Hrre followeth the interpretation of the names of gods and goddesses of this treatise following as Poetes write.  
¶ Phoebus is no moche to say 
as the son  Apollo is the same 
o● else god of light  Morpleus 
shower of dreams  Pluto 
god of hell  Minos 
judge of hell  Cerberus 
porter of hell  Colus 
the wind or god of the air  Dyana 
goddess of wood and chase  Phebe 
the moan or goddess of waters  Auro●a 
goddess of the morrow or the springing of the day  Mars 
god of battle  jupiter 
god of wisdom  juno 
goddess of richesse  Saturn 
god of cold  Ceres' 
goddesses of corn  Cupid 
god of love  Othea 
goddess of wisdom  fortune 
the vigilant goddess  Pan 
god of shepherds  isis 
goddess of fruit  Neptunus' 
god of the see  minerve 
goddess of the battle or of harvest  Bacchus 
god of wine  Mercurius 
god of language  Venus' 
goddess of love  Discord 
goddess of debate & strife  Atropos 
death   
¶ Here endeth the interpretation of the names of gods and goddesses as is ●ehercyd in this treatise following./   

Here beginneth this present treatise  

When Phebus in the crab had n●r his course run  
And toward the lion his journey take  
To look on Pi●tagoras spear I had begun  
sitting all solitary alone beside a lake  
Musing on a manner how that I might make  
Reason & sensuality in one to accord  
But I could not bring about the monacorde   

For long e● I might sleep me 'gan oppress  
So poderously I could make none obstacle  
In mine heed was fall such an heaviness  
I was feign to draw to mine habitacle  
To rowne with a pylow me seemed best tryacle  
So laid I me down my diseesè to relieve  
Anon came in Morpleus & took me by the sleeve   

And as I so lay half in a trance  
Tween sleeping & waking he bade me arise  
For he said I must give attendance  
To the great court of Minos the justice  
Me nought availed again him to sylogyse  
For it is oft said by them that yet lives  
He must needs go that the devil drives   

When I saw no better but I must go  
I said I was ready at his commandment  
whether that he would me lead to or fro  
So up I arose & forth with him went  
Till he had me brought to the parliament  
Where Pluto sat & kept his estate  
And with him Minos the judge dysperate   

But as we thitherward went by the way  
I him besought his name me to tell  
Morpleus he said that me call may  
A sir said I then where do ye dwell  
In heaven or in earth or else in hell  
Nay he said mine abiding most commonly  
Is in a little corner called Fantasy   

And assoon as he these words had said  
Cerberus the porter of hell with his chain  
Brought thither Colus in ragg● evil arrayed  
Again whom Neptunus & Dyana did complain  
Saying thus o Minos thou judge sovereign  
Yeve thy cruel judgement anent this traitor so  
that we may have cause to praise thy lord Pluto   

Then was there made a proclamation  
In Pluto's name commanded stylence  
Upon the pain of strait corre●●ōn  
the Dyana & Neptunus might have audience  
To declare there greyf of the great offence  
To them do by Colus whereon they compleyned  
And to begin Dyana was constrained   

Which thus began as ye shall here  
Saying in this wise. o thou lord Pluto  
with thy judge Minos sitting with the in fere  
Execute your fury upon Colus so  
According to the offence that he to me hath do  
That I have no cause ferther to apele  
Which if I do shall not be for your we'll   

Remember first how I a goddess pure  
Over all deserts forests & chases  
Have take the guiding & under my cure  
This traitor Colus hath many of my plac●  
Destroyed with his blasts & daily me menace  
Where any wooed is he shall make it plain  
If he to his liberty may resort again   

The greatest trees that any man may find  
In forest to shade the dear for their comfort  
He breaketh them asone & renteth them rote & r●de  
Out of the earth this is his disport  
So that the dear shall have no resort  
Within short time to no manner shade  
Where through the game is likely to fade   

Which to my name a reproach singular  
Should be for ever while the world last  
And to all the goddies an high displeyser  
To see the game so destroyed by his blast  
Wherefore a remedy purvey in haste  
And let him be punished after his offence  
consider the crime. & give your sentence   

And when thus Dyana had made her compleynt  
To Minos the judge in Pluto's presence  
Came forth Neptunus with visage pale & faint  
desiring of favour to have audience  
saying thus Pluto to thy magnificence  
I shall rehearse what this creature  
Colus hath done me out of measure   

Thou knowest well that I have the charge  
Over all the see. & thereof god I am  
No ship may sail. marvel boat nor barge  
great karyke: nor hulk which any living man  
But if he have my sau●conduyte than  
Who me offendyth within my jurisdiction  
O with to submit him to my correction   

But in as much as it is now so  
That ye him here have as your prisoner  
I shall you show my complaint loo  
Wherefore I pray you that ye will it here  
And let him not escape out of your daungere  
Till he hath made full seethe & recompense  
For hurt of my name through his great offence   

first to begin▪ this Colus hath oft  
Made me to return my course against nature  
with his great blastis when he hath be a loft  
And charged me to labour far out of measure  
that it was great marvel how I might endure  
The ●ome of my sweet will it testify  
That on the see banks lieth beaten full high   

Secondly where as my nature is  
Both to ebb & flow & so my course to keep  
Oft of mine intent hath he made me miss  
Where as I should have filled dyches deep  
At a full water I might not thither creep  
Before my season came to return again  
And then went I faster than I would certain   

Thus hath he me drive against mine intent  
And contrary to my course natural  
Where I should have be he made me be absent  
To my great dishonour & in especial  
Oo thing he used that was worst of all  
For where as I my ●aufgarde granted  
●y in that cost he commonly haunted   

Of very pure malice & of sylfewyll  
Them to destroy in despite of me  
To whom I promised both in good & ill  
To be her protector in all adversity  
That them should fall upon the see  
And even suddenly ere they could beware  
With a sudden piry he lappy●● them in care   

And full oft sith with his boisterous b●●●●  
Ere they might beware he droof hem on the sond●  
And other while he broke top sail & mast  
Which caused them to perish ere they came to lond●  
Then cursed they the time that ever me fond  
Thus among the people lost is my name  
And so by his labour put I am to shame   

Consider this matter & ponder my cause  
Tender my complaint as rigour requireth  
Show forth your sentence with a breyf ●ause  
I may not long tarry the time fast expyreth  
The offence is great wherefore it desireth  
The more grievous pay● & hasty judgement  
For offence done wilfully will non a●ysement   

And▪ when the god Pluto a while him bethought  
He ro●●●d with Minos to know what was to do  
Then he said openly look thou fail nought  
Thy sentence to ●eue without favour so  
Like as thou hast herd the causes me●yd y● to  
And so evynly deal between these parties tweys  
that none of them have cause on that other compleyn   

Then said Minos full Indifferently  
To Dyana & Neptunus. is there any more  
That ye will declare again him openly  
Nay in deed they said we keep none in store  
We have said enough to punish him fore  
If ye in this matter be not partial  
Remember your name was wont to be equal   

Well then said Minos now let us here  
What this boisterous Colus for himself can say  
For here (prima fancy) to us doth apere  
That he hath offended no man can say nay  
Wherefore thou Colus without more desay  
Shape us an answer to thine aculement  
And else I must proceed on thy judgement   

And even as Colus was onward to have said  
For his ercuse. came in a messengere  
from god Apollo to Pluto & him prayed  
On-his behalf that he without daungere  
Would to him come & bring with him in fere  
Dyana & Neptunus unto his banquet  
And if they disdained himself he would them fet   

Moreover he said the god Apollo  
Desireth to have respite of the judgement  
Of Colus both of Minos & Pluto  
So Dyana & Neptunus were therewith content  
And if they were disposed to assent  
That he might come unto his presence  
He it desired to know his offence   

What say ye hereto said Pluto to them tweyn  
Will ye both assent that it shall be thus  
Ye said the goddess for my part certain  
And I also said this Neptunus  
I am well pleased quod this Colus  
And when they had a while thus together spoke  
Pluto commanded the court to be broke   

And then together went they in fere  
Pluto & Neptunus leading the goddess  
Whom fololowed Cerberus with his prisoner  
And alder last with great heaviness  
Cam I & Morpleus to the fortress  
Of the god Apollo unto his banquet  
Where many goddies & goddesses met   

When Apollo saw that they were come  
He was right glad & prayed them to sit  
Nay said Dyana this is all & some  
Ye shall me pardon I shall not lyt yet  
I shall first know why Colus abyt  
And what execution shall on him be do  
For his offence. well said Apollo   

Madam ye shall have all your pleysere  
Sith it will none other wise be  
But first I you pray let me the matter here  
Why he is brought in this perplexity  
Well said Pluto. that shall ye soon see  
And 'gan to declare even by and by  
Both their complaints ordinately   

And when Apollo had heard the report  
Of Pluto in a manner smiling he said  
I see well Colus. thou hast small comfort  
Thyself to excuse thou mayst be dismayed  
To here so great complaints against the laid  
That notwithstanding if thou can say aught  
For thine own weal. say & tarry nought   

Forsooth said Colus if I had respite  
Herto an answer could I counterfeit  
But to have her grace more is my delight  
Wherefore I pray you all for me entrete  
that I may by your request her good grace get  
And what pain or greyf ye for me provide  
Without any grudging I shall it abide   

●oo good madame said god Apollo  
What may he do more but sew to your grace  
Behold how the teries from his eyen go  
It is satisfaction half for his trespass  
Now glorious goddess show your piteous face  
To this poor prisoner at my request  
All we for your honour think thus is best   

And if it like you to do in this wise  
And to foryeve him clearly his offence  
One thing surely I will you promise  
If he oft rebel and make resistance  
Or disobey unto your sentence  
For every tree that he maketh fall  
Out of the earth. an hundred arise shall   

So that your game shall not discrease  
For lack of shade I dare undertake  
Well sir Apollo said she then will I seize  
Of all my rancour & mercy with you make  
And then god Neptunus of his matter spoke  
Saying thus. Apollo though Dyana him release  
Yet shall he sue to me to have his pese   

