forsaken all thynge for me all that is to saye ye that haue forsaken the wyll of synne shall receyue an hoÌ„dred tymes more that is to saye ye shall not onely receyue the tree of paradyse but also the heritage of heuen These two other sones ben bastardes for why that they behote in theyr baptym they wrought all the contrary thrugh theyr wycked lyuynge And therfore he that desyreth to optayne the ioyes of heuen hym behoueth to abyde stedfastly in werkynge of good werkes and than by reason may he optayne the tree of paradyse vnto the whyche that lorde brynge vs whyche lyueth regneth eternally worlde wythouten ende Amen IN Rome there dwelled somtyme a noble Emperour named DyoclesiaÌ„ whych aboue all worldly goodes loued the vertue of charyte wherfore he desyred greatly to knowe what fowle loued her byrdes best to the entent that he myght therby growe to more perfyte charyte It fortuned after vpon a daye that thys Emperour walked to the forest to take hys dysporte where as he fouÌ„de the nest of a great byrde that is called in latyn strutio wyth her byrde the whyche byrde themperour toke wyth hym closed hym in a vessell of glasse The mother of thys lyttell byrde folowed after vnto y e Emperours place and entred into the hall where her byrde was closed But whan she sawe her byrde and myght by no meanes coÌ„me to her ne gete her out she returned agayn to y e forest there she abode thre dayes and at y e last she returned agayne to y e palays bearyng in her mouth a worme that is called thumare Whan she came where her byrde was she let the worme fall vpon y e glasse thrugh vertue of whyche worme y e glasse brake the byrde escaped sâ—ewe forth w t hys mother Whan themperour sawe thys he praysed moche y e mother of thys byrde whyche so dylygently laboured for the delyueraunce of her byrde ¶ My frendes thys Emperour is the father of heueÌ„ whyche greatly loueth them that ben in perfyte loue charite Thys lytel byrde closed in the glasse takeÌ„ fro the forest was Adam our forefather whyche was exiled fro paradyse and put in the glasse that is to say in hell Thys hearyng the mother of the byrde that is to wyte the sone of god descended fro heuen came to the forest of the worlde and lyued here thre dayes more bearyng wyth hym a worme that is to say manhode accordyng w t the psalmyst sayinge Ego sum vermis etnoÌ„ homo That is to saye I am a worme no man Thys manhode was suffred to be slayne amonge the iewes of whose blode y e vessel eternall was brokeÌ„ and the byrde went out that is to saye â–ª Adam wente forth wyth hys mother the sone of god flewe vnto heuen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a worthy emperour and a wyse whyche had a fayre doughter and a gracyous in the syght of euery man Thys Emperour bethought hym on a daye to whome he myght gyue his doughter in maryage saying thus Yf I gyue my doughter to a ryche man he be a foole than is she lost and yf I gyue her to a poore man a wytty than may he gete hys lyuynge for hym and her by his wysdome There was that tyme dwellynge in the cite of Rome a phylosopher named Socrates poore wyse whyche came to themperour sayd My lord displease you not though I put forth my petycyon before your hyghnes Themperour sayd what so euer pleaseth the tell forth Than sayde Socrates My lorde ye haue a doughter whome I desyre aboue al thyng Themperour answered sayd My frende I shall gyue the my doughter to wyfe vpon thys condicyon that yf she dye in thy felawshyp after that she be wedded to the thou shalte wythouten doutelese thy heed Than sayd Socrates UpoÌ„ thys condicyon I wyll gladly take her to be my wyfe Themperour hearyng thys let call forth all y e lordes states of his Empyre and made a greate feest at theyr weddynge And after y e feest Socrates ledde home his wyfe to hys owne house where as they lyued in peace and helth longe tyme. But at the last thys Emperours doughter syckned to deth Whan Socrates perceyued thys he sayde to hym selfe Alas and woo to me what shall I doo and whether shall I flee yf themperours doughter that is my wyfe sholde dye for sorowe this Socrates wente to a forest there besyde wepte bytterly The whyle he thus wepte mourned there came an aged man bearyng a staffe in hys hande asked y e cause of Socrates why he mourned Socrates answered and sayde I wedded themperours doughter vpon thys coÌ„dycyon y t yf she dyed in my felowshyp I sholde lese my lyfe now she is syckened vnto the deth I can fynde no remedy nor helpe therfore I mourne more than any creature can thynke Than sayde the olde maÌ„ be ye coÌ„forted for I shall be your helper yf ye wyll do after my counseyle In this forest be thre herbes yf ye make a drynke of the fyrst to your wyfe of the other two a plaester yf she vse thys medicynall drynke and plaester in due tyme wythout doubte she shall recouer to perfyte helth Socrates fulfylled al as the old man had taught hym And whaÌ„ hys wyfe had vsed a whyle that medicynall drynke pleaster wythin shorte tyme she was perfytly hole of al her sycknes And whan the Emperoure herde that Socrates wrought so wysely and how dylygently he laboured for to heale his wyfe he promoted hym to great dyngnyte and worshyp ¶ Dere freÌ„des this Emperour is our lord Iesu chryst hys doughter so fayre so gracyous is the soule made at the similitude of god whych is full gracyous gloryous in the syght of hym of hys auÌ„gels whyle that she is not defouled abydeth in her owne propre clennesse Thys soule god wolde not gyue it to a ryche man but to a poore man that is to say a man that is made of the slyme of the erth Thys Socrates is a poore maÌ„ for why euery man coÌ„meth poore and naked in to this worlde from hys mothers bely euery maÌ„ taketh hys soule in wedlocke vpon suche coÌ„dicyon that yf she dye in hys felawshyp by deedly synne wythout doubte he shal lese eternal lyfe Therfore o thou man yf thy wyfe sycken so thrugh deedly sinne do thaÌ„ as Socrates dyd go vnto the forest that is holy chyrche and thou shalte fynde there an olde man with a staâ—â—e that is a discrete coÌ„fessour whyche shall tell the of these thre herbes for he hath power to bynde to vnbynde The fyrst herbe is contricyon of whome thou sholdest make thy drynke of teares Ambrose sayth that teares wassheth awaye synne where shame is to knowlege it and these two other herbes ben confessyon and satysfaccyon yf these herbes be vsed in plaester the synner wythout doubte shall receyue his helth
smyteth the carbuncle that is to saye youth strength and power of man and than lyeth he wrapped in darknes of synne â–ª in whyche darknes oftentymes he dyeth Therfore study we to flee the worlde and hys desyres and than shall we be sure to wynne euerlastynge lyfe vnto the whyche Iesu brynge bothe you me Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure named Tytus a wyse man a dyscrete whyche ordeyned in his dayes suche a lawe that what knyght dyed in hys empyre sholde be buryed in hys armure who so euer presumed to spoyle any knyghtes armure after he were deed he shold dye wythout ony withstandyng or gaynsaying It befell after within fewe yeres that a cyte of y e empyre was besyeged of themperours ennemyes wherfore that cyte was in peryll of lesyng â–ª for nâ—ne that was wythin that cyte myght not defendâ— themselfe by no maner of crafte therfore great sorowe and lamentacyon was made thrugh out all y e cite But at the last win fewe days there came to the cite a yonge knyght and a fayre and doughty to do dedes of armes whome the worthy men of the cite beholdyng vnderstandyng his doughtynesâ—â— cryed w t one voyce O thou most noble knyght we beseche the yf it please thy worthynesse to helpe vs now at our most nede loo ye may so this cyte in is peryll of lesynge Than answered he sayd 〈◊〉 ye not syrs thâ—â— I haue none armure yf I had armure I wolde gladly defende your cyte Thys â—earynge a myghty man of the cyte sayd to hym in secrete wyse Syr here was somtyme doughty knyght whyche now is deed and buryed within this cite acâ—orâ—dynge to the lawe yf it please you to take his armure ye myght defende thys cite delyuer vs fro peryll and that shall be honour vnto you and profyte vnto all the empyre Whan thys yonge knyght had herde thys he wente to the graue toke y e armure arayed hym selfe therwyth fought myghtyly agaynst hys ennemyes and at the last he opteyned had the vyctory delyuered y e cite from peryll And whan he had so done he put the armure agayne in to the graue There were some men in the cite that had great indignacion and enuy at hym bycause he had opteyned the vyctory and accused hym to the iudge saying thus Syr a lawe was made by themperour y t who so euer despoyled a deed knyght of hys armure sholde dye thys yonge knyght founde a deed knyght toke away hys armure therfore we beseche y e that thou procede in the lawe agaynst hym as agaynst hym y t is breker of y e lawe Whan the Iustyce herde this he made y e knyght to be takeÌ„ to be brought a fore him And whaÌ„ he was examyned of this trespace agaynst the lawe he sayd thus Syr it is wryten in the lawe â–ª that of two harmes the leest is to be chosen it is not vnknowen to you that this cite was in peryll to be lost but I had taken thys armure I had neyther saued you ne the cyte therfore me thynketh ye ought rather to honour worshyp me for thys good dede that I haue done than thus shamefully to repreue me for I am ledde as he that is redy to be haÌ„ged and also good syrs an other reason I may laye for myne excuse He y t steleth or robbeth vyolently purposeth not to restore y e thynge that he robbeth but it is not thus wyth me for though I toke the armure of the deed knyght for your saluacyon whan I had opteyned the victory I bare it agayne to y e same place so the deed knyght hath that is hys by the lawe Than sayd the Iustyce a thefe that breketh a hous that he may stele bere away suche as he may fynde though he brynge agayn that he hath taken I aske of the yf that the brekyng of the hous be lawfull or not The knight answered somtyme the brekynge of an hous may be good where as it is made in feble place whych sholde cause the lorde of the hous to make hys wall stronger that the theues after y e breke not the walles so lyghtly in auoydyng of more harme Than sayd the Iustyce yf the brekyng of the hous be good neuerthelesse in that brekyng violence is done to the lorde of the hous And so though thou dydest good wyth the armure of y e deed knyght neuerthelesse thou dydest wronge to the deed knyght in takyng away hys armure The knyght sayd I haue tolde you how that of two harmes the leest is to be chosen and that harme where thrugh great goodnes coÌ„meth ought not to be called harme but it sholde rather be called good For yf that ony hous wythin the cite were on fyre began to brenne it were more better to throwe it to the grounde and thre or foure houses therby than they sholde be set on fyre also wherby all y e cyte myght be brente Ryght so yf the armure oft y e deed knyght had not ben taken the cyte and ye all had ben lost And whan the Iustyce herde y t he answered so well so reasonably he myght gyue no iudgemeÌ„t agaynst hym But the whyche had accused thys knyght slewe hym for whose deth there was great wepyng thrugh out all the cyte hys body was worshypfully buryed in a neeâ— tombe ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen and thys cite is y e worlde the whych is besyeged of the deuyll and deedly synne And as many as were within this cyte were al in peryl to be lost This yong knyght that came to the cyte is our lorde Iesu Chryst whyche had not the armure of our manhode tyll he went to the graue that is to saye to the wombe of y e gloryous vyrgyn Mary by the annuÌ„ciacyon of the aungell sayinge The holy goost shall lyght in the. c. Lo thou shalt conceyue bere a sone And thus in the wombe of the vyrgyn he toke the armure of y e deed knyght that is to say he toke the manhode of Adam ourfore father saued the cyte that is the worlde wyth maÌ„kynde from peryll by hys blessed passyon whych he suffred on the crosse than he put hys armure agayn in to y e graue whan his blessed body was buryed but y e cytezyns enuyed hym that is to saye the iewes of Iury accused hym to Pylate and layde the lawe agaynst hym saying Yf thou suffre hym thus thou arte not the Emperour Cesars frende we haue a lawe after y e lawe he ought to dye And thus our lorde Iesu Chryst of his ennemyes was coÌ„dempned to the deth of the crosse after ascended vp to heuen where our lorde Iesu brynge vs all Amen THere regned somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wysed named Betolde whych ordeyned a lawe that what woman were taken in anoutry her husbande beynge alyue she
