armour of our humanitie till he went to the graue that is to say to the wombe of the glorious virgin Mary by the annunciation of the Angel saying The holy Ghost shall light in thee c. Lo thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne And thus in the wombe of the virgin he toke the armour of the dead knight that is to say hée toke the manhood of Adam our forefather and saued the Citie that is the world with mankinde from perill by his blessed passion that he uffered on the crosse and that he put the armour againe into the graue when his blessed body was buried but the citizens â—nâ—ied him that is to saye the Jewes of Iury accused him to Pilate and laid the law against him saying If thou suffer him thus thou arte not the Emperour Caesars freinde we haue a law and after the law hee ought to dye And thus our Lord Jesu Christ of his enimies was condempned to the death of the crosse and after ascended vp to heauen where our Lord Jesu bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The fornication of wicked worldly men is here detected by the prouidence of God and by his gratious fauour deliuered out of the thraldom of sinne vnto the libertie of life euerlasting The History THere raigned sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour a wyse named Betolde which ordained a law that what woman were taken in aduoutry hir husband beeing a liue shée should bee cast into perpetuall prison There was that time a knight that had a fayre lady to his wife which committed aduoutry hir husband being a liue and was with childe therefore by the law shee was put in prison wher within short tyme after shee was deliuered of a fayre sonne This childe grew vp till hée was seuen yeeres old his mother dayly wept hartely And when the child haâ—d this hee said to his mother O mother why wéepe yée thus and for what cause are you thus perplexed Then saide his mother O my swéete sonne I haue great cause to mourne and thou also for aboue our heads is people walking and the sunne shineth in cléerenes and great solace haue all men that are aboue vs and wee bée héere continually in such darknes that I may not sée thée ne thou me alas that euer I conceiued thee Then sayd the sonne such ioye ne such light as yée spake of sawe I neuer for I was borne here in this darknes therfore if I had meate and drink ynough heere would I liue all the dayes of my life therefore mother weepe yée not but show mee solace This lamentation that was betwéene the mother the sonne heard the Emperours Stewarde that stoode aboue their heads wherof he had great compassion and wept vnto the Emperour and kneeling beesought him of his grace that the mother the sonne might bee deliuered out of prison The Emperour as a mercifull Lord graunted that they should bee deliuered Neuerthelesse if they trespassed so in time to come they should bée punished with double paine and after that they were deliuered this woman ended hir life in that Citie The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is the Father of heauen that made this law that what wedded woman that is to saye what soule that is wedded to our Lord doth commit aduoutry that is to say doth worship strange gods should be cast in the prison of hell therefore a sinfull soule hath great cause to wéepe for shee is departed from light that is to saâ—e from the ioys of heauen Hir sonne that desired meate and drinck are the weaâ—thie wicked worldlings of this worlde that say to the prelates of the Church and to the preachers that preach vnto them the ioyes of Heauen that while wee may liue and haue all the solace of the world wee desire none other heauen The Steward that heard their lamentation is our Lord Jesu that knoweth all the priuities of our sorowful and repentant harts for our sinnes bâ— sought the Father of heauen for vs that wée might bee deliuered from the prison of sinne and that wee might come to euerlasting life to that which bring vs all our Lord Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ Christ proclaimeth the ioyfull feast of heauen wherin the Lambe to say the poore Preachers of the Gospell hauing their sight or knowledge iâ— gods word are suppoâ—ed of the blind layâ—â— and ech doe mutuâ—lly comfort other till they approch vnto the proclaymed feast of perpetual felicitie The Morall SOmetime in Rome dwelt an Emperour named Pompeâ— which aboue all other things was mercifull This Emrerour procliamed throughout all his Empire a great feast and that poore and rich should come to this feast And whosoeuer came to that feast should not onely bee well fed but also hee should haue great giftes When the herawld had warned all maner of men to come to this feast at that time there ware two poore men lying by the way the one was lame and the other was blinde This blinde man sayde to the lame man Alas and wo to vs both how shall wée doe for themperour hath proclaimed a feast and who so euer commeth there shall not onely bée well fedde but also hee shall haue great guifts and I am blinde and thou arts lame how shall wee doe Then sayde the lame man to the blinde man I shall tell thée counsell if thou wilt doe after mée thou shalt let for nothing I am lame and feeble may not goe neuerthelesse I may see thou art blinde and strong and maist not see take thou mée vpon thy beack and beare mee and I shall leade thee the right way thus shall wée both come to the Emperours feast Then sayde the blind after thy counsell let vs doe come on my back I shall beare thee and thou shalt leadâ— mee the right way and so they did that they came both to the feast recuied great rewards and giftes among other men And thus ended their liues in peace The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our sauiour Jesu Christ that proclaymeth a feast that is to say the ioyes of heauen vnto the which ioyes he called all mankinde and forsakeht no man that will come vnto hâ—m This lame man betokeneth the poore mini sters of the gospel which wanting worldly pleasures liue by the prouideÌ„ce of God And this blinde man béetokeneth the lay men which konw not the right way to heauen It bée loueth the the blind man to wit the late mâ—n to beare the lame man that is to saie the ministers of the gospell sustaining feeding theÌ„ with the duties of the church then the ministers for gods cause are bound to teach to enforme vs the way to heaueÌ„ wher as we shall not onely haue a feast but also great rewarde ioy vnto that which god bring vs all Amen The Argument Heauen hell are heere â—oÌ„pared to two cities to theâ—e two cities are two contrary waies To heauen which is the city of all heauenly
the Emperour heard this anone hee exiled him and all those that were consenting to him so that they liued abiects in great wretchednesse and srrow and then the Emperour ordained other men in their stéedes and gaue them all the possessions of the traytors And when the banished men heard that straungers had taken possession of their lands and goods anone they conspyred against them and through treason requested them to a banquet And they as 〈◊〉 thinking vppon no such treason came at the day assigned and were serued with â—iuâ—â—â—â—sâ—s which were poysoned wherfore as many as tasted of that vice dyed incontinent When the Emperour heard this he was greatly moued and assembled his counsell to wit what was best to be don of this treason of their death Then said the Emperours sonne My Lord I am your sonne yée bee my Father therfore I shall giue you good counsell and profitable to all men Not far hence is a little nation wherin dwelleth a fayre Mayden and a gracious in the sight of euery man which hath an orchard wherein is a well the water therof hath such vertue that if it be cast vpon a dead man straight way he shall liue againe and recouer his life Therefore my â—ord I shall descende vnto that nation and seeke that water whereby they that were slayne at the Banquet might bée restored againe to lyfe And when the Emperour heard this he was greatly reioyced and sayde Sonne thy counsell is good And straight way the Emperours sonne went into the saide nation and fell inconceit with the Mayden in so much that hée entred in the garden and assayled to tast the water of the well And when hee had so done he made fiue déepe trenches in the ground in the which the water ranne till it came where the dead men lay buried thervpon when the water touched them they arose from death to life Then the Emperours sonne led them vnto his Father And when the Emperour saw this hée was right ioyefull wherfore hee crowned his sonne with a Laurate crowne in tooken of victorie so ended his life in rest and peace The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the Father of Heauen The poore man that was promoted béetokeneth Lucifer the which was exalted of nought and enthroned in the Empyre of heauen with so great Joye and clearnesse that him séemed through his pride hée would bée like vnto almightie God and not onely lyke him but more than almightie God wherfore the Father of heauen exiled him all them that consented vnto him to hell and in their place man was exalted to great ioy honaur The diuell séeing this enuied him that man should come to such glory and honour and bad Adam and Eue to a banket when they eate of the Apple against Gods commaundement and counselled them thus saying In what houre yee eate of the Apple yee shall bée like gods And at this coursed banquet they were serued with v. mâ—sses that were poysoned that is to say their v. wits were accorded in eating of the Apple wherof man was insect and dyed This hearing the Emperours sonne moued with 〈…〉 ame downe from heauen into this world and acquainted him so wel with â— blessed Uirgin Mary that he sound in hir the well of manhoode and coâ—ioyned it to his Godhead according to the Scripture I am the well of lyâ—e who dunketh of it shall not thirst After that hee lette make fiue trenches in the ground that is to saye â—iue woundes in his bodie of the which ran both bloud and water whereby all mankinde was raised froÌ„ death to lyfe and led them vp into the pallace of heauen Unto the which bring vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of heauen extendeth his goodnesse diuers waies towards frail man yet hee taking contrarie waies liueth in spirituall fornication for the which being exiled from the state of felicitie he is coÌ„pelled to leade a miserable and painefull life But beeing reconciled by the death of his sauiour he possesseth the heritage of heauenly felicitie The 37. History SOmetime in Rome there raigned a mighty emperor named Dunstain in whose Empyre there dwelt a gentill Knight that had two sonnes One of his sonne matched himselfe against his fathers will with a common harlotte The knight hearing this exyled his son from him And when he was thus exiled he begot on this woman a sonne And soone after that he wared sicke and in penury wherfore he sent messengers to his father beseching him of his mercie This hearing his father had compassion and ruth on him wherfore he was reconciled And when hée was thus brought againe to his fathers grace hee gaue his chtide which he hadde gotten tofore on this common woman to his father And he full kindely receiued it as his sonne and nourished it When his other sonne heard this he said to his father father quod hee it séemeth to mée that thou arte out of thy right minde which I will proue by this reason For hée is out of his righte minde that receiueth a salse heare and nourisheth him whose Father hath endomage and disease tosore For my brother which begat this childe haue done thée great iniury when hée marryed the common woman against thy will and commaundement therefore me séemeth that thou art out of thy right minde Then answered the father and sayde Bicause thy brother is reconciled thou art enuious to mée and also vnkinde to thy nowne brother willing to put him from my felowshippe for euermore and sothly no vnkinde man shall haue mine heritage except he be reconciled But yet thou neuer reconciledst to him of his vnkindenesse for thou mightest haue reconciled him but thou woldest not therefore of mine heritage gettest thou no part The Morall The Father of the two bretheren betokeneth the Fether of Heauen And his two sonnes betokeneth the nature of Angels and the nature of man For man was marryed to a common woman or harlot when hee eate of the Apple against the commaundement of God wherfore he was exilled by the father of heauen and put from the Joyes of Paradise The sonne of the common woman béetokeneth mankinde This knights sonne that is to say A â—am liued in great misery for after his sin hée was put from ioy into this wretched vally of teares and wéeping according to this Scripture In suodore vultus c. In the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eate thy bread But after by the passion of Christ hée was reconsiled But the other Sonne that betokeneth the diuell was euer vnkinde and grudged dayely against our reconciling saying that by sinne wee ought not to come vnto the heritage of Heauen Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ we ought in euery vocation and calling to beehaue our selues iustly and to vse the poore man with equite we must not iniury the rich man The mightie men are to be honoured and not defrauded of their