A said Apollo ye wend I had foryete  
You for my lady Dyana the goddess  
Nay think not so for I will you entrete  
As well as her without long process  
Will ye agree that Phoebus your mistress  
May have the guiding of your variance  
I shall abide qd he her ordinance   

Well then qd Apollo I pray you God's all Nota  
And goddesses that been here present  
That ye companably will aboard fall  
Nay then said Othea. it is not convenient  
Adieu order in every place is exspedyent  
To be had wherefore ye may not let  
To be your own marchall at your own banquet   

And when Apollo see it would none other be  
He called to him Aurora the goddess  
And said though ye weep yet shall ye before me  
Ay keep your course & put yourself in press  
So he her set first at his own mess  
With her moist clothes with tears all besprent  
The meadows in may show thereof there compleynt   

Next her sat Mars mighty god and strong  
With a flame or tire environed all about  
A crown of iron on his heed a spear in hand  
It seemed by his cheer as he would have fouze  
And next unto him as I perceive mought  
Sat the goddess Dyana in mantel fine  
Of black silk purfled with powdered hermyne   

Like as she had take the mantel & the ring  
And next unto her arrayed rially  
Sat the god jupiter in his demening  
Full sad & wise he seemed sickerly  
A crown of tin stood on his heed  
And that I record of all philosophers  
That little store of coin keep in their cofres   

joined to him in sitting next there was  
The goddess juno full richly beseen  
In a sercote that shone as bright as glass  
Of goldsmythꝭ work with spanglꝭ wrought by dene  
Of ryal riches wanted she none I ween  
And next by her sat the god Saturn  
That oft time causeth many one to morn   

But he was clad me thought strangely  
For of fro●● & snow was all his array  
In his hand he held a falchion all bloody  
It seemed by his cheer as he would make a fray  
A baudrik of ysikles about his neck gay  
He had. & above an high on his heed  
Couchid with heylstones he ware a crown of lead   

And next in order was set by his side  
Ceres the goddess in a garment  
Of sakcloth made with sleeves large & wide  
embroidered with sheaves & sycklys bent  
Of all manner greynes she scaled the parent  
In token that she was the goddess of corn  
Old poets say she beareth the harvest horn   

Then was there set the god Cupid  
All fresh & gallant and costly in array  
With ouches & rings he was beset so  
The palys thereof shone as though it had be day  
A kerchyf of pleysaunce stood over his helm ay  
The goddess Ceres he looked in the face  
And with one arm he died her embrace   

Next to Cupid in order by and by  
Of worldly wisdom sat the fortress  
called Othea chief ground of policy  
Reweler of knighthede of prudence the goddess  
Clad all in purpur was she more & less  
save on her heed a crown there stood  
couched with perlies orient fine & good   

And next to her was god Pluto set  
With a dark mist environed all about  
His clothing was made of a smoky net  
His colour was both within & without  
Full dark & dim his eyen great & stout  
Of fire & sulphur all his odour waas  
That woe was me while I beheld his faas   

Fortune the goddess with her party face  
Was unto Pluto next in order set  
variant she was ay in short space  
Her wheel was ready to torn without let  
Her gown was of gaudy green chamelet  
changeable of sundry divers colours  
To the conditions according of her showers   

And by her sat though he unworthy were  
The rude god Pan of shepherds the guide  
Clad in russet frieze & breached like a bear  
With a great tarboxe hanging by his side  
A shep●roke in his hand he spared for no pride  
And at his feet lay a prickered curie  
He rattled in the throat as he had the murie   

isis the goddess bore him company  
For at the table next she sat by his side  
In a close kyrtyll embroidered ●nryously  
With branches & levys broad large & wide  
Giene as any grass in the summer tide  
Of all manner fruit she had the governance  
Of savours odoriferous was her sustenance   

Next her then was god Neptunus set  
He savoured like a fisher of him I spoke before  
It seemed by his clothes as they had be wet  
About him in his gyrdelstede hinge fysshꝭ manya score  
Of his strange array marveled I sore  
A ship with a top & sail was his crest  
Me thought he was gaily disguised at that feast   

Then took Minerva the goddess her seat  
jointly to Neptunus' all in curas clad  
Gaunlett on her hondis & sabatouns on her feet  
She looked ever about as though she had be mad  
An hamer & a sith on her heed she had  
She wered two bokelers one by her side  
That other ye wots where this was all her pride   

Then came the god bachus & by her set him down  
Holding in his hand a cup full of wine  
Of green vine levys he ware a jolly cowne  
He was clad in clustres of grapis good & fine  
A garland of ivy he chose for his sign  
On his heed he had a thredebare kendal hood  
Algymlot and a fauset thereupon stood   

Next him sat Phebns with her colour pale  
Fat she was of face but of complexion faint  
She said she ruled neptunus & made him to avail  
And once in the month with phebus was she meynt  
Also ne were she. Ceres were ateynt  
Thus she sat & told the might of her nature  
And on her heed she ware a crown of silver pure   

jointly to her Mercurins took his see  
As came to his course witness the zodiac  
He had a gylden tongue as fill for his degree  
In eloquence of language he passed all the pake  
For in his talking noman could find lake  
A box with quicksilver he had in his hand  
Multiplyers know it well in every land   

By him sat dam Venus with colour ciistallyne  
Whose long here shone as wire of gold bright  
crisp was her skin & her eyen columbine  
ravished mine heart her cheer was so light  
Patroness of pleasance be named well she might  
A smock was her weed garnished curiously  
But above all other she had a wanton eye   

On her heed she ware a reed copper crown  
A nosegay she had made full pleasantly  
betwixt her & Aurora. Apollo set him down  
With his beams bright he shone so fervently  
That he therewith gladded all the company  
A crown of pure gold was on his heed set  
In sign that he was master & lord of that banquet   

Thus was the table set round about Nota  
With goddies & goddesses as I have you told  
Awaiting on the board was a great rout  
Of sage philosophers & poets many fold  
There was sad Sychero & Aristotle old  
Tholome Dorethe & Dyogenes  
Plato Messehala & wise Socrates'   

Sorts & Saphirus with Hermes stood behind  
Avicen & Aueroys with them were in fire  
Galen & hippocras that physic have in mind  
With help of Esculapion toward them drew ne'er  
Virgile Orace Ovid and Omet  
Euclid & Albert gave their attendance  
To do the gods & goddesses pleasance   

hoar berd Orpheus was there with his harp  
And as a poet musical made he melody  
Other mynstrel had they none saf Pan 'gan carp  
Of his lewd bagpipe that caused the company  
To lauȝ. yet many more were if I should not lie  
Some young some old both better & worse  
But more of their names can I not rehearse   

Of all manner deyntees there was abundance  
Of metis & drynkis foison plenteous  
In came discord to have made va●yāunce  
But there was no room to set her in the hove  
The goddies remembered the schism odious  
Among the three goddesses that she had wrought  
At the fest of Peleus wherefore they thought   

They would not with her deal in adventure  
Lest she them brought to some in convenient  
She seeing this was wroth out of measure  
And in great wrath out of the palace went  
Saying to herself that cheer should they repent  
And anon with Atropos happed she to meet  
As he had be a ghost came in a wynding sheet   

She took him by the hand & rouned in his ere  
And told him of the banquet that was so delicate  
How she was received & what chet had she thet  
And how every god sat in his estate  
Is it thus said Atropos what in devils date  
Well he said I see well how the game gooth  
Ones for your sake shall I make them wroth   

And when she had him all together told  
From her he departed & of her took his leave  
Saying that for her sake his way take he would  
In to the palace his matters to move  
And ere he thence went he trowed them to green  
With such tidings as he should them tell  
So forth in he went & spoke words fell   

When he came in the presence of the gods all  
As he had be wood he looked him about  
His sheet from his body down he let fall  
And on a rude maver he saluted all the rout  
With a bold voice carping words stout  
But he spoke all hollow as it had be one  
Had spoke in another world that had woebegone   

He stood forth boldly with grim countenance  
Saying on this wise as ye shall here  
All ye great goddies give attendance  
Unto my words without all daungere  
Remember how ye made me your officer  
All though with my dart finally to chastise  
That you disobeyed or would your law despise   

And for the more surety ye sealed my patent  
giving me full power so to occupy  
What to I have employed mine intent  
And that can dame Nature well testify  
If she be examined she will it not deny  
For when she forsaky●h any creature  
I am ay ready to take him to my cure   

Thus have I only with all my diligence  
executed the office of old antiquity  
To me by you granted by your coming sentence  
For I spared none high nor low degree  
So that on my part no default hath be  
For as soon as any to me committed was  
I smote him to the heart he had none other grass   

Ecto● of Troy for all his chyvalry  
Alerandre the great & mighty conqueror  
julius Cesar with all his company  
David nor joshua nor worthy Artour  
Charles the noble that was so great of honour  
Or judas Machabee for all his true heart  
Nor Godfrey of Boleyn could me not astart   

Nabugodonozor for all his great prode  
Nor the king of Egypte the cruel pharaoh  
jason ne hercules went they never so wide  
Cosdras hannibal nor gentle Sypyo  
Cyrus Achilles or many another ●●o  
For seyre or fowl gate of me no grace  
But all be at the last. I sese them which my mace   

Thus have I brought every creature  
To an end both man fish foul & be●st  
And every other thing in whom dame nature  
Hath any jurisdiction etheyr most or least  
Except only one in whom your beheest  
Is to me broke for ye me promised  
That my might of non should have be despised   

When of the contrary dare I well avow  
Is true for one there is that will not apply  
Unto my correction nor in no wise bow  
To the dint of my dart for dole nor destiny  
What comfort he hath nor the cause why  
That he so rebellyth I can not think of right  
But if ye have him granted your alders safcondyght   

And if ye so have then do ye not as goddies  
For a God's writing may not reversed be  
If it should I would not give two pesecoddis  
For grant of your patent of office near of fee  
Wherefore in this matter do me equytee  
According to my patent. for till this be do  
Ye have nomo & my service ne my good wylloo   

