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:nobr> 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 behelde How Vertew hym withdrew, he toke dysplesaunce. And when he to hym came, he seyde, "ye shall your chaunce Take, as hit falleth, wherfore returne ye must. Yet oonys for your sake with Vyce shall I just.   "Allas, that ever ye shuld leese thus your honour, And therwith also the hygh perpetuell crowne Whyche ys for yow kept in the celestiall tour, Wherfore be ye callyd 'Crystis Champyon.' How ys hit that ye have no compassyon On Baptym, Feythe, and Hoope, Konnyng and Unyté, That stant so harde be stadde, and fyght, as ye may see?   "All the tresour erthely undyr the fyrmament That ever was made of Goddes creacion To rewarde theym evynly were nat equyvalent For her noble labour in hys afflyccion. Wherfore take uppon yow your jurysdyccion - Rescu yondyr knyghtes and recontynu fyght, And elles, a dew your crowne, for all your gret meryt." With these and suche wordys, as I have yow tolde, By good Perseveraunce uttryd in thys wyse, Vertu hym remembryd and gan to wex bolde, And seyd, "Geve trew knyghtes to rescu, I avyse; Let us no lengor tary from thys entrepryse." Agayn to the felde so Vertew retornyd, That causyd hem be mery that long afore had mornyd.   "Avaunt baner," quoth he, "in the name of Jhesu!" And with that, hys pepyll set up a gret showte And cryed with a lowde voyce, "A, Vertew! A, Vertew!" Then began Vyce hys hooste for to loke abowte. But I trowe Perseveraunce was nat long withowte. He bathyd hys swerde in hys foes blood; The boldyst of hem all nat oonys hym withstood.   Constaunce hym folowyd and brought hym hys spere. But when Perseveraunce saw Vyce on hys stede, No man cowde hym let tyll he came there. For to byd hym ryde, I trow, hit was no nede; All Vertew hys ost prayde for hys good spede. Agayn Vyce he roode with hys gret shaft And hym overthrew for all hys sotyll craft.   That seyng, Frewyll came to Conscience, And gan hym to repent that he with hym had bee, Praying hym of counsell for hys gret offence, That he agayn Vertew had made hys armee; What was best to do? "To Humylyté," Quoth Conscience, "must thou go," so he hym thedyr sent Disguysyd, that he were nat knowen as he went.   And when he thedyr came, Humylyté hym took A token and bad hym go to Confessyon, And shew hym hys mater with a peteous look. Whyche doon, he hym sent to Contrycion. And fro thensforth to Satysfaccion. Thus fro poost to pylour was he made to daunce, And at the last he went forthe to Penaunce. But now for to tell yow: when Vyce was overthrow, A gret parte of his oost about hym gan resorte. But he was so febyll that he cowde no man know, And when they sy that they knew no comforte, But caryed hym awey be a pryvy porte. And as they hym caryed, Dyspeyre with hym met. With Vyce hys rewarde, he came theym for to fet.   Then came ther downe goodly ladyes tweyne From the hygh hevyn above the firmament, And seyde the gret Alpha and Oo most sovereyne For that nobyll tryumphe had hem thedyr sent, Oone of hem to dryve Vyce to gret torment With a fyry scourge that she bare in her hande; And so he dede dyspeyre, and all hys hoole bande.   The name of thys lady was callyd Prescience. She never left Vyce, ne noone that wold hym folow, Tyll they were commyttyd by the divine sentence All to peyne perpetuell and infynyte sorow. Ryghtwysnes went to see, that no man shuld hem borow. Thus all entretyd sharpely were they tyll Cerberus Had hem beshut withyn hys gates tenebrus.   And all the whyle that Prescience with her scorge smert To rewarde Vyce gan hyr thus occupy, With all hys hoole bende aftyr her desert, That other gloryous lady that came fro hevyn on hy, Havyng in her hande the palme of vyctory, Came downe to Vertu and toke hym to that present, Seying thus, that Alpha and Oo hathe hym sent.   And as ferre as I aryght cowde undyrstande, That ladyes name was Predestinacion. Vertu and hys hoost she blessyd with her hande, And in heven grauntyd hem habitacion, Where to eche of hem reservyd was a crown. She seyde in token that they enherytours Of the glory were, and gracious conquerours. Whyche doon, thoo ladyes agene togedyr met And toward hevyn up they gan to fly, Embrasyd in armes as they had be knet Togedyr with a gyrdyll, but so sodenly As they were vanysshyd saw I never thyng with ey. And anon Vertew with all hys company Knelyd downe, and thankyd God of that vyctory.   Yet had I forgete, when Vyce was overthrow, To have tolde yow how many of Vyce hys oost Gan to seke Peese, and darkyd downe full low, And besought Mercy, whatsoever hys cost, To be her mene to Vertew; elles they were but lost. And som in lyke wyse to Feythe and Hoope sought. What to do for Peese they seyde they ne rought.   Som also to Baptym sewyd to be her mene; Som to oon, som to other, as they hem gete myght. But all to Confession went to make hem clene, And, as they came by Conscience, he theym bad goo lyght, Er than olde Attropos of hem had a syght, For yef he so theym tooke, lost they were forever. He seyde Vyce to forsake, ys bettyr late then never.   Som eke for socour drew to Circumcysion, But by hym cowde they gete but small favour, For he in that company was had but in derysion. Neverthelese, to Feythe he bade hem go labour, Praying theym for olde acqueyntance theym socour. "Well," quoth Feythe, "for hys sake I shall do that I may do, But furst, for the best wey, Baptym go ye to.   "For by hym sonnest shull ye recover grace, Whyche shall to Vertu bryng yow by processe, Wherfore in any wyse looke ye make good face, And let no man know of your hevynes." So they were by Baptym brought out of dystres - Turnyd all to Vertew, and when thys was doon, Vertu commaundyd Frewyll before hym com. To whom thus he seyde, "I have gret mervayll Ye durst be so bolde Vyces part to take. Who bade yow do so and gave yow that counsayll? Justly unto that ye shall me pryvy make." Then seyde Frewyll, and swemfully spake, Knelyng on hys kne with a chere benygne, "I pray yow, syr, let pyté your eares to me enclyne,   "And I shall yow tell the verrey sothe of all, Howe hit was and who made me that wey drawe. Forsothe, 'Sensualité' hys propre name they call." "A," seyde Reason, "then I know well that felawe. Wylde he ys, and wanton; of me stant hym noon awe." "Ys he soo?" quod Vertu, "Well he shal be taught, As a pleyer shuld, to drawe another draught."   And with that came Sadnesse with hys sobre chere, Bryngyng Sensualyté, beyng full of thought, And seyde that he had take hym prysonere. "A, welcome," seyde Vertew. "Now have I that I sought; Blessyd be that good lord; as thow wolde, ys hit nought. Why art thow so wantoun and wylde?" he seyde, "for shame; Er thow go at large, thow shalt be made more tame.   "But stande apart awhyle tyll I have spoke a woorde With Frewyll, a lytell, and then shalt thow know What shal be thy finaunce." And then he seyde in boorde Unto Frewyll, "The bende of your bowe Begynneth to slake, but suche as ye have sowe Must ye nedes reepe; ther ys noon other way. Nat withstandyng that, let see what ye can say.   "What ys your habylyté me to recompense For the gret harme that ye to me have do?" "Forsothe," seyd Frewyll in opyn audyense, "But oonly Macrocosme; more have I nat, lo; Take that, yef hit plese yow; I wyll that hit be so. Yef I may undyrstand, ye be my good lorde." "In dede," seyde Vertu, "to that wyll I acorde." Then made Vertu Reson hys lyeftenaunt, And gave hym a gret charge Macocrosme to kepe. That doone, Sensualyté yelde hym recreaunt, And began for to angre, byttyrly to wepe, For he demyd sewerly hys sorow shuld nat slepe. Then made Vertu Frewyll bayll undyr Reson, The felde for to occupy to hys behove that seson.   And then seyde Vertu to Sensualyté, "Thow shalt be rewardyd for thy besynesse. Undyr thys fourme, all fragylyté Shalt thow forsake, bothe more and lesse, And undyr the guydyng shalt thow be of Sadnesse, All though hit somwhat be ageyn thy hert. Thy jugement ys gevyn; thow shalt hit nat astert."   