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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=521153" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Cōforte of Louers</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">The prohemye.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The gentyll poetes/vnder cloudy fygures <br>Do touche a trouth/and clokeit subtylly <br>Harde is to cōstrue poetycall scryptures <br>They are so fayned/& made sētēcyously <br>For som do wryte of loue by fables pryuely <br>Some do endyte/vpon good moralyte <br>Of chyualrous actes/done in antyquyte <br>Whose fables and storyes ben pastymes pleasaunt <br>To lordes and ladyes/as is theyr lykynge <br>Dyuers to moralyte/ben oft attendaunt <br>And many delyte to rede of louynge <br>Youth loueth aduenture/pleasure and lykynge <br>Aege foloweth polycy/sadnesse and prudence <br>Thus they do dyffre/eche in experyence <br>I lytell or nought/experte in this scyence <br>Compyle suche bokes/to deuoyde ydlenes <br>Besechynge the reders/with all my delygence <br>Where as I offende/for to correct doubtles <br>Submyttynge me to theyr grete gentylnes <br>As none hystoryagraffe/nor poete laureate <br>But gladly wolde folowe/the makynge of Lydgate <br>Fyrst noble Gower/moralytees dyde endyte <br>And after hym Cauncers/grete bokes delectable <br>Lyke a good phylozophre/meruaylously dyde wryte <br>After them Lydgate/the monke commendable <br>Made many wonderfull bokes moche profytable <br>But syth the are deed/& theyr bodyes layde in chest <br>I pray to god to gyue theyr soules good rest </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Finis prohemii.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Whan fayre was phebus/w&supere; his bemes bryght <br>Amyddes of gemyny/aloft the fyrmament <br>Without blacke cloudes/castynge his pured lyght <br>With sorowe opprest/and grete incombrement <br>Remembrynge well/my lady excellent <br>Saynge o fortune helpe me to preuayle <br>For thou knowest all my paynfull trauayle <br>I went than musynge/in a medowe grene <br>Myselfe alone/amonge the floures in dede <br>With god aboue/the futertens is sene <br>To god I sayd/thou mayst my mater spede <br>And me rewarde/accordynge to my mede <br>Thou knowest the trouthe/I am to the true <br>Whan that thou lyst/thou mayst them all subdue <br>Who dyde preserue the yonge edyppus <br>Whiche sholde haue be slayne by calculacyon <br>To deuoyde grete thynges/the story sheweth vs <br>That were to come/by true reuelacyon <br>Takynge after theyr hole operacyon <br>In this edyppus/accordynge to affecte <br>Theyr cursed calkynge/holly to abiecte <br>Who dyde preserue/Ionas and moyses <br>Who dyde preserue yet many other mo <br>As the byble maketh mencyon doubles <br>Who dyde kepe Charles frome his euyll fo <br>Who was he/that euer coude do so <br>But god alone/than in lykewyse maye he <br>Kepe me full sure/frome all inyquyte <br>Thus as I called to my remembraunce <br>Suche trewe examples/I tenderly dyde wepe <br>Remembrynge well/goddes hyghe ordynaūce <br>Syghynge full oft/with inwarde teres depe <br>Tyll at the last/I fell in to a slepe <br>And in this slepe/me thought I dyde repayre <br>My selfe alone/in to a garden fayre <br>This goodly gardyn/I dyde well beholde <br>Where I sawe a place/ryght gaye and gloryous <br>With golden turrettes/paynted many afolde <br>Lyke a place of pleasure moste solacyous <br>The wyndowes glased/with crystall precyous <br>The golden fanes/with wynde and melody <br>By dulcet sounde/and meruaylous armony <br>The knottes flagraunt/with aromatyke odoure <br>With goodly sprynges/of meruaylous mountaynes <br>I dyde than tast/the redolent lycoure <br>Moost clere and swete/of the goodly vaynes <br>Whiche dyde me ease/somwhat of my paynes <br>Tyll to me came/a lady of goodly age <br>Apareyled sadly/and demure of vysage <br>To me she sayd/me thynke ye are not well <br>Ye haue caught colde/and do lyue in care <br>Tell me your mynde/now shortly euerydeie <br>To layne the trouthe/I charge you to beware <br>I shall for you/a remedy prepare <br>Dyspeyre you not/for no thynge that is past <br>Tell me your mynde/and be nought agast <br>Al as madame/vnto her than I sayd <br>It is no wonder/of myne inwarde payne <br>Yf that my herte be meruayllously dysmayde <br>My trouthe and loue/therof is cause certayne <br>Dyuers yeres ago/I dyde in mynde retayne <br>A lady yonge/a lady fayre of syght <br>Good//wyse/and goodly/an holsome sterre of lyght <br>I durst not speke vnto her of my loue <br>Yet vnder coloure I dyuers bokes dyde make <br>Full pryuely/to come to my aboue <br>Thus many nyghtes/I watched for her sake <br>To her and to hers/my trouthe well to take <br>Without ony spotte/of ony maner yll <br>God knoweth all myn herte/my mynde & my wyll <br>The hygh dame nature/by her grete myght & power <br>Man/beest/and foule/in euery degre <br>Fro whens they came at euery maner houre <br>Dooth trye the trouthe/without duplycyte <br>For euery thynge must shewe the properte <br>Gentyll vngentyll/dame nature so well tryet <br>That all persones it openly espyeth <br>The lorde and knyght/delyteth for to here <br>Cronycles and storyes/of noble chyualry <br>The gentyll man gentylnes/for his passe tyme clere <br>The man of lawe/to here lawe truely <br>The yeman delyteth to talke of yomanry <br>The ploman his londe for to ere and sowe <br>Thus nature werketh/in hye degre and lowe <br>For yf there were one of the gentyll blode <br>Conuayde to yomanry for nourysshement <br>Dyscrecyon comen he sholde chaunge his mode <br>Though he knewe not/his parentes verament <br>Yet nature wolde werke/so by entendyment <br>That he sholde folowe/the condycyons doubtles <br>Of his true blode/by outwarde gentylnes <br>In all this worlde/ben but thynges twayne <br>As loue and hate/the trouth for to tell <br>And yf I sholde hate my lady certayne <br>Than worthy I were/to dye of deth cruell <br>Seynge all ladyes/that she doth excell <br>In beaute/grace/prudence and mekenes <br>What man on lyue/can more in one expres <br>Yf she with me sholde take dyspleasure <br>Whiche loueth her by honoures desyre <br>What sholde she do/with suceh a creature <br>That hateth her/by inwarde fraude and yre <br>I yet a louer/do not so atyre <br>My fayth and hope/I put in her grace <br>Releace to graunt me/by good tyme and space <br>Thretened with sorowe/of may paynes grete <br>Thre yeres ago my ryght hande I dyde bynde <br>Fro my browes for fere/y&supere; dropes doune dyde sweet <br>God knoweth all it was nothynge my mynde <br>Unto no persone/I durst my her to vntwynde <br>Yet the trouthe knowynge/the good gretest P <br>Maye me releace/of all my/p/p/p/thre <br>Now ryght fayre lady/so sadde and demure <br>My mynde ye knowe/in euery maner thynge <br>I trust for trouthe/ye wyll not me dyscure <br>Sythes I haue shewed you without lesynge <br>At your request/the cause of my mournynge <br>Whiche abyde in sorowe/in my remembraunce <br>Without good conforte/saufe of esperaunce <br>Fayre sone sayd she/sythens I knowe your thought <br>Your worde and dede/and here to be one <br>Dyspayre you not/for it auayleth nought <br>Ioye cometh after/whan the payne is gone <br>Conforte yourselfe/and muse not so alone <br>Doubt ye no thynge/but god wyll so agre <br>That at the last/ye shall your lady se <br>Be alwaye meke/let wysdome be your guyde <br>Aduenture for honoure/and put your selfe in preace <br>Clymbe not to fast/lest sodenly ye slyde <br>Lets god werke styll/he wyll your mynde encrece <br>Begynne no warre/be gladde to kepe the peace <br>Prepence no thynge/agaynst the honoure <br>Of ony lady/by fraudolent fauoure <br>Alas madame/vnto her than sayd I <br>Aboue .xx. woulues/dyde me touse and rent <br>Not longe agone/delynge moost shamefully <br>That by theyr tuggynge/my lyfe was nere spent <br>I dyde perceyue/somwhat of theyr entente <br>As the trouthe is knowen/vnto god aboue <br>My ladyes fader they dyde lytell loue <br>Seynge theyr falshode/and theyr subtylte <br>For fere of deth/where as I loued best <br>I dyde dysprayse/to knowe theyr cruelte <br>Somwhat to wysdome/accordynge to behest <br>Though that my body had but lytell rest <br>My herte was trewe vnto my ladyes blood <br>For all theyr dedes I thought no thynge but good <br>Some had wende the hous for to swepe <br>Nought was theyr besom/I holde it set on fyre <br>The inwarde wo in to my herte dyde crepe <br>To god aboue/I made my hole desyre <br>Saynge o good lorde of heuenly empyre <br>Let the mouut with all braunches swete <br>Entyerly growe/god gyue vs grace to mete <br>Soma had wened for to haue made an ende <br>Of my bokes/before he hadde begynnynge <br>But all vayne they dyde so comprehende <br>Whan they of them lacke vnderstandynge <br>Uaynfull was & is theyr mysse contryuynge <br>Who lyst the trouthe of them for to enfuse <br>For the reed and whyte they wryte full true <br>Well sayd this lady I haue perceueraunce <br>Of our bokes/whiche that ye endyte <br>So as ye saye is all the cyrcumstaunce <br>Unto the hyghe pleasure of the reed and the whyte <br>Which hath your trouth/and wyll you acquyte <br>Doubte ye no thynge/but at the last ye maye <br>Of your true mynde yet fynde a Ioyfull daye <br>Forsothe I sayd/dysdayne and straungenesse <br>I fere them sore/and fals reporte <br>I wolde they were/in warde all doutles <br>Lyke as I was/without conforte <br>Than wolde I thynke/my lady wolde resorte <br>Unto dame mercy/my payne to consyder <br>God knoweth all/I wolde we were togyder <br>Though in meane season/of grene grasse I fede <br>It wolde not greue me/yf she knewe my heuynesse <br>My trauayle is grete/I praye god be my spede <br>To resyste the myght/of myn enmyes subtylnesse <br>Whiche awayte to take/me by theyr doublenesse <br>My wysdome is lytel/yet god may graunt me grace <br>Them to defende/in euery maner of cace <br>Lerne this she sayd/yf that you can by wytte <br>Of foes make frendes/they wyll be to you sure <br>Yf that theyr frendshyp/be vnto yon knytte <br>It is oft stedfast/and wyll longe endure <br>Yf alwaye malyce/they wyll put in vre <br>No doubte it is/than god so hyght and stronge <br>Ful meruaylously/wyl soone reuenge theyr wronge <br>And now she sayd come on your waye with me <br>Unto a goodly toure whiche is solacyous <br>Beholde it yonder/full of felycyte <br>Quadrant it was/me thought full meruaylous <br>With golden turrettes/gaye and gloryous <br>Gargayled with greyhoūdes/and with many lyons <br>Made of fyne golde/with dyuers sondry dragons <br>The wyndowes byrall/without resplendysshaunt <br>The fayre yuery/coloured with grene <br>And all aboute there was dependaunt <br>Grete gargeyles of golde/full meruaylously besene <br>Neuer was made/a fayrer place I wene <br>The ryght excellent lady toke her intresse <br>Ryght so dyde I/by meruaylous swetnesse <br>Whan we came in/I dyde aboute beholde <br>The goodly temple/with pynacles vp sette <br>Wherin were ymages/of kynges all of golde <br>With dyuers scryptures/without ony lette <br>Aloft the roofe/were emeraudes full grette <br>Set in fyne golde/with amyable rudyes <br>Endented with dyamondes/and mayn turkyes <br>The wyndowes hystoried/with many noble kynges <br>The pyllers Iasper/dyuersed with asure <br>By pendaunt penacles/of many noble rynges <br>The pauement calcedony/beynge