passed folyshly in pleasures mondaynes and condampne me not but by thy holy mercy receyue my poore souls into thy blessed handes and defende me from the deuyll And in sayeng these wordes an aungell of heauen came and appeared vnto hym sayenge ⧠Ualentyne know for a certaynte that thou shalte departe oute of this worlde within this foure dayes for it is the wyll of our lorde Jesu chryst which sendeth me vnto the. Alas my lord god sayd Ualentyne â–ª I owe well for to thanke the whan by thy holy auÌ„gell thou doest me to wyte y e last ende of my dayes Than the holy man Ualentyne made signe that they should bryng him paper ynke and whan he had it Ualentyne wrote how he him selfe in the habyte of a pylgrym discouered the treasoÌ„ all the estate of hys lyfe After he putte in his name and folded the halfe of the rynge in it and helde it in hys hande And after these thinges Ualentyne made a prâ—este to come to whome he confessed his synnes deuoutelye and receyued the holye sacramentes and at the houre he dyed And forth wyth al the belles of the cyte beganne for to rynge for him where of the people was much abashed and amerueyled And the Emperour Orson and all the lordes and barons descended and dyd fynde the preest besyde the holy body Frende sayd the Emperoure Orson wherfore is it that they rynge so fast in y â— Cyty Syr sayd â–ª the preest I thynke that it is a myracle that God wyll shew for this holy man For euen so as he yelded vp the ghoost the belles began for to rynge on euery syde Whan Orson saw that the poore man was deade in that place â–ª he was muche pensife and ameruayled By my fayth sayd he I thinke that this same is a holy body and that God dothe myracles for hym Than he aduysed the letter that he held in hys hand and thought for to haue taken it â–ª but he myght not haue it in no maner of wyse So there came the fayre clerymonde and she assayed as the other dyd and hadde it For also soone as she touched it the hand opened â–ª and she toke the letter at her owne pleasure Soo it was opened anone and than Clerymonde saw and knew the halfe of the ryng wherefore she sayde Lordes we shall haue tydynges a none of my loue Ualentyne So there was a secretary that redde all the dedes of the holy man It is not to be demaunded the grete dolours and complayntes of Orson of Bellyssante and of Clerimonde for he hadde his herte to harde that wepte not than The fayre ClerimoÌ„de as halfe dead keste her selfe vpon the body in makynge suche complayntes that they wende she wolde haue dyed Alas sayde the ladye where maye I become whan I haue loste my lyfe and my comforte and myne onely hope Alas my loue Ualentyne what haue you thoughte whan you are come to dye so nere me in pouertye and in so great myserye wythout geuyng me ony knowledge of you Alas I haue sene you often in pouertye â–ª colde and trauayle wythout geuyng you any comforte â–ª Nowe am I aboue all the moost vnfortuned whan I might not know nor aduyse him that I ought to serue so longe in bytter trybulacyon â–ª as true and loyall spouse After she kyssed hys face and his handes by a meruyllous dystresse And after the great doole the holy body was borne to be buryed in the great church of Constantynoble â–ª wyth so greate a company that none myght passe through the stretes And it was not longe after but that the body was canonysed and put in shrine Soo God shewed wel that he was wel worthy for to be called saynt for the daye that he dyed all speke men were healed of theyr maladyes that vysyted his tombe So it was not longe after the death of Ualentyne that Clerymonde dyd make her anonne and syth the story sayth that she was abbesse of an abbaye that was fouÌ„ded in the worshyp and honour of sayâ—â—te Ualentyne Thus departed out of thys worlde the holy body glorious And Orson abode Emperour seuen yere the whych he gouerned well and wysely and no more And in that same tyme he had a chylde of Galazye named Morant that same Morante in hys tyme posseded the realme of Angory ¶ Of the merueylous vysion of Orson how hebeâ—a me an heremyte in a great wodde ca. Cxvâ—i MIthin seuen yere Galazyedyed for whom the Emperour Orson made great sorow And after the deeth of her he ete but brede and rotes and small froytes that he founde in the wodde where as he dyd remayne So it happened hym one nyght in vysyon that hym semed that he sawe all the gates of heuen open and sawe the Joyes of the saued the syeges of the sayntes crowned in glorye and the aungelles that songe melodyously before the sauyour of the world After he sawe betwene two hyghe roches in the botom of an obscure valeye the gulfre of helle where as was the dampned Some in a brennynge fyre the other in boylynge caudrous the other hanged by theyr tongues the other assaylled and enuyronned wyth serpentes and generally he sawe all the paynes of helle whiche is horrible and ferefull