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 | Here begynneth the Justes of the moneth of Maye parfurnysshed and done by Charles Brandon, Thomas Knyvet, Gyles Capell & Wyllyam Hussy |  |
[The moneth of May with amerous beloued]
The
moneth of May with amerous beloued
Plasauntly past wherin there hath ben proued
Feates of armes and no persones reproued
That had courage
Plasauntly past wherin there hath ben proued
Feates of armes and no persones reproued
That had courage
In armoure bryght to shewe theyr personage
On stedes stronge sturdy and corsage
But rather praysed for theyr vassellage
As reason was
On stedes stronge sturdy and corsage
But rather praysed for theyr vassellage
As reason was
In whiche season thus fortuned the cace
A lady fayre moost beautyuous of face
With seruauntes foure brought was in to a place
Staged about
A lady fayre moost beautyuous of face
With seruauntes foure brought was in to a place
Staged about
Wheron stode lordes and ladyes a grete route
And many a knyght and squyer also stoute
That the place was as full as it be mought
On euery syde
And many a knyght and squyer also stoute
That the place was as full as it be mought
On euery syde
That to beholde the Iustes dyde abyde
Tyll that the pryse by the Iudges was tryed
And by the herodes that trouthe well espyed
Therfore puruayde
Tyll that the pryse by the Iudges was tryed
And by the herodes that trouthe well espyed
Therfore puruayde
Thus these foure seruauntes of this lady foresayd
Entred the felde/there for to be assayde
Gorgyously apparayled and arayde
And for pleasaunce
Entred the felde/there for to be assayde
Gorgyously apparayled and arayde
And for pleasaunce
And in a maner for a cognysaunce
Of Mayes month they bare a souenaunce
Of a verte cocle was the resemblaunce
Tatched ryght fast
Of Mayes month they bare a souenaunce
Of a verte cocle was the resemblaunce
Tatched ryght fast
About theyr neckes as longe as May dyde laste
But about theyr neckes it was not caste
For chalēge/but they weere it tyll May was past
Redy to Iust
But about theyr neckes it was not caste
For chalēge/but they weere it tyll May was past
Redy to Iust
Theyr armure clere relucent without ruste
Theyr horses barded trottynge on the duste
Procured gentyll hertes vnto luste
And to solace
Theyr horses barded trottynge on the duste
Procured gentyll hertes vnto luste
And to solace
Specyally suche as Uenus dyde enbrace
Or as of Cupyde folowed the trace
Or suche as of Mars desyred the grace
For to attayne
Or as of Cupyde folowed the trace
Or suche as of Mars desyred the grace
For to attayne
And as touchynge this lady souerayne
Had suche beaute/it wolde an herte constrayne
To serue her/though he knewe to lese his payne
She was so shene
Had suche beaute/it wolde an herte constrayne
To serue her/though he knewe to lese his payne
She was so shene
She and her seruauntes clad were all in grene
Her fetures fresshe none can dyscryue I wene
For beaute she myght well haue ben a quene
She yonge of aege
Her fetures fresshe none can dyscryue I wene
For beaute she myght well haue ben a quene
She yonge of aege
Was set moste goodly hye vpon a stage
Under a hauthorne made by the ourage
Of Flora that is of heuenly parage
In her hande was
Under a hauthorne made by the ourage
Of Flora that is of heuenly parage
In her hande was
Of halfe an houre with sande rennynge a glas
So contryued it kepte truely the space
Of the halfe houre and dyde it neuer passe
But for to tell
So contryued it kepte truely the space
Of the halfe houre and dyde it neuer passe
But for to tell
How this lady that so ferre dyde excell
Was named yf I aduyse me well
Lady of May she hyght/after Aprell
Began her reygne.
Was named yf I aduyse me well
Lady of May she hyght/after Aprell
Began her reygne.
Whose tyme durȳge her seruaūtes toke grete payne.
Before her to shewe pleasure souerayne.
So that in felde who that came them agayne
In armoure bryght.
Before her to shewe pleasure souerayne.
So that in felde who that came them agayne
In armoure bryght.
On horsbacke mounted for to proue theyr myght
Two seruauntes of this lady of delyte
Sholde be mounted/armed/and redy dyght
At a tyltes ende
Two seruauntes of this lady of delyte
Sholde be mounted/armed/and redy dyght
At a tyltes ende
That to parfurnysshe theyr chalenge dyde entende
Fyrst one of them halfe houre sholde dyspende
With hym that came fyrste in felde to defende
With coronall.
Fyrst one of them halfe houre sholde dyspende
With hym that came fyrste in felde to defende
With coronall.
