<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=521155" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Example of Vertu : Cantos I.-VII.</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">Here begynneth the boke called the example of vertu.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The prologe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Whan I aduert in my remembraunce <br>The famous draughtes of poetes eloquent <br>Whiche theyr myndes dyd well enhaunce <br>Bokes to contryue that were expedyent <br>To be remembred without Impedyment <br>For the profyte of humanyte <br>This was the custume of antyquyte. <br>I now symple and moost rude <br>And naked in depured eloquence <br>For dulnes rethoryke doth exclude <br>Wherfore in makynge I lake intellygence <br>Also consyderynge my grete neglygence <br>It fereth me sore for to endyte <br>But at auenture I wyll now wryte. <br>As very blynde in the poetys art <br>For I therof can no thynge skyll <br>Wherfore I lay it all a part <br>But somwhat accordynge to my wyll <br>I wyll now wryte for to fulfyll <br>Saynt Powles wordes and true sentement <br>All that is wryten is to oure document <br>O prudent Gower in langage pure <br>Without corrupcyon moost facundyous <br>O noble Chauser euer moost sure <br>Of frutfull sentence ryght delycyous <br>O vertuous Lydgat moche sentencyous <br>Unto you all I do me excuse <br>Though I your connynge do now vse <br>Explicit prologus.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Capitulum Primsi.<br>In Septembre in fallynge of the lefe <br>Whan phebus made his declynacyon <br>And all the whete gadred was in the shefe <br>By radyaunt hete and operacyon <br>Whan the vyrgyn had full domynacyon <br>And Dyane entred was one degre <br>Into the sygne of Gemyne <br>Whan the golden sterres clere were splendent <br>In the firmament puryfyed clere as crystall <br>By imperyall course without incombrement <br>As Iuppyter and Mars that be celestyall <br>With Saturne and Mercury that wer supernall <br>Myxt with venus that was not retrograte <br>That caused me to be well fortunate <br>In a slombrynge slepe with slouth opprest <br>As I in my naked bedde was leyd <br>Thynkynge all nyght to take my rest <br>Morpleus to me than made abreyd <br>And in my dreme me thought he sayd <br>Come walke with me in a medowe amerous <br>Depeynted with floures that be delycyous <br>I walked with hym into a place <br>Where that there grue many a fayre floure <br>With Ioye replete and full of solace <br>And the trees dystyllynge redolent lycoure <br>More sweter fer than the Aprell shour <br>And tary I dyd there by longe space <br>Tyll that I saw before my face <br>A ryght fayre lady of myddell stature <br>And also enduyd with grete vertue <br>Her apparell was set with perlys pure <br>Whose beaute alway dyd renue <br>To me she sayd and ye wyll extue <br>All wyldnes I wyll be your guyde <br>That ye to fraylte shall not slyde. <br>Unto her I answerde o lady gloryous <br>I pray you tell me what is your name <br>For ye seeme to be ryght precyous <br>And I am yonge and sore to blame <br>Of vyces full and in vertue lame <br>But I wyll be ruled now by your pleasure <br>So that your order be made by mesure <br>Eclepyd I am she sayd dyscrecyon <br>And yf ye wyll be ruled by me <br>Ye shall haue Ioye without reprehencyon <br>And neuer fall in to fragylyte <br>Youth lackynge me it is grete pyte <br>For in what place I am exyled <br>They be with synne ryght oft defyled <br>It longeth euer vnto my properte <br>Youth to gyue courage for to lerne <br>I wyll not medle with no duplycyte <br>But faythfulnes I wyll dyscerne <br>And brynge thy soule to blesse eterne <br>By wyse example and morall doctryne <br>For youth hauynge to me is a good syne <br>Forsake also all euyll company <br>And be founde true in worde and dede <br>Remembre that this worlde is transytory <br>After thy desert shall be thy mede <br>Loue god alway and eke hym drede <br>And for no mannes pleasure be thyn owne foo <br>Gyue theym fayre wordes and lete theym goo. <br>Be to thy kynge euer true subgete <br>As thou sholdest be by ryght and reason <br>Lete thy herte lowely on hym be sete <br>Without ony spot of euyll treason <br>And be obedyent at euery season <br>Unto his grace without rebellyon <br>That thou with trouth may be companyon <br>Loue neuer vnloued for that is payne <br>Whyle that thou lyuest of that beware <br>Loue as thou seest the loued agayne <br>Or elles it wyll torne the to care <br>Be neuer taken in that fast snare <br>Proue or thou loue that is moost sure <br>And than thou in doubte shalt not endure. <br>Beware byleue no flaterynge tonge <br>For flaterers be moost disseyuable <br>Though that they company with the longe <br>Yet at the ende they wyll be varyable <br>For they by reason are not fauorable <br>But euermore fals and double <br>And with theyr tonges cause of grete trouble <br>This brytell worlde ay full of bytternes <br>Alway turnynge lyke to a ball <br>No man in it can haue no sykernes <br>For whan he clymmeth he hath a fall <br>O wauerynge shadowe bytter as gall <br>O fatall welth full soone at ende <br>Though thou ryght hy do oft assende <br>Whan she to me had made relacyon <br>Of all these prouerbes by good conclusyon <br>She gaue to me an Informacyon <br>For to depryue all yll abusyon <br>And to consydre the grete derysyon <br>Whiche is in youth that may not se <br>No thynge appropred to his prosperyte <br>Forth than we went to an hauen syde <br>Wher was a shyp lyenge at rode <br>Taryenge after the wynde and tyde <br>And with moche spyces ryght well lode <br>Upon it lokynge we longe abode <br>Tyll colus with blastes began to rore <br>Than we her aborded with payne ryght sore <br>This water eclyped was vayneglory <br>Euer with yeopardy and tempestyous <br>And the shyp called was ryght truly <br>The vessell of the passage daungerous <br>The wawys were hyghe and gretly troublous <br>The captayn called was good comfort <br>And the sterysman fayre pasport.