what is the endemente that maye comprehende howe great ben the ioyes of this soueraygne Cytie of Paradyce to be eche daye present with the ordre of Aungelles to be assystynge with the blyssed sprytes in the glory of the maker To regard beholde presently the visage of God To se the lyght iÌ„circuÌ„scriptible To be sure neuer to haue drede of deth to reioyce him self iÌ„ the rest of euerlasting incorrupcioÌ„ To this sayth Dauid in the Psalter Gloriosa dicta sunt de teâ—ciuitas dei The .lxxxviii. Hystorie The .lxxxviii. Texte OF Andrometha thy wyfe I shall make mencion By that vision to be aduertised Refuse not al iÌ„ thine entencion Ne of none other women that well ben apprysed The .lxxxviii. Glose ANdrometha was wyfe to Hectoâ— and the nyght afore that he waâ— slayne came an auision to the lady thaâ— yf vpon the day ensuynge Hector wenâ— to batayle w tout fayle he shuld be slayne wherof Andrometha w t great sighes and wepyngê did her power that he shulde not go into batayle but he wold not gyue credence vnto her so was he slayne Therfore saith Othea that the good knyght ought not fully to disprayse the auysions of his wyfe y t is to vnderstaÌ„d the counsayle and auyse of his wyfe yf she be sage well condicioned Plato sayth y u shuldest not disprayse the counsayle of a lytel person which is sage for though it so be that y u be olde haue thou no shame to take the auyse which a childe sheweth vnto the for some tyme the ignoraunt may auyse the sage The .lxxxviii. Allegorie THe auysion of Andrometha which shuld not be dispraysed is that the good sprite ought not to adnichille set at nought y e good purpose that the holy ghost hath put in his hert but he ought anone to put it to effect after his power of this sayth s. Gregory that the good sprite to haue vs to do wel admonesteth vs moueth vs ensigneth vs he admonesteth our memory he moueth our wyl he ensygneth techeth our entendemeÌ„t the spryte doulce and swete suffreth no spot of maculacioÌ„ to remayne w tin the habitacioÌ„ of the hart wherin he hyÌ„ self enspireth but iÌ„ contineÌ„t he breÌ„neth it w t the fyre of his subtle circuÌ„spectioÌ„ Therfore sayth S. Paule the Apostle Spiritum nolite extinguere Ad hebreos .xi. ca. The .lxxxix. Hystorie The .lxxxix. Texte IF that great warre vpon the be surmysed In force of Babyloyne ouer moche the not affye For vnto Nâ—nus the force so well suffysed That he it toke no man might hym denye The .lxxxix. Glose BAbyloyne the great which was edefied by Nemdrothtite Gyant was the most stroÌ„ge cytie that euer was made but that notwithstanding it was taken by the kyng Ninus Therfore saith she to y â— good knight that he ought not ouer moche to affye hym in the force of his Cytie or casâ—ello time of warre dut that he be we fourâ—ayde of people at many as hym behoueth for conuenable offence And Plato sayth he that affyeth hym all quelye in his force is oftentymes vanquysshed The .lxxxix. Allegorie IN the force of Babyloyne no man ought not to affye him selfe ouermoch that is that the good spryte ought not to set his truste ne to gyue attendaunce for any thing that the world promiseth Of this sayth s. Augustyne in the boâ—e of the syngularite of clerkes that it is ouer lewde affyaÌ„unce a man to repute his lyfe sure against the perilles of this worlde and folysshe hope it is to supose to be safe amonges the morsures or bytynges of synne lytel certaynte hath a man of victory as longe as he is amonges the dartes of his Enemyes he y t is enuyrouned all aboute with hydeous flames of fyre is not delyuered lyghtly without brennynge Beleue in hym that hathe the experyence yf the worlde laughe vpon the haue in hym none affyaunce In GOD set all thyne hope Therfore sayth Dauid Bonum est confidere in domino sâ— confidere in homine The lxxxx Hystorie The lxxxx Texte HEctor me behoueth with syghes despytuous Thy death to expresse whiche doth my harte to brest Whiche shall to the fall when of kynge Pryamus Thou wolte not obey the prayer ne request The lxxxx Glose THe day that Hector was slayne in the batayle Andrometha his wyfe came to pray kynge Priam w t pytuous and great complayntes and wepynges that he shuld not suffre Hector to go in to batayle for without fayle he shuld be slayne yf he thyther went for it was certeinly shewed vnto her by Mars the god of batayle whiche in slepyng had appered vnto her Priam treated in asmoch as he myght and hym greatly endeuoured to desturne him so that he shuld not syght that day but Hector stole himself preuely from his father and went forth of the Cytie by a way made vnder the grounde and went in to batayle where he was slayne And so bycause that he had neuer dysobeyed his Father but onely that daye She myght well saye that the daye wherin he shulde dysobey his Father he shulde dye and it is for to be vnderstande that no man ought to dysobey his good frendes whan as they ben sage And therfore sayde Arystotle to Alexandre As longe as