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Oft tymis is denyid his purpose ;
Take mesure in langage, wifedome ingrofe,
For mefure, as right well proved is by reson,
Thyngis unfefo'nable fettith in fefon.

Mercie.

Soche daungir exile hym all uttirly,
Ovir all mercie to' occupie his place,
To piteous complaintis your eres applie,
And receve your true fervaunte into grace;
To him that boundin is in Lov'is lace
Shewe favour, ladie', and be not merciles,
Left ye be called a common murdires.

L'envoye.

When ye unto this balade have infpeccion
In my makyng holde me excufable,
It is fubmittid unto your correccion;
Confidir that my connyng is disable
To write to you the figure uniable,
All devoide of connyng and experience,
Maner of indityng, refon, and eloquence.

Truft it well the makir is alle your owne,
You to obeie while his life maie endure,
To doe you fervice as a man unknowne,
No guerdone defiryng of yerthly trefure,
But if it might accorde with your plesure
For his true fervice hym for to avaunce,
And call hym into your remembèraunce.

Explicit the X. Commaundementes of Love.

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The IX. Ladies Worthie.

Quene Sinope.

PROFULGENT in precioufnes, o Sinope the Quene! Of all feminine berynge the sceptir and regalie, [fene, Subduyng the large countrie of Armenie', as it was For maugre ther mightis thou ybrought them for to applie,

Thin honor to encrefin and thy power to magnifie; O most renoumed Hercules! with al thy pompous bofte This princes toke the prifonir and put to fighte thine Ladie Hippolyte.

[host. Yet Hercules wexed red for fhame when I fpake of

Hippolyt,

Chief patrones and captain of the peple of Sinope, Which with her amorous chere and with coragious

might

She fmote the unto the ground for all thy cruiltie, Wherfore the dukeship of Diamedes and dignitie Unto her gretè laudè and glorie perpetuall Attributid by all is with triumphè laureall.

Ladie Deiphile.

The most noble triumphè of this ladie Deiphile
In releve and fuccor of the gret Duke of Athenis,
She chaftifid and brought into perpetual exile
The aureat citizeinis of the mightie Thebis,
The strongè brafin pilliris there haddin no reles,
Volume XIII.

L

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

Ladie Teuca.

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O pulchrior fole in beautie and full ylucident, Of all feminine creturis the moftè formous flour! In Italy reigning with gret chevalry right fervent, Chaiftifed the Romainis as maisftris 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.

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Quene Penthefilea.

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O ye Trojanis! for this noble Quene Penthefile Sorowe her mortalitie with dolorous compaffion, Her love was towardis you fo pregnante and fertile, Which that againift the proude Grek is 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 ftrong 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 baddift him to drinkin of the blode he hadthurAnd xxii. M. of his hofle there were distreffsid.

Ladie Lampedo.

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

Of this lady Lampedo, with her fiftir Mafifit,
That al the land of Feminie, Europe, and Ephefon,
Be yeldin and applied lowly to her subjeccion;

Many an high toure she raifid, and ybilt touris long,
Perpetuelly to laflin, with huge wallis ftrong.

Quene Semiramis.

Lo here Semiramis, the Quene of

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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, 55 In which non entrid but Alexander and fhe as I finde. Ladie Menalippe.

Also the ladie Menalippe, thy fiftir fo dere, [ftand, 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 she did affaile, 62 And ovircame and vanquishid them bravely in bataile.

Explicit the balade of the IX. Worthies of Ladies.

ALONE walkyng,

In thought plainyng, All defolate,

And fore fighyng,

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