there in that darknesse The Morall Déere friends this ymage so standing is the diuel which saith euermore Strike héere That is to say séeke after earthly riches and not for heauenly treasure This clarke that diggeth with the mattocke betokneth the wicked wise men of this world as some euill disposed pleaders in the law crafty atturneyes and other wicked worldlings that euer be smiting what by right and what by wrong so that they may get the vanities of this world and in their smiting they finde great wonders maruails that is to say they finde therein the delgihts of the world wherin many men reioyseth The carbuncle that giueth light is the youth of man which giueth hardines to take their plesure in worldly riches The archer with his arrow is death which laâ—eth watch against man to slay him The clarke that tooke vp the knife is euery worldly man that coueteth euer to haue all thing at his will Death smiteth the carbuncle that is to say youth strength and power of man than lyeth he wrapped in darkenes of sinne in which darknesse oftentymes he dyeth Therefore studie wee to flee the world and his desires and then shall wée bée sure to winne euerlasting life vnto the which Jesu bring vs all Amen The Argument We are generally here put in mind that the diuell beseeging the world our champion Christ Iesus is ready to take our quarell in hand who defending sauing vs from the inuasion circumuention of sathan is yet accused for vs as a transgressor and is for our sakes moreouer content to suffer death for our full iustification The seuenth History IN Rome dwelled sometime a mightie Emperour named Titus a wise man a diseréete which ordained in his daies such a law that what knight dyed in his empire should be buried in his armour and who so euer presumed to spoile any knights armour after he were dead he should die without any withstanding or gaine saying It befell after within fewe yéeres that a citie of the Empire was beseged of themperours enemies wherfore that Citie was in perill of leesing for none that was within that Citie might not defend themselues by no maner of craft therefore great sorrow lamentation was made through out all the Citie But at the last within few dayes there came to the Citie a young Knight and a well fauored valiaunt in feates of Armes whome the worthy men of the Citie beholding and vnderstanding his prowesâ—e cryed with one voyce O thou most noble Knight wée beséech thée if it please thy worthinesse to help vs now at our most néede lo ye may see this Citie is in perill of léesing Then answered he and sayd Seye not sirs that I haue none armour and if I had Armour I would gladly defend your Citie This hearing a mightie man of the citie sayd to him in secrete wise Sir héere was sometime a doughtie knight which now is dead buried with in this citie according to the law if it please you to take his armour ye might defend this citie deliuer vs froÌ„ perill and that shall bee honour vnto you and profit vnto all the Empyre When this young knight had heard this he went to the graue and toke the armour and arayed himselfe therwith sought mightely againste his enimies and at the last he obtained and had the victory and deliuered the citie from perill and whan he had so done hée layd the Artâ—our againâ— in the graue There were some menne in the Citie that had great indignation and enuie at him bycause he had obtained the victorie and accused him to the Judge saing thus Syr a law was made by themperour that wâ—oâ—oâ—uer â—â—spoiled a dead Knight of his Armour should dye this young Knight â—ennd aâ—d ad Knight tooke away his Aâ—mour therfore we beseech thee that thou prâ—ceede in the lawe against him as against him that hath offended the law When the Justice heard this hee made the Knight to bee takeÌ„ and to be brought afore him And wheÌ„ hee was examined of this trespasse against the law hee said thus Sye it is written in the law that of two harms the least is to bée chosen it is not vnknowen to you that this Citie was in perill to bee lost but I had taken this armour I had neither saued you ne the Citie therefore me thinketh yee ought rather to honour worship me for this good deede that I haue done than thus shamefully to reproue me for I am led as he that is ready to be hanged and also good sirs an other reason I may laye for mine excuse He that stealeth or robbeth violently purposeth not to restore that thing that he robeth but it is not thus with mée for though I tooke the armour of the dead knight for your defence and sauegard when I had obtained the victory I bare it againe to the same place and so the dead knight hath that is his by the law Then saide the Justice a thefe that breaketh a house that he may steale and beare away such as he may find and though he bringe againe that he hath taken I aske of thée if that the breaking of the house be lawfull or not The knight answered sometyme the breaking of an House may bée good where as it is made in féeble place which should cause the Lorde of the house to make his wall stronger that the théeues after that breake not the walls â—o lightly in aâ—â—oâ—ing of more harme Then saide the Justice if the breaking of the house be good neuerthelesse in that breaking violence is done to the Lorde of the house And so though thou dâ—ddâ—st good with the Armour of the dead Knight neuerthelesse thou diddest wrong to the dead knight in taking away his armour The knight sayde I haue told you that of two harmes the least is to be chosen and that harme wher through great goodnsse commeth ought not to be called harme but it should rather be called good For if that any house within the citie were on fire and began to burne it were more better to throw it to the ground and thrée or foure houses thereby theÌ„ they should be set on fire also whereby all the citie might be brente Right so if the Armour of the dead knight had not beene taken the citie and ye all had bene lost And when the Justice heard that he answered so well and so reasonably hée might giue no iudgment against him But he that which had accused this knight slew him for whose death there was great wéeping throughout all the citie and his body was worshipfully buried in a new tombe The Morall ¶ Déere friendes this Emperour is the Father of Heauen and this citie is the world the which is besieged of the diuell and deadly ssnne And as many as were within this citie were all in perill to be lost This young knight that came to the citie is our Lord Jesu Christ which hadde not the
acknowledging of sinne the second repentaunce and the third newnes of lyfe according to the will of GOD if these hearbes be vsed in plaister the sinner without doubt shall receiue his health and his soule shal be deliuered from sin by all right he shall haue euerlasting lyfe Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesus The Argument ¶ Many folish Idiots of this world doe commonly flow flote in abundance of worldly wealth pomp with thinking they shall liue heere alwaies are labored vnto by the preachers of gods word to be admonished of their momentany felicities and so to prepare themselues in bestowing well theyr short time heere to emoye the blessings of euerlasting felicitie in the world to come The fift History SOmetime there raigned in Rome a mightie Emperour and a wyse named Frederike which had one onely sonne whome he loued much This Emperour when hee laye at the point of death hée called vnto him his sonne and sayde Déere sonne I haue a ball of Gold which I giue thée vpon my blesseing that thou anone after my death shalt giue it to the most foole that thou maiest finde Then saide his sonne My Lord without doubt your will shall bee fulfilled Anone this young Lord after the death of his father weÌ„t sought in many Realmes found many rechlesse fooles bicause hée would satisfie his Fathers will laboured farher til hee came into a realme where the law was such that euerie yeere a new King was chosen there and this King had onely the guiding of that Realme but a yeere and at the yéeres ende hée was deposed and put in exile in an Ilande where as hée should wretchedly finish his life When the Emperours sonne came to this Realme the new King was chosen with great honour and all maner of Musical instrumeÌ„ts went before him and brought him with great reuerence and worship vnto his regall seaâ—â— And when the Emperours sonne sawe that hée came vnto him and saluted him reuerently and said My Lord loe I giue thee this ball of gold on my fathers behalâ—e Then saide hee I praye thee tell mee the cause why thou giuest mee this ball Then answered this young Lord and said My father charged mee in his death bedde vpon paine of forfaiting of his blesseing that I should giue this ball to the most foole that I could find wherfore I haue sought many Realmes and haue found many fooles neuerthelesse a more foole then thou art found I neuer therefore this is the reason It is not vnknown to thee that thou shalt raign but a yeere and at the yeeres end thou shalt bee exiled into such a place where as thou shalt die a mischeuous death wherfore I hold thée for the most foole that euer I found that for the Lordship of a yéere thou wouldest so wilfully leese thy selfe and therefore before all other I haue giueÌ„ thee this ball of gold Then saide the king without doubt thou saiest truth and therefore when I am in ful power of this realme I shall send béefore mee great treasure and riches wherewith I may liue saue my selfe from mischeuous death when I shal bee exiled put downe And to this was done wherfore at the yeeres ende hee was exiled and iued there in peare vpon such goods as hee had sent beefore hée died afterward a good death The Morall ¶ Déere friends this Emperour is the father of heauen the which â—eequetâ—â—d the ball that is to saye worldly riches to fooles ydiots which sauoureth nothing but that is earthly This Emperours sonne that is to say a preacher and a discréet minister trauailed about many Realms lands to shew to misbeeleeuing men and fooles theyr perill The Reame wherein no King might reigne but a yeere is this world For who so had liued an hundred yeere when he commeth to the death him shal seeme that hee hath liued but the space of an houre therefore doe as the King did while that yee bee in power of life sende before you your treasure that is to say firme faith in Christes merits and the fruits of Gods word procéeding from the same Then certainely when wée bee put in exile out of this world we shal liue in peace shall finde the mercy of God plentifull wherby wée shal obtain euerlasting life Unto the which bring vs hée that for vs shed his precious blood The Argument The euill disposed whcked wise men of this world are heere aduertised of their greedie groping after the sweet temptation of the diuel wherein such doe reioyce till death comming sodaynly vpon them then fall they into the horrible pitte of desolate darckenesse due to their deserts The sixt Historie ¶ Dioclesian reigned in the citie of Rome in whose empire dwelt a noble Philosopher the which sette vp by his craft an ymage in the middest of the Citie of Rome the which ymage strethed out his arme and his formost finger whervppon stoode this posie written in Latine Percute hic Strike heere This ymage after the death of this Philosopher stoode still a long time and many great clarkes came thether for to read the superscription that was on the finger but none of them vnderstoode what it ment wherfore ther was great wondring among the people And at the last a long time after there came a strange clarke out of farre countries and wheÌ„ hée saw this ymage he read the scripture strike héere And then vpon a day wheÌ„ he saw the shadow of the hand hee tooke a mattocke brake vp the ground vnder the hand where the shadow was according to the vnderstanding of the superscription and anone hée found an house all of Marble vnderneath the ground wherin he entred and came into a hall wherin hée found so much riches so manie Jewells and so great maruailes that he neuer saw ne heard of such nor so many béefore that time At the last hée saw a table redy couered and all maner of things necessary therto set there vpon Hee beheld further and saw a carbuÌ„cle in the hall that lightened all the house And Against this Carbuncle on that other side stoode a man holding in his hand a bow with an arow ready to shoote The clark maruailed much when he saw all these things and thought in himselfe if that I tell this foorth ther will no man beeleeue mee and therefore I will haue somewat of these goodes in token of proofe And with that hée law a knife of golde vpon the table the which hoe tooke and would haue put it in his boosome But anon the Archer smote the Carbuncle and brake it where with the whole house was shadowed and made darke And when the clarke perceiued it he wept more bitterly then any man might thinke for he know not by what way he might goe out for as much as the house was made darke through the breaking of the carbuncle And that darknes abode still for euermore after And so finished the clarke his life
