Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 683

Off god and kynde procedith al bewte
crafft may ſhewe a foreyn apparence
But nature ay muſt haue the ſouerente
Thyng contrefeet hath noon exiſtence
tween gold and goſſomer is greet dyfference
trewe metall requeryth noon allay
vn to purpos by cleer experyence
bewte wol ſhewe thogh hornys wer a way

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Ryche attyres of ſtonys and perre
charboncyles rubyes of mooſt excellence
ſhewe in dirkneſſe lyght where ſo they be
but ther natural heuenly Influence
doublettys of glas yeve a gret obydence
thyng conterfeet wol ſayler at aſſay
on this mater concludyng in ſentence
beute wol ſhewe thogh hornes were away

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Aleyn rembreth his compleynt who lyſt ſee
In his book of ffamous elloquence
clad all in floures and bloſmes of a tre
he ſauh nature in hir mooſt excellence
Vp on hir hed a kerche of valence
noon other richeſſe of counterfet array
Texemplyfie by kyndely provydence
beute wol ſhewe though hornes wer away

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ffamous poetis of antyquyte
In grece and troye renomed of prudence
wrot of queen heleyne and penolope
of pollycene with hir chaſt innocence
for wyves trewe calle lucrece to prſence
that they wer faire ther can no ma ſey nay
kynde wrouht hem wt ſo gret dyllygence
ther beute kouth hornys wer caſt away

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Clerkys recorde by gret auctoryte
hornes were yeve to beſtys ffor dyffence
a thyng contrarie to ffemynyte
To be maad ſturdy of Reſyſtence
but arche wives egre in ther vyolence
ffers as tygre ffor to make affray
the haue deſpit and ageyn concyence
lyſt nat of pryde ther hornes caſt away

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Noble prynceſſis this litel ſchort dyte
Rudely compyled lat it be noon Offence
To your womanly mercyfull pyte
though it be rad in your audeyence
peyſſed euery thyng in your Iuſt adurtence
ſo it be noon dyſpleſaunce to your pay
vnder ſupport of your pacyence
yeveth example hornes to caſt away

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Gretteſt of vertues ys humylyte
as ſalamon ſeith ſonne of ſapyence
moſt was accepted on to the Deyte
taketh heed herof yeveth to his woordis credence
how maria which hadde a premynence
above alle women in bedlem whan ſhe lay
at cryſtys birthe no cloth of gret diſpence
ſhe wered a kouercheef hornes wer caſt away

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Off birthe ſhe was hiheſt of degre
To whom alle angellis dyd obedyence
of david is lyne wich ſprang out of Ieſſe
in whom alle vertues by Iuſt convenyence
maad ſtable in god by gooſtly confydence
this roſe of Iericho ther greuh no ſuych in may
pore in ſpirit parfit in pacyence
in whom all hornes of pride were put away

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Modyr of Ihu myrour of chaſtyte
in woord nor thouht that neure dyd offence
Trewe examplire of virgynyte
hed ſpryng and welle of parfit contynence
was neuer clerk by Rethoryk nor ſcyence
koude all hir vertues reherſe on to this day
noble prynceſſis of meek benyvolence
be example of hir your hornes caſt away