and his soule shall be delyuered from synne and by al ryght he shall haue euerlastyng lyfe Vnto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus SOmtyme there regned in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wyse named Frederyke whyche had an onely sone whome he loued moche Thys Emperour whan he laye at the poynt of deth he called vnto hym his sone sayd Dere sone I haue a ball of gold whych I gyue the vpon my blessyng that thou anone after my deth shalt gyue it to the moost foole that thou mayst fynde Than sayd hys sone My lorde wothout doubte your wyll shall be fulfylled Anone thys yonge lorde after the deth of hys father went sought in many realmes founde many recheles fooles bycause he wolde satysfye hys fathers wyll laboured farther tyll he came in to a realme where the lawe was suche that euery yere a newe kyng was chosen there thys kyng had onely the guydynge of y e realme but a yere at the yeres ende he was deposed put in exile in an ylande where as he shold wretchedly fynysshe hys lyfe Whan themperours sone came to thys realme the newe kyng was chosen w t great honour all maner of mynstralsye wente afore hym brought hym wyth great reuerence and worshyp vnto hys regall sete And whan the Emperours sone sawe that he came vnto hym and salewed hym reuerently sayd My lorde loo I gyue the thys ball of gold on my fathers behalfe Than sayd he I praye the tell me the cause why thou gyuest me thys ball ThaÌ„ answered thys yonge lorde and sayd My father charged me in hys deth bedde vpon payn of forfeytynge of his blessynge that I sholde gyue this ball of y e moost foole y e I coude fynde wherfore I haue sought many realmes haue founde many fooles neuerthelesse a more foole than thou art founde I neuer therfore thys is the reason It is not vnknowen to the that thou shalt regne but a yere and at the yeres ende thou shalte be exiled into suche a place where as thou shalte dye a myscheuous deth wherfore I holde the for the moost foole that euer I founde that for the lordshyp of a yere thou woldest so wylfully lese thy selfe therfore before all other I haue gyuen to the thys ball of gold Than sayd the kyng wythout doubte thou sayst sothe and therfore whan I am in full power of thys realme I shall sende before me greate treasoure and rychesse wherwyth I may lyue and saue my selfe from my scheuous deth whan I shall be exiled put downe And so thys was done wherfore at the yeres ende he was exiled lyued there in peace vpon suche goodes as he had sente before and he dyed afterwarde a good deth ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen the whych byquethed the ball that is to saye worldly rychesse to fooles and ydyottes whyche sauoureth no thynge but that is erthly This Emperours sone that is to saye a precher and a discrete coÌ„fessour serched about many realmes landes to shewe to mysbyleuing men fooles theyr peryll The realme wherin no kyng myght regne but a yere is this worlde For who so had lyued an hondred yere whan he commeth to the deeth hym shall seme that he hath lyued but the space of an houre therfore do as the kyng dyd whyle that ye be in power of lyfe sende before you your treasour that is to say almes dede other merytoryus dedes certaynly whaÌ„ ye be put in exile out of thys world ye shall lyue in peace shall fynde y e mercy of god plentefull wherby ye shall optayne euerlastynge lyfe Unto the whych brynge vs he that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen DIoclesyan regned in the cyte of Rome in whose empyre dwelled a noble phylosopher y e whych let vp by hys crafte an ymage in the myddes of yeâ—ite of Rome the whyche ymage stretched out hys arme hys formest fynger whervpon stode thys posy wryten in latyn Percute hic Smyte here Thys ymage after the deth of thys phylosopher stode styll a longe tyme many greate clerkes came thyder for to rede the superscripcyon that was on y e fynger but none of them vnderstode what it mente wherfore there was greate wondrynge amonge the people And at the last a longe tyme after there came a strauÌ„ge clerke out of ferre couÌ„trees whan he sawe thys ymage he redde y e scripture Smyte here And than vpon a daye whan he sawe the shadowe of the hande he toke a mattocke brake vp y e grounde vnder the hande where the shadowe was accordyng to the vnderstandyng of the superscripcyon anone he founde an house al of marble vndernethe the grouode wherin he entred came in to a hall where he founde so moche rychesse so many yewelles and so great meruayles that he neuer sawe ne herde of suche