¶ Here begynneth the boke called the example of vertu.

Tabula libri

¶ Fyrste a prologue.

¶ How youth mette with discrecyon in a medowe in his dreme & was reformed by her prouerbes ca.i.

¶ How youth with discrecyon sayled ouer the daungerous passage of vayne glorye and arryued in a fayre Ilonde longynge to foure ladyes named Hardynes / Sapyence / fortune / & nature. ca.ii

¶ Of the meruaylous palays of fortune ca.iii.

¶ Of the triumphaunt estate of hardynes. ca.iiii.

¶ Of the gloryfyed towre of sapyence. ca.v.

¶ Of the stronge operacyons of nature ca.vi

¶ How these foure ladyes pleeded at the barre before Iustyce whiche of theym was moost proufytable vnto mankynde & of the Iugement of Iustyce. ca.vii.

¶ How after the Iugement of Iustyce / Sapyence cõmaunded DiscrecõnA to lede youth to marye with clennes the kynge of loues doughter. ca.viii.

¶ How youth by the waye mette wt lechery rydynge on a gote and pryde maned with couetyse on an olyphaũtes backe in a fayre castell / & how by the ayde of || dyscrecyon he dyde withstande theyr temptacõnA and how he mette with sapience in the mase of wordely besynes. capitulo.ix.

¶ How Sapyence & dyscrecyon ledde youth ouer the narowe brydge of vanyte of the worlde to the palays of ye kynge of loue & of his meruaylous appareyl. ca.x

¶ How sapyence presented youth to the kynge of loue for to mary Clennes his doughter & how he before ye maryage dyde fyght and discomfyte the dragon with thre hedys. capitulo.xi.

¶ How after the discomfyture of the sayd dragon he well growen in age was receyued with a farye company of ladyes and was named vertu & with all Ioye brought to the palays of the kynge of loue. ca.xii.

¶ Of the maryage of vertu & clennes & of ye celestyal feste how after the maryage an aungell shewed vnto theym hell / & of the dyuysyons of hell. ca.xiii.

¶ How vertu cleymed the enherytaunce longynge to Clennes his wyfe / & how many aungelles & sayntes brought theym to heuen / & how heuen is enteyled to Vertu and to Clennes & to all theym that loue them & folowe & procede in theyr steppes. capitulo.xiiii.

¶ This boke called the example of vertue was made and compyled by Stephyn hawys one of the gromes of the moost honorable chaumber of oure souerayne lorde kynge Henry the .vii. the .xix. yere of his moost noble reygne / and by hym presented to our sayd souerayne lorde chapytred & marked after this table here before sette.

The prologe.

WHan I aduert in my remembraunce

The famous draughtes of poetes eloquent

Whiche theyr myndes dyd well enhaunce

Bokes to contryue that were expedyent

To be remembred without Impedyment

For the profyte of humanyte

This was the custume of antyquyte.

I now symple and moost rude

And naked in depured eloquence

For dulnes rethoryke doth exclude

Wherfore in makynge I lake intellygence

Also consyderynge my grete neglygence

It fereth me sore for to endyte

But at auenture I wyll now wryte.

