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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A32749	The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.; Works. 1687	Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.; Speght, Thomas, fl. 1600.; Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? Siege of Thebes.	1687 (1687)	Wing C3736; ESTC R3920	1,295,535	731

THE PROGENIE OF GEFFREY CHAUCER The true portraiture of GEFFREY CHAUCEER the famous English poet as by THOMAS OCCLEUE is described who liued in his time and was his Scholar THE WORKS OF OUR Ancient Learned Excellent ENGLISH POET JEFFREY CHAUCER As they have lately been Compar'd with the best Manuscripts and several things added never before in Print To which is adjoyn'd The STORY of the SIEGE of THEBES By John Lidgate Monk of Bury TOGETHER WITH The Life of Chaucer SHEWING His Countrey Parentage Education Marriage Children Revenues Service Reward Friends Books Death Also a TABLE wherein the Old and Obscure Words in Chaucer are explained and such Words which are many that either are by Nature or Derivation Arabick Greek Latine Italian French Dutch or Saxon mark'd with particular Notes for the better understanding their Original LONDON Printed in the Year MDCLXXXVII TO THE Right Honourable Sir ROBERT CECIL K nt PRINCIPAL SECRETARY To the QUEEN's Most Excellent Majesty Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries one of her Highness's most Honourable Privy Council and Right Worthy Chancellor of the Vniversity of CAMBRIDGE Right Honourable AT the last Impression of this Work in way of humble Duty and Thankfulness I presented to Your Honour certain Collections and Observations upon Chaucer as namely His Life Picture and Pedigree the Arguments of every Book and Tale the Explanation of old Words with Declaration of Authors by him cited and also two Treatises the Death of Blanch called his Dream and the Flower and the Leaf never before printed But as these things then through want of time were not fully perfected so were there some other things omitted at the next Impression to be performed Now therefore that both by old written Copies and by Thynn's praise-worthy Labours I have reformed the whole Work whereby Chaucer for the most part is restored to his own Antiquity and noted withal most of his Sentences and Proverbs having also with some Additions reduced into due place those former Notes and Collections as likewise proved the Significations of most of the old and obscure Words by the Tongues and Dialects from whence they are derived translated also into English all the Latin and French by him used and lastly added to his Works some Things of his own doing as the Treatise of Jack Upland against Fryars and his A. B. C. commonly called La Priere de nostre Dame I am bold to present the whole to your Honourable Favour and Patronage always mindful of my bounden Duty to Your Honour's House which with hearty Prayer I commend to the Grace of the Almighty Your Honour 's in all Duty at Commandment THO. SPEGHT To the Readers AFter this Book was last Printed I understood that Mr. Francis Thynn had a purpose as indeed he hath when time shall serve to set out Chaucer with a Comment in our Tongue as the Italians have Petrark and others in their Language Whereupon I purposed not to meddle any farther in this Work altho some promise made to the contrary but to referr all to him being a Gentleman for that purpose inferiour to none both in regard of his own Skill as also of those helps left to him by his Father Yet notwithstanding Chaucer now being Printed again I was willing not only to help some Imperfections but also to add some things whereunto he did not only persuade me but most kindly lent me his Help and Direction By this means most of his old Words are restored Proverbs and Sentences marked such Notes as were collected drawn into better order and the Text by old Copies corrected But of some things I must advertise the Readers as first that in Chaucer they shall find the Proper Names oftentimes much differing from the Latin and Greek from whence they are drawn which they must not condemn in him as a fault for both he and other Poets in Translating such Words from one Language into another do use as the Latins and Greeks do the sundry Species of Metaplasmus as Campaneus for Capaneus Atheon for Acteon Adriane for Ariadne Which Chaucer doth in other Words also as gon for begon leve for beleve peraunter for peradventure loveden for did love woneden for did won c. It is his manner likewise imitating the Greeks by two Negatives to cause a greater Negation as I ne said none ill Also many times to understand his Verb as I not what men him call for I know not c. And for the Author to name some part of his Work as Argonauticon for Apollonius Rhodius And that sometime in the Genitive Case a former Substantive being understood as read Aeneidos Metamorphoseos for the Authors of those Works And for his Verses altho in divers places they may seem to us to stand of unequal Measures yet a skilful Reader that can scan them in their nature shall find it otherwise And if a Verse here and there fall out a Syllable shorter or longer than another I rather aret it to the negligence and rape of Adam Scrivener that I may speak as Chaucer doth than to any unconning or over-sight in the Author for how fearful he was to have his Works miswritten or his Verse mismeasured may appear in the End of his Fifth Book of Troylus and Creseide where he writeth thus And for there is so great diversitie In English and in writing of our tongue So pray I God that none miswrite thee Ne thee mismetre for defaut of tongue c. Moreover whereas in the explanation of the old Words sundry of their Significations by me given may to some seem conjectural yet such as understand the Dialects of our Tongue especially in the North and have knowledge in some other Languages will judge otherwise and for the satisfying of others which want such skill I have by these Characters a. g. l. i. f. d. b. notified to them from what Tongue or Dialect such Words are derived It were a Labour worth commendation if some Scholar that hath Skill and Leisure would conferr Chaucer with those learned Authors both in Greek and Latin from whom he hath drawn many excellent things and at large report such Histories as in his Works are very frequent and many of them hard to be found which would so grace this Ancient Poet that whereas divers have thought him unlearned and his Writings mere Trifles it should appear That besides the knowledge of sundry Tongues he was a Man of great Reading and deep Judgment This course I began in the former Impression but here of purpose have left it off as also the Description of Persons and Places except some few of more worthy note as a labour rather for a Commentor for that it concerneth Matter than for him that intendeth only the explaining of Words And thus to conclude I commit to your wonted Favour this our Poet and what here is done for the Poet's sake TO HIS Very Loving and assured Good Friend Mr. THOMAS SPEGHT I Am sorry that neither the

And at start he was betwixt hem two And pulled out his sword and cried ho No more on paine of lesing your head By mightie Mars he shall anone be dead That smiteth any stroke that I may seen But telleth me what mister men ye been That been so hardie for to fighten here Without iudge or other officere As though it were in listes rially This Palamon answered hastily And said sir what nedeth words mo We haue the death deserued both two Two wofull wretches been we and caitiues That been encombred of our own liues And as thou art a rightfull lord and iudge Ne yeue vs neither mercie ne refuge But slea me first for saint charite But slea my fellow as well as me Or slea him first for though thou know it lite This is thy mortal foe this is Arcite That fro thy sand is banished on his head For which he hath deserved to be dead For this is he that came unto thy yate And saied that he hight Philostrate Thus hath he iaped full many a yere And thou hast made him thy chief squiere And this is he that loveth Emelie For sith the day is come that I shall die I make plainly my confession That I am thilke wofull Palamon That hath thy prison broke wickedly I am thy mortall foe and he am I That loueth so hot Emelie the bright That I woll die here present in her sight Wherefore I aske death and my iewise But slea my fellow in the same wise For both we haue deserved to be slaine This worthy duke answered anon againe And saied this is a short conclusion Your owne mouth by your owne confession Hath damned you and I woll it record It needeth not to pine you with a cord Ye shall be dead by mighty Mars the redde The queene anon for very womanhedde Gan for to weepe and so did Emelie And all the ladies in the companie Great pitie was it as thought hem all That euer such a chaunce should befall For gentlemen they were of great estate And nothing but for loue was this debate And saw her bloudie wounds wide and sore And all criden at once both lesse and more Have mercie lord upon vs women all And on her bare knees adoune they fall And wold haue kist his feet there as he stood Till at the last assaked was his mood * For pitie renneth soone in gentle hert And though he at first for ire quoke and stert He hath considered shortly in a clause The trespasses of hem both and eke the cause And although his ire her gilt accused Yet in his reason he hem both excused * As thus he thought well that euery man Woll helpe himselfe in loue all that he can And eke deliue● himselfe out of prison And eke his heart had compassion Of women for they weepen euer in one And in his gentle heart he thought anone And foft vnto himselfe he saied fie * Vpon a lord that woll haue no mercie But be a Lion both in word and deed To hem that been in repentaunce and dreed As well as to a proud dispitous man That will maintaine that he first began * That lord hath little of discretion That in such case can no diffinition But weigheth pride humblenesse after one And shortly when his ire was thus agone He gan to looken vp with eyen light And spake in place these words all on hight The God of loue ah benedicite How mightie and how great a lord is he Againe his might there gaineth no obstacles He may be cleaped a God for his miracles For he can maken at his owne gise Of everich hart as him list deuise Lo here this Arcite and this Palamon That quietly were out of my prison