for to recounte After the whyche vysyon he wakened all afrayed and ameruaylled of the thynges that he had sene And in wepyng pyteously came vnto the grene knyght and sayd to hym Frende I knowe that the worlde is of lytell valoure and of shorte durynge and that all is but vayne glorye of the pompes of this worlde displeasaunt vnto god and to the salute of the soule lytle profytable For the whyche thynge I praye you that you wyll take kepe vpon my chyldren and enfourme them so in dedes and condycyons that they maye gouerne the Empyre of grece to the pleasure of god and the worlde for I leue you the charge as vnto hym that aboue all the men of the world I trust mooste And knowe that the remnaunte of my lyfe I wyll lede solytaryly and habandone the worlde And at this same houre I renouÌ„ce all worldly honoure and take my leue yf you Whan the grene knyght heard these wrodes he beganne for to wepe tenderly and Orson recomforted hym and sayd Alas wepe no more for me but praye vnto god that he giue me strengthe and puyssaunce for to accomplysshe my wyll After Orson departed in defendynge the grene knyghte to tell it anye body So he wente into a greate wodde where as he lyued holyly after his deathe god shewed for him many myracles and was a saynt canonyzed And the grene knyght gouerned the chyldren so that they finisshed their dayes gloriouslye and wente vnto the blysse that neuer shall haue ende to the which he bryng vs all that suffered deathe for vs on the crosse Amen ¶ Thus endeth the hystorye of the two valyaunte brethren Ualentine and Orson soÌ„nes vnto the Emperour of Grece ¶ Imprynted At London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Rose Garland by me Wyllyam Copland for John Walley
your syster Bellyssant hath to muche euil by the treason and false language of the cursed Acchebisshop for she is vanisshed from the Emperoure and chased out of the countrey And the Archebysshop made him beleue so many false wordes that if the lordes of his court had not bene the whiche fered your futoure he wold haue made her he btence in a fyre afore all the worlde Blandymayn said the kynge Pepyn the whiche was tryst and sorowfull Of as muche holde I the Emperoure more folysher because he made not my syster dye for by the God almighty if I had her hate at this present time I should neuer reste â—il that I hadde made her dye an euil death Nowe forwarde lordes saide kynge Pepyn for oure vyage is done Retorne we vnto Paris for I will go â—oteâ—der I knowe to muche tydinges of my sister w t out demaundinge or enquiryng any more At these wordes he torned the bridle of his horse for to retorne making great sorowe in his courage and beganne to saye vnto himselfe Ha veray God almighty sayd he howe often is man deceiued by woman Nowe am I come to the clene contrary of mine entencion for I purpensed to haue had once of my syster Bellyssant in my lyfe Ioye and pleasure And to haue had the Emperoure Alexander for my frende to succoure me in all my necessities And by her I am greatly diffamed and put vnto a great dishonour In that distresse and melancoly rode the king Pepyna great whyle so longe he â—ode so that he ariued at OrleauÌ„ce Then Blandimain that sawe wel and knewe well the courage of the king Pepyn durste declare no more vnto him of the lady Bâ—llyssant So he â—â—iourned towarde the tre where as he had left her but he founde her not wherfore he was angry and â—yght sorowefull He discended fastâ—ned his horse and began to serche her thorough the wodde And he didde so muche that he founde her lyeng vpon the earth the whiche had wepte so muche for her chylde that she might not speake but with great payne Blandimayn embraced her and set her on her fete and then â—â—â—de vnto her Alas who may haue brought you hether Hâ— Blandymayn said she euer encreaâ—â—â—h my doloure and dystresse Ie is true that whan you were departed there came a beer to me a bare awaye one of my chyldren And I put myselfe on y e waye after thinkyng to haue taken it from hym â–ª but I coude not retorne vnto the tree whereas I left mine other childe Lady sayd he I come from the fote of the tree but I haue founde no chyld yet haue I well loked on euery syde Whan the lady hearde Blandymayne she was more sorowfull than before and yet agayne she tell in a swone blandymayn toke her vp and wepte full hercely for the ladies sake He ledde her towarde the tree where as she had left the chylde but whan she founde it not she discharged so greate sighes and so pyteous that it semeâ— that the hert in her â—ely wolde depart in sunder Alas said she thereis not in the world a more discomforted lady chaâ— I am for from syde to side I am deuoyde of Ioye of pleasure of myrche and am replete wyth doloure and misery â–ª and of intollerable dystresse greued wyth all trybulacyons and amonge all desolates the moost â—esolate