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This section of the poem closes with loving lines to the memory of Chaucer and of Lydgate, whom Stephen Hawes honoured more especially as the master upon whose trace he would seek to follow. Graundamoure next passed to the chamber of Arithmetic,

"With gold depainted, every perfect number,
To add, detray,' and to divide asunder."

The next stage led Graundamoure to the tower of Music, and in her chamber, advanced by knowledge to a sense of the harmonies of life, he first saw La Bell Pucell.

"There sat Dame Music with all her minstrelsy,
As tabors, trumpets with pipes melodious,
Sackbuts, organs and the recorder swetely,
Harps, lutes, and crowdés right delicious,

1 Detray ("detrahere"), to draw away, subtract.

aside to conceal, in a temple, hope, doubt, and despair; the coming again of Graundamoure, led by Good Counsel, to declare his love to the lady in a long

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2 The Tabor was a small drum usually played with accompaniment of fife. The Sackbut was a bass-trumpet with stops, and as its name "sambuca was derived from the elder-tree, it was probably formed of wood, a sort of bassoon. The Recorder was a flageolet or birdpipe, so named from the word "record" once commonly applied to the singing of birds, as in an eclogue by Drayton :

"Fair Philomel, night music of the spring, Sweetly records her tuneful harmony." The Crowd, "crwth" of the Cymry, was the old British fiddle; "chrotta Britanna canat," wrote Venantius Fortunatus at the end of the sixth century. Invented in Britain, and returned to us with improvements by the Arabs, the fiddle in a simple form, still called a "crowd," and the fiddler a "crowder," remained familiar among the people. Cymphans were "symphonies," or "chyfonies;" named in the "Roman de Brut "

"Symphonies, salterions,

Monocordes, tymbres, corrons." They were large stringed instruments, a sort of harp. Doussen

dialogue of alternate stanzas which ended in her acceptance of his suit. But he must seek her by a long and dangerous way, for now she is withdrawn from him to a far country :—

"To me to come is hard and dangerous
When I am there, for giantés ugly,
Two monsters also, black and tedious,
That by the way await full cruelly
For to destroy you all and utterly,

When you that way do také the passage
To attainé my love by high advantage.'

So Graundamoure was parted from the fair ideal of life which he had touched, and with which he had kept step when his heart was young and he had been trained up to a perception of true harmony. His friend Good Counsel bade him never flinch, but complete his training by the Seven Sciences, and then go forward to the tower of Chivalry, and be armed for the battles of the life before him. Forth he went, therefore, to the tower of Geometry, and from her to the green meadow whence Astronomy looks heavenward, and where he learnt from her that

"God himself is chief astronomer

That made all things according to His will;
The sun, the moon, and every little star,

To a good intent and for no manner of ill.
Withouten vain he did all things fulfil;
As Astronómy doth make apparaunce,

By reason he weighed all things in balaunce.”

More is taught by Astronomy of the works of Nature and the wits of man, of the high influence of stars and planets as the instruments to Nature's working in every degree.

2

Instructed in the seven sciences, the Quadrivium of Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Arithmetic, and the Trivium of Music, Geometry, Astronomy, Graundamoure with a varlet called Attendance and his greyhounds Grace and Governance, proceeded over a hill and down a dale to the Tower of Chivalry, where a horn hung by a shield and helmet at the entry. The loud blast of the horn brought to the tower door its gentle porter, Steadfastness, who admitted him into the base-court.3 There he saw four images of armed knights on horseback, contrived to meet in shock of arms by craft of Geometry, with wheels, and cogs, and cords. Beside this tower was a temple which Graundamoure entered. It was the temple of Mars, whose image he saw therein on a wheel-top in the embrace

(dulcimer) was a stringed instrument, usually triangular, with about fifty wires, cast over a bridge at each end, struck with little iron rods. The dulcimer was laid on a table and played with a small rod in each hand. The Clavi-cimbal was a kind of spinet, which the French called clavecin, and the Italian cembalo. Some of Bach's concertos were written "a due cembali." Like the clavichord, it was played with keys, and ranks with the ancestors of the pianoforte. The Rebeck is another form of rustic fiddle, taking a corruption of the name rebab, or rebebbe, by which the British crwth or crowd, played with a bow, was returned to Europe from the East by the Crusaders. Use of the fiddle-bow is said to have had its origin in ancient Britain. 1 Tro. In the original "With two," the first syllable being dropped in the scanning.