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Capitulum II.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Longe were we dryuen with wynde & weder <br>Tyll we arryued in a fayre Ilonde <br>Wher was a boote tyed with a teeder <br>Of merueylous wood as I vnderstonde <br>Precyous stones ley vpon the sond <br>And poynted dyamondes grewe on the rockes <br>And corall also by ryght hyghe stockes <br>Amased I was for to beholde <br>The precyous stones vnder my fete <br>And the erth glysterynge of golde <br>With floures fayre of odour swete <br>Dame dyscrecyon I dyd than grete <br>Praynge her to me to make relacyon <br>Who of this Ilonde hath domynacyon <br>She sayd foure ladyes in vertue excellent <br>Of whiche the eldest is dame nature <br>That dayly fourmeth after her entent <br>Euery beest and lyuynge creature <br>Both foule and fayre and also pure <br>All that dependynge in her ordynaunce <br>Where that she fauoureth there is grete pleasaunce <br>The seconde is called dame fortune <br>Ayenst whome can be no resystence <br>For she doth sette the strynges in tune <br>Of euery persone by her magnyfycence <br>Whan they sound best by good experyence <br>She wyll theym loose and let theym slyp <br>Causynge theym fall by her turnynge tryp <br>The thyrde called is dame hardynes <br>That often rulyth by her cheualry <br>She is ryght stowt and of grete prowes <br>And the captayn of a lusty company <br>And ruleth theym euer full hardely <br>And to gete honour and worldely tresure <br>She putteth her oft in auenture <br>The fourth is wysedome a lady bryght <br>Whiche is my syster as ye shall se <br>Whom I do loue with all my myght <br>For she enclyneth euer to benygnyte <br>And medeleth not with fraude nor subtylyte <br>But maketh many noble clerkes <br>And ruleth theym in all theyr werkes <br>They dwell all in a fayre castell <br>Besyde a ryuer moche depe and clere <br>And be expert in feytys manuell <br>That vnto theym can be no peere <br>Of erthely persone that lyueth here <br>For they be so fayre and wounderous <br>That theym to se it is solacyous. <br>Longe haue they trauerst gretly in the lawe <br>Whiche of theym sholde haue the preemynence <br>And none of them theyr case wyll withdrawe <br>Tyll of dame Iustyce they knowe the sentence <br>They argue often and make defence <br>Eche vnto other withouten remedy <br>I wyll no lenger of them specefy.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Capitulum Tercium.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Come on fayre youth and go with me <br>Unto that place that is delectable <br>Bylded with towres of curyosyte <br>And yet though that ye be lamentable <br>Whan thou art there you wylt be confortable <br>To se the merueyles that there be wrought <br>No man can prynt it in his thought <br>A path we founde ryght gretely vsed <br>Where in we went tyll at the last <br>A castell I sawe wherof I mused <br>Not fully from me a stones cast <br>To se the towres I was agast <br>Set in a valey so strongely fortefyed <br>So gentyll compassed and well edefyed <br>The towres were hyghe of adamond stones <br>With fanes wauerynge in the wynde <br>Of ryght fyne golde made for the noonys <br>And roobuckes ran vnder the lynde <br>And hunters came theym fer behynde <br>A Ioye it was suche sawe I neuer <br>Abyde quod she ye shall se a better. <br>Forth she me ledde to the castell warde <br>Where we were let in by humylyte <br>And so after she lede me forwarde <br>Tyll that I sawe a royall tre <br>With buddys blossomed of grete beaute <br>And than we wente in to the hall <br>That glased was truely with crystall <br>And hanged was with clothes of Aras <br>Made of fyne golde with a noble story <br>How that there some tyme reynynge was <br>In the regyon of hyghe Italy <br>A valyaunt emperour and a myghty <br>That had to name forsothe Tyberius <br>Whiche dyde enquere of prudent Iosethus <br>Why he his offycers so longe kepte <br>Unto hym he answered a good cause why <br>Somtyme I sawe a man that slepte <br>That wounded was full pyteously <br>And on his woundes suckynge many a fly <br>I than for pyte moued theym away <br>By whiche he woke and to me dyde say <br>Wher that thou trowed to me comfort <br>Thou now hast done me double greuaunce <br>Puttynge away the flyes that dyde resorte <br>To me beynge full of blody sustynaunce <br>By this thou mayst haue good perseueraunce <br>That now wyll come the flyes moost hungry <br>That wyll me byte .x. tymes more greuously <br>The roof was wrought by merueylous gemetry <br>Colered with asure gold and gowlys <br>With knottes coruen full ryght craftely <br>And set also with wanton fowlys <br>As popyn iays/pyes/Iays/and owlys <br>And as I loked on my ryght syde <br>A lady I sawe of meruellous pryde <br>Syttynge in a chayer at the vpper ende <br>Of all the hall as a lady and prynces <br>Amonge many kynges that dyde entende <br>To be obedyent to her hyghe noblenes <br>Her apparell was made of moche fayre ryches <br>Set with rubyes moost pure and rubicound <br>Embrawded with perles and many a dyamound </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Besydes her sate the worthyes nyne <br>And she amonge theym a whele turnynge <br>Full lowe to her they dyd than enclyne <br>She somtyme laughynge and somtyme lowrynge <br>Her condycyon was to be dyssymelynge <br>And many exalten vpon her whele <br>Gyuynge theym grete falles that they dyd fele <br>Than sayd dyscrecyon beholde and see <br>That in dame fortune is no stablenes <br>This worlde also is but a vanyte <br>A dreme a pompe nothynge in stedfastnes <br>For fortune is fals and full of doblenes <br>Whan she moost flatereth she is not sure <br>As thou mayst se dayly in vre.