¶ And brefely the mater to he declared.
¶ Lyke as ye haue herd begynnyng and ende.
¶ Well quod Vertu he shall not be spared
¶ To the feld I wyl go how it wende.
¶ But gramercy Morpleus myn own dere frende
¶ Of your trew hert & faythfull entente.
¶ That ye in this mater to meward haue ment.
¶ This done Morpleus departed away.
¶ Fro Vertu to the palayse retornyng agayn.
¶ None hym aspyed that I dare well say.
¶ In whych tyme Vertu dyde his besy payn
¶ People to reyse his quarell to maynteyn.
¶ Ymagynacyon was his messengere.
¶ He went to warne people both fer & nere.
¶ And bad hem come in all hast they myght
¶ For to strength Vertu for wyth out fayll.
¶ He sayd he shold haue long or it were nyght.
¶ Wyth Vyce to do a myghty strong batayl.
¶ Of vngracyous gestes he bryngyth a gret tayll
¶ Wherfore it behouyth to help at this nede.
¶ And after this shal Vertu rewar yore mede
¶ Whan ymagynacyon had gone his cyrcuyte
¶ To Vertue & frendis thus all about.
¶ Wythin short tyme many men of myght
¶ Gadered to Vertu in all that they myght.
¶ They hym comforted & bad hym put no doute.
¶ His vtter enmy Vyce to ouerthrowe.
¶ Thoughe he with hym brought neuer so gret arow
¶ And whan Vertu se the sustaunce of his oost
¶ He prayed all the comons to the feld hem hye
¶ Wyth her pety capteyns both lest and moste
¶ And wyth his capteyns shold folow redely.
¶ For he sayd he knew well that vyce was ful nye.
¶ And who myght fyrst of the feld recouer the centre
¶ Wold kepe out that other he shuld not esely entre
¶ Then sent he forth Baptym to the feld before
¶ And prayed hym hartely it to ouerse·
¶ That no maner trayn nor coltrop therin wore
¶ To noy nor hurt hym nor his meyne.
¶ And whan he thyder came he began to se.
¶ How Vyce his purseuant cryme orygynall.
¶ Was entred before and had seased vp all.
¶ But as sone as herof Baptym had a syght.
¶ He fled fast away and left the feld alone.
¶ And anone Baptym entred wyth his myght.
¶ Serchyng al about where this cryme had gone
¶ But the feld was clene defaut found he none.
¶ Then came Vertu after with his gret oste.
¶ And his myghty capteyns both lest and most
¶ But to enfourme you how he thyder came.
¶ And what maner capteins he to the feld brought
¶ Hymselfe sekerly was the fyrst man.
¶ Of all his grete host that thyderwarde sought.
¶ Syttyng in a chare that rychely was wrought.
¶ Wyth golde and peerles & gemmes precyous.
¶ Crowned with laurer as lord vyctoryous.
¶ Foure doubty knyghtes about the chare went.
¶ At euery corner one hit for to gyde.
¶ And conuey accordyng to Vertue his entent.
¶ At the fyrst corner was Ryghtwysnesse that tyde.
¶ Prudence at the seconde was set to abyde.
¶ At the thryd strength the fourth kept temperaunce.
¶ These the chare gyded to Vertue his pleasaunce.
¶ Next to the chare seuen capyteyns there roode.
¶ Echone aftre other in ordre by and by.
¶ Humylyte was the fyrst a lambe he bestroode.
¶ With contenaunce demure he rood full soberly.
¶ A fawcon gentyll stood on his helme on hy.
¶ And next after hym came there Charyte.
¶ Rydyng on a tygre as fyll to his degre.