/ belmolum inierunt Et cuÌ„ Achilles dictum regeÌ„ in bello ê“stratuÌ„ occidere voluisset Thelaphê° pietate tuâ— ipsum clipeo cooperiens veniam pro rege a patre postulauit pro quo facto ipse rex adhuc vinens Thephalum regni sui heredem libera vo luntate constituit ¶ He may not faylen of his mede That hath mercy For this I rede In a Cronycke I fynde thus whan Achilles with Telaphus His sonne toward Troye were It fell hem er they come there Ayene Theucer the kynge of Mese To make warre and for to sese His londe as they that wolden reigne And Theucer put out of his reigne And thus the marches they assaylle But Theucer yafe to hem bataille They foughten on both sydes faste But so it happneth at laste This worthy greke this Achilles The kynge amonge all other ches As he that was cruel and felle with swerd in honde on hym he felle And smote hym with a dethes wounde That he vnhorced fell to grounde Achilles vpon hym alyght And wolde anone as he wel myght Haue slayn hym fulliche in the place But Thephalus his faders grace For hym besought and for pyte Prayth that he wolde let hym be And cast his sheld betwene hem two Achilles asketh hym why so And Thephalus his cause tolde And sayth that he is mochel holde For whylome Theucer in a stede Great grace and socour to hym dede And sayth that he hym wolde acquyte And praythe his fader to respyte Achles tho withdrough his honde But all the power of the londe whaÌ„ that they sawe her kyng thus take They fled and hathen the felde forsake The grekes vnto the chaas falle And for the moste part all Of that couutre the lordes great They toke and wonne a greate beyete And anone after this victorye The kynge whiche hadde memorye Vpon the great mercy thought which thelaphus taward him wrought And in presence of all the londe he toke hym fayre by the honde And in this wyse he gan to seye My sonne I mote by double weye Loue and desyre thyn encrees Fyrste for thy fader Achilles whylâ—â—â— full many a day er this whan I shulde haue fare amys Rescouse dyd in my quarele And kept all myn estate in hele How so there falle nowe distaunce Amonge vs yet remembraunce I haue of mercy whiche he dede As than and thou nowe in this stede Of gentilnes and of fraunchesse Hast do mercy the same I gesse So woll I not that any tyme Be loste of that thou haste do hyme For how so this fortune falle yet stant my truste abouen all For the mercy whiche I nowe fynde That thou wylt after this be kynde And for that suche is myn espeyr And for my sonne and for myn heyre I the receyue and all my londe I yeue and sese in to thyn honde And in this wyse they accorde The cause was mysericorde The lordes do her obeysaunce To Thelaphus and purueaunce was made so that he was coroned And thus was mercy reguerdoned wâ—câ—e he to Theucer did tofore To this ensample is made therfore That thou myght take remembraunce 〈…〉 and whan thou seest a chaunce 〈◊〉 other mens passion 〈◊〉 â—â—te and compassion And lâ—t no thinge to the be leef whiche to another man is greef And after this if thou desyre 〈◊〉 â—â—â—nde aâ—en the vice of Ire 〈◊〉 the with pacience 〈◊〉 take in to thy conscyence 〈◊〉 to be thy gouernour 〈◊〉 â—halt thou fele no rancour 〈◊〉 thyn herte shall debate with homicide ne with hate yâ—t â—heste or melancolye 〈◊〉 â—halt be softe in companye withoute contecke or foolhast For â—iâ—es myght thou longe wast Thy tyme er that thou haue thy wylle Of loue for the wedir stylle Men preyse and blame the tempestes ¶ My fader I woll do your hestes And of this poynt ye haue me taught Toward my selfe the better saught I thâ—nke be whyle that I lyue But for as moche as I am shryue Of wrath and all his circumstaunce â—â—ne what ye lyste to my penaunce And aske forther of my lyfe yf otherwyse I be gyltyf Of any thynge that toucheth synne ¶ My sonne er we depart a twynne I shall behynde no thinge leue ¶ My good fader by your leue Than asketh forth what so you lyfte For I haue in you suche a tryfte As ye that be my soule hele That ye fro me nothynge wol hele For I shall telle you the trouthe ¶ My son art thou culpable of slouthe In any poynt whiche to hym longe h◠¶ My fader of thou pointes me longeth To wyte pleynly what they mene So that I maye me shriue clene ¶ Now herke I shal tho pointes deuise And vnderstonde well myn appryse For shryfte stant of no value To hym that woll hym nought vertue To leue of vyces the folye For worde is wynd but the maystrye Is that a man hym selfe defend Of thynge whiche is not to commende wherof ben fewe nowe a daye And netheles so as I may Make vnto thy memorye knowe The pointes of slouth thou shalt know ☞ Explicit liber tercius ⧠☞ Hic in quarto libro loquitur confessor de speciebus Accidie quarum primam tardacionem vocat cuius condicionem pertractans Amanti super hoc consequenter opponit ☞ Incipit liber quartus ⧠Dicunt accidiam fore nutricem viciorum Torpet et in cuntis tarda que leuta bonis Que sieri possent hodie transfert piger in cras Furatoque prius hostia claudit equo Poscenti tardo negat emolumenta Cupido Sed Venus in celeri ludit amore viti VPon the vices to procede After the cause of mannes dede The fyrst poynt of slouth I calle Lachesse and is the chief of all And hath this properly of kind To leuen all thynge behyned Of that he myght do nowe here He taryeth all the longe yere And euermore he sayth To morowe And so he woll his tyme borowe And wyssheth after God me sende That whan he weneth to haue an end Than is he forthest to begyn Thus bryngeth he many a meschiefe in Vnware tyll that he be mescheued And may not than be releued And ryght so nother more ne lesse It stant of loue and of lachesse Some tyme he sloutheth on a daye That he neuer after gete may Nowe sonne as of this ilke thynge If thou haue any knowlechynge That thou to loue hast done er this ¶ Telle on My good fader yis As of laches I am beknowe That I may stonde vpon his rowe As I that am cladde of his sute For whan I thought my pursute To make and therto set a day To speke vnto that swete may Lachesse hadde abyde yet And bare on honde it was no wyt Ne tyme for to speke as tho Thus with his tales to and fro My tyme in taryenge he drough whan there was tyme good ynough He sayd another tyme is better Thou shalt nowe senden her a letter And par caas wryte more
ten myle enuyroune where as it thought hym for the beste Hath sondry places for to reste And as fortune wolde tho He was dwellend at one of tho The kynge Allee forth with thassent Of Custe his wife hath thyder sent Morice his sonne as he was taught To Themperour and he goth straught And in his father halue he sought As he whiche his lordship sought That of his hygh worthynes He wolde do so great mekenes His owne towne to come and se And yâ—ue a tyme in the cyte So that his fader might hym gete That he wolde ones with hym ete This lorde hath graunted his requeste And whan the day was of the feste In worship of the Emperour The kynge and eke the Senatour Forth with her wynes bothe two with many a lorde and lady mo On hors ryden hym ageyne Tyll it befell vpon a playne They sygh where he was comend with that Constaunce anone preyend Spake to her lorde that he abyde So that I may tofore ryde To ben vpon his bien venu The fyrste whiche shall hym salu And thus after her lordes graunt Vpon a mule white amblaunt Forth with a fewe rode this quene They wondred what she wolde mene And ryden after a softe pas But whan this lady comen was To themperour in his presence She sayde aloude in audience My lorde my father wel you be And of this tyme that I se your honour and your good bele whiche is the helpe of my quarele I thanke vnto the goddes myght For ioye his hert was aflyght Of that she tolde in remembraunce And when he wyste it was Constaunce was neuer father halfe so blythe wepend be kyste her ofte sythe So was his hert all ouercome For though his mother were come Fro deth to lyfe out of the graue He myght no more wonder haue Than he hath whan that he her syghe with that her owne lorde come nyghe And is to themperour obeyed And when the fortune is bewreyed Howe that Constaunce is come aboute So harde an hert was none oute That he for pyte tho ne wepte Arcenius which her fonde and kepte was than gladde of that is falle So that with ioye amonge hem all They ryden in at Rome gate This Emperour thought all to late Tyll that the pope were come And of tho lordes sende some To pray hym that he woll haste And he cam forth in all haste And whan that be this tale herde How wonderly this chaunce ferde He thanked god of his myracle To whose myght may be none abstable The kyng a noble feste hem made And thus they were all gladde A perlement or that they went They setten vnto this entent To put Rome in full espeyre That Moris was apparent heyre And shulde abyde with hem stylle For suche was all the londes wylle ¶ Qualiter Mauricius cum imperatore vâ— heres imperu remansit et rex Affee et Constantia in Angliam regressi sunt ¶ whan euery thynge was fully spoke Of sorowe queynt was all the smoke Tho toke his leue Alle the kynye And with full many a ryche thynge whiche thmperour hym badde yeue He hath a gladde lyfe for to lyue For be constance hath in his honde whiche was the comfort of his londe For whan that he come home ageyne There is no tonge that myght seyne what ioye was that ylke stounde Of that he hath his quene founde whiche fyrst was sent of goddes sonde whan she was dryuen vpon the stronde By whome the mysbileue of synne was lefte and Chrystes feyth came inne To hem that whilome were blynde But he whiche hyndreth euery kynde ¶ Quafiter rex Alle in Anglia post biennium humane carnis resofucionem subiens nature debitum persofuit post cuius obitum Constancia cum patre suo Rome se transtulit moraturam ¶ And for no gold may be forbought The deth comend er he besought Toke with this kynge such acqueyntaÌ„ce That he with all his retenaunce Ne myhht not defende his lyfe And thus he parteth from his wyfe whiche than made sorowe ynoughe And therupon her hert droughe To leue Englond for euer And go where she hadde leuer To Rome whens that she came And thus of all the londe she nam Her leue and goth to Rome ageyne And after that the bokes seyne She was not there but a throwe whan deth of kynde hath ouerthrowe Her worthy father whiche men sayde That betwene her armes deyde And afterward the yere suende The god of her hath made an ende And fro this worldes fayrye Hath take her in to companye ¶ Morys her sonne was coroned whiche so ferforth was abandoned To Christes feyth that men hym calle Morys the chrystnest of all And thus the whele menynge of loue was at last set aboue And so as thou haste herd tofore The fals tunges were lore whiche vpon loue wolde lye For thy touchend of this enuye whiche longeth vnto bakbitynge Be ware thou make no lesynge In hvndrynge of another wyght And if thou wolde be taught aryght what mischyfe bakbitynge doth By other weye a tale soth Nowe myght thou here next sewend whiche to this vyce is acordend ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos detractores qui in alterius vitupertum mendatia confingentes dissamacionem fieri procurant Et narrat qualiter Perseus Philippi regis Macedonu filius Demetrio fratri suo ob euis probitatem inuidens / composito detractionis mendacio ipsum apud patrem suum mortaliter accusauit dicens ipse non solum patrem / sed et totum Macedonii regnum Romanis hostibus pro ditorie vendidisset quem super hoc in iudicium producens â—testions que indicibus auro subornaâ—â—â— quamvis falsissime morte condempnatum 〈◊〉 quo defuncto eciam et pater infra breue 〈…〉 â—ortuus est Et sic Perseo successiue regnaâ—te deus huiusmodi detractionis inuidiam abâ—â—â—â—â—â—s 〈◊〉 sum cum vniuersa suorum pugnatoruÌ„ 〈…〉 extra Danubii fluuium ab Aemilo 〈◊〉 â—â—norum Consule enentu bellico interâ—â—◠〈…〉 Ita quod ab illo die Macedonii 〈◊〉 penitus destructa Romano Imperio 〈…〉 deseruiuit / et eins detractio / quam 〈◊〉 aâ—ium conspiranerat / in sui ipsius diffama 〈◊〉 pre â—erpetno dinulgata consistit ¶ In a Cronyke as thou shalt wytte A great ensample I fynde wrytte whiche I shall telle vpon this thynge Philyp of Macedony the kynge Two sonnes hadde by his wyfe whose fame yet in Grece is ryfe Demetrius the fyrste brother was hote and Perseus that other Demetrius men sayden tho The better knyght was of the two To whom the londe was attendant As he whiche heyre was apparaunt To regne after his fathers day But that thyng whiche no water may Quenche in this world but euer brenneth In to his broders hert it renneth The proud enuye of that he syghe His brother shulde clyme on hyghe And he to hym mote than obeye That may he suffer by no weye with strength durst he no
