ce
That by thair myght and Iuste prudence
The loue of hem by grace and eke fortune
Wit[=h] oute chaunge shal euermore contune

Of whiche graunt the temple enuiron
Thurg[=h] hye comfort of them that were present
Anon was begun wit[=h] a melodyous sowun
In name of tho that trout[=h] in loue ment
A balade newe in ful good entent
To fore the goddes wit[=h] notis londe and clere
Syngyng right this anon as ye shal here

Fayrest of sterres that with your [per]sant light
And with the cherysyng of your stremes clere
Causen in loue hertes to be light
Only by shynyng of your glad spere
Now lawde and pryce O venus lady dere
Be to your name that haue without synne
This man fortuned his lady for to wynne

Willy planete O esperus so bright
That woful hertes can appese and stere
And euer ar redy by your grace & might
To helpe al tho that bye loue so dere
And haue power hertis to sette on fyre
Honour to you of al that ben here Inne
That haue this man his lady made to wynne

O mighty goddesse day sterre after nyght
Gladyng the morowe whan ye don appere
To wyde derknes by freshnes of your sight
Only wit[=h] twinkyng of your plesaunt chere
To you we thanke louers that ben here
That ye this man and neuer for to twynne
Fortune haue, his lady for to wynne

And wit[=h] the noyse an heuenly melodye
Wit[=h] that they made in her armonye
Thurg[=h] out the temple for this mans sake
Out of my slepe anon I dyde awake
And for astonyed knewe as tho no rede
For sodeyn chaunge oppressed wit[=h] drede
Me thought I was cast in a traunce
So clene away was tho my remembrance
Of alle my dreme, wherof gret thought & wo
I had in herte and nyst what was to doo
For heuynes for that I had lost the sight
Of her that I al the longe nyght
Had dremed of in myn aduision
Wherof I made grete lamentacion
Be cause I had neuer in my lyf beforn
Saw none so fair sit[=h] that I was born
For loue of whom so as I can endyte
I purpose here to make and to wryte
A lityl tretyse and processe make
In pryce of women only for her sake
Hem to comence as it is skyl and right
For her godenes wit[=h] al my myght
Prayng to her that is so bounteuous

So ful of vertu and so gracyeus
Of womanhede and mercyful pyte
This symple tretyse for to take in gre
Til I haue leyzer vnto her hye renoun
For to expound my forsaid visioun
And tel in playn the signefyaunce
As it cometh to my remembraunce
So that her after my lady may hit loke
Now go thy way thou litil rude boke