University of Virginia Library

How Ihesus entred into a castil

Therfor a castel has the king made at his devys,
That thar neuer drede assaut of any enemys.
He sette hit on a whit roche thik and hegh,
With gode dykes al aboute depe and dregh.
Men may neuer with no craft this castil doun ruyne,
Ne may neuer do harme to hit no maner engyne.
This castil is euer ful of loue and of grace,
To al that any nede has socour and solace.
Four toures ay hit has and kernels fair,
Thre bailliees al aboute that may noȝt apair.
Nouther hert may wele thinke ne tung may wel telle
Al the bounte and the bewte of this ilk castell.
Seuen barbicans are sette so sekirly aboute
That no maner of shoting may greue fro withoute.
This castel is paynted without with thre maner colours:
Rede brennand colour is aboue toward the fair tours,
Meyne colour is ymyddes of ynde and of blewe,
Grene colour be the ground, that neuer changes hewe.
Thes colours beth [fer] and nere castes so mekil liȝt
That when men behaldes thaim, comfort mekil thair siȝt.
The castel al within, who[so] may hit knawe,
Ay is blaunched als whit as any dryuen snawe.
Four fair stremes in hit out of a welle springes,
Fro myddes the hegh tour thai fille the dykinges;
So fair and so gode that liquour ther is
That he that drank oght therof myȝt haue mekel blis.
A chaier of yuor ther was sette in this ilk tour,
With seuen grees vpward with worschip and gret honour;
Was neuer non half so fair in this warld sene,
Ne neuer non so semly hade prince ne quene.
Hit was made sotilly and al be compas cast;
The raynbowe enuyround it al stedefast.
The kynges sone has made it for his awne se;
Was ther neuer non so fair ne neuermor sal be.