speke a goodly worde assent And netheles this dare I say That if a synfull wolde preye To god of his foryeuenes with halfe so great a besynesse As I haue do to my lady In lacke of askynge of mercy He shulde neuer come in helle And thus I may you sothly telle Saufe onely that I crie and bydde I am in tristesse all amydde And fulfylled of desperaunce And therof yeue me my penaunce Myn holy father as you lyketh ¶ My sonne of that thyn herte syketh with sorowe myght thou not amende Tyll loue his grace woll the sende For thou thyn owne cause empeirest what tyme as thou thy selfe despeirest I not what other thinge auayleth Of hope whan the herte fayleth For suche a sore is incurable And eke the goddes ben vengeable And that a man may right well frede These olde bokes who so rede Of thinge whiche hath befalle er this Nowe here of what ensample it is ☞ HIC narrat qualiter Iphis / regis Theucer filius eb amorem cuiusdam puelle nomine Araâ—arathen quaÌ„ neque donis aut precibus vinâ—â—â—â—â—tuit / deâ—perans ante patris ipsius puelle 〈◊〉 nectanter se suspendit vnder dii commoti 〈◊〉 â—nellum in lapidem durissimam transmutâ—â—nt quam rex Theucer vna cuÌ„ filio suo apud Sâ—â—â—num in Templo veneris pro perpetua 〈◊〉 morta sepeliri et locari fecit ¶ whylom by olde dayes fer Of Moâ—e was the kynge Theucer whiche had a knyghte to sonne Iphis Of loue and he so maistred is That he hath set all his courage As to regarde of his lygnage Vpon a mayde of lowe estate But though he were a potestate Of worldes good he was subiecte To loue and put in suche a plyte That he excedeth the measure Of reason that hym selfe assure He can nought For the more he praid The lasse loue on hym she layde He was with loue vnwise constreined And she with reason was restreyned The lustes of his herte he seweth And she for drede shame escheweth And as she shulde toke good hede To saue and kepe her womanhede And thus the thinge stode in debate Betwene his lust and her estate He yaue he sende he spake by mouth But yet for ought that euer he couthe Vnto his spede he fonde no weye So that he cast his hope aweye within his hert he gan despeyre Fro day to day and so empeire That he hath lost all his delyte Of lust of slepe of appetyte That he through streÌ„gth of loue lasseth His wyt and reason ouerpasseth As he whiche of his lyfe ne rought His death vpon hym selfe he sought So that by nyght his weye he nam There wyst none where he becam The nyghte was derke there shone no mone Tofore the gates he cam sone where that this yonge mayde was And with this wofull worde alas His deadly pleyntes he began So styll that there was no man It herde and than he sayde thus O thou Cupyde O thou Venus Fortuned by whose ordynaunce Of loue is euery mans chaunce Ye knowen all myn hole hert That I ne may your hondes astert On you is euer that I crie And you deyneth not to plie Ne towarde me your eare enclyne Thus for I se no medicine To make an ende of my quarele My deth shall be in stede of hele Ha thou my wofull lady dere whiche dwellest with thy father here And slepest in thy bedde at ease Thou wotest nothynge of my disease Howe thou and I be nowe vnmete A lorde what sweuen shalt thou mete what dremes hast thou now on honde Thou slepest there and I here stonde Though I no death to the deserue Here shall I for thy loue sterue Here shall I a kynges sonne dye For loue and for no felonye whether thou therof haue ioy or sorow Here shalt thou se me deed to morowe O harde herte abouen alle This death whiche shall to me falle For that thou wolde not do my grace It shall be tolde in many place That I am deed for loue and trouth In thy defaute and in thy slouth Thy daunger shall to many mo Ensample be for euermo when they the wofull death recorde And with that worde he toke a corde with whiche vpon the gate tre He henge him selfe that was pite The morowe cam the nyght is gone Men come out and sygh anone where that this yonge lorde was deed There was an hous without rede For no man knewe the cause why There was wepynge there was cry This mayden whan she it herde And sigh this thinge howe it mysferde Anone she wyst what it ment And all the cause howe it went To all the worlde she tolde it out And preyeth to hem that were aboute To take of her the vengeaunce For she was cause of thilke chaunce why that this kynges sonne is spylt She taketh vpon her selfe the gilt And is all redy to the peyne whiche any man her wolde ordeyne But if any other wolde She saith that her selfe she sholde Do wreche with her owne honde Through out the worlde in euery loÌ„de That euery lyfe therof shall speke Howe she her selfe it shulde wreke She wepeth she cryeth she swouneth ofte She caste her eien vp alofte And sayde amonge full pitously O god thou wost that it am I For whom Iphis is thus beseyne Ordeyne so that men may seyne A thousande wynter after this Howe suche a mayden dyd amys And as I dydde do to me For I ne dydde no pite To hym whiche for my loue is lore Do no pite to me therfore And with this worde she fell to grouÌ„de A swoune and there she laye astounde The goddes which her pleyntes herd And sygh howe wofully she ferde Hir lyfe they toke awey anone And shopen hir into a stone After the forme of hir image Of body both and of visage And for the meruayle of this thynge Vnto the place came the kynge And eke the quene and many mo And whan they wysten it was so As I haue tolde it here aboue Howe that Iphis was deade for loue Of that he had be refused They helden all men excused And wondren vpon the vengeaunce And for to kepe remembraunce This fayre image mayden lyche with company noble and ryche with torches and great solempnite To Salamyne the Citie They leade carie forth withall This deade corps and seyne it shall Besyde thilke image haue His sepulture and be begraue This corps and this image thus In to the citie to Venus where that goddesse her temple had Together bothe two they ladde This ilke image as for myracle was set vpon an hygh pinacle That all men it myght knowe And vnder that they maden lowe A tombe ryche for the nones Of marble and eke of Iaspre stones wherin that Iphis was beloken That euermore it shall be spoken And for men shall the sothe wyte They haue her ephitaphe wryte As thynge whiche shulde abyde stable The letters grauen in a table Of marble were and sayde this Here lyeth whiche
well the more to blame Dame Ilya this lady name Men clepe and eke she was also The kynges doughter that was tho whiche Mynitor by name hyght So that ayene the lawes ryght Mars thilke tyme vpon hir that Remus and Romulus begat whiche after whan they come in age Of knyghthode and of vassellage Italy all holle they ouercome And founden the great Rome In armes and of suche emprise They weren that in thilke wyse Her father Mars for the meruayle The god is cleped of batayle They weren his children bothe two Through hem he toke his name so There was none other cause why And yet a sterre vpon the skye He hath vnto his name applyed In whiche that he is signified ¶ And other god they hadden eke To whom for counsayle they beseke The whiche was brother to Venus Apollo men hym clepe thus He was an hunt vpon the hylles There was with hym no vertue elles wherof that any bokes carpe But onely that he couth harpe whiche whan he walked ouer londe Full ofte tyme he toke on honde To get hym with his sustenance For lacke of other purueance And otherwhile of his falsehede He feyneth hym to conne a rede Of thing which afterward shulde fall wherof amonge his sleyghtes all He hath the leude folke deceyued So that the better he was receyued Lo nowe through what creacion He hath deifycacion And cleped is the god of wyt To suche as be the fooles yet ¶ An other god to whom they sought Mercurie hyght and hym ne rought what thyng he stale ne whom ne slough Of sorcerye he couthe inough That whaÌ„ he wold him selfe traÌ„sforme Full ofte tyme he toke the forme Of woman and his owne lefte So dyd he well the more thefte A great speker in all thynges He was also and of lesynges An autor that men wysten none An other suche as he was one And yet they maden of this thefe A god whiche was vnto hem lefe And cleped hym in tho beleues The god of marchantes and of theues But yet a sterre vpon the heuen He hath of planettes seuen ¶ But Vulcanus of whom I spake He had a courbe vpon the backe And therto he was hyppe halte Of whom thou vnderstonde shalt He was a shrewe in al his youth And he none other vertue couth Of crafte to helpe hym selfe with But onely that he was smyth with Iupiter whiche in his forge Dyuers thynges made hym forge So wote I not for what desyre They clepen hym the god of fyre ¶ Kynge of Cecile Hypolitus A sonne hadde and Eolus He hyght and of his fathers graunt He helde by wey of couenaunt The gouernaunce of euery yle whiche was longende vnto Sicyle Of hem that fro the londe foreyn Lay vpon the wynde all pleyne And fro thilke iles in to the londe Full ofte cam the wynde to bonde And after the name of hym for thy The wyndes cleped Eoly They were be the god of wynde Lo nowe howe this beleue is blynde ¶ The kynge of Crete Iupyter The same whiche I spake of er Vnto his brother whiche Neptune was hote it lyst hym to commune Parte of his good so that by shyp He made hym stronge of the lordshyp Of all the see in tho parties where that he wrought his tirrannyes And the straunge yles aboute He wan that euery man hath doute Vpon his marche for to sayle For he anone hem wolde assayle And robbe what thing that they laddeÌ„ His saufe conduit but if they hadden wherof the commen voice aroos In euery londe that suche a loos He caught all nere it worth a stre That he was cleped of the see The god by name and yet he is with hem that so beleue amys This Neptune eke was thilke also whiche was the fyrst founder tho Of noble Troy and he for thy was well the more lette by ¶ The loresman of the shepeherdes And eke of hem that netherdes was of Archade and hyght Pan Of whom hath spoke many a man For in the wodde of Nouarigne Enclosed with the trees of pygne And on the mount of Parysie He had of beastes the bailye And eke beneth the valeye where thilke ryuer as men may seye whiche Ladon hight made his cours He was the chiefe of gouernours Of hem that kepten tame beastes wherof they maken yet the feastes In the citie of Stymphalydes And forth withall yet netheles He taught men the forth drawynge Of bestayle and eke the makynge Of oxen and of hors the same Howe men hem shulde ryde tame Of foules eke so as we fynde Full many a subtyle crafte of kynde He fonde whiche no man knewe tofore Men dyd hym worshyp eke therfore That be the fyrste in thylke londe was whiche the melody fonde Of reedes whan they weren rype with double pypes for to pype Therof he yafe the fyrst lore Tyll afterwarde men couth more To euery crafte of mannes helpe He had a redy wytte to helpe Through naturall experience And thus the nice reuerence Of fooles whan that he was dede The foote was tourned to the hede And clepen hym god of nature For so they maden his fygure ¶ An other god so as they fele whiche Iupiter vpon Semele Begatte in his auoutrie whom for to hyde his lecherie That none therof shall take kepe In a mountayne for to kepe whiche Dyon hight was in Iude He sent in bokes as I fynde And he by name Bacchus hyght which afterwarde whan that he might A wastor was and all his rent In wyne and bordell he dispent But yet all were he wonder bad Amonge the grekes a name be bad They cleped hym the god of wyne And thus a glotton was diuine ¶ There was yet Esculapius A god in thilke tyme as thus His crafte stode vpon surgerie But for the luste of lecherie That he to Daires donghter drough It fell that Iupiter hym slough And yet they made him nought for thy A god and wyst no cause why In Rome he was longe tyme so A god amonge the Romaynes tho For as he sayde of his presence There was distroyed a pestylence whan they to the yle of Delphos went And that Apollo with hym sent This Esculapius his sonne Amonge the Romaynes for to wonne And there he dwelte for a whyle Tyll afterwarde in to that yle Fro when he cam ayene he tourneth where all his lyfe that he soiourneth Amonge the grekes tyll that he deyde And they vpon hym than leyde His name and god of medicyne He hatte after that ilke lyne ¶ An other god of Hercules They made whiche was netheles A man but that he was so stronge In al this worlde that brode and longe So myghty was no man as he Meruayles twelue in his degre As it was couth in sondry londes He dyd with his owne hondes â—geyne geauntes and monsters both The whiche horrible were and loth But he with strength hem ouercam wherof so great a price he nam That they hym clepe amonges all
