clere ynough that is to saye he is not apte to serue god And whan god may not haue of the second tonne than asketh he of the thyrde tonne that is to say of y e thyrde tonne of hys youth Than answereth the wycked man and sayth that wyne is to stronge myghty and therfore hys youth ought to be spente aboute dedes of this worlde and not in penaunce whyche sholde make hym feble weyke Whan god seeth that he may not haue of thys tonne than asketh he of the fourth tonne And than answereth the wycked man sayth that an aged man is feble may not fast ne do no harde penaunce yf he dyd he shold be cause of hys owne deth And than asketh our lorde of the fyfth tonne that is to say of his olde age whan he dothe crepe may not go wythout a staffe But the wycked man excuseth hymselfe sayth that thys wyne is to feble to gyue suche a feble man for yf he sholde fast one day it were tyme on y e morowe to make hys graue And whan our lorde seeth that he may not haue of the fyfth tonne than asketh he of the syxth tonne that is to saye whan a man is blynde and may not go to synne no more yet desyreth he of suche a man drynke that is to saye the helpe of hys soule But the wretched man lyenge in despeyre sayth Alas alas to me bycause I serued not almyghty god my maker redemer her in tyme past whyle I was in youth in prosperyte but now there is nothynge lefte but onely y e lyes the dregges of all wretchednes therfore what sholde it auayle me now to turne towarde god But for suche men we sholde mourne Neuerthelesse god is so mercyfull that though he myght haue no seruyce of man in all hys tyme yet is he coÌ„tent to haue the lyes of hys tonne that is to say his good wyll though he may not serue hym otherwyse so shal his good wyll staÌ„de hym in stede of penauÌ„ce For in what houre the synner doth hys penaunce he shall be saued as Ezechiel wytneâ—seth The apostle sayth Alas alas welawaye for there be many that wyll gyue no wyne ne none other thynge to hym wherfore god shal complayne vnto the kyng of Iherusalem that is to saye to hys godhede at the day of dome than god man shal gyue a sentence defensable agaynst suche men saying Esuriui et non dedistis c. I haue hungred ye gaue me no meate I haue thursted and ye gaue me no drynke Loo thus shall he reherse to the the seuen werkes of mercy And whan this is done than shall they be put to euerlastyng payne and the ryghtfull men into euerlastynge blysse where they shall haue ioye wythouten ende Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure named Antony vnder whose reygne the rowers on the see had taken prysoner a myghty mannes sone of an other regyon brought hym to y e Emperours pryson fast bouÌ„de Whan this yonge man was thus in pryson he wrote to hys father for hys rauÌ„some but his father wold no rauÌ„some paye ne none other thyng sende to conforte hym This hearynge hys sone wepte sore myght not be coÌ„forted for the vnkyndnes of his father Thys Emperour had a fayre doughter whych visyted euery daye this prisoner conforted hym as moche as she myght To whome the prysoner answered sayd How shal I be mery or how may I ioye thus for to lye fast bounde in pryson froÌ„ the syght of man notwithstandyng thys it greueth me more that my father wyll not paye my raunsom Whan thys mayden herde thys she was moued wyth pyte and sayd Dere frende I am sory for the neuerthelesse yf thou wylte grauÌ„te me one thynge I shall delyuer the froÌ„ this anguysshe payne What thynge is that quod he That thou wylte take me to thy wyfe Than sayde the prysoner I promyse you surely to fulfyll your entent and desyre and for the more sykernes I plyght you my trouth Whan he had so done it was not longe after the damoysell delyuered hym out of pryson and fledde awaye wyth hym home to hys fathers hous Whan the father sawe hys sone the mayden togyder he asked y e cause why he brought her wyth hym Than sayd hys sone Syr thys daâ—oysell delyuered me out of pryson and therfore she shal be my wyfe Than sayd hys father I wyl not coÌ„sent that she shal be thy wyfe for two reasonable causes whych I shall shewe the. The fyrst is this it is not vnknowen to the that the Emperoure her father myght haue had for thy delyueraunce great good and for as moche as she was vntrue to her owne father and true to the it semeth well that thou sholde not trust longe in her for who is false to her owne father by reason shold be very false and vntrue to an other man The second reason is thys The cause why she delyuered the out