1775
1780
1785
1790
1795
1800
1805
1810
1815
1820
1825
1830
1835
1840
1845
1850
1855
1860
1865
1870
1875
1880
1885
1890
1895
1900
1905
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
2045
2050
2055
2060
2065
2070
2075
2080
2085
2090
2095
2100
2105
|
Whan Phebus in the Crabbe had nere hys cours ronne 1
And toward the leon his journé gan take,
To loke on Pictagoras speere I had begonne,
Syttyng all solytary alone besyde a lake,
Musyng on a manere how that I myght make
Reason and Sensualyté in oon to acorde.
But I cowde nat bryng about that monacorde.
For long er I myght, slepe me gan oppresse
So ponderously I cowde make noon obstacle,
In myne heede was fall suche an hevynesse.
I was fayne to drawe to myn habytacle:
To rowne with a pylow me semyd best tryacle.
So leyde I me downe, my dyssese to releve.
Anone came in Morpheus, and toke me by the sleve.
And as I so lay half in a traunse
Twene slepyng and wakyng, he bad me aryse,
For he seyde I must geve attendaunse
To the gret court of Mynos the justyse.
Me nought avaylyd agene hym to sylogyse,
For hit ys oft seyde by hem that yet lyves,
"He must nedys go that the devell dryves."
When I sy no bettyr but I must go,
I seyde I was redy at hys commaundment,
Whedyr that he wold me leede, to or fro.
So up I aroose and forthe with hym went,
Tyll he had me brought to the parlyament
Where Pluto sate and kept hys estate,
And with hym Mynos, the juge desperate.
But as we thedyrward went by the way,
I hym besought hys name me to tell.
"Morpheus," he seyde, "thow me call may."
"A, syr," seyd I than, "where do ye dwell,
In heven, or in erthe, outher elles in hell?"
"Nay," he seyde, "myn abydyng most comonly
Ys in a lytyll corner callyd 'Fantasy.'"
And as sone as he these wordys had sayd,
Cerberus, the porter of hell wyth hys cheyne,
Brought thedyr Eolus, in raggys evyll arayd,
Agayn whom Neptunus and Diana dyd compleyne,
Seying thus, "O Mynos, thow juge sovereyne,
Geve thy cruell jugement ageyn thys traytour, soo
That we may have cause to preyse thy lord Pluto."
Then was there made a proclamasion;
In Plutoys name commaundyd silence,
Uppon the peyne of strayte correccion,
That Diana and Neptunus myght have audience
To declare her greefe of the gret offence
To theym done by Eolus, wheron they compleynyd.
And to begyn, Diana was constreynyd,
Whyche thus began, as ye shall here,
Seying in thys wyse, "O thow, lord Pluto,
With thy juge Mynos, syttyng wyth thee in fere,
Execute your fury uppon Eolus so,
Accordyng to the offence that he to me hath do,
That I have no cause forther to apele,
Whyche yef I do shall nat be for your wele.
"Remembre furst howe I, a goddesse pure,
Over all desertys, forestes, and chases
Have take the guydyng. And undyr my cure
Thys traytour Eolus hath many of my places
Dystroyed with hys blastes, and dayly me manaces.
Where any wood ys, he shall make hyt pleyne
Yef he to hys lyberté may resorte ageyne.
"The grettest trees that any man may fynde
In forest to shade the deere for her comfort,
He breketh hem asondre, or rendeth hem, roote and rynde,
Out of the erthe. Thys ys hys dysport,
So that the deere shall have no resort,
Withyn short tyme, to no manere shade.
Where thorough, the game ys lykly to fade. 2
"Whyche to my name a reproche syngler
Shuld be for ever, whyle the world last,
And to all the goddes an hygh dyspleser,
To see the game so dystroyed by hys blast.
Wherfore, a remedy purvey in hast,
And let hym be punysshyd aftyr hys offence.
Consyder the cryme and geve your sentence."
And when thus Diana had made her compleynt
To Mynos the juge in Plutoys presence,
Came forthe Neptunus, wyth vysage pale and feynt,
Desyryng of favour to have audyence,
Saying thus, "Pluto, to thy magnyfycence
I shall reherse what thys creature
Eolus hath doon to me, out of mesure.
"Thow knowest well that I have the charge
Over all the see, and therof god I am.
No shyp may sayle, kervell, boot ner barge,
Gret karyk, nor hulke, wyth any lyvyng man,
But yef he have my safe condyte than.
Who me offendeth withyn my jurysdiccion
Oweth to submyt hym to my correccion.
"But in as mekyll as hit ys now soo,
That ye hym here have as your prysonere,
I shall yow shew my compleynt, loo!
Wherfore I pray yow that ye woll hit here,
And let hym nat escape out of your daungere
Tyll he have made full seethe and recompence,
For hurt of my name, thorough thys gret offence.
"Furst to begynne: thys Eolus hath oft
Made me to retourne my course agayn nature
With hys gret blastys, when he hath be a loft,
And chargyd me to labour, ferre out of mesure,
That hit was gret merveyle how I myght endure.
The fome of my swet wyll hit testyfy,
That on the see bankes lythe betyn full hy.
"Secundly, whereas my nature ys
Bothe to ebbe and flowe, and so my course to kepe,
Oft of myn entent hath he made me mys -
Whereas I shuld have fyllyd dykes depe,
At a full watyr I myght nat thedyr crepe
Before my seson came to retorne ageyne,
And then went I fastyr than I wold, certeyne!
"Thus he hath me dryven agen myn entent,
And contrary to my course naturall.
Where I shuld have be, he made me be absent,
To my gret dyshonour. And in especiall,
Oo thyng he usyd that worst was of all:
For where as I my savegard grauntyd,
Ay in that cost he comonly hauntyd.
"Of verrey pure malyce and of sylfewyll
Theym to dystroy, in dyspyte of me,
To whom I promysyd bothe in good and yll
To be her protectour in all adversyté,
That to theym shuld fall opon the see,
And evyn sodenly, er they coude beware,
Wyth a sodeyn pyry he lappyd hem in care.
"And full oft sythe wyth hys boystous blast,
Er they myght be ware, he drofe hym on the sande,
And otherwhyle he brak top seyle and mast,
Whyche causyd theym to perysshe er they came to lande.
Then cursyd they the tyme that ever they me fande.
Thus among the pepyll lost ys my name,
And so by hys labour put I am to shame.
"Consydre thys mater and ponder my cause;
Tendre my compleynt as rygour requyreth;
Shew forthe your sentence with a breef clause.
I may nat long tary; the tyme fast expyreth.
