I sawe come ridyng, in a valey farre
A goodly ladye, enuironned about
With tongues of fire, as bright as any starre
That fiery flambes, ensensed al way out
Whiche I behelde, and was in great doubt
Her palfrey swift, rennyng as the winde
With two white greyhouds, that were not behind

When that these greyhoundes, had me so espied
With faunyng chere, of great humilitie
In goodly haste, they fast vnto me hied
I mused why, and wherfore it shoulde be
But I welcomed them, in euery degree
They leaped oft, and were of me right faine
I suffred them, and cherished them againe

Their collers were of golde, and of tyssue fine
Wherin their names, appeared by scripture
Of dyamondes that clerely do shine
The letters were grauen fayre and pure
To reade their names, I did my busye cure

The one was Gouernauce, the other named Grace
Then was I gladde, of all this sodayne cace

And then the ladye, with fiery flambe
Of brennyng tongues, was in my presence
Upon her palfrey, whiche had vnto name
Pegase the swifte, so faire in excellence
Whiche sometime longed, with his preminence
To kyng Percius, the sonne of Jubiter
On whom he rode, by the worlde so farre

To me she saied, she marueyled muche why
That her greyhoundes, shewed me that fauoure
What was my name, she asked me truely
To whom I saied, it was La Graunde Amoure
Besechyng you to be to me succoure,
To the tower of Doctrine, and also me tell
Your proper name, and where you do dwell.

My name quod she, in all the world is knowen
I clipped Fame, in euery region

For I my horne in sundrye wise haue blowen
After the deathe, of many a champion

And with my tongues, haue made aye mencion
Of their great actes, agayne to reuiue
In flamyng tongues, for to abide on liue.

It was the custome of olde antiquitye
When the golden world, had domination
And nature highe, in her aucthoritie
More stronger had, her operation
Then she hath nowe, in her digression
The people then did, all their busye payne
After their death, in fame to liue agayne

Recorde of Saturne, the first kyng of Crete
Whiche in his youth, throughe his diligence
Founde first plowing, of the landes swete
And after this, by his great sapience
For the commen profite, and beneuolence
Of all metalles, he made diuision
One from an other, by good prouision.

And then also, as some poetes fayne

He founde shotyng, and drawyng of the bowe
Yet as of that, I am nothynge certaine
But for his cunnynge, of hye degre and lowe
He was well beloued, as I do well knowe
Throughe whose laboure, and aye busy cure
His fame shall liue, and shall right long endure

In whose time raigned, also in Thessayle
A parte of Grece, the kyng Melizyus
That was right strong, and fierce in battaile
By whose laboure, as the storye sheweth vs
He brake first horses, wilde and rigorious
Teachyng his men, on them right wel to ryde
And he him selfe, did first the horse bestryde.

Also Mynerue, the right hardy goddese
In the same time, of so hyghe renowne
Vainquished Pallas, by her great worthines
And first made harneys, to laye his pride adowne
Whose great defence, in euery realme and towne
Was spredde about, for her hye chyualrye
Whiche by her harneys, wanne the victorye

Dothe not remayne, yet in remembraunce
The famous actes, of the noble Hercules
That so many monsters put to vtteraunce
By his great wisdome, and hye prowes
As the recule of Troye, beareth good witnes
That in his time, he would no battayle take
But for the wealthe, of the commens sake

Thus the whole mindes, were euer fixt and set
Of noble men, in olde time to deuise
Suche thinges as were to the cōmen profite
For in that time, suche was their goodly guise
That after death their fame shoulde arise
For to endure, and abide in mynde

As yet in bokes, we maye them written fynde.

O ye estates, surmountyng in noblenes
Remembre well, the noble paynyms all
Howe by their labour, they wanne the highnes
Of worthy fame, to raygne memoriall
And them applyed, euer in speciall
Thinges to practise, whiche should profite be
To the comen wealth, and their heires in fee.

OF THE SWETE REPORT OF FAME, OF THE FAIRE LADY LA BEL PUCEL, IN THE TOWER OF MUSIKE. CHAP. IL.

AND after this, Fame gan to expresse
Of ieopardous waye to the tower perillous
And of the beautye, and the semelinesse
Of La bel Pucell, so gaye and glorious
That dwelled in the tower so marueylous,
Unto which might come, no maner of creature
But by great laboure, and hard aduenture

For by the waye, there lye in waite
Gyantes great, disfigured of nature
That all deuoureth, by their euil conceite

Against whose strēgth, there may no man endure
They are so huge, and strong out of measure

With many serpentes, foule and odious

In sundry likenesse, blacke and tedious

But beyonde them, a great sea there is
Beyonde whiche sea, there is a goodly land
Most full of fruite, replete with ioye and blisse
Of right fine golde, appeareth all the sande
In this faire realme, where the tower doth stand
Made all of golde, enameled aboute

With noble stories, whiche do appeare without

You shall quod Fame, attayne the victory
If you wyll do, as I shal to you say
And all my lesson, retayne in memory

To the tower of Doctrine, ye shall take your waye
You are now wythin a dayes iourney
Both these greyhoundes, shal kepe you company
Loke that you cherishe them full gentely.

