Here followeÞe nowe, a moral balade withe Refrayde of hornes
were awaye, bytwene nature and beavte &c. by lidegate

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Off god and kynde procedeÞe al beaute
yitte crafft cane ſhewe a forene apparec̄e
But nature moſte haue ſouerntee,
Thyng countrefayted, haÞe none exiſtence.
Tweene golde and gosſomer is gret dyffrence
Trewe metal requireÞe none alayes,
Beaute wol ſhewe, Þoughe hornes were awaye,
​Vnto poupos by clere experience,

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Þe ryche attyres, of golde and perrys
Charboncles, Rubyes of mooſte excellence,
Shewe in darkneſſe where Þat Þey be
By Þere trewe natural influence--
Doblettes of glaſſe gif gret influence
Thinge countrefayte wol fayle at Þassaye
In Þis mater concluding in ſentence Beaute wol ſhewe Þaugh
Beaute wol ſhewe, Þaughe hornes were awaye

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Aleyne remembreÞe Þe compleynte who liſt ſee
In his booke, of famous elloquence--
Cladde al in floures, and bloſſomes of a tre
he ſawe nature in moſte excellence
Vppon his hede, a kovercheef of valence,
OÞer richeſſe, of countrefaite aray,
To exemplefye, by kyndly apperence--
Beaute wol ſhewe were almyete is awaye.

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ffamous poetis of gret antiquyte ſaye,
In grece and Troye remouned many a day
Wrote of Qwene Helyne, and Penolope,
Of Polyxene, Þat chaſte mayve a may be
ffor wyves truwe--putte in aſſaye her--
ffor kynde wrought hem wt ſo gret diligence
Here by take hede, let no wighte ſeye naye
Nature wol wirche Þaughte nyce may bawaye

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Nolbe prynces, Þis litle ſhort ditee,
Rudely compyled let it bee none offence
To youre womanly full and gret pitee
PeyſeÞe eche thing in youre moſte advertence
So it bee no deſplayſaunce to youre paye
Vnder ſupport of youre pacience--
Þaughe it be redde in youre audience
Þaughe nyce habylements were put away

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Gretteſt of burth is nowe humilitee
As Salamon ſeyeth but if it be ſapience,
And moſte accepte, was to Þe deytee--
Take hede hereof, and give yee full credence
Howe Maria hade premyniſſyon
Aboue alle wymon whane Þt ſhe laye
At cryſtes birth, in cloÞe of lyte diſpence
She wered a kercheer, hir hornes were away

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Moder of chaſtitee moder of alle pitee
Trewe examplaire of virginytee--
hedeſprung of welle of paſſin cōtynec̄e
In worde ne dede Þen did neuer offence
was never clerk by Rethoryke sciencence
KouÞe all hir vertues reherse til Þat day
Noble Prynceſſe of meek benyvolence
Ben ſample, your hornes caſte away--