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Capitulum IIII.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Forth than we went vnto the habytacle <br>Of dame hardynes moost pure and fayre <br>Aboue all places a ryght fayre spectacle <br>Strowyd with floures that gaue good eyer <br>Of vertuous turkeys there was a cheyr <br>Wherin she sate in her cote armure <br>Berynge a shelde the felde of asure <br>Wherin was sette a rampynge lyon <br>Of fyne golde ryght large and grete <br>A swerd she had of merueylous fassyon <br>As though a thousand she sholde bete <br>No man the vyctory of her myght gete <br>A noble vyrgyn there dyde her serue <br>That fyrst made harnes called Mynerue <br>The chaumbre where she held her consystory <br>The dewe aromatyke dyde oft degoute <br>Of fragraunt floures full of delycasy <br>That all yll heyres dyde ensence oute <br>A carbuncle there was that all aboute <br>Enlumyned the chaumbre both day and nyght <br>My thought it was an heuenly syght <br>Nyne quenes I sawe that satte her by <br>Beynge all armed of grete fortytude <br>In many a stower they wanne the vyctory <br>And were endued with facounde pulcrytude <br>For to haunte armes was theyr consuetude <br>Many a regyon they often wanne <br>And also vaynquysshed many a noble man <br>Nexte vnto her sate the hyghe quene Azia <br>That was a conqueres so puyssaunt <br>And besyde her the quene of Saba <br>Whiche in grete ryches was tryumphaunt <br>And also Ipolyte in armes valyaunt <br>Sate with her besyde quene Hecuba <br>And yet also the quene Europa <br>Present ther was the wiche quene Iuno <br>And quene Pantasyll wyth fayre quene Elyn <br>And yet I sawe by her than also <br>The noble vyrgyn yonge Polyxyn <br>That was destroyed at the last ruyn <br>Of Troye the grete by cruelll Pyrrus <br>The sone of Achylles that was so cheualrus <br>As I dyd loke I had commaundement <br>Of dame dyscrecyon for to remembre <br>These noble ladyes so pure and excellent <br>Hardy in corage of age ryght tendre <br>Yet not withstandynge deth dyde surrendre <br>And all theyr strength and lusty corage <br>For he spareth nother youth ne age.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Capitulum V.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Forth we walked to the dwellynge place <br>Of dame sapyence so full of blys <br>Replete with Ioye vertu and grace <br>No thynge there lacked that possyble is <br>Man for to comfort withouten mys <br>Though he were derke in wordely foly <br>He sholde there b enlumyned shortely <br>Her towre was made of werkes curyous <br>I can no thynge extende the goodlynes <br>Of her palays so good and gloryous <br>Bylded in the place soth of fastnes <br>With owten tast of wordely bytternes <br>No persone can extoll the souerente <br>Of her worthy and royall dygnyte <br>She eche estate sholde haue in gouernaunce <br>As theym to rule or that they repent <br>For better it is to haue good puruyaunce <br>At the begynnynge as is expedyent <br>Than for to wyssh for thynges myspent <br>That myght be saued longe afore <br>And with a for wytte kepte in store <br>Her chaumbre was glased with byrall clarefyed <br>Depeynted with colours of delectacyon <br>A place of pleasure so heuenly gloryfyed <br>In vertue heale lyfe and saluacyon <br>Without ony stormy trybulacyon <br>That myght anoy the heuenly helth <br>But alway comfort to the sowlys welth <br>There sate dame prudence in vertue magnyfyed <br>Impossyble it is to shewe her goodelyhed <br>She was so fayre and clerely puryfyed <br>And so dyscrete and full of womanhede <br>That and I trowe vertue were deed <br>It sholde reuyue yet in her agayne <br>She was so gentyll and without dysdeyn <br>It was grete comfort vnto my hert <br>For to beholde that heuenly syght <br>Dyscrecyon sayd I sholde not depert <br>Tyll I had spoken with her syster bryght <br>Forth she me ledde with all her myght <br>Unto that prynces and royall souerayn <br>Ergo my labour was not in vayn <br>Than spake dame prudence with meke contena&#363;ce <br>Welcome dyscrecyon my syster dere <br>Where haue ye ben by longe contynuaunce <br>Wyth youth she sayd that ye se here <br>And for my sake I you requere <br>Hym to receyue in to your seruyse <br>And he shall serue you in goodely wyse <br>Welcome she sayd for my systers sake <br>And yet also now for your owne <br>In to my seruyce I wyll you take <br>Sythens that your wyldnes is ouerblowen <br>The sede of vertu on you shall be sowen <br>Uyce to depryue by his good auctoryte <br>As for to subdue all yll iniquyte <br>Of other mennes wordes be thou not bolde <br>And of theyr promys make no behest <br>And yf thou here an yll tale tolde <br>Gyue no iugement but say the best <br>So shall thou lyue euermore in rest <br>Who lytell medeleth is best at ease <br>For well were he that all myght please <br>Beware kepe the from grete offence <br>That thou