Thus then I slept, tyl that Auroras bemes

Thus then I slept, tyl that Auroras bemes Gan for to spreade about the firmament, And the clere sunne with his golden stremes Began for to ryse fayre in the orient, Without Saturnus blacke encombrement, And the litle byrdes makyng melodye Did me awake wyth their swete armony.

I loked about, and sawe a craggy roche Farre in the west, neare to the element; And as I dyd then unto it approche, Upon the toppe I sawe refulgent The royall tower of Morall Document, Made of fine copper, with turrettes fayre and hye, Which against Phebus shone so marveylously;

That for the very perfect bryghtnes, What of the tower and of the cleare sunne, I coulde nothyng beholde the goodlines Of that palaice where as Doctrine did wonne; Tyll at the last, with mysty wyndes donne, The radiant bryghtnes of golden Phebus Auster gan cover with clowde tenebrus.

Then to the tower I drewe nere and nere, And often mused of the great hyghnes Of the craggy rocke, whiche quadrant did appeare; But the fayre tower so muche of ryches Was all about sexangled doubtles, Gargeyld with grayhoundes and with many lyons, Made of fyne golde, with divers sundry dragons.

The little turrets with ymages of golde About was set, whiche with the wynde aye moved. Wyth propre vices that I did well beholde, About the towers in sundry wyse they hoved, Wyth goodly pypes in their mouthes i-tuned, That with the wynde they pyped a daunce, I-clipped Amour de la hault plesaunce.