The Example of Vertu | Page 5

haue an other?Lete wysedome than be to the comfortyfe?That to thy brayn is best preseruatyfe?For euermore ryght wyse is he?That can be pacyent in aduersyte
Proue thy frende in a mater fayned?Or thou haue nede than shalt thou se?Whyther he be iustly with the reteyned?The for to socour in thy necessyte?By profe thou mayst knowe the veryte?For profe afore that nede requere?Defeteth dowte euer in fere
Be thou neuer so blynde in wylle?Yet loke thou be refourmed by reason?Than shalt thou my mynde fulfyll?And thou therto thy selfe abandon?Stryue not with reason for none encheson?For wher she lacketh ther is grete outrage?And without her may not aswage
Eschew also the synne of pryde?The moder and the feruent rote?Of all the synnes at euery tyde?Wherfore trede thou her vnder fote?With helpe of vertue so swete and sote?Whiche is best salue to hele thy sore?And to thy helth the to restore
Wo worth synne without repentaunce?Wo worth bondage without reles?Wo worth man without good gouernaunce?Wo worth infynall payne and dystresse?Wo worth vyce put fer in presse?Wo worth soueraynte hauynge dysdeyn?And wo worth pyte that doth refrayn
Wo worth ryght that may not be herd?Wo worth frendshyp without stabylyte?Wo worth true sentence that is deferd?Wo worth the man full of duplycyte?Wo worth hym without benygnyte?Wo worth lybertye withouten pease?And wo worth crueltye that may not cease
Wo worth connynge that is abused?Wo worth promys withouten payment?Wo worth vertue that is refused?Wo worth trouble without extynguysment?Wo worth foly on message sent?Wo worth reason that is exyled?And wo worth trouth that is defyled
Wo worth the trust without assuraunce?Wo worth grace not sette by?Wo worth Iustyce kepte in dystaunce?Wo worth welth replete with enuy?Wo worth the batayll without vyctory?Wo worth begynnynge without good ende?And wo worth wronge that doth defende
These commaundementes I put in memory?Theym for to kepe doynge my dylygence?With dame Sapyence I dyd longe tary?Whiche dyd me teche with partynge influence?Of her delycate and doulcete complacence?Than spake dyscrecyon anone to me?In the presens of her systers mageste
Thou art beholdynge to my syster reuerent?That the reteyned hath vnto her seruaunt?Wherfore be thou to her obedyent?And at euery houre to her attendaunt?And ryotous company do thou not haunt?For that wyll payre and yll thy name?Wherfore of vertuous myrth let be thy game
Capitulum .vi.
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Discrecyon ferther forth me lede?Vnto the solempne and royall mancyon?Of dame nature in humayne stede?Ryght pleasaunt was her habytacyon?Of merueylous werke and sytuacyon?And she her selfe helde her estate?In a gloryous chaumbre without chekmate
Her towre was gylted full of sonne bemys?And within hanged with cloth of aras?The roof was paynted with golden stremys?And lyke crystall depured was?Euery wyndowe aboute of glas?Where that she sat as a fayre goddes?All thynges creatynge by her besynes
Me thought she was of merueylous beaute?Tyll that Dyscrecyon lede me behynde?Where that I sawe all the pryuyte?Of her werke and humayne kynde?And at her backe I dyd than fynde?Of cruell deth a dolfull ymage?That all her beaute dyd perswage
Full wonderous was her operacyon?In euery kynde eke and ryght degre?Withouten rest or recreacyon?I wyll not medle with her secrete?For it no thynge longeth to my faculte?But somwhat after I wyll expres?Of her grete power and worthynes
But in my boke well for to procede?Dame dyscrecyon ferther me brought?Into a fayre chambre as ye may rede?Of fyne gemetry ryght well wrought?To comfort man there lacked nought?But that me thought there was no company?Saue onely dame dyscrecyon and I
We had ben but a lytell whyle there?But that we sawe a lady clere?Ryght well appareled in sad gere?Mylde in her hauour dyscrete of chere?That came vs by and very nere?Ascendynge vp in to her hyghe sete?Garnysshed with perle and with gold bete
Than sayd dyscrecyon this is dame Iustyce?Clene of conscyence without corrupcyon?And neuer be spotted with the synne of couetyse?But true as stele in the entencyon?Of ryght euermore without destruccyon?Geuynge alway a ryghtfull iugement?Obey thou youth this lady reuerent
A iuge fulfylled with the synne of auaryce?Or with fauour of kynne made blynd?Must nedys do wronge by grete [pre]iudyce?For fauour shold not conscyence bynd?Ryght to dyssymyll as I now fynd?In problemys wryten of antiquyte?Made by phylosophers of auctoryte
As we stode talkynge thus to gydere?Vp came dame fortune so gayly gloryfyed?Impossyble it is for me to dyscouere?How gorges she was & gretly magnyfyed?Full lyke a goddes that had ben deyfyd?Clothed with gold sette full of rubyes?And tynst [with] emeraudys & many a turkes
And next to her there dyd ensue?Dame Hardynes that noble lady?After whome anone dyd pursue?Dame Sapyence whiche dyd not tary?Than came dame nature appareled royally?And all the other cladde in gold?Set with dyamondes many a fold
They lowted all vnto the ground?Afore dame Iustyce for obeysaunce?That sate there both hole and sound?Withouten ony dyscontynuaunce?Gyuynge god ere vnto the vteraunce?Of these foure ladyes pledynge at barre?With all theyr cases dyd well avarre
Capitulum .vii.
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Fyrst dame hardynes began to plede?Saynge she was to man moost profytable?For