 | Saint Alban and Saint Amphabel |  |
Here begynneth the prologue of the secunde boke / treatynge of the conuersion of the blessed prothomartyr of Englande called Sainct Albon.
So as Aurora parteth the derke night
Towarde the tyme of Phebus vprisynge,
And Lucifer with agreable light
Bryngeth kalendes of a glad mornynge:
So by ensample the true lyuynge
Of olde tyme in saint Albon vsed
Caused the lorde, whiche guerdoneth euery thynge,
That the merites of hym were nat refused.
Towarde the tyme of Phebus vprisynge,
And Lucifer with agreable light
Bryngeth kalendes of a glad mornynge:
So by ensample the true lyuynge
Of olde tyme in saint Albon vsed
Caused the lorde, whiche guerdoneth euery thynge,
That the merites of hym were nat refused.
Euery thynge draweth to his nature
Like as kynde gyueth heuenly influence
For to disposen euery creature,
Some to profite, / some to do offence,
Some to encrease by perfite prouidence;
Where vertue hath the dominacion,
Of god ordeined by intere diligence
That sensualitie be bridled with reason.
Like as kynde gyueth heuenly influence
For to disposen euery creature,
Some to profite, / some to do offence,
Some to encrease by perfite prouidence;
Where vertue hath the dominacion,
Of god ordeined by intere diligence
That sensualitie be bridled with reason.
Amonge painems / Iues haue be saine
That vertue hath many of them gouernèd;
Taught by nature, / wrought nothynge in vaine,
But as kynde / and reason hath vs lerned;
Good graine from chaf was discerned—
Thus hath he proued in many a sondry place—
Good from yuell, / by them truely conserned—
Recorde vpon Cornelly and on saynt Eustace!
That vertue hath many of them gouernèd;
Taught by nature, / wrought nothynge in vaine,
But as kynde / and reason hath vs lerned;
Good graine from chaf was discerned—
Thus hath he proued in many a sondry place—
Good from yuell, / by them truely conserned—
Recorde vpon Cornelly and on saynt Eustace!
Who taughte Troyan whylom to done ryghte
Whan the wydowe complayned her greuaunce?
To her grefe themperour cast his sighte—
Reason taught hym, for all his great puissaunce,
To her request to holde the balaunce
Of ryghtwysenes, to se, though he were stronge,
In her pouerte to perswade (!) her perturbance,
By egall dome he to redresse her wronge.
Whan the wydowe complayned her greuaunce?
To her grefe themperour cast his sighte—
Reason taught hym, for all his great puissaunce,
To her request to holde the balaunce
Of ryghtwysenes, to se, though he were stronge,
In her pouerte to perswade (!) her perturbance,
By egall dome he to redresse her wronge.
The storye of olde it put in memorye,
For ryghtwysenes in especiall
Howe that Troyan by prayers of Gregorye
Was preserued from the paynes eternall.
From dampnation and cloyster infernall,
To exemplifie howe god taketh hede
Of his greattest power moste imperiall,
Of ryght and mercy acquiteth eche good dede.—
For ryghtwysenes in especiall
Howe that Troyan by prayers of Gregorye
Was preserued from the paynes eternall.
From dampnation and cloyster infernall,
To exemplifie howe god taketh hede
Of his greattest power moste imperiall,
Of ryght and mercy acquiteth eche good dede.—
And to the purpose of my mattiere:
Durynge his lyfe of great power and myght
This blessed Albon, who so lyste to here,
Though lyke a prince his power yafe great lyght,
Fostred trouthe, / dyd wronge to no wyght:
For whiche the lorde his hande hath nat withdrawe
To call and clepe hym his owne chosen knyght
To be conuerted and turned to his lawe;
Durynge his lyfe of great power and myght
This blessed Albon, who so lyste to here,
Though lyke a prince his power yafe great lyght,
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For whiche the lorde his hande hath nat withdrawe
To call and clepe hym his owne chosen knyght
To be conuerted and turned to his lawe;
His trouthe, / his vertue, / his natife gentylnes,
Of custome stable grounded in many wyse,
Caused god of his mercifull goodnes
To the (!) this prince into his seruice,
All fals ydols manly to despise,
This choson chapyon, borne of the breton lyne,
This newe Tytan / whose beames dyd auise
Out of orient to lorde to enlemyne (!).
Of custome stable grounded in many wyse,
Caused god of his mercifull goodnes
To the (!) this prince into his seruice,
All fals ydols manly to despise,
This choson chapyon, borne of the breton lyne,
This newe Tytan / whose beames dyd auise
Out of orient to lorde to enlemyne (!).
Nowe hensforth shall be my processe,
With gods helpe, my penne to apply
Howe in his tyme he keped ryghtwysenes
And lyke a prince / howe he dyd hym gye
To set his citie vpon eche partie
In gouernaunce, from ryght they not twynne,
Vnder the reignes of prudent polycye:
Whiche to reherse / thus I wyll begynne.
With gods helpe, my penne to apply
Howe in his tyme he keped ryghtwysenes
And lyke a prince / howe he dyd hym gye
To set his citie vpon eche partie
In gouernaunce, from ryght they not twynne,
Vnder the reignes of prudent polycye:
Whiche to reherse / thus I wyll begynne.
Here endeth the prologe of the seconde boke.
| Saint Alban and Saint Amphabel | |