Renownyd[1475] lady aboue the sterry heuyn,
All other transcendyng, of very congruence
Madame regent of the scyence[1476] seuyn,
To whos astate all noblenes most lenen,[1477]
My supplycacyon to you I arrect,
Whereof I beseche[1478] you to tender the effecte.
Not[1479] vnremembered it is vnto your grace,
How you gaue me a ryall[1480] commaundement
That in my courte Skelton shulde haue a place,
Bycause that his tyme he[1481] studyously hath spent 60
In your seruyce; and, to the accomplysshement
Of your request, regestred is his name
With laureate tryumphe in the courte of Fame.
But, good madame, the accustome and vsage
Of auncient poetis, ye wote full wele, hath bene
Them selfe to embesy[1482] with all there holl corage,
So that there workis myght famously be sene,
In figure wherof they were the[1483] laurell grene;
But how it is, Skelton is wonder slake,
And, as we dare, we fynde in hym grete lake:[1484] 70
For, ne were onely he hath your promocyon,
Out of my bokis full sone I shulde hym rase;
But sith he hath tastid of the sugred[1485] pocioun
Of Elyconis[1486] well, refresshid with your grace,
And wyll not[1487] endeuour hymselfe to purchase
The fauour of ladys with wordis electe,
It is sittynge that ye must hym correct.
_Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame._
The sum of your purpose, as we ar aduysid,[1488]
Is that[1489] our seruaunt is sum what to dull;
Wherin this answere for hym we haue comprisid, 80
How ryuers rin not[1490] tyll the spryng be full;
Better[1491] a dum mouthe than a brainles scull;
For if he gloryously pullishe[1492] his matter,
Then men wyll say how he doth but flatter;
And if so[1493] hym fortune to wryte true and plaine,
As sumtyme he must vyces remorde,
Then sum wyll say he hath but lyttill brayne,
And how his wordes with reason wyll not[1494] accorde;[1495]
Beware, for wrytyng remayneth of recorde;
Displease not an hundreth[1496] for one mannes pleasure; 90
Who wryteth wysely hath a grete treasure.
Also, to furnisshe better his excuse,
Ouyde was bannisshed for suche a skyll,
And many mo whome I cowde enduce;
Iuuenall was thret parde for to kyll
For certayne enuectyfys,[1497] yet wrote[1498] he none ill,
Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon[1499] the gall;
It was not[1500] for hym to abyde[1501] the tryall.
In generrall wordes, I say not gretely nay,
A poete somtyme may for his pleasure taunt, 100
Spekyng in parablis,[1502] how the fox, the grey,
The gander, the gose, and the hudge oliphaunt,
Went with the pecok ageyne[1503] the fesaunt;
The lesarde came lepyng, and sayd that he must,
With helpe of the ram, ley all in the dust.
Yet dyuerse ther[1504] be, industryous of reason,
Sum what wolde gadder in there coniecture[1505]
Of suche an endarkid chapiter sum season;
How be it, it were harde to construe this lecture;
Sophisticatid craftely is many a confecture; 110
Another manes mynde diffuse is to expounde;
Yet harde is to make but sum fawt be founde.
_The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas._
Madame, with fauour of your benynge sufferaunce,
Vnto your grace then make I this motyue;
Whereto made ye me hym to auaunce
Vnto the rowme of laureat promotyue?
Or wherto shulde he haue that[1506] prerogatyue,
But if he had made sum memoryall,
Wherby he myght haue a name inmortall?[1507]
To pas the tyme in slowthfull ydelnes, 120
Of your royall palace it is not[1508] the gyse,
But to do sumwhat iche man doth hym dres:
For how shulde Cato els be callyd wyse,
But that his bokis, whiche he did deuyse,
Recorde the same? or why is had in mynde
Plato, but for that he[1509] left wrytynge behynde,
For men to loke on? Aristotille also,
Of phylosophers callid the princypall,
Olde Diogenes, with other many mo,
Demostenes,[1510] that oratour royall, 130
That gaue[1511] Eschines suche a cordyall,
That bannisshed was he by[1512] his proposicyoun,
Ageyne[1513] whome he cowde make no contradiccyoun?
_Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame._
Soft, my good syster,[1514] and make there a pawse:[1515]
And was Eschines rebukid as ye say?