And when all the God's had Atropos heard  
As they had be wood they brayed up attonies  
And said the● would not rest till he were conquered  
Taken & destroyed body blood & bones  
And that they swore great oaths for the nonce  
Theridamas law to despise that was so malapert  
They said he should be taught for to be so pert   

Well said Apollo if he on the earth be  
with my brenning char I shall him confound  
In faith qd Neptunus & if he keep the see  
He may be full sure. he shall soon be drowned  
A sir said Mars this have we well found  
That any disobeyed our godly precept  
We may well think we have to long slept   

But nevertheless where I may him find  
with thond & lightening about I shall him chase  
And I qd Satnrnus before and behind  
With my bitter cold shall show him hard grace  
Well said Mercurius if I may see his face  
For ever of his speech I shall him deprive  
So that him were better be deed than a live   

Ye quoth Othea yet way he well be  
In the air where he will & axe you no leave  
Wherefore my counsel is that all we  
May entreat Neptunus his rancour to foryeve  
And then I doubt not Colus will him mischief  
So may ye be sure he shall you not escape  
And else of all your anger will he make but a jape   

But for to tell you how Col●s was brought  
In danger of Pluto yet had I forget  
Wherefore on this matter ferder will I nought  
proceed till I thereof have knowledge you let  
It fell on a day the weather was wete  
And Colus thought he would on his disport  
Go to rejoice his spirits & comfort   

He thought he would see what was in the ground  
And in cravers forth he 'gan him dress  
A drowthe had the earth late before found  
That caused it to chin & crase more & less  
Suddenly by weet constrained by duresse  
Was the ground to close his superficial face  
So strait y● to scape Colus had no space   

This seeing Colus he still within abode  
Seeking where he might have gone out far or near  
Anon he was espied & one to Pluto road  
And told him how Colus was in his daungere  
Then said he to Cerberus fet me that prisoner  
Till I have him seen let him not go at large  
As thou wilt answer of him I give the charge   

Thus was this Colus take prisoner  
Then happed it so that the same day  
Pluto had prefixed for a great matter  
Minos to sit in his rob of ray  
Wherefore Cerberus took the next way  
And lad him to the place where the cour● shallbe  
Whed as I told you Morpleus brought me   

So thither came Dyana carried in a car  
To make her complaint as I told you all  
& so died Neptunus that doth both make & mar●e  
wallowing with his waves & tomblyng as a ball  
Theridamas ma●s they moved fall what may befall  
There was the first sight that ever I them saw  
And if I never do eft I reck not a straw   

But now to my matter to return again  
And to begin new. where I left  
When all the goddies had done their busy pay●  
They weyte to contrive how he should be reft  
Of his life that Atropos had no cause eft  
To compleyn. then Phoebus' start upon her feet  
And said I pray you let me speak a word yet   

Othea meaneth well to say on this wise  
But all to entrete Neptunus I hope shall not need  
Mesemyth I alone durst take the enterprise  
ere I am beguiled or else I shall speed  
How say ye Neptunus shall I do this deed  
Will ye your rancour sesse at my request  
Madam qd he rulyth me as you liketh best   

Gramercy said she of your good will  
That it pleaseth you to show me that favour  
Wherefore the God's high pleasure to fulfil  
Perform my desire▪ & leave all old rancour  
Foral our alders weal & saving of our honour  
Again this Colus that ye long have had  
It is done qd he forsooth then am I glad   

Said he now then Colus be y● to us true  
●repe well the air & our great rebel  
May we then soon ever to us subdue  
Yes & that quod Colus shall ye here tell  
Nowhere in the air shall he rest nor dwell  
If he do thereof put me in the fault  
With my bitter blasts. so shall I him assault   

What said the god Pluto what is his name  
That thus presumeth agay● us to rebel  
Virtue qd attropos y● have he much shame  
He is never confounded. thus of him here I tell  
A said this Pluto. in deed I know him well  
He hath be ever mine utter e●e●ye  
Wherefore this matter again him take will I   

For all the baits that ye for him have laid  
Without mine help been not worth a pe●●e  
For though ye all the contrary had said  
Yet would he breed right nigh your althers ere  
No manner of thing can him hurt nor dear  
Save only one a son of my bastard  
Whose name is Syce he keepeth my vaward   

Wherefore you Cerberus now I the discharge  
Of Colus. & will that thou hither fet  
My deer son vice & say that I him charge  
That he to me come without any let  
armed all poynt●●. for a day is set  
That he with virtue for all the God's sake  
In our defence. must on him battle ta●●e   

Forth then went Cerberus with his fiery chey●●e  
And brought thither vice as he commanded was  
Again noble virtue the battle to dereygne  
On a gliding serpent riding a great ●as  
Form like a dragon scalid hard as glass  
whose mouth flamed fire without fail  
Wings had it serpentyne & a long tayll   

Armed was vice all ●●●●e bo●ie  
Hard as any borne blacker ferrt than so●●  
An ungodly sort followed him pard  
Of unhappy captains of mischief crop & ●ote  
Pride was the first. the next him road god 〈…〉 te  
On a roaring lion. next whom came envy  
sitting on a 〈…〉 f he had a scornful eye   

Wrath bestrode a wild boar & next him 'gan ride  
In his hand he bore a bloody na●●yd s●●crde  
Next whom came covetise that goth so far & wide  
Riding on an oliphaflt as he had been afeard  
After whom to the gluttony with his fat beard  
sitting on a bear wish his great belly  
And next him on a goat followed lechery   

Sloth was so sleepy he came all behind  
On a dull ass a full weary pace  
these were the captey●●● the vice could find  
Best to set his field & follow on the chase  
As for petty captains many mother wase  
●● sacrilege simony & dissimulation  
Manslaughter murder theft & extortion   

arrogance presumption with contumacy  
contemption contempt & inobedience  
Malice frowardness great I●lacy  
Wodnesse bate strife & impatience  
unkindness oppression with woeful negligence  
mumur mischief falsehood & detraction  
Usury perjury lie & adulation   

Wrong ravin sturdy violence  
Falls judgement with obstinacy  
disobeyed drunkenness & Improvidence  
Bol●ue● in ill with fowl & rybawdy  
fornication Incest & adultery  
●●sham fastness with prodigalyce  
Blaspheme veynglory & worldly vanity   

Ignorance diffydence with hypocrisy  
schism rancour debate & offence  
Heresy ●●●our with idolatry  
New fangylnesse & subtle ●●l● pretence  
Inordynat desire of worldly excellense  
Feigned poverty with apostasy  
Dys●aund●● scorn & unkind jealousy   

Hoor●●ene bawdry false mayntenaver  
Treason abusion & petty ●●●●●●  
Vsurpac●n with horrible ●engraunce  
Came al●●● last of that company  
All these petty captains followed by & by  
She 〈…〉 themselves to the palace wide  
And said they were ready the bu●aylle to abide   

Idylnesse s●t the coruyn● to array  
Without the palace on a faith field  
But there was an host for to make a fray  
I t●o●● such another never man beheld  
Many was the wepyn among the that they weld  
What people they were that came to the disport  
I shall you declare of many a sundry sort   

There were hosters bragger's & brybores  
Praters facers' stretchers & wrythers  
Shameful shakerles sullen shaveldores  
Oppressers of people & mighty crackers  
maintainers of quarrels horrible liars  
thieves traitors with false heretics  
Charmers sorcerers & many schismatics   

privy symonyakes with false usurers  
Multyplyers coin wasshers & clippers  
Wrong usurpers with great extortioners  
Bakbyters glosers & fair flatterers  
malicious murmurers with great claterers  
Tregetours triphelers feyners of tales  
Lastyvous lurdeyns & pikers of males   

Rowners' vagabundes forgers & losings  
Robbers ●euers ravenous ryfelers  
Choppers of churches finders of tidings  
Matters of matters and money makers  
Scalkers by night with eavesdroppers  
fighters brawlers brekers of lovedayes  
Getters chyders causers of frays   

Tityvylles tyrants with tormentors  
cursed apostatis religious dissymulers  
Closshers cards with common hasardoures  
Tyburn coloppis & pursekyters  
Pyllary knights double tolling millers  
Gay jolly tapsters with ostler's of the stews  
Hoor●● & ●awo●● that many bale brews   

Bold blaspherners with false hypocrites  
Brotheilers brokers abominable swearers  
Dryvelled dastards dyspysers of rights  
homicides poisoners & common murderes  
Scoloes' caytysses & cumbrous clappers  
Ydolatrees enchaur tours with false renegates  
subtle ambid●●t●es & sekers of debates   

Pseudo prophets false sodomites  
Ouelmer● of children with ●omycacours  
Wytewoldes I suffer sin to their sights  
Auourerers & abominable avauntours  
Of sin great claypers & makers of damours  
Vnthrystes & unlustes came also to that game  
With luskꝭ & loselliss that might not thrive for shame   

these were the comyns came thither the day  
Ready bown in battle virtue to abide  
Apollo them beholding began for to say  
To the god & goddesses being there the tide  
Me seemeth convenient an herald to ride  
To virtue & bid to battle make him bone  
himself to defend forsooth it shall be soon   

And let him not be suddenly take  
All dispurveyed or then he be aware  
For th●●●●e should our dishonour awake  
If he were cowardly take in a snare  
Ye quoth vice, for that have I no care  
I will advantage take where I may  
That hearing Morpleus privily stolen away   

And went to warn virtue of all this afray  
And bade him awake & make himself strong  
For he was like to endure that day  
A great mortal shower ●●●● were evesonge  
With vice wherefore he bade him not long  
Tarry to send after more succour  
If he died it should turn him to dolour   

And briefly the matter to him he declared  
Like as ye have herd beginning & end  
Well quoth virtue be shall not be spared  
To the fried I will wend how it wend  
But gramercy Morpleus mine own dear friend  
Of your true heart & faithful intent  
That ye in this matter to mewarde have meant   

This done Morpleus departed away  
From virtue to the palace recorning again  
None him espied that I dare well say  
Io which time virtue died his busy pain  
People to raise his quarrel to mentayn  
imagination was his messengere  
He went to warn people both f●●e & ne●e   