gon And might haue liued in Thebes riasly And knowne I am her mortall enemie And that her death is in my power also And yet hath loue maugre her eyen two I brought hem hither both for to die Now looketh is not this a great follie * Who may be a foole but if he loue Behold for Gods sake that sitteth aboue See how they bleed be they not well araied Thus hath her lord the god of loue hem paied Her wages and her fees for her seruice And yet they wenen to be full wise That serue loue for ought that may befall But yet is this the best game of all That she 〈◊〉 whom they haue this iollite Con hem therefore as much thanke as me She wot no more of all his hote fare By God than wot a Cuckow or an Hare But all mote been assaied hot and cold A man mote been a foole other yong or old I wot it by my selfe full yore agone For in my time a seruant was I one And therefore sith I know of loues paine I wot how sore it can a man distraine As he that oft hath be caught in her iaas I you foryeue all wholly this trespaas At the request of the queen that kneeleth here And eke of Emely my sister dere And ye shall both anon vnto me swere That ye shall neuer more my country dere Ne make warre vpon me night ne day But been my friends in all that ye may I you foryeue this trespass every dele And they him sware his asking fair and we le And him of lordship and of mercie praid And he hem graunted grace and thus he said To speake of worthie linage and richesse Though that she were a queen or a princesse Ilke of you both is worthie doubtlesse To wed when time is but nethelesse I speake as for my sister Emelie For whom ye haue this strife and ielousie Ye wot your selfe she may not wed two At ones though ye fighten euermo But one of you all be him loth or lefe He mot goe pipe in an Yuie leafe This is to say she may not haue both Been ye neuer so iealous ne so wroth And therefore I you put in this degre That each of you shall haue his destine As him is shape and hearken in what wise Lo here your end of that I shall deuise My will is this for plat conclusion Without any replication If that you liketh take it for the best That euerich of you shall goe where him lest Freely without ransome or daungere And this day fiftie weekes ferre ne nere Euerich of you shall bring an C. knights Armed for the lists upon all rights Alredy to darrein here by battaile And this behote I you withouten faile Vpon my truth as I am true knight That whether of you both hath that might That is to say that whether he or thou May with his hundred as I spake of now Slea his contrary or out of lists driue Him shall I yeue Emely to wiue To whom fortune yeueth so fair a grace The lists shall I do make in this place And God so wisely on my soule rew As I shall euen iudge be and trew Ye shall none other end with me make That one of you shall be dedde

it as it lieth in the wey The broad riuer sometime wexeth drey The great tounes see we do wane and wend Then ye see that all this thing hath end And man and woman see shall we also That nedeth in one of the tearmes two That is to saine in youth or els in age He mote be dead a king as well as a page Some in his bed some in the deepe see Some in the large field as ye may see It helpeth not all goeth that ilke wey Then may you see that all thing mote dey What maketh this but Iupiter the king That is prince and cause of all thing Converting all to his proper will From which it is deriued sooth to tell And here again no creature on liue Of no degree auaileth for to striue * Then is it wisdome as thinketh me To make vertue of necessite And take it well that we may not eschew And namly that to vs all is dew And who so grutcheth ought he doth follie And rebell is to him that all may gie * And certainely a man hath most honour To dien in his excellence and flour When he is siker of his good name Then hath he don his frends ne him no shame And glader ought his friends be of his death When with honour iyold is vp the breath Then when his name apaled is for age For all foryetten is his vassellage Then it is best as for a worthy fame * To dien when he is best of name The contrary of all this is wilfulnesse Why grutchen we why haue we heauinesse That good Arcite of chiualry the flour Departed is with dutie and with honour Out of this foule prison of this life Why grutchen here his cosin and his wife Of his welfare that loueth him so wele Can he hem thank nay God wot neuer adele That both his soule and eke himselfe offend And yet they mow not her lusts amend What may I conclude of this long storie But after sorrow I rede vs be merrie And thanke Iupiter of all his grace And ere we departen from this place I rede we maken of sorrowes two One perfit ioy lasting euermo And look now where most sorrow is herein There woll I first amend and begin Sister qd he this is my full assent With all the people of my parlement Of gentle Palamon your owne knight That serueth you with wil hart and might And euer hath done sith ye first him knew That ye shall of your grace vpon him rew And take him for husband and for Lord Lend me your hand for this is our accord Let see now of your womanly pite He is a kings brothers sonne parde And though he were a poore batchelere Since he hath serued you so many a yere And had for you so great aduersite It must ben considered leueth me For gentle mercy ought to passen right Then said he thus to Palamon the knight I trow there need little sermoning To make you assenten to this thing Commeth nere take your lady by the hond Betwixt hem was maked anon the bond That hight Matrimonie or mariage By all the counsaile of the Baronage And thus with all blisse and melody Hath Palamon iwedded Emely And God that all this world hath ywrought Send him his loue that it hath so dere bought For now is Palamon in all we le Liuing in blisse in richesse and in hele And Emely him loueth so tenderly And he her serueth so gentilly That neuer was there no word hem betwene Of iealousie or of any other tene Thus endeth Palamon and Emely And God saue all this faire company The MILLERS Tale. NIcholas a Scholar of Oxford practiseth with Alison the Carpenters wife of Osney to deceive her Husband but in the end is rewarded accordingly ¶ The Millers Prologue WHen that the Knight had thus his tale ytold In all the company nas there yong ne old That he ne said it was a noble storie And worthie to be drawne in memorie And namely the gentiles eueriehone Our host lough and sware so mote I gone * This goeth aright vnbokeled is the male Let see now who shall tell another tale For truly the game is well begon Now telleth us sit Monke if you can Somewhat to quite with the knights tale The Miller for dronken was all pale So that vnneths vpon his horse he sat Ne nold availe neither hood ne hat Ne abide no man for his courtesie But in Pilats voice he began to crie And s●●re by armes blood and bones I can a noble tale for the nones With which I woll now quite the knight his tale Our host saw that he was dronken of ale And said abide Robin leue brother Some better man shall tell vs first another Abide and let vs wirch thriftely By Gods soule qd he that woll not I For I woll speake or els goe my way Our host answered tell on a deuill way Thou art a foole thy wit is ouercome Now hearketh qd the Miller all some But first I make protestatioun That I am drunke I know it by my soun And therefore if I mispeake or say Wite it the ale of Southwarke I you pray For I woll tell a legend and a life Both of a Carpenter and his wife * How that a clarke set a Wrights cap The Reue answered said stint thy clap Let be thy leaud drunken harlottrie * It is a sinne and eke a great follie To apairen any man or him defame And eke to bring wiues in such blame Thou maiest inough of other things faine This drunken Miller spake full soon againe And saied my leue brother Oswold * Who hath no wife he is no cokewold But I say not therefore that thou art one There been full good wiues many one Why art thou angry with my tale now I haue a wife parde as well as thou * Yet now I for all the Oxen in my plough Take vpon me more then is inough To deemen of my selfe that I am one I woll beleeue well that I am none * An husband should not been inquisitife Of Gods priuity ne of his wife For so he find Gods foison there Of the remnant needeth not to enquere What should I more say but this Millere He nold his word for no man forbere But told his churles tale in this mannere Me forthinketh I shall rehearce it here And therefore euery gentle wight I pray Deemeth not for Gods loue that I say Of euill intent but that I mote rehearse Her tales all been they better or werse Or else falsen some of my matere And therefore who so list it not to here Turne ouer the leafe and chuse another tale For ye shall find ynow great and smale Of historiall thing touching gentlenesse And eke moralitie and holinesse Blame not me if that ye chuse amis The Miller is a churle ye know well this So was the Reue eke and other mo And harlotrie they told eke both two Auise you and put me out of