gan floure and beare And waxe all fresshe and grene ageyne whan she this vertue had seyne She lette the leeste droppe of all Vpon the bare floure downe fall Anone there sprong vp floure and gras where as the droppe fall was And waxe anone all medowe grene So that it myght well be sene Medea than knewe and wyst Her medicine is for to tryst And gothe to Eson there he lay And toke a swerde was of assay with whiche a wounde vpon his syde She made that there out may slyde The bloud within whiche was olde And seke and trouble feble and colde And tho she toke vnto his vse Of herbes of all the best Iuse And poured it in to his wounde That made his veynes full and sounde And tho she made his woundes close And toke his honde and vp he rose And tho she yafe hym drynke a draught Of whiche his youth agayne he caught His heed his herte and his visage Lyche vnto twenty wynter age His hore heres were away And lyche vnto the fresshe may whan passed bene the colde shoures Ryght so recouereth he his floures ¶ Lo what myght any man deuyse A woman shewe in any wyse More hertely loue in any stede Than Medea to Iason dede Fyrst she made hym the flees to wyn And after that frome kyth and kyn with great treasore with hym she stale And to his fader forth with all His elde hath torned in to youthe which thyng none other woman couth But howe it was to her a quyt The remembraunce dwelleth yet ¶ Kynge Peleus his eme was deed Iason bare croune on his heed Medea hath fulfylled his wyll But whan he shuld of ryght fulfyll The trouth which to her afore He had in the I le of Colchos swore Tho was Medea most deceyued For he an other hath receiued whiche doughter was to kynge Creon Creusa she hyght and thus Iason As he that was to loue vntrewe Medea lefte and toke a newe But that was afterwarde so a bought Medea with her art hath wrought Of cloth of golde a mantell ryche whiche semeth worthe a kynges ryche And that was vnto Creusa sent In name of yefte and of present For systerhode hem was betwene And whan that yonge fresshe quene That mantyl lapped her aboute Anon therof the fyre sprange oute And brent her both fleshe and bone Tho cam Medea to Iason with both her sonnes on her honde And sayd O thou of euery londe The moste vntrewe creature Lo this shall be thy forfayture with that she both his sonnes slough Before his eie and he out drough His swerde wold haue slayne her tho But farewell she was ago Vnto Pallas the court aboue where as she pleyneth vpon loue As she that was with that goddesse And he was lefte in great distresse ¶ Thus might thou se what sorowe it doth To swere aÌ„ oth which is not soth In loues cause namely My son be well ware for thy And kepe that thou be not forswore For this whiche I haue tolde tofore Ouide telleth euery dele ¶ My father I may leue it wele For I haue herde it ofte saye Howe Iason toke the flees aweye Fro Colchos But yet herde Inought By whom it was fyrst thyder brought And for it were good to here If that you lyst at my prayere Go telle I wolde you beseche ¶ My sonne who that woll it seche In bokes he may fynde it wryte And netheles if thou wolt wyte In the maner as thou hast preyde I shall the tell howe it is seyde ☞ NOTA QVALITERAVâ—â—â—m â—ellus in partes insule Colchos primo de 〈◊〉 Athamas rex Neiphylen habuit coningeÌ„ 〈◊〉 Phriâ—um et Hellen genuit Mortua auâ—â—m Neiphylen Athamas Innouem regis Cadâ—â—â—â—â—m postea in vxorem duxit que more noâ—â—â—â—e dictos infantes in tantum recollegit odiuÌ„ que ambos in mari proicipenes regem procuraâ—â— ende Iuno compaciens quendam Arietem â—â—â—ndem aureo veftitum vellere ad litus natan tâ—m definanit super cuiu â— dorsum pueros apâ—â—â— iuâ—it / quo facio Aries super vndas regressus cum solo Phrixo sibi adhereute in Colchos â—â—â—sicuit vbi Iuno dictum Arietem cum solo â—â—â—ere / prout in aliis canitur cronicis sub are â—a custodia collocauit ¶ The fame of thylke shepes felle whiche in Colchos as it befelle was all of gold shal neuer deye wherof I thynke for to seye Howe it cam fyrst in to that yle There was a kynge in thylke whyle Towardes grece and Athamas The cronycke of his name was And had a wyf which NiphyleÌ„ hyght By whom so as fortune it dight He had of children yonge two ¶ Frixus the fyrst was of tho A knaue childe ryght faire with all A doughter eke the whiche men call Helle he had by his wyfe But for there may no mans lyfe Endure vpon this erth here This worthy quen as thou might here Er that the children were of age Toke of her ende the passage with great worshyp and was begraue what thinge it lyketh god to haue It is great reason to ben his For thy this kynge so as it is with great suffrance it vnderfongeth And afterwarde as hym belongeth whan it was tyme for to wedde A newe wyfe he toke to bedde whiche Ino hight and was a mayde And eke the doughter as men sayde Of Cadme whiche a kyng also was holde in thylke dayes tho ¶ whan Ino was the kynges make She cast how that she myght make These childre to her father loth And shope a wyle ayene hem both whiche to the kynge was all vnknowe A yere or two she let do sowe The lond with soden whete aboute wher of no corne may spryngen oute And thus by sleyght and by couyne Aros the derth and the famyne Through out the londe in suche a wyse So that the kynge a sacrifice Vpon the poynte of this distresse To Ceres whiche is the goddesse Of corne hath shape hym for to yeue To loke if it may be foryeue The mischiefe whiche was in his londe But she which knewe tofore the honde The circumstance of all this thynge Ageyn the comyng of the kynge In to the temple hath shape so Of her accorde that all tho whiche of the temple prestes were Haue sayde and full declared there Vnto the kynge but if so be That he delyuer the countre Of Phryxus and of Helle bothe with whom the goddes ben so wrothe That whyle tho childre be within Suche tylthe shall no man begyn wherof to gette hym any corne Thus was it sayde thus was it sworne Of all the prestes that there are And she whiche causeth all this fare Seyde eke therto what that she wolde And euery man than after tolde So as the quene had hem preyde The kynge whiche hath his ere leyde And leueth all that euer he herde Vnto her tales thus answerde And seyth that leuer is hym to chese His children bothe for to lese Than hym and all the remenant
out of mans lyke And of a dragon toke the forme As he whiche wolde hym all conforme To that she sawe in sweuener this And thus to chambre come he is The quene lay a bed and syghe And hopeth euer as he cam nyghe That he god of Luby were So hath she well the lesse fere But for he wolde hir more assure yet efte he changeth his fygure And of a wether the lykenesse He toke in sygne of his noblesse with large hornes for the nones Of fyne golde and ryche stones A crowne on his heed he bare And sodeinlyche er she was ware As he whiche all guyle can His forme he torneth in to man And came to bedde and she lay styll where as she suffreth all his wyll As she whiche wende not mysdo But netheles it hapneth so All though she were in parte deceiued yet for all that she hath conceiued The worthiest of all kithe whiche euer was tofore or sith Of conquest and of chyualrye So that through gyle and sorcery There was that noble knight begonne whiche all the worlde hath after wonne Thus fell the thing whiche fall shuld Nectanabus hath that he wolde with gyle he hath his loue sped with gyle he came in to the bed with gyle he gothe hym oute ayene He was a shrewed chamberleyne So to begyle a worthy quene And that on hym was after sene But netheles the thynge is do This fals god was sone go with his deceyte helde hym close Tyll morow cam that he arose And tho whan tyme and leyser was The quene tolde hym all the cas As she that gyle none supposeth And of two poyntes she hym apposeth One was if that this god no more wyll come ayene and ouermore How she shall stonden in accorde with kynge Philip her owne lorde when he comth home seeth her grone ¶ Madame he seyth let me alone As for the god I vndertake That whan it lyketh you to take His company at any throwe If I a day to fore it knowe He shall be with you on the nyght And he is welle of suche a might To kepe you frome al blame For thy comforte you madame There shall none other cause be Thus tooke he leue and forth goth he And tho began be for to muse Howe he the quene might excuse Towarde the kinge of that is falle And founde a crafte amonges alle Through which he hath a se foule daÌ„ted with his magike and so enchaunted That he flewe forth whan it was night Vnto the kinges tent right where that he lay amidde his hoste And whan he was a slepe moste with that the se foull to him brought An other charme whiche he wrought At home within his chamber stylle The kinge he torneth at his wylle And makth him for to dreme and se The dragon and the priuete which was betwene him and the quene And ouer that he made him wene In sweuen howe that the god Amos whan he vp fro the quene aros Toke forth a rynge wherin a stone was set and graue therupon A sonne in whiche whan he cam nighe A lyon with a swerde he sigh And with that prente as he so mette Vpon the quenes wombe he sette A seale and goth him forth his way with that the sweuen went a waye And tho began the kinge a wake And sighe for his wyues sake where as he lay within his tent And hath great wonder what it mente with that he hasted him to ryse Anone and sent after the wyse Amonge the whiche there was one A Clerke his name is Amphyon whan he the kinges sweuen herd what it betokneth he answerde And saith as sekerly as the lyfe A god hath layne by thy wyfe And gotte a sonne whiche shall wynne The worlde and all that is withinne As the lyon is kynge of beastes So shall the worlde obeye his bestes which with his swerde shal al be wonne Al 's ferre as shyneth any sonne The kynge was doutife of this dome But netheles whan that be come Ageyne into his owne londe His wyfe with childe great be founde He myght not hym selfe n stere That he ne made her heuy chere But he whiche couth of all sorowe Nectanabus vpon the morowe Through the deceyte of Nygromaunce Toke of a dragon the semblaunce And where the kynge sat in his halle Cam in rampende amonge hem all with suche a noyse and suche a rore That they agast were all so sore As though they shulde dye anone And netheles he greueth none But goth towarde the deyse on bye And whan he cam the quene nye He stynt his noyse and in his wyse To her he profreth his seruice And layth his heed vpon hir barme And she with goodly chere hir arme About his necke ayenewarde layde And thus the quene with hym playde In sight of all men about And at last be gan to loute And obeysaunce vnto her make As he that wolde his leue take And sodeynly his lothely forme In to an egle be gan transforme And flewe and set hym on a rayle wherof the kynge had great meruayle For there he pruneth hym and pyketh As doth an hauke whan him wel lyketh And after that him selfe he shoke wherof that all the halle quoke As it a terremote were They seyden all god was there In suche a rees and forth he flygh ¶ The kyng which all this woÌ„der sygh whan he cam to his chambre alone Vnto the quene made his mone And of foryeues he hir praide For than he knewe well as he sayde She was with childe with a god Thus was the kynge without rod Chastised and the quene excused Of that she had ben accused And for the greatter euidence yet after that in the presence Of kynge Philip and other mo whan they yode in the fyldes tho A fesaunt came before her eye The whiche anone as they hir seye Fleende let an neye downe falle And it to brake tofore hem alle And as they token therof kepe They sigh out of the shelle crepe A lâ—tell serpent on the grounde whiche rampeth all aboute rounde And in ayene he woll haue wonne But for the brennyng of the sonne It myght not and so be deide And therupon the clerkes seyde As the serpent when it was out went enuyron the shelle aboute And myght not torne in ayene So shall it fall in certeyne This childe the worlde shall enuirone And aboue all the corone Hym shall befall and in his yonge age He shall desire in his corage whan all the worlde is in his honde To turne ayene vnto the londe where he was bore and in his weye Homewarde he shall with poyson deye The kynge whiche al this sigh herde Fro that day forth howe so it ferde His ielousye hath all foryete But he whiche hath the childe begete Nectanabus in priuite The tyme of his natiuite Vpon the constellation Awayteth and relation Maketh to the quene howe she had do And euery houre appointeth so That no mynute