The offence ys gret. Wherfore hyt desyreth
The more grevous peyne and hasty jugement,
For offence doon wylfully woll noon avysement."
And, when the god Pluto awhyle had hym bethought,
He rownyd with Mynos to know what was to do.
Then he seyd opynly, "Loke thow, fayle nought
Thy sentence to geve wythout favour, so
Lyke as thow hast herde the causys mevyd thee to,
And so evenly dele twene these partyes tweyn
That noon of hem have cause on the other compleyn."
Then seyd Mynos, full indyfferently,
To Dyane and Neptunus, "Ys there any more
That ye wyll declare agayn hym opynly?"
"Nay. In dede," they seyde, "we kepe noon in store.
We have seyde ynough to punysshe hym sore,
Yef ye in thys matyr be nat parciall.
Remembre your name was wont to be egall."
"Well, then," seyd Mynos, "now let us here
What thys boystous Eolus for hymsylf can sey,
For here, prima facie, to us he doth apere
That he hath offendyd; no man can sey nay.
Wherfore thow, Eolus, wythout more delay,
Shape us an answer to thyne accusement,
And ellys I most procede opon thy jugement."
And evyn as Eolus was onwarde to have seyde
For hys excuse, came yn a messynger
Fro god Appollo to Pluto, and hym prayde
On hys behalfe that he wythout daungere
Wold to hym come, and bryng with hym in feere
Diane and Neptunus on to hys banket.
And yef they dysdeynyd, hymsylf he wold hem fet.
Moreover, he seyde the god, Apollo,
Desyryd to have respyte of the jugement
Of Eolus, bothe of Mynos and Pluto.
So Dyane and Neptunus were therwith content,
And yef they were dysposyd to assent,
That he myght come unto hys presence -
He hit desyryd to know hys offence.
"What sey ye herto?" seyd Pluto to hem tweyn.
"Wyll ye bothe assent that hit shall be thus?"
"Ye," seyde the goddesse, "for my part, certeyn."
"And I also," seyde thys Neptunus.
"I am well plesyd," quod thys Eolus.
And when they had a whyle thus togedyr spoke,
Pluto commaundyd the court to be broke.
And then togedyr went they in fere,
Pluto and Neptunus ledyng the goddesse,
Whom folowyd Cerberus with hys prysonere.
And alther last, with gret hevynesse,
Came I and Morpheus to the forteresse
Of the god Apollo, unto hys banket,
Where many goddys and goddesses met.
When Apollo sye that they were come,
He was ryght glad, and prayed hem to syt.
"Nay," seyd Diane, "thys ys all and some.
Ye shall me pardone, I shall nat syt yet.
I shall fyrst know why Eolus abyte,
And what execucion shall on hym be do
For hys offence." "Well," seyd Apollo,
"Madame, ye shall have all your plesere,
Syth that hit woll none otherwyse be.
But, furst, I yow pray let me the mater here
Why he ys brought in thys perplexyté."
"Well," seyde Pluto, "that shall ye sone se,"
And gan to declare even by and by
Bothe her compleyntes ordynatly.
And when Appollo had herd the report
Of Pluto, in a maner smylyng he seyde,
"I see well, Eolus, thow hast small comfort
Thy sylf to excuse; thow mayst be dysmayde
To here so gret compleyntes agene thee layde,
That, natwithstandyng, yef thow can sey ought
For thyne owne wele, sey, and tary nought."
"Forsothe," seyd Eolus, "yef I had respyte,
Her to an answere cowde I counterfete.
But to have her grace, more ys my delyte.
Wherfore, I pray yow all for me entrete
That I may, by your request, her good grace gete,
And what pyne or greef ye for me provyde.
Without any grogyng I shall hit abyde."
"Loo, good Madame," seyd god Apollo,
"What may he do more but sew to your grace?
Beholde how the teares from hys eyen go!
Hit ys satysfaccion half for hys trespase.
Now, gloryous goddesse, shewe your pyteous face
To thys poore prysoner, at my request.
All we for your honour thynke thus ys best,
"And yef hit lyke yow to do in thys wyse,
And to forgeve hym clerely hys offense,
Oon thyng suerly I wyll yow promyse:
Yef he eft rebelle and make resystence,
Or dysobey unto your sentence,
For every tree that he maketh fall,
Out of the erthe, an hundred aryse shall,
"So that your game shall nat dyscrese
For lak of shade, I dar undyrtake."
"Well, syr Apollo," seyde she than, "woll I cese
Of all my rancour and mery with yow make."
And then god Neptunus of hys mater spake,
Seying thus, "Apollo, though Diana hym relese,
Yet shall he sue to me to have hys pese."
"A," seyde Apollo, "ye wend I had forgete
Yow for my lady Diane, the goddesse.
Nay, thynke nat so, for I woll yow entrete
As well as hyr without long processe.
Wyll ye agre that Phebe, your mastresse,
May have the guydyng of your varyaunce?"
"I shall abyde," quod he, "her ordynaunce."
"Well, then," quod Apollo, "I pray yow, goddes all,
And goddesses eke, that be heere present,
That ye compaygnably wyll aboorde fall."
"Nay, then," seyd Othea, "hit ys nat convenyent.
A dew ordre in every place ys expedyent
To be had, wherfore ye may nat let
To be your owne marchall at your owne banket."
And when Apollo sy hit wold noon other be,
He callyd to hym Aurora the goddesse,
And seyde, "Thowgh ye wepe, yet shall ye before me
Ay kepe your course and put yoursylf in prees."
So he her set furst at hys owne messe,
With her moyst clothes with teares all bespreynt;
The medewes in May shew therof her compleynt.
Next hyr sate Mars, myghty god and strong.
With a flame of fyre envyround all about,
A crowne of iron on hys hede, a spere in hys hand.
Hyt semyd by hys chere as he wold have fought.
And next unto hym, as I perceve mought,
Sate the goddesse Diana, in a mantell fyne
Of blak sylke, purfylyd with poudryd hermyne,
Lyke as she had take the mantell and the ryng.
And next unto hyr, arayed royally,
Sate the good Jupyter; in hys demenyng
Full sad and wyse he semyd, sykerly.
A crown of tynne stood on hys hede,
And that I recorde of all philosophres
That lytyll store of coyne kepe in her cofres.
Joynyd to hym in sytting next ther was
The goddesse Juno, full rychely beseene
In a sercote that shone as bryght as glas,
Of goldsmythes werke with spanglys wrought bedene.
Of royall rychesse wantyd she noone, I wene.
And next by her sate the god Saturne,
That oft sythe causeth many oon to morne.