of pryson it was neyther for pyte nor for loue but for flesshly lust that she had to the. For at thy delyueraunce she made couenaunt wyth the to be thy wyfe and had of the thy trouth and therfore sone it is not reason that she shold be thy wyfe The mayden answered to thys questyoÌ„ sayd As for the fyrst reason which thou layest agaynst me that I sholde be vntrue to my father that is false for my father hath plente of rychesse thy sone is but poore and therfore I holpe hym for pyte and for none other cause and neuerthelesse thou that art hys father wolde not paye hys raunsome that he myght be delyuered out of pryson Loo for thys cause I haue delyuered hym therfore I am kynder to hym than thou that art hys owne father he is more beholden to me than to the. Unto that other reason where as y e sayst that I delyuered hym bycause of flesshly lust I answere and saye playnli that it is not trouth For al maner of flesshly loue is cause of strengthe or else of fayrnes but thy sone is not stronge for his enprysonment hath done awaye hys strengthe He is not fayre for by the payne that he hath had in prison he is made lowe and vnlusty to the syght and therfore pyte onely moued me to delyuer hym and not flesshly lust Than sayd the sone vnto hys father Dere father for as moche as I was in peryll of deth and wrote vnto the that thou woldest paye my raunsome that I myght be delyuered and thou woldest not helpe me but this damoysel of her gentylnes and for pyte hath saued me from deth and delyuered me out of pryson and therfore sothly she shal be my wyfe wherfore forth wyth he wedded her wyth great honour and wyth her ended hys lyfe ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour betokeneth the father of heuen The yonge man whyche was taken wyth the
we may obey god and than shal we haue euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Frederyke whyche had no chyldren saue a doughter tho whome this Emperour after his decese bequethed all hys empyre Thys vnderstandynge an erle that dwelte there besyde came vnto thys yonge lady wowed her stered her to synne all that he myght wherfore thys yonge lady in shorte processe of tyme enclyneh to the erle this erle anone lay with her defouled her after that he put her froÌ„ her herytage and chaced her out of her empyre wherfore she made great lamentacyon fledde vnto a realme there besyde where as she dayly wept mourned It befell after on a day that whyle she sate mournynge besyde a waye there came rydyng by her a fayre yonge knyght vpon a good hors whyche came towarde her a greate pâ—ce worshypfully salewed her and asked the cause why she mourned so sore Than answered she sayd My reuerend lord I am an Emperours doughter coÌ„men of a royall kynne my father is deed whyche lefte me all hys empyre bycause he had none other heyre after his decese an erle there besyde deceyued me toke from me my maydenheâ—e after that he put me vyoleÌ„tly out of myne herytage so that now I am fayne to begge my breed from dore to dore this is the cause of my sorowe Than sayd the knyght fayre damoysell I haue great coÌ„passyon on thy beaute and on thy gentylnes therfore yf thou wylte graunte me one thynge I shall fyght for the agaynst y e erle and I behote the the victory Than sayd she alas alas I haue nothynge y t I may gyue to the but my selfe And I aske no more of the sayd the knyght but that thou woldest be my wyfe and loue no man so moche as me Than sayd she Reuerende syr that wyll I do gladly more yf I myght Than sayd the knyght I wyll that thou do for me one thynge that yf it fortune me to dye in batayle for the opteyne the victory thou shalte take my blody sherte hange it vpon a perche in thy chambre and thys shalte thou do for two thynges The fyrst is y t whan so euer thou beholdest the sherte thou shalt wepe for me The seconde is that what so euer man comme to wowe the to be his wyfe than shalte thou hastely renne vnto thy chambre beholde my blody sherte thynke hertely wythin thy selfe thus The lorde of this sherte dyed for my loue in batayle the whyche recouered my herytage god forbede that I sholde take ony other maÌ„ after his deth Than sayd she Reuerende syr all thys I shall fulfyll bi the grace of god And whan y e knyght heâ—de this he gaue batayle agaynst the erle oâ—teyned the victory and y e erle was ouercome â—ledde And thys yonge lady was brought receyued agayne in to her herytage Neuerthelesse thys knyght was deedly wouÌ„ded in that batayle wherof he dyed