a prelate Shall be anoynte and sanctifyed He mote be more magnyfied For dignite of his corone Than shulde another lowe persone whiche is not of hygh emprise Therfore a prince hym shuld aduise Er that he fell in suche ryote And namely that he ne assoâ—e To chaunge for the womenhed The worthinesse of his manhed ¶ Nota de doctrina Aristotelis qualiter priceps vt animi sui locunditatem prouocet mulieres formosas crebro aspicere debet caueat tamen ne meÌ„s voluptuosa torpescens ex carnis fragilitate in vicium dilabatur ¶ Of Aristotle I haue well radde Howe he to Alysaunder badde That for to gladden his corage He shulde beholden the visage Of women whan that they ben fayre But yet he set an examplayre His body so to guye and rule That he ne passe mot the rule wherof that he him selfe begyle For in the woman is no gyle Of that a man him selfe by wapeth whan he is owne wytte beiapeth I can the woman wel excuse But what man wyl vpon hem muse After the folysshe Impression Of his ymaginacion within him selfe the fyre he bloweth wherof the woman nothinge knoweth So may she nothinge be to wyte For if a man him selfe excite To drenche and wil nought forbere The water shall no blame bere what may the golde though meÌ„ coueit If that a man wyll loue streyt The woman hath him nothinge bounde If he his owne hert wounde She may not let the folye And though so fyl of company That he might any thinge purchace Yet maketh a man the fyrst chace The woman fleeth and he purseweth So that by wey of skyl it sueth The man is cause bowe so befalle That he full ofte syth is falle where that he may not wel aryse And netheles ful many wyse Befooled haue hem selfe er this As nowe a dayes yet it is Amonge the men and euer was The stronge is febleste in this caas It syt a man by wey of kynde To loue but it is not kinde A man for loue his wyt to lese For if the month of Iule shall frese And that December shall be hote The yere mistorneth wel I wote To seen a man frome his estate Through his soty effemynate And leue that a man shall do It is as hose aboue the shoo To man whiche oughte not to be vsed But yet the worlde hath ofte accused Full great princes of this dede Howe they for loue hem selfe mislede wherof manhode stode behinde Of olde ensamples as men fynde ¶ Hic ponit exeÌ„plum qualiter pro eo quod Sardanapallus Assiriorum princeps muliebri oblectamento effeminatus sue coÌ„cupiscentie torporem quasi ex coÌ„suetudine adhibebat ab Arbacto rege medorum super hoc infidiante in sui feruoris maiori voluptate subitis mutationibus extinctus eft ⧠These olde gestes tellen thus That whylome Sardanapallus whiche helde all hole in his empyre The great kingdome of Assyre was through the slouth of his corage Falle in to the ylke fyry rage Of loue / whiche the men assoteth wherof hym selfe he so ryoteth And wexeth so ferforth womannysshe That ageyn kynde as if a fysshe Abyde wolde vpon the londe In women suche a luste he fonde That he dwelte euer in chambre stylle And onely wrought after the wylle Of women so as he was bede That seldome whan in other stede If that he wolde wenden oute To seen howe that it stode aboute But there he kiste / and there he played They taughten hym a lace to brayed And weue a purs and to enfyle A perle And fell thylke whyle One Arbactus the prince of Mede Seeth the kynge in womanhede was falle fro chiualrie And gate hym helpe and companye And wrought so that at last This kynge out of his reigne he cast whiche was vndone for euer mo And yet men speaken of hym so That it is shame for to bere For thy to loue is in manere ☞ Nota qualiter Dauid amans mulieres propter hoc probitatem armorum non minus excercint ¶ Kynge Dauid had many a loue But netheles alway aboue Knyghthode he kepte in suche a wyse That for no flesshely couetyse Of lust to lygge in ladys armes He lâ—â—te not the luste of armes For where a prince his lustes sueth That he the warre not pursueth whan it is tyme to bene armed His countrie stant full ofte harmed whan the enemyes be waxe bolde That they defente none beholde Full many a londe hath so be lore As men may rede ofte tyme afore Of hem that so her cases soughten whiche after they full dere aboughten ¶ 〈◊〉 â—â—uitur qualiter regnum lasciuie volupta 〈…〉 de facili vincitur Et ponit exempluÌ„ 〈◊〉 rege Persarum qui cum Lidos mira pro 〈◊〉 fiteninssimos sibique in bello aduersantes 〈◊〉 â—â—do vincere potuit / cum ipsis tandem paâ—â—â—â—â—â—tatum dissimilans concordiaÌ„ finaleÌ„ stabiâ—◠〈◊〉 super quo Lydi postea per aliquod tem 〈◊〉 armis insoluti sub pacis tempore voluptatibus â—ntendebant Quod Cyrus percipiens in eos armatus subito irruit ipsos que inde sensibiles vinâ—â—ns suo imperio tributarios subiugauit ¶ To mochel ease is nothynge worthe For that setteth euery vice forthe And euery vertue put a backe wherof price turneth in to lacke As in cronylie I may reherse whiche telleth how the kynge of Perse That Lyrus hyght a warre hadde Ageynst the people whiche he dradde Of a countre whiche Lydos hyght But yet for ought that he do myght As in batayle vpon the warre He had of hem alway the warre And whan he sigh and wyst it wele That he by strength wanne no dele Than at laste he caste a wyle This worthy people to begyle And toke with hem a feyned pees whiche shulde lasten endelees So as he sayde in wordes wyse But he thought all in other wyse For it betyd vpon the caas whan that this people in rest was They token eses many folde And worldes ese as it is tolde By way of kynde is the noryce Of euery luste whiche toucheth vyce Thus whan they were in lustes fall The warres bene forgeten all was none whiche wolde the worshyp Of armes but in ydelshyp They putten businesse away And toke hem to daunce and play But most aboue all other thynges They token hem to the lykynges Of flesshely lustes that chastite Receyued was in no degree But euery man doth what hym lyste And whan the kynge of Pers it wyste That they vnto folye entenden with his power whan they leest wenden More sodeinly than doth the thonder He came for euer and put hem vnder And thus hath lechery lore The londe whiche had be tofore The beste of hem that were tho ¶ Nota qualiter facta bellica luxus infortunat Et narrat / quod cum rex Amolech hebrtis sibi insultantibus resistere nequit / consilio Balaam mulieres regni sui pulcherrimas in castro hebreorum misit / qui ab
scelera perpetrarunt ¶ So as these olde gestes seyne The proude tyrannysshe Romeyne Tarquinius whiche was than kynge And wrought many a wrongful thynge Of sonnes he had many one Amonge the whiche Arrous was one Lyche to his father in maneres So that within a fewe yeres with treason and with tyranny They wonne of londe a great party And token hede of no iustyce whiche dewe was to her offyce Vpon the rule of gouernaunce But al that euer was pleasaunce Vnto the flesshes lust they toke And fyll so that they vndertoke A werre whiche was nought acheued But often tyme it had hem greued Ageyne a folke which than hyght The Gabyens and all by nyght Thus Arrous whan he was at home In Rome a preuy place he nome within a chaumber and hete hym selfe And made hym woundes .x. or twelfe Vpon the backe as it was sene And so forth with his hurtes grene In all the haste that he may He rode and cam that other day Vnto Gabye the cite And in he went and whan that he was knowe anone the yates were sheâ— The lordes all vpon hym set with drawe swerdes vpon bonde And Arrous wolde hem not withstoÌ„de And saide I am here at your wylle As lefe it is that ye me spylle As if myn owne father dede And forth within that same stede He prayde hem that they wolde se And tolde hem in what degre His father and his bretherne bothe whiche as he sayd weren wrothe Hym had beten and reuyled And out of Rome for euer exyled And thus he made hem to beleue And saide if that he myght acheue His purpos it shall well be yolde By so that they hym helpe wolde whan that the lordes had sene Howe wofully he was besene They toke pite of his greue But yet it was hem wonder leue That Rome hym had exyled so The Gabyens by counseyle tho Vpon the goddes made hym swere That he to hem shall trouth here And strength hem with all his myght And they also hym hath behyght To helpen hym in his quarele They shope than for his hele That he was bathed and anoynt Tyll that he was in lusty poynt And what he wolde than he had That he all holle the cite lad Ryght as he wolde hym selfe deuyse And thaÌ„ he thought hym in what wyse He myght his tyranny shewe And toke to his counseyle a shrewe whom to his father forth he sent And in his message he tho went And prayed his father for to say By his auyse and fynde a wey Howe they the cite myght wynne whyle he stode so well therin And whan the messanger was come To Rome and hath in counseyle nome The kynge it felle perchaunce so That they were in a gardeyne tho This messager forth with the kynge And whan he had tolde the thynge In what maner that it stode And that Tarquinus vnderstode By the message how that it ferde Anone he toke in honde a yerde And in the gardeyne as they gone The lylly croppes one and one where that they weren sprongen out He smote of as they stode about And sayde vnto the messengere Lo this thyng whiche I do nowe here Shall be in stede of thyn answere And in this wyse as I me bere Thou shalte vnto my sonne telle And he no lenger wolde dwelle But toke his leue goth withall Vnto his lorde and tolde hym all Howe that his father hadde do whan Arrous herde hym telle so Anone be wyst what it ment And therto sette all his entent Tyll he through fraude trechery The prynces heedes of Gaby Hath smyten of all was wonne His father cam tofore the sonne In to the towne with the Romeyns And toke and slewe the citezeyns without reason or pite That he ne spareth no degre And for the spede of his conquest He lette do make a ryche feste with a solempne sacrifice In Phebus temple And in this wyse whan the Romeynes assembled were In presence of hem all there Vpon the auter when all was dyght And that the fyres were a lyght From vnder the auter sodeynly An hydous serpent openly Cam out and hath deuoured all The sacrifice and eke withall The fyres queynt and forth anone So as be came so is he gone In to the depe grounde ayeyne And euery man began to seyne A lorde what may this signifye And thervpon they pray and crye To Phebus that they mighten knowe The cause he the same throwe with gastly voice that all it herde The Romayns in this wyse answerde And sayd how for the wyckednes Of pryde of vnryghtwysenes That Tarquyne and his sonne hath do The sacrifice is wasted so whiche myght not ben acceptable Vpon suche synne abhomynable And ouer that yet he hem wysseth And saith whiche of hem fyrst kysseth His mother he shall take wreche Vpon the wronge of that speche They ben within her hertes glade Though they outward no seÌ„blaÌ„ce made Ther was a knight which Brutê° hight And he with all the haste he might To grounde fyll and there he kyste But none of hem the cause wyste But wende that he had spourned Perchaunce and so was ouertourned But Brutus all an other ment For he knewe well in his entent Howe therthe of euery mannes kynde Is mother but they weren blynde And syghe not so ferre as he But when they leften the cite And comen home to Rome ageyn Than euery man whiche was Romeyne And moder hath to hir he bende And kyst / and eche of hem thus wende To be the fyrste vpon the chaunce Of Terquyne for to do vengeaunce So as they herden Phebus seyne But euery tyme hath his certeyne So must it nedes than abyde Tyll afterwarde vpon a tyde ¶ Hic narrat quod cum Tarquinius in obsidione ciuitatis Ardee vt eam destrueret intentus fuit Arrous filius eius Romam secreto adiens in domo collatini hospitatus est vbi de nocte illam castissimam dommam Lucreciam imaginata fraude vi oppressit vnde illa pre dolore mortuo ipse cuÌ„ Tarquinio patre suo tota clamanie Roma / imê‘mÌ„ exilium delegati sunt ⧠Tarquinus made vnskilfully A werre whiche was fast by Ageyn a towne with walles stronge whiche Ardea was cleped longe And cast a sege there aboute That there may no man passen oute So it befelle vpon a night Arrous whiche had his souper dight Aparte of the chyualrye with hym to suppe in company Hath bede and whan they comen were And sette at supper there Amonge her other wordes glade Arrous a great spekynge made who had tho the best wyse Of Rome and thus began a stryfe For Arrous saith he hath the best So ianglen they withouten reste Tyll at last one Collaryne A worthy knyght and was cosyne To Arrous sayd hym in this wyse It is qd he of none emprise To speke a worde but of the dede wherof it is to taken hede Anone for thy this same tyde Lepe on