And had them come in all the hast they might  
For to strength Virtue for without fail  
He said he should have long ere it were night  
With Vice to do a mighty strong battle  
Of ungraycous gestis he bringeth a long tail  
Wherefore it behooveth to help at this need  
And after this shall Virtue reward your meed   

When imagination had gone his circuit  
To Virtues friends thus all about  
within short time many men of might  
gathered to virtue in all that they moute  
They him comforted & bade him put no doubt  
His utter enemy Vice to overthrow  
though he with him brought never so great arrow   

And when virtue see the substance of his host  
He prayed all the comyus to the field them high  
With their petty captains both least & most  
And with his captains should follow readily  
For he said he knew well the Vice was full nigh  
& who might first of the field recover the centre  
Would keep out the other he should not easily entre   

Than sent he forth baptism to the field before  
And prayed him heartily it to oversee  
That nomaner train nor caltrop therein were  
To noye nor hurt him nor his main  
And when he thither came he began to see  
How Vice his pursuivant crime original  
Was entered before & had seized up all   

But assoon as hereof Baptym had a sight  
He fled fast away & left the field alone  
And anon baptym entered with his might  
Searching all about where this crime had gone  
But the field was clean default fond he none  
Then came virtue after with his great host  
And his mighty captains both jest & most   

But to inform you how he thither came  
And what manner capiteyns he to the field brought  
Himself sickerly was the first man  
Of all his great host that thitherward songht  
sitting in a char that richly was wrought  
With gold & pearls & gems precious  
crowned with laurer as lord victorious   

Four doughty knights about the chare went  
At every corner one it for to guide  
And convey according to virtues intent  
At the first corner was rightwiseness that tide  
Prudence at the second was set to abide  
At the third strength the fourth kept temperance  
these the char guided to virtues pleasance   

Next to the char. seven. capiteyns there road  
Echone after other in order by & by  
humility was the first a lamb he bestrode  
With countenaüce de●●re he road full soberly  
A falcon gentle stood on his helm an hy  
And next after him came there charity  
Riding on a tiger as fill to his degree   

Rody as a rose ay he kept his cheer  
On his helm an high a pellp●●n he bore  
Next whom came patience y● nowhef hath no pet  
On a camel riding as void of all care  
A femx on his helm stood so forth 'gan he far  
Who next him followed but liberality  
Sittyg on a drom●●an that was both good & free   

On his helm for his crest he bore an ospray  
And next after him followed abstinence  
Riding on an heart was tiappured & agy  
He s●myd a lord of right great excellence  
A popymay was his crest he was of great defence  
Next him followed chastity on an unicorn  
Aimed at all points behind & before   

A turtyldove he bore on high for his crest  
Then came good business last of those. seven.  
Riding on a pantere a sundry coloured best  
Gloriously beseen as he had come fro heaven  
A crane on his heed stood his crest for to steven  
All these. seven. captains had standards of price  
Each of them according after his devise   

Many petty captains after these went  
As true faith & hope mercy peace & pity  
Right troth meekness with good intent  
Goodness concord & perfit unite  
Honest true love with symplycite  
Prayer fasting privy almsdeed  
joined with the articles of the creed   

confession contrition & satisfaction  
With sorrow for sin & great repentance  
forgiveness of trespass with good disposition  
resistance of wrong performing of penance  
Holy devotion with good continuance  
priesthood them followed with the sacramentis  
And sadness also with the commandments   

sufferance in trouble with Innocency  
cleanness continence & virginity  
●yn●nesse reverence with courtesy  
Content & pleased with piteous poverty  
Intending well ministering equity  
Tween right & wrong hole Indifferency  
And labouring the service of god to multiply   

Refure of richesse & worldly vainglory  
perfection with perfit contemplation  
religion profession well kept in memory  
Very dread of god with holy predication  
celestial sapience with ghostly inspiration  
Grace was the guide of all this great meinie  
Whom followed cunning with his genealogy   

That is to say grammar & sophistry  
Philosophy natural logic & rhetoric  
Arsmetryk geometry with astronomy  
Canon & civil melodious music  
Noble theology & corporal physic  
moralization of holy scripture  
Profound poetry & drawing of picture   

These followed cunning & thither with him ●●m  
With many one more offering their service  
To virtue at that need but notwithstanding that  
Some he refused & said in no wise  
They should with him go & as I could advise  
these were their names first nygramancy  
Geomancy magic & gluttony   

Adriomancy ornomancy with pyromancy  
Fysenomy also and palmistry  
And all their sequelies if I shall not lie  
Yet cunning prayed virtue he would not deny  
Them for to know nor disdain with his eye  
On them to look whereto virtue granted  
How be it in his werrꝭ he would not they haunted   

So bad they cunning lightly to depart  
From virtues field & they seeing this  
By common assent hired them a cart  
And made them be carried toward vice ywys  
Frothensforth to serve him they would not miss  
Full loath they werr to be maysterles  
In stead of better the worse there they chose   

But forth to release all the remnant  
Of petty captains that with virtue were  
Moderate diet & wisdom avenant  
Even wight & measure ware of courageous gear  
Loath to ofende & loving ay to lere  
Worship & profit with mirth in manner  
These petty captains which virtue were in fere   

Comens them followed a great multitude  
But in comparison to that other side  
I trow there was not briefly to conclude  
The tenth man that battle to abide  
Yet nevertheless I shall not fro you hide  
What manner people they were & of what sect  
As near as my wit thereto will me direct   

There were notable & famous doctors  
Example yevers of living gracious  
perpetual pcestis & discrete confessors  
Of holy scripture declarers fructuons  
Rebukers of sin & mischiefs odious  
fishers of souls & lovers of cleanness  
Dispysers of veyn & worldly riches   

peaceable prelate's justiciall governors  
find of churches with merciful pecres  
Reformers of wrong of their progenitors  
On painful poor piteous compassyoneres  
Well meaning merchants with true artyfyceres  
Virgins pure and also Innocentes  
Holy matrons with chaste contynentes   

Pylgryms & palmers with true labourers  
Holy hermits good solycitours  
Monasterial monks & well disposed freres  
Canons & nuns faithful professors  
Of worldly people true coniugatours  
Lovers of Criste confounders of ill  
And all that to godward give her good will   

maintainers of right very penytentis  
Distroyers of error causers of unity  
True active livers that set there ententis  
The deeds to perform of mercy & pity  
contemplative people that desire to be  
solitary servants unto god alone  
Rad than to abound in richesse enerychone   

these with many more than I rehearse can  
Were come thither ready the battle to abide  
And take such part as fill to virtue than  
Vice to overcome they hoped for all his pride  
All though that he had more people on his side  
For the men that virtue had were full sure  
To trust on at need & cunning in armure   

Macrocosm was the name of the field  
Where this great battle was set for to be  
In the mids thereof stood conscience & beheld  
Which of them should be brought to captivity  
Of that noble-tryumphe judge would he be  
Synderesys sat him within closed in a park  
with his tables in his hand their deeds to mark   

To come in to the field were high ways five  
Free to both parties large broad & wide  
Virtue would not tarry but hied him thither belive  
least he were by vice deceived at that tide  
Long out of the field loath he was to abide  
In adventure that he out of it were not kept  
For then would he think he had to long slept   

This mean time while virtue thus provided  
For him & his people the field for to win  
He charged every man by grace to be guided  
And all that ever might the field to enter in  
In all that season went original sin  
To let vice know how baptism with his host  
Had entered macrocosm & searched every cost   

A said vice then see I well it is time  
Banners to display & standards to advance  
Almost tolong hadst thou tarried crime  
To let us have knowledge of this purveyance  
Yet I trow I shall learn him a new dapice  
Wherefore I command you all without delay  
Toward the field draw in all the haste ye may   

Then said the god Pluto that all men might here  
Vice I the charge as thou wilt eschew  
Our hevyous indignation thou draw not arere  
But put the forth boldly to overthrow virtue  
In faith quoth attropos & I shall after sew  
For if he escape your hands this day  
I tell. you my service have lost for ay   

Forth then road vice with all his hole strength  
On his stead serpentine as I told you before  
The host that him followed was of great length  
Among whom were penouns & gnitors many a scot  
But ere he went thydward I shall you tell mot  
Of his petty captains he made many a knight  
For they should not i'll but manly with him fight   

He dubbed falsehood with dissimulation  
Simony usury wrong & rybawdy  
Malice disobeyed lie without extortion  
Perjury diffydence and apostasy  
With boldness in ill to bear them company  
these. xiv. knights made vice that day  
To win their sporꝭ they said they would assay   

In like wise virtue dubbed on his side  
Of his petty captains other fourteen  
Which made there avow with him to abide  
There spurs would they win that day it should be seen  
These were their names if it be as I ween  
Faith hope & mercy troth & also right  
With resistance of wrong a full hayrdy wight   

confession contrition with satisfaction  
Very dread of god performing of penance  
perfection cunning & good disposition  
And all knit to virtue they were by alliance  
Wherefore to him they made assurance  
That field to keep as long as they might  
And in this quarrel again vice to fight   

The lord of macrocosm & ruler of that fee  
Was called free-will changer of the chance  
To whom virtue sent ambassadors three  
Reason discretion & good remembrance  
& prayed him be favourable his honour tenhaunce  
For but he had his favour at that point of need  
He stood in great doubt he could not lightly speed   

In like wise vice ambassadors three  
For his party unto free-will sent  
temptation folly and sensuality  
praying him of favour that he would assent  
To him as he would at his commandment  
Have him eft sons when he list to call  
On him for any thing that afterward might fall   

Ansuere gave he none to neither party  
Save only he said the battle would he see  
To wite which of them should have the victory  
It hang in his balance the ambyguyte  
He said he would not restrain his liberty  
When he came where sorrow should awake  
Then it should be know what part he would take   

When virtue & vice by their ambassadors  
Knew of this answer they stood in great doubt  
nevertheless they said they would endure though showers  
& make an end shortli of that they went about  
So forth came vice with all his great rout  
Ere he came at the field he sent yet privily  
sensuality before in manner of a spy   

