在virgyns了euerychone Replet ioye/and eke felicite To gether floures. And some vnto one Haue more fantasy/whan they it se Than to all that in the medowes be Another shall incontrary wyse Gether other after theyr deuyse. So done clerkes/of great grauite Chose maters/wheron they lyst to wryte But I that am of small capacite Toke on me this treatyse to endyte Tauoyde ydelnesse/more than for delyte And most parte therof/tolde was to me As here after/ye may rede and se. Thus endeth the prologue. The thyrde idus/in the moneth of July Phebus his beames/lustryng euery way Gladdynge the hartes/of all our Hemyspery And mouynge many/vnto sporte and playe So dyd it me/the treuthe for to saye To walke forth/I had great inclination Per chaunce some where/to fynde recreation And as I walked/ever I dyd beholde Goodly yonge people/that them encouraged In suche maner wyse/as though they wolde Ryght gladly have songe or daunsed Or els some other gorgious thynge deuysed Whose demeanynge/made me ryght ioyous For to beholde/theyr dedes amorous. To wryte all thynges of plesure/that I se In euery place/where I passed by In all a day recunted it can nat be Who coude discryue the fresshe beauty Of dames and pusels/attyred gorgiously So swete of loke/so amiable of face Smilyng doulcely/on suche as stande in grace Certaynly theyr boute/and curtesy Ofte moueth me/for to do my payne Some thynge to wryte/them to magnifye Aboue the sterres. But ay I may complayne Ignoraunce/gouerneth so my brayne That I ne dare/for nothynge presume Out of my mouthe/to blowe suche a fume It is a laboure/great and hyedous Requirynge study/and moche experience For my shulders/it is to ponderous Whiche am priuate/of suche condigne science It is for a man/of hygh eloquence And worthynes/fame and memorie So noble a thynge/to laude and magnifie. But nowe to purpose/where I began Walkyng abrode/wandryng to and fro Beynge alone/with me was no man Sodaynly/came in my mynde to go Se. A faire pusell/and two or thre mo Of her companions. This was myn entent And by and by/forth thetherwarde I went. Whan I came there/I founde at the dore A dammusell/standyng all alone Who I dyd salute/and ferthermore Of her demaunded I/curtesly anone Gentyll mayde where is your companion? Syr she sayd (her hart on a mery pyn) ye be welcome. she is nat nowe within But by her faire/and swete countenance I perceyued lyghtly/what she ment Dame daunger moued her to that daliaunce But Desyre bad me go. and in I went And sodaynly/by the hand me hent This most curtes mayde/who I went to se Sayenge welcome/most derely vnto me. And by the hande/than as she me had In we went/talkynge joyously Into a goodly parler/she me lad And caused me to sytte/curtesly Than vnto vs/came shortly by and by Another/that me swetely dyd welcome Bryngyng fresshe floures/and gave me some. Than we began/to talke and deuyse Of one and other/of olde acqueyntaunce For comonly/of maydens is the gyse Somtyme to demaunde for pastaunce If that a man be in loues daunce Or stande in grace/of any dammusell Under suche maner/in talkynge we fell We spake of loue/yet none of vs all Knoweth perfectly/what loue shulde be The one affyrmed/people veneriall Folowynge the course/of their natiuite Endure great sorowe/and moche aduersite And many suffre/suche peyne and turment That as mad folke/them selfe all to rent Thus sayd one/and vp helde it styffely That loue was of suche maner nature That it myght rather be called a mad fury Than any maner thynge of pleasure To whiche wordes/thother mayden demure Replyed. Prayeng vs/to gyue her licence In this matter/to shewe forth her sentence Gladly (we sayd (therto we assent In this to here/your opinion Forsoth (sayd she) ye shall nat be myscontent All though therin/I make obiection Where as nowe/ye haue made conclusion Sayeng loue was a fury or a madnesse Without all grauite/measure/or sadnesse Nay surely/your reason is defectyue For this ye knowe very perfectly That they that loue/and hate for to stryue Lyue a thousande tymes more quietly Than they/that hate eche other mortally For where as is no loue/nor tranquillite There is myschef/langour/and all aduersite. Loue is the very true manocorde That euery wyght shulde harpe vpon Louyng well eche other by very concorde To this reason/byndeth vs euerychone And this maner loue/is nat in vs alone For bestes that haue/sence and vnderstandynge By companies go/to gether right louynge Whiche doyng I repute very perfect loue Whan by no crafte/n