fayre and sure <br>The aras golde/with the story pure <br>Of the syche of thebes/with actes auenturous <br>Of ryght noble knyghees/hardy and chyualrous <br>Than sayd this lady/I must now go hence <br>Passe ye tyme here/accordynge to your lykynge <br>It maye fortune/your lady of excellence <br>Wyll passe her tyme here/soone by walkynge <br>Than maye she se/your dolefull mournynge <br>And fare ye well/I maye no lenger tary <br>Marke well my lesson/and from it do not vary <br>Whan she was gone/the temple all alonge <br>I went my selfe/with syghtes grete and feruent <br>Alas I sayd/with inwarde paynes stronge <br>My herte doth blede/now all to torne and rent <br>For lacke of conforte/my herte is almost spent <br>O meruelo&us; fortune/whiche hast ī loue me brought <br>Where is my conforte/that I so longe haue sought <br>O wonderfull loue/whiche fell vnto my lotte <br>O loue ryght clene/without ony thought vntrue <br>Syth thy fyrst louynge/not blemyssed with spotte <br>But euermore/the falseshede to extue <br>O dolorous payne/whiche doste renue <br>O pyteous herte/where is the helthe and boote <br>Of thy lady/that perst the at the roote <br>What thynge is loue/that causeth suche turment <br>From whens cometh it/me thynke it is good questyō <br>Yf it be nature/from nature it is sent <br>Loue maye come of kynde by true affeccyon <br>Loue may appetyte/by natururall eleccyon <br>Than must loue nedes be/I perceyue it in mynde <br>A thynge fyrst gyuen/by the god of kynde <br>Alas o nature/why mayst not thou truely <br>Cause my lady loue/as thou hast me constrayned <br>Hath she power to domyne the vtterly <br>Why mayst not thou/cause her be somwhat payned <br>With natures moeuynge/for loue is not fayned <br>Alas for sorowe/why madest thou her so fayre <br>Without to loue/that she lyst soone repayre <br>Two thynges me conforte/euer in pryncypall <br>The fyrst be bokes/made in antyquyte <br>By Gower and Chauncers/poetes rethorycall <br>And Lydgate eke/by good auctoryte <br>Makynge mencyon/of the felycyte <br>Of my lady and me/by dame fortunes chaunce <br>To mete togyders/by wonderull ordynaunce <br>The seconde is/where fortune dooth me brynge <br>In many placys/I se by prophecy <br>As in the storyes/of the olde buyldynge <br>Letters for my lady/depeynted wonderly <br>And letters for me/besyde her meruayllously <br>Agreynge well/vnto my bokes all <br>In dyuers placys/I se it in generall <br>O loue moost dere/o loue nere to my harte <br>O gentyll floure/I wolde you knewe my wo <br>How that your beaute/perst me with the darte <br>With your vertue/and your mekenes also <br>Sythens ye so dyde/it is ryght longe ago <br>My herte doth se you/it is for you bebledde <br>Myne eyen with teeres/ben often made full redde <br>Where are ye now/the floure of Ioye and grace <br>Whiche myght me conforte/in this inwarde sorowe <br>Myne excellent lady/it is a ryght pyteous case <br>Good be my guyde/aud saynt George vnto borowe <br>O clere Aurora/the sterre of the morowe <br>Whiche many yeres/with thy bemes mery <br>Hath me awaked/to se thyne emyspery <br>Thus as I mourned/I sawe than appere <br>Thre goodly myrours dependaunt on the wall <br>Set in fyne golde bordred with stones clere <br>The glasses pure/they were of crystall <br>Made longe ago to be memoryall <br>And vnder the fyrst glasse ryght fayre wryten was <br>Beholde thy selfe/and thy fautes or thou passe <br>By a sylken threde/small as ony heere <br>Ouer I sawe hange/a swerde full ponderous <br>Without a scauberde/full sharpe for to fere <br>The poynt dounwarde/ryght harde and asperous <br>All this I sawe/with hert full dolorous <br>Yet at auenture/to se the mystery <br>In the myroure/I loked than full sodenly <br>In this glasse I sawe/how I had ledde my lyfe <br>Sythens the tyme of my dyscrecyon <br>As vnto wyldnesse/alwaye affyrmatyfe <br>Folowynge the pleasure/of wylfull amonycyon <br>Not vnto vertue, hauynge intencyon <br>Ihesu sayd I/thou hast me well preserued <br>From this swerdes fall/whiche I haue oft deserued <br>O ye estates/aloft on fortunes whele <br>Remembre this swerde/whiche ouer you dependeth <br>Beware the fall/before that ye it fele <br>Se your one euyll/se what vengeaunce ensueth <br>Correcte none other/whan that your fautes renueth <br>Calke not not goddes power/bryef not y&supere; tens future <br>Beholde this glasse/se how he may endure <br>Many one wanteth the nature sens to brefe <br>By calculacyon goddes power to withstande <br>Bathynge theyr swerdes/in blode by myschefe <br>Tyll at the last as I do vnderstande <br>This swerde doth fal by the myght of goddes hande <br>Upon them all/whiche wolde his power abate <br>Than they repent but than it is to late <br>This goodly myrour/I ryght well behelde <br>Remembrynge well/my dedes done in tymes past <br>I toke forwytte/than for to be my shelde <br>By grace well armed/not to be agast <br>Thus as I stode/I dyde se at the last <br>The seconde myrour/as bryght as phebus <br>Set rounde about/with stones precyous <br>Ouer whiche dyde hāge/a floure of golde ryght fyne <br>Wherin was set/an emeraude full bryght <br>Ryght large and grete/whiche wōderfull dyde shyne <br>That me thought it was/grete conforte to my syght <br>Bordred dyamondes/castybarge a meruaylous; lyght <br>This floure dyde hange/by a ryght subtyll gynne <br>With a chayne of yron/and many a pryue pynne <br>Besyde whiche there was/a table of golde <br>With a goodly scrypture/enameled of grene <br>The sentence wherof/I dyde well beholde <br>The whiche sayd thus/it is openly sene <br>That many a one/full pryuely dooth wene <br>To blynde an other/by crafte and subtylnes <br>That ofte blyndeth hym/for