nor so many before that tyme. At y e last he sawe a borde couered and all maner of thynges necessary therto set ther vpon He be helde farther and sawe a carbuncle in a wall that lyghtened all y e hous And anenst thys carbuncle on that other syde stode a man holdynge in hys hande a bowe wyth an arowe redy to shote The clerke merualled moche whan be sawe all these thynges and thought in hymself yf that I tâ—ll thys forth there wyll no man byleue me therfore I wyll haue somwhat of these goodes in token of profe And wyth that he sawe a knyfe of golde vpon y e borde whyche he toke wolde haue put it in his bosome But anone the archer smote the carbuncle and brake it wherwyth all the hole hous was shadowed made darke And whan y e clerke perceyued it he wept more bytterly than ony man myght thynke for he wyst not by what way he myght go out for as moche as the hous was made darke thrugh the brekynge of the carbuncle And that darknesse abode styll for euermore after And so fynisshed the clerke his lyfe there in that darknesse ¶ Dere frendes thys ymage so standyng is the deuyll whyche sayth euermore Smyte here That is to saye take hede to erthly rycheâ—se not to heuenly treasour Thys clerke that smote with the mattocke betokeneth the wyse men of thys worlde as pleders of y e lawe atturneys and other wordly men that euer be smytyng what by ryght what by wronge so y t they may gete the vanytees of thys worlde in theyr smytynge they fynde great wonders meruayles that is to say they fynde therin the delytes of the worlde wherin many men reioyseth The carbuncle that gyueth lyght is the youth of man whyche gyueth hardynes to take theyr pleasure in worldly rychesse The archer w t hys arowe is deth whyche layeth watche anenst man to slee hym The clerke that toke vp y e knyfe is euery wordly man that weneth euer to haue all thynge at hys wyll Deth
these that he choseth he shall optayn Therfore sayth Sampson Ante homineÌ„ mors et vita Deth and lyfe is set before man chose whyche hym lyst And yet man is vncerteyn whether he be worthy to chose lyfe vefore deth By the fyrst vessell of golde full of deed mennes bones we shall vnderstande worldly men as myghty men ryche whyche outwarde shyneth as golde in rychesse pompes of thys worlde Neuerthelesse wythin they be full of deed mennes bones that is to saye the werkes y t they haue wrought in thys worlde ben deed in y e syght of god thrugh deedly synne Thefore yf ony man chose suche lyfe he shall haue y t he deserueth that is to saye hell And suche men be lyke toumbes that be whyte royally paynted arayed wythout couered wyth cloth of golde sylke but wtin there is nothynge but drye bones By y e seconde vessel of syluer we ought to vnderstaÌ„de the Iustyces wyse men of thys worlde whyche shyne in fayre speche but wythin they be full of wormes and erth that is to saye theyr fayre speche shall auayle them no more at y e day of dome than wormes or erth and perauenture lesse for than shall they suffre euerlastynge payne yf they dye in deedly synne By the thyrde vessell of lede full of golde and pecyous stones we ought to vnderstande a symple lyfe a poore whych the chosen men chose that they may be wedded to our blessed lorde Iesu Chryst by humilite and obeysaunce suche men beare wyth them precyous stones that is to saye merytoryous werkes pleasynge to god by the whyche at y e daye of dome they be wedded to our lorde Iesu Chryst optayne y e herytage of heuen vnto the whyche brynge vs he y t dyed on y e rode tree Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty Emperour named Calopodu whyche wedded a fayre lady to hys wyfe they were not longe togyder but that thys Empresse coÌ„ceyued and bare hym a sone a goodly chylde and a fayre whan he was of age he was set to scole And whaÌ„ he came to .xx. yere of age he desyred hys fathers herytage sayinge Dere father ye are an olde man may not gouerne your Empyre therfore yf it please you to gyue it me it shal be to your profyte Than answered the Emperour and sayd Dere sone I drede me sore that whan the Empyre is in thy power thou wylte not fulfyll my wyll ne my desyre Than answered the empresse for so moche as she loued her sone better than her husbande and sayd My lord quod she that may not be for thou hast but one sone therfore as I byleue he wyll fulfyll thyne entent in all thynge and thys Empyre may helpe hym well therfore it is best to graunte hym the Empyre Than answered the Emperour and sayd I wyll fyrst haue of hym a lettre obligatory that whan so euer he dothe ony thynge agaynst my