Chapter 3

The seconde was pryde enduyd with couetyse A lady of ryght fruytles medytacyon Delytynge gretly in the synne of auaryce The whiche is cause of her dampnacyon For she by her fals supportacyon Blyndeth many a mannes conscyence And dryueth ryght oft fer in absence

So ferther I went tyll at the last I was in a mase goynge in and oute Ther was none other way I was agast But forth I walked in grete doute Now here now there and so rounde aboute Than sayd vnto me dame Dyscrecyon Ye are in the besynes of worldely fastyon

Therein I trauayled by longe space Tyll that I mette a lady gloryous Indued with vertue and grete grace To whom I sayd o lady precyous As ye seme to be good and vertuous I you beseche now without delaye Vnto dame Clennes to teche me the waye

I Sapyence now wyll shewe to the The ryght waye vnto fayre clennes And yf thou wylt be ruled by me Thou shalt mary that noble prynces Yes that wyll I sayd than douteles Dyscrecyon sayd she wolde be my suerte Sapyence sayd none better myght be

Than sayd dyscrecyon to dame sapyence Welcome to vs my syster dere And I to her dyd humble reuerence Saynge who had went to fynde you here Yes she sayd I haue ben neere You often tymes syth my departynge And haue ben cause of your goode gydynge

Capitulum .x.

Come on your waye walke on a pace For ye longe for to haue a syght Of dame Clennes so clere a face So goodely of body in beauty bryght That there can not be so fayre a wyght So forth we walked to a ryuer syde That ebbed and flowed at euery tyde

Than I saw a castell a pales royall Bylded with marble blacke as the gette With glasse wyndowes as clere as crystall Whiche on the other syde was sette No man to the castell myght gette But ouer the water on a lytell brydge Not halfe so brode as a hous rydge

But as I cast myn eye than asyde I saw a lady wounderous fayre Demure of contenaunce without pryde That went her selfe for to repayre By the water syde to take the ayre Beholde and se than sayd dame sapyence Yonder is dame Clennes the sterre of excellence

Full glad was I than in my mynde For to se that flour of complacence The syght of her dyd my herte bynde Euer her to loue with percynge influence Vnto her I sayd o well of contynence Vnto your grace fayne wolde I go Ner lettynge of this water blo

To me she answered than agayne Saynge this worlde withouten mys Is but a vanyte no thynge certayne In the lyke wyse as this water is Ye can not come to me now ywys But by that brydge that goth ouer This stormy troublous & wawy water

Therof sayd sapyence he shall not lette Well sayd Clennes be you his gyde And dyscrecyon also for to be sette For to vpholde hym vnto the other syde That he do not in the water slyde So to the brydge they dyde me lede I quacked than for fere and drede

I sawe there wryten this lytterall sence No man this brydge may ouer go But he be pure without neglygence And stedfast in goddes byleue also Yf he be ignoraunt and do not so He must nedys into this water fall Ouer the heed and be drowned with all

They led me ouer this brydge so peryllous Tyll that I came to a preuy place Where were wryten with letters gloryous This is the kyngdome of grete grace No man by yonde this marke may trace But yf he be brought in by dame wysedome If he so be he is moche welcome

So forthermore yet forth we went Into a hall that was solacyous Made of precyous stones splendent That theym to se it was ryght wounderous They were there so gretly plenteuous That the hall paued was for the nones With none other grauell but precyous stones

There was dame Clennes that lady gent And eke her fader the kynge of loue He satte in a chayre ryght clere and excellent At the vpper ende of the hall aboue He satte styll and dyd not remoue Gyrde with wylowes and myght not se No maner a thynge in his degre

He had two wynges ryght large and grete And his body also was naked And a dart in his ryght hand was sette And a torche in his left hand brenned A botell aboute his necke was hanged His one leg armed and naked the other Hym for to se it was a wonder

Sapyence bad me meruayll no thynge For she wold shewe me the sygnifycacyon Why he so sate by shorte rekenynge Accordynge to a morylyzacyon Now of the fyrste to make relacyon Loue sholde be gyrde faste with stabylyte Without whiche loue can haue no suerte

Loue may not se but is alway blynde And wenyth no man can haue perseuera[un]ce Where that he loueth by naturall kynde But he do shewe hym by wordes of vtera[un]ce Trught he bewreyeth hym by contenaunce For hard it wyll be loue so to couere But that som man shall it perceuere

Also his nakednes doth sygnyfy That true loue no thynge ellys desyreth But the very persone and eke body That he so well and feruentely loueth His wynges also well betokenyth That his mynde fleeth vnto the persone That he doth loue so well alone

And also loue is stryken with a sharpe darte That maketh a man for to complayn Whan that it hath wounded sore his herte It brenneth hote lyke fyre certeyn Than loue his purpose wolde fayne atteyn And is euermore both hoot and drye Tyll his lady gyue hym drynke of mercy

His one legge is armed to defende The ryght that longeth vnto amyte And wronge loue for to amende His naked legge betokeneth charyte That is the Ioye of grete felycyte So charyte ryght loue and good concorde With stablynes reygneth in this myghty lorde

Capitulum .xi.

