The court of sapience    


¶ Here beginneth the proheme of this present book.  

THe laborious & the most marvelous works  
Of sapience sith first reigned nature  
My purpose is to tell as written clerks  
And specially her most notable cure  
In my first book I will preach and depure  
It is so pleasant unto each person  
That it a book shall occupy alone   

Soon after this I shall wisdom describe  
Her blessed household/ and her dwelling place  
And than return unto her acts belive  
And she them wrought by time/ process & space  
All this matter she taught me of her grace  
I spoke with her/ as ye may here and read  
For in my dream I met her in a meed   

O clyo lady most facundyous  
O ravishing delight of eloquence  
O gylted gods gay and glorious  
inspired with the piercing influence  
Of delicate heavenly complacence  
Within my mouth let distill of thy showers  
And forge my tongue to glad mine audytoures   

Mine ignorance whom clouded hath eclipse  
With thy pure beams illumynyne all about  
Thy blessed breath let retleyre in my lips  
And with the dew of heaven thou them degoute  
So that my mouth may blow & incense out  
The redolent dulcour aromatic  
Of thy depured lusty rhetoric   

I know myself most naked in allactes  
My common vulgar eke most interupte  
And I conversant & borne in the parts  
Where my native language is most corrupt  
And with most sundry tongues mixed & rupte  
O lady mine wherefore I the beseech  
My muse amend/ dress/ forge/ minish & each   

For to all makers here I me excuse  
That I ne can delicately indite  
Rude is the speech of force/ which I must use  
Such infortunate my native birth may wite  
But O ye lords which have your delight  
In terms gay/ and been most eloquent  
This book to you no pleasance may present   

But nevertheless as tasted bitterness  
All sweet thing maketh be more precious  
So shall my book extend the goodliness  
Of other authors which been glorious  
And make their writing delicious  
I simple shall extol their sovereignty  
And my rudeness shall show their subtlety   

Gower chaucers earthly gods two  
Of thirst of eloquent delicacy  
With all your successors few or moo  
fragrant in speech/ expert in poetry  
You ne yet them in no point I envy  
Exiled as far I am from your glory  
As night from day/ or death from victory   

I you honour/ bliss/ love/ and glorify  
And to whose presence my book shall attain  
His hastyle doom I pray him modify  
And not detraye/ ne have it in disdain  
For I purpose no making for to disdain  
meek heart/ good tongue/ and spirit patient  
Who hath these three/ my book I him present   

And as him list let him detraye or add  
For sith I am constrained for to write  
By my sovereign/ and have a matter glad  
And can not please paint enourne ne indite  
Let ignorance and childhod have the wite  
I ask no more/ but god of his mercy  
My book confirm from slander and envy   
¶ Explicit prohenium.   


ALl busy swiming in the stormy flood  
Of fruitless worldly meditation  
To purpose late no thing seemed so good  
As to tell youth hath domination  
And for to put in sequestration  
Each other thing that him should cause unrest  
And thus to bed I went with thought my gest   

The chesplayer/ or he a man have drawn  
Hath only thought to make good purveyance  
For king or queen/ aulfyn/ knight/ or pawn  
Echone of these he hath in his remembrance  
So each estate and worldly governance  
In one escheker in my mind I saw  
But I ne wist what draft was best to draw   

first my desire was to have drawn my king  
At hearts lust in sure prosperity  
But in the che●●e I had espied 〈…〉  
The king to purpose may not pass his see  
To make him way/ or some pawn drawn be  
Than both to guide the king and pawns eke  
And all other my wits were to seek   

I thought how by moral philosophy  
The chess was found/ and set in diversity  
Of draft for a mirror of polocye  
The which virtue departed is in three  
first must man con himself rule in degree  
Eft his household/ and than in unyverse  
city and reign/ these been the three diverse   

Arystotell in his poletyke book  
The first of these saith height monestyca  
The second part/ who hath lust to look  
Of policy height yconomica  
The third party is cleped poletica  
But of all these sith I had never school  
To play at chess I me thought but a fool   

For in this board exchequer of my mind  
As I first put a man or to draw a draft  
first come the world with dame fortune unkind  
And said eschecke/ and so strongly they fought  
Against me that all my men were caught  
With their escheckes so touch they each estate  
That or I wist/ suddenly I was mate   

Than came reason/ and thus to me she said  
With moble fortune/ and false worldliness  
O fool of fools/ hast thou thy wit assayed  
With envy man to country them at chess  
Thou mayst not find a point of sickerness  
For in their draft all deceit is include  
Go forth quoth she/ a fool I the conclude   

Than was I woe/ and prayed a bone  
To teach me way unto dame sapience  
That she might learn me some discretion  
For well I know my proper negligence  
Mine ignorance/ mine insuffycence  
Far from all help/ for which I 'gan to weep  
Whiles at the last I fell upon a sleep   

Thus brought on sleep/ my spirit forth 'gan pass  
And brought I was me thought in a place desert  
In wilderness/ but I nyst where I was  
In moche darkness/ in caves/ in much covert  
With wild beasts in devouring expert  
Now would/ now water/ now hill/ now valaye  
Now wind/ now rain/ I knew no way   

The wild wolves after me sewen fast  
I would flee them/ butwell flee I ne might  
And of a way I was ware at the last  
Thorny and straight encomerous to the sight  
thither I went/ I was ware of a light  
But forth I throng with thorns all to rend  
And thanked god of light which he had sent   

Out from a meed most heavenly unto look  
About which ran a lusty river sweet  
A lady came/ and two with her she took  
I ran to her/ and lowly 'gan her great  
The water's name asked I/ she said quiet  
And soon she said/ my name is sapience  
intelligence this height/ and this science   

Unto all virtues we been ladies three  
Both in office/ and degree different  
It is my part to know divinity  
My sister here hath knowledge diligent  
Of creatures in heaven and earth content  
And dame science of things temporal  
Hath knowledge pure/ thus mayst thou know us all   

Of us all three I am the most sovereign  
And if the list me describe and define  
I am the true proper knowledge certain  
Of earthly thing/ and eke of thing divine  
Ay fresh and green/ & lusty is heart mine  
Though I seem young/ full old my years been  
For sapience in old folk is aye seen   

The desert place of fere/ through which thou come  
Is dreadful worldly occupation  
son leave that place & dwell with me at home  
Thou shalt have wit/ lust/ delectation  
Grace/ help/ life/ he'll/ and eterne salvation  
Now will I rest that travailed have all day  
For my labour is brought all unto play   

Glad was I though/ and on knee fell a down  
Held up mine hands/ & said I would full fain  
Her servant be with all subgeccyowne  
But lady mine masters/ and hold sovereign  
Quod I tell me your labour and your pain  
That ye so long have had/ I will said she  
give audience the gladder shalt thou be   

A doubtful prince most mighty & most dign  
〈…〉 excellent and most victorious  
Having a son and four daughters benign  
And a servant which with affectuous  
Love and desire he cherished in his house  
A commandment gave his servant in certain  
The which he broke/ and death should be his pain   

Four tormentors the king cleped to him  
Bad one him to put in prison sour  
An other should quick flay him lieth & limb  
The third kill him/ the fourth should him devour  
The four daughters heard tell of this rumour  
Whose names been mercy/ troth/ right/ and peas  
But mercy thought her faders Ire to cease   

She looked down in to the prison deep  
Her loved servant saw she sitting there  
For whom her heart 'gan both bleed & weep  
distilling tears disdained all her cheer  
She 'gan unlace her tressed sonnysshe here  
Naked her breast/ and for compassyoun  
Before her father on knees fell a down   

O merciful/ and o most merciable  
King of kings/ and father of pity  
Whose mighty mercy is immeasurable  
O prince eterne/ O benign lord quoth she  
To whom mercy is given of property  
Of thy servant that lieth in prison bound  
Have thou mercy or death mine heart will wound   

I am sovereign above thy works all  
I am the pure avaunt of thy godhead  
I am thy child/ thy gem celestial  
The minister of all thy godlyhede  
The substance that all mankind doth feed  
I am the treasure of thy deite  
O prince of peace my bone now grant thou me   

See how I sit dysshevelde on knee  
My crystal eyen/ se how their tears rain  
My rosy lips/ se how they pierced be  
The bemed cheer eke of my cheeks twain  
Se. how the tery river doth disdain  
My swannysshe throat with sighs in dystraynte  
My breast forbette/ se father all is faint   

And if thou wilt grant me yond prisoner  
And give me leave to lose him out of pain  
All this distress/ and all this mine heavy cheer  
To gladness thou might me restore again  
Thy high vengeance/ why should thou not restrain  
And show mercy sith he is penitent  
With that came troth/ & asked what it meant   

To troth than spoke her father reverent  
And said a servant which I loved best  
On pain of death I gave a commandment  
Which for to keep in him was all my trest  
But he it broke/ and as a proud traitor kest  
Me to supplaunt/ and I made my behest  
For his trespass he should die at the lest   

My daughter mercy prayeth with voice piteous  
I would forgive/ and on him have pity  
For sith my mercy is most copious  
I must it show/ thus argueth she to me  
Nay nay quod troth/ father it may not be  
Thou must of force observe thine own statute  
And thy promise fulfil for every fute   

Think that I am thy daughter verity  
That of all troth doth execution  
Withouten whom thine eterne deite  
Were unyat with imperfection  
Thy will is law/ thy promise is reason  
And sith thy will/ and thy promise also  
Was he should die thou mayst not go therefro   

For thy godlyhede put out all variance  
Stable thy sentence/ and thy Just judgement  
Let execute in deed the same penance  
That was forbroken of thy commandment  
Than said mercy/ unworthy is that assent  
For sans doubt every reasonable creature  
Without mercy may not live ne endure   

Know ye not well that I am sempyterne  
Quod mercy though/ how may ye me refrain  
I am lady above the heaven superne  
Though ye in earth be princess & sovereign  
My mighty grace is never void ne vain  
Ergo I must relieve servant penitent  
Save fro the death assoil this argument   

Right sensible & preygnaunt for your part  
Is that strong argument quoth verity  
But to dispute/ mercy is not mine art  
Neither in herne ne in hole/ troth longeth to me  
And permanent I am as well as ye  
And sith of force my father must be true  
From his behest/ how may ye him remove   

And if ye think he break not his behest  
For to permute with mercy his vengeance  
For one is god/ than would ye at the lest  
In his godhead include both ignorance  
And hastiness and exile purveyance  
And prescience/ and ask eke might I soon  
Why height he that/ that better were undone   

Than said mercy/ whereto was mercy wrought  
But if mercy had execution  
Whereto on me was all my faders thought  
And all his joy in my creation  
Was I not made for restoration  
Of heavenly bliss/ and for necessity  
That both angel and man must have of me   

And if so were that I were adnychylate  
The heavenly court may not restored be  
My faders realm were vain and vacuate  
A poor household it were withouten me  
Why should I not than have a sovereignty  
And complement of my petition  
Than answered troth/ for ye ask no reason   

Though ye all day argue for your purpose  
Troth shall deliver at her own volunte  
My liberty in no point will I lose  
I am my faders child/ as well as ye  
And rightwiseness I wot will hold with me  
And with that word troth for her sister went  
Dame rightwiseness which was anon present   

On goodly wise/ but fearful to behold  
Come rightwiseness all bemed full of light  
For she ne spared for hot/ ne for cold  
For high for low/ for to fulfil all right  
My sisters strive quoth she with voice on height  
I will discuss/ and their contention  
As right asketh/ bring to conclusion   

To his servant I think/ what trust & grace  
My father had and eke charity  
And in earth for him he made a place  
Of lust/ delight/ and of all liberty  
Each earthly thing eke unto his sovereignty  
He had incline/ and be obedient  
Whiles he truly fulfilleth his commandment   

