University of Virginia Library

Preface

In Ruffynes legende which late was write ; stilico hath preysinges armyd
Our muse now more mylde . with losyd stryngis ; in songe shal gyn to telle
With what maners . and with what love ; this dred prince rulyd the worlde
With whos preyers he lyst be mevid to clothe him in his roobys
And grauntid oo yere thestate to take ; as consulers vsid before.

.I. Benygnyte is descryed techyng stilico the prynce.

The keper of the worlde Clemencia callyd ; which chase hir first place
In iupiters girdil that partith a sundir ; grete hetis from þe colde
Which grettest is namyd of hevenly duellers ; for clemens first had ruthe
Of the vnshaply begynnyng worlde ; whan al þing lackid dieu forme
And with her bright chere put thirkenes aside ; yivyng liȝte to erthys
This goddesse the stilico as temple vsith ; & as offryng at awtrys
Where frankencens and swete odourys ; to hir with fire is yove
Her principal sees . high in thy brest ; she hath provided to be
The techyng evir that thou sholdist deme ; & nevir as manhode holde.
Oo man reioise a nothirs peyne ; or othirs deth desire
That in thi peas thou sholdist so breke ; cruel martys decrees
As by the to longe haterede ; occasion noon were yove.
That to trespassours thou sholdist pardon ; frely askid graunte
And Jre soone shuldist put awey ; seldome thou shuldist it meve
Onmevable thou owist not endure ; whan benygne preyers be offrid
To truthe distroye al aduersauntys ; and thingis to the submytted
Nevir sett in herte as the lyon doothe : which ovirthrowith wilde boolys
And smaler beestis lettyth renne beside ; not oonys vpon hem lokith
Thus by Clemens taught is stilico ; as childe enformyd by mastresse.
And hem foryiveth that venquysshid be ; moreovir of her he lernyd
With oonly drede to slake errourys ; and grete strives tabate.
yf by hem no noyaunce grewe ; to peas of commoun welthe
Example of this right nobil he had ; by theirly fadir him selfe
Whos thundir noise al thyng doundith ; but yit his smethis strookys.
Ciclopes namyd mannys bloode sparith ; and in the monstris fallith
In the craggis also of the see voide ; which fer fro duellers be
And lightenyngis ofte vsith to fire ; in Oethie forestis wilde.

.II. ffeith techith the prynce stilico.

A sustir Jermyn to this goddesse . ffides thyn herte enbracyth
As hir propir sanctuary ; and medelith with al thi deedys
She techith the for no lucre ; to change thi right hewe
nevir fals to speke nevir promysse to tarye ; open to make thi wretthe
not in soule to bury venym ; with pretence of faire fraude
But aftir thi mynde thi chiere to shewe ; & peerys hem to make
She warnyth the thou be not wode ; whan thou allone art lefte
Cloosly tavaile the or thyn ; with truthe she not forfendyth
She this stabelisshith frenships fele ; longe aftir for tendure.
With bidyng adamawnte hem knettith to gider ; & easily changith not wit
Ner for noise of litel offence ; dissoluyth not knottis wele knytte
Ne to caste aside thin olde frende ; for fyndyng of a newe
Gode tournys longe tave in mynde ; soon trespas to foryete
This lesson of feith the prince so lernyth ; þat no man him may scape.
But whedir he doo owthir lesse or more ; his benefite he kepith in mynde
And as enemyes he ovircommeth with armys and puissaunce grete
His frendis also with glad conquest ; his merites to him make serve
This feith in him his frendys absent ; and such as be not by.
ffosturyth counceileth . and openyth not oonys ; glad ere to new tidyngys
That fals murmour nevir hurte sholde mown ; his seruaunt that was not ware.
ffor lacke of answere or sotil moevyng ; his wittys sholde not aliene
His love oonys knette to livyng people ; cessith no tave hir meende
Aftir hir deeth and fadris grace ; by hym rennyth in children.

.III. Stilico shewith feith to Theodosius themperoure.