Alas Emperour you are the cause toauauncemy death wrongfully and without cause by â—uyl couÌ„sell haue depryued me from your company for on my soule neuer the dayes of my life dydde I faute wyth my body I haue nowe loste by you â–ª your â–ª propre chyldren legityme yssued out of bloud ryall by whâ—nâ— I trusted ones to be venged Come death vnto me for to finisshe my dolour for the death shall be more agreable vnto me than to liue in this martyre Whan Blandymaine sawe the lady so inwardly discomforted the best wyse that he might he comforted her wyth the woman and lead her into a litle village where as she was bayned kepte and cherisshed â—yll that she was well healed and in good poynt and that of her greate sorowes she was a litle appeased for there is no â—ole but that it is forgotten by processe ThaÌ„ blandimain beg aÌ„ for to tell and recyte vnto the lady howe he had encountred the kyng Pepyn her brother the whiche had demaunded him tidinges and how he was angry against her And sayde by God madame I haue greate feare that ye shall not be welcome to the kynge your brother For also soone as he knewe that the Emperoure had expulsed you from him he shewed the semblaunt that he was muche angry against you as he the whiche wil beleue lightly that the faute is in you Ha God sayde the lady Now is come vnto me the thing that I moste doubted at this houre maye I well saye that I from al sydes haue aduersities For I am expulsed froÌ„ my lord and husbande the Emperoure without ryght or reason Neuer shall I retourne vnto Paris but will go into a straunge countrey so farre that neuer man nor woman shall haue knowledge of my faute nor know where I am If my brother the king Pepyn helde me he would make me dye Now it is better for to sechewe his ire and â—uroure then for to abyde the death And Blandymayne sayde vnto her Lady wepe no more for ye be sure that I shall neuer leue you vnto the deathe am delivered to liue and dye with you and to kepe you company whether soeuer you will go Blandymayn sayd the lady let vs go at our aduenture and I thanke you hartely for your good wil for my truste is hole on you Thus is the lady Bellyssant Blandymayn on their waye muche pensyfe and sorowfull all charged with anguysshes Here will I leue for to seakpe of them â— will tell you of the Beer that bare awaye the chylde through the Wodde ¶ Of the beeâ— that bare awaye one of the children 〈◊〉 the â—mpresse Bellyssaâ—t Cap. vi THe Beet that had taken one of the chyldren of Bellyssant deâ—oured it noâ— but bare it in to his caueâ—ne that was profounde and obscure In the whiche was foure younge Beets stronge and â—uâ—ssaunt The Beer caste the chylde amonge hys wâ—â—lâ—es to be eaten but God that neuer forgeteth his â—rendâ—s shewed an euydent myracle For the younge Beeres dyâ—dâ— it no haâ—me but with theyr roughe â—awes strooked it soâ—telâ—e When the Beeâ— sawe that her lyâ—le whelâ—es would not deuoure it she was right amerous of the chylde so muche that she kepte â—t â—nd gaue it â—ouâ—e a hole yeaâ—â— The chylde was â—lâ— toughâ— because of the neueâ—â—taction of the beeâ— â–ª as a â—â—de beâ—st So he began to go in the â—odde aâ—â—â—â—â—ame great 〈◊〉 in a whâ—â—e aâ—d bâ—gan for to smyte the 〈…〉 castes of the forest in suche wyse that they all douted hym and â—ledde before him For he fereo nothyng in the worlde In suche estaâ—e was the
that he was kyng of Fraunce Cap. lxxxx SO the kyng of Ynde ledde with him the good kyng Pepyn but he knewe it not The valiauÌ„t xii beheld â–ª peres kyng Pepyn pyteously but noue durste hyd hym farewel for doubte of knowyng Thus goeth the kyng of Ynde and kyng Pepyn rydeth after hym that is not without sorowe Alas sayde he all alowe veray God helpe me and succour me for if you helpe me not of youre grace of all poore I am the moost sorowfull and vnhappy Alas Myllon dangler Iowe well to loue you whan for me you put your body in suche daunger Henry henry thou hast well shewed that thou loued me not whan at my nede thou failed me Wel owe euel come vnto the childe that at greate nede leueth his propre father My loue Berthe I shall neuer see you more alas Charles my lytell sonne God helpe the for I knowe for a truthe that the false traytours shall make the suffre payne ynough and thou arte yonge and lytell and maye not resyste agaynst them Thus complayned kyng Pepyn and wepte pyteously Nowe the kyng of Ynde hathe doone so muche that he is arryued within Ynde And when the lady Rozemonde knewe it she ranne against hym and in makyng great Ioye kyssed hym and after mounted vp in to the palays The lady behelde kynge Pepyn the whiche notwithstandyng that he was lytell he was well fourmed and made of his membres and or regarde ryght plesaunt so the lady demauÌ„ded the kyng of Ynde My loue tell me who hath geuen you this litel man â–ª for he semeth muche honest and gracious