What thing in earth he could or might devise  
For hearts rest and lives sustenance  
On him 'gan laugh in all goodly wise  
And at his lust made him obeisance  
Exiled from him was unhappy chance  
adversity might never his steps sew  
To his servant whiles he was servant true   

And if so were he broke his commandment  
My father made a constitution  
That prisoned & all quick fleyne and rend  
Deed and devoured should be punition  
For his trespass and his transgression  
That both pure lote and fere this just precept  
Should him excyt ●hat it were truly kept   

notwithstanding the promise and statute  
The trust/ the loue● the bounty and kindness  
Yone freyle servant subject to servitude  
Save to conspire with all ungentleness  
And of the Just mandment made full Just transgress  
Wherefore of right me thinketh he must be deed  
Let be quod peas/ that is a cruel deed   

And with that word peace came in to the place  
Whose person was patron of portature  
Her rosy lips with cheer full of grace  
Offered kissing unto each creature  
Phoebus himself with all his bemed cure  
May not be like the light of her visage  
So pure perfit was that heavenly image   

And on this wise she 'gan her tongue affyle  
And said to troth/ O right how may this mean  
Is your purpose peace for to exile  
And to make mercy nevermore be seen  
And to ordain death for to reign as queen  
This would no more/ but for to deprive express  
My faders realm/ and his sovereign richesse   

sith every realm that hath division  
Within himself must needs be desolate  
And we been four for one conclusion  
For to sustain the realm and his estate  
Among us four/ why should than be debate  
And sith that law will rather lessen pain  
That it extend/ let peas and mercy reign   

My faders realm debate suffereth no while  
It is of rest and of tranquillity  
Because of which he writeth in his style  
The prince of peace/ the author of pity  
King of mercy/ and lord of all bounty  
Thus need of force must peace reign & prevail  
Thief strife and debate perish in all battle   

The chief avaunt and commendation  
Of this high realm is for it is of pees  
Than whereto make ye disputation  
contrarious been your debate/ and rees  
With strife I will not dwell withouten lees  
And if debate me from this realm dissever  
The land of peace destroyed is for ever   

But sith so is/ there is a trespass done  
Unto mercy let yield the trespassour  
It is her office to redress it soon  
For trespass is to mercy a mirror  
And right as sweet hath his apryce by sour  
So by trespass mercy hath all her might  
Without trespass mercy hath lack of light   

What should be sick/ but if that sickness were  
What needeth salve/ but if there were a sore  
What needeth drink there thirst hath no power  
What should mercy/ but trespass go before  
But trespass by mercy were little store  
Without trespass none execution  
May mercy have/ ne yet perfection   

But sister troth/ ye may reign as a princess  
Without falsehood/ and have your sovereignty  
Without Injure/ and so may rightwiseness  
Eke without war I peace may alway be  
But mercy kindly hath no property  
Withouten trespass/ of which she hath her might  
Right as the son the moan giveth all their light   

Therefore I read as for conclusion  
That we obey mercy with one accord  
And that we leave all our dissension  
For little things as clerks bear record  
With peace groweth & great thing with discord  
Wyteth away/ therefore let pacify  
Our lust to one/ and fall we to mercy   

Let be quod troth to you I nill assent  
No more will I ywys/ quod rightwiseness  
And with that word/ troth to her father went  
And thus she said/ O ground of steadfastness  
O permanent/ O very troth endless  
Hold thy behest/ and support verity  
For rightwiseness accordeth unto me   

These words saith rightwiseness/ & kneeleth down  
And said father sith it is mine office  
To give condign remuneracyoun  
To evil/ and good/ to each virtue & vice  
And not to spare for prayer ne for price  
And I shall thy godhead glorify  
That troth asketh/ I must need justify   

The foresaid case reserving in my mind  
How soon thy servant lust to the offend  
And how he was cruel/ falls/ and unkind  
To thy behest I must of right attend  
And need of force to judgement condescend  
Wherefore I give sentence dyffynytyve  
In form foresaid that pain to death him drive   

Of this process to have the true intent  
I will thou weet quod sapience to me  
This mighty king is god omnipotent  
In one god regnaunt/ and persons three  
His sone is christ/ his daughters in degree  
Ben virtues four annexte to his godhead  
His servant is old Adam as I read   

Return we now to our matter again  
All though darted with asper malady  
Mercy fell down she might no longer fain  
As a swooned/ or in a lytergye  
Peas saying that stood on extasye  
And at the last with piteous voice & mild  
She said alas/ peas is for aye exiled   

O mercy god/ for my sister mercy  
dying in a swoon dying for lack of breath  
For troth untrue/ and unryghtwysenes  
Against us hath given sentence of death  
I will not rest/ but go through holt & haveth  
Exiled away return will I never  
Far well father/ far well thy realm for ever   

Far well mercy far well thy piteous grace  
So well away that vengeance shall prevail  
Far well the bemed light of heavens place  
Unto mankind thou mayst no more avail  
The pure darkness of hell the doth assail  
O light in vain the clyppes hath the incluse  
Man was thy lord/ now man is thy refuse   

O seraphyn give thine harmony  
O cherubin thy glory do away  
O ye trones let be all your melody  
Your hierarchy disdained is for aye  
Your master see in what array  
She lieth in swoon/ and 〈…〉 with debate  
Far well/ far well poor household desolate   

O sovereign mighty dominations  
O virtues/ and ye potestates  
O pryncypates with all your heavenly sows  
Archaungell/ angel/ with thrice three estates  
Your spouse dame peace overset is with debates  
Now may ye weep/ and hierarchies three  
Your ordres nine may not restored be   

Far well ye all/ dame mercy lieth in swoon  
For soothfastness accused hath mankind  
And rightwiseness that should do all reasoun  
Hath dampened him as cruel and unkind  
Mercy and peace for them no grace may find  
notwithstanding judgement may have no suit  
Because of peas/ but it be execute   

Woe worth debate/ that never may have peas  
Woe worth penance that asketh no pity  
Woe worth vengeance/ that mercy may not cease  
Woe worth that judgement that hath none equity  
Woe worth that troth that hath no charity  
Woe worth that judge that may no guilt save  
And woe worth right that may no favour have   

Far well saturn/ jove/ mars/ & phoebus bright  
Far well venus/ and far well mercury  
Far well thou shining lady of the night  
I was your guide/ but now away go I  
O cruel mars/ thy temrestes fury  
Now mayst thou show/ and jupiter thine Ire  
Now mayst thou rain with darts full of fire   

I was the rain/ that held you all together  
I bridled you/ and set you in accord  
But now I go ywys I wore never whether  
Wherefore of force ye must fall to discord  
O thou sovereign of all battle the lord  
Now mayst thou send comet thy messengere  
To signify that battle/ nigheth near   

When Flora rideth/ and cold away is gone  
With jupiter/ than mayst thou meet at lust  
And june in some sign of the aquylone  
Engendre fire/ and make herbs combust  
infect the air/ and so together just  
One with other hot/ cold moist and dry  
contrarious strife for the victory   

Now may ye fight/ & make both wind & rain  
And erratyke aye in your course be  
For peace is gone/ that your Ire died refrain  
And stabled you in all tranquillity  
Far well ye all with all your broad country  
Far well father/ thy realm may never encreas  
And with that word evanysshed dame peas   

The faders bliss/ the sovereign joy & chief  
Of all the heaven the brother to mercy  
This woeful caas saying/ and this mischief  
For me ywys died send full hastily  
O sapience he said full piteously  
With some counsel help now in this need  
Through pierced/ mine heart beginneth to bleed   

For peace is gone/ & mercy lieth in swoon  
Withouten comfort so wellaway the while  
Eke desolate is this heavenly regyoun  
But mercy reign/ & peas come from exile  
O sapience help now to reconcile  
My sister peas/ and mercy to comfort  
And to this fine with counsel me support   

O master mine/ O sovereign mighty lord  
Hard is this caas quoth I withouten leas  
High is that help/ that may bring to accord  
Mercy and troth/ dame ryghtwysenes & peace  
Mercy would save her man/ & vengeance seas  
Troth will not so ne yet dame rightwiseness  
And for this strife peace is to wilderness   

Echone of them will no way be removed  
From her intent it is incomerous  
Them to accord/ how should it be contreved  
sith two for two stand aye contrarious  
This sole caas is wonders studious  
For this accord who so that shall fulfil  
Must need of force perform their aller will   

But sapience who may best please them all▪  
And give eachone their full desire express  
I mean the wretch/ that lieth in prison thrall  
Mercy to have/ and his guilt to redress  
And not to offend dame troth & rightwiseness  
And revoke peas/ who shall this do quoth he  
In one godhead sith we be persons three   

My father is aye full of lasting might  
And all wisdom appropered is to me  
Of all goodness the blessed heavenly light  
The holy ghost hath to his property  
Thus might wisdom & goodness that both three  
Ay of one will/ may this accord make  
But of us three who shall the truce take   

My wits hole I gathered unto me  
And finally as for conclusion  
O master mine/ I said it lieth in the  
Of this accord the execution  
And on three wise I prove it by reason  
Wherefore of force to make this accord  
dispose thyself/ be both subject and lord   

Thy father is so fearful well thou woost  
That peace and mercy dare not compromytte  
In him as judge/ and eke the holy ghost  
In whom all grace goodness & troth is knit  
Dame troth & right for judge will not admit  
For well they wot that he is mercies friend  
Wherefore thyself of this must make an end   

Yone wretch desired not thy faders might  
Ne yet the goodness of the holy ghost  
For thy wisdom he cast with the to fight  
And smote thy shield amid the heavenly host  
For which thyself must answer well thou woost  
Not thy father/ ne yet the third person  
The help of this thus lieth in the alone   

These sisters four who that shall pacify  
Must be the son of man/ & take mankind  
And for man's guilt/ guilts suffer to die  
And ransom man that think I in my mind  
sith but to one son the trinity may find  
Which soon thou art/ that by necessity  
This solemn act lieth finally in the   

Than said myself/ O lady sapience  
O good beldame or ye ferder proceed  
vouchsafe to tell your noble reverence  
Why might wisdom & goodness as I read  
To three persons which are in one godhead  
appropered been/ be they not peregall  
And coeterne/ and consubstancyall   

Yes soon ywys quoth sapience to me  
They been all three in goodness might & wit  
Equal and like/ of one substance they be  
But yet ywys thou clepest them a right  
When that thou sayest the father full of might  
The sone of wit/ the spirit of goodness  
This will a cause that is in kind express   

A father is thou wottest a name of age  
Of impotence and of debility  
A sone a name is of youth/ and courage  
Of inscyence and instabylyte  
A spirit is a name of cruelty  
Of height & pride/ this may thou proper find  
And eke commune if thou wilt see in kind   

Wherefore the father in the trinity  
We clepe mighty the son full of wit  
The good spirit/ this is of proprete  
To avoid the vice/ that in kind is knit  
But of them all soon mine I will thou wit  
In might with grace more excellent is none  
Echone hath all/ and all three is but one   

Return we soon mine to our matter  
My sovereign lord the brother of mercy  
Said sapience/ I see it now so clear  
That this accord in me is finally  
But hard it is to take mankind and die  
Nevertheless mercy to recomfort  
And save mankind/ such death near but disport   

With full effect he concluded in his heart  
Of all mankind to make redemption  
give death for life/ give joy for pains smart  
Leave sovereignty/ and make subjection  
The angels eke had such compassion  
Of man's death/ that right in special  
To help mankind/ they cast them all   

Unto counsel the holy spirits went  
The hierarchies with their heavenly collage  
To pray for man/ it was their hole intent  
That he might come to his old heritage  
Out from the carybde/ and the smoky cage  
Of servitude/ the which him had incluse  
Four thousand year/ he might it not refuse   

The hierarchy next to the trinity  
With heavenly voice piteous/ and delicate  
Kneeled a down/ and said O god we be  
As thou well wost to the immedyate  
As assessors we been to thine estate  
Cubyculers also of thy godhead  
To our prayer/ O mighty god take heed   

The to behold is our sovereign solace  
Our life/ our lust/ and ay lasting bliss  
The high glory that shineth in thy face  
The wit of kind may not 〈◊〉 ywys  
And sith that man so like unto the is  
And formed was unto thine own likeness  
Out of this bliss/ why lieth he in darkness   

What honour is/ what worthiness  
To thy godhead to suffer thine image  
Devoured be/ and drenched in darkness  
For whom thou made light to be heritage  
And sith our bliss is hole in thy visage  
O welawaye why should of it the shapnesse  
The to disdain alway in darkness   

Wherefore we pray/ O prince full of grace  
Thou have pity of man thy creature  
His bonds strong/ vouchsafe to unlace  
Let not thy shape so long darkness endure  
give some reward unto thine own honour  
For now is time of mercy and of peace  
And time is comen that all vengeance should cease   
¶ Explicit supplicatio prime hierarchy.   

