Amoryus and Cleopes :: :: University of Virginia Library

Amoryus and Cleopes

Metham, John

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AMORYUS AND CLEOPES

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The prolog in the thyrd boke.

The prolog in-to the laste boke.

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(11)

In Albynest, the chef cyte off the regyon of Parse,
Thyse lordys reulyd, the wyche excellent were off fame,
Be hos prudens, the cyteceynys were gouernyd in pes and equite
Be longe contynwauns, neuer founde in blame;
Nout-withstondyng ther charge was, in the emperourys name,
Alle maner off trespas to chastyse; but euer with rygh[t]ffulnes,
Thei coude alle materys reforme and redres.

(12)

And as myn autour doth in Grwe specyffye,
Tellyng yt for a specyal reme[m]berauns,
Seytht that thise lordys dwellyd so nyghe,
That be-twene ther placys ther was no more dystauns
Than that a ston wal made the dysseuerauns,
The qwyche dyuydyd ther courtys and closys,
And ther delectabyl gardyns in sesun spryngyng with lyliys and rosys.

(13)

And be ther namys myne autour doth expres,
Qwyche was the fadyr off Amoryus and off Cleopes eke,
Seyng off bothe: most had in reputacion of worthynes
Was Palemedon, Amoryus fadyr, the most myghty Greke,
Alle the regyon off Tessaly, thru-owte to seke,
Hos prudent poyntys off werre wer so dyuulgate,
That in the chauncys off Mars he stode makeles laureat.

(14)

Hos sone, as breuely be-fore I dyd expres,
Was Sir Amoryus, off home this story in especyal
Makyth mencion, hos beute and stature, bothe more and les,
Myne autour dothe declare, on this wyse in general:
Off mene stature was Amoryus, manful and strong with-alle,
With coloure bryght and herys broune, fulle of norture and curtesye;
And be hys wysdam, abyl an hole reme to gye.

(15)

And in hys gouernauns, so demure and dyscrete was he
That iche creature he coude reuerens be norturyd ientylnes
Affter ther degre; that off pore and ryche yn the cyte,
The fame of hys manhod and off hys loulynes
Was in ryfe; for as thei seyd alle, he was makeles
Hys age consydyrryd, hys byrth and nobyl lynage,
Be-sechyng Venus hym to fortune with lygkly maryage.

(16)

The fadyr off Cleopes, as seyth this story,
Was clepyd Dydas, hos wurchyp and fame
Was spred ful wyde; so that the cyteceyns for a memory,
Lete make a pyler off bras, ther-in wrytyn hys name
And hys beneffetys, more-ouer, hys ymage heldyng a frame,
In tokyn that be equite he reulyd the towne;
And eke that the tempyl was off hys fundacion.

(17)

My boke tellyth the cause off this remembrauns,
Seyng that qwyl Palemedon with the emperour was in batyle,
Dydas had off the cyte the hole gouernauns;
And, sodenly, ther come fro heuyn a thundyr and hayle,
That yt ouer-thrw the tempyl off Venus, top ouer tayle;
And Venus, with alle ymagys off gold, syluer, and bras,
Were smet to poudyr, bothe more and las.

(18)

Qwan the case off ther ymages were thus be-falle,
The cyteceynis for fere fled to Dydas palyse,
Bothe prest and seculerys, women, and alle,
For socoure and comffort and to here hys avyse;
For this thundyr rof stone wallys and housys, off meruulus wyse;
That the pepyl, dysmayd, ferffully on Dydas gan calle,
For loss off her godys and sauacion off ther lyuys in specyal.

(19)

They compleynyd that ther gref and pensyffhede
Was for ther tresour, the qwyche ordeynyd was, be polycye,
For sundry casys to helpe the communys in ther nede,
For reperacion off the tempyl eke, and ther lyberteys to fortyfye,
“The qwyche tresur,” qwoth thei, “vndyr this hydus skye,
Kofyr and alle, in the tempyl as yt lay,
Thus brent in-to aschys yt ys this day.”

(20)

And he ful comfortabylly to them ansqweryd, in this maner:
“Frendys, be noght abaschyd for this soden case.
I schal a nwe tempyl re-edyfye to owre goddes dere,
And yt as rychely aray as the elde tempyl was;
And eke as myche tresur as ye left, more or las,
I schal off my fre wyl restore; that ye no los schal haue.
Thys ys myne entente, so Iubyter my soule saue!”

(21)

For the qwyche, the pepyl on kneys be-fore hym dyd falle,
And gaue to hym praysyng, as thei aughte to do;
And for this beneffet fulfyl the pepyl, in specyal,
Lete make this pyler to Dydas Iuno;
And lykghly yt ys to be so,
Hos doutyr, aftyr myn autour hyght Cleopes;
And as I wryte, her beute he doth expres:

(22)

As Phebus in bryghtenes alle planetys excedyth, in general,
Ryght so in beute Cleopes yche erthly creature
Precellyd in fayrenes; that yn the reme, in specyal,
The fame off her beute was spred and off here stature;
For so womanly was sche, so benygne to yche creature
That lusty yong knyghtys gret parte wold make
To breke huge sperys, fersly, for Cleopes sake.