This boke vpon amendement To stonde at his commaundement with whom myn herte is of acorde I sende vnto myn owne lorde whiche of Lancastre is Henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Full of knyghthode and al grace So wolde I nowe this werke embrace with holle truste and holle beleue God graunte I mote it well acheue â—â—â—â—as preterituÌ„ praesens fortuna beatum 〈◊〉 et antiquas uertit in orbe mas 〈…〉 â—â—rerâ—m concors dilectio pacem â—â—mâ—â—â—cies hominis nuncia mentis erat 〈◊〉 aâ—â—olor tunc temporis aura refulsit 〈◊〉 planç cuncque fuere â—â—ae Nâ—â—â—que latens odium â—ultuÌ„ depingit amoris 〈…〉 sub fiâ—ta tempus ad arma tegit 〈…〉 â—â—aâ—â—s mutabile cameliontis 〈…〉 â—â—egnis sunt noua iura nouis 〈…〉 â—pâ—uerant solidissima sicque per orbem â—â—â—cantur nâ—â— eo contra quietis habent 〈…〉 â—eâ—â—coâ—e vt dicunt secunduÌ„ temâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—â—icet tempore regio Riâ—â—◠〈…〉 secundâ— Anno regni 〈◊〉 â—â—â—to decimo ¶ If I shall drawe in to my mynde 〈◊〉 â—â—me passed than I fynde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ide stode in all his welthe 〈…〉 the lyfe of man in helth 〈…〉 plâ—nte tho was rychesse 〈◊〉 the fortune tho was prowesse 〈…〉 knyghthode in prys by name 〈…〉 the wide worldes fame 〈…〉 Cronycles is yet withholde 〈…〉 â—â—we thâ— was holde 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—â—ge oâ— regalye 〈…〉 â—â—d all the Baronye 〈◊〉 â—â—pped was in his astate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 es knewe no debate 〈◊〉 people stode in obeysaunce 〈◊〉 the rule of gouernaunce 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—s with rightwysnesse keste 〈◊〉 â—arite tho stode in reste 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—nes herte the courage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—wed then in the visage 〈◊〉 â—â—â—de was lyke to the conceyte 〈◊〉 semblaunt of deceyte 〈◊〉 was there vnenuied loue 〈◊〉 was vertue set aboue Aâ—â—â—â—ce was put vnder fote Nowe staâ—te the crope vnder the rote The worlde is chaunged ouerall And therof moste in speciall That loue is falle in to discorde And that I take in to recorde Of euery londe for his partye The comen voyce / whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon all Is that men nowe clepe and calle And seyn / that reignes bene deuided In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take her double face So that Iustice out of the way with ryghtwysenes is gone away And thus to loke on euery halue Men sene the sore without salue whiche all the worlde hath ouertake Ther is no reigne of all out take For euery clymat hath his dele After the turnynge of the whele whiche blynde fortune ouerthroweth wherof the certayne no man knoweth The heuen wote what is to done But we that dwelle vnder the mone Stonde in this worlde vpon a were And namely but the power Of them that bene the worldes guides with good counseylle on all sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue / whiche is all the chiefe To kepe a reigne out of mischiefe For all reason wolde this That vnto him / whiche the heed is The membres buxom shall bowe And he shulde eke their trouth alowe with all his hert / and make them chere For good counseyll is good to here All though a man be wyse hym selue yet is the wysdome more of twelue And if they stonde both in one To hope it were then anone That god his grace wolde sende To make of thylke werre an ende whiche euery day nowe groweth newe And that is greately for to rewe In specyall for Christes sake whiche wolde his owne lyfe forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But nowe men tellen netheles That loue is from the worlde departed So stant the pees yneuen parted with them that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at all assayes To hym / that wold reson seche After the comen worldes speche It is to wonder of thylke werre In which none wote who hath the wer For euery lond hym selfe deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylke lorde / whiche all may kepe To whom no counseyll may be hyd Vpon the worlde / whiche is betide Amende that / wherof men pleyne with trewe hertes and with pleyne And reconsele loue agayne As he / whiche is kynge souerayne Of all the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purueyance Afferme pece bytwene the londes / And take their cause in to his bondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godheede also be plesed Quas coluit Moses uetê° aut nouus ipse IoaÌ„nes Hesternas leges uix colit ista dies Sic prius Ecclesia bina uirtute polita Nunc magis inculta pallet uâ—taque uia Pacificam Petri naginam mucro resumens Horruit ad Christi uerba cruoris iter Nunc tamen assiduo gladiuÌ„ de sanguine tinctuÌ„ Vibrat auaricia lege repente sacra Sic lupê° est pastor pat hostis mors miserator Praedoque largitor pax et in orbe timor ¶ De statu cferi vt dicunt secunduÌ„ spuÌ„asia videlicet tempore Roberti Gisbonensiâ— / qui nomen Clementis fortitus est sibi tunc Antipape ¶ To thynke vpon the dayes olde The lyfe of clerkes to beholde Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample / and rewle of all tho which of wisdome the vertue soughten Vnto the god fyrste they besoughten As to the substaunce of their schole That they ne sholde not befole Her wytre vpon none erthly werkes whiche were ayene the astate of clerkes And that they myghten flee the vyce whiche Symon hath in his offyce wherof he taketh golde in bonde For thylke tyme I vnderstonde The lumbarde made non eschaunge The bisshopryches for to chaunge Ne yet a letter for to sende For dignyte / ne for prouende Or cured / or without cure The churche kay in aduenture Of armes and of brigantaylle Stode no thynge then vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste It thought them then not honeste But of symplycite and pacyence They maden then no defence The courte of worldly regallie To them was then no bayllie The vayne honour was nought desired whiche hath the proude herte fyred The humylite was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy churche the largesse / yafe then and dyd great almesse To poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word and dede wherof the people ensample toke Their lust was all vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wysse men the ryght waye Of suche as stode of trouth vnlered Lo thus is Peters bargestered Of them that thylke tyme were And thus came fyrste to mannes ere The feyth of Christe and all good Through them that then were good And sobre / and chaste / and large wise And nowe men seyn is other wyfe Symon the cause hath vndertake The worldes swerde in hond is take And that is wounder netheles whan Christe him selfe hath bode pees And set it in his testement How nowe that holy churche is went Of
bâ—as they were vpon to se His legges they were made all of steele So were his feete also somdele And somedele parte to them was take Of â—â—rthe whiche men pottes make The â—â—ble mengled was with the strong So myght it not stande longe 〈…〉 de quodaÌ„ sapide graÌ„di qui 〈…〉 â—â—edatur ab excesso m◠〈…〉 cortues in sam quasi 〈…〉 penitus contriâ—it ¶ And tho me thought / that I syghe 〈…〉 from an bylle an highe 〈…〉 of sodeyne auenture 〈…〉 of this figure 〈…〉 stone all to broke was 〈…〉 â—â—â—er the stele and bras 〈…〉 pouder brought 〈…〉 â—â—â—ed in to nought 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—tione sommi et pri◠〈…〉 â—urei 〈…〉 was the swenen which he had 〈…〉 auoâ—e aâ—â—d 〈◊〉 hym that figure straunge 〈◊〉 â—eth how the world shal chaÌ„ge 〈◊〉 â—lasse worth and lasse 〈◊〉 to nought all ouer passe 〈…〉 and hede that weren golde 〈…〉 howe that betoken shulde 〈◊〉 thy worlde a noble a ryche To whâ—che none after shall be lyche Depectore argenteo ¶ Of â—â—er that was ouer forthe 〈…〉 a worlde of la e worthe De ventre eneo ¶ And after that the â—ombe of bras â—oken of a wers world it was The whiche steele he sawe afterwarde A worlde betâ—keneth more harde De tibeis ferreis ¶ But yet the werste of euery dele Is last / that when of erth and steele He sawe the fete departed so For that betokeneth moche wo ¶ De significatione pedum que ex duabus materus discordantibus ad inuseeÌ„ diuisi extiterunt ¶ whan that the worlde deuided is It mot algate fare amys For erthe / whiche mengled is with stele To gydre may not laste we le But if that one that other waste So mote it nedes falle at the laste ¶ De sapide statuam confringente The stone / whiche froÌ„ that bylly stage He sawe downe falle on that ymage And hath it in to poudre broke That sweuen hath Daniel vnloke And sayde / that it is goddes myght whiche whan men wene moste vpright To stonde / shall them ouer caste And that is of this worlde the laste And than a newe shall begynne From whiche a man shal neuer twinne Or all to payne / or all to pees That worlde shall laste endles ¶ Hic seribit quasiter huius seculi regna bariso mutationibus preut in dicta statua figurabatur secuÌ„dum temporum diftinetiones sensibiliter hactenus duminuuntur ¶ Lo thus expowned Daniel The kynges sweuen faire and wel In Babylone the cyte where that the wysest of Laldee He couden wytte what it mente But be tolde all the hoole entente As in partie it is befalle Of golde the fyrst regne of all ¶ De seculo aureo quod in capite statue designatum est a tempore in suis Nabugodonosoria regis Casdee vsque in regmi Cyri regis Persaril was in that kynges tyme tho And last many dayes so There / whiles that the monarchye Of all the worlde in that partye To Babylone was subgette And helde hym styll in suche a plight Tyll that the worlde began dyuerse And that was / whaÌ„ the kynge of Perse whiche Lyrus hyght / ayen the pees Forthe with his sonne Lambyses Of Babylone all that Empyre Ryght as they wolde them selfe desire Put vnder in subiection And toke it in possession And slayne was Baltasar the kynge whiche lost his reigne / all his thynge ¶ De seculo argented / quod in pectore designatum est a tempore ipsius regis Cyri vsque in regnum Alexandri regis Macedonie ¶ And thus whan they had it wonne The worlde of syluer was begonne And that of golde was passed out And in thus wyse it goth aboute In to the reigne of Darius And than it felle to Perse thus There Alexander put them vnder which wroght of armes many a woÌ„der So that the monarchie lefte with grekes / and their astate vp lefte And Persiens gone vnder foote So suffre they / that nedes mote ¶ De seculo eneo quod in veÌ„fte designatum est a tempore ipsius Alexandri vsque in regnuÌ„ Iulu Romanorum imperatoris ¶ And tho the worlde began of bras And that of siluer ended was But for the tyme thus it laste Tyll it befelle / that at laste This king / whaÌ„ that his day was come with strength of dethe was ouercome And netheles yet or he dyde He shope his reigne to deuyde To knyghtes / whiche hym had serued And after that they haue deserued yafe the conquestes / that he wanne wherof great werre tho beganne Amonge them / that the reignes had Through proud enuy / whiche them lad Tyll it befelle ayene them thus The noble Lesar Iulius whiche tho was kynge of Rome londe with great batayle / and stronge honde All Grece / Perse / and Chaldee wan / and put vnder so that he Not all only of thorient But all the marche of thoccident Gouerneth vnder his Empyre As he that was holle lorde and syre And helde through his chyualrye Of all the worlde the monarchye And was the fyrste of that honour whiche taketh name of Emperour ¶ De seculo ferreo quod in tibiis designatuÌ„ est a tempore Iulu Cesaris vsque in regnum Caro si magni regis Francorum ¶ where Rome than wolde assayle There myght no thynge contreuayle But euery contrey must obeye Tho goth the reigne of bras aweye And comen is the worlde of steele And stode aboue vpon the whele As steele is hardest in his kynde Aboue all other / that men fynde Of metalles / suche was Rome tho The myghtyest / and laste so Longe tyme amonge the Romayns Tyll they become so vylayns That the emperour Leo with Constaunce his sonne also The patrimonye / and the rychesse whiche to Syluester in pure almesse The fyrste Constantinus lefte Fro holy churche they berefte But Adryan / whiche pope was And sawe the mischefe of this cas Gothe in to Fraunce for to playne And prayeth the great Charlemayne For Chrystes sake / and soule hele That he wolde take the quarele Of holy churche in his defence And Charles / for the reuerence Of god / the cause hath vndertake And with his hoste the waye hath take Ouer the mountes of Lumbardye Of Rome / and all the tyrannye with blody swerde he ouercome And the cytie with strenght nome In suche a wyse / and ther he wrought That holy churche ayene he brought In to Fraunchyse / and dothe restore The popes luste and yaf hym more And thus whaÌ„ he his god hath serued / He toke as he hath well deseruyd The dâ—ademe and was corouned Of Rome and thus was abandoned Th empyre / whiche came neuer agayne In to the hande of no Romayne But a longe tyme it stode stylle Vnder the Frenss he kynges wylle Tyll that fortune her whele so lad That afterwarde the LuÌ„bardes it had â—â—t by the sword but by the suffrauÌ„ce 〈…〉 that tho was kyng of FrauÌ„ce 〈◊〉 Carle Caluus cleped was 〈◊〉 he