but or he dyed he bequethed hys blody sherte vnto this damoysell desyrynge her to kepe her promesse Whan thys yonge lady herde of his deth she wepte sore made great lamentacyon for his deth And in hys sherte was wryteÌ„ this verse Thynke on hym haue mynde that to y e was so kynde Anone whan she had receyued the sherte she hanged it vpon a perche in her chambre as oftentymes as she behelde it she wepte bytterly It befell not longe after that the states of her Empyre came to her desyred her to take a husbande But than she wente to her chambre behelde the blody â—herte than waxed she sorowfull sayd oftentymes alas alas thou suffred deth for my loue thou also recouered agayn myne heritage god forbede that I shold take ony other man but the. And thus she answered euery man that came to her so they wente away vnsped and she ended her lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour is the father of heuen and his doughter is the soule of man made at the similitude of god to whome god gaue bequethed the empyre of paradyse But ther came an erle y t is the deuyl and styred her to synne whan she ete of the apple sayd to her thus In what houre ye â—ate of y e apple ye shall be lyke goddes wherfore we brekyng goddes comaundement we were all exiled out of paradyse chased to the realme of thys worlde here to lyue in greate wretchednes lyke as the psalmyst sayth In sudore vultus tui c. In the swete of thy vysage thou shalte eate thy breed But than came a fayre yonge knight a stronge that is to saye our lorde Iesu Chryst whych had compassyon vpon mankynde toke our flesshe our blode and gaue batayle to the deuyl and ouercame hym and thus wanne he agayne our herytage Therfore let vs do as thys yonge lady dyd put we thys blody sherte that is to saye the mynde of y e passyon of Chryst on the perche of our hert and thynke we how â—ur lorde Iesu Chryst shed hys precyous blode for vs. And yf ony maÌ„ that is to saye the deuylt or ony other wolde styre vs to synne anone thynke we on y e passyon of Chryst saye we thus I shall take none other but the whyche hast shedde thy blode for me thus shall we wynne euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche god brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour named Apolloninus whyche ordeyned for a lawe that euery man vpon payne of deth sholde worshyp the day of his natiuite This Emperour called to hym a clerke y t hyght Uirgyll sayd My dere mayster there be many heed synnes done contrary to the lawe therfore I praye the that thou by thy connynge wolde make some craft wherby I myght knowe who trespaceth agaynst y e lawe pryuely or pertly Than sayd Uirgyll My reuâ—â—eÌ„de lord your wyll shall be done Anone thys Uirgyll thrugh hys crafte made an ymage in the myddes of the cyte of Rome whyche dysceuered tolde themperours messengers who trespaced agaynst the lawe who not There was that tyme dwellyng in y e cyte of Rome a smyth that hyght Focus whych for no thynge wolde worshyp the natyuyte of the Emperour It befell vpon a nyght as the smyth laye in hys bedde he thought vpon the ymage that had accused so many men before dred leest the ymage wolde accuse hym wherfore he rose went to the ymage sayd I make a vowe to god yf thou accuse me I shall breke thy heed And whan he had thus sayd he went home The Emperour on the morowe after folowynge sent hys messeÌ„gers to the ymage as he was wont before to knowe to vnderstande who had trespaced agaynst the lawe And to them than sayd the ymage lyfte vp your eyen behold what
in the forneys wyth the stones and thys nyght coÌ„mauÌ„de ye thys Fulgentius that he go erly in the mornynge to your werkmen and that he aske them whether they haue fulfylled your wyll or not and than shall they accordynge to your coÌ„maundement cast hym in the fyre and thus shall he dye an euyll deth Sothly quod the Emperour thy counseyle is good therfore call to me that rybaude Fulgentyus And whan thys yonge man was coÌ„me to the Emperour he sayde to hym thus I charge y e vpon payne of deth that thou ryse erly in the mornynge and go to the brenners of lyme and brycke and that thou be wyth them before y e sonne ryse thre myles from this house and charge them on my behalfe that they fulfyll my commauÌ„dement or else they shall dye a shamefull deth Than sayd thys FulgeÌ„tius My lorde yf god â—ende me my lyfe I shall fulfyll your wyll though I sholde go to the worldes ende Whan Fulgentyus had thys charge he coude not slepe for thought but