As very blynde in the poetys art

For I therof can no thynge skyll

Wherfore I lay it all a part

But somwhat accordynge to my wyll

I wyll now wryte for to fulfyll

Saynt Powles wordes and true sentement

All that is wryten is to oure document

O prudent Gower in langage pure

Without corrupcyon moost facundyous

O noble Chauser euer moost sure

Of frutfull sentence ryght delycyous

O vertuous Lydgat moche sentencyous

Vnto you all I do me excuse

Though I your connynge do now vse

Capitulum primũ

IN Septembre in fallynge of the lefe

Whan phebus made his declynacyon

And all the whete gadred was in the shefe

By radyaunt hete and operacyon

Whan the vyrgyn had full domynacyon

And Dyane entred was one degre

Into the sygne of Gemyne

Whan the golden sterres clere were splendent

In the firmament puryfyed clere as crystall

By imperyall course without incombrement

As Iuppyter and Mars that be celestyall

With Saturne and Mercury that wer supernall

Myxt with venus that was not retrograte

That caused me to be well fortunate

In a slombrynge slepe with slouth opprest

As I in my naked bedde was leyd

Thynkynge all nyght to take my rest

Morpleus to me than made abreyd

And in my dreme me thought he sayd

Come walke with me in a medowe amerous

Depeynted with floures that be delycyous

I walked with hym into a place

Where that there grue many a fayre floure

With Ioye replete and full of solace

And the trees dystyllynge redolent lycoure

More sweter fer than the Aprell shour

And tary I dyd there by longe space

Tyll that I saw before my face

A ryght fayre lady of myddell stature

And also enduyd with grete vertue

Her apparell was set with perlys pure

Whose beaute alway dyd renue

To me she sayd and ye wyll extue

All wyldnes I wyll be your guyde

That ye to fraylte shall not slyde.

Vnto her I answerde o lady gloryous

I pray you tell me what is your name

For ye seeme to be ryght precyous

And I am yonge and sore to blame

Of vyces full and in vertue lame

But I wyll be ruled now by your pleasure

So that your order be made by mesure

Eclepyd I am she sayd dyscrecyon

And yf ye wyll be ruled by me

Ye shall haue Ioye without reprehencyon

And neuer fall in to fragylyte

Youth lackynge me it is grete pyte

For in what place I am exyled

They be with synne ryght oft defyled

It longeth euer vnto my properte

Youth to gyue courage for to lerne

I wyll not medle with no duplycyte

But faythfulnes I wyll dyscerne

And brynge thy soule to blesse eterne

By wyse example and morall doctryne

For youth hauynge to me is a good syne

Forsake also all euyll company

And be founde true in worde and dede

Remembre that this worlde is transytory

After thy desert shall be thy mede

Loue god alway and eke hym drede

And for no mannes pleasure be thyn owne foo

Gyue theym fayre wordes and lete theym goo

Be to thy kynge euer true subgete

As thou sholdest be by ryght and reason

Lete thy herte lowely on hym be sete

Without ony spot of euyll treason

And be obedyent at euery season

Vnto his grace without rebellyon

That thou with trouth may be companyon

Loue neuer vnloued for that is payne

Whyle that thou lyuest of that beware

Loue as thou seest the loued agayne

Or elles it wyll torne the to care

Be neuer taken in that fast snare

Proue or thou loue that is moost sure

And than thou in doubte shalt not endure.

Beware byleue no flaterynge tonge

For flaterers be moost disseyuable

Though that they company with the longe

Yet at the ende they wyll be varyable

For they by reason are not fauorable

But euermore fals and double

And with theyr tonges cause of grete trouble

This brytell worlde ay full of bytternes

Alway turnynge lyke to a ball

No man in it can haue no sykernes

For whan he clymmeth he hath a fall

O wauerynge shadowe bytter as gall

O fatall welth full soone at ende

Though thou ryght hy do oft assende

Whan she to me had made relacyon

Of all these prouerbes by good conclusyon

She gaue to me an Informacyon

For to depryue all yll abusyon

And to consydre the grete derysyon

Whiche is in youth that may not se

No thynge appropred to his prosperyte

Forth than we went to an hauen syde

Wher was a shyp lyenge at rode

Taryenge after the wynde and tyde

And with moche spyces ryght well lode

Vpon it lokynge we longe abode

Tyll eolus with blastes began to rore

Than we her aborded with payne ryght sore

This water eclyped was vayneglory

Euer with yeopardy and tempestyous

And the shyp called was ryght truly

The vessell of the passage daungerous

The wawys were hyghe and gretly troublous

The captayn called was good comfort

And the sterysman fayre pasport

¶ Capitulum .ii.

