The Temple of Glass

by John Lydgate

And sith ye list of pyte and of grace
In vertu only his yonghthe to cherisshe
I shal by aspectes of my benigne face
Make hym beschewe euery synne and vice
So that he shal haue no maner spice
In his corage to loue thinges newe
He shal to yow so playn be found and trewe

And whan this goodly fair fressħ of hue
Humble and benygne of troutħ crop & rote
Conceyued had how venus gan to rewe
On her prayer plainly to do bote
To chaunge her bitter attones in to sote
She fyl on knees of higħ deuocion
And in this wyse began her orison

Hyghest of hye quene and Emperice
Goddesse of loue, of good yet the best
That thurgħ your beaute witħoute vice
Whylom conquerd thappel atte fest
That Iubiter thurgħ his hye request
To alle the goddes aboue celestyal
Made in his palais most Imperyal

To you my lady vpholder of my lyf
Mekely I thanke so as I may suffise
That ye list now witħ herte ententyf
So graciously for me to deuyse
That whyle I lyue witħ humble sacrefise
Vpon your auters your fest yer by yer
I shal encence casten in to the fyre

For of your grace I am ful reconsiled
From euery troble vnto ioye and ease
That sorowes alle be from me exiled
Sitħ ye my lady list now tappease
My paynes olde and fully my disease
Vnto gladnes so sodenly to torne
Hauyng no cause from hens fortħ to morne

For sithen ye so mekely liste to daunte
To my seruise hym that louetħ me best
And of your bounte so graciously to graunte
That he ne shal barye thougħ hym leste
Wherof myn herte is fully brought to reste
For now and euer o lady myn benigne
That hert and wiƚƚ I hooly to you resigne

Thankyng you witħ al my ful herte
That of your grace and visitacion
So humble liste hym to conuerte
Fully to ben at my subiection
Witħ oute chaunge or transmutacion
Vnto his laste, now laude and reuerence
Be to your name and excellence

This al and sum and chief of my request
And hool substance of my ful entente
You thankyng euer of your graunt & hest
Botħ now and euer that ye me grace sent
To conquer hym that neuer shal repent
Me for to serue and humblye for to please
As fynal tresour of my hertes ease

And than anon venus cast a doun
In to her lappe braunches whyte and grene
Of hawthorn that wenten enuyron
Aboute her heed that ioye was to sene
And had her kepe hem honestly and clene
Whiche shold not fade ne neuer wexe olde
Yf she her biddyng kepe as she hatħ told

And as these vowes be bothe fair and swete
Folowe theffecte that they do specifye
This is to seyne botħ in cold and hete
Be ye of one hert and of one fantasye
As ar these leues whiche may not dye
By no duresse of stormes that be kene
Nomore in wynter than in somer grene