Whilste thus we liu’d deformde to outwarde showe, Yet vessels garnisht gaye before God’s sight, The _Danes_ did vs inuade, who strayght did knowe Our feate, them to defeate of their delight: For which they wrackt on vs their wicked spight: With fiery flames they burnt our nunnery, And vs therein: O wretched crueltie![1224] 15. The eare of man the like hath neuer hearde, No penne, nor tounge the like hath euer tolde, Had euer man a hart that was so harde, That with his yron brest durst be so bolde, To do the like agaynst the femine kinde? Not on in fayth that euer I coulde heare, But these all voyde of mercye, loue, and feare. 16. Thus we content to leaue this present life, In hope to haue hereafter’s better blesse, Were brent and broyld, and so did stint the strife Which might haue made vs liue in wretchednesse: We gaynde therby a heauenly happinesse: Which happinesse they doubtlesse shall obtayne, Which do from sinne and wickednesse abstayne. [THE INDUCTION. “O _Diana_,” quoth _Memory_, “bryng foorthe your damosels, let vs se if any of your court haue donne the like deuoier to saue theyr virginities. But seeing that writers haue made mention of none that might compare wyth her, both for the goodnesse of the cause, and the valiaunt goyng through with the quarrel, mee thinke shee shoulde rather be esteemed a goddesse then thou, and her trayne rather the ladies of chastity then thine. Geue thou place, therfore, and let this lady haue thy seate. But (good _Inquisition_) this woman liued in the golden worlde; let vs enquire, in this our yron age, yf there be any which do come any thyng neare vnto her.” “Alas, not one,” quoth _Inquisition_, “for as shee, in her time, did dismember her wel membred body to preserue the iewel which she esteemed of so greate a price, so now a multitude may be founde who furnishe theyr vnperfite personages with all kinde of foolishe fylthy furnitures, to bestowe that on euery he who wil haue it, which she was so desyrous to keepe. But let vs nowe heare this man’s matter: it is _Alurede_, who if he had not beene geuen vnto one kinde of vice had passed _Arthur_ for warres, and _Lucy_ for godlinesse.” “What vice was that?” quoth _Memory_. “You neede not enquire,” quoth _Inquisition_, “for he is euen now repeating his history:” wherewith he sayd as foloweth.] [THE COMPLAYNT OF ALUREDE.[1225] Howe Alurede was brought vnto disease and vnto vntimely death, being inclined vnto the sinne of the fleshe. By hys example we may learne that one vice is sufficient to deface a hundred vertues. 1.