Than forth me led good dame Sapyence Afore that myghty lordes mageste Come on she sayd put the in presence That thou mayst se dame clennes beaute Ponder in thy mynde by veryte That so fayre as she was not quene helyn Quene Ipolyte or yonge Polyxyn

This lady is clene without corrupcyon And wereth thre crownes for her vyrgynyte One is for people of perfyt relygyon An other for maydens kepynge chastyte The therde for true wedowes as [thou] mayst se I wyll the now to her fader present Her for to mary yf she wyll consent

Than sayd dame sapyence o noble emperour O souerayne lorde and royall potestate O vyctoryous prynce & famous conquerour O kynge of loue and seaser of debate To the no creature may say chekmate I present the now this vertuous knyght For to mary clennes your doughter bryght

I thanke you he sayd for your good wyll But he that to Clennes maryed must be He must my commaundement fyrste fulfyll As to scomfyte the dragon with heedes thre That is a serpent of grete subtylte Whiche well betokeneth as we do fynde The worlde the flesshe & the deuyll by kynde

Sapyence sayd I sholde not fayle To do his comma[un]dement for Clennes sake As for to sle the dragon in batayle That lay in a marys in a grete lake Whiche was moche stynkynge foule & blake Wysedome bade me be not aferde For she wolde gyue me a shelde and swerde

And arme me also with fayre armure To vaynquysshe that dragon so ferse & grete She sayd it sholde be so good and sure That I no harme of hym sholde gete Though he his teth on me had sete Yet sholde I slee hym for all his myght By my grete strokes whan I dyd fyght

Fyrst she my legge harneys sette on And after my plackerd of grete ryches She armed me her selfe alone And laced my helmet of her gentylnes I thanked her for her grete goodnes And gaue me my swerde and sheld also Saynge lete vs to the dragon go

This is the armure for the soule That in his epystole wrote saynt Poule Good hope thy legge harneys shall be The habergyn of ryghtwysnes gyrde [with] chastyte Thy plackarde of besynes [with] bra[un]ches of almes dede Thy shelde of beleue and mekenes for the hede Thy swerde shall be the to defend The worde of god the deuyll to bl[ey]nde

Dame sapyence & I dyd take our lycence Of the kynge of loue in vertue depured And of his doughter shynynge in excellence Whiche to me sayd with wordes assured O vertuous knyght you for me haue dured In grete wo & payne but thynke you verely To scomfyt that dragon by wysedome shortly

Than went we forth to that serpent In merueylous trauayle of sorowe and bale By that tyme the daye ryght fayre was spent And phebus his course began to auale But at the last we came into a dale Wher we felt the sauer of a dungeon Of the foule and stynkynge dragon

Nere to that dragon there was a way That men vsed vpon a fayre hyll Vnto hyghe heuen so fressh and gay But that dragon lette theym theyr wyll And by the way he dyd theym kyll Bryngynge theym vnto the dungeon Iclyped the place of grete oblyuyon

I had not be there halfe an houre But that this dragon me approched As though that he wolde me deuoure He so fersly than on me marched The batayle bytwene vs longe contynued But he had me ryght sone ouercome If I had not helpe of dame wysedome

I strake at hym fast with my swerde And with my shelde dyd me defende Wysedome bad me not be aferde But my stroke that for to amende As fer as my myght weld extende So by her wordes I plucked vp myn herte And dyd than vnto the dragon sterte

But he caught me than in his clawes And so we wrasteled longe to gyder But he hyld me sharpely in his pawes Tyll wysedom my feblenesse dyd consyder Beholde she sayd dame clennes yonder Than as a syde I cast all my syght I sawe that lady so pure and bryght

My strength than dobeled an hundred folde And I from hym brake by vertuous prowes My herte was warme that afore was colde With the c[om]fortable syght of fayre dame clennes Than I to hym gaue strokes of exces And with my sharpe swerde cut of anone Two of his heedes leuynge hym but one

These two heedes by good morall sens The worlde and the flesshe do sygnyfy As I in scrypture haue intellygence The fyrste the worlde that is transytory Lyeth bytwene man and heuenly glory Lettynge hym often of his passage If it of hym can gete auauntage