And even with that, came in Dame Nature, Saying thus to Vertew, "Syr, ye do me wrong By duresse and constreynt to put thys creature, Gentyll Sensualyté, that hath me servyd long, Cleerly from hys liberté and set hym among Theym that love hym nat, to be her underlowte, As hit were a castaway, or a shoo clowte."   "And, pardé, ye know well a rewle have I must Withyn Macrocosme; forsoth, I sey nat nay," Quoth Vertu, "but Sensualyté shall nat performe your lust Lyke as he hath do before thys, yef I may. Therfro, hym restrayn Sadnesse shall assay. Howe be hit, ye shall have your hoole lyberté Withyn Macrocosme, as ye have had fré."   And when Vertu had to Nature seyd thus, A lytyll tyne, hys ey castyng hym besyde, He sy in a corner standyng Morpheus, That hym before warnyd of the verryly tyde. "A, syres," seyd Vertu, "yet we must abyde. Here ys a frende of owre may nat be forgete. Aftyr hys desert we shall hym entrete. "Morpheus," seyd Vertu, "I thanke yow hertyly For your trew hert and your gret laboure, That ye lyst to come to me soo redyly. When ye undyrstood the commyng of that shoure, I thanke God and yow of savyng of myn honour. Wherfore thys pryvylege now to you I graunt, That withyn Macrocosme ye shall have your haunt.   "And of fyve posternes, the keyes shall ye kepe, Lettyng in and out at hem whom ye lyst, As long as in Macrocosme your fadyr woll crepe. Blere whos ey ye woll, hardyly, with your myst, And kepe your werkes close there as in a chyst. Safe I wold desyre yow spare Pollucion, For nothyng may me plese that sowneth to corrupcion."   And when he had thus seyde, the keyes he hym tooke And toward hys castell with hys pepyll went, Byddyng Reason take good heede and about looke That Sensualyté by nature were nat shent. "Kepe hym short," he seyde, "tyll hys lust be spent, For bettyr were a chylde to be unbore, Then let hyt have the wyll and forever be lore."   And when olde Attropos had seen and herde all thys, How Vertew had opteynyd, astonyed as he stood He seyd to hymsylf, "Somwhat ther ys amys. I trow well my patent be nat all good." And ran to the palyse as he had be wood, Seying to the goddes, "I see ye do but jape. Aftyr a worthy whew have ye made me gape.   "Howe a devyllway shuld I Vertu overthrow, When he dredyth nat all your hoole rowte! How can ye make good your patent, wold I know Hyt ys to impossybyll to bryng that abowte, For stryke hym may I nat; that ys out of dowte." "A, good Attropos," seyd god Apollo, "An answere convenyent shalt thow have herto. "The wordys of thy patent, dare I well say, Streche to no ferther but where Dame Nature Hath jurysdiccion there to have thy way, And largesse to stryke as longeth to thy cure. And as for Vertu, he ys no creature Under the predicament conteynyd of quantyté; Wherfore hys destruccion longeth nat to thee."   "A, haa," seyd Attropos, "then I se well That all ye goddes be but counterfete. For oo God ther ys that can everydell Turne as hym lyst, bothe dry and whete, Into whos servyce I shall assay to gete. And yef I may ones to hys servyce come, Youre names shal be put to oblyvyone."   Thus went Attropos fro the paleyce wrooth. But in the mene tyme, whyle that he there was, Glydyng by the palyce, Resydyvacion gooth Toward Macrocosme with a peyntyd fase, Clad lyke a pylgryme, walkyng a gret pase In the forme as he had bene a man of Ynde. He wende have made Reson and Sadnesse bothe blynde.   With Sensualyté was he soone aqueyntyd, To whome he declaryd hys matyr pryvyly. Yet he was espyed, for all hys face peyntyd. Then Reson hym commaundyd pyke hym thens lyghtly. "For hys ease," quoth Sadnes, "so counseyll hym wyll I." So was Sensualyté ay kept undyr foote, That to Resydyvacion myght he doo no boote.   Then went he to Nature and askyd hyr avyse, Hys entent to opteygne what was best to do. She seyde, "Ever syth Vertew of Vyce wan the pryse, Reson with Sadnes hath rewlyd the fylde so, That I and Sensualyté may lytyll for thee do. For I may no more, but oonly kepe my cours, And yet ys Sensualyté strengor kept, and wours." Thus heryng, Residivacion fro thens he went ageyn, Full of thought and sorow that he myght nat spede. Then Reson and Sadnesse toke wedehokes tweyn, And all wylde wantones out of the fylde gan wede With all the slyper grasse that grew of the sede That Sensualyté before theryn sew, And fro thensforthe, kept hit clene fro Vertew.   Then began new gresse in the fylde to spryng, All unlyke that other, of colour fayre and bryght. But then I aspyed a mervelous thyng - For the grounde of the felde gan wex hoore and whyte. I cowde nat conceyve how that be myght, Tyll I was enformyd and taught hit to know. But where Vertew occupyeth, must nedys well grow.   Yet in the menetyme, whyle the fylde thus grew, And Reson with Sadnesse therof had governaunce, Many a pryvy messynger thedyr sent Vertew, To know yef hit were guydyd to hys plesaunce. Now Prayer efte Fastyng, and oftyn tyme Penaunce, And when he myght goo pryvyly, Almesdede, And bade hym to hys power helpe wher he sy nede.   Whyle that fylde thus rewlyd Reson with Sadnes, Mawgre Dame Nature, for all her carnall myght, Came thedyr Attropos, voyde of all gladnes, Wrappyd in hys shete, and axyd yef any wyght Cowde wysshe hym the wey to the Lorde of Lyght, Or ellys where men myght fynd Ryghtwysnesse. "Forsothe," seyde Reason, "I trow, as I gesse,   "At Vertu hys castell ye may soone hym fynde, Yef ye lyst the labour thedyr to take, And there shall ye know, yef ye be nat blynde, The next wey to the Lorde of Lyght, I undyrtake." So thedyr went Attropos, peticion to make To Ryghtwysnes, praying that he myght Be take in to the servyce of the Lord of Lyght. "What!" seyde Ryghtwysnes, "Thow olde dotyng foole! Whom hast thow servyd syth the world began, But oonly hym? where hast thow go to scoole, Whether art thow double, or elles the same man That thow were furst?" "A, syr," seyde he than, "I pray yow hertyly holde me excusyd. I am olde and febyll; my wyttes ar dysusyd."   "Well," seyde Ryghtwysnes, "for as moche as thow Knowest nat thy mastyr, thy name shall I chaunge. 'Dethe' shalt thow be callyd from hens forward now. Among all the pepyll thow shalt be had straunge, But when thow begynnest to make thy chalaunge, Dredde shalt thow be where so thow become, And to no creature shalt thow be welcome.   "And as for theym whom thow dedyst serve, For as moche as they presume on hem to take That hygh name of God, they shall as they deserve Therfore be rewardyd, I dare undyrtake, With peyn perpetuell among fendes blake, And her names shall be put to oblyvyon - Among men, but hyt be in derysyon."   "Aha!" seyde Attropos, "Now begyn I wex gladde That I shall thus avengyd of hem be, Syth they so long tyme have made me so madde." "Yee," quoth Ryghtwysnes, "here what I sey to thee: The Lord of Lyght sent thee worde by me That in Macocrosme sesyne shalt thow take, Wherfore thy darte redy loke thow make."   And as sone as Vertu that undyrstood, He seyde he was plesyd that hit shuld so be, And evyn forthewith he commaundyd Presthood To make hym redy the felde for to se. Soo thedyr went Presthood with benygnyté, Conveying thedyr the blessyd sacrament Of Eukaryst. But furst were theder sent Confession, Contricion, and Satisfaccion, Sorow for Synne and Gret Repentaunce, Holy Devocion with Good Dysposicion; All these thedyr came and also Penaunce, As her dewté was to make purvyaunce Ageyn the commyng of that blessyd lorde. Feythe, Hoope, and Charyté therto were acorde.   Reason with Sadnes dyd hys dylygence To clense the fylde withyn and without, And when they sy the bodyly presence Of that hooly Eukaryst, lowly gan they lowte. So was that lord recevyd, out of dowte, With all humble chere debonayre and benygne, Lykly to hys plesure; hit was a gret sygne.   Then came to the fylde the mynystre fynall, Callyd Holy Unccion, with a crysmatory. The fyve hygh weyes in especiall Therof he anoyntyd, and made hit sanctuary Whom folowyd Dethe, whyche wold nat tary Hys fervent power there to put in ure, As he was commaundyd, grauntyng Dame Nature,   He toke hys darte (callyd hys mortall launce) And bent hys stroke toward the feldys herte. That seyng, Presthoode bade Good Remembraunce Toward the felde turne hym, and adverte, For except hym, all vertues thense must sterte. And evyn with that, Dethe there sesyne took, And then all the company clerely hit forsook.   