2 Trivium and Quadrivium. .(See "Shorter English Poems," Note 2, pare 12.)

3 Base-court, outer or lower court.

of Lady Fortune, who had two faces under one hood. Of Mars Graundamoure prayed for grace to secure enduring fame. To Mars he said that in the thirtyfirst year of his young flowering age he thought himself escaped from childish ignorance, and that his wit could withstand and rule Venus and Cupid, but she had wounded him with fervent love, and set before him perilous adventure in which he needed help from Mars. Mars answered that Graundamoure was born under the rule of Venus, and therefore, when he had learned perfectly to govern himself by prudent chivalry, he must go humbly to the temple of Venus and make his oblation, suing to her by the disposition which constrained him to love ladies with a true affection. But here Fortune with the two faces, from behind Sir Mars, laughed at the notion that Mars could have aid to give in the search, where all depended upon Fortune's ordering. Then Fortune declared at large the power of the turning of her wheel; Mars had less might; to her, therefore, Graundamoure must sue. Mars answered that she was nothing substantial, neither spiritual nor terrestrial, and nothing can do nothing. He said to her,

Knights

"The Man is Fortune, in the proper deed, And is not thou that causeth him to speed." While yet marvelling at the argument between Mars and Fortune, Graundamoure was approached by Minerva, who led him into her own hall. were there playing at chess, who left their play gently to welcome him; especially was he welcomed by Sir Nurture and his brother Courtesy. They took him up a stair into a chamber gaily glorified. At its door stood a knight named Truth, who told Graundamoure that before entry he should promise to love him. The chamber door was held in custody for King Melezius, that no man might enter wrongfully, and seek without Truth to be chivalrous. King Melezius admitted Graundamoure :

"With all my heart I will,' quoth he, 'accept
Him to my service, for he is right worthý;
For unto Doctrine the highway he kept

And so from thence to the Tower of Chivalry.'"

Presented to Melezius, armed and taught by Minerva, he was prepared for knighthood, and when knighted was thus taught his duty by the King :

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"The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians vi. 17). "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews iv. 12).

5 The hood with a bell on its point and the fox-tail for playful flapping about were badges of the fool. "A flap with the foxtail" thus became a phrase for a jest. "In a pyed coat," a coat of motley, like the magpie.

6 Brugge-a-bragge (French "De bric et de broc"), anyhow, hither and thither. Whence bric-a-brac,

A repulsive sketch of the dwarf is given, and the poem then breaks for a time from the seven-lined Troilus Verse or Chaucer Stanza, vulgarly called rhyme royal, because James I. of Scotland followed his master Chaucer in the use of it. This verse had been fixed for us by Chaucer's example in the same position that had been given by the genius of Boccaccio to octave rhyme in Italy, as the standard measure for sustained poetic narrative. So it remained until after the accession of Elizabeth, and so, therefore, it was adopted by Stephen Hawes for his "Pastime of Pleasure," and significantly dropped when this character of empty prating slander, False Report, under the name of Godfrey Gobelive, is set to try Graundamoure's temper by gross slander against woman. The verse chosen for this part of the narrative is Chaucer's Riding Rhyme, so called from its use by Chaucer in description of his pilgrims on the road to Canterbury :

"Welcome,' I said; I pray thee now tell

Me what thou art, and where thou dost dwell?'
'Sotheliche,' quod he, 'when Icham in Kent
At home Icham, though I be hither sent;
Icham a gentleman of much noble kin
Though Iche be clad in a knavés skin.''

With this scorner of women by his side, Graundamoure visited the Temple of Venus, where each applied himself in his own way to Dame Sapience, her secretary. For Graundamoure, Dame Sapiete drew up a Supplication, and with the setting forth of this the poeni resumes its original measure. Vents bade Graundamoure abide with her awhile, and causi Sapience next to write a letter to La Bell Puori. with thrice nine "Wo worths" in it, in case she di not redress his pains. Cupid fled with the letter to La Bell Pucell, and Graundamoure offered a turtle to Venus.

Then he went forward upon his way, but Godfrey Gobelive came running

"With 's little nag, and cried 'Tarý! tarý! For I will come and bear you company."

