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
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
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
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
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
treasure felicitie is a narrow crâ—ked craggy and painfull way hauing three enemies the d uell the world and the flesh To hell being the citie or cincke of sorrow and sadnesse a â—ayâ—e way broad plaine easâ—e hauing three guâ—â—es to wit pride of life couetise of the eyen concupiscence of the flesh The tenth History SOmetime in Rome dwelt an Emperour named Folliculus the which was right wise mercifull rightfull in all his works This Emperour builded in the East a noble Citie wherein hée put all his treasure and precious stones and riches to bee kept Unto this Citie the waie was stonie and full of brambles and sharp thorns and thrée knihgts were armed ready to fight with theÌ„ that would come to that Citie Therefore themperour ordained that whosoeuer ouercame these knightes should enter the Citie take at his wil of the emperours treasure After that this Emperour did make in the North west a citie wherin he ordained all maner of paine formeÌ„ting sorrow mischiefe for malefactors to the which was a broad way verte delectable growing full of Roses and sayre Lâ—â—kes and in that way were thrée knights euer waiting if any man came towards the citie of the north to serue him with all maner of delicates and necessary prouision And if it fortuned any man to enter within that Citie the custome was such that the people should take binde him hand and foote and cast him in prison there to abide the comming of the Justice When this was cryed through out all the Empyre there were two Knights dwelling in a citie there beeside one named Ionatas who was a wise man the other hight Pirrius which was a foole neuerthelesse there had continued betwne them great loue This Ionatas sayde to Pyrrius Déere friend there is a common crye made throughout al laÌ„ds that the Emeperour hath made a Citie in the East wherein hee hath put all his treasure who so euer may enter that citie shall take of the treasure that hée list therefore my counsell is that wee goe to that Citie Then sayd Pyrryus thy counsell is good and I desire to fulfill it The wise Knight saide if it bée so that thou wilt follow my counsell I pray thée that faithfull friendship may continue beetwéene vs and in token of loue that thou wilt drinke my blood and I shall drinke thine that none of vs depart ne faile other in this iourney The foolish knight saide it pleaseth mée right well all that yée saye wherefore they were both letten blood and eche of them dranke others blood When this was done they went foorth together on theyr iourny and when they had done thrée dayes iourneis toowardes the Citie where the treasure was they came to a place where was two wayes one was sharpe stonie full of thornes the other was plain and fayre and full of swéetnesse and delites Then sayde the wise Knight to his fellow Deere friend héere are two wayes one sharpe and thornie neuerthelesse if we go this way we shall come to this Citie that is so riche and there shall we haue that we desire Then saide the folish Knight to his felow I wonder greatly of you that you speake such thinges for I will rather beeleue mine eyes than your wordes I see heere openly and so doe yée that here is a hard way and full of thornes and as I haue heard saye there bée three Champions armed in this waye redy to fight against all men that goe that way towardes the Citie of the East and therfore I will not goe that way but here is as ye may see another way playne and easie to walk in and in this waâ— there are three knights readie to serue vs and giue vs all maner things necessary to vs therefore by this way will I goe and not by that other way Then sayde the wise knight certainely if we goe by that way we shall be ledde into the Citie of the North wherein there is no mercie but perpetuall paine and sorrow and there shall we be taken and bound and cast in prison Certainely sayde the foolish Knight this way is the ready way and as I beléeue it is more profitable then the other way Then went they both foorth the fayre way and anone thrée knights met with them which receiued them curteously for one night and gaue them all maner of thing that was necessarie to them And on the morow they tooke their tourney foorth towarde the Citie And when they were within the Citie anone the Emperours officers met with them and said deere friends why come ye hether in so much that ye know the law of this citie is so cruel of long time heere before soothâ—y ye shal be seâ—uâ—d now after the law Anone they tooke the wise knight and bound him and put him in prison and after that they tooke the foolish knight and bound him fast and cast him into a dich Sone after it befel that the Justice came to the Citie to giue iudgment on them that had tresspassed the law and anone all the prisoners wer brought foorth before the iustice among whome these two knights wer brought foorth one from prison the other from the dich Then said the wise Knight to the Justice Reuerend Lorde I complaine of my fellow that is guiltie