thou shalt beleue the counsayle of them whiche vseth sapyence and that loueth the loyally thou shalt reygne victoryously The lxxxx Allegorie WHere she sayth to Hector that it behoueth her to shewe his death is that the good spryte ought to haue in contynuall memory the houre of death Of this sayeth S. Barnarde That nothynge is founde amonges the thynges humayne more certayne than the death nor more vncertayne than is the houre of death for death hath no mercy of pouerte she bereth none honour to rychesse she spareth neyther sapyence maners nor age Of the death no man hath other certayntie but that she standeth at the dore of the auncyent or olde people and to the yonge she is in maner of an espye To this purpose sayth the Sage Memor esto quoniam mors non tardabit Ecclesiastici .xiiii. ca. The lxxxxi Hystorie The lxxxxi Texte YET the to make Sage I shall do my best Take hede that in bataile thou vse not this conceyte Of Armes to dyscouer thy bodye ne thy brest Vvhiche vnto death may well be called a bayte The lxxxxi Glose HEctor in the batayle was founde dyscouert of his Armes and so slayne Therfore saith Othea to y e good knight that of his armes in batayle he ought not to discouer him and Hermes saith the death is lyke to the stroke of an arowe and the lyfe is lyke to the arowe that is commynge The lxxxxi Allegorie WHere it is said that he ought to holde hym couerte of his armes is to be vnderstand that the good knyght of Iesu christ ought to holde his wyttes close and not vagaunt Of this saith s. Gregory in his moralles that the person which disperseth his
wittes is semblable to the Iangler whiche fynde no worse house then his owne therfore he is euermore forth of his house So the maÌ„ which holdeth not his wyttes close is euer waueryng forth of the house of his conscience and is as a place open so that a maÌ„ may entre at al sydes Therfore sayth our Lorde in the Gospell Clauso hostio ora patrem tuum in abscondito Mathei vi ca. The lxxxxii Hystorie The lxxxxii Texte OF Polybetes ne coueyte also but exchewe The armes for why myschauÌ„ce is in them roted For at the despoylynge thy death shall ensewe By hym that doth folowe and hath the dede noted The lxxxxii Glose POlybetes was a kyng moche puyssaunt whom Hector had slayne in batayle after many great feates that he had done that day and because he was armed with moch ryche a precious armours Hector did coueyt them greatly and enclyned him vpon the necke of his horse for to despoyle the Corps Than Achylles whiche folowed behynde his backe for to take hym at his gre dyscouerte stroke hym vnder his Armours And at one stroke cast hym dead to the grounde Wherof it was great domage for a more valyaunte knyght neuer gyrded hym with a sworde Of whom any Hystories make mencion And that suche couetyse maye be domageable in suche a place it appereth by the sayde aduenture Therfore sayth the Phylosopher Couetyse dysordinate bryngeth a man to death The lxxxxii Allegorie THat of Polybetes he shuld not coueyte the Armes We may note that the good spryte ought not to haue couetise of any worldly thyng For how it bryngeth the soule to death sayth s. Innocent in the Boke of the vyletie of mans condicion That couetyse is a fyre that is neuer saciat nor extyncte for the couetyse person is neuer content hauyng all the he desyreth for whan he hath that whiche he fyrst desyred he desyreth euer more alwayes he establysshed his conclusyon in that thyng whiche he loketh to haue and not in that whiche he hath Auaryce and couetyse ben two horse leches which neuer sease to say brynge brynge And the more that the value of the money groweth the more is augmented the loue therto Couetyse is the way of spyrytuall death and many tymes of the death temporall Therfore sayth S. Paule the Apostle Radix omnium malorum cupiditas est Primo Ad thimotheum .vi. ca. The lxxxxiii Hystorie The lxxxxiii Texte BE not surprysed with strauÌ„ge loue ne assoted As dyd Achylles regarde ententyuelye Vvhiche dyd suppose as in folye adoced His louer to make of his greatest Enemye The lxxxxiii Glose AChylles assored him of the loue of Polixene the fayre mayde whiche was systre to Hector as he had sene her in the vnyuersarie of the obsequies of Hector iÌ„ tyme of trewes whaÌ„ many Grekes went iÌ„to Troy he was somoch surprysed with her loue that in no wyse he myght endure Therfore he sende to quene Heccuba that she wold cause the mariage to be treated and he shuld cause the warres to be ceased and the siege to departe for euer they shuld be frendes longe tyme was Achylles without armyng hym agaynst the Troyens bycause of this loue and great payne he toke to cause the host to departe which he myght not do therfore was not made the mariage After this Achylles slewe Troylus whiche was so full of valoure that he was wel seÌ„blable to Hector his brother after his yonge age Of this was so sorowful y e quene Heccuba that she sende vnto hym to come into