wol make this byhest I shal be auengyd or I go And lete a fyre make tho And bad men for to cast her ynne But fyrst she told oute al her synne And dede hem alle for to wyte How she the lettres had wryte Fro poynt to poynt as it was wrouÈt And tho she was to deth brought And brunt to fore her sones eye Wherof these other whiche it syghe And herden how the cause stood Seynâ— that the â—ngement was good Of that her sone her hath so serued For she it had wel deserued Thorugh treson of her owne tonge Whiche thorugh the londe was after songe CoÌ„staÌ„ce euery wiÈt coÌ„pleâ—neth But he who al wo dystreyneth This sorowful kynge was so bysâ—ad That he shal neuermore be glad He seyth eftsone for to wedde Tyl he wyst how that she spedde Whiche had ben his fyrst wyf Aud thus his yong vnlusty lyf He dryueth forth so as he may qValiter post â—apsum duodecim anuozum rex Allee absolucionis causa Romam proficiscens vxorem suam Constanaâ—m vna cum filio suo diuina prouidencia ibidem letus inuenit tYl it byfel vpon a day When he his werres had acheued And thought he wold be releued Of soule he le vpon the feyth Whiche he hath take than he seyth That he to Rome on pylgremage Wold go where pope was pelage To take his absolucyon And vpon this condycyon He made Edwyn his lyeutenaunt Whiche heyr to hym was apparaunt That he the bond m absence Shal rewle by prouydence Of al thyng wel bygone He took his leue forth is gone Elda which was with hym tho there At they fullyâ—â—e at Rome were Was sent to fore to purueye And he hys guyde vpon the weye In helpe to be his herbegâ—our Hath ayed who was Senatour That he his name myght kenne Of Caâ—odece he sayd Arcenne He hyght was a worthy knyght To hym goth Elda forth ryght And told hym of his lord tydyng And prayd for that his comyng He wold assygne hym herbergage And he so dyde of good courage Whan al is do that is to done The kyng hym self cam after sone This Senatour when that he come To Cust to his wyf at home Hath told how suche a kyng Allee Of grete array to the Cyte Was come cust vpon his tale With hert câ—â—se colour pale A swoune felle he meruaylleth So sodenly what thyng hyr eyleth And caught hyr vp when she woke She sygheth with a pytoue loke And feyneth sekenesse of the see But it was for the kyng Allee For ioye whiche felle in her thought That god hym hath to Towne brouÈt This kyng hath spoke with the pope And told al that he couthe grope What greueth in his conscyence And than he thought in reuerence Of his estate or that he went To make a feest anon he sente Vnto the Senatour to come Vpon the morowe other some To sytte with hym at mete This tale hath Cust not foryetâ— But to Morys hyr sone tolde That he vpon the morowe sholde In al that euer he couth myght Be present in the kynges syght So that the kynge hym ofte syghe Morys to fore the kynges â—ye Vpon the morowe where he sat Ful ofte stood vpon that The kyng his chere vpon hym cast And in his face he thought as fast He sawe his owne wyf Constance For nature as in resemblaunce Of face hym lyketh for to clothe That they were of one suyte bothe â–ª The kyng hath moeued in his thought Of that he sawe knewe it nought This childe he loueth kyndely And yett he wote noo cause why But wel he saw vnderstode That he toward Arcenne stode And axeth hym anone ryght there Yf that this child his sone were He sayd ye so I hym calle And wold it were so byfalle But it is al in other wyse And tho gan he to deuyse How he the childes modre fond Vpon the see from euery lond Within a ship was stereles And how this lady he speles â—â—orth with hir child he hath forth draw The kynge hath vnderstonde his saw The childes name axeth tho And what the modre hyght also That he hym wolde telle he preyde Moris this child is hote he seyde His modre hat Cust this I not what maner name it is But Allee wyst wel ynough Wherof somdele smylend he lough For Cust in Saxon is to seyn Constance vpon the word Romeyn But who that couthe specyfye What tho was in his fantasye Aud how his wytt aboute renneth Vpon the loue in whiche he brenneth It were wondre for to here For he was neyther there ne here But clene oute of hym self awey That he note what to thynk ne sey So feyn he wold it were she Wherof his hertes pryuete Bygan the werre of ye nay The whiche in suche balaunce lay That contenaunce for a throwe He lost tyl he myght knowe The soth but in his memorye The man whiche lyeth in purgatorye Desyreth not the heuen more That he ne longeth also sore To wyte what hym shal betyde And when the boordes were a syde And euery man was ryse aboute The kyng hath weyued al the route And with the Senatour al one He spak prayd hym of a bone To see this Cust where she duelleth At home with hym where as he telleth The Senatour was wel apayd This kyng no lenger is delayd To see this Cust goth the kyng And she was warned of the thyng And with Eleyne forth she cam Ayene the kyng he tho nam Good hede he sawe his wyf Anone with al his hertes lyf He caught hyr in his armes kyst Was neuer wyght that syghe ne wyst A man that more ioye made Wherof they weren al glad Whiche herd telle of this channce The kyng tho with his wyf CoÌ„staÌ„ce Whiche had a grete part of his wylle In Rome for a tyme stylle Abode made hym wel at case But so yet coud he neuer please Of hyr estate the trouthe pleyne His wyf that she wold hym seyne Of what conntre that she was bore Ne what she was yet therfore With al his wyt he dyde seke Thus as they lay in bed speke She prayth hym counseyleth bothe That for the worship of hem bothe So as here thought it were honest He wold an honourable fest Make or he went in the Cyte Where the Emperour shal be He graunted al that she hym prayd But in that tyme as men sayd Thylk Emperour from that day That fyrst his doughter went away He was than after neuer glad But what that ony man hym bad Of grace for his doughter sake That grace wold he nought forsake Aud thus ful grete almesse he dede Wherâ—f she had many a bede qValiter Constancia que antea per totum tempus exilij sui penes omnes incognitam se celauit tunc â—â—mum patri suo Imperatori se ipsam per omnia manifestant Qd cum
men thynken to debate I not what other thyng is good But where that wysedom waâ—eth wood And reson torned in to rage So that mesure vpon outrage Hath set his world it is to drede For that bryngeth in the comon drede Whiche stant at euery mannes dore But whan the sharpnes of the spore The â—hors syde smyteth to sore It greueth ofte now no more As for to speke of this matere Whiche none but only god may stere So were it good at this tyde That euery man vpon his sydâ— Besought prayd for the pees Whiche is the cause of al encrees Of worship of worldes welthe Of hertes reste soules helthe Withoute pees stond nothyng good For thy to cryst which shed his blood For pees byseketh alle men Amen Amen Amen Amen Explicit Prologus Incipit liber primus nAturatus amor nature legibê° orbem Subdit vnanimes coÌ„â—tat esse feras Huius enim mundi pâ—nâ—eps amore esse videâ—ur â—uâ—â—s eget diues pauper et omnis oâ—e Sunt in agone pares amor for 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—lebis ad insidias vertit 〈…〉 â—â—tas Est amor egra salus vex â—tâ—â—uies pius error Bellica pax vul â—â—s duâ—ce suaue malum 〈…〉 in â—rologo tractatum batâ—â—nus existit qualiter hodierne condicionis diuisio cariâ—â—â—s disâ—ctionem superauit Intendit 〈…〉 ad â—â—rsens libellum suu â–ª cuius noiâ— Câ—â—fessio Amantis nunaâ—patur 〈…〉 de illo amore a quo non soluÌ„â—â—manum genue sed et cuncta animaÌ„ 〈◊〉 naturaliter subiciuntur j May not stretche vnto the heuene Myn hoÌ„d set al in euene This world which is euer in balauÌ„ce It staÌ„t not in my suffysauÌ„ce So grete thynges to compasse But I mote lete it ouer passe And treten vpon other thynges For thy the style of my wrytynges Fro this day forth I thenke chaunge And speke of thyng is not so strauÌ„ge Whiche euery kynde hath vpon honde And therupon the world mote stonde And hath done syth it began And shal whyle ther is ony man And that is loue of whiche I mene To trete as after shal be sene In whiche ther can noman hym reule For lawes loue is oute of reule That of to moche or of to lyte Wel nyghe is euery man to wyte And netheles ther is no man In al this world so wyse that can Of loue temper the mesure But as it fallyth in auenture For wytte ne strengthe may not helpe And whiche elles wold he hym yelpe Is rathest throwen vnder foote Ther can no wyght therof do bote For yet was neuer suche couyne That couthe ordeyne a medycyne To thyng which god in lawe of kynd Hath sett for ther may noman fynd The ryght salue for suche a soore It hath shal be euermore That loue is mayster where he wylle Ther can no lyf make other skylle For where as euer hym lyst to sette Ther is no myght whiche may hym lette But what shal fallen at the last They can no wysedome cast But as it falleth vpon chaunce For yf ther euer was in balaunce Whiche of fortune was gonerued I may wel leue as â–ª I am lerned That loue hath that balauÌ„ce on honde Whiche wol no reson vnderstonde For loue is blynde may not see For thy may no certeynte Beset vpon his iugemente But as the whele aboute wente He yeueth his graces vndeserued And fro the maÌ„ which hath hym serued Ful ofte a wey he hath taken his fees As he that playeth at the dyes And therupon what shal byfalle He not tyll that the chauÌ„ce falle Where he shal lese or he shal wynne And thus ful ofte men begynne That yf they wysten what it ment They wolde chaunge al her jugement hIc quast in persona alioruÌ„ quos amor alligat fingens se Auctor esse amantes varias eorum passiones varijs huius libri distinctionibus per singula scribere proponit aNd for to preue it is so I am my self one of tho Whiche to the scole am vnderfonge For it is soth go not longe As for to speke of this mater I may yow telle yf ye wol here A wonder hap whiche me befelle That was to me both hard felle Touchend of loue his fortune The whiche me lyketh to comune And pleynly for to tellen oute To hem that louers be aboute Fro poynt to poynt I wol declare And wryten of my woful care My wofnl day my woful chaunce That men may take remembrauÌ„ce Of that they shal here after rede For in good feyth this wold I rede That euery man ensample take Of wysedome whiche is hym bytake That he wote of good appryse To teche it forth for suche empryse Is for to preyse therfor I Wyll wryte shewe al openly Hou loue I to gedre mette Wherof the world ensample fette May after this whan I am go Of thylke vnsely iolyf wo Where râ—ule stant out of the wey Now glad now gladnes awey And yet it may not be withstonde For ought that men may vnderstoÌ„de Non ego sampsonis vires non heâ—ulis arma â—inco sum sed vt hij victus amore pari â—t discant alij docet experiencia facti Rebus in ambiguis que sunt heÌ„nda via Deuius orde ducit teÌ„p tata pericula sequentem Instruit a ter go me simul ille cadat Me quibus er go venus casus laqucauit amantem Orbis in exemplum scribere cendo palâ— hIc declarat materiaÌ„ dicens qualiter Cupido ignito iaculo sui cordis memoriam graui vlcere perforauit qd Genius percipiens jpsum vt dicit quasi in mortis articulo spasmatum ad confitendum se Genio sacerdoti super amoris causa sic semiuiuum speciali ter commendauit vPon the poynt that is byfalle Of loue in whiche that j am falle I thynke telle my matere Now herkne who that wol it here Of my fortune how it hath ferde This endyrday as j forth ferde To walke as you telle maye And that was in the moneth of maye Whan euery â—ryd hath chose his make And theÌ„keth his myrthes for to make Of loue that he hath acheued But so was I nothynge releued For I was forther fro my loue Than erthe is from the heuene aboue And for to speke of ony spede So wyst I me none other rede But as it were a man for fare â—nto the wode I gan to fare Not for to synge with the byrdes For whan j was the wode amyddes I fonde a soote grene pleyne And I gan my wo there compleyne Wysshyng wepyng al myn one For other myrthes made I none So hard me was that ylke throwe That ofte sythes ouerthrowe To ground I was withoute breth And euer I wysshed after deth Whan I oute of my peyne awoke And cast vp many a pytous look Vnto the heuene sayd thus O thou cupyde O thou venus Thou god of loue thou goddesse Where is pyte where is mekenesse Now
That noman sawe hyr not that daye At goddes wylle thus she laye Vnknowe what her shal betyde And fel so that by nyghtes tyde This knyght withoute felauship Hath take a boote cam to ship And thought of hir his lust to take And swore yf she hym daunger make That certeynly she shold deye She sawe ther was none other weye And bad hym for her comforte That he loke fyrst oute at the porte That no man were nygh the stede Whiche myght knowe what they dede And that he maye do what he wolde He was ryght glad that she so tolde And to the port anon he ferde She prayeth god he her herde And sodenly he was out thro we And dreynt then bygan to blowe Wynde meuable fro the londe And thus the myghty goddes honde Hyr hath conueyed defended And when thre yere ben ful dispended Qualiter Nauicula CoÌ„stancie quo dam die per altum mare vagans inter copioâ—am nauium multitudinem dilapsa est quarum Arâ—ennius Romanorum Consul Dux â–ª Capitaneê° Ipsam ignotam suscipiens vsque ad Ro mam secum perduxit vbi equalem vx ori sue Elene permansuram reuerenter associauit Nec non et eiusdem filium Mauricium in omni habundanaa qua si propririum educauit hIr ship was dryue vpon a daye Where that a grete nauye laye Of shyppes al the world at ones And as god wold for the nones Hyr shyp goth in among hem alle And stynt not or it be byfalle And hath the vessel vnder gete Whiche mayster was of al the flete And there it resteth abode This grete ship on anker rode Tho lord come forth when he syghe That other lay on borde so nyghe He wondreth what it myght be And bad men to go in se This lady tho was â—rope on syde Aus she that wold her seluen hyde For she ne wyst what they were They sought aboute hyr fonde there And brought vp hyr child here And therupon this lord to spere Bygan fro whens that she cam And what she was quod she I am A woman wofully bestad I had a lord thus he had That I forth with my â—ytrâ— sone Vpon the wawes shold wone But why the cause wote I nought But whiche al thynges wrought Yet ay I thanke hym of his myght My child me so kepte vpryght That we be sauf both two This lord â—xr ' axeth euâ—â—mo How she byleued she seyth I â—â—ue trust in Crystes feyth Whiche dyed vpon the â—â—od â—â—e What is thy name tho quod he My name is Cust she hym sayde But ferthermore for nought he prayde Of her astate the trouthe pleyne She wold hym elles nothyng sâ—yne But of her name whiche she feyned Al other thynges she restreyned That a word more she ne told This lord than axeth yf she woldâ— With hym abyde in companye And sayd he cam fro Barbarye To Rome â—ard home he wâ—nte Tho she supposeth what it mente And sayth she wold with hym wende And duelle to her lyues ende Yf it so be to his plesaunce And thus vpon here acqueyntaunce He told hyr pleynly as it stood Of Rome how that the gentyl blode In Barbarye was bytrayed And therupon he hath assayed By werre take suche vengeaunce That none of thylk allyaunce By whome the treson was compassed Is from the swerd a lyue passed But of Constaunce how it was That couthe he knowe by noo â—â—s Where sâ—â— bycam as he seyde Hyr ere vnto his word she leyde But forther made she no cheâ—e And neâ—hâ—les in this manerâ— It happed that â—lke tyme so This lord with whome she wold go Of Rome was the Senatour And of her fadre the emperour His broder doughter hath to wyue Whiche hath hyr fadre eke on lyue And was Salustes cleped tho His wyf Eleyne hyght also To whome Constaunce was cosyne Thus to the seke a medycyne Hath god ordeyned of his grace That forthwith in the same place This Senatour his trouthe plyght For euer whyle he lyue myght To kepe hir in worship in wele Be so that god wol gyue hyr hele This lady whiche fortune hym senâ—â— And by ship thus forth saylende Her her child to Rome he brought And to his wyf thus he sought To take hyr in to companye And she whiche couthe of curtosye Al that a good wyf shold conne Was â—ly glad that she had wonne The felauship of so good one Tho twelue yeres were a gone This Emperours doughter Custe Forth with the dougâ—ter of Saluste Was kept but no man redyly Knewe what she was not for thy They thoughâ—â—â— wel she had be In hyr estate of hyghe degre And euery lyf hyr loueth wele Qualiter Rex Allce inita pace cum Sâ—otis a guerris rediens non inuenta vyore sua causa m exilij diligencius persâ—rutans cum matreâ— suam Domiâ— daâ— inde culpabilem sciusset â—psam in igue proiciens conburi fecit nOw herke thylk vnstable whele Whiche euer torneth wente aboute The kyng Alle whiche was oute As thou to fore hast herd the cas Dâ—ceyued thoruh his modre was But when that he come home ageyne He axeth of his Chamberlayne Aud of the bisshop eke also Where they the quene had do And they ansuerd there he bad And haue hym thylk letter rad Whiche he hem for warrant And tolde hym pleynly as it stant And seyn â—t thought heâ— grete pyte To see so worthy one as she With suche a child as there was boâ—e So sodenly to be forbore And axeth hem what child it were And they hym sayd that nowhere In al the world though men it sought Was neuer woman that forth brought A fayrer child then it was one And than he axeth hem anone Why they ne hadden wryten so They toâ—den so they had do He sayd nay they sayden yis The letter shewed â—ad it is Whiche they forsoken euery dele Tho was it vnderscond wele That there is treson in the thyng The messager to fore the kyng Was brought sodenly opposed As he whiche no thyng hath supposed But al wel bygan to saye That he nowhere vpon the waye Abode but only in a stede And cause why that he so dede Was as he went to fro At â—naresburgh by nyghtâ—s two The kynges moder dyde hym duâ—lle And when the kyng it herd telle Within his hert he wyst â—s fast The treson whiche his modre cast And thought he wold not abyde But forth ryght in the same tyde He took hisâ—hors rood anone With hym there ryde many one To knaresburgh forth they wente And â—yche the fyre which thoÌ„der hence In suche a rage as sâ—yth the book His moder sodenlyche took And sayd vnto her in this wyse O â—este of helle in what gyse Hast thou deserued for to deye That thou thus hast put aweye With treson of thy bakbytyng The trewest at my knowlechyng Of wyues the most honest But I
netheles thou shalt be lerned That wyl shold be gouerned Of reson more than of kynde Wherof a tale wryte I fynde hIc ponit CoÌ„sessoz ExeÌ„pluÌ„ ê™ oiÌ„s Impetuosa voluÌ„tas sit discrecionis moderamine gubernanda Et narrat quaâ—â—ter Dyogenes qui motus sui ammiracione subiugauerat Regem alexandrum sub isto facto sibi opponente plenins informauit a Phylosopher whylome men told That whylome by dayes old And Dyogenes than he hyght So old he was that he ne myght The worldes trauayll for the best He shope for to take his rest And duellyth at home in suche a wyse That nyhe his hous he lete deuyse Endelong vp an extre To set a Tonne in suche degre He it myght torne about Wherof an ende was taken out For therin sytte he shold And torne hym self as he wold And take the eyer see the heuene And deme of the planetes seuene As he whiche couthe moche what And thus ful ofte there he sat To muse in his philosophye Sool withoute companye So that vpon a morow tyde A thyng whiche shold so betyde When he was set where hym lyst To loke vpon the sonne vpryst Wherof the propyrtees he syghe It felle there cam rydynge nyghe Kyng Alysander with a route And as he cast his eye aboute He sawe this Tonne what it ment He wold wyte thyder sent A knyght by whome he myght know And he hym self that ylke throwe Abode houeth ther stylle This knyght after the kynges wylle With spore made his hors to gone And to the Tonne he cam anone Where that he fond a man of age And to hym told the message Suche as the kyng hym had bede And axeth within thylk stede The Tonne stood what it was And he whiche vnderstood the cas Sat stylle spak no word ageyne The knyght bad speke sayd vyleyne Thou shalt me telle or that I goo It is thy kyng which axeth soo My kyng quod he that were vnryght What is he than sayd the knyght Is he thy man that say I nought Quod he but as I am bythought My mannes man how that he is Thou lyest fals chorl Iwys The knyÈt hym said was ryÈt wroth And to the kyng ayene he goth And told hym how this man ansuerd The kyng when he this tale herd Bad that they shold alle abyde For he hym self wold thyder ryde And when he cam to fore the Tonne He hath this tale thus bygonne Al heyl he seyth what man art thou Quod he suche one as thou seest now The kynge whiche had wordes wyse His age wold not despyse But sayth fadre I the praye That thou wolt me the cause saye How that I am thy mans man Syre kyng quod he that I can Yf thou wylt yes seyth the kyng Quod he this is the soth thyng Syth I fyrst reason vnderstood And knewe that was euyll good The wyl whiche of my body moueth Who 's werkes that the god reproueth I haue restreyned euer more As hym that stant vnder the lore Of reson whos subiect he is So that he may not do amys And thus by weye of couenaunt Wyll is my man my seruaunt And euer hath be euer shal And wyl is thy pryncipal And the lordship of thy wyt So that thou couthest neuer yet Take a day rest of thy laboure But for to be a Conqueroure Of worldes good whiche may not last Thou hyghest euer a lyche fast Where thou no reason hast to wynne Thus thy wylle is cause of synne And is thy lord to whome thou seruest Wherof thou lytel thank deseruest The kyng of that he thus ansuerd Was no thyng wroth but when he herd The hyghe wordes whiche he sayde With gooodly wordes thus he prayde That he hym wold telle his name I am quod be thylk same Whiche men Dyogenes calle Tho was the kyng ryght glad with alle For he had herd ofte to fore What man he was so that therfore He sayde O wyse Dyogene Now shal thy grete wyt be sene For thou shalt of my yefte haue What worldes good that thou wolt craue Quod he than houe out of my sonne And lete it shyne in to my Tonne For thou bynemest me thylk yifte Which lyeth not in thy myÈt to shyfte None other good of the me nedeth The kyng whome euery couÌ„trey dredeth Lo thus he was enformed there Wherof my sone thou myght lere How that thy wylle shal not beleued Where it is of no wyt releued And thou hast sayd thy self or this How there thy wyl thy mayster is Thorugh whiche thyn hertes thought within Is euer of contak to begynne So that it is gretely to drede That it no homycyde brede For loue is of a wondre kynde And hath his wyttes ofte blynde That they fro mannes reason falle But whan that it is so byfalle That wylle shal the courage lede In loues cause it is to drede Wherof I fynde ensample wryte Whiche is behouely for to wyte Ic in amoris causa ponit Confes sor Exemplum contra illos qui in sua dampna nimis accelerantes ex impetuositate ipsos multocieÌ„s offenduÌ„t Et narrat qualiter Piramus cum ipse Tisbe amicam suam in loco inter eosdeÌ„ deputato tempore aduentus sui promptam non inuenit animo impetuoso se ip sum pre dolore extracto gladio mortaliter transfodit qui postea infra breue teÌ„pus veniens cum ipsum sic mortuum inuenisset eciam et illa in sui ipsiê° mortem impetuose festinans eiusdem gladio cuspide sui cordis intima per mediuÌ„ penetrauit I Rede a tale telle thys The Cyte whiche Semeramis Enclosed hath with walle aboute Of worthy folk with many a route Was inbabyted here there Among the whiche two ther were Abouen al other noble grete Duellyug tho within a strete So nyghe to gedre as it was sene There was no thyng hem bytwene But wow to wow walle to wal This one lord hath in specyal A sone a lusty bachyler In al the Towne was none his pyer That other bad a doughter eke In al the Towne that for to seke Men wysten none so fayre as she And felle so that it shold be This fayre doughter nye this sone As they to geder than wone Cupyde hath so the thynges shape That they ne myght the hand escape That his fyre on hem ne cast And so it felle at the last To folowe his lore sewe Whiche neuer man myghte eschewe And that was loue as it is shaped Whiche hath hyr hertes ouerthraped That they by alle weyes seche How that they myght wynne a speche Her woful peyne for to lysse Who loueth wel it maye not mysse And namely when ther be two Of one accord how so it goo But yf that they som weye fynde For loue is euer of suche a kynde And hath his folk so wel affayted That how so that it be awayted There may no man the purpoos let