rowers of y e see betokeneth all mankynde whych was taken wyth the deuyll by the synne of our fore father Adam and was cast in to the pryson of hell wyth great sorowe and payne His father wolde not rauÌ„some hym that is to saye the worlde wolde do nothynge for hym Thys fayre doughter betokeneth the godhede whych came downe from heuen and toke manhode of the vyrgyn Marye and so made a goostly maryage bytwene hym and man And vpon thys condicyon he delyuered mankynde out of thys pryson of hell whan he came fro heuen and forsoke the felawshyp of auÌ„gels for to dwell wyth vs in thys wretched valey of teares But the father that betokeneth y e worlde grutched euer agaynst hym and wolde not suffre that the soule of man sholde becoÌ„me the spouse of Iesu Chryst but that she sholde alway serue hym and forsake our lord Therfore yf we folowe the worlde hys vanytees sothly we shall fall in to the snare of the deuyll Fro the whyche defende vs our blessed sauyour Iesu Chryst. Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a noble Emperoure of great lyuelode named Alexander the whyche aboue all vertues loued y e vertue of largesse wherfore he ordeyned a lawe for great curiosite that no man vnder payne of deth sholde turne a playce in his dysshe at hys meate but onely eate the whyte syde and not the blacke and yf ony man wolde attempte to do the contrary he sholde dye wythout remedy but or he dyed he sholde aske thre bones of the emperour what hym lyst excepte hys lyfe whyche sholde be graunted hym It befell after on a daye that there came an erle his sone of a straunge countree to speke wyth the Emperoure And whan thys erle was set to meate he was serued wyth a playce and he whyche was hungry and had an appetyte to his meate â–ª after he had eaten y e whyte syde he turned the blacke syde began to eate therof wherfore anone he was accused to the Emperoure bycause he had offended agaynst the lawe Than sayd the Emperoure Let hym dye accordynge to the lawe wythout one delaye Whan the erles sone herde that hys father sholde dye anone he set hym downe on bothe his knees tofore the Emperour and sayd O my reuerende lorde for hys loue that henge vpon the crosse let me dye for my father Than sayd the Emperoure It pleaseth me well that one dye for the offence of the lawe Than sayd thys erles sone syth it is so that I shall dye I aske the benefytes of the lawe that is to saye that I may haue thre peticyons graunted or I dye The Emperour answered and sayde Aske what thou wylte there shall no man saye the nay Than sayd thys yonge knyght My lorde ye haue but one doughter the whyche I desyre of your hyghnes that she may lye wyth me a nyght or I dye The Emperour grauÌ„ted though it were agaynst his wyll in fulfyllynge of his lawe Neuerthelesse this knyght defouled her not as that nyght Therfore pleased he greatly the Emperour The seconde peticyon is thys I aske al thy treasour And anone the Emperour graunted bycause he shold not be called a breker of his owne lawe And whan thys erles sone had receyued y e emperours treasour he departed it bothe to poore and ryche wherfore he optayned theyr good wylles My thyrde peticyon is thys I aske my lorde that all y e eyen may be put out incontynent whyche sawe my father eatynge of the blacke playce Wherfore the Emperour let make an inquisicyon anone who it was that sawe the erle turne y e playce And they that sawe hym turne the playce bethought them and sayd wythin themselfe Yf we knowlege that we sawe hym do thys trespace than shall our eyen be put out and therfore it is better that he holde vs styll And so there was none founde that wold accuse hym Whan the erles sone sawe thys he sayd to the Emperour My lorde quod he ye se that there is no man accuseth my father therfore gyue ye ryghtfull iudgemeÌ„t Than sayd the Emperour For as moche that no man wyl knowlege that they sawe hym turne the playce therfore I wyll not y t thy father shall dye Lo thus the sone saued his fathers lyfe after the decese of the Emperour wedded hys doughter ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour betokeneth the father of heuen whyche ordeyned a lawe that no man sholde turne the blacke syde of the playce that is to say there sholde no man labour for rychesse or lordshyp by couetyse and falshede The erle that came to the Emperour betokeneth Adam our for father whyche came out of the lande of Damasse to the courte of paradyse and turned vp the blacke syde of the playce whan he ete of the apple wherfore he sholde haue ben dampned to euerlastynge deth But hys sone that betokeâ—eth our lorde Iesu Chryst. For he toke flesshe of Adam and profered hymselfe wylfully to dye for hym The father of heuen graunted that he sholde go downe to dye for mankynde Neuerthelesse or he dyed he asked thre peticyons of his father of heuen The fyrst was thys y t he myght haue by hym hys doughter whyche betokeneth the soule of man and brynge her wyth hym into the bosome of heuen accordyng to y e wordes of Osee saying Desponsabo eam michi That is to saye I shall wedde her to my wyfe The second peticyon was thys All the Emperours treasour whyche betokeneth the treasour of heuen accordynge to thys scrypture Sicut disposuit michi pater That is to saye Lyke as my father hath disposed for me so I dyspose for you The thyrde petycyon was thys that al theyr eyen shold be put out that is to saye that the deuyll whyche dayly accuseth man that he myght be put fro the lyght of heuenly grace And thus saued he mankynde and ledde hym vp wyth hym vnto the palays of heuen Unto the whyche palays brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Lemycyus whyche on a daye rode to a forest for to sporte hym where as he mette sodeynly wyth a poore man to whome he sayde thus Frende whens coÌ„mest thou who art thou My lord quod he I coÌ„me fro the nexte cyte and your man I am Than sayd the Emperoure thou semest poore therfore yf thou wylte be good and true I shall promote the to great rychesse and honour Than answered this poore man and sayd My lorde I promyse you faythfully to be true to you as longe as I lyue The Emperour anone made hym knyght and gaue hym greate rychesse Whan he was thus promoted he waxed so proude that he thought hymselfe more able to be an Emperour than hys lord wherfore he made suggestyon to dyuerse lordes of that Empyre that he myght vsurpe take vpoÌ„ hym thrugh strength of them to be Emperour Whan y e Emperour herde thys anone he exiled hym and al those that were coÌ„sentyng to hym
deth wyth all maner of turment thou shalte neuer haue me to consent to suche synne Whan he herde thys he vnclothed her all saue her smocke and henge her vp by the heare vpon a tree and â—yed her stede besyde her and so rode forth to hys felowes tolde them that great hoost of men meâ—te hym toke the Empresse away from hym And whan he had tolde them thys they made all greate sorowe It befell on the thyrde daye after there came an erle to hunte in that forest and as he rode beatyng the brakes there started a foxe whome hys houndes folowed fast tyll they came nere the tree where the Empresse henge And whan the dogges felte the sauour of her they left the foxe ranne towarde the tree as fast as they coude The erle seynge this wondred greatly and spurred his horse and folowed them tyll he came where as the Empresse henge Whan the erle sawe her thus hangynge he meruayled greatly for as moche as she was ryght fayre and gracyous to beholde wherfore he sayd vnto her in thys maner wyse O woman who art thou and of what countree and wherfore hangest thou here in thys maner wyse The Empresse that was not yet fully deed but in poynt redy to dye answered sayd I am quod she a straunge woman and I am comme out fro farre countree but how I came hyther god knoweth Than answered the erle and sayd Whose horse is thys that standeth here by the bouÌ„de to thys tree Than answered the lady â–ª and sayde that it was hers Whan the erle herde thys he knewe well that she was a gentylwoman and coÌ„me of some noble kynrede wherfore he was the rather moued wyth pyte and sayde vnto her O fayre lady thou semest of gentyll blode and therfore I purpose to delyuer the from thys myschefe yf thou wylte promyse to go wyth me and nourysshe my fayre yonge doughter and teche her at home in my castell for I haue no chylde but onely her yf y u kepe her well thou shalte haue a good rewarde for thy labour Than sayd she As farforth as I can or may I shall fulfyll thyne entent And whan she had thus promysed hym he toke her downe of the tree and ledde her home to his castell and gaue her the kepynge of hys doughter that he loued so moche and she was cherysshed so well that she laye euery nyght in the erles chambre his doughter wyth her in hys chambre euery nyght there brent a lampe the whyche henge bytwene y e Empresse bedde and y e erles bedde Thys lady bare her so gentylly that she was beloued of euery creature There was that tyme in the erles courte a stewarde whyche moche loued thys Empresse aboue al thynges and oftentymes spake to her of his loue But she answered hym agayne sayd Knowe ye dere frende for certayne that I haue made a solempne vowe that I shall neuer loue man in suche wyse but onely hym whome I am greatly beholden to loue by goddes coÌ„maundement Than sayd the stewarde Thou wylte not than consent vnto me My lorde quod she what nedeth the ony more to aske suche thynge the vowe that I haue made truly shall I kepe and holde by the grace of god And whan the stewarde herde thys he wente hys waye in greate wrathe and angre thynkynge wythin hymselfe yf I may I shall bewroken on the. It befell vpon a nyght wythin shorte tyme after that the erles chambre dore was forgoten and lefte vnshette whych the stewarde had anone perceyued And whan they were all a slepe he wente and espyed by the lyght of the lampe where the Empresse and the yonge mayden laye togyder and wyth that he drewe out his knyfe cutte the throte of y e erles doughter and put the blody knyfe in to the Empresse hande she beynge a slepe nothynge knowynge therof to the entent that whan the erle awaked he sholde se y e knyfe in her hande that he sholde thynke that she had cutte hys doughters throte wherfore she sholde be put to a shameful deth for his myscheuous dede And whaÌ„ this damoysell was thus slayne and the blody knyfe in the Empresse hande the countesse awaked out of her slepe and sawe by the lyght of the lampe the blody knyfe in the Empresse hande wherfore she was almoost out of her mynde and sayd to the erle O my lorde beholde in yonder ladyes hande a wonderfull thynge Anone the erle awaked and behelde on the Empresse bedde sawe the blody knyfe as the countesse had sayd wherfore he was greatly moued and cryed to her and sayd Awake woman of thy slepe what thynge is thys that I se in thy hande Anone y e Empresse thrugh hys crye awaked out of her slepe and in her wakyng the knyfe fell out of her hande and wyth that she loked by her founde the erles doughter deed by her syde and all the bedde full of blode wherfore wyth an huge voyce she cryed sayd Alas alas welaway my lordes doughter is slayne Than cryed the countesse vnto the erle wyth a pyteous voyce and sayd A my lorde let that deuyllysshe womaÌ„ be put to the moost foule deth that can be thought that thus hath slayne our onely chylde And whan the countesse had sayd thus to the erle she sayd to the Empresse in thys wyse The hygh god knoweth that thou mischeuous woman hast slayne my doughter w t thyne owne handes for I sawe the blody knyfe in thy hande and therfore thou shalt dye a foule deth Than sayd the erle in thys wyse O thou woman were it not that I drede god greatly I shold cleue thy body wyth my swerde in two partes for I delyuered the from hangynge now thou hast slayne my doughter neuertheles for me thou shalte haue no harme therfore go thy waye out of this ciâ—e without ony delay for yf I fynde the here this day thou shalte dye an euyll deth Than arose thys wofull Empresse and dyd on her clothes and after lepte on her palfray rode towarde the eest alone without ony safe conduyte And as she rode thus mournynge by y e waye she espyed on the lefte syde of y e waye a payre of galous and seuen sergeauntes ledyng a man to the galous for to be haÌ„ged wherfore she was moued wyth great pyte and smote her horse wyth the spurres and rode to them prayinge them that she myght bye that mysdoâ—r yf he myght be saued froÌ„ deth for ony mede Than sayd they Lady it pleaseth vs well that thou bye hym Anone the Empresse accorded wyth them payed hys raunsom than he was delyuered Thus sayde she to hym Now dere frende be true tyl thou dye syth I haue delyuered the from dethe On my soule quod he I promyse you euer to be true And whaÌ„ he had thus sayd â–ª he folowed the lady styll tyll they came nygh a cyte and than sayd the empresse to
