The thyrd ryver is called Novelry; The fourth ryver is called Carbuncles, Amyddes of whom the toure is so goodly Of Vyrgyll standeth, most solacious, Where he is entered in stones precious; By thys fayre toure, in a goodly grene, Thys well doth spryng both bryght and sheen. To understandyng these iiii. accident: Doctryne, perceyveraunce, and exercyse, And also therto is equypolent Evermore the perfyt practyse, For fyrst doctryne in all goodly wyse The perceyveraunt trowthe in hys bote of wyll In understandyng for to knowe good from yll. So famous poetes did us endoctrine Of the ryght way for to be intellectyfe; Theyr fables they dyd ryght so ymagyne, That by example we may voyde the stryfe, And wythout myschefe for to lede our lyfe, By the advertence of theyr storyes olde, The fruit wherof we may full well beholde Depaynted on aras, how in antiquitie, Dystroyed was the grete citie of Troye, For a lytell cause, grounded on vanitie, To mortall ruyn they tourned theyr joye. Theyr understandyng they dyd than occupy, Nothyng prepensyng how they dyd prepare To scourge them selfe and bryng them in a snare. Who is opprest with a lytell wrong, Revengyng it he may it soone encrease; For better it is for to suffer among An injury, as for to keepe the peace, Than to begyne whych he shall never cease. Warre ones begon, it is hard to know Who shall abyde and who shall overthrowe. The hygh power, honour, and noblenes, Of the myghty Romaynes, to whose excellence All the wyde worlde so muche of gretenes Unto theyr empyre was in obedience, Suche was theyr famous porte and preemynence, Tyll within themselfe there was a contraversy Makyng them lese theyr worthy sygneoury. It is ever the grounde of sapience, Before that thou accomplysh outwardly, For to revolve understandyng and prepence All in thy selfe full often inwardly, The begynnyng and the myddle certaynly Wyth the ende, or thou put it in ure, And werke wyth councell that thou mayst be sure. And who that so doth shall never repent, For his dede is founded on a perfyt grounde, And for to fall it hath none impediment, Wyth surenes it is so hygh-walled rounde. In welth and ryches it must needes habound, On every syde it hath suche ordinaunce That nothynge can do it anoyaunce. Thus the poetes conclude full closely Their fruitfull problemes for reformacion, To make us lerne to lyve directly, Theyr good entent and true construccion, Shewyng to us the whole affeccion Of the way of vertue, welth, and stablenes, And to shut the gate of myschevous entres. And evermore they are ymaginatyfe, Tales newe from daye to daye to fayne, The erryng people, that are retractif, As to the ryght way to bryng them agayne: And who that lyst their sentence retayne, It shall hym prouffyt yf he wyll apply To doo therafter ful conveniently.