after trouthe the second In polecye as it is founde Which serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whos preuylege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was first comune But afterward vpon fortune Was thylke comyn prouffyt cesed But Whan the peple stode encresed As the lygnages wexen grete Anone for synguler byÈâ—â—e Drewe euery man to his partye Wherof comyn the fyrst enuye With grete debate warees stronge And laste emoÌ„ge the men so longe Tyl no man wyst who was who Ne which was frende ne whiche foo Whyl atte laste in euery londe Within hem self the peple fonde That it was good to make a kynge Whiche myght appesen al this thynge And yeue ryght to the lignages In partyng of her heritages And eke of al the other good And thus aboue hem al stood The kyng vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustefye The worldes good for couetyse So syt it wel in al wyse A kyng betwene more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Toward hym self eke also Toward his peple yf not so That is to say yf that he be Toward his self large and free And of his peple take and pylle Largesse by no weye of skylle It may be said but auarice Which in a kyng is a grete vyce A kyng hehoueth eke to flee The vpce of prodegalyte That he mesure in expence So kepe that of indygence He may be saufe fro who that nedeth In al his werke the wers he spedeth Nota super hoc qued aristotilus ad Alexandrium exemplificauit de exactionibus Regis chaldeoruÌ„ aS aristotle vpon caldee Ensaumple of grete auctorite Vnto alisaunder taughte Of thylke folke that were vnsaughte Toward hir kyng for his pyllage Wherof he hade in his corage That he vnto thre poyntes entende Where that he wold his good dyspende Fyrst shold he loke how that it stood That al were of his owne good The yeftes whiche he wold yeue So myght he the better leue And eke he must taken hede Yf there be canse of ony nede Whiche oughte to be deffended Or that his goodes ben dyspended He mote eke as it is befalle Amonge other thynges alle Se the decertes of his men And after they ben of ken And of estate and meryte He shal hem largely acquyte Or for the werre or for the pease That none honoure falle in dyscreast Whiche myght torne in to deffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronycle a tale I fynde Whiche speketh som dele of this matere Here afterward as thou shalt here Hic secundum gesta Iulij exempluÌ„ ponit qualiter Rex suorum militum quos probos agnouerit indigenciam largitatis sue beneficijs releuare tenetur â–ª In rome to pursue his right There was a worthy poure knyght Whiche came allone for to seyne His cause when the courte was pleyne Where Iulyus was in presence And for hym lacketh of his dyspeÌ„ce There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his estate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nought of manhede He wist wel his purse was pouer But yet he thought his right receuer And o penly pouerte aleyed To the emperour thus he seyed O Iulyns lord of the lawe Behelde my counceyl is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyn offyce After the lawe of Iustyce Helpe that I had counceyl here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulyus with that anone Assygned hym a worthy one But he hym self no worde spáke This knyght was wroth fonde lake In the emperour said thus O thou vnkynde Iulyus Whan thou in thy batayle were Vpon aufrik I was there My might for the rescue I dyd And that no man in my stede Thou wotest woundes there I had But for I fynde the so bad That the ne list speke one worde Thyn owne mowthe or of thy horde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe How shold I than me be yelpe Fro this forth of my largesse Whan suche a grete vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lord as thou This Iulyus knewe wel y now That al was sothe which he hym tolde And for he wold not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good ynough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shold euery worthy kyng Take of his knyghtes knowlechyng Whan that he sawe they had nede For euery seruyce axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Thorugh vertu but of â—apes serued A kyng shal not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place Hic ponit exemplum de rege antigo no qualiter dona regia secundum mame et minus equa discrecione moderanda sunt iT sitteth wel euery kyng to haue Discressyon whan men hym craue So that he may his gyfte wyte Wherof I fynde a tale wryte How Ciuichus a power knyght A somme whiche was ouer myght Prayed of his kyng antygonus The kyng answerd to hym thus And said how suche a yefte passeth His power estate and than he lasseth And axeth but a lytel peny Yf that the kyng wold yeue hym ony The kyng answerd it is to smalle For hym that is a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytel thynge It were vnworshyp in a kyng By this ensaumple a kyng may lere That for to yeue is in manere For yf a kyng his tresour lasseth Without honoure thankelesse passeth Whan he hym self wyl so begyle I note who shal compleyne his whyle Ne who by right hym shal releue But nethelesse this I beleue Nota hic qd regis status a suis fidelibÈ omni fauore supportandus est The whiche with his owne londe Behoueth euery mannes honde To sette vpon necessyte And eke his kynges ryalte Mote euery lyege man comforte With good body to supporte Whan they see cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp right his kynges name Hym ought for to be to blame Nota hic secundum aristotelem qua liter principum prodigalitas pauperta tem induat coâ—nneâ—â— Of polecye euer more To speke in this matere more So as the phylosophre tolde A kyng after the rule is holde To modefye adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse Seneca sit alijs benefacito vt tibi non noâ—â—gs That the mesure not excede For yf a kyng shal in to nede It causeth ofte sendry thynges Which ben vngoodly to the kynges What man wyl not hym self mesure Men secth ful ofte that mesure Hym hath forsake so doth he That vseth prodygalite Which is the moder of pouerte Wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan that ylke vyce Aboue a kynge stante in offyce And hath with holde of his partye The cenetous flaterye Which many a worthy kyng deceyueth Or he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that can plese glose Ben as men tellen
tHis book is intituled confessio amantie that is to saye in englysshe the confessyon of the louer maad and compyled by Iohan Gower squyer borne in walys in the tyme of kyng richard the second which book treteth how he was confessyd to Genyus preest of venus vpon the causes of loue in his fyue wyttes and suum dedely synues as in thys sayd book al alonge appyereth and by cause there been comprysed therin dyuers hystories and fables towchyng euery matere I haue ordeyned a table here folowyng of al suche hystoryes and fables where and in what book and leef they stande in as here after foloweth Fyrst the prologue how Iohan goldeâ— in the xvj yere of kyng rychard the second beâ—â—n to make thys book and dyrected to haâ—â—â— of lancastre thenne erle of derby folio ij Of the state of the royames temporally the sayd yere folio iij Of the state of the clergye the tyme of robert gyllonensis namyng hym self elemente thenne antipope folio iij Of the estate of the comyn people folio v How he treteth of the ymage that nabugodonosor save in his sleep hauyng 〈…〉 d of 〈…〉 a breste of syluer a â—â—â—y of 〈…〉 legges of yron and â—eet 〈…〉 halfe erthe folio vj Of the 〈…〉 tacion of the dreme and how the world was fyrst of golde after alwey worse werse folio vj Thus endeth the prologue Here begynneth the book â— And fyrst the auctor nameth thys book confessio amantis that is to say the shryfte of the louer wheron alle thys book shal shelâ—e not onely the loue humayn but also of alle lyuyng beestys naturally folio ix How cupydo smote Iohan Gower with a fyry arowe and wounded hym so that venus commysed to hym genyus hyr preest for to here hys confessyon folio x How Genyus beyng sette the loueâ— knelyng tofore hym prayeth the sayd confessor to appose hym in his confessyon folio xj The confessyon of the amant of two of the pryncipalâ—st of his fyue â—oyttes folio xi How atheon for lokyng vpon Deane was turned in to an herte folio xj Of phorâ—eus and hys thre doughters whiche had but one eye how phorâ—eus slelâ—e them folio xij How the serpente that bereth the charbuneâ—e stoppeth his one ere wyth hys tayle and that other wyth the erthe whan he is â—nchaunted folio xij How vlyxes esâ—â—ped fro the marmaâ—dens by stoppyng of hys eerys folio xij How foloweth that there ben vij dedely synnes of whome the fyrste is pryde hauyng dyuerse spices and the fyrst is ypocresye â—â—hos properte the confessor declareth to the amant folio xiij Here treateth the confessor with the amant how somme there be that deceyue fraudulently by ypocresye â—fâ—e Innocente wymmen fâ—â—â—o xiiij How a knyght of Rome named mun â—us by fayned ypocresye defowled one â—aulyne the most chaste wyf of rome by the mene of two false preestys folio xiiij How by â—â—e colour of sacrefyse the gre â—â—s â—an â—râ—ye in offryng of an hors of â—ms by whiche the cyte was destâ—â—yedâ— and tâ—ynâ—â— by tantes sleyâ—e â—â—â—e vnder fayned ypocresye â—o xvj Here â—e telleth of the second spyce of pryde named Inobedyence declareth the nature of this vyce folio xvij â—â— two vyces longyng to Inobedyence whiche serue to hym as secrete mynysâ—â—â— and they ben murmur and com 〈◊〉 folio xviij â—◠〈◊〉 neuewe to the Empereu◠〈◊〉 â—â—â— obedyence deformed the kynges 〈◊〉 of Secyle whyche 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 â—ad been transformed 〈◊〉 xviij Here â—e speketh of the thyrd spyce of 〈◊〉 whiche is surquedrye and declareth it to the amant folio xxj Of the kâ—â—ygâ—â— Campaneus whyche was for his surquedrye â—â—ente by fyre â—â—mâ—ng fro heuen at the syege of thefes folio xxj Here he telleth an ensaunmple of a kyng of hungarye whiche humbled hym to â—oure men wherof his â—â—â—der rebuked hym and how the kynge by hys merueylous wysdom chastysed hys â—â—â—der folio xxij How narasus after his huntyng had grete thyrste and dranke of a welle wherin he sawe his owne face on whiche he enamoâ—red wenyng it had ben a nymphe and how for his beaute â—e deyed folio xxiij Here he speketh of the fourth spyce of pryde named auantance and sheweth the nature of thys vyce folio xxiiij How albyne kynge of the lombardes after he had sleyne gurmonde a kyng he maad a cuppe of the seulle of hys heed and toke Rosemunde hys doughter in mariage and after he maad hyr for to drynke of the cuppe maad of hyr faders sâ—ulle wherfore he was afterward sleyne folio xxiiij Here the coÌ„fessor speketh of the fifthe spyce of pryde whyche is called vayne glorye and sheweth the nature of the vyce in the cause of loue to the amant folio xxvj How Nabugodonosor beyng in hys moste glorye god châ—sâ—yâ—â—d his pride and transformed hym in to a beeâ—â— â—â—yng heye and soo abode seuen yere or he was restored to hys helthe and royame folio xâ—â—â—â— How a prudent kyngâ— demaunded thre questyons of one of hys knyghtes vpon hys heed whiche were assoyled by hys doughter and for her wysdom the kyng wedded hyr folio xxviij Here endeth the fyrst book And here foloweth the second book Here the confessor â—eâ—â—th of the synne of enuye and of his spytes of whiche the fyrste is sorowe of another maÌ„nes we le folio xxxj How polyphemus for enuye that he sawe Aâ—â— spekynge wyth galathe threwe and caste on acis a grete roche and slewe hym and whan he wold haue rauysshed Galathe Neptunus kepte hyr fro polyphem folio xxxj Of the second spyce of enuye whyche is ioye of other mennes sorowe and telleth of the nature of the vice in cause of loue folio xxxij How Iupiter sente his aungel to two enuyous men one couetous and that other enuyous folio xxxij Of the thyrd spyce of enuye named detraccion folio xxxij How constaunce the doughter of the emperour was sente to the sowdan of surrye and of her meruaylous aduentures folio xxxiij Of the enuye and detraccion betwene perseus and Demetryus sones of phelyp kyng of maâ—edone and how that one caused that other to be slayne folio xl Here treteth the confessor of the fourth spyce of enuye whyche is callyd dyâ— symylacyon and telleth his nature folio xlj How hercules wyth deyanyra was deceyued of nessus at a ryuer in beryng aweye Deyanyra and of the sherte by whiche herculâ—â—â— after had his deth folio xliij Here he treteth of the fyfthe spyce of 〈◊〉 called supplantacion and telleth of his nature folio xliiij Of geta and amphytrion folio xlv How an emperours sone of rome was suppâ—◠〈◊〉 by his felowe of the sow dan◠〈◊〉 by tellyng to hym hys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xlv How 〈◊〉 â—â—pe boneface supplanted 〈◊〉 celestyn his predecessour wherfor afterward he was in grete myserye of hunger and thurste 〈◊〉 folio xlvij How Ioab capeteyn of the hoost of dauyd slewe abner and Achytofel for enuye that he had that câ—usy was preferred henge hym self folio xlix How the confessor wryteth the naturâ—
treteth on the spyce of glotonye callid dellicacye folio C xlj Here he telleth the ensaumple of dyues lazare which is expressid in the gospel of luke folio C xlij Of the delycacye of new folio C xlij How the Impressyons ymagyned in the mynde gladeth maketh the hertes of louers delicate folio C xliij Here he treteth how detycacye dronkenesse bryngen a man to the promocion of carnal concupyscence and causen magyke folio C xliiij The names of the aucâ—â—nrs of the bookes of natural superstycyons magyke nygromanâ—ye folio C xliiij How vâ—xes a grete magicyen comyng fro troye arâ—yued in the ysle of Cylly where the grete wytche circes was on whom he gate a sâ—ne which afterward slewe his fader folio C xliiij How neetâ—nalus descâ—â—ued olympyas by his crafte and gate on hyr AlysauÌ„der the grete conquerâ—ur fo C xlvij How Zorasâ—â—s the fyâ—ste magycyâ—n laughed at his byrth whâ—m the kyng of syrye slâ—we folio C l Thus endeth the syxthe book And here begynneth the seuenth book In thys vij book thauctor entendeth to telle the doctryne of arystotle which he taughte to Alysaunder touchyngâ— astrologye and phylâ—sofye deuydeth it in to thrâ— partyes that is thâ—orik rethoryke practyke folio C lj Here he telleth first of theoryke which is endewed with thre scyences that is theologye ffysyke and methama â— tyke folio C lj Of threfold essence folio C lj The second parte of theorike callyd 〈◊〉 physyke folio Clj The thyrd parte of theoryk callyd mathematyke folio C lj Of musike folio lij Of geometrye folio C lij Of the creacion of the foure elementis and of theyr natures and propyrtees folio C lij Of the erthe that is the fyrst elemente folio C lij Of the water whiche is the second elemente folio C lij Of the aâ—â—r the iij element folio C lij Of the peryferyes of the ayeâ— fo C lij Of the fyres fleyng in the ayer by nyght of their names folio C liij Of the fyre whiche is the fourth elemente folio C liij How after the nature of the four elementes ben four complexyons in man nes body whiche ben malencolye fflewme blood colere folio C liij How the foure complexyons haue iiij mancyons in mannes body fo C liâ—ij Wherfore the stomake serueth fo C liiij Here he speketh of the dyuysyon of the erthe whiche was departed after the flood to the thre sones of noe that is asye affryke europe folio C liiij How the see is called the occeane folio C lv Here he speketh of the fourth spyce of mathematyke whyche is called astronomye and his felowe is astroâ—â—â—â—ye and of the seuen planetâ—s folio C liiij Here he speketh of the mone the netherest planete folio C lv The ij is mercurye folio C lvj The thyrd planete is called Venus folio C lvj The fourth planete is the sonne of his cours his apparayl folio C lvj The â—yfthe planeâ—e is mars fo C lvj The syxthe planete is Iupyter foâ—o C lvij The vij planete is Saturnus fo C lvij Of the twelue sygnes and effectys in twelue monethes folio C lviij Of the doctryne of nectanabus that he taughte to alysaundre of xv pryncypal sterres wyth theyr stones herbes conuenyent to the natural operacion in arte magyke folio C lx Of thauctours of astronomyâ— and the bookes therof made folio C lxâ— Here the confessor speketh of the second parte of phylosophye which is rethoryke and maketh men facounde and of his two spyces that is gramer and logyâ—ue by whos doctryne the rethour preferreth his wordes folio C lxij Of the eloquence of Iulyus Cezar in the cause of catelyne ageynst cyllene other folio C lxij Here hâ— treteth of the thyrd parte of phylosophyâ— whiche is called practyke And hath thre spyces that is ethyca yconomya polycya folio C lxiij How after polecâ—â— he treteth of fyue artycules byâ—ongyng to the rule of a kyng and the fyrst is trouthe folio C lxiij How daryus demaunded his cubyculers who was strengest the kyng the wyne or the woman folio C lxiiij Of thâ— strengthe of loue whiche was bytwene cirus kyng of perse apemen doughter of besazys folio C lxiiij Of the trouthe of alceste wyf of amete which chaas to deyâ— to haue hyr husbond to lyue folio C lxiiij Here he treteth of the second polecye of the magestee of a kyng whyche is called largesse folio C lxv How arystotle made exaumple to alysaundre by the exaccions of the kyng of chaldees folio C lxvj How Iulyus cesar releued suche knyghtes as were noble and valyaunt folio C lxvj How a kyng shold reward and gyue by dyscrescion folio C lxvj Hâ—w the state of a kyng ought to be supportâ—d of his treâ—â—e lyeges folio C lxvi How prodegalite of a kyng bryngeth in comyn pouerte folio C lxvi How flaterers in pâ—ynces courtes offende thre manere wyse folio C lxvii How arisippus repreuyd dyogynes by cause he wold not dwelle in courte and how dyogynes answerd hym folio C lxvii Here he puâ—â—eth an ensaâ—imple ayenst flaterers and telleth what is said to suche as take theyr tryumphe in rome folio C lxviii How whan an emperour is jnâ—renony sed in his estate a masen shal demaunde hym of what stone he wyl haue his temâ—e made folio C lxviii Of somme that make them self wyse ben feuÌ„de in th ende foles folio C lxix How kyng achab resused trewe prophetes and byleued slaterers folio C lxix Here he treteth of the thyrd polecye of a kynge whiche is called justyce which â—â—ndreth euery man that he ought to haue folio C lxx An emperours mageste ought not to be deffended eneâ—y â—y armes but also â—y â—usâ—yce folio C lxx How maxymyn â–ª the â—mpereur wold knowe the fame of a man or he wold sâ—tte hym in â—ny offyce folio C lxxi How gayus fabryaus refused yeftes â—nd wold not be corupte for golde folio C lxxi How carmyde tayre for kepyng of his sâ—atute sleâ—â—e hym self folio C lxxi How cambyses dyd doo flee a false juge and made his sone to fytte on his faders skyn to auyse hym how he juged folio C lxxii Of the names that first made lawes folio C lxxii Here treteth the confessor of the fourth polecye of a kynge whiche is named pyte folio C lxxiii How kyng alysaunder juged a knyght to deth he appeled his sentence fro hys yre to hys pyte folio C lxxiii How a jewe and a saresyn mette how the jewe deceyued the paynym wherfore a lyon slewe hym folio C lxxiiij How codâ—â—s kynge of athenes chaas to be sleyne hym self in the batayle for to saue his peple folio C lxxv How pompeyus after he had taken the kyng of armenye in batayle â—â—te hym goo quyte sayeng it is more noble to make a kyng thenne to depose a kyng folio C lxxv How leoncyus â—ut of the nose lippes of justynyan and how it was after auengyd folio C lxxv How one berillus maad a bulle of bras for
Prede que largitor pax in orbe timor d Estatu cleri vt dicunt secundum spiritualia videlicet tempore Ro â—â—th Gilbonensis qui nomen clemeÌ„tis â—â—â—â—tus est sibi tunc Antipape O thynk vpon the dayes old The lyf of clerkys to be hold Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample 〈◊〉 wle of al tho Which of wysedom the vertue souÈten Vnto the god fyrst they bysoughten As to the substaunce of here scole That they ne shold not be fole Her witte vpon none erthly werkes Which were ayene the astate of clerkis And that they myghten flee the vyce Whiche Symon hath in his offyce Wrerof he takyth gold in honde For thyke tyme I vnderstoÌ„de The lumbard made none exchaunge The bisshopryches for to chauÌ„ge Ne yet a letter for to send For dignyte ne for prouende Or curyd or without cure The chirche kay in aduenture Of armes of brigantaylle Stode no thyng thenne vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste Yet thought hem then not honeste But of symplycyte and pacyence They maden thenne no defence The court of worldly regaille To hem was thenne no bataylle The veyne honour is nought desyryd Whiche hath the proud herte fyred The humylyte was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy chirche the largesse Yafe thenne dyde grete almesse The poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word dede Wherof the peple ensample toke Her lust was al vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wyse men the ryght waye Of suche as stoode the trouth vnlered Lo thus is petrus barge stered Of hem that ylke tyme were And thus cam fyrste to mannys ere The feyth of cryst al good Thurgh hem that then ware good And sobre chast large wyse And now men seyn is other wyse Symon the cause hath vnder take The worldes swerd in hond is take And that is wonder netheles Whan crist hym self hath bode pees And set it in his testament How now that holy chirche is went Of that her lawe posyzyf Hath set to make werre stryf For wordly goodes which may not laste God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght wronge also But whyle the lawe is rewlyd so That clerkes to the werre intende I not how that they shal amend The woful world in other thynges To make pees bytwene kynges After the lawe of charyte Whiche is the propre dewte Belonged vnto the preesthode But as it thynketh to make manhode â–ª The heuen is for the world is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke to sleygh Whiche couetyse hath now withhold That they none other thynge behold But only that they myghten wynne And thus the werres they begynne Wherof the holy chirche is taxed That in the poynt as it is axed The dysme goth to the bataylle As though crist myght not auayle To do hem ryght by other waye In to the swerd the chirche kaye Is torned and the holy bede In to cursyng and euery stede Whiche shold stonde vpon the feyth And to this cause an ere leyth Astonyd is of the quarell That shold be the worldes heele Is now men sayn the pestyle nce Whiche hath expellyd pacyence Fro the clerge in specyal And that is shewyd oueral In euery thyng whan they be greuyd But yf gregory be beleuyd As it is in the bokes wryte He doth vs somdele to wete The cause of thylke Prelacye Where god is nought of companye For euery werke as it is foundyd Shal stonde or els be confoundid Who that only for cristes sake Desyreth care for to take And nought for pryde of thylk astate To bere a name of a prelate He shal by reson do proufyte In holy chirche vpon the plyte That he hath set his coÌ„scyence But in the worldes reuerence Ther be of suche many gladde Whan they to sylke astate be made Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wold hem self discharge Of pouerte become grete And for pompe for beyete The scryâ—e eke the pharysee Of moyses vpon the see In the chayre on hygh ben sette Wherof the feyth is ofte lette Whiche is bytake hem to kepe In crystes â–ª cause al day they slepe But of the world is nought foryete For wele is hym that now maye gete Offyce in court to be honouryd The strong Coffre hath al deuouryd Vnder the kaye of auaryce The tresour of the benefyce Wherof the poure shulne clothe And â–ª ete drynke house bothe The charyte goth al vnknowe For they no greyne of pyte knowe And slouthe kepyth the lybrarye Whiche longeth to the sayntuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffisith noâ—ght without more Delycacye his swete tothe Hath it suffryd so that it fordoth Of abstynence al that ther is And for to loken ouer this If ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to the mannes eye At Auynyon they peryence Therof hath youen an euydence Of that men seyn hem so deuyded And yet the cause is nought decyded But it is sayd euer shal Bytwene twoo stoles lyth the fall Whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy chirche of suche a flytte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote wel byfalle Towardes hym whiche hath the trouth But ofte is seen that mochel slouth Whan men ben drynke of the cuppe Doth moche harme whaÌ„ the fire is vppe But yf somwho the flamme stauÌ„che And so to speke vpon this brauÌ„che Which proud enuye hath made to spring Of scysme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an heresye Among the clerkes in hem selue It were better dyke delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe al that the byble sayth And erre as som clerkes do Vpon an hond to were a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men bebelden the vertuse That crist in erthe taught hyere They sholde not in suche maner Among hem that be hold wyse The papacye so desguyse Vpon dyuers electyon Whiche stant after thaffection Of sendry londes al aboute But whan god wol it shal weve oute Fâ—â— trouthe mote stande atte last But yet they argumenten fast Vpon the pope his astate Wherof they fallen in grete debate This clâ—rk sayd ye that other nay And thys â—â—ey dryue forth the daye And eche of hem hym self amendeth â—â— worldes good but none entendeth To if at whiche comyn proufyte were They seyen that god is myghty there And shal ordeyne what he wylle Ther make they none other skylle Where is the peryll of the feyth But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his world in specyal And of the cause general Whiche vnto holy chirche longeth Is none of hem that vnderfongeth To shapen ony resystence And thus the ryght hath noo defence But ther I loue ther I hold â—o thus to broke is Cristes fold Wherof the