saying thus Est arta via que duâ—â—t ad vitam It is a strayte way that leadeth to euer lasting lyfe In this way are thrée armed knights that is to say the diuell the world and the flesh with whome it behoueth vs to fight and to obtaine the victory or wée may come to heauen The second Citie that is in the North is hell and to this accordeth Scripture saying thus Ab aquilone pondetur omne malum Out of the North commeth all euill Certainely to this Citie is the way playne and broad and walled about on euerie side with all maner delicates wherfore many men walk by this way The three Knights that giue to euery man going this way what thing them needeth are these Pride of lyfe couetousnesse of the eyes coÌ„cupicence of the flesh in which thrée the wretched man greatly deliteth at the last they leade him to hell This wittie knight betokeneth the soule the foolish knight betokeneth the flesh the which is alway foolish and at all times redie to doe euill These two are felowes knitte in one for either of them drinketh others blood that is to say they shall drinke of one cup either ioye or paine shall they haue after the daye of dome The soule chooseth the way of repentaunce and in as much as she may she stirreth the flesh to doe the same But the flesh thinketh neuer what shal come after and therefore she goeth in the delight of this world and fléeth the delight oâ— repentaunce and thus the soule after the death is cast into hell and the flesh is cast into the ditch that is to say into the graue But then the Justice commeth that is our Lord Jesus Christ at the daye of dome to iudge all mankind Than the Soule shall complaine vpon the slesh and the flesh vppon the Soule But than the Justice that will not bee deceiued neither by prayer ne by price shall condempne the Soule bicause shée folowed the fra â—tie of sleshe and allso hee shall condempne the flesh bycause it would not beleeue the Soule wherefore let vs studie to tame our flesh that wée may obay God and than shall wée haue euerlasting lyfe Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The Argument The soule of man beeing possessed in the princely territory of Paradyse was by the diuell prouoked to sinne against hir creator and for the same transgression so beeing thence into this wide world exiled lost that hir former heritage But by Christes precious death and passion was restored vnto a more happie heritage of euerlasting felicitie The 11. History THERE dwelled sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour named Fredericke which had no childreÌ„ saue one only daughter to whom this Emperour after his decease béequethed all his Empyre This vnderstanding an Earle that dwelt there béeside came vnto this young Lady wooed hir and prouoked hir to sinne all that hée might wherefore this young ladie in short processe of tyme enclyned to the Earle and this Earle anone lay with hir and defiled hir and after that shée departed from hir heritage and exiled hir out of hir Empyre wherefore shée made a great lamentation and fled vnto a realme there beside where as she dayly wéept and mourned It befell after on a day that while she sat mourning by the hye way side there came riding by hir a fayre young knight vpon a good horse which came toward hir a great pace and very courteously saluted hir asked the cause why she mourned so sore Then answered she and saide My reuerend lord I am an Emperours daughter descended of roiall blood my father is dead which left me all his Empyre bicause he had none other heyre and after his decease an Earle there beside deceiued me deslowred my virginitie and after that he put me violently out of mine heritage so that now I am fayne to begge my bread from dore to dore and this is the cause of my sorrow Then sayde the knight farre damosell I haue great compassion on thy beautie and on thy gentlenesse therfore if thou wilt graunt me one thing I shall fight for thée against the Earle I protest vnto thée the purchase of the victory Then sayd shée alas good sir I haue nothing that I may giue vnto you but my selfe And I aske no more of thee said the knight but that thou wouldest be my wyfe and loue no man so much as mée Then sayde she Reuerend sir that I will doe gladly and more if I might Then said the knight I will that thou doe for mée one thing that if it fortune mée to dye in fight for thée and obtaine the victorie thou shalt take my bloodie shert and hang it vpon a beame in thy chamber and this shalt thou do for two things The first is that when so euer thou beholdest the shert thou shalt wéep for mee The second is that what so euer man come to wooâ— thee to be his wyfe then shalt thou hastely runne vnto thy chamber and béehould my bloodie shert and thinke heartelye within thy selfe thus The Lord of this shert dyed for my loue in baftayle the which recouered my heritage God forbid that I should take any other man after his death Then saide shée Reuerend sir all this shall I fulfill by the grace of God And when the knight heard this hee assaylled to fight against the said earle and obtained the victory and the Earle was ouercome and fledde and this yong lady was brought and receiued agayne into hir heritage Neuerthelesse this knight was deadly wounded in that battayle whereof hee died but or hée died hée béequeathed his bloody shert vnto this damosell desiring hir to keepe hir promise WheÌ„ this yong Lady heard of his death shée wept sore made great lamentation for his death And in his shert was cuÌ„ningly wrought this verse Think on him and haue in minde that to thee was so kinde Anon when she had receiued the shert shée haÌ„ged it vpon a beame in hir chamber and as oftentimes as she beheld it she wept bitterly It béefell not long after that the states of hir Empire came to hir desired hir to take a husband But then she went to hir chamber beeheld the bloody shert then wared shée sorofull sayd oftentunes woe alas thou sufferedst death for my loue thou also recoueredst againe myne heritage God forbid that I should take any other man moe but thee And thus shee answered euery man that came to hir and so they went away disapointed of their purpose and ended hir life in peace and rest The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is the father of heauen his daughter is the soule of man made to the similitude of God to whome God gaue and bequethed the Empyre of Paradise But ther came an Earle that is the diuell prouoked hir to sinne wheÌ„ shée eate of the apple and said to hir thus In what houre yee eat of the apple
the same water the Lord the Lady and all their household were lepers and notwithstanding it appeared not sodainly And in the meane time there came a great Eagle in at the window where the Emperours sonne lay and â—are the childe away out of his cradell And when the knight perceiued this hée wept bitterly and saide Alas alas and woe to mée wretched creature that euer I was borne what shall I doe for now I am the sonne of death for I am become a lothsome leaâ—er and so in my wife and all my household And while he was thus mourning ther came to him a Phisition said to him Sir if ye will doe after my counsaâ—le it shall not repent you First it beehoueth you your wife all your household to bée letten bloud and after that to bée bathed and washed cleane And then shall I lay to my medicine And when yée are whole then shall you and your household walke to the mountaines and séeke the Emperours sonne for the Eagle hath let him fall in some place The knight wrought all thing by the counsaile of this Phisition and incontinent after was letten bloud and receiued the medicine and then hée was all whole and his wife all his household wherfore hée toke his horse accompanyed with thrée Squires and rode foorth to séeke the childe And at the last hée found him whole and sound lying in a valey wherat he greatly reioyced And for the great ioye gladnesse that was in him for finding of the Emperours sonne hée led the Childe home to his father And when the Emperour saw his sonne in good health hée was right glad wherefore hée promoted him to great worship and so after that long time liued he ther in heauenly state and at the last he ended his life in peace and rest The Morall This Emperour betokeneth the father of Heauen his sonne beetokeneth our Lord Jesus Christ whome many men desired to nourish at such tâ—â—â—s as they receiued the sacrament of his death and passion Hee nourisheth him that delt â—usteth with the diuell ouercommeth him through godly life The knight that tooke this childe with him beetookeneth a good christian man that euermore absteineth truely from doing euill and laboreth coÌ„tinually to doe good to all men Therfore doe wée as the knight did send wée béefore messengers to prepare and make cleane the Castle of our hearts from all spoâ—s of sin by fruitfull faith and so shall this childe Jesus rest and light in the middest of our hart The well beetokeneth mercy which ought to bée next our Lord. For who so euer is without mercy truth may not nourish that blessed childe Jesu But it happeneth ofte that the Knights wiâ—e that is the flesh of mâ—n beareth the key of mercie ofte leaueth that well open and then commeth the beare that is the diuell leaueth the loathsome filth in the well of mercy who that tasteth thereof shall be infected with leprosie of sin The window wherein the Sun shineth is the grace of the Holy ghost by whome â—en liue are comforted ghostly By this window the Eagle commeth in that is to say the people of allmightie Gâ—d and toke away the childe Jesus from the heart of man and then manne hath great caâ—sâ— to wéepe but what shall we doe when the Childe is gone but send for a subtill phisition that is to say a diseréet minister of the word of God which shall giue him counsayle let him blood all his househould that is to say to put out sin through acknowledging thereof reconciling himselfe with earnest repentaunce vnto his heauenly Father Then must hée bath himselfe with teares of contrition and Compunction of heart and after that take the medicine of amendement of life and so liue pure and cleane from all manner oâ— sin and when he hath done thus he must leape on the Palfray of good perseueraunce from euill and ryde foorth with his thrée squires that is to say fasting from euill prayer vnto God and well deserued towards man then without doubt he shall finde the childe Jesus in the â—â—ley of humilitie and not on a hill that is to say pride And if he doe thus doubtlesse he shall haue might power to nourish that blessed childe Jesus for whose nourishing the father of heauen shall promote him vnto euerlasting ioy Unto