¶ Incipit Inuocatio second hierarchy  

Than kneeled down the second hierarchy  
And humbly said O sovereign lord of all  
We be y made thy might to magnify  
And to observe thy law imperial  
As worthy lords that in general  
With busy cure supporten thine empire  
And with knighthood obeyen thy desire   

Hens from us all the proud prince of darkness  
As captive took lords of each estate  
Than man was made through the heavenly goodness  
For to restore this kingdom desolate  
But wellaway whereto was man create  
sith that the lion of all cruelty  
In his dark lake of him hath so eraynte   

Our worthy lordships/ & our manners old  
O mighty god/ how long void shall they be  
Thine heirs eke/ how long shall death withhold  
sith thou art life/ why hath death sovereignty  
If thou be king to thine honour thou see  
So bind the fiend/ and take man by conquest  
Unto thy bliss/ and set thy reign in rest   

Four thousand year is suffisant  
For to punish old Adam for a taste  
And welawaye/ hell is exuberaunt  
With his of springs/ & our realm standeth waste  
Now rue on man thou that all mercy haste  
For now is time of mercy and of peace  
And time come that all vengeance should seas   
¶ Explicit supplicatio second hierarchy   

¶ Incipit supplicatio tercie hierarchy  

Tharchaungell than with their hierarchy  
Kneeled down/ and said with voice benign  
O god thou wost we be alway ready  
To thy godhead to give loving condygne  
To what province/ and as thou list assign  
Us in thy realm/ as true and diligent  
officials we do thy commandment   

Thy messengers we be ready alway  
And in thy realm to what place we be sent  
We can not find/ but peace is gone away  
And mercy lieth with weeping all be shent  
For troth and right to her will not assent  
To save mankind our realm which should restore  
Where so we go/ debate is us before   

Our enemies eke of us have victory  
While thy children continue in discord  
And but mankind be brought to thy glory  
Thou mayst never them four bring to accord  
On thine old mercy/ O good god record  
And sith each thing to the possible is  
Pease thy children/ & bring mankind to bliss   

The faders heart by kind should be piteous  
Of his children/ and wail for their absence  
Wherefore I pray/ O prince victorious  
Send for dame peas/ bring her to thy presence  
And to mankind grant a plain indulgence  
For now is time of mercy and of peace  
And time is come that all vengeance should cease   
¶ Explicit supplicatio tercie hierarchy   


THat excellent prince of all worthiness  
That mighty lord/ that father gracious  
That rote of right/ that well of goodliness  
That noble king/ that master glorious  
That sovereign sire/ and most victorious  
Beheld his realm all wasted with ruin  
And in himself to pity 'gan incline   

He held also how piteously complained  
His heavenly court of his reign desolate  
And how mercy with tears was dystayned  
And peace his child exiled for debate  
And how mankind was so incarcerate  
That by no way he might his realm restore  
Than 'gan his heart for pity wax all sore   

Unto mercy/ he 'gan his heed to held  
Which was in point through weeping for to spill  
Than through darted his heart 'gan to yield  
And drops small of pity to distill  
His blessed son than knew his faders will  
Felt iron hot/ and thought time for to smite  
And up he rose with all lust and delight   

He kneeled down and said father of might  
I am thy son/ in whom all wisdom is  
And well I wot/ thou farest not aright  
For children thine been at debate ywys  
give me this cause/ O sovereign lord of bliss  
I shall reward eachone with their intent  
And man again to thy bliss represent   

Sweet sweetest son/ quod that good father tho  
Of thy behest I am entirely glade  
Do what the list to bring man out of woe  
But it forthynketh me/ that I man made  
I mean the godhead/ that such gladness had  
For to make man/ in the must take mankind  
And penance bear his hands to unbind   

With humble heart to do thy will  
With love and lust/ with sad & hold desire  
I am ready/ and what thou wilt I will  
Thy pure pleasance I may not but desire  
I will pursue the right of thine empire  
Quod that good son with spirit vylygent  
And up he rose/ and to his sister went   

He took her up/ and goodly 'gan her kiss  
embraced her unto his heart/ and said  
O swerte mercy/ O princess of all bliss  
O sister mine/ O goodly youngly maid  
With salt tears/ why be ye thus arrayed  
I am that wight that shall your sorrow cease  
And save mankind/ & bring again dame peas   

Cast up your eyen behold I am your brother  
Your life/ your lust/ your love/ your champion  
And for your sake myself shall/ & none other  
Become a man/ and suffer passion  
To help mankind/ and with double renown  
Bring him to you/ & save which was thrall  
That mortal is/ I shall make immortal   

Thus shall I do your heart to recomfort  
Your sovereignty eke for to magnify  
Full manfully I shall my pain comport  
And think on you as on mine own lady  
To fight in arms/ and obtain victory  
give troth & right their own desire at full  
And every guilt/ you at lust to adnul   

revive 'gan that goodly lady though  
The brother's speech was salve to all her sore  
She thanked him/ as cure of all her woe  
She kissed him sweet/ she loved him more & more  
O prince she said/ which shall my right restore  
What may I do your thank for to deserve  
That ready been for me to live and starve   

O sweet most sweet brother/ & all my knight  
O very cause of all mine hearts rest  
To give reward/ where shall I gather might  
To your kindness/ I not how I may best  
Thank you for this/ but O prince worthiest  
Me as your own/ command aye as ye list  
Thus all was well/ and either other kyst   

The trinity to counsel went anon  
Concluded in haste/ a messenger should go  
Unto the maid the daughter of Zion  
To salue her/ and for to say her to  
The sone of god to bring man out of woe  
Mother and maid she should bear and conceive  
Which message done she goodly 'gan receive   

She thanked god with heart lust and desire  
And on each point submit her to his will  
The holy ghost was ready to inspire  
His sweet breath her breast with bliss 'gan fill  
The sone of god full privily and still  
Within her womb took incarnation  
And borne he was for man's salvation   

He knew the cause of his four sisters strife  
And how by sentence man should punished be  
first in the prison of this present life  
Rend with unhele/ slain with adversity  
Die at the last/ and with all cruelty  
Suffer worms devour/ him in his grave  
Hard was this pain/ & each man should it have   

This to redress himself in prison was  
beaten with scourges/ and rent upon a road  
Suffered the death/ and caused no trespass  
A monument his corpse foaming of blood  
Devoured/ than he rose and yode  
Himself to hell/ and loosed man anon  
Had him to bliss unto his faders throne   

He took with him to bliss and made her queen  
His sweet mother the blessed maid mary  
To pray for man/ and mankind to sustain  
And unto her commanded dame mercy  
Which for her child she took full thankfully  
And said she would for man be advocate  
If troth and right with man would debate   

And unto mercy goodly thus she said  
O fair sister/ to you now have I brought  
With double honour man for whom ye prayed  
And your desire in each thing have I wrought  
So ryghtwysely and truly have bought  
Him with my blood that troth & right certain  
Have all their lust/ and no cause to complain   

If man unkind resort unto his guilt  
Against the kindness which I have done  
And troth & right will dame him to be spylte  
Yet your desire ye shall obtain right soon  
For my mother shall come and ask a bone  
And say/ sweet son think on thy passion  
And save the right of thy redemption   

Think how of man I came/ and am thy mother  
And thou my lord/ my maker/ and my child  
Eke thou art man/ & man is eke thy full brother  
And him best loveth thy mother mild  
If man therefore offend with works wild  
Think thou him bought/ & be no longer wroth  
That once was lief/ let nevermore be loath   

For man to die/ and eft him for to lose  
Inconsonaunt it were to all reason  
What in earth or heaven yet would suppose  
That so solemn and high redemption  
As is thy death/ should in conclusion  
Be vain & void/ such ransom precious  
Must in effect be alway fructuous   

Double title thou hast of property  
In every man/ for thou his maker is  
His saviour/ and all good hath of the  
If he displease offend and do amiss  
Or would sorsake thy lordship or thy bliss  
Yet is he thine/ thou made him/ thou him bought  
Him to forsake thy title will it nought   

The more iwies that thou hast done for man  
The more fervent on him should be thy thought  
The chief avaunt is how thou gate and won  
Him with battle/ and from his foes brought  
Eke love is more sweet/ that it dear is bought  
All these in one if thou in mind revolve  
Thy love from man no thing shall mow dissolve   

Yet to mercy more strange the to excite  
O blessed son/ se how I sit on knee  
Behold these breasts small with all delight  
That gave the suck the milk of chastity  
Behold the womb of which thou borne would be  
Behold the hands that on my lap the laid  
Behold thy spouse/ thy mother/ and thy maid   

And for all this have mercy son of man  
For next thyself I dearest have them bought  
For well thou woost/ the sword of sorrow ran  
Out through mine heart/ when thou on road was brought  
And I the saw with wounds all besought  
sith thus in pain I had my part with the  
part of my will for man soon grant thou me   

Thus shall my mother say/ if man offend  
O sister mine/ your lust for to sustain  
Eke myself his trespass for to amend  
My wounds wide shall hold both new & green  
distilling blood full fresh they shall be seen  
If with mankind my father will debate  
When he them seeth/ he mow no longer hate   

Therefore be glad/ O sister mine mercy  
Have here your man/ do with him what ye list  
She kneeled down/ took him full thankfully  
embraced him/ and after sith him kissed  
That tongue can tell uneath her spirit wist  
For pure gladness/ in what place for to abide  
Her perfit bliss pierced the heaven wide   

Forth than he went unto dame verity  
And said sister/ be ye not yet content  
Yes brother mine quod she in all degree  
For troth it is that man was negligent  
More than I ask eke is his punishment  
Than went he forth unto dame rightwiseness  
Asked the same/ which answered thus I guess   

O sweet brother/ man is for his trespass  
More punished than I myself desire  
I am content debate away shall pass  
And with that word peace fervent as the fire  
Was present though/ for staunched was all ire  
Mercy and troth met at their own list  
And right and peas together heartily kissed   

To which kissing/ O mighty prince of peas  
Bring us all/ as thou starfe on a rood  
And grant me grace/ or of making cease  
To thy pleasance some matter that is good  
For to compile to help me from the flood  
Of fruitless worldly meditation  
And find a way to my salvation    
¶ Explicit liber primus de curia sapientie qualiter misericordia et veritas obuiaverunt sibi/ justicia et pax obstulate sunt.   


¶ Incipit prohemium secundi libri.  