(23)

And breuely this proces for to trase,
Qwat that nature myght werke to beute in ony creature
Was wrought in the persone and in the louely face
Off this lady; for sche proporcion[y]d was in sqwyche mesure,
T[h]at sche sempt, be outeward apparens to pase nature,
Hos beute thus florysc[h]yng I omyt, as off the douter off Venus,
Contynwyng here fortunat fate vndyr Mars furyus.

(24)

But now off descrypcionnys I sese and forth this proces,
As myn autor dothe wryte, ryght so wul I,
Word for word, saue only a lenger progres
Yt nedyt[h] in Englysch; for in Latyne he that wrytyth most schortly,
Most ys comendyd: qwerfore that myn autour endytyth, in more and les,
Compendyusly he pasyth; and so I, in termys fewe,
The entent off myne autour purpos breuely to schewe.

(25)

For as me semyth, yt were a long dygressyon
To telle howe the nwe tempyl was jonyd of cem[e]ntaryis,
Or to speke off the hythe, or the brede, or off the facion,
Or the sumpte off goldyn vessellys, as chaudrunnys and fylateryis,
Or off Venus chaplet, howe yt was enamylyd with grene byris,—
To long yt were to wryte; for myn autour pasyth schortely,
And I to prolonge yt were but vanyte and foly.

(26)

In June, the qwyche the nest month ys aftyr May,
The yere reuoluyd; fro the tyme the olde tempyl fyl
The nwe was made and complet be xxti day
In alle ornamentys that longe to ther sacrifyce be ony skyl,
For the qwyche the gentylys alle and eke the commune pepyl
Be one asent dyd wryte to Palamedon, off hys deuocion,
Besechyng hym to come to ther nwe templys dedycacion.

(27)

And eke the bylle dyd specyfye that, yff yt to hys plesauns
None offens schul be, thei dysyryd to haue a syte
Off Amoryus, besechyng hys hynes noght to take to greuauns
That thei bold were on this wyse to wryte,
To accepte her feythffull entent in hys syte.

Off odyr thingys the bylle eke dyd specyffy,
The qwyche charge noght here to be browte to memory.

(28)

But this pepyl a masyngere to the emperour, in goodly wyse,
Sent in hast with this forsayd bylle;
The qwyche hys masage schewyd with ful sad auyse
Be mowthe, as he was taugh[t] off this pepyl
And aftyr delyueryd hys letter and held hym stylle,
Tyl Palamedon had red the ful sentens,
The qwyche vp-on this wyse he told in opyn audyens.

(29)

“Lordyis and frendyis,” quoth he, “owre cyteceynis of Albynest
Haue wryt to vs that to owre goddes ys fabryfyid
A nwe tempyl; to the qwych consecracion, at ther reqwest,
We muste hye; for in the bylle yt ys specyfyid
That alle ornamentys be alle redy to the solempnyte puryfyid,
And noght thei abyde but vs and yong Amoryus,—
The sentens of this bylle maketh mencion ryght thus.”

(30)

And qwan he had spokyn, the bariunnis that were in hys presens
Alowyd hys sentens and seyd yt was for the best
To enclyne that tyme to the pepillys sentens;
“For sythyn,” quoth thei, “oure lege is now in rest
Fro Marcyan labourys, he hath of werryowris the lesse brest;
Vs thynke best that ye informe hym, as sone as ye may,
To puruey yow homeward to-morow or the nest day.”

(31)

And sone a tyme oportune he had found,
Aspyid qwere the emperour was walkyng in a fresch herber,
Beforn hym on hys kne he fyl to the ground,
Schewyd hym the entent off hys comyng in benygn maner;
And qwan he had spokyn, the emperour, with debonayre chere,

Sayd to Palemedon: “Do in this matere as ye thinke best;
Ye knowe wele how owre empyre ys now in rest.

(32)

“And for yowre labour in werris that with vs ye haue be,
We thanke yow; and we wul, if ony case falle,
That yowre help in alle godely hast redy be.”
And qwan he had thus spokyn, hys styward forth he dyd calle,
Comaundyng hym to fecche that ryche purpyl palle,
That hym-selff had vsyd in Mars sacrifyse,
The qwyche he yaf Palamedon for hys trw seruyse.

(33)

For the qwyche yifft in parte to make recompens,
He louyd hym as prynce, Mars knyght most excellent;
And bothe he and Amoryus ful norturely toke ther lycens
Off the emperour and the courte; and faste thei be ment
To hast ther iurney to the forsayd entent;
For the qwyche knytys and odyr gan fast puruey,
The nest morow them toward Albynest to conuey.

(34)

An artyfycer nowe were nede to me
That coude a straunge style puryfye;
For my poyntel so rude ys, as ye may opynly se,
Yt can noght graue, ye may vt wele aspye,
Be the qwyche my rudenes I mene to endyte this storye;
But trwth ys seyd, blynd Bayard of no dowts doth puruey,
Tyl he hath fallyn in the myd wey.