condempned be not by ryghtwysnes <br>Whan she doth gyue her mortall sentence <br>Without pease or mercy cause her reles <br>Her iugement of mortall heuynes <br>That the best frende to the wyll be <br>The for to socour in grete necessyte <br>But yet in theym haue none affyaunce <br>As fyrst to synne thynkynge that they <br>At the ende to the wyll be delyueraunce <br>Nay ryghtwysnes wyll dryue theym away <br>For of all synnes without delay <br>Suche synne in hope it is the moost <br>For it is the synne of the holy ghoost <br>Now I amytte you into your rome <br>In the whiche ye shall your selfe apply <br>Of myn owne chaumbre ye shall be grome <br>Loke ye be dylygent and do not vary <br>From my c&#333;maundementes neuer specyally <br>For and ye wyll theym well obserue <br>A moche better rome ye do deserue <br>The fyrst c&#333;maundement that I gyue the <br>Thynke on the ende or thou begynne <br>For thou by ryght may knowe the certente <br>That deth is fyne of euery synne <br>Be neuer taken in dyabolycall engyne <br>But that repentaunce may loose the sone <br>Of that grete synne that thou hast done <br>Trust not to moche in fortunes grace <br>Though that she laugh on the a whyle <br>For she can sodenly turne her face <br>Whan that she lyst the to begyle <br>She welth and Ioye can sone defyle <br>And plonge the in the pyte of pouerte <br>Wherfore in her haue thou no suertye <br>Presume no ferther than the behoueth <br>For it wyll turne the to grete shame <br>For who that from his rome remoueth <br>He is often full gretely to blame <br>And medeleth with other in theym lame <br>As no thynge connynge nor expert <br>They may hym say syr malapert <br>Or that thou speke call to remembraunce <br>Unto what mater thy worde shall sygnyfye <br>Loke that it torne no man to greuaunce <br>Though that it be spoken merely <br>Yet many a one wyll take it greuously <br>Whiche that myght cause wroth and debate <br>Whyle that thou lyues beware of that <br>For a thynge lost without recouer <br>Loke that thou neuer be to pensyfe <br>Thanke god of it thynke to haue an other <br>Lete wysedome than be to the comfortyfe <br>That to thy brayn is best preseruatyfe <br>For euermore ryght wyse is he <br>That can be pacyent in aduersyte <br>Proue thy frende in a mater fayned <br>Or thou haue nede than shalt thou se <br>Whyther he be iustly with the reteyned <br>The for to socour in thy necessyte <br>By profe thou mayst knowe the veryte <br>For profe afore that nede requere <br>Defeteth dowte euer in fere<br>Be thou neuer so blynde in wylle <br>Yet loke thou be refourmed by reason <br>Than shalt thou my mynde fulfyll <br>And thou therto thy selfe abandon <br>Stryue not with reason for none encheson <br>For wher she lacketh ther is grete outrage <br>And without her may not aswage <br>Eschew also the synne of pryde <br>The moder and the feruent rote <br>Of all the synnes at euery tyde <br>Wherfore trede thou her vnder fote <br>With helpe of vertue so swete and sote <br>Whiche is best salue to hele thy sore <br>And to thy helth the to restore <br>Wo worth synne without repentaunce <br>Wo worth bondage without reles <br>Wo worth man without good gouernaunce <br>Wo worth infynall payne and dystresse <br>Wo worth vyce put fer in presse <br>Wo worth soueraynte hauynge dysdeyn <br>And wo worth pyte that doth refrayn <br>Wo worth ryght that may not be herd <br>Wo worth frendshyp without stabylyte <br>Wo worth true sentence that is deferd <br>Wo worth the man full of duplycyte <br>Wo worth hym without benygnyte <br>Wo worth lybertye withouten pease <br>And wo worth crueltye that may not cease <br>Wo worth connynge that is abused <br>Wo worth promys withouten payment <br>Wo worth vertue that is refused <br>Wo worth trouble without extynguysment <br>Wo worth foly on message sent <br>Wo worth reason that is exyled <br>And wo worth trouth that is defyled <br>Wo worth the trust without assuraunce <br>Wo worth grace not sette by <br>Wo worth Iustyce kepte in dystaunce <br>Wo worth welth replete with enuy <br>Wo worth the batayll without vyctory <br>Wo worth begynnynge without good ende <br>And wo worth wronge that doth defende <br>These commaundementes I put in memory <br>Theym for to kepe doynge my dylygence <br>With dame Sapyence I dyd longe tary <br>Whiche dyd me teche with partynge influence <br>Of her delycate and doulcete complacence <br>Than spake dyscrecyon anone to me <br>In the presens of her systers mageste <br>Thou art beholdynge to my syster reuerent <br>That the reteyned hath vnto her seruaunt <br>Wherfore be thou to her obedyent <br>And at euery houre to her attendaunt <br>And ryotous company do thou not haunt <br>For that wyll payre and yll thy name <br>Wherfore of vertuous myrth let be thy game.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Capitulum VI.