FOrth to proceed in matter of my book  
And I dyscryve the solemn mansion  
Of sapience most heavenly unto look  
Whose city is set in all perfection  
And to avoid the oblocution  
Of false tongues/ and thank to deserve  
Thou grant me grace/ o good goddess minerve   

My style thou dress/ my language thou depure  
My wit enforce thou minister matter  
For sith I am most simple creature  
I will usurp in thy palace taper  
But thou me guide to show in what matter  
I shall pronounce things/ which thou dost me see  
Thy ferendary only will I be   

The pure knowledge and very sentement  
Of thy wisdom was never my dower  
But as the son in light most excellent  
With his beams the moan illumineth clear  
So done all day these wise men fools lere  
Wherefore thy wisdom/ as thou list me teach  
O lady mine/ in my book will I preach   
¶ Explicit prohemium   


When sapience her busy cure had told  
Which is rehearsed in the foresaid book  
Unto her home she said return she would  
intelligence and science with her she took  
And on myself full goodly 'gan she look  
And said fair son if thou wilt wend with me  
Come on in haste/ right welcome moat thou be   

Forth went we thence unto a rivers side  
Whose name is quiet full of all sweetness  
Out over/ which with arches high and wide  
A bring was set full of all lustiness  
The marble stone the solemn worthiness  
Of geometry showed on such advice  
So good a work that no wight could devise   

The pillars strong enarched with effect  
With pinnacles and towers full of bliss  
And allured clean gave such a dign prospect  
That such a bridge was never seen ywys  
And on a tour this scripture written is  
Who dreadeth god/ come in and right welcome  
For dread of god is way of all wisdom   

I entered on the bridge with sapience  
She led me over unto the rivers side  
Come in she said/ put the forth in presence  
For such a sight through all the world wide  
Thou never saw so full of lust and pride  
So glorious as here is for the nonce  
As gravel is/ so were the precious stones   

The alabaster the electorye  
The aurypygment and the argeryte  
The asteron full of heavenly glory  
The Admant eke/ and the asteryte  
The admatyst and eke the admatyte  
Which bright stone withstondeth the might of fire  
So good a sight no spirit might desire   

The alabaster white giveth victory  
And Ire suageth the shining argeryte  
And love reformeth the said electorye  
The admant eke but the asteryte  
Hath in himself a star full of delight  
The aurypygment hot is in effect  
The amatyst giveth right good intellect   

The pale byrell that healeth eyen sore  
And helpeth love and stauncheth enemyte  
The selydon that with lust who can restore  
And medicine is to old infirmity  
The carbuncle that hath his sovereignty  
When darkness is/ the precious crysolyte  
Which fiends fleen/ and holden in despite   

The calcydone which hard is in to grave  
The crysopasse most shining on the night  
The crystal clear that men oft doth save  
The gyrall red which flux stauncheth a right  
The ceranne stone in thunder which hath might  
The caleophan that voices sore doth clence  
All these done boat without offence   

The dyadek that doth spirits to preach  
The dyonys/ which that hateth drunkenness  
The good eschyte that is the wombs leche  
In birth of child/ & cause of their gladness  
The emachyte that stauncheth blood express  
The elytrope which is the sons foo  
And venom sleeth with many virtues moo   

The stone enydroes most wonder in kind  
That aye distilleth drops to the sight  
And never moist ne less men shall it find  
The weeping stone a clerk saith it height  
The epystyte/ which is a stone full bright  
friendful to corn and excolyterose  
In colours feel/ as clerks done depose   

There was also the gentle gagates  
Good for women that long in childbed pine  
Which if a maid drink it shall her pleas  
And in her body hold it well and fine  
Where she corrupt/ she should anon ruin  
The salachyte for milk most profitable  
There was also in virtue commendable   

Geratycen which is a noble stone  
Black in colour/ but virtuous in might  
And maketh beloved where they gone  
If they him bear/ and tell them a right  
What other think ye/ the jasper green of sight  
Wholesome against the fevours access  
Therefore I lie full of all lustiness   

The good hyacinth that is right comfortable  
And in the pestilence a noble medicine  
The adachyte that hath withouten fable  
Within himself over other stone fine  
That sweteth water wonder to divine  
The jerachyte which if a man bear  
There may no flees with biting him dear   

There was the good Iris' of araby  
Wholesome for women in their childbed  
The stone jena that teacheth prophecy  
The sad Camen with divers colours lead  
The dropcy which healeth as I read  
In books old and eke lygurius  
That colour lost restoreth unto us   

A noble stone/ that is for hunters good  
Lipparia which is cleped a right  
For beasts wild be they never so wood  
To his presence/ he bringeth thorough his sight  
The alabandyne that/ to blood giveth might  
The abatystus which through heat will remain  
Seven days in heat/ as noble clerks say   

The margaryte which is both bright & white  
Eke medicinable and comfortatyfe  
The magnes sad that giveth grace and delight  
And sovereign hath virtue 〈◊〉  
The mellanyte whose juice is exceptyfe  
Sweet as honey/ in colour white and green  
The good myryte/ which hath an odour clean   

The stone menysyte/ and eke the melochyte  
That children young when they in cradles been  
Keepeth of kind from noy and all despite  
The stone nitrum that helpeth to wash clean  
The medries eke good for blindness of eyen  
The stone neset/ which in the tood men find  
And nigh venom he waxeth hot of kind   

The onychyne that is a stone of ynde  
The onyx eke which as a mirror  
His own image a man may see and find  
Optallius of many strong colour  
That is to thieves good patron and succour  
The oryte eke that saveth from beasts wild  
And suffereth not women to be with child   

The parius/ and eke the prassyus  
Grene of colour/ and good for feeble sight  
The pyrryte stone anon which brenneth us  
Within our hand if we him press aright  
The stone ponyte/ which hath a wonder might  
Good for women/ and of himself alone  
He bringeth forth right swith an other stone   

The stone quyrryne/ that doth the sleper say  
What so he dreameth/ & eke the quanydras good  
That can increase breasts with milk alway  
The good ruby that stauncheth alway blood  
The rebe eke/ which of beasts wooed  
The strong biting healeth for evermore  
And noble medicine is for wounds sore   

The good sapphire most noble and most dign  
Of all stones and most preservative  
Comfort of peas/ and to sore eyen benign  
Of heat unkindly/ and most repressyfe  
It maketh glad/ it is comfortatyfe  
It stauncheth blood and sweet/ and chastity  
He loveth best/ and doth the venom flee   

The green smaradge/ that is right medicinable  
Against tempest sickness and fantasy  
The sardonyx/ that is right commendable  
Friend to meekness/ and hateth lechery  
The sardyns that maketh men hardy  
The sons gems full of beams bright  
The serenyte that in love hath his might   

Topacius good for men lunatic  
And stauncheth Ire/ and suageth heaviness  
It wholesome is eke to men frenetyke  
The good turkoys/ that engendereth gladness  
Good for the sight/ the zemeth that sickness  
healeth divers/ the zyngynt which of kind  
refraineth blood/ and holdeth man in his mind   

All other stones which been precious  
There might men see full of all pure delight  
But I of force must be compendious  
Therefore of them I will no ferther write  
Of their virtues I touch here but a light  
Their properties who list to have told  
I counsel them/ go look in books old   

As in a book cleped the lapydarye  
In Isodre or dyascorydese  
By philosophers as by platearye  
Or barthylmewe/ look who may the please  
Natures and kind there mayst thou see at ease  
Such things as longeth not to common matter  
another field I have in haste to ere   

And if thou seem that here be stones strange  
And thou in english can them better name  
Do as thou list/ their names for to change  
So my language and my book thou not blame  
For I suppose there be few words lame  
For by the latin for the more surety  
I name them all/ and for the more comynte   
¶ Explicit descriptio lapidum in littore rivi consistentium.   

¶ Incipit descriptio rivi.  

THan all my lust was goodly to behold  
That good water/ that noble element  
That river sweet in his kind moist & cold  
That is the wholesome perfect nutriment  
To every thing/ that is in earth content  
To corn/ herb/ tree/ plant/ & each thing living  
It giveth his drink/ & cleanseth all foul thing   

The earth he maketh to be plenteous  
He tempreth well also the heaven a bonne  
And with his subtile vapour curious  
He grieveth the air incorporation  
And denseth him/ & is of high renown  
In to the height to ●●ye is his solace  
For to challenge heaven for woning place   

From whence he falleth distilling showers sweet  
Replenysshing piercing and commytyfe  
Unto the earth/ but to the heavens heat  
His moist vapour is most temporatyfe  
His drops sweet eke been most nutrytyfe  
And cause of life to each thing animate  
Withouten him/ all thing were vycyate   

For through the earth he gooth with his moisture  
And pierceth him through his effusion  
The parts of the earth eke through his cure  
Ben stabled sad/ and take unyon  
else for great heat and high intention  
Of sovereign drought right by necessity  
Unto powder they should dissolved be   

He is to fish wholesome and profitable  
As air to be'st/ and cause of all their bliss  
His properties/ that been most commendable  
Dame science there declareth well ywys  
And as a glass so speculer he is  
Of thing object the shape to represent  
Of him hath need all thing in him content   

He will aye move withouten rest or constance  
Whiles that his party superfycyall  
Be adequate by right and like distance  
Our from the earth like from the mid of all  
And of the sons light celestial  
In to the heaven he maketh reflection  
The natures four he passeth in renown   

Of water thus to speak in general  
There may none find a goodly property  
But in himself thus river hath them all  
In paradise he had his sovereignty  
Both out and in/ to run with liberty  
From sulphur veins/ and from metal ure  
He can abstain/ and be ay sweet and pure   

Basilius in his exameron  
Deseryveth water/ and his property  
Who so hath lust/ he may look them upon  
But I myself will flee prolyxyte  
And of my river speak as liketh me  
What should I say him to here and behold  
All earthly joy passeth a thousand fold   

His heavenly sows/ his groans delicate  
His sweet mumur/ his subtle course & still  
His fresh colour/ which no storm may abate  
His sapour sweet having reflyer at will  
Might say askance/ on this wise be I will  
For to excite out from the heavens place  
Nature to come to see of my solace   

O physon Tygrys Gyon. Eufraces'  
O doryx eke the flood of paradise  
O jordan Cobar/ and thou Edapces  
Danybyus and pharphar at devise  
Abana eke as written clerks wise  
Which of damask with his moist passage  
The gardyns green fulfilleth with herbage   

O Tybre/ Rodan/ Yber/ leyre and sayne  
Geron and Ryne with many watery drop  
And O ye solemn floods and saverayne  
Of Asia/ Affryhe/ and Europe  
Among you all I snote a goodly soap  
Like to this river in comparison  
The occian booth him subjection   

O ye floods/ and ye other all  
That have your course out through the earth's space  
Were not like in no points special  
To this river in bounty nor in grace  
And who so lust floods to know and trace  
In Barthylmewe in his fifteen book  
Among his province/ may ye go and look   

Holy scripture eke maketh mention  
In Genests and other places more  
Of floods feel/ and their condition  
And philosophers tell them also  
As I read/ but all this let I go  
Of this river and his enornement gay  
I mean of fish now somewhat will I say   
¶ Explicit descripcio Rivium.   

¶ Incipit descripcio piscium.  