Remembre you wele, poynt wele that clause;
Wherfore then rasid ye not[1516] away
His name? or why is it, I you praye,
That he to your courte is goyng and commynge,
Sith he is slaundred[1517] for defaut of konnyng? 140
_The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas._
Madame, your apposelle[1518] is wele inferrid,
And at your auauntage[1519] quikly it is
Towchid, and hard for to be debarrid;[1520]
Yet shall I answere your grace as in this,
With your reformacion, if I say amis,
For, but if your bounte did me assure,
Myne argument els koude not[1521] longe endure.
As towchyng that Eschines is remembred,
That he so sholde be, me semith it sittyng,[1522]
All be it grete parte he hath surrendred 150
Of his onour,[1523] whos dissuasyue in wrytyng
To corage Demostenes was moche excitynge,
In settyng out fresshely his crafty persuacyon,
From whiche Eschines had none euacyon.
The cause why Demostenes so famously is brutid,
Onely procedid for that he did outray
Eschines, whiche was not[1524] shamefully confutid
But of that famous oratour, I say,
Whiche passid all other; wherfore I may
Among my recordes suffer hym namyd, 160
For though[1525] he were venquesshid, yet was he not[1526] shamyd:
As Ierome,[1527] in his preamble _Frater Ambrosius_,
Frome that I haue sayde in no poynt doth vary,
Wherein[1528] he reporteth of the coragius
Wordes that were moch consolatory
By Eschines rehersed to the grete glory
Of Demostenes, that was his vtter foo:
Few shall ye fynde or none that wyll do so.
_Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame._
A thanke to haue, ye haue well deseruyd,
Your mynde that can maynteyne so apparently; 170
But a grete parte yet[1529] ye haue reseruyd
Of that most folow then conseqently,
Or els ye demeane you inordinatly;
For if ye laude hym whome honour hath opprest,
Then he that doth worste is as good as the best.
But whome that ye fauoure, I se well, hath a name,
Be he neuer so lytell of substaunce,
And whome ye loue not[1530] ye wyll[1531] put to shame;
Ye counterwey not euynly your balaunce;
As wele foly as wysdome oft ye do[1532] avaunce: 180
For[1533] reporte ryseth many deuerse wayes:
Sume be moche spokyn of for makynge of frays;
Some haue a name for thefte and brybery;
Some be called crafty, that can pyke[1534] a purse;
Some men be made of for their[1535] mokery;
Some carefull cokwoldes, some haue theyr wyues curs;
Some famous wetewoldis, and they be moche wurs;
Some lidderons,[1536] some losels, some noughty packis;
Some facers, some bracers, some[1537] make great crackis;
Some dronken dastardis with their dry soules; 190
Some sluggyssh slouyns, that slepe day and nyght;
Ryot and Reuell be in your courte rowlis;
Maintenaunce and Mischefe, theis be men of myght;
Extorcyon is counted with you for a knyght;
Theis people by me haue none assignement,
Yet they ryde and rinne[1538] from Carlyll to Kente.
But lytell or nothynge ye shall[1539] here tell
Of them that haue vertue by reason of cunnyng,
Whiche souerenly in honoure shulde excell;
Men of suche maters make but a[1540] mummynge, 200
For wysdome and sadnesse be set out[1541] a sunnyng;
And suche of my seruauntes as I haue promotyd,
One faute or other in them shalbe notyd:
Eyther they wyll[1542] say he is to wyse,
Or elles he can nought bot whan he is at scole;
Proue his wytt, sayth he, at cardes or dyce,
And ye shall well fynde[1543] he is a very fole;
Twyshe,[1544] set hym a chare, or reche hym a stole,[1545]
To syt hym[1546] vpon, and rede Iacke a thrummis bybille,
For truly it were pyte that he sat ydle. 210
_The Quene of Fame to Dame Pallas._
To make repungnaunce agayne that ye haue sayde,
Of very dwte it may not[1547] well accorde,
But your benynge sufferaunce for my discharge I laid,
For that I wolde not with you fall at discorde;
But yet I beseche[1548] your grace that good[1549] recorde
May be brought forth, suche as can be founde,
With laureat tryumphe why Skelton sholde be crownde;
For elles it were to great a derogacyon
Vnto your palas, our noble courte of Fame,
That any man vnder supportacyon 220
Withoute deseruynge shulde haue the best game:
If he to the ample encrease of his name
Can lay any werkis that he hath compylyd,
I am contente that he be not[1550] exylide
Frome the laureat senate by force of proscripcyon;
Or elles, ye know well, I can do no lesse
But I most bannysshe hym frome my iurydiccyon,[1551]
As he that aquentyth hym with ydilnes;
But if that he purpose to make a redresse,
What he hath done, let it be brought to syght; 230
Graunt my petycyon, I aske you but ryght.