(35)

Qwerfore fully I me excuse, or I ferther procede,
To yche dyscrete persone most in specyal,
And to the goddes that Fame hyght, now in this nede,
I beseche for help,—that qwere this boke in chambyr or halle
Be herd or red, sche lyst the syluer sqwete pype so smal
To sounde; that the brasyn trumpe of obloqui
For my rudenes mystune noght in no company.

(36)

And nowe my autour I muste folow in astronomy,
The qwyche dymme ys to onlernyd folk, I trowe verily.

(37)

But now I returne to Palamedon, the qwyche lay in rest
Abydyng sum tokyn, qwan Aurora schuld sprynge;
And as he lay wakyn, he herd a ruschyng off a chest,
For qwyche noyse he with-owte taryinge
Styrt vp to wyte yff ony creature were styryng
“Ho goth ther?” quoth he; and afftyr stylle he stode for to here,
Yff ony seruaunt had walkyd ther nere.

(38)

And to the mortere off wax he yed to aspye the wast,
To wete yff tyme were fore to ryse,
To knowe allso how fer the nyght was past;
And as he the brennyng off the mortere gan deuyse,
The nyght chauntour (the cok) hys fyrst salme dyd appryse,—
“A!” thought he, “this sygnyfyith mydnyght;
The cok none ere crwe; yt wul be long or yt be daylyght.”

(39)

Forth than to the wyndow he yed, to wyt how the day schuld preue;
And as he kyste vp hys eye to the fyrmament,
He aspyid Latona, how sche toke her leue
Off Jouys her loue, and howe Boetes gan dreue
Hys bryght plowgh of sterrys, and eke the systyrrys at ther stent,
The qwyche be namyd the sterrys seuyn .vij.,
Howe thei gan appere in the myddys off heuyn.

(40)

And as he hys chere turnyd to be-hold Pegasus,
The fyry goddes off the fyrmament gan to schew here face;
And qwan he hys lady aspyid, that namyd ys Venus,
With deuoute preyyer to beseche her off grace
On kneys doune hym set, and for this preysyng gan race
In magnyfying the gloryus chyualry stellygerat
In qwemyng off Venus and Mars, that than were at debat.

(41)

“O!” quoth he, “ye inmortal goddyis, alle incorporat,
The qwyche be pasyng off nature haue trancendyd this mysery,
Be fortunat fate eternally deyfyid and gloryfycat,
That ye the heuyn crystallyne illumyne and puryfye
Off yowre infynyte goodenes! Ye yowre wurchypperys deyfye
Be a prerogatyfe synguler, that thei that can yow feyt[h]fuly plese
Ye yeff them alle that ys to ther hartys ese.

(42)

“O hye Saturne! reulyng with the septyr off prudens,
Alle terrenal accionnys cyrcumscryuyst indeffycyentlye
Be the progeny deyfyid off thee, hauyng decens
In fyre, aer, lond, and see, be ther namys them thus to applye:
As Jouys, fyry; Juno, aery; Neptunus, wattry; Pluto, erthy;
The qwyche hauyng off thise elementys septrat powere.
Thy chyld were jheryid be thow and eke thei in fere.

(43)

“And eke, O Appollo! to hos bryght chere my goddys alle
Yeue sted; and euery lyuyng erthely creature
With erbe, floure, and frute the preyse in general;
And eke I thi seruaunt qwyl my lyfe wul endure.
In my iurny fyry, and noght wattery, do thi cure,
To appere, I the beseche. And I, on the most reuerend wyse,
A blake bole in the yle of Delfos schal to the sacrifyse.

(44)

“And O Mars! cheueteyn off nobyl weryouris,
With Venus and Lucyna (the mone) pesybyl be;
For masculyne furyus a-yens femenyn schouris
Amonge goddys ys ascryuyd but to crwelte.
And now howe gloryus and how blyssyd yt ys to se
Yowre deyifyid cherrys, O goddis and goddessys alle!
Jheryid ye myght be eternally with inffynyte memoryalle!

(45)

“And O eke ye nobyl deyfyid sygnys! abstracte
From erthly mancionnis to the asuryd fyrmamente;
Sum fyx and sum reuoluying to and fro, in maner of the cateracte,
Be-twene the poolys, bothe the qwyche namys thus represent,
The poole artyk and the poole antartyk at the goddys entent;
In sundry fygurys,—as summe stondyng, summe sittyng,
Sum deffendyng, summe lying, summe water poryng.

(46)

“And be the hye prouydens off yow, goddys colegyat,
Eyery sygne dysposyd ys be fatal ordynauns;
That yche regnyth a tyme, hys cours kepyng and estate,
Yche affter hys dysposycion reulyng with fortunat chauns
Them that born be vndyr ther dyuerse demenauns,—
As summe to prosperyte and ese; summe to trauel and gret vexsacion;
Sum to be leccherus; and sum onstabyl, affter the sygnys dysposycion.