But he was clad, me thought, straungely,
For of frost and snow was all his aray.
In hys hand he helde a fawchon all blody.
Hyt semyd by hys chere as he wold make afray.
A bawdryk of isykles about hys nek gay
He had, and above, an hygh on hys hede,
Cowchyd with hayle stonys, he weryd a crowne of leede.
And next in ordre was set by hys syde
Ceres the goddesse, in a garment
Of sak clothe made with sleves large and wyde,
Embrowderyd with sheves and sykelys bent.
Of all maner greynes she sealyd the patent,
In token that she was the goddesse of corne.
Olde poetys sey she bereth the hervest horne.
Then was there set the god Cupido,
All fresshe and galaunt and costlew in aray.
With ouches and rynges he was beset so,
The paleys therof shone as though hit had be day.
A kerchyef of plesaunce stood over hys helme ay;
The goddesse Ceres he lookyd in the face
And with oon arme he hyr dyd enbrace.
Next to Cupido in ordyr, by and by,
Of worldly wysdom sate the forteresse,
Callyd Othea, chyef grounde of polyty,
Rewler of knyghthode, of prudence the goddesse.
Clad all in purpur was she, more and lesse;
Safe on her hede a crowne ther stood,
Cowchyd with perles oryent fyne and good.
And next to her was god Pluto set,
With a derke myst envyrond all aboute;
Hys clothyng was made of a smoky net.
Hys colour was, bothe withyn and withoute,
Foule, derke, and dymme; hys eyen, gret and stoute.
Of fyre and sulphure all hys odour wase,
That wo was me whyle I beheld hys fase.
Fortune the goddesse, with her party face,
Was unto Pluto next in ordre set.
Varyaunt she was, ay in short space;
Hyr whele was redy to turne without let.
Hyr gowne was of gawdy grene chamelet,
Chaungeable of sondry dyverse colowres,
To the condycyons accordyng of hyr shoures.
And by her sate, though he unworthy were,
The rewde god Pan, of sheperdys the gyde,
Clad in russet frese and breched lyke a bere,
With a gret tar-box hangyng by hys syde.
A shepecrook in hys hand, he sparyd for no pryde,
And at hys feete lay a pryk-eryd curre.
He ratelyd in the throte as he had the murre.
Ysys the goddesse bare hym company,
For at the table next she sat by hys syde
In a close kyrtyll, enbrowderyd curyously
With braunches and leves, brood, large, and wyde,
Grene as any gresse in the somertyde.
Of all maner frute she had the governaunce.
Of saverys odoryferous was her sustynaunce.
Next hyr was then god Neptunus set.
He savoryd lyke a fyssher; of hym I spake before.
Hyt semyd by hys clothes as they had be wet.
Aboute hym, in hys gyrdyll stede, hyng fysshes many a score
Of hys straunge aray mervelyd I sore.
A shyp with a toppe and seyle was hys crest.
Me thought he was gayly dysgysyd at that fest.
Then toke Mynerve the goddesse her sete,
Joyntly to Neptunus, all in curas clad,
Gauntlettes on hyr handys and sabatouns on hyr fete.
She loked ever about as though she had be mad.
An hamer and a sythe on her hede she had.
She weryd two bokelers, oone by her syde,
That other, ye wote where; thys was all her pryde.
Then came the good Bachus and by her set hym downe,
Holdyng in hys hande a cup full of wyne.
Of grene vyne leves he weryd a joly crowne;
He was clad in clustres of grapes good and fyne;
A garland of yvy he chase for hys sygne.
On hys hede he had a thredebare kendall hood;
A gymlot and a fauset theropon stood 3
Next hym sate Phebe, with hyr colour pale.
Fat she was of face, but of complexyon feynt.
She seyde she rewlyd Neptunus, and made hym to avale,
And ones in the moneth with Phebus was she meynt.
Also, ne were she, Ceres were ateynt. 4
Thus she sate and tolde the myght of her nature,
And on hyr hede she weryd a crowne of sylvyr pure.
Joyntly to her Mercurius tooke hys see,
As came to hys course: wytnesse the zodyak.
He had a gyldyn tong, as fyll for hys degree.
In eloquence of langage he passyd all the pak,
For in hys talkyng no man cowde fynde lak.
A box with quyksylver he had in hys hand;
Multyplyers know hit well in every land.
By hym sate Dame Venus with colour crystallyne,
Whoos long here shone as wyre of goold bryght.
Cryspe was her skyne; her eyen, columbyne;
She ravysshyd myn hert, her chere was so lyght.
"Patronesse of plesaunce" be namyd - well se myght!
A smokke was her wede, garnysshyd curyously.
But above all other, she had a wanton ey.
On her hede she weryd a rede copyr crowne.
A nosegay she had made full pleasauntly.
Betwene her and Aurora, Apollo set hym downe.
With hys beames bryght he shone so fervently
That he therwith gladyd all the company.
A crowne of pure gold was on hys hede set,
In sygne that he was mastyr and lord of that banket.
Thus was the table set rownde aboute
With goddys and goddesses, as I have yow tolde.
Awaytyng on the boorde was a gret route
Of sage phylosophyrs and poetes many folde:
There was sad Sychero and Arystotyll olde,
Tholomé, Dorothé with Dyogenes,
Plato, Messehala, and wyse Socrates.
Sortes and Saphyrus with Hermes stood behynde;
Avycen and Averoys with hem were in fere.
Galyen and Ipocras, that physyk have in mynde,
With helpe of Esculapion toward hem drow nere.
Virgyle, Orace, Ovyde, and Omere,
Euclyde and Albert gave her attendaunce,
To do the goddys and goddesses plesaunce.
Whore-berdyd Orpheus was there with hys harpe,
And as a poet musykall made he melody.
Othyr mynstrall had they none, safe Pan gan to carpe
Of hys lewde bagpype, whyche causyd the company
To lawe. Yet many mo ther were, yef I shuld nat ly,
Som yong, som olde, bothe bettyr and werse,
But mo of her names can I not reherse.
Of all maner deyntees there was habundaunce,
Of metys and drynkes, foyson plenteuous.
In came Dyscord, to have made varyaunce,
But ther was no rome to set hyr in that hous.
The goddys remembryd the scisme odyous
Among the three goddesses that she had wrought
At the fest of Peleus, wherfor they thought
They wold nat with her dele in aventure,
Lest she theym brought to som inconvenyent.
She, seyng thys, was wrothe out of mesure,
And in that gret wrethe out of the paleyce went,
Seying to hersylf that chere shuld they repent.
And anone with Attropos happyd she to mete,
As he had bene a goste came in a wyndyng shete.