And as sone as Dethe thus had sesyne take, The colour of the felde was chaungyd sodenly: The grasse theryn, seere as though hit had be bake, And the fyve hygh weyes were muryd opon hy, That fro thensforward no one entre shuld therby. The posternes also were without lette, Bothe inward and outward fyn fast shette. Whyche doon, sodenly Dethe vanysshyd away, And Vertu exaltyd was above the firmament, Where he toke the crowne of glory that ys ay, Preparate by Alpha and Oo omnipotens. The swete frute of Macocrosme thedyr with hym went. And on all thys matyer, as I stood musyng thus, Agayn fro the felde to me came Morpheus,   Seying thus, "What chere, howe lyketh thee thys syght? Hast thow sene ynowgh, or wyll thow se more?" "Nay, syr," I seyde, "my trouthe I yow plyght, Thys ys suffysyent yef I knew wherfore Thys was to me shewyd, for therof the lore Coveyte I to have, yef I gete myght." "Folow me," quod he, "and have thy delyght."   So I hym folowyd tyll he had me brought To a fouresquare herber wallyd round about. "Loo," quoth Morpheus, "here mayst thow that thow sought Fynde, yef thow wyll, I put thee out of dout." A lytyll whyle we stood styll ther without, Tyll Wytte, chyef porter of that herber gate, Requyryd by Stody, let us in therate.   But when I came in, I mervelyd gretly Of that I behelde, and herde there reporte, For furst in a chayar, apparaylyd royally, There sate Dame Doctryne, her chyldren to exorte. And about her was many a sondry sorte, Som wyllyng to lerne dyverse scyence, And som for to have perfyte intellygence.   Crownyd she was lyke an emperesse, With thre crownes standyng on her hede on hy; All thyng about hyr, an infynyte processe Were to declare, I tell yow certeynly. Neverthelese, som in mynde therof have I, Whyche I shall to yow, as God wyll geve me grace, As I sawe and herde tell in short space. Fast by Doctryne on that oone syde, As I remembre, sate Holy Texte, That openyd hys mouthe to the pepyll wyde, But nat in comparyson to Glose, that sate next. Moralyzacion with a cloke context Sate, and Scrypture was scrybe to theym all. He sate ay wrytyng of that that shuld fall.   These were tho that I there knew, By no maner wey of olde aqueyntaunce. But as I before saw theym with Vertew, Company in felde and havyng dalyaunce, And as I thus stood half in a traunce Whyle they were occupyed in her besynesse, Abowte the walles myn ey gan I dresse   Where I behelde the mervelous story That ever I yet saw in any pycture. For on tho walles was made memory Singlerly of every creature That there had byn, bothe forme and stature, Whos names reherse I wyll, as I can Bryng theym to mynde, in ordre, every man.   Furst to begynne, there was in portrature Adam and Eve, holdyng an appyll round; Noe in a shyp, and Abraham havyng sure A flyntstone in hys hand, and Isaac lay bound; On an hygh mount Jacob slepyng sound And a long laddyr stood hym besyde. Joseph in a cysterne was also there that tyde,   Next whom stood Moyses with hys tables two, Aaron and Urré, hys armes supportyng; Ely in a brennyng chare was there also. And Elyze stood clad in an hermytes clothyng; David with an harpe and a stoone slyng; Isaye, Jeremy, and Ezechiell, And, closyd with lyons, holy Danyell, Abacuc, Mychee with Malachy, And Jonas out of a whales body commyng, Samuell in a temple, and holy Zakary, Besyde an awter, all blody standyng; Osee with Judyth stoode there conspyryng The dethe of Oloferne; and Salomon also, A chylde with hys swerde dyvydyng in two.   Many moo prophetys certeynly there were, Whos names now come nat to my mynde. Melchisedech also aspyed I there, Bred and wyne offryng as fyll to hys kynde; Joachym and Anne stood all behynde, Embrasyd in armes to the gyldyn gate, And holy John Baptyst in a desert sate.   And now commyth to my remembraunce, I am avysyd, I saw Sodechy, And Amos also, with sobre countenaunce, Standyng with her faces toward Sophony; Neemy and Esdras bare hem company; The holy man Joob as an impotent Then folowyd in pycture with Thoby pacyent.   These, with many mo, on that oon syde Of that grene herber portrayed were. "A," seyde Morpheous, "a lytyll tyme abyde. Turne thy face where thy bak was ere, And beholde well what thow seest there." Than I me turnyd as he me bade With hert stedefast and countenaunce sade,   Where I saw Petyr with hys keyes stande, Poule with a swerde, James also, With a scalop, and Thomas holdyng in hys hande A spere, and Phylyp aprochyd hym, too. James the Lesse next hem in pycture, loo, Stood with Bartylmew, whyche was all flayn; Symon and Thadee shewyd how they were slayn. Mathy and Barnabe, drawyng lottys, stood, Next whom was Marke, a lyon hym by, Hys booke holdyng, and Mathew in hys mood Resemblyd an aungell with wynges, gloryosly. Luke had a calfe to holde hys booke on hy, And John, with a cupp and palme in hys hande. An egle bare hys book; thus sawe I hem stande:   Gregory and Jerome, Austyn and Ambrose, With pylyons on her hedys, stood lyke doctours; Bernard with Anselme, and as I suppose, Thomas of Alquyne and Domynyk, confessours; Benet and Hew, relygyous governours; Martyne and John, with bysshops tweyne, Were there also, and Crysostom, certeyne.   Behynde all these was worshipfull Beede. All behynde and next hym stood Orygene, Hydyng hys face as he of hys deede Had hem ashamyd (ye woot what I mene), For of errour was he nat all clene; And on that syde stood there last of all The nobyll prophetyssa; "Sybyll," men hyr call.   Let me remembre now, I yow pray (My brayne ys so thynne, I deme in myn hert), Som of the felyshyp that I there say. In all thys whyle have I overstert, A benedycyté, no one ere cowde I advert. To thynke on Andrew the Apostyll with hys crosse, Whom to forgete were a gret losse.   Many oone moo were peyntyd on that wall, Whos names now come nat to my remembraunce. But these I markyd in especiall, And moo cowde I tell in contynuaunce Of tyme, but forthe to shewe yow the substaunce Of thys matyr, in the myddes of that herbere Sate Doctryne, coloryd as any crystall clere, Crownyd, as I tolde yow, late here before, Whos apparayll was worthe tresour infynyte; All erthely rychesse count I no more To that in comparyson valewyng then a myte. Over her heede hovyd a culver, fayre and whyte, Out of whos byll procedyd a gret leme Downward to Doctryne lyke a son beme.   The wordys of Doctryne gave gret redolence In swetnes of savour to her dysaples all. Hyt ferre excedyd myrre and frankensence, Or any other tre spyce, or ellys gall. And when she me aspyed, anon she gan me call, And commaundyd Morpheus that he shuld bryng me neere, For she wolde me shew the effecte of my desyre.   She seyde, "I know the cause of thy commyng Ys to undyrstand, be myn enformacion, Sensybly the mater of Morpheus hys shewyng, As he hath thee ledde aboute in vysyon. Wherfore now I apply thy naturall reson Unto my wordys, and er thow hens wende, Thow shalt hit know begynnyng and ende.   "Furst, where Eolus to Pluto was brought, By hys owne neglygence takyn prysonere Withyn the erthe, for he to ferre sought, Sygnyfyed ys no more, be that matere, But oonly to shew thee howe hit dothe apere That welthe unbrydelyd, dayly, at thyne ey Encreseth mysrewle and oft causyth foly.   "For, lyke as Eolus, beyng at hys large, Streytyd hymsylf thorow his owne lewdenesse, For he wold deele where he had no charge, Ryght so wantons by her wyldenesse Oft sythe bryng hemsylf in dystresse Because they somtyme to largely deele. What may worse be suffryd then overmykyll weele? "By Mynos, the juge of hell desperate, May be undyrstand Goddis ryghtwysnes, That to every wyght hys peyne deputate Assygneth acordyng to hys wykydnes, Wherfore he ys callyd juge of crewelnes; And as for Diana and Neptunus compleynt, Fyguryd may be fooles reson feynt.   "For lyke as they made her suggestion, To have me Eolus from course of hys kynde, Whyche was impossible to bryng to correccion, For evermore hys liberté have wyll the wynde, In lyke wyse, fooles otherwhyle be blynde, Wenyng to subdew with her oone hande That ys overmekyll for all an hoole lande.   "But what foloweth therof that shall thow heere, When they were come to the banket, The gret Apollo with hys sad chere So fayre and curteysly gan theym entrete That he made her beerdys on the new gete. Loo, what wysdome dothe to a foole! Wherfore ar chyldren put to scoole?   "Oft ys hit seene with sobre contenaunce That wyse men fooles overcome, ay Turnyng as hem lyst, and all her varyaunce Chaunge from ernest into mery play. What were they bothe amendyd that day, When they were drevyn to her wyttes ende? Were they nat fayne to graunt to be hys frende?   "Ryght so, fooles, when they have doone All that they can, than be they fayne Geve up her mater to oblyvyone. Without rewarde they have no more brayne, And yet full oft hath hit be seyne When they hit have forgete, and set at nought, That they full deere have aftyrward hit bought. "And as for all tho that represent To be callyd 'goddys' at that banket, Resemble false ydollys, but to thys entent: Was Morpheous commaundyd thedyr thee to fet, That thow shuldest know the maner and the get Of the paynym lawe and of her beleve; How false Idolatry ledeth hem by the sleve.   "For soone uppon the worldys creacion, When Adam and Eve had broke the precept, Whyche clerkes call the Tyme of Devyacion, The worldly pepyll in paynym law slept, Tyll Moyses undyr God the tables of stone kept. In whyche Tyme poetys feynyd many a fable To dyscrete Reson ryght acceptable.   "And to the entent that they shuld sownde To the eares of hem the more plesauntly, That theym shuld reede or here, they gave theym a grounde, And addyd names unto theym naturally Of whom they spake, and callyd hem goddes hy, Som for the streyngthe and myght of her nature, And som for her sotyll wytty conjecture.   "By nature thus, as the sevyn planettys Have her propre names by astronomers, But goddys were they callyd by oold poetys For her gret fervency of wyrkyng in her speres; Experyence preveth thys at all yeres. And for as other that goddes callyd be, For sotyll wytte that shall I teche thee   "How they by that hygh name of god came. In thys seyd Tyme, the pepyll was so rude That what maner creature man or woman Cowde any novelté contryve, and conclude, For the comon wele, all the multitude Of the comon peple a god shuld hym call, Or a goddesse, aftyr hit was fall. "Of the same thyng that was so new founde As Ceres, for she the craft of tylthe founde, Wherby more plenteuosly corne dyd habounde; The pepyll her callyd thorout every londe 'Goddesse of corne,' wenyng in her honde Had leyn all power of cornys habundaunce. Thus were the paynemes deceyvyd by ignoraunce.   "In lyke maner Isys was callyd the goddesse Of frute, for she fyrst made hit multyply By the meane of gryffyng, and so by processe The name of Pan gan to deyfy, For he furst founde the mene shepe to guy. Som tooke hit also by her condicion, As Pluto, Fortune, and suche other don.   "Thus, all that poetys put undyr coverture Of fable, the rurall pepyll hit took Propyrly as acte, refusyng the fygure. Whyche errour som of hem never forsook. Oft a false myrrour deceyveth a mannys look, As thow mayst dayly prove at thyne ey. Thus were the paynyms desevyd generally.   "That seyng, the dedely enemy of mankynde, By hys power permyssyve, entryd the ymages Withyn the temples, to make the pepyll blynde In her idolatry, standyng on hygh stages. In so moche, whoo usyd daungerous passages Any maner wey, by watyr or be londe, When hyd hys sacryfyce, hys answere redy founde.   "Thus, duryng the Tyme of Devyacion, From Adam to Moyses, was idolatry, Thorow the world usyd in comon opynyon. These were the goddys that thow there sy, And as for the awayters that stood hem by, They polytyk philosophyrs and poetes were Whyche feynyd the fables that I speke of here. "Then sesyd the Tyme of Devyacion. When Moyses recevyd that tables of stone, Entryng the Tyme of Revocacion, On the mount of Synay stondyng alone, God gave hym myght agene all hys fone, And then began the Olde Testament, Whyche to the pepyll, by Moyses, was sent.   "And that Tyme duryd to the Incarnacion Of Cryst, and then began hit to sese, For then came the Tyme of Reconsylyacion Of man to God. I tell thee doutlese, When the Son of Man put Hym in prese Wylfully to suffre dethe for mankynde, In Holy Scrypture thys mayst thow fynde.   "Thys Reconsylyacion was the Tyme of Grace, When foundyd was the Churche uppon the feyr stoon, And to holy Petyr the key delyveryd was Of hevyn; then hell dyspoylyd was anoon. Thus was mankynde delyveryd from hys foon, And then began the New Testament That the Crystyn pepyll beleve in present.   "Whyche thre tymes asondry devydyd, Mayst thow here see, yef thow lyst beholde: The furst behynde thee yn pycture ys provydyd; The second of the lyft hande shewe prophetes olde; The thirde on the ryght hande here hit ys to thee tolde. Thus hast thow in vysyon the verrey fygure Of these thre tymes here shewyd in purtrayture.   "That ys to sey, furst, of Devyacion, From Adam to Moyses, recordyng Scripture; Secund, fro Moyses to the Incarnacion Of Cryst, kepeth Revocacions cure; And as for the thryd, thow mayst be verrey sure, Wyll dure from thens to the worldes ende. But now the fourth must thow have in mynde, "Whyche ys callyd propurly the Tyme of Pylgremage Aftyr som, and som name hit otherwyse, And call hyt the Tyme of Daungerous Passage, And som, Tyme of Werre, that fully hyt dyspyse. But what so hit benamyd, I woll thee avyse: Remembre hit well and prynte hit in thy mynde, Wherof the fygure mayst thow se behynde.   "And elles, remembre thysylf in thyne hert, Howe Vyce and Vertu dayly theym occupy, In maner oone of hem, hym to pervert, Another to bryng hym to endeles glory. Thus they contynu, fyght for the victory. Hyt ys no nede herof to tell the moore, For in thys short vysyon, thow hast seen hit before.   "And as for Attropos grevous compleynt Unto the goddes, betokeneth no more, But oonly to shewe thee how frendely constreynt On a stedfast hert weyeth full soore. Good wyll requyreth, good wyll agene therfore. Dyscorde to Dethe hathe ay byn a frende, For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende.   "Wherfore, Dethe thought he wolde avengyd be On hys frendes quarell, yef that he myght, For her gret unkyndnes, in so moche as she Was, among hem all, had so in despyte, And at that banket made of so lyte, Whyche causyd hym among hem to cast in a boone That found theym gnawyng ynough, everychoone.   "Thus oft ys seen oo frende for a nother Wyll say and do and somtyme matyrs feyne, And also kynnysmen, a cosyn or a brother Woll for hys aly, er he have cause, compleyne. And where that he loveth, do hys besy peyne, Hys frendes matyr as hys owne to take, Whyche oft sythe causeth mochyll sorow awake. "Be hyt ryght or wrong, he chargeth nat a myte, As toward that poynt he taketh lytell heede; So that he may have hys froward appetyte Performyd, he careth nat howe hys soule speede, Of God or Devyll have suche lytyll dreede. Howe be hyt, oon ther ys that lorde ys of all, Whyche to every wyght at last rewarde shall.   "And as for the batayll betwene Vyce and Vertew, holde So pleynly, appereth to thee inwardly To make exposicion therof, new or olde Were but superfluyté; therfore refuse hit I. In man shall thow fynde that werre kept dayly, Lyke as thow hast seen hit fowtyn before thy face. The pycture me behynde shewyth hit in lytyll space.   "And as for Macrocosme, hit ys no more to say But the lesse worlde to the comon entent, Whyche applyed ys to man both nyght and day, So ys man the felde to whyche all were sent On bothe partyes, and they that thedyr went, Sygnyfy no more but aftyr the condicion Of every mans opynyon.   "And as for the nobyll knyght Perseveraunce, Whyche gate the felde when hit was almost goon, Betokeneth no more but the contynuaunce Of vertuous lyvyng tyll dethe hath overgoon. Who so wyll doo, rewardyd ys anon, As Vertu was with the crowne on hy, Whyche ys no more but everlastyng glory.   "And as for Prescience and Predestinacion, That eche of hem rewardyd aftyr hys desert Ys to undyrstond no more but dampnacion To vycyous pepyll ys the verrey scourge smert. Rewarde for they fro Vertu wolde pervert, And endelese joy ys to hem that be electe, Rewardyd and to all that folow the same secte. "And as for the keyes of the posterns fyve, Whyche were to Morpheus rewardyd for hys labour, Sygnyfy nat ellys but whyle man ys on lyve, Hys fyve inwarde wyttes shal be every houre In hys slepe occupyed, in hele and in langoure, With fantasyes, tryfyls, illusions, and dremes, Whyche poetys call 'Morpheus stremes.'   "And as for Resydivacion, ys no more to sey, But aftyr confession, turnyng agene to syn, Whyche to every man retorneth, saunz deley, To vycyous lyvyng ageyn hym to wyn. Whyle any man lyveth, wyll hit never blyn That cursyd conclusion for to bryng abowte, But Reson with Sadnes kepe hit styll owte.   "Here hast thow propurly the verrey sentence Herde now declaryd of thys vysyon; The pycture also geveth clere intellygence. Therof beholdyn with good discresyon; Loke well aboute and take consyderasion, As I have declaryd, whether hit so be." "A, syr," quoth Morpheus, "what tolde I thee?   "Hast thow nat now thyne hertes desyre? Loke on yon wall yonder before." And all that tyme stood I in a wyre, Whyche way furst myn hert wold geve more To looke; in a stody stood I therfore. Neverthelese, at last, as Morpheus me badde, I lokyd forward with countenaunce sadde,   Where I behelde in portrayture The maner of the felde evyn as hit was Shewyd me before, and every creature On boothe sydes beyng drawyn in small space, So curyously, in so lytell a compace. In all thys world was never thyng wrought, Hit were impossyble in erthe to be thought. And when I had long beholde that pycture: "What!" quoth Morpheous, "How long shalt thow looke, Daryng as a dastard on yon portrayture? Come of, for shame! Thy wytte stant a crooke!" I, heryng that, myn hert to me tooke Towarde the fourth wall, turnyng my vysage Where I sawe poetys and phylosophyrs sage.   Many oon mo then at the banket Servyd the goddes, as I seyde before. Som were made standyng and som in chayeres set; Som lookyng on bookes, as they had stodyed sore; Som drawyng almenakes, and in her handes bore Astyrlabes, takyng the altytude of the sonne, Among whom Dyogenes sate in a tonne.   And as I was lokyng on that fourthe wall, Of Dyogenes beholdyng the ymage, Sodeynly Doctryne began me to call, And bad me turne toward hyr my vysage. And so then I dyd with humble corage. "What thynkest thow?" she sayde, "hast thow nat th'entent Yet of these foure wallys? what they represent?   "The pycture on the fyrst, that standeth at my bake, Sheweth thee the present Tyme of Pylgremage, Of whyche before I unto thee spake, Whyche ys the Tyme of Daungerus Passage. The secund, dyrectly ageyne my vysage, The Tyme expresseth of Devyacion, Whyle paynyme lawe had the domynacion.   "The thryd wall, standyng on my lyft hande, The Tyme representeth of Revocacion, And the fourth, standyng on my ryght hande, Determyneth the Tyme of Reconsylyacion. Thys ys the effect of thy vysion. Wherfore thee nedyth no more theron to muse; Hit were but veyn thy wittes to dysuse. "But duryng the Tyme of Reconsiliacion, Thy Tyme of Pylgremage looke well thow spende, And then woll gracious Predestinacion Bryng thee to glory at thy last ende." And evyn with that, cam to my mynde My furst conclusion that I was abowte, To have drevyn er slepe made me to loute.   That ys to sey, howe Sensualyté With Reason to acorde myght be brought aboute, Whyche causyd me to knele downe on my kne And beseke Doctryne determyne that doute. "Oo, Lord God," seyde Doctryne, "canst thow nat withoute Me that conclusion bryng to an ende? Ferre ys fro thee wytte, and ferther, good mende."   And even with that, Dethe gan appere, Shewyng hymsylf as though that he wolde Hys darte have occupyed withyn that herbere. But there was noone for hym, yong nor olde, Save oonly I, Doctryne hym tolde. And when I herde hyr with hym comon thus, I me withdrew behynde Morpheus,   Dredyng full soore lest he with hys dart, Thorow Doctrynes wordes, any entresse In me wolde have had, or claymed any part, Whyche shuld have causyd me gret hevynesse. Withyn whyche tyme and short processe, Came theder Reason and Sensualyté. "A," quoth Doctryne, "ryght welcome be ye.   "Hyt ys nat long syth we of yow spake. Ye must, er ye go, determyne a dowte." And evyn with that, she the mater brake To theym and tolde hit every where abowte I wold have be thens, yef I had mowte. For feere I lookyd as blak as a coole; I wold have cropyn in a mouse hoole. "What!" quoth Doctryne, "where ys he now, That mevyd thys mater straunge and diffuse? He ys a coward! I make myn avow, He hydeth hys hede, hys mocion to refuse." "Blame hym nat," quoth Reson, "alwey that to use, When he seeth Dethe so neere at hys hande. Yet ys hys part hym to wythstande."   "Or at the leste way, ellys fro hym flee As long as he may; who dothe otherwyse, Ys an ydiote," quoth Sensualyté. "Who dredyth nat Dethe, wyse men hym dyspyse." "What!" seyde Doctryne, "how long hathe thys gyse Be holdyn and usyd thus, atwyx yow tweyne? Yee were nat wont to acorde, certeyne."   "Yes," quoth Reson, "in thys poynt alway To every man have wee geven our counsayll, Dethe for to flee as long as they may. All though we otherwyse have done our travayll, Yche other to represse yet withoute fayll, In that poynt oonly dyscordyd we never, Thus condescendyd theryn be we for ever."   "A, a!" seyde Doctryne, "then ys the conclusion Clerely determynyd of the gret dowte That here was mevyd," and halfe in derysion She me then callyd and bade me loke owte. "Come forthe," she seyde, "and feere nat thys rowte." And even with that, Reson and Sensualyté And Dethe fro thens were vanysshyd, all thre.   Then lokyd I forthe, as Doctryne me badde. When Dethe was goone, me thought I was bolde To shew mysylf, but yet was I sadde. Me thought my dowte was nat as I wolde, Clerely and opynly declaryd and tolde. Hit sownyd to me as a parable, Derke as a myste, or a feynyd fable. And Doctryne my conceyte gan espy. "Wherfore," seyde she, "standyst thow so styll? Whereyn ys thy thought? Art thow in stody Of thy quescion? Hast thow nat thy fyll To thee declaryd? Tell me thy wyll: Herdest thow nat Reson and Sensualyté Declare thy dowte here before thee?"   "Forsothe," quoth I, "I herde what they seyde, But, neverthelese, my wyt ys so thynne, And also of Dethe I was so afrayed, That hit ys oute where hyt went ynne, And so that matyr can I nat wynne Without your helpe and benyvolence Therof to expresse the verray sentence."   "Well," quoth Doctryne, "then geve attendaunce Unto my wordes, and thow shalt here Opynly declaryd the concordaunce Atwene Sensualyté and Reson in fere. Yef thow take hede, hit clerely dothe apere How they were knette in oon opynyon: Bothe agayn Dethe helde contradyccyon.   "Whyche concordaunce no more sygnyfyeth To pleyne undyrstandyng, but in every mane Bothe Sensualyté and Reson applyeth, Rather Dethe to fle then with hit to be tane. Loo, in that poynt accorde they holly thane, And in all other they clerely dyscorde. Thus ys trewly set thy doutfull monacorde."   I, heryng that, knelyd on my kne, And thankyd her lowly for hyr dyscyplyne, That she vouchesafe of hyr benygnyté Of tho gret dowtys me to enlumyne. Well was she worthy to be callyd Doctryne, Yef hit had be no more, but for the solucion Of my demaunde, and of thys straunge vysyon. And as I with myne heede began for to bow, As me well ought to do hyr reverence, She thens departyd, I cannot tell how, But withyn a moment goone was she thens. Then seyde Morpheus, "Let us go hens. What shuld we heere tary lengere? Hast thow nat herde a generall answere   "To all thy matyrs that thow lyst to meve? My tyme draweth nere that I must rest." And evyn therwith he tooke me by the sleve And seyde, "goo we hens, for that hold I best, As good ys ynowgh as a gret feste. Thow hast seen ynowgh; hold thee content." And evyn with that, forthe with hym I went,   Tyll he hade me brought agene to my bedde Where he me founde, and then pryvyly He stale awey. I cowde nat undyrstande Where he became, but sodenly As he came, he went; I tell yow veryly, Whyche doone, fro slepe I gan to awake; My body all in swet began for to shake   For drede of the syght that I had seene, Wenyng to me all had be trew, Actuelly doon, where I had beene, The batayll holde twene Vyce and Vertew. But when I sy hit, hit was but a whew, A dreme, a fantasy, and a thyng of nought. To study theron I had no more thought,   Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke For what cause shewyd was thys vysyon. I knew nat; wherfore, I toke pen and ynke And paper to make therof mencion In wrytyng, takyng consideracion That no defaute were founde in me, Wheron accusyd I ought for to be For slowthe that I had left hit untolde, Nowthyr by mowthe nor in remembraunce, Put hit in wrytyng, where thorow manyfolde Weyes of accusacion myght turne me to grevaunce. All thys I saw as I lay in a traunce. But whedyr hit was with myne ey bodyly, Or nat, in certayn, God knoweth and nat I.   