(47)

Qwerefore, O Alua! wombe off the sagyttary off sterrys lucent,
My-selff I deprehend that in thyne exorte
I born was. O blyssyd sygne fortunat appere to myne entent!
And I thi gloryus fygure off pure gold, to thine apport,
Amonge my goddys schal fyx; and euer to the resorte
With sacryfyse and alle sygnys off the fyrmamente becaus[e] off the,
With-in my tempyl in ther lykenes made schal be.”

(48)

And Palamedon thus hys preyur than dyd conclude;
For off sqwetnes off deuocion half raueschyd was he,
Foryetyng hym-self: for trwe yt ys that loue dothe exclude
Bothe hete and cold, and causyth a man foryetful for to be;
For the sterrys so longe he beheld, descryuyng the mageste,

That the pepyllyng wynde made hys flesch for to quake;
That he styrt to hys bed and a-nwe rest be-gan to take.

(49)

Nowt longe tyme he had layn in the golden slepe,
That fro vndyr the erthe phyry Phebus
With hys glymerryng bemys in-to the chambyr gan lepe;
That thru hys bryghtnes he woke Amoryus;
And he in hast styrt vp and hys fadyr dyd clepe,
Seyng that yche man redy was to ryde,
Chafyng ther hors vp and doune be the court syde.

(50)

And be that tyme he redy was to take hys palffrey,
Lusty, fresch knygtys of howsold redy were
To conuey hym forth in hys iurney.
And qwan he the entent perseyuyd off hys frendys dere,
Off ther louyng entente he thankyd hem in benygn manere
Seying as herttyly, “I thanke yow in euery degre
As yff ye me conueyid home to owre cyte.”

(51)

But alle hys speche stod for noght, for certenly thei seyd,
They had sundry erendys in-to hys cuntre
And eke dyuerse messagys vp-on hem were leyd;
Also ther dysyre was to se the newe tempyl and the cyte.
And qwan Palamedon sey yt wold none odyr be
But forth thei wold, he thankyd them hertyly,
And toke hys palfray and forth rod myryly.

(52)

And qwan thei pasyd had the cyte but mylys thre,
A losty yonge knyght gan preke hys palfray
Toward Amorius. “Qwat sorow eylys the now,” quoth he,
“That thow thus sobyrly rydyst alle this day?
Be myne hed!” quoth he, “I trowe that thow hast lost thi pray
Off summe ientyl woman that dwellyth with the empres.
That ys now thi mornyng, as I gesse.

(53)

“But wotys thow qwat me thynkyth best?
Lern this lessun, if thow be wyse, off me:
Lete no fayre loke reue the off thi rest;
But them that thow knowyst hertyly loue the,
Loue them a-yen, qwydyr yt be he or sche.
And euer be-ware off fayre speche, fore many be ontrwe;
For trost in ontrwe hath made many a man to rwe.

(54)

“But nowe let alle this musyng matere pase,
And be auysyd off p[er]ellys ayens a-nodyr tyme.”
“Ye, brodyr,” quoth Amoryus, “I trowe that ye haue trodyn the trace
Off louys daunce, for of the kalendys ye muse the prime;
For he that hyest on that leddere dothe clyme
Deppest in-to wo fallyth, qwan he hat[h] lost hys pray.
But troste me, veryly, louyd I so no creature in-to this day.”

(55)

“Wele,” quoth this yonge knyght, “this matere longyth to sadnes;
But lete yt pase; and syng now sum songe for this sesunne.”
“I graunt,” quoth Amoryus, “be-gynne now your chauntes;
But go gete vs more felychyp.” “Ye! for God,” quoth he, “that ys resun.”
And forth he clepyd foure knytys hos ful deuocion
Was set in wor[l]dly plesauns, that with melydyus chauntyng
This song off loue with lusty voys thei gan to syng:

(56)

Qwan flourys sprede in May, of monthys myryest,
And euery byrde hath chosyn hys louely make,
For joye off the sesun amonge the leuys grene gan rest,
With myry notys syngyng; as I my walkyng gan take,
Vndyr a forest syde, I herd one, for hys ladyis sake,
To the goddes of loue he gan to compleyn,
And eke to fortune, for los off hys lady souereyn:

(57)

O fortune, alas! qwy arte thow to me onkend?
Qwy chongyddyst thow thi qwele causeles?
Qwy art thow myne enmye and noght my frend,
And I euer thi seruant in al maner of loulynes?

(58)

But nowe, off my lyfe, my comfort, and my affyauns,
Thowe hast me be-rafft, that causyth me thus to compleyn.
O bryghter than Phebus! O lyly! O ground of plesauns!
O rose off beute! O most goodely, sumtyme my lady souereyn!

(59)

But O alas! that thru summe enmye or sum suspycyus coniecte,
I throwyn am a-syde and owte off my ladiis grace;
Sumtyme in fauer, but now fro alle creaturys abiecte,
As offtyn sqwowny[n]g, as if remembyr her bryght face.
But now adwe for euer; for my ful felycyte
Ys among thise grene leuys for to be.

