The Example of Vertu | Page 9

well lete?Me of my course though she it thought?In sondery wyse my dedes are so wrought
Though that a man were infortunable?And though that he were neuer so folysshe?And a grete coward to fyght not able?Yet shulde he lyue and neuer perysshe?Tyll that my power of hym doth fynysshe?Whiche fayle must ones it is my proprete?And that was gyuen me by the deyte
I am the orygynall of mannes creacyon?And by me alway the world doth multyply?In welth pleasure and delectacyon?As I wyll shewe now in this party?My dedes be subtyll & wrought craftely?What were the worlde yf I were note?It were sone done as I well wote
The lawe of nature doth man bynde?Both beste foule and fysshe also?In theyr degre to do theyr kynde?Blame theym not yf they do so?For harde it is euer to ouer go?The kynde of nature in her degre?For euery thynge must shewe his proprete
Who of theyr propretes lyst to rede?Lete hym loke in the boke of barthelmewe?And to his scripture take good hede?That ryght nobly of theym do shewe?With all theyr actes beynge not a fewe?But wounderous many by alteracyon?For lyke hath lyke his operacyon
I nature norysshe by myn afflyccyon?Mannes humayne partyes superfyxcyall?And am the sprynge of his complexion?The fonteyne of his vaynes inferyall?To hym conserue moost dere and specyall?Though he were hardy & wyse he my[gh]t not me forbere?Nor fortune without me auayleth not hym a pere
Wherfore dame Iustyce be you now indyfferent?Consydre that I am moost dere and lefe?Vnto euery man that is eliquylent?And aboue all medycyns to hym moost chefe?And by my strongh vnto hym relefe?In his dysease wherfore as thynke me?I ought of reason to haue the soueraynte
Than spake dame Iustyce with meke contena[un]ce?I wyll all your contrauersy now redresse?For I of your reasons haue good perseueraunce?And after your cases both more and lesse?Wherfore I Iustyce by good ryghtwysnesse?Gyue now vpon you a fynall Iugement?That ye foure agree by a hole assent
Man for to please at euery houre?Without dysgrement or contradiccyon?And in his nede to do hym socoure?With louynge herte and true affeccyon?He shall be in your good iurysdyccyon?And you of hym shall be copertyners?Both of his lyfe and of his maners
Than sayd dame hardynes I agre therto?And so do I than sayd dame Sapyence?Than sayd dame Fortune I also do?Agre vnto dame Iustyce sentence?And I dame Nature wyll do my dylygence?Lyke as ye do man for to please?And hym to strength in his dysease
With that dame Iustyce vp arose?Vnto the ladyes byddynge fare well?And went into her chaumbre close?I cleped conscyence wher she dyd dwell?As dame Dyscrecyon dyd me tell?Than hardynes & fortune went downe the stayre?And after theym Nature so clere and fayre
Capitulum .viii.
Dame Sapyence taryed a lytell whyle?Behynd the other saynge to Dyscrecyon?And began on her to laugh and smyle?Axynge her how I stode in condycyon?Well she sayd in good perfeccyon?But best it is that he maryed be?For to eschewe all yll censualyte
I knowe a lady of meruelous beaute?Spronge out of hyghe and noble lynage?Replete with vertue and full of bounte?Whiche vnto youth were a good maryage?For she is comen of royall apparage?But herde it wyll be to gete her loue?Without youth frayltye do sore reproue
I kneled downe than vpon my kne?Afore dame Sapyence with humble chere?Besechynge her of me to haue pyte?And also Dyscrecyon her syster dere?Than dame Sapyence came me nere?Saynge youth wyll ye haue a wyfe?And her to loue durynge her lyfe
Ye madame that wolde I fayne?Yf that she be both fayre and bryght?I wyll her loue euer more certayne?And pleas her alway with all my myght?Of suche a persone wolde I haue a syght?With all my herte now at this houre?Wolde to god I had so fayre a floure
Than sayd dyscrecyon there is a kynge?Dwellynge fer hens in a fayre castell?Of whome I oft haue herd grete talkynge?Whiche hath a doughter as I you tell?I trowe that youth wyll lyke her well?She is both good eke fayre and pure?As I report me vnto dame Nature
But yf that youth sholde her go seke?Ye must syster than hym well indue?With your grete power so good and meke?That he all frayltye may eschue?For by the way it wyll oft pursue?On hym by flatery and grete temptacyon?That shall brynge hym in tribulacyon
As for that sayd she he shall not care?For he shall theym sone ouercome?And of theyr flatery ryght well beware?For I to hym shall gyue grete wysedome?Theyr dedes to withstande & make theym d[om]me?Wherfore dere syster as I you pray?Vnto her lede hym now on the way
Loke that ye send me in his necessyte?By dame swyftnes full sone a letter?By whiche that I may knowe the certaynte?That I may come to ayde hym beter?So that fraylte to hym be no freter?And though I be not alway vysyble?With hym my power he hath inuyncyble
Than sayd dame Sapyence to dyscrecyon?Fare