That to dyscerne, I purpose nat to deele. So large by my wyll, hit longeth nat to me, Were hit dreme or vysion, for your owne wele. All that shall hit rede, here rad or se; Take therof the best and let the worst be; Try out the corne clene from the chaff, And then may ye say ye have a sure staff   To stand by at nede, yef ye woll hit holde, And walke by the way of Vertu hys loore. But alwey beware, be ye yong or olde, That your Frewyll ay to Vertu moore Apply than to Vyce, the eysyer may be boore The burdyn of the fylde, that ye dayly fyght Agayn your thre enemyes, for all her gret myght:   That ys to sey, the Devyll and the Flesshe, And also the Worlde, with hys glosyng chere, Whyche on yow looketh ever newe and fresshe; But he ys nat as he doth apere. Loke ye, kepe yow ay out of hys daungere, And so the vyctory shall ye obteyne, Vyce fro yow exylyd and Vertew in yow reyne.   And then shall ye have the triumphall guerdoun That God reserveth to every creature, Above in Hys celestiall mansioun, Joy and blys infinite eternally to endure. Wherof we say we wold fayne be sure, But the wey thedyrward to holde be we lothe, That oft sythe causeth the good Lorde to be wrothe. And by oure desert, oure habitacion chaungeth Fro joy to peyne and woo perpetuelly; From Hys gloryous syght thus He us estraungeth For our vycyous lyvyng thorough owre owne foly. Wherfore let us pray to that Lord of Glory Whyle we in erthe bee, that He wyll geve us grace, So us here to guyde that we may have a place,   Accordyng to oure regeneracion With hevynly spyrytes, Hys name to magnyfy, Whyche downe descendyd for our redempcion, Offryng Hymsylf on the crosse to Hys fadyr on hy. Now benygne Jhesu, that born was of Mary, All that to thys vysion have govyn her audyence, Graunt eternall joy aftyr thy last sentence.                                                                Amen.

(t-note) began his circuit in Leo (see note)   the means by which; harmonize; agreement; (see note) (t-note) began to overcome me; resistance;   eager; dwelling-place; whisper; medicine; (see note) anxiety; (t-note) Immediately; (see note); (t-note)       present myself; (see note) Nothing helped me against; argue; (see note) by the one who yet lives; (see note)   perceived no other alternative except;   Wherever; (t-note)     (see note) judge of those past hope   in that direction       or else; (t-note)   (see note)   as soon (see note) poorly dressed; (see note) (see note)   Give         pain of strict correction   their injury from; (t-note) Done to them by so moved (compelled)   hear manner together with you [in authority] to such an extent has done to me further if; well-being   first; (t-note) wild places; hunting courses undertaken the responsibility; care; (t-note)   threatens desolate again     their them (trees); bar; (see note) amusement shelter   (t-note)   particular; (t-note)   displeasure deer prepare according to deliver   (t-note)   pallid       (t-note)       caravel (a light, fast ship) carack; transport ship Unless; passage of safe-conduct then; (t-note) (t-note) Ought   as much; (t-note)   take notice! will hear it power reparation (penance); reckoning       against been far   foam; sweat; (t-note) banks of the sea; beaten; loudly   (t-note) (t-note)             against   (t-note)   One; used [to do]; (t-note) wherever; safe passage; (t-note) Always on that coast; frequented; (t-note)   (t-note)     their; (t-note) upon; (t-note)   blast of wind he wrapped them   oftentimes; fierce; (t-note) beached them at other times (t-note) found; (t-note) people; (t-note) (t-note)           For which reason it demands   requires no deliberation; (t-note)   (t-note) consulted; (t-note)   give moved; (t-note) between; two sides them; (t-note)       against   severely   reputation; stand for impartiality   hear; (t-note) rude, fierce at first sight; appear; (t-note)       otherwise       (see note); (t-note) objection with him in company; (t-note) banquet; (see note) if; he would fetch them   (t-note)           (t-note)         (t-note)     adjourned   together; company     last of all; (t-note) (t-note) banquet     saw   the long and short of it   remains action; against; taken     pleasure (t-note) reason hear; (t-note) trouble (distress) soon address; (t-note) their (Diane and Neptune's); in an orderly manner; (see note)     (t-note)     hear; (t-note) anything happiness; speak; (t-note)     To her; devise (i.e., contrive); (t-note) (t-note) entreat; (t-note) her; (t-note) misery complaint; endure it; (t-note)   (t-note) petition (see note)   (t-note)   (t-note)   pleases (t-note) surely (t-note)         decrease     From; (t-note) (t-note)   petition   thought; forgotten (t-note) treat   (see note); (t-note) disagreement (discord) decree     (t-note) to table (that is, begin to eat); (see note) socially proper; (see note) legal; proper; (see note) obtained; cease marshal (officiating person)   saw; no other way (see note) (t-note) Always; exert yourself; (t-note) seated; table sprinkled     (see note) encircled (t-note) expression must be mantle; (t-note) bordered; powdered ermine   As if; [i.e., signs of widowhood]; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) countenance; (see note) serious; certainly   for       (see note) surcoat (see note) spangles; assuredly lacked; think;     times; a person to grieve; (see note); (t-note)     (see note) falchion (sickle); (see note) expression; assault baldric; icicles   Set; lead; (see note)     (see note) sackcloth; (see note) sheaves of corn; sickles grains; controlled the seal (t-note) cornucopia   (see note) with expensive dress brooches (jewelled clasps); bracelets   head-cover; helmet always; (see note)   embrace; (t-note)   female keeper of the fortress foundation of governance (t-note) rich purple [cloth]; (t-note) Except Set     encircled     haughty         multicolored; (see note); (t-note)   Changeable Her [Fortune's] wheel; without ceasing gaudy green camlet; (see note); (t-note) colors conforming to what she bestows   (see note)   rust-colored woolen; bear (see note) sheep-salve container; (see note) shepherd's crook; sparred; reason prick-eared dog; (see note); (t-note) growled; a cold   Isis; (see note) (t-note) close-fitting dress; intricately; (t-note) broad grass   scents   (see note); (t-note) smelled; fisherman   on his belt exceedingly platform at masthead; sail; (see note); (t-note) richly dressed   seat; (see note) Next; cuirass (see note) Gloves; foot coverings; (t-note) gone mad; (t-note) scythe shields     himself       chose as; (t-note) woolen [from Kendal]     (see note); (t-note) Full (Round); pale yield (prevail); (see note); (t-note) housed (see note) (see note)       Next; seat (place); (see note) In regard to his planetary circuit; (t-note) befitted; rank   (t-note)   Alchemists; (see note)   (see note) hair Fresh; eyes, dove-colored (gray); (see note); (t-note) countenance; dazzling; (t-note)   shift, ornamented skillfully eye   wore   himself       feast       dining table; group manifold; (see note) Cicero; (t-note) Ptolemy (see note); (t-note) (see note)   Soter; Sarapis; Trismegistus; (see note) Avicenna; Averroës; together Galen; Hippocrates; medicine; (see note) Aesculapius; them (see note) Horace; Homer Albertus Magnus; their; (t-note)     