This lusty fish within this river sweet  
There swiming/ which we fynnes clepe  
They put in use to lere swim and fleet  
Now at the ground/ and now above they leap  
Now decevered/ and now upon an heap  
Now here now there now endlonge/ now overthwart  
The sight of them might hele each wounded heart   

Some 〈…〉  
Some to the private 〈…〉 to attend  
And dadred in their bodies to the sight  
Shot rout of length their courage to extend  
Their perfit bliss nature might not amend  
Of net ne hook/ of deceit were they afeard  
What should I say/ they had a joy in erred   

The whale/ the dolphin and Estaryus  
The Carabo and eke eff●●eron  
The Cakodryll and ●●a●y●●topus  
The see swyn/ and 〈…〉  
The myllago/ that fl●●eth the water on  
The hamo that dreadeth a● the hook  
With many more/ who so hath lust to look   

The Myllanne/ Gastor/ ypocamus  
Auronnea/ phager/ ferra also  
The Conger eke fish/ which height Corus  
The pike/ the luce/ the Salmon see I though  
The swerdfysshe with many other more  
The Roche the tench/ the lamperey/ and the Eel  
The Flouke/ the please/ the flounder good to sell   

The Crab/ the lobster/ and the Craveys eke  
The welke/ the Oystur/ and the muscull good  
The rouche/ the porch/ there was no fish to seek  
That in the see in river or in flood  
In pond/ stew/ dyke/ that ever swum or yode  
Who so him sought/ onone there may him see  
In lust/ in bliss/ and all prosperity   

And if so were he had of kind a vice  
In any point/ or were malicious  
For her were brought from that river of pride  
And of that water glorious  
He should anon he good and virtuous  
Shortly to say/ to each fish great and small  
It is preservative and medycynall   

Their names all I need not to rehearse  
For every fish that goddely is in kind  
In this river had lust to converce  
Who lust him seek/ anon there may him find  
It is the pure wholesome river and kind  
And of each nature and complexyoun  
To every fish it is refectyoun   

And who so lust to know diversity of fish  
And how they varrye in their mansion  
How they them fed/ and which is good in dish  
Of their wisdom and generation  
Of their virtue and apenicyon  
Of what shap eke what substance & what kind  
That they are of/ thou may in books find   

By Arystotyll in his book of beasts  
By jorath eke ysydre plenius  
By avicen/ by Bathylmewys gests  
By constantyn/ and by Basylyus  
By Ambrose eke/ that such matter to us  
Declareth weal in his exameron  
Who so hath lust/ go look these clerks on   

For I will not make declaration  
Of such matters that been collaturall  
It were ywys to long dysgressyon  
Nature of fish/ to tell/ and name them all  
It must suffice my 〈…〉  
For now I will my pen with writing feed  
And somewhat tell of that most heavenly meed   
¶ Explicit Descripcio piscium   


The sovereign honour of the erthes' space  
The sweet mother/ the fresh month of may  
To Flora sent/ and prayed her of her grace  
That she would come with her enormentes gay  
For to reveste depaynt and to array  
This blessed meed with perfit diversity  
Of colours fresh full of solemnity   

She come right glad enourned in haste  
With herb flower/ tree & all fruit precious  
Her thirsty cure in no point would she wast  
For each good thing was there most plenteous  
O paradise with thy sight glorious  
Thou art not now but an image feigned  
This perfit meed all thy bliss hath disdained   

The Rose the lyle/ the vyolet  
Reflering/ shining/ and painting the ground  
Rody and bright with heavenly colour set  
Blood and milk and Azure 'gan habunde  
The red/ the white/ the blue which there was found  
'Gan represent in colours delight  
The Ruby/ the Sapher/ the Margaryte   

The purple two are goodly staunching blood  
The two langing been precious medicinable  
The heavenly two against pain be good  
And to the nose the first is delectable  
And to the sight the second amiable  
The third taste ●yght goodly is by seen  
The Rose/ the lylle/ the vyolet I mean   

The fair Iacyn●t the longing premerose  
The Dayse/ the good gylofur flower  
With all other herbs withouten gloze  
That gendereth flower or fresh colour  
Agnus castus the worthy paramour  
Of chastity the good saffron also  
Of time the mint/ the rue with many more   

The Rose marry the sawge/ the savoury eke  
Arystologye also long and round  
The anis good/ the beat good for the seek  
The dyten that is good for a wound  
The Selydon right goodly on the ground  
The Century and eke the fumytere  
The malue the dok/ three drngaunce/ & eke the brere   

The marygold cleped the Ilytrope  
The bure/ the fennel/ and the percele  
The lettuce sweet with many mylky drop  
The Coryandre that hound doth to flee  
The plantain eke/ the mandrake eke I see  
With all other that groweth on the ground  
Each goodly herb hath lust there to abound   

Their names all/ it needeth not for to write  
Ne their virtues/ my labour only is  
For to describe what lust and what delight  
What pleasance/ comfort/ honour/ & what bliss  
Unto this meed they ministered ywys  
The sight of them/ and of their youngly flowers  
Was verray solve/ and he'll to all langours   
¶ Explicit descripcio florum et herbarum.   

¶ Incipit descripcio Arborum.  

A heavenly wood was on that other side  
And closed within that river about  
Planted at lust with trees full of pride  
The blossmy bows unto the earth 'gan lout  
The cedar tree presumptuus and stout  
Having disdain in earth only to abide  
Among the stars his heed began to hide   

He and the palm/ and eke the good Cypress  
'Gan rise & burgyn/ and refleyre with delight  
The bows brought forth of all gentleness  
And gave umbre unto that selempne sight  
With double bliss/ each tree was insygnyte  
With fruit to man/ with umbre to the ground  
Thus hunger there need not to abound   

The peretre/ the olive/ the Appyltree  
Wax great & green/ and eke most plenteous  
The peers in bows/ and appelles of bounty  
The Almond tree with jardyns fructuous  
distilling come from his hole precious  
The fir in height unto the Cider like  
To Amoune the red Aromatyke   

The Aloes/ the gentle can and good  
Whose marugh and juse is made in sucre sweet  
The balsom distilling in a flood  
His gentle balm made through the ground to fleet  
The Cinnamon with fresh oder replete  
The good spikenard/ mastic/ the gum/ rosin  
Olybanum the procyous thure and fyn   

The vine tree bearing clustres great and huge  
In this wood which largely died spread  
With grapes honey sweet/ and herbs dug  
Which in might strong as I read  
The first in taste/ the t'other done exceed  
The second be help unto the strong access  
They staunchyn thirst/ they helpen in sickness   

Thyke fair & green in bow bark and leaves  
The cedar was sovereign of trees all  
The top/ the hold/ the Rote among the griefs  
Herbered/ nourished/ and sweet in strands small  
The bird/ the be/ the water spacyall  
In breed and bows they been breed in the hole  
And out of the Rote the well distilled hole   

The bows brought forth both birds and fruit  
The hole/ the bark/ offered honey and wax  
The Rote findeth the moist and cold refuyte  
Of all the earth made to abound and wax  
The honey sweet fill down in drops lax  
And with the bawne & juse of flowers glad  
In the water Electuarye they made   

The sturdy oak the ash/ the plum tree  
With acorns chattels/ and with the Damecyne  
All other trees with their fruits in degree  
The Ramp/ the more/ the laurer/ and the pine  
The Cherubyme sweting the sweet Rasyne  
The byrche the box/ the Alme/ the Sycomore  
The fig/ the win of trees I speak no more   

For every tree and fruit in especial  
And every spice and 〈…〉  
Pepper and greynes with other spices all  
That ever on tree or bush or herd can grow  
There was at lust/ and zepherus 'gan blow  
Out through the meed/ and tasia 'gan refleyr  
Their perfit bliss illumyned all the eyer   
¶ Explicit descripcio Arborum.   

¶ Incipit descripcio Auium.  

The busy birds in their melody  
Their heavenly voys 'gan to entone  
Their Anglyke ravishing harmony  
Out through the heaven unto the highest throne  
Gave price/ and pass the nine ordres eachone  
O cherubin they said/ come here to us  
Here with what tune thou should saying sauctus   

The throstell coke upon the cedar green  
The nightinggale upon the blosme thorn  
The noble swan with white feathers & clean  
The gentle lark fleeing among the corn  
Ne ceased not to sing from even to morn  
With all other fowls of peasaunce  
Their voys 'gan daunt unto the concordance   

Each other fowls in kind there had his bliss  
His lust/ his comfort and his sustenance  
They had no need Raveyn to use ywys  
Each thing obeyed to their pleasance  
Debate no strife/ discord/ ne yet distance  
Among them might not engendered be  
Echone other support in degree   

The proud peacock his tail began to wheel  
On which the sparking son so poorly brent  
That to the sight he seemed every deal  
An archangel down from the heaven sent  
All heavenly colours in heaven were content  
His tail/ the flowers/ the birds eke ywys  
The eye/ the nose/ the ere food with all bliss   

The Eagle fresh sovereign of fowls all  
The good Goshauke/ the fresh falcon of prise  
With all other that to disport Royal  
disposed been there reigned at devise  
The gentle down Innocent of all vice  
The turtle true/ the Fenyx syngulere  
In lust in bliss together all they were   

The wholesome Pertryche and the Pellycane  
The sparrows eke/ the plover/ and the pie  
The Popyngay/ the Roke/ the hen/ the Crane  
Their names all here to specify  
It needeth not for every foul shortly  
That is in kind/ & hath in virtue might  
In all comfort/ rejoiced there his flight   

They flee at lust/ there is not them to let  
They build in bliss/ they have all liberty  
They need not dread for gyler/ ne for net  
Flee where they will/ they been in all surety  
The wind the rayve/ ne none adversity  
May them disturb/ all joy is them among  
The heaven among above delighted in their song   
¶ Explicit descripcio Auium.   

¶ Incipit descripcio Animalium.  

The waters sown/ the lusty fish and seyre  
The good season/ the youngly son & bright  
The meed/ the herds the flower/ & their refleyre  
The blosmy bows/ the folwes fresh of flight  
The tender wind with his breath & his might  
inspired through the blossoms at devise  
It to seen was an heavenly paradise   

When I had seen the solemn sovereign sight  
Dame sapience led me a little beside  
Unto a comely Castle shining bright  
Full of all solace delight lust/ and pride  
In whose circuit with wants large & wide  
Of perfit bliss y set were towers seven  
The light of which/ astyed up to heaven   

The dyke of it form with delight  
fulfilled was with water of comet  
The marble stone/ the Alabaster white  
By geometry so friendly 'gan meet  
That such one as in heed body and feet  
With precious stones illumined at devise  
Was never seen/ it passed paradise   

Upon a roche it was grounded and set  
And every buttras full of imagery  
Each pinnacle coner/ tour and touret  
With gold and pearl and stones curyously  
depainted was and powdered lustily  
And on the gate illumined with all bliss  
With gold letters thus write ywys   

This is the way to virtue/ & to grace  
To cunning/ knowledge wit/ and all wisdom  
This is the way unto the heavenly place  
There scorn ne thirst sin vice/ ne evil may come  
This is the way to that solemn kingdom  
Where rest peace bliss/ & comfort seceth never  
Come in who will/ and right welcome for ever   

Seven ladies bright down from the heaven  
Came to the gate with many ladies more  
Servants to them/ whose name will I neven  
Faith hope tofore with charity go  
Prudence/ the wise dame/ fortitude also  
With temporance and rightwiseness ywys  
Met sapience/ and heartily 'gan to kiss   

With faith was Clemens and vyrgynyte  
Dame continence and dame devotion  
Dame lowliness/ the dame eke chastity  
On whose heed was there garlands of renown  
One for virgins and their religion  
One for spoused people that lyven clean  
The third for widows/ if they pure contene   

With hope was gladness and contrition  
Dame discipline/ and eke dame sapience  
confession/ and contemplation  
The blessed lady/ eke dame penitence  
With charity was grace and indulgence  
Pease and concord/ pity/ compassion  
And dame mercy Empress of all renown   

With dame prudence was council and reason  
The dread of god and tractabylyte  
Dame diligence/ and dame discretion  
Dame providence causer of all ●o●nte  
With temporance was dame benignity  
morality manner and tolerance  
Dame soberness/ and proper suffisance   

With fortitude was dame perseverance  
Rest/ and equity/ science and stability  
Ay of one strength without variance  
And never proud for no prosperity  
Nother yet grudging for adversity  
With rightwiseness was law and correction  
Truth/ right/ and dame and execution   

Than came a lady divine theology  
With ladies seven her sewing in a rout  
Dame sapience they followed full humbly  
Ryst her with bliss/ and lowly 'gan to lout  
Echone other embraced all about  
Glad of that meeting full of grace  
What should I say/ it was an heavenly place   