With grete speres that were not shapen small
And whan a spere was broken forthewithall
The trompettes blewe with sounes musycall
Halfe houre done
And whan a spere was broken forthewithall
The trompettes blewe with sounes musycall
Halfe houre done
Another chalenger was redy sone
With another defendaunt to rone
And so the defendauntes one after one
Eche day by twayne
With another defendaunt to rone
And so the defendauntes one after one
Eche day by twayne
Chalengers answered were to theyr grete payne
And artycled it was in wordes playne
That yf a chalenger ony hurte dyde sustayne
Another myght
And artycled it was in wordes playne
That yf a chalenger ony hurte dyde sustayne
Another myght
Of his felowes came to felde redy dyght
To maynteyne his felowes chalenge and ryght
Theyr artycles also dyde it recyte
Thus who came there
To maynteyne his felowes chalenge and ryght
Theyr artycles also dyde it recyte
Thus who came there
Horsed and in armoure burnysshed clere
As a defendaunt he sholde chose his spere
And rynne halfe houre with a chalengere
Whiche season doone
As a defendaunt he sholde chose his spere
And rynne halfe houre with a chalengere
Whiche season doone
A trumpet blewe to gyue warnynge ryght soone
Thus the Iustes helde frome twayne after none
Tyll syxe was strycke of clockes mo than one
Whiche houres past
Thus the Iustes helde frome twayne after none
Tyll syxe was strycke of clockes mo than one
Whiche houres past
The defendauntes the tylte about compast
And with trumpettes out of the felde they past
The chalengers in the felde abode laste
Euery eche day
And with trumpettes out of the felde they past
The chalengers in the felde abode laste
Euery eche day
And one of them the lady dyde conuaye
That named was the yonge lady of May
Frome her hye stage with floures made so gaye
And there redy
That named was the yonge lady of May
Frome her hye stage with floures made so gaye
And there redy
Was his felawe hym to accompany
Thus the chalengers melodyously
About the tylte rode also ryght warrely
In theyr armure
Thus the chalengers melodyously
About the tylte rode also ryght warrely
In theyr armure
Complete saue of theyr heed peces pure
And in this wyse they made departure
Accompanyed with many a creature
Yonge and lusty
And in this wyse they made departure
Accompanyed with many a creature
Yonge and lusty
On horses gambawdynge wonderously
That it semed as to a mannes eye
That they wolde haue hanged styll in the skye
Other there were.
That it semed as to a mannes eye
That they wolde haue hanged styll in the skye
Other there were.
That were Ioly and gorgyas in theyr gere
And whan they lyst coude well handle a spere
That came eche day to serue other men there
On eche party.
And whan they lyst coude well handle a spere
That came eche day to serue other men there
On eche party.
And dyde in eche thynge indeferently
It came be ye sure of ryght grete curtesy
Of the chalengers I shall you certefy
How they were prest.
It came be ye sure of ryght grete curtesy
Of the chalengers I shall you certefy
How they were prest.
Twyse in the weke in the felde redy drest
Durynge the May and chosen for dayes best
Were sondaye and thursday and merelyest
To shewe pleasure
Durynge the May and chosen for dayes best
Were sondaye and thursday and merelyest
To shewe pleasure
With speres grete them to auenture
And who in presence of this lady pure
Brake moost speres a golde rynge sholde recure
Of this lady.
And who in presence of this lady pure
Brake moost speres a golde rynge sholde recure
Of this lady.
And agayne on the party contrary
Yf the defendaunt on his party
Of speres alowed breke not so many
As chalengere.
Yf the defendaunt on his party
Of speres alowed breke not so many
As chalengere.
Or he went thens humbly he sholde apere
Before this lady moost comly of chere
And to present vnto her a rynge there
This ordre set.
Before this lady moost comly of chere
And to present vnto her a rynge there
This ordre set.
Was with artycles moo wherof to treate
Sholde be to longe but who best had the feate
Was gladdest man/but he the pryce dyde gete
That speres brake
Sholde be to longe but who best had the feate
Was gladdest man/but he the pryce dyde gete
That speres brake
Most in the felde yet other had no lake
Of speres brekynge for to here the crake
Wolde cause ony lusty herte pleasure to take
What with the brute
Of speres brekynge for to here the crake
Wolde cause ony lusty herte pleasure to take
What with the brute
Of trumpettes and many an other flute
Of taboryns and of many a douce lute
The mynstrelles were proprely clade in sute
All this deuyse
Of taboryns and of many a douce lute
The mynstrelles were proprely clade in sute
All this deuyse
Was worthy prayse after my poore aduyse
Syth it was to no mannes preiudyse
To passe the tyme this merciall excercyse
Was commendable.
Syth it was to no mannes preiudyse
To passe the tyme this merciall excercyse
Was commendable.
Specyally for folkes honourable
And for other gentylmen therto able.
And for defence of realmes profytable
Is the vsage.
And for other gentylmen therto able.
And for defence of realmes profytable
Is the vsage.
Therfore good is to haue parfyght knowlage
For all men that haue youth or metely age
How wt the spere theyr enemyes to outrage
At euery nede.
For all men that haue youth or metely age
How wt the spere theyr enemyes to outrage
At euery nede.
And how he sholde also gouerne his stede
And for to vse in stede of other wede
To were armure complete from fote to hede
Is ryght metely.
And for to vse in stede of other wede
To were armure complete from fote to hede
Is ryght metely.
It encourageth also a body
Enforcynge hym to be the more hardy
And syth it is so necessary
Enforcynge hym to be the more hardy
And syth it is so necessary
I them commende
That to defende
Them selfe pretende
Ualyauntly
That to defende
Them selfe pretende
Ualyauntly
And dyscommende
Them that dyspende
Theyr lyfe to ende
In vayne foly
Them that dyspende
Theyr lyfe to ende
In vayne foly
Some reprehende
Suche as entende
To condescende
To chyualry
Suche as entende
To condescende
To chyualry
God them amende
And grace them sende
Not to offende
More tyll they deye
And grace them sende
Not to offende
More tyll they deye
Thende of the Iustes of Maye.
| Here begynneth the Justes of the moneth of Maye parfurnysshed and done by Charles Brandon, Thomas Knyvet, Gyles Capell & Wyllyam Hussy | |