sholde be cast in to ê‘petuall pryson There was that tyme a knyght that had a sayre lady to hys wyfe whyche dyd aâ—outry her husbande beynge alyue was wyth chylde therfore by y e 〈…〉 in pryson where wythin shorte tyme after she was delyuered of a fayre sone Thys chylde grewe vp tyll he was .vij. yere olde hys mother dayly wepte hertely And whan the chylde herde thys he sayd to hys mother O mother why wepe ye thus for what cause is your body thus turmented Than sayd hys mother O thou my swete sone I haue great cause to mourne and thou also for aboue our hedes is people walkyng y e sonne shyneth in clerenes great solace haue all men y t are aboue vs we be here contynually in suche darknes that I may not se the ne thou me alas that euer I conceyued the. Than sayd y e sone suche ioye ne suche lyght as ye speke of sawe I neuer for I was borne here in thys darknes therfore yf I had meate and drynke ynough here wolde I lyue all the dayes of my lyfe therfore mother wepe ye not but shewe me solace This lameÌ„tacyon that was bytwene the mother and the sone herde themperours stewarde that stode aboâ—â— theyr hedes wherof he had great compassioÌ„ wente vnto y e Emperour knelyng besought hym of hys grace that the mother and the sone myght be delyuered out of pryson The Emperour as a mercyfull lorde grauÌ„ted y t they sholde be delyuered Neuerthelesse yf they trespaced so in tyme to coÌ„me they shold be punysshed wyth double payne after that they were delyuered thys woman ended her lyfe in that cyte ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen that made thys lawe that what wedded woman that is to say what soule that is wedded to our lord doth auoutry that is to say deedly synne sholde be cast in y e pryson of hell therfore a synfull soule hath great cause to wepe for she is departed from lyght that is to saye from the ioyes of heuen Her sone that desyred meate drynke ben the myghty men of thys worlde that saye to the prelates of the chyrche to the prechers y t preche vnto them the ioyes of heuen that whyle we may lyue and haue all y e solace of y e worlde we desyre none other heuen The stewarde that herde theyr lamentacyon is our lorde Iesu that knoweth all the preuytees of our hertes contricyon of our synnes besought the father of heuen for vs that we myght be delyuered from the pryson of synne that we myght coÌ„me to euerlastyng lyfe to the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled an Emperoure named Pomper whyche aboue all other thynges was mercyful Thys Emperour let crye thrugh our al hys empyre a great feest and that poore ryche sholde coÌ„me to thys feest And who so euer came to that feest sholde not onely be well fedde but also he sholde haue great gyftes Whan the herawde had warned all maner of men to comme to thys feest at y e tyme there were two poore men lyenge by the waye that one was lame and that other was blynde Thys blynde man sayd to the lame man Alas and woo to me the how shall we do for themperour hath let crye a feest who so euer coÌ„meth there shall not onely be well fedde but also he shall haue greate gyftes and I am blynde thou art lame how shall we do What sayd the lame man to the blynde man I shall tell the good counseyle yf y e wylte do after me thou shalte let for nothynge I am lame feble may not go neuerthelesse I may se thou art blynde stronge mayst not se take thou me vpon thy backe bere me and I shall lede the the ryght waye thus shall we bothe come to themperours feest Than sayd the blynde after thy counseyle let vs do coÌ„me on my baâ—k and I shall bere the thou shalt lede me the ryght waye so they dyd that they came bothe to that feest and receyued greate rewardes gyftes amonge other men And thus ended theyr lyues in peace ¶ Dere â—rendes thys Emperour is our sauyour Iesu Chryst that let crye a generall feest that is to saye the ioyes of heuen vnto y e whiche ioyes he calleth all mankynde forsaketh iiâ— man that wyll coÌ„me vnto hym This lame man betokeneth the prelates of the chyrche prechers and confessours that haue nothynge of theyr owne but lyuen by techynge and almes of other men And thys blynde man betokeneth the laye men whych knowe not the ryght waye to heuen It behoueth that the blynde man that is to say the laye men to bere the lame man that is to saye the prelates of the chyrche susteynynge fedyng them wyth the tythyng of almes and other oblacyons than the prelates be beholden to teche to enforme vs the waye to heuen where as we shal not onely haue a feest but also great rewarde and ioye vnto the whyche god brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled an Emperoure named Follyculus the whyche was ryght wyse mercyfull ryghtfull in all hys werkes Thys Emperour buylded in the eest a noble cyte wherin he put all hys treasour precyous stones rychesse to be kepte Unto thys cyte the waye was stony full of brymbles and sharpe thornes thre knyghtes were armed redy to fyght wyth them that wolde coÌ„me to that cyte Therfore themperour ordeyned that who so euer ouercame these knyghtes sholde entre the cite take at his wyll of themperours treasour After that thys Emperour let make in the northwest a cite wherin he ordeyned all maner of payne turmentyng sorowe myschefe to y e whyche was a brode waye full delectable growynge full of roses fayre lyllyes and in that way were thre knyghtes euer waytynge yf ony man came towarde the cyte of the north to serue hym wyth al maner of delycates and thynges necessary And yf it fortuned ony man to entre wythin that cyte the custome was suche that the people sholde take bynde hym handes fâ—te and cast hym in pryson there to abyde the coÌ„mynge of the Iustyce Whan thys was cryed thrugh out all the empyre there were two knyghtes dwellynge in a cyte there besyde one hyght Ionatas and he was a wyse man that other hyght Pyrrius he was a foole neuerthelesse there was bytwene them great loue Thys Ionatas sayd to Pyrrius Dere frende there is a commune crye made thrugh all landes that themperoure hath made a cyte in the eest wherin he hath put all his treasour who so euer may entre that cyte shall take of the treasour what hym lyst therfore my couÌ„seyle is that we go to y e cyte Than sayd Pyrryus thy couÌ„seyle is good I desyre to fulfyll it The wyse knyght sayd yf it be so that thou wylte folowe my
of man whych beareth the fyre of glotony lechery y t whych brent Adam our fore father whan he ete of the forboden apple The venymous beâ—stes that poysoned the men betokeneth the fendes of hell â–ª whych for y e moost parte hath destroyed mankynde The states of the cite betoken patriarkes prophetes whyche besought god of good couÌ„â—eyle remedy that mankynde myght be 〈◊〉 anone it was couÌ„seyled for the best 〈◊〉 that a lyon y t is Chryst sholde be hanged vpon a crosse accordynge to scripture saying thus Expediâ— vnus moriâ—tur homo ê“ populo et nongens peroat c. That is to saye It behoueth a man to dye for the people leest all folkes be perysshed Than toke they Chryst henge hym on y e crosse for the whych the deuyll dredeth christen people and dare not nyâ—h them And thus by the grace of god chrysten men shall coÌ„me to euerlastyng blysse Unto y e whych brynge vs he that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure and a mercyfull named Menalay whych ordeyned suche a lawe that what mysdoer wâ—re taken put in pryson yf he myght escape coÌ„me to the emperours palays he shold be there safe for all maner felony treason or ony other trespace that he had done in hys lyfe It was not longe after but it befell y t a knyght trespaced wherfore he was takeÌ„ put in a stronge a darke pryson where he lay longe tyme had no lâ—ght but at a lyttell wyndowe where as skante lyght shone in that lyghtned hym to eate the symple meate y t was brought hym by hys keper wherfore he mourned greatly and made great sorowe that he was thus fast shette vp froÌ„ the syght of men Neuerthelesse whan the keper was gone there came dayly a nightyngale in at y t wyndowe sange full swetely of whose songe this woful knyght oft tyme was fedde with ioye whaÌ„ thys byrde seased of her songe than wold she flye in to y e knyghtes bosom and there thys knyght fedde her many a day of the vytayle that god sente hym It befell after on a day that this knight was greatly desolate of coÌ„forte Neuerthelesse the byrde sate in his bosom eatyng nuttes thus he sayd vnto the byrde O good byrde I haue susteyned the many a day what wylte thou gyue me now in my desolacyon to coÌ„forte me remembre the well that y e art the creature of god and I also therfore helpe me now in my great nede Whan the byrde herde this she flewe forth from hys bosom taryed from hym thre dayes But the thyrde day she came agayne brought in her mouth a precyous stode layde it in the knyghtes bosome And whan she had so done she toke her flyght flewe from hym agayne The knyght meruayled of y e stone of the byrde therwyth he toke the stone in his hande touched his gyues fetters therwith anone fell of all his fetters chaynes wherw t he was bouÌ„de And than he arose touched the dores of the pryson anone they opened so he escaped ranne fast to y e Emperours palays Whan the keper of y e pryson perceyued thys he blewe a horne thryse reysed vp al the folke of the cyte ledde them forth cryenge wyth an hye voyce Lothe thefe is gone folowe we hym al. And with that he ranne before all his felowes towarde the knyght whaÌ„ he came nygh hym y e knyght beâ—â— his bowe dyd shote an arowe wherw t he smote the keper in y e lunges and slewe hym than he ranne to y e palays where as he founde socour accordynge to the lawe ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst whyche ordeyned a lawe that what mysdoer that is to saye what synner myght escape coÌ„me to the palays of holy chyrche thrugh confessyon and coÌ„tricyon sholde fynde there ê‘petuall socour helpe Thys knyght betokeneth euery synner that is taken in deedly synne and iudged vnto the pryson of hell by y e lawe of god he is straytly bounde w t chaynes of synne wherfore he wepeth mourueth dayly for hys trespace The keper of thys pryson betokeneth the deuyll that kepeth suche a man harde bouÌ„de in synne serueth hym w t rychesse delytes of thys worlde that he sholde not escape from hym The byrde that syngeth so swetely betokeneth the voyce of heuen that sayth to the synner Reuertere reuertere sunamitis Turne agayne now turne agayne thou prysoner that is to say turne agayne thou synner and I shall receyue the â—o grace For whan mankynde was in limbo patruÌ„ whyche was a certayne pryson of hell before the coÌ„mynge of Chryst. Than came a byrde that is to saye the godhede bearyng wyth hym a stone that betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst accordynge to holy scrypture saying Ego suÌ„ lapis c. I am a stone The soule of Chryst desceÌ„ded w t the godhede brought wyth hym all mankynde out of the pryson of hell therfore yf ony of vs be in the pryson of deedly synne touche we our synnes wyth the stone that is to saye wyth the vertue of our lorde Iesu Chryst by confessyon contricyon than wtouten doubte the chaynes of our synnes wyth his stone shall be broken fall from vs y e dores of heuenly grace shall be opened and we shall optayne helpe socour in the palays of y e chyrche And yf the keper of y e pryson that is to saye the deuyll whyche is the blower of the horne of pryde lechery or couetyse stere vp ony synners than turne we agayne towarde hym manly shote at him y e arowe of penauÌ„ce withouten doubte he shall flee from vs. And thaÌ„ by y e grace of god we may optayne the palays of heuen Unto y e whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour a mercyful named Ebolydes It fortuned on a daye that thys Emperour walked vnto the forest where as he mette sodeynly wyth a poore man anone whan thys Emperour sawe hym he was greatly moued wyth mercy sayde Good frende whens art thou My souerayn lorde quod he I am yours borne in your lande now I am in great pouerte and nede And than sayd the Emperour yf I knewe that y e were true in euery thynge I sholde promote the to great ryches therfore tell me what is thy name My lord ê™ he I am called Lentyculus I behote you my trouth true seruyce yf I do other wyse I submyt me to you and to all maner of payne that ye can put me to Whan the Emperour herde thys he ê“moted hym anone vnto great rychesse anone after y t he made hym a knyght stewarde of hys lande And whan he was thus exalted to rychesse honour he waxed so proude y t he despysed them