mowen els leuen Thonked be God in wele and aboundance Trentals deliuereth qd he fro pennance Her friends soules as well old as yong If that they be hastily ysong Not for to hold a Priest jolly and gay He singeth not but one Messe a day Deliuereth out qd he anon the soules Full hard it is with fleshhooke or with oules To be yclawed or to bren or bake Now speedeth you hastily for Christs sake And when this Frere had said all his intent With qui cum patre forth his way he went When folk in church had yeue him what hem lest He went his way no lenger would he rest With scrip and tipped staffe ytucked hie In euery hous he gan to pore and prie And begged meale and cheese or els corne His fellow had a staffe tipped with horne A paire of tables all of Iuory A pointell ypolished fetously And wrote alway the names as he stood Of all folke that yaue hem any good Askaunce that he woulden for hem prey Yeue vs a bushell Wheat Malt or Rey A Gods kichell or a trippe of Chese Or els what ye list I may not chese A Gods halfepenny or a Masse peny Or yeue vs of your Brawne if ye haue any A dagon of your blanket leue dame Our suster deare lo here I write your name Bacon or Beefe or such thing as ye find A sturdy harlot went him aye behind That was her hostes man and bare a sacke And that men yaue hem laied it on his backe And when he was out at the dore anone He plained away the names euerichone That he before had written in his tables He serued hem with nifles and with fables Nay there thou liest Sompner qd that Frere Peace qd our host for Christs mother dere Tell forth thy tale and spare it not at all So thriue I qd the Sompner so I shall So long he went fro hous to hous till he Came to an hous there as he was wont to be Refreshed more than in a hundred placis Sicke lay the good man whose the place is Bedred vpon a couch low he lay Deus hic qd he O Thomas friend good day Saied this Frere all courteously and soft Thomas God yeeld it you for full oft Haue I vpon this bench faren full weale Here haue I eaten many a merry meale And fro the bench he droue away the cat And laied adoune his potent and his hat And eke his scrip and set him soft adoune His fellow was go walked into the toune Forth with his knaue into that hostelrie Where as he shope him that like night to lie O deare maister qd this sicke man How haue ye faren sithen March began I saw you not this fourtenight and more God wot qd he laboured haue I full sore And specially for thy saluation Haue I saied many a precious orison And for our other friends God hem blesse I haue this day ben at your church at messe And said a sermon after my simple wit Not all after the text of holy writ For it is hard to you as I suppose And therfore I woll teach you all the glose Glosing is a glorious thing certain For letter slaeth as we clerkes sain There haue I hem taught to ben charitable And spend her good there as it is reasonable And there I saw our dame ah where is she Yonder in the yard I trow she be Saied this man and she woll come anon Eye maister welcome ye be by saint Ihon Saied this wife how fare ye heartily This Frere ariseth vp full courteously And her imbraceth in his armes narrow And kisseth her sweet chirketh as a sparrow With his lips dame qd he I fare right wele As he that is your seruaunt euery dele Thanked be God that you haue soul and life Yet saw I not this day so faire a wife In all the whole church so God saue me Yea God amend all faults sir qd she Algates welcome ye be by my fay Graunt mercy dame that haue I found alway But of your great goodnesse by your leue I woll pray you that ye not you greue I woll with Thomas speake a little throw These curates ben full negligent and slow To gropen tenderly a mans conscience In shrift and in preaching is my diligence And to studie on Peters words and Poules I walke to fishen Christen mens soules To yeeld Iesu Christ his proper rent To spread his words is all mine intent Now by your leaue deare maister qd she Chideth him well for saint Charite He is aye angry as a pissemire Though that he haue all that he can desire Thogh I him wrie a night make him warm And ouer him lay my leg or mine arm He groneth as our bore that lieth in the stie Other disport of him right none haue I I may not please him in no manner caas O Thomas ie vous die Thomas Thomas This maketh the fiend this must ben amended Ire is a thing that God highly defended And thereof woll I speake a word or two Now maister qd the wife ere that I go What woll ye dine I woll go thereabout Now dame qd he ie vous die sanz dout Haue I of a Capon but the liuer And of your white bread but a shiuer And after that a rosted Pigs head But I nold not for me no beast were dead Then had I ynow for my suffisaunce I am a man of little sustenaunce My spirit hath his fostring in the Bible My body is aye so ready and so penible To wake that my body is destroied I pray you dame be ye nought annoied Though I so friendly you my counsaile shew By God I now haue told it but a few Now sir qd she but one word ere you go My child is dead within these weekes two Soone after that ye went out of this toun His death saw I by reuelatioun Saied this Frere at home in our Dortour I dare well saine ere that halfe an hour After his death I saw him borne to blisse In mine auision God me so wisse So did our Sexten and our Fermerere That han been true Freres this fiftie yere They may now God be thanked of his loue Maken her Iubelie and walken alone And vp I arose and all our couent eke With many a teare trilling on our cheeke Withouten noise or clattering of bels Te deum was our song and nothing els Saue that to Christ I saied an orison Thanking him of my reuelation For sir and dame trusteth me right well Our orisons been more effectuell And more we seene of Christs secret things Than borell folke although they were kings We liue in pouerte and in abstinence And borell folke in richesse and dispence In meat and drinke and in her foule delite We han this worldly lust all in despite Lazar and Diues liueden diuersely And diuers guerdons had they thereby * Who so woll pray he must fast and be cleane And fat his soule and make his body leane We fare as

with such things as appertaineth not unto him And Salomon saith * That he that entremetleth of the noise or strife of another manne is like to him that taketh a straunge hound by the eares For right as hee that taketh a straunge hound by the eeres is otherwhile bitten by the hond right so in the same wise it is reason that he have harme that by his impatience medleth him of the noise of another man whereas it appertaineth not unto him But ye know well that this deed that is to say my greefe and my disease toucheth me right nigh And therefore though I bee wroth and impatient it is no mervaile and saving your grace I cannot see that it might greatly harme me though I took vengeaunce for I am richer and more mightie than mine enemies bee And well know ye that by money and by having great possessions beene all things of this world governed And Salomon sayth * All these things obey to money When Prudence had heard her husbond avaunt him of his richesse and his money dispraising the power of his adversaries shee spake and saied in this wise Certes deare sir I graunt you that yee bee rich and mightie and * That the richesse is good to hem that have well gotten hem and that well can use them For right as the body of a manne may not live without the soule no more may it live without the temporall goodes and by richesse may a manne get him great friends And therefore sayeth Pamphillus If a Nerthes doughter he sayeth be rich she may chese of a thousand menne which shee woll take to her husbond for of a thousand one woll not forsake her ne refuse her And this Pamphillus saith also * If thou be right happie that is to say if thou be rich thou shalt find a great number of fellowes and friendes And if thy fortune chaunge farewell friendship and fellowship for thou shalt be alone withouten any companie but if it be the companie of poore folke And yet sayeth this Pamphillus moreover * That they that been bond and thrall of linage shall be made worthy and noble by the richesses And right so as by the richesses there come many goodnesses right so by povertie come there many harmes and evils * For great povertie constraineth a manne to doe many evils * And therefore calleth Cassiodor Povertie the mother of ruine that is to say the mother of overthrowing or of falling down And therefore sayth Peter Alfonce * One of the greatest adversities of this world is when a free man by kinde or of birth is constrained by povertie to eate the almose of his enemie And the same sayeth Innocente in one of his bookes He sayth * That sorrowfull mishap is the condition of a poore begger for if he aske not his meat hee dieth for hunger and if he aske he dieth for shame algates necessity constraineth him to aske And therefore sayeth Salomon * That better is to die than for to have such povertie And as the same Saloman sayth Better it is to die of bitter death than for to live in such wise By these reasons that I have said unto you and by many other reasons that I could say I graunt you that richesses been good to hem that hem well getten and to hem that well usen tho richesses And therfore woll I shew you how ye shall behave you in gathering of riches and in what manner she shullen use hem First * Yee shall get hem withouten great desire by good leisure sokingly and not over hastily for a manne that is too desiring to get richesse habandoneth him first to theft and to all other evils And therefore sayeth Salomon * He that hasteth him too busily to wexe rich he shall be none innocent He sayeth also * That the richesse that hastily commeth to a manne soone lightly goeth and passeth from a man but that richesse that commeth little and little wexeth alway and multiplieth And sir ye shall get richesse by your wit and by your trauaile vnto your profite and that without wrong or harme doing to any other person For the Law sayeth * There maketh no manne himselfe rich if hee doe harme to another wight this is to say that nature defendeth and forbiddeth by right that no manne maketh himselfe rich vnto the harme of another person And Tullius sayth * That no sorow ne no dread of death ne nothing that may fall vnto a man is so much ayenst nature as a man to encrease his owne profite to the harme of another manne And though the great and mightie menne get richesses more lightly than thou yet shalt thou not bee idle ne slowe to doe thy profite for thou shalt in all wise flie idlenesse For Salomon sayth * That idlenesse teacheth a man to doe many evils And the same Salomon sayeth * That he that trauaileth and busieth him to tilthe his lond shall eat bread but he that is idle and casteth him to no businesse ne occupation shall fall into pouertie die for hunger And he that is idle and slow can neuer find couenable time for to doe his profite For there is a verifier sayeth * That the idle manne excuseth him in Winter because of the great cold and in Sommer because of the heat * For these causes sayth Caton waketh and encline you not ouer much for to sleepe for ouer much rest nourisheth and causeth many vices And therefore sayeth saint Hierome * Do some good deeds that the diuel which is our enemie ne find you not vnoccupied for the deuill ne taketh not lightly vnto his werking such as hee findeth occupied in good werkes Then thus in getting richesses ye must flie idlenesse And afterward yee shull vse the richesses which yee haue got by your wit and by your trauaile in such manner that men hold you not too scarce ne too sparing ne foole large that is to say ouer large a spender for right as men blame an auaricious man because of his scarcitie and chincherie in the same wise is he to blame that spendeth ouer largely And therfore saith Caton * Vse sayth he the richesses that thou hast gotten in such manner that men may haue no matter ne cause to call thee nother wretch ne chinche * For it is a great shame to a man to haue a poore heart and a rich purse Hee sayth also the goods that thou hast gote vse them by measure that is to say spend measurably for they that foolishly wast and dispend the goods that they haue when they haue no more proper of her owne then they shape hem to take the goods of another manne I say then that ye shall flie auarice vsing your richesse in such manner that men say not that your richesses been buried but that yee haue hem in your might in your welding For a wise man repreueth the auaricious man sayth thus in these verses two * Whereto and why burieth a manne his goods by his