There was grammar ground of science all  
And Dyaletyke full of pure knowing  
Dame rhetoric science Imperial  
Dame Arsmetryk science in proporcyoning  
Geometry that measureth every thing  
The lady music and astronomy  
The ladies seven sewed theology   

Than from the dungeon great within the place  
A solemn town which stied up to heaven  
philosophy the lady full of grace  
With ladies come as after I shall neven  
To sapience the way she took full even  
And said welcome sister and sovereign  
They kissed sweet/ of other both were fain   

philosophy is who lust to define  
Knowledge of earthly and eke heavenly thing  
Y joined with sad study and fine  
Of governance honest and good living  
It is also the probable cunning  
Of worldly thing/ and goodly thing ywys  
As much as to man passable is   

She is cleped also the art of arts  
And eke of death the meditation  
Her being eke I set in two parts  
In pure science and opination  
science thing teacheth by certain reason  
opination is in certainty  
When thing by reason may not proved be   

And if the son be more in quantity  
Than is the earth/ how moche eke is the heaven  
Of what matter/ and if he stable be  
Or yet moble/ this can not science neven  
If that the moan be moisty/ hollow or even  
This know we not by proper pure reason  
But this we have by opination   

This sovereign lady dame philosophy  
Within herself all arts doth contene  
Nature and kind/ virtue and policy  
How they y taught eke execute should been  
In her wisdom she hath groundly and clean  
Wherefore to her annexed been sisters three  
Which ladies been of all sovereign bounty   

The first sister is cleped natural  
Whom folk of grace clepyn dame phisyca  
The second height the good princess moral  
Whom they of grece eke clepyn dame Ethyca  
They clepe also third/ dame Loyca  
Whom our clerks clepyn rational  
philosophy hath these in especial   

The first doth teach the cause of every thing  
Her proper kind/ her kindly property  
And in the second is trust of living  
Knowledge of virtues and honest  
When kind and virtues may than known be  
The third sister cometh with her reasoun  
Of evil and good making discrypcyoun   

Millesius one of the sages seven  
In grece first drew/ as in the craft of kind  
By his reason the causes of the heaven  
And of each the nature 'gan he find  
Than come plato a worthy clerk of kind  
For natural art sought out geomatrye  
Arsmetryke/ music and astronomy   

Dame Ethyca princess of policy  
Good Socrates first founder of governance  
To know virtue and con live honestly  
And four ladies he sought full of pleasance  
To serve dame Ethyke with obeisance  
Whose names been prudence and rightwiseness  
Dame fortitude and temporance I guess   

Than fond plato the lady rational  
Which when that kind & virtue known been  
teacheth each man by reason special  
To understand the subtle strength and chene  
Of kind & virtue what they would & mean  
Than sought he out dame Dyaletyca  
To serve her with dame Rethorica   

In these three sisters grounded may we find  
divinity/ if we look weal ywys  
For each divine other speaketh of kind  
As in the noble book of Genesis  
Or of manners as in proverbs  
Or of logic/ for whom divines all  
The canticle taken in special   

Some sayne that philosophy called reesoun  
Hath ladies two subject in special  
The first height Inspectyve whose eye aboun  
Dyserneth thing which is celestial  
The second lady height Actual  
That of the thing maketh discretion  
As it showeth in operation   

Dame Inspectyve hath serving ladies three  
Dame natural/ and eke dame doctrynall  
third in heaven hath sight and sovereignty  
Wherefore she height the prynesse devynall  
The first teacheth kind of things all  
By craft the second getteth Intellect  
The third invisible things hath respect   

Dame doctrynall hath servants four iwies  
The good Arysmetryk/ and dame Geometrye  
Dame Musyk eke the lady full of bliss  
The fourth princess height dame astronomy  
Of these four ladies must I specially  
Here aferwarde in my treatise indite  
Of them no more wherefore now will I write   

Dame Actual hath other ladies three  
As dame moral/ and dame dyspensatyve  
Dame civil height the third full of bounty  
The first disposeth to each man of live  
Manner of leaving/ the second is active  
Which 'gan her houshode rule without distance  
The third of cities hath in governance   

We entered in this gate full of bliss  
Unto the first court full of heavenly light  
Which dame science had in keeping iwies  
Which house and ward loyal lusty & bright  
Ellumyned fresh/ and painted to the sight  
with proper kind of each thing temporal  
Man/ be'st/ herb/ tree/ there mayst thou know them all   

Scripture there taught how man should govern him  
And what his is in body/ and in blood  
And what matter he in lieth/ or yet in him  
why this is evil/ and why that thing is good  
why this is tame/ and why that be'st is wood  
All policy in earth/ and all knowledge  
Dame science there had in that herbergage   

There was all natural philosophy  
And in a goodly parlour see I sit  
The phylsopher with his company  
Treting of kind/ and what longeth to it  
There was clrke/ note/ cunning/ and wit  
The point they write/ they dispute they depure  
They determine each thing that hath nature   

Arystotyll averous and Auycenne  
Good Algazel/ Galyene/ and Appollynus  
Pyctagoras and Plato with his pen  
Macrobius/ Crato/ Beocius  
Rasus Isake/ Calyxte Orbasius  
Salustius/ cleophyl/ hippocras  
With many more whose names I let pas   

These had delight to serve dame science  
And to have knowledge in philosophy  
They worshipped her/ they died reverence  
Their hole desire was to her sovereignly  
They wake/ they work/ they study busily  
Whiles that they been with dame science expert  
Them to behold might ravish every heart   
¶ Explicit processus de prima Curia.   

¶ Incipit processus de secunda curia.  

Unto the second court than in we yode  
The cure of the which had dame intelligence  
With hall chambers/ with towers high & good  
Full of all lust/ and heavenly complacence  
There was depainted with all reverence  
The heaven/ his bliss/ and who dwelleth in it  
The hierarchies in nine ordres y knyght   

Of what degree was every hierarchy  
Of what office/ and of what observance  
And why the first eke height ypyphanye  
There was depainted with all pure pleasance  
Of lucifer and his unhappy chance  
Of the spirits which that with him fell  
There might men see and of the pain of hell   

Our wits five when they begin to fail  
As in each invisible creature  
intelligence must give us than counsel  
By her we have perfit knowledges and pure  
When eke/ nose/ ere/ mouth/ eke is unsure  
And we by them may get no pure science  
Than must us run unto intelligence   

There was Dapys Bernard/ bede/ barthilmew  
The good cardinal/ the sweet bonaventure  
Within inspired/ which had seen and knew  
The privy council of the first nature  
And many more within a parlour pure  
Of clerks which that were contemplative  
There see I sit heavenly thing to describe   

Their names all/ I may not now rehearse  
The multitude of them so passing been  
They may not all be contained in a verce  
But to behold how fresh lusty and green  
Was their desire to look on books clean  
And heavenly with eye mental to see  
All earthly joy it passeth in degree    

¶ Incipit processus de tercia curia.  

With joy and bliss and delectation  
Dame sapience that good goddess  
Unto her ward sovereign of all renown  
Than led us forth unto a hall express  
Whose bliss beauty/ lust/ and perfit noblesse  
All earthly place passeth a thousand fold  
The joy of it 〈◊〉 tongue may not be told   

It was an heaven only look it on  
So ravishing it was and elegaunte  
O pryamus and thine hall Ilyon  
With all his proper beauty pure pleasant  
For to be like it is not suffysaunte  
Unto this hall/ which made by nature  
As for master chief in portraiture   

It hanged was with advice work in gold  
Full of stars of wisdom and of wit  
The parables most goodly to behold  
Ecclesiastes eke than followed it  
The book of sapience full we write  
The good book eke Ecclesiasticus  
All wisdom there clare 'gan and discuss   

And on the days/ minerve that height pallas  
The goddess of wisdom full of light  
On heavenly wise portreyed and painted was  
A lady fair enourned fresh and bright  
whose heed was with the reynbowe dyghte  
A Crest above her right hand had a spear  
The other side a shield of Crystal clear   

Her heed was fearful and eke monstrous  
For diverse serpent's hinge her heed about  
Bright eyen she had/ and clothing prycyous  
Of colours there delicious and stout  
An olive tree with branches on a rout  
On which a night crow lustily was set  
Stood her beside/ it might not be made bet   

And what it meant there told dame sapience  
This is the goddess of all wit sovereign  
depainted thus with lust and reverence  
Y get she was of jupyters brain  
To moral sense/ it is as much to say  
That all wisdom come from god above  
Whom poets clepe jupiter and jove   

Eke wisdom hath armour of all virtue  
The bright Reynbowe of love and frendlyhede  
The Crest of honour/ the fearful heed to show  
With serpents diverse is the perfit dread  
Of god of death/ and of the high falsehood  
Of his envy full of despite  
Every wiseman that serpent moat him bite   

She hath the right spear of correction  
The shield of fotrytude and of patience  
Tholyve of pease/ the night crow abonne  
Which is the bird of meekness and licence  
She hath the eyen of reason and prudence  
Her clothing eke/ that is colours three  
Betokeneth fayeh/ hope/ and charity   

Wisdom or prudence/ who so lust describe  
Or her array perfit and lustily  
I council him that he go look believe  
Fulgencius in his Methologye  
first in Satourn/ & him than council I  
Go look in juno/ Neptune/ and pluto  
There shall he see/ which thing I let overgo   

Was never place in earth so glorious  
As is the worthy hall of sapience  
With bows of office most delicious  
Inhabit full with folk of reverence  
And in a chapel full of complacence  
Within a shrine lusty to all devise  
Set with all bliss was Solomon the wise   

theology a bible took anon  
And turned to many a story fyn  
The Gospelers/ Mark/ Matthew/ Luke & johan  
The doctors four/ as Gregory and Austyn  
Jerome/ Ambrose expert in things divine  
Unto her came all about her all they sit  
There might men lere of wisdom and of wit   

There studied holcote upon sapience  
And Nothing them upon the gospelers  
The good clerk/ the master of sentence  
Saint Thomas eke worship unto all freres  
To master of the stories with his feres  
And many one more good clerks & divine  
Than for to tell my wits can define   

With grammar were ladies well beseen  
Of which the first height dame Ortographye  
Within a palour/ lusty fresh and green  
There was eke gentle Ethymologye  
Dyasynstastica/ and prosodye  
These sisters four different in office  
Served grammar/ as lady full of price   

The first taught lrens/ & how men should them write  
The second taught the parts of reason  
To tell each word truly is her delight  
And which is nomen which verbum/ & pronomen  
The third died teach party constructyon  
The last each word gave his time & accident  
And in these four all grammar is content   

These four served that science literal  
In writing pronouncing/ and construing  
Of letter/ syllable/ word/ Reason/ with all  
She hath her principal considering  
She is the ground/ the gate/ the entering  
To all the noble arts liberal  
By her friendship they be made special   

There was Moses/ Cadmus/ and Carmenta  
Ebrard Ferryn/ and johan Gerlond/ & donate  
Prescyane/ Petyr/ Thomas de hennaya  
Lambart Papy/ they write early and late  
The Ianuens was there in great estate  
And A rystotyll for their books wise  
Catholycon and paryarmonyse   

Hugucyon with many author more  
writing there was/ and looking on grammar  
Whose names of shortly I let over go  
They may not do/ but prolong my matter  
Many a babe of sovereign heavenly cheer  
Desirous all in cunning to abound  
About dame grammar sat to have their ground   
¶ Explicit brevis descripcio Gramatice et eius partium.   

¶ Incipit brevis Tractacio de Dialetica.  