syluer hath blynded the eyen of iudges hath ouerthrowen wyse men so that equite and ryghtwysâ—es myght not entre but stode aferre and turned theyr backes Thys lady also bought a man froÌ„ hangynge that is to saye from euerlastyng deth whyche he had deserued by deedly synne Therfore do we as dyd thys lady smyte we our horse that is to say our flesshe wyth the spurres of penaunce so ryde we â—orth in all haste to saue our neyghbour from the galous of deedly synne helpynge hym bothe bodyly and goostly as Salomon sayth Wo be to that man lyenge in deedly synne that hath no man to lyfte hym out therof Therfore awake thy neyghbour and helpe hym For a brother that is holpen of an other is lyke a sure cyte yf he gyue no more but a cuppe of colde water to hym in the waye of helpe he shall not lose hys rewarde But many now a days be full vnkynde as was thys thefe whyche falsly deceyued hys lady after y t she had saued hym froÌ„ hangyng The mayster of y e shyppe betokeneth y e worlde by whome many men be deceyued But neuerthelesse as ofte as a man taketh on hym wylfully the charge of pouerte obeyeth vnto the coÌ„maundementes of god and forsaketh the worlde than breketh the shyppe For it is impossyble to please god man and the worlde at ones Whan thys lady had escaped the tempest of the see she wente to a nonry that is to saye the soule after y e troubles of thys worlde wente to the holy lyfe than she healed all maner sycke folke that is to saye euery man that is troubled in hys soule that is to say infecte wyth dyuerse sycknesses that this lady healeth thrugh holy lyfe But the soule myght not be seen of Chryst her husbande tyll she had knowleged openly all her .v. wyttes how she had spent them But whan she had made a pure coÌ„fessyoÌ„ than y e Emperour our lord god her husbande knewe her toke her in his armes ledde her home to the palays of heuen Unto the whyche almyghty god brynge vs all Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Martyn whyche for loue kepte wyth hym hys brothers sone whome men called FulgeÌ„tyus Wyth thys Martyn dwelled also a knyght that was steward of hys Empyre and vncle vnto the Emperour whyche enuyed thys FulgeÌ„tius studyed day nyght how he myght brynge the Emperour thys chylde at debate wherfore the stewarde on a daye wente vnto the Emperour sayd My lorde quod he I that am your true seruauÌ„t owe of duty to warne your hyghnes yf I heare any thynge y t toucheth your honour wherfore I haue harde suche thynges that I must nedes vtter it in secrete vnto your lordshyp bytwene vs two Than sayde the Emperour Good frende quod he saye on what the lyst My moost dere lorde quod the stewarde Fulgentius your cosyn and your nye kynsman hath defamed you wonderfully and shamefully thrugh out all your Empyre sayinge that your breth stynketh and that it is deth to hym to serue you of your cup. Than the Emperour waxed wrothe and was almoost besyde hym selfe for anger and sayde to hym thus I praye the my good frende tell me the very trouth yf that my breth so stynketh as he sayth My lorde quod the stewarde ye may byleue me I neuer perceyued a swâ—ter breth in my dayes than yours is Than sayde the Emperoure I praye the good frende tell me how I may brynge thys thynge to a good profe The stewarde answered and sayd My lorde quod he ye shall ryght well vnderstande the trouth for to morowe nexte whan he serueth you of your cuppe ye shall se that he shall turne awaye hys face from you bycause of your brethe and thys is the moost veray profe that may be had of thys thynge Forsothe quod the Emperoure a truer profe can not be had of thys thynge Wherfore anone whan the stewarde herde thys he wente streyght to Fulgentius and toke hym asyde sayinge thus Dere frende thou art my kynsman and also nenewe vnto my lorde the Emperoure therfore yf thou wylte con me thanke I wyll tell the of the vyce wherof my lorde the Emperoure complayneth ofte and thynketh to put the from hym but yf it be the rather amended and that myght be a greate reprofe to the. Than sayd thys Fulgentius A good syr for hys loue that dyed vpon the crosse tell me why my lorde is so sore moued wyth me for I am redy to amedde my defaute in all that I can or may and for to be ruled by your good and dyscrete couÌ„seyle Thy breth quod the stewarde stynketh so sore that hys drynke dothe hym no good so greuous is vnto hym the stynkynge breth of thy mouth Than sayde Fulgentyus vnto the stewarde Truly that perceyued I neuer tyll now but what thynketh you of my brethe I praye you to tell me the very trouth Sothly quod the stewarde it stynketh greatly and foule And this Fulgentius byleued all that he sayde and was ryght sorowfull in hys mynde and prayed the stewarde of hys counseyle and helpe in thys wofull case Than sayd the stewarde vnto hym Yf that thou wylt do by my counseyle I shall brynge thys mate to a good conclusyon therfore do as I shal tell the. I counseyle the for y e best and also warne the that whan thou seruest my lorde the Emperoure of hys cuppe that than thou turne thy face away from hym so that he may not fele thy stynkynge brethe vnto the tyme that thou hast prouyded the of some remedy therfore Than was Fulgentyus ryght glad and sware to hym that he wolde do by hys couÌ„seyle Not longe after it befell that thys yonge man Fulgentyus â—erued hys lorde as he was wonte to do and therwyth sodeynly he turned his face froÌ„ hys lorde as the stewarde had taught hym And whan the Emperoure perceyued the auoydyng of hys heed he smote thys yonge Fulgentius on the brest wyth hys fote and sayd to hym thus O thou noughty rybawde now se I well it is true that I haue herde of the and therfore go thou anone out of my syght that I se the no more in thys place And wyth that thys yonge Fulgentyus wepte full sore and auoyded the place and wente out of hys syght And whan thys was so done the Emperour called vnto hym hys steward and sayd How may I put thys rybawde from the worlde that thus hath defamed me My moost dere lorde quod the stewarde ryght well ye shall haue your entent For here besyde wythyn these thre myle ye haue bryckmakers whyche dayly make greate fyres for to brenne brycke and also they make lyme therfore my lorde sende to them thys nyght and charge them vpon payne of deth that who so euer coÌ„meth to them fyrst on the morowe sayinge to them thus My lorde commaundeth you to fulfyll hys wyll that they take hym and cast hym
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
reason for it is not good to stryue go we there vnto hym eueryche of vs laye hys ryght before hym and lyke as he wyll iudge let vs stande to hys iudgement Than sayd hys bretherne this couÌ„seyle is good wherfore they wente all thre vnto the kyng of reason eueryche of them syngularly shewed sorth hys ryght vnto hym lyke as it is sayd before Whan y e kynge had â—erde theyr tytels he rehersed them all agayn â—yngularly fyrst sayenge to the eldest sone thus Thou sayst for the quod the kyng that thy father gaue the all that is vnder the erth aboue the erth of the sayd tree And to the seconde brother he bequethed all that is in brede length depnes of that tree And to the thyrde brother he gaue all that is wete drye And with that he layde the lawe for them and sayd that the last wyll ought to stande Now my dere sones breuely I shall satisfye all your reasons And whan he had thus sayde he turned hym vnto y e eldest brother sayinge thus My dere sone yf the lyst to abyde y e iudgement of ryght the behoueth to be letten blode of the ryght arme My lorde quod he your wyll shal be done Than called the kynge forth a dyscrete physycyon coÌ„mauÌ„dyng hym to let hym blode Whan the eldest sone was thus letten blode the kyng sayd to them all thre My dere sones quod he where is your father buryed Than answered they sayde Forsothe my lorde in suche a place Anone the kyng coÌ„mauÌ„ded to delue vp the body and to drawe out a bone of his brest to bury the body agayne so it was done And whan the bone was drawen out the kynge coÌ„mauÌ„ded that it shold be layde in the blode of the elder brother that it shold lye tyll it had receyued kyndly the blode than to be layde in y e sonne dryed after that it shold be wasshen with clere water hys seruauntes fulfylled al that he coÌ„mauÌ„ded And whan they began to wasshe the blode vanysshed clene away Whan the kyng sawe this he sayd to the seconde sone It behoueth y t thou be letten blode as thy brother is Than sayd he My lorde thy wyll shall be fulfylled anone he was serued lyke as hys brother was in all thynge whan they began to wasshe the bone the blode vanysshed awaye Than sayd the kyng to the thyrde sone My dere chylde it behoueth the also to be letten blode He answered sayd My lorde it pleaseth me well so to be Whan y e yongest brother was letten blode serued in al thynge lyke as his two bretherne were serued before whan y e kynges seruauÌ„tes began to wasshe y e bone they might neyther for wasshynge ne for fretynge do away the blode of the bone but euer it appered blody Whan the kynge sawe thys he sayd It appereth openly y t this blode wythout doubte is of the nature of thys bone thou art hys true sone and these other two ben bastardes I gyue to the that tree for euermore ¶ Dere freÌ„des thys Emperour is our lord Iesu chryst whyche bare a sheelde of syluer wyth fyue reed roses that is ta saye hys body that is so fayre so clere more radiant than ony syluer according w t psalmist sayinge thus Speciosus forma pre filijs hominuÌ„ That is to saye he was more specyall fayrer of shape than all y e chyldren of men By these .v. roses we vnderstande hys fyue woundes whyche he suffred for mankynde And by the kynge of Egypte we vnderstande the deuyll agaynst whome he fought all the tyme of hys lyfe at the last he was slayne for maÌ„kynde Neuerthelesse before hys deth he made hys testament to hys thre sones By the fyrst to whome he gaue of the tree all that was vnder y e erth aboue we shall vnderstande the myghty men states of thys worlde to whome he hath gyuen power in erth in water and in ayre so that they be obedyent at theyr wyll all thynge vnder heuen By the seconde sone to whome he gaue y e tree in lenght brede depnes we may vnderstande the wytty men of thys worlde as Iustyces atturneys and men of lawe these men haue power in lengthe brede depnes vpon gentylmen of myddle degre and vpon poore men them to deme iudge as they lyst By y e thyrde sone to whome he gaue all that was wete drye of the tree we shall vnderstande good chrysten men whyche haue suffre bothe wete an drye that is to saye now pouerte now trouble now solace now care now cold now hete and all this they receyue of god thankfully to haue this noble tree y t was thus bequethed them Thys tree is the tree of paradyse y t is to saye euerlastyng iaye of heuen whyche is gyueÌ„ to vs all yf we wyl take it thankfully neuerthelesse it is heuen in dyuerse wyse not egally for some hath more some hath lesse after theyr merytes thys notwithstaÌ„dyng euery man opteyneth not therfore it behoueth them to go vnto y e kyng of reason that is to saye vnto the father of heuen that knoweth all thyng or they be made The fyrst sone was let blode and in his blode the bone was wrapped By this blode we shall vnderstande our merytoryous dedes by the whyte heuy almes dede whych is ful heuy to theÌ„ that gyue almes neuerthelesse it maketh the soule whyte wherfore whan these myghty men gyue almes or do a merytoryous dede though it be made drye stablysshed wyth the sonne by the wynde of dyuyne predicacyon neuerthelesse whan the water of pryde enuye wrath suche other all the merytoryous dedes done before is brought to nought the blode that is to saye the almes dedes by y e whyche they sholde coÌ„me to euerlastynge lyfe begynneth to vanysshe awaye For why as the apostle sayth he that offendeth in one synne is gylty in all Thys blode letter whych let them blode is a discrete confessour though the myghty men of thys worlde do good dedes fulfyl theyr penauÌ„ce neuerthelesse whan the water of couetyse that is to saye whan the purse is full of money anone they gyue true iudgement agaynst whome it is wryten thus The wysedome of this worlde is nothyng els but foly afore god And agaynst the myghty men of thys worlde speketh holy scrypture and sayth Where be those myghty men whych were praysed among the byrdes of heuen eate and drynke and often desceÌ„ded to hell The thyrde sone of thys Emperour is a good chrysten man whyche all the tyme of hys lyfe dyd good dedes lyued wythout pryde enuy and lechery from the bone of suche a man the blode may not be wasshen awaye that is to saye hys merytoryous dedes may not be put away from penaunce suche a man is y e true chylde of god of whome our lorde speketh thus Ye the whyche haue