And Countenaunce the goodly portres,
Shall let you in full well and nobly
And also shewe you, of the perfectnes
Of all the seuen sciences, ryght notably
There in your mynd, you may ententifely
Unto dame Doctrine, geue perfite audience
Whiche shall enfourme you, in euery science
Farewell she sayed, I may not nowe abide
Walke on your way, with all your whole delite
To the tower of Doctrine, at this morowe tide
Ye shall to morowe, of it haue a syght
Kepe on your waye, nowe before you ryght
For I must hence, to specifye the dedes
Of their worthines accordyng to their medes.
And with that she did, from me departe
Upon her stede, swifter then the wynde
When she was gone, full wofull was my hart
With inward trouble, oppressed was my mynde
Yet were the greyhoundes, left with me behind
Whiche did me comforte, in my great vyage
To the tower of Doctrine, with their fawning courage.
So forthe I went, tossynge on my brayne
Greatly musynge, ouer hyll and vale
The way was troublous, and ey nothing playne
Tyll at the laste, I came to a dale
Beholdyng Phebus, declinyng lowe and pale
With my greyhoundes, in the fayre twy light
I sate me downe, for to rest me all nyght.

Slouthe vpon me, so fast began to crepe
That of fyne force, I downe me layed
Upon an hyll, with my greyhoundes to slepe
When I was downe, I thought me well apayed
And to my selfe these wordes then I sayed
Who will attaine, sone to his iourneys ende
To nourishe slouthe, he may not condiscende.

Tyll that I came, to a royall gate
Where I sawe standyng, the goodly portres
Whiche axed me, from whence I came alate
To whom I gan, in euery thing expresse
All myne aduenture, chaunce and busines
And eke my name, I tolde her euery dell
When she hearde thys, she liked me ryght well

Her name she sayed, was called Countenaunce Into the busy court, she did me then leade

Where was a fountayne, depured of pleasaunce
A noble spring, a royal conduit heade
Made of fyne golde, enameled with redde
And on the toppe, foure dragons blew and stoute
This dulcet water, in foure partes did spoute,

Of whiche there flowed, foure riuers right cleare.
Sweter the Nysus, or Ganges was their odour
Tygris, or Eufrates, vnto them no pere
I dyd then taste, the aromatike licoure
Fragrant of fume, swete as any flower

And in my mouthe, it had a marueylous cent
Of diuers spices, I knew not what it mente.

And after this, furder forthe me brought
Dame Countenaunce, into a goodly hall
Of jasper stones, it was wonderslye wrought
The windowes cleare, depured all of christal
And in the roufe, on hye ouer all

Of golde was made, a ryght crafty vyne
In stede of grapes, the rubies there did shyne.
The flore was paued, with berall clarified
With pillers made of stones precious
Like a place of pleasure so gayely glorified,
It might be called a palaice glorious
So muche delectable, and solacious
The hall was hanged hye and circuler,
With clothe of arras, in the richest maner.

That treated well, of a full noble story
Of the doubty waye, to the tower perillous
Howe a noble knight, shoulde winne the victory
Of many a serpent fowle and odious,
And the first matter, then appeared thus
Howe at a venture, and by sodaine chaunce
He met with Fame, by Fortune's purueyaunce.

Whiche did him shewe, of the famous pulcritude
Of La bell Pucell, so cleare in beauty
Excellyng all other, in euery similitude
Nature her fauoured, so muche in degree
When he hearde this, with feruent amitie,
Accompanied, with Grace and Gouernaunce,
He toke his waye, without encombraunce

Unto the right famous, tower of Learnyng
And so from thence, vnto the tower of Chiualry,
Where he was made knight, the noble kyng
Called Melyzyus, well and worthely,
And furdermore, it shewed full notably
Upon the arras, imbrodred al of blew,
What was his name, with letters all of grewe

Thus with his verlet he toke on his waye
To the perillous tower, and sytuation,
Metyng Folye, as he rode on his journey
Kidynge on a mare, by great illusion
After whom, ensued fast Correction
And in her hande, a strong knotted whippe
At euery iarte she made him for to skyppe.

And then Correction, brought La graund Amour
Unto the tower, wheras he might well see
Diuers men, makyng right great doloure
That defrauded women, by their duplicitie
Yet before this, in perfite certayntie,
As the arras well did make relation
In Venus temple, he made his oblation.

After which he mette, an hydeous gyant
Hauyng thre heades, of marueilous kinde,
With his great strokes, he did him daunt
Castyng him downe, under the linde
With force and myght, he did him bynde,
Strikyng of his heades, then euery chone
That of all three heades, he left not one

This terrible gyaunt, yet had a brother
Whiche Graunde Amoure, destroyed also
Hauinge foure heades, more then the other
That vnto him wrought mikel wo
But he slewe sone, his mortall foe,
Whiche was a great gyaunt, with heades seuen,
To marueylous, nowe for me to neuen

Yet more ouer, he put to vtteraunce
A venemous beast, of sundry likenes
Of diuers beastes, or ryght great mischaunce
Wherof the pycture bare good witnes
For by his power and his hye worthines
He did discomfyte the wonderous serpente
Of the seven metals, made by enchantment

And eke the clothe, made demonstration
How he wedded, the great ladye beauteous
La bell Pucell, in her owne dominacion
After his labour, and passage daungerous
With solemne joye and mirthe melodious
This famous storye, well pyctured was
In the fayre hall, vpon the arras.

