The Example of Vertu | Page 6

she the hertes hath often fede?Of conquerous as it was couenable?And by my corage haue made theym able?Regyons to wynne theyr ennemyes to subdue?And yf I were not they had it rue
And yf a man be neuer so wyse?Withouten me he getyth none vteraunce?Wherfore his wysedome may not suffyse?All onely without myn allegeaunce?For I by ryght must nedys enhaunce?A lowe born man to an hyghe degre?Yf that he wyll be ruled by me
Haue I not caused many a noble warreour?To wynne the batell by my grete myght?Without me was made neuer conquerour?Nor yet man coragious whan he dyd fyght?No man without me may defende his ryght?I may be worst from hym forborne?For and I were not he were forlorne
Dyd I not cause the noble hercules?By my power to wynne the vyctory?Of the sturdy and stronge Philotes?As is recorded in bokes of memory?For without me can be no cheualry?And vnder the wynge of my proteccyon?All rebels brought be to subieccyon
A realme is vpholden by thynges thre?The fyrst and the chyef it is the swerd?Whiche causeth it to be in good suerte?And other realmes of it to be aferd?By whiche the vsurpers be dyfferd?From theyr wyll with treason knyte?And by me slayn for theyr fals fyte
The seconde is lawe that euer serueth?But within the realme onely?For other nacyons our lawe ne dredeth?But our swerd they do in specyally?For and they roose ayenst vs proudly?As they haue done often in tymes past?Yet [with] our swerd they shold be ouercast
The thyrde be marchauntes that do multyply?In this realme welth and prosperyte?For of euery thynge they often occupy?Euery man lyke vnto his faculte?For without marchauntes can not be?No realme vpholden in welth & pleasure?For it to vs is a specyall tresure
Also yet hercules the puyssaunt geaunt?Dyd slee the monstre afore Troy the grete?And with his strokes he dyd hym daunt?They were so peysantly on hym sette?That he the vyctory on hym dyd gette?Had I not be comfort vnto his harte?Suche vyctory had ben leyd aparte
Dyd he not vaynquysshe in [the] forest of Nemee?The thre mortall lyons by his grete hardynes?And ryued theyr Iawes as was to se?By twene his handes by chyualrus prowes?And yet by armes and knyghtly exces?In egypt he slewe the tyraunt Busyre?And brent hym after in a grete fyre
Also he slewe the tyraunt Cacus?For his tyranny and grete myschefe?By cause his dedys were so odyous?For he dyd murdre and was a thefe?Wherfore his deth to many was leef?Who more of his actes wyll haue report?To the Troyans story lette hym resort
Also the worthy and the noble hectour?That eclyped was the troyans champyon?And of all cheualry called the flour?In his tyme reynynge and of renowne?Of whose noble dedes the brute and sowne?Was spred by euery straunge habytacyon?That they of his faytys dyde make relacyon
By his power and hardy corage?He put the grekes full often to flyght?And bete theym downe by a grete outrage?That well was he that hym saue myght?Full often he brought theym to the plyght?His dedes were pure without magycyon?And without nygromancy or suche corrupcyon
Dyd I not cause also kynge dauith?A lyon Iawbones to rent and tere?That dyd deuour his shepe in the fryth?As he sat kepynge of theym there?The lyons crueltye myght not hym fere?And he in his youth so hardy was?That he dyd sle the gyaunt Golias
Dyd I not cause the noble Iulius?Emperour of rome for to be electe?By cause he was so stronge and cheualrus?Whan in armes he knewe the affecte?He all his ennemyes dyd abiecte?And by the support of my chyef socour?He gouerned hymselfe lyke a noble emperour
And also Arthur kynge of Bretayne?With all the knyghtes of the rounde table?Neuer auentures had sought certayne?And I therto had not ben greable?They for to fyght had not ben able?Who that me lacketh is but a coward?And shame is euer his rewarde
Also kynge Charlemayne kynge of Fraunce?With his dyssypers Rowland and Olyuer?With all the resydue of his alyaunce?That in all armes so noble were?On goddys ennemyes brake many a spere?Causynge them to flee to theyr grete vylony?Hardynes was cause that they had vyctory
O worthy hardynes the shynynge sterre?Alway to mannys herte the comfort?Whan that it is the tyme of werre?Vnto what partye that thou resort?They wynne the batall by thy support?And wher that thou lettest thy bemys dyssende?They often hye to honoure assende
Than sayd dame hardynes vnto the Iuge?I pray you that ryght I may haue?Sythens I to man am chyef refuge?Whan that he lysteth of me to craue?I make hym coragyous and his worshyp saue?Wherfore I owte to haue the preemynence?By ryght reason and good experyence
That I deny you sayd dame Sapyence?Of whom haue you your ordre of pledynge?For ye neuer can haue none intellygence?But by the meane of myn informynge?For I am alway your mynde techynge?And without me your tale were but a fable?For ye without wytte sholde