The seconde is the flesshly desyre That troubleth a man ryght sore within Settynge his courage vpon a fyre Causynge hym to enclyne to dedely syn His flessh the batayll of hym doth wyn Often bryngynge hym into dampnacyon If repentaunce were not his saluacyon

Repentaunce alway requyreth mercy And penaunce to god is a satisfaccyon For god desyreth euermore truely An humble herte full of contrycon And the worlde desyreth restytucyon Of goodes that haue be goten wrongfully To be restored vnto the ryghtfull party

Whan I by wysedom had won the vyctory Of these two heedes I was ryght glad His thyrde heed marched ayenst me sharpely But I my swerd in my hand had Strykynge at hym with strokes sad And blode of hym coude I drawe none For he had nother flesshe ne bone

But at the last I dyd hym vaynquysshe Dryuynge hym home to his derke regyon Of infernall payne that shall not fynysshe For hell is called his propre mancyon And of all other of his opynyon That do the preceptes of god forsake And to deuelyche werkes theym do be take

God by his ryghtwysnes made a lawe By whiche man for dedely synne is cond[em]pned If god his vengeaunce do not withdrawe In euerlastynge payne he sholde be prysoned But and man mercy of hym requyred With penytent hert he sholde it haue And with his mercy he wyll man saue

[P] Capitulum .xii.

[>>] Whan I had scomfyte this serpent venymous Sapyence to me ryght gentely sayd Blessyd be god ye are so gracyous That ye shall mary Clennes the mayd But yet erwhyles ye were afrayd Ye I sayd and swet full ryght sore Tyll ye newe strength dyd me restore

This batayll was grete & longe endured Whiche caused me to be ryght wery But sapyence with her wordes me mured With walles of comfort makynge me mery Come on she sayd and walke on lyghtly Vnto the castell that we come fro I answered to her I wolde do so

Than forth we went a grete pace Tyll that we came to the castell syde There mette vs ladyes with grete solace And welcomed vs at the same tyde So fayre a sort in the worlde so wyde May not be founde by no maner of reason As I sawe there at the same season

The fyrste lady that dyd vs mete Iclyped was dame perseueraunce Whiche to me sayd with wordes swete Blessyd be god of your good gouernaunce That hath kept you from the incomberaunce Of the serpent with the heedes thre And caused you vyctor of hym to be

[<>] Than came dame fayth that lady gloryous Welcome she sayd with wordes amyable I am ryght glad ye ar so vyctoryous Of that foule dragon so abhomynable She sayd that I was euermore stable In her in dede eke worde and thought Or elles my labour had ben to nought

Than spake the lady fayre dame charyte Welcome vertue the noble veteran Sythens that ye alway haue loued me From the fyrst season that ye began Bothe in your youth & syth ye were man Ye haue had me in humble reuerence And haue ben ruled by my preemynence

Than sayd dame prayer in my presence Ye neuer cast me in oblyuyaunce By no slouth nor wordely neglygence But haue had me in grete remembraunce Whiche hath ben to me very grete pleasaunce Wherfore welcome vertue my dere Vnto this castell that ye se here

Than came fast to me dame lowelynes Clyppynge me harde with louely chere Byddynge me welcome with grete gladnes As by her contena[un]ce it dyd well appere Come on she sayd and walke on nere So than amonge these fayre ladyes all I went in to the grete castell hall

[<>] And there met me dame clennes blyue And dame grace bare vp her trayne Whiche euer to her was affyrmatyue From whome dame clennes myght not refrayne Than sayd she to me I am ryght fayne That ye ar comen in to this place Where ye shall wedde me in short space

Vpon my kne I kneled than downe Saynge o sterre of the blysse eterne O well of vertue and of grete renowne O dyuyne comfort moost sempyterne Whan I your beautye do so well decerne Ye set myn hert vpon a brennynge fyre With feruent loue to come to my desyre

To me she answered in this wyse O my dere herte my spouse so pure Why do ye not on your fete aryse You of my true loue shall be sure For ye my hert haue now in cure Lete vs go now to our fader reuerente So forthe vnto hym than we wente

Whan that we came afore his fayre face Dame clennes made curtesye vnto the grounde Saynge o fader kynge of grete grace This knyght to loue ye are now bounde And so am I for I haue often founde Grete kyndnes on hym both nyght and day For he hath loued me ryght well alway [<<]

Welcome he sayd ryght noble knyght How haue ye done sythens your departynge Haue ye scomfyted with your myght The merueylous dragon so gretly slynkynge Ye I sayd with the power shynynge Of my maystresse good dame sapyence I dyd hym vaynquysshe by her experyence