doth me playnly lyue or dye For certes suche a maladye As I now haue long haue had It myght make a wyse man mad If that it shold long endure O venus quene of loues cure Thou lyf thou lust thou mannes hele Behold my cause my quarelle And yeue me sompart of thy grace So that I may fynde in this place If thou be gracious or none And with that word I saw anone The kyng of loue the quene both But he that kyng with eyen wroth His chere aweyward fro me cast And forth he passed at the last But netheles or he forth went A fyry dart me thought he sent And threwe it thorugh myn hert rote In hym fonde I none other bote For benger hym lyst noâ— to duelle But she whiche is the source welle Of wele wo that shal betyde To hem that louen at that tyde Abode for to allen here She cast on me uoo goodly chere Thus netheles to me she sayde What art thou sone I abrayde Ryght as a man doth oute of slepe And therof she took ryght good kepe And bad meâ—nothyng be adrad But for al that I was nothyng glad For I ne sawe no cause why And efte she axed what was I I sayde a Caytyf that lyeth here What wolde ye my lady dere Shal I be hool or elles deye She sayd telle thy maladye What is thy soore of whiche thou pley nest Ne hyde it nouÈt for yf thou feynest I can do the no medycyne Madame I am a man of thyne That in thy court haue long serued And aske that I haue deserued Som we le after my long wo And she bygan to loure thoo And sayd ther be many of yow Faytours so may be that thou Art ryght suche one by feyntyse Seyst that thou hast me do seruyse And netheles she wyst wele My word stode on an other whele Withoute ony feyterye But algate of my maladye She bud me telle say her trouthe Madame yf ye wold haue routhe Quod I thenne wold I telle yow Sey forth quod she telle me hou She we me thy sekenes euery dele Madame that I can do we le Be so my lyf therto wol last With that her loke on me she cast And she sayd in aunter yf thou lyue My wylle is fyrst that thou be shryue And netheles how that it is I wote my self but for al this Vnto my preest whiche cometh anone I wol thou telle it one one Bothe of thy thought al thy werk O Genius myn owne clerk Come forth here this mannes shryft Quod venus tho I vplyft My hede with that gan beholde The self preest whiche as she wolde Was redy there set hym doune To here my confessyon Confessus Genio si sit medicina salutis Experiar morbis quos tulit ipsa venus Lesa quidem ferro medicantur membra saluti Raro tamen medicum vulnus amoris habet Ic dicit qualiter Genio pro confessione sedenti prouolutus amaÌ„s ad confitendum se flexis genibus incuruatur supplicans tamen vt ad sui seÌ„sus informacioneÌ„ confessor ille in diceÌ„ dis opponere sibi benignê° dignaretur tHis worthy preest this holy maÌ„ To me spekend thus began And seyde Benedicite My sone of the felycyte Of loue eke of wo also Thou shalt be shryue of bothe two What thou or this for loues sake Hast felt lete nothyng be forsake Telle pleynlyche as it is byfalle Aud with that word I gan doun falle On knees with deuocyon And with ful grete contrycyon I sayd than Domiuus Myn holy fadre Genius So as thou hast experyence Of loue for whos reuerence Thou shalt me shryne at this tyme I pray the lete me not mystyme My shryfte for I am dystourbed In al myn hert so conturbed That I ne may my wyttes gete So shal I moche thyng foryete But yf thou wolt my synne oppose Fro poynt to poynt than I suppose Ther shal no thyng be left behynde But now my wyttes be so blynde That I ne can my self teche Tho he bygan anone to preche And with his wordes debonayre He sayd to me softe fayre In this place I am set here Thy shryfte to oppose here By venus the Goddesse aboue Touchend whos preest I am of loue Sermo Genij sacerdotis super confessione ad amantem bVt netheles for certayne skylle I mote algate nedes wylle Nought only make my spekynges Of loue but of other thynges That touchen to the cause of vyce For that bylongeth to thoffyce Of prestes whos ordre that I bere So that I wol nothyng forbere That eche vyces one one Me shal the shewe euerychone Wherof thou myght take euydence To rewle with thy conscyence But of conclusyon fynal Conclude I wold in specyal For loue whos seruaunt I am And why the cause is that I cam So thynke I to do bothe two Fyrste that myn ordre longeth to The vyces for to telle on rewe But next abouen al other shewe Of loue I wol the propyrtees How that they stond by degrees After the disposicyon Of veuus whos condycyon I must folowe as I am hold For I with loue am al withholde So that the lesse I am to wyte Though I ne conne but a lyte Of other thynges that be wyse I am not taught in suche a wyse For it is nought my comyn vse To speke of vyces of vertuse But al of loue his lore For Venus bookes of nomore Me techen nether text ne glose But for as moche as I suppose It syt a preest to be wel the wyd Aud shame it is yf he be lewed Of my presthode after the forme I wol thy shryfte so enforme That at the last thou shalt here The vyces to thy matere Of loue I shal hem so remeue That thou shalt knowe what they meue For what a man shal axe or seyne Touchend of shryft it mote be pleyne It nedeth nought to make it queynt For trouth his wordes wol not peinte That I wol axe of the for thy My sone it shal be so pleynly That thou shalt knowe vnderstonde The poyntes of shryfte how they stoÌ„de Visê° et auditê° fragiles suÌ„t ostia meÌ„tis Que viciosa manê° claudere nulla pt Est ibi largo via graditur qua cordis ad antrum Hostis ingrediens fossa talenta rapit Hec michi confessor Genius pamordia profert Dum sit in extremis vita remorsa malis Nunc tnÌ„ vt potent feminina loquela fateri Ver ba per os timide conscia mentis agam hIc confessio amantis cui de duobns precipue quinque sensâ—bê° hoc est de visu auditu confessor pre ceteris opponit bYytwene lyf deth I herde This prestes tale er I aÌ„suerd And than I prayd hym for to say His wyl I it wold obeye After the forme of his appryse Tho spak he to me in
ended Al redy was the bord cloth The kyng vnto his souper goth Among the lordes to the halle And when they had souped alle They when leue forth they go The kyng bythought hym seluen tho Hou he his broder may chastye That he thought his surquedrye Took vpon hond to dispreyse Humylyte whiche is to preyse And therupon yaf suche counseylle Toward his kyng that was vnheyle Wherof to be the better lered Hym thynketh to make hym afered It felle so that in thylke dawe Ther was ordeyned by the lawe A Trompe with a sterne breth Whiche was cleped the Trompe of deth And in the Court where the kyng was A certeyne man a Trompe of bras Hath in kepyng therof serueth That whan a lord his deth deserueth He shall this dredefull Trompe blowe To fore his gate make it knowe How that the jugement is yeue Of deth whiche shal not be foryeue The kyng when it was nyght anone This man assent bad hym gone To trompen at his broders gate And he whiche mote done algate Goth forth doth the kynges heste This lord whiche herd this tempeste That he to fore his gate blewe Tho wyst he by the lawe knewe That he was sekerlyche dede And as of helpe he wyst no rede But sende for his frendes alle And told hem how it is byfalle And they hym axe cause why But he the soth not for thy Ne wyst ther was sow we tho For it stode thylk tyme so This Trompe was of suche sentence That ther ayene no resystence They coude ordeyne by no weye That he ne mote algate deye But yf so be he may purchace To gete his lyege lordes grace Here wyttes therupon cast And len appoynted at last This lord a worthy lady had Vnto his wyf whiche also drad Her lordes deth childre fyue Bytwene hem two they had on lyne That weren yong tendre of age And of stature of vysage Ryght fayr lusty to see Tho casten they that he she Forth with her childre on the morowe As they that were full of sorowe Al naked but of smok shyrte To tendre with the kynges herte His grace shold go to seche And pardon of deth biseche Thus passen they that wofull nyght And erly when it was lyght They gone hem forth in suche a wyse As thou to fore hast herd deuyse All naked but hyr shyrtes one They wepte made mochel mone Hyr here hanged aboute hyr ere 's With sobbyng with sory terys This lord goth then an humble pas That whylome proud noble was Wherof the Cyte sore a flyght Of hem that sawen that ylke syght And netheles al openly With suche wepyng suche cry Forth with his children his wyf He goth to pray for his lyf Vnto the court whan thry be come And men therin hath hyed nome There was no wyght yf he hem syghe From water myght kepe his eye For sow we they maden tho The kyng supposyth of this wo And feyneth as he nought ne wyst But netheles at his vpryst Men told hym how it ferde And whan that he this wonder herde In hast he goth in to the halle And al attones doune they falle If ony pyte may be founde The kyng which seth hem fell to grouÌ„de Hath axed hem what is the fere Why be ye so dispoylled there His broder sayd A lord mercy I wote none other cause why But only that this nyght ful late The Trompe of deth was at my gate In tokene that I shold dye Thus we be come for to preye That ye my worldes deth respyte Ha foole thou thou art for to wyte The kyng vnto his broder seyde That thou art of so lytel freyd That only for a Trompes soune Hath gone dispoilled thorugh the toune Thou thy wyf in suche manere Forth with thy children that ben here In syght of all men aboute For that thou sayst thou art in doute Of deth whiche stant vnder the lawe Of man man may it withdrawe So that it may per chaunce faylle Now shalt thou not for thy meruaylle That I doune from my chare alyght When I behelde to fore my syght In hem that were of so grete age Myn owne deth thorugh her ymage Which god hath set by lawe of kynde Wherof I may no bote fynde For well I wote suche as they be Ryght suche am I in my degre Of flesshe blood so shal deye And thus though I that lawe obeye Of whiche that kynges be put vnder It ought be wel the lesse wonder Then thou whiche art withoute nede For lawe of lond in suche a drede Whiche for to accompt is but a iape As thyng which thou myÈt ouerscape For thy my broder after this I rede that sethyn that so is That thou canst drede a man so sore Drede god with al thyne hert more For al shal dye al shal passe As wel a lyon as an asse As wel a begger as a lord Toward deth in one acord That shal stonde in this wyse The kyng with his wordes wyse His broder taught al foryeue Confessor For thy my sone yf thou lyue In vertu thou must vyce eschewe And with lowe hert huÌ„blesse sewe So that thou be not Surquedous Amans My fadre I am amerous Wherof I wold you beseche That ye me ensample teche Whiche myÈt in loues cause stonde Confessor My sene thou shalt vnderstonde In loue other thynges alle If that Surquedrye falle It may to hym not wel be tyde Whiche vseth thylk vyce pryde Whiche torneth wysedome to wenyng And sothfastnesse in to lesyng Though foule ymagynacyon And for thyn enformacyon That thou thre vyce as I the rede Esche we shalt a tale I rede Whiche felle whilome by dayes olde So that the clerk Ouyde tolde hIc in specyaali tractat Confessor aâ— in Amante contra illos qui de propri a formositate presumeÌ„te amorem Mu hens dedignantur Et narrat Exemplum qualiter cuiusdam principis filiê° Nomine Narcizus estiuo tempore cum ipse venacionis causa quendam ceruuÌ„ selue cuÌ„ suis canibus exagitaret in gra uem sitim incurrens necessitate coÌ„pulsus ad bibendum de quodam fonte pro mis incâ—nauit vbi Ipse faciem suam pulchirrimam in aqua percipieÌ„s putabat se per hoc illam Nimpham quam Poete Ekko woont in flumine coram suis oculis conspeyisse de cuius amore confestim laqucatus vt Ipse ad se de fente extra haberet pluriâ—ê° blandicijs adâ—sabatur sed cum illud nullatenus perfiâ—ere poit pre nimio languore deficiens coÌ„tra lapides ibidem adiacentre caput exuerferans cerebruÌ„ effudit â— He was whilom a lords soÌ„ne Which of his pride a vice woÌ„ne Hath caught that worthy to his lyche To sechen al the worldes riche 〈◊〉 was no woman for to loue So â—â—ghe he set hym self aboue Of stature of beaute bothe That hym thought
fayre of stature Lyche to an heuenlyche fygure And of maner of goodly speche Though men wold al londes seche They shold not haue founden her lyke She sawe hir fadre sorowe syke And wyst not the cause why So cam she to hym pryuely And that was where he made his mone Within a gardyn al hym one Vpon hyr knees she gan doune falle With humble hert to hym calle And sayd O good fadre dere Why make ye thus heuy chere And I wote nothyng how it is And wel ye knowe fadre this What auenture that yow felle Ye myght it saufly to me telle For I haue ofte herd you sayd That ye suche trust haue on me layd That to my suster ne to my brother In al this world ne to none other Ye durst haue told a pryuete So wel my fadre as to me For thy my fadre I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert awaye For I am she that wold kepe Your honour with that wepe Hyr eye may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her fadre so mystryst To tellen hyr of that he wyst And euer among mercy she cryede That he ne shold his counseylle hyde From hyr that so wold hym good And was so nyghe flesshe blood So that wepyng at the laste His chere vpon his child he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He told his tale thus he sayde The sorowe doughter whiche I make Is not al only for my sake But for the both for you alle For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shal or this thyrd day Lese al that euer I lese may My lyf al my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so What is the cause alas quod she My fadre that ye sholden be Deed destroyed in suche a wyse And he bygan the poyntes deuyse Whiche as the kyng told hym by mouth And sayd hyr pleynly that he couth Ansuere to no poynt of this And she that hereth how it is Hyr counseyl yafe sayd tho My fadre syn it is so That ye can none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wold pray of you a thyng Late me go with yow to the kyng And ye shal make hym vnderstonde Hou ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue leyd ansuere vpon me And telle hym in suche degre Vpon my word ye wol abyde Tho to lyue or deye what so betyde For yet per chaunce I maye purchace With som good word the kynges grace Your lyf eke your good to saue For ofte shal a woman haue Thyng which that a man may not areche The fadre herd the doughters speche And thought ther was reson ynne And sawe his owne lyf to wynne He reuthe done hym self no cure So better hym thought in auenture To put hym al his good Than in the maner as it stood His lyf in certeyne for to lese And thus thynkend he bygan to chese To do the counseyll of this mayde And eke the purpoos whiche she saide The day was come forth they gone Vnto the Court they come anone Where as the kyng in his Iugement Was set hath this knyght asent Arrayed in the best wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Hyr fadre led by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kyng with other whiche he wolde And to the kyng knelend he tolde As he enformed was to fore And prayth the kyng that he therfore His daughters wordes wol take And sayth that he wol vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stonde Tho was ther grete meritayl on honde That he whiche was soo wyse a knyÈt His lyf vpon so yong a wyght Be set wold in Ieopardye And many it helde for folye But at the last neuertheles The kyng commaunded to be in pees And to this mayde he cast his chere And seyd he wold hyr tale here And bad hyr speke she bygan My lyege lord so as I can Quod she the poyntes whiche I herde They shal of reson be ansuerde The first I vnderstond is this What thyng of al the world it is Whiche men moost helpe lest nede My lyege lord this wold I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo With mannys labour is vego As wel in wynter as in maye The mannes honde what he maye To helpe it forth make it ryche And for thy men it delue dyche And eren it with strengthe of plough Where it hath of hym self ynough So his nede is at the lest For euery man byrd best And flour gras rote rynde And euery thyng by wey af kynde Shal sterue erthe it shal bycome As it was oute of the erthe nome It shal to erthe torne ageyne And thus I may by reson seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lord touchand of this I haue ansuerd how it is That other poynt I vnderstood Whiche most is worth most is good And costeth a man lest to kepe My lord yf ye wol take kepe I say it is Humylyte Thorugh whiche the hyghe Trynyte As for deserte of trewe loue Vnto Mary from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sone a doune he sent Aboue al other hyr he chese For that vertu whiche that bedeth pees So that I maye by reson calle Humylyte is most worthyest of alle And lest it costeth to mayntene In al the word as it is sene For who that hath humblesse vn hende He bryngeth no werâ—e in to londe For he desyreth for the best To set euery man in rest Thus with youre hyghe reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffysaunt And touchend of the remenaunt Whiche is the thyrd of your askynges What lest is worth of al thynges And â—osteth most I telle it pryde Whiche may not in the heuene abyde For Luafer with hym it felle Bar Pryde with hym in to helle Ther was pryde of to grete a cost Whan he for pryde hath heuen lost And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde he lost his pryce In myddel erthe eke also Pryde is the cause of al We That al the world it may suffyse So stant of pryde the repryse Pryde is the heed of al synne Whiche wasteth all may not wynne Pryde is of euery mys the pryk Pryde is the worst of al wyck And costeth most lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayd that I wol sey Of myn ansuere to yow prey Myn lyege lord of your offyce That ye shal grace suche Iustyce Ordeyne for my fadre here That after this men it here The world therof may say good The kyng whiche reson vnderstood And hath al herd whiche she hath said Was inly glad so wel payd That al his wrath is ouer go And he bygan to loke tho Vpon this mayde in the face In whiche he founde so mochel
the scottes for to fonde The werre whiche he toke on honde Qualiter Regina Constancia infaÌ„tem masculum queÌ„ in baptismo Mau ricium â—ocant Rege absente enixa est Sed inuida mater Regis Domilda super isto facto condolens mendacibus regi certificauit ê™ vxor sua demoniaci et non humani generis quondam monstruosum fantasma locum geniture ad ortum produxit huiusmodique detractoâ—ibus aduersus Constanciam procurauit qd ipsa in nauim qua prius venerat iterum ad exilium vna cum suo par tu remissa desolabatur tHe tyme set of kynde is come This lady hath hyr chaÌ„bre nome And of a sone borne ful Wherof that she was ioyeful She was delyuerd sauf sone The bisshop as it was to done Yaf hym baptysme Morys calleth And therupon as it byfalleth With lettecs wryten of record They sent vnto her lyege lord That kepers weren of the quene And he that shold go bytwene The messager to knaresburgh Whiche Towne he shold posse thorugh Rydend he cam the fyrst daye The kynges modre there laye Who 's ryght name was Domylde Whiche after al the cause spylde For he whiche thanke deserue wolde Vnto this lady goth tolde Of his message how it ferde And she with feyned ioye it herde And yafe hym yeftes largely But in the nyght al pryuely She took his lettres whiche he had Fro poynt to poynt ouer rad And she that was thuruÈ oute vntrewe And do wryte other newe In stede of hem thus they speke Prima littera in commendacione n Constancie ab episcopo Regi missa per Domildam in contrarium falsata Oure lyege lord we the beseke That thou with vs ne be not wroth Though we suche thyng as is the loth Vpon oure trouthe certyfye Thy wyf whiche is of fayrye Of suche a child delynerd is Fro kynde whiche stant al amys But for it shold not be seye We haue it kepte oute of the weye For drede of pure worldes shame A power childe in the name Of thylke whiche is so mysbore We took therto we be swore That none but only thou we Shal knowe of this pryuete Morys it hatte thus men wene That it was borne of the quene And of thy owne body gete But this thyng may not be foryete That thou ne send vs word anon What is thy wylle therupon This letter as thou hast herd deuyse Was counterfete in suche a wyse That no man shold it perceyue And she whiche thought to deceyue It leyde where she that other toke This messager when he awoke And wâ—st no thynge how it was He â—oos â—ood the grete pas And took his lettres to the kyng And when he saw this wondre thyng He maketh the messager no chere But netheles in wyse manere He wrote ageyne yaf hem charge That they ne suffre not at large His wyf to go but kepe hyr stylle Tyl they haue herd more of his wylle This messager was yeftles But with his letter netheles â—â— be hym leef or be hym loth In al hast ageyne he goth By â—â—naâ—â—sbuâ—â—gh as he went Vnto the modâ—â— his entent Of that he fond to ward the kynge He told she vpon this thyng Seyth that he shold abyde al nyght And made hym fest chere aryght Feyned as though she coude him thoÌ„k But he with stroÌ„g wyn which he droÌ„k Forth with the trauayle of the daye Whiche dronke a slepe whyle he laye She hath his lettres ouer saye And formed in another waye There was a newe letter wryte Secunda leâ—tâ—ra per Regem Episâ—â—â—â— missa a Domilda iterum falsata wHiche sayth do yow for to wyte That thorugh the couÌ„seyll of you two It stonde in poynt to be vndo As he whiche is a kyng deposed For euery man it hath supposed How that my wyf Constance is faye And yf that I feyne the delaye To put hyr oute of companye The worship of my regalye Is lore ouer this they telle Here child shal not amoÌ„g yow dwelle To claymen ony herytage So can I see none auauntage But al is lost yf she abyde For thy to loke on euery syde Toward the meschyef as it is I charge yow byd this That ye the same ship vytaylle In whiche that she toke arryuaylle Theryn putteth both two Hyr self forth with hyr child also And so forth brought in to the depe Be taketh hyr the see to kepe Of foure dayes tyme set That ye this thyng no lenger let So that youre lyf be not forfete And thus this letter counterfete The messagyer whiche was vnware Vpon the kynges halue bare And where he shold it haue bytake But when that they hede take And rad that wryten is withynne So grete a sorowe they begynne As they her owne modre seyen Brenne in a fyre byfore theyr eyen There was wepyng ther was wo But fynally the thyng is do Vpon the see they haue here brought But she the cause wyst nought And thus vpon the flood they wone This lady with her yong sone And than her handes to the heuene She straught with a mylde steuene Knelend vpon hyr bare kne She sayd O hyghe mageste Whiche seest the poynt of euery trouth Take of thy woful woman routh And of thylk childe which I shal kepe And with that word she bygan to wepe Swouned as dede there she lay But he whiche al thynges may Comforteth hyr at the last She loketh her eyen cast Vpon hyr child sayd this Of me no maner charge it is What sorowe I suffre but of the Me thynketh it is grete pyte For yf I sterue thou shalt deye So mote I nedes by that weye For moderhode 7 for tendrenesse With al myn hole besynesse Ordeyne me for this offyce As she whiche shal be thy Noryce Thus was she strengthed for to stoÌ„de And thâ— she took hyr child on honde And yaf it souke but euer amonge She wepte other whyle songe To rokke with hyr child on slepe And thus her owne child to kepe She hath vnder the goddes cure Qualiter nauis Constancie post biennium in partes hispanie superior is inter SaraÈinos iactabatur In quorum manibus deus ipsam conseruans graciosissime liberauit aNd so fel vpon auenture When ylke yere hath made his ende Hyr ship so as it mote wende With streÌ„gth of wynd which god hath yine Estward was in to spayn dryue Ryght fast vnder a castel walle Where that an hethen admyralle Was lord he afterward had One Thelons whiche al was bad A fals knyght a renegate He goth to loke in what estate The shyp was comen there he fonde Forth with a child vpon hyr honde This lady where she was al one He took hede on the persone And sawe she was a worthy wyght And thought he wold vpon the nyght Demene hyr at his owne wylle And in the ship she kepte hyr stylle
