By sodayne chaunce a fayre path I founde, On whiche I loked and ryght oft I mused, And then all about I behelde the grounde With the fayre path whiche I sawe so used. My chaunce or fortune I nothyng refused; But in the path forth I went apace, To knowe whether and unto what place It woulde me bryng by any similitude. So forth I went, were it ryght or wrong, Tyll that I sawe of royall pulchritude Before my face an ymage fayre and strong, With two fayre handes stretched out along Unto two hye wayes there in particion, And in the ryght hande was this description: This is the strayght waye of contemplacion. Unto the joyfull tower perdurable: Who that will unto that mancion, He must forsake all thinges variable, With the vayne glory so muche deceivable, And though the way be hard and daungerous, The last ende therof shal be ryght precious. And in the other hande ryght fayre wrytten was, This is the way of worldly dignitie; Of the active life who wyll in it passe Unto the tower of fayre dame Beautye, Fame shall tell hym of the way of certaintie Unto La Bell Pucell, the fayre lady excellent, Above all other in cleare beauty splendent. I behelde ryght well bothe the wayes twayne, And mused oft whiche was best to take; The one was sharpe, the other was more playne; And unto my selfe I began to make A sodayne argument, for I myght not slake Of my great musyng of this royall ymage, And of these two wayes so muche in usage; For this goodly picture was in altitude Nyne fote and more, of fayre marble stone, Ryght well favoured and of great altitude, Though it were made full many yeres agone. Thus stode I musynge my selfe all alone By right long tyme; at the last I went The active waye with all my whole entent. Thus all alone I began to travayle Forthe on my waye by long continuaunce; But often tymes I had great marvayle Of the by pathes so full of pleasaunce, Whiche for to take I had great doubtaunce; But evermore, as nere as I myght I toke the waye whiche went before me ryght. And at the last, when Phebus in the west Gan to avayle with all his beames mery, When cleare Dyana in the fayre south est Gan for to ryse, lightyng our emispery With clowdes cleare without the stormy pery, Me thought afarre I had a vysyon Of a picture of marveylous facion: To whiche I went without lenger delaye, Beholdyng well the ryght faire portrayture Made of fyne copper, shydyng faire and gaye, Full well truely accordyng to measure, And, as I thought, nyne fote of stature, Yet in the brest with letters fayre and blewe Was wrytten a sentence olde and true: This is the waye and the sytuacion Unto the toure of famous doctrine: Who that wil learne must be ruled by reason And with all his diligence he must enclyne Slouthe to eschue and for to determine, And set his hert to be intelligible; To a willyng harte is nought impossible.