¶ Here beginneth the temple of Glas.  
 


Through constreynt & grievous heaviness  
For pensyfnes and high distress  
To bed I went now this other night  
When that Lucyna with her pale light  
Was Joined last with phebus in aquary  
Amid Decembre when of january  
There be kalends of the new year  
And dark diane horned and no thing clear  
Had her beams under a misty cloud  
Within my bed for cold I 'gan me shroud  
All desolate for constraint of my won  
The long night wallowing to and fro  
Till at last or I 'gan take keep  
Me died oppress a sudden deadly sleep  
Within the which me thought I was  
ravished in spirit in to Temple of glass  
I ne wist how far in wilderness  
That founded was all by lyclynes  
Not upon steel/ but on a craggy roche  
Like ice Ifrore/ and as I died approach  
Again the son that shone so clear  
As any crystal and ever near and near  
As I 'gan nigh this grisly dreadful place  
I waxed astonied the light so in my face  
Began to smite so passing ever in one  
On every part where that I go  
That I ne might no thing as I would  
About me consider and behold  
The wonder esters for brightness of the son  
Till at last certain skies done  
With wind chased than her course I went  
Tofore the streams of Titan and I blended  
So that I might within and without  
Where so I would behold me about  
For to report the fashion and manner  
Of all this place that was cyrculer  
I compass wise/ round by entail wrought  
And when I had long and sought  
I found a wicket and entered in as fast  
In to the temple and mine eyen cast  
On every side now low and now eft aloft  
And right anon as I 'gan walk soft  
If I the sooth a right report shall  
I saw depainted upon a wall  
From est to west many a fair image  
Of sundry lovers like as they were of age  
Isette in order after they were true  
With lyfly colours wonder fresh of heme  
And as me thought I saw some sit & some stand  
And some kneeling with bills in their hand  
And some with complaint woeful & piteous  
With doleful cheer to put to Venus  
So as she sat fleeting in the see  
Upon their woe for to have pity  
And first of all I saw there of cartage  
Dido the queen so goodly of visage  
That 'gan complain her adventure and case  
How the deceived was of Aeneas  
For all his hests and his oaths sworn  
And said alas that ever she was borne  
When she saw that deed she must be  
And next her I saw the complaint of Medee  
How that she falsed was of Jason  
And nigh by venus saw I sit Atheon  
And all the manner how the bore him sloughe  
For whom she wept and had pine enough  
There saw I also how that Penelope  
For she so long her lord ne might see  
Was of colour both pale and green  
And alther next was the fresh queen  
I mean Alcestis the noble true wife  
And for admete how she lost her life  
And for her through if I shall not lie  
How she was turned into a daysye  
There was Grysyldes' Innocence  
And all her meekness and patience  
There was eke Isoude and many other moo  
And all the torment and the cruel woe  
That she had for Trystram all her live  
And how that Tysbe her heart died rive  
With thilk sword of sir Pyramus  
And all the manner how that Theseus  
The mynotaure slow amid the house  
That was forwrynked by craft of dedalus  
What he was in prison shut in crete  
And how that phylles felt of loved heat  
The great fire of demephon alas  
And for his falsehood and for his trespass  
Upon the walls depaint men might see  
Now she hinge upon a fylberde tree  
And many a story more than I reckon can  
Were in the temple and how that paris won  
The fair Eleyne a lusty fresh queen  
And how achilles was for Polycene  
Islayne unwardly within troy town  
All this saw I walking up and down  
There saw I written eke the hole tale  
How Phylomene in to a nightingale  
I turned was/ and proygne unto a swallow  
And how the sabines in their manner hallow  
The feast of Lucrece yet in Rome town  
There saw I also the sorrow of Palamone  
That he in prison felt and all the smart  
And how that he through unto his heart  
Was hurt inwardly by casting of an eye  
On the fair fresh & lust young emily  
And all the strife between him & his brother  
And how that one fought with that other  
Within the grove till they by Theseus  
Accorded were as Chaucer telleth us  
And furthermore as I 'gan behold  
I saw how Phoebus with an arrow of gold  
I wounded was through out his side  
Only by envy of the god cupid  
And how that diane unto a laurel tree  
I turned was when that she died i'll  
And how that jove began to change his cope  
Only for love of the fair Europe  
And into a bull/ when he died her sue  
list of his godhead his form to transmewe  
And how that he by transmutation  
The shap 'gan take of Amphytryon  
For alcumena so passing was of beauty  
So was he hurt for all his deity  
With loves dart and might it not escape  
There saw I also how Mars was take  
Of Uulcanus and with Venus' found  
And with the chains Inusyble bound  
There was also all the poesy  
Of him Mercury and all the Phylogye  
And how that she for her sapience  
I wedded was to the god of eloquence  
And how the Muses lowly died obey  
high in to heaven this lady to convey  
And with her song how she was magnified  
With jupiter there to be stellefyed  
And uppermore depaint men might see  
How with her ring the goodly Canace  
Of every foul the laydous and song  
Coude understand as she walked them among  
Andrea how her brother so often helped was  
In his mischief by the stead of bras  
And furthermore in the temple were  
Full many a thousand lovers here and there  
Is sundry wise ready to complain  
Unto the goddess of their woe and pain  
How they were hindered some for envy  
And how the serpent of false Jalousye  
Full many a lover hath put a back  
And causeless on them have laid a lache  
And some there were that plained on absence.  
That were exiled and put out of presence  
Through wicked tongues and false suspection  
Without mercy or any remission  
And other also their service spent in vain  
And of their lady were not loved again  
And also other that for poverty  
Dared in no wise their great adversity  
Dyscovere ne open/ lest they were refused  
And some for wanting also were accused  
And also other that loved secretly  
And of her lady durst axe no mercy  
least that she would of him have despite  
And some also that put right great wite  
On double lovers that love things new  
Through whose falseness hindered be the true  
And some there were as it is oft found  
That for their lady many a bloody wound  
Endured hath in many a region  
Whiles that an other hath had possession  
All of his lady and beareth a way the fruit  
Of his labour and of all his suit  
And other complained of richesse  
How he with treasure doth his business  
To win against all kind and right  
Where as true lovers have no force ne might  
And some there were as maidens young of age  
That plain so with piping and with rage  
That were coupled again all nature  
With crooked old that may not long endure  
For to perform the lust of loves play  
For it ne sit not unto fresh may  
For to be coupled to old Ianuarye  
They be so diverse that they must vary  
For old is grudging and malencolyous  
Alway full of Ire and suspeccyous  
And youth intendeth to joy and lustynes  
To mirth and play and to all gladness  
Alas that ever it should fall  
So sweet sugar ycoupled to be gall  
These young folk cried often sith  
Andrea prayed Venus her power to kithe  
Upon this mischief and shape remedy  
And right anon I heard other cry  
With sobbing tears and pietous sown  
To fore the goddess by lamentation  
That were constrained in their youth  
And in childhood as is often a couth  
I entered were in to religion  
Or they had years of discretion  
That all her life can not but complain  
In wide copes perfection or to fain  
Full covertly for to cover their smart  
And show the contrary of their heart  
Thus saw I where many a fair maid  
That on their friends all the wite they laid  
And other next I saw there in great rage  
That they were married in their tender age  
Without freedom of free election  
Where love hath seld domination  
For love at large and at liberty  
Would freely cheese and not with such treat  
And other saw I full often weep and wring  
That they in men found such varying  
To love a season while that beauty flowreth  
And after by disdain so ungodly loureth  
On her that sometime he called his lady dear  
That was to him so pleasant and entire  
But lust with fairness is so over go  
That in her heart troth abideth none  
And some also I saw in tears rain  
And piteously on god and kind plain  
That ever they would on any creature  
So moche beauty passing by measure  
Set on a womnn to give occasion  
A man to love to his confusion  
And namely there where he shall have no grace  
For with a look forth by as he doth pace  
Full oft falleth casting of an eye  
A man is wounded that he must needs die  
That never peradventure after he shall her see  
Why will god do so great a cruelty  
To any man or to his creature  
To make him so much woe endure  
For her percas whom he shall in no wise  
Rejoice never/ but so forth in Juyse  
Lede his life till that he be in his grave  
For he ne durst of her no mercy crave  
And also peradventure though he durst & would.  
He can not wit where he her find should  
I saw there also/ and thereof had I ruth  
That some were hindered by covetise & sloth  
And some also for their hastiness  
And other also for their recklessness  
But at the last as I walked and beheld  
Beside pallas with her crystal shield  
Tofore the statute of Venus' set on height  
There kneeled a lady in my sight  
Tofore the goddess which as the son  
Passeth the stars and also the storm  
And lucifer to void the nights sorrow  
I clearness passeth early the morrow  
And so as may hath the sovereignty  
Of every month the fairness and beauty  
And as the rose in sweetness and odour  
Surmounteth flowers and balm of all liquor  
Hath the prise and as the ruby bright  
Of all stones in beauty and in sight  
As it is know hath the Regalye  
Right so this lady with her goodly eye  
And with the streams of her look so bright  
Surmounteth all through beauty in my sight  
That for to tell her great seemliness  
Her womanhead her port and her fairness  
It was a marvel how ever that nature  
Coude in her works make a creature  
So angelic so goodly one to see  
So femynyn or passing of beauty  
Whose sonnish here brighter than gold wire  
Like Phoebus' beams shynyuge in his spire  
The goodlyhed also if her fresh face  
So replenished of beauty and of grace  
So well ennewed by nature and depaint  
As rose and lilies together were meint  
So equally by good proportion  
That as me thought by mine inspection  
I 'gan marvel how god or work of kind  
Might of beauty such a treasure find  
To give her so passing excellence  
For in good faith through her high presence  
The temple was enlumined environ  
And for to speak of her condition  
She was the best that might be on live  
For there was none that with her might strive  
To speak of bounty or of gentleness  
Of womanhead or of lowliness  
Of courtesy or of goodlihead  
Of speech of cheer or of semelyphede  
Of port benign or of dalliance  
The best taught thereto of pleasance  
She was the well also of honest  
An exemplar and mirror also was she  
Of secretness of troth of faithfulness  
And to all other lady and master  
To show virtue who so list to lere  
And so this lady right humble of cheer  
kneeling I saw clad in green and white  
Tofore Venus goddess of all delight  
Enbrowded all with stones and perre  
So richly that Joy it was to see  
With sundry rolls on her garment  
For texpowne the troth of her intent  
To show fully that for her humblesse  
And for her virtue and her stableness  
That she was rote of all womanly pleasance  
Therefore her word without variance  
Enbrowded as men might see  
De mieulx en mieulx with stones of perre  
This is to say that she was so benign  
From better to better her heart doth resign  
And all her will to venus the goddess  
When that her list her harms to redress  
For as me thought some what by her cheer  
For to complain she had great desire  
For in her hand she held a little bill  
For to declare the some of all her skill  
And to the goddess her quarrel for to show  
Th'effect of which was in words few    