At Babilon was his soueraigne see In which his glorie and his delight he had Of Hierusalem he did do gelde anon The fayrest children of the blood royall And make each of hem to been his thrall Among all other Daniel was one That was the wisest of euerichone For he the dremes of the king expouned Whereas in Caldee clerkes were there none That wist to what fine his dreme sounded This proude king let make a statu of gold Sixty cubites long and seuen in brede To the which image both young and old Commanded he lout and haue in drede Or in a forneis ful of flames rede He should be deed that would not obey But neuer would assent to that dede Daniel ne his yong felowes twey This king of kings so proud and elate Weend God that sitteth in maiestie Ne might him nat berefe of his estate But sodainly he lost his dignitie And like a beast him seemed for to be And ete hey as an oxe and lay therout In raine and with wilde beasts walked he Till a certaine time was come about And like an Egles fethers were his heere 's And his neiles also like birds clawes were God releeued him at certaine yeeres And yaue him wit then with many a tere He thonked God and all his life in fere Was he to doe amisse or more trespace And ere that he layed was on his bere He knew that God was ful of might grace Balthaser HIs sonne which that high Balthasare That held the reign after his faders day He by his fader could not beware For proude he was of heart and of array And eke an Ydolaster was he aie His high estate assured him in pride But fortune cast him downe there he lay And suddainly his reigne gan deuide A feast he made vnto his lords all Vpon a time he made hem blith be And then his officers gan he call Goth bring forth all the vessels qd he Which that my father in his prosperitie Out of the temple of Hierusalem beraft And to our Gods thonkes yelden we Of honour that our elders with vs laft His wife his lords and his concubines Aie drunken whiles her appetites last Out of these noble vessels foundrie wines And on a wall this king his eyen cast A●● saw an hond armelesse that wrote fast For feare of which he quoke and sighed sore This hond that Balthaser made sore agast Wrote Mane techel phares and no more In al that londe Magicien was ther non That could expoune what this letter ment But Daniel expouned it anon And said O king God thy father sent Glory and honour reign tresour and rent And he was proud nothing God he drad And therfore great wrath God vpon him sent And him beraft the reigne that he had He was out cast of mans company With Asses was his habitation And eate haie as a beast in wete and drie Till that he knew by wit and reason That God of heauen hath domination Ouer euery reigne and euery creature And then had God of him compassion And him restored his reigne and his figure Eke thou that art his sonne art proud also And knowest all these things priuely And art rebell to God and his fo Thou dranke eke of his vessels boldly Thy wife eke and thy wenches sinfully Dronke of the same vessels sundry winis And heried false gods cursedly Therefore to thee shapen great pine is This hond was sent fro God that on the wal Wrote Mane techel phares trust me Thy reigne is doen thou wotest not all Diuided is thy realme and it shall be To Medes and to Perciens giuen qd he And that same night the king was slaw And Darius occupied his dignitie Though he thereto had neither right ne law * Lordings here ensample mowe ye take How that in lordship is no sikernesse For when that fortune woll a man forsake She beareth away his reigne his richesse And his friends both more and lesse And what man hath friends throgh fortune Mishap woll make hem enemies as I gesse This prouerbe is full soth full commune Zenobia ZEnobia of Palmerie Queene As writeth Perciens of her noblesse So worthy was in armes and so kene That no wight passed her in hardinesse Ne in linage ne in other gentilnesse Of kings blood of Perce she is discended I say that she had not most of fairenesse But of her shape shee might not be amended From her childhood I find that she fled Office of a woman and to wood she went And many a wilde Hartes blood she shed With arrowes broad that she to hem sent She was so swift that she hem hent And when that she was elder she would kill Lions Libards and Beeres all to rent And in her armes weld hem at her will She durst the wild beasts dennes to seeke And renne in the mountaines all the night And sleepe vnder a bush and she could eke Wrastell by very force and by very might With any yong man were he neuer so wight There might nothing in her armes stond She kept her maidenhead from euery wight To no man dained she to be bound But at last her friendes hath her maried To Odenat a prince of that countrie All were it so that she hem long taried And ye shall vnderstond how that he Had such fantasies like as had she But natheles when they were knit in fere They liued in joy and in felicite For ech of hem had other lefe and dere Saue one thing shee nolde neuer assent By no way that he should by her lie But ones for it was her plaine entent To haue a childe the world to multiply And also so sone as she might espie That she was not with child with that deed Then would she suffer him to do his fantasie Eftsones and not but one 's out of dreed And if she were with child at that cast No more should he with her play that game Till fully fourtie dayes were past Then would she ones suffer him the same All were this Odenat wild or tame He gate no more of her for thus she saied * It was to wiues letcherie and shame In other case if men with hem plaied Two sonnes by this Odenat had she The which she kept in vertue and lettrure But now vnto our tale againe turne we I say that so worshipfull a creature And wise therewith and large with measure So penible in warre and curteis eke Ne more labour might in war endure Was non though all this world men wold seek Her rich aray ne might not be told As well in vessell as in her clothing She was all clad in pierrie and in gold And eke she left not for none hunting To haue of sundry tongues full knowing When that she leisure had for to entend To learne in bookes was all her liking How she in vertue her life might dispend And shortly of this storie for to treat As doughtie was her husbond as she So that they conquered

as I haue saied sith so is that sin was first cause of thraldome then is it thus that at the time that all this world was in sin then was all this world in thraldome and in subjection but certes sith the time of grace came God ordained that some folk should be more high in estate and in degree and some folk more low and that ech should be serued in his estate And therefore in some countries there they be thrals when they haue tourned hem to their fayth they make her thrals free out of the thraldome therefore certes the Lord oweth to his man that the man oweth to the Lord. The Pope calleth himself seruaunt to the seruants of God but for as the estate of holy Church ne might not haue been ne the common profite might not haue be kept ne peace ne rest in earth but if God had ordained that some man haue higher degre some men lower therefore was soueraignty ordained to keep maintain and defend her underlings and her subiects in reason as fer forth as it lyeth in her power and not to destroy ne confound hem Wherefore I say that those lords that been like wolues that deuoure the possessions or the cattel of poor folks wrongfully without mercy or measure they shall receiue by the same measure that they haue measured to poor folk y● measure of Iesu Christ but it be amended Now commeth deceit betwixt marchaunt and marchaunt And thou shalt understond that marchaundise is in two manners that one is bodily that other is ghostly that one is honest and leful that other is dishonest and unleful The bodily marchaundise that is leful and honest is this that there as God hath ordained that a reigne or a countrey is suffisaunt to himselfe then it is honest and lefull that of haboundance of this countrey menne helpe another countrey that is needy And therefore there must be marchaunts to bring fro one countrey to that other her marchaundise That other marchaundise that menne haunten with fraude and trecherie and deceit with leasinges and false othes is right cursed and dampnable Espirituell Marchaundise is properly Simonie that is ententiue desire to buy any thing espirituell that is a thing which appertayneth to the sanctuarie of God and to cure of the soule This desire if so be that a manne do his diligence to perfourme it all be it that his desire ne take none effect yet it is to him a deadly sin if he be ordered he is irregular Certes Simonie is called of Simon magus that would haue bought for temporel cattel the yest that God had yeue by the Holy-ghost to Saint Peter and to the Apostles And therefore vnderstond that he that selleth and he that buyeth things espirituell ben called Simoniackes be it by cattell be it by procuring or by fleshly praier of his frends fleshly frends or espirituell frends fleshly in two manners as by kinred or other frends Soothly if they pray for him that is not worthy and able it is Simonie if he take the benefice and if he be worthy and able there is none That other manner is when man or woman prayeth for folke to auaunce hem only for wicked fleshly affection which they haue vnto the persons and that is foul Simonie But certes in seruice for which menne yeuen things espirituell vnto her seruaunts it must be vnderstond that y● seruice must be honest or els not also that it be without bargaining and that the person be able For as saith Saint Damasen * All the sinnes of the world at regard of this sinne are as thing of nought for it is the greatest sinne that