¶ Ofte is it seen with sobre contenaunce¶ That wyse men fooles ouercome ay¶ Tornyng as hem lyst & all her varyaunce¶ Chaunge from ernest in to mery play¶ What were they bothe amendeth that day¶ When they were dreuen to her wyttes ende¶ Were they not fayne to graunt to be his frende¶ Ryght soo fooles when they haue done¶ All that they can than be they fayne¶ Gyue vp hed mater to oblyuyone¶ Without rewarde they haue no more brayne¶ And yet ful ofte hath hit be sayne¶ When they it haue foryete & set at nought¶ That they full dere haue afterwarde it bought¶ And as for all tho that represent¶ To be called goddys at that banket¶ Resemble false ydollys but to his entent¶ Was Morpleus commaunded thyder the to fet¶ That thou sholdest know the maner & the get¶ Of the paynym law and of her byleue¶ How false ydolatry ledeth hem by the sleue¶ For soone vppon the worldys creacyon¶ When Adam and Eve had broke the precept¶ Whiche clerkes call the tyme of deuyacyon¶ The worldly people in paynym law slept¶ Tyll moyses vndergod the tables of stone kept¶ In whiche tyme Poetes feyned many a fable¶ To dyscrete Reason ryght acceptable¶ And to the entent that they sholde sounde¶ To the eeres of hem the more pleasantly¶ That theymsholde rede or here the yaue theyma grounde¶ And addid names vnto theymnaturally¶ Of whom they spake & callid hemgoddis hy¶ Some for the strength & myght of her nature¶ And some for her sotyll wytty coniecture¶ By nature thus as the seuen planettes¶ Haue her propre names by Astronomeres¶ But goddys were they called by old Poetes¶ For her gret feruency of werkyng in her speres¶ Experyence preueth this at all yeres¶ And for as other that goddys called be¶ For sotyll wytte that shall I teche the¶ How they by that hyghe name of god cam¶ In this sayd tyme the people was so rude¶ That what maner creature man or woman¶ Coude ony newelte contryue and conclude¶ For the comon wele all the multytude¶ Of the comon people a god sholde hym call¶ Or a goddesse after hit was fall¶ Of the same thyng that was so newefounde¶ As Ceres for she the crafte of tylthe fonde¶ Wherby more plentouously corne dyd habounde¶ The people her called thrugh out euery londe¶ Goddesse of corne wendyng in her honde¶ Had layn all power of cornes habundaunce¶ Thus werethePaynems deceyued by ignoraunce¶ In lyke maner Isys was called the goddesse¶ Of frute for she fyrst made it multuply¶ By the name of graffyng & soo by processe¶ The name of Pan gan to deyfy¶ For he fyrst founde the mene shepe to guy¶ Some toke it also by her condycyon¶ As Pluto Fortune and suche other doon¶ Thus all that Poetes put vnder couerture¶ Of fable the rurall people hit toke¶ Properly asacterefusyng the fygure¶ Which errour some of hem neuer forsoke¶ Ofte a false myrour deceyueth a mannes loke¶ As thou mayst dayly pryue at thyne ey¶ Thus were the paynyms deceyued generally¶ That seyng the dedely enemy of mankynde¶ By his pouer premyssyue entred the ymagys¶ Within the Temples to make the people blynde¶ In her ydolatry standyng on hyghe stagys¶ Insomoche whoo vsed daungerous passagys¶ Ony maner way by water or be londe¶ When hyd his sacryfyce his answere redy fonde¶ Thus duryng the tyme of deuyacion¶ From Adam to Moyses was ydolatry¶ Through the worlde vsed in comon opynyon¶ These were the goddys that thou there sy¶ And as for the awayters that stood hem by¶ They polytyke Phylosophers & Poetes were¶ Whiche feyned the fablesthatI speke of here¶ Then seased the tyme of deuyacyon¶ When Moyses receyued that tables of stone¶ Entryng the tyme of reuocacyon¶ On the mounte of Synay stondyng allone¶ God yaue hym myght ayene all his fone¶ And then began the olde testament¶ Whiche to the people by Moyses was sent¶ And that tyme dured the Incarnacyon¶ Of Cryste and then began it to sese¶ For then came the tyme of reconcylyacyon¶ Of man to god I tell the doutlese¶ When the sone of man put hym in prese¶ Wylfully to suffre dethe for mankynde¶ In holy scrypture this mayst thou fynde¶ This Reconcylyacyon was the tyme of grace¶ When founded was the chirche vponthatfayre stone¶ And to holy Peter the keye delyuered was¶ Of heuen hell dyspoyled was anone¶ Thys was mankynde delyuered from his fone¶Andthen began the newe testament[3]¶ Whiche .iii. tymes a sondry dyuyded¶ Mayst thou here see yf thou lyst beholde¶ The fyrst behynde the in pyctureisprouyded¶ The seconde of the lyft honde shew prophet olde¶ The .iii. on the ryght honde here it is tothetolde¶ Thus hast thou in vysyon the verey fygure¶ Of these .iii. tymes here shewed in portrayture¶ That is to say fyrst of deuyacyon¶ From