[Lo here filowethe (follows) the devyse (device) of a desguysing (disguising) to fore (before) the gret estates of this lande, thane being at London, made by Lidegate Daun Johan, the Munk of Bury, of Dame Fortune, Dame Prudence, Dame Rightwysnesse (Righteousness), and Dame Fortitudo. Beholdethe, for it is moral, plesaunt, and notable. Loo, first komethe (comes) in Dame Fortune.(see note)
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	Loo here this lady that yee may see, Lady of mutabilytee, Which that called is Fortune, For seelde in oon she doothe contune. For as shee hathe a double face, Right so every houre and space She chaungethe hir condycyouns, Ay ful of transmutacyouns. Lyche as the Romans of the Roose Descryvethe hir, withouten glose, And tellethe pleyne, howe that she Hathe hir dwelling in the see, Joyning to a bareyne roche. And on that oon syde doothe aproche A lytel mountaygne lyke an yle; Upon which lande some whyle Ther growen fresshe floures nuwe, Wonder lusty of theyre huwe, Dyvers trees, with fruyte elade. And briddes, with theyre notes glaade, That singen and maken melodye; In theyre hevenly hermonye Somme sing on hye, and some lowe. And Zepherus theer doothe eeke blowe With his smoothe, attempree ayre. He makethe the weder clere and fayre And the sesoun ful of grace. But sodeynly, in lytel space, Upon this place mooste ryal Ther comethe a wawe and fordoothe al. First the fresshe floures glade On theyre stalkes he dothe faade. To theyre beautee he doothe wrong; And thanne farweel the briddes song. Braunche and boughe of every tree She robbethe hem of hir beautee, Leef and blossomes downe they falle. And in that place she hathe an halle, Departed and wonder desguysee. Frome that oon syde, yee may see, Ceryously wrought, for the noones, Of golde, of sylver, and of stoones, Whos richesse may not be tolde. But that other syde of that hoolde Is ebylt in ougly wyse, And ruynous, for to devyse; Daubed of clay is that doungeoun, Ay in poynt to falle adoun. That oon fayre by apparence, And that oother in existence Shaken with wyndes, rayne and hayle. And sodeynly ther doothe assayle A raage floode that mancyoun, And overflowethe it up and doun. Her is no reskous, ner obstacle Of this ladyes habytacle. And as hir hous is ay unstable, Right so hirself is deceyvable: In oo poynt she is never elyche; This day she makethe a man al ryche And thorughe hir mutabilytee Castethe him tomorowe in povertee. The proddest she can gyve a fal: She made Alexaundre wynnen al, That noman him withstonde dare, And caste him doune, er he was ware. So did sheo Sesar Julius: She made him first victorius, Thaughe to do weel sheo beo ful loothe; Of a bakers sonne, in soothe, She made him a mighty emperrour, And hool of Roome was governour, Maugrey the Senaat and al theyre might; But whanne the sonne shoone mooste bright Of his tryumphe, fer and neer, And he was corouned with laurier, Unwarly thorughe hir mortal lawe With bodekyns he was eslawe At the Capitoyle in Consistorye, Loo, after al his gret victorye. See, howe this lady can appalle The noblesse of theos prynces alle. She hathe two tonnys in hir celler; That oon is ful of pyment cler, Confeit with sugre and spyces swoote And manny delytable roote. But this is yit the worst of alle: That other tonne is ful of galle; Whoo taastethe oon, ther is noon oother, He moste taaste eeke of that tother. Whos sodeyne chaunges beon not soft, For nowe sheo can reyse oon aloft, Frome lowghe estate til hye degree. In olde storyes yee may see Estates chaunge, whoo takethe keepe. For oon Gyges, that kepte sheepe, Sheo made, by vertu of a ring, For to be made a worthy kyng; And by fals mourdre, I dare expresse, He came to al his worthynesse — Moost odyous of alle thinges. And Cresus, ricchest eeke of kynges, Was so surquydous in his pryde, That he wende, upon noo syde Noon eorthely thing might him pertourbe, Nor his ryal estate distourbe. Til on a night a dreme he mette, Howe Juvo in the ayre him sette And Jubiter, he understondes, Gaf him water unto his handes, And Phebus heelde him the towayle. But of this dreme the devynayle His doughter gane to specefye, And fer toforne to prophesye, Whiche called was Leryopee. Sheo sayde, he shoulde anhanged bee; This was hir exposicyoun. Loo, howe his pruyde was brought adoune. And alle theos chaunges, yif they beo sought, This fals lady hathe hem wrought, Avaled with theyre sodeyne showres The worthynesse of conquerroures. Reede of poetes the comedyes; And in dyvers tragedyes Yee shal by lamentacyouns Fynden theyre destruccyouns — A thousande moo than I can telle — , Into mescheef howe they felle Downe frome hir wheel, on see and lande. Therfore, hir malys to withstande, Hir pompe, hir surquydye, hir pryde. Yif she wol a whyle abyde, Foure ladyes