we may obey god and than shal we haue euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Frederyke whyche had no chyldren saue a doughter tho whome this Emperour after his decese bequethed all hys empyre Thys vnderstandynge an erle that dwelte there besyde came vnto thys yonge lady wowed her stered her to synne all that he myght wherfore thys yonge lady in shorte processe of tyme enclyneh to the erle this erle anone lay with her defouled her after that he put her froÌ„ her herytage and chaced her out of her empyre wherfore she made great lamentacyon fledde vnto a realme there besyde where as she dayly wept mourned It befell after on a day that whyle she sate mournynge besyde a waye there came rydyng by her a fayre yonge knyght vpon a good hors whyche came towarde her a greate pâ—ce worshypfully salewed her and asked the cause why she mourned so sore Than answered she sayd My reuerend lord I am an Emperours doughter coÌ„men of a royall kynne my father is deed whyche lefte me all hys empyre bycause he had none other heyre after his decese an erle there besyde deceyued me toke from me my maydenheâ—e after that he put me vyoleÌ„tly out of myne herytage so that now I am fayne to begge my breed from dore to dore this is the cause of my sorowe Than sayd the knyght fayre damoysell I haue great coÌ„passyon on thy beaute and on thy gentylnes therfore yf thou wylte graunte me one thynge I shall fyght for the agaynst y e erle and I behote the the victory Than sayd she alas alas I haue nothynge y t I may gyue to the but my selfe And I aske no more of the sayd the knyght but that thou woldest be my wyfe and loue no man so moche as me Than sayd she Reuerende syr that wyll I do gladly more yf I myght Than sayd the knyght I wyll that thou do for me one thynge that yf it fortune me to dye in batayle for the opteyne the victory thou shalte take my blody sherte hange it vpon a perche in thy chambre and thys shalte thou do for two thynges The fyrst is y t whan so euer thou beholdest the sherte thou shalt wepe for me The seconde is that what so euer man comme to wowe the to be his wyfe than shalte thou hastely renne vnto thy chambre beholde my blody sherte thynke hertely wythin thy selfe thus The lorde of this sherte dyed for my loue in batayle the whyche recouered my herytage god forbede that I sholde take ony other maÌ„ after his deth Than sayd she Reuerende syr all thys I shall fulfyll bi the grace of god And whan y e knyght heâ—de this he gaue batayle agaynst the erle oâ—teyned the victory and y e erle was ouercome â—ledde And thys yonge lady was brought receyued agayne in to her herytage Neuerthelesse thys knyght was deedly wouÌ„ded in that batayle wherof he dyed but or he dyed he bequethed hys blody sherte vnto this damoysell desyrynge her to kepe her promesse Whan thys yonge lady herde of his deth she wepte sore made great lamentacyon for his deth And in hys sherte was wryteÌ„ this verse Thynke on hym haue mynde that to y e was so kynde Anone whan she had receyued the sherte she hanged it vpon a perche in her chambre as oftentymes as she behelde it she wepte bytterly It befell not longe after that the states of her Empyre came to her desyred her to take a husbande But than she wente to her chambre behelde the blody â—herte than waxed she sorowfull sayd oftentymes alas alas thou suffred deth for my loue thou also recouered agayn myne heritage god forbede that I shold take ony other man but the. And thus she answered euery man that came to her so they wente away vnsped and she ended her lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour is the father of heuen and his doughter is the soule of man made at the similitude of god to whome god gaue bequethed the empyre of paradyse But ther came an erle y t is the deuyl and styred her to synne whan she ete of the apple sayd to her thus In what houre ye â—ate of y e apple ye shall be lyke goddes wherfore we brekyng goddes comaundement we were all exiled out of paradyse chased to the realme of thys worlde here to lyue in greate wretchednes lyke as the psalmyst sayth In sudore vultus tui c. In the swete of thy vysage thou shalte eate thy breed But than came a fayre yonge knight a stronge that is to saye our lorde Iesu Chryst whych had compassyon vpon mankynde toke our flesshe our blode and gaue batayle to the deuyl and ouercame hym and thus wanne he agayne our herytage Therfore let vs do as thys yonge lady dyd put we thys blody sherte that is to saye the mynde of y e passyon of Chryst on the perche of our hert and thynke we how â—ur lorde Iesu Chryst shed hys precyous blode for vs. And yf ony maÌ„ that is to saye the deuylt or ony other wolde styre vs to synne anone thynke we on y e passyon of Chryst saye we thus I shall take none other but the whyche hast shedde thy blode for me thus shall we wynne euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche god brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour named Apolloninus whyche ordeyned for a lawe that euery man vpon payne of deth sholde worshyp the day of his natiuite This Emperour called to hym a clerke y t hyght Uirgyll sayd My dere mayster there be many heed synnes done contrary to the lawe therfore I praye the that thou by thy connynge wolde make some craft wherby I myght knowe who trespaceth agaynst y e lawe pryuely or pertly Than sayd Uirgyll My reuâ—â—eÌ„de lord your wyll shall be done Anone thys Uirgyll thrugh hys crafte made an ymage in the myddes of the cyte of Rome whyche dysceuered tolde themperours messengers who trespaced agaynst the lawe who not There was that tyme dwellyng in y e cyte of Rome a smyth that hyght Focus whych for no thynge wolde worshyp the natyuyte of the Emperour It befell vpon a nyght as the smyth laye in hys bedde he thought vpon the ymage that had accused so many men before dred leest the ymage wolde accuse hym wherfore he rose went to the ymage sayd I make a vowe to god yf thou accuse me I shall breke thy heed And whan he had thus sayd he went home The Emperour on the morowe after folowynge sent hys messeÌ„gers to the ymage as he was wont before to knowe to vnderstande who had trespaced agaynst the lawe And to them than sayd the ymage lyfte vp your eyen behold what
is wrytâ—n in my foreheed And than they loked vp sawe thys posey wryten TeÌ„pore mutantur homines determinaÌ„tur Tymes ben chaunged men ben worse worse For who wyll saye the trouth shall haue his heed broken therfore go ye forth to your lorde and tell hym all that ye haue redde seen The messengers wente forth tolde y e Emperour all that they had herde seen Than sayd y e Emperour arme your selfe and go to the ymage yf that ye fynde ony man that hath bosted or thretened the ymage bynde hym hande and fote brynge hym to me Than wente the messengers forth to y e ymage sayd vnto it Tell vs y e trouth yf ony maÌ„ hath thretened the and we shall auenge the anone Than sayd the ymage Take the smyth Focus for he is the man that wyll not honour the natyuyte of the Emperour Anone the messengers ledde forth that smyth before theÌ„perour anone examyned hym why he kepte not the daye of themperours natiuyte in reuerence honour accordyng to the lawe Than answered the smyth sayd Reuerend lorde I beseche you that ye wyl heare myne excuse yf I answere not reasonably to all maner of poyntes y t ye wyll aske me I wyll put me fully to your grace Than sayd themperour I shal heare the and that that is ryghtfull I shall do Than sayd the smyth It behoueth me to haue viij.d euery day in the weke that I can not gete wythout greate labour therfore I may in no maner wyse kepe y e day holy day more than other dayes Than sayd the Emperour Why behoueth it the to haue these viii d Than sayd y e smyth I am bouÌ„de to pay dayly ij.d and ii.d I lende and ii.d â–ª I lese and ii.d I spende Than sayd the Emperour Tell me more expresly of these viij.d Than sayd the smyth I am bounde euery day to paye ii.d. to my father for whan I was yonge my father spent on me ii.d dayly therfore am I bouÌ„de to helpe hym paye hym agayn hys ii.d for hys sustentacyon Also ii.d I lese on my wyfe Than sayde themperour why lesest thou that ii.d on thy wyfe Than sayd he where se ye euer woman but she had one of these poyntes eyther she is wylfull or contrary to her husbande or of hote coÌ„pleccyon therfore that I gyue her I lese Also ii.d I lende to my sone wherwyth he is susteyned that whan I coÌ„me to age pouerte that he may paye me agayn ii.d lyke as I do to my father Also I spende ii.d on my â—elfe in meate drynke and that is lytell ynough Than sayd themperoure thou hast answered well wisely Not longe after it befell that the Emperour dyed thys smyth Focus was chosen to be Emperour bycause he spente hys viii.d so wysely so profytably thus he ended hys lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Dere frendes thys emperour is our blessed sauyour Iesu Chryst whych ordeyned by hys holy lawe y t euery man sholde worshyp the sondaye This Uirgil that made thys ymage is the holy goost whyche is set vp amonge vs a precher to teche vertues to repreue vices that he sholde not spare the poore ne y e ryche But now yf a precher wolde saye trouth agaynst ony man anone he shall be thretened of the ennemyes of Chryst that is to saye by euyll men that neyther loue god nor man wherfore the precher may saye now a dayes that posey whyche was wryten in the fore heed of the ymage Tymes ben chaunged from good to yll men ben dayly worse and worse For who so wolde saye the trewth now a dayes shall haue his heed broken Therfore it is nede they be armed that is to say that euery precher be armed w t good dedes in ensample of other than it nedeth not to drede in so moche that they haue god trewth to staÌ„de by them accordyng to y e apostles sayenge Si deus nobiscuÌ„ quis contra nos Yf god be wyth vs who may be agaynst vs. By thys smyth Focus is vnderstande euery good chrysten man whyche dayly sholde werke merytoryous dedes than ought he to be presented before the heuenly Emperour Thys Focus payde ii.d to hys father so we sholde paye to our father of heuen ii.d that is to saye honour loue For whan we were the chyldren of wretchednes put in bondage almyghty god sente downe to the erth hys sone to redeme vs accordyng to saynt IohnÌ„ the euangelyst sayenge Deus dilexit munduÌ„ vt filiuÌ„ suuÌ„ vnigenituÌ„ daret pro minido God loueth the worlde so well that he wolde gyue hys onely sone for the saluacyon of the worlde Also this Focus lente ii.d to his sone that is to saye euery chrysten man ought to lende to y e sone of god our lord Chryst Iesu good wyll merytoryous dedes in our lyfe that the may paye vs agayn at y e day of dome whan soule body shal be gloryfyed in that he is our brother it may well be proued by y e texte of Esaie saying thus â—uer natus est nobis c. A chylde is borne to vs. This Focus lost ii.d on hys wyfe Thy wyfe betokeneth thy flesshe vpon whom thou hast lost ij d that is to saye vnlawfull loue consent to synne for why the flesshe is coÌ„trary to y e goost euer is redy to harme Thys Focus also spente ij.d on hym selfe y t is to saye by y e fyrst peny ye shall vnderstande penauÌ„ce done in whyche the soule greatly delyteth in heueÌ„ and there is gloryfyed And by the seconde peny we ought to vnderstande the stedfast abydynge in doynge of penaunce for he that abydeth vnto the ende shall be saued And who that spendeth well these two pens shall optayne euerlastynge lyfe Unto the whych brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a noble Emperour whyche among all other vertues loued best mercy wherfore he ordeyned a lawe that euery blynde man sholde haue an hondred shyllynges by yere of hys treasour It befell on a daye that there came certayne men to a tauerne to drynke wyne after that these men had sytten in the tauerne thre dayes the fourth daye they were greatly in the tauerners dette and had no money to paye for theyr wyne wherfore the tauerner came to them charged them y t they sholde not voyde tyll they had payde for theyr wyne ThaÌ„ sayd one of y e drynkers to hys felowes Syrs quod he themperour hath made suche a lawe that euery blynde man shall haue an hondred shyllynges of his treasour therfore let vs cast lottes amonge vs to whom the lot falleth let hys eyen be put out and so may he go to themperours palays gete an hondred shyllynges And this greatly reioysed them sayd that the couÌ„seyle was ryght good wherfore they cast lottes amonge them the