_Dame Pallas to the Quene of Fame._
To your request we be well condiscendid:
Call forthe, let se where is your clarionar,
To blowe a blaste with his long breth extendid;
Eolus, your trumpet, that[1552] knowne is so farre,
That bararag blowyth in euery mercyall warre,
Let hym blowe now, that we may take a[1553] vewe
What poetis we haue at our retenewe;
To se if Skelton wyll[1554] put hymselfe in prease
Amonge the thickeste of all the hole rowte; 240
Make noyse enoughe, for claterars loue no peas;
Let se, my syster, now spede you,[1555] go aboute;
Anone, I sey, this trumpet were founde out,
And for no man hardely let hym spare
To blowe bararag[1556] tyll bothe his eyne stare.
_Skelton Poeta._
Forthwith there rose amonge the thronge
A wonderfull noyse, and on euery syde
They presid in faste; some thought they were to longe;
Sume were to hasty, and wold no man byde;
Some whispred, some rownyd, some spake, and some cryde, 250
With heuynge and shouynge, haue in and haue oute;
Some ranne the nexte way, sume ranne abowte.
There was suyng to the Quene of Fame;
He plucked hym backe, and he went afore;
Nay, holde thy tunge, quod another, let me haue the name;
Make rowme, sayd another, ye prese all to sore;
Sume sayd, Holde thy peas, thou getest here no more;
A thowsande thowsande I sawe on a plumpe:
With that I harde the noyse of a trumpe,
That longe tyme blewe a full timorous blaste, 260
Lyke to the boryall wyndes whan they blowe,
That towres and townes and trees downe caste,
Droue clowdes together lyke dryftis of snowe;
The dredefull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe;
Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid,
As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd.
Anone all was whyste, as it were for the nonys,
And iche man stode gasyng and staryng vpon other:
With that there come in wonderly at ones
A murmur of mynstrels, that suche another 270
Had I neuer sene, some softer, some lowder;
Orpheus, the Traciane, herped meledyously
Weth Amphion, and other Musis of Archady:
Whos heuenly armony was so passynge sure,
So truely proporsionyd, and so well did gree,
So duly entunyd with euery mesure,
That in the forest was none so great a tre
But that he daunced for ioye of that gle;
The huge myghty okes them selfe dyd auaunce,
And lepe frome the hylles to lerne for to daunce: 280
In so moche the stumpe, whereto I me lente,
Sterte all at ones an hundrethe[1557] fote backe:
With that I sprange vp towarde the tent
Of noble Dame Pallas, wherof I spake;
Where I sawe come[1558] after, I wote, full lytell lake
Of a thousande poetes assembled togeder:
But Phebus was formest of all that cam theder;
Of laurell leuis a cronell on his hede,
With heris encrisped[1559] yalowe[1560] as the golde,
Lamentyng Daphnes, whome with the darte of lede 290
Cupyde hath stryken so that she ne wolde
Concente to Phebus to haue his herte in holde,
But, for to preserue her maidenhode[1561] clene,
Transformyd was she into the laurell grene.
Meddelyd with murnynge[1562] the moost parte of his muse,
O thoughtfull herte, was euermore his songe!
Daphnes, my derlynge, why do you me refuse?
Yet loke on me, that louyd you haue so longe,
Yet haue compassyon vpon my paynes stronge:
He sange also how, the tre as he did take 300
Betwene his armes, he felt her body quake.
Then he assurded into this[1563] exclamacyon
Vnto Diana, the goddes inmortall;[1564]
O mercyles madame, hard is your constellacyon,
So close to kepe your cloyster virgynall,
Enhardid adyment the sement of your wall!
Alas, what ayle you to be so ouerthwhart,
To bannysshe pyte out of a maydens harte?