Wher is dame Sapyence than sayd he And eke her syster dame dyscrecyon Syr I sayd they are comen with me And they haue had me in iurisdyccyon Syns my departynge without destruccyon Than spake dame sapyence by her faculte Vnto that myghty lordes mageste

Saynge this knyght than cleped vertue Hath loued your doughter by longe contynua[un]ce With stable loue so faythfull and true And for her sake hath put to vteraunce The thre heeded dragon by wyse puruyaunce Wherfore me thynke he ought to mary Your doughter Clennes that noble lady

The kynge sayd me thynke the same If that my doughter wyll agre And she do not she moche is to blame Consyderynge his wysedome & grete beaute Come hyder he sayd my doughter fre To be wyfe to vertue wyll ye consent Ye fader she sayd with hole entent

Than he called vnto his presence Perseueraunce charyte and fydelyte With lowlynes prayer and intellygence Shewynge vnto theym the certeynte How clennes his doughter wedded shall be Vnto me now vertu in all godely hast By fore that thre dayes be ryght fully past

He called me than to his magnyfycence Byddynge me go to bed and to rest In the chaumbre of clene conscyence Than so to do I thought it the best For phebus was tourned into the west So sapyence and I went forthe to bed For lake of rest oppressed was my hed

A lytyll welp within this chaumbre was That lay wakynge and barked alway That no man in to it sholde passe That wolde with conscyence make a fray I dyd slepe there tyll that it was day Than vp I rose and made me redy Callynge vnto me dame sapyence shortely

Saynge vnto her o lady and maystres O comfortable salue vnto euery sore O fontayne of welth and carbuncle of clernes Without ye helpe me I am forlore Wherfore I shewe you as now before Without I mary fayre dame clennes I shall endure in mortall heuynes

Therof sayd she be no thynge adred For ye shall mary here ryght soone By me your mater shall be well sped And the same daye it shall be doone Aboute the houre truely of noone And there shall be at your good dyner Charyte fayth penaunce and prayer

Dame sapyence led me into a gardeyn Where Clennes was amonge floures swete Her to repayre without dysdeyn As I to her wente she dyd me mete Bryngynge me a floure called the margarete Whiche is a floure ryght swete and precyous Indued with beaute and moche vertuous

This floure I kyst often ryght swetely Settynge it nere vnto my hert Dame Clennes loked vpon me louely Saynge that I sholde not depert Tyll she had shewed me a grete couert So with her I wente without delay Where byrdes sate on many a spray

By this tyme phebus had begon His ascencyall cours in grete bryghtnes In to the sygne of the fierous lyon Exylynge the fenerous frosty coldnes And depryuynge the noxyall derkenes And also setherus his fragraunt breth Dystylled had vpon euery heth

Than to her I sayd my lady dere Beholde this weder so clere and fayre How royall walkynge that it is here Lyke a place of pleasure you to repayre Amonge the floures so swete of ayre An other she had as she me tolde Bryghter than phebus a thousande folde

This is a place of recreacyon My mynde to comfort after study In welth pleasure and delectacyon For yf I sholde my selfe applye Euer to pray to god an hye Without this place I may not be sure In other tyme in prayer to endure

But the other gardyn is celestyall That longeth to vs by enherytaunce And is entayled to vs in generall For our clene lyfe & vertuous gouerna[un]ce Who that vs loueth without doubta[un]ce With vs shall go to eternall glory In short space or elles to purgatory

Than forth we went to her fader royall Whiche welcomed vs by grete humylyte Saynge my doughter dere and specyall Ye shall this daye by grete solempnyte Be wedded to vertue with benygnyte We kneled downe and thanked his grace And than forth we went to an other place

Capitulum .xiii.

In to a chapell gayly gloryfyed And also hanged with cloth of tyssue A place it was ryght gretly deyfyed The roof was set with stones of vertue As with rubyes and emeraudes bryght of hue The rood loft was yuery garnysshed with gold Set with dyamoundes ryght many a fold

Ther I dyd se the arke of god With many sayntes that suffred martyrdom And also I sawe there Moyses rod And saynt Austyn that brought crystendom Into englonde by his grete wysedom And the xii. apostles that fast gan wryte Of our byleue and eke dyd endyte

There was saynt peter the noble pope That dyd stande on the ryght syde Of the hyghe auter in a ryche cope Dame clennes and I dyd there abyde And vp there came than at that tyde Dame prayer with her syster charyte And eke dame penytence with humylyte

Than came dame fayth anone to vs With ryghtwysenes peas and dame mercy With dame contrycyon gay and gloryous Whiche after theym dyd not longe tary And than came bede and eke saynt gregory With saynt ambrose the noble doctour Whiche of our fayth was good protectour

