The Example of Vertu Part 7

To heuen we styed a place moost gloryous Where that we dyd beholde the deyte With insaciable contenaunce moost desyrous And truely than the more that we Dyd loke vpon his souerayne beaute The more our desyre dyd encreace This is a Ioye that shall not seace

This is a regyon moost full of swetnes This is a realme of delectacyon This is a lande of infenyte gladnes Without ony stormy tribulacyon This place is of eterne saluacyon Where aungels and sayntes for theyr solace Euermore do loke on G.o.ddes face

What sholde I wryte thynges of dyuynyte Or endyght of suche maters hye Sythen it no thynge longeth to my faculte Therfore of it I wyll not lenger tarye For fere that I in it sholde varye And by cause that trouth shall be my mede I wyll now leue and take me to my crede

So vertue and clennes by good ryght Truely in maryage ioyned must be For they loue to gyder with all theyr myght Without dyscencyon or duplycyte And they both are alway in vnyte To whome heuen by tayll generall Entayled is by a dede memoryall

Now are they to gyder to heuen gone There for to dwell in Ioye eternall Where that there is the heuenly trone Of our sauyour Ihesu deere & specyall Who that hym loueth truely ouer all Ledynge his lyfe with vertue and clennes Shall come vnto the glory endeles

But in the fynysshynge of my mater To G.o.d the maker of all thynge Deuoutely now I make my prayer To saufe kynge Henry our ryghtfull kynge From all treason and dolefull mornynge And for to maynteyn the grete honour Of this swete rede rose so fayre a colour

This floure was kepte ryght longe in close Amonge the leuys holsom and sote And regally sprange and arose Out of the n.o.ble stoke and rote Of the rede rose tre to be our bote After our bale sente by grete grace On vs to reygne by ryght longe s.p.a.ce

O lorde G.o.d what Ioye was this Vnto his moder so good and gracyous Whan that she sawe her sone I wys Of his ennemys to be so vyctoryous It caused her to be moost Ioyous And yet there of no wonder why For he was ryght longe from her truely

A ioyfull metynge than bytwene The moder and the sone so dere A daye of gladnes bryght and shene Fressher than phebus myddaye spere Whan her sone to vs dyd appere He dyd vs lyght with his pure bemys Quenchynge of mars the fyrous lemys

O heuenly kynge o eternall emperoure O thre persons and one G.o.d equall I praye the to kepe from all doloure This moder with her sone in specyall With all theyr n.o.ble buddes in generall And laude be to the that dyd enhaunce Hym to his ryght and propre herytaunce

The whyte rose that [with] tempestes troublous Aualed was and eke blowen asyde The reed rose fortyfyed and made delycyous It pleased G.o.d for hym so to prouyde That his redolent buddes shall not slyde But euer encrease and be vyctoryous Of fatall brerys whiche be contraryous

Thus G.o.d by grace dyd well combyne The rede rose and the whyte in maryage Beynge oned ryght clere doth shyne In all clennes and vertuous courage Of whose ryght and royall lynage Prynce Henry is sp.r.o.nge our kynge to be After his fader by ryght good equyte

O n.o.ble prynce Henry our seconde treasure Surmontynge in vertue & myrour of beaute O geme of gentylnes & lanterne of plasure O rubycound blossome and sterre of humylyte O famous bud full of benygnyte I pray to G.o.d well for to encrease Your hyghe estate in rest and pease

O thoughfull hert for lack of connynge Now layde to slepe this longe wynters nyght Ryse vp agayne loke on the shynynge Of fayre lucyna clere and bryght Beholde eke mercury with his fayre lyght Castynge a doune his stremys mery It may well glad thyn emyspery

O gower fountayne moost aromatyke I the now lake for to depure My rudnes with thy l.u.s.ty retoryke And also I mys as I am sure My mayster Chaucers to take the cure Of my penne for he was expert In eloquent termes subtyll and couert

Where is now lydgate flourynge in sentence That shold my mynde forge to endyte After the termes of famous eloquence And strength my penne well for to wryte With maters fresshe of pure delyte They can not helpe me there is no remedy But for to praye to G.o.d almyghty

For to dystyll the dewe of influence Vpon my brayn so dull and rude And to enlumyn me with his sapyence That I my rudnes may exclude And in my mater well to conclude Vnto thy pleasure and to the reders all To whome I excuse me now in generall

Explicit exemplum virtutis