¶ The copy of the supplication  
O lady Venus' mother of cupyde  
That all this world hast in governance  
And hearts high that hawten by pride  
Enclynest meekly to thine obeisance  
Cauler of joy Relees of penance  
And with thy streams canst every thing discern  
through heavenly fire of love that is eterne   

O blissful star persant and full of light  
Of beams gladsome devoyder of darkness  
Cheyf recomfort after the black night  
To void woeful hearts out of their heaviness  
Take now good heed lady and goddess  
So that my bill may your grace attain  
Redress to find of that I me complain   

For I am bound to thing that I nold  
Freely to cheese there lack I liberty  
And so I want of that mine heart would  
The body is knit/ though my thought be free  
So that I must of necessity  
My hearts list outward contrary  
Though we be one the deed must vary   

My worship save I fail election  
Again all right both of god and kind  
Thereto be knit under subjection  
Fro whence far both are out of mind  
My thought gooth forth my body is behind  
For I am here/ and yonder my remembrance.  
between two so hang I in balance   

devoid of Joy/ of woe I have plenty  
What I desire that may I not possede  
For that I nold is ready aye to me  
And that I love/ for to sue I dread  
To my desire contrary is my meed  
And thus I stand departed in twain  
Of will and deed ylaced in a chain   

For though I burn with fervent and heat  
Within mine heart I may complain of cold  
And by excess though I swelte and sweet  
Me to complain god wot I am not bold  
Unto ne wight nor one word unfold  
Of all my pain alas the hard stound  
The hotter that I bren the colder is my wound   