She toke hym by the hande and rownyd in hys eare,
And told hym of the banket that was so delycate,
Howe she was rescevyd, and what chere she had there,
And howe every god sate in hys estate.
"Ys hit thus?" quod Attropos, "what, in the devyllys date?"
"Well," he seyde, "I see well howe the game gooth.
Ones yet for your sake shall I make hem wrooth."
And when she had hym all togedyr tolde,
From her he departyd and of hyr toke hys leve,
Seying that, for hyr sake, hys wey take he wolde
In to the paleyce, hys matyrs to meve.
And er he thens went, he trowyd hem to greve
With suche tydynges as he shuld hem tell.
So forthe yn he went and spake wordys fell.
When he came in the presence of the goddes all,
As he had be woode he lookyd hym about.
Hys shete from hys body down he let fall,
And on a rewde maner he salutyd all the rout,
With a bold voyse, carpyng wordys stout.
But he spake all holow, as hit had be oon
Had spoke in another world that had woo begoon.
He stood forthe boldly, with grym countenaunce,
Saying on thys wyse, as ye shall here:
"All ye gret goddys, geve attendaunce
Unto my wordys, without all daungere.
Remembre howe ye made me your offycere,
All tho with my dart fynally to chastyse
That yow dysobeyed, or wold your law dyspyse!
"And for the more sewerté, ye seelyd my patent,
Gevyng me full power soo to occupy,
Wherto I have enployed myn entent,
And that can Dame Nature well testyfy.
Yef she be examynyd, she woll hit nat deny.
For when she forsaketh any creature,
I am ay redy to take hym to my cure.
"Thus have I dewly, with all my dilygence,
Executyd the offyce of olde antiquyté,
To me by yow grauntyd by your comon sentence.
For I spared noon, hygh nor low degré,
So that on my part no defaute hath be.
For as sone as any to me commyttyd wase,
I smete hym to the hert; he had noone other grase.
"Ector of Troy, for all hys chyvalry,
Alexaunder the grete, and myghty conquerour
Julius Cesar, with all hys company,
David nor Josue nor worthy Artour,
Charles the noble that was so gret of honour,
Nor Judas Machabee, for all hys trew hert,
Nor Godfrey of Boleyn cowde me nat astert.
"Nabugodonozor, for all hys gret pryde,
Nor the kyng of Egypt, cruell Pharao,
Jason ne Hercules, went they never so wyde;
Cosdras, Hanyball, nor gentyll Sypio,
Cirus, Achilles, nor many another mo,
For feyre or foule, gat of me no grace.
But all be, at the last, I sesyd hem with my mace.
"Thus have I brought every creature
To an ende, bothe man, fysshe, foule, and beste,
And every other thyng in whom Dame Nature
Hath any jurysdiccion, owther most or leste.
Except oonly oon, in whom your beheste
Ys to me broke, for ye me promysyd
That my myght of noon shuld have be dyspysyd.
"Wherof the contrary, dar I well avowe,
Ys trew, for oon there ys that wyll nat apply
Unto my correccion, nor in no wyse bowe
To the dynt of my dart, for doole nor destyny.
What comfort he hath, nor the cause why
That he so rebelleth, I can nat thynke of ryght,
But yef ye have hym grauntyd your aldyrs safecondyght.
"And yef ye so have, then do ye nat as goddys,
For a goddes wrytyng may nat reversyd be.
Yef hit shuld, I wold nat geve two pesecoddys
For graunt of your patent of offyce, ner of fee.
Wherfore in thys mater do me equyté
Accordyng to my patent, for tyll thys be do,
Ye have no more my servyce nor my good wyll, lo!"
And when all the goddes had Attropos herde,
As they had be woode, they brayde up at oonys,
And seyde they wold nat reste tyll he were conqueryd,
Taken and dystroyed, boody, blood, and boonys.
And that they swere gret othes, for the noonys,
Her lawe to dyspyce, that was so malapert.
They seyde he shuld be taught for to be so pert.
"Well," seyde Apollo, "yef he on erthe bee,
Wyth my brennyng chare I shall hym confound."
"In feythe," quod Neptunus, "and yef he kepe the see,
He may be full sure, he shall sone be drownde."
"A, syr," seyd Mars, "thys have we well fownde,
That any dysobeyed owre godly precept;
We may well thynke we have to long slept.
"But, neverthelese, where I may hym fynde,
With thundre and leyte about I shall hym chase."
"And I," quod Saturnus, "before and behynde,
With my bytter colde shall shew hym harde grase."
"Well," seyd Mercurius, "yef I may see hys fase,
For ever of hys speche I shall hym depryve,
So that hym were bettyr be dede than a lyve."
"Ye," quod Othea, "yet may he well be
In the eyre where he woll, and ax yow no leve.
Wherfore my counsell ys that all we
May entrete Neptunus hys rancour to forgeve,
And then I dowte not Eolus wyll hym myscheve,
So may ye be sewre he shall yow nat escape.
And elles of all your angre woll he make but a jape."
But for to tell yow how Eolus was brought
In daunger of Pluto, yet had I forgete.
Wherfore, on thys mater ferther wyll I nought
Procede, tyll I therof have knowleche yow lete.
Hyt fell on a day the wedyr was wete,
And Eolus thought he wold, on hys dysport,
Go to rejoyse hys spyrytes and comfort.
He thought he wold see what was in the grownd,
And in a kravers forthe he gan hym dresse.
A drowthe had the erthe late before fownd
That causyd hit to chyne and krany, more and lesse.
Sodeynly by weet constreynyd, by duresse
Was the ground to close hys superfyciall face
So strayte that, to scape, Eolus had no space.
Thys seyng Eolus, he styll withyn aboode,
Sekyng where he myght have goon out, fer or nere.
Anone he was aspyed, and oon to Pluto roode,
And told hym how Eolus was in hys daungere.
Then seyde he to Cerberus, "Fet me that prysonere!
Tyll I have hym seene, let hym nat go at large.
As thow wylt answer, of hym I geve thee charge."
Thus was thys Eolus take prysoner.
Then happyd hit so, that the same day
Pluto had prefyxyd for a gret mater,
Mynos to syt in his roob of ray,
Wherfore Cerberus tooke the next way,
And led hym to the place where the court shal be,
Whedyr, as I tolde yow, Morpheus brought me.
So thedyr came Diana, caryed in a carre,
To make her compleynt, as I told yow all,
And so dyd Neptunus, that dothe bothe make and marre,
Walewyng with hys wawes and tomblyng as a ball.
Her matyrs they mevyd, fall what may befall.