may be after the sin of Lucifer and of Antichrist For by this sinne God forleseth the Church and the Soule which hee bought with his precious blood by hem that yeue Churches to hem that been not worthy for they are put in theeues honds that steale the soules of Iesu Christ and destroy his patrimonie By such vnworthy Priests and Curates haue leaud menne lesse reuerence of the Sacraments of holy Church such yeuers of Churches put the children of Christ out put in y● Church the Diuels owne sonnes they sell the soules that Lambs should keep to the Wolf which strangleth hem and therfore shall they neuer haue part of the pasture of Lambes that is the blisse of Heauen Now cometh hasardry with his apertenaunces at tables and rafles of which cometh deceit false oths chidings and all rauenous blasphemings renyings of God and hate of his neyghbours wast of goods mispending of time and sometime manslaughter Certes hasardours ne mow not bee without greate sinne Of Auarice commeth also leasinges theft false witnesse and false othes and ye shall vnderstond that these bee great sinnes and expresse ayenst the commaundements of God as I haue sayd False witnesse is in word and also in deede In worde as for to bereaue thy neighbours good name by thy false witnesse or bereaue him his cattell or his heritage by thy false witnessing when thou for ire or for meede or for enuie bearest false witnesse or accusest him or excuseth thy self falsely Ware ye questmongers and notaries certes for false witnessing was Susan in full great sorrowe and paine and many another mo The sinne of theft is also expresse ayenst Gods hest and in two manners corporell and spirituell the temporell theft is As for to take thy neighbours cattell ayenst his will be it by force or by sleight be it by mette or by measure by stealing also of false enditements vpon him and in borrowing of thy neighbours cattell in entent neuer to pay it ayen and semblable things Espirituell theft is sacrilege that is to say hurting of holy things sacred to Christ in two manners by reason of the holy place as Churches or Churchyards For which euery villainous sinne that men done in such places may be called sacrilege or euery violence in the semblable places Also they that withdrawe falsely the rightes that long to holy Church and pleasing And generally sacriledge is to reue holy thing fro holy place or vnholy thing out of holy place or holy thing out of vnholy place Revelatio contra peccatum Avaritiae NOw shall ye vnderstond that releeuing of Auarice is misericorde and pitty largely taken And men might aske why that misericorde and pitty are releeuing of Auarice Certes the auaricious man sheweth no pitty ne misericorde to the needfull man For he delighteth him in the keping of his treasure not in the rescuing ne releeuing of his euin Christen And therefore speake I first of misericorde Then is misericorde as saith the Phylosopher a vertue by which the courage of man is stirred by the misease of him that is diseased Vpon which misericorde followeth pity in performing and fulfiling of charitable workes of mercie helping comforting him that is miseased And certes these things moue and stir a man to misericorde of Iesu Christ that he yaue

all quicke we should him brenne Or els yeve him soch pennaunce That is well worse than the pitaunce * For thou shalt never for nothing Con knowen aright by her clothing The traitours full of trecherie But thou her werkes can espie And ne had the good keeping be Whylome of the vniversite That keepeth the key of Christendome We had been tourmented all and some Such been the stinking Prophetis Nis none of hem that good Prophet is For they through wicked entention The yeare of the incarnation A thousand and two hundred yere Five and fiftie ferther ne nere Broughten a booke with sorrie grace To yeven ensample in common place That saied thus though it were fable This is the Gospell perdurable That fro the holy ghost is sent Well were it worth to be brent Entitled was in such manere This booke of which I tell here There nas no wight in all Paris Beforne our Ladie at parvis That they ne might the booke by The sentence pleased hem well truely But I woll stint of this matere For it is wonder long to here But had that ilke booke endured Of better estate I were ensured And friends have I yet pardee That han me set in great degree OF all this world is Emperour Guile my father the trechour And Empresse my mother is Maugre the holy ghost iwis Our mightie linage and our rout Reigneth in every reigne about And well is worthy we ministers be For all this world governe we And can the folke so well deceive That none our guile can perceive And though they doen they dare not say The sooth dare no wight bewray But he in Christes wrath him leadeth That more than Christ my brethren dredeth He nis no full good champion That dreadeth such similation Nor that for paine woll refusen Vs to correct and accusen He woll not entremete by right Ne have God in his eyesight And therefore God shall him punice But me ne recketh of no vice Sithen men vs loven communably And holden vs for so worthy That we may folke repreve echone And we nill have reprefe of none Whom shoulden folke worshippen so But vs that stinten never mo To patren while that folke may vs see Though it not so behind hem be ANd where is more wood follie Than to enhaunce chivalrie And love noble men and gay That iolly clothes wearen alway If they be such folke as they seemen So cleane as men her clothes demen And that her wordes follow her dede It is great pitie out of drede For they woll be none Hypocritis Of hem me thinketh great spight is I cannot love hem on no side But beggers with these hoods wide With sleigh and pale faces leane And gray clothes nat full cleane But fretted full of tatarwagges And high shoes knopped with dagges That frouncen like a quale pipe Or bootes riveling as a gipe To such folke as I you devise Should princes and these lords wise Take all her lands and her things Both warre and peace in governings To such folke should a prince him yeve That would his life in honour live And if they be nat as they seme They serven thus the world to queme There would I dwell to deceive The folke for they shall nat perceive But I ne speake in no such wise That men should humble habite dispise So that no pride there vnder be No man should hate as thinketh me The poore man in such clothing But God ne preiseth him nothing That saieth he hath the world forsake And hath to worldly glory him take And woll of such delices vse Who may that begger well excuse That papelarde that him yeeldeth so And woll to worldly ease go And saieth that he the world hath left And greedily it gripeth eft He is the hound shame is to saine That to his casting goeth againe BVt vnto you dare I not lie But might I feelen or espie That ye perceived it nothing Ye should have a starke leasing Right in your hond thus to beginne I nolde it let for no sinne The God lough at the wonder tho And every wight gan lough also And saied lo here a man right For to be trustie to every wight FAlse Semblant qd Love say to mee Sith I thus have avaunced thee That in my court is thy dwelling And of ribaudes shalt be my king Wolt thou well holden my forwardes Yea sir from hence forwardes We woll a people vpon him areise And through our guile doen him ceise And him on sharpe speares riue Or other waies bring him fro liue But if that he woll follow ywis That in our booke written is THus much woll our booke signifie That while Peter had maistrie May never Iohn shew well his might Now have I you declared right The meaning of the barke and rinde That maketh the entencions blinde But now at erst I woll begin To expoune you the pith within And the seculers comprehend That Christs law woll defend And should it kepen and maintainen Ayenst hem that all sustenen And falsly to the people teachen That Iohn betokeneth hem to preachen That there nis law couenable But thilke Gospell perdurable That fro the holy ghost was sent To turne folke that ben miswent The strength of Iohn they vnderstond The grace in which they say they stond That doeth the sinfull folke conuert And hem to Iesu Christ reuert Full many another horriblee May men in that booke see That been commaunded doubtlesse Ayenst the law of Rome expresse And all with Antichrist they holden As men may in the booke beholden And then commaunden they to sleen All tho that with Peter been But they shall never have that might And God toforne for strife to fight That they ne shall ynough find That Peters law shall have in mind And euer hold and so mainteen That at the last it shall be seen That they shall all come thereto For aught that they can speake or do And thilke law shall not stond That they by Iohn have vnderstond But maugre hem it shall adoun And been brought to confusioun Had never your father here beforne Seruaunt so true sith he was borne That is ayenst all nature Sir put you in that auenture For though ye borowes take of me The sikerer shall ye never be For hostages ne sikernesse Or chartres for to beare witnesse I take your selfe to record here That men ne may in no manere Tearen the Wolfe out of his hide Till he be slaine backe and side Though men him beat and all defile What wene ye that I woll beguile For I am clothed meekely There vnder is all my trechery Mine heart chaungeth never the mo For none habite in which I go Though I have chere of simplenesse I am not wearie of shreudnesse My lemman strained Abstenaunce Hath mister of my purueiaunce She had full long ago be ded Nere my counsaile and my red Let her alone and you and mee And Love answerd I trust thee Without borow for