Which sew the field with his unkind seed  
That caused virtue after moche woe to feel  
For thereof grew nought but all only weed  
Which made the ground as sliper as an ele  
He went again to vice & to ●de him every deal  
How he had done & bade him come away  
For he had so purveyed that vice should have that day   

So as it happened at the field they meet  
free-will virtue & vice as tripartyte  
Saaf virtue a lyll before the field had get  
And else his advantage forsooth had be full light  
Not for then encumbered so was never wight  
As virtue & his men were with the rank weed  
That in the field grew of sensualytees sede   

But assoon as vice of virtue had a sight  
He 'gan suage gonnnes as he had been weed  
That hearing virtue commanded every wight  
To pavyse him under the sign of the road  
& bade them not dread. but keep still where they stood  
It was but a shower should soon confound  
Wherefore he commanded them stand & keep their ground   

Aod when vice came near to the field  
He called sore for bows & bade them shoot fast  
But virtue & his main bare of with the shield  
Of y● blessed tri●y●e ay till shot was past  
& when shot was done vice came forth at last  
Purposing the field with assault to win  
but virtue kept it long he might not enter therein   

All that time free-will stood & him bethought  
To which he might leave & what part he would take  
At last sensuality had him so far brought  
that he said plainly he virtue would forsake  
And in vices quarrel all his power make  
I iwis qd reason that is not for the best  
No force said free-will I will do as me list   

Virtue was full heavy when he see free-will  
Take part with vice but yet nevertheless  
He died that he might the field to keep still  
Till vice with free-will so sore 'gan him oppress  
That he was constrained clearly by duresse  
A little tyne aback to make abew retret  
All thing considered it was the best feet   

first to remember how vices part was  
Ten against one stronger by likeliness  
And then how free-will was with him alas  
who could dame virtue but in heaviness  
Morcover to think how that slipper grass  
That of sensuality his unkind seed grew  
Under foot in standing encumbered virtue   

Yet notwithstanding virtues men all  
Nobly them bare & fought mightily  
How be it the slipper glass made many of hem fall  
And from thence in manner departed suddenly  
that seeing vices host began to shout & cry  
& said on in plutoes name on & all is our  
For this day shall vice be made a conqueror   

Thus virtue was by might of vice & free-will  
driven out of the field it was the more pity  
How be it yet baptim kept his ground still  
And with him abode faith hope & unite  
And cunning also with comyns a great main  
confession contrition were ready at their hand  
And satisfaction vice to withstand   

But all the time while virtue was away  
A mighty conflict kept they with vices rout  
And yet nevertheless for all that great affray  
Hope stood upright & faith would never lout  
And evermore said baptism sires put no doubt  
Verte shall return & have his intent  
This field shall be ours & else let me be shent   

& while these petty capteyns sustained thus the field  
with virtue his reward came good perseverance  
An huge mighty host & when he beheld  
How virtue him withdrew he took displeasance  
& when he to him came he said ye shall your chance  
Take as it falleth wherefore return ye must  
Yet once for your sake with vice shall I Just   

Alas that ever ye should lose thus your honour  
And therewith also the high perpetual crown  
Which is for you kept in the celestial tour  
Wherefore be ye called Cristis champyone  
How is it that ye have no compassyone  
On baptism faith & hope cunning & unity  
that stand so hard bestead & fight as ye may see   

All the treasure earthly under the firmament  
That ever was made of God's creation  
To reward them evynly were not equivalent  
For their noble labour in his affliction  
Wherefore take upon you your jurisdiction  
Rescu yonder knights & recontynu fight  
& else a du your crown for all your great might   

with these & such words as I have you told  
By good perseverance uttered in this wise  
Virtue him remembered & 'gan to wax bold  
And said yone true knights to rescu I advise  
Let us no longer tarry from this enterprise  
Again to the field so virtue returned  
that caused 'em be merry that long aforhad mourned   

Avaunt banner quod he in the name of Ihesu  
And with that his people set up a great shout  
And cried with a loud voice a virtue a vertu  
Theridamas began vices host for to look about  
But I trow perseverance was not long without  
He bathed his sword in his foe's blood  
The boldest of them all not once him withstood   

constance him followed & brought him his spit  
But when perseverance saw vice on his stead  
Noman could him let till he came there  
For to bid him ride I trow it was no need  
All virtues host prayed for his good speed  
Again vice he road with his great shaft  
And him overthrew for all his subtle craft   

That seeing free-will came to conscience  
And 'gan him to repent that he with him had be  
praying him of counseyl for his great offence  
That he against virtue had made his arm  
What was best to do to humility  
Qd conscience must thou go so he him thither sent  
disguised that he were not known as he went   

And when he thither came humility him took  
A token & bade him go to confession  
And show him his matter with a piteous look  
Which done he him sent to contrition  
And fro thenceforth to satisfaction  
Thus fro post to pylar was he made to dance  
And at last he went forth to penance   

But now to tell when vice was overthrow  
A great part of his host about him 'gan resort  
But he was so feeble that he could noman know  
And when they see that they knew no comfort  
But carried him away by a privy port  
And as they him carried despair which him met  
with vice his reward he came them for to fet   

Then came there down goodly ladies twain  
From the high heaven above the firmament  
And said that great Alpha & o most sovereign  
For that noble triumph had them thither sent  
One of them to drive vice to great torment  
With a fire strong that she bore in her hand  
And so he died despair & all his hole bond   

The name of this lady was called Prestience  
She never left vice ne none that would him follow  
Till they were committed by the divine sentence  
All to pain perpetual & infinite sorrow  
rightwiseness went to see that no man should hem borrow  
Thus all entreated sharply were they till cerberus  
Had them beshyt within his yates' tenebrus   

& all that while the prestience with her scourge smart  
To reward vice 'gan her thus occupy  
With all his hole bend after their desert  
that other glorious lady that came fro heaven on hy  
Having in her hand the palm of victory  
Cam down to virtue & took him to the present  
Saying thus that Alpha & oo hath him sent   

And as far as I a right could understand  
That ladies name was predestination  
Virtue & his host she blessed with her hand  
And in heaven granted them habitation  
Whereto each of them reserved was a crown  
She said in token that they inheritors  
Of the glory were & gracious conquerous   

Which done the ladies together again met  
And toward heaven up they 'gan to ●●y  
Embraced in arms as they had be knet  
together with a girdle but so suddenly  
As they were vanishid saw I never thing with ey  
And anon virtue which all his company  
kneeled down & thanked god of that victory   

Yet had I foryete when vice was over throw  
To have told you how many of vices host  
'Gan to seek peace & darked down full low  
And besought mercy what so ever it cost  
To be their mean to virtue else they were but lost  
& some in like wise to faith & hope sought  
What to do for peace they said they ne wrought   

Some also to baptym sewed to be their mean  
Some to one some to other as them get might  
but all to confession went to make them clean  
& as they came to conscience he then bad go light  
ere than old attropos of them had a sight  
For if he so them took lost they were for ever  
He said vice to forsake is better late than never   

Some eke for succour drew to circncisyon  
But by him could they get but small favour  
For he in the company was had but in derision  
Nevertheless to faith he bade them go labour  
praying them for old aqueyntaunce them succour  
Well qd faith for his sake I shall do that I may do  
But first to the best way baptism go ye to   

For by him soonest shall ye recover grace  
Which shall to virtue bring you by process  
Wherefore in any wise look ye make good face  
And let no man know of your heaviness  
So they were by bapty brought out of distress  
Tomed all to virtue & when this was done  
Virtue commanded free-will before him come   

To whom thus he said I have great marvel  
Ye durst be so bold vices part to take  
Who bade you do so & gave you the counsel  
justly unto that ye shall me privy make  
Then said free-will & swemfully spoke  
kneeling on his knee with a cheer benign  
I pray you sir let pity your ears to me incline   

And I shall you tell the very sooth of all  
How it was & who made me the way draw  
Forsooth sensuality his proper name they call  
A said Reason then know I well that fellow  
wild he is & wanton of me stant him noun awe  
Is he so qd Virtue well he shall be taught  
As a playr should to draw another draft   

And with that came Sadness with his sober cheer  
bringing sensuality being full of thought  
And said that he had take him prisoner  
A welcome said virtue now have I that I sought  
blessed be that good lord as thou would is it nought  
why art y● so wanton & wild he said for shame  
ere thou go at large thou shalt be made more tame   

S●ond a part a while till I have spoke a word  
With free-will a little & then shalt thou know  
what shallbe thy finance & then said in board  
Unto free-will they been of your bow  
beginneth to slake but such as ye have sow  
Must ye needs reap there is none other way  
notwithstanding that let see what ye can say   

What is your ability me to recompense  
For the great harm that ye to me have do  
Forsooth said free-will in open audience  
But only Macrocosm more have I not lo  
Take that if it please you I will that it be so  
If I may understand ye be my good lord  
In deed said virtue to that will I accord   

Then made virtue reason his lyeftenaunt  
& gave him a great charge macrocosm to keep  
That done sensuality yield him recreant  
And began for anger hytterly to weep  
For he denied surely his sorrow should not sleep  
Then made virtue fre●yll bayll under reason  
The field to ocupy to his behove that season   

And then said virtue to sensuality  
Thou shalt be rewarded for thy business  
Under this form all fragility  
Shalt thou forsake both more & less  
And under the guiding shalt thou be of sadness  
All though it somewhat be against thy heart  
Thy judgement is yeven y ushalt it not astart   

And even with that came in dame Nature  
Saying thus to virtue sir ye do me wrong  
By duresse & constraint to put this creature  
gentle sensuality that hath me served long  
clearly from his liberty & set him among  
them that love him not to be their undlowte  
As it were a cast a way or a shoe clout   

And pard ye know well a rule have I must  
within macrocosm forsooth I say not nay  
Qd virtue but sensualite shall not ꝑform your lust  
Like as he hath do before this if I may  
therefro him restreyn sadness shall assay  
How be it ye shall have your hole liberty  
Within macrocosm as ye have had free   