wenyng hath farde by me For whan I wende next haue be As I by my wenyng caste Than was I fortheste at laste And as a foole my bowe vnbende when all was fayled that I wend For thy my fader as of this That my wenynge hath gone amys Touchend to Surquedrye Yeue me my penaunce or I dye But if ye wolde in any forme Of this matter a tale enforme whiche were ayene this vice set I shulde fare well the bet ¶ Hic ponit confessor exemplum contra illos / qui suis viribus presumentes debisiores efficiūtur Et narrat qualiter ille Campaneus miles in armis probatissimus de sua presumens audacia inuocationē ad superos tempore necessitatis ex vecordia tm̄ et non aliter primitus prouenisse asseruit vnde in obsidione ciuitatis Thebarum / cum ipse quodam die coram suis hostibus ad debellandum se obtulit / ignis de ceso subito super veniens ipsū armatil totaliter in cineres cōbussit My sonne in all maner wyse Surquedrye is to despyse wherof I fynde write thus The proud knyght Cāpaneus He was of such Surquedrye That he through his chyualrye Vpon hym selfe so mochel truste That to the goddes hym ne luste In no quarell to beseche But sayde it was an ydell speche whiche cause was of pure drede For lacke of herte and for no nede And vpon suche presumption He helde this proude opinion Tyll at the laste vpon a day About Thebes where be lay whan it of syege was beleyne This knyght as the Cronyke seyne In all mannes syght there whan he was proudest in his gere And thought nothinge might him dere Full armed with his shelde and spere As be the citie wolde assayle God toke hym selfe the batayle Ayenst his pride and fro the sky A fyry thonder sodeynly He sende and hym to poudre smote And thus the pride whiche was hote whan he most in his strength wende was brent and lost withouten ende So that it proueth well therfore The strength of man is sone lore But if that he it well gouerne And ouer this a man may lerne That eke full ofte tyme it greueth what that a man hym selfe beleueth As though it shulde hym well beseme That he all other men can deme And hath foryete his owne vice A tale of them that be so nyce And feynen them selfe to be so wyse I shall the telle in suche a wise wherof thou shalte ensample take That thou no suche thynge vndertake ¶ Hic loquitur confessor contra illos qui de sua scientia presumentes aliorum cōdiciones diuidicantes indiscrete redarguunt / Et narrat exemplum de quodam principe regis Hungarie germano / qui cum fratrem suum pauperibus in publico vidit humiliatum / ipsum redarguendo in contrarium edocere presumabat / sed rex omni sapiencia prepollens / ipsum sic incante presumentem ad humilitatis memoriam teribili prouidentia mitius castigauit ¶ I fynde vpon Surquedry Nowe that whylom of Hungarye By olde dayes was a kynge wyse and honest in all thynge And so befelle vpon a daye And that was in the moneth of May As thylke tyme it was vsaunce This kynge with noble purueyaunce Hath for hym selfe his chare arayed wherin he wolde ryde amayed Out of the citie for to playe with lordes and with great noblay Of lusty folke that were yonge where somme playde and some songe And some gone and some ryde And some prycke her horse asyde And brydlen them nowe in nowe out The kynge his eie cast aboute Tyll he was at laste ware And sawe comynge ageyne his chare Two pylgremes of so great age That lyke vnto a drye image That weren pale and fade hewed And as a busshe whiche is besnewed Theyr berdes weren hore and whyte There was of kynde but a lyte That they ne semen fully deade They come to the kynge and bede Some of his good pur charite And he with great humilyte Out of his chare to grounde lepte And them in both his armes kepte And kyst them both foote and honde Before the lordes of his londe And yafe them of his good therto And whan he hath this dede do He goth into his chare ageyne Tho was murmour tho was disdeyne Tho was complaynt on euery syde They sayden of their owne pryde Echone tyll other what is this Our kynge hath do this thinge amysse So to abesse his royaltie That euery man it myght se And humbled hym in suche a wyse To them that were of none empryse Thus was it spoken to and fro Of them that were with hym tho All priuely behynde his backe But to hym selfe no man spake The kynges brother in presence was thylke tyme and great offence He toke therof and was the same Aboue all other whiche moste blame Vpon his lyege lorde hath leyde And hath vnto the lordes seyde Anone as be may tyme fynde There shall nothynge be lefte behynde That he woll speke vnto the kynge Now lyste what felle vpon this thyng They were mery and fayre ynough Echone with other playde and lough And fellen in to tales newe Nowe that the fresshe floures grewe And howe the grene leaues spronge And howe that loue amonge the yonge Beganne the hertes than wake And euery byrde hathe chose his make And thus the Mays day to th ende They lede and home ayene they wende The kynge was not so sone come That whan he had his chambre nome His brother ne was redye there And brought a tale vnto his eare Of that he dyd suche ashame In hyndrynge of his owne name whan he hym selfe so wolde dretche That to so vyle a powre wretche Hym deyneth shewe suche symplesse Agaynst the state of his noblesse And sayth he shall it no more vse And that he mote hym selfe excuse Towarde his lordes euerychone The kynge stode styll as any stone And to his tale an eare he layde And thought more than he sayde But netheles to that he herde well curtoysly the kynge aunswerde And tolde it shulde ben amended And thus whan that their tale is ended All redy was the borde and clothe The kynge vnto his souper goth Amonge the lordes to the halle And whan they hadden souped all They token leue and forth they go The kynge bethought hym selfe tho Howe he his brother may chastie That he through his surquedrye Toke vpon honde and to dispreyse Humilite whiche is to preyse And thervpon yafe suche counseyle Towarde his king / whiche was vnheyle wherof to be the better lered He thinketh to maken hym afered It felle so that in thylke dawe There was ordeyned by the lawe A Trompe with a sterne breath whiche was cleped the trompe of deth And in the Court where the kyng was A certeyne man this trompe of brasse Hath in kepynge and therof serueth That whan a lorde his dethe deserueth He shall this dredefull trompe blowe Tofore his gate and make it knowe Howe that the iugement
is yeue Of deathe whiche shall not be foryeue The kynge whan it was nyght anone This man assent and bad hym gone To trompen at his brothers gate And he whiche mote done algate Goth forth and doth the kynges beste This lorde whiche herde of this tempest That he tofore his gate blewe Tho wyst he by the lawe and knewe That he was sekerly deade And as of helpe he wyst no rede But sende for his frendes all And tolde them howe it is befalle And they hym aske cause why But he the sothe not for thy Ne wyst and there was sorowe tho For it stode thylke tyme so This trompe was of suche sentence That there ayene no resystence They coude ordeyne by no weye That he ne mote algate deye But if so that he may purchace To gette his lyege lordes grace Their wyttes thervpon they cast And ben appoynted at last This lorde a worthy lady had Vnto his wyfe whiche also drad Her lordes death and children fyue Betwene hem two they had aliue That weren yonge and tender of age And of stature and of visage Ryght faire and lusty on to se Tho casten they that he and she Forthe with theyr childre on the morowe As they that were full of sorowe All naked but of smocke and sherte To tendre with the kynges herte His grace shulde go to seche And pardon of the deathe beseche Thus passen they that wofull nyght And erly whan they sawe it lyght They gone them forth in suche a wise As thou tofore hast herde diuyse All naked but their shertes one They wepte and made moche mone Their here hanged about their eares with sobbynge and with sory teares This lorde goth then an humble pas That whilom proude and noble was wherof the citie sore a flyght Of them that sawen thylke syght And nethelesse all openly with suche wepyng and with suche cry Forth with his children / and his wyfe He goth to praye for his lyfe Vnto the courte whan they be come And men therin haue hyed nome There was no wyght if he them sye From water myght kepe his eye For sorowe whiche they maden tho The kynge supposeth of this wo And feyneth as he nought ne wyst But netheles at his vpryste Men tolde hym howe it ferde And whan that he this wonder herde In hast he goth in to the halle And all at ones downe they falle If any pite may be founde The king which seeth theÌ„ go to grouÌ„de Hath asked them what is the fere why they be so dispoyled there His brother sayde A lorde mercy I wote none other cause why But onely that this night full late The trompe of deathe was at my gate In token that I shulde dye Thus we be come for to preye That ye my worldes deathe respyte Ha foole howe thou art for to wyte The kynge vnto his brother saide That thou arte of so lytell frayde That onely for a trompes sowne Hath gone dispoiled through the town Thou and thy wyfe in suche manere Forthe with thy children that ben here In syght of all men aboute For that thou sayst thou art in doubt Of death whiche stant vnder the lawe Of man and man may it withdrawe So that it may perchaunce fayle Nowe shalt thou not for thy meruayle That I downe from my chare alyght whan I behelde to fore my syght In them that were of so great age Myn owne dethe through their ymage whiche god hath set by lawe of kynde wherof I may no bote fynde For well I wote suche as they be Ryght suche am I in my degree Of flesshe and bloud and so shall dey And thus though I that lawe obeye Of whiche that kynges be put vnder It ought be well the lesse wonder Than thou whiche arte without nede For lawe of londe in suche a drede whiche for to accompte is but a iape As thing which thou myght ouerscape For thy my brother after this I rede that sethen that so is That thou canst drede a man so sore Drede god with all thyn herte more For all shall dye and all shall passe As well a lyon as an asse As well a begger as a lorde Towardes deathe in one accorde They shall stonde and in this wyse The kynge with his wordes wyse His brother taught and all foryeue Confessor For thy my sonne if thou wolt lyue In vertue thou must vice eschewe And with lowe herte humblesse sewe So that thou be not surquedous Amans My father I am amorous wherof I wolde you beseche That ye me by some waye teache whiche myght in loues cause stonde Confessor My sonne thou shalte vnderstonde In loue and other thynges all If that surquedry falle It may to hym not well betyde whiche vseth thylke vice of pride whiche tourneth wysedome to wenyng And sothfastnes into lesynge Through foule imagination And for thyn enformation That thou this vice as I the rede Eschewe shalte a tale I rede whiche felle whylom by dayes olde So as the clerke Ouide tolde ¶ Hic in speciali tractat Confessor cum Amante contra illos / qui de propria formositate presumentes amorem multeris dedignaÌ„tur Et narrat exemplum / qualiter cuiusdam principis filius 〈◊〉 mine Narcissus estino tempore / cum ipse venationis causa quendam ce ruum solus cum suis canibus exagitaret in grauem sitim incurrens necessitate coÌ„pulsus ad bibenduÌ„ de quodam fonte 〈◊〉 inclinquit vbi ipse faciem suaÌ„ pulchei rimam in aqua percipiens putabat se per hoc illaÌ„ Nâ—â—â—ham / quam poete Echo vocant in flumine â—â—â—am suis oculis conspexisse / de cuius amore 〈…〉 laqueatus / vt ipsaÌ„ ad se de fonte ex◠〈◊〉 pluribus blandicus adulabatur / sed cuÌ„ 〈◊〉 nâ—â—â—â—tenus perficere potuit pre nimio lanâ— deficiens contra lapides ibidem adiacen◠〈◊〉 exuerberans cerebrum effudit There was whylom a lordes sonne whiche of his pryde a vice wonne Hath caught that worthy to his lyche As sechen all the worldes ryche There was no woman for to loue So hygh he set hym selfe aboue Of stature and of beaute bothe That hym thought all women lothe 〈◊〉 was there no comparyson As towarde his condition This yonge lorde Narcissus hyght No strength of loue bowe myght His herte whiche is vnafyled 〈◊〉 at laste he was begyled 〈◊〉 of the goddes purueyaunce 〈◊〉 telle hym on a day perchaunce That he in all his proude fare Vnto the forest gan to fare Amonge other that there were To hunt and disporte hym there And whan he came in to the place where that he wolde make his chace The houndes were within a throwe Vncoupled and the bornes blowe The great herte anone was founde with swyfte feete set on the grounde And be with spore in horse syde Hym hasteth faste for to ryde Tyll all men be lefte bebynde And as he rode vnder a lynde Besyde a roche as I the telle He sawe where spronge a lusty welle