There was the furst syght that ever I theym sawe,
And yef I never do efte, I rekke nat a strawe.
Bot now to my matyr to returne ageyn.
And to begynne, newe, where I left:
When all the goddes had done her besy peyn,
The wey to contryve howe he shuld be reft
Of hys lyfe, that Attropos had no cause eft
To compleyn, than Phebe styrt uppon her fete
And seyd, "I pray yow, let me speke a worde yete."
"Othea meneth well, to sey on thys wyse.
But all to entrete Neptunus, I hope, shall nat nede.
Me semeth I alone durst take that entyrpryse;
Er I am begylyd, or elles I shall spede.
How say ye, Neptunus? Shall I do thys dede?
Wyll ye your rancour sese at my request?"
"Madame," quod he, "reule me as ye lyketh best."
"Gramercy," seyd she, "of your good wyll
That hit pleseth yow to shew me that favour.
Wherfore the goddes hygh plesure to fulfyll,
Performe my desyre, and leeve all olde rancour,
For our aldyrs wele and savyng of our honour,
Ageyn thys Eolus that ye long have had."
"Hyt ys doon," quoth he, "forsoth; then am I glad."
Seyde he, "now, then, Eolus, be thow to us trew,
Kepe well the eyr, and owre gret rebell
May we then soone ever to us subdew."
"Yes; and that," quod Eolus, "shall ye here tell:
Nowhere in the eyre shall he reste nor dwell;
Yef he do therof, put me in defaute;
With my bytter blastys, so shall I hym asaute."
"What!" seyde the god Pluto, "what ys hys name
That thus presumeth ageyn us to rebell?"
"Vertew," quod Attropos, "that have he mykyll shame,
He ys never confoundyd; thus of hym here I tell."
"A," seyde thys Pluto, "in dede I know hym well.
He hathe be ever myn utter enemy.
Wherfore thys mater ageyn hym take wyll I.
"For all the baytys that ye for hym have leyde
Without myn helpe, be nat worthe a peere.
For though ye all the contrary had seyde,
Yet wolde he breede ryght nygh your althrys eere.
No maner of thyng can hym hurt nor dere,
Save oonly oon, a son of myn bastarde,
Whos name ys Vyce: he kepeth my vawarde.
"Wherfore yow, Cerberus, now I thee dyscharge
Of Eolus, and wyll that thow hydyr fette
My dere son Vyce, and sey that I hym charge
That he to me come without any lette,
Armyd at all poyntes. For a day ys sette
That he with Vertew, for all the goddes sake,
In our defense, must on hym batayll take."
Forthe then went Cerberus with hys fyry cheyne,
And brought thedyr Vyce, as he commaundyd was,
Ageyn noble Vertew, that batayll to dereygne,
On a glydyng serpent, rydyng a gret pas,
Formyd lyke a dragon, scalyd harde as glas,
Whos mouth flamyd feere without fayll.
Wyngys had hit, serpentyne, and a long tayll.
Armyd was Vyce, all in cure boyle,
Hard as any horn, blakker fer then soot.
An ungoodly soort folowyd hym, pardé,
Of unhappy capteyns, of myschyef, croppe and roote:
Pryde was the furst, that next hym roode, God woote,
On a roryng lyon; next whom came Envy,
Syttyng on a wolfe; he had a scornfull ey.
Wrethe bestrode a wylde bore, and next hem gan ryde;
In hys hand he bare a blody, nakyd swerde.
Next whom came Covetyse, that goth so fer and wyde,
Rydyng on a olyfaunt, as he had ben aferde.
Aftyr whom rood Glotony, with hys fat berde,
Syttyng on a bere, with hys gret bely.
And next hym on a goot folowyd Lechery.
Slowthe was so slepy, he came all behynde,
On a dull asse, a full wery pase.
These were the capyteyns that Vyce cowde fynde
Best, to set hys felde and folow on the chase.
As for pety capteyns, many mo ther wase -
As Sacrylege, Symony, and Dyssimulacion,
Manslaughter, Mordre, Theft, and Extorcion,
Arrogaunce, Presumpcion, with Contumacy,
Contempcion, Contempt, and Inobedience,
Malyce, Frowardnes, Gret Jelacy,
Wodnesse, Hate, Stryfe, and Impacience,
Unkyndnesse, Oppression, with Wofull Neglygence,
Murmour, Myschyef, Falshood, and Detraccion,
Usury, Perjury, Ly, and Adulacion,
Wrong, Ravyne, Sturdy Vyolence,
False Jugement, with Obstynacy,
Dysseyte, Dronkenes, and Improvydence,
Boldnes in Yll, and with Foule Rybaudy,
Fornycacion, Incest, and Avoutry,
Unshamefastnes, with Prodygalyté,
Blasphemé, Veynglory, and Worldly Vanyté,
Ignoraunce, Diffydence, with Ipocrysy,
Scysme, Rancour, Debate, and Offense,
Heresy, Errour, with Idolatry,
Newfangylnes, and sotyll False Pretense,
Inordinat Desyre of Worldly Excellense,
Feynyd Povert, with Apostasy,
Disclaundyr, Skorne, and unkynde Jelousy,
Hoordam, Bawdry, False Mayntenaunce,
Treson, Abusion, and Pety Brybry.
Usurpacion, with Horryble Vengeaunce,
Came alther-last of that company.
All these pety capteyns folowyd by and by,
Shewyng theymsylf in the palyse wyde,
And seyde they were redy that batayll to abyde.
Idylnesse set the comons in aray,
Without the paleyse on a fayre felde.
But there was an oost for to make a fray!
I trow suche another never man behelde!
Many was the wepyn among hem that they welde.
What pepyll they were that came to that dysport,
I shall yow declare of many a sondry sort.