And when virtue had to nature said thus  
A little tyne his eye casting him beside  
He saw in a corner standing morpleus  
That him before warned of the verily tied  
A sires said virtue yet we must abide  
Here is a friend of ours may not be foryete  
After his desert we shall him entrete   

Morpleus said virtue I thank you heartily  
For your true heart & your great labour  
That ye list to come to me so readily  
When ye understood the coming of that shower  
I thank god & you of saving of mine honour  
Wherefore this privilege now to you I grant  
That within macrocosm ye shall have your haunt   

And of. v. posterns the keys shall ye keep  
Letting in & out at them whom ye list  
As long as in macrocosm your fad will creep  
Blere whose eye ye will hardly which your mist  
And keep your works close there as in a chest  
Saaf I would desire you spare pollution  
For nothing may me please that soundeth to corruption   

& when he had thus said the keys he him took  
And toward his castle with his people went  
Bidding reason take good heed & about look  
That sensuality by nature were not shent  
Keep him short he said till his lust be spent  
For better were a child to be unborn  
Than let him have the will & for ever be lonre   

& when old attropos had seen & herd all this  
How virtue had obtained astonied as he stood  
He said to himself somewhat there is amiss  
I trow well my patent be not all good  
And ran to the palace as he had be wood  
Saying to the gods I see ye do but jape  
After a worthy whew have ye made me gape   

How a devil way should I virtue overthrow  
When he dreadeth not all your hole rout  
How can ye make good your patent would I know  
It is to impossible to bring that about  
For strike him may I not that is out of doubt  
A good attropos said god apollo  
An answer convenient shall thou have hereto   

The words of thy patent dare I well say  
stretch to no fir but where dame nature  
Hath jurisdiction there to have thy way  
And largesse to strike as longeth to thy cure  
And as for virtue he is no creature  
Underwit thy predycament contained of quantity  
Wherefore his destruction longeth not to the   

A ha' said attropos then see I well  
That all the gods be but countrefete  
For oo god there is that can everydeal  
Torn as him list both dry & wet  
In to whose service I shall assay to get  
And if I may once to his service come  
Your names shall be put in oblyvyont   

Thus went attropos fro the palace wrooth  
But in the mean time while that he thief was  
Gliding by the palace residyvaconn gooth  
Toward macrocosm with a painted face  
Clad like a pilgrim walking a great pace  
In the form as he had be a man of Ynde  
He wend have made reason & sadness both blind   

With sensuality was he soon aqueynted  
To whom he declared his matter privily  
Yet he was espied for all his face painted  
Then reason commanded him pike thence lightly  
For his ease qd sadness so counsel him will I  
So was sensuality ay kept under foot  
That to residytiaconn might he do no boat   

Then went he to nature & asked her advise  
His intent to obtain what was best to do  
She said ever sith virtue of vice won the price  
Reason with sadness hath ruled the field so  
That I & sensuality may little for the do  
For I may no more but only keep my course  
And yet is sensuality stronger keep & wours'   

Thus hearing ●e●idiuacōn frothens he went again  
Full of though● & sorrow that he might not speed  
Then reason & sadness took wedehokes twain  
& all wild wantoness out of the field 'gan weed  
With all the slipper grass that grew of the seed  
That sensuality before therein sew  
And fro thence forth kept it clean for virtue   

Then began new grass in the field to spring  
All unlike that other of colour fair & bright  
But than I espied a marvelous thing  
For the ground of the field 'gan were hoar & white  
I could not consceyve how that he might  
Till I was ●nformyd & taught it to know  
but where virtue ocupieth must needs well grow   

Yet in mean time while the field thus grew  
& reason with sadness had thereof governance  
Many a privy messenger thither sent virtue  
To know if it were guided to his pleasance  
Now prayer oft fasting & oft time penance  
And when he might go privily almsdeed  
& bad him to his power help where he see need   

while the field thus ruled reason with sadness  
Maugre dame nature for all her carnal might  
Came thither attropos void of all gladness  
wraped in his sheet & asked if any wight  
could wyssh him the way to the lord of light  
Or else where men might find rightwiseness  
Forsooth said reason I trow as I guess   

At virtues castle ye may soon him find  
If ye list the labour thither to take  
And there shall ye know if ye be not blind  
The next way to the lord of light I undtake  
So thither went attropos petition to make  
To rightwiseness praying that he might  
Betake in to the service of the lord of light   

What said rightwiseness the old doting fool  
Whom hast y● served sith the world began  
But only him where hast y● go to school  
Whether art the double or else the same man  
That that were first a sir said he than  
I pray you heartily hold me excused  
I am old & feeble my wits are disused   

Well said rightwiseness for asmuch as thou  
knowyst not th● master thy name shall I change  
Death shall that be called from hens forward now  
Among all the people y● shallbe had strange  
But when y● begynnest to make thy chalaunge  
Dread shalt thou be where so thou become  
And to n● creature shalt that be welcome   

And for them whom y● didst serve  
For as much as they presume on them to take  
the high name of god they shall as they deserve  
Therefore be rewarded I dare undertake  
With pain perpetual among fiends black  
And their names shall be put to oblyuyo●  
Among men but it be in derision   

A ha' said attropos now begin I wax glad  
That I shall thus avenged of them be  
Sith they so long time have made me so ●ad  
Ye quoth rightwiseness here what I say to the  
The lord of light sent the word by me  
That in macrocosm sesyne shall thou take  
Wherefore thy dart ready look thou make   

And as soon as virtue y● understood  
He said he was pleased that it should so be  
And even forthwith he commanded priesthood  
To make him ready the field for to see  
So thither went priesthood with benygnyte  
Conueyeng thither the blessed sacrament  
Of Eukarist but first were thither sent   

confession contrition & satisfaction  
Sorrow for sin & great repentance Nota  
Holy devotion with good disposition  
All these thither came & also penance  
As her duty was to make purveyance  
Again the coming of that blessed lord  
Faith hope & charity thereto were accord   

Reason with sadness died his diligence  
To cleanse the field within & whthout  
And when they see the bodily presence  
Of that holy Eukarist lowly 'gan they lout  
So was the lord received out of doubt  
With all humble cheer debonair & benign  
likely to his pleasure it was a great sign   

Then came to the field the minister final  
called holy unction with a crismatory  
The five high ways in especial  
Thereof he anointed & made it sanctuary  
Whom followed death which would not tarry  
His fervent power there to put in ure  
As he was commanded granting dame nature   

He took his dart called his mortal lance  
And bend his stroke toward the fields heart  
That seeing priesthood bade good remembrance  
Toward the field torn him & advert  
Fo● except him all virtues thence must start  
And even whth that death there sesyne took  
And then all the c●mpany clearly it forsook   

And as soon as death thus had sesyne take  
The colour of the field was changed suddenly  
The grass therein sere as thouh it had be bake  
And the five high ways were mured upon hy  
y● fro thensforwarde none enter should thereby  
The posterns were also without let  
Both Inward & outward fine fast shut   

Which done suddenly death vanished away  
And virtue exalted was above the firmament  
Where he took the crown of glory that is ay  
Preparate by Alpha & oo omnipotent  
the sweet fruit of macrocosm thither with him went  
And on all this matter as I stood musing thus  
Again fro the field to me came morpleus   

Saying thus what cheer how liketh that this fight  
Hast thou seen enough or will the se more  
Nay sire I said my troth I you plight  
This is sufficient if I knew wherefore  
This was to me showed for thereof the lor●  
covet I to have if I get might  
Follow me qd he and have thy delight   

So I him followed till he had me brought  
To a fouresqare herber walled round about  
Loo qd morpleus hear mayst ● that y● sought  
find if thou will I put the out of doubt  
A little while we stood still there without  
Till wit chief porter of that herber gate  
Required by study let us in there ate   

But when I came I marveled greatly  
Of that I beheld & heard their report  
For first in a char appareled rially  
There sat dame doctrine her chyldn to exhort  
And about her was many a sundry sort  
Some willing to learn divers s●yence  
And some for to have pertyte Intelligence   

Crowned she was like an empress  
With .iij. crowns standing on her heed on ●y  
All thing about her an infinite process  
Were to declare I tell you certainly  
Nevertheless some in mind thereof have I  
Which I shall to you as god will give me grace  
As I saw and heard tell in short space   

Fast by doctrine on that one side  
As I remember sat holy text  
That opened his mouth to the people wide  
But not in comparison to gloze that sat next  
moralization with a cloak context  
Sat & scripture was scribe to them all  
He sat ay writing of that that should fall   

these were those that I there knew  
By no manner way of old acquaintance  
But as I before saw them with virtue  
Company in field & having dalliance  
And as I thus stood half in a trance  
While they were occupied in their business  
about the walls mine eyen 'gan I dress   

Where I beheld the marvelous story  
That ever yet I saw in any picture  
For on though walls was made memory  
singularly of every creature  
That there had b● both form & stature  
Whose names rehearse I will as I can  
Bring them to mind in order every man   

first to begin there was in portraiture  
Adam & Eve holding an apple round  
No● in a ship & Abraham having sure  
A flyntstoon in his hand & Ysaac lay bound●  
On an high mownt jacob sleeping sound  
And a long ladder stood him beside  
joseph in a cistern was also there that tide   

Next whom stood Moses with his tables two  
Aaron & Vrre his arms supporting  
Ely in a brenning char was there also  
And Elize stood clad in an hermits clothing  
David with an harp & a stoon sling  
isaiah jeremy and ezechiel  
And closed with lions holy Danyell   

Abacuc Michee with Malachy  
And jonas out of a whales body coming  
Samuel in a temple & holy zachary  
Beside an altar all bloody standing  
Ozee with Judith stood there conspiring  
The death of Oloferne & Solomon also  
A child with his sword dyvyding in two   

Many more prophets certainly there were  
Whose names now come not to my mind  
Melchisedech also espied I there  
Brede & wine offering as fell to his kind  
joachim & Anna stood all behind  
embraced in arms to the golden gate  
And holy john Baptist in a desert sat   

