f chere
That came vs by and very nere
Ascendynge vp in to her hyghe sete
Garnysshed with perle and with gold bete

Than sayd dyscrecyon this is dame Iustyce
Clene of conscyence without corrupcyon
And neuer be spotted with the synne of couetyse
But true as stele in the entencyon
Of ryght euermore without destruccyon
Geuynge alway a ryghtfull iugement
Obey thou youth this lady reuerent

A iuge fulfylled with the synne of auaryce
Or with fauour of kynne made blynd
Must nedys do wronge by grete [pre]iudyce
For fauour shold not conscyence bynd
Ryght to dyssymyll as I now fynd
In problemys wryten of antiquyte
Made by phylosophers of auctoryte

As we stode talkynge thus to gydere
Vp came dame fortune so gayly gloryfyed
Impossyble it is for me to dyscouere
How gorges she was & gretly magnyfyed
Full lyke a goddes that had ben deyfyd
Clothed with gold sette full of rubyes
And tynst [with] emeraudys & many a turkes

And next to her there dyd ensue
Dame Hardynes that noble lady
After whome anone dyd pursue
Dame Sapyence whiche dyd not tary
Than came dame nature appareled royally
And all the other cladde in gold
Set with dyamondes many a fold

They lowted all vnto the ground
Afore dame Iustyce for obeysaunce
That sate there both hole and sound
Withouten ony dyscontynuaunce
Gyuynge god ere vnto the vteraunce
Of these foure ladyes pledynge at barre
With all theyr cases dyd well avarre

Capitulum .vii.

[Illustration]

Fyrst dame hardynes began to plede
Saynge she was to man moost profytable
For she the hertes hath often fede
Of conquerous as it was couenable
And by my corage haue made theym able
Regyons to wynne theyr ennemyes to subdue
And yf I were not they had it rue

And yf a man be neuer so wyse
Withouten me he getyth none vteraunce
Wherfore his wysedome may not suffyse
All onely without myn allegeaunce
For I by ryght must nedys enhaunce
A lowe born man to an hyghe degre
Yf that he wyll be ruled by me

Haue I not caused many a noble warreour
To wynne the batell by my grete myght
Without me was made neuer conquerour
Nor yet man coragious whan he dyd fyght
No man without me may defende his ryght
I may be worst from hym forborne
For and I were not he were forlorne

Dyd I not cause the noble hercules
By my power to wynne the vyctory
Of the sturdy and stronge Philotes
As is recorded in bokes of memory
For without me can be no cheualry
And vnder the wynge of my proteccyon
All rebels bro