A! quod Disdayne, knowe ye his substaunce? Why wyll you love suche a one as he? Though he seme gentle and of good governaunce, You shall have one of farre hyer degre. He is nothyng mete, as it semeth me, To be your fere your favour to attayne. What is it to you though he suffer payne? Coulde your selfe let his eyen to have a syght Of your beauty or his harte to be set, What skilleth you though that he dye this nyght? You called hym not when he with you mette; And he will love you, you can not hym let. Be as be may, ye shall have myne assent Him for to forsake as is moste expedient. Alas! madame, then saide dame Strangenes, When he cometh hether your courage abate; Loke hye upon hym; beware of mekenes; And thinke that you shall have an hie estate. Let not Graunde Amour saye to you checkmate. Be straunge unto hym, as ye knowe nothyng The perfite cause of his true commyng. And in meane whyle came to her presence Dame Peace and Mercie, and to her they sayde: Alas! madame, consyder your excellence, And howe your beauty hath hym so arayed: If you have hym ye may be well apayed. And doubt you not if that ye love for love, God will sende ryches to come to you above. Will you for love let hym dye or peryshe, Whiche loveth you so with fervent desyre? And you your selfe may his sorowe minishe, That with your beauty set his harte a fyre. Your swete lokes did his harte enspire, That of fyne force he must to you obeye, To live or dye there is no more to saye. Alas! quod Peace, wyll ye let him endure In mortal payne withouten remedy? Sithen his harte you have so tane in cure, Your hasty dome loke that ye modefy. Exile Disdayne and Strangenes shortly, And sende Perceverance as fast as ye may To comfort hym in his troublous journey. Then in her mynde she gan to revolve The lovyng wordes of Mercy and Peace; Her hardy harte she gan for to dissolve, And inwardly she did to me release Her perfite love your great payne to cease; And did exile then from her to wyldernes Bothe dame Disdayne and eke dame Strangenes. And did me sende to you incontinent, With this goodly shelde, that ye should it were, For her swete sake as is convenient. It is sure; ye shall not nede to feare The stroke of swerde or yet the grate of spere. She prayeth you to be of good chere; Above all men ye are to her moste deare. Nowe, sayde Perceverance, I pray you repose This long nyght with my cosen Comfort, A gentle lady as any may suppose; She can you tell and also well exhort Of La Bell Pucell with a true report. I thanke her of her great goodnes, And so we rode with joye and gladnes,