And now cometh to my remembrance  
I am advised I saw Sodechy  
And Amos also with sober countenance  
Stonding with her faces toward Sophony▪  
Neemye & Esdras bore them company  
The holy man job as an Impotent  
Then followed in picture with Thoby patient   

These with many more on that one side  
Of that green herber portrayed were  
A said Morpleus a little time abide  
Turn thy face where thy back was ere  
And behold well what thou seest there  
Then I me turned as he me bad  
With heart steadfast & countenance sad   

Where I saw Peter with his keys stand  
Paul with a sword james also  
With a scalop & Thomas holding in his hand  
A spear & Philip approached him to  
Ia●●●s the less next them in picture ●o  
Stood with Barehilmew which was all flayn  
Simon & Thadee showed how they were slain   

Mathy & Barnaby drawing lots stood  
Next whom was mark a lion him by  
His book holding & Matthew in his mode  
Resemblyd an angel with wings gloriously  
Luke had a calf to hold his book on hy  
And john with a cup & palm in his hand  
An eagle bare his book thus saw I hem stand   

Gregori & Jerome austin & Ambrose  
With pilyon● on their heads stood like doctors  
bernard with Ancelme & as I suppose  
Thomas of Alquine & Dominik confessors  
Benet & Hue religious governors  
Martyne & john with bishop twain  
Were there also & Chrysostom certain   

Behind all these was worshipful Bede  
All behind & next him stood Origene  
Hiding his face as he of his deed  
Had them ashamed ye wot what I mean  
For of error was he not all clean  
And on that side stood there last of all  
The noble prophetissa Sybyll men her call   

Let me remember now I you pray  
My brain is so thin I dame in my heart  
●●●e of the fellowship▪ that I there say  
In all this while have joverstert  
A benedicite none ere could I advert  
To think on Andrew the apostle with his cross  
Whom to forgets were a great loss   

Many one more were painted on that wall  
whose names now come not to remembrance  
But these I marked in especial  
And more could I tell in continuance  
Of time but for to show you the substance  
Of this matter in the mids of that herbere  
Sat doctrine coloured as any crystal cl●re   

Crowned as I told you late here before  
Who●s apparel was worth treasure infinite  
All earthly richesse count I no more  
To y in comparison valuing than a myt  
Over her heed hoved a culver fair & whit  
Out of whose bill proceeded a great le●●e  
downward to doctrine like a son beam   

The words of doctrine ya●e great redolence  
In sweetness of savour to her disciples all  
It far exceeded myrrh & frankincense  
Or any other tree spice or else gall  
& when she me espied anon she 'gan me call  
& commanded morpleus that he should bring me near  
For she would me show th'effect of my desire   

She said I know the cause of thy coming  
Is to understand by mine information  
Sensibly the matter of morpleus showing  
As he hath the led about in vision  
Wherefore now I apply thy natural reason  
Unto my words & ere thou hens wend  
Thou shalt it know beginning & end   

first where Colus to pluto was brought  
By his own negligence taken prisoner  
Within the earth for he to ●erre sought  
signified is no more by that matter  
But only to show the how it doth ap●●●  
That wealth unbridled dayl● at thine ●y  
Encressyth misrule & oft causeth folly   

For like as Colus being at his large  
Streyted himself through his own lewdness  
For he would deal where he had no charge  
Right so wantonness by their wildness  
Oft time bring themselves in distress  
By cause they sometime to largely d●●l●  
What may worse be suffered than overmuch we'll   

By minos the judge of hell desperate  
May be understand God's rightwiseness  
That to every wight his pain deputate  
assigneth according to his wickedness  
Wherefore he is called judge of cruelness  
And as for dyana & neptunus complaint  
figured may be fools reason faint   

For like as they made their suggestyo●  
To have me colus from course of his kind  
Which was impossible to bring to co●●●●●ōn  
For evermore his liberty have will the wind  
In like wise fools other while be blind  
weening to subdue with there own hand  
That is overmuch for an hole land   

But what followeth thereof that shalt thou here  
When they were come to the bankete  
The great apollo with his sad cheer  
So fair & courteously 'gan them entrete  
That he made their beards on the new getes  
Loo what wisdom doth to a fool  
Wherefore are children put to school   

Oft is it seen with sober countenance  
That wisemen fools overcome ay  
Toming as them list & all their variance  
Change from earnest in to merry play  
What were they both amended that day  
When they were driven to their wits end  
Were they not fey●e to grant to be his friend   

Right so fools when they have done  
All that they can then be they fain  
give up their matter to oblyvyone  
Without reward they have no more brain  
And yet full oft hath it be say  
When they it have foryete & set at nought  
that they full dear have afterward it bought   

And as for all though that represent  
To he called goddies at that bank●●  
Resemble false idols but to this intent  
Was morpleus commanded thither the to fet  
That thou shouldest know the manner & the get  
Of the paynim law & of their believe  
How false idolatry leadeth them by the sleeve   

For soon upon the worlds creation  
When adam & eve had broke the precept  
Which clerks call the time of deviation  
The worldly people in paynim law slept  
Till moyses under god the tables of stoon kept  
In which time poets feigned many a fable  
To discrete reason right àcceptable   

And to the intent that they should sound  
To the ears of them the more pleasantly  
that them should read or here they gave them a groude  
And added names unto them naturally  
Of whom they spoke & called them goddies hy  
Some for the strength & might of their nature  
And some for their subtle witty conjecture   

By nature thus as the seven planets  
Have there proper names by astronomers  
But goddies were they called by old poets  
For their great veruency of werhing in their sperꝭ  
Experience proveth this at all years  
And for as other that goddies called be  
For subtle wit that shall I teach thee   

How they by that high name of god came  
In this said time the people was so rude  
That what manner creature man or woman  
Loud any novelty contryne & conclude  
For the common weal all the multytu●e  
Of the common people a god should him call  
Or a goddess after it was fall   

Of the same thing that was so new found  
As Ceres for she the craft of tilth fond  
Whereby more plentevouly corn died abound  
The people her called through out every land  
Goddess of corn weening in her hand  
Had lain all power of corns abundance  
Thus were the paynims deceived by ignorance   

In like manner isis was called the goddess  
Of fruit for she first made it multiply  
By the name of graffing & so by process  
The name of pan 'gan to deyfy  
For he first found the mean sheep to guy  
Some took it also by their condition  
As pluto fortune & such other done   

Thus all that poets put under coverture  
Of fable the rural people it took  
Properly as act refusing the figure  
Which error some of them never forsook  
Oft a false mirror diceyveth a man's look  
As thou mayst daily prove at thine eye  
Thus were the paynims deceived generally   

That seeing the deadly enemy of mankind  
By his power permyssyve entered the images  
within the temples to make the people blind  
In their idolatry standing on high stages  
In so much who used dawgerous passages  
Only manner way by water or by land  
When did his sacrifice his answer ready fond   

Thus during the time of deviation  
From Adam to Moses was idolatry  
Thrngh the world used in common opinion  
these were the God's that thou there sy  
And as for the avayters that stood them by  
They politic philosophers & poets were  
Which feigned the fables that I speak of here   

Then ceased the time of deviation  
When Moses received the tables of stone  
Entering the time of revocation  
O● the mount of sinay standing alone  
God gave him might again all his fone  
And then began the old testament  
Which to the people by Moses was sent   

And that time dured to the incarnation  
Of Crist & then began it to sesse  
For then came the time of reconciliation  
Of man to god I tell the doubtless  
When the son of man put him in press  
Wilfully to suffer death for mankind  
In holy scripture this mayst thou find   

This reconciliation was the time of grace  
When found was that church upon the fair stone  
And to holy Peter the key delivered was  
Of heaven then hell dyspolled was anon  
Thus was makyude delivered from his fone  
And then began the new testament  
That the christian people believe in present   

Which three times asondry divided  
Mayst thou here see if thou list behold  
The first hehind the in picture in provided  
The second of the life hand show prophet old  
The. iij. on the right hand her it is to y● told  
Thus haste thou in vision the very figure  
Of these. iij. times here showed in portraiture   

That is to say first of deviation  
From Adam to Moses recording scripture  
second fro Moses to the incarnation  
Of Crist keepeth revocacyons cure  
And as for the third thou mayst be very sure  
Will dure from thence till the worlds end  
But now the. iiij. must thou have in mind   

Which is called properly the time of pilgrimage  
After some & some name it otherwise  
And call it the time of dangerous passage  
And sometime of were that fully it despise  
But what so it be named I will the advice  
Remember it well & print it in thy mind  
Whereof the figure mayst thou me behind   

And else remember thyself in thine heart  
How vice & virtue daily them occupy  
In manner one of them him to pervert  
Another to bring him to endless glory  
Thus they continue fight for the victory  
It is no need hereof to tell the more  
For in this short visyo● thou hast seen it before   

And as for attropos grievous complaint  
Unto the God's betokenyth no more  
But only to show y● how friendly constraint  
On a steadfast heart weigheth full sore  
Good will requireth good will again therefore  
discord to death hath ay be● a friend  
For discord bringeth many to their end   

Wherefore death thought he would avenged be  
On his friends quarrel if that he might  
For her great unkindness in so much as she  
Was among them all had so in despite  
And at banquet made of so light  
Which caused him among them to cast in a bone  
● found them gnawing enough enerychone   

Thus oft is seen oo friend for another  
Will say & do & sometime matters feign  
And also kinsmen a cousin or a brother  
Will for his aly ere he have cause complain  
And where that he loveth do his busy pain  
His friends matter as his own to take  
Which often causeth moche sorrow awake   

Be it right or wrong he chargyth not a mite  
As toward that point he taketh little heed  
So that he may have his froward appetite  
Performed he careth not how his soul speed  
Of god or devil have such little dread  
How be it one there is that lord is of all  
Which to every wight at last reward shall   

& as for the battle between vice & virtue hold  
So plainly appeareth to the Inwardly  
To make exposition thereof new or old  
Were but superfluity therefore refuse it I  
In man shall thou find that were kept daily  
Like as thou hast seen it fowtin before thy face  
the picture me behind showeth it in little space   