There was it proued how it stood To Perse whiche was ful of good They maden werre in especyal Anâ— soo they dyden oâ—eral Where grete rychesse was in lond So that they left no thyng stond â—n werred but only Archade Nota ê™ greci omnem terram deâ—ellabant fertilem sed tantum ArchadiaÌ„ pro eo quam pauper et steriâ—â—s fuit pacifiâ—â— dimiserunt For there they no werres made By cause it was bareyn pouer Wherof they myght not recouer And thus pouerte was forbore He that nought had nought â–ª hath lore But yet it is â–ª a wondre thyng When that a ryche worthy kynge Or other lord what so he be Wol axe clayme propyrte In thyng whiche he hath no ryght But only of his grete myght For this may euery man wel wyte That bothe kynde lawe wryte Expressely stonde there ageyn But he mote nedes somwhat seyn Al though â–ª there be no reson ynne Whiche seche cause â–ª for to wynne For wyt that his wyl oppressed When couetyse hym hath redressed And al reson put awey He can wel fynde suche a wey To werre where as euer he lyketh Wherof that he the word entryketh That many a man of hym coÌ„pleyneth But yet alwey somme cause he feyneth And of his wrongful hert hath demed That al is wel that euer hym semed Br so he may wynne ynough For as the trewe man to the plough Only to the gaygnage entendeth Ryght so the werryour dyspendeth His tyme hath no conscyence And in this poynt for euydence Of hem that suche werres make Thou myght a grete ensample take How they hyr tyrannye excusen Of that they wrongful werres vsen And they stonde of one acord The Sâ—udyour forth with the lord The poure man forth with the ryche As of courage they ben lyche To make werres to pyle For lucre for none other skyle Wherof a propyr tale I rede As it whylome byfell in dede hIc declarat per Exemplum coÌ„tra istos principes seu alios quos cumque illicite guerre motores Et narrat de quodam Pirata in partiâ—ê° mari nis spoliatore qui cum captus fuisset in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus de latricinio accusatê° dixit O Alexandre vere quia cum pau cis socijs spoliorum causa naues tantuÌ„ exploro â–ª ego latrunculus vâ—ooâ— tu auteÌ„ qâ—â—a cum infinita bellatorum multitu dine vniuersam terram subiuganâ—o spoliasti Imperator diceres Ita quam sta tus tuus a statu meo differt sed eodeÌ„ animo condicionem paâ—â—lem habemus Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans penes se familiarem retinuit Et sic bellicosus bellatori complaâ—â—t oF hym al this erthe drad When he the world so ouerlad Thurgh werre as it fortuned is Kyng Alysaunder I rede this How in a marche where he lay It felle par chaunce vpon a day A Rouer of the see was nome Whiche many a man had ouercome And slayn take her good awaye This Pylour as the boks saye A famous man in sondry stede Was of the werkes whiche he dede This prysoner afore the kyng Was brought therupon this thyng In audyence was he accused And he his dede hath nought excused And praid the kyngÌ„ to done hym ryÈt And seyd Syre yf I were of myght I haue an hert lyche vnto thyn For yf thy power were myn My wylle is moost in especyal To ryfle to gete oueral The large worldes good aboute But for I lede a poure route And am as who sayth at meschyef The name of Pylour of thyef I bere thou whiche Routes grete Maye lede take thy beyete And dost ryght as I wold doo Thy name is nothyng cleped so But thou art named Emperour Oure dedes ben of one colour And in effect of one deserte But thy Rychesse my pouerte They be not taken euen lyche And nethâ—lâ—â— he that â—s ryche This day to morowe he may by poure And in contrary also receuer A pouer man to grete ryches Men seyn for thy ryghtwysenes Be peyced euen in the balaunce The kyng his hardy contenaunce Behelde his wordes wyse And sayd vnto hym in this wyse Thyne ansuere I haue vnderstonde Wherof my wyl â—e that thou stonde In my seruyce stylle abyde And forth with al the same tyde He hath hym â—â—â—me of lyf witholde The more for he shal beholde He made hym knyght yaf hym lond Whiche afterward was of his hond Aâ— orped knyght in many a stede And grete prowesse of armes dede As the Cronyke it recorden And in this wyse they acorden The whiche of one â—â—ndycyâ—n Be sett vpon destructyon Suche Capytayne suche retenue But for to see what yssue The kyng befallyth at the laste In his grete wondre what men caste Her â—â—â—t vpon suche wrong to wynne Where no beâ—â—â—e may be Inne And deth dyâ—â—se on euery syde But when reson is put a syde And wylle gâ—nerneth the courage The fauâ—â—n with that fleeth ramage And suffreth no thyng in the weye Wherof that he may take his preye Is not more set vpon rauyne Than ylk man whiche his couyne Hath set in suche maner wyse For al the world ne may suffyse To wyl whiche is not resonable Wherof ensample concordable Lyche to this poynt of whiche I mene Was vpon Alysander sene Whiche had set al his entent So as fortune with hym went That the reson myÈt hym not gouerne But of his wylle he was so sterne That al the world he ouerâ—an And what hym lyst he took wan In inde the superyour When that he was ful conquerour And had his wylful purpoos wonne Of al this erthe vnder the sonne This kyng homeward to Macedoyne When that he cam to Babyloyne And wende moost in â–ª his empyre As he whiche was lord syre In honour for to be receyued Moost sodenlyche he was deceyued And with strong poyson enuenynâ—â—d And as he hath the world mystymed Not as he shold with his wyt Not as he wold it was acquyt Thus was he slayn that whylome slongh And he whiche ryche was ynough This day to morowe had nought And in suche wyse as he was wrouÈt In dysturbaunce of worldes pees His werre he fonde than endeles In whiche for euer dyscomfyte He was â–ª lo now for what proufyte Of werre it helpeth for to ryde For couetyse worldes pryde To slee the worldes men aboute As bestes whiche gone ther oute For ony lyf whiche reson can Ought wel â–ª to knowe that a man Ne shold thorugh no tyrannye Lyche to these other bestes dye Tyl kynde wold for hym sende I not how he it myght amende Whiche taketh awey for euermore The lyf that he may not restore For thy my sone in al weye Be wel auysed I the preye Of slaught or that thou be culpable Withoute cause resonable My fadre vnderstonde it is That ye haue sayd but ouer this I pray you
she for drede shame esche weth And as she shold toke hede To saue kepe hyr womanhede And the thyng stood in debate Bytwene his lust here estate He yaue he send he spak by mouth But yet for ought that euer he couth Vnto his spede he fond no weye So that he cast his hope aweye Within his hert he gan dyspeyre Fro day to day soâ— empeyre That he hath lost al his delyte Of lust of slepe of appetyte That he thurgh strength of sone lasseth His wyt reson ouer passeth As he whiche of his lyf ne tought His deth vpon hym self he sought So that by nyght his weye he nam That wyst none where he bycam The nyght was derk the mone shone To fore the gates he cam sone Where that this yong mayde was And with this woful word allas His dedely pleyntes he bygan So stylle that there was noman It herde than he sayde thus O thou Cupyde O thou Venus Fortuned by whoo 's ordenaunce Of loue is euery mans chaunce Ye knowen al myn hole hert That I ne may your hondes asterte On you is euer that I crye And yet you deyneth not to plye Ne toward me your ere enclyne Thus for I see noo medycyne To make an ende of my quarele My deth shal be in stede of hele Ha thou my woful lady dere Whiche duellest with thy fadre here And slepest in thy bed at ese Thou wotest no thyng of my dysese How thou I be now vnmete A lord what sweuene shalt thou mete What dremes hast thou now on hond Thou slepest there here I stond Though I no deth to the deserue Here shal I for thy loue sterue Here shal I a kynges sone â–ª deye For loue for no felonye Whether thou therof haue ioye or sorow Here shalt thou me see dede to morowe O hard hert abouen alle This deth whiche shal to me falle For that thou wolt not do me grace It shal be told in many place That I am dede for loue trouthe In thy defaulte in thy slouthe Thy daunger shal to many mo Ensample be for euermo When they the woful deth recorde And with that word he took a corde With whiche vpon the gate tre He henge hym self that was pyte The morowe cam the nyght is gone Men come oute syghe anone Where that this yonge lord was dede There was an hous withoute dede For noman knewe the cause why There was wepyng ther was cry This mayden when she it herde And sawe this thyng hou it mysferd Auone she wyst what it mente And al the cause hou it wente To al the world she told it oute And preyth hem that were aboute To take of her the wngeaunce For she was cause of thylk chaunce Why that this kynges sone is spyâ—t She taketh vpon hyr self the gylt And is al redy to the peyne Whiche ony man hyr wol ordeyne But yf ony other wold She sayth that hyr self she shold Doo wreche with hyr owne hond Thorugh oute the world in â–ª euery loÌ„d That euery lyf therof shal speke Hou she hyr self it shold wreke She wepeth she cryeth she swouneth oft She cast hyr eyen vp alofte And sayd among ful pytously A god thou wost wel it am I For Iphis is thus byseyn Ordeyne so that many may seyn A thousand wynter after this Hou suche a mayden dyd amys And so as I dyde do to me For I ne dyde noo pyte To hym whiche for my loue is lore Doo no pyte to me therfore And with this word she felle to grosid A swoune there she lay astound The goddes whiche her pleyntes herde And sawe hou wofully she ferde Here lyf awey they took anone And shopen here in to a stone After the forme of hyr ymage Of body bothe of vysage And for the meruaylle of this thyng Vnto the place cam the kyng And eke the quene many mo And when they wysten it was foo As I haue told it here aboue Hou that Iphys was dede for loue Of that he had be refused They helden al men excused And wondren vpon the vengeaunce And for to kepe remembraunce This fayre ymage mayden lyche With companye noble ryche With torches with grete solempnyte To Salamyne the Cyte They lede carye forth with all This dede corps seyn it shall Besyde thylk Image haue His sepulture be begraue This corps this Image thus In to the Cyte to Venus Where that goddesse her Temple had To geder bothe forth they lad Thylke Image as for myracle Was sette vpon an hyghe pynacle That al it myght knowe And vnder that they maden lowe A tombe ryche for the nones Of marble eke of Iaspre stones Wheryn this Iphys was byloken That euermore it shal be spoken And for men shal the sothe wyte They haue here Epytaphe wryte As thyng whiche shold abyde stable The lettres granen in a Table Of marble were sayd thys Here lyeth which slouÈ hym self Iphis For loue of Araxarathen And in eusample of tho women That suffren men to dyen soo His forme a man may seen also Hou it is torned flesshe bone In the fygure of a stone He was to nesshe she hard Beware for thy here afterward Ye men women bothe two Ensampleth you of that was tho Loo thus my sone as I the seye It greueth by dyuers weye In despeyr a man to falle Whiche is the last braunche of alle Of slouthe as thou hast herd deuyse Wherof that thou thy self auyse Good is or that thou be deceyued Wherof the hope of grace is weyued My fadre hou so that it stonde Nou haue I pleynly vnderstonde Of slouthes court the propyrte Wherof touchend in my degre For euer I thynk to be ware But ouer this so as I dare With al myn hert I yow byseche That ye me wold enforme teche What there is more of youre apryse In loue al 's wel as other wyse So that I may me clene shryue Confessor My sonne whyle thou art alyue And hast also thy ful mynde Among the vyces whiche I fynde There is yet one suche of the seuene Whiche al this world hath set vneuene And causeth many tymes wrong Where he the cause hath vnderfong Wherof here after thou shalt here The forme both the matere Expliat Liber Quartus Incipit Liber Quintus oâ—stat Auaricia nature legibus et que Largue amor poscit strictâ—â—e illa vetat Omne ê™ est nimium vi câ—osum dicitur auruÌ„ Vellera sicut oues seruat auarus opes Non decet vt soli serâ—abitur os sed amori Debet homo so lam solus habere suam fIrst when the hyghe god begaÌ„ This world and that the kynde of man Was falle in to no grete encrees For worldes good was tho no prees But al was set to the comune They speken than of no fortune Or for to lese or for to wynne Tyl Auaryce brought
euery theef vpon rychesse A wayteth for to robbe stele Suche â—â—ood is cause of harmes fele And also though a man at ones Of al the world within his wones The Tresour myght haue euery deele Yet had he but one mans dele Toward hym self so as I thynke Of clothynge of mete of drynke For more oute take vanyte There hath no lord in his degre And thus vpon the poyntes dyuerse Dyuersly he gan reherce What poynt hym thought for the best But pleynly for to gete hym rest He can no syker weye cast And netheles yet at the last He felle vpon the couetyse Of gold than in sondry wyse He thought as I haue sayd to fore How Tresour may be sone forlore And had an Inly grete desyre Touchend of suche recouer Hou that he myght his cause auayle To gete hym gold withoute fayle Within his hert thus he preyseth The gold sayth hou that he peyseth Aboue al other metal most The gold he sayth may lede an hoost To make werre ayene a kyng The gold put vnder al thyng And set whome hym lyst aboue The gold can make of hate loue And werre of pees ryght of wrong And long to short short to long Withoute gold may be no fest Gold is the lorde of man beste And may hem both bye selle Soo that a man may sothely telle That al the world to gold obeyeth For thy this kyng to bachus preyth To graunte hym gold but he excedeth Mesure more than hym nedeth Men tellen that the maladye Whiche callyd is Ioropesyâ— Resembled is to this vyce By weye of kynde Auaryce The more Idropesye drynketh The more thyrsteth for hym thynketh That he may not drynke his fylle Soo that there may no thyng fulfylle The lustes of his appetyte And ryght in suche maner plyte Stant euer Auaryce euer stood The more he hath of worsdes good The more he wolde kepe streyte And euer more and more coueyte And ryght in suche condicyon Wythoute good discrecyon This kyng with auaryce is smete That al the worlde it myght wete For he to Bachus then preyd That wherupon his honde he leid It sholde thorugh his touche anone Become gold therupon This god hym graunteth as he bad Tho was this kyng of Fryge glad And for to put it in assaye With al the hast that he maye He toucheth that he toucheth this And in his hond al gold it is The stone the tre the leef the gras The Floure the fruyte al gold it was Thus toucheth he while he may last But hongre att the last Hym took soo that he mote nede By wey of kynde his hongre fede The clothe was leyd the boord was set And alle was forth byfore hym set His dissh his drink his cuppe his meet But when he wold drynk or ete As to his mouth anone cam nyghe It was al gold then he syghe Of Auayrce the folye And he with that bygnne to crye And preyde Bachus to foryeue His gylt suffre hym for to lyue And be suche as he was to fore Soo that he were nought forlore This god whiche of this greuaunce Herd toke routhe vpon his repentauÌ„ce And bad hym goo forth redyly Vnto a flood was fast by Whiche paceole than hyght In whiche as sone as euer he myght He sholde hym wasshe oueral And said hym than he shal Recouere hys fyrst astate ageyn This kyng right as he herd seyn In to the flood goth fro the lond And wesshe hym bothe fote hond And so forth al the remenaunt As hym was set in â—â—uendunt And than he sawe meruayles strauÌ„ge The flood his coloure gan to chaunge The grauel with the smal stones To gold they torne al attones And he was quyte of that he had And thus fortune his chaunge lad And when he sawe his touche gone He goth hym home ryght forth soone And lyueth forth as he dyde er And put al Auaryce a fer And the ryches of gold despyseth And seyth that mete clothe suffyseth Thus hath this kyng experyence Hou fooles done the reuerence To gold whiche of his owne kynde Is lasse worth than is the rynde To sustenaunce of mans fode Then he made lawes goode And al his thyng set vpon skylle He lede his people for to tylle Her lâ—nd lyue vnder the lawe And they also shold forth drawe Bestayl seche none encrees â—f gold whiche is the breche of pees For this a man may fynde wryte To fere the tyme that gold was smyte In coygne that men the floren knewe There was wel nyhe noman vntrewe There was nother shelde ne spere Ne dedely wepen for to be bere Tâ—o was the toune withoute walle The whiche now is closed ouer alle Tho was there no broâ—â—ge in lond Whiche now taketh euery cause on hoÌ„d So may that man knowe hou the floreyn Was moder fyrst of malengyn And brynger in of alle werre Wherof this world stant oute of herre Thorugh the counseyl of auaryâ—â— Whiche of his owne propre vyce Whiche as the helle wonderful For it may neuermore be ful That what as euer cometh therynne Awey it ne may neuer wynne But sone myn do thou not so Late al suche auaryce go And take thy part of that thou hast I byd not that thou do wast But hold largesse in mesure And yf thou see a creature Whiche thorugh pouert is falle in nede Yeue hym somme good for this I rede To hym that wol not yeuen here What peyne he shal haue elles where There is a peyne among al Bynethe in helle whiche men calle The woful peyne of Tantaly Of whiche I shal the redely Deuyse hou theryn men stond In helle thou shalt vnderstâ—nd There is a flood of thylk offyce Whiche serueth al for auaryce What man that stonde shal therin He stant vp euen to the chynne Aboue his hede also there hougeth A fruyt whiche to that peyne longeth And that fruyt toucheth euer in one His ouerlyppe and therupon Suche thyrst honger hym assayleth That neuer his appetyte ne fayleth But when he wende his hongar fede The fruyt withdraweth hym at nede And though he haue his hede on hyghe The fruyt is euer alyche nyghe So is the honger wel the more And also though hym thurst sore And to the water bowe adoune The flood in suche condycyon Aualeth that his drynke areche He may not loo now whiche a wreche That mete drynk is hym so couthe And yet ther comth none in his mouth Lyche to the peynes of this flood Stant Auaryce in worldes good He hath Inough yet hym nedeth For his scarcenes it hym forbedeth And euer his honger after more Trauayleth hym alyche sore So is he peyned oueral For thy thy goodes oueral My sone loke that thou dyspende Wherof thou myght thy self amende Bothe here eke in other place And also yf thou wolt purchace To be loued thou must vse Largesse for yf thou refuse To yeue for thy
but yf it be thurgh grete beyete Of gold he seyd he shold not spede The kyng hym bad vpon the nede That take an honderd pound he shold And yeue it where that he wolde Be so it were in worthy place And thus to stonde in loues grace This king his gold hath habandouned And when this tale was ful rouned The Styward toke the gold went Within his hert many a went Of couetyse than he cast Wherof a purpoos at the last Ayene loue ayene his ryght He toke sayd hou thylk nyght His wyf shal lygge by the kyngÌ„ And goth thynkend vpon this thyng Toward his Inne tyl he ca in home In to the chambre there he nome His wyf told hyr al the cas And she whiche rede for shame was With both hyr handes hath hym praid â—enelend and in this wyse sayd That she to reson to skylle In what thyng that he bydde wylle Is redy for to done his heste But this thyng were not honest That he for gold her shold selle And he tho with his wordes felle Forth with his gastely contenaunce Seyth that she shal done obeysaunce And folowe his wylle in euery place And thus thurgh strengthe of his ma nace Her Innocence is ouerlad Wherof she was so sore adrad That she his wylle mote nede obeye And therupon was shape a weye That he his owne wyf by nyghte Hath oute of al mennes syght So pryuely that none it wist BrouÈt to the kyng which as hym list May doo with hyr what he wolde For when she was there as she sholde With hym a bedde vnder the cloth The styward took his leue goth In to the chambre fast by But hou he slepte that wote not I For he sawe cause of Ielousye But he whiche hath the companye Of suche a lusty one as she Hym thought that of his degre There was noman so wel at ese She doth al that she may to plese Soo that al his hert she had And thus this kyng his ioye lad Tyl it was nyhe vpon the day The Styward than where she lay Cam to the bedde in his wyse Hath bede she shold aryse The kyng sayd nay she shold not go His styward sayd ageyne nought soo For she mote gone er it be knowe And so I swore that ylke throwe When I her fette to you here The kyng his tale wold not here And seyth hou that he hath hir bouÈt For thy she shal departe nought Tyl the bryght day be holde And in his armes he gan hyr folde As he whiche lyst for to pleye And bad his styward gone aweye And soo he dyd ayene his wylle And thus his wyf a bedde stylle Lay with the king the long nyght Tyl that it was hyghe sonne lyght But who she was he knewe no thyng Tho cam the styward to the kyng And prayd hym that withoute shame In sauyng of her owne name He myght leden home ayene This lady told hym pleyne Hou that it was his owne wyf The kyng his ere vnto his stryf Hath leyd when that he it herde Wel nyhe oute of his wyt he ferde And sayd A caytyf moost of al Where was it euer or this byfalle That ony Coward in this wyse Betoke his wyf for conetyse Thou hast hyr me begyled And eke thyne owne estate reuyled Wherof that buxome vnto the Here after shal she neuer be For this auowe to god I make After this day yf I the take Thou shalt be honged to drawe Now loke anone thou be withdrawe Soo that I see the neuer more This Styward that drad hym sore With al the hast that he may And fled awey the same day And was exyled oute of lond Loo there a nyce hysbond Whiche thus his wif hath lost for euer But netheles she had a leuer The kyng hyr weddeth honoureth Wherof hyr name she secoureth Whiche erst was lost thurgh couetyse Of hym that lad hyr other wyse And hath hym self also forlore My sone be thou ware therfore Where thou shalt loue in ony place That thou no couetyse embrace The whiche is not of loues kynde But for al that a man may fynde Now in this tyme of thylk rage Ful grete dysese in maryage When venym medleth with the sucreÌ„ And maryage is made for lucre Or for the lust or for the hele What man that shal with other dele He may not fayle to repente My fader suche is myn entente But netheles good is to haue For good may oftyme saue The loue whiche shold elles spylle But god which wote my hertes wille I dar wel take to wytnesse Yet was I neuer for Rychesse Be sett with maryage none For al myn herte is vpon one So frely that in the persone Stant al my worldes ioye alone I axe nother park ne plough If I hyr had it were Inough Hyr loue shold me suffyse Withouten other couetyse Loo now my fader as of this Touchend of me ryght as it is My shryfte I am be knowe pleyn And yf yr wol ought elles seyn Of couetyse yf ther be more In loue agropeth oute the sore Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude subornat Testes sic que eis vera retorta fides Sicut Agros cupidus duÌ„ querit amans mulieres Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos Non sine vi dicta periurus abibit in eis Visu qui cordis intima cuncta videt Fallere per iuro non est laudanda puella in Glori a set falso condicionis opus hIc tractat super illis auaricie speciebus que falsum testimonium et periurum nuÌ„cupantur quorum fraudulenta circumuencio tam in cupiditatis que in amoris causa sui desiderij propositum quam sepe fallaciter attingit mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde Hou couetyse hath yet on hoÌ„de In specyal two couÌ„seyllours That ben also his procurours The fyrst of hem is fals wytnesse Whiche euer is redy to wytnesse What thyng his maister wol hym hote Periure is the second hote Whiche spareth nought to swere an oth Though it be fals god be wroth That one shal fals wytnes bere That other shal the thyng for swere When he his charged on the booke So what with hepe what with croke They make here mayster ofte wynne And wol not know what is the sinne Of couetyse thus men seyn They make many a fals bargÌ„eyn There may no trewe qua rel aryse In thylk queste thylk assyse Where as they two the people enforme For they kepe euer one maner forme That vpon gold here conscyence They founde take here euydence And thus with fals wytnes othes They wynne hem mete drynk clotheâ— Ryght so there be who that hem knewe Of these louers ful many vntrewe Now may a woman fynde ynowe That eche of hem when he shal wowe Anone he wold his hand doune leyn Vpon a book swere seyn That he wol feyth trouthe bere