Troye for the mariage to be entreated there was he slaine Therfore saith she to the good knyght that of straunge loue he ought not to assote him for by ferre loue haue many euyls hapned And therfore sayth one Sage whan thyne enemyes may not reuenge them than is mestier to kepe well and watche thy selfe The lxxxxiii Allegorie OF straunge loue the good Sprite ought not to assote him that is to vnderstande he ought to loue nothyng except it come wholy of God endyng in hym euery straunge thyng that is to say the world he ought to flye and y t the world is to be hated sayth s. Augustyne in exposyng the Epistle of s. IohnÌ„ the world passeth with all his concupiscence Than O thou man reasonable whether semeth the better to loue the temporall and to passe and slyde away with the tyme or to loue Iesu christ and to lyue perpetually with hym To this purpose sayth s. IohnÌ„ in his fyrst Epistle Nolite diligere mundum necâ— ca qÌ„ in mundo sunt Primo IohanÌ„ ii ca. The lxxxxiiii Hystorie The lxxxxiiii Texte ENterpryse thou neuer folisshe armes in feelde To body and soule whiche peryll doeth purchase As one arme bare to fyght or without any sheelde Of Aiax take thou aduertence in this case The lxxxxiiii Glose AIax was a knight of Grece mocâ— orguyllous and prowde but he was neuertheles a good knight of his hande and by pryde and fyexitie he enterprised armes and to fyght w t one arme bare and discouered of his sheelde so was he persed through and throughe and cast downe dead And therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght to do such armes is of no honour but is reputed for foly pride and ouer moch perillous so saith Aristotle many erre and transgresse by ignoraunce and defaulte of knowlege and they knowe not what is to be done ne what is to be refused and other fayle by pryde and arrogancie The lxxxxiiii Allegorie THat he ought not to enterpryse folisshe armes is that the good sprite ought not to affie him in his proper fragilite as sayth s. Augustine in a sermon that no maÌ„ ought to presume of his speche whan he pronounceth a wondre ne no maÌ„ ought to affie him this strength whan he suffreth temptacion for yf we speke sagely our wordes come of God yf we endure stedfastly temptacion the aduersities come of god not of our pacience To this purpose sayth s. Paule Hâ—duciam taâ—em habemus per christum ad deum non â— sumus fucientes aliquid cogitare ex nobis tanquamâ—t nobis Secundi â—d corinthios .iii. ca. The lxxxxv Hystorie The lxxxxv Texte THe traytour Anthenor exyle and chase Vvhiche agaynst his Countre hath purchased treason As a desloyall scarioth Iudas So yelde vnto hym his Huyre due to hym by reason The lxxxxv Glose ANthenor was a Baron of Troy whan it came to ende of the greuous batailes of Troy the Grekes whiche had long holden the syege afore the cytie knew not how to come to the meane to take the cytie for it was of great strength but by the exhortacioÌ„ of Anthenor for wrath that he bare to kyng Priam he exhorted them sayd howe they shuld fayne to make peace w t the kyng and by that way he hym selfe shuld put them w tin the Cytie giue to them passage so was it done wherby Troy was betrayed and for somoch that to
smal encheason hapned so great mysaduenture Othea sayth to the good knyght that to a small ensygnement he oughte not to gyue great fayth To this purpose sayth one sage Yelde not thy selfe certayne of thynges which ben in doubte afore that thou haue had conuenable informacion The .xxxviii. Allegorie WHere it sayth that he shuld not beleue al to be certayne we may note the Ignoraunce which we haue in oure chyldhode whan we be vnder the correction of the father and mother And for the good dedes which we receyue of them we maye vnderstande the fourth commaundement which sayth Honour thou thy father and thy mother whiche saynt Augustyne exposeth in sayeng how that we ought to honour our Parentes in two maners In berynge to them due reuerence And in admynystrynge them in theyr necessyties To this purpose saith the sage Honora patrem tuum et gemitus matris tue ne obliâ—iscaris Ecclesiasti vii capitulo The .xxxix. Hystorie The .xxxix. Texte FOR corporall health take in consyderacion Of Esculapyon the wyfe aduertysemente And not of Cyres the subtell incantacion Her trompery her charmes ne her inchauntemente The xxxix Glose ESculapion was a right sage clerke which founde the science of medycyne and therof made bookes And therfore sayth she to the good knyght that he beleue his reportes for his health that is to say yf he haue nede that he turne hyÌ„ to the Physycions medycynes not to the sorcery of Ceres whiche was an enchauntresse And it may be sayde for them that in theyr maladies vse sorcery charmes and enchauntementes And beleue to be gueryshed which is a thing defended agaynst the coÌ„maundementes of holy churche and which no good christian man ought to vse Platon adnichilled and brenned the bookes of enchauntementes