For he that hath mine heart faithfully  
And hold my love in all honest  
Without change all be it secretly  
Unto theffect and complaint of my bill  
sith life and death I put all in thy will   

And though me thought the goddess died incline.  
meekly her heed and softly 'gan express  
That in short time her torment should fine  
And how of him for whom all her distress  
Continued had and all her heaviness  
She should have joy and of her purgatory  
Be helped soon and so live forth in glory   

And said daughter for thy sad troth  
Thy faithful meaning and Innocence  
That planted be withouten any sloth  
In your person devoid of all offence  
So than attained to our audience  
That with our grace ye shallbe well relieved  
I you behete of all that hath you grieved   

And for that ye be ever of one intent  
Without chance or mutability  
And in your pains been so patient  
To take lowly your adversity  
And that so long through the cruelty  
Of old Saturn my father unfortuned   

And think therewithn a little while  
It shall assuage and over pass soon  
For men by leisure pass many a mile  
And oft after a dreeping moan  
The weather cleareth & when the storm is done  
The son shineth in his spire bright  
And joy waketh when woe is put to flight   

Remember eke how never yet no wight  
Ne came to worship without debate  
And folk rejoice also more of light  
That they with darkness were waped & wait  
No man's chance is alway fortunate  
Ne no wight praiseth of sugar the sweetness  
But they tofore have tasted bitterness   

Grysylde was asayed at full  
That turned after the increase of joy  
Penelope 'gan eke for sorrows dull  
For that her lord abode so long at Troy  
Also the torment there could no man accoye  
Of dorygene flower of all Bretayne  
Thus ever joy is fine and end of pain   

And trusteth this for conclusion  
The end of sorrow is joy void of dread  
For holy saints through their passion  
Have heaven won by their sovereign meed  
And plente gladly followed after need  
And so my daughter after your grievance  
I you behote ye shall have full pleasance   

For ever of love the manner and the guise  
Is for to hurt his servant and to wound  
And when he hath taught them his emprise  
He can in no joy make them to abound  
And sith that ye have in my lace be bound  
Without grudging or rebellion  
You must of right have consolation   

This is to say doubt it never a deal  
That ye shall have full possession  
Of him that ye now cherish so well  
In honest manner without offension  
By cause I know your intention  
Is truly set in party and in all  
To love him best and most in special   

For he that ye have chosen you to serve  
Shall be to you such as ye desire  
Without change fully till he starve  
So with my brand I have set him a fire  
And with my grace I shall him inspire  
That he in heart shall be right at your will  
Whether ye list to save him or to spill   

For unto you I shall his heart so low  
Without spot of any doubleness  
That he ne shall escape from the bow  
Though that himself by unsteadfastness  
I mean of cupyde that shall him so distress  
Unto your hand with the arrow of gold  
That he ne shall escape though he would   

And sith ye list of pity and of grace  
In virtue only his youth to cherish  
I shall by aspect of my benign face  
Make him to show every syune and vice  
So that he shall have no manner spice  
In his courage to love things new  
He shall to you so plain be found and true   

And when this goodly fair fresh of hue  
Humble and benign of troth crop and rote  
conceived had how Venus 'gan to rue  
On her prayer plainly to do boat  
To change her bitter at one's in to sweet  
She fell on knees of high devotion  
And in this wise began her orison   

highest of high queen and Empress  
Goddess of love of good yet the best  
That through your beauty without vice  
Sometime conquered the apple at feast  
That Jupiter through his high request  
To all the gods above celestial  
Made in his palace most Imperial   

To you my lady upholder of my life  
meekly I thank so as I may suffice  
That ye list now with heart intentive  
So graciously for me to devise  
That live while with humble sacrifice  
Upon your awters your feast year by year  
I shall incense cast in to the fire   

For of your grace I am full reconciled  
From every trouble unto joy and ease  
That sorrows all be from me exiled  
sith ye my lady list to appease  
My pains old and fully my disease  
Unto gladness so suddenly to torn  
Having no cause from hens forth to morn   

For sithen ye so meekly list to daunt  
To my service him that loveth me best  
And of your bounty so graciously to grant  
That he ne shall vary though him list  
Whereof my heart is fully brought to rest  
For now and ever oh lady my benign  
That heart and will I holy to you resygne   

Thanking you with all my full heart  
That of your grace and visitation  
So humbly list him to convert  
Fully be at my subjection  
Without change or transmutation  
Unto his last now laud and reverence  
Be to your name and excellence   

This all and some and chief of my request  
And hole substance of my full intent  
You thanking ever of your grant and hest  
Both now and ever that ye me grace sent  
To conquer him that never shall repent  
Me for to serve and humble for to please  
As final treasure of my hearts ease   

And then anon Venus cast a down  
Into her lap branches white and green  
Of hawthorn that went environ  
About her heed that joy was to seen  
And had her keep them honestly and clean  
Which should not fade ne never were old  
If she her bidding keep as she hath told   

And as these bows be both fair and sweet  
Follow theffect that they do specify  
This to say both in cold and heat  
Be ye of one heart and of one fantasy  
As are these leaves which may not die  
By no duresse of storms that been keen  
No more in winter than in summer green   

Right so by ensample of weal or woe  
For joy torment or for adversity  
Whether so fortune favour or be foo  
For poverty riches or prosperity  
That ye your heart keep in one degree  
To love him best for nothing that ye feign  
Whom I have bound so low under your chain   

And with that word the goddess shaken her heed  
And was in peace and spoke as though no more  
And there with all full femynyn of dread  
Me thought the lady sigh 'gan full sore  
And said again lady that mayst restore  
hearts in joy from their adversity  
To do your wylll better & better after my gre    