Why haue the goddes shewyd me this cruelte,
Sith I contryuyd first princyples medycynable? 310
I helpe all other of there infirmite,
But now to helpe myselfe I am not able;
That profyteth all other is nothynge profytable
Vnto me; alas, that herbe nor gresse[1565]
The feruent axes of loue can not represse!
O fatall fortune, what haue I offendid?
Odious disdayne, why raist thou me on this facyon?
But sith I haue lost now that I entended,
And may not[1566] atteyne it by no medyacyon,
Yet, in remembraunce of Daphnes transformacyon, 320
All famous poetis ensuynge after me
Shall were a garlande of the laurell tre.
This sayd, a great nowmber folowyd by and by
Of poetis laureat of many dyuerse nacyons;
Parte of there names I thynke to specefye:
Fyrste, olde Quintiliane with his Declamacyons;[1567]
Theocritus with his bucolycall relacyons;
Esiodus, the iconomicar,[1568]
And Homerus, the fresshe historiar;
Prynce of eloquence, Tullius Cicero, 330
With Salusty[1569] ageinst Lucius Catelyne,
That wrote the history of Iugurta also;
Ouyde, enshryned with the Musis nyne;
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of closters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1570]
These orators and poetes refresshed there throtis;
Lucan,[1571] with Stacius in Achilliedos;
Percius presed forth with problemes diffuse;
Virgill the Mantuan, with his Eneidos;
Iuuenall satirray, that men makythe to muse; 340
But blessed Bacchus, the pleasant god of wyne,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotes
These orators and poetes refreshed their throtes;
There Titus Lyuius hymselfe dyd auaunce
With decadis historious, whiche that he mengith[1572]
With maters that amount the Romayns in substaunce;
Enyus, that wrate[1573] of mercyall war at lengthe;
But blessyd Bachus, potenciall god of strengthe,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1574]
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis; 350
Aulus Gelius, that noble historiar;
Orace also with his new poetry;
Mayster Terence, the famous comicar,[1575]
With Plautus, that wrote full[1576] many a comody;
But blessyd Bachus was in there company,
Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1577]
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
Senek full soberly with[1578] his tragediis;
Boyce, recounfortyd[1579] with his philosophy;
And Maxymyane, with his madde ditiis, 360
How dotynge age wolde iape with yonge foly;
But blessyd Bachus most reuerent and holy,
Of clusters engrosid with his ruddy flotis[1580]
Theis orators and poetis refresshed there throtis;
There came Johnn Bochas with his volumys grete;
Quintus Cursius,[1581] full craftely that wrate
Of Alexander; and Macrobius that did trete
Of Scipions dreme what was the treu probate;
But blessyd Bachus that neuer man forgate,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis[1582] 370
These orators and poetis refresshid ther throtis;
Poggeus also, that famous Florentine,
Mustred ther amonge them with many a mad tale;
With a frere of Fraunce men call sir Gagwyne,
That frownyd[1583] on me full angerly and pale;
But blessyd Bachus, that bote is of all bale,
Of clusters engrosyd with his ruddy flotis[1584]
Theis orators and poetis refresshid there throtis;
Plutarke and Petrarke, two famous clarkis;
Lucilius and Valerius Maximus by name; 380
With Vincencius _in Speculo_, that wrote noble warkis;
Propercius and Pisandros, poetis of noble fame;
But blissed Bachus, that mastris oft doth frame,
Of clusters engrosed with his ruddy flotis[1585]
Theis notable poetis refresshid there throtis.
And as I thus sadly amonge them auysid,[1586]
I saw Gower, that first garnisshed our Englysshe rude,
And maister Chaucer, that nobly enterprysyd
How that our Englysshe myght fresshely be ennewed;[1587]
The monke of Bury then after them ensuyd, 390
Dane Johnn Lydgate: theis Englysshe poetis thre,
As I ymagenyd, repayrid vnto me,
Togeder in armes, as brethern, enbrasid;
There apparell farre passynge beyonde that I can tell;
With diamauntis and rubis there tabers[1588] were trasid,
None so ryche stones in Turkey to sell;
Thei wantid nothynge but the laurell;
And of there bounte they made me godely chere,
In maner and forme as ye shall after here.