Adam to Moyses recordyng scripture¶ Seconde fro Moyses to the Incarnacyon¶ Of Cryst kepeth reuocacyon cure¶ And as for the thyrd thou mayst be verrey sure¶ Wylt dure from thens to the worldes ende¶ But now the .iiii. must thou haue in mynde¶ Whiche is callid properlythetyme of pylgremage¶ After some & some named it otherwyse¶ And call hit the tyme of daungerous passage¶ And some of werre that fully hit dyspyse¶ But what so it be named I wyll the auyse¶ Remembre it well and prynte it in thy mynde¶ Wherof the fygure mayst thou me behynde¶ And elles remembre thyselfe in thyne herte¶ How Vyce & Vertue dayly theym occupy¶ In maner one of hem hym to peruerte¶ Another to bryng hym to endeles glory¶ Thus they contynue fyght for the vyctory¶ Hit is no nede herof to tell the more¶ For in this short vysyonthouhast seen it before¶ And as for Attropos greuous compleynt¶ Vnto the goddys betokeneth noo more¶ But oonly to shew the how frendely constreynt¶ On a stedfast herte weyeth full sore¶ Good wyll requyreth good wyll ayene therfore¶ Dyscorde to deth hathe ay byn a frende¶ For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende¶ Wherfore Dethe thought he wolde auenged be¶ On his frendes quarell yf that he myghte¶ For her gret vnkyndnesse is somoche as she¶ Was among hem all had so in despyte¶ And at that ba[n]ket made of soo lyte¶ Which caused hym among hemto cast in a bone¶ That founde theymgnawyng ynough euerichone¶ Thus ofte is seen on frende for a nother¶ Wyll say & doo and some tyme maters feyne¶ And also kynnysmen a cosyne or a brother¶ Wyll for his alyer he haue cause compleyne¶ And where that he loueth doo his besy peyne¶ His frendes mater as his owne to take¶ Whiche oft sythe causeth mychyll sorow awake¶ Be hit ryght or wrong he chargeth not a myteAp towarde that poynt he taketh lytyll hede¶ So that he may haue his frowarde appetytePerformed he careth not how his soule spede (note¶ Of God or Deuyll haue suche lytyll drede¶ How be it one there is that lord is of all¶ Whiche to euery wyght at last rewarde shall¶ And as forthebatayl betwene Vertu holde¶ Soo playnly appereth to the inwardly¶ To make exposycyon therof new or olde¶ Were but superfluyte therefore refuse hit I¶ In man shall thou fyndethatwere kept dayly¶ Lyke asthouhast seen it fowty[u]e before thy face¶ The pycture me behyndesheweth it inlytyll space¶ And as for Macrocosme it is nomore to say¶ But the lesse worlde to the comon entent¶ Whiche applyed is to man both nyght & day¶ Soo is man the felde to which all were sent¶ On bothe partyes & they that thyder went¶ Sygnyfye nomore but after the condycyon¶ Of euery manes opynyon¶ And as for the noble knygt Perseueraunce¶ Which gate the felde when it was almost gone¶ Betokeneth nomore but the contynuaunce¶ Of vertuous lyvyng tyll dethe hath auergone¶ Who soo wyll doo rewarded is anone¶ As Vertue was with the crowne on hywhiche is noo more but euerlastyng glory¶ And as for Prestynacyon[4]¶ That eche of hem rewarded after his deserte¶ Is to vnderstonde nomore but dampnacyon¶ To vycyous people is the verey scourge smert¶ Rewarde for they fro Vertue wolde peruert¶ And endelesse Ioye is to hem that be electe¶ Rewarded & to all that folow the same secte¶ And as for the keyes of the posternes fyueWhiche were to Morpleusrewarded for his laboure¶ Sygnyfye not elles but whyle man is on lyue¶ His fyue inwarde wyttes shall be euery hour¶ In his slepe occupyed in hele & in langour¶ With fantasyes tryfels Illusyons & dremes¶ Whiche Poetes call Morpleus stremes¶ And as for Residiuacyon is nomore to say¶ But after Confessyon tornyng ayene to synne¶ Whiche to euery man retornyth sauns delay¶ To vycyous lyuyng agayn hym to wynne¶ Whyle ony man lyueth wyll it neuer blynne¶ That cursed conclusyon for to bryng aboute¶ But Reason with Sadnes kepe it styll oute¶ Here hast thou properly the verrey sentence¶ Perde now declared of this vysyon¶ The pycture also yeueth clere intellygence¶ Therof beholden with good dyscresyon¶ Loke well aboute and take consyderasyon¶ As I haue declared whether hit soo be¶ A syr quoth Morpleus what tolde I the¶ Hast thou properly the verey sentence¶ Loke on yon wall yonder before¶ And all that tyme stood I in a wyre¶ Whiche way first myn hert wolde yeue more¶ To loke in a stody stood I therfore¶ Neuerthelesse at last as Morpleus me badde¶ I loked forwarde with contenaunce sadde¶ Where I beheld in portrayture¶ The maner of the felde euen as it wasShewed me before & euery creature¶ On bothe sydes beyng drawyng in small space¶ Soo caryously in soo lytyll a compace¶ In all this worlde was