of my death for when we two came to the two wayes whereof the one ledde to the Citie in the East and the other to this citie I told him all the perill of this Citie and the reward of that other Citie and he would not beleeue mée and said to mée in this wise I beléeue mine owne eyen better than thy words and because he was my fellow I would not lette him goe alone in this way and thus came I with him wherefore hee is the cause of my death Then said the foolish knight I complaine that hée is the cause of my dâ—ath for it is not vnknowen to you â—ll that I am a foole and hâ—â— wise man and therfore he should not to â—â—ghtly haue folowed my folly for if hâ— had forsaken this way I should haue followed him and therfore he is cause of my death Then saide the Justice to the wise knight because that thou with all thy wisedome and great vnderstanding so lightly contented and followed the wil of the foole and his foolish works thou foole because that thou wouldest not do after the counâ—aile ne fullfill the holesom words of this wise man beléeue him I giue iudgmeÌ„t that ye be both hanged for your trespasse And so it was done wherfore all men praised greatly the Justice for his discrete iudgment The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is almightie God and in the East is the citie of heauen wherein is treasure infinit And vnto this citie is an hard way full of thornes that is to say the way of repentance by the which waye full few walketh for it is hard straite according to holy Scripture
yée shalbée like Gods wherfore wee breaking Gods commauÌ„dement we were all exiled out of Paradise chased to the realme of this world héere to liue in great wretchednes like as the psal saith In sudore vultas tui In thou sweat of thy visage shalt thou eate thy bred But then came a fayre young knight and a strong that is to saye our Lord Jesu Christ which had compassion vpon mankinde taking vpon him our flesh and our blood gaue battaille to the diuell and ouercame him and thus wan hée againe our heritage Therefore let vs doe as this young Lady did lay wée vp this bloody short that is to saye the minde of the passion oâ— Christ on the beame of our heart and think we how our Lord Jesu Christ shed his precious blood for vs. And if any man that is to say the diuell or any other would stir vs to sinne anone think wee of the passion of Christ and say wee thus I shall take none other but thée which hast shed they blood for mee thus shall wée win euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ Wee are â—eere generally aduertised of honorineg the Saboth day how for the redeeming of time to bee occupied in Ghostly contemplation profitable to the soule and bodie The preachers of Gods word oft times for sayinge trueth purchase inconuenyence if wee beestow our talents in the amplyfying of fayth and furdering one another with good workes Wee shall then inheritie the â—râ—iâ—on of eternall blessing prepared for the elect of Christ Iesus The 12. Historie SOmetime dwet in Rome a mightie emperour named Apolloninus which ordained for a law that eury man vpon paine of death shold celebrate the daie of his Natiuitie This Emperour called to him a clarke that hight Virgill and sayde My déere master there bee many hamous offences done in my Empyre contrary to the law therefore I pray thée that thou by thy cunning would make some crafte wherby I might know who trespasseth against the law priuely or appertly Then said Virgill My reuerend Lord your will shall be done Anone this Virgill through his craft made an Image in the middest of the Citie of Rome which denouÌ„ced told the Emperours messengers who trespassed against the law who not There was that tyme dwelling in the Citie of Rome a smith that hight Focus which for nothing would celebrate the natiuitie of the emperour It befell vpon a night as the smith lay in his bed hee thought vpon the Image that had accused so many men beefore and dread least the Image would accuse him wherefore hee rose and went to the ymage and said I make a vow to God if thou accuse mée I shall breake thy head And when hée had thus sayde hee went home The Emperour on the morow after following sent his messenger to that Image as before times he was accustomed to know vnderstand who had trespassed against the lawe And to them then said the Image lift vp your â—yne beehold what is ingrauen in my forhead And then they looked vp and saw this posie written Tempore mutanâ—ur homines determinatur Times bee chaunged men bée worse worse For who will say the truth shall haue his head broken therfore goe yée foorth to your Lord and tell him all that yee haue reade and séene The messengers went foorth and told the Emperour all that they had heard and seene Then sayde the Emperour arme your selfe and goe to the Image and if that you finde any man that haue mencioned or threatned to hurt the Image binde him hand and foote bring him to mee Then went the messengers foorth to the Image and said to it Tel vs the truth if any man haue threatned thée and we shall auenge thée anone Then said the Image Take the smith Focus for hée is the man that will not honour the natiuitie of the Emperour straight way the messengers led foorth the smith béefore the Emperour