all his doublenes <br>In this myrour whiche is here besyde <br>Thou shalt well lerne/thy selfe for to knowe <br>Passe forth no ferder/but loke and abyde <br>Se what shall come/lest that thou ouer throwe <br>A sodayne rysynge dooth oft fall alowe <br>Without the grounde/beryghe sure and perfyte <br>Beholde well this glasse/& take thy respyte <br>Whan thou hast so done/to this floure resorte <br>Laboure to gete it/from this harde yren chayne <br>Unto the gynnes/vnto thy grete conforte <br>Yf that thou canst/and take it for thy payne <br>To be thy helpe/in thy Journaye certayne <br>Lo here the vertues vnder wryten be <br>Of this ryall floure in euery degre <br>This ryche emeraude/who so dooth it bere <br>From his fyrst werynge/his syght shal not mynysshe <br>Payne of the heed he nedeth not to fere <br>By dynt of swerde/he shall neuer perysshe <br>Ne no thynge begyn/but he shall well fynysshe <br>Yf it be ryghtfull aftyr a true entent <br>Without resystence of grete impedyment <br>Of all nygromancy/and fals enchauntement <br>Agaynst hym wrought/he shall knowe the effecte <br>They can not blynde hym by cursed sentement <br>But he theyr werkes may ryght soone abiecte <br>No maner poyson he nedeth to susspecte <br>Neyther in mete not yet in ale ne wyne <br>Yf it beset well besyde a serpentyne <br>Yf he vntrue be vnto his gentyll lady <br>It wyll breke asondre/or crase than doubtlesse <br>It kepeth close/neuet the auoutry <br>This gentyll emeraude/this stone of rychesse <br>Hath many mo vertues/whiche I do not expresse <br>As saynt Iohan euangelyst doeth shewe openly <br>Who of his makynge lyst se the lapydary <br>Whan I had aduerted/in my remembraunce <br>All the maters/vnto the glasse I wente <br>Beholdynge it/by a longe cyrcumstaunce <br>Where as I dyde perceyue well verament <br>How preuy malyce/his messengers had sent <br>With subtyll engynes/to lye in a wayte <br>Yf that they coude take me with a bayte <br>I sawe there trappes/I sawe theyr gynnes all <br>I thanked god than/the swete holy goost <br>Whiche brought me hyder so well in specyall <br>Without whiche myrour/I had ben but loost <br>In god aboue/the lorde of myghtes moost <br>I put my trust/for to withstande theyr euyll <br>Whiche dayly wrought/by the myght of the deuyll <br>I sawe theyr maysters blacke and tydyous <br>Made by the craft of many a nacyon <br>For to dystroye me/with strokes peryllous <br>To lette my Iournaye/as I make relacyon <br>Peryllous was the waye/and the cytuacyon <br>Full gladde was I of the vertu of this glasse <br>Whiche shewed me/what daungers I sholde passe <br>O all ye estates/of the hygh renowne <br>Beware these gynnes/beware theyr subtylte <br>The deuyll is grete/and redy to cast downe <br>By calculacyon/of the cursed cruelte <br>Of the subtyll beestes/full of inyquyte <br>In the olde tyme what snares were there sette <br>By fals calkynge/to dystroye lordes grete <br>Than after this to the yron gynne <br>I wente anone my wyte for to proue <br>By lytell and lytell/to vndo euery pynne <br>Thus in and out/I dyde the chayne ofte moue <br>Yet coude I not come/vnto myne aboue <br>Tyll at the last/I dyde the crafte espy <br>Undoynge the pynnes/& chayne full meruaylously <br>Full gladde was I than/whan I had this floure <br>I kyst it oft/I behelde the coloure grene <br>It swaged ryght well/myn inwarde doloure <br>Myn eyes conforted/with the bryghtnes I wene <br>This ryall floure/this emeraude so shene <br>Whan I had goten it by my prudence <br>Ryght gladde I was/of fortunes premynence <br>O fortune sayd I/thou arte ryght fauorable <br>For many a one/hath ben by symylytude <br>To wynne this floure/full gretely tendable <br>But they the subtylnes/myght nothynge exclude <br>Sythen by wysdome/I dyde this fraude conclude <br>This floure/I sette nere my harte <br>For perfyte loue/of my fayre ladyes darte <br>So this accomplysshed/than incontynent <br>To the thyrde myrour I went dyrectly <br>Beholdynge aboute by good auysement <br>Seynge an ymage madefull wonderly <br>Of the holy goost with flambes ardauntly <br>Under whiche I sawe with letters fayre and pure <br>In golde well grauen this meruaylous scrypture <br>Frome the fader and the sone my power procedynge <br>And of my selfe I god do ryght ofte inspyre <br>Dyuers creatures with spyrytuall knowynge <br>Inuysyble by dyuyne flambynge fyre <br>The eyes I entre not it is not my desyre <br>I am not coloured of the terrestryall grounde <br>Nor entre the eres for I do not sounde <br>Nor by the nose for I am not myxte <br>With ony maner of the ayry influence <br>Nor by the mouthe for I am not fyxte <br>For to be swalowed by erthly experyence <br>Nor yet by felynge or touchynge exystence <br>My power dyuyne can not be palpable <br>For I myselfe am no thynge manyable <br>Yet vysyble I may be by good apparaunce <br>As in the lykenesse of a doue vnto chryste Ihesu <br>At his baptysme I dyde it with good countenaunce <br>To shewe our godhed to be hygh and true <br>And at his transfyguracyon our power to ensue <br>In a fayre cloude with clere rayes radyaunt <br>Ouer hym that I was well apparaunt <br>Also truely yet at the feest of pentycoste <br>To the sones moder and the apostelles all <br>In tonges of fyre as god of myghtes moost <br>I dyde appere shewynge my power spyrytuall <br>Enflambynge theyr hertes by vertues supernall <br>Whiche after that by languages well <br>In euery regyon coude pronounce the gospell <br>And where I lyst by power dyuyne <br>I do enspyre oft causynge grete prophecy <br>Whiche is mysconstrued whan some do enclyne <br>Thynkynge by theyr wytte to perceyue it lyghtly <br>Or elles calke with deuylles the trouth to