that he must aryse erly for to fulfyll hys lordes coÌ„maundement The Emperoure aboute mydnyght sente a messenger on horsbacke vnto his brycke makers coÌ„maundyng them vpon payne of deth that who so euer came to them fyrst in the mornynge sayinge vnto them the Emperours commaundement whych is before rehersed that they sholde take hym cast hym in to the fyre and brenne hym to the bare bones The bryckmakers answered sayd it sholde be done And than the messenger rode home agayne and tolde the Emperoure that hys coÌ„mauÌ„dement sholde be fulfylled Erly in the mornynge folowynge Fulgentyus arose and arayed hym towardes hys waye and as he wente he herde a bell rynge to masse wherfore he went to that chyrche for to heare masse and after the eleuacyon of the blessed sacrament he fell a slepe there he slepte a longe whyle so that the preest ne none other myght awake hym The stewarde desyryng inwardly to heare of hys deth and how he dyd aboute one of the clocke he wente vnto the workmen and sayd to them thus Syrs quod he haue ye done the Emperours coÌ„maundement or not They answered hym agayn and sayde Nay sothly we haue not yet done hys commaundement but anone it shall be done And wyth that they set handes on hym Than cryed the stewarde wyth an hygh voyce sayde Good syrs saue my lyfe for the Emperour commaunded that Fulgentyus sholde be put to deth Than sayd they the messenger tolde not vs so but he bade vs tha who so euer came fyrst to vs in the mornynge saying as is before rehersed that we sholde take hym and cast hym in to the farneys and brenne hym to asshes And wyth that worde they threwe hym in to the fyre And whan he was brente Fulgentyus came to them and sayd Good syrs haue ye done my lordes commaundement Ye sothly sayde they and therfore go ye agayn to the Emperour and tell hym so Than sayd Fulgentius For Chrystes loue tell me that commaundement We had in commaundement sayd they vpon payne of deth that who so euer came to vs fyrst in the mornyng and sayd lyke as thou hast sayde that we sholde take hym and cast hym in to the forneys But afore the came the the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Delphinus whych had no chyldren saue onely a doughter whyche was a fayre creature and greatly beloued of her father As thys Emperour walked vpon a daye on huntynge in the forest sodeynly he rode forth out of hys waye and lost his men wherfore he was greatly disconforted â—or he wyst not whether he rode ne in what place he was tyll at the last whan he had rydden thus al the daye alone in the euenynge he sawe a house and thyder he rode a great pace and knocked at the gate Anone the good man of the house herde hym and asked the cause of hys knockyng and what he wolde haue Dere frende quod the Emperoure lo it is nyght as ye may se therfore I desyre you of lodgynge for the loue of god Whan he had thus sayde the good man of the house vnware that he was the Emperoure answered thus and sayde Good frende quod he I am the Emperours foster and haue plente of venyson and other vyteylles for you Whan the Emperoure herde thys he was ryght glad in hys mynde neuerthelesse he tolde hym not that he was the Emperoure And than the foster opened the gate and receyued hym as worshypfully as he coude set hym to hys supper and serued hym honestly And whan he had supped the foster brought hym to hys chambre and whan tyme was he wente to bedde In the same nyght it befell that the fosters wyfe was trauaylynge of chylde in an other chambre fast by and was delyuered that same nyght of a fayre sone And as the Emperour laye in hys bedde slepynge hym semed he herde a voyce saying to hym thryes these wordes Take take take And wyth that he awoke and meruayled greatly what it myght be sayinge to hymselfe thus A voyce byddeâ—h me take take take what shall I take And anone he fell a slepe agayne and the seconde tyme he herde a voyce sayinge vnto hym these wordes Yelde yelde yelde And wyth that he wakened agayne and wondred greatly sayinge vnto hymselfe What may thys sygnyfye Fyrst I herde a voyce that sayde take take take and nothynge I receyued And ryght now I herde another voyce that sayde yelde yelde yelde what sholde I yelde And as he laye thus thynkynge in hym selfe he fell a slepe agayne And than he herde the thyrde voyce sayinge these wordes thryes Flee flee flee for this nyght is a cyylde borne that after thy decese shall be Emperour Whan the Emperoure herde thys he wakened and wondred greatly what it myght be In