wyll that than I shall depryue hym of the Empyre wythout ony withstandynge The sone grauÌ„ted to thys let make the obligacyon sealed it And whan this was done thys yonge Emperour waxed so proude that he dredde neyther god nor man dyd very moche harme But euer his father suffred it pacyently for he wold not be corrected by no man Tyll at the last there fell a great derthe in that Empyre so that many men dyed for deâ—aute Thys olde Emperoure was by hymselfe began to haue nede wherfore he wente to his sone for to haue some sustenaunce whych his sone grauÌ„ted suffred for a whyle But wythin shorte tyme hys father began to ware syeke wherfore he called his sone and prayed hym to gyue hym a draught of muste Hys sone answered sayd That wyll I not do for my muste is not good for thy complecâ—yon Than sayd the Emperour I praye the sone gyue me a draught of thy wyne His sone answered and sayd that he sholde haue none for my wyne is not yet fyned yf I touche it it wyll trouble and therfore I wyll â—â—t broâ—he it tyll it be clere fyned Than sayd hys father Gyue me some of thy seconde tonne That wyl I not be quod â—e for that wyne is passynge myghty stronge suche wyne is not good for a sycke man ThaÌ„ hys father prayed hym hertely for a draught of the fourth tonne Than answered he sayd therof gete ye none for it is feble wtout ony sustentacyoÌ„ suche wyne is not good for you for it is not confortable Than sayd hys father new good sone gyue me than of the fyfth tonne That wyll I not quod he for that tonne is full of lyes dregges suche is not for men nor vnnethes for hogges Whan hys father sawe he myght gete nothyng of hym after was as hole as euer he was than wente he to the kynge of Iherusalem end made hys complaynt of his sone and shâ—wed hym the lettre obligatory whyche his sone had maâ—â— wherfore hys father myght put hym out of the Empyre wythout ony wythsayinge Whan the kynge herde thys he called y e Emperours sone to answere his father And whan he came he coude not answere to his father wyth no reason wherfore the kyng put hym froÌ„ hys Empyre and seasoned hys father therin agayne so he contynued all the dayes of hys lyfe ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst accordyng to the psalmiâ—t saying He is thy father that hath the in possessyon made the of nought The loâ—e betokeyeth man to whome he gaue all the Empyre of thys worlde accordynge to thys scripture Celum celi dnÌ„o c. That is to say Heuen he hath gyuen our lorde and erth to man Mankynde made an obligacyoÌ„ vnto our lorde Iesu Chryst whan he receyued hys chrystendome at y e font stone where he behyght hym surety to serue hym truly to forsake y e deuyll all his pompes and vaynglory This Emperour began to waxe sycke on a daye that is to say our lorde Iesu Chryst is troubled as ofteÌ„tymes as a chrysteÌ„ man synneth breketh hys coÌ„maundementes wherfore he thursteth greatly the helpe of our soule than he asket a draught of the fyrst tonne that is to say he asketh of man the fyrh age of hys chyldhode to be spente in his seruyce But a none the wycked man answereth sayth I may not do so formy chyldhode is muste that is to say it is so tendre and so yonge that it may not attempte so soone to serue god whyche is openly false for the chylde of a daye is not without synne For saynt Gregory sayth in his dialogues that chyldren of .v. yeres of age put out fendes froÌ„ the bosomes of theyr fathers And whan god seeth that he may not haue of y e muste of his chyldhode than desyreth he the wyne of y e seconde tonne Than answereth the wycked man sayth that hys wyne is not yet
couÌ„seyle I praye the that faythfull frendshyp may coÌ„tynue bytwene vs and in token of loue that thou wylt drynke my blode I shall drynke thyne that none of vs departe ne fayle other in this iourney The folysshe knyght sayd it pleaseth me ryght well all that ye say wherfore they were bothe letten blode and eueryche of them dranke others blode Whan thys was done they wente forth togyder on theyr iourney and whan they had gone thre dayes iourneys towarde the cyte where y e treasour was they came to a place where was two wayes one was sharpe stony full of thornes that other way was playne and fayre and full of swetnes delytes Than sayd the wyse knyght to hys felowe Dere frende here be two wayes one sharpe and thorny neuerthelesse yf we go thys waye we shall coÌ„me to thys cite that is so ryche there shall we haue that we desyre Than sayd thys folysshe knyght to hys felowe I wonder greatly of you that ye speke suche thynges for I wyll