<br>Discrecyon ferther forth me lede <br>Unto the solempne and royall mancyon <br>Of dame nature in humayne stede <br>Ryght pleasaunt was her habytacyon <br>Of merueylous werke and sytuacyon <br>And she her selfe helde her estate <br>In a gloryous chaumbre without chekmate <br>Her towre was gylted full of sonne bemys <br>And within hanged with cloth of aras <br>The roof was paynted with golden stremys <br>And lyke crystall depured was <br>Euery wyndowe aboute of glas <br>Where that she sat as a fayre goddes <br>All thynges creatynge by her besynes <br>Me thought she was of merueylous beaute <br>Tyll that Dyscrecyon lede me behynde <br>Where that I sawe all the pryuyte <br>Of her werke and humayne kynde <br>And at her backe I dyd than fynde <br>Of cruell deth a dolfull ymage <br>That all her beaute dyd perswage <br>Full wonderous was her operacyon <br>In euery kynde eke and ryght degre <br>Withouten rest or recreacyon <br>I wyll not medle with her secrete <br>For it no thynge longeth to my faculte <br>But somwhat after I wyll expres <br>Of her grete power and worthynes <br>But in my boke well for to procede <br>Dame dyscrecyon ferther me brought <br>Into a fayre chambre as ye may rede <br>Of fyne gemetry ryght well wrought <br>To comfort man there lacked nought <br>But that me thought there was no company <br>Saue onely dame dyscrecyon and I <br>We had ben but a lytell whyle there <br>But that we sawe a lady clere <br>Ryght well appareled in sad gere <br>Mylde in her hauour dyscrete of chere <br>That came vs by and very nere <br>Ascendynge vp in to her hyghe sete <br>Garnysshed with perle and with gold bete <br>Than sayd dyscrecyon this is dame Iustyce <br>Clene of conscyence without corrupcyon <br>And neuer be spotted with the synne of couetyse <br>But true as stele in the entencyon <br>Of ryght euermore without destruccyon <br>Geuynge alway a ryghtfull iugement <br>Obey thou youth this lady reuerent <br>A iuge fulfylled with the synne of auaryce <br>Or with fauour of kynne made blynd <br>Must nedys do wronge by grete &pre;iudyce <br>For fauour shold not conscyence bynd <br>Ryght to dyssymyll as I now fynd <br>In problemys wryten of antiquyte <br>Made by phylosophers of auctoryte <br>As we stode talkynge thus to gydere <br>Up came dame fortune so gayly gloryfyed <br>Impossyble it is for me to dyscouere <br>How gorges she was & gretly magnyfyed <br>Full lyke a goddes that had ben deyfyd <br>Clothed with gold sette full of rubyes <br>And tynst w&supert; emeraudys & many a turkes <br>And next to her there dyd ensue <br>Dame Hardynes that noble lady <br>After whome anone dyd pursue <br>Dame Sapyence whiche dyd not tary <br>Than came dame nature appareled royally <br>And all the other cladde in gold <br>Set with dyamondes many a fold <br>They lowted all vnto the ground <br>Afore dame Iustyce for obeysaunce <br>That sate there both hole and sound <br>Withouten ony dyscontynuaunce <br>Gyuynge god ere vnto the vteraunce <br>Of these foure ladyes pledynge at barre <br>With all theyr cases dyd well avarre.<br>Capitulm VII. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Fyrst dame hardynes began to plede <br>Saynge she was to man moost profytable <br>For she the hertes hath often fede <br>Of conquerous as it was couenable <br>And by my corage haue made theym able <br>Regyons to wynne theyr ennemyes to subdue <br>And yf I were not they had it rue <br>And yf a man be neuer so wyse <br>Withouten me he getyth none vteraunce <br>Wherfore his wysedome may not suffyse <br>All onely without myn allegeaunce <br>For I by ryght must nedys enhauncce <br>A lowe born man to an hyghe degre <br>Yf that he wyll be ruled by me <br>Haue I not caused many a noble warreour <br>To wynne the batell by my grete myght <br>Without me was made neuer conquerour <br>Nor yet man coragious whan he dyd fyght <br>No man without me may defende his ryght <br>I may be worst from hym forborne <br>For and I were not he were forlorne <br>Dyd I not cause the noble hercules <br>By my power to wynne the vyctory <br>Of the sturdy and stronge Philotes <br>As is recorded in bokes of memory <br>For without me can be no cheualry <br>And vnder the wynge of my proteccyon <br>All rebels brought be to subieccyon <br>A realme is vpholden by thynges thre <br>The fyrst and the chyef it is the swerd <br>Whiche causeth it to be in good suerte <br>And other realmes of it to be aferd <br>By whiche the vsurpers be dyfferd <br>From theyr wyll with treason knyte <br>And by me slayn for theyr fals fyte <br>The seconde is lawe that euer serueth <br>But within the realme onely <br>For other nacyons our lawe ne dredeth <br>But our swerd they do in specyally <br>For and they roose ayenst vs proudly <br>As they haue done often in tymes past <br>Yet w---supert; our swerd they shold be ouercast <br>The thyrde be marchauntes that do multyply <br>In this realme welth and prosperyte <br>For of euery thynge they often occupy <br>Euery man lyke vnto his faculte <br>For without marchauntes can not be <br>No realme vpholden in welth & pleasure <br>For it to vs is a specyall tresure <br>Also yet hercules the puyssaunt geaunt <br>Dyd flee the monstre afore Troy the grete <br>And with his strokes he dyd hym daunt <br>They were so peysantly on hym sette <br>That he the vyctory on hym dyd gette <br>Had I not be comfort vnto his harte <br>Suche vyctory had ben leyd aparte <br>Dyd he not vaynquysshe in y&supere; forest of Nemee <br>The thre mortall lyons by his grete hardynes <br>And ryued theyr Iawes as was to se <br>By twene his handes by chyualrus prowes <br>And yet by armes and knyghtly exces <br>In egypt he slewe the tyraunt Busyre <br>And brent hym after in a grete fyre <br>Also he slewe the tyraunt Cacus <br>For his tyranny and grete myschefe <br>By cause his dedys were so odyous <br>For he dyd murdre and was a thefe <br>Wherfore his deth to many was leef <br>Who more of his actes wyll haue report <br>To the Troyans story lette hym resort <br>Also the worthy and the noble hectour <br>That eclyped was the troyans champyon <br>And of all cheualry called the flour <br>In his tyme reynynge and of renowne <br>Of whose noble dedes the brute and sowne <br>Was spred by euery straunge habytacyon <br>That they of his faytys dyde make