Thus ever sleeping dreaming as I lay  
Within the temple me thought I saw  
great preces of folk murmur wonderful  
To crowd and shove the temple was so full  
everich full busy in his own cause  
That I ne may shortly in a clause  
deceive all the rites and the guise  
And eke I want cunning to devise  
How some there were with blood incense & milk  
And some with flowers sweet and soft as silk  
And some with sparrows and doves white  
That for to 'gan them delight  
Unto the goddess with sigh and prayer  
Them to release of that they most desire  
That for the prees shortly to conclude  
I went my way for the multitude  
Me for to refresh out of prees alone  
And by myself me thought as I 'gan go  
With in the estres and 'gan a while tarry  
I saw a man that walked all solitary  
That as me seemed for heaviness and dole  
Him to complain that he walked so sole  
Without espying of any other wight  
And if I shall describe him a right  
If that he had not be in heaviness  
Me thought he was/ to speak of seemliness  
Of shap of form/ and also of stature  
The most passing/ that ever yet nature  
Made in her works/ and like to be a man  
And therewith all as I rehearse can  
Of face and cheer the most gracious  
To be beloved happy and ewrous  
But as it seemed out ward by his cheer  
That he complained for lack of his desire  
For by himself as he walked up and down  
I heard him make a lamentation  
And said alas/ what thing may this be  
That now am bound that whilom was free  
And went at large at mine election  
Now am I caught under subjection  
For to become a very homagere  
To god of love/ where or I came here  
Felt in mine heart/ naught of loves pain  
But now of new/ within her fiery chain  
I am embraced so that I may not strive  
To serve and love while I am on live  
The goodly fresh in the temple yonder  
I saw right now/ that I had wonder  
However god/ for to reek all  
Might make a thing so celestial  
So angelic on earth to appear  
For within the streams of her eyen clear  
I am wounded even to the heart  
That fro the death I may not astart  
And most I marvel that so suddenly  
I was so yield to be at her mercy  
Whether that she list me to live or die  
Without more/ I must her lust obey  
And take meekly my sudden adventure  
For sith my life my death/ and eke my cure  
Is in her hand it will not avail  
To grudge again/ for of this battle  
The palm is hers/ and plainly the victory  
If I rebelled honour none ne glory  
I might not in any wile achieve  
sith I am yelden/ how should I thenne prove  
To reave away/ I wot it will not be  
Though I be loose/ at large I may not flee  
O god of love how sharp is now thine arrow  
Now mayst thou now so cruelly & so narrow  
Without cause hurt me and wound  
And takest none heed my sorrows to found  
But like a bird that fleeth at her desire  
Till suddenly within the pantyre  
She is caught though late she was at large  
A new tempest forcasteth now my barge  
Now up now down/ with wind it is so blow  
So am I tossed and almost overthrow  
Ferdryve in darkness of many sundry wave  
Alas when shall this tempest overdrawe  
To clear the skies of mine adversity  
The load star what that I ne may see  
It is so hid with clouds that be black  
Alas when will this torment overslacke  
I can not wite/ for who is hurt of new  
And bleedeth in ward till he were pale of hew  
And hath his wound inwardly fresh & green  
And it is not known unto the harms keen  
Of mighty cupid that can so hearts daunt  
That no man in his war dare him vaunt  
To get a price but only by meekness  
For there ne vaileth strive ne sturdiness  
So may I say that with a look am yold  
And have no power to strive though I would  
Thus stand I ever betwixt life and death  
To love and serve while I have breath  
In such a place where I dare not plain  
Like him that is in torment and in pain  
And knoweth not to whom to discover  
For there that I have holy set my cure  
I dare not well for dread ne for danger  
And for unknown tell how the fire  
Of loves brand is kindled in my breast  
Thus am I murdered and slain at lest  
So privily within my thought  
O lady venus whom I have sought  
So wish me now what me is best to do  
That am distraught with myself so  
That I ne wot what way for to torn  
save by myself sullen for to morn  
Hanging in balance betwixt hope and dread  
Without comfort remedy or rede  
For hope biddeth pursue and assay  
And again ward dread answerth nay  
And now with hope I am set a loft  
But dread and danger hard & nothing soft  
Hath overthrow my trust and put a down  
Now at my large/ now fettered in prysoun  
Now in torment/ now in sovereign glory  
Now in paradise and now in purgatory  
As man despaired in a double were  
Born up with hope/ & then anon danger  
Me draweth a back/ and saith it shall not be  
For where as I of mine adversity  
Am bold some while mercy to require  
then cometh despair & beginneth me to lere  
A new lesson to hope full the contrary  
They been so diverse they will do me vary  
And thus I stand dismayed in a trance  
For when hope were likely me tavaunce  
For dread I tremble & dare one word not speak  
And if it so be/ that I not outbreke  
To tell the harms that grieven me so sore  
But in myself lencrece them more and more  
And to be slain fully me delight  
When of my death she is no thing to wite  
For but if she the contreynt plainly know  
How should she ever/ on my pains rue  
Thus often time with hope I am moved  
To tell her all/ how I am grieved  
And to be hardy on me for to take  
To axe mercy/ but dread doth me thenne a wake  
And then wanhope answereth me again  
That better were that she have disdain  
To die atones unknown of any wight  
And therewith all biddeth hope anon right  
Me to be bold and pray her of grace  
And sith all virtues be portrayed in her face  
Hit were not sitting/ that pity were behind  
And right anon within myself I find  
A new plea brought on me with dread  
That me so maseth that I see no speed  
By cause he said that stonyeth all my blood  
I am so simple and she is so good  
Thus hope and dread in me will not cease  
To plead and strive my harms to increase  
But at hardest yet or I be deed  
Of my distress sith I can no rede  
But stand down still as any stone  
To fore the goddess I will me haste anon  
And complain without more sermon  
Though death be fyn and full conclusion  
Of my request/ yet I will assay  
And right anon me thought I say  
This woeful man as I have me morye  
Full lowly enter in to an oratory  
And kneeled adown in full humble wise  
To fore the goddess and 'gan anon devise  
His piteous quarrel with a doleful cheer  
saying right thus as ye shall here    

¶ The complaint of the man  

Redress of sorrow oh Cytherea  
That with the streams of thy pleasant heat  
Gladest the Mount of all Cirrea  
Where thou haste chosen thy palace and seat  
whose bright beams been wesshen and wet  
In the Rever of Elycon the well  
Have now pity of that I shall you tell   

And not disdain ye of your benignity  
My mortal woe O lady mine Goddess  
Of grace and bounty and merciful pity  
benignly to help and to redress  
And though so be I can not well express  
The grievous harms that I feel in my heart  
Have never yet the less mercy of my smart   

This is to say O clear heavens light  
That next the son sercled have your spear  
sith ye me hurt with your dreadful might  
By infulgence of your beams clear  
And that I by your service now so dear  
As ye me brought in to this malady  
Be ye gracious and shape ye remedy   