you quite My father here hath but a lyte Of waryson and that he wende Had all be lost but nowe amende He may well through your noble grace with that the kynge ryght in his place Anon forthe in that fresshe hete An Erledome whiche than of eschete was late falle in to his honde Vnto this knyght with rent and londe Hath youe and with his chartre sesed And thus was all the noyse appesed This maiden which sate on her knees Tofore the kynges charitees CoÌ„men death and sayth euermore My lyege lorde ryght nowe tofore ye sayde and it is of recorde That if my father were a lorde And pere vnto these other great ye wolden for nought elles lette That I ne shulde be your wyfe And thus wote euery worthy lyfe A kynges worde mote nede be holde For thy my lorde if that ye wolde So great a charite fulfylle God wote it were well my wylle For he whiche was a bachylere My father is nowe made a pere So whense as euer that I cam An erles doughter nowe I am This yonge kynge whiche peised all Her beaute and her wytte withall As he whiche was with loue hente Anone therto yafe his assente He myght not the place asterte That she nys lady of his herte So that he toke her to his wyfe To holde whyle that he hath lyfe And thus the kyng towarde his knight Accordeth hym as it is ryght And ouer this good is to wyte In the cronyke as it is wryte This noble kynge of whom I tolde Of spayne by tho dayes olde The kyngedome had in gouernaunce And as the boke maketh remembrance Alphons was his propre name The knyght also if I shall name Dom Petro hyght and as men telle His doughter wyse Petronelle was cleped whiche was full of grace And that was sene in thylke place where she her father out of tene Hath brought made her selfe a quene Of that she hath so well disclosed The poyntes wherof she was opposed Confessor Lo now my sonne as thou might here Of all this thinge to my mattere But one I take and that is pride To whom no grace may betyde In heuen he felle out of his stede And Paradyse hym was forbede The good men in erthe hym hate So that to belle he mote algate where euery vertue shall be weyued And euery vice be resceyued But Humblesse is all other wyse whiche moost is worth and no reprise It taketh ageyn but softe and fayre If ony thynge stant in contraire with humble speche it is redressed Thus was this yonge mayde blessed The whiche I spake of nowe tofore Her fathers lyfe she gatte therfore And wanne withall the kynges loue For thy my sonne if thou wolt loue It sytte the well to leaue pryde And take Humblesse on thy syde The more of grace thou shalt gete Amans ¶ My father I woll not foryete Of this that ye haue tolde me here And if that any suche manere Of humble porte may loue appaye Here afterwarde I thynke aslay But nowe forthe ouer I beseche That ye more of my shryfte seche Confessor ¶ My good sonne it shall be do Nowe herken and lay an eare to For as touchende of prydes fare Al 's ferforth as I can declare In cause of vice in cause of loue That hast thou playnly herde aboue So that there is no more to saye Touchende of that but other wey Touchende enuye I thynke telle whiche hath the propre kynde of helle without cause to mysdo Towarde hym selfe and other also Here afterwarde as vnderstonde Thou shalte the spices as they stonde Explicit liber primus ¶ Hic in secundo libro tractat de inuidia / et eius speciebus / quarum dolor alterius gaudii prima nuncupatur / cuius conditionem / secundum vitiuÌ„ Confessor primitus describens amanti quatenus amoreÌ„ concernit suê‘ eodeÌ„ coÌ„sequenter opponit ¶ Incipit liber Secundus Inuidiae culpa magis est attrita dolore Nam sua mens nullo tempore laeta manet Quo gaudent alii dolet ille nec vnus amicus Est cui de puro commoda velle facit Proximitatis honor sua corda veretur et omnis Est sibi laetitia sic aliena dolor Hoc etenim uitium quam sepe repugnat amaÌ„ti Non sibi sed reliquis dum fauet ipsa Venus Est amor ex propria motu fantasticus quae Gaudia fert alijs credit obesse sibi NOwe after pride the secoÌ„de There is whiche many a wofull stounde Towardes other bearethe aboute within hym selfe and not without For in his thought he brenneth euer whan that he wote an other leuer Or more vertuos than he whiche passeth hym in his degre Therof he taketh his maladye That vyce is cleped hotte enuy For thy my sonne if it be so Thou arte or hast ben one of tho As for to speke in loues cas If euer yet thyn hert was Sicke of an other mannes bele ¶ So god auaunce my quarele My father ye a thousande syth whan I haue sene another blythe Of loue and hadde a goodly chere Ethna whiche brenneth yere by yere was than nought so hote as I Of thylke sore for whiche priuely Myne hertes thought within brenneth The ship which on the wawes renneth And is forstormed and forblowe Is nat more payned for a throwe Than I am than whan I se Another whiche that passeth me In that fortune of loues yefte But father this I telle in shryfte That no where but in a place For who that lese or fynde grace In other stede it may nought greue But thus ye may ryght well beleue Towarde my lady that I serue Though that I weste for to sterue Myn hert is full of suche foly That I my selfe may not chasty whan I the court se of Cupide Approche vnto my lady syde Of hem that lusty ben and fresshe Though it auayle them not a resshe But onely that they ben of speche My sorowe is than not to seche But whan they rownen in her ere Than groweth all my moste fere And namely whan they talen longe My sorowe than be so stronge Of that I se them well at ease I can not telle my disease But syre as of my lady selue Though she haue wowers .x. or twelue For ne mystruste I haue of her 〈◊〉 greueth nought for certes syr I 〈◊〉 in all this worlde to seche 〈◊〉 woman that in dede and speche 〈◊〉 cetter auyse her what she doth Ne better for to saye a sothe 〈◊〉 her honour at all tyde 〈◊〉 yet gette her a thanke besyde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—theles I am beknowe Thy whan I se at any throwe 〈◊〉 if I may it here That she make any man good chere Though I therof haue not to done My thought woll entermete hym sone For though I be my seluen straunge Enuye maketh myn hert chaunge That I am sorowfully be stade Of that I se another glade with her but of other all Of loue what so may befall Or that he
thynge fonde So toke he lesynge vpon honde whan he sygh tyme and spake therto For it befelle that tyme so His father great warres hadde with Rome whiche he streyte ladde Through myghty honde of his maÌ„hod As he which hath ynough knyghthod And ofte hem hadde sore greued But er the werre were acheued As he was vpon ordynaunce At home in Grece it felle par chaunce Demetrius whiche ofte aboute Rydend was stode that tyme out So that this Perse in his absence whiche bare the tonge of pestylence with fals wordes whiche he feyneth Vpon his owne brother pleyneth In priuete behynde his bake And to his father thus he spake ¶ My dere father I am holde By wey of kynde as reson wolde That I fro you shall nothynge hyde whiche myght torne in any syde Of youre estate into greuaunce For thy myn hertes obeysaunce Toward you I thynke kepe For it is good ye take kepe Vpon a thynge whiche is me tolde My brother hath vs all solde To hem of Rome and you also For than they be hote hym so That he with them shall regne in pes Thus hath he caste for his encres That your estate shall go to nought And thus to proue shall be brought So ferforth that I vndertake It shall not wel mow be forsake ¶ The kynge vpon his tale answerde And said If this thing which he herd Be soth and may be brought to proue It shall not be to his behoue whiche so hath shapen vs the werste For he hym selfe shall be the ferste That shall be dede if that I may Thus afterwarde vpon a day whan that Demetrius was come Anone his father hath hym nome And badde to his brother Perse That he his tale shall reherse Of thylke treason whiche he tolde And he whiche all vntrouth wolde Counseyleth that so hygh a nede Be treted where as it may spede In common place of iudgement The kynge therto yafe his assent ¶ Demetrius was put in holde wherof that Perseus was bolde Thus stode the trouth vnder the charge And the falseheed goth at large which through behest hath ouercome The greattest of the lordes some That priuelyche of his accorde They stonde as wytnesse of recorde The iudge was made fauourable Thus was the lawe deceyuable So ferforth that the trouth fonde Rescous none and thus the londe Forth with the kynge deceyued were The gylteles was dampned there And deyde vpon accusement But suche a false conspirement Though it be priue for a throwe God wolde not it were vnknowe And this was afterwarde well proued In hym which hath the deth coÌ„troued Of that his brother was so slayne This Perseus was wondre fayne As he that was heyre apparaunt Vpon the reygne expectaunt wherof he waxe so proude and veyne That he his father in disdeyne Hath take and sette at none accompte As he which thought hym to surmouÌ„t That where he was fyrst debonayre He was tho rebelle and contrayre And not as heyre but as a kynge He toke vpon hym in all thynge Of malyce and of tyrrannye In contempte of Regalye Lyuende his father and so wrought That whan the father hym bethought And syghe to whether syde it drough Anone he wyste well inough Howe Perse after his false tonge Hath so thenuyous belles ronge That he hath slayne his owne brother wherof as than he knewe none other But sodeynly the iudge he nome whiche corrupte satte vpon the dome In suche a wyse and hath hym pressed That he the soth hym hath confessed Of all that hath be spoke and do More sory than the kynge was tho was neuer man vpon this molde And thought in certayne that he wold Vengeaunce take vpon this wronge But the other partie was so stronge That for the lawe of no statute There may no ryght be execute And vpon this diuision The londe was tourned vp so downe wherof his herte is so distraught That he for pure sorowe hath caughte The maladye of whiche nature Is queynt in euery creature ¶ And whaÌ„ this kyng was passed thus This false tonged Perseus The regyment hath vnderfonge But there may nothynge stonde longe whiche is not vpon trouth grounded For god whiche al thyng hath bouÌ„ded And syghe the falseheed of his gyle Hath set hym but a lytell whyle That he shall reigne vpon depose For sodeynly ryght as the rose So sodeynly downe he felle ¶ In thylke tyme so it befelle This newe kynge of newe pryde with strength shope hym for to ryde And sayde he wolde to Rome fast wherof he made a besye haste And hath assembled hym an hooste In all that euer he myght moost what man that myght wepen bere Of all he wolde none forbere So that it myght not be nombred The folke which after were encombred Throughe hym that god wolde ouerthrow Anon it was at Rome knowe The pompe whiche that Perse lad And the Romaynes that tyme had A consull whiche was cleped thus By name Paulus Emilius A noble a worthy knyght withall And he whiche chefe was of hem all This werre on honde hath vndertake And whan he shulde his leue take Of a yonge doughter whiche was his She wepte and he what cause it is Her asketh and she hym answerde That Perseus is deade and he it herde And wondreth what she meane wolde And she vpon childehode hym tolde That Perse her lytell hounde is deade with that he pulleth vp his heed And made ryght a gladde vysage And sayd howe that was a presage Touchende to that other Perse Of that fortune hym shulde aduerse He sayth for suche a prenostyke Mooste of an hounde was to hym lyke For as it is an boundes kynde To berke vpon a man behynde Ryghte so behynde his brothers backe with false wordes whiche he spake He hath do slayne and that is routh But he whiche hateth all vntrouthe The hygh god it shall redresse â—or so my doughter prophetesse Yâ—â—â—h with her lytell houndes dothe â—â—â—keneth and thus forth he geth Comforted of this euydence with the Romaynes in his defence Ageyne the Grekes that ben comende This Perseus as nought seende This myschefe whiche that him abode with all his multitude rode And prided hym vpon this thynge Of that he was become a kynge And howe he had his reygne gete That he hath all the ryght foryete whiche longeth vnto gouernaunce wherof through goddes ordynaunce It felle vpon the wynter tyde That with his hoste he shulde ryde Ouer Danubye thylke floode whiche all be frossen than stode So harde that he wende wele To passe but the blynde whele whiche tourneth ofte er men be ware Thilke ice which that the horsmeÌ„ bare To brake so that a great partie was dreynt of the chiualrie The rerewarde it toke aweye Came none of hem to londe drey ¶ Paulus this worthy knight romayn By his aspye it herde sayne And hasteth hym all that he may So that vpon that other day He came where he this hoost behelde And that was in a large