(60)

Thys was the dyte off ther fresch songe and the sentens
That thise yonge knytys dyd syng in the iurney,
In specyal for feiner loue and presens
Off Amoryus. And thus with myry songys and talys, day be day,
They schortyd the tyme with myrtht and with play;
And in alle ther myrthys Palamedon rode forth stylly,
Thynkyng alle but vanyte and foly.

(61)

But now I leue thise fresch gallauntys syngyng in ther lay
With mornyng joy in sqwetnes off songe, compleynyng
The absens off ther ladyis soueren in the sesun off May,
To returne to the cyteceynys; the qwych herd off ther comyng,
Nwe clad in a sute, with ful solen aray,
On horsbak with Dydas rydyn owte off the cyte,
Abydyng in a pleyn the dystauns off mylys thre,

(62)

Tyl off ther spye thei had sum tokynnyng.
And at hye none thayr masynger come rydyng a-pase,
Enfformyng Dydas how that thei come fast by.
Ther comyth myche pepyl; thei ocupy myche spase;
And than Dydas commaundyd yche man hys dystauns
To kepe fro odyr; and fast than he gan puruey
To mete with hym in alle godely hast on the wey.

(63)

And Dydas, ful norturely, with hys cumpany
Hym welcomyd as to hys oune cuntre,
And eke the emperourys knyghts by and by
Conueyng them forth in-to ther cyte;
Qwere thei receyuyd were, as thei aucte to be,
Off hys lady and odyr off the toune,
Ful solemply conueyid home to hys mancion.

(64)

The nest day folwyng Dydas and odyr sundry
Off the cyte come to Palamedon and hym prayd
To asyngne a day qwan the tempyl most conuenyently
Myght be dedycat. “Loke ye,” quoth Palamedon, “I held me payd,
Saue I wul se be-fforn how yt ys nwe arayd;
For yff ony thing schul lak that schuld the tempyl adorne,
I wold haue konnyng ther-of be-fforn.”

(65)

And forthwith he dyd clepe the emperour[ys] knyghtys.
“Wul ye,” quoth he, “se the nwe tempyl abought?”
“Ye, syr,” quoth they, “we come hydyr to se nwe sytys.”
And forth thei yede and fast beheld yt, with-in and with-owte.
Ther was castyng off perellys and meuyng off many a dowghte;
But at the last this was Palamedonnys sentens
Among them alle in opyn audyens:

(66)

“Trwly, brodyr Dydas,” quoth he, “this tempyl ys feyre,—
Venus do yow mede! and I purpose, in specyal,
For a rememberauns off owre goddys alle, a spere to repeyre
Off pure gold, to the symylytude as a bal,
Hauyng ther-in the goddys meuyng natural
And yche sygnys exort; and be meuyng yt schal represent
The cours off alle planetys off the fyrmament.”

(67)

And qwan he had thus spokyn, “Qwere ys,” quoth he, “Venus secretary,
The qwyche in crafftys mekanyk hath experyens,
As off dyuynacionnys, enchauntements, and off sorcery;
And offtyn in ars magyk hath wrowgt in my presens.”
But off hys woidys, or he had spokyn the full sentens,
Amonge he[m] was this forsayd prest off Venus;
For he knwe alle be-fforn by hys spyryt namyd Incoberus.

(68)

And qwan Palamedon had rehersyd this matere before,
“Syre,” quoth this secretary, “the labour ys cumbrus and grete;
But yff I haue stuff to performe yt, in lesse and more,
For my bysynes I purpose noght to lete;
So that this day ye wul the gold me gete,
Feythffully I dar promyse that, be this day seuynyght .vij.,
Iche image and cerkyl redy schal be dyght.”

(69)

“As for that,” quoth Palamedon, “schal be made no tarying.”
And he to hys styward anone yaff this commaundmente:
As myche gold as he wold ax thidyr for to bryng,
And eke ryche stonys afftyr the secretaryis entent.
“Anone,” quoth he, “thei were delyueryd qwyl I am present.”
And as he commaundyd, ryght so the styward dyd in-dede,
Preyng this nygromancyer hym in hys werk to spede.

(70)

And ther Palamedon, in open audyens,
Them off the cyte chargyd redy for to be,
On ther legauns and promysyd obedyens,
Alle present and absent that longe to the cyte
With-owte sesonabyl cause or gret specyalte,
Afftyr eght .viij. dayis, be the custummys olde,
The dedycacion off Venus and the tempyl to hold.

(71)

And than owte off the tempyl he yede and the knytys also,
Home to hys palyce to theyr refeccion,
Qwere I hem leue, carpyng off the tempyl, to and fro,
To returne to the secretary, the qwyche be coniuracion
Off spyrytys enchauntyth myghtyly, be dyuynacion
With spryngys off cydyr, qwyk colys, and encens,
Int[r]oducyng the spyrytys in-to hys cyrcumfferens.