Than came the kynge of feruent loue Led with argos in goodely wyse Without whome he myght not remoue From his sete by ryght prudent gyse Who loueth argos wyll not deuyse Nor yet begynne no maner of thynge Without in his mynde he se good endynge

Also saynt Ierome the noble cardynall Came vp to vs by humble reuerence Whiche euermore was a good doctrynall Prechynge to vs by vertuous influence With exhortacyon of dyuyne complacence And than foure bysshoppes in grete dygnyte Ryght connynge cernynge vnto the deyte

On hym wayted by grete dylygence And neuer dyd forsake his company But hym obeyed by good experyence And from his c[om]maundement dyd not vary But in the chapell they dyd there tary And than saynt Ierome wente to the kynge Of feruent loue vnto hym saynge

O amyable kynge seasour of debate O ioyner of vertue and well of vnyte O royall emperour o souerayne estate O messenger of feruent amyte O feruent dart of cordyall pryuyte Here is your doughter fayre dame clennes That must be maryed with good ryghtwysenes

Vnto vertue the louely knyght Whiche the batayle now hath won By dame sapyence helpe and myght Of the foule thre heeded dragon This maryage by me shall be don Go ye now streyght into your tabernacle Whiche is to you moost propre habytacle

Than the souerayne kynge to hym dyd call Dame fayth dyscrecyon and dame sapyence With dame contrycyon & charyte withall And eke dame mercy and dame penytence Vnto theym saynge ye haue intellygence That this daye clennes my doughter dere Shall be maryed to vertue that ye se here

Than they dyde all come vnto me With dame peas and dame grace And after theym came dame virgynyte Whiche in her armes dyd me enbrace Saynge that I was to her grete solace Gyuynge me vnto my good maryage A gowne of syluer for grete aparage

She gafe an other of the same Vnto dame clennes puttynge it one Vpon her back withouten blame After whiche Clennes wente anone Vnto her fader her selfe alone And I with saynt Ierome dyd there tary To wed dame Clennes that noble lady

And all the ladyes with meke contenence Stode on a rewe besyde the closette Of Clennes fader without resystence Whiche hanged was gayly with blue veluet And with perles & rubyes rychely set Than forth came Clennes with two a[un]gels led Whiche theyr golden wynges abrode dyd spred

Dame grace after her bare vp her trayn And .xv. ladyes her dyd ensue Fyrst went dame humylyte certayn And after her than dyd pursue Dame fayth in stablenes so true Ledynge with her the fayre dame pease That welth and ryches doth well encrease

Than went dame reason with perseuera[un]ce And than dame mercy with contricyon And than exersyce with remembraunce After whome went dame restytucyon With dame prayer and dame confessyon And dame charyte with obedyence And after theym came fayre dame abstynence

Saynt Ierome dyd make there coniunccyon Of dame Clennes and me in matrimonye With heuenly wordes and vertuous fastyon And aungels came downe from heuen hye As saynt Mychell with gabryell & the gerachye To helpe saynt peter the masse to synge The organs went and the bellys dyd rynge

My penne for feblenes may not now wryte Nor my tonge for domnes may not expresse Nor my mynde for neglygence may not endyte Of the aungelycall Ioye and swete gladnesse That I sawe there without heuynesse And whan this weddynge holy was fynysshed The aungels than to heuen vanysshed

Than downe I went in to the hall Where ordeyned was by grete solempnyte A dyner of vertue moost celestyall To whiche came my wyf full of benygnyte On the one syde led by good auctoryte With saynt Edmond the noble kynge And martyr whiche dyd her downe brynge

And she was led on the other syde With saynt Edward the kynge and confessour And so bytwene theym wente this bryde To whom all the ladyes made grete honour As alway seruynge her without errour And a lytell whyle anone after her Ergos brought downe her noble fader

The kynge of loue than sat hym downe At the table for that tyme to ette Causynge dame Clennes for her renowne On his one syde than for to be sette And I on the other without ony lette And besyde me sapyence and dyscrecyon And than by theym sat dame contrycyon

Than sate saynt Edwarde with vyrgynyte And afore hym sate dame obedyence Saynt Edmond and dame charyte And than dame prayer with dame abstynence And than dame fayth shynynge in excellence With saynt Ierome and saynt Austeyn And than saynt gregory without dysdeyn

There was two aungels holdynge fast The table cloth at euery ende Knelynge downe humbly and stedfast Whose seruyce no man coude amende Other there were that dyd entende Vs for to serue with theyr grete dylygence That in theym founde coude be no neglygence