Chapter 5

¶ Whiche is callid p{ro}perly {the} tyme of pylgremage ¶ After some & some named it otherwyse ¶ And call hit the tyme of daungerous passage ¶ And some of werre that fully hit dyspyse ¶ But what so it be named I wyll the auyse ¶ Remembre it well and prynte it in thy mynde ¶ Wherof the fygure mayst thou me behynde

¶ And elles remembre thyselfe in thyne herte ¶ How Vyce & Vertue dayly theym occupy ¶ In maner one of hem hym to peruerte ¶ Another to bryng hym to endeles glory ¶ Thus they contynue fyght for the vyctory ¶ Hit is no nede herof to tell the more ¶ For in this short vysyon {thou} hast seen it before

¶ And as for Attropos greuous compleynt ¶ Vnto the goddys betokeneth noo more ¶ But oonly to shew the how frendely constrey{n}t ¶ On a stedfast herte weyeth full sore ¶ Good wyll requyreth good wyll ayene therfore ¶ Dyscorde to deth hathe ay byn a frende ¶ For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende

¶ Wherfore Dethe thought he wolde auenged be ¶ On his frendes quarell yf that he myghte ¶ For her gret vnkyndnesse is somoche as she ¶ Was among hem all had so in despyte ¶ And at that ba[n]ket made of soo lyte ¶ Which caused hym among he{m} to cast in a bone ¶ That fou{n}de they{m} gnawyng ynough euerichone

¶ Thus ofte is seen on frende for a nother ¶ Wyll say & doo and some tyme maters feyne ¶ And also kynnysmen a cosyne or a brother ¶ Wyll for his alyer he haue cause compleyne ¶ And where that he loueth doo his besy peyne ¶ His frendes mater as his owne to take ¶ Whiche oft sythe causeth mychyll sorow awake

¶ Be hit ryght or wrong he chargeth not a myte Ap towarde that poynt he taketh lytyll hede ¶ So that he may haue his frowarde appetyte Performed he careth not how his soule spede (not{e} ¶ Of God or Deuyll haue suche lytyll drede ¶ How be it one there is that lord is of all ¶ Whiche to euery wyght at last rewarde shall

¶ And as for {the} batayl betwene Vertu holde ¶ Soo playnly appereth to the inwardly ¶ To make exposycyon therof new or olde ¶ Were but superfluyte therefore refuse hit I ¶ In man shall thou fynde {that} were kept dayly ¶ Lyke as {thou} hast seen it fowty[u]e before thy face ¶ The pycture me behynd{e} sheweth it i{n} lytyll space

¶ And as for Macrocosme it is nomore to say ¶ But the lesse worlde to the comon entent ¶ Whiche applyed is to man both nyght & day ¶ Soo is man the felde to which all were sent ¶ On bothe partyes & they that thyder went ¶ Sygnyfye nomore but after the condycyon ¶ Of euery manes opynyon

¶ And as for the noble knygt Perseueraunce ¶ Which gate the felde when it was almost gone ¶ Betokeneth nomore but the contynuaunce ¶ Of vertuous lyvyng tyll dethe hath auergone ¶ Who soo wyll doo rewarded is anone ¶ As Vertue was with the crowne on hy whiche is noo more but euerlastyng glory

¶ And as for Prestynacyon The line is cut short. ¶ That eche of hem rewarded after his deserte The line must be: ¶ Is to vnderstonde nomore but dampnacyon And as for Prescience ¶ To vycyous people is the verey scourge smert and Predestinacion ¶ Rewarde for they fro Vertue wolde peruert ¶ And endelesse Ioye is to hem that be electe ¶ Rewarded & to all that folow the same secte

¶ And as for the keyes of the posternes fyue Whiche were to Morple{us} rewarded for his laboure ¶ Sygnyfye not elles but whyle man is on lyue ¶ His fyue inwarde wyttes shall be euery hour ¶ In his slepe occupyed in hele & in langour ¶ With fantasyes tryfels Illusyons & dremes ¶ Whiche Poetes call Morpleus stremes