sundry londs sundry ben vsages And for thy if it happe in any wise That here be any lover in this place That herkeneth as the story woll devise How Troilus came to his ladies grace And thinketh so nolde I not love purchase Or wondreth on his speech or his doing I not but it is to me no wondring * For every wight which y● to Rome went Halt nat o pathe ne alway o manere Eke in some lond were all the gamen shent If that men farde in love as men done here As thus in open doing or in chere In visiting in forme or said our saws * For thy men sain ech country hath his laws Eke scarsely ben there in this place three That have in love said like and done in all For to this purpose this may liken thee And thee right nought yet all is done or shall * Eke some men graue intre som in stone wall As it betide but sith I have begonne Mine authour shall I follow as I konne Explicit Prohemium IN May y● mother is of moneths glade That y● fresh floures both blew white rede Ben quick ayen that winter dead made And full of baume is fleting every mede When Phebus doth her bright beams spred Right in the white Bole it so betidde As I shall sing on Maies day the thridde That Pandarus for all his wise speach Felt eke his part of loves shottes kene That coud he never so well of loving preach It made his hew a day full oft grene So shope it that him fill that day a tene In love for which in wo to bed he went And made ere it were day full many a went The swallow Progne with a sorowfull lay When morow come gan make hir waimenting Why she forshapen was and ever lay Pandare a bed halfe in a slombering Till she so nigh him made her waimenting How Tereus gan forth her suster take That with the noise of her he gan awake And to call and dresse him vp to rise Remembring him his arrand was to done From Troilus and eke his great emprise And cast knew in good plite was y● moone To done voiage and tooke his way full soone Vnto his neces paleis there beside Now Ianus God of entre thou him guide When he was come vnto his neces place Where is my lady to her folke qd he And they him told and he forth in gan pace And found two other ladies sit and shee Within a paued parlour and they three Herden a maiden hem reden the geste Of the siege of Thebes while hem leste Qd. Pandarus madame God you see With your booke and all the companie Eigh vncle mine welcome iwis qd shee And vp she rose and by the hond in hie She tooke him fast and said this night thrie To good mote it turne of you I met And with the word she downe on bench him set Yea nece ye shull faren well the bet If God woll all this yeare qd Pandarus But I am sorry that I have you let To hearken of your booke ye praisen thus For Gods love what saith it tell it vs Is it of love or some good ye me lere Vncle qd she your maistresse is nat here With that they gonnen laugh tho she seide This romaunce is of Thebes that we rede And we have heard how y● king Laius deide Through Edippus his sonne al the dede And here we stinten at these letters rede How the bishop as the booke can tell Amphiorax fell through the ground to hell Qd. Pandarus all this know I my selue And all thassiege of Thebes and the care For hereof ben there maked bookes twelue But let be this and tell me how ye fare Do way your barbe shew your face bare Do way your book rise vp and let vs daunce And let vs to done to May some obseruaunce Eighe God forbid qd she be ye mad Is that a widdowes life so God you save By God ye maken me right sore adrad Ye ben so wild it seemeth as ye raue * It sat me well bet aye in a caue To bide and rede on holy saints liues Let maidens gon to daunce yong wiues As ever thriue I qd this Pandarus Yet could I tell o thing to done you play Now vncle dere qd she tell it vs For Gods love is then thassiege awey I am of Greekes ferde so that I dey Nay nay qd he as ever mote I thriue It is a thing well bet than such fiue Ye holy God qd she what thing is that What bet than such five eighe nay iwis For all this world ne can I reden what It should ben some iape I trow it is And but your selven tell us what it is My wit is for to arede it all to leane As helpe me God I not what that ye meane And I your borow ne never shall qd he This thing be told to you as mote I thrive And why uncle mine why so qd she By God qd he that woll I tell as blive For prouder woman is there none on live And ye it wist in all the toune of Troy I iape nat so ever have I joy Tho gan she wondren more than before A thousand fold and downe her eyen cast For never sith the time that she was bore To knowen thing desired she so fast And with a sike she said him at the last Now uncle mine I nill you not displease Nor asken more that may do you disease So after this with many words glade And friendly tales and with merry chere Of this that they speake and gonnen wade In many an unkouth glad deepe matere As friends done when they bethe ifere Till she gan asken him how Hector ferde That was the tounes wall Greekes yerde Full wel I thanke it God said Pandarus Save in his arme he hath a little wound And eke his fresh brother Troilus The wise worthy Hector the secound In whom that every vertue list habound And first all trouth and all gentlenesse Wisedom honour freedom and worthinesse In good faith eme qd she that liketh me They faren well God save hem both two * For trewliche I hold it great deintie A kinges sonne in armes well to do And be of good conditions thereto * For great power and morall vertue here Is selde iseene in one persone ifere In good faith that is sooth qd Pandarus But by my trouth the king hath sonnes twey That is to meane Hector and Troilus That certainly though that I should dey They ben as void of vices dare I sey As any men that liven under sunne Her might is wide iknow what they conne Of Hector needeth it no more for to tell In all this world there nis a better knight Than he that is of worthinesse the well And he well more vertue hath than might This knoweth many a wise worthy knight And the same prise of Troilus I sey God helpe me so I know

foraine money Also Opilion and Gaudencius haue accused mee All be it so that the Iustice Regall had whilome deemed theim bothe to gon into exile for her tretcheries and fraudes without number To which judgement they nolden not obey but defended hem by the sikernesse of holy houses that is to sain fledden into Seintewarie And then when this was apperceyued by the King he commaunded but if they auoyded the Citee of Rauenne by certayne day assigned that men should marken hem on the forehedde with an hote yron and chasen hem out of the toun Now what thing seemeth might be likened to this cruelty for certes this same day was receyued the accusing of my name by thilke same accusoures What may be saied hereto Hath my studie and my coning deserued thus or els the foresaied dampnacion of me made them rightful accusours or no Was not Fortune ashamed of this Certes all had not Fortune ben ashamed that innocence was accused yet ought she haue had shame of the filth of mine accusours But aske thou in some of what gilte I am accused Men saine that I would sauen the company of the Senatours And desirest thou to heren in what maner I am accused y● I should have distourbed the accusour to bearen Letters by which hee should haue made the Senatours giltie ayenst the Kings royall Majestie O Maistresse what demest thou of this Shal I forsake this blame that I ne no shame to thee Certes I haue would it y● is to say the sauacion of the Senate ne I shall neuer let to wilne it that I confesse am know but the entente of the accusour to been distourbed shall cease Shall I clepe that a felony or a sinne that I haue desired the sanacion of the order of the Senate And certes had thilk same Senate doen through her decretes her judgments as though it were a sinne a felony that is to wilne the sauacion of them But folie that lieth alway to himself may not chaunge the merite of things ne I trow not by the judgement of Socrates that it were lefull to me to hide the sooth ne assent to leasings but certes howsoeuer it be of this I putte it to gessen or prisen of the judgement of thee of wise folke of which thing all the ordinaunce and the sooth for as much as folk that ben to comen after our days shall knowenit I haue putte it in Scripture and in remembraunce For touchyng the Letters falsely made by which Letters I am accused to haue hoped the freedome of Rome with appertaineth me to speaken thereof Of which Letters y● fraud had been shewed apertly if I had had libertie for to haue vsed been at confession of mine accusours the which thing in all needs hath great strength For what other freedom may men hopen Certes I would that some other freedom might be hoped I would then haue answered by the words of a man that hight Camus for when he was accused of Canius Cesar Germanes sonne that he was knowing and consenting of a coniuration made ayenst him This Canius aunswered thus If I had wist it thou haddest not wist it In which thing sorrow hath not so dulled my witte that I plaine onely that shreud folke apparailen Fellonies against vertue but I wonder greatly how that they may perform thyngs that they haue hoped for to doen for why ne will ne shreudnesse that commeth perauenture of our defaut But it is like a Monster and a maruail how that in the present sight of God may been atcheued performed such thyngs as euery fellonous manne hath conceyued in his thought against innocents For which thing one of thy familiers not vnskilfully asked thus If God is whence commen wicked things But al had it been leful that fellonous folk that now desiren the blood and the death of all good men and eke of the Senate haue wilned to gone destroyen me whom they haue seen alway batailen and defenden good men and eke all the Senate that had not deserued of the fathers that is to sain of the Senatours that they shoulden will my destruction Thou remembrest wel as I gesse that when I would doen or sain any thing thou thy selfe alway present ruledest me At the citie of Verone when that the king gredie of common slaughter cast him to transporten vpon all the order of the Senate the guilt of his royal Maiestie of the which gilt that Albin was accused with how great sikernesse of peril to me defended I all the Senate Thou wotest well that I say sooth ne I ne auaunted me neuer in praysing of my self For alway when any wight receiueth precious renome in auaunting of himself or his werkes he amenuseth the secree of his conscience But now thou mayest well seene to what end I am comen for mine innocencie I receiue paine of false Fellonie for guerdoun of very vertue And what open confession of fellome had euer Iudges so accordaunt in crueltie that is to sain as mine accusing hath that eyther errour of mans wit or els condition of Fortune that is vncertain unto all mortal folke ne submitted some of hem that is to say that it ne enclined some Iudge to haue pitie or compassion For although I had been accused that I would brenne holy houses and strangle Priests with wicked swearde or that I had greithed death to all good men algates the sentence should have punished me present confessed and conuict But now I am remoued from the Citie of Rome almost fiue hundred thousand paas I am without defence dampned to proscription to death for the studies bounties that I haue doen to the Senate But o well been they worthy of merite as who sayeth nay there might yet neuer none of hem be conuict of such a blame as mine is of which trespace mine accusours seen full well the dignitie for they would darken it with medling of some fellonie They baren me on hond and sayd that I had pollute defouled my conscience with Sacriledge for couetise of dignitie certes thou thy self that art planted in me chasedest out of the siege of my courage all couetise of mortal things ne Sacriledge ne had no leaue to haue a place in me before thine eyen For thou droppedest euery day in mine ears in my thought thilke commandment of Pythagoras y● is to say * Menne shall seruen to God not to goddes Ne it was not conuenient ne none need to taken help of the foulest spirits I that thou hast ordained and set in such excellence that thou madest me like to God ouer this the right clean secret chamber of mine house that is to say my wife the companie of mine honest friends my wiues father as well holy as worthy to be reuerenced for his deeds defenden me from al suspection of such blame But oh malice For they that accusen me taken of y● Philosophy faith of so great blame for they trowen