and there vpon examined him why he kept not the day of the Emperours natiuitie in reuerence honour according to the law Then answered the smith said Reuerend Lord I beseech you that yee will heere mine excuse and if I aunswere not reasonably to all maner of poyntes that yée will aske mée I will yeld mée fully to your grace Then sayd Themperour I shall heare thée and that is rightfull I shall doe Then sayd the smith It behoueth mée to haue vâ—ii d. euery day in the wéeke that I cannot get without great labour and therefore I may in no maner wise keepe that day holy day more than other dayes Then sayd the Emperour Why behoueth it thee to haue these viii d. Then saide the Smith I am bounde to paye dayely ii d. and ii d. I lend and ii d. I léese and ii d. I spend Then sayd the Emperour tel mee more eâ—pressely of these viii d. Then sayd the Smith I am bound euery daye to pay ii d. to my Father for when I was young my father spent on mée ii d. dayly and therefore am I bound to help him and pay him againe his ii d. for his sustentation Also ii d. I léese on my wife Then said the Emperour why lesest thou that ii d. on thy wife Then saydâ— hée where saw ye euer woman but she had one of these points eyther shee is wilfull or contrary to hir husbande or of hotte complection and therefore that I giue hir I léese Also ii d. I lend to my sonne wherwith he is sustained that whan I come to age and pouertie he may paye me againe ii d. like as I doe my Father Also I spend ii d. on my selfe in meate and drincke and that is little ynough Then said the Emperour thou hast answered well wisely Not long after it befell that the Emperour dyed and this Smith Focus was chosen to be Emperour bicause he spent his viii d so wisely and so profitably and thus he ended his life in peace and rest The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our blessed sauiour Jesu Christ which ordained by his holy law that euery man should kéepe holy the Saboth day This Virgill that made this ymage is the holy ghost which establisheth among vs Preachers to teach vertues and to reproue vices and that should not spare the poore ne the riche But now if a Preacher would say the truth against any man anon he shall be thretened of the enimies of Christ that is to saye by euill men that neither loue God nor man wherefore the Preacher may say now a dayes that posey which was written in the forehead of the image Times bene chaunged from good to ill and men bene dayly worse For who so would saye the truth now a dayes shall haue his head broken Therefore it is néede they be armed that is to say that euery Preacher be armed with vertuous examples of their good lyfe towards other and than it needeth not to
third rope that should hang the felon is the rope of amendement of life For as the scripture saith tâ—ere is more ioye in heauen ouer one sinner that turneth vnto the Lord in time than ouer c. Like as the stewaâ—d brought againe Themperâ—urs daughter â—o it behoueth vs to séeke about by fruitfull faith yea to finde our soule that we lost and bringing hir againe to the church to rule well our fiue witts to séede our greyhound as we should and make our lise so cleane and pure that we fall not againe to sinne for feare that it fortune to vs worse and that we haue no leasure to aske mercy againe at our néede And it we fullfil all this truely vnto our liues ende without doubt wée shall obtaine euerlasting life To the which our Lord bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The violating of our innoceÌ„cie in not â—â—â—nitating the law of God is heere described with being adiudged after the slesh yet by the merits of Christ our sauiour we obtaine our saluation The 19. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour and a wise named Edsenne which ordained a law for that whosoeuer rauished a maide should be at hir discretion wherewith she would put him to death or that she would take him to hir husband It befell after that a man rauished in a night two faire matdeus the first damosell which he rauished desired that he should dye and the second desired him to hir husband The rauisher was taken ledde before the Judge that should satisfie both these damosells through his wisdome and equitir of the cause The first damosell desired the death according to the law Then said the second I desired to haue him my husband for like as thou hase the law for thée so in like case I haue it for mée and neuertholesse my petition is more better than yours for it is more charitable therefore me thinketh in my reason that the Justice should giue sinsence in fauour and furtherance of my desire Then the Justice vnderstanding the great mercy of the second damosell gaue iudgement that he should take hir to his wife and so it was done The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ The rauisher betokeneth euery sinner which rauisheth gods mercy as often he violateth the commaundements of God by sinne for the diuell may neuer ouercome man but if it bée suffered by will For saint Austin saith Non est peccatum nisi sit voluntarium It is no sinne but if it be voluÌ„tary The rauisher also is called afore the Justice when the soule is departed from the bodie and anon the first damosell Innocency