For in you holy lieth help of all this care  
And know best my sorrow and all my pain  
For dread of death/ how I ne dare alas  
To axen mercy ones/ ne me complain  
Now with your fire heart so constrain  
Without more or I die atte lest  
That she may wite what is my request   

Now I no thing in all this world desire  
But for to serve fully to mine end  
That foodly fresh so womanly of cheer  
Without change while I have life & mind  
And that ye would such grace send  
Of my service that she not disdain  
sithen her to serve I may not me restrain   

And sith that hope me hath yeven hardiness  
To love her best and never to repent  
While that I live with all my business  
To dread & serve/ though danger never assent  
And here upon ye know mine intent  
How I have vowed fully in my mind  
To be her man/ though I no mercy find   

For in my heart imprinted is so sore  
Her shap her form and all her seemliness  
Her port her cheer/ her goodness more & more  
Her womanhood and eke her gentleness  
Her troth/ her faith and her kindness  
With all virtues each set in her degree  
There is no lack/ saving only of pity   

Her sad demeaning of will not variable  
Of look benign/ and rote of all pleasance  
And exemplar to all that will be stable  
Discrete prudence of wisdom suffisance  
mirror of wit ground of governance  
A world of beauty compassed in her face  
whose perceant look doth through my heart race;   

And over this wonder secret and true  
A well of freedom and right bountevous  
And ever increasing in virtue new and new  
Of speech goodly/ and wonder gracious  
devoid of pride/ to poor not dispiteous  
And if that I shortly shall not feign  
Save upon mercy I no thing complain   

What wonder then/ thought I be with dread  
Inly surprised for to axely grace  
Of her that is queen of womanhead  
For well I wot in so high a place  
It will not be/ therefore I over pace  
And take lowly what woe I endure  
Till she of pity me take to her cure   

But one avow plainly here I make  
That whether so be/ she do me life or die  
I will not grudge/ but humbly it take  
And thank god and wilfully obey  
For by my troth my heart shall never reneye  
For life ne death mercy ne danger  
Of will and thought to be at her desire   

To been as true as ever was Anthonyus  
To Cleopatra while him lasted breath  
Or on to Thesbe young Pyramus  
That was faithful found till them departed death  
Right so shall I till Antropos me sleeth  
For weal or woe her faithful man be found  
Unto my last/ like as my heart is bound   

To love as well as died Achilles  
Unto his last the fair Polyxena  
Or as the great famous Hercules  
For Dianyre that felt the shoot keen  
Right so shall I say right as I mean  
While that I live/ her both dread and serve  
For lack of mercy though she do me starve   

Now lady Venus to whom no thing vnknowe  
Is in the world hide/ ne naught may be  
For there nies thing neither high ne low  
May be counseled from your privity  
Fro whom my moving is not now secret  
But wit fully that mine intent is true  
And like my troth now on my pain rue   

For more of grace than of presumption  
I axe mercy and nothing of duty  
Of lowly humbles without offension  
That ye incline of your benignity  
Your audience unto my humility  
To grant me that to you I clepe and call  
Some day release yet of my pains all   

And sith ye have the guerdon and the meed  
Of all lovers plainly in your hand  
Now of grace and pity take ye heed  
Of my distress that am under your bond  
So lowly bound as ye well understand  
In that place where I took first my wound  
Of pity suffer ye my health may be found   

That like as she me hurt with a sigh:  
Right so with health let me her sustain  
And as the streams of her even bright  
Sometime my heart with wounds sharp & keen  
Through pierced have & yet be fresh and green  
So as she me hurt/ let her me succour  
Or else certain I may not long endure   

For lack of speech I can say you no more  
I have matter but I can not plain  
My wit is dull to tell all my sore  
A mouth I have and yet for all my pain  
For want of words I may not now attain  
To tell half that doth my heart grieve  
Mercy abiding till she me list relieve   

But this theffect of my matter final  
With death or mercy release for to find  
For heart body thought life lust and all  
With all my reason and all my full mind  
And five wits of one assent I bind  
To her service with out any strife  
And make her princess of my death or life   

And now I pray of ruth and eke pity  
O goodly planet oh lady Venus' bright  
That ye your son of his deity  
cupid I mean that with his dreadful might  
And with his brand that is so clear of light  
heart so to fire and to mark  
As ye me sometime brent with a spark   

That like wise and with the same fire  
She may be it as I now burn and melt  
So that her heart be flammed with desire  
That she may know by fervence how I swelte  
For pity plainly if she felt  
The self heat that doth mine heart embrace  
I hope of ruth she will do me grace   

And there with all Venus as we thought  
Towards this man full benignly  
Can cast her eye like as that she wrought  
Of his disease and said full goodly  
sith it is so that thou so humbly  
Without grudging out hests list obey  
Toward thine help I will anon purvey   

And also my son Cupyde that is so blind  
He shall be helping fully to perform  
Your hole desire that no thing be behind  
Ne shall be left so we shall reform  
This piteous complaint that maketh the to morn  
That she for whom thou sorrowest most in heart  
Shall through her mercy release all thy smart   

When she seethe time through her purveyance  
Be not to hasty but suffer all thing we'll  
For in abiding through lowly obeisance  
Lieth full redress of all that ye now feel  
And she shall be as true as any steel  
To you alone by our might and grace  
If ye list meekly abide a little space   

But understand ye that all her cherysing  
Shall be grounded upon honest  
That no wight shall by any rehearsing  
Dame amiss of her in no degree  
For neither mercy ruth nor pity  
She shall not have ne take of the none heed  
Ferther than longeth unto her womanhead   

Be not astonied of no wilfulness  
Ne not despeyred of this dissolution  
let reason bridle lust by buxumnes  
Without grudging or rebellion  
For joy shall follow all this passion  
For who can suffer torment and endure  
Ne may not fail but follow shall his cure   

For to fore all she shall the love best  
So shall I her without offension  
By Influence inspire in her breast  
In honest wise and full intention  
For to incline by clean affection  
Her heart fully on the to have ruth  
By cause I know that thou meanest truth   

Go now to her where she stands a side  
With humble cheer & put the in her grace  
And all before let hope be thy guide  
And though that dread would with the pace  
Itsytteth well but look that thou arace  
Out of thine heart wanhope and dyspeyr  
To her presence or thou have repair   