shall come heer anoon, Which shal hir power overgoone, And the malys eeke oppresse Of this blynde, fals goddesse, Yif sheo beo hardy in this place Oonys for to shewe hir double face. [Nowe komethe here the first lady of the foure, Dame Prudence. Loo, heer this lady in youre presence Of poetis called is Dame Prudence, The which with hir mirrour bright, By the pourveyaunce of hir forsight And hir myrrour, called provydence, Is strong to make resistence In hir forsight, as it is right, Ageyns Fortune and al hir might. For Senec seythe who that can see, That Prudence hathe eyeghen three, Specyally in hir lookynges To considre three maner thinges, Alweyes by goode avysement: Thinges passed and eeke present, And thinges after that shal falle. And she mot looke first of alle, And doon hir inwarde besy peyne, Thinges present for to ordeyne Avysely on every syde, And future thinges for to provyde, The thinges passed in substaunce For to have in remembraunce. And who thus doothe, I say that hee Verrayly hathe yeghen three Comitted unto his difence, The truwe myrrour of provydence. Thane this lady is his guyde, Him to defende on every syde Ageyns Fortune goode and perverse And al hir power for to reverse. For fraunchysed and at liberté, Frome hir power to goo free, Stonde alle folkes, in sentence Wheeche beon governed by Prudence.	(see note) seldom does she remain the same disposition changes as the Romance of the Rose without lying (t-note) barren rock island laden with fruit birds; (see note) harmony temperate weather royal wave; (t-note) cheerful birds’ Multicolored; decked out In this order; for the occasion building ugly Always about to; (see note) violent; mansion rescue; nor defense dwelling In short; constant proudest conquer; (see note) before he was aware (see note) she is very reluctant of all Rome Despite; (see note) crowned with laurel Without warning daggers subdue majesty casks spiced wine; pure Made; sweet delightful; (t-note) no other choice also raise someone up to takes heed (see note) murder attained all his honors (see note); (t-note) haughty believed harm royal he had a dream (see note) (see note) towel; (see note) meaning (his daughter) was called Liriope; (see note); (t-note) interpretation pride; (t-note) (i.e., Fortune) Destroyed honor Read; (see note) as expressions of sorrow more her (i.e., Fortune’s) wheel malice haughtiness If she dare For once; (see note) (see note) By means of Seneca says eyes Expressly; vision with due consideration take great pains Carefully in general memory Truly; eyes defense (see note) free; (t-note) (t-note) in fact
	[Nowe shewethe hir (shows herself) heer the secounde lady, Dame Rigwysnesse (Righteousness)
175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220	Seothe here this lady, Rightwysnesse. Of alle vertues she is pryncesse, For by the scales of hir balaunces Sheo sette hem alle in governaunces. She puttethe asyde, it is no dreede, Frenship, favour and al kyns meede. Love and drede she settethe at nought, For rightful doome may not beo bought. And Rightwysnesse, who can espye, Hathe neyther hande ner yeghe. She loste hir hande ful yore agoone, For she resceyvethe gyftes noone, Nother of freonde, neyther of foo. And she hathe lost hir sight alsoo, For of right sheo doothe provyde, Nought for to looke on neyther syde, To hyeghe estate, ner lowe degree, But doothe to bothen al equytee, And makethe noon excepcyoun To neyther part, but of raysoun. And for the pourpos of this mater Of a juge yee shal heere, Which never his lyf of entent Ther passed no jugement By his lippes of falsnesse; Of whome the story doothe expresse, After his deethe, by acountes cleer, More thane three hundrethe yeer, His body, as is made mencyoun, Was tourned unto corrupcyoun, The story tellethe, it is no dreed; But lyche a roos, swoote and reed, Mouthe and lippes werne yfounde, Nought corrupte, but hoole and sounde. For trouth is, that he did expresse In alle hees doomes of rihtwysnesse. For this lady with theos balaunce Was with him of acqweyntaunce, Which him made in his ententys To gyf alle rightwyse jugementis. Wherfore this lady, which yee heer see With hir balaunces of equytee, Hathe the scaalis honged soo, That she hathe no thing to doo Never with Fortunes doublenesse. For ever in oon stant Rightwysnesse, Nowher moeving too ne froo In no thing that she hathe to doo.	See; (see note) them kinfolk’s profit; (t-note) justice eye (t-note) foe high; nor what is fair; (t-note) except for a reason for the sake of this account; (see note) intentionally decayed there is no question sweet and red Because of the truth that he spoke judgments Was well known to him intentions impartial you see here Has hung the scales in such a way
	[Loo, heer komethe in nowe the thridde lady, called Fortitudo.
