lust riding a goat F(Forth) FOrth than went dyscrecyon and I Out of the castell into a grene Where byrdys sange by grete melody There daunst also the fayre quene Besyde a ryuer named Ephesene Ouer whiche we wente to the other syde That was a medowe both longe and wyde Longe there we wandred tyll at the last We came vnto a ryght grete wyldernes By that tyme Phebus was ouer past Wherfore we walked in grete derkenes The whiche to me was a grete heuynes For Lucyna eke dyd her shrowde Vnder a blacke and mysty clowde For she was horned and no thynge cleere And entred into the sygne of caprycorne Ryght ferre from phebus fulgent speere And not ayenst hym the crowne had worne I went vp and downe tyll on the morne That phebus his golden reyes dyd sprede Than dyscrecyon ferther forth me lede Amonge thornes sharpe & bestes wylde There was the lyon the wolf & the bere But I coude mete nother man ne chylde But many serpentes that dyde me fere And by a swete smelle I knewe a pantere So forth I went by longe contynuaunce Tyll that I sawe an herber of pleasaunce To whiche I toke anone my waye Where that I sawe a lady excellent Rydynge on a goote in fresshe arraye Ryght yonge of age & lusty of entent Prayenge me to her for to assent As to fulfyll the flesshly pleasure Whiche she desyred me out of mesure Nay sayd dyscrecyon that may not be No sayd I in no maner of wyse To her request I wyll now agree But euermore here foule lust despyse For I my selfe do now aduyse To kepe me chast that I may mary Fayre dame Clennes that noble lady riches riding an elephant S(So) SO forth I went walkynge my iournay Metynge a lady olde and amyable Syttynge in a castell both fressh and gay On an olyphauntes backe in strength so stable Whiche it to bere was good and able Hauynge in her hande a cup of golde Sette with perles ryght many afolde She sayd she was the lady of rychesse The quene of welth and worldely glory Praynge me to company with her noblenesse And she than wolde promote me shortely To innumerable ryches and make me worthy Where I am poore and sette by nought By her to worshyp I sholde be brought Vnto her I answered I wolde not so As for to hunt in the parke of pryde The whiche to Clennes is mortall fo But with Dyscrecyon I wyll abyde Whiche doth a wyfe for me prouyde By whome I shall haue the possessyowne Of heuenly kyngdome & grete renowne So forth I went and had grete trauayle Without the comfort of ony persone Saue of dyscrecyon whiche dyd me counsayle As she went walkynge with me alone Vnto her I made full grete mone And lykened the wyldernes by morall scence Vnto worldely trouble by good experyence She sayd the fyrst lady that I dyd mete Iclyped was dame Sensualyte Whiche can well flater with wordes swete Causynge a man to fall into fragylyte And for to haunt the carnall freylte Whiche vnto clennes is abhomynable For they in werke be gretely varyable The seconde was pryde enduyd with couetyse A lady of ryght fruytles medytacyon Delytynge gretly in the synne of auaryce The whiche is cause of her dampnacyon For she by her fals supportacyon Blyndeth many a mannes conscyence And dryueth ryght oft fer in absence So ferther I went tyll at the last I was in a mase goynge in and oute Ther was none other way I was agast But forth I walked in grete doute Now here now there and so rounde aboute Than sayd vnto me dame Dyscrecyon Ye are in the besynes of worldely fastyon Therein I trauayled by longe space Tyll that I mette a lady gloryous Indued with vertue and grete grace To whom I sayd o lady precyous As ye seme to be good and vertuous I you beseche now without delaye Vnto dame Clennes to teche me the waye I Sapyence now wyll shewe to the The ryght waye vnto fayre clennes And yf thou wylt be ruled by me Thou shalt mary that noble prynces Yes that wyll I sayd than douteles Dyscrecyon sayd she wolde be my suerte Sapyence sayd none better myght be Than sayd dyscrecyon to dame sapyence Welcome to vs my syster dere And I to her dyd humble reuerence Saynge who had went to fynde you here Yes she sayd I haue ben neere You often tymes syth my departynge And haue ben cause of your goode gydynge |