relacyon <br>By his power and hardy corage <br>He put the grekes full often to flyght <br>And bete theym downe by a grete outrage <br>That well was he that hym saue myght <br>Full often he brought theym to the plyght <br>His dedes were pure without magycyon <br>And without nygromancy or suche corrupcyon <br>Dyd I not cause also kynge dauith <br>A lyon Iawbones to rent and tere <br>That dyd deuour his shepe in the fryth <br>As he sat kepynge of theym there <br>The lyons crueltye myght not hym fere <br>And he in his youth so hardy was <br>That he dyd sle the gyaunt Golias <br>Dyd I not cause the noble Iulius <br>Emperour of rome for to be electe <br>By cause he was so stronge and cheualrus <br>Whan in armes he knewe the affecte <br>He all his ennemyes dyd abiecte <br>And by the support of my chyef socour <br>He gouerned hymselfe lyke a noble emperour <br>And also Arthur kynge of Bretayne <br>With all the knyghtes of the rounde table <br>Neuer auentures had sought certayne <br>And I therto had not ben greable <br>They for to fyght had not ben able <br>Who that me lacketh is but a coward <br>And shame is euer his rewarde <br>Also kynge Charlemayne kynge of Fraunce <br>With his dyssypers Rowland and Olyuer <br>With all the resydue of his alyaunce <br>That in all armes so noble were <br>On goddys ennemyes brake many a spere <br>Causynge them to flee to theyr grete vylony <br>Hardynes was cause that they had vyctory <br>O worthy hardynes the shynynge sterre <br>Alway to mannys herte the comfort <br>Whan that it is the tyme of werre <br>Unto what partye that thou resort <br>They wynne the batall by thy support <br>And wher that thou lettest thy bemys dyssende <br>They often hye to honoure assende <br>Than sayd dame hardynes vnto the Iuge <br>I pray you that ryght I may haue <br>Sythens I to man am chyef refuge <br>Whan that he lysteth of me to craue <br>I make hym coragyous and his worshyp saue <br>Wherfore I owte to haue the preemynence <br>By ryght reason and good experyence <br>That I deny you sayd dame Sapyence <br>Of whom haue you your ordre of pledynge <br>For ye neuer can haue none intellygence <br>But by the meane of myn informynge <br>For I am alway your mynde techynge <br>And without me your tale were but a fable <br>For ye without wytte sholde alway bable <br>This wyll I proue by myn opynyon <br>That I am grounde of the artes seuen <br>And of all good werkes in c&#333;munyon <br>For no man without me can go to heuen <br>My dedys be merueylous for man to neuen <br>Whan they beu wrought in to theyr degre <br>Who that wyll lerne theym he hath the lyberte <br>Of my dedes bokes do make recorde <br>The whiche clerkes put into remembraunce <br>For an example without dyscorde <br>Of heuenly way by vertuous gouernaunce <br>Without me man can haue no pleasaunce <br>Nor yet hym rule in no maner wyse <br>A man without wytte is to dyspyse <br>Hardynes without prudence may not auayle <br>Though that a man be neuer so sturdy <br>For a wyseman feble may wynne the batayle <br>Of hym that is ryght stronge and myghty <br>For better it is for to be ryght wytty <br>In the defence of his good saue garde <br>Than often to stryke and to renne forwarde <br>That thynge that hardynes may not wynne <br>May be goten by my hyghe souerente <br>And with the helpe of subtyle engynne <br>It may be brought to the extremyte <br>Wher that it myght not by possybylyte <br>Of hardynes longe afore be wonne <br>Yet by grete wysedome it may be donne <br>Unto dyuers cases I take excepcyon <br>Of dame Hardynes whiche are no lawe <br>Unto the fyrst vndre your correccyon <br>She sayd and she her power dyd wythdrawe <br>No rebell than shold stand in awe <br>And she is the chyef as I knowe well <br>That causeth hym for to be rebell <br>By her foly and folysshe hardynes <br>She causeth men to ryse ayenst theyr lorde <br>She is the cause of mortall heuynes <br>Whan she doth breke the good concorde <br>Wherfore me thynke by one accorde <br>For to exyle her it is now the best <br>Than man sholde lyue in peas and rest <br>And where she sayd that she exalted <br>Iulius cesar by her grete exylence <br>In that case she ryght clerely varyed <br>For it was I by my grete dylygence <br>That neuer was out of his presence <br>But ruled hym and made hym worthy <br>To be chosen emperour of all Italy <br>Chosen he was by the comyn assent <br>For the grete wysedome that in hym shone <br>With a grete voyce and a hole entente <br>For lyke vnto hym was there none <br>That was so abell as he alone <br>For to occupye an Emperours dygnyte <br>Of his promocyon he myght thanke me <br>I Sapyence am endewed with grace <br>And the lode sterre of heuenly doctryne <br>The sprynge of comfort Ioye and solace <br>Who that lyst to me for to enclyne <br>He shall knowe thynges that be dyuyue <br>And at his ende beholde the deyte <br>That is one god and persones thre <br>It pleased the fader that is omnipotent <br>His sone to send to be incarnat <br>Of the vyrgyn Mary the sterre moost excellent <br>Mayden and moder yet not vyolate <br>Lyke a vessell chosen and made ornat <br>All onely for to be goddys moder <br>All he hym selfe vnto man broder <br>But a stryfe there was bytwene god and man <br>Whan man consented to synne dedely <br>By that the dyscorde fyrst began <br>Whan he the sone of god on hy <br>That is his brother agayn wyll crucefy <br>Yf he had power by whiche is offended <br>The fader of heuen as is entended <br>Therfore lete vs to our brother go <br>Named Ihesu Cryst and axe hym mercy <br>With a good