rather byleue myne eyen than your wordes I se here openly so do ye that here is an harde waye full of thornes as I haue herd say there be thre champyons armed in thys waye redy to â—yght agaynst all men that go that waye towarde the cite of y e eest therfore I wyll not go that waye but here is as ye may se an other waye playne and easy to walke in and in thys waye there ben thre knightes redy to serue vs gyue vs al maner thynges necessary to vs and therfore by this waye wyll I go not by that other waye Than sayde the wyse knyght certaynly yf we go by that way we shall be ledde in to the cyte of the north wherin there is no mercy but perpetuall payne sorowe and there shall we be taken bounde and cast in pryson Certaynly sayd the folysshe knyght thys waye is y e redy waye as I byleue it is more profytable than y e other waye Than wente they bothe forth y e fayre waye anone thre knyghtes mette wyth them whyche receyued them reuerently as for a nyght gaue them all maner of thynge that was necessary to them And on y e morowe they toke theyr iourney forth to warde y e cyte And whan they were wythin the cyte anone the Emperours offycers mette w t them sayd Dere frendes why coÌ„me ye hyther in so moche that ye knowe y e lawe of this cite so cruell of longe time here before sothly ye shall be serued now after y e lawe Anone they toke the wyse knyght and bouÌ„de hym and put hym in pryson â–ª and after that they toke the folysshe knyght bounde hym fast and kest hym in to a dyche Soone after it befell that the Iustyce came to the cyte to gyue iudgement on them that had trespaced y e lawe and anone all the prysoners were brought forth before the Iustyce amonge whome these two knyghtes were brought forth one from pryson and that other froÌ„ the dyche Than sayd the wyse knyght to the Iustyce Reuerende lorde I complayne of my felowe that is gylty of my deth for whan we two came to the two wayes wherof that one ledde to y e cyte in the eest that other to thys cyte I tolde hym all the peryll of this cite the rewarde of that other cyte he wolde not byleue me sayd to me in thys wyse I byleue myne owne eyen better than thy wordes and bycause he was my felowe I wolde not let hym go alone in thys waye thus came I wyth hym wherfore he is cause of my deth Than sayd the folysshe knyght I complayne that he is the cause of my deth â–ª for it is not vnknowen to you all that I am a foole he a wyse man therfore he sholde not so lyghtly haue folowed my foly for yf he had forsaken thys waye I wolde haue folowed hym therfore he is cause of my deth Than sayd the Iustyce to y e wyse knyght bycause that thou wyth all thy wysdome and great vnderstandyng so lyghtly coÌ„sented folowed the wyll of the foole his folysâ—he werkes thou foole bycause thou woldest not do after the counseyle ne fulfyll the holsome wordes of thys wyse man byleue hym I gyue iudgement that ye be bothe hanged for your trespace And so it was done wherfore al men praysed greatly the Iustyce for hys dyscrete iudgement ¶ Dere frendes thys emperour is almyghty god in the eest is y e cyte of heuen wherin is treasour infynyte And vnto this cyte is an harde waye full of thornes that is to say the waye of penauÌ„ce by y e whyche waye full fewe walketh for it is harde strayte accordynge to holy scrypture saying thus Est arta via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ It is a strayte way that ledeth to euerlastyng lyfe In thys waye ben thre armed knyghtes that is to saye the deuyll the worlde the flesshe w t whome it behoueth vs to fyght to optayne the vyctory or we may coÌ„me to heuen The seconde cyte that is in y e north is hell And to thys accordeth scrypture sayinge thus Ab aquilone pondetur oeÌ„ maluÌ„ Out of the north coÌ„meth all euyll Certaynly to this cyte is y e waye playne brode walled aboute on euery syde wyth all maner delycates wherfore many men walke by thys waye The thre knyghtes y t gyueth to euery man goynge this waye what thynge them nedeth ben these Pryde of lyfe couetyse of eyen concupyscence of the flesshe in whyche thre the wretched man greatly delyteth at y e last they lede hym in to hell Thys wytty knyght betokeneth the soule the folysshe knyght betokeneth the flesshe the whyche is alway folysshe at all tymes redy to do euyl These two be felowes knytte in one for eueryche of them drynketh others blode that is to say they shall drynke of one cup eyther ioye or payne shall they haue after the day of dome The soule chosech the waye of penauÌ„ce in as moche as she may she sâ—ereth the flesshe to