I thought me past al chyldly ygnoraunce, The xxxi. yere of my yonge flourynge aege; I thought that Venus might nothyng avaunce Her strength against me with her lusty courage; My wytte I thought had suche avauntage, That it should rule both Venus and Cupyde: But, alas for wo! for all my sodayne pryde! Whan that Phebus entred was in Gemine, Toward the Crab takynge ascencyon, At the tyme of the great solempnite From heven above of Goddes descencyon; In a grete temple with hole entencyon As I went walkyng my selfe to and fro, Full sodaynly Venus wrought me such wo. For as I cast than my syght all alofte, I sawe Venus in beaute so clere, Which caused Cupide wyth his darte so softe, To wounde my herte wyth fervent love so dere; Her lovynge countenaunce so hyghe dyd appere, That it me ravyshed wyth a sodayne thought, Alas for wo! it vayled me ryght nought. To gyve audyence unto the melody Of waytes and organs that were at the fest, Love had me wounded so sore inwardly, What was to do I knewe not the best. Replete wyth sorowe and devoyde of rest, Sythen the tyme that she my hert soo wounded, My joy and pryde she hath full lowe confounded. CAP. XXVII. HOWE MINERVE LEDDE GRAUNDE AMOURE TO KYNG MELYZYUS, WHICHE MADE HYM KNYGHT And so nowe, for to attayne her grace, As thou doost knowe become adventurous, Besechinge the in thys peryllous case, O Mars! me succoure in tyme tempestyous, That I may passe the passage daungerous, And to thy laude, honoure, and glorye, I shal a temple ryght strongly edefy. Well than, sayd Mars, I shall the fortefye In all thy warre as fast as I can. But for thy payne I knowe no remedy, For Venus reyned whan that thou began, Fyrst for to love making the pale and wanne; And of the trouthe to make relacyon Thou was borne under her consolacion. Wherefore thou must, of veray perfyte ryght, Unto her sue by the disposicion Whyche the constreyneth wyth hole delyght For to love ladies by true affeccion. Suche is her course and operacion. Wherfore whan thou hast lerned perfytely The for to governe by prudent chyvalry, Than, to fulfyll the ryght hye enterpryse, Forth on thy waye thou shalt thy jorney take, Unto a temple in all humble wyse Before dame Venus thine oblacion to make, Whiche all thy payne may sone redresse and slake; For at that tyme she holdeth a parlemente, To redress lovers of theyr impedimente. A, ha! quod Fortune, with the faces twayne, Behynde syr Mars; I have a grete mervayle That thou dost promyse him that he shal attayne Unto his purpose with al diligent travayle, Through thyne ayd, eke strength and counsayl; Sythens dependeth in myn ordenaunce, Hym to promote or brynge to myschaunce.