entent and hert also <br>There is for vs none other remedy <br>That ony tonge truely can specyfy <br>And he wyll take it for a correccyon <br>And of all vengeaunce sease the affeccyon <br>That we may of hym haue forgyuenes <br>Of our grete synne with reformacyon <br>Of peas bytwene the faders hyghenes <br>Of heuen and vs in suspyracyon <br>Therfore yf thou drede the amocyon <br>Of his ryghtwysnes loke that thou flee <br>Ryght fast vnto his mercyfull pyte <br>For his mercy is more than all our mysery <br>And eke aboue his werkes all <br>As Dauyd sheweth in his prophecy <br>Saynge his mercy is ouer all <br>To whom I pray euer in especyall <br>To gyue me grace well my penne to lede <br>That quaketh aye for drede <br>Dame Sapyence sayd I do procede <br>Of the strength of the holy ghoost <br>That is and shall be mater in dede <br>God and lorde of myghtys moost <br>Whose infynall power was neuer lost <br>And yet neuer had no begynnynge <br>But alway lyke stronge without endynge <br>Where that dame hardynes in her pledynge <br>Made her selfe to knyghtes moost necessary <br>By the meanes of her power shewynge <br>That I by ryght do now well deny <br>For in that case she dyd moche vary <br>For syxe there are that more profyte be <br>Of whiche the lest is better than she <br>The fyrst is prudence that is the chefe <br>That hym doth rule and is his gyde <br>And kepeth hym from grete reprefe <br>And causeth his worshyp for to abyde <br>So euery crysten man shold prouyde <br>By his wit to withstand the deuyll <br>That he consent not to do euyll <br>The seconde is that he sholde be true <br>To his souerayn lorde that on hym reyneth <br>And all treason for euer to eschewe <br>In whiche grete shame often remayneth <br>And by whiche he his kyne dysteyneth <br>So a crysten man sholde be true euer <br>To Ihesu Cryst that was his redemer <br>The thyrde is that he sholde be lyberall <br>Amonge his c&#333;mons withouten lette <br>That is the cause euer in generall <br>That he the loue of theym doth gette <br>For it causeth theyr hertes on hym be sette <br>So euery true crysten man sholde be <br>To god intended with lyberalyte <br>The fourth is that he sholde be stronge <br>His ryght euer for to defende <br>And neuer to no man for to do wronge <br>But wronges for to dyrecte and amende <br>As ferre as his power wyll extende <br>So a true crysten man sholde exclude <br>All maner of vyces by his fortytude <br>The fyfth is y&supert; he sholde be mercyable <br>In all his dedes withouten furoure <br>For that to hym is gretly conuenable <br>And eke to kepe hym out of erroure <br>For he of mercy sholde be a myrroure <br>So vnto them it is ryght necessary <br>Who that wyll be saued for to haue mercy <br>The syxte is a knyght ought for to kepe <br>The poore folke in theyr grete nede <br>That often for hungre and thyrst do wepe <br>He ought with almes theym for to fede <br>And the better he shall than spede <br>So euery true crysten man sholde do <br>As ferre as his power cometh vnto <br>I Sapyence am of the kynges counsayll <br>Whiche is clothed with purple that sygnyfyeth <br>The grace and the pulcrytude without fayll <br>Of grete vertues that in hym shyneth <br>For to no vyces he neuer enclyneth <br>Hauynge in his hede a fayre crowne royall <br>That sheweth his dygnyte to be regall <br>Whiche to his people is the chefe glory <br>Thrugh whome his subgectes be dyrecte <br>And made obedyent to hym certaynly <br>At euery houre by ryght true effecte <br>But forthermore by good aspecte <br>He bereth a ball in his lefte hande <br>The whiche betokeneth as I vnderstande <br>A kynge to be a good admynystratour <br>Unto his subgectes in euery place <br>And to be for theym a good prouysour <br>As reason requyreth in euery case <br>I Sapyence do rule his noble grace <br>In his ryght hand he hath a septure <br>That doth sygnyfye by ryght his rygoure <br>Yll men to punysshe for theyr offence <br>By his ryghtwysnes whome the loue <br>Of vertue shynynge in experyence <br>Doth not extoll nor yet now remoue <br>A lampe doth hange his heed aboue <br>Alway lyght and clerely brennynge <br>Whiche sygnyfyeth the mercy of a kynge <br>The olde philosophers by theyr prudence <br>Fonde the seuen scyences lyberall <br>And by theyr exercyse & grete dylygence <br>They made theyr dedes to be memoryall <br>And also poetes that were fatall <br>Craftely colored with clowdy fygures <br>The true sentence of all theyr scryptures <br>O Iustyce lady and souerayne goddesse <br>Gyue you true sentence now vpon me <br>As ye be surmountynge in vertue & noblesse <br>Lete me dame Sapyence haue the soueraynte <br>As is accordynge to my royall dygnyte <br>For I am moost profytable vnto man <br>And euer had ben syns the world began <br>Than sayd dame Fortune ye are imperfyte <br>Without that I therto be accordaunt <br>For all your hardynes & prudence perfyte <br>I vnto you must be well exuberaunt <br>And with your werkes euer concordaunt <br>Where that I fauer they haue good c&#333;fort <br>In all theyr dedes by my swete resort <br>I Fortune am the rule and steere <br>Of euery persone lyke to my wyll <br>That in this worlde now lyueth here <br>Whan that I lyst for to fulfyll <br>My mynde ryght sone I can dystyll <br>The dewe of comfort welth and rychesse <br>To man exaltyuge hym to noblenesse <br>Though that a man were neuer so hardy <br>Without me he myght not attayne <br>And though that a man were neuer so wytty <br>And I dyd my power from hym refrayne <br>All his labour were lost in vayne <br>So hardynesse