and sorcery made vpon medycyne which somtyme were vsed approued he helde him to theÌ„ that were of science reasonable of experience The .xxxix. Allegorie FOr Esculapion which was a Physycion and medicyne we may vnderstande the fyft coÌ„maundement whiche sayth Thou shalt not sle that is to say neyther with hart with tonge ne with hande And so is defended all vyolence percusyon and corporall hurtes And it is not here defended to the Prynces to Iudges and to Maysters of Iustyce to put to death the malefactours but to them all onely whiche haue none aucthorytie excepte in case of necessytie where a man maye not otherwyse escape in whiche case the Lawes suffre well one man to slee his aduersary in his corps defendaunte and otherwyse not to this purpose saith the Gospell Qui gladio ocesderit oportet enen in gladio â—cetdi Luce. xiii capitulo The .xl. Hystorie The .xl. Texte IN hym whom thou haste offended with greuaunce Whiche knoweth not howe to venge hym or amende it Affye the not for therof commeth myschaunce Achylles death can teache the to entende it The .xl. Glose AChylles dyd moche gryefe to the Troyens and to kyng Pryam he slewe many of his childreÌ„ Hector Troylus other wherfore he ought to hate hym Notwithstandyng this Achylles affyed hym in the quene Heccuba wyfe to Pryam to whom he had slayne her chyldren by treason he went by nyght to speke to her to treate of the mariage of Polexene her doughter hym and there was he slayne by Paris and his felowes by the coÌ„maundement of the quene his mother in the temple of Apolyne Therfore saith Othea to the good knyght that he ought not to affye him in his enemye to whom he hath greatly mysdone without makyng to hym any peace or a mendement To this purpose sayth one sage Kepe the from the deceytes of thyne enemye whiche may not reuenge hym selfe The .xl. Allegorie LYke as thou oughtest not to affye the in him to whom thou haste misdone we may take it y t lyke as we ought to doubt the vengeaunce of god it is necessary to holde his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t which sayth thou shalt not do lechery y t is to say adultry ne fornicacion so is defeÌ„ded as saith Isodore all or vnlawful to pulacion which is in the bonde of mariage al disordinat vsage of the meÌ„bres general to this purpose saith the lawe Morte moriantur mechus et adultera Leui. xx ca. The xli Hystorie The .xli. Texte REsemble not Busyre whiche no goodnes pretended But dyd hym employe to murther and occysyon His crueltie maye well be reprehended Of all suche Feates exchewe the erudyccion The .xli. Glose BVsyre was a kyng of meruaylous cruelte moch hym delyted in the occision of men And w t his propre handes he slewe them in the Temples with knyues theâ—of made sacrifyce to his gods therfore saith Othea to the good knyght y t in no wyse he ought to delyte him iÌ„ the occision of any humayne creature for such cruelte is agaynâ—t God agaynst nature agaynst al bounte and to this purpose sayth Socrates to the good counsayler yf thy prynce be cruell thou oughtest hym to appese and amodre by good examples The .xli. Allegorie BY Busyre which was an homicide and agaynst humayne nature we may note y e defence y t is made to vs by the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t which saith y u shalt do no thest And so is defended as sayth s. Augustyne all vnlawfull vsurpacion of the goods of other al sacrilege all rapine all thynges taken by force seigneury vpon the people without reason To this purpose sayth s. Paule the apostle Qui furabatur iam non furetur ad ephesi iiii ca. The .xlii. Hystorie The .xlii. Texte HAue not so moche delyte in thy pleasaunce As in doubtefull balaunce to put thy lyfe to wander For thy lyfe with loue thou ought most to auaunce Remembre howe the flod hath ouerqualmed Lehaunder The .xlii. Glose LEhaunder was a yonge gentylman whiche greatly and of perfyte loue loued Hero the fayre and as there was an arme of the see betwyxt the maners of the two louers Lehaunder swam ouer it by nyght many tymes to se his lady which had her castel nere the ryuage to th ende that their loue shuld not be apperceyued But it fortuned that a great orage of tempest arose which dured many dayes vpon the water disapoynted al the ioy of the louers so it hapned one nyghte that Lehaunder constrayned of great desyre put hym selfe in to the see in the tyme of the tempest and was borne there so longe by those peryllous wawes y t it behoued him to perysshe moch pytuously Hero whiche was vpon the other parte in great thought for her louer whan she sawe the body come flotyng to the ryuage than estrayned of a meruailous dolour cast her self into the see in embrasyng the body that was perisshed there was she drowned Therfore sayth Othea to y e good knyght that somoch he ought not to loue his delyte as therfore to put his lyfe in ouer great aduenture So sayth one sage to this purpose I am moch meruayled of this that I se somoch of perylles