Within an other parlour full of bliss  
With many clerk of scholar of young age  
Dame Dyaletica was set ywys  
She read them/ all latin was their language  
They all of her asked none other wage  
But that they might discern and eke depure  
Truth from falsehood/ that was their aller cure   

Her parlour fresh/ her clothing proud & stout  
Of dyssert scire and of jucipit  
With sophylmes depainted full all about  
And other matters/ as of dyffynytyfe  
The common treatise taught she them rife  
Which whatkyns/ what is a proposition  
What thing he is/ and his division   

Which is subject/ couple and predicate  
And how he is reason indycatyfe  
And when he hath universal estate  
Partycurler or is affyrmatyfe  
Infynytyfe singular or negatyfe  
Which Subaltern/ which contradictyon  
Which is contrary taught she be reason   

Equypollens and conversion  
Sylogysmus manner of arguing  
And for to make an obligation  
She taught them there with lust and all liking  
Fast they dispute in they cunning  
with sophyms strange matters they discuss  
And fast they cry oft/ tues Asinus   

The unyversels and the nature's good  
The predycamentes Topykes also  
The pryncypals the Elynkes/ as they stood  
She read them all with many treats mo●  
She taught them way to proceed & to go  
And to attain to all phyl. sophy  
Her to behold/ it was a bliss heavenly   

The philosophers which rehearsed been  
With Dame science in her first tour of all  
With this lady eke goodly were bysene  
And had contours to her in especial  
Alfred haly jorath and Juvenal  
Eraclius Affricane/ Demoscene  
Mercurius and noble Damascene   

Gyles and Euclido/ Rusus/ and Cythero  
Democritus and Physyologus  
Sir Theoprasse Tytrus and Cypro  
William Concles peno johanneus  
Sir Tholome and Nero and plunius  
Salustyane/ Permenides also  
And many/ on whose names I let go   
¶ Explicit brevis tractacio de Dyalecica.   

¶ Incipit brevis tractatus de Rethorica.  

Dame Rethoryke mother of eloquence  
most elegaunt/ most pure and glorious  
With lust delight/ bliss/ honour and reverence  
Within her parlour fresh and precious  
Was set a queen/ whose speech delicious  
Her auditors 'gan to all joy convert  
Each word of her might ravish every heart   

And many clerk had lust her for to here  
Her speech to them was perfit sustenance  
Each word of her depured was so clear  
And illumined with so perfit pleasawce  
That heaven it was to hear her beauperlaunce  
Her terms gay as facunde sovereign  
Catephaton in no point might disdain   

She taught them the craft of enditing  
Which vices been that should a voided be  
Which been the colours gay of that cunning  
Their difference and eke their property  
Each thing indite how it should pointed be  
Dystynctyon she 'gan clare and discuss  
Which is Coma Colym perydus   

Who so thinketh my writing dull & blunt  
And would conceive the colours purperate  
Of rhetoric/ go he to tria sunt  
And to Galfryde the poet laureate  
To Ianuens a clerk of great estate  
Within the first part of his grammar book  
Of this matter there groundly may he look   

In Tullius also most eloquent  
The chosen spouse unto this lady free  
His gilted craft and glory in content  
Gay things I made eke/ if thou lust to see  
Go look the Code also the dygestes three  
The books of law and of physic good  
Of ornate speech there springeth up the flood   

In prose and metre of ill kind ywys  
This lady blessed had lust for to play  
With her was blesens Richard pophies  
Farrose pystyls clear lusty fresh and gay  
With matters were poets in good array  
Ovid/ Omer/ Vyrgyll/ 〈…〉  
Alane/ bernard/ prudencius and Sta●e   
¶ Explicit processus de Rethorica   

¶ Incipit de Arsmetrica  

Arsmetryke than amid the ladies all  
As a princess goodly had her mansion  
Each of her had need in special  
By cause of which she was of great renown  
And all her carfte by numeration  
Was for to set each thing in his ordre  
Withouten her been the six arts unsure   

She told us there how both the earth & the heaven  
Had their making/ and their perfection  
In days six and eke in nights seven  
How three persons/ and one god aboune  
The trinity conteneth with renown  
How moyses Ely/ and how cryst himself  
Fast forty days/ and of the apostles twelve   

In holy write moche thing enough  
Of which by her we have cognition  
And in this world each creature ywys  
Is made by numeral proportion  
Four elements/ the seven planets above  
These be dystynct in true number certain  
Withouten her all crafts be but vain   

It is write that god all thing hath made  
In weight/ in number/ and eke in measure  
Of Arsmetryke wherefore he should be glade  
〈…〉 thing/ which hath knowledge pure  
When our week/ month/ year/ there is sure  
Their currycles their times/ and their space  
By this lady to have knowledge we trace   

She taught number which is old/ & which even  
Divided him with subdyvysyon  
Ten figures eke of Augrym 'gan she neven  
And calendres for numeration  
She told the carfte of computation  
To add/ to mynue/ and to multiply  
Each thing to count she taught truly   

She taught us eke what thing that number was  
A multitude of unytees she said  
And with her set the old Pyctagoras  
Nychomacus/ of whom moche good is said  
Apulenis and Boece right weal arrayed  
These were the first in latin and grew  
That in the craft of number ever drew   
¶ Explicit brevis processus de Arsmetrica.   

¶ Incipit brevis Tractatus de Geometria.  

And geometry her subtle craft out rung  
And her place as lady reverent  
She sat at lust with lines large and long  
Compass rule/ plumb/ and many instrument  
With figures quaint and all to her intent  
Of every thing to give the true measure  
This her craft/ her labour and her cure   

She made cercules/ figures/ and spires strange  
Tryangles quadrantes worderly wrought  
Laid lines a long/ & oft she died them change  
The pure measure of every thing she sought  
And by her craft the pure knowledge she brought  
How high/ how low/ how long/ & how broad eke  
Was every thing she had it not seek   

Which is the point/ the centre or the pole  
Full craftily she taught of every spear  
Which Cercle is cut/ and which is hole  
Which line is right/ which perpentyculere  
Which Circular/ and which Dyametere  
And by this craft of all the erthes' space  
The very measure truly 'gan she trace   

The erthes' space how long it is about  
Arystotyll saith that old clerks sayne  
That four and twenty thousand all out  
In his circle he containeth certain  
But Albert thinketh/ it is an error plain  
For in his time there couth it not for clear  
The quantity of his Dyametere   

But another clerk showing Theolome  
Said that earth in his circuit round  
Should twenty thousand mile and forty be  
And thus one clerk another doth confound  
So that the truth by none of them is found  
Good thing saith basil should have remembrance  
And that should pass which standeth in doutaunce   

With her diverse clerks of Egypte were  
Which first died find the craft of Geometry  
Eke Theodosius in his manner  
With philosophers sat full lustily  
Of that science treting full craftily  
As good Englyd/ and many clerks more  
Of them no more/ for ferther must I go   
¶ Explicit de geometria   

¶ Incipit de Musica  

A little beside within a place of bliss  
Dame music sat/ and her ladies three  
The first height dame Armonyca ywys  
The second Rethenica a lady free  
The third height metrica full of beauty  
The song she pricked/ she numered notes new  
Their melody formed an heaven new   

The first delighted her in tnnes meet  
The second measured dyte with the note  
The third numered her song with certain feet  
And which be her bounds right well she wot  
And with them were good clerks that thus wrote  
And said that music was the pure cunning  
And very way of true perfit singing   

They wrote also/ who that first music found  
Some said Tubal/ some said Linus Tibeus  
Some zetus/ Amphyonas' they died understand  
Some said also it was one Orpheus  
Some plainly said for aught they could discuss  
That by the son of hamers in a forge  
Pyctagoras first 'gan music forge   

Dame music 'gan her craft to record  
And made a way/ how folk should first begin  
Her example was in a monycorde  
On instrument quadraunt long hollow within  
Of which the mid one strenge had in a begin  
Out of the which divers tunes she wrought  
And thus the ground of music first she sought   

She taught six syllables/ which we notes clepe  
And in her craft they necessary been  
Which on an ympne thou mayst bring to heap  
If thou his metre can proportion clean  
Vt queant laxis is it/ which I mean  
There mayst thou find ut/ re/ my/ fa/ sol/ la  
These syllables six used dame musica   

She taught the notes by her monycorde  
As she the strenge died touch or pull  
And as she lengthened or shorted the cord  
Which high/ low/ or sharp/ & which is dull  
Of these notes taught she at the full  
Their variance/ and their dissension  
Their orders eke/ and their ascension   

A Gamut than wonderly she found  
Which is a rule to teach thenm for to sing  
And it is to know she taught them on their hand  
By which they wot the ground of all singing  
The notes they know thereby & their changing  
And proveth eke/ which song is false or true  
To music thus she can the ways show   

She taught them which were tunes perfit  
And gave them lust to here their concordance  
Which tunes eke been cleped inparfyte  
And which in song should be their governance  
proportion she said in remembrance  
Dyapason and dyapente eke  
And Dyatesseron was not to seek   

Which large/ long/ which breve or semybreve  
Mynym crotchet/ in rule and eke in space  
All this she taught/ but for I must be breve  
In this matter I will no ferther trace  
For though I would thereto I have no space  
But who so lust of music for to wit  
For very ground to Boecc I him remit   

And to a clerk/ which cleped is berno  
johan de Muris/ and johan de Musica  
To guide eke in his Metrologo  
There mayst thou see of Dame Armonyca  
Of Dame Metryke/ and of dame Rethinica  
Of all music the very ground perfit  
There shalt thou find/ with bliss and all delight   

And these with music were in joy & bliss  
And helped her province/ with her harmony  
And with them was each instrument ywys  
That is of music/ and of minstrelsy  
Harp/ lute/ pity/ trump/ fydell/ ryvyles/ sautry  
The Rote/ orgons'/ and the monycorde  
The Gyterne/ symbol/ and the clavycorde   
¶ Explicit Tractatus de Musica.   

¶ Incipit brevis processus de Astronomia.  

Than see I sit in place full of all pleasance  
The heavenly lady dame astronomy  
Which of the stars the conrs & governance  
Their figures eke descryveth 〈◊〉  
And with her was the maid astrology  
Which sometime is kindly/ and precious  
And otherwiles over moche superstyous   

She is kindly when that she sheweh clear  
The sons course/ the moon/ the stars eke  
And doth nothing/ but as kind doth her lere  
But when she lust in stars for to seek  
The birth of man/ which hole shall be seek  
And will divine/ and preach thing for to be  
unkindly than/ and unleeful is she   

astronomy that lady full of grace  
'Gan first divine what thing the world should be  
What thing heaven is/ his course & his place  
His palace eke/ his parties in degree  
His form/ his spear/ and eke his property  
His sight/ his course/ his moving at the best  
With all other parties most and lest   

His hemyspery/ and his clercles five  
Their property/ and how they cleped been  
The zodiac also she 'gan describe  
The son his course & his effect clean  
His magnitude/ his nature well beseen  
The moan her course/ her divers forms eke  
And their Eclipses/ there was nothing to seek   

She taught also how sundry stars height  
And in what time they go their cercules all  
Eke how the son the moan giveth all their light  
Which Lucina we clepe in rs; pecyall  
And how that fire out from heaven doth fall  
Like as the stars fill it is seen  
The cause of this/ and what it may mean   

And to each star that cleped is a sign  
By sight of which thing to come men may guess  
A proper name she 'gan to assign  
As Arctur/ ursa/ the more eke & the less  
Thus divers names 'gan she for to dress  
As Tryones/ Bootes'/ Yades  
Aricturus. Oryon/ and plyades   

As lucifer/ Comets/ vesperus  
Their names old she told full craftily  
The planets seven she nevened unto us  
Saturn/ jove/ mars/ phoebus/ and mercury  
The moan venus/ and what they signify  
Their influence/ and their quality  
With circumstance of pure solemnity   

Twelve figures than she told right well arrayed  
The Ram/ the bull/ and the gemelles to  
The crab/ the lion/ and the strait maid  
The balance tharcher/ and the Scorpio  
The goat/ the water sire/ and the fish also  
The planets seven as they to this attain  
Such each time disposed sooth to say   

