Without entent your love mai not endure,
As women will thereof, I am right sure,
Endevour with ther hertè, will, and thought,
To plese hym onely that ther love hath fought. 28

Discrecion.
In your delyng evir ybe discrete,
Set not your love there as it shall be losed,
Advertise in your minde whether he be mete,
That unto hym your herte maie be disclosed,
And aftir as you finde hym then disposed
Poinct by discrefion your hour, time, and place,
Conveniently metyng with armes to embrace. 35

Pacience. of these Commaundementes the iïi. is pacience: Though by'irous corage your lovir be moved, With soft wordis and humble obedience His wrathe maie fone be swagid and relevcd, And thus his love obteinid and acheved Will in you rote with gretir diligence, Bicause of your meke womanly pacience.

Secretneje. Secretlie behave you in your werkis, In shewing countenance or mevyng your eye, Though soche behavior to some folk be derke, He that hath lovid will it sone aspie, Thus you your self your counfaill maie descrie; Make privy to your delyng few'as ye maie, For iij. may depe a counsel if twain be awaie. 49

Prudence.
Let prudence governe aye your bridil reine;
Set not your love in fo fervent a wise
But that in godely haft ye may refreine,
If that your lovirs list you to dispise ;
Romaunce min auctour wold you this advise,
Ty flacke your love, for if ye doe not so
That wanton lift will tourne you into wo.

Perfeveraunce.
Stablishe

your

love in fostedfast a wise,
If that ye thinke your lovir will be true,
As entirely as ere you can devise,
Love hym onely and refuse allè newe,
Then shall not your worship ychaunge his hew,
For certis, maistris, then is he to blame
But if that he will quite you with the same.

Pitie.
Be piteous to hym, as womanhod requireth,
That for your love endurith painis smerte,
Whom so sorely your plesaunt loke enfireth,
That printid is your beautie in his herte,
And woundid lyith without knife or darte;
There let your pitie spred without restreinte,
For lacke of it let not your servaunt feine. 70

Mesure. Take mesure in your talkyng, be n’ot outrage, Fór this reherfith Romance de la Rose, A man-endued with plenteous langage

63

Oft tymis is denyid his purpose ;
Take mesure in langage, wife dome ingrofe,
For mesure, as right well proved is by reson,
Thyngis unseso’nable settith in sefon.

Mercie.
Soche daungir exile hym all uttirly,
Ovir all mercie to’occupie his place,
To piteous complaintis your eres applie,
And receve your true fervaunte into grace;
To him that boundin is in Lov'is lace
Shewe favour, ladie', and be not merciles,
Lest ye be called a common murdires.

L'envoye.
When ye unto this balade have inspeccion
In my makyng holde me excusable,
It is submittid unto your correccion;
Confidir that my connyng is disable
To write to you the figure uniable,
All devoide of connyng and experience,
Maner of indityng, reson, and eloquence.

Trust it well the makir is alle your owne,
You to obeie while his life maie endure,
To doe you service as a man unknowne,
No guerdone desiryng of yerthly tresure,
But if it might accorde with your plesure
For his true service hym for to avaunce,
And call hym into your remembèrauoce.

Explicit the X. Commaundementes of Love.

91

The IX. Ladies Worthie.

Quene Sinope. PROFULGEN r in preciousnes, o Sinope the Quene! Of all feminine berynge the sceptirand regalie, [sene, Subduyng the large countrie of Armenie', as it was For maugre ther mightis thou ybrought them for to

applie, Thin honor to encresin and thy power to magnifie; Omost renoumed Hercules! with althy pompous boste This princes toke the prisonir and put to fighte thine Ladie Hippolyte.

[hoft. Yet Hercules wexed red for fame when I fpake of

Hippolyt, Chief patrones and captain of the peple of Sinope, Which with her amorous chere and with coragious

might She smotè the unto the ground for all thy cruiltie, Wherfore the dukeship of Diamedes and dignitie Unto her gretè laudè and glorie perpetuall Attributid by all is with triumphè laureall.

Ladie Deiphile. The most noble triumphè of this ladie Deiphile In releve and succor of the gret Duke of Athenis, She chastisid and brought into perpetual exile The aurcat citizeinis of the mightie Thebis, The strongè brasin pilliris there haddin no reles, Volume XIII.

1

14

21

But she with her sistir Agrifè them did dounè cast, And with furious fire the cite ybrent at last.

Ladie Teuca. Opulchrior sole in beautie and full ylucident, Of all feminine creturis the mostè formous flour! In Italy reigning with gret chevalry right fervenit, Chaistised the Romainis as maistris and conquèrour, O lady Teuca ! mochil was thy glorie and honour, Yet mochil more was to commende thy grete benigIn thy perfite living and virginall chastitie. [nite

Quene Pentbefilea. Oye Trojanis! for this noble Quene Penthesile Sorowe her mortalitie with dolorous compassion, Her love was towardis you so pregnante and fertile, Which that against the proude Grekismade defension, With her victorious hand was al her affeccion [joie To lashe the Grekis to ground, and with ther hert'is To revengin the coward deth of noble' Hector of Quene Thamyris.

[Troie. O thou most rigorous Quene Thamyris invincible! Upon the strong and hideous peple of citees reining, Whiche by thy grete powir and by wittis sensible Ytokift in battaile captive Cyrus, the grete King Of Persia and of Media, his hed in blode lying ; [stid, 'Thou baddist him to drinkin of the blode he hadthur. And xxii. M. of his holle there were disreflid. 42

Ladie Lampedo. The famous loudetrumpè ymade of gold yforgid lo Hath blowin so up the fame and glory environ [bright