(72)

And sone an huge pytte he gan mak be-syde,
Qwere he the gold, syluer, and precyus stonys
Thrw in to-gydyr; and afftyr gan abyde,
Tyl he had gadyrryd a multytude off mennys bonys
And thrwe hem in-to the pytte alle at onys;
For as clerkys wryte, the damnyd spyrytys haue delectacyon
Amonge tresur and ded mennys bonys to make ther mancion.

(73)

And redy anone he dyght hys sacrifyse,
Abydyng the oure off hys operacion,
Arayd in qwyght, hys cerkyl gan dyuyse
With carectyrs and fygurys, as longe to the dysposycion
Off tho spyrytys that haue that power in ther iurysdyccion.
And at hye mydnyght he entryd hys cumpas
With hys boke and sacrifyse coniuryng apase.

(74)

And with-in schort tyme, be excellent craft,
He had introducyd in-to this forsayd pytt
Seuyn .C. thousand spyrytys, or he lafft,
And fast ther bond them, that thei myght nogh flytt,
Thow thei had yt sqworn ther them he schytt;
And made tho spyrytys so meruulusly werk in fere,
That with-in thre ourys complet was the spere.

(75)

And now for to declare the werkyng off this spere
And eke to name the cerkyllys, fygurys, and sygnys,
The multytude off sterrys, namyd in panymmys manere,
Goddys off the fyrmamente, and eke the meruulus mevyngys
Off the planetys, causyng in thayr regne sundry thyngys
In werkyng off nature,—alle this this spere dyd represent,
As in frosty nyghtys ye may be-hold in the fyrmament.

(76)

In the este ende off this tempyl this spere apperyd alofft,
Fyue cubytys fro the ground, alwey meuyng;
Noudyr hangyng ner vndyr born, of herd ner off sofft,
But alone in the eyar, to euery mannys eye apperyng.
So meruulus a melody yt causyd to folkys heryng,
That halff thei raueschyd were be the sqwete armony
Off the qwyfft glydyng of thise cerkyllys, by and by.

(77)

And the ouer cerkyl in-cludying alle this huge werk
Afftyr astrologerys descripcion applanos hyght,
The qwyche vndyr heuyn empuror, as Haly the gret clerk
Doth specyfy, qwere he off constellacionnys doth wryght,
Ys nest; and so vysuually, to yche mannys syte,
Abouyn this spere enchauntyd apperryd ouer, more and les,
As liqwyde gold brennyng in a furnes.

(78)

But the secunde cerkyl, ther ys no lyuyng creature
That myght yt behold but gretly he schuld wondyr

Off the operacion and ryches off that meruulus fygure;
For in that the fyx sterrys were and sygnys meuyng asundyr;
Sum vprysyng and sum dessendyng vndyr;
The qwyche multytude in fere, afftyr paynymys opynyon,
Was clepyd the colege off goddys, afftyr poyyetys denominacion.

(79)

And in the fyrst fyx sygne the doutyr off Lycaon,
Clad in sterrys off gold, cumpasyng tweyn berys qwyght
With a saphyryne serpent, stedffastly stondyng in one,
The qwyche the north pole ye clepyd or Artos bryght;
Nest home Artophylax stondyng redy for to fyght
In the deffens off Arcton, clad in a palle smaragdyne,
Adornyd with sterrys off gold; to the centyr hys face declyne.

(80)

Vp-on hos schuldyr the garlond off Adryagne
Aperyd in the symylytude as a ryche topas;
Nest home stod kyng Hercules, that alle Asy wanne;
The skyn off a lyon in ryght arme dyd embras,
With a gleyue off gold dyuydyng the cerkyl or cumpas
Off somer; closyd in sterrys flamyng nynetene .xix.;
The qwyche in hys exorte off ast[r]ononerrys hyghly myght be sene.

(81)

And be Hercules the Harp musycal off Orphe
Was joynyd to the pole, off the qwych, as poyetys feyne,
Orphe with the sqwete melody from Plutoys fyry see.
As fro helle, hys wyffe he harpyd ayeyne;
And vndyr this harpe the Sqwan, that to Jouys dyd perteyne,
Was plumyd with oryent margarytys; and toward the Lesse Bere
Thyse goddys and goddessys conioynyd were.

(82)

Cephe and Casyep, fayre Andromece and semly Perse,
The kyng off Cryse nakyd Opylenk, inuoluyd with a serpent,
With the goldyn arow off Hercules, that the Egyl dyd sle,
The Egyl flying by, and the Dolphyn that in the spere ys resydent,
And wyngyd Pegasus that made in Boyse the welle oryent,
With the Tryangyl; qwyche imagys were made ther in her fygurys
Off sundry precyus stonys; as of carbunkyllys, dyamaunts, and saphyrys.