layde against the sinner that he ought to dye euerlastingly by the law of righteousnesse But that other mayden that is Christ his merits layd for hir how the mercy of God ought to help by harty repentaunce and acknowledging our sinnes which is the high way to euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The mother of the childe of grace and of the reprobate is heere declared which of them shall be saued and which of them dampned is not yet reuealed vnto the world till the day of iudgement The 20 Historie SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a mightie Emperour and a rich named Lipodius which tooke to wise a faire virgin a gentill the daughter of the king of Assiria this yong lady conceiued and beare a childe And in the byrth of hir sonne she dyed And anone after hir decease this Emperour maried an other wife and had by hir achilde also And immediately after that these children were borne he sent them both into a strange land for to be norished Then said the mother of the second childe My reuerend Lord tenne yéeres bée now fully expired since I bare my childe and yet sawe I him neuer but once and that was the first daye of his byrth therefore I beséech you my Lord to send for him that I may once reioyce mée of his sight Then said the Emperour I haue an other childe by my first wyfe and if I send for thy sonne than must I send for both and than anone he sent for them And when they were come they were of passing faiture and well trayned well instructed passing like in all maner thinges so as hardly the one might bee knowen from the other but by the father onely discerned Than said the mother of the second childe A my Lord tell mée which of these is my sonne and he called to him his sonne that he begate on his fiest wâ—â—e Whan the Empresse heaâ—d this shée gaue all hir care to nourish him and despised the other child When the Emperour saw this he saide to his wise Certainely I haue deceiued thee for him that thou louest so much is not thy son but that other is thy sonne Than sette shée all hir care vpon the seconde and forsooke the first When the Emperour saw this hée saide Truely I haue deceiued thée without doubt this is not thy sonne but one of them two is thy sonne Then sayde the mother A my Lorde for his loue that dyed for mankinde tell mée without cauellacion which of them is my sonne The Emperour answered and sayd certainely I will not tell you till they come both to mans state for this reason First I told you that this was your sonne and him haue you cherished as thy sonne and forsaken that other and when I tolde you that this was your sonne than despised you the first and cherished the second therefore I will that you bring vppe and cherish them both till that you may haue ioye of them When themprisse heard this she nourished them both a like And when they were both come to age the Emperour made a great supper and before all his gestes hée tolde his wyfe openly which of them was hir childe Than reioysed the Empresse greatly and with hir sonne shée ended hir lyfe in peace and rest The Morall This Emperours sonnes betokeneth those that be chosen to euerlasting life and those that be not chosen The mother of them is the prouidence of God that nourisheth theÌ„ both Therfore our Lord will not that his prouidence should let the world know which bée chosen and which be not chosen For if shée knew that than would she loue the one and hate the other and so should charitie be ouerthrowen among vs and should liue in discord and strife but trouth at the day of Judgement shall tell vs which of them shall be saued which of them shall be dampned Therefore pray wee in this world that we may come to the euerlasting feast in heauen Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The vngodly of this world will take no paines to liue vertuously and yet often tymes are they enriched for the most pait with the guifts of fortune neither carefull of the reward laid vp for pure vertue in heauen nor fearing the torments of hell deputed for the
serue him and should forsake our Lord. Therefore if wée follow the world and his vanities certainely we shall fall in to the snare of the diuell From the which defende vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ It is the ordinance of God that no man shall labour for worldly promotion by couetousnesle and falsehood Man for his first transgression should haue bene adiudged to perpetual torment in hell had not the sonne of god voluntarily offered him selfe to the death to saue mankinde and destroy sathan â—is enimie so that thereby he might place him in the habitacle of heauenly ioyes euerlasting The 35. Historie SOmetime in Rome there dwelt a noble Emperour of great liuelood named Alexander the which aboue all vertues loued the vertue of bountie wherefore hée ordained a law for great curiositie that no name vnder pâ—yne of Death should turne a Playce in his dishe at his meate but onely eate the whyte sayde and not the black and if any man would attempt to doe the contrary he should dye without remedie but or he died he shold aske thrée requests of the Emperour what him lyst except his lyfe which should be graunted him It befell after on a day that ther came an Earle his sonne