And mercy first shall thy way make  
And honest men afore do thy message  
To make pity in her heart awake  
And secretness to further thy viage  
With humble port to her that is so sage  
Shall means be/ and I myself also  
Shall the forne or thy tale be done   

Go forth anon/ and be right good of cheer  
For speechless nothing may you speed  
Be good of trust and be no thing in were  
sith I myself shall help in this need  
For at least of her goodlihead  
She shall to the her audience incline  
And lowly to her till thou thy tale fine   

For well thou wottest if I shall not feign  
Without speech thou mayst no mercy have  
For who that will of his prive pain  
Fully be cured his life to help and save  
He must meekly out of his heart grave  
discure his wound and show it his leech  
Or else die for default of speech   

For he that is in mischief reklees  
To seche help I hold him a wretch  
And she ne may thine heart bring in peace  
But if thy complaint to her heart stretch  
wouldest thou be cured and wilt no salve fetch  
It will not be for no wight may attain  
To come to bliss if he list live in pain   

Therefore at ones go forth in humble wise  
Tofore thy lady and lowly kneel a down  
And in all troth thy words so devise  
That she ou the have compassion  
For she that is of so high renown  
In all virtues as queen and sovereign  
Of womanhead shall rue on thy pain   

And when the goddess this lesson had told  
A bout me so 'gan I behold  
Right so astonied stood in a trance  
To see the manner and countenance  
And all the cheer of this woeful man  
That was of hew deadly pale and wan  
With dread surprised in his own thought  
Making cheer as though he wrought naught  
Of life ne death ne what so him betide  
So moche fere he had on every side  
To put him forth for to tell his pain  
Unto his lady other to complain  
What woe he led torment or disease  
What deadly sorrow his heart died seize  
For ruth of which his woes I indite  
My pen I feel quake as I write  
Of him I had so great compassion  
For to rehearse his waymentation  
That uneath though with myself I strive  
I lack cunning his pains to describe  
Alas to whom shall I for help call  
Not to the muses for cause they been all  
Help of right in joy and not in woe  
And in matters that they delight also  
Wherefore they nill as now direct my style  
Nor me inspire alas the hard while  
I can no further but to Thesyphon  
And to her sister to call help upon  
That be goddesses of torment and pain  
Now let your tears in to mine ink rain  
With woeful words my paper for to blot  
This woeful matter to paint not but spot  
To tell the manner of this dreadful man  
Upon his complaint when he first began  
To tell his lady when he 'gan declare  
His hid sorrows and his evil far  
That his heart constrained so sore  
Th'effect of which was this without more   

princess of youth and flower of gentleness  
Ensample of virtue ground of courtesy  
Of beauty rote queen and eke masters  
To all women how they shall them gye  
And soothfast mirror texemplefye  
The right way of port and of womanhead  
What I shall say of mercy take ye heed  
Beseeching unto your high nobles  
With quaking heart of my Inward dread  
Of grace and pity and not of rightwiseness  
Of very ruth to helpen this need  
This is to say O well of goodlihead  
That I ne reck though ye do me die  
So ye list first to here what I say    


The dreadful stroke the great force & might  
Of good cupid that no man may rebel  
So Inwardly through out my heart right  
I pierced hath that I ne may council  
Mine hid wound ne I ne may apele  
Unto no greater this mighty god so fast  
You to serve hath me bound unto my last   

My heart and all without strife are yold  
For life or death to your service alone  
Right as the goddess mighty Venus would  
Tofore her meekly when I made my moan  
She me constrained without change anon  
To your service and never for to fain  
Wherso ever ye list to do me ease or pain   

So that I can nothing but mercy cry  
Of you my lady and change for no new  
That ye list goodly tofore or that I die  
Of very ruth upon my pains rue  
For by my troth and ye my pains knew  
What is the cause of mine adversity  
On my disease ye would have pity   

For unto you true and eke secre  
I will be found to serve as I best can  
And therewith all as lowly in each degree  
To you be alone as ever yet was man  
Unto his lady from the time I began  
And shall so forth withouten any sloth  
Whiles that I live by god and by my troth   

For liver I had to die suddenly  
Than you offence in any manner wise  
And suffer pains inward privily  
Than my service as now ye should despise  
For I right naught will axe in no wise  
But for your servant ye would me accept  
And when I trespass goodly me correct   

And for to grant of mercy the prays  
Only of grace and womanly pity  
From day to day that I might let  
You for to please/ and therewith all that ye  
When I do miss/ list for to teach me  
In your service how that I may amend  
From henceforth and never you offend   

For unto me it doth enough suffice  
That for your man ye would me receive  
Fully to be as ye list devise  
And as farforth as my wits can conceive  
And therewith all like as ye prove  
That I be true/ to guerdon me of grace  
Or else to punish after my trespass   

And if so be that I may not attain  
Unto your mercy/ yet grant atte lest  
In your service for all my woe and pain  
That I may deyen after my behest  
This is all and some the fyn of my request  
Either with mercy your servant to save  
Or merciless that I may be begrave   

And when this benign of her intent true  
conceived hath the complaint of this man  
Right as the fresse rody Rose new  
Of her colour to wexen she began  
Her blood astonied so from her heart it ran  
In to her face of very femynyte  
Thurgh honest dread abashed was she   

And humbly she began her eyen cast  
To wards him of her benignity  
So that no word by her lips passed  
For haste nor dread mercy ne pity  
For so demeaned she was in honest  
That undevysed no thing fro her start  
So moche of reason was compassed in heart   

Till at last of which she did abraid  
When she his truth and meaning did feel  
And unto him full goodly spoke and said  
Of your behest and your meaning weal  
And your service so faithful every deal  
Which unto me so lowly now ye offer  
With all my heart/ I thank you of your proffer   

That for so much your intent is set  
only in virtue I bridled under dread  
You must of right nediss far the bet  
Of your request/ and the better speed  
But as for me I may of womanhead  
No ferther grant to you in mine intent  
Than as my lady Venus' will assent   

For she well knoweth I am not at my large  
To done right naught but by her ordinance  
So am I drowned under her dread full charge  
Her list t'obey without variance  
But for my part so it be pleaunce  
Unto the goddess for troth in your emprise  
I you accept fully to my service   

For she my heart hath in subjection  
Which holy is yours and never shall repeat  
In thought nor deed in mine election  
witness on Venus that knoweth mine intent  
Fully to beye her doom and judgement  
So as her list dispose and ordain  
Right as she knoweth the truth of us twain   