Be this goddesse honouryd of the ; Theodosius was themperoure
In life and deeth thyn owne children ; thou cherisshiddist not as his
Which to thi tuycion delivered were ; and to be taught of the
Opynyon is these pryncis twoo ; shuld be founde right feithful
ffor whan her childehode denye myght ; trespas þat thei had doo
Withoute constreynte thei tolde the truthe ; & seide the dede pleyn
Stilico desired not her richesse ; ner weight of golde hem leste
But thaxiltrees tweyn of the worlde wide ; for thise children reservith
As moche also as phebus seeth ; he holdith for her deposse.

.IIII. Stilico is feithful to honorie & archadie themperours.

What nedith the than now for to drede ; which rulist ye Kingys hous
Themperial Issue honorius ; vndir thi shelde wele coveryd
Hath nat bewailed his fadrys deeth ; to whom as fadir thou were
But in begynnyng of light and lyfe ; whan folke contempnyd his youthe
He nevir yave londe vnto hir strength ; but vndirlyngys evir hem kepte
Noble triumphis by thi prowesse ; he felt wele to him growe.
Thou enformyddist him with such a spirite ; as plesaunt was & rigorous
That neithir vntaught thou sholdist him suffir ; while mekely him þou serviddest
Ner in wise contrary with sterne chiere ; his noble soule myghtest hurte
That secrete to him thou sholdist remembir ; þe yonge daies of his reigne.
What grete weight and commoun peyse ; to him of peopil sholde sprynge.
That him also reuerence thou sholdist ; in yeres of gretter age.
With fadirly preceptis þat thou sholdist rule ; thempire & his persone.
Submytted to him as to souereyn lorde ; thou sholdist offer honoure
In seruise like a duke the shewe and fadirly in pytee
By the it was that this yonge prince ; lernyd tasswage þe heetys
Of his yonge lady & manhode toke ; not first with Venus lust
But with worship of laweful chambir ; and wedlockis chaste covenaunt
Happy thou art in such prynce ; which now thi son lawe is
More happy yit forsothe is he ; by the his fadir lawe.
As grete cure also thou haddist ; his brothir to mayntene
To educate and to brynge forthe ; archadium to the commytted
And how be it his shrewde seruauntis ; wolde ofte her wodenesse vse
Pretendyng evir the Kyngis title ; and vndir his name þe wrongid
Thou ascridest al this to youthe ; for whan discorde was mooste
Stillicois wrath was not perceived ; ofte tyme he had rebukys
With swerdis sought . and ofte provokyd ; with bataile him self to venge
And to yive cause within the londe ; of risyng of common peopil
The reuerence yit of thi souereyns high ; and of the brethern tweyn
Evir clene was savid within thi breste ; stabelisshid with meanys of feithe
In myddis of tho grete discoursis ; in themperours halle late reysed

.V. Stillico devideth feithfully bitwix honorie & archadie þe goodis of hir fader

Thou partyst even bitwix thise brethern ; mantels in sidon wrouȝte
And bawdrikis boocyng with brochis bolde ; & gownys with gemmys broudrid
Habergeownys also with smaragdis grene ; & helmys with iacincte clere
Swerdis vnto hir fadir yove ; with shynyng hiltes riche
And crownys which apparailed were ; with dyuers price of stonys
That householde stuffe sholde not be streyte ; or odde thise heyris founde
Thou sendist him knyȝtis althogh thou drede ; his hoostis be reised ayens [the]
Thyn aduersary rather thou chesyst to strengthe ; þan feith shold fal in the
Al that right is thou grauntyst soon ; and oonly thou denyest
Whos naytyng is cause of grete reioyse ; whan truthe is wele discussyd
Al goddesses moreovir þat put awey ; synne fro pure lyppes
Haue ioyned her dauncys within thi breste ; which vsid hem to receive
And busye hem selfe even as thou wilte ; with the labours to take.

.VI. Iustice . pacience . Temperaunce Prudence & Constaunce techith stilico.

Iustice moevith to preferre right ; bifo[r]en al othir availe
And commoun lawys moost for to folowen ; & wronge nevir yive with wetyng
Pacience the techith tendure thi body ; that it laboure love
Temperaunce chaste thyngis forto chese ; & prudence evir tave counceil
Withoute advise that no thyng passe ; and constaunce willeth also
That thou doo nouȝte with weyke corage ; ne that thou owest eschewe.
Vncurteys goddis and importune ; fer from thy mende arn dreve.
Which from caves þat monstruous be ; ofte tartarus loosith to men.