FROM THE PASTIME OF PLESURE.
HOWE GRAUND AMOURE WAS RECEIVED BY LOGYKE AND RETHORYKE.
So by I went unto a chamber bryght
Where was wont, to be a ryght fayre lady
Before whom then, it was my hole delite
I kneled adowne, full well and mekely
Besechyng her, to enstruct me shortly
In her noble science, whiche is expedient
For man to knowe, in many an argument.
You shall quod she, my scyence well learne
In time and space, to your great utilitye
So that in me lokyng, you shal then discerne
HOWE GRAUND AMOURE WAS RECEIVED BY LOGYKE AND RETHORYKE.
So by I went unto a chamber bryght
Where was wont, to be a ryght fayre lady
Before whom then, it was my hole delite
I kneled adowne, full well and mekely
Besechyng her, to enstruct me shortly
In her noble science, whiche is expedient.
For man to knowe, in many an argument.
You shall quod she, my scyence well learne
In time and space, to your great utilitye
So that in me lokyng, you shal then discerne
A frende from foe, and good from iniquitie
Ryght from wrong, ye shall knowe in certaintye
My scyence is, all the yll to eschewe
And for to knowe, the false from the true.
Who will take payne, to folowe the trace
In this wretched worlde, of trouth and ryghteousnes
In heven above, he shal have dwelling place
And who that walketh, the way of darkenes
Spendyng his tyme, in worldely wretchednes
A myddes the earth, in hell most horrible
He shall have payne, nothyng extinguyssyble.
So by Logyke, is good perceveraunce
To devide the good, and the evyl a sunder
It is alwaye, at mannes pleasaunce
To take the good, and cast the evyl under,
If God made hell, it is therof no wonder
For to punyshe man, that had intelligence
To know good from yll, by true experience
Logyke alway, dothe make probacion
Provyng the pro, well from the contrary
In sundry wise, by argumentation
Grounded on reason, well and wondersly
Who understode, all logike truely
Nothyng by reason, myght be in pleadynge
But he the trouthe, shoulde have in knowlegyng.
Her wise doctrine, I marked in memory
And toke my leave, of her hye person
Because that I myght, no lenger tary
The yere was spent, and so farre then gone
And of my ladye, yet syght had I none
Whiche was abidyng, in the tower of Musyke
Wherfore anone, I went to Rethoryke.
Than above Logike, up we went a stayre
Into a chamber, gaylye glorified
Strowed w' flowers, of al goodly ayre
Where sate a lady, greatly magnified
And her true vesture, clearly purified
And over her heade, that was bryght and shene
She had a garlande, of the laurell grene
Her goodly chamber, was set all about
With depured mirrours, of speculation
The fragraunt fumes, did well encense out
All misty vapours, of perturbacion
More liker was, her habitation
Unto a place which is celestiall
Then to a terrayne, mancion fatall.
Before whom then, I did knele a downe
Saying, O starre of famous eloquence
O gilted goddesse, of the hyghe renowne
Enspyred, with the heavenly influence
Of the dulcet well, of complacence
Upon my mynde, with dewe aromatike,
Distyll adowne, thy lusty Rethoryke
And depaynt my tonge, w' thy royall flowers.
Of delicate odours, that I may ensue
In my purpose, to glad my auditours
And with thy power, that thou me endue
To morallise, thy litterall censes true
And clense away, the mist of ignoraunce
With depured beames, of goodly ordinaunce.
With humble eares, of parfite audience
To my request, she did then encline
Saying she woulde, in her goodly science.
In short space, me so well indoctrine
That my dull mynde, it shoulde enlumyne
With golden beames, for ever to oppresse
My rude language, and all my symplenes.
I thanked her, of her great gentlenes,
And axed her, after this question
Madame I saied, I woulde knowe doubtles
What Rethoryke is, wythout abusyon
Rethoryke she saied, was founde by reason
Man for to governe, well and prudently
His wordes to order, his speache to purifye.
|