For unto the time that Venus list provide  
To shape a way for our hearts ease  
Both ye and I meekly must abide  
To take at gree/ and not of our disease  
To grudge again till that she list t'appease  
Our hid woe so Inly that constraineth  
From day to day and our hearts paineth   

For in abiding of woe and all affray  
Who so can suffer is founden remedy  
And for the best full oft is made delay  
ere man beheld of their malady  
Wherefore as Uews list this matter to gye  
let us agreed/ and take all for the best  
Till her list set both our hearts in rest   

For she is that bindeth and can constreyn  
hearts in one/ this fortunate planetes  
And can release lovers of her pain  
To turn fully her bitter in to sweet  
Now blissful gods down fro thy sterry seat  
Us to fortune cast your streams sheen  
Like as ye know/ that we troth mean   

And therewith all as I mine eyen cast  
Foe to perceive the manner of these sweyne  
To fore the goddess meekly as they passed  
Me thought I saw with a golden chain  
Venus/ anon embrace and constrain  
Her both hearts in one/ for to persevere  
While that they live/ and never to dissever   

Saying right thus with a benign cheer  
sith it is so/ ye be under my might  
My will is thus/ that ye my daughter dear  
Full accept this man as it is right  
Tnto your grace anon here in my sight  
That ever hath been so lowly you to serve  
It is good skill your thank that he deserve   

Your honour safe and also your womanhead  
Him to cherish/ it sitteth you right well  
sith he is bound under hope and dread  
Amid my chain that forged is of steel  
You must of mercy shape that ye feel  
In you some grace of his long service  
And that in haste like as I shall devise   

This is to say that ye take heed  
How he to you often faith full and true  
Of all your servants/ & no thing for his meed  
Of you ne asketh/ but ye on him rue  
For he vowed hath to change for no new  
For life ne death for joy ne for pain  
As to be yours so as ye list ordain   

Wherefore ye must or else it were wrong  
Unto your grace fully him receive  
In my presence because he hath so long  
Holy been yours as ye may conceive  
That from mercy if ye him weyve  
I will myself record cruelty  
In your person and great lack of pity   

let him for his troth find then again  
For long service guerdon him with grace  
And let your pity weigh down his pain  
For time is now danger to arace  
Out of your heart and mercy in to space  
And love for love would well biseme  
To give again and this I plainly dame   

And as for him I will be his borrow  
Of lowlyhede and busy attendance  
How he shall be both eve and morrow  
Full diligent to do his observance  
And ever awaiting you to do pleasance  
Wherefore my son listen and take heed  
Fully to obey as I shall the rede   

And first of all my will is that thou be  
Faithful in heart and constant as a wall  
True humble meek and therewith all secre  
Without change in party or in all  
And for no torment that the fall shall  
Tempest the not but ever in steadfastness  
Bote thine heart and void doubleness   

And furthermore have in reverence  
These women all for thy lady sake  
And suffer never that men them do offence  
For love of one but ever undertake  
Them to defend whether they sleep or wake  
And aye be ready to hold them party  
Against all though that to them have envy   

Be courteous aye and lowly of thy speech  
To rich and poor aye fresh and well besyne  
And ever busy ways for to seche  
All true lovers to release or their pain  
sith thou art one & of no wight have disdain  
For love hath power hearts for to daunt  
And never for cherishing the to much avaunt   

Be lusty eke void of all tristesse  
And take no thought but ever be jocunde  
And not to pensive for none heaviness  
And with thy gladness let sadness aye be found  
When woe approacheth let mirth most abound  
As manhood asketh and though thou feel smart.  
Let not to many know of thine heart   

And all virtues busily thou sue  
Uyces eschew for the love of one  
And for no tales thine heart not renew  
word is but wind that shall soon be go  
What ever thou here be dumb as any stone  
And to answer to soon not the delight  
For here she standeth that all this shall the quite.   

And whether thou be absent or in presence  
None other's beauty let in thy heart reins  
sith I have give her of beauty excellence  
Above all other in virtue for to shine  
And think how in fire men are wont to fine  
This pured gold to put it in assay  
So to the prove thou art put in delay   

But time shall come thou shalt for thy sufferance  
Be well apaid and take for thy meed  
Thy lives joy and all thy suffisance  
So that good hope alway thy bridle lead  
Let no dyspayt hinder the with dread  
But aye thy trust upon her mercy ground  
sith none but she may thy sorrow sound   

Each hour and time week day and year  
Be like faithful and vary not for light  
Abide a while and then of thy delyre  
The time nigheth that shall the most delight  
And let no sorrow in thy heart bite  
For no differing sith thou for thy meed  
Shall rejoice in peace the flout of womanhead   

Think how she is this worlds son & light  
The star of beauty the flower eke of fairness  
Both crop and rote and eat the ruby bright  
hearts to glade ytroubled with darkness  
And how I have made her thine hearts empress  
Be glad therefore to be under her bond  
Now come near daughter & take him by the hand   

Unto this fyn that after all these showers  
Of his torment he may be glad and light  
When by your grace ye take him to be yours  
For evermore anon here in my sight  
And eke I will also as it is right  
Without more his languor for to lysse  
In my presence anon that ye him kiss   

That there may be of all your old smertes  
A full releases under joy assured  
And that one lock be of your both hearts  
shit with my key of gold so well pured  
Only in sign that ye have recured  
Your hole desire here in this holy place  
Within my temple now in the year of grace   

Eternally be bound of assurance  
The knot is knit that may not be unbound  
That all the gods of this alliance  
Saturn Juno and Mars as it is found  
And eke cupid that first did you wound  
Shall bear record/ and evermore be wreak  
On which of you his troth first break   

So that by aspects of their fiery looks  
Without mercy shall fall the vengeance  
For to be razed clean out of my books  
On which of you be found of variance  
Therefore atones set your pleasance  
Fully to be while ye have life and mind  
Of one accord unto your lives end   

That if the spirit of newfangledness  
In any wise your hearts would assail  
To move or stir to bring in doubleness  
Upon your troth to give a battle  
let not your courage ne your force fail  
Nor none assaults you flytten or remove  
For unassayed no man may troth prove   