sertyfy <br>Whiche contrary be to all true saynge <br>For deuylles be subtyll and alwaye lyenge <br>Whan I had aduerted with my dylygence <br>All the scrypture I sawe me besyde <br>Hāge a fayre swerde & shelde of meruailous excellēce <br>Whiche to beholde I dyde than abyde <br>To blase the armes I dyde well prouyde <br>The felde was syluer/and in it a medowe grene <br>With an olyue trefull meruaylously besene <br>Two lyons of asure vpon euery syde <br>Couchande were truely besyde this olyue tree <br>A hande of stele wherin was wryten pryde <br>Dyde holde this ryall swerde in certaynte <br>A scrypture there was whiche sayd by subtylte <br>Of a grete lady hondred yeres ago <br>In the hande of stele this swerde was closed so <br>No maner persone/may withstande this swerde <br>But one persone/chosen by god in dede <br>Of this ladyes kynred/not to be aferde <br>To touche this hande/his mater for to spede <br>And to vndo it/and take it for his mede <br>But yf that he/be not of the lygnage <br>The hande wyll sle hym/after olde vsage <br>This ryall swerde/that called is preprudence <br>Who can it gette/it hath these vertues thre <br>Fyrst to wynne ryght/without longe resystence <br>Secondly encreaseth/all trouth and amyte <br>Thyrdly of the berer through duplycyte <br>Be pryuely fals/to the ordre of chyualry <br>The swerdes crosse wyll crase/and shewe it openly <br>This shelde also/who so dooth it bere <br>Whiche of olde tyme/was called perceueraunce <br>Hath thre vertues/fyrst he nedeth not fere <br>Ony grete blodeshede/by wronge incombraunce <br>Secondly/it wolde make good apparaunce <br>By hete vnto hym/to gyue hym warnynge <br>To be redy/agayst his enmyes comynge <br>The thyrde is this/yf this calenge be ryghtfull <br>Neuer no swerde/shall through his harneys perce <br>Nor make hym blody/with woundes rufull <br>For he there steength/may ryghtfully reuerce <br>Yet moreouer/as I do well reherce <br>This ryall shelde/in what place it be borne <br>Shall soone be wonne/and shall not be forlorne <br>These thynges sene/to the thyrde myroure clere <br>I went anone/and in it loked ryght ofte <br>Where in my fyght/dyde wonderly appere <br>The fyrmament/with the sonne all alofte <br>The wynde not grete/but blowynge fayre and softe <br>And besyde the sonne/I sawe a meruaylous sterre <br>With beames twayne/the whiche were cast aferre <br>The one turnynge towarde the sterre agayne <br>The other stretched ryght towarde Phebus <br>To beholde this sterre/I was somwhat fayne <br>But than I mused with herte full dolorous <br>Whyder it sygnyfyed thynges good or peryllous <br>Thus longe I studyed/tyll at the last I thought <br>What it sholde meane/as in my herte I sought <br>This sterre it sygnyfyeth the resynge of a knyght <br>The bowynge beame agayne so tournynge <br>Betokened rattonnes of them whiche by myght <br>Wolde hym resyst by theyr wronge resystynge <br>The beame towarde Phebus clerely shynynge <br>Betokened many meruaylous fyres grete <br>On them to lyght that wolde his purpose lete <br>In the fyre clerest of euery element <br>God hath appered vnto many a one <br>Inspyrynge them/with grete wytte refulgent <br>Who lyst to rede many dayes agone <br>Many one wryteth trouthe/yet cōforte hath he none <br>Wherfore I fere me/lyke a swarme of bees <br>Wylde fyre wyll lyght amonge a thousande pees </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sepe expugnauerunt me a inuentute mea:etenim non potuerunt michi. <br>As the cantycles maketh good mencyon <br>They haue oft expugned me/syth my yonge age <br>Yet coude they haue me/in theyr domynyon <br>Though many a one/vnhappely do rage <br>They shall haue sorowe that shytte me in a cage <br>In a grte dyspyte of the holy goost <br>He maye them brenne/theyr calkynge is but loost </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Supra dorsum meū fabricauerūt peccatores: prolongauersit iniquitatē suā. <br>Upon my backe synners hath fabrysed <br>They haue prolonged theyr grete inyquyte <br>From daye to daye it is not mynysshed <br>Wherfore for vengeaunce by grete extremyte <br>It cryeth aboue/now vnto the deyte <br>Whiche that his mynysters haue suffred so longe <br>To lyue in synne and euyll wayes wronge <br>Whan I had perceyued euery maner thynge <br>Of this ryall myrour/accordynge to effecte <br>Remembrynge the verses/of the olde saynge <br>Whiche in my mynde I dyde well coniecte <br>Than to the swerde/I thought to haue respecte <br>Ryght so I went/than at all auenture <br>Unto the hande/that helde the swerde so sure <br>I felte the hande/of the stell so fyne <br>Me thought it quaked/the fyngers gan to stretche <br>I thought by that/I came than of the lyne <br>Of the grete lady/that fyrst the swerde dyde fetche <br>The swerdes pomell/I began to ketche <br>The hande swerued/but yet neuer the lesse <br>I helde them bothe/by excellent prowes <br>And at the last/I felte the hande departe <br>The swerde I toke/with all my besynesse <br>So I subdued/all the magykes arte <br>And founde the scauberde/of meruaylous rychesse <br>After that I toke the shelde doune doubtlesse <br>Kyssynge the swerde/and the shelde ofte I wys <br>Thankynge god/the whiche was cause of this <br>Gladde was I than/of my ryall floure <br>Of my swerde and shelde/I reioyced also <br>It pacyfyed well/myn inwarde doloure <br>But fro my ladyes beaute/my mynde myght not go <br>I loued her surely/for I loued no mo <br>Thus my fayre floure/and my swerde and shelde <br>With eyen ryght meke/full often I behelde <br>Than sayd I (well) this is an happy chaunce <br>I trust now shortly/my lady for to se <br>O fortune sayd I/whiche brought me on the daūce <br>Fyrst to beholde