¶ Then came there downe goodly ladyes tweyn.
¶ From the hyghe heuen aboue the fyrmamente.
¶ And sayd the gret Alpha & Oo moost souereyn.
¶ For that nobell 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 hym folow.
¶ Tyll they were commytted by the dyuyne sentence.
¶ All to payne perpetuell & Infynyte sorow.
¶ Right wysnes went to se that noman shold hem borow.
¶ Thus al entreted sharpely were they tyll Cerberus
¶ Had hem beshut within his gates tenebrus.
¶ And all the whyle that Prestyence with her scorge smert
¶ To rewarde Vyce gan her thus occupy.
¶ With all his hole bende after her desert.
¶ That other gloryous lady that came fro heuen on hy.
¶ Hauyng in her honde the palme of vyctory.
¶ Came downe to Vertu & toke hym to that present.
¶ 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.
¶ Togyder with a gyrdyl but so sodenly.
¶ As they were vanysshyd saw I neuer thyng with ey.
¶ And anone Vertu wyth al his company.
¶ Kneled dounn & thanked god 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 dounn ful low.
¶ And besought mercy what so euer it coste.
¶ To be her mene to Vertu els they were but lost.
¶ And some in lyke wyse to feyth & hope sought.
¶ What to do for pease they sayd they ne roughte.
¶ Some also Baptym sewed to be her mene.
¶ Som to one som to other as thei hem gete myghte.
¶ But al to Confessyon went to make hem clene
¶ And as they came to consyence he theym bad go lyghte.
¶ Er than old attropes of hem had a syght.
¶ For yf he so theym toke lost they were for euer
¶ He sayd Vyce to forsake better late thyn neuer.
¶ Som eke for socour drew to circumcision.
¶ But by hym coud they gete but smal fauoure.
¶ For he in that company was had but in derysyon
¶ Neuerthelesse to feyth he bad hem go laboure.
¶ Prayng theym for olde acqueyntance theym socoure
¶ Wel quod 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 brought out of destres
¶ Turned al to Vertu & whan this was done.
¶ Vertu cummaunded 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.
¶ I pray you syr let pyte your eres to me enclyne.