the which ioy God bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ Christ the king of euerlasting glory hath proclamed mutuall ioy blisse in heauen as well to the poore as to the rich But the rich oft times coueting all looseth that prerogatiue which the poore in hart enioy by the prouidence of god Yet as he is a righteous God he ordayneth both for the rich and the poore in such sorte that if they will they may together ioyfully be satisfied with the fruition of his abundant graces The 26. Historie SOmetime dwelt in Rome a mightie Emperour named Fulgentius which gouerned his people nobly â—oued them so much that he made to proclayme throughout all Nations whosoeuer should come to him rich or poore at a certain day should haue their petitions whatsoeuer it were When the mightie men heard this they were glad and came at the day assigned euery man put foorth their petitions vnto the Emperour and immediately their petitions were granted fulfilled insomuch that a great part of the reuenewes of the Empire was distributed among them TheÌ„ euery man was ioyfull and went home againe and tooke season of such lands and Castells as the Emperour had giuen them Straight way after the poore men in the Emperours dominions gathered them together and said A common crye was made that all men both â—ooâ—e and rich should come to the emperours paâ—lâ—â—ce there they should haue what soeuer they asked The rich men haue bene there lately and obtained theâ—â— petitions Therefore goe wée now and trye â—â— we may obtaine any good of the Emperour The counsell was approbâ—â—e allowed among them all wherfore they went forth tyll they came to the emperours pallaice and there they put forth their petitions according to the emperours proclamation When the emperour had heard them he sayd to them Deere friends I haue heard all your petitions it is trouth that my proclamation was that euery man indifferently should come and haue their petitions but the rich and mightie men haue ben here before you to whom I haue giuen all that I had saue onely the royaltie of my Lordship so haue I nothing left to 〈…〉 you whereat the poore men pitiously replyâ—dâ—â—h â—ood and gratious â—ouereigne haue coÌ„passion on vs let vs not go hence emptâ— a way for we know wel that it is our owne defalt that wée came not rather with these other rich and mightie men but â—â—th it is so wée aske your grace that wée may obtaine somewhat by the which wée may liue Than sayde the Emperour Good friends though I haue
to sinne after his acknowledged sinne like as a dogge that maketh a vomit and casteth vp the meate that he hath eaten before afterwarde when he is hungry commeth and eateth it againe Neuerthelesse if a man that hath sinned thus will drinck of the well of acknowledgeing his sinne he shall receiue his ghostly strength The Nightingale that sat on the trée betokeneth the soule that sitteth on the trée of holy doctrine And hir song betokeneth the soule that sitteth on the trée in deâ—out praiers to God But this soule doeth commit euill as oftentimes as she consenteth to sinne Neuerthelesse if she runne to the well of acknowledged sinne and bath hir with the water of contricion God shall loue hir But hir foes that be the fendes of hell séeing this that God is so mercifull they stoppe the well of acknowledgement of sinne that is to say they would withdraw vs from dutiful acknowledgemeÌ„t from due reconciliation of our selues betwéene vs and God and betwéene vs and man without shame and dread of repentaunce not to declare our sinnes And thus béene many exiled and put to death euerlasting And therefore study we to bath our life in the well of acknowledging of sinnes with the water of contrycion and than may we be sure to coms to euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The soule of euery good Christian man hath to prepare him armed vertues to withstand the assaultes of the diuell we are heere put in minde of our deliuerance out of thraldome by the precious bloud shedding of Iesus Christ which is a terrour to all the hagges of hell not to dare to assault vs so long as we liue firme in Christes faith and beleeue in him the bulwark of our saluation The 29. Historie IN Rome there dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Darmes which had a mightie strong Citie excéeding strongly walled about a Bell hanging in the middest of the Citie and when so euer this Emperour went to battayle with out the Cittie this Bell should be roâ—ng but there should no manne ring the Bell but a virgin Within short time after it béefell that Dragons Serpents and many other venimous beastes empoysoned much people so that the Citie was almost destroyed wherefore the states of the Citie went with one assent to the Emperour and sayde Lord what shall wée doe lo our goods and our Citie is almost destroyed and you and wée be in perill to perish through these fell beasts that consume vs therfore take wée good counsaile or else wée are but lost Then saide the Emperour what say you is best to be done in this matter and how may wée best be defended Than answered one of the wisest and sayde My Lord heare my counsaile and doe there after and yée shall not forethinke it ye haue quod he in your place a Lyon and set vppe a péece of timber for the purpose and therevpon let the Lyon be nailed made fast and when other venimous beastes sée him thus vsed and dealt withall they will dread and so shall they forsake this Citie and we shall be in rest and ease Then sayd the Emperour it pleaseth me well that he be hanged in sauing of you Than tooke they the Lyon vsed him in maner as aforesaid And when the other Lyons venimous dragons came toward the citie and saw the Lyon thus hanging they sled away for dread and durst come no nearer The Morall This Emperour betokeneth the Father of heauen the Citie well walled with the bell in the middest betokeneth the soule walled about with vertues The bell betokeneth a cleane consciens that warneth a man to battayle when he should fight against the diuell that he might arme himself before with vertues The virgin that should ring this bell is reason the which as a virgin enclineth all vnto rightfull clennesse The venemous dragon that beareth the fire betokeneth the flesh of man which beareth fire of gluttony lechery that which brent Adam our forefather when he eate of the forbidden Apple The venemous beastes that poysoned the men béetokeneth the fiendes of hell which for the most part haue destroyed mankind The states of the Citie betokeneth the Patriarks Prophets which besought God of couÌ„sayle remedy that mankind might he saued and anon it was counsayled for the best remedy that a Lyon that is Christ should be nayled vppon the Crosse according to the Scripture saying thus Expedit vnus moâ—iâ—tur homo pro populo vt gens non pereat c. That is to say It was requisit that one man should dye for the people least all flesh should perish ThaÌ„ toke they Christ and hong him on the Crosse for that which the diuell dreadeth Châ—sten people and dare not come nigh them And thus by the grace of God christen men shall come to euerlasting blisse Unto the which bring vs the Lambe of God which shed his precious blood for vs. Amen The Argument ¶ Heere is signified the thraldome of man vnto sathan by sinfull life till Chirst the sonne of God descended with the power of the holy Ghost to set him at libertie and put him in possession of the pallais of euerlasting felicity The 30. Historie IN Rome dwelled sometime a mighty emperour a merciful named Menalay which ordained such a lawe that what misdoer were taken put in prison if hée might escape come to the Emperours pallais he should be there safe for all maner felony treason or any other trespasse that he had done in his life It was not long after but it befell that a knight trespassed wherefore hée was taken put in a strong darke prison wher hée lay long time had no light but at a litle window whereas scant light shone in that lightened him to eate his simple meate that was brought him by his keeper wherfore hée mourned greatly made sorrow that hée was thus fast shette vp from the sight of men Neuerthelesse when the kéeper was gone there came dayly a Nightingale in at the window and sang full sweetly of whose songe this woefull knight oft times was fed with ioye and when this byrd ceased of hir song then would shee flye into the knights bosome and there this knight fedde hir many a daye of the vittayle that God sent him It beefell after on a day that this knight was greatly desolate of comfort Neuerthelesse the byrd that sat in his bosome feeding vpon kyrnells of Nuts and thus hee said vnto the byrd Sweet bird I haue sustained thée many a day what wilt thou giue me now in my desolation to comfort mée remember thee well that thou art the creature of God I also therefore help mée now in my grert néede WheÌ„ the byrd heard this shee flew forth froÌ„ his bosom taryed from him three daies But the third day she came againe brought in hir mouth a precious stone laid it in the knights bosome And
to the forrest with his Asse to gather wood betookeneth euery iust and godly man fearing God in the forrest of this world the wood that he gathereth bâ—etokeneth his simple meaning to liue â—ell that hee carryeth on his Asse which béetokeneth the bodie of man wherewith his soule may ioye and liue in the taâ—â—â—na-cle of Heauen And as the Steward the Lyon the Ape and the Serpent that fell into the Pitte right so when a sinfull man falleth in the pitte of sinne The Lyon of the stocke of Iude that is Jesu Christ decendeth with him as oftentimes as the sinner hath will to come to grace Therfore saith the Psalmist Cum ipso sum in tribulatione That is to saie I am with him in tribulation This Guy draweth vp the Lyon that is to say Jesu Christ out of the pitte by the corde of vertues Hée drew vp the Ape also that is to saye contrary will to reason that hée might obay to reason For of all manner beasts the Ape is most lyke to manne right so among all the strengthes of the soule will ought to bée lykened vnto reason and to obey reason Hee drew vp also a Serpent by the which is vnderstoode repentaunce for two causes For the Serpent beareth in his mouth venim and his tayle is a medicine Right so repentaunce beareth at the beginning bitternesse to the doer neuerthelesse it is full swéete and medicinable vnto the soule at the ende therfore euery lust man should draw to him the serpent of repentaunce And at the last hée drew vp the Stewarde from the pyt of sinne according to Christes saying I am not come onely to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Also it is written that Seneca which taught an Emperour many lawes and vertues of truth and at the last like as this Steward dyd so dyd this Emperour seeke the death of his maister Seneca Also Christ gaue power to Iudas to worke myracles like as hée did to other Disciples neuerthelesse hée beetrayed him at the last Right so now a daies bée many children of Beliall which delight more to doe harme theÌ„ good in especiall to them that wouâ—d instruct them perfectly both for the soule and for the body The Lyon gaue to the iust and godly poore man tenne Asses charged with marchandise that is to saye our Lord Lesu Christ giueth to euery righteous man tenne commaundements charged with vertues by that which hée groweth to the riches of heauen The Ape also gathered him wood as oft as the iust man worketh the fruites of faith For wood voluntaryly is profitable for two thinges that is to saye to make fire and to builde houses Right so perfect charitie heateth the Angell according to scripture saying Quia magis gaudium est angelis c. That is to say More ioye is among angelis for one sinner doeing repentance c. Charitie also reyseth the house of heauen against the comming of the soule The Serpent also gaue him a stone of thrée diuers coulours the which betokneth our Lord Jesu Christ whome wée séeke by repentaunce Therefore sayth saint Ierome in the second table thus Post naufragium est penetendum That is to say We should repent vs after our trespasse That Christ is the stone may be proued by him selfe saying Ego sum lapis viuus That is to saye I am a liuing stone Christ hath three coullours which betokeneth the power of the father the wisdome of the sonne and the humilitie of the holy Ghost