ryches is behoueful to be goten with great payne busines and trauaile and that such busynes may dystourne a man to seke honour And as honour and valyaunce is more lowable than ryches in as moche as the Cornell of the Nutte is better than the shell Othea sayth to the good knyght that he ought not to set vpon riches so strongly his felicite that he delay the pursuyte of valyaunce To this purpose sayth Hermes That better is to haue pouerte in doing good workes than riches goten shamefully For valyaunce is perpetuall and ryches is fallyble The .xlix. Allegorie Iuno of whom it is sayde that he ought not to set vpon her ouer moche his cure is taken for ryches that the good spryte oughte to dyspyse them sayth saynt Barnarde O Chyldren dyscended of the coueytous lygne of Adam to what encheason loueÌ„ ye so moch these mondayne ryches which be not veray nor yet youres whether ye wol or not them it behoueth you to lese at the deth And the Gospell sayth that the Camell shulde more easly passe thoroughe the hole of a nedle than the ryche man attaine the Realme of heauen For the Camell hath vpon his backe but one burthen And the euyll ryche man hath twayne One of worldly possessions and another of synnes it behoueth that he leue the further burthen at his death But the other woll he or not he shall bere with hym yf that he leaue it not afore that he dye To this purpose sayth our Lorde in the Gospell Hacâ—tius est camelum perforamen acus transire quam diuitem inâ—eare in rignum celorum Mathei xix capitulo The .l. Hystorie The .l. Texte AGaynste the Counsayle of Amphoras the wyse Go not to destroy where deth maye the ouer charge Of Thebes and of Arges the Cyties moste of pryse Ne there assemble none hoost sheelde ne Targe The .l. Glose AMphoras was a ryght sage clerke of the Cytie of Arges moch he had of science And when the Kynge Adrastus wold go vpon Thebes to destroy the Cytie Amphoras which knew by his scyence that euyll shulde come to hym therof sayde to the Kynge that he shuld not go thyther in any maner and that yf they went thyther they shuld al be slayne and destroyed But he gaue to his wordes no credence and so it be fell as he had to hym sayd Therfore she woll say to the good knyght That the counsayl of the sage is lytell profytable to him that woll not vse him therafter The .l. Allegorie BY the Counsayle of Amphoras agaynst the whiche he ought not to go in to battaile we may note that the good spryte ought to ensue holy predycacions This sayth saynt Gregory in his Omelies that lyke as the lyfe of the body may not be sustayned without often takyng his corporal refection right so may not the lyfe of the soule be sustented without often heryng the worde of God Than the wordes of God which ye here with your corporall eates receyue them to the profundite of your hart For whan a worde is hard and is not retayned within the wombe of the memory It is lyke the euyll dysposed stomacke whiche casteth forth or vomyteth the meate and also as he that nothynge retayneth but casteth all forth is in dyspayre of the lyfe So is he in the peryll of death perdurablye Whiche hereth the predicacions retayneth them not nor putteth them to operacion Therfore saith the scripture Non 〈◊〉 solo penensult homo sed in omni verbo â—ood procedit de ore dei Mathei iiii capitulo The .li. Hystorie The .li. Texte OF thy tonge gyue Saturne the charge So that vnto euyll it be not free and ioly Vnsemynge it is of speche to moche and large And he that it heareth perceyueth well the foly The .li. Glose SAturne as I haue sayde afore is a planet slowe tardiue and sage Therfore sayth she to the good knyght that his tonge ought to resemble hym For the tonge ought to be tardyue so that speke not to moch and sage that he say not amysse iÌ„ any thyng and that he say nothynge wherby may be perceyued in hym any foly for a wyse man saith By his wordes is knowen the sage and the fole by syght and regarde The .li. Allegorie THe tonge whiche ought to be Saturnyue that is to vnderstande slowe in spekyng To this purpose saith Hugo de sancto victore that the tonge which hath no garde of discrecion is as a cytie w tout a wall as a vessell y t hath no couerture as the horse that hath no brydle as a shyp whiche is w tout stere or gouernal The tonge euyll kept is glasyng slippy as an Ele it perceth as an arrowe fast flieng it leseth frendes and maketh enemyes it moueth noyse soweth dyscorde at one stroke it stryketh and sleeth many persones he that kepeth his tonge kepeth his soule For the death or the lyfe ben the puyssaunce of the tonge To this purpose sayth Dauid in his Psalter Quis est homo qui vuit vitam dies diligit videre bonos prohibe linguam tuam a malo et labia ne loquantur dolum The .lii. Hystorie The .lii. Texte GEue credence to the counsayle of the Crowe Neuer therby shalte thou entysed be Euyll reportes and nouelles for to sowe Whiche who so escheweth is moste at lybertie