Here begynneth the boke called the example of vertu.

The prologe.

Whan I aduert in my remembraunce 
The famous draughtes of poetes eloquent 
Whiche theyr myndes dyd well enhaunce 
Bokes to contryue that were expedyent 
To be remembred without Impedyment 
For the profyte of humanyte 
This was the custume of antyquyte. 
I now symple and moost rude 
And naked in depured eloquence 
For dulnes rethoryke doth exclude 
Wherfore in makynge I lake intellygence 
Also consyderynge my grete neglygence 
It fereth me sore for to endyte 
But at auenture I wyll now wryte. 
As very blynde in the poetys art 
For I therof can no thynge skyll 
Wherfore I lay it all a part 
But somwhat accordynge to my wyll 
I wyll now wryte for to fulfyll 
Saynt Powles wordes and true sentement 
All that is wryten is to oure document 
O prudent Gower in langage pure 
Without corrupcyon moost facundyous 
O noble Chauser euer moost sure 
Of frutfull sentence ryght delycyous 
O vertuous Lydgat moche sentencyous 
Unto you all I do me excuse 
Though I your connynge do now vse 
Explicit prologus.

Capitulum Primsi.
In Septembre in fallynge of the lefe 
Whan phebus made his declynacyon 
And all the whete gadred was in the shefe 
By radyaunt hete and operacyon 
Whan the vyrgyn had full domynacyon 
And Dyane entred was one degre 
Into the sygne of Gemyne 
Whan the golden sterres clere were splendent 
In the firmament puryfyed clere as crystall 
By imperyall course without incombrement 
As Iuppyter and Mars that be celestyall 
With Saturne and Mercury that wer supernall 
Myxt with venus that was not retrograte 
That caused me to be well fortunate 
In a slombrynge slepe with slouth opprest 
As I in my naked bedde was leyd 
Thynkynge all nyght to take my rest 
Morpleus to me than made abreyd 
And in my dreme me thought he sayd 
Come walke with me in a medowe amerous 
Depeynted with floures that be delycyous 
I walked with hym into a place 
Where that there grue many a fayre floure 
With Ioye replete and full of solace 
And the trees dystyllynge redolent lycoure 
More sweter fer than the Aprell shour 
And tary I dyd there by longe space 
Tyll that I saw before my face 
A ryght fayre lady of myddell stature 
And also enduyd with grete vertue 
Her apparell was set with perlys pure 
Whose beaute alway dyd renue 
To me she sayd and ye wyll extue 
All wyldnes I wyll be your guyde 
That ye to fraylte shall not slyde. 
Unto her I answerde o lady gloryous 
I pray you tell me what is your name 
For ye seeme to be ryght precyous 
And I am yonge and sore to blame 
Of vyces full and in vertue lame 
But I wyll be ruled now by your pleasure 
So that your order be made by mesure 
Eclepyd I am she sayd dyscrecyon 
And yf ye wyll be ruled by me 
Ye shall haue Ioye without reprehencyon 
And neuer fall in to fragylyte 
Youth lackynge me it is grete pyte 
For in what place I am exyled 
They be with synne ryght oft defyled 
It longeth euer vnto my properte 
Youth to gyue courage for to lerne 
I wyll not medle with no duplycyte 
But faythfulnes I wyll dyscerne 
And brynge thy soule to blesse eterne 
By wyse example and morall doctryne 
For youth hauynge to me is a good syne 
Forsake also all euyll company 
And be founde true in worde and dede 
Remembre that this worlde is transytory 
After thy desert shall be thy mede 
Loue god alway and eke hym drede 
And for no mannes pleasure be thyn owne foo 
Gyue theym fayre wordes and lete theym goo. 
Be to thy kynge euer true subgete 
As thou sholdest be by ryght and reason 
Lete thy herte lowely on hym be sete 
Without ony spot of euyll treason 
And be obedyent at euery season 
Unto his grace without rebellyon 
That thou with trouth may be companyon 
Loue neuer vnloued for that is payne 
Whyle that thou lyuest of that beware 
Loue as thou seest the loued agayne 
Or elles it wyll torne the to care 
Be neuer taken in that fast snare 
Proue or thou loue that is moost sure 
And than thou in doubte shalt not endure. 
Beware byleue no flaterynge tonge 
For flaterers be moost disseyuable 
Though that they company with the longe 
Yet at the ende they wyll be varyable 
For they by reason are not fauorable 
But euermore fals and double 
And with theyr tonges cause of grete trouble 
This brytell worlde ay full of bytternes 
Alway turnynge lyke to a ball 
No man in it can haue no sykernes 
For whan he clymmeth he hath a fall 
O wauerynge shadowe bytter as gall 
O fatall welth full soone at ende 
Though thou ryght hy do oft assende 
Whan she to me had made relacyon 
Of all these prouerbes by good conclusyon 
She gaue to me an Informacyon 
For to depryue all yll abusy