neuer thyng wrought¶ Hit were Impossyble in erthe to be thought¶ And when I had long beholde that pycture¶ What quod Morpleus how longe shalte thou loke¶ Daryng as a dastard on yon portrayture:¶ Come of for shame thy wytte stante a croke¶ I heryng that myn herte to me toke¶ Towarde the fourthe wall tornyng my vysage¶ Where I sawe Poetes & Phylosophers sage¶ Many one moo that at the banket¶ Serued the goddes as I sayde before¶ Som were made standyng & som in chayris set¶ Som lokyng on bokys as they had stodyed sore¶ Som drawyng almenakis & in her hondis bore¶ Astyrlabes takyng the altytude of the sonne¶ Among whome Dyogenes sate in a tonne¶ And as I was lokyng on that fourthe wall¶ Of Dyogenes beholdyng the ymage¶ Sodeynly Doctryne began me to call¶ And bad me tourne towarde hyr my vysage¶ And soo then I dyde with humble corage¶ Whan thynkestthoushe sayd hastthounot thentent¶ Yet of these foure walles what they represent¶ The pycture on the fyrstthatstandeth at my bake¶ Sheweth thethepresent tyme of pylgremage¶ Of whiche before I vnto the spake¶ Whiche is the tyme of daungerous passage¶ The seconde dyscrettly agayne my vysage¶ The tyme expresseth of Deuyacyon¶ Whyle paynyme lawe had the domynacyon¶ The thryd wall standyng on my lyfe honde¶ The tyme representeth of Reuocacyon¶ And the fourthe standyng on my ryght honde¶ Determyneth the tyme of Reconsylyacyon¶ This is the effecte of thy vysyon¶ Wherfore the nedeth no more theron to muse¶ Hit were but veyne thy wyttes to dysuse¶ But duryng the tym of Reconsylyacyon¶ Thy tyme of pylgremage loke wellthouspende¶ And thenwollgracyous Predestynacyon¶ Bryng the to glory at thy law ende¶ And euen with that came to my mynde¶ My fyrst conclusyon that I was aboute¶ To haue dreuen er slepe made me to lute¶ That is to say how Sensualyte¶WithReason to acorde myght be brought aboute¶ Whiche caused me to knele downe on my kne¶ And beseke Doctryne determyne that doute¶ Oo Lord god sayd Doctryne canstthounot withoute¶ Me that conclusyon bryng to an ende¶ Ferre is fro the wytte & ferther good mende¶ And euen with that Dethe gan appere¶ Shewyng hymselfe as though that he wolde¶ His darte haue occupyed within that herbere¶ But there was none for hym yong nor olde¶ Saue oonly I Doctrine hym tolde¶ And when I herde hyr with hym comon thus¶ I me withdrew behynde Morpleus.¶ Dredyng full sore lest he with his dart.¶ Through Doctrynes wordes ony entresse.¶ In me wolde haue had or claymed ony part¶ Which sholde haue caused me grete heuynesse¶ Within whiche tyme & short processe¶ Came thyder Reason and Sensualyte.¶ A quoth Doctryne ryght welcome be ye¶ Hit is not long sythe we of you spake¶ Ye must er ye goo determyne a doute¶ And euen with that she the mater brake¶ To theym & tolde hit euery where aboute¶ I wolde haue be thens yf I had moute¶ For fere I loked as blake as a cole¶ I wolde haue cropen in a mouse hole¶ What quoth Doctryne where is he now¶ That meu[i]d this mater straunge & dyffuse¶ He is a cowarde I make myn auow¶ He hyded his hede his mocyon to refuse¶ Blame hym not quod Reason alwaythatto vse¶ When he seeth Dethe soo nere at his honde¶ Yet is his part hym to withstonde¶ Or at the leste way elles frohymflee¶ As longe as he may who dooth other wyse¶ Is an ydeote quoth Sensualytee¶ Who dredeth not Dethe wyse men hym dyspyse¶ What said Doctryne how long hathe this gyse¶ Be holden & vsed thus atwixe you tweyne¶ Ye were not wonte to acorde certeyne¶ Yes quoth Reason in this poynt alway¶ To euery man haue we yeuen our counsayll¶ Dethe for to flee as long as they may¶ Although wo otherwyse haue done our trauayl¶ Eche other to represse yet withoute fayll¶ In that poynt oonly dyscordeth we neuer¶ Thus condescended therin be we for euer¶ Aha sayd Doctryne then is the conclusyon¶ Clerely determined of the gret doute¶ That here wes meuyd & halfe in derysyon¶ She me then called & bade me loke oute¶ Come forthe she sayd & feere not this route¶ And euen with that Reason & Sensualyte¶ And Dethe fro thens were vanysshed all thre¶ Then loked I forthe as Doctryne me badde¶ When Dethe was gone me thought I was bolde¶ To shewe myselfe but yet was I sadde¶ Me thought my doute was not as I wolde¶ Clerely and openly declared & tolde¶ Hit sowned to me as a parable¶ Derke as amysteor a fayned fable¶ And Doctryne my conceyte gan espy¶ Wherfore sayd she standest thou soo styll¶ Wherin is thy thought arte thou in stody¶ Of thy questyon hast thou not thy fyll¶ To the declared tell me thy wyll.