hous thou spekest to me lyke a foole Whan thys was sayd they rode farther tyll they came to a great water and a depe the kyng smote hys hors wyth hys spurres lepte in to y e water so that he was almoost drowned Whan the knyght sawe thys was ouer on that other syde of the water wtout peryll he sayd to y e kynge Ye were in peryll therfore ye dyd folysshly bycause ye brougt not wyth you your brydge Than sayd the kynge thou spekest meruaylously my brydge is made of lyme stone coÌ„teyneth in quantite more than halfe a myle how sholde I than beare with me my brydge therfore y u spekest folysshly Well sayde the knyght my folysshnes may turne the to wysdome Whan the kyng had rydden a lyttell farther he asked y e knyght what tyme of the daye it was Than sayd the knyght yf ony man haue lust to eate it is tyme of the daye to eate therfore my reuerent lorde I praye you to take a sop wyth me for that is no disworshyp to you but great honour to me before y e states of this Empyre Than sayd y e kyng I wyll gladly eate with the. They sate bothe downe in a vyne gardyn all y t were wyth the kynge wyth the knyght dyned And whan dyner was done that y e kyng had wasshen the knyght sayd to the kynge My lorde quod he ye haue done folysshly for that ye ledde not w t you your father your mother Than sayd the kynge what sayst y u my father is deed and my mother is olde may not trauayle how sholde I than brynge them wyth me therfore to the I saye y e trouth a folyssher man than thou arte sawe I neuer Than sayd the knyght euery werke is praysed at the ende Whan y e kyng had rydden a lyttell farther was ny hande themperours palays the knyght asked leue to go from hym for thys cause he knewe a nerer waye to the palays to the yonge lady y t he myght coÌ„me fyrst and lede her wyth hym Than sayd the kynge I praye the syr tell me by what place purposest thou to ryde Than sayd y e knyght I shall tell you trouth this daye vii yere I lefte a nette in a place now I purpose to visyte it drawe it to me yf it be broken I wyll leue it yf it be hole than wyl I take it to me kepe it as a precyous iewell and whan he had sayd what hym lyst he toke hys leue of the kyng rode forth and the kyng kepte the brode hye waye Whan themperour herde of the kynges coÌ„mynge he went agaynst hym w t a great company worshypfully receyued hym let do of his wete clothes arayed hym agayn wyth newe clothes And whan themperour the kynge were set to meate themperour dyd hym all y e châ—â—e â—â—lace that he coude And whaÌ„ they had dyned thâ—mperour asked tydynges of the kyng My lorde sayd he I shall tell you what I herde thys day by y e waye There came a knyght to me reuerently â—alewed me anone after that there came a great raine coÌ„fouÌ„ded greatly my clothing anone the knyght sayd syr y â— hast done folyshly for so moche thou brought not w t the thy hous Than sayd themperour what clothing had y â— knight on him A cloke quod the kynge Than sayd themperour for sothe that was a wyse man for the hous wherof he spake was a cloke therfore he sayd to you that ye dyd folysshly bycause ye came wtout your cloke for yf ye had brougt w t you a cloke thaÌ„ had not your clothes ben defouled wyth the rayne Than sayd y e kyng whan we had rydden a lytâ—l farther we came to a depe water I smoote my hors w t the spurres almoost I was drowned he rode on the other syde of the water founde no peryll than sayd he to me ye haue done folysshly for so moche y â— ye ledde not wyth you your brydge Forsothe sayd themperour he sayd trouth for he called the brydge your squyers y t sholde haue rydden before assayed the depnes of y e water Than sayd the kyng we rode farther at the last he prayed me to dyne wyth hym whan we had dyned he sayd I dyd vnwysely for I ledde not w t me my father my mother Sothly sayde themperour he was â— wyse man sayd trouth for he called your father mother breed wyne other vytayles Than sayd y e kyng we rode farther and anone after he asked me lâ—ue to go fro me I asked dylygently whether he went And he answered agayn sayd Thys daye .vij. yere I lefâ—e a nette in a preuy place now I wyll ryde to vysyte it yf it be broken or torne thaÌ„ wyll I â—eue it yf it be hole as I lefte it than shall it be to me ryght precyous I shall beare it wyth me Whan themperour herde thys he cryed with a lowde voyce sayd O ye my knyghtes and my seruauntes go ye lyghtly vnto my doughters chambre for sothly that is the nette wherof y e knyght spake And anone hys knyghtes and hys seruauntes wente vnto hys doughters chambre founde her not the sore sayd knyght had take her with hym And thus the kyng was deceyued of the damoysell and he went home agayne to hys owne countree confounded ¶ Dere freÌ„des this emperour is our lord Iesu Chryst and hys fayre doughter is euerlastyng lyfe the whych theÌ„perour had ordeyned for kynges knyghtes other men The knyght that loued thys yonge lady is euery good christeÌ„ soule which holdeth hymselfe not worthy to coÌ„me in the syght of god vnto suche ioye as y e apostle sayth Non est condigne passionis huiê° teÌ„poris ad futuraÌ„ gloriaÌ„ They be not so worthy of suffryng to coÌ„me vnto the glory that is to coÌ„me Thys knyght went .vii. yere on pylgrymage lyke as a good chrysten man al y e dayes of his lyfe sholde labour trauayle iÌ„ fulfyllyng the .vii. werkes of mercy By thys kynge y â— came wtout a cloke in the rayne is to vnderstande the myghty men of this worlde as Iustyces Mayres Baylyes that haue no clokes to couer all theyr other clothes By this cloke is vnderstaÌ„de charite as the apostle sayth Charitas cooperit multitudineÌ„ pctoÌ„rum Charyte couereth al our synnes But many men haue not thys cloke wherfore they be wete in y e rayne of pryde auaryce lechery This kyng also was almoost drowned bycause he lacked hys brydge that is to say perfyte fayth For we sâ— dayly that there may no man passe ouer a great water brode depe wythout a brydge or some other thynge y t is able to beare hym Ryght so wythout fayth it is impossyble to please god And thus may no man be saued wythout fayth whan they set theyr
lyfe in worldly ioye or worldly helpe more than in the helpe of god whyche is mighty to do al thinges wherfore he sayth hymselfe thus Saluator si habueritis fideÌ„ sicut granuÌ„ sinapis poteritis c. Yf ye haue fayth as y e grayne of mustarde than may ye saye to y e hylles go thou forth it shall go But many of vs now a dayes hath ouer feble fayth therfore they shall sodeynly fall in the claye of desperacyon by deedly synâ—e oftentymes they offende god Also thys kynge had not brought with hym his father and hys mother By the father whych is cause of generacyon is vnderstaÌ„de humylite wythout whome there is no vertue in no maÌ„ And therto accordeth saynt Gregory sayinge thus Si qis ceteris virtutes sine humilitate congregat c. He that gadereth al other vertues wythout humilite is lyke a man that casteth dust in y e wynde Hys mother betokeneth hope therfore he that wyll optayne euerlastyng lyfe hym behoueth to haue the cloke of charyte brydge of fayth a father of mekenes a mother of hope as y e apostle sayth Spe salui facti sumus Also thys knyght wente the strayte path waye the kynge the brode waye For he that wyll be saued behoueth to go a strayte waye that is to say the waye of fastynge almes dedes chastyte penauÌ„ce Of the whyche waye speketh the apostle Stricta est via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ eternaÌ„ The waye is strayte y e ledeth to euerlastyng lyfe But many men go that other way whyche ledeth to hell that is to say by y e waye of flesshly lust suche men ben gone out of the waye of euerlastynge lyfe but suche men be deceyued thrugh y â— waye Therfore study we to walke that waye wherby we may optayne euerlastynge lyfe Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a noble Emperour named Agyas whyche had with hym a knyght called Gerarde whyche was a doughty warryour neuerthelesse he was as meke as a lambe in the Emperours hall but in y e felde he was lyke a lyon Thys Emperour had a fayre doughter whome the stronge and myghty erle of palester rauysshed defouled neuerthelesse it displeased more themperour y e defoulyng of his doughter than the rauysshynge wherfore he called vnto hym his counseyle sayd Dere frendes it is not vnknowen to you the despyte violence done to me in defoulyng of my doughter therfore I purpose to gyue batayle to the erle wherfore I praye you to be redy at a daye set to procede with me in batayle And they sayd lorde we be redy to lyue dye w t you in batayle Whan the daye of batayle came they mette on bothe sydes a cruell harde batayle was gyuen on bothe sydes all that were of themperours party were slayne And as themperour sholde haue ben byheded the knyght Gerard put hymselfe amonge hys ennemyes before theÌ„perour fought manfully so themperour escaped and the knyght abode and slewe the erle neuerthelesse thys knyght had dyuerse wouÌ„des This not withstandyng he abode fought styl tyl the blode ranne down to hys heles And whan hys ennemyes sawe that y e erle was slayne they â—edde and the knyght wyth hys people folowed on y â— chace tyll he came to y e place where themperours doughter was ledde her wyth hym And thus wyth triumphe vyctory he returned agayn to themperour For y â— whiche victory getyng agayne of themperours doughter he was greatly praysed of all people Not longe alter it befell that thys knyght had to do in themperours courte wherfore the knyght came vnto themperour prayed hym mekely to be fauourable in hys cause farthermore he prayed hym to do y e rayson asked Whan themperour had herde hym he called to hym a iustyce and sayd Go thou and do iustyce to thys knyght that that the lawe wyll And whan y e knyght herde thys he cryed w t a lowde voyce Alas alas who herde euer suche a thynge of an Emperour thou were sayd he in batayle where thy heed shold haue ben smytten of and I in myne owne persone none other men put mi selfe in ieopardy for the saued the now thou hast assigned an other maÌ„ to be iudge in my cause alas that euer y u were borne And wyth y t worde the knyght dyd of all hys clothes shewed y e woundes that he had receyued in the batayle vnto all y e men that were there present sayd Lo what I haue suffred for the and I put none other man in my stede now thou assygnest an other man in my cause Forsothe I saye to y e that I neuer serued suche a lorde before Whan themperour herde thys beynge almoost coÌ„fouÌ„ded in hymselfe sayd thus O dere frende all that thou sayth is trouth thou saued me froÌ„ deth thou wonnest my doughter agayne and for my sake y u hast suffred many wouÌ„des Forsothe it is ryght that I comme downe make an ende of thy cause suche as may be honour ioye to the. And than themperour laboured besyly in thys mater and made therof an ende accordyng to y e knyghtes entent wherfore all men greatly coÌ„mended the Emperour ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperoure may be called euery chrysten man or else al mankynde whyche had a fayre doughter that is to saye the soule made to the symilytude of god Thys erle betokeneth y e deuyll whyche rauysshed and defouled by synne the soule of man thrugh eatyng of the fruyte of y e tree knowynge good euyll wherfore al mankynde was in seruage tyll a stronge valyaunt knyght came put hymselfe on the crosse bytwene the deuyll mankynde For yf that had not ben we had all ben dampned euerlastyngly thys knyght brought agayn the foule of man vnto y e chyrche wherfore he suffred many great woundes in hys body And now thys knyght that is to say our lorde Iesu Chryst hath a mater to do amonge vs that is to saye to fynde in vs pâ—rfyte lyfe wherfore he calleth on vs dayly that we sholde be redy at all tymes saying thus in the apocalipse .iii. Ecce sto ad hostium et pulso si qs mihi aparuerit in troibo et cenabo That is to saye Lo I stande and knocke at the dore yf ony man wyll open to me I shall coÌ„me in soupe wyth hym But many men dothe as thys Emperour dyd the whyche gaue y e ynyght an other iudge than hymselfe But now a dayes there ben some men that wyll do no penauÌ„ce for the loue of hym whyche assygned no man but hymfelfe to fyght for vs. And therfore agaynst vnkynde meÌ„ it shal be sayd thus Lo he hangeth on y e crosse despoyled of all his clothyng and sheweth to vs all hys woundes y t he suffred for vs. Be we therfore kynde that we may suffre for hys loue some penaunce and that at the daye of dome we may