LOnge were we dryuen with wynde & weder

Tyll we arryued in a fayre Ilonde

Wher was a boote tyed with a teeder

Of merueylous wood as I vnderstonde

Precyous stones ley vpon the sond

And poynted dyamondes grewe on the rockes

And corall also by ryght hyghe stockes

Amased I was for to beholde

The precyous stones vnder my fete

And the erth glysterynge of golde

With floures fayre of odour swete

Dame dyscrecyon I dyd than grete

Praynge her to me to make relacyon

Who of this Ilonde hath domynacyon

She sayd foure ladyes in vertue excellent

Of whiche the eldest is dame nature

That dayly fourmeth after her entent

Euery beest and lyuynge creature

Both foule and fayre and also pure

All that dependynge in her ordynaunce

Where that she fauoureth there is grete pleasaunce

The seconde is called dame fortune

Ayenst whome can be no resystence

For she doth sette the strynges in tune

Of euery persone by her magnyfycence

Whan they sound best by good experyence

She wyll theym loose and let theym slyp

Causynge theym fall by her turnynge tryp

The thyrde called is dame hardynes

That often rulyth by her cheualry

She is ryght stowt and of grete prowes

And the captayn of a lusty company

And ruleth theym euer full hardely

And to gete honour and worldely tresure

She putteth her oft in auenture

¶ The fourth is wysedome a lady bryght

Whiche is my syster as ye shall se

Whom I do loue with all my myght

For she enclyneth euer to benygnyte

And medeleth not with fraude nor subtylyte

But maketh many noble clerkes

And ruleth theym in all theyr werkes

¶ They dwell all in a fayre castell

Besyde a ryuer moche depe and clere

And be expert in feytys manuell

That vnto theym can be no peere

Of erthely persone that lyueth here

For they be so fayre and wounderous

That theym to se it is solacyous.

¶ Longe haue they trauerst gretly in the lawe

Whiche of theym sholde haue the preemynence

And none of them theyr case wyll withdrawe

Tyll of dame Iustyce they knowe the sentence

They argue often and make defence

Eche vnto other withouten remedy

I wyll no lenger of them specefy

Capitulum tercium.

COme on fayre youth and go with me

Vnto that place that is delectable

Bylded with towres of curyosyte

And yet though that ye be lamentable

Whan thou art there you wylt be confortable

To se the merueyles that there be wrought

No man can prynt it in his thought

A path we founde ryght gretely vsed

Where in we went tyll at the last

A castell I sawe wherof I mused

Not fully from me a stones cast

To se the towres I was agast

Set in a valey so strongely fortefyed

So gentyll compassed and well edefyed

The towres were hyghe of adamond stones

With fanes wauerynge in the wynde

Of ryght fyne golde made for the noonys

And roobuckes ran vnder the lynde

And hunters came theym fer behynde

A Ioye it was suche sawe I neuer

Abyde quod she ye shall se a better.

Forth she me ledde to the castell warde

Where we were let in by humylyte

And so after she lede me forwarde

Tyll that I sawe a royall tre

With buddys blossomed of grete beaute

And than we wente in to the hall

That glased was truely with crystall

And hanged was with clothes of Aras

Made of fyne golde with a noble story

How that there some tyme reynynge was

In the regyon of hyghe Italy

A valyaunt emperour and a myghty

That had to name forsothe Tyberius

Whiche dyde enquere of prudent Iosethus

¶ Why he his offycers so longe kepte

Vnto hym he answered a good cause why

Somtyme I sawe a man that slepte

That wounded was full pyteously

And on his woundes suckynge many a fly

I than for pyte moued theym away

By whiche he woke and to me dyde say

¶ Wher that thou trowed to me comfort

Thou now hast done me double greuaunce

Puttynge away the flyes that dyde resorte

To me beynge full of blody sustynaunce

By this thou mayst haue good perseueraunce

That now wyll come the flyes moost hungry

That wyll me byte .x. tymes more greuously

¶ The roof was wrought by merueylous gemetry

Colered with asure gold and gowlys

With knottes coruen full ryght craftely

And set also with wanton fowlys

As popyniays / pyes / Iays / and owlys

And as I loked on my ryght syde

A lady I sawe of meruellous pryde

¶ Syttynge in a chayer at the vpper ende

Of all the hall as a lady and prynces

Amonge many kynges that dyde entende

To be obedyent to her hyghe noblenes

Her apparell was made of moche fayre ryches

Set with rubyes moost pure and rubicound

Embrawded with perles and many a dyamound

Besydes her sate the worthyes nyne

And she amonge theym a whele turnynge

Full lowe to her they dyd than enclyne

She somtyme laughynge and somtyme lowrynge

Her condycyon was to be dyssymelynge

And many exalten vpon her whele

Gyuynge theym grete falles that they dyd fele

Than sayd dyscrecyon beholde and see

That in dame fortune is no stablenes

This worlde also is but a vanyte

A dreme a pompe nothynge in stedfastnes

For fortune is fals and full of doblenes

Whan she moost flatereth she is not sure

As thou mayst se dayly in vre

Capitulum .iiii.