¶ Herdest thou not Reason & Sensualyte¶ Declared thy doute here before the¶ Forsothe quoth I I herde what they sayde¶ But neuerthelesse my wytte is so thynne¶ And also of Dethe I was so afrayde¶ That hit is out where hit vent ynne¶ And so that mater can I not wynne¶ Without your helpe & benyuolence¶ Therof to expresse the veray sentence¶ Well quod Doctryne then yeue attendaunce¶ Vnto my wordes & thou shalt here¶ Openly declared the concordaunce¶ Atwene Sensualyte & Reason in fere¶ If thou take hede hit clerely dooth apere¶ How they were knette in one opynyon¶ Bothe agayn Dethe helde contradyccon¶ Whiche concordaunce no more sygnyfyeth¶ To playne vnderstandyng but in euery mane¶ Bothe Sensualyte & Reason applyeth¶ Rather Dethe to flee then with hir to be tane¶ Loo in that poynt accorde they holly thane¶ And in all other they clerely dyscorde¶ Thus is trewly set thy doubtfull monacorde¶ I heryng that kneled on my kne¶ And thanked her lowly for her dyscyplyne¶ That she wouchesafe of her benygnyte¶ Of tho gret doubtes me to enlumyne¶ Well was she worthy to be called Doctryne¶ If it had be no more but for the solucyon¶ Of my demaunde & of this straunge vysyon¶ And as I with myne hede began for to bow¶ As me well ought to do her reuerence¶ She thens departed I can not tell how¶ But within a moment gone was she thens¶ Then sayd Morpleus let vs go hens¶ what sholde we here tarye lengere¶ Hast thou not herde a generall answere¶ To all thy materes that thou lyst to meue¶ My tyme draweth nere that I must rest¶ And euen therewith he toke me by the sleue¶ And sayd goo we hens for that sholde I best¶ As good is ynough as a grete fest¶ Thou hast seen ynough holde the content¶ And euen withthatforthe with hym I went¶ Tyll he had me brought agene to my bedde¶ where he me founde and thenpryuely¶ He stale awaye I coude not vnderstande¶ were he became but sodeynly¶ As he came he went I tell you veryly¶ whiche done fro slepe I gan to awake¶ My body all in swet began for to shake¶ For drede of the syght that I had sene¶ wenyng to me all had be trew¶ Actuelly done where I had bene¶ That batyll holde twene Vyce & Vertew¶ But when I see hit hit was but a whew¶ A dreme a fantasy & a thyng of nought¶ To study thereon I had nomore thought¶ Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke¶ For what cause shewed was this vysyon¶ I knew not wherefore I toke pen & ynke¶ And paper therof to make mencyon¶ In wrytyng takyng consyderacyon¶ That noo defaute were found in me¶ whereon accused I ought for to be¶ For slouthe that I had left hit vntolde¶ Neyther by mouthe nor in remembraunce¶ Put it in wrytyng where thorugh manyfolde¶ wayes of accusacionmyght torne me to greuaunce¶ All this I sawe as I lay in a traunce¶ But wheder it was with myne ey bodely¶ Or not in certayn god knoweth & not I¶ That to dyscerne I purpose not to dele¶ Soo large by my wyll it longeth not to me¶ were hit dreme or vysyon for your owne wele¶ All that shall hit rede here rad or se¶ Take thereof the best & let the worst be¶ Try out the corne clene from the chaffAnd then may ye say ye have a sure staff¶ To stande by at nede of ye wyll it holde¶ And walke by the way of Vertue¶ But alwey beware be ye yong or olde¶ That your Frewyll ay to Vertue more¶ Apply than to Vyce the easyer may be bore¶ The burden of the felde that ye dayly fyght¶ Agayn your .iii. enemyes for all her gret myght¶ That is to say the Deuyll & the Flesshe¶ And also the worlde with hith his glosyng chere¶ Whyche on you loketh euer newe & fresshe¶ But he is not as he dooth apere¶ Loke ye kepe you ay out of his daungere¶ And soo the vyctory shall ye obteyne¶ Vyce fro you exyled & Vertue in you reyne¶ And then shall ye haue the trumphall guerdon¶ That god reserued to euery creature¶ Aboue in his celestyall mansyon¶ Ioye & blysse infynyte eternally to endure¶ Wherof we say we wolde fayne be sure¶ But the way thyderwarde to holde be we lothe¶ That oft sythe causeththegood lord to be wrothe¶ And by our deserte our habytacyon chaungeth¶ Fro Ioye to payne & woo perpetuelly¶ From his gloryous syght thus he vs estraungeth¶ For our vycyous lyuyng thorugh our owne foly¶ Wherfore let vs praye to that lorde of glory¶ Whyle we in erthe bethathe wyll yeue vs grace¶ So vs here to guyde that we may haue a place¶ Accordyng to oure Regeneracyon¶ Which heuenly spyrytes his name to magnyfy.¶ Whiche downe descendeth for oure redempcyon¶ Offryng hymselfe on the crosse to his faderon hy¶ Now benygne Ihesu that boren was of Mary¶ All that to this vysyon haue gyuenher audyence¶ Graunte eternal Ioye after thy last sentenceA M E N¶ Here endeth a lytyll Treatysenamed The assemble of goddes