the mornynge erly folowynge the Emperoure arose and called to hym the foster sayd Dere frende I praye the that thou wylte tell me yf ony chylde be borne thys nyght to thy knowlege My wyfe quod the foster thys nyght is delyuered of a fayre sone I praye the sayd the Emperoure shewe me thy sone Whan the Emperoure had seen the chylde he sawe a token in the chyldes visage wherby he myght knowe hym an other tyme and than he sayde to the foster thus Dere frende knowest thou who I am Nay sothly quod the foster for I sawe you neuer before thys tyme as farre as I am remembred neuerthelesse it semeth that ye sholde be a gentylman Than answered the Emperoure and sayd I am quod he the Emperour your lorde whome ye haue lodged thys nyght wherfore ryght hertely I thanke you This hearynge the foster fell downe vpon bothe hys knees at his fete and besought hym of mercy yf that he had offended hys hyghnes in ony thynge prayinge hym of forgyuenes Than answered y e Emperour sayde Drede the not for I thanke the hertely of
that were worthyer than he despysed suche as were symple poore It was not longe after that it befell that thys stewarde rode by a forest where as he mette wyth the foster charged hym y t he sholde make an hondreth pyttes in the grouÌ„de and couer them ouer wyth grene grasse smal bowes that yf wylde beestes fortuned to go in the forell that waye that they sholde than fall in and so shold they be taken brought to the Emperour The foster answered sayd syr as ye haue sayd it shall be done Not longe after it fortuned y t this stewarde rode to thys forest agayne to se yf these pytâ—es were made as he rode he be thought hym how great a man how myghty he was made how all thynge in y e Empyre obeyed to hym and was redy at his wyll And as he rode thus thynkynge he sayd to hymselfe There is no 〈◊〉 saue onely I and wyth that he smote hys horse wyth his spurâ—es sodeynly he fell in to one of y e depe pyttes that he had ordeyned before hymselfe for the wylde beestes and for y e great depnes therof he myght not aryse agayne by no maner of crafte wherfore he mourned greatly And anone after hym came a huÌ„gry lyon and fell in to y e same pyt after the lyon an ape and after y e ape a serpent And whan the stewarde was thus walled w t these thre beestes he was greatly moued and dred sore There was that tyme dwellyng in the cyte a poore man named Guy that had no good saue onely an asse wherw t dayly he caryed styckes and fallen wode suche as he coude gete in y e forest those he brought to y e market and solde theÌ„ in this wyfe he susteyned hymselfe hys wyfe as well as he myght It fortuned that this poore Guy went to this forest as he was wont and as he came by y e depe pyt he herde a man crye saye O dere frende what art y u for goddes sake helpe me I shall quyte the so well that y u shalte euer after be the better Whan thys poore Guy herde y t it was y e voyce of a man he meruayled greatly stode styll on the pyttes brynke sayd Lo good frende I am coÌ„me for y u hast called me Than sayde the knyght dere frende I am stewarde of all the Emperours landes thus by fortune I am fallen in to thys pyt here be w t me thre beestes that is to say a lyon an ape an horryble serpent whych I drede moost of all I wote not of whych of them I shall be fyrst deuoured therfore I praye the for goddes sake gete me a longe corde wherwyth thou mayst drawe me out of this depe pyt and I shall warauÌ„t y e to make the ryche in all thynge for euer more hereafter but I haue y e rather helpe I shall be deuoured of these beestes Than sayd this poore Guy I may fulâ— yll entende to helpe y e for I haue nothynge to lyue on but that I gâ—der wode cary it to y e market to sell wherwyth I am susteyned neuerthelesse I shal leue my labour fulfyl thy wyl yf ye rewarde me not it shall be great hyndraunce to me to my wyfe Than the stewarde made a great othe and sayd that he wolde ê“mote hym al his to great rychesse Than sayd Guy yf thou wylt fulfyll thy promesse I shall do y t ye byd me And with that went agayn to the cyte brought with hym a longe rope came to y e pyt sayd Syr stewarde lo I let downe a rope to the bynde thyselfe aboute the myddle therwyth that I may pull the vp Than was the steward glad sayd Good frende let downe y e rope And with y t he cast the ende of the rope downe into the pyt And whan the lyon sawe that he caught the rope helde it fast Guy drewe y e lyon vp wenynge to hym he had drawen vp the stewarde whan he had so done the lyon