of a strange couÌ„trie to speake with the Emperour And when this Earle was set to meat hée was serued with a Playce and hée which was hungry and had an appetite to his meate after he had eaten the white syde hée turned the black side and béegan to eate thereof wherfore straight way hée was accused to the Emperour béecause hée hadde offended against the law Than sayd the Emperour Let him dye according to the law without any delay When the Earles sonne heard that his father should dye immediately he sate him down on both his knées beefore the Emperour and sayd O my reuerend Lord for his loue that dyed vppon the crosse let me dye for my father Than sayd the Emperour It pleaseth mée well that one dye for the offence of the law Then sayd this Earles sonne sith it is so that I shall dye I aske the benefits of the law that is to saye that I may haue three petitions graunted or I dye The Emperour answered and sayde aske what thou wilt there shal no man say thée nay Than sayd this young knight My Lord ye haue but one daughter that which I desire of your highnesse that she may lye with mée a night or I dye The Emperour granted though it were against his will in fulfilling of his law Heuerthelesse this knight deflowred hir not as that night Therfore pleased hee greatly the Emperour The second peticion is this I aske all thy treasure And immediately the Emperour grauÌ„ted bicause he shold not be called a breaker of his owne law And when this Earles sonne had receiued the Emperours treasure he imparted it both to poore and rich by meanes whereof he obtained their good wills My third petition is this I aske my Lord that all the eyes may be put out incontinent which sawe my father eating of the blacke plaice Wherefore the Emperour let make inquisition immediately who it was that saw the Earle turne the black Plaice And they that saw him turne the playce bethought theÌ„ said within themselues If we knowledge that we saw him do this trespasse than shall our eies be put out and therfore it is better that wée hold vs still And so ther was none found that would accuse him Whan the Earles sonne saw this he said to the Emperour My Lord quod he yée see that there is no man accuseth my father therfore giue ye right full iudgement Than saide the Emperour For as much that no man will knowledge that they saw him turne the place therefore I will not that thy father shall dye Loe thus the sonne saued his fathers lyfe and after the decease of the Emperour married his daughter The Morall Déere friends this Emperour betokneth the father of heauen which ordained a law that no man should furne the black side of the Plaice that is to saye there should no man labour for riches or promotion by couetousnesse and falsehood The Earle that came to the Emperour betokeneth Adam our fore father which came out of the lande of Eden to the Court of Paradise turned vp the black side of the Plaice when he eate of the Apple wherefore he should haue bene condempned to euerlasting death But his sonne that betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ For he tooke slesh of Adam and profered himselfe voluntarily to dye for him The Father of Heauen graunted that hée should goe dwone to dye for mankinde Neuerthelesse or he dyed he asked thrée petitious of his father of heauen The first was this that hée might haue by him his daughter which betokeneth the Soule of man and bring hir with him into the bosome of heauen according to the wordes of Osee saying De sponsabo cam mihi That is to saye I shall wed hir to my wife The second petition was this all the Emperours treasure which betokeneth the treasure of heauen according to this scripture Sicut disposuit mihi pater That is to say like as my father hath disposed for mee so I dispose for you The third petition was this that all their eyes should be put out that is to say that the diuell which dayly accuseth man might be put from the light of heauenly grace And thus saued he mankinde and led him vp with him vnto the Pallayes of heauen Unto the which pallayes bring vs our Lord Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of Heauen of his meere grace promotith some poore men raising them from the dust to sit amongst Princes But extolling themselues without regard of gods goodnesse they are made abiects vnto him the diuell worketh deceipt in his members against the godly Christ came downe from heauen to minister the water of eternall life vnto man and by his death and passion to reâ—iâ—e our soules which before were dead vnto the firme state of eternall felicitie The 36. History IN Rome there dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Le mâ—â—us which on a day rode to a forrest to disport him where as he mette sodainly with a poore man to whome he sayd thus Friend whence commest thou and who art thou My Lord quod he I come from the next Cittie and your manne I am Than sayde the Emperour thou séemest poore therefore if thou wilt be good and true I shall promote thee to great riches and honour Then answered the poore man sayd My Lord I promise you faithfully to bée true to you as long as I liue The Emperour anon made him knight and gaue him great riches When hée was thus promoted hee waxed so proud that hee thought himselfe more able to bée an Emperour then his Lord wherfore he made suggestion to diuerrse lords of that Empyre that hee might vsâ—rpe and take vpon him through strength of them to bee Emperour When