¶ Ofte is it seen with sobre contenaunce¶ That wyse men fooles ouercome ay¶ Tornyng as hem lyst & all her varyaunce¶ Chaunge from ernest in to mery play¶ What were they bothe amendeth that day¶ When they were dreuen to her wyttes ende¶ Were they not fayne to graunt to be his frende
¶ Ryght soo fooles when they haue done¶ All that they can than be they fayne¶ Gyue vp hed mater to oblyuyone¶ Without rewarde they haue no more brayne¶ And yet ful ofte hath hit be sayne¶ When they it haue foryete & set at nought¶ That they full dere haue afterwarde it bought
¶ And as for all tho that represent¶ To be called goddys at that banket¶ Resemble false ydollys but to his entent¶ Was Morpleus commaunded thyder the to fet¶ That thou sholdest know the maner & the get¶ Of the paynym law and of her byleue¶ How false ydolatry ledeth hem by the sleue
¶ For soone vppon the worldys creacyon¶ When Adam and Eve had broke the precept¶ Whiche clerkes call the tyme of deuyacyon¶ The worldly people in paynym law slept¶ Tyll moyses vndergod the tables of stone kept¶ In whiche tyme Poetes feyned many a fable¶ To dyscrete Reason ryght acceptable
¶ And to the entent that they sholde sounde¶ To the eeres of hem the more pleasantly¶ That theymsholde rede or here the yaue theyma grounde¶ And addid names vnto theymnaturally¶ Of whom they spake & callid hemgoddis hy¶ Some for the strength & myght of her nature¶ And some for her sotyll wytty coniecture
¶ By nature thus as the seuen planettes¶ Haue her propre names by Astronomeres¶ But goddys were they called by old Poetes¶ For her gret feruency of werkyng in her speres¶ Experyence preueth this at all yeres¶ And for as other that goddys called be¶ For sotyll wytte that shall I teche the
¶ How they by that hyghe name of god cam¶ In this sayd tyme the people was so rude¶ That what maner creature man or woman¶ Coude ony newelte contryue and conclude¶ For the comon wele all the multytude¶ Of the comon people a god sholde hym call¶ Or a goddesse after hit was fall
¶ Of the same thyng that was so newefounde¶ As Ceres for she the crafte of tylthe fonde¶ Wherby more plentouously corne dyd habounde¶ The people her called thrugh out euery londe¶ Goddesse of corne wendyng in her honde¶ Had layn all power of cornes habundaunce¶ Thus werethePaynems deceyued by ignoraunce
¶ In lyke maner Isys was called the goddesse¶ Of frute for she fyrst made it multuply¶ By the name of graffyng & soo by processe¶ The name of Pan gan to deyfy¶ For he fyrst founde the mene shepe to guy¶ Some toke it also by her condycyon¶ As Pluto Fortune and suche other doon
¶ Thus all that Poetes put vnder couerture¶ Of fable the rurall people hit toke¶ Properly asacterefusyng the fygure¶ Which errour some of hem neuer forsoke¶ Ofte a false myrour deceyueth a mannes loke¶ As thou mayst dayly pryue at thyne ey¶ Thus were the paynyms deceyued generally
¶ That seyng the dedely enemy of mankynde¶ By his pouer premyssyue entred the ymagys¶ Within the Temples to make the people blynde¶ In her ydolatry standyng on hyghe stagys¶ Insomoche whoo vsed daungerous passagys¶ Ony maner way by water or be londe¶ When hyd his sacryfyce his answere redy fonde
¶ Thus duryng the tyme of deuyacion¶ From Adam to Moyses was ydolatry¶ Through the worlde vsed in comon opynyon¶ These were the goddys that thou there sy¶ And as for the awayters that stood hem by¶ They polytyke Phylosophers & Poetes were¶ Whiche feyned the fablesthatI speke of here
¶ Then seased the tyme of deuyacyon¶ When Moyses receyued that tables of stone¶ Entryng the tyme of reuocacyon¶ On the mounte of Synay stondyng allone¶ God yaue hym myght ayene all his fone¶ And then began the olde testament¶ Whiche to the people by Moyses was sent
¶ And that tyme dured the Incarnacyon¶ Of Cryste and then began it to sese¶ For then came the tyme of reconcylyacyon¶ Of man to god I tell the doutlese¶ When the sone of man put hym in prese¶ Wylfully to suffre dethe for mankynde¶ In holy scrypture this mayst thou fynde
¶ This Reconcylyacyon was the tyme of grace¶ When founded was the chirche vponthatfayre stone¶ And to holy Peter the keye delyuered was¶ Of heuen hell dyspoyled was anone¶ Thys was mankynde delyuered from his fone¶Andthen began the newe testament[3]
¶ Whiche .iii. tymes a sondry dyuyded¶ Mayst thou here see yf thou lyst beholde¶ The fyrst behynde the in pyctureisprouyded¶ The seconde of the lyft honde shew prophet olde¶ The .iii. on the ryght honde here it is tothetolde¶ Thus hast thou in vysyon the verey fygure¶ Of these .iii. tymes here shewed in portrayture