couetyse al onely waxeth yonge Therfore let vs take hede y t we playe not w t this bal of couetyse than wythout doubte we shall optayne wynne the game with y e tenes ball in y e blysse of heuen y t neuer shall haue ende Unto the whyche blysse brynge vs he that shedde hys blode for vs vpon the rode tree Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty Emperour a wyse named Theodose whyche aboue all thynge loued best melody of harpe huntynge It befell after vpon a day as thys Emperour hunted in a forest he herde so swete a melody of harpes that thrugh the swetnes therof he was almoost rauyshed froÌ„ hym selfe wherfore he sought about the forest to fynde that melody at the last he espyed at the ende of the forest a poore man syttyng besyde a water playing on a harpe so swetely that themperour before y e daye herde neuer so swete a melody Than sayd themperour good freÌ„de coÌ„meth this melody of thy harpe or no. The poore man answered sayd My reuerende lorde I shal tell you y e trouth Besyde this water my wyfe my chylde and I haue dwelled .xxx. yere and god hath gyuen me suche grace that whan so euer I touche my harpe I make so swete melody that y e fysshes of thys water coÌ„me out to my hande and so I take them wherwyth my wyfe my chylde and I ben fedde dayly in great plenty But alas welaway on the other syde of thys water there coÌ„meth a whysteler whysteleth so swetely that many tymes the fysshes for sake me go to his whysteling and therfore my reuerende lord I beseche you of helpe agaynst his hyssyng whystelyng Than sayd themperour I shall gyue the good helpe and couÌ„seyle I haue here in my purse a golden hoke whyche I shall gyue y e take thou it and bynde it fast at the ende of a roode and wyth y e smyte thy harpe whan y u seest the fysshe stere drawe them vp to the lande wyth that hoke than his whystelyng ne hyâ—syng shall not auayle Whan y e poore maÌ„ herd thys he reioysed hym greatly dyd al thynge as he had taught hym And whan thys poore man began to touche hys harpe y e fysshe moued than he toke them vp wyth hys hoke lyued therby longe tyme at the last ended gracyously hys lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth Iesu Chryst whyche greatly delyteth to hunte the soule of mankynde in the forest that is holy chyrche He loueth also the melody of the harpe that is to saye he loueth moche those y t teche the holy worde of god This poore man that sate bithe water syde betokeneth the prelates of the chyrche the prechers of y e worde of god whyche ought to syt besyde the worlde not in the worlde y t is to saye they sholde not set theyr delyte in worldly thynges The prechers ought to haue the harpe of holy scrypture wherw t they may prayse honour god also therwith drawe out of this worlde y e synners Therfore sayth y e psalmist thus Prayse ye god in timpanes crowdes and synge ye to hym on the harpe the psalter of .x. strenges But now adayes the precher may say alas for whan I preche teche holy scripture the deuyll coÌ„meth whysteleth so swetely that y e synners drawe to hym wyll not heare the worde of god but they turne themselfe onely to the delyte of synne The deuyll deceyueth also maÌ„kynde by dyuerse wayes Fyrst in tyme of prechynge he maketh some to slepe them that he can not make to slepe he causeth them to talke clatter them that he can not make to clatter he maketh them so dull that they may not sauour ne vnderstande what the precher sayth them that he can not begyle by these meanes he putteth in them be synesse causeth them to go out of the chyrche Lo so many wayes the deuyll hath to deceyue mankynde to let y e worde of god Therfore euery prelate euery precher behoueth y e golden hoke of goddes grace agaynst thys whysteling by y e whych grace they may drawe synners out of this worlde vp to heuen vnto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour a wyse man named Polemus whyche had no chylde saue onely a doughter whome he loued so moche that dayly nyghtly he ordeyned to kepe her wyth armed knyghtes And aboue these knyghtes he ordeyned a mayster well taught in euery connynge for to teche them to enferme them how they shold do He ordeyned also a steward for to guide his houshold And whan all thys was done on a nyght as he laye in hys bedde he be thought hym y t he wolde go vysyte the holy lande And than whaÌ„ all thynge was redy for his iourney accordynge to hys purpose he called vnto hym his stewarde sayde Dere frende I purpose to se the holy lande therfore I leue my doughter in thy kepyng also I charge the that she lacke nothynge but that she haue all maner of ioye gladnes that pertayneth to a vyrgyn Secondly I leue in thy kepyng fyue knightes that ben her kepers that they lacke nothyng y t to them behoueth Also I leue to the my greyhouÌ„de that thou nourysshe fede hym as it apperteyneth yf y u fulfyll all thys that I haue sayd thou shalt at my coÌ„mynge agayne receyue a great rewarde Than sayd y e stewarde My dere lorde in all y t I may I shal fulfyll your wyll Whan thys was sayd the Emperour toke hys iourney to warde the holy lande and the stewarde a longe tyme kepte well truly themperours ordynauÌ„ce But at the last it befell vpon a daye that this stewarde had espyed this yonge lady walkyng alone in an orcheyarde with whose loue he was sodeynly taken wherfore anone agaynst her wyll he defloured her And whaÌ„ he had synned wyth her he gaue her yll laÌ„guage hated her more after than euer he loued her before droue her out of y e palays wherfore this damoysel for great pouerte and defaute wente fro dore to dore begged her breed But whan the knyghtes that were her kepers herde of thys they reproued shamefully the steward of y t synful dede Than the stewarde waxed wroth for great hate that he had in his herte he despoyled y e knyghtes of al theyr goodes droue them fro the palays And whan they were thus robbed exyled some for defaute of goodes became theues some manquellers that thrugh thys incoÌ„uenyent they wrought great harme Soone after thys there came tydynges that themperour was arryued in farre landes coÌ„mynge homewarde And whan the stewarde herde thys he was greatly troubled and moued in hymselfe thus thynkynge in hymselfe he sayd thus Thys may not be but nedes I shall be accused for
thy good chere thy sone that was borne to nyght I wyll haue for to nourysshe brynge vp in my courte and to morowe I shall sende for hym A my gracyous lorde quod the foster it is not agreable that suche a noble Emperour sholde nourysshe the chylde of hys subgecte and seruaunt neuerthelesse your wyll be fulfylled for whan your messengers comme I shall delyuer them my sone Whan thys was sayde the Emperoure toke hys leue and rode home towarde his palays And whan he was comme home he called vnto hym suche seruauntes as he trusted best and sayde to them thus Go ye quod he vnto my foster wyth whome I was lodged thys nyght in the forest and receyue of hym his sone of whyche hys wyfe was delyuered thys nyght and vpon payne of deth I commaunde you that ye flee hym by the waye and cast hys flesshe to the dogges but brynge wyth you the herte to me And but ye fulfyll my commauÌ„dement ye shall dye the moost foulest deth that can be thought Anone hys seruauÌ„tes wente to the forest and receyued the fosters sone and brought hym wyth them And whan they were comme nere vnto the palays one of them sayde How shall we do that we may fulfyll our lordes coÌ„maundement in sleynge of thys chylde Some answered sayde that the chylde sholde be slayne and some wolde haue saued hys lyfe and whyle they stroue thus amonge themselfe one of them that was moost mercyfull sayde vnto the other O my good frendes heare my counseyle and ye shall not forthynke it Yf we murther thys innocent chylde we shall greatly offende almyghty god therfore here be yonge pygges sleâ—we one of them and than may we beare wyth vs hys herte and present it vnto the Emperoure sayinge that it is the herte of the chylde and thus shall we not shede the chyldes blode Than sayde they thy couÌ„seyle is good but what shall we do wyth the chylde Good frendes quod he let vs wrappe hym in some clothes laye hym in some holowe tree for perauenture god wyl helpe hym and saue hys lyfe And whan he had thus sayd they dyd gladly after hys counseyle in all thynges and slewe the pygge wente theyr waye and bare home with them the pygges hertâ— to the Emperoure sayinge vnto hym thus Loo gracyous lorde we haue slayne the chylde as ye commauÌ„ded vs and wyth that they shewed hym the pygges herte The Emperoure supposynge that it had ben the chyldes herte toke it kest it in to the fyre despyteously sayinge Loo that is the herte of hym whyche sholde haue ben Emperoure after me Loo what is to byleue in dremes vysyons whyche be nought else but fantasyes and vayne thynges The seconde daye after that the chylde was put in to the holowe tree thâ—re came an erle for to hunte in the forest and as hys houndes chaced an harte they came to thys holowe tree where the chylde laye and whan they felte the sauour of the chylde they wolde go no farther The erle seynge thys meruaylled greatly why hys houÌ„des abode there and smote his horse with the spurres and rode a great pace tyll he came to them And whan he came vnto the tree wherin the chylde was layde he loked in at an hole sawe there the chylde lyenge and than was he ryght glad and toke vp the chylde in hys armes full louyngly and bare hym home vnto hys castell sayinge vnto the countesse hys wyfe Loo my dere wyfe thys daye by fortune I haue â—ounde a full fayre chylde in an holowe tree as I hunted in y e forest wherof I am ryght glad And bycause that I neuer begate sone ne doughter on the ne thou neuer yet conceyued a chylde therfore I exhorte the that thou wylte feyne thy selfe trauaylynge of chylde and saye that thou hast borne thys chylde The countesse fulfylled ryght gladly the erles wyll and desyre and sayde My moost dere lorde your wyll in thys thynge shall be done Not longe after this tydynges wente thrugh out all that countree that the countesse was delyuered of a fayâ—e sone wherfore euery man made great ioye The chylde began to growe and was ryght well beloued of euery man and moost specyally of the erle and of the countesse It befell after whan the chylde was .xv. yere of age the Emperoure made a solempne feest vnto all y e lordes of hys Empyre vnto the whyche feest thys erle was called And at the daye assygned he came and brought the chylde w t hym whyche was at that tyme a fayre yonge squyer carued at the borde before the erle The Emperour greatly behelde hym and espyed the token in hys forâ—heed whyche he had seen before in the fosters house â–ª wherfore he was greatly moued vexed wythin 〈…〉 and sayd vnto the erle in this wyse Whose sone is this Sothly sayd the erle he is my sone Than sayd y e Emperour By the fayth and trouth that thou owest vnto me tell me the trouth The erle seynge that he myght not excuse hymselfe by no maner wyse but that nedes he must tell hym the trewth than tolde he hym al togyther how he had founde hym in the forest in an holowe tree Thys hearyng the Emperoure was almoost out of his ryght mynde for anger and called vnto hym his seruauntes whyche he had sente before to slee y e chylde And whan they came before hym he made them for to swere vpon a boke that they sholde tell hym the trouth what they had done wyth the chylde Gracyous lorde sayde they we put vs vnto your grace goodnes for wythout doubte pyte so moued vs that we myght not â—lee hym and than we put hym in an holowe tree but what afterwarde befell of hym sothly we knowe not and in his stede we slewe a pygge and brought you the herte therof Whan the Emperoure had herde the very trewth of thys mater he sayd vnto y e erle Thys yonge man quod he shal abyde here wyth me The erle anone graunted though it was greatly agaynst hys wyll And whan the feest was ended euery man toke hys leue at the Emperoure and wente where as them lyst And at that tyme it fortuned that the Empresse her doughter soiourned in a greate countre farre fro thens by the coÌ„maundement of the Emperoure It befell not longe after the Emperour called vnto hym that yonge squyer and sayde The behoueth quod he to ryde vnto the Empresse my wyfe wyth my letters I am redy at your coÌ„maundement my lorde sayde he to fulfyll your desyre Anone the Emperoure let wryte letters wherof the entent was thys That the Empresse sholde take the bearer of these letters and let hym be drawen at a horse tayle and after that she sholde let hym be hanged tyll he were deed and that vpon payne of deth Whan the letters were all made and sealed than the Emperoure toke them vnto the yonge squyer coÌ„maundynge hym to spede hym on hys iourney And