vnderstand thereupon after what end it draweth that is to sayne good or bad so ought it to haue his fame or by goodnesse enfame by badnesse For euery reasonable persone namely of a wise man his wit ought not without reason toforne heard suddainly in a matter to iudge After the saws of the wise thou shalt not iudge ne deme toforne thou know Lady qd I ye remember well that in most laud praising of certain saints in holy church is to rehearsen their conuersation from bad into good and that is so rehersed as by a perpetual mirrour of remembraunce in worshipping of tho saintes and good ensample to other misdoers in amendment How turned the Roman Zedeories fro the Romans to be with Hannibal ayenst his kind nation And afterwards him seeming the Romaines to be at the next degree of confusion turned to his old allies by whose wit after was Hannibal discomfited Wherfore to enforme you lady the manner why I mean see now now in my youth I was draw to be assentaunt and in my mights helpyng to certaine coniurations other great matters of ruling of citezins thilke thynges beene my drawers in and excitours to tho matters werne so painted coloured that at the prime face me seemed then noble and glorious to all the people I then wening mikell merite haue deserued in furthering and maintenaunce of tho thyngs busied and laboured with all my diligence in werkyng of thilke matters to the end And truly lady to tell you the sooth me rought little of any hate of the mighty Senatours in thilke city ne of communes mallice for two skilles One was I had comfort to ben in such plite that both profite were to me and to my friends Another was for common profit in communalty is not but peace tranquility with just gouernaunce proceden from thilke profite sithen by counsail of mine inwit me thought the first paynted thynges mallice and euill meanyng withouten any good avaylyng to any people and of tyranny purposed and so for pure sorrow and of my meddling and bad infame that I was in ronne tho teares lashed out of mine eyen were thus away washe than the vnderhyd mallice and the rancour of purposing envy fornecaste and ymagined in destruction of mokel people shewed so openly that had I been blind with myne handes all the circumstaunce I might well have feeled Now then tho persones that such thinges have cast to redresse for wrath of my firste meddling shopen me to dwell in this pynande prison till Lachases my threade no lenger would twyne And ever I was sought if me list to have grace of my life and freenesse of that prison I shoulde openly confesse howe peace might been enduced to enden all y● first rancours It was fully supposed my knowing to be full in tho matters Then Lady I thought that every man that by any way of right rightfully done may helpe any commune helpe to been saved which thynge to keepe above all thinges I am holde to maintaine namely in destroying of a wrong al should I therethrough enpeach myne owne fere if he were guilty to do misdeed assentaunt And maister ne friend may nought avayle to the soule of hym that in falsenesse deyeth and also that I nere desired wrath of the people ne indignation of the worthy for nothyng that ever I wrought or did in any doings my selfe els but in y● mayntenaunce of these foresayd errours and in hidyng of the privities thereof And that all the peoples hearts holdyng on the errours side weren blind and of elde so ferre forth beguiled that debate and strife they maintayned and in distruction on that other side by whyche cause the peace that most in communalties should be desired was in point to bee broken and annulled Also the city of London that is to me so deare and sweet in which I was forth growne and more kindely love have I to y● place than to any other in yearth as every kindely creature hath full appetite to that place of his kindely engendrure and to wilne reste and peace in that steede to abide thilke peace should thus there have been broken which of all wise is commended and desired * For know thing it is all men that desiren to commen to y● parfit peace everlasting must y● peace by God commended both maintain and keepe This peace by angels voyce was confirmed our God entring in this world This as for his testament he left to all his friends when he retourned to the place from whence he came This his Apostle admonesteth to holden without which man parfitely may have none insight Also this God by his coming made not peace alone between heauenly and earthly bodies but also among us on earth so he peace confirmed that in one heed of love one body we shoulde perfourm Also I remember me well how the name of Athens was rather after the GOD of peace than of battaile shewing that peace most is necessary to Communalties and Cities I then so stered by all these ways toforne nempned declared certain points in this wise First that thilke persons that hadden mee drawen to their purposes and me not witting the privy entent of their meaning drawen also the feeble witted people that have none insight of gubernatife prudence to clamure and to cry on matters that they stirred under points for commune auantage they embolded the passife to take in the actives doing and also stirred innocents of conning to cry after things which qd they may not stand but we ben executours of tho matters authority of execution by common election to us be delivered that must enter by strength of your maintenaunce for we out of such degree put oppression of these old hinderers shall agayn surmounten and putten you in such subjection that in endlesse woe ye shull complain The governments qd they of your citie left in the hands of torcencious citizens shal bring in pestilence and distruction to you good men and therefore let us have y● commune administration to abate such yuels Also qd they * It is worthy the good to commend and thy guilty deserts to chastice There been citizens many for ferd of execution that shall be done for extortions by hem committed been evermore ayenst these purposes and all other good meanings Never the latter Lady truly the meaning under these words was fully to have appeached the mighty Senators which hadden heavy heart for the misgovernaunce that they seen And so Lady when it fell that free election by great clamour of much people for great disease of misgovernaunce so fervently stooden in her election that they hem submitted to every manner face rather than have suffred the manner the rule of the hated governours notwithstanding that in the contrary helden much commune meiny that have no consideration but only to voluntary lusts withouten reason But then thilke governour so forsaken fayning to scorn his undoing for misrule in his time shope to

be in that contrary of all tho thinges But he that can ne neuer so well in him behaue and hath vertue habundant in manifold maners and be not wealthed with soch yearthly goodes is hold for a fool and said his wit is but sotted Lo how false for euer is hold true Lo how trew is cleaped false for wanting of goodes Also Lady dignitees of office maken men mikell commended as thus he is so good were he out his pere should men not find Truely I trowe of some soche that are so praised were they out ones an other should make him so be know he should of no wise no more been looked after but onely fools wel I wot desiren soch new things Wherefore I wonder that thilke gouernour out of whom alone the causes proceden that gouerneth all things which that hath ordeined this world in werkes of the kindly bodies so be gouerned not with vnstedfast or happious thing but with rules of reason which shewen the course of certain things why suffreth he such sliding chaunges that misturnen soch noble things as been we men that arne a faire persel of the yearth holden the vpperest degree vnder GOD of benigne things as ye saiden right now your selfe shoulde neuer man haue been set in so worthy a place but if his degree were ordained noble Alas thou that knittest the purueighaunce of all things why lookest thou not to amenden these defaults I see shrewes that han wicked maners siten in chairs of domes Lambes to punishen there Woolues should been punished Lo vertue shined naturelly for pouerty lurketh is hid vnder cloude but the Moon false forsworn as I know my self for auer and yeftes hath vsurped to shine by day light with peynture of other mens praysings truly thilke forged light foully should fade were the trouth away of colours feyned Thus is night tourned into day and day into night Winter into Sommer Sommer into Winter not in deed but in miscleapyng of foolish people Now qd she what wenest thou of these things How felest thou in thine hert by what governaunce that this commeth about Certes qd I that wote I never but if it be that Fortune hath graunt from abode to lede the end of men as her liketh Ah now I see qd she the entent of thy meaning Lo bycause thy worldly goods been fullich dispent thou berafte out of dignity of office in which thou madest thy gathering of thilke goodes and yet diddest in that office by counsayle of wise any thyng were ended and true were unto hem whose profite thou shouldest looke and seest now many that in the ilke Heruest made of thee mokell and now for glosing of other deyneth thee nought