¶ And as for Residiuacyon is nomore to say ¶ But after Confessyon tornyng ayene to synne ¶ Whiche to euery man retornyth sauns delay ¶ To vycyous lyuyng agayn hym to wynne ¶ Whyle ony man lyueth wyll it neuer blynne ¶ That cursed conclusyon for to bryng aboute ¶ But Reason with Sadnes kepe it styll oute

¶ Here hast thou properly the verrey sentence ¶ Perde now declared of this vysyon ¶ The pycture also yeueth clere intellygence ¶ Therof beholden with good dyscresyon ¶ Loke well aboute and take consyderasyon ¶ As I haue declared whether hit soo be ¶ A syr quoth Morpleus what tolde I the

¶ Hast thou properly the verey sentence ¶ Loke on yon wall yonder before ¶ And all that tyme stood I in a wyre ¶ Whiche way first myn hert wolde yeue more ¶ To loke in a stody stood I therfore ¶ Neuerthelesse at last as Morpleus me badde ¶ I loked forwarde with contenaunce sadde

¶ Where I beheld in portrayture ¶ The maner of the felde euen as it was Shewed me before & euery creature ¶ On bothe sydes beyng drawyng in small space ¶ Soo caryously in soo lytyll a compace ¶ In all this worlde was neuer thyng wrought ¶ Hit were Impossyble in erthe to be thought

¶ And when I had long beholde that pycture ¶ What q{uo}d Morpleus how longe shalte thou loke ¶ Daryng as a dastard on yon portrayture: ¶ Come of for shame thy wytte stante a croke ¶ I heryng that myn herte to me toke ¶ Towarde the fourthe wall tornyng my vysage ¶ Where I sawe Poetes & Phylosophers sage

¶ Many one moo that at the banket ¶ Serued the goddes as I sayde before ¶ Som were made standyng & som in chayris set ¶ Som lokyng on bokys as they had stodyed sore ¶ Som drawyng almenakis & in her hondis bore ¶ Astyrlabes takyng the altytude of the sonne ¶ Among whome Dyogenes sate in a tonne

¶ And as I was lokyng on that fourthe wall ¶ Of Dyogenes beholdyng the ymage ¶ Sodeynly Doctryne began me to call ¶ And bad me tourne towarde hyr my vysage ¶ And soo then I dyde with humble corage ¶ Whan thynkest {thou} she sayd hast {thou} not thentent ¶ Yet of these foure walles what they represent

¶ The pycture on the fyrst {that} standeth at my bake ¶ Sheweth the {the} present tyme of pylgremage ¶ Of whiche before I vnto the spake ¶ Whiche is the tyme of daungerous passage ¶ The seconde dyscrettly agayne my vysage ¶ The tyme expresseth of Deuyacyon ¶ Whyle paynyme lawe had the domynacyon

¶ The thryd wall standyng on my lyfe honde ¶ The tyme representeth of Reuocacyon ¶ And the fourthe standyng on my ryght honde ¶ Determyneth the tyme of Reconsylyacyon ¶ This is the effecte of thy vysyon ¶ Wherfore the nedeth no more theron to muse ¶ Hit were but veyne thy wyttes to dysuse

¶ But duryng the tym of Reconsylyacyon ¶ Thy tyme of pylgremage loke well {thou} spende ¶ And then woll gracyous Predestynacyon Original has ¶ Bryng the to glory at thy law ende well instead ¶ And euen with that came to my mynde of woll ¶ My fyrst conclusyon that I was aboute ¶ To haue dreuen er slepe made me to lute

¶ That is to say how Sensualyte ¶ {With} Reason to acorde myght be brought aboute ¶ Whiche caused me to knele downe on my kne ¶ And beseke Doctryne determyne that doute ¶ Oo Lord god sayd Doctry{n}e canst {thou} not withoute ¶ Me that conclusyon bryng to an ende ¶ Ferre is fro the wytte & ferther good mende

¶ And euen with that Dethe gan appere ¶ Shewyng hymselfe as though that he wolde ¶ His darte haue occupyed within that herbere ¶ But there was none for hym yong nor olde ¶ Saue oonly I Doctrine hym tolde ¶ And when I herde hyr with hym comon thus ¶ I me withdrew behynde Morpleus.