(83)

But for that this matere ys obscure and to onletterryd noght delectabyl,
I pase schortly; but sythyn I haue begunne to descriue the spere,
Breuely I schal conclude, omyttyng colourys; as off syluer and sabyl,
Asure, gold, goulys, and verd, the ennamyllyngys in sundry maner,
Off the vestyture off goddys, as thei wrowght were in fere
Be enchauntement; and now the resydu vp to descriue,
I pray yow off pacyens, I schal a do belyue.

(84)

And nest thise foresayd Phebus' twelue .xij. dwellyng placys
Sundryly apperyd, the qwyche be clepyd, in commune langage,
The twelue syngnys off the yere, kepyng there pacys
In this forsayd spere, closyd in oryent sterrys, as in a cage;
As the Ram, the qwyght Bole, the Tweyn Bredyr off Grekys lynage,
The Crab, the Lyon, the Vyrgyne, and the Weghtys,
The Scorpyon, the Sagyttary, the Capricorn, the Aqwary, and the Fysschys.

(85)

And southe in the spere toward the octyan,
The Qwalle was, hornyd Padus, the Hare, and Oryon

With the sqwyff Grehound; and fers Prochyon;
The Schyp off Argus; the Centaure or the monstyr off Chyryon;
The fygure off the Dorys off the Tempyl off Salomon,
With the serpent namyd Ydra, the Pese, and the Crow,
And the fysch clepyd Serus; thus thei namyd were arowe.

(86)

And as I haue here rehersyd in the spere nygromantyk,
Ryght so in the fyrmament the same fygurys be,
As asstrologerys wryte, fygurys to men and bestys lyke;
To the qwyche paynymys dyd sacrifyse for euery aduersyte,
Settyng them in charys off gold, that the pepyl myght them se;
In-to the qwyche wykkyd spyrytys entryd the pepyl to ludyfye,
To make them forsake God, and to turment her soulys euerlastyngly.

(87)

And in-to this owre the most part off the world ys so made blynd,
Thorowgh the sotel falsnes off the fend, that thei beleue,
To be tranlat in-to heuyn, qwere thei ther God schuld fynd;
For off euery sekenes thei wene the idol dyd hem releue.
Offtyn he talkyth to hem in ther langage, bothe morow and eue;
Qwan thei with sacriffyse beseche hym to be mercyfful,
He gladyth them with feyre promyssys at the fulle.

(88)

But ayen to returne to the spere and yt to conclude fynally,—
The seuyn .vij. planetys to descriue the qwyche be-neth thise odyr
Were resydent in ther tronys, reulyng bodyis of the erth myghtyly;
That for ther excellent power sum ys clepyd the fadyr
To them rehersyd beffore; and so dere and wurthy
To alle idolatrerys thei be, that huge templys to yche off thise syngulere
They edyffye to offyr in theyr sacrifyse and muse her prayyer.

(89)

And to sum thei sacriffyse for wysdam, as to Saturn,
The qwyche in the seuynt .vij. spere hath hys domyny;
To sum for prosperyte and wurchyp, as to Iubyter, that makyth returne
In the syxt .vj. cerkyl, or trone; and to Mars for vyctory
Off her aduersaryis, that the fyffte .v. trone reulyth myghtyly;
And to Phebus for ansqwere off auenturys how thei schul falle
In tyme foluyng, the qwyche the fourth .iiij. spere reulyth celestyal;

(90)

And eke to beuteus Venus, that femenyn ys off nature,
Lusty fresch galaunts to haue ther lykyng dysyre
To her beseche for help, qwan thei endure
Ony inffortune, or qwan thei brenne in louys fyre;
The qwyche goddes reulyth the empyre
Off the thryd trone, to home Dydas for pure deuocion
Bylyd the tempyl qwere the spere had the mocion;

(91)

And to Mercurry thei that marchaundyse ocupy,
As to god off fortune thei beseche for prosperus auenture,
The qwyche the secunde trone possedyth; and nest vs by
In the fyrst t[r]one, resedyth the goddes of Dyane, that the nyght obscure
Temperyth with her bryght chere, that femenyne ys off nature,
The qwyche thise paynymys clepe goddes off the see,
Preyng her with sacrifyse for the seeys tranquillyte.

(92)

And thus I ende this rwde descrypcion
Off goddys and the spere to speke off the secretary,
That had a fynauns and a fulle conclusyon
Off this meruulus spere be the spyrytys aery;
That fast than homeward gan hym hye,

Speryd the tempyl dorys and to hys chambyr yede;
Qwere I hym leve aslepe, yff he can, for he hath nede.

(93)

Fowre days afftyr that made was this werke,
This secretary had schewyd alle the spere
Vp-on a nyght to Palemedon, qwan the wedyr was derke,
Axyng hym yff ony he wold haue made, in priuy maner,
Be-syde that, to the reuerens off theyr goddes dere.
“Qwat,” quoth Palamedon, “made ye haue made be myne estymacion,
That no lyuyng creature but ye myght to this con clusyon.