thou mischeuous woman hast slain my daughter with thine owne hands for I saw the bloodie knife in thy hand therefore thou shalt dye a foule death Than sayde the Earle in this wise O thou woman were it not that I dread God greatly I should cleaue thy bodie with my sword in two parts for I deliuered thée from hanging now thou hast slaine my daughter neuerthelesse for mée thou shalt haue no harme therefore goe thy way out of this cittie without any delaye for if I doe finde thée here this daye thou shalt dye a most euill death Than arose this wofull Emprisse and dyd on hir clothes after leapt on hir palsry and rode toward the east alone without any safe conduct And as shée rode thus mourning by the way she espyed on the left side of the way a payre of gallous and seuen officers leading a man to the gallous to be hanged wherfore she was moued with great pittie and smote hir horse with the spurres rode to them praying them that she might redéeme that misdoer if he might be saued from death for any meede Than sayd they Lady it pleaseth vs well that thou redéeme him Anone the Emprisse accorded with them and payed his raunsome and than he was deliuered Thus sayde she to him Now déere friend be true till thou dye sith I haue deliuered thée from death On my soule quod he I promise you euer to be true And when hée had thus sayde he followed the Lady still till they came nigh a citie and than said the Emprisse to him Good friend quod shée goe foorth thy way afore mée out of the Cittie and take vp for vs an honest lodging for ther I purpose to rest a whilâ— This man went foorth as she commaunâ—â—â—â— tooke vp for hir a good lodging and an honest whereas she abode long tyme. Whan the men of the Citie perceined hir bewtie they wondred greatly wherefore many of them craued of hir vnlawfull loue but all was in vaine they might not speede in any wise It fortuned after on a day that there came a Shippe full of marchandise and ariued in the hauen of that Citie When the Ladys heard this she said vnto hir seruaunt Goe to the shippe and see if there be any câ—oth for myne vse Hir seruaunt went foorth to the shippe whereas he found many precious clothes wherefore hée prayed the master of the shippe that-hée would come into the Citie and speake with this Lady The master graunted him and so he came home to his lady beefore and warned hir of the comming of the master oâ— the shippe Anone after the master of the ship came and sâ—luted the Ladye worthyly And the lady receiued him according to his degrée praying him that she might haue for hir mony such cloth as might bâ— profitable for hir wearing Anone hee grauÌ„ted that shee should haue and soone they were agreed wherefore the seruaunt went emmediately again with the Maister of the Shippe And when they were both within the Ship boorde the Maister sayd to the Ladies seruant My déere friend to thée I wold open my counsaile if I might trust in thee help mee thou shalt haue of mee a great reward Then answered hée and sayd I shall quod hee bee sworne vnto thée on the holy Euangelist that I shall kéepe thy counsaile and fulfill thine intent as far foorth as I can Then said the Maister of the shippe I loue thy Lady more then I can tel thee for hir fayrenesse is so great that I would giue for the loue of hir all the gold that I haue and if I may obtaine the loue of hir through thy help I shall giue thée what so euer thou wilt desire of mée Then saide the Ladies seruaunt tell me by what meanes I may best speede Then sayd the Maister of the Shippe Goe home to thy Lady againe and tell hir that I will not deliuer to thee my cloth except she come hir selfe but bring hir to my Shippe except the winde bée good and able for then I purpose to lead hir away Thy counsell is alwayes good quod the Ladies seruant therfore giue me some reward I shall fulfil thyne intent And when he had receiued his reward hee went againe to his Lady and tolde hir that by no meanes the Master of the shippe would not deliuer him the cloth but if shée came hir selfe The Lady béeléeued hir seruaunt went to the ship And when she was within the ship bord hir seruaunt abode without When the Maister saw that she was within the Shippe and the winde was good hee drew vp the sayle and sayled foorth When the Lady perceiued this thus shée sayde to the master O Master quod shee what treason is this that thou hast done to mée The Maister answered and sayde Madame certainely it is so that I must needes lie with thée and afterwarde espouse thee For sooth quod shée I haue made a vowe that I shall neuer commit such sinne but with him vnto whom I am bound by right and by the law Soothly quod he if yée will not graunt mée with your good will I shall cast you out into the middest of the sea there shall yée die an euill death If it be so quod she that I must néedes consent or else dye than I pray thee to prepare a priuie place in the ende of the Shippe whereas I may fulfill thine entent or I dye but first I pray thée that I may say my prayers vnto the father of heauen that hée may