[BUCH II.]
AUBON UND AMPHABEU.
129
9
For frende nor foo declyned not fro
trouth;
The good hym loued for his benignite,
The ryche drad hym, | on the pore
he had reuth;
9° Wronges to redresse there was in hym
no sloufh;
In his domes stedfast as a wall,
Not singuler founde nor yet parciall;
N ature taught hym all vices for to flee;
Lyke the lawes | to whiche he was
bounde,
95 A chastiser of all dishoneste;
Gate neuer dome tyll trouthe were
out founde;
Nother to heuy | nother to iocounde,
But as tyme and mater gaue hym
occasyon,
So was demened his disposition.
100 He had also of his acqueyntance
Foure vertues called Cardynall:
The reine of his bry dell led temperance,
Ryghtwysenes with mercy ruled all,
Trouthe to defende, | and manhod
marcyall,
I0 s By force also through hygh prowes
Spared not to chastise all falsenes.
He coude appese folke that lyste
debate,
Refourme all rancour where he coude
it espye,
Lyke a prince knyghtly he dyd hate
110 Suche as coulde falsely forge and lye,
Stopped his eares from all flaterye,
To foren quarelles lyst yeue no credence
Tyll the partie come vnto audience;
Enuious sclaunder he punyswed
rygorously
“s Cöpassed ofmalyce, hatred and diftame,
To double tonges euer he was enmye
Whiche to say yuell of custome haue
no shame,
And backbyters that haue theyr lyppes
lame
To say well, | this prince y onge and olde
«o Voyded all suche out of his house-holde;
114 I. pnnyshed.
By discretion he coulde punysshe
and spare,
His harte ay voyde of all duplicite;
Large of custome | to naked folke and
bare —
His gate ay open for hospitalite.
125 That, if his vertues shulde rekened be
Here in this boke tolde from yonge age,
I haue therto no connyng nor langage.
Notwithstandyng, aslhaue behyght,
I wyll precede, and not excuse me,
>3° To declare howe gode sawe to his
knyght, —
The tymerehersed, | the datealso parde
Whan Amphibalus entred the citie
Qf Verolamy, tolde eke the occasion
Howe he and Albon met in the town.
J 35 Amphibalus entred the citie
Of auenture to seke herburgage;
By the stretes vp and downe wente he
Lyke a pylgryme of chere and visage:
Tyll it fell so he met in passage
mo The noble prince, playnely to conclude,
Blessed Albon, with a great multytude.
This myghty prince by great fortune,
After custome vsed that tyme of olde,
Amyd the citie walked in his estate,
ms In a garment frenged all with gotde.
Amphibalus vertuously made bolde,
with humble chere and meke visage
Besought hym lowly to graunt hym
herbergage.
For whan that he on Albon cast his
loke
150 And hym behelde with euery circum
stance,
By longe auyse of hym good hede
he toke;
It fell anone into his remembrance
Full yore agone of his acqueyntance,
Howe they in one of fortune dyd assent
ms Out of Brytayn | and vnto Rome went.
For gods sake this Amphibalus
Of herborgage can lowly hym require,
To be receyued and take in to his hous.
Albon anone, as the story doth vs lere,
87) ne. 89) power. 90) wrongc, 92) ne, yet fehlt. 94) which that. 97) neuer, neuer.
98) but fehlt. 102) attemperaunce. 105) his si. hygh. 98 old st. all. no) coude. 112) quarell.
J1 3) came, 114) rygouresly. 117) seyn. 122) hert. 135) enterynge. 142) by grace fortunate.
M4) walkynge. 149) that fehlt, had cast. 156) goddis. 157) gan. 158) taken.