FOrth than we went vnto the habytacle

Of dame hardynes moost pure and fayre

Aboue all places a ryght fayre spectacle

Strowyd with floures that gaue good eyer

Of vertuous turkeys there was a cheyr

Wherin she sate in her cote armure

Berynge a shelde the felde of asure

Wherin was sette a rampynge lyon

Of fyne golde ryght large and grete

A swerd she had of merueylous fassyon

As though a thousand she sholde bete

No man the vyctory of her myght gete

A noble vyrgyn there dyde her serue

That fyrst made harnes called Mynerue

The chaumbre where she held her consystory

The dewe aromatyke dyde oft degoute

Of fragraunt floures full of delycasy

That all yll heyres dyde ensence oute

A carbuncle there was that all aboute

Enlumyned the chaumbre both day and nyght

My thought it was an heuenly syght

Nyne quenes I sawe that satte her by

Beynge all armed of grete fortytude

In many a stower they wanne the vyctory

And were endued with facounde pulcrytude

For to haunte armes was theyr consuetude

Many a regyon they often wanne

And also vaynquysshed many a noble man

Nexte vnto her sate the hyghe quene AziaB

That was a conqueres so puyssaunt

And besyde her the quene of Saba

Whiche in grete ryches was tryumphaunt

And also Ipolyte in armes valyaunt

Sate with her besyde quene Hecuba

And yet also the quene Europa

Present ther was the wiche quene Iuno

And quene Pantasyll wyth fayre quene Elyn

And yet I sawe by her than also

The noble vyrgyn yonge Polyxyn

That was destroyed at the last ruyn

Of Troye the grete by cruell Pyrrus

The sone of Achylles that was so cheualrus

As I dyd loke I had commaundement

Of dame dyscrecyon for to remembre

These noble ladyes so pure and excellent

Hardy in corage of age ryght tendre

Yet not withstandynge deth dyde surrendre

And all theyr strength and lusty corage

For he spareth nother youth ne age

Capitulum .v.

