Bell's Edition

IN Feverere, when that it was full colde,
Frofte, fnowe, haile, raine, hath dominacion,
With chaungable' elementes and windes manifolde,
Whiche hath of ground, floure, herbe, jurifdiccion
For to difpofe aftir their correccion,

And yet Aprilis with his plefaunt fhoures

Diffolveth the fnow and bringith forthe his floures, 7 Of whofe invencion lovirs maie be glade,

For thei bring in the kalendis of Maie,

And thei with countinaunce demure, meke, and fad, Owe to worship the luftie floures alwaie,

And in fpeciall one called fe of the daie,

The däifie, a flowir white and rede,

And in Frenche callid La bel Margarete.

O commendable floure, and mofte in minde!

O floure and gracious of excellence!

O amiable Marga'rite! of natife kind,

But the with her fiftir Agrifè them did dounè caft,
And with furious fire the cite ybrent at last.
Ladie Teuca.

O pulchrior fole in beautie and full ylucident, Of all feminine creturis the mostè formous flour! In Italy reigning with gret chevalry right fervent, Chaiftifed the Romainis as maiftris and conquèrour, O lady Teuca! mochil was thy glorie and honour, Yet mochil more was to commende thy grete benigIn thy perfite living and virginall chastitie.

Quene Penthefilea.

[nite

O ye Trojanis! for this noble Quene Penthefile Sorowe her mortalitie with dolorous compaffion, Her love was towardis you so pregnante and fertile, Which that againift the proude Grekis made defenfion, With her victorious hand was al her affeccion [joie To lafhe the Grekis to ground, and with ther hert'is To revengin the coward deth of noble' Hector of Quene Thamyris, [Troie.

O thou most rigorous Quene Thamyris invincible! Upon the strong and hideous peple of citees reining, Whiche by thy grete powir and by wittis fenfible Ytokift in battaile captive Cyrus, the grete King Of Perfia and of Media, his hed in blode lying; [ftid, Thou baddist him to drinkin of the blode he hadthurAnd xxii. M. of his hofte there were distreffid.

Ladie Lampedo.

The famous loude trumpè ymade of gold yforgid fo Hath blowin fo up the fame and glory environ [bright

Of this lady Lampedo, with her fiftir Mafifit,
That al the land of Feminie, Europe, and Epheson,
Be yeldin and applied lowly to her subjeccion;
Many an high toure she raifid, and ybilt touris long,
Perpetuelly to laftin, with huge wallis strong.

Quene Semiramis.

Lo here Semiramis, the Quene of grete Babilon, The mofte generous gem and the floure of lovily favor, Whofe excellent powir from Mede unto Septentrion Florished in her regally as a mightie conqueror, Subdued al Barbary, and Zorast the King of honor, She flue Ethiop, and conquirid Armenie and Inde, 5 5 In which non entrid but Alexander and fhe as I finde. Ladie Menalippe.

Also the ladie Menalippe, thy fistir so dere, [stand, Whose martial powir there was no man that coud withFor thorough the wide worldè there was not yfound [hande,

her pere,

The famous Duke of Athenis, Thefeus, fhe had in And she forely chastifid him and conquirid his lande; The proudè Grekis mightilie also fhe did affaile, 62 And ovircameand vanquishid them bravely in bataile!

Explicit the balade of the IX. Worthies of Ladies.

ALONE walkyng,

In thought plainyng, All desolate,
And fore fighyng,