_Mayster Gower to Skelton._
Brother Skelton, your endeuorment 400
So haue ye done, that meretoryously
Ye haue deseruyd to haue an enplement
In our collage aboue the sterry sky,
Bycause that ye[1589] encrese and amplyfy
The brutid Britons of Brutus Albion,
That welny[1590] was loste when that we were gone.
_Poeta Skelton[1591] to Maister Gower._
Maister Gower, I haue nothyng deserued
To haue so laudabyle a commendacion:
To yow thre this honor shalbe reserued,
Arrectinge vnto your wyse examinacion 410
How all that I do is vnder refformation,
For only the substance of that I entend,
Is glad to please, and loth to offend.
_Mayster Chaucer to Skelton._[1592]
Counterwayng your besy delygence
Of that we beganne in the supplement,
Enforcid ar we you to recompence,
Of all our hooll collage by the agreament,
That we shall brynge you personally present
Of noble Fame before the Quenes grace,
In whose court poynted is your place. 420
_Poeta Skelton answeryth._
O noble Chaucer, whos pullisshyd eloquence
Oure Englysshe rude so fresshely hath set out,
That bounde ar we with all deu reuerence,
With all our strength that we can brynge about,
To owe to yow our seruyce, and more if we mowte!
But what sholde I say? ye wote what I entende,
Whiche glad am to please, and loth to offende.
_Mayster Lydgate to Skelton._
So am I preuentid of my brethern tweyne
In rendrynge to you thankkis meritory,
That welny[1593] nothynge there doth remayne 430
Wherwith to geue you my regraciatory,
But that I poynt you to be prothonatory[1594]
Of Fames court, by all our holl assent
Auaunced by Pallas to laurell preferment.
_Poeta Skelton answeryth._
So haue ye me far passynge my meretis extollyd,
Mayster Lidgate, of your accustomable
Bownte, and so gloryously ye haue enrollyd
My name, I know well, beyonde that I am able,
That but if my warkes therto be agreable,
I am elles rebukyd of that I intende, 440
Which glad am to please, and lothe to offende.
So finally, when they had shewyd there deuyse,
Vnder the forme as I sayd tofore,[1595]
I made it straunge, and drew bak ones or twyse,
And euer they presed on me more and more,
Tyll at the last they forcyd me so[1596] sore,
That with them I went where they wolde me brynge,
Vnto the pauylyon where Pallas was syttyng.
Dame Pallas commaundid that they shold me conuay
Into the ryche palace of the Quene of Fame; 450
There shal he here what she wyl to hym[1597] say
When he is callid to answere to his name:
A cry anone forthwith she made proclame,
All orators and poetis shulde thider go before,
With all the prese that there was lesse and more.
Forthwith, I say, thus wandrynge[1598] in my thought,
How it was, or elles within what howris,
I can not[1599] tell you, but that I was brought
Into a palace with turrettis and towris,
Engolerid[1600] goodly with hallis and bowris, 460
So curiously, so craftely, so connyngly wrowght,
That all the worlde,[1601] I trowe, and it were sought,
Suche an other there coude no man fynde;
Wherof partely I purpose to expounde,
Whyles it remanyth fresshe in my mynde.
With turkis and grossolitis enpauyd was the grounde;
Of birrall enbosid wer the pyllers rownde;
Of elephantis tethe were the palace gatis,
Enlosenged with many goodly platis
Of golde, entachid with many a precyous stone; 470
An hundred steppis mountyng to the halle,
One of iasper, another of whalis bone;
Of dyamauntis pointed was the rokky[1602] wall;
The carpettis within and tappettis of pall;
The chambres hangid with clothes of arace;
Enuawtyd with rubies the vawte was of this place.