And how each figure had his property  
A proper name/ thus 'gan she construe  
The gentiles eke how that they blinded be  
That lust/ honour with worship fresh & new  
The planets seven/ as perfit gods true  
They rites old/ and their idolatry  
She 'gan rehearse/ as teacheth poeterye  
And how they clepe the ramme the first sign  
For that in mars beginning of the year  
The son in him maketh his course dign  
And they worship him on their manner  
By cause of jove whom in their temples clear  
It they depaynte a rams heed they make  
With horns two for jubyters sake   

He come an ox/ and took Europa they said  
Wherefore the bull they worship of their grace  
Castor pollux eke when they deed were laid  
Among the stars they deemed have a place  
Whom they clepe the gemelles with solace  
For Hercules eke slough the great lion  
Him for that sign they worship with renown   

O misbelief marvelous for to neven  
O cursed blindness of these gentiles all  
Which demyn fish/ and bestial be in heaven  
For glorified regnaunt perpetual  
As ram/ bore/ crab/ and bear in special  
Hound/ lion/ swan/ the eagle eke in fere  
Whom they worship for Jove's chief squire   

She told also of battle destiny  
And how in stars some men have such believe  
That in their birth right by necessity  
Ordained is all that him shall please or grieve  
This old error our doctors done reprove  
Socrates the same with Arystotyll saith  
notwithstanding they were not of our faith   

Or if a man were in this nativity  
Constryeved to his sundry arts all  
Them for to do right by necessity  
Why should good men have laud in special  
Or myslyvers to punishment be thrall  
Good Isodre maketh this reason  
In dampning of this false opinion   

astronomy the Egyptes' first died find  
astrology/ and her quaint observance  
folk of Called first sought & brought to mind  
Whom Abraham taught the egyptes with pleasance  
As wryteh josephus withouten doutaunce  
But greeks say this craft first was found  
By one Athlant/ & of him had his ground   

And with this lady was sire Tholome  
johan de hispayn/ and mysaleth also  
With other auctors in degree  
That drew of her/ whose names let I go  
Thus in stars I will cease and ho  
And by the order of the arts seven  
Stir folk to leave the world/ & draw to heaven   
¶ Eplicit de Astronomia.   

¶ Incipit Tractatus de fide.  

Dame faith than led us unto her dwelling place  
Unto a tour solemn and glorious  
Full of all lust/ comfort/ virtue and grace  
Depaynted fresh with colours precious  
And in a parlour full solacyous  
Thappostles all were set with pure delight  
And of our truth the articles they write   

They had believe in god father of might  
Maker of heaven and 〈…〉  
Of visible and invisible wight  
And in his son cryst full of bliss  
Before the world/ which was alway ywys  
I get not made and consubstancyall  
To his father/ of whom formed is all   

He came from heaven/ and in the maid mary  
By inspiration of the holy ghost  
Mankind he took/ and borne he was for to die  
To win man soul out from the fiends host  
And under pilate set with Jews boost  
Bounden & beat/ crowned and crucified  
With watery wounds Innocent he died   

For he was graven man out from hell he brought  
And rose the third day unto the live again  
Stied to heaven/ his faders throne he sought  
from whence as king/ he shall come yet certain  
Both quick and deed to dame/ to life or pain  
The good to bliss/ the evil to punishment  
Heaven earth hell shall suake in that judgement   

And in the holy ghost believe they bade  
In holy church baptism communion  
Of saints eke to hold farm and sad  
Of all treaspas to have remission  
And for to trow the resurrection  
Of people deed/ and in life lasting  
Unto the which almighty god us bring   

The articles with oth●● points all  
That longeth to the holy trinity  
Dame faith herself 'gan tell in special  
Which in english not rehearsed be  
Such thing as should be private & occult  
I read we leave/ and take quicumque vult   

There was to faith doing all reverence  
The holy sinner Mary magdalene  
Which by dame faith hath gotten indnlgence  
Of all her sin and was assoiled clean  
Good martha eke by her grace 'gan optene  
And brought to live her brother lazarus  
So was the son also of Regulus   

There was the daughter eke of Canane  
Which by her was brought fro the fiends bond  
All other eke/ that of any infirmity  
through faith was cured/ with her see I stand  
Blind doom and deef lepreous foot & hand  
Whom faych hath heeled/ and brought unto grace  
With all honour obeyed her in that place   

There was also the holy confessors  
That preached faith while they were on live  
Doctors martyrs and glorious auctors  
Writing of faith/ and her merit belive  
And on this wise/ they 'gan her describe  
And said that faith is ground of all goodness  
Withouten whom life hath no sykernes   

Unto good she giveth strength & comfort  
And who troweth not he falleth impotent  
The shield of faith who lust to comport  
All thing overcometh as unto reverence  
His three enemies with their irous pretence  
Against him shall never more prevail  
Ask and believe thine asking shall not fail   

She is ay/ for as the clerks saith  
There is but one god lord perpetual  
principally/ of whom preach his faith  
Eke hole she is of her articles all  
True without error other great or small  
lively and quick to do every quick deed  
For else she were but as a body deed   

There was the lady cleanness well arrayed  
devotion and dame virginity  
Dame continence and chastity the maid  
Dame loulynesse and dame stability  
Enlumyned fresh eachone in their degree  
These serven faith/ and as they couth devise  
With bliss they song/ and said upon this wise   

It better is to trow in god above  
Than in mankind or in many other thing  
Who troweth in him/ for he can keep and love  
Their lust fulfil/ & grant them their asking  
And in his gospel eke a worthy king  
He said himself in me/ who lust believe  
Though he be deed ywys yet shall he leave   

O cursed folk with your idolatry  
Which in false gods setten your delight  
Blind doom/ and deef is all your mametrye  
Of stock and stone/ men may such karue & thwyte  
Leave them for false with sour and despite  
In our one god cast anchor and believe  
Though ye were deed/ he can make you leave   

〈…〉 your gods be deed  
They have a time/ and he is sempyterne  
They are but earth/ and brought low as lead  
He reigneth god above the heaven superne  
blessed be he/ for he no grace will werne  
To them that will in him beset their believe  
And though they die ywys yet shall they live   
¶ Explicit tractatus de fide et cantus famule sue▪   

¶ These things following is every christian man & woman hold and bound to learn and con to their power in way of their salvation.  
The pater noster/ the ave maria/ and the creed  

¶ The ten commandments.  
Have one god in worship/ In this is foreboden all manner mammetry/ witchcraft/ inchauntement/ reading of dreams and all misbelieve   

¶ Take not the name of god vain  
In this is foreboden all heresies/ all mysmening/ unworshyppe of god/ forswearing/ taking his name in vain and such other   

¶ hallow thine holy days  
To this belongeth/ hearing of thy service/ keeping the out of deadly sin/ visiting of thy poor neighbours according them that been at debate and such other.   

¶ Worship thy father and mother  
God thy father/ holy church thy mother/ the ghostly faders/ thy fleshly father and mother/ all men of age & worship/ and prelate's of holy church   

¶ Slay no man  
With hand smiting/ with 〈◊〉 ●ac●ytynge/ heart cursing/ ne willing evil/ ne vengeance   

¶ Do no Lechery  
Here is foreboden all spousebreke/ all fleshly deeds/ and all mysshe ding of man's sede   

¶ Do no theft  
Here is forboden stealing/ wrong purchacing/ desheryting of heirs/ treachery/ usury/ wrong amerse mentes/ false measure and weights/ & such other   

¶ Bear no false witness  
Here is forbodeu/ false dying/ backbiting/ accusing appayring of good name and such other.   

¶ Desire not thy neighbours wife  
In this is not only foreboden the deed but also the desire and will of heart   

¶ Desire not thy neighbours things  
House/ land/ be'st/ servant/ ne nothing that is his   

¶ The seven deadly sins.  

Pride.  
Hereof cometh boasting of proud bearing/ displeasing/ scorning/ high heart/ gay array/ pride of richesse fairness/ cunning/ strength/ virtue/ goodness/ pride of kin/ unbuxomnes/ vain glory/ despite of thy neighbour/ hypocrisy and such other.   

Envy  
Glad of thy neighbours evil far/ heavy of his welfare/ backbiting/ souning of discord/ scorning and such other.   

Wrath  
Fighting/ chiding/ hurting/ beating/ waryenge cursing/ grudging/ desiring of vengeance/ cruelness/ manslaughter and such other   

covetise.  
Falsehood in winning/ in buying/ in selling/ in meeting/ in weyenge/ guile/ treachery/ sacrilege/ simony usury/ theft/ receiving of stolen goods/ extortion wrong withholding/ withdrawing of servants hire/ withholding of teeths & dutees of holy church.   

gluttony  
eating or dring over moche/ to early to late/ out of measure/ breaking of fast/ using of delicate meats & drinks/ or in using them to strength thy body to sin and such other.   

sloth.  
Thereof cometh idleness/ delight in sleep/ negligence of thy believe/ unlusty to gods service/ forgetfulness of shrift/ my spending of time/ despair/ wanhope/ & such other.   

Lechery  
In thought/ will/ work/ sight/ feeling/ deed doing with single/ with com●e/ widows/ maidens/ wives Goshyppes/ god daughter/ religious or other out of wedlock/ sin against kind or such other.    

The five wits  
Sight/ Hearing/ smelling/ tasting/ feeling.   

¶ The seven deeds of mercy bodily.  
Feed the hungry/ give drink to the thirsty/ cloth y naked Herberowe the houseles/ visit the sick/ deliver the prisoners/ and bury the poor that been deed   

¶ The seven deeds of mercy ghostly  
teach them that can not give good counsel to him that asketh it/ chastise thy subject that offendeth comfort the sorry/ forgive him that trespasseth to thee/ have ruth on the sinner/ and pray for thine enemy.   

¶ The seven principal virtues.  

faith  
This is ground and begynge of our salvation and it standeth in three things/ In the unity of the godhead in three parsons. In the manhood of christ/ and in the sacraments of the church.   

Hope  
This is a trust by the mercy of god to be saved/ and it standeth in the grace of god and good works.   

charity.  
This is the end and parfectyon of all the commandments of god/ and it standeth in the love of god above all thing and thy neighbour as thyself.   

rightwiseness  
This is a paying of duty of each thing that it longeth to as to god praising and thanking/ to thy neighbour love and charity and to thyself business to fulfil god's will.   

Wisdom.  
That is a virtue to depart good fro evil and it standeth in the choosing of good/ and in refusing of evil   

strength  
This maketh a man myght● & hardy to do great things for the love of god/ and it standeth in suffering patiently adversity/ and meekly taking prosperity.   

Measure  
This is a mean between to moche and to little and it, standeth in taking sufficiently that needeth/ & in refusing utterly that is to moche or to little/ by these things shall each man and woman know god.    

These that followen bring a man to heaven.  
Good 〈…〉 patience in adversity/ obedience of the commandments of god/ ryghtwysenes in deeds/ penance in the life/ contrition of sin/ knowledge of thyself/ and charity.   

These bring one in to hell  
Desperation/ woodness in adversity/ unrightwiseness of deeds/ love of sin/ malice/ obstination in sins Despite of the commandments of god/ hate of good things/ and ignorance.   

The five wits ghostly  
Mind of the kindness of god and of thy last end understanding of his benefits/ and of his lore/ will to worship him in thought/ word and deed without any weariness reason to rule with thy wits/ both inward & outward without any blindness imagination of virtuous living needful works and dreadful deeds of to ye and of pain.     
¶ Here endeth the court of sapience.  

imprinted at London in the Fleetstreet at the sign of the son by Wynkyn de word the year of our lord a. M. CCCCC. &. x. 
winkin· de· word