225 230 235 240 245 250 255 260 265 270 275 280	Takethe heede, this fayre lady, loo, Ycalled is Fortitudo, Whame philosophres by theyre sentence Ar wonte to cleepe Magnyfysence. And Fortitudo sothely sheo hight, Ageyns alle vyces for to fight, Confermed as by surtee Ageynst all adversytee. In signe wherof sheo berethe a swerde, That sheo of nothing is aferd. For comune profit also she, Of verray magnanymyté, Thinges gret doothe underfonge, Taking enpryses, wheeche beon stronge. And moost sheo doothe hir power preove A communaltee for to releeve, Namely upon a grounde of trouthe; Thanne in hir ther is no slouthe For to maynteyne the goode comune. And alle th’assautes of fortune, Of verray stidfastnesse of thought Alle hir chaunges she sette at nought. For this vertu magnyfycence Thorough hir mighty excellence She armed theos philosophres oolde, Of wordely thing that they noughte tolde: Recorde upon Dyogenes, On Plato, and on Socrates. She made Cypion of Cartage To underfongen in his aage For comune proufyte thinges gret; And for no dreed list not leet, Ageynst Roome, that mighty toune, For to defende his regyoun. Sheo made Hector for his cytee To spare for noon adversytee, But, as a mighty chaumpyoun, In the defence of Troyes toun To dye withouten feer or dreed. And thus this lady, who takethe heed, Makithe hir chaumpyounes strong, Parayllous thinges to underfong, Til that they theyre pourpos fyne. Recorde of the worthy nyen, Of other eeke that weere but late, I meene prynces of latter date. Herry the fyft, I dare sey soo, He might beo tolde for oon of thoo; Empryses wheeche that were bygonne He left not til they weere wonne. And I suppose, and yowe list see, That thees ladyes alle three Wer of his counseyle doutelesse, Force, Prudence and Rightwysnesse. Of theos three he tooke his roote, To putte Fortune under foote. And sith this lady, in vertu strong, Soustenethe trouthe, and doothe not wrong. Late hir nowe, to more and lasse, Be welcome to yowe this Cristmasse.	(see note) Whom; custom call truly she is called by a pledge As a sign common true undertake deeds; mighty a nation the assaults Because of (her, i.e., Fortune’s) Remember; (see note) (see note) (see note) in his old age (see note) And did not allow him to surrender out of fear town (see note) avoid fear (t-note) Dangerous achieve their purpose Remember; (see note) who lived more recently (t-note) Henry V; (see note) counted as Deeds habit (t-note) Let; to people of every rank; (see note) (see note)
	[And theos edoone, komethe inne the feorthe lady, cleped Dame Feyre and Wyse Attemperaunce.
285 290 295 300 305 310 315 320 325 330 335 340	This feorthe lady that yee seon heer, Humble, debonayre and sadde of cheer, Ycalled is Attemperaunce; To sette al thing in governaunce And for hir sustres to provyde, Vyces alle shal circumsyde, And setten hem in stabulnesse. With hir Cousin Soburnesse She shal frome vyces hem restreyne And in vertu holde hir reyne, And therinne gyf hem libertee, Eschuwing alle dishonestee; And hem enfourmen by Prudence, For to have pacyence, Lownesse and humylytee, And pruyde specyally to flee. Contynence frome gloutonye, Eschuwe deshoneste compaignye, Fleen the dees and the taverne, And in soburnesse hem gouverne; With hert al that ever they can, In vertu loven every man; Sey the best ay of entent: Whoo that seythe weel, doothe not repent. Detraccion and gloutouny, Voyde hem frome thy companye And al rancoure sette asuyde. Be not to hasty, but ever abyde, Specyally to doone vengeaunce; In aboode is no repentaunce. And in vertu whoo is thus sette, Thanne beo theos sustres weel ymette; And soothely, if it beo discerned, Who by theos foure is thus governed — Thus I mene: that by Prudence He have the myrrour of provydence. For to consider thinges alle, Naamely parylles, or they falle — And who that have by governaunce Of Rightwysnesse the ballaunce, And strongly holde in his difence The swerd of hir Magnyfycence: Yee beon assured frome al meschaunce, Namely whanne that Attemperaunce Hir sustre governethe al three. Frome Fortune yee may thane go free, Boothe alwey in hert and thought. Whyle yee beo soo, ne dreed hir nought, But avoydethe hir acqweyntaunce For hir double varyaunce, And fleothe oute of hire companye And alle that beon of hir allye. And yee foure susters, gladde of cheer, Shoule abyde here al this yeer In this housholde at libertee; And joye and al prosparytee With yowe to housholde yee shoule bring. And yee all foure shal nowe sing With al youre hoole hert entiere Some nuwe songe aboute the fuyre, Suche oon as you lykethe best; Lat Fortune go pley hir wher hir list.      [Explicit.	fourth; you see here courteous; sober of look (see note) exterminate stability Soberness restrain them kingdom give them Avoiding instruct pride Restraint Flee; dice voluntarily Banish them aside too; hesitate In delay (see note) perils defense misfortune treacherous changeableness allies (see note) (see note) (see note) whole heart new; fire; (see note) Such a one; like Let; she wishes