And thus he profereth hym to sweâ—e Tâ— seâ—uen euer tyl he deye And al is very trecherye For when the soth hym self tryeth The more he swâ—reth the more he lyeth When he his feyth maketh al ther mâ—st Then may a woman truste hym lest For tyl he may his wylle acheue He is no lâ—nger for to leue Thus is the trouthe of loue exyled Anâ— maâ—y a good woman begyled And eke to speke of fals wytnesse There be now suche many I gâ—sse That lyche vnto the prouysours They make hem her preuy procura tours To telle hou there is suche a man Whiche is worthy to loue can Al that a good man sholde conne Soo that with lesyng he hath bygoÌ„ne The cause in whiche he wol procede And also syker as the crede They make of that they knowen fals And thus ful ofte aboute the hals Loue is of fals men embraced But loue whiche is so purchaced Come afterward to lytel pryse For thy my sone yf thou be wyse Now thou hast herd this euydence Thou myght thyne owne conscyence Oppose yf thou hast be suche one Nay god wote fader I am none Ne neuer was for as men seyth When that a man shal make his feyth His herte tonge must acorde For yf so be that they dyscorde Then is he fals elles nought And I dare say as of my thought In loue it is not dyscordable Vnto my word but aâ—ordablo And m this wyse fader I May ryght wel swere saufly That I my lady loue wel For that acordeth euery del It nedeth nought to my soth sawe That I wytnesse shold drawe In to this day for neuer yett Ne myght it synke in to my wyt That I my counseyl shold seye To ony wyght or me bewreye To sechen helpe in suche manere But only of my lady dere And though a thousand men it wysâ— That I her loue than â—em lyst With me to swerâ— to witnesse Yet were that no fals wytnesse For I dare vnto this trouthe dwelle I loue her more than I can telle Thus am I fader gylteles As ye haue herd and netheleâ— In your dome I put it al My sone wyte in specyal It shal not comonlyche fayle Al though it for a tyme faylle That fals wytnesse his cause spede Vpon the poynt of his falsheede It shal afterward be kyd Wherof so as it is betyd Ensample of suche thynges blynde In Cronyke wryte I fynde Hic ponit Exemplum de illis qui falsum testificantes amoris Innocenciam circumuâ—niunt Et narrat qualiter Theâ—is Achillem filium suum adolesceÌ„ tem muliebri vestitum apparatu asserens esse puellam inter Regis Lichomedis filias ad educandum produxit Et siâ— Achilles dâ—cepto Rege filie sue Deidamie socia et cubicularia effectus super Ipsam Pirâ—um geniut â–ª qui poste a mire probitatis milÌ„iciam assecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam Polix ene Tirannice vindicauit tHe goddesse of the see Thetis She had a sone his name is Achilles whom to kepe warde Whyle he was yong in to ward She thought hym saufly to be take As she whiche drad for his sake Of that was sayd in prophecye That he at Troyâ— shold dye When that the cytâ— was byleyn For thy so as the bokes seyn She cast hyr wyt in sondry wyfe Hou she hym myght so desguyse That no man shold his body knowe And so byfâ—lle that ylke throwe Whyle that she thouâ—t vpon this dede There was a kyng whiche Lychomede Was hote he was wel begone With fayre doughters many one And duelt fâ—r oute in an yle Now shalt thou here a wonder wyle This quene whiche the moder was Of Achilles vpon this cas Hyr sâ—â—e as a mayden were Lete clothâ—â— in the same gere Whiche longeth vnto womanhede As he was yong a toke noâ—â— hede But suffreth al â—hat she hym dede Wherof she hath hyr women bede And chargeth by her otheâ— alle Hou so it afterward byfalle That they dyscouer nought this tâ—â—ng But feyne make a knoulechyng Vpon the counseyl whiche was nomâ— In euery place where they come To telle to wytnesse this How he hyr lady doughter is And ryght in suche a maner wise She bad they shold done her seruyse So that Achilles vnderfongeth As to a yong lady belongeth Honoure seruyce reuerence For Thetys with grete dylygenâ—â— Hym hath so taught affayted That hou so 〈◊〉 were awayted With sobre goâ—tely contenaunce He shold his womanhede auaunce That none the soth knowe myght But that in euery mans syght He shold seme a pure maide And m suche wise as she hym saide Achilles whiche that Ilke while Was yong vpon hym to smyle Bigan when he was so besein And thus after the bokes sein With frette of perle vpon his hede Al fresshe bitwene the white rede As she whiche tho was tendre of age Stood the colour in his visage That for to loke vpon his cheke And seen his childy maner eke He was a woman to beholde And than his moder to him tolde That she him had soo begone By cause that she thought gone To Lichomede at thilke tyde Where that she sayd he shold abyde Among his doughters for to duelle Achilles herd his moder telle And wyst nonght the cause why And netheles ful buxoâ—â—ly He was redy to that sâ—e bad Wherof his modeâ— was ryght glad To Lychomede forth they went And wheâ—â—he kyng knewe her entent And sâ—we this youg doughter there And that it cam vnto his ere Of suche record of suche wytnesse He had ryght a grete gladnesse Of that he soth sawe herde And he that wote not hou it ferde Vpon the counseyl of the nede But for al that kyng Lychomede Hath toward hym his doughter take And for Thetys his moder sake He put hyr in to companye To duelle with Deydamye His owne doughter the eldest The fayrest the comlyest Of al his doughters whiche he had Loo thus Thetys the cause lad And left ther Achilles feyned As he whiche hath hym self restreyned In al that euer he may can Oute of the maner of a man And took his womannyssh chere Wherof vnto his bedfere Deydamye he hath by nyght Where kynde wold hym selue â—yght After the Philosophers seyn There may no wyght be ther ageyn And that was thylk tyme sene The long nyghtes hem bytwene Nature whiche may not forbere Hath made hem bothe for to stere They kyssen fyrst ouermore The hyghe wey of loues lore They gone al was done in dede Whorof lost is the maydenhede Aud that was afterward wel know For it byfel that ylk throwe As at Troye where the syege lay Vpon the cause of Menelay And of his quene Dame Eleynâ— The gregâ—ys hadden moche pâ—yne Al day to fyght and to assayle But for they myght nought auayle Soo noble a cyte for to wynne A pryue counseyll they begynne In sondry wyse where
le there There was a shepe as it was told The whiche his flees bare al of gold And so the goddes had it sette That it ne myght a wey be fette By power of no worldes wyght And yet ful many a worthy knyght At had assayed as they dorst And euer it fel hem to the worst But he that wold it nought forsake But of his knyghthode vndertake To doo what thyng therto belongeth This worthy Iason sore alongeth To see the straunge regyons And knowe the condycyous Of other marches where he went And for that cause his hoole entent He set Colchos for to seke And therupon he dyde â–ª speke To Peleus his eme the kyng And he wel payd was of that thyng And shope anone for his passage Suche as were of his lygnage With other knyghtes whiche he chees With hym he toke Hercules Whiche ful was of chyualrye With Iason wente in companye And that was in the moneth of may When colde stormes were away The wynd was good the shyp was yare They took hyr leue forth they fare Toward Colchos but on the weye What hem byfelle is long to seye Hou Lamedon the kyng of Troye Whiche ought wel haue made hem ioyr When they to rest a whyle hym preide Oute of his lond he hem congeyde And so felle the dyssencyon Whiche afterward was destructyon Of that cyte as men may here But that is not to my matere But thus this worthy folk gregoys Fro that kyng which was not curtois And fro his land with seyl vpdrawe ThenÌ„e went hem forth many a sawe They made many a grete manace Tyl at last in to that place Whiche as they sought they arryue And stryken seyle forth as blyue They senten vnto the kyng tolden Who were there what they wolden Oetes whiche than was kyng When that he herd this tydyng Of Iason whiche was comen there And of these other what they were He thought done hem grete worshyp For they anone come oute of shyp And strayt vnto the kyng they went And by the hand Iason he hent And that wa s at the paleys gate So fer on the kyng cam on his gate Toward Iason to done hem chere And he whom lakketh no manere When he the kyng sawe in presence Yafe hym ageyn suche reuerence As to a kynges state belongeth And thus the kyng hym vnderfongeth And Iason in his arme he caught And forth in to the halle he straught And there they sat speke of thyngis And Iason told hym tho tydyngys Why he was come fayre hym prayde To haste his tyme the kyng sayde Iason thou art a worthy knyght But it lyeth in no mans myght To done that thou art come fore There hath be many a knyght forlore Of that they wolden it assaye But Iason hym wold not esmaye And seyd of euery worldes cure Fortune stant in auenture Parauenter wel parauenter woo But hou as euer that it goo It shal be with myn hond assayed The kyng tho helde hym not wel paid For he the grekes sore dredde In aunter yf Iason ne spedde He myght therof here a blame For tho was al the worldes fame In Grece as for to speke of armes For thy he drad hym of his harmes And gan to preche hym to preye But Iason wold not obeye But sayd he wold his purpoos holde For ought that ony man hym tolde When the kyng these wordes herde And sawe how that the knyÈt ansuerde Yet for he wold make hym glad After Medea gone he had Whiche was his doughter she cam And Iason whiche good hede nam When he hyr sawe ageyn hyr goth And she which was hym nothing loth Welcomed hym in to that londe And softe took hym by the honde And doune they seten bothe same She had herd spoke of his name And of his grete worthynes For thy she gan hyr eye inpresse Vpon his face his stature Aud thought hou neuer creature Was so welfarend as was he And Iason ryght in suche degre Nc myght not withholde his look But so good hede on hyr he took That hym ne thouÈt vnder the heuene Of beaute saw he neuer hyr euene With al that felle to womanhede Thus eche of other took hede Though there was no word of record Here hertes bothe of one acord Ben set to loue but as tho There myghten be no wordes mo The kyng hym made grete joye fest To al his men he yaf an hest So as they wol his thank deserue That they sholde al Iason serue Whyle that he wold there duelle And thus the day shortely to telle With many myrthes is dyspent Tyl nyght was come tho they went Echone of other took his leue When they no lenger myghten leue A not hou Iason that nyght slepe But wel I wote that of the shepe For whiche he cam in to that yle He thought but a lytel whyle Al was medea that be thought Soo that m many wyse he thought His wyt wakend or it was daye Somtyme ye somtyme nay Somtyme thus somtyme so As he was styred to fro Of loue eke of his conquest As he was holde of his heste And thus he roos vp by the morowe And took hym seynt Iohn to borow And sayd he wold fyrst begynne At loue after for to wynne The flees of gold for whiche he come And thus to hym good hert he nome Medea ryght in the same wyse Tyl day cam that she must ryse Lay bythought hyr al the nyght Hou she that noble worthy knyght By ony weye myght wedde And wel she ne wist yf he ne spedde Of thyng whiche he had vndertake She myght hyr self noo purpoos take For yf he deyde of his bataylle She most than algate fayle To geten hym when he were dede Thus she vygan to sette rede And torne aboute her wyttes al To loke hou it myght falle That she with hym bad a leyser To speke telle of his desyre And soo it felle the same day That Iason with that swete may To gyder sette hadde space To speke he besought hyr grace And she his tale goodly herd And afterward she hym ansuerd And seyd Iason as thou wylt Thou myÈt be sauf thou myÈt be spilt For wyte wel that neuer man But yf he couthe that I can Ne myght that fortune acheue For whiche thou comest but as I loue If thou wolt holde couenaunt To loue of al the remenaunt I shal thy lyf honour saue That thou the flees of gold shalt haue He sayd al at your owne wylle Madame I shal truly fulfylle Youre hest whyle my lyf may last Thus long he prayd at last She graunteth hyght hym this But when nyÈt cometh it tyme is She wold hym sende certeynly Suche one that shold hym pryuely A lone in to hyr chambre brynge He thanketh hyr of that tydyng For of that grace is hym begonne Hym thynketh al other thinges woÌ„ne The
all my deuocion And al myn contemplacion With al my herte my courage Is only set on hyr ymage And euer I wayte vpon the tyde If she loke ony thyng a syde That I me maye on hir auyse Anone I am with Couetyse So smytâ— that me were leef To be in holy chirche a theef But not to stele a vestyment For that is no thyng my talent But I wold stele yf that I myght A glad word or a goodly syght And euer my seruyce I profere And namely when she goth offre For her I lede then yf that I may For somwhat wold I stele away When I beclyppe hir on the wast Yet at the last I stele a tast And other whyle graunt mercy She seith â–ª so wynne I therby A lusty touche a good word eke But al the remenannt to seke Is fro my purpoos wonder ferre So may I say as I said erre In hooly chirche yf that I wowe My conscyence yet wold I allowe Be soo that vpon amendement I myght gete assignement Wherfore I spede in other place Suche sacrylege I hold a grace And thus my fader sooth to sey In chirche right as in the wey If I myght ought of loue take Suche hansell haue I not forsake But fynally I me confesse There is in me no holynesse Whyle I hir see in ony stede And yet for onght that euer I dede No sacrylege of hyr I took But as it were a word or looke Or els yf that I herd frede When I toward offryng hir lede Take therof what I take may For els â—ere I nought away For though I wold ought â—ls haue At other thynges ben so saue And kepte with suche a pryuelege That I may doo no sacrylege God wote my wylle netheles Though I must nedes kepe pees And in all gree sone myn lete it passe My wyl therto is not the lasse For I myght otherwyse awey For thy my fader I yow prey Telle what thou thynkest therupon If I therof haue gylt or none Thy wylle my sone is for to blame The remenaunt is but a game That I haue the told as yet But take this lere in to thy wyt That all thyng hath tyme stede The whiche serueth for the bede â—â—e Chambre is of another speche But yf thou wystest of the wreche How sacrylege it hath abought Tâ—ow sholdest vse it ryght nought And for thou shalt the more amende A tale on the I wol dispende Hic in amoris causa super istius vi 〈◊〉 articulo ponit exemplum Et narrat pro â—o quod paris prâ—ami Regis filius â—â—â—â—nam menelai vxorem in quadaÌ„ gâ—â—at Insula a templo veneris sacrile â—â—s abduxit illa Troye famosissima â—â—sidie per vniuersum orbis climita di nulgata precipue causabat ita qd huiusmodi sacrilegium non solum ad ipsius Regis patriam omnium az suoruÌ„ interitum Sed ad perpetuam vrbis de solacionem vindicem fomitem ministrabat tO al men as who saith know It is in the world thoruÈ blow How that of Troye lamedon To Hercules and to Iasen When toward Colchos oute of grâ—â—â— By see seylyng vpon a pece Of londe of Troye reste preyde But he wrongfully conueyde And for they found hym so vyleyne When they cam in to grece ageyne With power that they gete myght Towardes Troye they haue hem dyght And they took suche vengeaunce Wherof stant yet in remembraunce For they destroyed kyng alle And leften but the brent walle The grekes of Troyes many slowe And prysoners they took ynowe Among the whiche there was one The kynges doughter lamedone Esyona the fayre thynge Whiche vnto the lamon the kyng By Hercules and by the assent Of all the hole parlement Was at his wylle yeue graunted And thus hath grete Troye dannted And hym to torne in suche manere But after this now shalt thou here The cause why the tale I telle Vpon the chaunces that bifelle Kyng lamedon whiche dyed thus He had a sone one priamus Whiche was not thylke tyme at home But when he herd of this he come And fond how the Cyte was falle Whiche he bygan vpon the walle And made there a Cyte newe That they whiche other londes knewe Tho seâ—den that of lyme stone In all the world so fayre was none And on that one side of the towne The kyng lete make ylyowne That hye toure that strong place Whiche was adrad of no manace Of quarell none nor of engyne And though men wold make a myne No mans craft it myght approche For it was set vpon a roche The walles of the Towne aboute Hem stode of al the world no doute And after the proporcyon Syx gates were there of the toun Of suche enforme of suche entayle That hem to see was grete meruaylâ— The dyches were brode depe And fewe men it myght kepe From al the world as semeth tho But yf the goddes weren foo Grete prees vnto that Cyte drowe So that there was of peple ynowe Of burgeys that therin dwellen There may no mans tong tellen How that Cyte was ryche of good When all was made all wel stood Kyng Pryâ—mus tho hym bethought What they of grece whylome wrought And what was of hir swerd deuoured And how his suster dishououred With thelamon awey was ladde And he thynkyng he wex vnglad And set anone a parlement To whiche the lordes were assent In many a wyse there was spoke How that they myghten ben awroke But at the last netheles They seid al acord and pees To setten eyther party in rest It thought hem al for the best With resonable amendement And thus was Anthenor forth sent To aske Esyona ageyne And wyte what they wold seyne So passeth he the see by barge To grece for to sey his charge The whiche he said redyly Vnto the lordes by and by But where he spak in grece aboute He herd not but wordes stoute And namelyche of Thelamon The mayden wold he not for gone He said for no maner thynge And bad hym gone home to his kyng For there gate he none amende For ought he couthe doo or sende This Anthenor ayene goth home Vnto his kyng when he come He told in grece what that he herd And how that thelamon answerd And how they were at hir aboue That they wol neyther pees ne loue But euery man shall done his best But for men seyen that nyght hath rest The kynge bythought hym all the nyÈt And erly when the day was lyght He took his counceyll of this matere And they acord in this manere That he withouten ony let A certeyne tyme shold set A parlement to ben auysed And in this wyse it was anysed Of parlement he set a day And that was in the moneth of may This priamus had in his sight A wyf Hecuba she hyght By whome that tyme she he Sones fyue had doughters thre Beside two and thyrty mo And weren knyghtes al
he sawe that ymage tho And taketh in his armes two And it embraceth hym ageyne And to the kyng thus gan it seyne Vlixes vnderstood wel thâ—s The token of oure acqueyntaunce is Here afterward to mochel tene The loue that is vs bitwene Of that we now suche ioye make That one of vs the deth shal take When deth cometh of destyne It may none other wyse be Vlixes tho began to praye That this figure wold hym saye What wyght he is that seyth hym so This wyght vpon a spere tho A pensel whyte was wel bigone Enbrowdred shewed hym anone Thre fysshes all of one coloure In manere as it were a toure Vpon the pensel were wrought Vlixes knewe this token nought And praid to wyte in somme partyâ— What thyng it myght â—ygnyfye A signe it is whiche answered Of an empyre and forth it ferd Al sodenly when he that said Vlyxes oute of slepe he brayd And that was ryght ayene the day That lenger slepen he ne may Ayene a man hath knowlechyng Saue of hym self of all thyng His owne chaunce no man knoweth But as fortune it on hym throweth Was yet neuer so wyse a Clerke Whiche myght knowe al goddes werk Ne the secrete whiche god hath sette Ayene a man may not be lette Vlyxes though that he be wyse With all his wytte in his auyse The more that he his sweuen acounteth The lesse he wote what it amounteth For all his calculacion He seeth none demonstracion Al pleynly for to knowe an ende But netheles how so it wende He drad hym of his owne sone That maketh hym wel the more astone And shope therof anone with all So that within a castel walle Thelamon his sone he shette Tyl he myght knowe the bette The sooth for there he ne knewe Til that fortune hym ouerthrewe But netheles for sykernesse Where that he myght wyte gesse A place strengest in his londe There lete he make of lyme sonde A strengthe where he wold dwelle Was neuer man yet herd telle Of suche another as it was And for to strengthe hym in that cas Of al his â—onde the sykerest Of seruanntes and of the worthyest To kepe hym within ward He charged hem they sholden harde And make suche an ordynaunce For loue ne for acqueyntaunce That were it erly were it late They shold bete in at the yate No mauer man what so betydde But it so were hym self it bydde But al that myght hym not auaylâ— For whome fortune wyll assayle There may be no resistence Whiche myght a man make defence That al shall be must fal algate This Cyrces whiche I spake of tate On whome Vlyxes hath bigete A childe though he it haue foryete When tymâ— came as it was wonne She was delyuerd of a sonne Whiche cleped is thelogonus The child when he was bore thus Aboute his moder to ful age That he can reson and langage In good estate was drawe forth And when he was so mochel wâ—â—th To stonde in a mannes stede Circes his moder hath hym bede That he shall to his fader go And told hym al to geder tho What man he was that hym begaâ— And when â—lelogonus herd that Was ware had ful knowlechyng How that his fader was a kyng He prayd his moder fayre this To go where that his fader is And she hym graunted that he shall And made hem redy forth with all It was that tyme suche vsaunce That euery man the congâ—ysaunce Of his Countre bare in his honde When he went in to straunge londe And thus was euery man therfore Well knowe where that he was bore For espyall or mystâ—o wynges They dyde than suche thynges That euery man may other knowe Sâ—o it bifelle in that throwe Thelogonus as in this cas Of his Contre the signe was Thre fisshes whiche he sholde bere Vpon the pynon of a spere And when he was thus arrayd And had his harneys all assayd That he was redy euerydele His moder bad hym fare wele And said hym that he shold sâ—ythe His fader grete a thousand â—ythe Thelogonus his moder kyâ—â— And took his leue where he wyst His fader was the way he name Til he vnto Nachare came Whiche of that lond the chyef Cyte Was cleped there asketh he Where was the kyng how he ferde And when that he the sooth herde Where that the kyng Vlixâ—s was Alone vpon his hoâ—s grete paas He roodâ— hym forth in his honde He bare the signall of his londe With fisshes thre as I haue told And thus he went in to that hold Where that his owne fader dwelleth The cause why he came he telleth Vnto the kepars of the gate And wold haue cemen in ther ate But shortely they hym said nay And as fayre as euer he may Besought told hem of this How that the kyng his fader is But they with proude wordes grete Biganne to manace and threte But he go fro the gate fast They wold hym take and set fast Fro wordes vnto strokes thus They felle so that Thelogonus Was sore hurte wel nyhe dede But with his sharp speres hede He maketh defence how so it falle And wan the yate vpon hem alle And hath slayne of the best fyue And they aseryeden as belyue Thorugh oute the castel al aboute On euery syde men came oute Wherof the kynges herte aflyght And he with al the hast that he myght A spere caught oute he goeth As he that nyhe was woode wroth He sawe the yates ful of blood Thelogonus where he stood He sawe also but he ne knewe What man he was and to hym threwe His spere he sterte oute asyde But desteny whiche shold betyde Befelle that ylke tyme so Thelogonus knewe no thyng tho What man it was that to hym cast And whyles his owne spere last With al the signe therupon He cast vnto the kyng anone And smote hym with a dedely wouÌ„de Vlixâ—s felle anone to grounde Tho euery man the kyng the kyng Began to crye of this thyng Thelogonus whiche sawe the caas On knees felle seid alas I haue myn owne fader slayn Now I wold deye wonder faynâ— Now slee me who that euer wylle For certes it is right good skylle He cryeth he wepeth he seid therfore Alas that euer was I bore That this vnhappy destyne So wofully cometh in by me This kyng which yet hath life ynougâ— His herte ayene vnto hym drough And to that voyce an ere he leyd And vnderstood all that he seid And gan to speke said on hyghe Bryng me this man whan he syghe Thelogonus his thought he set Vpon the sweuen whiche he met And axeth that he myght see His spere on whiche the fysshes thre He sawe vpon a pensel wrought Tho wyst he wel it faileth nought And bad hym that he telle shold Fro whens he came what he wold Thelogonus in sorowe woo So as he myght told