do y e same But the flesshe thynketh neuer what shall coÌ„me after therfore she goth in the delyte of this worlde fleeth the delyte of penauÌ„ce And thus the soule after the deth is cast in to hell the flesshe is cast in to the dyche that is to saye in to the graue But than the Iustyce coÌ„meth that is our lorde Iesu chryst at the day of dome to deme al mankynde ThaÌ„ y e soule shal complayne vpon the flesshe the flesshe vpon the soule But whan y e Iustyce that wyll not be deceyued neyther by prayer ne by pryce shall condempne y e soule bycause she folowed y e fraylte of y e flesshe also he shal condempne the flesshe bycause it wolde not byleue the soule wherfore let vs study to tame our flesshe that
in the forneys wyth the stones and thys nyght coÌ„mauÌ„de ye thys Fulgentius that he go erly in the mornynge to your werkmen and that he aske them whether they haue fulfylled your wyll or not and than shall they accordynge to your coÌ„maundement cast hym in the fyre and thus shall he dye an euyll deth Sothly quod the Emperour thy counseyle is good therfore call to me that rybaude Fulgentyus And whan thys yonge man was coÌ„me to the Emperour he sayde to hym thus I charge y e vpon payne of deth that thou ryse erly in the mornynge and go to the brenners of lyme and brycke and that thou be wyth them before y e sonne ryse thre myles from this house and charge them on my behalfe that they fulfyll my commauÌ„dement or else they shall dye a shamefull deth Than sayd thys FulgeÌ„tius My lorde yf god â—ende me my lyfe I shall fulfyll your wyll though I sholde go to the worldes ende Whan Fulgentyus had thys charge he coude not slepe for thought but that he must aryse erly for to fulfyll hys lordes coÌ„maundement The Emperoure aboute mydnyght sente a messenger on horsbacke vnto his brycke makers coÌ„maundyng them vpon payne of deth that who so euer came to them fyrst in the mornynge sayinge vnto them the Emperours commaundement whych is before rehersed that they sholde take hym cast hym in to the fyre and brenne hym to the bare bones The bryckmakers answered sayd it sholde be done And than the messenger rode home agayne and tolde the Emperoure that hys coÌ„mauÌ„dement sholde be fulfylled Erly in the mornynge folowynge Fulgentyus arose and arayed hym towardes hys waye and as he wente he herde a bell rynge to masse wherfore he went to that chyrche for to heare masse and after the eleuacyon of the blessed sacrament he fell a slepe there he slepte a longe whyle so that the preest ne none other myght awake hym The stewarde desyryng inwardly to heare of hys deth and how he dyd aboute one of the clocke he wente vnto the workmen and sayd to them thus Syrs quod he haue ye done the Emperours coÌ„maundement or not They answered hym agayn and sayde Nay sothly we haue not yet done hys commaundement but anone it shall be done And wyth that they set handes on hym Than cryed the stewarde wyth an hygh voyce sayde Good syrs saue my lyfe for the Emperour commaunded that Fulgentyus sholde be put to deth Than sayd they the messenger tolde not vs so but he bade vs tha who so euer came fyrst to vs in the mornynge saying as is before rehersed that we sholde take hym and cast hym in to the farneys and brenne hym to asshes And wyth that worde they threwe hym in to the fyre And whan he was brente Fulgentyus came to them and sayd Good syrs haue ye done my lordes commaundement Ye sothly sayde they and therfore go ye agayn to the Emperour and tell hym so Than sayd Fulgentius For Chrystes loue tell me that commaundement We had in commaundement sayd they vpon payne of deth that who so euer came to vs fyrst in the mornyng and sayd lyke as thou hast sayde that we sholde take hym and cast hym in to the forneys But afore the came the the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Delphinus whych had no chyldren saue onely a doughter whyche was a fayre creature and greatly beloued of her father As thys Emperour walked vpon a daye on huntynge in the forest sodeynly he rode forth out of hys waye and lost his men wherfore he was greatly disconforted â—or he wyst not whether he rode ne in what place he was tyll at the last whan he had rydden thus al the daye alone in the euenynge he sawe a house and thyder he rode a great pace and knocked at the gate Anone the good man of the house herde hym and asked the cause of hys knockyng and what he wolde haue Dere frende quod the Emperoure lo it is nyght as ye may se therfore I desyre you of lodgynge for the loue of god Whan he had thus sayde the good man of the