For white is whiter if it be set by black  
And sweet is sweeter after bitterness  
And falsehood ever is driven and put aback  
Where troth is rooted without falseness  
Withove prove there may be no sekernes  
Of love or hate and therefore of you two  
Shall love be more/ for it was bought with woe   

And every thing is had more in duty  
And more of price when it is dear bought  
And eke love standeth more in seurte  
When it is tofore with pain woe & thought  
Conquered was first when it was sought  
And every conquest hath his excellence  
In his pursuit as it findeth resistance   

And so to you more sweet and agreeable  
Shall love be found I do you plainly assure  
Without grudging that ye were sufferable  
So low so meek patiently to endure  
That all at once I shall do now my cure  
For now and ever your hearts so to bind  
That naught but death shall the knot unbind   

Now in this matter what should I longer devil  
Come ye atones and do as I have said  
And first my daughter that are of bounty well  
In heart and thought be glad and well apaid  
To do him grace that shall and hath obeyed  
Your lusts ever/ and I will for his sake  
Of trough to you be bound and undertake   

And so forth within presence as they stand  
To fore the gods this fair and weal  
Her humble servant took goodly by the hand  
As he tofore her/ meekly did kneel  
And kissed him after fulfilling every deal  
From point to point in full thrifty wise  
As ye toforn had Venus' herd devise   

Thus is this man to joy and all pleasance  
From heaviness and from his pains old  
Full reconciled/ and hath full suffesaunce  
Of her that ever men well and would  
That in good faith and I tell should  
The in ward mirths did her hearts brace  
For all my life to tell/ it were to little space   

For he hath won her that he loveth best  
And she to grace hath take him of pity  
And thus their hearts been both set in rest  
Without change or mutability  
And Venus hath of her benignity  
confirmed all what shall I longer tarry  
These twain in one and neverto vary   

That for the joy in the temple above  
Of this accord by great solemnity  
Was laud and honour within and without  
give to Venus and to the deity  
Of god Cupid so that Calyope  
And all her cistern in their harmony  
Sweet with their songs the gods to magnify   

And all at ones with notes loud and sharp  
They did her honour and reverence  
And Orpheus among them with his harp  
Can strings touch with his diligence  
And Amphyon that hath such excellence  
Of music aye did his business  
To please the queen Venus and goddess   

Only for cause of the affinity  
Betwyx these two not lusty to dyscevere  
And every lover rf low and high degree  
Can Venus pray fro thence forth and ever  
That hole of them the love may persevere  
Withouten end in such wise as they gone  
And more increase that it of hard was won   

And the gods hearing this request  
As she that knew the clean intention  
Of both them twain made a behest  
Perpetually by confirmation  
Whiles they live of one affection  
They shall endure there is no more to say  
That neither shall have matter to complain   

So farforth evermore in our eternal see  
The gods have in our presence  
Fully devised through their deity  
And holy concluded by their Influence  
That by their might and just prudence  
The love of them by grace and eke fortune  
Without change shall evermore contune   

Of which grant the Temple environ  
Through high comfort of them that were present  
Anon was go with a melodious sown  
An name of though that troth in love meant  
A ballad new in full good intent  
Tofore the gods with notes loud and clear  
Singing right this anon as ye shall here   

Fairest of stars that with your persant light  
And with the cherishing of your streams clear  
Cause in love hearts to be light  
Only by shining of your glad spear  
Now laud and price oh lady Venus dear  
Be to your name that have without sin  
This man fortuned his lady for to win   

Wylly planet O esperous so bright  
That woeful hearts can appease and steer  
And ever are ready by your grace and might  
To help all though that by love so dear  
And have power hearts to set on fire  
Honour to you of all that been here Inn  
That have this man his lady made to win   

O mighty goddess day star after night  
Gladding the morrow when ye do appear  
To void darkness by freshness of your light  
Only with twinkling of your pleasant cheer.  
To you we thank lovers that been here  
That ye this man and never for to twin  
Fortuned have his lady for to win    


And with the noise and heavenly melody  
With that they made in their armovye  
through out the temple for this man's sake  
Out of my sleep anon I did awake  
And for astonied knew as though no rede  
For sudden change oppressed with dread  
My thought was cast in a trance  
So clean away was though my remembrance  
Of all my dream whereof frete thought and woe  
I had in heart and nist what was to do  
For heaviness that I had lost the sight  
Of her that I all the long night  
Had dreamed of in mine advision  
Whereof I made great lamentation  
Because I had never in my life before  
saw none so fair sith that I was borne  
For love of whom so as I can indite  
I purpose here to make and write  
A little treatise and process make  
In price of women only for her sake  
Them to commend as it is skill and right  
For her goodness with all my might  
praying to her that is so bountevous  
So full of virtue and so gracious  
Of womanhead and merciful pity  
This simple treatise for to take in gre  
Till I have leisure unto her high renown  
For to expone my foresaid vysyoun  
And tell in plain the sygnefyaunce  
As it cometh to my remembrance  
So that hereafter my lady may it look  
Now go thy way thou little rude book  
To her presence as I the command  
And first of all thou me recomaunde  
Unto her and to her excellence  
And pray to her it be none offence  
If any word in the be missaid  
Beseeching her she be not evil apaid  
For as her list I will the eft correct  
When that her liketh againward the direct  
I mean that benign and goodly of face  
Now go thy way and put the in her grace    

¶ Duodecim abusiones  

Rex sine sapientia.  
Episcopus sine doctrina.  
Dominus sine consilo.  
Mulier sine castitate.  
Miles sine probitate.  
judex sine justicia.  
Dives sine elemosina.  
Populus sine lege.  
Senex sine religiose  
servus sine timore.  
Pauper superbus  
Adolescens sine obedientia  
Go forth king rule the by sapience  
bishop be able to minister doctrine  
Lord to true counsel give audience  
womanhead to chastity ever incline  
Knight let thy deeds worship determine  
Be rightwise Juge in saving thy name  
Rich do alms jest thou lose bliss with shame   

People obey your king and the law  
Age be thou ruled by good religion  
True servant be dreadful & keep the under awe.  
And thou poor fie on presumption  
inobedience to youth is utter destruction  
Remember you how god hath set you lo  
And do your part as ye are ordained to   
¶ There endeth the temple of Glass imprinted in London in Flete street in the sign of the son, by Wynkyn de word.   


wynken de word