¶ That is to say fyrst of deuyacyon¶ From Adam to Moyses recordyng scripture¶ Seconde fro Moyses to the Incarnacyon¶ Of Cryst kepeth reuocacyon cure¶ And as for the thyrd thou mayst be verrey sure¶ Wylt dure from thens to the worldes ende¶ But now the .iiii. must thou haue in mynde
¶ Whiche is callid properlythetyme of pylgremage¶ After some & some named it otherwyse¶ And call hit the tyme of daungerous passage¶ And some of werre that fully hit dyspyse¶ But what so it be named I wyll the auyse¶ Remembre it well and prynte it in thy mynde¶ Wherof the fygure mayst thou me behynde
¶ And elles remembre thyselfe in thyne herte¶ How Vyce & Vertue dayly theym occupy¶ In maner one of hem hym to peruerte¶ Another to bryng hym to endeles glory¶ Thus they contynue fyght for the vyctory¶ Hit is no nede herof to tell the more¶ For in this short vysyonthouhast seen it before
¶ And as for Attropos greuous compleynt¶ Vnto the goddys betokeneth noo more¶ But oonly to shew the how frendely constreynt¶ On a stedfast herte weyeth full sore¶ Good wyll requyreth good wyll ayene therfore¶ Dyscorde to deth hathe ay byn a frende¶ For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende
¶ Wherfore Dethe thought he wolde auenged be¶ On his frendes quarell yf that he myghte¶ For her gret vnkyndnesse is somoche as she¶ Was among hem all had so in despyte¶ And at that ba[n]ket made of soo lyte¶ Which caused hym among hemto cast in a bone¶ That founde theymgnawyng ynough euerichone
¶ Thus ofte is seen on frende for a nother¶ Wyll say & doo and some tyme maters feyne¶ And also kynnysmen a cosyne or a brother¶ Wyll for his alyer he haue cause compleyne¶ And where that he loueth doo his besy peyne¶ His frendes mater as his owne to take¶ Whiche oft sythe causeth mychyll sorow awake
¶ Be hit ryght or wrong he chargeth not a myteAp towarde that poynt he taketh lytyll hede¶ So that he may haue his frowarde appetytePerformed he careth not how his soule spede (note¶ Of God or Deuyll haue suche lytyll drede¶ How be it one there is that lord is of all¶ Whiche to euery wyght at last rewarde shall
¶ And as forthebatayl betwene Vertu holde¶ Soo playnly appereth to the inwardly¶ To make exposycyon therof new or olde¶ Were but superfluyte therefore refuse hit I¶ In man shall thou fyndethatwere kept dayly¶ Lyke asthouhast seen it fowty[u]e before thy face¶ The pycture me behyndesheweth it inlytyll space
¶ And as for Macrocosme it is nomore to say¶ But the lesse worlde to the comon entent¶ Whiche applyed is to man both nyght & day¶ Soo is man the felde to which all were sent¶ On bothe partyes & they that thyder went¶ Sygnyfye nomore but after the condycyon¶ Of euery manes opynyon
¶ And as for the noble knygt Perseueraunce¶ Which gate the felde when it was almost gone¶ Betokeneth nomore but the contynuaunce¶ Of vertuous lyvyng tyll dethe hath auergone¶ Who soo wyll doo rewarded is anone¶ As Vertue was with the crowne on hywhiche is noo more but euerlastyng glory
¶ And as for Prestynacyon[4]¶ That eche of hem rewarded after his deserte¶ Is to vnderstonde nomore but dampnacyon¶ To vycyous people is the verey scourge smert¶ Rewarde for they fro Vertue wolde peruert¶ And endelesse Ioye is to hem that be electe¶ Rewarded & to all that folow the same secte
¶ And as for the keyes of the posternes fyueWhiche were to Morpleusrewarded for his laboure¶ Sygnyfye not elles but whyle man is on lyue¶ His fyue inwarde wyttes shall be euery hour¶ In his slepe occupyed in hele & in langour¶ With fantasyes tryfels Illusyons & dremes¶ Whiche Poetes call Morpleus stremes
¶ And as for Residiuacyon is nomore to say¶ But after Confessyon tornyng ayene to synne¶ Whiche to euery man retornyth sauns delay¶ To vycyous lyuyng agayn hym to wynne¶ Whyle ony man lyueth wyll it neuer blynne¶ That cursed conclusyon for to bryng aboute¶ But Reason with Sadnes kepe it styll oute
¶ Here hast thou properly the verrey sentence¶ Perde now declared of this vysyon¶ The pycture also yeueth clere intellygence¶ Therof beholden with good dyscresyon¶ Loke well aboute and take consyderasyon¶ As I haue declared whether hit soo be¶ A syr quoth Morpleus what tolde I the
¶ Hast thou properly the verey sentence¶ Loke on yon wall yonder before¶ And all that tyme stood I in a wyre¶ Whiche way first myn hert wolde yeue more¶ To loke in a stody stood I therfore¶ Neuerthelesse at last as Morpleus me badde¶ I loked forwarde with contenaunce sadde
¶ Where I beheld in portrayture¶ The maner of the felde euen as it wasShewed me before & euery creature¶ On bothe sydes beyng drawyng in small space¶ Soo caryously in soo lytyll a compace¶ In all this worlde was neuer thyng wrought¶ Hit were Impossyble in erthe to be thought