(94)

“O Venus dere!” quoth he, “this werk ys so qweynt and meruulus,
That I am astoynyd to behold yt; meuyth so fast
Myn eyn dymme off the wundyrfful bryghtnes; yt ys so laboryus,
That my resun demyth that yt myght noght euer last;
For be my wytt I haue concludyd and caste,
That yff yche cerkyl were as thyk as a mylle post,
The scharp meuyng schul sone cause yt to be lost.”

(95)

“Be lost!” quoth the secretary, “nay, nay,” quoth [he], “that schal neuer be
Qwyl the world enduryth, trost that veryly.
Qwat wene ye that the cerkyllys were off that tresur that ye
To me delyuerryd? Nay, thynke yt nowt, that ys but a fantesy;
For one .j. cerkyl takyth more than yowre tresur drw holy.
But for a matere off counsel,” quoth this secretary, “in specyal,
I browte yow now hydyr; I schal noght gab at alle.

(96)

“Qwan complet was the spere, as yt ys this owre,
Sore I dysyryd to knowe how longe yt schuld endure;

And vp-on a nyght thys weke in my towre,
I sacriffysyd to Venus, prayng her to do her cure
To schewe me be reuelacion, to make me sure,
Yff yt schuld sone be destroyd, or late, or neuer;
Or yff the tempyl ouertrw, yff the cerkyllys schuld dysseuer.

(97)

“And as I lay, I fyl wondyrffully aslepe;
And sodenly, in a dreme I was and that a meruulus,
Me-thowt I sey Venus alle mornyng, as thow sche schuld wepe,
Punchyng me with her fote, to me seyd rygt thus:
‘Alas!’ quoth sche, `we goddessys may say, for sone to us
Is schape an vttyr exile; for here qwere we were wunt to abyde,
A crucyffyid man schal take possessyon, and vs put asyde.

(98)

“‘And were noght,’ quoth sche, ‘that this heuy case schuld falle,
The spere schuld euer endure ueryly;
But sythyn thus yt schal be, the same nyght breke yt schal,
That we arn drouyn hens; and thus alas! euerlastyngly
Owre wurchyp, owre power, and owre memory,
Owte off this cuntre, that crucyffyid man schal fleme.
Be-leue this veryly, loke that neuer odyr-wyse yow esteme.’

(99)

“No more sche sayd; but ayen sche yede fro thens sche come,
Wryngyng her handys, sodenly vanyschyd ewey;
And I with thaat woke and fast yede home
To my rest; and in my bed as I lay,
Sche efft apperred to me and on the same wyse dyd say,
As sche dyd be-ffore, and this ys cause,” quoth he, “that I
In specyal sent for yow thus hastyly.”

(100)

“Trwle,” quoth Palamedon, “this I wondyr; but yeff no credens
That yt schal falle; for we were mad owre god to for-sake
And to a crucyffyid man to do ony reuerens:

For that day that I a damnyd man to my god schal take,
Loke that heuyn schal falle and Venus a-nwe schal make.
But loke for rumour off the pepyl that yow yt counsel kepe;
Telle now no more, for I go home to slepe.”

(101)

Erly in the morw Phebus with hys golden chare
Hys cours toke to the cerkyl that Cherycos men calle,
Spredyng hys fyry bemys on hyllys and desertys bare.
On the heght .viij. day lymyt, qwan the dedycacion schul[d] falle
Off this tempyl, qwere iche man and woman, in specyalle,
For the fest and the sesun, affter ther costummys olde,
In her best aray yede to the tempyl this fest to hold.

(102)

Qwere alle this pepyl gadyrryd abydyng Palamedon,
Wondryng gretly off the sqwet melody
That owte off the tempyl come; and sone ther come anone
Thyse lordys; and off alle the cyte, the ryche and wurthy
In glytyryng gounys, that wrowt were meruulusly
Off pure gold and stonys; that wondyr yt was to se
The arayment off lordys in that solempnyte.

(103)

And qwan this secretary aspyid that thei come nye,
He lete opyn the dorys, commaundyng the prestys alle
Them to aray in ther slauennys in hye,
That no lettyng schuld be qwat case sum-euer falle;
“But as sone as Palamedon hath take hys stalle
Owre seruyse we may begynne and owre obseruauns:
For to spede the tyme to the peppyl ys most plesauns.”

(104)

And with that thise lordys entryd in-to the tempyl,
And eke the comunnys that sunnest myght;
But sodenly abaschyd the countenauns off the pepyl
In the beheldyng the wondyr fygure off the spere bryght,
Makyng sqwyche a melody, and flamyng with sqwych a lyght;
That the pepyl dysmayd, as schepe in a thundyr
Ryght so thei stode, and on the spere gan wondyr.

(105)

And qwan the pepyl had longe yt behold, the secretary
Commaundyd sylens, and to sese of ther jangyllyng;
And a-none began the holy obseruans and mystery
Afftyr paynymmys gyse. Thei gan meryly syng;
Than yche man drwe hym to prayere, with-owte more lettyng;
And afftyr, ther rammys, kyddys, and bolys, thei gan sacriffyse
To Venus, afftyr ther ollde abhomynabyl gyse.