FOrth we walked to the dwellynge place

Of dame sapyence so full of blys

Replete with Ioye vertu and grace

No thynge there lacked that possyble is

Man for to comfort withouten mys

Though he were derke in wordely foly

He sholde there b enlumyned shortely

Her towre was made of werkes curyous

I can no thynge extende the goodlynes

Of her palays so good and gloryous

Bylded in the place soth of fastnes

With owten tast of wordely bytternes

No persone can extoll the souerente

Of her worthy and royall dygnyte

She eche estate sholde haue in gouernaunce

As theym to rule or that they repent

For better it is to haue good puruyaunce

At the begynnynge as is expedyent

Than for to wyssh for thynges myspent

That myght be saued longe afore

And with a for wytte kepte in store

Her chaumbre was glased with byrall clarefyed

Depeynted with colours of delectacyon

A place of pleasure so heuenly gloryfyed

In vertue heale lyfe and saluacyon

Without ony stormy trybulacyon

That myght anoy the heuenly helth

But alway comfort to the sowlys welth

There sate dame prudence in vertue magnyfyed

Impossyble it is to shewe her goodelyhed

She was so fayre and clerely puryfyed

And so dyscrete and full of womanhede

That and I trowe vertue were deed

It sholde reuyue yet in her agayne

She was so gentyll and without dysdeyn

It was grete comfort vnto my hert

For to beholde that heuenly syght

Dyscrecyon sayd I sholde not depert

Tyll I had spoken with her syster bryght

Forth she me ledde with all her myght

Vnto that prynces and royall souerayn

Ergo my labour was not in vayn

Than spake dame prudence with meke contenaũce

Welcome dyscrecyon my syster dere

Where haue ye ben by longe contynuaunce

Wyth youth she sayd that ye se here

And for my sake I you requere

Hym to receyue in to your seruyse

And he shall serue you in goodely wyse

Welcome she sayd for my systers sake

And yet also now for your owne

In to my seruyce I wyll you take

Sythens that your wyldnes is ouerblowen

The sede of vertu on you shall be sowen

Vyce to depryue by his good auctoryte

As for to subdue all yll iniquyte

Of other mennes wordes be thou not bolde

And of theyr promys make no behest

And yf thou here an yll tale tolde

Gyue no iugement but say the best

So shall thou lyue euermore in rest

Who lytell medeleth is best at ease

For well were he that all myght please

Beware kepe the from grete offence

That thou condempned be not by ryghtwysnes

Whan she doth gyue her mortall sentence

Without pease or mercy cause her reles

Her iugement of mortall heuynes

That the best frende to the wyll be

The for to socour in grete necessyte

But yet in theym haue none affyaunce

As fyrst to synne thynkynge that they

At the ende to the wyll be delyueraunce

Nay ryghtwysnes wyll dryue theym away

For of all synnes without delay

Suche synne in hope it is the moost

For it is the synne of the holy ghoost

Now I amytte you into your rome

In the whiche ye shall your selfe apply

Of myn owne chaumbre ye shall be grome

Loke ye be dylygent and do not vary

From my cõmaundementes neuer specyally

For and ye wyll theym well obserue

A moche better rome ye do deserue

The fyrst cõmaundement that I gyue the

Thynke on the ende or thou begynne

For thou by ryght may knowe the certente

That deth is fyne of euery synne

Be neuer taken in dyabolycall engyne

But that repentaunce may loose the sone

Of that grete synne that thou hast done

Trust not to moche in fortunes grace

Though that she laugh on the a whyle

For she can sodenly turne her face

Whan that she lyst the to begyle

She welth and Ioye can sone defyle

And plonge the in the pyte of pouerte

Wherfore in her haue thou no suertye

Presume no ferther than the behoueth

For it wyll turne the to grete shame

For who that from his rome remoueth

He is often full gretely to blame

And medeleth with other in theym lame

As no thynge connynge nor expert

They may hym say syr malapert

Or that thou speke call to remembraunce

Vnto what mater thy worde shall sygnyfye

Loke that it torne no man to greuaunce

Though that it be spoken merely

Yet many a one wyll take it greuously

Whiche that myght cause wroth and debate

Whyle that thou lyues beware of that

For a thynge lost without recouer

Loke that thou neuer be to pensyfe

Thanke god of it thynke to haue an other

Lete wysedome than be to the comfortyfe

That to thy brayn is best preseruatyfe

For euermore ryght wyse is he

That can be pacyent in aduersyte

Proue thy frende in a mater fayned

Or thou haue nede than shalt thou se

Whyther he be iustly with the reteyned

The for to socour in thy necessyte

By profe thou mayst knowe the veryte

For profe afore that nede requere

Defeteth dowte euer in fere

Be thou neuer so blynde in wylle

Yet loke thou be refourmed by reason

Than shalt thou my mynde fulfyll

And thou therto thy selfe abandon

Stryue not with reason for none encheson

For wher she lacketh ther is grete outrage

And without her may not aswage

Eschew also the synne of pryde

The moder and the feruent rote

Of all the synnes at euery tyde

Wherfore trede thou her vnder fote

With helpe of vertue so swete and sote

Whiche is best salue to hele thy sore

And to thy helth the to restore

Wo worth synne without repentaunce

Wo worth bondage without reles

Wo worth man without good gouernaunce

Wo worth infynall payne and dystresse

Wo worth vyce put fer in presse

Wo worth soueraynte hauynge dysdeyn

And wo worth pyte that doth refrayn

Wo worth ryght that may not be herd

Wo worth frendshyp without stabylyte

Wo worth true sentence that is deferd

Wo worth the man full of duplycyte

Wo worth hym without benygnyte

Wo worth lybertye withouten pease

And wo worth crueltye that may not cease

Wo worth connynge that is abused

Wo worth promys withouten payment

Wo worth vertue that is refused

Wo worth trouble without extynguysment

Wo worth foly on message sent

Wo worth reason that is exyled

And wo worth trouth that is defyled

Wo worth the trust without assuraunce

Wo worth grace not sette by

Wo worth Iustyce kepte in dystaunce

Wo worth welth replete with enuy

Wo worth the batayll without vyctory

Wo worth begynnynge without good ende

And wo worth wronge that doth defende

These commaundementes I put in memory

Theym for to kepe doynge my dylygence

With dame Sapyence I dyd longe tary

Whiche dyd me teche with partynge influence