The Example of Vertu The Example of Virtue — Story, Setting & Ideas

naked in depured eloquence For dulnes rethoryke doth exclude Wherfore in makynge I lake intellygence Also consyderynge my grete neglygence It fereth me sore for to endyte But at auenture I wyll now wryte.

As very blynde in the poetys art For I therof can no thynge skyll Wherfore I lay it all a part But somwhat accordynge to my wyll I wyll now wryte for to fulfyll Saynt Powles wordes and true sentement All that is wryten is to oure document

O prudent Gower in langage pure Without corrupcyon moost facundyous O noble Chauser euer moost sure Of frutfull sentence ryght delycyous O vertuous Lydgat moche sentencyous Vnto you all I do me excuse Though I your connynge do now vse

In Septembre in fallynge of the lefe Whan phebus made his declynacyon And all the whete gadred was in the shefe By radyaunt hete and operacyon Whan the vyrgyn had full domynacyon And Dyane entred was one degre Into the sygne of Gemyne

Whan the golden sterres clere were splendent In the firmament puryfyed clere as crystall By imperyall course without incombrement As Iuppyter and Mars that be celestyall With Saturne and Mercury that wer supernall Myxt with venus that was not retrograte That caused me to be well fortunate

In a slombrynge slepe with slouth opprest As I in my naked bedde was leyd Thynkynge all nyght to take my rest Morpleus to me than made abreyd And in my dreme me thought he sayd Come walke with me in a medowe amerous Depeynted with floures that be delycyous

I walked with hym into a place Where that there grue many a fayre floure With Ioye replete and full of solace And the trees dystyllynge redolent lycoure More sweter fer than the Aprell shour And tary I dyd there by longe space Tyll that I saw before my face

A ryght fayre lady of myddell stature And also enduyd with grete vertue Her apparell was set with perlys pure Whose beaute alway dyd renue To me she sayd and ye wyll extue All wyldnes I wyll be your guyde That ye to fraylte shall not slyde.

[>>] Vnto her I answerde o lady gloryous I pray you tell me what is your name For ye seeme to be ryght precyous And I am yonge and sore to blame Of vyces full and in vertue lame But I wyll be ruled now by your pleasure So that your order be made by mesure

Eclepyd I am she sayd dyscrecyon And yf ye wyll be ruled by me Ye shall haue Ioye without reprehencyon And neuer fall in to fragylyte Youth lackynge me it is grete pyte For in what place I am exyled They be with synne ryght oft defyled

It longeth euer vnto my properte Youth to gyue courage for to lerne I wyll not medle with no duplycyte But faythfulnes I wyll dyscerne And brynge thy soule to blesse eterne By wyse example and morall doctryne For youth hauynge to me is a good syne

Forsake also all euyll company And be founde true in worde and dede Remembre that this worlde is transytory After thy desert shall be thy mede Loue god alway and eke hym drede And for no mannes pleasure be thyn owne foo Gyue theym fayre wordes and lete theym goo

[<>] Be to thy kynge euer true subgete As thou sholdest be by ryght and reason Lete thy herte lowely on hym be sete Without ony spot of euyll treason And be obedyent at euery season Vnto his grace without rebellyon That thou with trouth may be companyon

Loue neuer vnloued for that is payne Whyle that thou lyuest of that beware Loue as thou seest the loued agayne Or elles it wyll torne the to care Be neuer taken in that fast snare Proue or thou loue that is moost sure And than thou in doubte shalt not endure.

Beware byleue no flaterynge tonge For flaterers be moost disseyuable Though that they company with the longe Yet at the ende they wyll be varyable For they by reason are not fauorable But euermore fals and double And with theyr tonges cause of grete trouble

This brytell worlde ay full of bytternes Alway turnynge lyke to a ball No man in it can haue no sykernes For whan he clymmeth he hath a fall O wauerynge shadowe bytter as gall O fatall welth full soone at ende Though thou ryght hy do oft assende

[<>] Whan she to me had made relacyon Of all these prouerbes by good conclusyon She gaue to me an Informacyon For to depryue all yll abusyon And to consydre the grete derysyon Whiche is in youth that may not se No thynge appropred to his prosperyte