and prudence in no wyse <br>Without good fortune may well suffyse <br>Though that a man were but a fole <br>Yf I consent that he be fortunate <br>He nedyth not to make no grete dole <br>For I shall mayntene so his estate <br>That he in rychesse shall be so eleuate <br>Fulfylled with welth & worldely tresure <br>That he shall lacke no maner of pleasure <br>Where that dame hardynes wold afferme <br>By her cases that are so vnsure <br>That she by her power doth conferme <br>The knyghtes of vyctory for to be sure <br>Whan she doth take theyr hertes in cure <br>Yf fortune be awaye she may not auayle <br>For they by reason must lose the batayle <br>Yet forthermore as I do well consyder <br>How dame hardynes dyd expresse <br>Sythens the tyme that I came hyder <br>That she promoted had to worthynes <br>Hector dauid and the noble hercules <br>With many other wherof she fayleth <br>For it was fortune as she well knoweth <br>For in olde tyme the noble warryours <br>For to eschewe euer my grete daungere <br>In whiche tyme they were ydolestours <br>Than they to put hym oute of fere <br>To ydols went that theyr goddes were <br>For to haue answer yf they sholde wynne <br>The batayll or they dyd begynne <br>What nede I pleed by longe contynuaunce <br>As dame Sapyence dyd in maters hy <br>It were of tyme but dyscontynuaunce <br>But o dame Iustyce the gentyll lady <br>Loke that ye Iuge my mater ryght wysely <br>That I of hardynes may be the pryncypall <br>And of dame prudence & nature with all <br>Than sayd dame nature that may not be <br>As I can proue by ryght and reason <br>For I am moost confort to humanyte <br>As man well knoweth at euery encheason <br>And can not be forborne for none season <br>For where I lacke without ony delay <br>Man is but dede and turned to clay <br>That nature gyueth by her power <br>Wysedome nor hardynes may not defete <br>For I to man am the chefe doer <br>Durynge his lyfe without retrete <br>Also dame fortune may not well lete <br>Me of my course though she it thought <br>In sondery wyse my dedes are so wrought <br>Though that a man were infortunable <br>And though that he were neuer so folysshe <br>And a grete coward to fyght not able <br>Yet shulde he lyue and neuer perysshe <br>Tyll that my power of hym doth fynysshe <br>Whiche fayle must ones it is my proprete <br>And that was gyuen me by the deyte <br>I am the orygynall of mannes creacyon <br>And by me alway the world doth multyply <br>In welth pleasure and delectacyon <br>As I wyll shewe now in this party <br>My dedes be subtyll & wrought craftely <br>What were the worlde yf I were note <br>It were sone done as I well wote <br>The lawe of nature doth man bynde <br>Both beste foule and fysshe also <br>In theyr degre to do theyr kynde <br>Blame theym not yf they do so <br>For harde it is euer to ouer go <br>The kynde of nature in her degre <br>For euery thynge must shewe his proprete <br>Who of theyr propretes lyst to rede <br>Lete hym loke in the boke of barthelmewe <br>And to his scripture take good hede <br>That ryght nobly of theym do shewe <br>With all theyr actes beynge not a fewe <br>But wounderous many by alteracyon <br>For lyke hath lyke his operacyon <br>I nature norysshe by myn afflyccyon <br>Mannes humayne partyes superfyxcyall <br>And am the sprynge of his complexion <br>The fonteyne of his vaynes inferyall <br>To hym conserue moost dere and specyall <br>Though he were hardy & wyse he myzt not me forbere <br>Nor fortune without me auayleth not hym a pere <br>Wherfore dame Iustyce be you now indyfferent <br>Consydre that I am moost dere and lefe <br>Unto euery man that is eliquylent <br>And aboue all medycyns to hym moost chefe <br>And by my strongh vnto hym relefe <br>In his dysease wherfore as thynke me <br>I ought of reason to haue the soueraynte <br>Than spake dame Iustyce with meke contena&#363;ce <br>I wyll all your contrauersy now redresse <br>For I of your reasons haue good perseueraunce <br>And after your cases both more and lesse <br>Wherfore I Iustyce by good ryghtwysnesse <br>Gyue now vpon you a fynall Iugement <br>That ye foure agree by a hole assent <br>Man for to please at euery houre <br>Without dysgrement or contradiccyon <br>And in his nede to do hym socoure <br>With louynge herte and true affeccyon <br>He shall be in your good iurysdyccyon <br>And you of hym shall be copertyners <br>Both of his lyfe and of his maners <br>Than sayd dame hardynes I agre therto <br>And so do I than sayd dame Sapyence <br>Than sayd dame Fortune I also do <br>Agre vnto dame Iustyce sentence <br>And I dame Nature wyll do my dylygence <br>Lyke as ye do man for to please <br>And hym to strength in his dysease <br>With that dame Iustyce vp arose <br>Unto the ladyes byddynge fare well <br>And went into her chaumbre close <br>I cleped conscyence wher she dyd dwell <br>As dame Dyscrecyon dyd me tell <br>Than hardynes & fortune went downe the stayre<br>And after theym Nature so clere and fayre.</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=521155" data-title="The Example of Vertu : Cantos I.-VII. de Stephen Hawes" data-description="Here begynneth the boke called the example of vertu. The prologe. Whan I aduert in my remembraunce The famous draughtes of poetes eloquent Whiche theyr myndes dyd well enhaunce Bokes to contryue that were expedyent To be remembred without Im..."></div> </div> </div>

solid border dashed border dotted border double border groove border ridge border inset border outset border no border blue green red purple cyan gold silver black