to forther but enhaunsen fals shrewes by witnessing of truth These thinges greeveth thine herte to seene thy self thus abated and then frailty of mankind ne setteth but litle by the lesers of soch rechesse have he never so moche vertue and so thou wenest of thy Iewell to renne in dispite and not been accepted into grace All this shall thee nothing hinder Now qd she first thou woste well thou lostest nothing that ever mightest thou challenge for thyne own When nature brought thee forth come thou not naked out of thy mothers womb Thou haddest no richesse and when thou shalte enter into the ende of every fleshly body what shalt thou have with thee then So every richesse thou haste in time of thy living nis but leant thou might therein chalenge no property And see now every thing that is a mans own he may do therewith what him liketh to yeue or to keep but richesse thou playnest from thee lost if thy might had stretched so ferforth faine thou wouldes have hem kept multiplied with mo other so ayenst thy will been they departed from thee wherefore they were never thine And if thou laudest and joyest any wight for he is stuffed with soche maner richesse thou art in that beleeve beguiled for thou wenest thilk joy to be selinesse or els ease and he that hath lost soche haps to been unseily Ye forsoth qd I. Well qd she then woll I prove that unsely in that wise is to praise and so the tother is the contrary to be lacked How so qd I For unsely qd she begileth not but sheweth the entent of her working Et è contra Selinesse begileth for in prosperity shee maketh a jape in blindnesse that is she windeth him to make sorow when she withdraweth Wolte thou not qd she praise him better that sheweth to thee his hert tho it be with bitande words and dispitous than him that gloseth and thinketh in their absence to do thee many harmes Certes qd I the one is to commend the other to lack and dispise A ha qd she right so ease while he lasteth gloseth flattereth lightly voideth when she most pleasantly sheweth and ever in her absence she is about to dothee tene and sorow in hert But unsely all be it with betande chere sheweth what she is and so doth not that other wherefore unsely doth not beguile Selinesse disceiveth unsely put away doubt That one maketh men blind that other openeth their iyen in shewyng of wretchednesse The one is ful of drede to lese that is not his owne That other is sober and maketh men discharged of mokel heavinesse in burthen The one draweth a man from very good the other haleth him to vertue by the hookes of thoughts And wenest thou not that thy disease hath done thee mokell more to winne than ever yet thou lostest more than ever the contrary made thee winne Is not a great good to thy thinking for to know y● hearts of thy soothfast freends Parde they been proved to the full and the true have discevered from the false Truely at the goyng of thilke brotell joye there yede no more away than the ilke that was not thyne proper He was never from y● lightly departed thine owne good therfore leaveth it still with thee Now good qd she for how moch wouldest thou sometime have bought this very knowyng of thy frende from the flattering flies that they glosed when thou thought thy selfe sely But thou y● plainest of losse in richesse haste founden y● most dere worthy thing that thou cleapest vnsely hath made the moche thing to winnen And also for conclusioun of all * He is frende that nowe leaveth not his heart from thine helps And if that Margarite denieth now not to suffre her vertues shine to thee wardes with spreading beams as farre or farther than if thou were sely in worldly joy Trewly I say not els but she is some deale to blame Ah peace qd I and speak no more of this mine heart breaketh now thou touchest any soche wordes A well qd she then let vs singen thou herest no more of these things at this tyme. ¶ Thus endeth the first booke of the Testament of Love and hereafter foloweth the second VEry wealth may not be founden in all

sworne of yore To his Crowne justly him restore And when they were at large out of the toun Vnto Arge they be descended doun And like her oth and her assurance As they were bound only of ligeance To him they come in full lowly wise Lowly to done what him list deuise And when he had her trouth full conceiued He hath to grace goodly hem receiued Assigning hem her place amid the hoast Assembled there from many a diuerse coast That finally in this company Ygadred was the floure of Cheualry Ychosen out of all Greekes lond The most knightly and manfull of her hond That as I trow sith the world began There was not seene so many a manly man So we le horsed with spere and with shield Togider sembled soothly in a field There men might see many strange guises Of arming new and vncouth deuises Euery man after his fantasie That if I should in order specifie Euery peece longing to armure And thereupon doe my busie cure It were in sooth almost a dayes werke And the tearmes also been so derke To rehearse hem clearely and to rime I passe ouer for lacke of time And tell I will forth of her lodging How Adrastus the noble worthy king Hath euery lord like to his degree Receiued wele within the citee And there they had like to her pleasaunce Of what needeth fulsome habundance For men and horse plenty of vitaile Commaunding that nothing ne faile That all these noble worthy werriours Both high and low and poore souldiours Yserued were of what they haue need For Adrastus presently tooke heed That it availeth a King to pay his People truely her fond Full lich a King touching her tearme day That they toforne were serued to her pay He was so free he list nothing restraine And no man had cause to complaine For hunger thrust ne for indigence But all thing ready was vnto her presence And in a Prince it is ful great repriefe To suffer his people liue at mischiefe It is ful heauy and greuous in her thought If he habound and they haue right nought He may not both possede body and hart He to be rich and seene his people smart He may the body of power wel constraine But her heart hath a full long raine Maugre his might to louen at her large * There may no King on hearts set a charge Ne hem coarten from her libertee Men saine ful often how that thought is free For which ech prince Lord and gouernour And specially ech conquerour Let him beware for all his high noblesse That bounty free dome plenty and largesse By one accord that they his bridle lede Least of his people when he hath most nede He be defrauded when he is but alone Then is too late for to make his mone But in his Court let him first deuise To exile Scarcehead and Couetise Then is likely with freedome if he ginne Loue of his people euermore to winne To reigne long in honour and contune Aye to encrease by fauour of Fortune And his enemies manly to oppresse * For loue is more than great richesse How love availeth more to a King than Gold or Riches Gold faileth oft but loue will abide For life or death by a lords side And the treasour shortly of a king Stondeth in loue aboue all thing Farewell lordship both morrow and eue Specially when loue taketh his leue And who so list it Mirrour for to make Of knightly freedome let him ensample take Of Adrastus the manly king famous So liberall and so bounteous Vnto his people at all times found Which made him strong his fomen to confound And loue only his enemies to werrey All Greece made his bidding to obey Of one accord to knightly by his side All at ones to Thebes for to ride For tauenge sith they were so strong The great injury and importable wrong Vnto his sonne and to his next allie As ye to forne haue heard me specifie But whiles Greekes rest a time in pees I will resort vnto Ethiocles Which in Thebes warely hath espied By his friends as he was certified Of the Greekes wholly the ordinaunce Her purpose eke and her purueyaunce And thereof had in heart a manner drede And first he tooke his counsaile and his rede How Ethiocles made him strong ayenst the coming of the Greeks Of the Lords and Barons of the toun And of the wisest of his regioun How he might maken resistence Manly to stonden at defence To be so strong that there were no dout And in the countries adjacent about And eke also in forreine regions He hath withhold all the champions And thereupon he sent out his espies And his friends and his next allies And all the worthy dwelling enuiroun Young fresh and lusty he gadred to the toun Maskewed his wals and his toures And stuffed hem with manly souldeours Round about he set many gonnes Great and small and some large as tonnes In his hasty passing feruent heat He spent his treasour and yaue yefts great Vnto knights and worthy men of name * And euermore to encrease his fame He yaue to lords jewels manyfold Clothes of Veluet Damaske and of gold To get him hearts soothly as I rede To helpe him now in his great nede And prudently purueyed him toforne Of flesh of fish of wine and of corne Set his Captaines early and late With full great stuff stonding at euery gate And made also by werkemen that were trew Barbicans and Bulwerkes strong and new Barreres cheines ditches wonder deepe Making his auow the city for to keepe While he liueth despite of all his fone And by his gods of mettall and of stone Full oft he swore both of hert and thought That it shall first full deare ben ybought And many a man with polax swerd knife Before this towne shall first lese his life And there shall eke many sides blede Ere that his brother possibly possede The toun in pees like as Greekes wene But at end the trouth it shall be sene Let him beware and we le toforne prouide For Adrastus on that other side For his party was not negligent But on a day held his parlement All his lords sitting enuiron To driue shorteley a pleine conclusion And vp tapoint the fine of her entent But some thought it full expedient Ere they procede to werke by thauise Of one that was full prudent and wise And circumspect in his werkes all A worthy Bishop into age fall And called was soothly by his name Amphiorax of whom the great fame How the Bishop Amphiorax was sent for to come unto the Greeks Throgh all the lands both East and South Among the Greekes passingly was couth A man in sooth of old antiquity And most accept of authority First by reason of his high estate And eke he was so fortunate And in his werkes was also secre With the gods knowing her priuite By graunt of whom as bookes specifie He had a spirit of trew prophecie And