¶ And when I had long beholde that pycture¶ What quod Morpleus how longe shalte thou loke¶ Daryng as a dastard on yon portrayture:¶ Come of for shame thy wytte stante a croke¶ I heryng that myn herte to me toke¶ Towarde the fourthe wall tornyng my vysage¶ Where I sawe Poetes & Phylosophers sage
¶ Many one moo that at the banket¶ Serued the goddes as I sayde before¶ Som were made standyng & som in chayris set¶ Som lokyng on bokys as they had stodyed sore¶ Som drawyng almenakis & in her hondis bore¶ Astyrlabes takyng the altytude of the sonne¶ Among whome Dyogenes sate in a tonne
¶ And as I was lokyng on that fourthe wall¶ Of Dyogenes beholdyng the ymage¶ Sodeynly Doctryne began me to call¶ And bad me tourne towarde hyr my vysage¶ And soo then I dyde with humble corage¶ Whan thynkestthoushe sayd hastthounot thentent¶ Yet of these foure walles what they represent
¶ The pycture on the fyrstthatstandeth at my bake¶ Sheweth thethepresent tyme of pylgremage¶ Of whiche before I vnto the spake¶ Whiche is the tyme of daungerous passage¶ The seconde dyscrettly agayne my vysage¶ The tyme expresseth of Deuyacyon¶ Whyle paynyme lawe had the domynacyon
¶ The thryd wall standyng on my lyfe honde¶ The tyme representeth of Reuocacyon¶ And the fourthe standyng on my ryght honde¶ Determyneth the tyme of Reconsylyacyon¶ This is the effecte of thy vysyon¶ Wherfore the nedeth no more theron to muse¶ Hit were but veyne thy wyttes to dysuse
¶ But duryng the tym of Reconsylyacyon¶ Thy tyme of pylgremage loke wellthouspende¶ And thenwollgracyous Predestynacyon¶ Bryng the to glory at thy law ende¶ And euen with that came to my mynde¶ My fyrst conclusyon that I was aboute¶ To haue dreuen er slepe made me to lute
¶ That is to say how Sensualyte¶WithReason to acorde myght be brought aboute¶ Whiche caused me to knele downe on my kne¶ And beseke Doctryne determyne that doute¶ Oo Lord god sayd Doctryne canstthounot withoute¶ Me that conclusyon bryng to an ende¶ Ferre is fro the wytte & ferther good mende
¶ And euen with that Dethe gan appere¶ Shewyng hymselfe as though that he wolde¶ His darte haue occupyed within that herbere¶ But there was none for hym yong nor olde¶ Saue oonly I Doctrine hym tolde¶ And when I herde hyr with hym comon thus¶ I me withdrew behynde Morpleus.
¶ Dredyng full sore lest he with his dart.¶ Through Doctrynes wordes ony entresse.¶ In me wolde haue had or claymed ony part¶ Which sholde haue caused me grete heuynesse¶ Within whiche tyme & short processe¶ Came thyder Reason and Sensualyte.¶ A quoth Doctryne ryght welcome be ye
¶ Hit is not long sythe we of you spake¶ Ye must er ye goo determyne a doute¶ And euen with that she the mater brake¶ To theym & tolde hit euery where aboute¶ I wolde haue be thens yf I had moute¶ For fere I loked as blake as a cole¶ I wolde haue cropen in a mouse hole
¶ What quoth Doctryne where is he now¶ That meu[i]d this mater straunge & dyffuse¶ He is a cowarde I make myn auow¶ He hyded his hede his mocyon to refuse¶ Blame hym not quod Reason alwaythatto vse¶ When he seeth Dethe soo nere at his honde¶ Yet is his part hym to withstonde
¶ Or at the leste way elles frohymflee¶ As longe as he may who dooth other wyse¶ Is an ydeote quoth Sensualytee¶ Who dredeth not Dethe wyse men hym dyspyse¶ What said Doctryne how long hathe this gyse¶ Be holden & vsed thus atwixe you tweyne¶ Ye were not wonte to acorde certeyne
¶ Yes quoth Reason in this poynt alway¶ To euery man haue we yeuen our counsayll¶ Dethe for to flee as long as they may¶ Although wo otherwyse haue done our trauayl¶ Eche other to represse yet withoute fayll¶ In that poynt oonly dyscordeth we neuer¶ Thus condescended therin be we for euer
¶ Aha sayd Doctryne then is the conclusyon¶ Clerely determined of the gret doute¶ That here wes meuyd & halfe in derysyon¶ She me then called & bade me loke oute¶ Come forthe she sayd & feere not this route¶ And euen with that Reason & Sensualyte¶ And Dethe fro thens were vanysshed all thre
¶ Then loked I forthe as Doctryne me badde¶ When Dethe was gone me thought I was bolde¶ To shewe myselfe but yet was I sadde¶ Me thought my doute was not as I wolde¶ Clerely and openly declared & tolde¶ Hit sowned to me as a parable¶ Derke as amysteor a fayned fable
¶ And Doctryne my conceyte gan espy¶ Wherfore sayd she standest thou soo styll¶ Wherin is thy thought arte thou in stody¶ Of thy questyon hast thou not thy fyll¶ To the declared tell me thy wyll.¶ Herdest thou not Reason & Sensualyte¶ Declared thy doute here before the