The .lii. Glose THe Crowe as sayth a fable encouÌ„tred the Rauen or the Roke whan he brought tydinges to Phebus of his loue Corinis which was euyl done and somoch enquired of him that he sayd to her the occasyon of his erroure but she disalowed it in giuyng him example by her self which for a semblable case was derecte chased from the house of Pallas where she was whylome wont wel to be auaunced but he ne wold gyue to her counsayle and credetice wherfore euyll to hym came therof Therfore sayth Othea to the good knyght that he ought to beleue the Crowe And Platon sayth Be thou no Iangler ne to a kynge a great reporter of nouelles The .lii. Allegorie WHere the Crowe ought to be beleued She woll saye that the good spryte oughte to vse the Counsayle as sayeth Saynte Gregorye in his Moralles That force or strength valueth nothynge where Counsayle fayleth For force is ryght soone abated yf it be not appuyed or borne vp by the gyfte of Counsayle And the Soule that hathe loste within hym the syege of Counsayle is outwardely dispersed to dyuers desyres And therfor sayeth the Sage Si inteauit it sapiencia cor tuum censilium custodiet te et prudencia seruabit te Prouerbiorum secundo capitulo The .liii. Hystorie The .liii. Texte YF thou the efforce with thy stronger to be To make fayre pastymes of force or puyssaunce Beware of domage that maye tourne vnto the And of Ganimedes haue thou remembraunce The .liii. Glose GAnimedes was a yongeman of the lygnage of the Troyens And a Fable sayeth that Phebus and he were vpon a
day togyther to cast the barre of yron and as Ganimedes was not of power agaynst the force of Phebus he was slayne by the reboundynge of the barre whiche Phebus cast so hyghe that he had lost the syght therof And therfore sayeth Othea that with his stronger or moste puyssaunte it is not good a man for to stryue For therof may not come but inconuenience So sayth one Sage A man for to playe with the men that be vngracyous is sygne of pryde And is fyninished most coÌ„menly with wrath The .liii. Allegorie AND as it is sayde that agaynst his stronger he ought not to enforce hym it is to be vnderstande that the good spryte ought not to enterpryse ouer stronge penaunce without counsayle Of this speketh saynt Gregory in Moralibus That penytence profyteth not but yf it be discret neyther the vertue of abstynence is nothynge worthy but yf it be so ordayned that it not more aspre than the bodye maye susteyne And therfore he concludeth that no symple person neyther ought to enterpryse penytence w toute the counsayle of more dyscrert than hym selfe Therfore sayth the Sage in his prouerbes Vbi mulâ—a consilia ivi erit Calus Prouerbiorum secundo capitulo And the common Prouerbe sayth Omnia fat cum consilio et postea non penitebiâ— The .liiii. Hystorie The .liiii. Texte IAson to resemble thy selfe well thou shulde Vvhiche by Media in conquest gaue the glorie Of the Golden flees wherfore he dyd her yelde A ryghte euyll Guerdon after his vyctorie The .liiii. Glose IAson was a knyght of Grece whiche went into a straunge countre that is to wyt into the I le of Colcos by the endictement or coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Peleus his vncle which by enuy desyred his death There was a shepe which had his flees of golde by enchauntement was kept but as the conquest was so stronge that no maÌ„ came thyther but he lost his lyfe Medea which was doughter to y e kyng of that countre was greatly surprysed with the loue of Iason that by the enchauntementes that she vnderstode beynge in that facultie a soueraigne maystres she gaue charmes and taught enchauntementes to Iason wherby he coÌ„quered the golden flees and therby had honour aboue al knightes lyuyng and was restored from death by Medea to whom he had promysed for euer to be a loyall louer but after fayth to hym fayled and he loued another and her vtterly he refused and forsoke Notwithstandyng that she was of right soueraigne beaulte Therfore sayth my Lady prudence to the good knyght that he refuse to resemble Iason which to moch was misknowyng desloyall vnto her which had done to hym great goodnes As it is a vyllayne thynge to a knyght to be ingrate vnkynde or mysknowyng any bounte or goodnes that he hath receyued be it of Lady Damosyll or other But he ought to remeÌ„bre it yelde guerdon therfore to his power To this purpose sayth Hermes Attende not to rewarde hym whiche hath shewed to the bounte For why Thou ougtest to remembre it for euer The .liiii. Allegorie IAson whiche was vnkynde ought not the good sprite to resemble whiche for the benefytes goodnes inenarrable receyued of his creatour oughte not to be vnkynde s. Barnard saith vpoÌ„ the Cantycles that ingratitude or vnkindnes is enemie to the soule the impediment of vertues the dispersion of merytes the destruction of perdycion of good dedes Ingratytude is as a dryeÌ„ wynde y t dryeth vp the fountayne of pyte the dewe of grace