Therefore who so may get this stone shall haue the Empyre of heauen ioy without sorrow plentie without any want and light without darkenesse Unto which light bring vs our Lorde Jesu Christ that dyâ—d for all mankinde Amen The Argument ¶ By the natiuitie of Christ proceedeth ioyfull gladnesse to the world saluation vnto mankind Yet man is vnthankfull vnto God contrary to his promise made in Baptisme we are warned in all worldly tempestes to cleaue vnto Christ by faith hope to continue in well doing and to impugne the mallis of the diuell the prechers of gods woord are sent of god to confound the diuell by sound doctrine and good life life death is sette beefore man we ought then to chose that life that may be for our euerlasting comfort The 32. Historie IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Anselme which had wedded the kings daughter of Ierusalem a fayre Ladie and a gracious in the sight of euery man but she was long tyme with the Emperour or shée bare him any childe wherefore the Nobles of the Empyre were right sorowful because their Lord had none heyre of his bodie begotten Till at the last it befell that this Anselme walked after supper in an euening in his garden and bethought himself how he had none heyre and how the king of Ampluy warred on him continually for so much as hée had no sonne to make defence in his absence wherefore he was right sorowful and went to his chamber and slept And at the last him thought hée saw a vision in his sléepe that the morning was more cléerer than it was wont to bée that the Moone was much more paller on the one syde than on the other And after he saw a bird of two colours and by that byrd stood two beasts which fed that little byrd with their heate And after that come many â—o beasts bowed their breasts toward the byrd and went theyr way And than came ther diuers byrds that soung so swéetly pleasantly that the Emperour awaked In the morning earely this Anselme remembred his vision and wondred much what it might signifie wherefore he called to him his Philosophers and also the states of his Empyre and tolde them his dreame charging them to tell him the signification therof vpon paine of death if they tolde him the true interpretation therof he promised them great reward Then sayde they Déere Lorde tell vs your dreame and wée shall declare vnto you what it betokeneth Than the Emperour tolde them from the beginning to the ending as it is afore sayd When the Philosophers heard this with glad cheere they answered sayd Lord the dreame that ye saw betokeneth good for the Empyre shall be more clearer than it is The Moone that is more pale on the one side than on the other béetokeneth the Empresse that hath lost part of hir coulour through the concepcion of a sonne that she hath conceiued The little byrd betokeneth the sonne that shée shall beare The two beastes that fedde this bird betokeneth all the wyse men and riche menne of this Empyre shall obey thy sonne These other beastes that bowed theyr brestes to the byrde béetokeneth that many other nations shall doe him homage The Byrd that soung so swéetly to this little Byrd betokeneth the Romaines which shall reioyce and sing bycause of his byrth Lo this is the verye interpretation of your dreame When the Emperour heard this he was right ioyfull Soone
lead read the superscription who so chooseth me shall finde that God hath disposed Thinking within hir selfe this vessell is not passing riche ne thorowly precious neuerthelesse the superscription saith who so chooseth mée shall finde that God hath disposed without doubt God neuer disposed any harme therefore as now I will choose this vessell by the leaue of God When the Emperour saw this he said O good Mayden open thy vessell for it is full of precious Stones and sée if thou hast well chosen or no. And when this yong Lady had opened it she found it full of fine gold and precious stones lyke as the Emperour had foretold hir béefore And than sayd the Emperour O my déere daughter because thou hast wisely chosen therefore shalt thou wed my sonne And when he had so said he ordained a marriage and wedded them together with great solempnitie much honour and so continued to theyr liues ende The Morall This Emperour betokeneth the Father of heauen that which was long tyme without a naturall Sonne wherefore many men were in danger of perishing in hell The Emprisse conceiued when the Angell Gabriell sayde Loe thou shalt conceiue and beare a childe And than the firmamēt began to cléere when this little childe lightened the world with his byrth The Moone that béegan to ware pale when the face of the Uirgin Mary was ouershadowed by vertue of the grace of the holy ghost and not onely hir face was thus shadolwed but also hir bodie for shée was conceiued with childe as an other Woman wherefore Ioseph would haue forsaken hir priuily and gone away The little byrd that came from the one side of the Moone betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which at mydnight was borne of our Ladie wrapped in clothes layd in an Oxe stall The two beasts beetokeneth the Oxe and the Asse that Ioseph brought with him which honoured him in his byrth These other beastes that came from farre béetokeneth your heards in the field to whom the Angell said thus Ecce nuncio vobis gaudium magnum Lo I shew to you great ioye The byrds that sung so swéetly béetokeneth the Angells of heauen which sung at his birth this ioyfull song Gloria in excelsis Joy to God aboue and peace to men in earth The king of Amply which held warre againe the Emperour beetokeneth all mankinde that was contrarie to God as long as he was in the diuells power But immediately when our Lord Jesu Christ was borne hée bowed himselfe to God béesought him of peace when he receiued his baptim for at our baptising we promised to drawonely to God and forsake the diuell and all his pomps This king gaue his daughter in marriage to the Emperours sonne Right so eche of vs ought to giue his soule in marriage to Gods sonne for hée is alwayes redye to receiue our soule to his spouse according to the scripture saying thus Desponfabo ipsam mihi I will spouse hir to mée But or the soule may come to the pallays of heauen hir béehoueth to sayle by the sea of this world in the Shippe of good lyfe but oftentimes there aryseth a Tempest in the Sea that is to saye trouble of this Worlde the temptation of the flesh and the suggestion of the diuell aryseth sodainely drowneth the vertues that the Soule receiueth in Baptisme neuerthelesse yet falleth shée not out of the shippe of charitie but kéepeth hir selfe surely therein by fayth and hope For as the Apostle saith Spe salui facti sumus By hope wée bée saued For it is impossible to be saued without hope or Faith The great Whale that followed the Maiden béetokeneth the diuell which by night and by day lyeth in a wayte to ouercome the Soule by sinne therfore doe wée as dyd the Maiden smyte wée fire of charitie and loue out of the stone that is Christ according to this saying Ego sum lapis I am a stone And certaynely the diuell shall haue no power to grieue vs. Many men begin wèll as did the Maiden but at the last they bée wery of their good workes and so sléepe they in sinne And anone when the diuell perceiueth this hée deuoureth the sinner in euill thoughts delights consent and worke Therefore if any of vs féele our selfe in such life vnder the power of the diuell let him doe as the Mayde dyd smite the diuell with the knife of bitter repentaunce than kindle the fire of charitie and without doubt he shall cast thée on the lande of good life The Earle that came with his seruants to slay the Whale betokeneth a discréet Preacher which dwelleth béeside the sea that is to say béeside the world and not in the worlde that is to saye not drawing to worldly delectation but euer is redye with good wordes of holye scripture to sly the diuell and to distroy his power wée must all crye with an high voice as did this Mayden knowledging our sinnes and than shall wée be deiliuered from the diuell and nourished with vertuous exercise The Emperour sheweth this Mayden thrée vessells that is to say God putteth before man life death good and euill which of these that he chooseth hée shall obtaine Therefore saith Sampson Ante hominem mors vita Death and lyfe is sette before man choose which him lyst And yet man is vncertaine whether he bée worthy to choose lyfe béefore death By the first vessell of golde full of dead mennes bones we shall vnderstand some worldly men both mightie men riche which outwardly shine as golde in riches and pomps of this world Neuerthelesse within they be full of dead mennes bones that is to saye the workes that they haue wrought in this world bene dead in the sight of god thorough deadly sinne Therefore if any man choose such life he shall haue that he deserueth that is to say hell And such men be like toumbes that be white and roially painted and arayed without and couered with cloth of gold and silke but within there is nothing but dry bones By the second vessell of siluer we ought to vnderstand some Justices wise men of this world which shine in faire speach but within they be full of wormes and earth that is to saye theyr faire speach shall auaile them no more at the day of iudgement than wormes of earth and paraduenture lesse for than shall they suffer euerlasting paine if they dye in deadly sinne By the third vessell of lead full of golde and precious stones we ought to vnderstand a simple life and a poore which the chosen men choose that they may be wedded to our blessed Lorde Jesu Christ by humilitie and obeysance and such men beare with them precious stones that is to saye faith and hir fruitfull workes pleasinge to God by the which at the iudgement day they be espoused to our Lord Jesu Christ and obtaine the heritage of heauen vnto the which bring vs he that dyed on the Crosse Amen The Argument ¶
the help of his soule But the wretched manne lying in dispayre saith Alas alas to mée beecause I serued not almightie God my maker redéemer heere in times past while I was in youth in prosperitie but now there is nothing left but onely the lees and the dregges of all wretchednesse therfore what shall it auayle mée now to turne toward GOD. But for such men wee should lament Neuerthelesse God is so mercifull that though he might haue no seruice of man in all his tyme yet is hée contente to haue the lées of his tonne that is to saye his good will though hee may not serue him otherwise so shall his good will stand him in stéede of penitent life For in what houre the sinner doth repent him hee shall be saued as Ezechiel witnesseth But there bee many that will giue no wine ne none other thing to him wherefore god shall complaine vnto the Kinge of Ierusalem that is to say to his Godhead at the iudgement day and then as hée is God man shall hée giue a sentence defensible against such men saying Esuriui non dedistis c. I haue hungred yée gaue me no meat I haue thirsted ye gaue me no drinck Loe thus shall hee rehearse to thee the fruits of faith And when this is done then shall they be put to euerlasting payne and the iust men into euerlasting blisse where they shall haue Joye withouten ende Unto the which bring vs our lord Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ Man beeing captiued by sathan the worlde refuseth to doe for him till the godhead of the heauenly Father bearing an earnest affection vnto him dyd espouse him and imbrace him within the bosome of inward and entyer loue aduentured what he might to set mankinde at libertie yet grudgeth the world that we should alway serue our God and forsake the world therfore to eschew all the snares therof wee are taught in this history The 34. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Antony vnder whose raigne the Rouers on the Sea hadde taken prisoner a mightie mans sonne of an other Region and brought him to the Emperours prison beeing bound When this young man was thus in prison hee incontinent wrote to his father for his raunsome but his father would no raunsome paye ne none other thing send to comfort him This when his sonne heard hée wept sore and might not be comforted for the vnkindnesse of his father This Emperour had a fayre daughter which visited euery day this prisoner comforted him as much as shée might To whome the prisoner answered and sayde How shall I bée merry or how may I ioye thus for to lye fast bounde in prison from the sight of man and not withstanding this it gréeueth me more that my father will not pay my raunsome When this mayden heard this shée was moued with pittie and said Deere friend I am sory for thee neuerthelesse if thou wilt graunt mee one thing I shall deliuer thée from this anguish and paine What thing is that quod hee That thou wilt take mée to thy wyfe Then saide the prisoner I promise you surely to fulfill your intent and desire and for the more assurance I plight you my troth When hée had so done it was not long after the Damosell deliuered him out of prison fled away with him home to his fathers house When the father saw his sonne and the Mayden together he asked the cause why hee brought the Mayden with him Then sayd his sonne Sir this Damosell deliuered mee out of prison therfore shée shall bee my wyfe Then said his father I will not consent that shée shall bée thy Wife for two reasonable causes which I shall foorthwith shew thée The first is this it is not vnknowen to thée that the Emperour hir Father might haue hadde for thy deliueraunce great foyson of riches and for as much as she was vntrue to hir owne Father and true to thée it séemeth well that thou shouldst not trust long in hir for who is false to hir owne Father by reason should bée verye false and vntrue to an other manne The second reason is this The cause why shee deliuered thée out of prison it was neithar for pittie nor for loue but for carnall lust that shée had to thée For at thy deliueraunce she made couenaunt with thée to be thy wife and had of thée thy troth therfore sonne saith hée it is not reaâ—on that shée should bee thy wife The Maiden answered to this question and saide As for the first reason that thou layest against mee that I should bée vntrue to my father that is falfe for my father hath plentye of riches and thy sonne is but poore and therfore I holpe him for pittie and for none other cause and neuerthelesse thou that art his father wold not pay his rauÌ„some that hée myght bée deliuered out of prison Loe for this cause I haue deliuered him therefore I am kinder to him then thou that art his owne father and he is more béeholding to mee then to thée Unto that other reason whereas thou sayest that I deliuered him béecause of carnall lust I answere and say playnely that it is no troth For all manor of carnall loue is cause of strength or else of fairnesse but thy son is not strong for his imprisonment haue done away his strength Hée is not fayre for by the payne that hee hath had in prison he is brought low and vnlully to the sight and therefore pittie onely moued mee to deliuer him and not carnall lust Then sayd the sonne vnto his father Déere Father for as much as I was in perill of death and wrot vnto thee that thou woldest pay my raunsome that I might bée deliuered and thou wouldest not help mee but this Damosell of hir gentilnesse and for pittie hath saued me from death and deliuered mee out of prison and therefore sothly shée shall bee my Wyfe therfore foorthwith hée marryed hir with great honour with hir ended his lyfe The Morall Déere friendes this Emperour héetokâ—neth the Father of Heauen The young man which was taken with the Pyrates of the sea betokeneth all mankinde which was taken with the diuell by the sinne of our forefather Adam and was cast into the prison of hell with great sorrow and paine His father wold not raunsome him that is to saye the world would doe nothing for him This faire daughter betokeneth the godhead which came down from heauen and tooke manhoode of the virgin Mary and so made a ghostly marryage beetwéene him and man And vpon thys condition he deliuered mankinde out of this prison of hell when he came from heauen and forsooke the felowship of Angells for to dwell with vs in this wretched valley of tears But the Father that betokeneth the world grudged euer against him and would not suffer that the soule of man shouâ—d become the spouse of Jesu Christ but than she shold alway
dignitie estate being men of cinceare life they that did contrary to the meaning of dutifull behofe heerin are worthie of euerlasting death The 38. Historie SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperour named Donate which dyd let make thrée Images of the which one held out his hand straight vnto the people and had on his finger a ring of Gold The second Image had a beard of gold And the third had a mantell of Purple commaunding vpon paine of death that no man should beare these Images of the ring the beard nor the mantell It befell afterward vppon a time that one Dyonise tyrant came into the temple and toke away the ring from the first Image the beard from the second and the mantell from the third And when he had thus done he was foorthwith accused vnto the Emperour and brought before him and straightly examined of that trespasse why hée dispoyled the Images against the Emperours commaundement Than aunswered Dionise and said as followeth My Lord it is lawfull to answere for mée when I entred into the Temple the first Image held foorth his hand straight to mee as who would saye I giue thee this ring and therefore I toke the ring at the guift of the Image béeing loth to refuse his gentle offer And when I law the second Image hauing a beard I thought thus with in my selfe I knew sometyme the father of this Image which had no bearde and now his sonne hath a beard which is against reason the sonne to haue a bearde and the father none and therefore I tooke from him his bearde that he should bée like his father After that whan I saw the third Image clothed in a mantell of Golde I thought that a mantell of gold was not behoueable to him in winter for gold is naturally colde which might be cause of his death and therefore I tooke it from him bicause it was to colde in winter to hotte in sommer When Dionise had excused him by these reasons the Emperour answered and said Thou hast answered wickedly for thy selfe what shold cause thée rather than any other man to dispoyle these Images for as much as I commaunded that no man should take any thing away from them thine owne mouth hath condempned thée Anone the Emperour called to him one of his Squires and charged him to smyte of his head and so it was done The Morall This Emperour betokeneth Almightie God the Father of Heauen The thrée Images betokeneth the poore men the rich men and the mightie men of this worlde The tyrant Dionise béetokeneth all officers in euery estate lewdely behauing themselues which take away from poore menne the ringe of theyr fingers and saye thus I may take that is giuen me But when the poore man hath ought to doe he must needes put foorth his hand to giue whether he will or no if hée shall spéede They take also the beard from the rich man an say thus This man is richer thaÌ„ his father was therefore take we his liueloode from him and make him like his forefather They take also the mantell of â—olde from the mightie men when they sée any man of honour of good â—â—â—ing wâ—ling to correct such misdoâ—â—s then saye they this man is to colde for he enclyneth nothing to our opinions and also he is to hot of power in working against vs therfore goe we and take from him the mantill of might and so they accuse him and put him out of office But certainely all such men stand in perill of euerlasting death From the which saue vs he that shed his precious bloud for vs. The Argument ¶ Man ought to nourish Christ in his hart by faith and fruits of good lyfe The reward of such as haue care vppon the conseruation of Christ his institutions we must watch least wee enter into temptation these thinges concidered we shall then by gods gracious good prouidence atâ—ayne vnto the reward of his heauenly and euerlasting blisse The 39. Historie THere dwelt sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour named Euas which had a fayre yong Lady to his wife vpon whome he had begotten a fayre sonne Whan the states of the empyre heard this they came vnto the Emperour besought him to haue the keepeing of his sonne Immediately the Emperour sent a Herould throughout the citie proclaiming that in whose house were firste founde fyre and water the good manne of that house should haue his sonne in kéeping and to nourish And than the emperour made a proclamacion that who so euer had his sonne to kéepe should nourish him cleanly féede him with wholesom meats and drinckes And when the childe came to age than should the keeper be promoted to great honor wherefore many men let make redy fire and water in hope to haue the childe But on the night when euery manne was a sléepe there came a tyrant named Sulapius that quenched the fire and threw out the water Neuerthelesse among all other there was a man named Ionathas that laboured so diligently that hée kept both day and night fire and water In a morning earely the Herauld at the Emperours commaundement went through the Citie and sought in euery house for Fyre and Water but hée could finde none tyll hee came to Ionathas house where as hée founde both Fyre and Water readie wherefore hee was brought béefore the Emperour and deliuered him his sonne according to his proclamacion When Ionathas had the Emperours sonne he led him home vnto his house And soone after he sent for masons and carpeÌ„ters let make a strong chamber of lyme and stone And when the chamber was made he sent for painters and let paint on the wall within the chamber x. Images with this posey paynted aboue their heads Who so defileth these Images shall dye a cruell death And than he lette draw on the dore agallous figure of a man hanging thervpon with this posey paynted aboue his head So shal he be serued that noursheth the Emperours sonne amisse Also he lette make a chaire of golde himselfe sitting therein crowned with a crowne of golde with this superscription aboue his head Who so nourisheth the Emperours sonne cleanly thus shal he be honoured Whan this was done often tymes as hée was a sléepe hée was greatly tempted to defyle these ten excelent Images but anone hée reade the superscription aboue their heads than all the temptations ceased And when the Emperours sonne was euill kept than went he to the gallows and read that posey which was writteÌ„ aboue his own head and for dread thereof kept the child better and was diligent to giue attendaÌ„ce on him And when he beheld the chayre and himselfe sitting therein crowned with a crowne of golde hée was right ioyfull thinking to haue a good reward for keeking of the Emperours sonne Whan the Emperour heard of his diligent demeanour aboute his sonne hée sent for him and for his sonne thanking him for his well keeping and