thanked hym in his maner ranne to y e wode The seconde tyme this Guy let downe the rope the ape lepte to it caught it fast whan he was drawen vp he thanked Guy as he coude ranne to the wode The thyrde tyme he let downe the rope drewe vp y e serpent whyche thanked hym went to y e wode The stewarde cryed wyth an hye voyce O dere frende now am I delyuered of thre venymous beestes now let downe the corde to me that I may coÌ„me vp And thys poore Guy let downe the rope the stewarde bouÌ„de hymselfe fast abouthe the myddle anone Guy drewe hym vp And whan he was thus holpe he sayde to Guy CoÌ„me to me at thre of the clocke to the palays than I shal make the ryche for euer Thys poore Guy reioyced therof went home wythout ony rewarde Than hys wyfe demaunded hym why he gadered no wode wherw t they myght lyue that day Than tolde he her all the processe as it befell how the stewarde fell in to y e pyt also the lyon the ape the serpent that he had made in y e sayd forest how he had holpen hym out wyth a corde saued hym from deuouryng of y e thre venymous beestes how he sholde go to the stewarde sethe hys rewarde on y e morowe Whan hys wyfe herde this she reioyced greatly and sayd Yf it shall be so good syr aryse to morowe at a due houre go to the palays receyue your rewarde that we may be conforted therby So in the mornynge Guy arose wente to y e palays knocked at the gate Than came the porter asked the cause of his knockyng I praye the quod this Guy go to y e stewarde and saye to hym that here abydeth a poore man at the gate that spake wyth hym yesterday in the forest The porter went in tolde the steward as y e poore man had sayd Than sayd the stewarde go thou agayne and tell hym that he lyeth for yesterday spake I wyth no man in the forest charge hym that he go hys waye that I se hym there neuer after The porter went forth and tolde poore Guy how the steward had sayd charged hym to go his waye Than was this Guy sorowfull wente home whan he came home he tolde hys wyfe how the stewarde answered hym Hys wyfe conforted hym in al that she myght sayde Syr go ye agayne proue hym thryse Than on y e morow this Guy arose went to the palays agayne praying the porter ones to do hys erande agayn to the stewarde Than the porter answered sayd gladly I wyl do thyne erande but I drede me sore that it shall be thy hurte And than went he in tolde y e stewarde
and brought before hym and was examyned of that trespace why he despoyled the ymages agaynst the Emperours coÌ„maundement Than answered this Dionyse and sayd My lorde it is lawfull to answere for my selfe where as none wyll answere for me whan I entred in to the temple y e fyrst ymage helde forth hys hande streyght to me as who sayth I gyue y e thys rynge and therfore I toke the rynge at the gyfte of the ymage And whan I sawe the seconde ymage hauyng a berde I thought thus wyth in mi selfe I knewe somtyme the father of this ymage whyche had no berde and now hys sone hathe a berde whych is agaynst reason the sone to haue a berde and the father none therfore I toke from hym hys berde that he sholde be lyke hys father After that whan I sawe the thyrde ymage closed in a mantell of golde I thought that a mantell of golde was not behouable to hym in wynter for golde is naturally colde whyche myght because of his deth and therfore I toke it from hym bycause it was to colde in wynter and to hote in somer Whan Dyonyse had excused hym by these reasons the Emperoure answered and sayde Thou hast answered wyckedly for thy selfe what sholde cause the rather than ony other man to despoyle these ymages â–ª for as moche as I coÌ„maunded that no man shold take ony thynge awaye fro them and thyne owne mouth hath condempned the. And anone the Emperour called to hym one of hys squyers charged hym to smyte of hys heed and so it was done ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth almyghty god the father of heueÌ„ The thre ymagenes betokeneth the poore men the ryche men the myghty men of thys worlde The tyraunt Dyonyse betokeneth iustyces sheryffes baylyes sergeauntes and catchpolles and al other offyces whyche take away from poore men the rynge of theyr fyngers and saye thus I may take that is gyuen me But whan the poore man hath ought to do he must nedes put forth hys hande to gyue whether he wyll or no yf he shall spede They take also the â—erde from the ryche men and saye thus Thys man is rycher than hys father was therfore take we hys lyuelode fro hym and make hym lyke his