tho Vnto Vlixes all the caas How that Cyrces his moder was And so forth seid hym euery dele How that his moder grete hym wele And in what wyse she hym sent Tho wist Vlixes what it ment And tooke gym in his armes softe And al bledyng kyst hym ofte And said sone whyles I lyue This infortune I the foryeue After his other sone in hast He sente he bigan hym hasâ—s And cam vnto his fader tyâ—e But when he saw hym in suche plyte He wold haue ronnen vpon that other Anone slayne his owne broder Ne had ben that Vlixes Bitwene hem made acord peâ—s And to his heyre thelamacus He had that he Thelogonus With al his power shold kepe Till he were of his woundes depe Al hole and than he shold hym yâ—â—â— Londe where vpon to lyue Thelamacus when he this herde Vnto his fadâ—â— he answerd And said he wold done his wylle So dwellen they to geder stylle These bretheren and the fader sterueth Lo wherof sorcery serueth Thorugh sorcerye his lust he wan Thorugh sorcery his wo bygan Thorugh sorcerye his loue he chese Thorugh sorcerye his lyf he lese The child was getâ— in sorcerye Whiche dyd all this felonye Thyng which was ayene kynde wroÈt Vnkyndely it was bought The child his owne fader slough That was vnkyndeship ynough For thy take heede how that it is So for to wynne loue amys Whiche endeth â—l his ioye in wo For al this arte I fynde also That hath be doâ— for loues sake Where thou myght ensample take A grete Cronycle Emperyall Whiche euer in memoryall Among the men how so it wende Shal dwelle vnto the worldes ende Hic nâ—rrâ—t Exemplum quâ—â—â—ter Nectanabus ab Egiptâ— in Macedoniam fugitiâ—â—s Olimpiadem philippi re gis ibidem tunc absentis vxorem arte magiâ— decipâ—ens câ—m ipsa concubuitâ— magnum quam ex ea Alexandrum sortelogus genuit qui natus pâ—stea cum ad erudiendum sub custodia Nectanabi patrem suum ab altitudine cuiusdam turris in fossam profundam percipiens interfecit Et sic sortilâ—gus ex suo sortilegio infortunij sortem sortitus est tHe hye Creatoure of thynges Whiche is kyng of al kynges Ful many worldes chaunce Lâ—te slyde vnder his sufferaunce There wote noman the cause why But he whiche is al myghty And that proued whilome thus When that the kyng Nectanabus Whiche had Egypte for to lede But for he sey before the dede Thorugh magyke of his sorcerye Wherof he couthe a grete partye His enemyes to hym comende Fro whome he myght not hym defende Oute of his owne londe he fledde And in the wyse as he hym dredde It felle for al his wytchecraft So that Egypte was hym beraft And he desguysed fledde awey By ship held the ryght wey To Macedoyne where that he Arâ—yueth at the chyef Cyte Thre yomen of his Chambre there All only for to serue hym were The whiche he trusteth wonder wele For they were trewe as ony stele And hapneth that they with hym lad Parte of the best good he had They toke lodgyng in the towne After the disposicioun Where as hym thought best to dwelle He axeth than herd telle How that the kyng was oute go Vpon a werre he had tho But in that cyte than was The quene whiche Olympias Was hoote with solempnyte The feste of hir natyuyte As it be fell was than holde And for hir lust to biholde And prayd of the people aboute She shope hir for to ryde oute And after mete al openly Anone were al men redy And that was in the Monethe of may This lusty quene on good aray Was set vpon a mule whyte To sene it was a grete delyte The ioye that the Eyte made With fresshe thynges with glade The noble tâ—une was al behonged And euery wyght was sore alonged To sâ—e this lusty lady ryde There was grete myrthe on euery side Where as passeth by the strete Thâ—re was full many tymbre bete And many a mayde carolyng And thus thurgh out that tâ—un playeng This quene vnto a pleyne rode Where that she houed and abode To see dyuerse gâ—me pley The lusty folk Iust and torney And so forth euery other man Whiche play couthe â—is playe bigan To plese with this noble quene Nectanabus came to the grene Amonges other drough hym nyghe But when that he this lady syghe And of hir beaute hede tooke He â—â—uthe not withdrawe his loke To see nought elles in the felde But stood only hir biheld Of his clothyng of his chere He was al vnlyche other there So that it hapneth at the last The quene vpon hym hir eye cast And knewe that he was sâ—rauÌ„ge anone But he biheld hir euer in one Withoute blemysshyng of his cheere She took good â—ede of hâ—s manere And wondreth why he dyd so And bad men sheld for hym goo He came dyd hir reuerence And she axeth in sylence From whome he came what he wold And he with sobre wordes told And seyth madame a Clerke I am To yow and in message I cam The whiche I may not tellen here But yf it lyke yow to here It must be said al pryuely Where none shal be but ye and I Thus for the tyme he tooke his leue The day goth forth till it was eue That euery man mote lete his werk And she thought euer vpon this clerk What thyng it is that he wold mens And in this wyse abode the quene It passeth ouer thylk nyght Till it was on the moro we lyght She send for hym and he came With hym his Astrolahe he name Whiche was of fyne gold precious With poyntes and cercles merueylous And eke the heuenly fygures Wronght in a book full of peyntures He took this lady for to shewe And told of eche of hem by rewe The cours and the condycyon And she with grete affectyon Sate stylle herd what he wold And thus when he seeth tyme he told And feyneth with his wordes wyse A tale and seyth in suche a wyse Madame but a whyle agoo Where I was in Egypte tho And radde in scole of this scyence It felle in to my conscyence That I in to the temple went And there with all my hole entent As I my sacryfice dede One of the goddes hath me â—edâ— That I yow warne pryuely So that ye make yow redy And that ye be no thyng agaste For he suche loue hath to yow cast That ye shall ben his owne dere And he shall be youre bedfere Til ye conceyue be with child And with that word â–ª she wex al myldâ— And somdele bicame for shame And axrth hym that goddes name Whiche so wol done her companye And he seid amos of luby And she said that may I not leue But yf I see a better preue Madame quod Nectanabus In token that it shal be thus This nyght for enformacion Ye shall hane a vysyon That Amos shall to
yow appere To she we and teche in what manerâ— The thyng shall afterward befalle Ye oughten wel abouen alle To make ioye of suche a lord And when ye be of one acord He shall a sone of yow begete Which with his swerd shal wyn gete The wyde world in lengthe brede Al erthely kynges shall hym drede And in suche a wyse I yow behote The god of the erthe he shall be hote If this be sooth tho quod the quene This nyght thou seâ—â—st it shall be sene And yf it falle in to my grace Of god Amos that I purchace To take of hym so grete worship I wol doo the suche ladyship Wherof thou shalt for euermo Be ryche he thanked hyr tho And took his leue forth he went She wist lytel what he ment For it was gyle and sorcerye Al that she took for prophecye Nectanabus thorugh oute the day When he cam home where he lay His chambre with hym self tooke And ouertorneth many a book And thorugh the craft of arte mage Of wex he forgeth an ymage And loketh his equacions And eke the constellacions He loketh the conâ—unctions He loketh the recepcions His signes his houre his ascendent And drâ—weth fortune of his assent The name of the quene Olimpias In thylk ymage wryten was A myddes in the fronte aboue And thus to wyn his lust of loue Nectanabus this werk hath dyght And whan it came within nyght That euery wyght is falle a slepe He thought he wold his tyme kepe As he whiche hath his houre apoynted And than first he hath anoynâ—eed With sondâ—y herbes that figure And therupon he gan coniure So that thorugh his enchauntement This lady whiche was Innocent And wyst no thyng of this gyle Mette as she slepte thylke whyle How fro the heuen cam a lyght Whiche al hir chambre made lyght And as she loked to and fro She sey hir thought a dragon tho Whoo 's scherdes shynen as the sonne And hath his soft paas begonne With al the chere that he may Toward the hed there she lay Til he cam to the beddes syde And she lay stylle no thyng cryde For he did al his thynges fayre And was curtoys and debonayre And as he stoode hir fast by His forme he thaunged sodenly And the figure of man he nome And to hir in to hir bedde he come And suche thyng ther of loue he wroÈt Wherof so as hir than thought Thorugh lykyng of this god Amos With childe anone hir wombe â—roos And she was wonder glad with alle Nectanabus whiche causeth alle Of this metred the substaunce When he seeth tyme his nygromance He stynt no thyng more seide Of his carecte she abreyde Oute of hir slepe and leueth wele That it is sooth than enery dele Of that this Clerke hir had told And was the gladder many fold In hope of suche a glad metrede Whiche after shalle befalle in dede She longeth sore after the day That she hir sweuen telle may To this gylour in pryuete Whiche knewe it as wel as she And netheles on the morow soone She lefte all other thynges to done And for hym sent all the caas She told hym pleynly as it was And said how than wel she wyst That she his wordes myght tryst For she fond hir auysyon Ryght after the condycyon Whiche he hir had told tofore And prayd hym hertely therfore That he hir hold couuenaunt So forth of all the remenaunt That she may thorugh his ordynaunce Toward the god doo suche plesaunce That she wakyng myght hym kepe In suche wyse as she met in slepe And he that couthe gyle ynough When he this herd for ioye he lough And said madame it shall be doo But this I warne yow therto This nyÈt when that he cometh to play That there be no lyf in the way But I that shall at his lykynge Ordeyne so for his comyng That ye ne shall of hym fayle For this madame I yow conusaile That ye it kepe so pryue That no wyght els but we thre Haue knowlechyng how that it is For els myght it fare amys If ye dyd ought that shold hym greue And thus he maketh hir to bileue And fayneth vnder gyle feyth But netheles all that he seyth She troweth and ayene the nyght She hath within hir chambre dyght Where as this gyloure fast by Vpon this god shal pryuely Awayte as ye make hir to wene And thus this noble gentyl quene When she moost trust was deceyued The nyÈt cam the chambre is weyued Nectanabus hath take his place And when he sawe tyme of space Thorugh deceyte of his magyke He put hym oute of mans lyke And of a dragon took he the forme As he whiche wold al conforme To that she sawe in sweuen or this And thus to chambre comen he is The quene lay a bed and syghe And hopeth euer as he cam nyghe That he god of luby were So that she the lesse fere But for he wold hir more assure Yet efte he chaunged his figure And of a wether the lykenesse He took in fygure of his noblesse With large hornes for the nones Of fyne gold precious stones A Corowne on his hede he bare And sodenlyche or she was ware As he whiche all gyle can His forme he turneth in to man And cam to bed she lay stylle Where as she suffred all his wylle And she whiche wende not mysdo But netheles it hapned soo Al though she were in parte deceyued Yet for all that she hath conceyued The worthyest of al the kythe Whiche was euer to fore or sithe Of conquest of Chyualrye So that thorugh gyle sorcerye There was that noble knyght begoÌ„ne Whiche al the world hath after woÌ„ne Thus felle the thyng which falle shold Nectanabus hath that he wold With gyle he hath his loue spedde With gyle he cam in to the bedde With gyle he goth hym oute ageyne He was a shrewed chambyrlayne So to begyle a worthy quene And that on hym was after sene But netheles the thyng is do This fals god was soone goo With his deceyte helde hym cloos Tyl morow cam that he aroos And tho when tyme of leyser was Tho quene told hym al the cas As she that gyle none supposeth And of two poyntes she hym opposeth One was yf that this god nomore Wyll come ayene and euermore How she shal stonden in acord With kyng philip hir owne lord When he cometh home seeth hir grone Madame he seyth lete me alone As for the god I vndertake That whan it lyketh yow to take His company at ony throwe If I a day to fore it knowe He shall be with yow on the nyght And he his wylle of suche a myght To kepe yow from al blame For thy comforte yow madame There shal none other cause be Thus took he leue forth goth he And tho began he for to muse How he the quene myght excuse Toward the kyng of
speke in generalle Where suche thynge falleth ouer al That ony kyng hym self mysrule The phylosophre vpon this rule In speaal a cause sette Whiche is euer hath be the bette In gouernaunce aboute a kyng Vpon 〈◊〉 myselyef of the thyng And that he seyth is slaâ—â—ye Wherof to fore as in partye What that vyce is I haue declared For who that hath his wytte bywared Vpon a flaterer to beleue Whan that he weneth best acheue His god worde it is moste fro And for to preuen it is so Exaumples ther ben many one Of whiche yf thou wylt knowe one It is behouely for to here What whylom fyl in this matere hIc loquitur vlterius de consilio adusantum quorum fabulis principes aures organiÈate veritatis auditum caâ—ere nequeunt Et narrat exempluÌ„ de rege achab oui pro eo qd ipse prophe aâ—s fidelis Michee recu auit blandiaas oue adulantis Èedechye adhesit Rex Sirâ—e benedab in campo bellator ipsum diuino Iudicio deuictum interfecit â—Monge the kynges in the byble I fynde a tale is credyble Of one that whylom achab hyght Whiche had al Israel to ryght But who that coude glose softe And â—latre which he sette on lofte In arete estate and made hem ryche But they that wroten wordes lyche To trouthe wold it not forbere For hem was none estate to beâ—â— The contre of suche toke none here Tyl atte laste vpon a nede That benadab the kyng of surry Of Israel a grete partye Which ramoth coloath was hote Hath seced of that â—yote He toke counceyl in sondry wyse But not of hem that weren wyse And nethelesse vpon this caas To strengthe hym for Iosaphas Whiche thenne was kyng of Iudee He sende for to come as he Whiche thorugh frendshyp alliauÌ„ce Was nexte to hym of acqueyntaunce For Ioram sone of Iosaphath Achabbes doughter wedded hath Whiche hyght fayr goodelye And thus came in to samerye Kyng Iosaphath he founde there The kyng achab whan they were To gyder spekyng of this thynge This Iosaphath saith to the kynge How that he wold gladly here Somme trewe prophete in this matere That he his counceyl myght yeue To what poynte it shal be dreue And in that tyme so befelle That there was suche one in Israel Whiche sette hym al to flaterye And he was cleped sedechye And after hym achab hath sente And he at his coÌ„maundement To hym came by a sleyghte He hath vpon his heed on heyght Two large hornes sette of bras And he which a flaterour was And goeth rampynâ— as a lyon And cast his hornes vp doun And bad men ben of good espeyre For as the hornes persen the eyre He saith withouten resistence So wist he wel of his science That benadab is discomfyte Whan sedechye vpon this plyte Hath tolde this tale vnto this lord Anone they were of one accorde Prophetes false many mâ— To bere vp oyle and altho Affermed that whiche he hath tolde Wherof the kyng achab was bolde And yaue hem yeftes al aboute But Iosaphath was in grete doubte He helde fantasme al that he herde Prayeng achab how so it ferde Yf there were ony other man The whiche of prophecye can To here hym speke or that théy gone Quod achab than there is one A brothel which mycheas hyght But he ne cometh in my syght For he hath longe in pryson leyen Hym lyked neuer yet to sayen A goodely word to my plesaunce And nethelesse at thyn instauÌ„ce He shal come out than he may Say as he hath said many a day For yet he said neuer wele Tho Iosaphath gan somme dele To gladen hym in hope of trouthe And bade hym withouten slouthe That men hym shold fâ—tte anone And they that were fro hym gone Whan that they came where he was They tolden vnto mycheas The manere how that sedechye Declared hath his prophecye And therupon they praye hym fayre That he wyl say no contrayre Wherof the kyng may be dyspleseâ— For so shal euery man be esed And he may helpe hym self also Mycheas vpon trouthe tho His herte sette to hem seyth Al that belongeth vnto his feyth And of none other feyned thynge That wyl he telle vnto the kynge As ferre as god hath yeue hym grace Thus came this prophete in to the place Where he the kynges wylle herde And he therto anone answerde Vnto hym in this wyse My lyege lord for my fernyse With treuth stonde hath euer yet Thou hast me with pason aquyt But for al that I shal not glose Of trouthe after as I suppose And as touchyng of this batayle Thou shalt not of the soth sayle For yf it lyke the to here As I am taught in that matere Thou myght it vnderstonde sone But what is afterward to done Auyse the of this I seye I was tofore the trone on heye Where al the world me thought stode And there I herde vnderstode The voyce of god with wordes clere Axyng said in this manere In what wyse may I best begylâ— This kyng achab for a whyle And vpon this poynte they speke fast Tho said a spyrit atte last I vndertake this empryse And god hym axeth in what wyse I shal qd he deceyue and lye With flateryng prophecye In suche mowthes as he leueth And he whiche al thynge acheueth Bad hym goo forth and do right so And ouer this I say also This noble peple of Israel Dispers as sheep vpon an hylle Without a kepar vn arayed And as they wente aboute strayed I herde a voys vnto hem seyn Goeth home in to your how 's ageyn Tyl I for you haue fetter ordeyned Quod sedechye thou hast feyned This tale in angeryng of the kyng And in a wrath vpon this thynge He smote mychee vpon the cheke The kyng hym hath rebuked eke And euery man vpon hym cryed Thus was he shente on euery syde Ageyn in to pryson ladde For so the kyng hym self badde The trouthe myght not be herde But afterward as it hath ferde The dede proueth his entente Achab to the batayle wente Where benadab for al his shelde Hym slewe so that vpon the felde His peple goeth aboute a straye But god whiche al thynge may So doth that they no myschyef haue Her kyng was deed they be saue And home ageyn in goddes pees They wente al was founde lees That sâ—â—â—chye hath sayd tofore So sit it wel a kyng therfore To loue theym that trewe mene For atte laste it wyl be sene That flaterye is no thynge worthe But now to my matere forth As for to speken ouer more After the phylosophers lore The third poynte of polecye I thynke for to specefye Propter transgressores leges statuuntur in oâ—be Vt vnâ—aÌ„t iusti regis honore vâ—â— â–ª Lex sine Iusticia populum sub principis vmbra Deuiat vt rectum nemo videbit itâ—r Hic tractat de tercia principum legie policia
pryuelye He had in his condycion And vnto this conclusion That tyraunt is to dyspryse I fynde ensaumple in sondry wyfe And namelyche of hem ful ofte To whom fortune hath set aâ—ofte Vpon the warres for to wynne But how so that the wronge begynne Of tyrannye it may not laste But suche as they done atte laste To other men suche on hem falleth For ageyn suche pyte calleth Vengeaunce to the god aboue For who that hath no tender loue In sauyng of a mannys lyfe He shal be founde so gyltyfe That whan he wold mercy craue In tyme of nede he shal none haue Nota qualiter beo homiÌ„bÈ stratis ê‘cit Of the nature thus I fynde The fiers lyon in his kynde Which goeth rampyng after his praye Yf â—e a man fynde in his waye He wil hym slee yf he withstonde But yf the man coude vnderstonde To falle anone tofore his face In signe of mercy and of grace The lyon shal of his nature Restreyne his yre in suche mesure As though it were a beste y tamed And torne aweye halfyng ashamed That be the man shal no thyng greue How shold than a prynce acheue Thâ— worldes grace yf that he wold Dâ—â—â—râ—ye a mâ—n whan he is yolde And stante vpon his mercy alle But for to speken in specialle There haue be suche suche there be Tyrauntes whos hertes ne pyte May to no poynte of mercy plye That they vpon her tyrannye Ne gladen hem the men to slee And as the ractes of the see Ben vnpytous in the tempeste Right so may no pyte reste Of cruelte the grete vltrage Which the tyraunt in his corage Engendreth hath wherof I fynde A tale now which cometh to mynde Hic loquitur contra tiraÌ„nos illos qui cuÌ„ in bello vicere possuÌ„t huaÌ„ni saÌ„guinis effusioâ— saturare nequeuÌ„t et narrat in exempluÌ„ de quodam ê‘saâ— rege cuiê° nomen sê‘tachus erat qui pre ceberis tuÌ„c in oriente bellicosus victoriosus quoscuÌ„qÈ gladio vincere poterat absqÈ pietate interfeci coÌ„stituit Set tandem sub manu thamaris marsegittaruÌ„ regine in bello captus quam a diu quesiuit seueritatem ê“ seueritate finalâ—t inuenit nam ipaÌ„ quoddmÌ„ has de sanguine ê‘saruÌ„ plenuÌ„ ante se offerre decreuit in quo capud tiranni vsqÈ ad morteÌ„ mergens dixit O tiraÌ„naruÌ„ crudeâ—ssime semper esuriens sanguinem sicisti ecceiam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe I Rede in olde bokes thus Ther was a due which spertachus Men cleped was a wetrour A cruel man a conquerour With stronge power which he ladde For this condicion he hadde That where hym happeneth the victorye His lust al his glorye Was for to slee not to saue Of rauÌ„son wold he no good haue For sauyng of a maÌ„nys lyfe But al goeth to the swerde knyfe So beef hym was mannys blood And nethelesse thus it stodâ— So as fortune aboute wente He fyl right heyre as by dyssent To pers was crowned kynge And whaÌ„ the worship of this 〈◊〉 ynge Was falle he was kyng of pers If that they weren fyrst dyuers Hath shape for vpon a tyde Whan he was hyest in his pryde In his rancour in his hete Ageyn the quene of mersagete Which thamaris that tyme hyght He made werre al that he myght And she which wolde hir londe defeÌ„de Hir owue sone ageyn hym sende Which the deffence hath vndertake But he dyscomfyte was take And whaÌ„ this kyng hym had in honde He wold no mercy vnderstonde But dyd hym slee in his presence The kyng of his vyolence Whan it came to the moders ere She sende aâ—one ay wyde where To suche frendes as she had A grete power tyl that she lad In sondre wyse tho she caste How she this kyng may ouercaste And atte last accorded was That in the daunger of a paas Thorugh which this tyrauÌ„t shold pas She shope his power to compas By strengthe of men by suche a weye That he shal not escape aweye And whan she had thus ordeyned She hath hir owne body feyned For fere as though she wold flee Out of hir londe when that he Hath herde how that thys lady fledde So fast after the chase he spedde That he was founde out of araye For it betyd vpon a day In to the paas whan he was falle The enbusshementes to breke alle And hym beclypte on euery syde That fle ne myght he not a syde So that there were dede take Two hondred thousand for his sake That weren with hym of his hoost And thus was leyed the grete boost Of hym of his tyrannye Hit helpeth not mercy for to crye To hym which whilom dyd none For he vnto the quene anone Was brought when that she hym sye This word she spake leyed on hye O man which out of mannes kynde Reson of man hath lefte behynde And lyued wors than a beste Whom pyte myght not areste The mannys blode to shede spylle Thou haddest neuer yet thy fylle But now the last tyme is come That thy malyce is ouercome And thou tyl other hast mys do Now shal be do to the right so Tho bad this lady that men shold A vessel brynge in which she wolde See the vengeaunce of his Iuyse Which she began anone deuyse And toke the princes whiche she ladde By whom his chyef counceyl he hadde And while hem lefte ony brethe She made hem blede to the dethe In to the vessel where it stode And whan it was fulfilled of blode She caste the tyraunte therin And said to thus myght thou wynne The lustres of thyn appetyte In blode was whylom thy delyte Thou shalt now drynke al thy fylle And thus onely of goddes wylle He which that wold hym self sirauÌ„ge To pyte fonde mercy so straunge That he without grace is bore So may it wel shelbe therfore That cruelte hath no good ende But pyte how so that it wende Maketh that god is merciable If there be cause resonable Why that a kyng shal be pytous But ellys yf he be doubtous To sleen in cause of rightwysnesse It may be sayd no pytousnesse But it is pusillanymyte Which euery prynce shold flee For yf pyte mesure excede Kynghode may not alwey procede To do Iustyse vpon right For it belongeth to a knyght As gladly for to fyght as reste To sette his liege peple in reste Whan that the warre vpon hem falleth For them he mote as it befalleth Of his knyghthode as a lyon Be to the peple a champyon Without vny pyte fayned For yf manhode be restreyned Or be it pees or be it werre Iustyce goeth out of herre So that knyghthode is set behynde Of aristotles lore â— fynde A kyng shal mâ— ke good vysage That no man knowe of his corage But al honour worthynesse For yf a kyng shal vpon gesse Without vâ—râ—y cause drede He may be lyke to that I rede And though that it be lyke a fable