her ryght excellent beaute <br>And so by chaunce/hast hyder conueyde me <br>Getynge me also/my floure my shelde and swerde <br>I nought mystrust the/why sholde I be aferde <br>O ryght fayre lady/as the bryght daye sterre <br>Shyneth before the rysynge of the sonne <br>Castynge her beames/all aboute aferre <br>Exylynge grete wyndes/and the mystes donne <br>So ryght fayre lady/where as thou doost wonne <br>Thy beautefull bryghtnes/thy vertue and thy grace <br>Dooth clere Illumyne/all thy boure and place <br>The gentyll heren is plonged in dystresse <br>Dooth walowe and tomble in somers nyght <br>Replete with wo/and mortall heuynesse <br>Tyll that aurora/with her beames bryght <br>Aboute the fyrmament/castynge her pured lyght <br>Ageynst the rysynge/of refulgent tytan <br>Whan that declyneth/the fayre dame dyan <br>Than dooth the louer/out of this bedde aryse <br>With wofull mynde/beholdynge than the ayre <br>Alas he sayth/what nedeth to deuyse <br>Ony suche pastyme/here for to repayre <br>Where is my conforte/where is my lady fayre <br>Where is my Ioye/where is now all my boote <br>Where is she nowe/that persed my herte rote <br>This maye I saye/vnto my owne dere loue <br>My goodly lady/fayrest and moost swete <br>In all my bokes/fayre fortune doth moue <br>For a place of grace/where that we sholde mete <br>Also my bokes full pryuely you grete <br>The effectes therof/dooth well dayly ensue <br>By meruelous thynges/to proue them to be true <br>The more my payne/the more my loue encreaseth <br>The more my Ieopardy/the truer is my harte <br>The more I suffre/the lesse the fyre releasheth <br>The more I complayne the more is my smarte <br>The more I se her/the sharper is the darte <br>The more I wryte/the more my teeres dystyll <br>The more I loue/the hotter is my wyll <br>O moost fayre lady/yonge/good/and vertuous <br>I knewe full well/neuer your countenaunce <br>Shewed me ony token/to make me amerous <br>But what for that/your prudent gouernaunce <br>Hath enrached my herte/for to gyue attendaunce <br>Your excellent beaute/you coude no thynge lette <br>To cause my herte vpon you to be sette <br>My ryght fayre lady/yf at the chesse I drawe <br>My selfe I knowe not/as a cheke frome a mate <br>But god aboue the whiche sholde haue in awe <br>By drede truely euery true estate <br>He maye take vengeaunce/though he tary late <br>He knoweth my mynde/he knoweth my remedy <br>He maye reuenge me/he knoweth my Ieoperdy <br>O thou fayre fortune/torne not fro me thy face <br>Remembre my sorowe/for my goodly lady <br>My tendre herte/she dooth full oft enbrace <br>And as of that it is no wonder why <br>For vpon her is all my desteny <br>Submyttynge me/vnto her gracyous wyll <br>Me for to saue or sodaynly to spyll <br>O ryght fayre lady of grene flourynge age <br>You can not do but as your frendes agre <br>Your wyte is grete/you mekenes/dooth not swage <br>Exyle dysdayne/and be ruled by pety <br>The frenshe man sayth/that shall be shall be <br>Yf that I dye louer was neuer none <br>Deyed in this worlde/for a fayrer persone <br>Your beaute causeth all my amyte <br>Why sholde your beaute/to my dethe condyscende <br>Your vertue and mekenes/dyde so arest me <br>Why sholde ye than to dame dysdayne intende <br>Your prudence your goodnes/dooth mercy extende <br>Why sholde ye than enclyne to cruelte <br>Your grace I trust wyll non extremyte <br>A dere herte I maye complayne ryght longe <br>You here me not/nor se me not arayed <br>Nor causes my paynes for to be stronge <br>It was myn eyes/that made me fyrst dysmayde <br>With stroke of loue/that coude not me delaye <br>My ryght fayre lady/my herte is colde and faynt <br>Wolde now to god/that you knewe my complaynte <br>Thus as I mourned I herde a lady speke <br>I loked asyde I sawe my lady gracyous <br>My herte than fared/as it sholde breke <br>For perfyte Ioye whiche was solacyous <br>Before her grace/ryght swete and precyous <br>I kneled doune/saynge with all mekenesse <br>Please it your grace/& excellent noblenes <br>No dyspleasure to take for my beynge here <br>For fortune me brought/to this place ryall <br>Where I haue wonne this floure so vertuous & dere <br>This swerde and shelde/also not peregall<br>Towadre hym aduenture to be tryumphall <br>And now by fortunes desteny and fate <br>Do here my duety vnto your hygh estate <br>Ihesu sayd she than/who hadde wende to fynde <br>Your selfe walkynge/in this place all alone <br>Full lytell thought I/ye were not in my mynde <br>What is the cause/that ye make suche mone <br>I thynke some thynge/be from you past and gone <br>But I wonder/how that ye dyde attayne <br>This floure/this swerde/the shelde also certayne <br>For by a lady in the antyquyte <br>They were made to a meruaylous entente <br>That none sholde get them/but by auctoryte <br>Whiche onely by fortune/sholde hyder be sent <br>Full many knyghtes by entendement <br>Hath them aduentred/to haue them in dede <br>But all was vayne/for they myght neuer spede <br>Wherfore surely/ye are moche fortunate <br>Them for to wynne by your aduenture <br>But it was no thynge to you ordynate <br>And you dyde well/to put your selfe in vre <br>To proue the Ieoperdy/whiche hath made you sure <br>Leue all your mournynge/for there is no wyght <br>Hath greter cause/for to be gladde and lyght <br>I behelde well her demure countenaunce <br>Unto her swete wordes/gyuynge good audyence <br>And than I marked in my remembraunce <br>Her pleasaunt apparayle/with all my dylygence <br>Whiche was full ryche of meruaylous excellence <br>Fyrst alofte her forheed/full properly was dressed <br>Under her orellettes/her golden heere well tressed <br>About her necke