His company upon the road again reduces the verse into riding rhyme, for he resumed his merri ment at the expense of women, till he was overtaken by a lady from the Tower of Chastity called Dame Correction, who, with a knotted whip, set Godfrey skipping, and declared him to be False Report. escaped from the prison in which he had been held with Villain-Courage and vile False Conjecture. Graundamoure then went as a guest to the Tower of Chastity, and False Report as a prisoner, with Es feet fettered underneath his nag. There he saw the bright hall of jet glazed with crystal, and radiant with light of the carbuncle hung from its goblen roof; he saw the goodly company, and saw also tidungeons of the scorner and the wronger. Haz with their heads down in holly bushes and scourged

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Then Graundamoure rode on over the mountains and the craggy rock till he came to a well, beside which hung a shield and horn, with an inscription setting forth that a giant was there ready to contest the way on to La Bell Pucell. The horn was blown, the giant came, a monster with three heads, called Falseness, Imagination, Perjury. Graundamoure charging him, broke his spear upon this giant's helm, leapt down and drew his sure sword, Clara Prudence, and after a stout battle overcame and cut off the three heads. Then came riding to him three ladies, Verity, Good Operation, and Fidelity, and carried Graundamoure with sweet song to their castle, where his wounds were healed, while he was told of another giant to be met after departing. Temperance prepared their supper, and after rest he travelled on again

"When th' little birdés swetély did sing

Lauds to their Maker early i' th' morning."

Soon he met a messenger whom La Bell Pucell had sent, after receiving the letter brought to her by Cupid. Disdain and Strangeness had counselled her in one way, Peace and Mercy in another, and finally she had sent Dame Perseverance to her knight, with a goodly shield to be worn by him for her sweet sake. So Perseverance took Graundamoure with her for a night's rest at the manor place of her cousin Comfort. Comfort gave best of counsel on the power of patience and wise kindness over stormy winds that stood between him and the object of desire, and told him also of a giant with seven heads yet to be vanquished. Over the heath he went next day till this giant was found, where upon every tree hung shields of knights whom he had slain. The names of his seven heads were Dissimulation, Delay, Discomfort, Variance, Envy, Detraction, Doubleness. The battle with him lasted a day, and when Graundamoure had overcome there came from the castle that stood by seven ladies riding on white palfreys. They were Steadfastness, Amorous Purveyance, Joy after Heaviness, Continuance, Pleasaunce, Report Famous, Amity, who hailed him as victor. These seven ladies undertook next day to bring Graundamoure to La Bell Pucell. They rode till they saw from afar a goodly region.

"Where stood a palace high and precious Beyond an haven full tempestuous."

But in that goodly region was a fire-breathing dragon, made by the Dame Strangeness and the crafty sorceress Disdain, of the seven metals with a fiend enclosed. In a temple of Pallas strength was

sought for the last conflict, and Pallas gave a box containing ointment of marvellous herbs wherewith to anoint his armour, which would turn aside the fervent fire breathed by the serpent, and give power over magic to his sword. From a large and goodly ship in the haven a boat put out to them whence they were hailed by two ladies whom Dame Patience had sent. Then after due inquiries they were rowed to the ship Perfectness, into which Dame Patience received them gladly. Then they weighed anchor, and on the other shore Graundamoure went forth alone to combat with the dragon, Privy Malice. When the death-blow was given to it, by help of the ointment of Pallas, and the fiend within 66 as a foul Ethiop which such smoke did cast that all the island was full tenebrous," had escaped amidst loud thunderings, it remained only for Perseverance to bring Graundamoure to the presence of La Bell Pucell. So they were joined and wedded. The great aim of his mortal life was won, but afterwards

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1 This gift of Pallas, which represents the power of a well-trained mind to stand against all perils of the world, is a symbol first used by Homer in the tenth book of the "Odyssey," when he represented Hermes providing Ulysses with moly to enable him to face unhurt the charms of Circe :

"Thus I passing turned my feet
On through the glens for the divine retreat
Of Circe; and a youth, in form and mould
Fair as when tender manhood seems most sweet,
Beautiful Hermes, with the wand of goid,
Met me alone, and there my hand in his did fold.

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John Fisher was a Yorkshireman, born in 1459, son of Robert Fisher, a trader at Beverley, who died when his two boys, John the elder and Robert the younger, were still children. Their mother married again. The boys were first educated by a priest of Beverley Church. John showed special ability, and was at last, when his age was four or five-and-twenty, sent in 1484 to Cambridge. He graduated in 14 and 1491, became a Fellow of his College, Michael House, and Master of Michael House in 1495. It was about this time, at the age of thirty-six, that he took holy orders. In 1501 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and he served afterwards

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