The ensaumple Is good resonable Hic loquitur secundum philosophuÌ„ diâ—ns ad sicut non decet principes tiâ—aÌ„nia 〈…〉 esse câ—â—deles ita nec â—â—â—â—t â—â—moâ—osa pusillamitate esse vecorâ—â—â— â— Sâ—â— by olde dayes felle I rede whylom that an helle Vpâ—n the loâ—des of arcâ—â—de A wonder dredeful noyse made For so it fyl that ylke day This hylle on his chyldyng lay And when the thâ—â— wes on hym come His â—oyse like the day of dome Was fereful in mannys thought Of thynges which that they see nouÈt But wel they herden al aboute The â—oyse of which they were in doute As they that wenden to be lore Of thynge which theÌ„ne was vubore The nere this hylle was vpon chaunce To taken his delyueraunce The more vnbuxumlyche he cryed Euery man fledde a syde For drede lefte his owne holbs And atte laste it was a molbs The which was lore to notice Bytake tho they helde hem nyce For they withouten cause dradde Thus yf a kyng his herte ladde With euery thynge that he shal here Ful ofte he shold chaunge his chere And vpon fantasye drede Whan that ther is no cause of drede Nota hic secundum oracium de mag nanimo â—aâ—â—de pusillanime thersite Orace to his prynce tolde That hym were lâ—uer that he wold Vpon knyghthede achylles sewe In tyme of warre than eschewe So as thersites dyd at troye A chilles al his hole ioye Set vpon armes for to fyght Thersytes sought al that he myggt Vnarmed for to stonde and reste But of the two it was the beste That achilles vpon the nede Hath do wherof that his knyghthede Is yet commended ouer alle Kyng salamon in specialle Saith as there is a tyme of pees So is a tyme nethelees Of werre of which a prynce algate Shal for the comyn right debate And for hs owne worshyp eke But it behoueth not to seke Onely the werre for worshyp But to the right of his lordship Which he is holde to deffende Mote euery worthy prynce entende Betwene the symplyesse of pyte And the fole hast of cruelte Where stante the hardynesse Therupon a kyng his herte adresse Whan it is tyme for to forsake And whan tyme is also to take The godely werres vpon honde That he shal for no drede wonde If rightwisnes be withal For god is myghty ouer al To forther euery maÌ„nes trouthe But it le thorugh his owne slouthe And namely the kynges nede It may not fayle for to spede For he stante one for hem alle So mote it wel the better falle And wel the more god fauoureth When he the comune right socoureth And for to â–ª see the soth in dede Beholde the byble thou myght rede Of grete ensaumples many one Wherof that I wyl telle one Hic dicit qd princeps iusticie causa bellum modo timere debet Et narrat qualiter dux gedeon cum solis â—ercentis viris quinque Reges scilicet Madianitharum amalichitarum amortanrum Amorâ—orum â—â—buseorum cum eoruÌ„ excercitu qui â—d nonaginta milia numeratus est gracia cooperante diuina victoriose infugam conuertit uPon a tyme as it byfelle Ayenst Iude of Israelle Whan sondry kynges come were Iâ— purpoos to destroye theâ—e The peple whiche god kepte tho And stode m thylke dayes so That gedeon which shold lede The goddes folke toke hym to rede And sende m al the londe aboute Tyl be assembled hath a route With xxx thousand of deffence To fyght make resystence Ageyn the which he wold assayle And nethelesse that one batayle Of thre that were enemyes Was double more than was al his Wherof that gedeon hym drad That he so litel peple had But he which al thynge may helpe Where that ther lacketh maÌ„nes helpe To gedeon his aungel sente And bad or that he forther wente Al openlye that he do crye That euery man in his partye Which wold after his owne wylle In his delyte abyde stylle At home in ony maner wyse For purchace or for couetyse For lust of loue lacke of heâ—te He shold not aboute sterte But holde hym stylle in pees Wherof vpon the morowe he lees Wel xx thousand men mo Which after the crye ben goo Thus was with hym but onely lefte The thyrd parte yet god efte His aungel sende said this To gedeon yf it so is That I thyn helpe shal vndertake Thou shalt yet lesse pexle take By whom my wyl is that thou spede For thy to morowe take good hede Vnto the flode whan ye be come What man that hath the water nome Vpon his hande lappeth so To thy parte chese out al â—â—o And hym which wery is to swynke Vpon his Wombe lyeth to drynke Forsake put hem al albeye For I am myghty al weye Where as me lyse my helpe to sewe In good men though they be fewe This gedeon a wayteth welle â— Vpon the morowe euery delle As god hym bade right so he dede And thus they laften in that stede With hym thre hondred no moo The remenaunte was al a goo Wherof that gedeon merueyleth And therupon with god counceylleth Pleynyng as ferforth as he dare And god that wold â—e were ware That he shal spede vpon his right Hath bede hym goo the same nyght And toke a man to hym to here What shal be spoke in this matere Amonge the hethen enemyes So may he be the more wyse What afterward hym shal befalle This gedeon â—monges alle Phara to whom he tryst moste By nyght toke toward thylke hooste Whiche lodged was in a valeye To here what they wolden seye Vpon his fote as he ferde Two sareÈyns spekyng he herde Quod one arede my sweuen a right Which I met in my sweuen to nyght Me thought I sawe a barley cake Which fro the hyll his weye hath take And came rollyng doun at ones And as it were for the nones Forth in his cours as it ran The kynges tente of madyan Of amalech of amareye Of amon of Iebuseye And many another tente mo With grete ioye as me thought tho It threwe to grounde ouercaste And al his hoost so sore agaste That I woke for pure drede This sweuen can I wel arede Qd the other sareÈyn anone The barly cake is Gedeon Which fro the hylle doun sodeynlye Shal come set suche a skrye Vpon the kynges vs bothe That it shal to vs al lothe For in suche drede he shal vs brynge That yf we hadden flight of wynge The weye of fote in dyspayre We shul leue flee in the ayre For ther shal no thyng hym withstoÌ„de Whan gedeon hath vnderstonde This tale he thanked god of alle And pryuelye ageyn he stalle So that no lyf hym bath perceyued And than he hath fully conceyued That he shal spede there vpon The nyght sewyng he shope to gone This multitude to assayle Now shalt thou here a grete meruayle
With what wysdom that he wrought The lytel peple which he brought Was none of hem that he ne hath A potte of erthe which he tath A light brennyng in a cresset And eche of hem eke a trompet Bare in his honde eke besyde And thus vpon the nyghtes tyde Duâ— gedeon whan it was derke Ordeyneth hym vnto his werke And parted than his folke in thre And chargeth than that they ne fle And taught hem how they shold askrye Al in one wyse par companye And what word they shold eke speke And how they shold her pottes breke Eche one with other whan they herde That he hym self so first ferde For whan they came in to the stede He bad hem do right as he dede And thus stalkyng forth a paâ—s This noble duc whan tyme was His pot he brake loude ascryed And tho they brake on euery syde The trompe was not tho to seke He blewe so they blewen eke With suche a noyse emonge hem alle As though the heuen shold falle â–ª The hylle vnto her voys auswerde This hoste in the valey it herde And saith how that the hylle a light So what of heryng of syght They caught suche a sodeyn fere That none of hem be lefte there The tentes hooly they forsoke That they none other good toke But onely with her body bare They fledde as doeth the wylde hare And euer vpon the hylle they blewe Tyl that they sawe tyme knewe That they be fled vpon the rage And whan they wyst thâ—ir auauÌ„tage They fyl anone vnto the chace Thus myÈt thou see how goddes grace Vnto the good auayleth But ellis oftyme it faylleth To suche as be not wel disposed This tale nedeth not to be glosed For it is openlye shewed That god to hem that ben wel thewed Hath yeue grauÌ„ted the victorye So that thensaumple of this hystarye Is good for euery kyng to holde First in hym self that he beholde If he be good of his lyuyng And that the folke which he shal brynge Be good also for than he may Be glad of many aÌ„ mery day In what that euer he hath to done For he which sitte aboue the mone In al thynge may spylle spede In euery caas euery nede His good kyng so wel he dresseth That al his foo men he represseth So that ther may no man hym dere And also wel he can forbere And suffre a wicked kyng to falle In handes of his foon alle Hic dicit qd vbi et quando causa tempus requirunt princeps illos sub potestate sua quos iusticie aduersarios suoâ— agnouerit occidere de iure tenetur Et narrat exemplum qualiter pro eo qd saul regem agag in bello deuincit iuxta samuelis consiliuÌ„ occidere nolu it ipse diuino iudicio non sosum a regno israel priuatus set heredes sui pro perpetuo exhereditati sunt n ow ferthermore yf I shal seyn Of my mater torne ageyn To speke of iustyce pyte After the rule of ryalte This may a kyng wel vnderstonde â—enyghthode mote be take on honde Whan that it stonte vpon the nede He shal no rightful cause drede No more of werre than of pees If he wyl stonde blameles For suche a cause a kyng may haue Better it is to slee than saue Wherof thou myght ensaumple fynde The hygh maker of mankynde By samuel to saul bade That he shal no thyng be adâ—ad Ageyn kyng agag for to fyght For this the godhede hym behyght That agag shal be ouercome And whan it is so ferforth come That saul hym hath dyscomfyte The god bad make no respyte That he ne shold hym slee anone But saul lete it ouer gone And dyd not the goddes heste For agag made a grete beheste Of raunsom which he wold gyu Kyng saul suffreth hym to lyue And fayneth pyte forth withal But he which sawe knewe alle The hye god of that he feyneth To samuel vpon hym pleyneth And sende hym worde for that he lâ—fâ—e Of agag that ne by refte The lyf he shal not onely deye Hym self but fro his regalye He shal be put for euer mo Nought but eke his eyre also That it shal neuer come ageyn Thus myght thou see the sothe pleyne Hic narrat vlâ—erius super eodem qualiter dauid in extremis iusticie causâ— vt Ioab occideretur absque vlla remissione filio suo Salamoni iniunxit tHat of to moche of to lyâ—â— Vpon the prynces stante the wyâ—â— But euer it was a kynges right â—o do the dedes of a knyght For in the hondes of a kynge The deth lyf is al o thynge After the lawes of Iustyce To slâ—en it is a dedely vyce But yf a man the deth deserne And yf a kyng the lyf preserue Of hym which ought for to deye He shâ—weth not the ensaumplerye Which in the byble is euydente How â—â—â—yd in his tesâ—amente Whan he no lenger myght leue Vnto his sone in cherge hath geue That he Ioab sheld slee algace And whan dauyd was gone his gate The yonge wyse salamone Hiâ—â—â—ders heste dyd anone And slewe Ioab in suche a wyse That they that herden the Iuyse Euer after dredden hym the more And god was eke wel payed therfore That he so wold his herte plye The lawes for to iustefye And yet he kepte forth with al â—ytâ— aâ— a prynce shal That he ne tyrannye wrought He fonde the wysdom which he sought And was so rightful nethelees That al his lyf â—e sâ—ode in pees That he no dedely warres hadde For euery man his wysdom dradde And as he was hym self wyse Right so the worthy men of pryse He hath of his counceyl withholde For that is euery prynces holde To make of suche his retenue Which wyse ben renewe The fooles for there is no thynge That may be better aboute a kynge ThaÌ„ the ocâ—ceyl which is the substauÌ„ce Of al a bynges gouernaunce Hic dicit qd pepulum sibi coÌ„missu bene reâ—ere super omnia principi laudabilius est Et narrat in exemplum qualiter pro eo qd salamon vt populuÌ„ bene regeret ab altissimo sapienciam specialius postulauit omma bona pariter cum illa sibi habundancius aduerunt iN salamon a man may see What thynge of moste necessyte Vnto a worthy kynge bylongeth Whan he his kyngdom vnderfengeth God bad hym chese what he wolde And said hym that he haue sholde What he wold aske of a thynge And he which was a noble kynge For ther vpon his bone prayed To god in this wyse sayed O thynge by whome that I shal regne Yeue me wisdom that in my regne Forth with the peple which I haue To thyn honour may kepe saue Whan salamon with loue hath taxed The god of that which he hath axed Was ryght wel payed graunted sone Not al onely that he his bone Shal haue of that but of richesse Of bele of pees
also shal be thy tale If he hem smote with roddes smale With scorpyons thou shalt hem smyte And where thy fader toke a lite Thou thynkest to take mychel more Thus shalt thou make hem drede sore The grete herte of thy corage So for to holde hem in seruage This yong kyng hym hath coÌ„formed To done as he was laste enformed Which was to hym vndoyng For whan it came to the spekyng He hath the yonge counceyl holde That he the same wordes tolde Of al the peple in audyence And whan they herde the sentence Of his malyce the manace Anone tofore his owne face They haue hym entyerly refused And with ful grete reproue accused So they began for to raue That he hym self was fayne to saue For as the wylde wode rage Of wyndes maketh the see sauage And that was calme bryngeth to wawe So for defaute grace of lawe This peple is stered al at ones And forth they goo out of his wones So that of the lignage twelfe Two tribus onely by hem selfe With hym abyden no moo So were they for euer moo Of no retorne without espryre Departed fro the rightful heyre Al Israel with comyn voyce A kyng vpon her owne choyce Amonge hem self anone they make And haue her yonge lord forsake A polber knyght jeroboas They toke lefte roboas Which rightful heyre was by dyssent Thus the yonge cause wente For that the counceyl was not good The reygne fro the rightful blood Euer afterward deuyded was So may it prouen by this caas That yonge couÌ„ceyl which is to warme Or men be ware dothe ofte harme Olde age for the counceyl serueth And lusty yongth his thonke deserueth Vpon the traueyle which he dothe And bothe for to say a sothe By sondry cause for to haue If that he wyl his wygne saue A kyng behoueth euery day That one can that other may Be so the kyng bothe rule Or ellys al goeth out of rule Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi vtrum regno conueniencius foret principem optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem aNd vpon this matere also A questyon betwene the two Thus writen in book I fonde Whether it be better for the londe A kyng hym self to be wyse And so to bere his owne pryse And that his counceyl be not good Or otherâ—â—kse yf it so stode A kyng yf he be vycious And his counceyl be vertuous It is answered in suche a wyse That better it is that they be wyse By whom the counceyl shold gone For they be many he but one And rather shal an onely man With fâ—ls counceyl for ought he can From his wysdem be made to falle Than he allone shold hem alle Fro vyces vnto vertues chaunge For tâ—â—t is wel the more straunge For thy the â—onde may wel be glad Whâ—s kyng with good couÌ„ceyl is lad Which sette hym vnto rightwysnes So that his hygh worthynes Betwene the reddeur pyte Dâ—th mercy forth with equyte A kyng is holden ouer alle To pyte and in specialle To â—â—m where he is moste beholde Thy shold his pite most beholde That bâ—n the â—â—ges of the â—onde For they ben euer vnder his honde A fâ—â—r the goâ—des ordenaunce To stonde vnder his gouernaunce Nota adâ—uâ— precipue de principis â—â—ga suos subditos debita pietate legitur â—nim ouabter anthonius a scipionâ— exemplificatus dixit quod mallet vnum de populo sibi commisso viruÌ„ saâ—uare â—uam centum ex hostibus aâ—enigenis in beâ—lo perdere oF the emperour anthonyus I fynde hâ—w he sayd thus That leuer hym were for to saue One of his liegâ—s than to haue Of enemyes an hundred dede As thus he lerned as I rede Of Cypyo which had be Consul of Rome thus to see Druâ—rs ensaumples how they stonde A kyng which hath â— charge on honde The comyn peple to gouâ—rne If that he wyl be may wel lerne Is none so good to the plesaunce Of god as is good gouernaâ—â—â—e And euery gouernaunce is due The pyte thus I may argue That pyte is the foundemente Of euery kynges reygnemente If it be medlyd wyth iustyce They two remeuâ—n al vyce And be of vertu moste vaylable To make a kynges royame stable Lo thus the foure poyntes tofore In gouernaunce as they be bore Of trouth first of laregsse Of pyte forth with rightwisnesse I haue hem tolde ouer this The first poynte so as it is Set of the rule of polecye Wherof a kyng shal modefye The flesshly lusâ—es of nature Now thynke I telle of suche mesure That bothe kynde shal be serued And eke the lawe of god obserued Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis honestas Nominis vt famam nulla libido râ—at Omne qd est hominis effe minat illa voluptas Sit nâ—si magnanimi cordis vt obstat ei Hic tractat secundum aristotilem de quinta principum xegiminis polâ—cia quam castitatem concernit cuius honestas im pudicicie motus obtemporans tam cor poris quam anime mundiciciam specialius presâ—rnat tHe male is made for the femele â–ª But where as one desyreth fele That nedeth not by weye of kynde For whan a man may redy fynde His owne wyf what shold he sâ—che In straunge places to beseche To borowe another maÌ„nes plough When he hath grete good yuough Affayted at his owne heste And is to hym wel more honeste Than other thynge which vnknowe For thy shold euery good man knowe And thynke how that in maryage His trouth plyte lyeth in morgage Which yf he breke it is falsehede And that discordeth to manhede And namely toward the grete Wherof the bookes al trete So as the phylosophre techeth To alysaunder hym bytecheth The lore how that he shal mesure His body so that no mesure Of flesshly lust he shal excede And thus forth I shal procede The first poynte as I sayd ere Is chastyte which selde where Cometh now a dayes in to place But nethelesse but it be grace Aboue al other in specialle Is none that chaste may ben alle But yet a knyghtes hygh estate Which of his order as a prelate Shal be enoynted scifyed He mote be more magnefyed For dygnyte of his corone Than shold another lowe persone Which is not of so hygh empryse Therfore a prynce â–ª hym shold aduyse Or that he falle in suche ryote And namely that he ne assote To chaunge for the womanhede The worthynesse of his manhede Nota de doctriua aristotiles quasi ter princeps vt animi sui iocundita tâ—â—â— prouocet mulieres formosas câ—â—bro aspicere debet caueat tamen ne mens vo luptuosa torpesceus ex carnis fragilita te in vicium dilabatur F aristotle I haue wel radde How he to alysaunder badde That for to gladen his corage He shold beholden the vysage Of wymmen when that they ben fayre But yet he set an exaumplayre His body so to
the world forsâ—â— And toke vpon the clothes blake And euer vpon contynueng Right as men see a welle sprynge With eyen ful of wooful treas Hir here hangyng aboute hir eerys She wepte no man wyst whye For yet emonge ful pytouslye She prayed that they nolden dretche Hir husbond for to fetche Forthwyth hir fader eke also Thus they comen bothe two And brutus came with collatyne Which to lucrece was cosyne And in they wenten al thre To chambre where they myght see The woofullest vpon this molde Which wepte as she to water sholde This chambre dore anone was stoke Or they haue ought vnto her spoke They see hir clothes al dysgysed And how she hath hir self despysed Hir heer hangyng vnkempt aboute But nethelesse she gan to lowte And knele vnto hir husbonde And he wold fayne haue vnderstonde The cause why she fared soo With softe wordes axeth tho What may you he my good swete And she which thouÈt hir self vnmete And the leste worthe of wymmen alle Her wooful chere lete doun falle For shame coude vnnethes loke And they therof good hede toke And prayden hir in al weye That she ne spare for to saye Vnto hir frendes what hir ayleth Why she so sore hir self bewayleth And what the sothe wold mene And she which hath hir sorowe grene Hir woo to telle thenne assayeth But tendre shame her worde delayeth That sondry tymes as she mente To speke vpon the poynte she stente And they hir beden euer in one To telle forth there vpon Whan that she sawe she moste nede Hir tale bytwene shame drede She tolde not without peyne And he which wold hir woâ— restreyne Hir husbond a sory man Comforteth hir al that he can And swore eke hir fader bothe That they with hir be not wrothe Of that is do ageynst hir wylle And prayden hir to be stylle For they to hir hane al foryeue But she which thought not to leue Of hem wyl no foryeuenesse And said of thylke vnkyndenesse Which was to hir body wrought Al were it so she myght it nonght Here afterward the world ne shalle Reprouen hir forth with alle Or ony man therof be ware A naked knyf the which she bare Within her mantel priuelye Betwene hir hondes sodaynlye She toke thorugh hir herte it throÌ„ge And fyl to grouÌ„de euer amonge Whan that she fyl so as she myght Hir clothes with hir honde she right That no man dounward fro the knes Shold ony thynge of hir see Thus laye this wyf honestlye Al though she deyed woofullye Tho was no sorowe for to seke Hir husbond hir fader eke A swoune vpon the body felle There may no mannes tonge telle In which anguysshe that they were But brutê° which was with hem there Toward hym self his herte he kepte And to successe anone he lepâ—â— The blody swerde pulleth out And swere the goddes al aboute That he therof shal do vengeâ—unce And she tho made a câ—untenaunce Hâ—â— bâ—dely eye and atte loste In thâ—â— kyng as it were vp caste And so he helde hym in the wyse While she to boke may suffyse And brutus with a manly herte Hir husbond hath made vp stertâ— Forthwyth hyr fader eke also In al haste said than thâ— That they anone without lette A bere for the body fetâ—â— â—ucâ—â—ce there vpon bledyng He lâ—yâ—d so forth without cryeng He goeth vnto the market place Of rome in a litel space Thorugh crye the cyte was assembled And euery maÌ„nes herte trembled Whan they the soth herde of the caâ—s And there vpon the counceyl was Take of the grete of the smale And brutus tolde hem al the tale And thus came in to remembraunce Of synne of the contynnaunce Which arrous had do tofore And eke longe tyme or he were low â—f that his fader had do The â—â—ronge came in to the place thâ— Of that the comyn clamour tolde The newe shame of synnes olde And al the towne began to crye Aweye aweye the tyrannye Of lecherye of couetyse And atte laste in suche a wyse The fader in the same whyle Forthwith the sone they exyle And taken better gouernaunce But yet another remembraunce That rightwisnes lecherye Accorden not in companye With hym that hath the lawe on honde That may a man wel vnderstonde As by a tale thou shalt wyâ—e Of olde ensaumple as it is write Hic ponit exemplum super eodâ—m â—uaâ—â—ter huius virginenâ— dux exâ—â—â—â—tus remancâ—â—m vnicam fikam pulcherimam habens cum quodam nebâ—â—i viâ—â— nomine â—â—cio vt iâ—â—m in vxorem duâ—â—ret finaâ—â—ter concordâ—uit Set interim apius claudius tune â—â—n perator virginis formesitatem vt eam violaret concupiscens occasiones quiê° matrimonij impedire ipsam que ad sui â—â—um apprehendere posset sâ—bdola censpiracione fieri coniectâ—uit et cum propositum sui desiderij productis falsis tâ—stibus in â—udicio â—mperator habere de â—uisset pater tunc ibideÌ„ presens exiâ—â—e to gladio filie sue pectus mortali vulnere per medium transfobit dicens â—a 〈◊〉 michi de filia mea virginem habere mortuam quam in scandalum meretri cem reseruare uiuentem aT Rome whan apyus Who 's other name was claudius Was gouerrnour of the cyte There fyl a wonder to se Touchyng a gentyl mayde as thus Whom lyuyus vyrgyneus Begeten had vpon his wyfe Men sayden that so fayre a lyfe As she was not in al the towne This fame goeth vp and doune And to claudius came in his ere Wherof his thought anone was there Which al his herte hath sette a fyre That he began the floâ—â—e desyre Which longeth vnto maydenâ—â—de And sent yf that he myght spede The blynde lustes of his wylle But that thynge he myght not fulfil For he stode vpon maryage A knyght of ful grete â—â—gnage Ilyaus which than hyght Accordeth in hir faders syght Was that he shold his douÈter wedde But or the cause were fully spedde Hir fader which in romanye The leder of the chyualrye In gouernaunce hath vndertake Vpon a werre which was take Goeth out with al the strengthe he had Of men of armes which he had So was the mariage lefte And stode vpon accorde tyl efte The kyng which herde telle of this How that this mayde ordeyned is To mariage thought another And had thylke tyme a broder Which marcus claudius was hote And was a man of grete ryote Right as the kyng hym self was They two to gyder vpon this caas In couÌ„ceyl founden out this weye That marcus claudius shal saye How she by weye of couenaunte To his seruyce apurtenaunte Was hool to none other man And there vpon he saith he can In euery poynte wytnesse take Sy that sâ—e sâ—al it not forsake Whan that they had shape so After the lawe which was tho While that hir fader was absent She was somned and assent To come in presence of the