house vnware that he was the Emperoure answered thus and sayde Good frende quod he I am the Emperours foster and haue plente of venyson and other vyteylles for you Whan the Emperoure herde thys he was ryght glad in hys mynde neuerthelesse he tolde hym not that he was the Emperoure And than the foster opened the gate and receyued hym as worshypfully as he coude set hym to hys supper and serued hym honestly And whan he had supped the foster brought hym to hys chambre and whan tyme was he wente to bedde In the same nyght it befell that the fosters wyfe was trauaylynge of chylde in an other chambre fast by and was delyuered that same nyght of a fayre sone And as the Emperour laye in hys bedde slepynge hym semed he herde a voyce saying to hym thryes these wordes Take take take And wyth that he awoke and meruayled greatly what it myght be sayinge to hymselfe thus A voyce byddeâ—h me take take take what shall I take And anone he fell a slepe agayne and the seconde tyme he herde a voyce sayinge vnto hym these wordes Yelde yelde yelde And wyth that he wakened agayne and wondred greatly sayinge vnto hymselfe What may thys sygnyfye Fyrst I herde a voyce that sayde take take take and nothynge I receyued And ryght now I herde another voyce that sayde yelde yelde yelde what sholde I yelde And as he laye thus thynkynge in hym selfe he fell a slepe agayne And than he herde the thyrde voyce sayinge these wordes thryes Flee flee flee for this nyght is a cyylde borne that after thy decese shall be Emperour Whan the Emperoure herde thys he wakened and wondred greatly what it myght be In the mornynge erly folowynge the Emperoure arose and called to hym the foster sayd Dere frende I praye the that thou wylte tell me yf ony chylde be borne thys nyght to thy knowlege My wyfe quod the foster thys nyght is delyuered of a fayre sone I praye the sayd the Emperoure shewe me thy sone Whan the Emperoure had seen the chylde he sawe a token in the chyldes visage wherby he myght knowe hym an other tyme and than he sayde to the foster thus Dere frende knowest thou who I am Nay sothly quod the foster for I sawe you neuer before thys tyme as farre as I am remembred neuerthelesse it semeth that ye sholde be a gentylman Than answered the Emperoure and sayd I am quod he the Emperour your lorde whome ye haue lodged thys nyght wherfore ryght hertely I thanke you This hearynge the foster fell downe vpon bothe hys knees at his fete and besought hym of mercy yf that he had offended hys hyghnes in ony thynge prayinge hym of forgyuenes Than answered y e Emperour sayde Drede the not for I thanke the hertely of
wythout wtin full of deed mennes bones and thervpon was wryten thys posey Who so choseth me shall fynde that he deserueth The seconde vessell was made of fyne syluer fylled wyth erth wormds and y e superscripcyon was thus Who so choseth me shall fynde that hys nature desyreth The thyrde vessel was made of lede full wythin of precyous stones and thervpon was wryten thys posey Who so choseth me shall fynde that god hath disposed for hym These thre vessels the Emperour shewed to the mayden and sayd Lo here doughter these be noble vessels yf thou cose one of these wherin is profyte to the to other than shalte thou haue my sone And yf thou chose that wherin is no profyte to the nor to none other sothly thou shalt not wedde hym Whan the mayden sawe thys she lyfte vp her handes to god sayd Thou lorde whych knowest all thynges graunte me grace thys houre so to chose that I may receyue the Emperours sone And w t that she behelde the fyrst vessel of golde whyche was forged and grauen royally and redde thys scrypture Who so choseth me â–ª c. sayinge thus Though thys vessel be full precyous and made of pure golde neuerthelesse I knowe not what is wythin therfore my dere lorde this vessell wyll I not chose And than behelde she the seconde vessell that was of clere syluer redde the superscrypcyon who so choseth me shall fynde that hys nature desyreth Thynkynge thus wythin her selfe yf I chose thys vessell what is wythin I knowe not but well I wote there shall I fynde that nature desyreth and my nature desyreth the lust of the flesshe and therfore thys vessell wyll I not chose Whan she had seen those two vessels gyuen an answere as touchynge to them she behelde the thyrde vessell of lede redde the suê‘scripcyon who so choseth me shall fynde that god hath disposed Thynkyng within her selfe thys vessell is not passyng ryche ne precyous without forth neuertheless y e suê‘scrypcyon sayth who so choseth me shall fynde