minde And praied the Stewarde of his counsell and helpe in this woefull case Than saide the stewarde vnto him if that thou wilt doe by my counsell I shall bring this matter to a good conclusion therefore doe as I shall tell thée I counsell thée for the best and also warne thée that when thou seruest my Lord the Emperour of his cuppe that thou that turne thy face away from him so that hée may not féele thy stincking breath vnto the time that thou hast prouided thée of some remedie therfore Then was Fulgentious right glad and swere to him that he would doe by his counsell Not long after it béefell that this young man Fulgentious serued his Lord as hée was wont to doe and therewith sodainely he tourned his face from his Lord the Emperour as the Steward had taught him And when the Emperour perceiued the auoyding of his head hée smote this young Fulgentious on the breast with his foote and saide to him thus O thou leude varlet now sée I well it is true that I haue heard of thée and therfore goe thou anon out of my sight that I may sée thée no more in this place And with that this yong Fulgencious wept full sore auoided the place and went out of his sight And when this was so done the Emperour called vnto him his Steward and sayd How may I ryd this varlet from the world that thus hath defamed mée My most déere Lord quod the steward right well you shall haue your intent For héere béeside within these thrée miles yée haue brickmakers which daily make great fires for to burne brick also they make lyme therfore my Lord send to them this night charge them vppon paine of death that whosoeuer commeth to them first on the morrow saying to thē thus My Lord commaūdeth you to fulfil his will that they take him and cast him into the Forncis with the stones and this night commaunde you this Fulgentious that he goe earely in the morning to your workmen and that hee aske them whether they haue fulfilled your wil which they were commaunded or not and then shall they according to your commaundement cast him in the Fyre and thus shall hee dye an euill death Surely quod the Emperour thy counsell is good therfore call to me that varlet Fulgentious And when this young man was come to the Emperours presence hée sayde to him thus I charge thée vpon paine of death that thou rise early in the morning goe to the brenners of lyme brick and that thou bee with them earely before the sunne ryse thrée myles from this house and charge them in my behalfe that they fullfil my commaundement or else they shall dye a most shamefull death Then spake this Fulgentious My Lord if God send mée my lyfe I shall fulfill your will were it that I should goe to the worlds ende When Fulgentious had this charge he could not sléepe for thought but that hée must arise earely for to fulfil his Lords commandement The Emperour about midnight sent a messenger on horseback vnto his bricke makers commaunding them vppon paine of death that who so euer came to them first in the morning saying vnto them the Emperours commaundement which is before rehearsed that they should take and bynd him and cast him into the fire burne him to the bare bones The Bryck makers answered and sayde it should bée done And then the messenger returned home againe incontinent and told the Emperour that his commandement should bée diligently fulfilled Earely in the morning following Fulgentious arose prepared him towards his way as hée went hée heard a bell ring to seruice wherefore hee went to that Church for to heare Seruice and after the ende of seruice he fell a sléepe and ther hée slept a long while so that the priest ne none other might a wake him The steward desiring inwardly to heare of his death as he did hope about one of the clock he went vnto the workmen and saide vnto them thus Syrs quod hée haue yée done the Emperours commaundement or no. The Brickmakers answered him againe and saide Nay surely wée haue not yet done his commaundement but anone it shall bée done with that they layde handes on him Then cried the steward with an high voice and saide Good sirs saue my Lyfe sor the Emperour cōmaunded that Fulgentious should bée put to death Then saide they the messenger told not vs so but hée bad vs that whosoeuer came first to vs in the morning saying as ye before rehearsed that wée should take him and cast him into the Fornace bourne him to ashes And with that word they threw him into the fire And when he was bournt Fulgentious came to them and said Good sirs haue you done my Lords commaundement yea soothly said they and therefore go◠yée againe to the Emperour and tel him so Thē said Fulgentious For Christes loue tell mée that commaundement Wée had in commaundement saide they vpon paine of death that who so euer came to vs first in the morninge and saide like as thou hast saide that wée should take him and cast him into the Fornace But béefore thée came the Steward and therefore haue wee fulfilled on him the Emperours commaundoment and now is hee bournt to the bare bones And when Fulgentious heard this hée thanked God that hée had so preserued him from death wherfore hée tooke his leaue of the workmen and went againe to the Pallaice When the Emperour perceiued him hée was almost distract of his wittes for anger and thus hee sayde Hast thou beene with the Bryckmaker and fulfilled my commaundement Soothly my gracious Lord I haue béene there but or I came there your commaundement was fulfilled How may that bee true quod the Emperour Forsooth said Fulgencious the steward came to them afore mee and sayd that I should haue sayde and when they heard that they tooke him and threw him into the forneis and if I had comen any rather so would they haue done to me and therfore I thanck God that hath preserued me from death Then sayd the Emperour tell mée the trueth of such questions as I shall demaund of thee Then saide Fulgentious vnto the Emperour As I béeleue you neuer sound in mee any falsehoode and therfore I wondred greatly why ye had ordained such a death for mee for well ye know that I am your own brothers sonne Then saide the Emperour to Fulgentious It is no wonder for that death I ordained to thee through counsell of the steward bicause thou didst defame mée throughout all my Empyre saying that my breath did stinck so grieuously that it was death to thée and in token hereof thou turnedst away thy face whē thou seruedst mée of my cuppe and that saw I with mine eyes and for this cause I ordained for thée such a death and yet thou shalt dye except I heare a better excuse Then answered Fulgentious and sayd A my most deere
him be wedded without any delaie vnto my daughter and yours with all the honour and solempnitie that can bée thought and whan they bée marryed that yée take him as your owne sonne and that hée keepe my roome till I come vnto you myselfe Whan the knight had thus written hée closed the letters subtylly and put them into the bore againe Early in the morning the young Squire arose and very hastely made him redie and toke his leaue of the knight rode foorth on his iourney and the third daie after he came vnto the Emprisse and saluted hir right worshipfully in the Emperours beehalfe and toke hir the letters And when the Empresse had redde them anone she sent foorth hir messengers through the countrie commaunding the states and gentilmen to come vnto hir daughters wedding at a certaine daie assigned When the daie was come thether came manie great Lordes and Ladies and anone this young Squire espoused the Emperours Daughter with great honour and worshippe according to the tenour of the letters was right well beloued and most honoured among the people Not long after it befell that the Emperour came into that Countrie and when the Empresse heard of hir Lords comming shee toke with hir hir sonne in law with much other people and went towardes the Emperour for to welcome him When the Emperour saw this yong Squire leading the Emprisse his wyfe he was greatly moued within himselfe and sayde O thou curssed Woman bycause thou hast not fulfilled my commaundement thou shalt dye an euill death A my déere Lord quod shée all that ye commaunded mee to doe I haue fullfilled Nay curssed woman sayde the Emperour it is not so for I wrote to thée that thou sholdest put him to death and now I see him aliue My Lord quod the Emprisse saueing your grace you wrote to mee that I should giue him your dauhter to wyfe and that on payn of death in witnesse wherof loe here your letters with your owne seale manuell When the Emperour heard this hée wondred greatly and sayd Is he espowsed then to my daughter Yea soothly sayd the Empresse long agoe with much solempnitie and great worshippe and as I perceiue your Daughter is with childe Than sayde the Emperour O thou lord Jesu Christ it is great folly to striue against thy ordinaunce therefore sith it is so thy will must needes be fulfilled And with that he tooke his sonne in law it his armes and kissed him which after his death was Emperour and ended his life in rest and peace The Morall ¶ This emperour maybetoken Herod or else euery tyraunt which walked alone without truth till he came to the fosters house that is to say the Church which is the house of God This Herode would haue slaine this childe Jesu wherefore he sent messengers to séeke him according to the scripture of saint Mathew telling how he commaunded the three kings to séeke him and bring him tidings againe where he was that he might come and worship him allso but this saide he not for loue but for deceipt The Foster betokeneth Ioseph our Ladies husband which kept him But when the messengers came that is to say when the thrée kinges came they slew him not but worshipped him on their knées and left him in the holow trée of his Godhead The Earle that came and found this childe betokeneth the holy ghost which warned Ioseph by the Angell in his sléepe that he should take our Lady and his sonne and flée in to the lande of Egipt This moralitie may be vndestoode otherwise This Emperour may be token a sinner that walketh in the forest of this world seeking vanities nought else vnto the time he come to the house of god there he is receiued benignely of the Prelate of the Churche if hée will obey the Commaundementes of GOD. But many of vs now a dayes sléepe in the Churche when they practyse not according to their profession and therefore ought they also to dreade thée voyces which I haue rehearsed by the first take that may be vnderstoode the great benisit that he gaue thee when hée put in thée a soule made at his owne similitude By the second take is wnderstoode the sonne of the father of heauen which was borne of the blessed Uirgin Mary By the third take is vnderstoode the same sonne of God which dyed vpon the crosse By the first yéelde is vnderstood that wee ought to yéeld our Soule vnto allmightie God as cleane as faire as hée gaue it vs after our regeneration in haptisme By the second yeld is vnderstood that we ought to yeld honour worship and loue vnto Almightie God and man By the third yelde is vnderstoode that we ought to yeld to God true confession of faith contricion of hart and amendement of life The first shee beetokeneth sinne which we should â—lee The second flee betokeneth the world which we should flee for the great salsehoode temptations that are therein The third â—lee betokeneth euerlasting paine the which we ought to â—lee through faith and hir fruits by the tyrant She lyeth for she is my wife and I haue found hir in adultry with an other man and therefore I will slea hir Than sayde the knight I beleue better the woman theÌ„ thee for loe the tokens of truth appere openly in hir visage that thou hast rauished hir therefore wil I fight with thée for hir deliueraunce And immediately they buckled both together fought egerly till they were both sore wounded Neuerthelesse the knight obtayned the victorie put the tyrant to slight Then said the knight vnto the woman Loe I haue suffered for thy loue many sore wounds and haue saued thée from thy death wilt thou therefore promise to be my wise That I desire you quod she with all my hart and therevpon I betake thee my trouth When shée was thus ensured than said the knight as foloweth Héere beside is my Castell go thether and abyde there till I haue visited my friends and my kinsmen to prouide for all thinges néedefull for our weddinge for I purpose to make a great feast for thine honour and worship My Lord quod she I am ready to fulfill your wil. Than went she foorth vnto the Castell where as shée was worshipfully receyued And the Knight went vnto his friends for to make him readie against the day of marriage In the meane while came Poncianus the tirant to the knights Castell and prayed hir that hée might speake with hir Than came she downe from the castell to him This tirant subtilly flattered hir saide Gentle loue if it please you to consent to mée I shall giue you both golde and siluer greate riches and I shall be your seruaunt ye my soueraigne When the woman heard this full lightly shée was deceyued through his flattering language graunted him to be his wife and tooke him with hir into the castell It was not long after but that thys knight came