Thus passid we forth walkynge vnto the pretory
Where the postis wer enbulyoned with saphiris indy blew,
Englasid glittering with many a clere story;
Iacinctis and smaragdis out of the florthe they grew: 480
Vnto this place all poetis there did sue,
Wherin was set of Fame the noble Quene,
All other transcendynge, most rychely besene,
Vnder a gloryous cloth of astate,
Fret all with orient perlys of Garnate,
Encrownyd as empresse of all this worldly[1603] fate,
So ryally, so rychely, so passyngly ornate,
It was excedyng byyonde the commowne rate:
This hous enuyrowne was a myle about;
If xii were let in, xii hundreth[1604] stode without. 490
Then to this lady and souerayne of this palace
Of purseuantis ther presid in with many a[1605] dyuerse tale;
Some were of Poyle, and sum were of Trace,
Of Lymerik, of Loreine, of Spayne, of Portyngale,[1606]
Frome Napuls, from Nauern, and from Rounceuall,
Some from Flaunders, sum fro the se coste,
Some from the mayne lande, some fro the Frensche hoste:
With, How doth the north? what tydyngis in the sowth?
The west is wyndy, the est is metely wele;
It is harde to tell of euery mannes mouthe; 500
A slipper holde the taile is of an ele,
And he haltith often that hath a kyby hele;
Some shewid his salfecundight,[1607] some shewid his charter,[1608]
Some lokyd full smothely, and had a fals quarter;[1609]
With, Sir, I pray you, a lytyll tyne stande backe,
And lette me come in to delyuer my lettre;
Another tolde how shyppes wente to wrak;
There were many wordes smaller and gretter,
With, I as good as thou, Ifayth and no better;
Some came to tell treuth, some came to lye, 510
Some came[1610] to flater, some came to spye:
There were, I say, of all maner of sortis,
Of Dertmouth, of Plummouth, of Portismouth also;
The burgeis and the ballyuis of the v portis,
With, Now let me come, and now let me go:
And all tyme wandred I thus to and fro,
Tyll at the last theis noble poetis thre
Vnto me sayd, Lo, syr, now ye may se
Of this high courte the dayly besines;
From you most we, but not[1611] longe to tary; 520
Lo, hither commyth a goodly maystres,
Occupacyon, Famys regestary,
Whiche shall be to you a sufferayne accessary,
With syngular pleasurs to dryue away the tyme,
And we shall se you ageyne or it be pryme.
When they were past and wente forth on there way,
This gentilwoman, that callyd was by name
Occupacyon, in ryght goodly aray,
Came towarde me, and smylid halfe in game;
I sawe hir smyle, and I then[1612] did the same; 530
With that on me she kest[1613] her goodly loke;
Vnder her arme, me thought, she hade a boke.
_Occupacyoun to Skelton._
Lyke as the larke, vpon the somers day,
Whan Titan radiant burnisshith his bemis bryght,
Mountith on hy with her melodious lay,
Of the soneshyne engladid with the lyght,
So am I supprysyd with pleasure and delyght
To se this howre now, that I may say,
How ye ar welcome to this court of aray.
Of your aqueintaunce I was in tymes past, 540
Of studyous doctryne when at the port salu
Ye[1614] fyrste aryuyd; whan broken was your mast
Of worldly trust, then did I you rescu;
Your storme dryuen shyppe I repared new,
So well entakeled, what wynde that[1615] euer blowe,
No stormy tempeste your barge shall ouerthrow.
Welcome to me as hertely as herte can thynke,
Welcome to me with all my hole desyre!
And for my sake spare neyther pen nor ynke;
Be well assurid I shall aquyte your hyre, 550
Your name recountynge beyonde the lande of Tyre,
From Sydony to the mount Olympyan,
Frome Babill towre to the hillis Caspian.[1616]
_Skelton Poeta answeryth._
I thanked her moche of her most noble offer,
Affyaunsynge her myne hole assuraunce
For her pleasure to make a large profer,
Enpryntyng her wordes in my remembraunce,
To owe her my seruyce with true perseueraunce.
Come on with me, she sayd, let vs not stonde;[1617]
And with that worde she toke me by the honde. 560
So passyd we forthe into the forsayd place,
With suche communycacyon as came to our mynde;
And then she sayd, Whylis we haue tyme and space
To walke where we lyst, let vs somwhat fynde
To pas the tyme with, but let vs wast no wynde,
For ydle iangelers haue but lytill braine;
Wordes be swordes, and hard to call ageine.
Into a felde she brought me wyde and large,
Enwallyd aboute with the stony flint,
Strongly enbateld, moche costious of charge: 570
To walke on this walle she bed I sholde not[1618] stint;
Go softly, she sayd, the stones be full glint.
She went before, and bad me take good holde:
I sawe a thowsande yatis new and olde.