whyte as ony lyly <br>A prety chayne of the fynest golde <br>Some lynkes with grene enameled truely <br>And some were blacke/the whiche I dyde beholde <br>The vaynes blewe/in her fayre necke well tolde <br>With her swete vysage tydynges to my herte <br>That sodynly my thoughtes were asterte <br>Her gowne was golde/of the clothe of tyssewe <br>With armyns poudred/and wyde sleues pendaunt <br>Her kyrtell grene of the fyne satyn newe <br>To bere her longe trayne/was well attendaunt <br>Gentyll dame dylygence/neuer varyaunt <br>Than as touchynge her noble stature <br>I thynke there can be/no goodlyer creature <br>As of her aege/so tendre and grene <br>Fayre/gracyous/prudent/and louynge humylyte <br>Her vertue shyneth/beynge bryght and shene <br>In her is nether pryde ne sybtylte <br>Her gentyll herte/enclyneth to bounte <br>Thus beaute/godlynesse/vertue/grace/and wytte <br>With bounte and mekenesse/in this lady is knytte </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Thus whan my eyes hadde beholde her wele <br>Madame I sayd how may I now be gladde <br>But sygh and sorowe with herte euery dele <br>Longe haue I loued/and lytell conforte hadde <br>Wherfore no wonder though that I be sadde <br>Your tendre age/full lytell knoweth ywys <br>To loue vnloued/what wofull payne it is </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Thoghe that I be yonge/yet I haue perceueraūce <br>That ther is no lady/yf that she gentyll be <br>But ye haue with her ony acquayntaunce <br>And after cast/to her your amyte <br>Grounded on honoure/without duplycyte <br>I wolde thynke in mynde/she wolde condescende <br>To graunt your fauoure/yf ye none yll intende </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>A fayre lady I haue vnto her spoken <br>That I loue best/and she dooth not it knowe <br>Though vnto her/I haue my mynde broken <br>Her beuaet clere/dooth my herte ouerthrowe <br>Whan I do se her/my herte booth sobbe I trowe <br>Wherfore fayre lady/all dysparate of contorte <br>I speke vnknowen/I must to wo resorte </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Me thynke ye speke/now vnder parable <br>Do ye se her here/whiche is cause of your grefe <br>Yf ye so dyde/than sholde I be able <br>As in this cause/te be to your relefe <br>Ryght lothe I were to se your myschefe <br>For ye knowe well/what case that I am yn <br>Peryllous it wolde be/or that ye coude me wyne </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Madame sayd I/thoughe myn eyes se her not <br>Made dymme w&supert; wepynde/& with grete wo togyder <br>Yet dooth myn herte/at this tyme I wote <br>Her excellent beaute/ryght inwardly concyder <br>Good fortune I trust/hach now brought me hyder <br>To se your mekenes/whiche doth her repayre <br>Whose swete conforte/dooth kepe me fro dyspayre </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Of late I sawe aboke of your makynge <br>Called the pastyme of pleasure/whiche is wōdrous <br>For I thynge and you had not ben in louynge <br>Ye coude neuer haue made it so sentencyous <br>I redde there all your passage daungerous <br>Wherfore I wene for the fayre ladyes sake <br>That ye dyd loue/ye dyde that boke so make </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Forsothe madame/I dyde compyle that boke <br>As the holy goost/I call vnto wytnes <br>But ygnorauntly/who so lyst to loke <br>Many meruelous thynges in it/I do expresse <br>My lyue and loue/to enserche well doublesse <br>Many a one doth wryte/I knowe not what in dede <br>Yet the effecte dooth folowe/the trouthe for to spede </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>I graunt you well/all that whiche you saye <br>But tell me who it is/that ye loue so sure <br>I promyse you that I wyll not bewraye <br>Her name truely to ony creature <br>Pyte it is/you sholde suche wo endure <br>I do perceyue/she is not ryght ferre hence <br>Whiche that ye loue/wihtouten neclygence </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Surely madame/syth it pleaseth your hyghnesse <br>And your honour to speke so nobly <br>It is your grace/that hath the intresse <br>In my true herte/with loue so feruently <br>Ryght longe ago/your beaute sodanly <br>Entred my mynde/and hath not syth dekayde <br>With feruent loue/moost wofully arayde </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>And is it I/that is cause of your loue <br>Yf it so be I can not helpe your payne <br>It sholde be harde/to gete to your aboue <br>Me for to loue/I dyde not you constrayne <br>Ye knowe what I am/I knowe not you certayne <br>I am as past your loue to specyfy <br>Why wyll ye loue where is no remedy </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>A madame you are cause of my languysshe <br>Ye maye me helpe/yf that it to you please <br>To haue my purpose/my herte dooth not menysshe <br>Thoughe I was seke/ye knewe not my dysease <br>I am not hole/your mercy maye me ease <br>To proue what I am/the holy goost werke styll <br>My lyfe and deth/I yelde nowe to your wyll </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Fortune me thynke/is meruaylous fauorable <br>To you by getynge/of this ryall floure <br>Hauynge this swerde/and shelde so profytable <br>In mortall daungers/to be your socoure <br>But as touchynge your loue and fauoure <br>I can not graunt/neyther fyrst ne last <br>Ye knowe what I am/ye knowe my loue is past </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Madame the floure/the swerde and shelde also <br>Whiche fortune gate me/are not halfe so dere <br>As your persone the cause of my wo <br>Whose grace and beaute/shyneth so ryght clere <br>That in my herte your beaute doth