¶ Dredyng full sore lest he with his dart. ¶ Through Doctrynes wordes ony entresse. ¶ In me wolde haue had or claymed ony part ¶ Which sholde haue caused me grete heuynesse ¶ Within whiche tyme & short processe ¶ Came thyder Reason and Sensualyte. ¶ A quoth Doctryne ryght welcome be ye

¶ Hit is not long sythe we of you spake ¶ Ye must er ye goo determyne a doute ¶ And euen with that she the mater brake ¶ To theym & tolde hit euery where aboute ¶ I wolde haue be thens yf I had moute ¶ For fere I loked as blake as a cole ¶ I wolde haue cropen in a mouse hole

¶ What quoth Doctryne where is he now ¶ That meu[i]d this mater straunge & dyffuse ¶ He is a cowarde I make myn auow ¶ He hyded his hede his mocyon to refuse ¶ Blame hym not q{uo}d Reason alway {that} to vse ¶ When he seeth Dethe soo nere at his honde ¶ Yet is his part hym to withstonde

¶ Or at the leste way elles fro hym flee Original has ¶ As longe as he may who dooth other wyse fym instead ¶ Is an ydeote quoth Sensualytee of hym ¶ Who dredeth not Dethe wyse men hym dyspyse ¶ What said Doctryne how long hathe this gyse ¶ Be holden & vsed thus atwixe you tweyne ¶ Ye were not wonte to acorde certeyne

¶ Yes quoth Reason in this poynt alway ¶ To euery man haue we yeuen our counsayll ¶ Dethe for to flee as long as they may ¶ Although wo otherwyse haue done our trauayl ¶ Eche other to represse yet withoute fayll ¶ In that poynt oonly dyscordeth we neuer ¶ Thus condescended therin be we for euer

¶ Aha sayd Doctryne then is the conclusyon ¶ Clerely determined of the gret doute ¶ That here wes meuyd & halfe in derysyon ¶ She me then called & bade me loke oute ¶ Come forthe she sayd & feere not this route ¶ And euen with that Reason & Sensualyte ¶ And Dethe fro thens were vanysshed all thre

¶ Then loked I forthe as Doctryne me badde ¶ When Dethe was gone me thought I was bolde ¶ To shewe myselfe but yet was I sadde ¶ Me thought my doute was not as I wolde ¶ Clerely and openly declared & tolde ¶ Hit sowned to me as a parable ¶ Derke as a myste or a fayned fable Original has myhe instead ¶ And Doctryne my conceyte gan espy of myste ¶ Wherfore sayd she standest thou soo styll ¶ Wherin is thy thought arte thou in stody ¶ Of thy questyon hast thou not thy fyll ¶ To the declared tell me thy wyll. ¶ Herdest thou not Reason & Sensualyte ¶ Declared thy doute here before the

¶ Forsothe quoth I I herde what they sayde ¶ But neuerthelesse my wytte is so thynne ¶ And also of Dethe I was so afrayde ¶ That hit is out where hit vent ynne ¶ And so that mater can I not wynne ¶ Without your helpe & benyuolence ¶ Therof to expresse the veray sentence

¶ Well quod Doctryne then yeue attendaunce ¶ Vnto my wordes & thou shalt here ¶ Openly declared the concordaunce ¶ Atwene Sensualyte & Reason in fere ¶ If thou take hede hit clerely dooth apere ¶ How they were knette in one opynyon ¶ Bothe agayn Dethe helde contradyccon

¶ Whiche concordaunce no more sygnyfyeth ¶ To playne vnderstandyng but in euery mane ¶ Bothe Sensualyte & Reason applyeth ¶ Rather Dethe to flee then with hir to be tane ¶ Loo in that poynt accorde they holly thane ¶ And in all other they clerely dyscorde ¶ Thus is trewly set thy doubtfull monacorde

¶ I heryng that kneled on my kne ¶ And thanked her lowly for her dyscyplyne ¶ That she wouchesafe of her benygnyte ¶ Of tho gret doubtes me to enlumyne ¶ Well was she worthy to be called Doctryne ¶ If it had be no more but for the solucyon ¶ Of my demaunde & of this straunge vysyon