Ther were bosters, braggars, and brybores,
Praters, fasers, strechers, and wrythers, 5
Shamefull shakerles, soleyn shaveldores,
Oppressours of pepyll and myghty crakers,
Meyntenours of querelles, horryble lyers,
Theves, traytours, with false herytykes,
Charmers, sorcerers, and many scismatykes,
Pryvy symonyakes with false usurers,
Multyplyers, coyn-wasshers, and clyppers,
Wrong usurpers with gret extorcioners,
Bakbyters, glosers, and fayre flaterers,
Malycious murmurers with grete claterers,
Tregetours, tryphelers, feyners of tales,
Lascyvyous lurdeyns and pykers of males,
Rowners, vagaboundes, forgers of lesynges,
Robbers, revers, ravenouse ryfelers,
Choppers of churches, fynders of tydynges,
Marrers of maters and money makers,
Stalkers by nyght with evesdroppers,
Fyghters, brawlers, brekers of lofedayes,
Getters, chyders, causers of frayes,
Tytyvyllys, tyrauntes with turmentoures,
Cursyd apostates, relygyous dyssymulers,
Closshers, carders with comon hasardoures,
Tyburne coloppys and pursekytters,
Pylary knyghtes, double-tollyng myllers,
Gay joly tapsters with hostelers of the stewes,
Hoores and baudys that many bale brewes,
Bolde blasphemers with false ipocrytes,
Brothelles brokers, abhomynable swerers,
Dryvylles dastardes, dyspysers of ryghtes,
Homycydes, poyseners and comon morderers,
Skoldes, caytyffys, comborouse clappers,
Idolatres, enchauntours with false renegates,
Sotyll ambidextres and sekers of debates,
Pseudo-prophetes, false sodomytes,
Quesmers of chyldren with fornycatours,
Wetewoldes that suffre syn in her syghtes,
Avouterers and abhominable avauntours,
Of syn gret clappers and makers of clamours,
Unthryftys and unlustes came also to that game,
With luskes and loselles that myght nat thryve for shame.
These were the comons came thedyr that day,
Redy bowne in batayll Vertew to abyde.
Apollo, theym beholdyng, began for to say
To the goddes and goddesses beyng there that tyde,
"Me semeth convenyent an herowde to ryde
To Vertew, and byd hym to batayll, make hym bone
Hymsylf to defende, for sowght he shal be sone.
"And let hym nat be sodenly take
All dyspurveyde, or then he be ware,
For then shuld our dyshonour awake,
Yef he were cowardly take in a snare."
"Ee!" quod Vyce, "for that have I no care;
I wyll avauntage take where I may."
That heryng, Morpheus pryvyly stale away,
And went to warne Vertew of all thys afray,
And bade hym awake and make hymsylf strong,
For he was lyke to endure that day
A gret mortall shoure, er hit were evesong,
With Vyce, wherfore he bade him nat long
Tary to sende aftyr more socour -
Yef he dede, hit shuld turne hym to dolour.
And brefely the matyr to hym he declaryd,
Lyke as ye have herde, begynnyng and ende.
"Well," quoth Vertu, "he shall nat be sparyd.
To the felde I wyll wende how hit wende.
But gramercy, Morpheus, myn owne dere frende,
Of your trew hert and feythefull entent
That ye in thys mater to meward have ment."
Thys doon, Morpheous departyd away
Fro Vertu, to the palyce retornyng ageyn.
Noone hym aspyed, that I dare well say,
In whyche tyme Vertew dyd hys besy peyn
Pepyll to reyse, hys quarell to menteyn.
Ymaginacion was hys messyngere:
He went to warne pepyll bothe fer and nere,
And bade hem come in all the haste they myght
For to streyngthe Vertu, for, without fayll,
He seyde he shuld have, long or hit were nyght,
With Vyce to do a myghty strong batayll.
Of ungracious gastes he bryngeth a long tayll,
"Wherfore hit behoveth to helpe at thys nede,
And aftyr thys shall Vertu rewarde yowre mede."
When Imaginacion had goon hys cyrcute
To Vertews frendys thus all aboute,
Withyn short tyme many men of myght
Gaderyd to Vertew in all that they mowte.
They hym comfortyd and bad hym put no dowte
Hys uttyr enemy Vyce to overthrow,
Though he with hym brought never so gret arow.
And when Vertew sy the substaunce of hys oost,
He prayed all the comons to the felde hem hy
With her pety capteynys, bothe lest and moost,
And he with hys capteynys shuld folow redyly,
For he seyde he knew well that Vyce was full ny,
And who myght furst of the felde recover the centre
Wold kepe out that other he shuld nat esyly entre.
Then sent he forthe Baptym to the felde before,
And prayed hym hertyly hit to overse,
That no maner trayne nor caltrop theryn wore 6
To noy nor hurt hym nor hys meyné.
And when he thedyr came, he began to see
How Vyce hys pursevaunt Cryme Oryginall
Was entryd before, and had sesyd up all.
But as sone as herof Baptym had a syght,
He fled fast awey and left the felde alone.
And anone Babtym entred with hys myght,
Serchyng all about where thys Cryme had gone.
But the felde was clene defaute; fonde he none.
Then cam Vertew aftyr with hys gret oost,
And hys myghty capytayns, bothe leste and moost.
But to enforme yow howe he thedyr came,
And what maner capyteyns he to the felde brought,
Hymsylfe, sekerly, was the furst man
Of all hys gret boost that thedyrward sought,
Syttyng in a chare that rychely was wrought
With golde and peerles and gemmes precious,
Crownyd with laurer as lord vyctoryous.
Foure dowty knyghtys about the chare went
At every corner, on hit for to gyde
And convey acordyng to Vertew hys entent.
At the furst corner was Ryghtwysnes that tyde;
Prudence at the second, was set to abyde;
At the thryd, Streyngth; the fourth kept Temperaunce.
These the chare gydyd to Vertew hys plesaunce.
Next to the chare, seven capteyns there roode,
Ychone aftyr other, in ordre, by and by.
Humylyté was the furst; a lambe he bestroode.
With countenaunce demure he roode full soburly.
A fawcon gentyll stood on hys helme on hy.
And next aftyr hym came there Charyté,
Rydyng on a tygre, as fyll to hys degré.
Roody as a roose ay he kept hys chere.
On hys helme on hygh a pellycan he bare.
Next whom came Pacyence, that nowhere hath no pere,
On a camell rydyng, as voyde of all care.
A fenyx on hys helme stood. So forthe gan he fare.
Who next hym folowyd, but Lyberalyté,
Syttyng on a dromedary that was bothe good and free.
On hys helme for hys crest he bare an ospray.
And next aftyr hym folowyd Abstynence,
Rydyng on an hert; hys trapure was gay.
He semyd a lorde of ryght gret excellence.
A popynjay was hys crest; he was of gret dyffence.
Next hym folowyd Chastyté, on an unycorn,
Armyd at all poyntes, behynde and beforn.
A turtyldove he bare an hygh for hys crest.
Then came Good Besynesse, last of the sevyn,
Rydyng on a panter, a sondry colouryd best,
Gloryously beseene, as he had come from hevyn;
A crane on hys hede stood hys crest for to stevyn.
All these sevyn capteynes had standardes of pryce,
Eche of hem acordyng aftyr hys devyse.