haue mercy on mée The Master béeléeued hir wherfore hée let ordaine hir a Cabbin in the end of the Shippe wherevnto shée sette hir downe on both hir knees and made hir prayers saying on this wise O thou my Lord GOD that hast kept mée froÌ„ my youth in cleanenesse keepe mée now that I be not desâ—oured so that I may serue thée euer with a cleane heart and minde When shée had thus ended hir oryson ther arose sodenly a great tempest in the sea so that the Shippe all to brast and all that were within perished saue the lady that caught a Cable saued hir selfe the Master of the Ship an other neuerthelesse she knew not of him ne he of hir for they were driuen to diuerse coastes This ladie landed in hir owne Empyre beeside a Citie where in shée was worshipfully receiued and shee lyued so holy a life that GOD gaue hir grace and power to heale sicke folke of all manner of diseases wherfore there came much people to hir both crooked blinde and lame and euery man through the grace of God and hir good demeanure were healed wherfore hir name was knowne thorough diuerse regions Neuerthelesse she was not knowen as Emprisse In the same tyme the Emperours brother that had hanged hir beefore by the heyre was smitten with a foule Lepry The knight that slew the earles Daughter and put the bloody knife in hir hand was blynde deafe and had the palsey The
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
home and found the castell gate shutte and knocked there at but longe it was ere he might haue an aunswere And at the last the Woman came and demaunded why hee knocked at the gate Then saide hée to hir O déere lady why hast thou so soone chaunged my loue let me come in Nay surely said she thou shalt not come here for I haue here with me my loue which I loued before Remember quod the knight thou gauest me thy troth to be my wife and how I saued thée from death and if thou ponder not thy faith béehold my wounds which I haue suffred in my body for thy loue And anone he vnclothed himselfe naked saue his hosen that he might shew his woundes openly But she would not sée them ne speake more with him but shet fast the gate went hir way And when the knight saw this he went to the Justice made his complaint to him praying him to giue right wise iudgment on this tyrant and this woman The Judge called them béefore him and when they were come the Knight said thus My Lord quod hée I aske the benefite of the law which is this If a man rescew a woman from rauishinge the rescuer shall marrie hir if him list and this woman deliuered I from the hands of the tyrant therefore I ought to haue hir to my wyfe furthermore she gaue me hir faith trouth to marry with mee and therevpon shee went to my castle I haue done great cost against our wedding and therefore as it seemeth mee shee is my wife as by the law Then sayde the Judge to the tyrant Thou knowest well that this knight deliuered hir from thy hands for hir loue hath suffred many grieuous wounds and therefore well thou wottest that shée is his wife by the law if that him list But after hir deliuerance with flattering spech thou hast deceiued hir therfore I iudge thée to bee hanged Than said the Judge to the woman in lykewise O woman thou knowest how this knight saued thée from death and therevpon thou bée tookest him thy faith and troth to bee his wife therfore by two reasons thou art his wife first by the lawe and after by thy faith and trouth This notwithstanding thou concenâ—idst afterward to the tyraunt and broughtest him into the Knightes Castell shottest the gate against the knight and wouldst not sée his wounds which he suffered for thy loue and therfore I iudge thée to bée hanged And so it was done both the rauisher and shee that was rauished were condempned to the death wherefore euerie man praised the iudge for his right wise iudgement The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the father of Heauen which ordained for a law that if the soule of man were rauished from God by sinne the sauer of the soule should espouse hir if him list The woman that was rauished béetokeneth the soule of man which was rauished by sinne of our forefather Adam led out of Paradise into the forrest of this wretched world by the tirant Poncianus which betokeneth the diuell and he not onely defouled hir by leasyng of the heritage of heauen but also hée would sley hir with euerlasting paine But the soule cryed with a high voice whose crye our Lord Jesu Christ heard This cry was made when Adam cryed after the oyle of mercie And the Patryarkes prophets cryed for remedy saying these wordes O thou highnesse in the Cast and so foorth visite thou vs. c. The knight betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which came from Heauen and fought with the tyrant that is to say the diuell both they were sore wounded For our Lord Jesu Christ was wounded in the flesh the diuell maymed in his kingdome wherfore the woman that is to say the soule gaue hir faith and troth vnto almightie GOD when he became christian saying these wordes I forsake the Diuell and all his pride and beléeue in God the father almightie Than ordayned our Lord Jesu Christ a marriage betwéene him and hir with the
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