appere <br>Nothynge is past/but that fortunes pleasure <br>May call it agayne/in the tyme futrure </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>I denye not but that your dedes do shewe <br>By meruaylous prowes/truely your gentylnesse <br>To make you a carter/there were not afewe <br>But tho by crafte/whiche thought you to oppresse <br>To accombre them selfe applye the besynesse <br>Yet thynke not you/so soone to se a cradle <br>I graunt you loue/whan ye were golden sadle </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Madame truely/it is oft dayly sene <br>Many a one dooth trust/his fortune to take <br>From an other man/to make hym blynde I wene <br>Whiche blyndeth hym/and dooth his pompe aslake <br>Often some hye/do fall alowe and quake <br>Ryght so maye they/whiche dyde fyrst prepence <br>My wo and payne for all theyr yll scyence </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell. <br>To loue me so/whiche knoweth my persone <br>And my frendes eke/me thynke ye are not wyse <br>As now of me conforte haue ye none <br>Wherfore this answere/maye to you suffyse <br>I can not do/but as my frendes deuyse <br>I can no thynge do/but as they accorde <br>They haue me promest/to a myghty lorde </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Madame in this worlde ben but thynges twayne <br>As loue and hate/ye knowe your selfe the trouthe <br>Yf I sholde hate you/deth I were worthy playne <br>Than had you cause/with me to be wrothe <br>To deserue dyspleasure/my herte wolde be lothe <br>Wherfore fayre lady/I yelde at this hower <br>To your mekenes/my herte my loue and power </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Thynke you past all chyldy ygnoraunce <br>That gladde I am/yf prudence be your guyde <br>Grace cometh often after gouernaunce <br>Beware of foly/beware of inwarde pryde <br>Clymbe not to fast/but yet fortune abyde <br>For your loue I thanke you/yf trouthe haue it fyxte <br>As with yll thought/neuer for to be myxte </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Surely my mynde/nor yet my purpose <br>In ony cause by foly dyde vary <br>Neuer doynge thynke open ne close <br>That to your honour sholde be contrary <br>As yet for grace I am content to tary <br>For myn enmyes fraude and subtylnes <br>Whiche pryuely begyne theyr owne vnhapynesse </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Now of trouthe/I do vnto you tell <br>The thynge y&supere; to your enmyes is moost dyspleasure <br>Is for to gouerne you by wysdome ryght well <br>That causeth enuy in theyr hertes to endure <br>But be ye pacyent and ye shall be sure <br>Suche thynges as they ordayne vnto your gref <br>Wyll lyght on them fo theyr owne myschefe </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>Surely I thynke/I suffred well the phyppe <br>The nette also dydde teche me on the waye <br>But me to bere I trowe they lost a lyppe <br>For the lyfte hande extendyd my Iournaye <br>And not to call me for my sporte and playe <br>Wherfore by foly yf that they do synne <br>The holy goost maye well the batayle wynne </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Yf fortune wolde/for the payne ye haue taken <br>I wolde graūt you loue/but it may noth&ybar;ge al <br>My loue is past/it can not be forsaken <br>Therfore I praye you leue your trauayle <br>Full lothe I were/your deth to bewayle <br>There is no nette/nor no tempted snare <br>But ye them knowe/wherfore ye maye beware </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>The snares and nettes/set in sondrye maner <br>Doone in tyme past/made many abyrde a dawe <br>The tempted gynnes/were sette so cyrculer <br>But euermore it is an olde sayd sawe <br>Examples past dooth theche one to withdrawe <br>Frome all suche perylles/wherfore than maye I <br>By grace of god/beware full parfytly </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pucell.<br>Ye saye the trouthe/and I do not submytte <br>My wyll and thought to the lady Uenus <br>As she is goddesse/and doth true loue knytte <br>Ryght so to determyne/the mater betwene vs <br>With assent of fortune/so good gracyous <br>Besechynge you now for to holde you styll <br>For these two ladyes/maye your mynde fulfyll </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Amour.<br>My ryght dere lady/I do therto consente <br>Swete are your wordes they confort my thought <br>Of Uenus and fortune/I abyde the Iugement <br>But ryght dere lady/whome I longe haue sought <br>Forgete me not/remembre loue dere bought <br>Of my herte/I wolde ye knewe the preuyte <br>Than as I thynke ye wolde remembre me <br>That came ladyes [illeg.] <br>The our talkynge/y&supere; tyme dyde surrendre <br>Dame/ye do well here repayre <br>Ly temple/for to take the ayre <br>With that sodaynly/I truely awoke <br>Takynge pen and ynke to make this lytell boke <br>Go lytell treaty se submyte the humbly <br>To euery lady/excusynge thy neclygence <br>Besechynge them/to remembre truely <br>How thou doost purpose to do thy dylygence <br>To make suche bokes by true experyence <br>From daye to daye theyr pastyme to attende <br>Rather to dye/thon thau wolde them offend.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Stephen+Hawes">Stephen Hawes</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=521153" data-title="The Cōforte of Louers de Stephen Hawes" data-description="The prohemye. The gentyll poetes/vnder cloudy fygures Do touche a trouth/and clokeit subtylly Harde is to cōstrue poetycall scryptures They are so fayned/& made sētēcyously For som do wryte of loue by fables pryuely Some do en..."></div> </div> </div>
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