the ryuer of mercy To this purpose sayth the Sage Ingrati enim speâ— tanquam hibernalis glatiis tabescet et disparieâ— tanquam aqua superuacna Sapientis .xvi. capitulo The .lv. Hystorie The .lv. Texte OF the Serpent Gorgon fle the consystorie Her fygure to regarde beware thy selfe well The valyaunte Perseus haue in memorie Vhiche all the Hystorie therof can the tell The .lv. Glose GORgon as sayth the fable was a damosell of soueraygne beaulte but bycause that Phebus had pastyme with her in the temple of Diane the goddes toke therin so great displeasure that she transmued her into a serpent of ryght horryble fygure and such a properte had that serpent that the maÌ„ which behelde her was sodeynly turned into a stone For the euyl that of her did procede Perseus the valiaunt knyght went to fyght against the fyerce beeste And in the resplendour or brightnes of his sheelde whiche was all of golde he behelde hyÌ„self to th entent that he shuld not regarde the euyll serpent he dyd so moch that he stroke of her heed Many exposycions may be made vpon this sayd fable And Gorgon may be vnderstande for one Cytte or Towne whiche hath ben wonte to be of great bountie But by the vyces of the inhabitauntes it becometh a serpent venimous that is to vnderstande that many domages and euyls it doth to the marches nere adiacent as of al them to robbe pylle and the marchauntes other passyng by ben taken and put in strayte pryson and so be they turned to stones Perseus behelde hymself in his cheualry went to fyght agaynst the sayd Cytie and toke it and bereft it of the power for any more doyng euyll and also may it be a Lady that is ryght fayre and of euyll maners and affayres which by her couetyse leueth naked and vnclothed many of theyr hauiour ryches substaunce And many other entendementes and exposicions may be set vpon it Therfore wol she say to the good knyght that he be well ware to beholde that thynge that is euyl to euyll may him drawe And Aristotle sayth fle from people full of Iniquitie and folowe the Sages Study in theyr bokes and beholde the in theyr Feates The .lv. Allegorie THat he ought not to regarde Gorgon y t is that the good sprite ought not to beholde or thynke vpon any delyces but beholde his owne fygure in the sheelde of the estate of perfection And the delices ben to be refused saith Chrisostome that as it is impossyble that the fyre bren in water so is it impssible that compunction of harte be amoÌ„gest the delyces of the world They ben two thynges contrary whiche destroye eche other for compuÌ„ction is mother of teares and the delices engendre laughter CompuÌ„ction restrayneth the hart and delyces putteth it at lybertie To this purpose sayth the scripture Qui seruiaâ—nt in letrimie in exultacione meâ—â—t The .lvi. Hystorie The .lvi. Texte IF loue by nyghte constrayne the to wake Take hede that Phebus therof be not aduysed By whose aduertisement thou mayste be take And with the bondes of Vulcan to be surprysed The .lvi. Glose A Fable sayth that Mars and Venus loued eche other peramours It befell vpon a nyghte that these two louers arme in arme were fallen on slepe Phebus which sawe clerely them surprysed and apperceyued he them accused to vulcan husband to Venus thaÌ„ he seyng them in that poynte forged a chayne as he that
Texte TO go by See whan thy coÌ„clusyon is Or peryllous voyage to take arte desposed Of Alchione beleue the admonycions Iwys By whom of Ceys the death maye be exposed The .lxxix. Glose CEys was a kyng a moch prudent and worthy man and greatly loued of Alchione his quene deuocioÌ„ toke this kyng to go by see vpon a perillous passage In tyme of tempest he put him selfe vpon the see but Alchione his wyfe which perfytly loued hym of great loue put her in great payne to destourne hyÌ„ fro that voyage and in great wepinges and teares she prayed hym moch therof but for her myght be set no remedye nor to go with hym he wolde not suffre her which she wold haue done to what ende someuer fortune shuld them brynge and she put her within the shyp to be parte with hym but the kyng Ceys her recomforted and by force dyd her to remayne wherof she was moch anguysshous dolent for she was iÌ„ ouer great turment thought bycause that Colus God of wynde moued sore the see raysed the walues in hyght w t the wanne water Ceys the kyng within fewe dayes after perysshed in the see wherof whan Alchione knewe the aduenture she cast herselfe also into the see and there was trenched But the fable sayth that the Goddes had therof pytie transmued the bodies of these two louers into two byrdes to th ende that of theyr great loue shuld be had in perpetuall memory So flye they yet vnto this present day vpon the see the same byrdes ben called Alcionees theyr fethers ben all white and when the maryners se them come then they ben in certayne that they shal haue tempest The right exposicioÌ„ may be that two louers loued eche other in semblable maner iÌ„ mariage