The marshall, yclipped was dame Reason
And the yewres, also Obseruaunce
The panter Pleasaunce, at euery season
The good butler, curteys Continuaunce
And the chiefe coke, was called Temperaunce.
The lady chamberlayne, named Fidelitye
And the hye stewarde, Liberalitye.

There sate dame Doctrine, that lady gent
Whyche called me, vnto her presence
For to knowe all the whole entent
Of my commyng, vnto her excellence
Madame I sayed, to learne your scyence
I am comen, now me to applye
Wyth all my cure, in perfect studye.

And yet also, I vnto her then shewed
My name and purpose, without doublenes,
For very great joye, than were endued
Her cristall eyes, full of lowlines
When that she knewe, for very sikernes
That I was he, that should so attayne
La bell Pucell, with my busy payne.

And after this, I had right good chere
Of meate and drinke, there was great plentye
Nothing I wanted, were it chepe or dere
Thus was I serued w' delicate dishes dainty
And after this, with all humilitie

I went to Doctrine, praiyng her good grace
For to assigne me, my first learnyng place
Seuen daughters, most expert in cunnyng
Without foly, she had well engendred
As the seuen sciences, in vertue so shinyng,
At whose encrease, there is great thankes redred
Unto the mother, as nothing surrendred

Her good name, and her dulcet sounde

Whiche did engender, their originall ground.

G

And first to Gramer, she first me sent
To whose request, I did well obey
With diligence, forth on my way I went
Up to a chambre, depaynted fayre and gaye,
And at the chambre, in right riche araye
We were let in, by highe aucthoritye
Of the ryght noble, dame Congruitie.

HOWE SCIENCE SENT HIM FIRSTE ΤΟ GRAMMER, WHERE HE WAS RECEIUED BY DAME CONGRUITIE. CAPI. V.

THE lady Gramer, in al humble wise
Did me receiue into her goodly scole
To whose doctrine, I did me aduertyse
For to attayne, in her artyke pole
Her gilted dewe for to oppresse my dole
To whom I sayed, that I would gladly learne
Her noble cunnyng, so that I might decerne.

What that it is, and why that it was made
To whiche she aunswered, then in speciall
Because that cunnyng, should not pale ne fade
Of euery science, it is origynall
Whiche dothe vs teache, euer in generall
In all good order, to speke directly
And for to write by true artografy.

Sometyme in Egypt, raygned a noble kyng
Iclipped Euander, whiche did well abound
In many vertues, especially in learnyng
Which had a daughter, that by her studye found
To write true Latyn, the first perfect grounde
Whose goodly name, as her story sayes
Was called Carmentis, in her liuyng dayes

Thus in the tyme, of olde antiquitie

The noble philosophers, w' their whole delite,
For the commen profite, of all humanitie
Of the seuen sciences, for to knowe the ryght
They studied many, a long winters nyght
Eche after other, their partes to expresse
This was their guise, to eschue idlenes.

The pomped carkes, with fode delicious
They did not fede, but to their sustinaunce
They folowed not their flesh so vycious
But ruled it, by prudent gouernaunce
They were content, alway wyth suffisaunce
They coueted not, no worldely treasure
For they knewe, that it might not endure

But nowe adayes, the contrary is vsed
To winne the money, their studies be all set
The commen profite, is often refused
For well is he, that may the money get
From his neyghbour, wythout any let
They thinke nothyng, they shal from it passe
When all that is, shal be turned to was

The brittle fleshe, nourisher of vyces
Under the shadowe, of euil slogardy
Must nedes haunt, the carnall delyces
When that the brayne, by corrupt glotony
Up so downe, is turned then contrary
Frayle is the bodye, to great vnhappines
When that the heade, is full of dronkennes.

So do they nowe, for they nothing prepence
Howe cruel death, dothe them sore ensue
They are so blynded, in worldly negligence
That to their merite, they wyll nothyng renue
The seuen sciences, their slouthe to eschue
To an others profite, they take now no kepe
But to their owne, for to eate, drynke, and slepe

And all this dame Gramer, tolde me euery dele
To whom I harkened, wyth all my diligence
And after this she taught me ryght well
First my donet, and then my accedence,
I set my mynde, with percyng influence
To learne her science, the first famous arte
Eschuyng idlenes, and laiyng all aparte

Madame quod I, for as muche as there be
VIII partes of speche, I would knowe right faine
What a nowne substantiue is in his degree
And wherefore it is, so called certayne

To whom she aunswered, right gently agayne
Saiyng alwaye, that a nowne substantyue
Might stande without helpe of an adjectyue

The Latyn worde, whiche that is referred
Unto a thing, which is substanciall
For a nowne substantiue, is well auerred
And with a gender, is declinall
So, all the eyght partes in generall
Are Latyn wordes, annexed proprelye
To euery speache, for to speake formally