  Now in my boke ferder to procede; To a chambre I went, replete wyth rychesse, Where sat Arysmatryke in a golden wede, Lyke a lady pure and of great worthynes. The walles about dyd full well expres, With golde depaynted, every perfyte nombre, To adde, detraye, and to devyde asonder. The rofe was paynted with golden beames, The wyndowes cristall clerely claryfyde, The golden rayes and depured streames Of radyant Phebus that was puryfyde Right in the Bull, that tyme so domysyde, Through windowes was resplendyshaunt About the chambre fayre and radyaunt. I kneled downe right soone on my kne, And to her I sayd: O lady marveylous, I right humbly beseche your majeste Your arte to shewe me so facundyous, Whyche is defuse and right fallacyous; But I shall so apply myne exercyse, That the vary trouth I shall well devyse. My scyence, said she, is right necessary, And in the myddes of the scyences all It is now sette right well and parfytely; For unto them it is so specyall, Nombrynge so theyr werkes in generall, Wythout me they had no parfytenes, I must them nombre alwayes doubteles. Without nombre is no maner of thynge, That in our sight we may well se; For God made all the begynnynge In nombre perfyte well in certaynte, Who knewe arsmetryke in every degre, All maner nombre in his minde were had, Bothe to detraye and to devyde and adde. But who wyl knowe all the experience, It behoveth hym to have great lernynge In many thinges, wyth true intelligence, Or that he can have perfyte rekenynge In every nombre by expert connynge. To reherse in Englysshe more of this science, It were foly and the great neclygence. I thought full longe, till I had a syght Of La Bell Pucell, the most fayre ladye; My minde upon her was bothe day and nyght, The fervent love so perst me inwardly, Wherfore I went anone right shortly Unto the toure swete and melodyous, Of dame Musyke so gaye and gloryous. |
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