y e god hath dysposed without doubte god neuer disposed ony harme therfore as now I wyll chose this vessell WhaÌ„ the Emperour sawe thys he sayd O good mayden open thy vessell for it is ful of precyous stones and se yf y t hast well chosen or no. And whaÌ„ thys yonge lady had opened it she fouÌ„de it full of golde precyous stones lyke as the Emperour had tolde her afore And than sayd the emperour O my dere doughter bycause thou hast wysely chosen therfore shalt thou wedde my sone And whan he had so sayd he ordeyned amaryage and wedded them worthyly togyder wyth moche ioye and honour so contynued to theyr lynes ende ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth the father oâ— heuen the whyche was longe tyme wythout a 〈…〉 wherfore many men were perysshed and wente to hâ—â—l The Empresse conceyued whan the aungell Gabryelâ— sayd Lo thou shalte conceyue beare a chylde And than the fyrmameÌ„t began to clere whan this lytell chylde lyghtned y e worlde wyth his byrth The mone than began to wexe pale whan the face of y e vyrgyn Mary was ouer shadowed by vertue of the grace of the holy goost not onely her face was thus shadowed but also her body for she was great w t chylde an other woman wherfore Ioseph wold haue forsaken her pryuely and gone away The lyttell byrde that came from the one syde of the mone betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst whych at mydnyght was borne of our lady wrapped in clothes and layde in an oxe stall The two beestes betokeneth y e ore the asse that Ioseph brought wyth hym â–ª whyche honoured hym in hys byrthe These other beestes that came from farre betokeneth the herdes in the felde to whome the auÌ„gell sayd thus Ecce nuncio vobis gandiuÌ„ magnuÌ„ Lo I shewe to you great ioye The byrdes that songe so swetely betokeneth the aungels of heuen whyche songe at his byrth thys mery songe Gloria in excelsis Ioye to god aboue and peace to men in erth The kynge of Ampluy whyche helde warre agaynst y e Emperour betokeneth al mankynde that was contrary to god as longe as he was in the deuyls power But anone whaÌ„ our lord Iesu Chryst was borne he bowed hymselfe to god besought hym of peace whan he receyued hys baptym for at our baptysyng we behote â—o drawe onely to god forsakr y e deuyl all his pompes This kynge gaue hys doughter in maryage to y e Emperours sone Ryght so eche of vs ought to gyue hys soule in maryage to goddes sone for he is euer redy to receyue our soule to his spoule accordynge to scripture saying â—â—sponsabo ipsam mihi I shall spouse her to me But or the soule may coÌ„me to y e palays of heuen her behoueth to sayle by y e see of this worlde in y e shyppe of good lyfe but oftentymes there aryseth a tempest in the see that is to saye the trouble of thys worlde the temptacyon of the flesshe the suggestyon of the deuyl aryseth sodaynly drowneth the vertues that y e soule receyueth at the font stone neuerthelesse yet falleth she not out of y e shyppe of charite but kepeth her selfe surely therin by fayth hope For as y e apostle sayth Spe salui facti sumê° By hope we be saued For it is impossyble to be saued wout hope or fayth The great whale that folowed the mayden betokeneth y e deuyll whyche by nyght and by daye lyeth in a wayte to ouercoÌ„me the soule by synne therfore do we as dyd y e mayden smyte we fyre of charite loue out of the stone that is Chryst accordyng to hys saying Ego suÌ„ lapis I am a stone And certaynly the deuyll shall haue no power to greue vs. Many men begyn well as dyd y e mayde but at the last they be wery of theyr good werkes so slepe they in synne And anone whan the deuyll perceyueth thys he deuoureth the synner in euyll thoughtes delytes consent weâ—ke Therfore yf ony of vs fele our selfe in suche lyfe vnder the power of the deuyll let hym do as the mayde dyd smyte the deuyll wyth the knyfe of bytter penauÌ„ce than kyndell the fyre of charite without doubte he shal cast the on y e londe of good lyfe The erle that came with hys seruauntes to slee the whale betokeneth a discrete confessour whych dwelleth besyde the see that is to say besyde the worlde not in y e worlde that is to saye not drawynge to worldly delectacyons but euer is redy wyth good wordes of holy scripture to slee the denyl and destroye his power we must all crye wyth an hye voyce as dyd thys mayden knowlegynge our synnes than shall we be delyuered from y e deuyll and nourysshed wyth good werkes The Emperoure sheweth thys mayden thre vessels that is to saye god putteth before man lyfe deth good euyll whyche of