¶ Forsothe quoth I I herde what they sayde¶ But neuerthelesse my wytte is so thynne¶ And also of Dethe I was so afrayde¶ That hit is out where hit vent ynne¶ And so that mater can I not wynne¶ Without your helpe & benyuolence¶ Therof to expresse the veray sentence
¶ Well quod Doctryne then yeue attendaunce¶ Vnto my wordes & thou shalt here¶ Openly declared the concordaunce¶ Atwene Sensualyte & Reason in fere¶ If thou take hede hit clerely dooth apere¶ How they were knette in one opynyon¶ Bothe agayn Dethe helde contradyccon
¶ Whiche concordaunce no more sygnyfyeth¶ To playne vnderstandyng but in euery mane¶ Bothe Sensualyte & Reason applyeth¶ Rather Dethe to flee then with hir to be tane¶ Loo in that poynt accorde they holly thane¶ And in all other they clerely dyscorde¶ Thus is trewly set thy doubtfull monacorde
¶ I heryng that kneled on my kne¶ And thanked her lowly for her dyscyplyne¶ That she wouchesafe of her benygnyte¶ Of tho gret doubtes me to enlumyne¶ Well was she worthy to be called Doctryne¶ If it had be no more but for the solucyon¶ Of my demaunde & of this straunge vysyon
¶ And as I with myne hede began for to bow¶ As me well ought to do her reuerence¶ She thens departed I can not tell how¶ But within a moment gone was she thens¶ Then sayd Morpleus let vs go hens¶ what sholde we here tarye lengere¶ Hast thou not herde a generall answere
¶ To all thy materes that thou lyst to meue¶ My tyme draweth nere that I must rest¶ And euen therewith he toke me by the sleue¶ And sayd goo we hens for that sholde I best¶ As good is ynough as a grete fest¶ Thou hast seen ynough holde the content¶ And euen withthatforthe with hym I went
¶ Tyll he had me brought agene to my bedde¶ where he me founde and thenpryuely¶ He stale awaye I coude not vnderstande¶ were he became but sodeynly¶ As he came he went I tell you veryly¶ whiche done fro slepe I gan to awake¶ My body all in swet began for to shake
¶ For drede of the syght that I had sene¶ wenyng to me all had be trew¶ Actuelly done where I had bene¶ That batyll holde twene Vyce & Vertew¶ But when I see hit hit was but a whew¶ A dreme a fantasy & a thyng of nought¶ To study thereon I had nomore thought
¶ Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke¶ For what cause shewed was this vysyon¶ I knew not wherefore I toke pen & ynke¶ And paper therof to make mencyon¶ In wrytyng takyng consyderacyon¶ That noo defaute were found in me¶ whereon accused I ought for to be
¶ For slouthe that I had left hit vntolde¶ Neyther by mouthe nor in remembraunce¶ Put it in wrytyng where thorugh manyfolde¶ wayes of accusacionmyght torne me to greuaunce¶ All this I sawe as I lay in a traunce¶ But wheder it was with myne ey bodely¶ Or not in certayn god knoweth & not I
¶ That to dyscerne I purpose not to dele¶ Soo large by my wyll it longeth not to me¶ were hit dreme or vysyon for your owne wele¶ All that shall hit rede here rad or se¶ Take thereof the best & let the worst be¶ Try out the corne clene from the chaffAnd then may ye say ye have a sure staff
¶ To stande by at nede of ye wyll it holde¶ And walke by the way of Vertue¶ But alwey beware be ye yong or olde¶ That your Frewyll ay to Vertue more¶ Apply than to Vyce the easyer may be bore¶ The burden of the felde that ye dayly fyght¶ Agayn your .iii. enemyes for all her gret myght
¶ That is to say the Deuyll & the Flesshe¶ And also the worlde with hith his glosyng chere¶ Whyche on you loketh euer newe & fresshe¶ But he is not as he dooth apere¶ Loke ye kepe you ay out of his daungere¶ And soo the vyctory shall ye obteyne¶ Vyce fro you exyled & Vertue in you reyne
¶ And then shall ye haue the trumphall guerdon¶ That god reserued to euery creature¶ Aboue in his celestyall mansyon¶ Ioye & blysse infynyte eternally to endure¶ Wherof we say we wolde fayne be sure¶ But the way thyderwarde to holde be we lothe¶ That oft sythe causeththegood lord to be wrothe
¶ And by our deserte our habytacyon chaungeth¶ Fro Ioye to payne & woo perpetuelly¶ From his gloryous syght thus he vs estraungeth¶ For our vycyous lyuyng thorugh our owne foly¶ Wherfore let vs praye to that lorde of glory¶ Whyle we in erthe bethathe wyll yeue vs grace¶ So vs here to guyde that we may haue a place
¶ Accordyng to oure Regeneracyon¶ Which heuenly spyrytes his name to magnyfy.¶ Whiche downe descendeth for oure redempcyon¶ Offryng hymselfe on the crosse to his faderon hy¶ Now benygne Ihesu that boren was of Mary¶ All that to this vysyon haue gyuenher audyence¶ Graunte eternal Ioye after thy last sentence
A M E N
¶ Here endeth a lytyll Treatysenamed The assemble of goddes