Many pety capteyns aftyr these went,
As Trew Feythe and Hoope, Mercy, Peese, and Pyté,
Ryght Trowthe, Mekenesse, with Good Entent,
Goodnes, Concorde, and Parfyte Unyté,
Honest Trew Love, with Symplycyté,
Prayer, Fastyng, Prevy Almysdede,
Joynyd with the Artycles of the Crede;
Confession, Contrycion, and Satysfaccion,
With Sorow for Synne and Gret Repentaunce,
Forgevenes of Trespas, with Good Dysposicion,
Resystence of Wrong, Performyng of Penaunce,
Hooly Devocion, with Good Contynuaunce.
Preesthood theym folowyd, with the Sacramentes,
And Sadnesse also, with the Commaundementis;
Sufferaunce in Trowble, with Innocency,
Clennesse, Continence, and Virginité,
Kyndnesse, Reverence, with Curtesy,
Content and Plesyd with Pyteous Poverté,
Entendyng Well, Mynystryng Equyté
Twene Ryght and Wrong, Hoole Indyfferency,
And Laboryng the Servyce of God to Multyply;
Refuse of Rychesse and Worldly Veynglory,
Perfeccion with Parfyte Contemplacion,
Relygyon, Profession Well Kept in Memory,
Verrey Drede of God, with Holy Predycacion,
Celestiall Sapience, with Goostly Inspiracion.
Grace was the guyde of all thys gret meyny,
Whom folowyd Konnyng with hys genalogy.
(That ys to sey, Gramer and Sophystry,
Philosophy Naturall, Logyk, and Rethoryk,
Arsmetry, Geometry, with Astronomy,
Canon and Cyvyle, melodyous Musyk,
Nobyll Theology, and corporall Physyk,
Moralizacion of Holy Scripture,
Profounde Poetry, and Drawyng of Picture.)
These folowyd Konnyng, and thedyr with hym came,
With many oone moo, offryng her servyce
To Vertew at that nede. But natwithstandyng than,
Som he refusyd, and seyde in nowyse
They shuld with hym go, and as I coude avyse,
These were her names: fyrst, Nygromansy,
Geomansy, Magyk, and Glotony,
Adryomancy, Ornomancy, with Pyromancy, 7
Fysenamy also, and Pawmestry,
And all her sequelys, yef I shult nat ly.
Yet Konnyng prayed Vertu he wold nat deny
Theym forto know, nor Dysdeyne with hys ey
On hem to loke, wherto Vertew grauntyd;
How be hit in hys werres, he wold nat they hauntyd.
So had they Connyng lyghtly to depart
From Vertew hys felde, and they, seyng thys,
By comon assent hyryd theym a cart,
And made hem be caryed toward Vyce, y-wys.
Fro thensforth, to serve hym they wold nat mys;
Full lothe theym were to be mastyrles.
In stede of the bettyr, the worse ther they ches.
But foorthe to relese all the remenaunt
Of pety capteyns that with Vertu were -
Moderat Dyete and Wysdom avenaunt,
Evyn Wyght and Mesure, Ware of Contagious Geere,
Lothe to Offende and Lovyng Ay to Lere,
Worshyp and Profyt, with Myrthe in Manere -
These pety capteyns with Vertew were in fere.
Comones hem folowyd, a gret multitude;
But in com pyson to that other syde,
I trow ther was nat (brefely to conclude)
The tenth man that batayll to abyde.
Yet, neverthelese, I shall nat fro yow hyde
What maner pepyll they were, and of what secte,
As neere as my wyt therto wyll me dyrecte.
There were notable and famous doctours,
Example gevers of lyvyng gracyous,
Perpetuell prestes and dyscrete confessours,
Of Holy Scripture declarers fructuous,
Rebukers of synne and myschefes odyous,
Fysshers of sowles and lovers of clennes,
Dyspysers of veyn and worldly ryches,
Pesyble prelates, justyciall governours,
Founders of churches, with mercyfull peeres,
Reformers of wrong of her progenitours,
On peynfull poore, pyteous compassioneres,
Well menyng merchauntes, with trew artyfyceres,
Vyrgyns pure, and also innocentes,
Hooly matronys, with chaste contynentes,
Pylgryms and palmers, with trew laborers,
Hooly heremytes, Goddes solycitours,
Monasteriall monkes and well dysposyd freres,
Chanons and nonnes, feythfull professoures,
Of worldly peple trew conjugatoures,
Lovers of Cryst, confounders of yll,
And all that to godward geve her good wyll,
Mayntenours of ryght, verrey penytentes,
Distroyers of errour, causers of unyté,
Trew actyf-lyvers that set her ententes
The dedes to performe of mercy and pyté,
Contemplatyf peple that desyre to be
Solytary servauntes unto God alone,
Rather then to habounde in rychesses everychone.
These, with many mo then I reherse can,
Were come thedyr redy that batayll to abyde,
And take suche part as fyll to Vertew than.
Vyce to overcome they hopyd, for all hys pryde,
All though that he had more pepyll on hys syde,
For the men that Vertu had were full sewre
To trust on at Nede and Konnyng in armure.
"Macrocosme" was the name of the felde
Where thys gret batayle was set for to be.
In the myddes therof stood Conscience, and behelde
Whyche of hem shuld be brought to captyvyté;
Of that nobyll tryumphe, juge wold he be.
Synderesys sate hym wythyn, closyd as in a parke,
With hys tables in hys hand, her dedys to marke.
To come in to the felde were hygh weyes fyve,
Free to bothe partyes, large, broode, and wyde.
Vertu wold nat tary, but hyghyd hym thydyr blyve, 8
Lest he were by Vyce decevyd at that tyde.
Long out of the felde, lothe he was to abyde
In aventure that he out of hyt were nat kept,
For then wolde he have thought he had to long slept.
In thys mene tyme whyle, Vertu thus prevydyd
For hym and hys pepyll the feld for to wynne.
He chargyd every man by Grace to be guydyd,
And all that ever myght the felde to entre ynne.
In all that seson went Orygynall Synne,
To lete Vyce know, how Baptym, with hys oost,
Had entryd Macocrosme, and serchyd every coost.
"A," seyde Vyce, "than I se well hit ys tyme
Baners to dysplay and standardys to avaunce.
Allmost to long haddyst thow taryed, Cryme,
To let us have knowlege of thys purvyaunce.
Yet I trow I shall lerne hem a new daunce!
Wherfore I commaunde yow all, without delay,
Toward the felde drawe, in all the haste ye may."
Then seyde the god Pluto, that all men myght here,
"Vyce, I thee charge, as thow wylt eschew
Our heynous indignacion, thow draw nat arere,
But put thee forthe boldly, to overthrow Vertew."