fore father They take also the mantell of golde from the myghty men whan they se ony man of honour and of good lyuynge wyllynge to correcke suche mysdoers than saye they This man is to colde for he enclyneth nothynge to our opynyoÌ„s and also he is to hote of power in werkynge agaynst vs therfore go we take from hym the mantell of myght and so they accuse hym and put hym out of offyce But certaynly all suche men stande in peryll of euerlastyng deth From the whyche saue vs he that dyed for vs vpon the rode tree Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Euas whych had a fayre yonge lady to hys wyfe vpon whome he had begoten a fayre sone Whan the states of the Empyre herde thys they came vnto the Emperoure and besought hym to haue the kepynge ef hys sone Anone the Emperoure sente a sergeaunt thrugh out the Cyte sayinge that in whose house were fyrst founde fyre and water the good man of that house sholde haue his sone in kepynge to nourysshe And than the Emperour made a proclamacyon that who so euer had his sone to kepe sholde nourysshe hym clenly and fede hym w t holsom meates drynkes And whan the chylde came to age than sholde y e keper be promoted to greate honour wherfore many men let make redy fyre and water in hope to haue the chylde But on the nyght whan euery man was a slepe there came a tyraunt named Sulapius that quenched y e fyre and threwe out the water Neuerthelesse amonge all other there was a man named Ionathas that laboured so diligently that he kepte bothe daye nyght fyre and water In a mornynge erly the sergeaunt at the Emperours coÌ„maundement wente thrugh the Cyte sought in euery house for fyre and water but he coude fynde none tyll he came to Ionathas house where as he founde bothe fyre and water redy wherfore he was brought before the Emperour and delyuered hym hys sone accordyng to hys proclamacyoÌ„ Whan Ionathas had the Emperours sone he ledde hym home vnto hys house And soone after he sente for masons and carpenters and let make a stronge chambre of lyme stone And whan the chambre was made he sente for paynters and let paynt on the wall wythin the chambre .x. ymages wyth thys posey wryten aboue theyr heedes Who so defouleth these ymages shall dye a foule deth And than he let drawe on the dore a galous and a fygure of hymselfe hangynge thervpon wyth thys posey wryten aboue hys heed So shall he be serued that nouryssheth the Emperours sone amysse Also he let make a chayre of golde and hymselfe syttynge therin crowned wyth a crowne of golde wyth thys superscripcyon aboue hys heed Who that nouryssheth the emperours sone clenly thus shall he be honoured Whan this was done oftentymes in his slepe he was tempted to defyle these ymages but anone he redde the superscrypcyon aboue theyr heedes than all the temptacyons seaced And whan the Emperours sone was euyll kepte than weÌ„te he to the galowes and redde they posey that was wryten aboue hys owne heed and for drede therof he kepte the chylde the better was dylygent to gyue attendaunce on hym And whan he behelde the chayre hymselfe syttynge therin crowned w t a crowne of golde he was right ioyful thynkyng to haue a good reward for kepynge of the Emperours sone Whan the Emperour herde of hys diligent demeanour about hys sone he sente for hym for hys sone thankynge hym for his well kepynge nourysshynge of hym and after promoted hym to greate honour and worshyp ¶ This Emperour betokeneth y e father of heuen The Empresse betokeneth the blessed virgyn Marye The Emperours sone betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst. The sergeaunt that was sente thrugh out the Cyte betokeneth saynt Iohan Baptyst whyche was sente before our lorde to make redy for hym accordynge to holy scripture Ecce mitte angeluÌ„ c. Lo I fende myne aungell before me c. The states that desyred the Emperours sone to nourysshe betoken the patriarkes and ê“phetes which desyred greatly to nourysshe our lorde Iesu Chryst and also to se hym but they myght not se hym ne nourysshe hym for fyre water whych sholde haue ben cause of theyr syght was not wyth them perfytly The fyre betokeneth the holy goost whyche had not yet appered in them for they were not wasshen w t the water of the font Also ye may vnderstande by the fyre perfyte charyte and by the water true contricyon whyche two now a dayes fayleth in many men therfore they may not haue the lyttel chylde Iesus in theyr hertes Ionathas that watched so dylygently betokeneth euery good chrysten