White-bearded; (see note)   except; make music; (t-note) crude; (t-note) laugh; (t-note)   their   delicacies; abundance abundance plentiful (t-note) room schism (t-note)     deal roughly disagreement   (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) come (appearing); (t-note)   whispered   kindness; (t-note)   (see note); (t-note)   (t-note)         business to advance before; expected (intended); grieve; (t-note) Because of dark; (t-note)     mad; (t-note)   rude boasting with fierce words; (t-note) as [if] it had been that one; (t-note) experienced pain   (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) without any risk(t-note)         certainty (see note); (t-note)   legal claim   If; (t-note)   charge   duly       (t-note)   smote; grace   (see note)     King Arthur Emperor Charlemagne   escape   Nebuchadnezzar     Codrus; Hannibal; Scipio; (see note) King Cyrus (t-note) destroyed them; (t-note)     (t-note) (t-note)   promise           nor in any way arrow; lot (fate)     safe-conduct of all; (t-note)   if you   peapods; (t-note) (see note); (t-note) justice office; done (t-note)     were crazy; started up together; (t-note)   body; bones (i.e., entirely) for the occasion; (t-note) Their; despise; outspoken (bold) forward (saucy)     chariot (t-note) soon; (t-note)   (t-note)       lightning; (t-note)   favor face   To such an extent that; (t-note)         forgive; (t-note)   sure otherwise; joke; (t-note)   (t-note) power; forgotten; (see note)   to you provided weather for his amusement revive; spirits     crevice; proceed; (t-note) drought; experienced (suffered) crack; cranny wet [weather]; (t-note) countenance directly; escape     (t-note) (t-note) power Fetch (t-note) (t-note)       designated robe of striped cloth For which reason   (t-note)   chariot; (t-note)   (t-note) Wallowing (Surging); waves Their; advanced   care not at all; (t-note)   (t-note)     deprived; (t-note) (t-note) feet; (t-note) yet       (t-note) Either I am misled; succeed; (t-note)   end; (t-note) as you please; (t-note)   for   (t-note)   well-being of all         air; our   (t-note)   (t-note) assault; (t-note)       great; (t-note)       against; (t-note)   traps pear   flourish; near; ear (see note); (t-note) harm (t-note) vanguard     From; desire; fetch hither   delay points (that is, completely); (t-note)   (t-note)     (t-note) Against; prove; (t-note) [at] a great pace   fire     hardened (boiled) leather; (t-note) far than; (t-note)   bud and root (top to bottom); (see note) knows; (t-note)   eye; (t-note)   Wrath (t-note) (see note) elephant   bear goat     [at] a very slow pace   establish his body of warriors; (t-note) subordinate; more there were; (see note); (t-note) [Such] as         Jealousy; (t-note) Madness               Debauchery; (t-note) Adultery   (t-note)         Novelty (Innovation)         Whoredom, Pimping; Demeanor Abuse (Deceit) Usurpation (Unjust or illegal possession); (t-note) last of all; (t-note)             battle   them amusement; (t-note)     bribers; (see note); (t-note) (see note); (t-note) vagabonds; sullen wanderers; (see note); (t-note) great boasters; (see note) Maintainers of quarrels; heretics; makers of discord; (see note) (see note)   (see note); (t-note) Alchemists; (see note) (t-note)   grumblers (gossipers); tattlers Illusionists; tellers of idle stories; (see note) Lascivious louts; pick-pockets; (see note); (t-note)   Tattlers; deceits; (see note); (t-note) plunderers; forceful despoilers Dealers in ecclesiastical benefits Spoilers of matters (t-note) love days (see note) Braggarts; complainers; (t-note)   Scoundrels (see note)   Bowlers, card or dice players; gamblers Tyburn criminals; cutpurses (robbers); (see note) Pillorying (that is, punishing, insulting) bartenders; servants of the brothels Whores; pimps who brew much destruction; (see note)     Pimps; (t-note) Dastardly imbeciles (dirty persons)   troublesome chatterers renegades double-dealers   sodomites (the spiritually corrupt); (see note) Murderers (quelm: to destroy); (t-note) Contented cuckolds; their; (see note) Adulterers; boasters talkative persons; uproars The wasteful and slothful idlers; profligates   thither; (t-note) bound (ready); undertake (t-note) time herald ready (prepared) (t-note)     caught off guard (unprepared), before; (t-note)         secretly         shower [of blows], before; eventide; (see note); (t-note) (t-note)   If; grief   (t-note) (t-note)   go; (t-note)     toward me; (t-note)         worked diligently         (t-note)   before (t-note) ghosts; tale; (t-note)   reward; (t-note)   route (circuit) (t-note)   might; (t-note) fear   a troop   saw; host; (t-note) hasten themselves their (t-note)     [so that] he   Baptism oversee (see note); (t-note) annoy; household company   pursuivant (attendant) seized     He (Vice) Baptism   entirely emptied; no one; (see note) host         surely (t-note) chariot   laurel; (t-note)   brave; (see note); (t-note)   (t-note) time     (t-note)     Each one     falcon; high   fell; (t-note)   Ruddy; rose always helmet peer (match)   phoenix   (t-note)   osprey (bird of prey); (t-note)   deer; horse covering (see note); (t-note)   parrot; defense; (see note)   (t-note)     (t-note) panther; beast appearing (beheld) specify individual military flags [heraldic] device; (t-note)   (see note) (t-note)   Unity   Almsgiving (Charitable donations to the poor)                 Steadfastness           Administering Equity Whole (Complete) Impartiality           Preaching   household; (t-note) genealogy   (see note)     Ecclesiastical and Civil [Law]         (t-note) their   under no circumstances determine their; Necromancy       Physiognomy; Palmistry followers (adherents), if   eye; (t-note) them engaged in; (t-note)     (t-note) hired themselves indeed (t-note) reluctant; (t-note)       lesser (petty) agreeable (handsome) Weight; Watchful; Jeering Ever to Learn   company   them comparison; (t-note) believe there was not await         (t-note) givers judicious beneficial; (t-note)   (t-note)     Peaceable; judicial   their   craftsmen   those temperate and chaste     solicitors   (t-note) conjoiners (uniters)                 (t-note) abound; (t-note)       (t-note)     secure (see note)   Microcosm; (see note); (t-note)         Moral Guardian; enclosed; park; (see note); (t-note) tablets; their; (t-note)   five pathways     time (t-note) (t-note) (t-note)   provided; (t-note)         host Microcosm; coast   then; (t-note) advance delayed   (see note)           heinous; draw not back; (t-note) yourself follow   (t-note)         pennants; small flags; (see note); (t-note) (t-note) (t-note)     (see note); (t-note) Ribaldry (t-note) Want of Faith (Doubt)     spurs; try   similar manner; (t-note) (t-note) their vow; (t-note) Their spurs; (t-note) their; suppose   creature       Intelligence   assurance       Microcosm; estate changer; chance                       again (in return, immediately)         them           by means of their (t-note) those   company       sowed; unnatural much; (t-note)   slippery; eel every bit         (t-note)   advantage; (t-note) (t-note)   from; seed     to swing cannons as if he were crazy   pause (stop); cross   an assault their   (t-note)   crew warded off until every shot had passed (ended)     enter   (t-note)   (t-note) (t-note)     No matter; follow my desire   saw; (t-note)   (t-note)     little [bit] taken aback; a good retreat; (t-note) feat     against one, stronger in comparison   assess (judge) slippery grass         Nobly (t-note)     ours             great troop; (t-note)         Vice's company; (t-note)   bow     destroyed; (t-note)     Virtue's rear guard; (see note) huge; (t-note)       joust   lose; (t-note)     (t-note)     stand so hard assailed         their   recontinue adieu (farewell); (t-note)         advise; (t-note) (t-note)   mourned   Forward the banner   (t-note) (t-note)             hinder   host; (t-note)   subtle   (see note)     (t-note)   thither     gave   (t-note) (t-note)   pillar (t-note)   (t-note)   feeble   by a secret door Despair; (see note); (t-note) fetch       Alpha and Omega (God)     (t-note)     Foresight         handled imprisoned; dark (gloomy); (t-note)   stinging   band (gang); inclination       (t-note)     (see note)       inheritors (heirs)     those; again; (t-note) (t-note)   belt eye (i.e., literally)       forgotten (t-note) lay hidden; (t-note) (t-note) their intermediary; otherwise; (t-note)   cared not   petitioned; their; (t-note) earn; (t-note) themselves (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note)   (see note)       (t-note)   (t-note)           distress       (t-note)     secretly sorrowfully; (t-note) expression     truth   (see note)   (t-note)   chess player; make another move   Steadfastness; expression; (see note)       (t-note) (t-note) (t-note)   (t-note) a little recompense; in jest; (see note) (t-note) slacken reap; (t-note) (t-note)   ability     Microcosm   you are     Virtue made Reason Microcosm cowardly (t-note) perceived surely Virtue made Freewill bailiff; (t-note) command; (t-note)           (t-note)   given; escape; (t-note)             their subordinate clouted or patched shoe; (see note); (t-note)     Microcosm desire   attempt; (t-note)   Microcosm     little tiny [bit]; (t-note) (t-note)     ours; (t-note)           assault (t-note)   Microcosm   gates; (see note); (t-note) them (the gates); please Microcosm Blear   Except; Corruption leads   explained; to him entrusted     harmed desire   his way; lost; (t-note)   (see note) prevailed, astonished   agreement of privilege crazy; (t-note) joke whirly phantom; desire; (t-note)   How in the devil; (t-note)         (t-note)           permission; belongs; jurisdiction         (t-note)   every bit wet   (t-note)     angry   Backsliding Microcosm   India         despite (t-note)   (t-note) remedy   advice determine (obtain); (t-note)     do little for you   worse       weed hooks; (see note) (t-note)   sowed from thenceforth; (t-note)           (t-note)       meantime; (t-note) (t-note) secret if after   saw; (t-note)     Despite (see note) asked if anyone advise one might; (t-note)     (t-note)   (t-note)                       are abused (diseased); (t-note)         held; (t-note)   come (i.e., travel); (t-note)     (t-note)         their       (t-note)       Microcosm possession (t-note)         (t-note)         (see note)       their duty           (t-note) bow     (t-note)     (see note) (t-note)     use       (t-note)   take note   possession; (see note)         scorched (baked); (t-note) walled   admittance; (t-note) shut; (t-note)       eternal; (t-note) (t-note) Microcosm   (see note)     do you wish to see promise if learning; (t-note) Covet (t-note)   (t-note) arbor with four walls         Study; enter   marveled; (t-note) (t-note) chair on a dais             (t-note) undertaking; (t-note)       (t-note)         (t-note) cloak woven (or sewn) together   always; which; come to pass     (t-note)       their; (t-note) eye; cast (address)   most marvelous (t-note) (see note)       (t-note)     (see note) Noah; firmly; (see note)   (see note) (t-note) well (cistern); time; (see note); (t-note)   Moses; (see note) supporting his (Moses') arms; (see note) Elijah; chariot; (see note) Elisha; (see note); (t-note) slingshot; (see note) (see note) enclosed; (see note)   Habbakuk, Micheas; Malachias; (see note) (see note) Zacharias (Zechariah); (see note) altar Ozias; (see note) Holofernes; (see note); (t-note)         Melchizedek (Melchizedec); (see note); (t-note)   (see note)   (see note); (t-note)     reminded; Sedecias (Zedekiah); (see note) (see note) their; Sophonias (Zephaniah); (see note) Nehemiah; them; (see note) Job; (see note) Tobias; (see note)     arbor   before   (see note)     (see note) Paul; (see note); (t-note) cockle-shell; (see note) A spear; (see note) James the Lesser; (see note); (t-note) Bartholomew; who; flayed; (see note) (see note)   Matthias; Barsabas; (see note) (see note) (see note) (t-note) (see note) (see note)     Augustine; (see note) pillions; their Bernard of Chartres; Anselm; (see note) Thomas Aquinas; Dominic; (see note) Benedict; Hugh of St. Victor; (see note) Martin; (see note) John Chrysostom; (see note); (t-note)   Bede (see note) as [if] he himself; (t-note) (t-note)   (see note)   (t-note) brain; judge; (t-note)   (t-note) none before could I turn away (see note)     (t-note) (t-note)                   valuing [no more] than a mite their heads hovered a dove; (see note); (t-note) light (flame); (t-note) sunbeam       far               matter; (t-note)   (t-note) hence depart         because; too far   show you how it; appear eye; (t-note)       Pressed hardily upon   their themselves; (t-note)   excessive happiness; (t-note)     understood God's justice; (t-note) pain allotted       Disguised may be fools' faint reason; (t-note)     (t-note)     similar manner; otherwise Thinking; their own hands That which is excessive; (t-note)         greet their beards; latest fashion; (see note)   Why; sent; (t-note)     always     (t-note) driven glad       To give up their matter; (t-note) brain   (t-note)         idols; (t-note) fetch mode; (t-note) pagan; their belief         Deviation; (see note) pagan; (t-note)     prudent   purpose; sound them     them (t-note) their subtle   (see note) their       (t-note)           (t-note)   (see note) after the fact     cultivation invented     thinking grain's abundance; (t-note) pagans   (t-note)   grafting; (t-note) (t-note) way to herd (guide) sheep; (t-note)       cover; (see note); (t-note)                       (t-note)   (t-note)   Deviation; (see note)     saw watchers; (t-note)   devised (constructed)   ended (ceased); (t-note)   (see note)   foes       (t-note) (t-note)     put Himself in jeopardy; (t-note)       (see note) fair   immediately; (t-note) foes   (t-note)   (see note); (t-note)   (t-note)   (t-note)             (t-note)   (t-note) (see note); (t-note)         War; (t-note) called; advise you; (t-note)   (t-note)   In addition         (t-note)               (t-note) their ends; (t-note)       their; (t-note) held so (t-note) bone everyone of them       (t-note) ally, before; (t-note)     much; (t-note)   (t-note) (t-note)   (t-note)   (t-note) creature   (t-note)         fought; (t-note)     Microcosm; (t-note) (t-note)                 than   do [this]; soon       (t-note) according to his due (t-note)   (t-note)       gates; (see note)   nothing else except; alive   health; sickness trifles (false or idle tales)     [there] is no more   without; (t-note) to win him again cease from   Unless; out                   (t-note) (t-note) as if caught in a quandary; (see note)   meditative state                           (t-note) off; stands aslant   (t-note)           intensely their   barrel (cask); (see note)         face heart (t-note)       Shows you; (t-note)     (t-note)                             (t-note)     before; bend (bow); (t-note)         beseech; doubt (see note)   mind; (t-note)     (t-note) arbor     commune; (t-note)       interest (t-note)             resolve a doubt     been; strength coal crept into               (t-note)           manner of behavior Been held; between accustomed to get along, certainly         work         Aha!   (t-note) (t-note) fear; company             fear   sounded; like; (see note) imagined; (t-note)   metaphor (t-note)         (see note); (t-note)       afraid (t-note)               together   (t-note) against; opposition     man (see note) taken wholly then disagree agreement     humbly; (t-note) (t-note) those     (t-note)   (t-note)         (t-note) (see note)         (t-note) (see note)       (see note)     (t-note)     (t-note)   fear Imagining; myself; been happened held; (t-note) saw; hue (will-of-the-wisp); (t-note)         (see note)   (t-note)   deficiency     sloth Neither orally nor by memory (t-note)     physical eye; (see note)         benefit mean; read or see (see note)         Virtue's teaching; (t-note)   always easier; borne field Despite; their; (t-note)   (see note); (t-note) false demeanor       gain rule; (t-note)   reward       (t-note) thitherward (t-note)       separates Because of         (t-note)   (t-note)     (see note)   (t-note)