and it may be to se his semblaunce that he is extraught out of a hyghe place Lady sayde the kyng he hath bene geuen me for he was come with the kyng of Fraunce the twelue peres in to Jerusalem wherfore he hathe bene taken and if he wyll renounce his God Jhesus I shall do hym muche good Pepyn aunswered nothing whiche had wel another entencion So the houre was come that the kyng shoulde goo to souper â–ª Pepyn entred in to the kechyng and the kynge demaunded hym if he coulde any thynge of â—okeâ—ye and that he shoulde make hym the sauce for a pecocke that rosted And Pepyn dyd it so well that after warde the kynge woulde haue no meate nor sauce but of his dressing Wherof al the other of the kechyn ryall hadde great dispyte at him and vpon Pepyn hadde suche enuye that it happened one tyme that the kyng commaunded him for to make ready a pecocke so he went towarde the coke by the com maundement of the kynge And as he entred in to the kechyn bothe litell and great began for to mockâ— hym and some smote hym behynde and he as vertuous toke all in pacience After he wente towarde the fyre for to haue put the pecocke on the spytte And y e mayster coke that had great enuye on hym aporoched uere hym and caste a great brennyng cole in his lappe and brent him shrewedly And than Pepyn swore that he woulde auenge hym and came vnto the sarazyn and gaue hym so great a stroke betwene the foreheade and theâ—re that be smote him downe and after gaue him another stroke so great that he made his braynes to flee out When the varâ—ettes and scolyons sawe their mayster so outraged they assayled all Pepyn with slaues and knyues And he that was hardy and valyaunt reculed not abacke but swore Jhesu christe that he loued better to dye then to suffer iniurye of suche â—ascalles Soo he wente towarde a boye that woulde haue smyten hym with a pestel and gaue hym soo great a strooke that he felled hym downe dead to the earth The noise and the crye was so great that the kyng harde it Soo he badde anone that Pepyn should be taken and brought before hym And whan he was before hym he sayd vnto hym euyll boye How haste thou bene so hardy to 〈◊〉 my mayster coke within my palays Nowe tell me anone how the thing goeth or by my God mahoune thou shal dye Syr said kyng Pepyn I shall tell you the truthe It is true that I was in the kechin for to make redy a pecocke for your super as you commaunded me and than your coke cast a hote cole vpon me and brent me shrewedly withoute any cause And therfore I slewe hym When the kynge knewe the truthe by the other he pardoned hym ¶ Howe the kyng Pepyn beyng with the kyng of Ynde had knowledge of the fayre Clerymonde Cap. xci HEre wyl I make you mencion of the fayre Clerimonde the whyche as you haue herde before was kept in the kyng of Yndes palays Now the kynge of Ynde had a custome y t he wolde sende her of the best meat that was on hys table So it happened that at a souper he called Popyn and gaue hym the meat that was before hym and sayd vnto hym Go in to the chambre where as is a wyndowne there you shall fynde a folysshe woman pyteously arayed bere her thys from me Pepyn toke the meat and bare it vnto the lady But whan he sawe her so poorely arayed he had great pyte sayd vnto her Loue Jhesus that suffered for vs death passyon helpe you Alas haue truste in hym and serue hym wyth good heart and yf you do so knowe for a certaynte that you shall haue aledgement of your doloure and therfore beleue stedfastly in hym receyue the holye sacrament of baptym Whan the lady vnderstode that he spake of god she approched nere hym and sayd Frende haue noo doubte of me But tell me yf thou be a christen man or yf you saye these wordes by gyle Lady sayd pepyn for a trouthe I am a chrysten man and am comen out of the realme of Fraunce ThaÌ„ the lady sayd al smylynge you ought well to knowe the good kyng Pepyn and his neuewe Ualentyne It is true sayd Pepyn and I knowe well hys brother Orson his father the Emperoure of Grece also whan the lady herde that she began for to wepe and said vnto him Alas frende may I haue truste in you Ye sayd Pepyn as muche as in your propre father of all that it shal please you for to say â–ª for neuer shall you be accused by me ¶ Frende sayd the lady knowe for a certaynte that I counterfee the foole and the seke woman but I am also wyse and hole as I was euer for I am a chrysten woman and had the fayre Ualentyne vnto loue and vnto hym I was gyuen for wyfe but by the false traytour kyng Trompart I was taken from hym Than the lady tolde hym all the maner of her estate and how she had ben stolen and wherfore she made her selfe syke Whan kyng pypyn herd the pyteous aduenture of the lady he began for to wepe muche tenderly After in consyderyng the fortunes and great aduentures that cometh vpon the creature in castynge out great teares he sayd softly to hymselfe Ha