The Assemble of Goddes Part 8

A token & bad hym go to conffessyon.

And shew hym his mater with a peteous loke Whiche done he hym sent to contrycyon.

And fro thensforthe to satysfaccyon.

Thus fro poost to pyler was he made to dau{n}ce.

And at the last he went forthe to penau{n}ce.

But now for to tel you whe{n} Vyce was ou{er}throw A gret part of his oost about hym gan resorte.

But he was so febyll {that} he coude noman know.

And whan they se {that} they knew no comforte.

But caryed hym away be a preuy porte.

And as they caryed dyspeyre with hy{m} met.

With Vyce his rewarde he cam theym for to fet

Then came there downe goodly ladyes tweyn.

From the hyghe heuen aboue the fyrmamente.

And sayd the gret Alpha & Oo moost souereyn.

For that n.o.bell tryumphe had hem thyder sent.

One of hem to dryue Vyce to grete tormente.

With a fyry strong {that} she bare in her hande.

And so he dede dyspere & all his hole bande.

The name of this lady was called Prestyence.

She neuer left Vyce ne none {that} wolde hy{m} folow.

Tyll they were co{m}mytted by {the} dyuyne sentence.

All to payne perpetuell & Infynyte sorow.

Right wysnes went to se {that} noma{n} shold he{m} borow.

Th{us} al entreted sharpely were they tyll Cerber{us} Had hem beshut within his gates tenebr{us}.

And all {the} whyle {that} Prestye{n}ce {with} her scorge smert To rewarde Vyce gan her thus occupy.

With all his hole bende after her desert.

That other gloryo{us} lady {that} came fro heue{n} on hy.

Hauyng in her honde the palme of vyctory.

Came downe to Vertu & toke hym to {that} p{re}sent.

Sayeng thus that Alpha & Oo hath hym sent.

And as ferre as I ryght coude vnderstonde That ladyes name was Predestynacyon.

Vertu & his oost she blessyd with her honde.

And in heuyn graunted hem habytacyon.

Whereto eche of hem reseruyd was a crowne.

She sayd in token that they enherytours.

Of the glory were & gracious conquerours.

Wych done the ladyes ayen to gyder met And towarde heuen vp they gan to fly Embraced in armes as they had ben knyt.

Togyd{er} {with} a gyrdyl but so sodenly.

As {the}y wer{e} vanysshyd saw I neu{er} thy{n}g {with} ey.

And anone Vertu wyth al his company.

Kneled dou{n}n & tha{n}ked G.o.d of {that} vyctory.

Yet had I forget whan Vyce was ouerthrow.

To haue told you hou many of Vycys hoost.

Gan to seke pease & darked dou{n}n ful low.

And besought mercy what so euer it coste.

To be her mene to Vertu els {the}y we{re} but lost.

And some in lyke wyse to feyth & hope sought.

What to do for pease they sayd they ne rou{gh}te.

Some also Baptym sewed to be her mene.

Som to one som to other as thei he{m} gete my{gh}te.

But al to Confessyon we{n}t to make he{m} clene And as {the}y came to co{n}sye{n}ce he they{m} bad go ly{gh}te.

Er tha{n} old attropes of he{m} had a sy{gh}t.

For yf he so theym toke lost they we{re} for euer He sayd Vyce to forsake better late thy{n} neuer.

Som eke for socour drew to circu{m}cision.

But by hy{m} coud they gete but smal fauoure.

For he in that company was had but in derysyo{n} Neuer{the}lesse to feyth he bad he{m} go laboure.

Prayng they{m} for olde acqueynta{n}ce they{m} socoure Wel q{uo}d feth for his sake I shal do {that} I may doo But fyrste for the best way baptym go ye to.

For by hym sonest shal ye recouer grace.

Which shal to Vertu bryng you by processe.

Wherfore in ony wyse loke ye make good face.

And let noman know of your heuynes.

So they were by baptym brou{gh}t out of destres Turned al to Vertu & whan this was done.

Vertu cu{m}mau{n}ded Frewyl before hym come.

To whom thus he sayd I haue grete merueyl Ye durst be so bold Vyces party to take.

Who bad you do so & yaue you that counseyl.

Iustly vnto that ye shal me preuy make.

Then sayd Frewyll & swemfully spake.

Knelyng on his kne wyth a chere benygn. Original has I pray you syr let pyte your eres to me enclyne. benyng instead of And I shall yow tel the verrey soth of all. benygn How it was & who made me that way drawe.

For soth sensualyte his p{ro}pre name they call.

A sayd reason then I know wel that felowe.

Wyld he is & wanton of me stant hy{m} none awe.

Is he so q{uo}d Vertu wel he shall be taught.

As a player shuld to draw another draught.

And {with} that came sadnesse wyt his sober chere.

Bryngyng Sensualite beyng ful of thought.

And sayd that he had take hym prysonere.

A welcome sayd Vertu now haue I {that} I sou{gh}t.

Blessed be the good lord as {thou} wold it is nought Why arte {thou} so wanton he sayd for shame.

Or {thou} go at large {thou} shalt be more tame.

But sto{n}d a part a whyle tyl I haue spoke a word Wyth Frewyl a lytyl & then shalte {thou} knowe.

What shalbe thy fynau{n}ce & then he sayd in bord Vnto Frewyl the bend of your bowe.

Begynnyth to slake but suche as ye haue sowe Must nedes repe there is none waye.

Notwythstondy{n}g that lette what ye can saye.

What is your habilite me to recompense.

For the grete harme that ye to me haue do.

Forsoth sayd Frewyll in open audyence.