"In feythe," quoth Attropos, "and I shall aftyr sew,
For yef he escape your handys thys day,
I tell yow, my servyce have ye lost for ay."
Forthe, then, rode Vyce, with all hys hoole streyngth,
On hys steede serpentyn, as I tolde yow before.
The oost that hym folowyd was of a gret leyngth,
Among whom were penowns and guytornes many a score.
But as he went thederward (I shall tell yow more
Of hys pety capteyns) he made many a knyght,
For they shuld nat fle, but manly with hym fyght.
He dubbyd Falshood, with Dyssymulacion,
Symony, Usuré, Wrong, and Rebawdy,
Malyce, Deceyte, Ly, with Extorcion,
Perjury, Diffidence, and Apostasy,
With Boldnesse in Yll to bere hem company -
These fourteen knyghtes made Vyce that day
To wynne theyr spores they seyde they wold asay.
In lyke wyse, Vertew dubbyd on hys syde
Of hys pety capteynes other fourtene,
Whyche made her avowe with hym to abyde.
Her spores wold they wynne that day, hit shuld besene.
These were her names, yef hit be as I wene:
Feythe, Hope, and Mercy, Trouthe, and also Ryght,
With Resystence of Wrong, a full hardy wyght,
Confession, Contricion, with Satisfaccion,
Verrey Drede of God, Performyng of Penaunce,
Perfeccion, Konnyng, and Good Dysposicion,
And all knyt to Vertu they were, by allyaunce.
Wherfore to hym they made assewraunce
That felde to kepe as long as they myght,
And in hys quarell ageyn Vyce to fyght.
The lord of Macocrosme and rewler of that fee
Was callyd Frewyll, chaunger of the chaunse,
To whom Vertew sent embassatours three,
Reson, Discresion, and good Remembraunse,
And prayed hym be favorable hys honour to enhaunse,
For but he had hys favour at that poynt of nede,
He stoode in gret doute he coude nat lyghtly spede.
In lyke wyse Vyce embassatours thre
For hys party unto Frewyll sent,
Temptacion, Foly, and Sensualyté,
Praying hym of favour that he wold assent
To hym, as he wolde, at hys commaundment,
Have hym eftsones when he lyst to call
On hym, for any thyng that aftyrward myght fall.
Answere gave he noone to neyther party,
Save oonly he seyde the batayle wold he se,
To wete whyche of hem shuld have the victory.
Hit hyng in hys balaunce, the ambyguyté.
He seyde he wold nat restrayne hys lyberté
When he come where sorow shuld awake.
Then hit shuld be know what part he woll take.
Whan Vertew and Vyce be her embassatours
Knew of thys answere, they stood in gret doute.
Neverthelese, they seyde they wold endure tho shoures,
And make an ende shortly of that they went aboute.
So forthe came Vyce with all hys gret route.
Er he came at the felde, he sent yet pryvyly
Sensualyté before, in maner of a spy,
Whyche sewe the felde with hys unkynde seede.
That causyd Vertu aftyr mykyll woo to feele.
For therof grew nought but all oonly weede,
Whyche made the grounde as slepyr as an yele.
He went agene to Vyce and told hym every dele
How he had done, and bade hym com away,
For he had so purveyde that Vyce shuld have the day.
Soo as hit happyd at the felde they mete
Frewyll, Vertew, and Vyce, as trypartyte.
Safe Vertew a lytell before the felde had gete,
And elles hys avauntage, forsothe, had be full lyght.
Nat for then encombryd so was never wyght
As Vertew and hys men were, with the ranke wede
That in the felde grew of Sensualytees sede.
But as sone as Vyce of Vertu had a syght,
He gan swage gonnes as he had be woode.
That heryng, Vertew commaundyd every wyght
To pauyse hym undyr the sygne of the roode,
And bad hem nat drede, but kepe styll wher they stoode.
Hyt was but a shoure shuld soone confound,
Wherfore he commaundyd theym stand and kepe her ground.
And when Vyce came nerer to the felde,
He callyd soore for bowes and bade hem shote faste.
But Vertew and hys meyny bare of with the shelde
Of the blessyd Trynyté, ay tyll shot was paste.
And when shot was doon, Vyce came forthe at laste,
Purposyng the felde with assawte to wyn.
But Vertew kept hit long; he myght nat entyr theryn.
All that tyme, Frewyll stood and hym bethought
To whyche he myght leve, and what part he wold take.
At last Sensualyté had hym so fer brought
That he seyde pleynly he Vertu wold forsake,
And in Vyce hys quarell all hys power make.
"Ywys," quoth Reason, "that ys nat for the beste."
"No forse," seyde Frewyll, "I wyll do as my lyste."
Vertu was full hevy when he sy Frewyll
Take part with Vyce, but yet, neverthelesse,
He dyd that he myght the felde to kepe styll,
Tyll Vyce with Frewyll so sore gan hym oppresse
That he was constreynyd clerely by duresse
A lytyll tyne abak to make a bew retret.
All thyng consyderyd hit was the best feet,
Furst, to remembre how Vyces part was
Ten agene oon, strengor by lyklynes;
And than how Frewyll was with hym, allas!
Whoo cowde deme Vertew, but in hevynes,
Moreover, to thynke how that slyper gres,
That of Sensualyté hys unkynde seede grew,
Undyr foote in standyng encombryd Vertew.
Yet, natwithstandyng, Vertew hys men all
Nobully theym bare and faught myghtyly,
Howe be hyt the slepyr grasse made many of hem fall,
And from thense in maner depart sodeynly.
That seyng, Vyce hys oost began to showt and cry,
And seyde, "On, in Pluto name! On, and all ys owre.
For thys day shall Vyce be made a conquerour!"
Thus Vertew was by myght of Vyce and Frewyll
Dreven out of the felde. Hit was the more pyté!
Howe be hit, yet Baptym kept hys ground styll,
And with hym aboode Feythe, Hoope, and Unyté,
And Kunnyng also, with comons a gret meyné,
Confessyon, Contricion, were redy at her hande,
And Satysfaccion, Vyce to wythstande.
But all the tyme, whyle Vertew was away,
A myghty conflycte kept they with Vyce his rowte.
And yet, neverthelese, for all that gret affray,
Hoope stood upryght and Feythe wold never lowte,
And evermore seyd Baptym, "syres, put no dowte:
Vertu shall retorne and have hys entent.
Thys felde shal be ours, and elles let me be shent!"
And whyle these pety capteynes susteynyd thus the feelde,
With Vertew hys rerewarde came Good Perseveraunce,
An hogy myghty hoost, and when he behel |