¶ And as I with myne hede began for to bow ¶ As me well ought to do her reuerence ¶ She thens departed I can not tell how ¶ But within a moment gone was she thens ¶ Then sayd Morpleus let vs go hens ¶ what sholde we here tarye lengere ¶ Hast thou not herde a generall answere

¶ To all thy materes that thou lyst to meue ¶ My tyme draweth nere that I must rest ¶ And euen therewith he toke me by the sleue ¶ And sayd goo we hens for that sholde I best ¶ As good is ynough as a grete fest ¶ Thou hast seen ynough holde the content ¶ And euen with {that} forthe with hym I went

¶ Tyll he had me brought agene to my bedde ¶ where he me founde and then pryuely Original has ¶ He stale awaye I coude not vnderstande pruyely ¶ were he became but sodeynly instead of ¶ As he came he went I tell you veryly pryuely ¶ whiche done fro slepe I gan to awake ¶ My body all in swet began for to shake

¶ For drede of the syght that I had sene ¶ wenyng to me all had be trew ¶ Actuelly done where I had bene ¶ That batyll holde twene Vyce & Vertew ¶ But when I see hit hit was but a whew ¶ A dreme a fantasy & a thyng of nought ¶ To study thereon I had nomore thought

¶ Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke ¶ For what cause shewed was this vysyon ¶ I knew not wherefore I toke pen & ynke ¶ And paper therof to make mencyon ¶ In wrytyng takyng consyderacyon ¶ That noo defaute were found in me ¶ whereon accused I ought for to be

¶ For slouthe that I had left hit vntolde ¶ Neyther by mouthe nor in remembrau{n}ce ¶ Put it in wrytyng where thorugh manyfolde ¶ wayes of accusacio{n} myght torne me to greuau{n}ce ¶ All this I sawe as I lay in a traunce ¶ But wheder it was with myne ey bodely ¶ Or not in certayn god knoweth & not I

¶ That to dyscerne I purpose not to dele ¶ Soo large by my wyll it longeth not to me ¶ were hit dreme or vysyon for your owne wele ¶ All that shall hit rede here rad or se ¶ Take thereof the best & let the worst be ¶ Try out the corne clene from the chaff And then may ye say ye have a sure staff

¶ To stande by at nede of ye wyll it holde ¶ And walke by the way of Vertue ¶ But alwey beware be ye yong or olde ¶ That your Frewyll ay to Vertue more ¶ Apply than to Vyce the easyer may be bore ¶ The burden of the felde that ye dayly fyght ¶ Agayn your .iii. enemyes for all her gret myght

¶ That is to say the Deuyll & the Flesshe ¶ And also the worlde with hith his glosyng chere ¶ Whyche on you loketh euer newe & fresshe ¶ But he is not as he dooth apere ¶ Loke ye kepe you ay out of his daungere ¶ And soo the vyctory shall ye obteyne ¶ Vyce fro you exyled & Vertue in you reyne

¶ And then shall ye haue the tru{m}phall guerdon ¶ That god reserued to euery creature ¶ Aboue in his celestyall mansyon ¶ Ioye & blysse infynyte eternally to endure ¶ Wherof we say we wolde fayne be sure ¶ But the way thyderwarde to holde be we lothe ¶ That oft sythe causeth {the} good lord to be wrothe

¶ And by our deserte our habytacyon chau{n}geth ¶ Fro Ioye to payne & woo perpetuelly ¶ From his gloryous syght thus he vs estrau{n}geth ¶ For our vycyous lyuyng thorugh our owne foly ¶ Wherfore let vs praye to that lorde of glory ¶ Whyle we in erthe be {that} he wyll yeue vs grace ¶ So vs here to guyde that we may haue a place

¶ Accordyng to oure Regeneracyon ¶ Which heuenly spyrytes his name to magnyfy. ¶ Whiche downe descendeth for oure redempcyon ¶ Offryng hymselfe on the crosse to his fad{er} on hy ¶ Now benygne Ihesu that boren was of Mary ¶ All that to this vysyon haue gyue{n} her audyence ¶ Graunte eternal Ioye after thy last se{n}tence

A M E N

¶ Here endeth a lytyll Treatyse named The assemble of goddes