whom the Poete hath compared to the sayd byrdes So woll Prudence saye that the good knyght ought not to put him vpoÌ„ peryllous voyage w tout the counsayl of his good frendes Assalon sayth The wyse man enforseth hym self to put domage farre from hym the fole taketh vpon hym great payne to fynde it The .lxxix. Allegorie THat he ought to beleue Alchione is yf the good Spryte be by euyll temptacion empesshed w t any errour or doubte in his thought that he ought to put hym vpon the opinyon of the churche And s. Ambrose saith in the seconde boke of offyces that he is enraged and mad whiche dyspyseth the counsayle of the Churche For Ioseph ayded moche more profytable the kyng Pharaon by the counsayle of his prudence than yf he had giuen him of money for money shuld lytell haue prouided for y â— famine of the realme of Egipte as did the counsayle of Ioseph that set remedy against the famine of Egipte by the space of certaine yeres And therfore conclude thou to beleue counsayle and thou shalt not repent To this purpose sayth the sage Salomon in his Prouerbes in the person of the Churche Custodi legem meam atque consilium oâ— erit vita anime cue Prouerbâ—orum lil ca. The .lxxx. Hystorie The .lxxx. Texte TO the counsayle of a chylde gyue no credence And Troylus thy brother into thy mynde retayne Beleue the auncient that haue good experyence And that knowe of armes the charge pleasure and payne The .lxxx. Glose WHan the kyng Priam had redefied Troy which for the cause of the vylany done to theÌ„ which went into Colchos had ben destroyed than of his destruction wold Priam take vengeaunce than assembled he his counsayle where were many Barons hygh and wyse to knowe yf it were good that Paris his sone shuld go into grece to rauisshe He layne in exchaunge of exione his systre that had ben taken by Thelamon aiax and broughte in seruage But all the wyse barons accorded y t he shuld not go bycause of the Prophecies scriptures which sayd that by such rauysshement Troy shuld be destroyed than Troylus beyng a chylde yongest of the sonnes of Priam sayd that a man ought not to beleue in couÌ„sayle of warre the vyllectes auncient meÌ„ which by recreandise couÌ„sayle rest peace so counsailed he al coÌ„trary than was the counsail of Troylus holden wherof great euyll ensued Therfore sayth she to the good knyght that to the counsayle of a childe y e naturally is of lyght small consyderacion he ought not to holde nor giue credence Of this saith an aucthorite y â— realme is not inquiet of whoÌ„ the prince is a childe The .lxxx. Allegorie TO the counsayle of a chylde ought not the good sprite to accorde and that is to vnderstand his counsaylour ought not to be ignorauÌ„t but knowynge well lerned instruct so y t he maye be profytable to his helth against the ignorauntes saith s. Augustyne Ignoraunce is a ryght euyll mother hath two as euyl doughters that is falshod and doubtaunce the fyrst is myschant the secoÌ„de is miserable the first is morâ— vycious but the .ij. is more greuous these twayne ben extynct and quenched by sapience Of this sayth the Sage Sapientiam preter euntes non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt vt ignorent bona sed in sipientie sue celiquerunt hominibus memoriam Sapie v. ca. The .lxxxi. Hystorie The .lxxxi. Texte OF Calcas and his complyces haue dysdayen Of whom the malyce and falsenesse infynyte Indurable realmes and Empyres betrayhen In all the worlde nys people more to wyte The .lxxxi. Glose LAncas was a subtle clerke of the cytie of Troy whan the kyng Priam knewe that the Grekes came vpon hym w t a great hoste he sende Calcas in to y e I le of Delphos to their god Dampne Appollo Delphicus howe it shuld be of the warre and to what conclusion â—t shuld turne but after the answer of the god whiche sayd that after .x. yeres the Grekes shuld haue the victory Calcas returned him towardes the Grekes and hym acqueinted w t Achilles which was coÌ„myng into Delphos for the same cause and with him he returned towardes the Grekes whom he helped and ayded with his counsayle agaynst his proper Cytie and many tymes after he desturued and letted the peace to be made betwyxte the Grekes and the Troyens bycause he was a traytour the Aucthorite saith to the good knyght that such subtle euyll persons he ought to hate for theyr treasoÌ„s made by many sleyghtes cauteles fraudes may moch endomage realmes and empyres and all people Therfore sayth Plato the subtle enemye poore not puyssaunt may more greue thaÌ„ the riche the puissaunt and them that ben without knowlege The .lxxxi. Allegorie CAlcas whiche oughte to be hated may be vnderstande that the good spryte the knyght of Iesu christ ought to hate eschew all malice and fraudes against his neyghbour and in no wyse he ne ought therto to consent and s. Hierome sayth That the traytour adoulteth ne maketh debond are ne frendfull hym selfe neyther for famyliarite of coÌ„pany ne for preuyte of eatyng