in good helth he was ryght glad wherfore he promoted hym to great worshyp whych lyued after y e longe tyme in great honour and worshyp at y e last ended hys lyfe in peace rest ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth the father of heueÌ„ his sone betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst whome many men desyre to nourysshe at eester whan they receyue y e sacrament He nouryssheth hym that best iusteth wyth the deuyll and ouercoÌ„meth hym thrugh penauÌ„ce The knight that toke this chylde w t hym betokeneth a good chrysten man that fasteth truly and blyssedly all y e lente before Therfore do we as y e knyght dyd sende we before messengers to dyght to make clene y e castel of our herte from al spottes of synne by workes of mercy so shall this chylde Iesu rest lyght in the myddes of our herte The well betokeneth mercy whyche ought to be nexte our lord For who so euer is wtout mercy trewth may not nourysshe that blessed chylde Iesu. But it happeneth ofte y t the knyghtes wyfe y t is y e flesshe of man bereth the key of mercy and ofte leueth y e wel open and than coÌ„meth the bere that is the deuyll and casteth venym in to y e well of mercy and who that tasteth therof shall be infected wyth y e lepry of synne The wyndowe wherin the sonne shyneth is y e grace of y e holy goost by whom men lyue and are coÌ„forted goostly by this wyndowe the egle coÌ„meth in that is to say the power of almighty god and toke away y e chylde Iesu from y e herte of man thaÌ„ man hath great cause to wepe but what shall he do whan y e chylde is gone but sende for a subtyl phisycyan that is to saye a discryte coÌ„fessour whyche shall gyue hym couÌ„seyle to let hym blode all his housholde that is to saye to put out synne thrugh coÌ„fessyoÌ„ of tonge before his goostly father Than must he bathe hymselfe w t teares of coÌ„tricyon coÌ„punccion of tonge after y t take the medicyne of satisfaccyon than shal he be made clene froÌ„ al maner of synne And whan he hath done thus he must lepe on y e palfray of good lyfe ryde forth w t his thre squyers that is to say fastyng prayer almes dede than wtout doubte he shal fynde the chylde Iesu in the valey of humilite not on a hyll that is to saye pryde And yf he do thus doubtles he shall haue myght and power to nourysshe that blessed chylde Iesu for whose nourysshynge the father of heuen shall promote hym vnto euerlastynge ioye Unto the whych ioye god brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperoure named Fulgentius whyche gouerned hys people nobly loued theÌ„ so moche that he made to proclayme thrugh out all nacyons that who so euer wolde coÌ„me to hym ryche or poore at a certayne daye sholde haue theyr petycyons what so euer 〈◊〉 were Whan y e myghty men herde thys they were glad came at the daye assygned euery man put forth thâ—yr peticions vnto the Emperour anone theyr petycyons were graunted fulfylled in so moche that almoost all the empyre was departed amonge them And than euery man was ioy full went home agayn toke sâ—a syne of suche landes castels as the Emperour had gyuen them Anone after the poore men gadred them togyder and sayd A coÌ„mune crye was made that all men bothe poore ryche shold coÌ„me to y e Emperours palays theyr they shold haue what so euer they asked y e ryche men haue ben there lately and optayned theyr peticioÌ„s Therfore go we now wyte yf we may optayne ony good of y e Emperour That couÌ„sel was approbate alowed amonge them all wherfore they went forth tyll they came to y e Emperours palays there they put forth theyr petycyons accordynge to theÌ„perours proclamacyon And whan the Emperour had herde them he sayde to them Dere frendes I haue herde all your peticyons it is trouth that my proclamacyon was y t euery man indifferently sholde coÌ„me haue theyr peticyons but the ryche mighty men haue ben here afore you to whom I haue gyuen all that I had saue onely the royalte of my lorâ—shyp and so haue I nothyng lefte to gyue you A good lorde haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs let vs not go voyde agayne for we knowe well that is our owne defaute that we came not rather w t these other ryche myghty men but syth it is so we aske your grace that we may optayne somwhat by the whyche we may lyue Than sayd the Emperour Good frendes though I haue gyuen all my landes rentes tenementes all y e castels to the ryche men that came before you Neuerthelesse I haue kepte styll in myne owe handes the lordshyp ouer theÌ„ and that lordshyp I gyue to you and so shall they be your seruauntes be obedyent to you all And whan the poore men herde thys they were greatly reioysed kneled downe to the Emperour thaÌ„ked hym saying â—o though we coÌ„me late yet we be made lordes ouer all these other And with this they toke theyr leue and wente home agayne But whan the ryche and the myghty men herde that they were greatly moued and set a coÌ„mune parlyament among them selfe And thus it was spoken amonge them Alas alas how may we serue them that somtyme were but chorles our subiectes in al maner thynges now they be made lordes ouer vs. Therfore go we al wyth one assent to themperour praye we hym of remedy Whan thys was sayd theyr couÌ„seyle was coÌ„mended forth they went to the Emperour sayd to hym Reuerende lorde what may this be those y t were our seruauÌ„tes be made our lordes we beseche you mekely that it may not be so ThaÌ„ sayd the Emperour Good frendes I do you no wronge for my crye was coÌ„mune that what so euer ye asked of me ye sholde optayne your peticyon ye asked nothyng of me but landes rentes honours and all that haue I grauÌ„ted you at your owne wyll in so moche y t I kepte nothynge for my selfe eche of you were well content at your away goynge after y t came symple and poore men asked of me some goodes accordynge to my proclamacyon I had nothynge to gyue them for I had gyuen you all that I had saue onely the lordshyp ouer you whyche I kepte in my handes whan the poore men so cryed on me I had nothyng to gyue them saue onely the lordshyp ouer you and therfore ye sholde not blame me for that ye asked ye had Than sayde they A good lorde we praye you effectuously of your couÌ„sell in thys case of your helpe The Emperour answered sayd Syrs yf ye wyll werke after me I shall gyue you good profytable couÌ„seyle Than sayd they Lord we be redy to
fulfyll what so euer ye saye to vs for our profyte Than sayd themperour My good frendes ye haue of me bothe landes and tenementes wyth other mouable goodes and that great plente the whyche by my couÌ„seyle ye shall departe w t the poore men that they may graunte you the lordshyp And anone these ryche men gladly grauÌ„ted to this departed al theyr goodes amonge the poore men than they gaue them agayne the lordshyp ouer theÌ„ lyke as they had of y e ryche men And thus were they bothe content themperour was greatly coÌ„mended of al the people bycause he accorded bothe the partyes so wysely ¶ By thys Emperour is vnderstande our lorde Iesu Chryst whych made a proclamacyon by hys ê“phetes patriarkes apostles prechers that euery man bothe poore ryche sholde coÌ„me aske euerlastynge ioye and wythout doubte they shall optayne theyr peticion But y e ryche and myghty men asked none other thynge but worldly honour transytory rychesse for thys worlde shall passe all his couetyse wherfore he gaue them so moche of worldly goodes that he had nothinge lefte to hymselfe accordyng to scripture The byrdes of heuen haue nestes y e foxes in erth haue caues but y e sone of god hath nothyng in erth where he may put hys heed The poore men be suche as be meke in herte Of the whyche poore men speketh our lorde saying Blessed be the poore in herte for the kyngdom of heuen is theyrs And yf it sholde seme that they haue lordshyps aboue myghty men of thys worlde therfore these ryche men ought to departe theyr rychesse wyth poore men accordynge to the scrypture saying thus Gyue ye almes all thynge shall be cleue to you And thus may ye gete a lordshyp in heuen vnto y e whyche lordshyp I beseche almyghty god to brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty emperour named Domicyan whyche had two doughters of whome one was passynge fayre that other foule vgly to beholde wherfore he let crye thrugh out all his empyre that what man wolde haue hys fayre doughter to wyfe sholde haue nothynge w t her but her fayrnes And who that wedded hys foule doughter sholde haue all hys empyre after hys deth And whan the proclamacyon was made there came many lordes y t desyred to wedde hys fayre doughter Tho whome the Emperour answered thus Syrs ê™ he ye wote not what ye desyre ryght well ye knowe that yf ye wedde her ye shall haue nothynge w t her but her fayrnes farthermore yf I gyue her to one of you not to another than wyll ye stryue for her therfore yf ye wyll nedes haue her forsake my foule doughter you behoueth fyrst to iust for her and he that wynneth her shall wedde her Than were the greatest states of y e empyre greatly reioyced anone onely for he loue they wolde iust also fyght wherfore they set a day of batayle many worthy men were slayne on bothe sydes neuerthelesse one optayned the victory and wedded that fayre lady The seconde doughter that was foule and vgly sawe thys that her syster was wedded w t great solempnite mourned wepte dayly wherfore the Emperour her father came to her and sayde Dere doughter why mournest thou thus Alas dere father quod she it is no wonder though I mourne seynge my syster wedded wyth so great honour gladnes euery man is fayne of her no man loueth my felawshyp and therfore dere father what I may best do sothly I wote not Than sayd the emperour O my dere doughter all y t is myne is thyne and it is not vnknowen to you that he whyche wedded thy syster had nothynge w t her but her fayrnes therfore I shall proclayme in myne owne ê‘sone thrugh all myne Empyre that what man weddeth you I shall make hym sure by letâ—re pateÌ„t of al myne empyre after my deth ThaÌ„ this yonge lady though she was foule vgly neuerthelesse she reioyced in y e promesse of her father anone after the proclamacyon was made than there came a yonge knight a gentyll wedded y e lady after the deth of the Emperour he seased all the Empyre and was crowned Emperour and she Empresse ¶ This Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst which hath two doughters that one fayre that other foule That one fayre betokeneth thys worlde whych is ful fayre delectable to many meÌ„ That other foule betokeneth pouerte trouble whome fewe men desyre to wedde Neuerthelesse a coÌ„mune crye was made by holy scripture that who so wold haue his fayre doughter that is the worlde sholde haue nothynge wyth her but her fayrnes that is to saye the worldly vanyâ—ees whyche fade fall a waye lyke as the fayrnes of man But who that wyll wedde the foule doughter that is to say wylfully to receyue pouerte trouble for goddes loue wythout doubte he shall optayne y e empyre of heuen accordyng to scrypture saying Ye that haue forsaken all thyng for my loue to folowe me shall haue euerlastyng lyfe Many noble and worthy men haue iusted for the fayre doughter that is to saye haue foughten bothe by see by lande for thys worlde for couetyse of worldly rychesse at the last there be many slayne for there is nothing here but pryde of lyfe couetyse of eyen or of the flesshe where thrugh all the worlde is put to great myschefe But he that weddeth the fayre doughter that is y e worlde is he that setteth all hys affeccyon desyre in the wrecchednes of thys worlde wyll not for nothyng forsake thys worlde lyke a wretche couetous man But he that weddeth the foule doughter is a good chrysten man whych for the loue of y e kyngdom of heueÌ„ forsaketh all this worlde not onely doth thus but also despyseth hymselfe bodyly obeyinge vnto his soueraynes in all thynge Suche a man certaynly shall optayne the Empyre of heuen Unto the whyche Iesu Chryst brynge bothe you and me Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty emperour named Andromyke whych aboue all thynge loued melody Thys Emperour had wythin hys castell a well of suche vertue that who so euer were dronken dranke of the water of that well sholde incontynent be fresshe agayn be delyuered froÌ„ all maner of droÌ„kennes There was also dwellynge in thys Emperours courte a knyght named Ydrony whome y e Emperour loued moche but oftentymes he was dronken whych vyce the emperour hated aboue all thynge And whan thys knyght perceyued hymselfe dronken than wolde he go to the well drynke of the water refresshe hym selfe so that what so euer the Emperour sayde to hym he wolde answere hym so reasonably that no dronkeÌ„nes myght be seen in hym for hys wytty answere he was greaâ—ly beloued of the Emperour Neuerthelesse his felowes of the courte enuyd hym moche ymagyned amonge themselfe how they myght departe y e