And for macrocosm it is no more to say  
But the less world to the common intent  
Which applied is to man both night & day  
So is man the field to which all were sent  
On both parties & they that thither went  
signify no more but after the condition  
Of every man's opinion   

And as for the noble knight ●erseueraunce  
Which gate the field when it was almost gone  
Betokenyth no more but the continuance  
Of virtuous living till death hath overgone  
Who so will do rewarden is anon  
As virtue was with the crown on hy  
Which is no more but everlasting glory   

And as for prestience & predestination  
That each of them rewarded after his desert  
Is to understand no more but damnation  
To vicious people is the very scourge smart  
Reward for they fro virtue would pervert  
And endless joy is to them that been elect  
Rewarded & to all that follow the same sect   

And as for the keys of the posterns five  
Which were to morpleus reward for his labour  
signify not else but while man is on live  
His five inward wits shall be every hour  
In his sleep occupied in hele & in languor  
With fantasies trifles illusions & dreams  
Which poets call morpleus streams   

And as for residynacon is no more to say  
But after confession turning aye● to sin  
Which to every man returneth sans delay  
To vicious living again him to win  
While any man liveth will it never blin  
That cursed conclusion for to bring about  
But reason with sadness keep it still out   

Here hast thou properly the very sentence  
Heard now declared of this vision  
The picture also giveth clear intelligence  
Thereof behold with good discretion  
Look well about & take consyderasyon  
As I have declared whether it so be  
A sir qd morpleus what told I the   

Hast thou not thine hearts desire  
Look on you wall yonder before  
And all that time stood I in a wire  
Which way first mine heart would give more  
To look in a study stood I therefore  
Netherlesse at last as morpleus me bad  
I looked forward with countenance sad   

Where I beheld in portraiture  
The manner of the field even as it was  
showed me before & every creature  
On both sides being drawn in small space  
So curyously in so little a compass  
In all this world was never thing wrought  
It were impossible in earth to bethought   

And when I had long beheld that picture  
What qd morpleus how longshalt thou look  
Daring as a dastard on you portraiture  
Come of for shame thy wit stant a croak  
I hearing that mine heart to me took  
Toward the fourth wall turning my visage  
Where I saw poets & philosophers sage   

Many one more than at the banquet  
Served the gods as I said before  
Some were made standing & some in chair's set  
Some looking on books as they had stndyed sot  
Some drawing almenakis & in their hands bot  
Astyrlabes taking the altitude of the son  
Among whom dyogenes sat in a ton   

And as I was looking on that fourth wanll  
Of dyogenes beholding the image  
suddenly doctrine began me to call  
And bade me torn toward her my visage  
And so then I died with humble courage  
What thinkest thou she said hast thou not th'intent  
Yet of these four walls what they represent   

The picture on the first that standeth at my back  
showeth the present time of pilgrimage  
Of which before I unto the spoke  
Which is the time of dangerous passage  
The second discretely again my visage  
The time expreslyth of deviation  
While paynim law had the domination   

The third wall standing on my lift hand  
The time representyth of revocation  
And the fourth standing on my right hand  
determineth the time of reconciliation  
This is the effect of thy vision  
Wherefore the needeth no more thereon to muse  
It were but vain thy wits to dysuse   

But during the time of reconciliation  
Thy time of pilgrimage look well that spend  
And then well gracious predestination  
Bring the to glory at thy last end  
And even with that came to my mind  
My first conclusion that I was about  
To have driven ere sleep made me to lout   

That is to say how sensuality  
With reason to accord might be brought about  
Which caused me to kneel down on my knee  
And bescke doctrine determine that doubt  
O lord god said doctryn canst y● not without  
Me that conclusion bring to an end  
Far is fro the wit & ferther good mend   

And even with that death 'gan appear  
Showing himself as though that he would  
His dart have occupied within the herbere  
But there was none for him young nor old  
Save only I doctrine him told  
And when I heard her with him common thus  
I me withdrew behind morpleus   

Dreading full sore least he with his dart  
Through doctrines words any entresse  
In me would have had or claimed any panrt  
Which should have caused me great heaviness  
Within which time & short process  
Came thither reason & sensuality  
A quod doctrine right welcome be ye   

It is not long sith we of you spoke  
Ye muster you go determine a doubt  
And even with that she the matter broke  
To them & told it every where about  
I would have be thence if I had moute  
For fere I looked as black as a coal  
I would have cropen in a mous hole   

What quoth doctrine where is he now  
That moved this matter strange & dyffuse  
He is a coward I make mine avow  
He hideth his heed his motion to refuse  
Blame him not qd reason always that to use  
When he seeth death so near at his hand  
It is his part him to withstand   

Or at the least way else fro him flee  
As long as he may who doth otherwise  
Is an idiot quoth sensualytee  
Who dreadeth not death wise men him despise  
What said doctrine how long hath this gy●e  
Behold & used thus atwyxe you twain  
Ye were not wont to accord certain   

Yes quod reason in this point always  
To every man have we give our counsel  
death for to flee as long as they may  
All thouh we otherwise have done our 〈…〉  
Each other to repress yet wythouce fail  
In that point only discorded we ●euer  
Thus condescended therein be we for ever   

Aha said doctrine then is the conclusion  
clearly determined of the great doubt  
That here was menyd & half in der●●●●n  
She me then called & bade me look out  
Come forth she said & fear not this rout  
And even with that reason & sensuality  
And death fro thence were vanished all three   

Then looked I forth as doctrine me bad  
When death was gone me thought I was bold  
To show myself but yet I was sad  
Me thought my doubt was not as I would  
clearly & openly declared & told  
It swooned to me as a parable  
dark as a mist or a feigned fable   

And doctrine my conceit 'gan espy  
Wherefore said she standest thou so still  
Wherein is thy thought art thou in study  
Of thy question hast thou not thy fill  
To the declared tell me thy will  
heardest thou not reason & sensuality  
Declared thy dought here before the   

Forsooth quod I I heard what they said  
But nevertheless my wit is so thin  
And allo of death I was so afraid  
That it is out where it went inn  
And so the matter can I not win  
Without your help & benevolence  
Thereof so express the very sentence   

Well qd doctrine then give attendance  
Unto my words & thou shalt here  
Openly declared the concordance  
A●wene sensuality & reason in fere  
If y● take heed it clearly doth appear  
How they were knit in one openyon,  
Both against death held contradiction   

Why●●● concordance no more signifieth  
To plain understanding but in every mane  
Both s●usualyte & reason applieth  
Rather death to flee than with it to be ta'en  
Loo in the point accord they holy then  
And in all other they clearly discord  
Thus is sruly set thy doubtful monarcorde   

I hearing that kneeled on my knee  
And thanked her lowly for her discipline  
That she vouchsafe of her benignity  
Of though great doubts me to enlumyne  
Well was she worthy to be called doctrine  
If it had be no more but for the solusyon  
Of my demand & of this strange vision   

And as I 〈◊〉 mine heed began for to bow  
As me well ought to do her reverence  
She thence departed I can not tell how  
But within a moment gone was she thence  
Then said morpleus let us go hens  
What should we here tarry lengere  
Hast thou not herd a general answer   

To all thy materes that thou list to move  
My time draweth near that I must rest  
And even therewith he took me by the sleeve  
And said go we hens for that hold I best  
As good is enough as a great fest  
Thou hast seen enough hold the conten  
And even with that forth with him I went   

Till he had me brought again to my bed  
Where he me found & then privily  
He stolen away I could not understand  
Where he became but suddenly  
As he came he went I tell you verily  
Which done fro sleep I 'gan to awake  
My body all in sweat 'gan for to shake   

For dread of the sight that I had seen  
weening to me all had be true  
Actuelly done where I had been  
That battle hold between vice & virtue  
But when I see it was but a whew  
A dream a fantasy & a thing of nought  
To study thereon I had no more thought   

Till at the last I 'gan me bethink  
For what cause showed was this vision  
I knew not wherefore I took pen & ink  
And paper thereof to make mention  
In writing taking consideration  
That no default were found in me  
Whereon accused I ought for to be   

For sloth that I had left it untold  
Neither by mouth nor in remembrance  
Put it in writing where through many fold  
Ways of accusation might torn me to grievance  
All this I saw as I lay in a trance  
But whether it was with mine eye bodily  
Or not in certain god knoweth & not I   

That to discern I purpose not to deal  
So large by my will it longeth not to me  
Were it dream or vision for your own weal  
All that shall it read here it rad or see  
Take thereof the best & let the worst be  
Try out the corn clean from the chaff  
And then may ye say ye have a sure staff   

To stand by at need if ye will it hold  
And walk by the way of virtues lore  
But always beware be ye young or old  
That your free-will ay to virtue more  
Apply than to vice the casyer may be boar  
The burden of the field that ye daily fight  
Against your. iij. enemies for all there great might   

That is to say the devil & the flesh  
And also the world with his glozing cheer  
Which on you looketh ever new & fresh  
But he is not as he doth appear  
Look ye keep you ay out of his daungere  
And so the victory shall ye obtain  
Vice fro you exiled & virtue in you rain   

And then shall ye have the triumphal guerdon  
That god reserveth to every creature  
Above in his celestial mansion  
joy & bliss infinite eternally to endure  
Whereof we say we would feign be sure  
But the way thidwarde to hold be we loath  
that oft sith causeth the good lord to be wroth   

And by our desert our habitation changeth  
From joy to pain & woe perpetuelly  
From his glorious sight thus he us estraungeth  
For our vicious lyvyug through our own folly  
Wherefore let us pray to that lord of glory  
While we in earth be that he will give us grace  
So us here to guide that we may have a place   

According to our regeneracyonn  
With heavenly spirits his name to magnify  
Which down descended for our redemption  
Offering himself on the cross to his fad on hy  
Now benign Ihesu that borne was of Mary  
All that to this vision have given their audience  
Grant eternal joy after thy last sentence   
AMEN ¶ Thus endeth this little moralised treatise compiled by dan john Lydgat sometime monk of Bury/ on whose soul god have mercy.