kynge And stode in answer of this thynge Hir frendes wysten al wele That it was falsehede euery dele And comen to the kyng and sayden â—pon the comune lawe and prayden So as this noble worthy knyght Hir fader for the comune right In thylk tyme as was be falle Lay for the profit of them alle Vpon the wilde feldes armed That he shold not be harmed Ne shamed while that he were oute And thus they preyden al aboute For al the clamour that he herde The kyng vpon his luste answerde And yaue hem onely dayes two Of respyte for he wente tho That in so sâ—orte a tyme appere Hir fader myght in no manereâ— But as therof he was deceyued For lyuyus had al conceyued The purpoos of the kynge tofore And thought to be there therfore In al haste he came rydyng And lefte vpon the felde lyggyng His ooste tyl that he came ageyn And thus this worthy capteyn Appered redy at his daye Where al that euer reson maye By lawe in audyence he doth So that his doughter vpon soth Of that marcus hir had accused He hath tofore the courte excused The kyng which saw his purpose faile And that â—o sleyght myÈt auayle In combred of his lustes blynde To lawe torned out of kynde And half in wrath as though it were In presence of hem al there Deceyued of concupiscence Yaue for his broder the sentence And bad hym that he shold cese His doughter make hym wel at ese But al within his owne entent He wyst how that the cause went Of that his broder hath the wyte He was hym self for to wyte But thus this mayden had wronge Whiche was vpon the kynge alonge But ageyn hym was none appele And that his fader wyst wele Wherof vpon the tyrannye That for the luste of lecherye His doughter shold be dysceyued And that illicius was weyued Vntaily fro the mariage Right as a lyon fro the rage Which of no drede sette no counte And note what pyte shold amounte A naked sâ—eâ—de he â—ulled oute The which amonges al the route He thâ—â—ste thorugh his doughter syde And al alowde thus he cryed Lo take hir there the wrongful kynge For me is leuer vpon this thynge To be â—â—e fader of a mayde Though she be dâ—de than men sayde That in her lyf she were shamed And I therof were euyl named Tho bade the kyng men shold aâ—â—ste His body but of thylke heste Lyke to the chaced wylde hâ—re The houndes whan he feleth sore To proueth goeth forth his weye In suche a wyse for to saye This worthy knyÈt with swerd in hoÌ„de His weye made they hym wonde That none of hem his strokes kepte And thus vpon his hors bylepte And with his swerd droppyng of blode Which within his doughter stode He came there as the power was Of rome tolde hem al the caas And said hem that they myght here Vpon the wronge of this matere That better it were to redresse At home the grete vnrightâ—isnesse Than for to warre in straunge place And lefte at home hir owne grace For thus stantâ— euery mannys lyf In iâ—partye for his wyf Or for his doughter yf they be Passyng another in beute Of this meruayle which they syâ— So apurtenaunte afore hir eye Of that the kyng hath hym mysborâ— Her othes they haue al swâ—tâ— That they wyl stonde by the ryght And thus of one acorde vp right To rome at ones home agâ—â—n They torne shortely for to sayn This tyrannye came to mowthe And euery man saith what he couthe So that the pryuy trecherye Set was vpon lecherye Came openlye to mannes ere And that brought in the comyn fire That euery man perylle dradde Of hym that so hem euerladde For thy or it were worse falle Thorugh comyn counceyl of hâ—m alle They haue her wronge kyng deposed And hem in whom it was supposed The counceyl stode of his ledynge By lawe vnto the dâ—me they brynge Where they reâ—â—yuen the penaunce That longeth to suche gouernaunce And thus the vnchaste was chastised Wherof they myght ben aduysed That shold afterward gouerne And by this euydence lerne How it is good a kyng eschewe The luste of vyce vertu sewe Hic inter alâ—a castitatis regimen con â—â—rnencia loquitur quomodo matromonium cuius status sacramentum â—uasiÌ„ continenciam equirerans eciam honeste delectacionis regimine moderari decet Et narrat in exemplum â—ualiter pâ—o eo quod illi septem viri qui satâ—e raguelis fille magis propter concupis teÌ„ciam quam propter matrimonium voluptuose nupsâ—â—unt vnus post aâ—â—um omnes prima nocte a demone asmodeo singillatim ingulati interierunt tO make in this partye Which toucheth to the polecye Of chastyâ—e in specialle As fâ—â— conclusion fynalle That euery luste is to eschewe By grete ensaumple I may argewe How in â—ages a towne of mede Ther was a mayde as I rede Sarra she hyght raguelle Hir fader was so byfelle Of body bothe of vysage Was none so fayre of the lygnage To seche emonge hem al as she Wherof the ryche of the cyte Of lusty folke that couden loue Assotâ—d were vpon hir loue And axen hir for to wedde One was which laste spedde And that was more for lykyng To haue his luste than for weddyng As he within his herte caste Which hym repenteth atte laste For it fyl the fyrst nyght Whan he was to the bedde dyght As he which no thynge god â—esecheth But al onely his lustes secheth A bedde for he was fully warme He toke hir in his arme Asmode a fende of helle And serueth as the bookes telle To tâ—mpte a man in suche a wyse Which redy there thylke empryse Which he hath set in suche delyte He vengeth than in suche a plyte That he his necâ—e hath wronge a two This yonge wyf was woo tho Which wyst no thynge what it menâ—â— And nethelesse yet thus it wente Not onely of this fyrst man But after this thâ—re began Syx other of hir husbondes Asmode has take in to his hondes So that they al a bedde deyden Whan that they hande toward hir leydeâ— Nought for the lawe of maryage But for that ylke fyryrage â—n which they wyl the lawe excede For who that wyl take hede What after fyl in this matere Ther myght he wel the sothe here Whan she was wedded to thobye And raphael in companye He taught hym how to be honeste Asmode wan nought at thylke feâ—te And yet thâ—by his wylle hâ—â— For he his luste so goddely ladde â— That bothe lawe kynde is serued Wherof he hath hym self preserued That he fyl not in the sentence O which another euydence Of this ensaumple a man may see That whan lykyng degre Of mariage may forsuey Wel ought than in other weye Of lust to be the better aduysed For god the lawe hath asâ—ysed As wel to reson as to kynde But he the bestes wold bynde Onely
to lawes of nature But to the mannes creature God gaue hym reson forth with alle Wherof that he nature shalle Vpon the causes modefye That he shal do no lecherye And yet he shal his lustes haue So ben the lawes bothe saue And euery thyng put out of sclauÌ„dre As whilom to kyng alâ—sanndre The wyse phylosophre taughte Whan he his first bore caughte Not onely vpon chastyte But onely vpon al honeste Wherof a kyng hym self may taste How trewe how large iust chastâ— Hym ought of reson for to be Forthwyth the vertu of pyte Thorugh whiche thonke deserue Toward his god that he preserue Hym his peple al in welthe Of his richesse henour helthe Here in this world ellis where eke My sone as we tofore speke In shrifte so as thou me saydest And for thyn ese as thou me preydest Thy louethroâ—bes for to asse That I the wold telle wysse The forme of aristotiles lore I haue it sayd somdele more Of other ensaumples for to assaye Yf â— thy paynes myght a laye Thorugh ony thynge that I can say Do weye my fader I you praye Of that ye haue to me tolde I thanke you a thousand folde The tales founden in myn ere But yet my herte is ellyâ— where I may my self not restreyne That I nam euer in loues peyne Suche lore coude I neuer gete Which myght make me foryete O â—oâ—nte but yf so were I slepte That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thynke on loue on his lalbe That â—erte can I not withdrawe For thy my good fader dere â—â—ue speke of my matere â—â—ucâ—yng of loue as we begonne Yf that ther be ought ouer ronne â—â— ought foryete or lefte behynde Which falleth vnto loues kynde Wherof it nedeth to be shryue Now axeth so that whyle I lyue I myght amende that is amys My good dere sone yis Thy shryfte for to make pleyne There ie yet nomore for to sayne Of loue which is vnaduysed But for thou shalt be wel aduysed Vnto thy shryfte as it bylongeth A poynte which vpon loue hongeth And is the laste of al tho I wyl the slewe and than ho Explicit liber septimus Incipit Liber octauâ—â— Que fauet ad vicium vetus heâ— modo regula coufert Nec non econtra qui docet ordo placet Ceâ—us amor dudum non dum sua lumina cepit Quo venus imposâ—tuÌ„ deuia fallit iter pOst quam ad instanciam amantis confessi confessor Genius suy hijs que aristotiles regem Aloxandrum edocint vna cum aliarum cronicaruÌ„ exemplis seriose tractauit Iam vltimo in isto oc cauo voluminead confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tracttare ê“ponit super hoc qd non vlli premordia nature ad â—ibitum voluptuose consequentes nullo humane racionis arbitrio sen ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessi bus debite resrenantur vnde quatenus amorem conceruit amantis conscienciaÌ„ pro finali sui confessionis materia genius rimari conatur tHe myÈty god which vnbegon Stante of hym self hath begon Al other thynges at his wylle The heuen he lyste to fulfille Of al the ioye where as he Syt entronysed in his see And hath his aungels hym to serue Suche as hym lyketh to preserue So that he note forueye But lucyfer he put albeye With al the route apostasyed Which ben to hym alyed Which out of heuen in to helle From aungels in to fendes felle Where that there nys no ioye of light But derke as ony nyght The paynes shal be endelesse And yet of paynes nethelesse There is plente but they ben blake Wherof no syght may be take Thus whan the thynges ben by falle That lucyfers courte was falle Where dedely pryde hem hath conceyued A none forthwyth it was purueyed Thorugh hym which al thynges may He made adam the sixt day In paradyse to his make Hym lyketh one also to make And bade hem crece multeplye For of the mannes progenye Which of the woman shal be â—ore The noÌ„bre of auÌ„gels which was lore Whan they out fro the blysse felle He thought to restore felle In hauen thylke holy place Which stode tho wyde vpon his grace But as it is wel wyst knowe Adam eue but a throwe So as it shold of hem betyde In paradyse at thylke tyde Ne dwelten the cause why Is wryte in the book of genesye As who so al men haue herde How raphael the fyry swerde In honde toke droue hem out To gete her lyues foode aboute Vpon this wooful erthe here Metodre saith to this matere As he by truelacion It had vpon a vysyon How that adam â—ue also Vyrgynes comen bothe two In to the world were ashamed Tyl that nature hem hath reclamed To loue taught hem thylke lore That fyrst they kyst ouermore They done that is to kynde dewe Wherof they had fayr yssue A sone was the fyrst of alle Caym by name they hym calle A bell was after the seconde And in the geste as it is fonde Nature so the cause ladde Two doughters Eue had The fyrst cleped calmona Was that other delbora Thus was mankynde to begynne For thy that tyme it was no synne The suster for to take her broder Whan that there was of choyce none other To caym was calmana bytake And delbora hath abel take Of whom was gete nethelees The worldes fyrst encrees Men sayn that nede hath no lawe And so it was by thylke dawe And laste vnto the second age Tyl that the grete water rage Of noe which was said the flode The world which than in synne stode Hath dreynte out take lyues eyght Tho was mankynde of litel weyght Sem Cam Iaphâ—t of thyse thre That ben the sones of noe The world of mannes nacion In to multiplicacion Was tho restored newe ageyn So ferforth as the bookes seyn That of hem â—â—re of her yssue Ther was so large a retynue Of nacyons seuenty two In sondry places eche one of tho The wyde world haue eâ—hâ—byted But as nature hath than excyted They toke than litel hede The broder to the suster yede To wedde wyues tyl it came In to the tyme of abraham Whan the third age was bygonne That nede it was ouer ronne For ther was peple ynough in londe Thenne alte fyrst it came to honde That systerhode of mariage Was torned in to cosynage So after that the right lyne The â—â—syn wedded the cosyne For abraham or that he deyed The charge vpon his seruaunt leyed To hym in this wyse spake That he his sone ysaak Do wedde for no worldes good But onely to his owne blood Wherof the seruaunt as he â—adde Whan he was dede his sone hath ladde To baâ—huel where he rebecke Hath wedded with the whyt necke For she wyst wel syghe Was to the chylde â—â—syn nyghe And thus as abraham taught Whan ysaak was god bytaught
appolinus a facie regis fugiens quamplura prout inferius intitulatur propter amorem pericula passus est oF a cronycle in dayes gone The which is cleped pantâ—one In loues cause I rede thus How that the grete aniyochus Of whom that antioche took His first name as saith the bock Was coupled to a noble quene And had a doughter them bytwene But which fortune came to honde That dethe which no kyng may with stonde But euery lyf it mote obeye This worthy quene toke aweye The kyng which made mochel mone Tho stode as who saith hym allone Without wyf but nethelees His doughter which was peerlees Of bewete dwelte aboute hym stylle But whan a man hath welth at wyl The flesshe is freel falleth ofte And that this mayde tendre softe Which in hir faders chambre dwelte Within a tyme wyst felte For lykyng of concupiscence Withouten insyght of conscyence The fader so with lustes blente That he caste al his entente His owne doughter for to spylle The kyng hath leyser at his wylle With strengthe whan he tyme seye The yonge mayden he forleye And she was tendre ful of drede She coude not hir maydenhede Defende thus she hath forlore The floure whiche she hath longe bore It helpeth not though she wepe For they that shold hir body kepe Of wymmen were absent as than And thus this mayden goeth to man The wylde fader thus deuoureth His owne flessh which none secoureth And that was cause of mochel care But after this vnkynde fare Out of the chambre goeth the kynge And she laye styl of that thynge Within hir self suche sorowe made Ther was nouÈt that myght hir glade For fere of thylke horryble vyce With that came in the norice Which fro chyldehode hir had kepte And axed hir yf she had slepte And why hir chere was vnglad But she which hath be ouer lad Of that she myght not be wreke For shame coude vnnethys speke And nethesse mercy she prayed With wepyng eye thus she sayed Alas my suster wel away That euer I sawe this ylke day Thyng which my body firsst begat In to this world onelych that My worldes worshyp hath byrefte With that she swowneth now efte And euer wissheth after deth So that welny she lacketh breth That other which hir wordes herde In comfortyng of hir answerde To lete hir faders foule desyre She wyst no recouryre Whan thynge is do ther is no lote So suffren they that suffren mote Ther was none other which hym wist So hath this kynge al that he lyste Of his lykyng of his plesaunce And last in suche a contynuunce And suche delyte he toke there in Hym thought it was no syn And she durst hym no thyng withsey But fame which goeth euery wey To sondry royames aboute The grete bewte telleth out Of suche a mayde of hye parage So that for loue of mariage The worthy princes come sende As they which al honour wende And knew no thyng how that it stode The fader whan he vnderstode That they his doughter thus lysought With al his wyt he caste sought How that he myght fynde a lette And suche a statute thenne he sette And in this wyse his lawe taxeth That what man his doughter axeth But he coude his questyon Assoyle vpon sugestyon Of certeyn thynges that byfelle The which he wold vnto hem telle He shold in certeyn lese his hede And thus there were many dede Her hedes stondyng on the gate Tyl atte laste longe late For lacke of answer in the wyse The remenaunte that weren wyse De aduentu appoâ—oni in autiochiam vbi ipse filiam regis antioche in vxorem postulauit Escheweden to make assay Tyl it befyl vpon a day Appollynus the prynce of tyre Which hath to loue a grete desyre As be which in his hygh mode Was lykyng of his hâ—te blode A yonge a fresshe a lusty knyght As he laye musyng on a nyght Of the tydynge whiche he herde He thought to assay how that it ferde He was with worthy companye A rayed with good nauye To shyp â—e goeth the wynde hym dryueth And saileth tyl that he ariueth Saufe in the porte of antyoche He londeth goeth to approche The kynges courte his presence Of euery natural science Which ony clerke hym coude teche He coude ynough in his speche Of wordes he was eloquent And whan he sawe the kyng present He prayeth he must his doughter haue The kyng ageyn began to craue And tolde hym the condycyon How fyrst vnto his questyon He mote answere fayle nought Or with his heed it shal be bought Questio regis antiochi sâ—â—lere vehor materna caâ—ne vâ—sooâ— quero patrem me um matris mee viruÌ„ vxoris mee filiuÌ„ aNd he hym axeth what it was The kyng declareth hym the caas With sterne lock stâ—rdy chere To hym said in this manere With felonye I am vp bore I ete haue it not forbore My mod rs flessh whos husbond My fader for to seche I fonde Which is the sene eke of my wyf Herof I am inquysytyf And who that can my tale saue Al quyte he shal my doughter haue Of his answer yf he fayle He shal be deed without fayle For thy my sone qd the kyng Be wel aduysed of thie thyng Which hath by lyf in Ieopartye Appolâ—ynus for his partye When he this ouâ—sâ—yon had herde Vnto the kyng he hath answerde And hath reherced one one The poyntes said therupon The questyon which thou hast spoke Yf thou wylt that it be vnlâ—ke It toucheth al the pryuyte Betwyxte thyn owne chylde the And stante al vpon you two The kyng was wonder sorâ—â—tho And theuÈt yf that he said it oute Thenne were he shamed al aboute With sly wordes with felle He said my sone I shal the telle Though thou be lytel of wytte It is no meruayle as yet Thyn age may it not suffyse But loke wel thou not despyse Thyn owne lyf for of my grace Of thyrty dayes ful of space I graunte the to ben aduysed And thus with loue tyme assysed This yonge prynce forth he wente And vnderstood wel what it mente Within his herte as he was lered That for to make hym afered The kyng his tyme hath so deloyed Wherof he drad was amayed Of treson that he deye shold For he the kyng trouth tolde And sodeynly the nyght tyde The morowe wold he not abyde Al pryuelye his barge he hente And home ageyn to tyre he wente And in his owne witte he sayed For drede yf he the kyng bewrayed He knewe so wel the kynges herte That deth ne shold he asterte The kyng wold hym so pursewe But he that wold his deth eschewe And knewe al this tofore the honde Forsake he thought his owne londe For there wold he not abyde For wel he knewe on somme syde This tyraunt of his felonye By somme manere
of trecherye To greue his body wyl not leue For thy with outen takyng leue As pryuelyche ashe myght He geeth to the see by nyght In shippes that ben with whete laden Her takyl redy tho they maden And haleth the saitâ— forth they fare But for to telle of the care That they of tyre began tho Whan that they wyst he was agoo It is a pyte for to here They loste lust they loste chere They took vpon hem suche penaunce Ther was no songe ther was no dauÌ„ce But euery myrthe melodye To them was thenne a maladye For vnlust of that auenture Ther was no man which toke tonsure In dredeful clothes they them clothe The bathes the stewes bothe They shyt in by euery weye Ther was no lyf which lust to pleye Ne take of ony ioye kepe But for hir liege lord to wepe And euery wyght saith as he couthe Alas the lusty floure of youthe Our prynce our hede our gouernoure Thorugh whom we stonden in honoure Without the conoune assent Thus sodeynly is from vs went Suche was the clamour of hem alle But see now what is befalle Qualiter thaliartus miles vt appolinum veneno intoxicaret ab antiâ— oche in tirum missus ipse ibidem non Inuento antiochiam rediit vpon the fyst tale playn And torne we thereto agayn Antiochus the grete syre Which ful of rancour of yre His herte bereth so as he herde Of that this prynce of tyre answerde He had a felowe bacheler Which was his pryuy counceyller And thaliart by name he hyght The kyng a strong poyson hym dyÈt Within a boxe golde therto In al haste bad hym goo Strayte vnto tyre for to coste Ne spare tyl he had loste The prynce which he wold spylle And whaÌ„ the kyng hath said his wylle This talyart in a galeye With al haste he toke his weye The wynde was good they seyled blyue Tyl he toke londe vpon the ryue Of tyre forth with al anone In to the borough he gan to gone And toke his ynne bode a throwe But for he wold not be knowe Dysgysed thenne he goeth hym oute He sawe the wepyng al aboute And axeth what the cause was And they hym tolde al the caas How sodeynly the prynce was goo And whan he sawe that it was so And that his labour was in veyn A none he torneth home ageyn And to the kyng whan he came nyghe He tolde hym that he herde syghe How that the prynce of tyre was fled So was he comen ageyn vnsped The kyng was sory for a whyle But whan he sawe that with no wile He myght acheue his cruelte He stynte his wrath lete hym be Qualiter apoollinus in portu tharsis applâ—cauit vbi in hospicoÌ„ cuiusdaÌ„ magni vin nomine strangulionis hospitatus est bVt ouer this now for to telle Of aduentures that byfelle Vnto this prynce of whom I tolde He hath his right cours forth holde By stone nedyl tyl he came To tharse there londe he name A bourgeys ryche of golde fee Was thylke tyme in that cyte Which cleped was stranguyllyo His wyf was dyonysye also This yonge prynce as sayth the book With hym his herbegage took And it befyl that cyte so Befâ—â— tyme thenne also Thouâ—gh stronge famyn which he lad Was none that ony whete had Appollynus when that he herde The myschyef how that the cyte ferde Al frelyche of his owne gyfte His whete emonge hem for to shyfte The which by shyp he had brought He yaue toke of hem right nought But sythen fyrst this world began Was neuer yet to suche a man More ioye made than they hym made For they were al of hym so glade That they for euer in remembraunce Made a fygure in resemblaunce Of hym in comyn place They set it vp so that his face Myght euery maner man beholde So that the cyte was beholde It was of laton ouer gylte Thus was his face nouÈt spylte Qualiter hellicanus ciuis tiri tharsim Veniens apollinum de insidijs anthiochi â—rrminiuit vPon a day with a route This lord to pleye goeth hym oute And on his weye of tyre he mette A man which on knees hym grette And hellican by name he hyght Which prayed his lord to haue insyÈt Vpon hym self said hym thus How that the grete antyochus Aweyteth yf that he myght hym spyl That other thought helde hym styl And thanked hym of his warnyng And bad hym telle for no thynge Whan he to tyre came home ageyn That he in tharse hym had seyn Qualiter appolinus portuÌ„ tharsis relin quens cum ipse per mare nauigio securiorem quesiuit superuenieute tempestate nauis cum omnibus preter ipsum solum in eadem contentis iuxta pentapolim periclitabatur fOrtune hath euer be muable And may no whyle stonde stable For now it hyeth now it loweth Now staÌ„te vp right now ouerthroweth Now ful of blysse now ful of bale For now as in tellyng of my tale Here afterward a man may here Which is grete routhe for to here This lord which wold done his beste Within hym self hath lytel reste And thouÈt he wold his place chauÌ„ge And seke a contre more straunge Of tharsyens his leue anone He toke is to shyp gone His cours he name with sayle vp drawe Where as fortune doth the lawe And sheweth as I shal reherce How she was to the lord dyuerce The which vpon the see she ferketh The wynde aroos the weder derketh It blewe made suche tempeste That none anker myÈt the shyp arest Which hath broken al his gere The shypmen stood in suche a fere Was none that myght bestere But euer awayte vpon the lere Whan that they shold drenchen al atones Ther was ynough within the wones Of wepyng of sorowe tho The yonge kyng maketh moche woo For to see the shyp trauayle But al that myght no thynge auayle The mast to brake the seyle to roof The shyp vpon the wawes droof Tyl that they see the londes coste Tho made a vowe leste and moste By that they myghten come a londe But he which hath the see on honde Neptunus wold not accorde But he al to brake cable corde Or they to londe myght approche The shyp to claue vpon a roche And al goeth doun in to the depe But he which al thyng may kepe Vnto this lord was mercyable And brought hym saue vpon a table Which to the londe hath hym bore The remenaunte was al forlore Therof he made mochel mone Thus was this yonge lord allone Qualiter appollinus nudus superlitus iactabatur vbi quidam piscator ipsum collobio suo vestiens ad vrtem pentapolim direxit aL naked in a poure plyte His colour which was whylom whyt Was than of water fade pale And eke be was so sore a cale That he hym self wyst of no bote It helpe no thynge for to mote