leaue of the king and redde foorth and the King kept the broad high way When themperour heard of the Kings comming he went towards him with a great company royally receiued him causing him to shift his wet clothes and attyre him againe with new clothes And when the Emperour and the king were set to meat the Emperour welcommâ—d him with all the chéere solace that hée could And when they had dined themperour asked tidings of the King My Lord said hée I shall tell you what I heard this day by the way There came a knight to mée and reuerently saluted mee and anone after there came a great raigne which greatly spoiled my apparell anone the knight saide sir thou hast done foolishly for so much as thou broughtst not with thee thy house Then said themperour what clothing had the knight on him A cloake qd the king TheÌ„ said themperour forsooth that was a wise man for the house wherof hée spake was a cloake therefore hée saide to you that yée did foolishly because yée came without your cloake for if you had brought with you acloake then had not your clothes ben spoiled with raine Then saide the king when wee had riden a little farther we came to a déepe water I smote my horse with my spurres and almost I was drowned and hée 〈◊〉 on the other â—â—de of the water and found no peril and then said he to mée ye haue done folishly for so much that ye ledde not with you your bridge Forsoth said themperour he sayd truth for he called the bridge your â—quires that should haue ridden before you and assayde the déepenes of the water Then said the king we rode farther at the last he prayed me to dine with him and when we had dined he saide I did vnwisely for I ledde not with mée my father and my mother Sothly saide the Emperour he was a wise man and said trouth for he called your father mother bread and wine and other vitailes Then said the king we rode farther and anone after he asked mée leaue to goe from mée and I asked diligently whether he went And he answered agayne and sayde This day vii yéere I left a Nette in a priuie place and now I will ryde to visit it and if it bee broken or torne than will I leaue it and if it bée whole as I left it then shall it bée to mée right precious and I shall beare it with mée Whan themperour heard this he cryed with a lowde voice and said O ye my knights and my seruaunts come ye with mée spedily vnto my daughters chamber for sothly that is the nette whereof the knight spake And anone his knights and his seruaÌ„ts went vnto his daughters chamber and found hir not the soresayde knight had taken hir with him And thus the knig was deceiued of the damosell And hée went home againe to his owne country ashamed The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ and this faire daughter is euerlasting life the which themperour had ordained for kings knights and other men The knight that loued this young Lady is euery good christian soule which holdeth him selfe not worthy to come in the sight of God vnto such ioy as the apostle saith Non est condigne passionis huâ—s temporis ad futuâ—aÌ„ gloâ—aÌ„ They be not so worthy of suffering this time to attaine vnto y glory that is to come This knight was viiyéeres absent from his loue like as a good Christian man all the dayes of his life should labour and â—rauaile in â—ulfilling the vii workes of mercie By the king that came without a cloake in the raine is to vnderstande some nyghtie men of this world as that haue cloaks to couer all their other clothes By this cloake is vnderstood charitie as the apostle saith Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charitie couereth the multitude of â—innâ—s But many men haue not this cloake wherefore they be wet in the rayne of pride auarice and lecherie This king also was almost drowned bicause he lacked his bridge that is to saye perfect faith For we see dayly that there may no man passe ouer a greate water broad déepe without a bridge or some other thing that is able to beare him Right so with out faith it is impossible to please God And thus may no man be saued without faith when theilet their life in worldly â—oy or worldly helpe more than in the help of God which is mightie to doe all thinges wherefore he saith himselfe thus Si habueritis fide sicut granum sinapis poteâ—â—s c. If ye haue faith as the grayne of musterd then may ye say to the hills remoue out of your places they shall remoue But many of vs now a dayes hath ouer féeble faith therefore they shall sodainly fall in the clay of desperation and by deadly sinne oftentymes they offend God Also this king had not brought with him his father his mother By â—he father which is cause of generation is â—o vnderstande humilytie without whom there is no vertue in any man And thereto accordeth sainâ—t Gregory saying thus Si quis ceteâ—â—â— vertutes sine humilitate congregat c. He that gathereth all other vertues without humilytie is like a man that 〈…〉 th dust in the winde His mother betokeneth hope therefore he that will obtaine euerlasting lyfe him behoueth to haue the cloake of charitie bridge of faith a father of méekenes a mother of hope as the apostle saith â—pe saluâ— facti sumus Also this knight went the straight path way the king the broad way For he that will be saued it behoueth him to go a strayt way that is to saye the way of fasting almes déedes chastitie and repentaunce Of the which way speaketh the apostle Stricta est via que ducit ad vitam eternam The way is strayte that leadeth to euerlasting life But many men goe the other way which leadeth to hell that is to say by the way of sleshly lust such men bene gone out of the way of euerlasting lise but such men be deceiued through the way Therfore studie we to walke that way wherby we may obtaine euerlsting life The Argument ¶ By this history is figured as apeareth in the morall the soule of euery good christian to him holden as his daughter But beeing seduced caryed away and defiled by sathan our fowle enimy she is reduced by the helpe and valiant prowes of our heauenly champion Christ Iesus vnto his former habitation Yet man being vngrateful to his Redeemer forgetteth his dutie and for good rewarding euill to his champion Christ Iesus deliuering him to be iudged by the law as an offender but when the champion auoucheth what he hath done for man his soule than is he with shame of his ingratitude constrained to haue remorse call for grace to repent amend his life by the death passion of this champion Christ
possesseth lyfe of euerlasting ioy and blisse The 15. History SOmetime dwelled in Rome a noble Emperour named Agias which had retaining vnto him a Knight called Gerard which was a worthy warrior neuerthelesse he was as méeke as a Lambe in the Emperours courte but in the field he was like a Lion This Emperour had a faire daughter whome the strong and mightie Earle of Palester carryed perforce away and defiled neuerthelesse it displeased more themperour the defiling of his daughter than the carrying of hir away wherefore he called vnto him his counsayle and sayde Déere friends it is not vnknowen to you the despite and violence done to mée in deflowring of my daughter and therefore I purpose to giue battaile to the Earle wherefore I pray you to be ready at a day that ye may procéede with me in battaile And they sayde Lord we be readie to liue and dye with you in battaile When the apointed day of battaile came they met on both sides and a cruell sharp conflict was prosecuted on both sides and all that were of themperours part were slaine And as themperour himselfe should haue bene sorceably assayled the knight Gerard put himselfe among his enimies before themperour and fought manfully and so Themperour escaped and the knight aboad and slew the earle neuerthelesse this knight had diuers wounds This notwithstaÌ„ding he aboad still till the blood ran downe to his foote And when his enimies saw that the Earle was slaine they fledde and the Knight with his people â—â—â—â—owed on the 〈…〉 till hée came to the place where themperours daughter was and â—â—dde hâ—r with him And thus with triumph and victory he â—â—â—urned againâ— to themperour For â—â—â— which victory and reobtaining of themperours daughter he was greatly peaâ—â—â—d of all people Not long after it befel that this knight had a suâ—e to moue themperours court wherefore the knight came vnto themperour prayed him méekely to be fauorable in his cause and furthermore he prayed him to doe the reason touching his honest demaund When Themperour had heard him he called to him a Justice and sayd â—ir Justice our will is that you performe all equitie vnto this knight and that that the Law will And wheÌ„ the knight heard this he cryed with a lowd voice Alas alas who heard euer such a thing of an Emperour thou wert said hee in battaile where thy head should haue béene smitten off and I in myne owne person and none other man put my selfe in ieopardy for thée and saued thée and now thou hast assigned an other man to bee Judge in my cause alas that euer thou wert borne And with that word the knight put of all his clothes sheweh his wounds that hée had receiued in the battâ—â—â—e vnto all the men that were there present and sayde Loâ— what I haue suffered for thee Oh Emperour and I put none other man in my stâ—de and now thou assignest an other man in my cause For sooth I say to thée that I neuer serued such a Lord béefore When the Emperour heard this being almost confounded in himselfe said thus O Déere friend all that thou sayest is trouth thou sauedst mée from death thou diddest reobtaine my daughter againe and for my sake thou hast suffered many wounds For sooth it is right that I in my owne person come downe and make an end of thy cause such as may bee honour and ioye to thée And when themperour labored busily in this matter and made thereof an ende according to the knights entente wherefore all men greatly commended the Emperour The Morall Déere friends this Emperour may bée called euery Christian man or else all mankinde which had a faire daughter that is to say the soule made to the similitude of God This Earle beetokeneth the diuell which carryeth away deflowreth by sinne the soule of man through eating of the fruite of the tree knowing good and euill wherefore all mankind was in thraldom til a strong and valiant knight came and put himselfe on the Crosse to suffer death as a redéemer of mankinde from the diuell For if that had not béene wée had all beene partakers of thraldome euerlaistngly and this Knight reduced and reobtayned the Soule of man vnto the Church wherefore hée suffered many great wounds in his body And now this knight that is to saye our Lord Jesu Christ hath a matter to doe among vs that is to saye to fynde in vs perfecte life wherefore hee calleth on vs dayly that wée shold bée redy at all times saying thus in the Apocalipse iii. Eccesto ab hostium pulso si quis mihi aparuerit introibo câ—nibo That is to say Loe I stand and knocke at the dore if any man will open to mee I shall come in suppe with him But many men doe as the Emperour dyd the which appointed the knight an other Judge then him selfe But now a dayes there bée some men that will doe no repentaunce for the loue of him which assigned no man but himselfe to fight for vs. And therefore against vnthankfull persons it shal bee sayde thus Loe hée suffered for vs on the Crosse despoyled of all his clothing and showeth to vs all his wouÌ„ds that hee suffered for vs. Bée wée therefore thankfull vnto God for his graces that wée may suffer for his loue some sorowfull repentaunce For hée that suffereth paine for the loue of God in this life shall receiue an hundrid tymes more reward in the lyfe euerlasting and also hée shall obtaine euerlasting life vnto the which our Lord Jesus bring all mankinde Amen The Argument The soule of man is heere warned to eschew the pleasant baites and subtill craft of the diuell that shee yeeld not to his allutments least shee bee ouercome of him and hee get the vantage of this mortall course from hir and bereue hir of the ioyes in the lyfe to come The 16. History THere dwelt somtimes in Rome a witty emperour namid Pompey which had a fayre daughter called Aglas This daughter had many vertues aboue all other women of that Empyre First shee was faire and gracious in the sight of euery man She was also swift in running that no man might ouertake hir by a great space When Themperour vnderstood these two vertues in his daughter hée was right ioyfull wherefore hée made to proclaime throughout all his Empyre that what man poore or riche would runne with his daughter should haue hir to wyfe with great riches if hée might ouerrunne hir and come sooner to the marke then shée and if shée ouer runne him and come sooner to the marke then hée his heade should bée smitten off When the states of that Empyre as Dukes Earles Barrons and knights heard this crye they offered themselues one after an other to runne with hir but euer this young Lady ouer-ranne them all wherfore they lost their heads according to the law That time there was a poore man dwelling in Rome which thought within himselfe I