felde where the baners ben displayed He hath anone his men arrayde And whan that he was enbatayled He goth and hath the felde assayled And slough and toke all that he fonde wherof the Macedonye londe which through king Alisander honored Longe tyme stode was tho deuoured To Perse and all that infortune They wyte so that the comune Of all the londe his heyre exile And he dispeyred for the whyle Disguysed in a poore wede To Rome goth and there for nede The crafte whiche thylke tyme was To worken in latouÌ„ and in bras He lerneth for his sustenaunce Suche was the sonnes purueyaunce And of his father it is sayde In stronge prison that he was leyde In Albe where that he was deade For honger and defaulte of breade The hounde was token and prophecie That lyche an hounde he shulde dye whiche lyche was of condition whan he with his detraction Barke on his brother so behynde Confessor To what profyte a man may fynde whiche hyndre woll an other wyght For thy with all thyn hole myght My sonne eschewe thylke vice Amans My father elles were I nyce For ye therfore so well haue spoke That it is in myn herte loke And euer shall but of enuye If there be more in his bailye Towardes loue say me what ¶ My sonne as gyle vnder the hat with sleyghtes of a Tregetour Is hyd enuye of suche colour Hath yet the fourthe deceyuaunt The whiche is cleped fals Semblaunt wherof the mater and the forme Nowe herken and I the shall enforme Nil bilinguis aget nisi duplo concinat ore Dumque diem loquitur nox sua vota tegit Vultus habet luceÌ„ tenebias mens sermo saluteÌ„ Actus sed morbum dat suus esse grauem Pax tibi quaÌ„ spoÌ„det magis est prenostica guerre Commoda si dederit disce subesse dolum Quod pater esse fides in eo fraus estque politi Principium pacti finis habere negat O quem condicio talis deâ—ormat amantem Qui magis apparens est in amore nihil ¶ Hic tractat Conffessor super quarta specie inâ—â—â—â—e / que Dissimulacio dicitur cuius vustus quanto maioris amicicie apparenciam oftendit / â—â—â—te subtisioris dosi fallacias ad decipiendum mâ—nâ— maginatur ¶ Of fals Semblaunt if I shall tell Aboue all other it is the welle Out of the whiche deceyt floweth There is no man so wyse that knoweth Of thylke flode whiche is the tyde He howe he shulde hym selfe n guyde To take saufe passage there And yet the wynde to mans ere Is softe and as it semeth oute It maketh clere weder all aboute But thought it seme it is not so For fals Sâ—mblaunt hath euer mo Of his counsayll in companye The derke vntrewe hipocrysye whose worde discordeth to his thought For thy they ben to gyder brought Of one couyne of one hous holde As it shall after this be tolde Of fals Semblaunt it nedeth nought To telle of olde ensamples ought For all day in experyence A man may see thylke euydence Of fayre wordes whiche he hereth But yet the barge enuye stereth And halt it euer fro the londe which fals SemblauÌ„t with ore in hond It roweth and woll not arryue But let it on the wawes dryue In great tempest and great debate wherof that loue and his estate Empeyreth And therfore I rede My sonne that thou fle and drede This vyce and what that other seyn Let thy semblaunt be trewe and pleyn For fals Semblaunt is thylke vice whiche neuer was without office where that enuye thynketh to gyle He shall be for that ylke whyle Of pryue counsayll messagere For whan his semblaunt is moste clere Than is he moste derke in his thought Thought men hym se they knowe hym nought But as it sheweth in the glas Thynge whiche therin neuer was So sheweth it in his vysage That neuer was in his courage Thus doth he all his thing by sleyghte ¶ Nowe lay thy conseyence in weyght My good sonne and shryue the here If thou were euer customere To fals Semblaunt in any wyse ¶ For ought I can me yet auyse My good father certes no If I for loue haue don so Nowe asketh I wolde pray yowe For elles I wot neuer howe Of fals semblaunt that I haue gylt ¶ My sonne and sethin that thou wylt That I shall aske gab nought But telle if euer was thy thought with fals Semblaunt and Couerture To wytte of any creature Howe that he was with loue ladde So were he sory were he gladde whan that thou wystyst howe it were All that he rouneth in thyn ere Thou toldest forth in other place To setten hym fro loues grace Of what woman that the best lyste There as no man his counseyll wyst But thou by whome he was deceyued Of loue and from his purpose weyued And thoughtest that his disturbaunce Thyn owne cause shulde auaunce As who sayth I am so selce There may no mannes priuete Ben heled halue so well as myn Arte thou my sonne of suche engyn Telle on My good father nay As for the more parte I saye But of somedele I am beknowe That I may stonde in thylke rowe Amonge hem that slaundres vse I woll not me therof excuse That I with suche colour ne steyne whan I my best semblant feyne To my felowe tyll that I wote All his counseylle bothe colde and hote For by that cause I make hym chere â—â—ll I his loue knowe and here And if so be myn hert soucheth 〈◊〉 ought vnto my lady toucheth 〈◊〉 that he woll me telle 〈…〉 I renne vnto the welle 〈…〉 water in the fyre 〈…〉 his carre amyd the myre 〈…〉 I haue his counsayle knowe 〈…〉 syth I ouerthrowe 〈…〉 he weneth best to stonde 〈◊〉 this I do you vnderstonde 〈…〉 man loue elles where 〈…〉 my lady be nought there 〈…〉 tell I wyll it hyde 〈…〉 no worde escape asyde 〈…〉 disceyte of no semblaunt 〈…〉 bâ—cke I no couenaunt 〈…〉 â—â—keth â—at in other place 〈…〉 no man of his grace 〈…〉 to be inquisitife 〈◊〉 â—â—â—we an other mans lyfe where that he loue or loue nought That toucheth nothing to my thought 〈…〉 it passeth through myn care 〈…〉 as a thynge that neuer were 〈…〉 foryete and layde besyde 〈◊〉 if it touche on any syde My lady as I haue er spoken My neâ—â—es ben nought than loken For certes whan that betyt My wyll myn herte and all my wytte Ben fully sette to herken and spere â—hat any man woll speke of her Thus haue I feyned company Full ofte for I wolde aspye what thynge it is that any man Telle of my worthy lady can And for two causes I do this The fyrste cause wherof is If that I myght herken and seke That any man of her mysspeke I woll excuse her so fully That whan she wyst it inderly Myn hope shulde be the more To haue her thanke for euermore That other cause I you assure Is why that I
mote leue For whan a mannes happes faylen There is no hast may auaylen ¶ My fader graunte mercy of this But whyle I se my lady is No tre but holde her owne forme There may me no man so enforme To whedyr part fortune wende That I vnto my lyues ende Ne wolde her serue euermo Confessor ¶ My sonne syth it is so I say no more but in this cas Beware howe it with Phebus was Nought onely vpon loues chaunce But vpon euery gouernaunce whiche falleth vnto mannes dede Foolhast is euer for to drede And that a man good counseyl take Er he his purpose vndertake For counseyl put foolhast a wey ¶ Nowe good fader I yow prey That for to wysse me the more Some good ensample vpon this lore ye wolde me telle of that is wrytte That I the better myght wytte Howe I foolhast shulde eschewe And the wysedome of counseyl sewe ¶ My sonne that thou myght enforme Thy pacience vpon the forme Of olde ensamples as they felle Nowe vnderstonde what I shall telle ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui nimio furori accensi vindictam Ire sue vlira quam decet coÌ„sequi affectant Et narrat qualiter Athemas et Demephon Reges cum ipsi a bello Troiano ad propria remeassent et asuis ibidem pacifice recepti non fuissent congregato aliunde pugnatorum exercitu regiones suas non solum incendio vastare sed et omnes in eisdem habitantes a minimo vsque admaiorem in perpetnam vindicte memoriam gladio interficere feruore iracun die proposuerunt Sed rex Nestor qui senex et sapiens fuit / tractatus inter ipsos reÌ„ges et eorum regna â—â—ta pace huiusmodi impetuositatem initius pacificauit ¶ when noble Troye was byleyn And ouercome and home ageyne The gregoys torned from the siege The kynges fonde her owne lyege In many place as men sayde That hem forsoke and dysobeyde Amonge the whiche felle this case To Demephon and Athemas That were kynges both two And bothe were serued so Her lieges wolde not hem receyue So that they mote algates weiue To seche londe in other place For there fonde they no grace wherof they token hem to rede And soughten frendes at nede And eche of hem assureth other To helpe as to his owne broder To vengen hem of thylke oultrage And wynne ayene her herytage And thus they ryde aboute faste To getten hem helpe and at laste They hadden power suffysaunt And maden than a couenaunte That they ne shulde no lyfe saue Ne prest ne clerke ne lorde ne knaue Ne wyfe ne chylde of that they fynde whiche bereth vysage of mans kynde So that no lyfe shall be socoured But with the dedely swerde deuoured In suche foolhast her ordynaunce They shapen for to do vengeaunce whan this purpose was wyst knowe Among there host tho was their blowe Of wordes many a speche aboute Of yong men the lusty route were of this tale gladde ynough There was no care for the plough As they that were foolhastyfe They ben acorded to the stryfe And seyn it may not be to great To vengen hem of suche forfet Thus sayth the wylde vnwyse tonge Of hem that there weren yonge But Nestor whiche was olde bore The salue sawe tofore the sore As he that was of counseyle wyse So that anone by his aduyse There was a preuy counsayle nome The lordes ben to gether come This Demephon and Anthemas Her purpose tolden as it was They setten all styll and herde was non but Nestor hem answerde He badde hem if they wolde wynne They shulden se er they begynne Her ende and set her fyrst entent That they hem after ne repent And asketh hem this question To what fynall conclusyon They wolden Regne kynges there If that no people in londe were And seyth it were a wonder wyerd To â—een a kynge bycomen an hyerd where no lyfe is but onely beste vnder the lygeaunce of his heste For who that is of man no kynge The remenaunt is as no thynge He forth eke if they pourpose bolde To 〈◊〉 the people as they two wolde whan they it myght not restore Aâ—â—â—â—ce it shulde abidge sore 〈…〉 the wylde beastes wonne where whylom dwelt mans sonne Anâ— for that cause he bad hem treate A d stynt of tho manaces great Better is to wynne by fayre speche He seyth than suche vengeance seche For whan a man is moost aboue Hym nedeth most to gette hym loue ¶ whan Nestor hath this tale sayde Ayene hym was no worde withsayde It thought hem all he sayde wele And thus fortune her deadly whele Fro werre tourneth in to pees But forth they went en netheles And whan the countreys harde seyne Howe that her kynges be beseyne Of suche a power as they lad was none so bolde that hem ne drad And for to seche peas and gryth They sende and prayde anon forthwith So that the kynges ben appeased And euery mans herte is eased All was foryete and not recorded And thus they ben to geder acorded The kynges were ayene receyued And pees was take and wrath weyued And all through counseyl whiche was good Of hym that reson vnderstode ¶ By this ensample sonne attempre Thyn hert and let no wyl dystempre Thy wytte and do no thing by myght whiche may be do by loue and ryght Foolhast is cause of mochel wo For thy my sonne do not so And as touchend of Homycyde which toucheth vnto loues syde Ful ofte it falleth vnauysed Through VVYL which is not wel assised whan wytte and reason ben awey And that foolhast is in the wey wherof hath falle great vengeaunce For thy take in to remebraunce To loue in suche a maner wyse That thou deserue no iuyse For well I wote thou myght not lette That thou ne shalt thin hert sette To loue where thou wolt or none But if thy witte be ouergone So that it torne vnto malyce There wote no man of thylke vyce what perylle that there may befalle wherof a tale amonges alle whiche is great pyte for to here I thynke for to tellen here That thou such murdre micht withstoÌ„d whan thou the tale hast vnderstonde ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui ob sue concupiscencie desiderium Homicide efficiuntur Et narrat qualiter ClyteÌ„nestra vxor Regis Agamemnonis cum ipse a bello Troiano domi rediffet consilio Egisti / quem adultera peramauit sponsum suum in cubili dormientem sub noctis silencio trucidabat cuius mortem fisius eius Horestes tunc iunioris etatis postea diis admonitus crudelissima seueritate vindicauit ¶ Of Troye at thylke noble towne whose same stant yet of renowne And euer shall to mannes ere The syege laste longe there Er that the grekes it myght wynne whyle Priamus was kynge therin But of the grekes that lyen aboute Agamemnon ladde all the route This thynge is knowen ouerall But yet I thynke
in specyall To my matter therupon Telle in what wyse Agamemnon Through chance that may not be weiued Of loue vntrewe was deceiued An olde sawe is who that is slygh In place were he may be nyghe He maketh the ferre leef loth Of loue and thus ful ofte it goth There whyle Agamemnon bataylleth To wynne Troye and it assaylleth From home and was longe tyme there Egystus drough his quene nere And with the leyser whiche he hadde This lady at his wyll he ladde ClyteÌ„nestre was her ryght name She was therof greatly to blame To loue there it may not laste But felle to mischiefe at laste For whan this noble worthy knyght Fro Troye came the fyrst nyght That he at home a bedde laye Egistus longe er it was daye As this Clytenestre hym had assent And weren bothe of one assent By treason slough hym in his bed But mourder whiche may not beÌ„ hed Spronge out to euery mans eare wherof the londe was full of feare ¶ Agamemnon hath by this quene A sonne and that was after sene But yet as than he was of youth A babe whiche no reason couth And as god wolde it felle hym thus A worthy knyght Taltibius This yonge childe hath in kepynge And whan he herde of this tydynge Of this treason of this mysdede He gan within hym selfe to drede In aunter if this false Egiste Vpon hym come er he it wyste To take and mourther of his malice This childe whiche he hath to noryce And for that cause in all haste Out of the londe he gan hym haste And to the kynge of Crete he straught And hym this yonge lorde betaught And prayde hym for his fathers sake That he this childe wolde vndertake And kepe hym tyll he be of age So as he was of his lygnage And tolde hym ouer all the cas Howe that his father mourthred was And howe Egistus as men sayde was kynge to whom the londe obeyde ¶ And whan Idomeneus the kynge Hath vnderstondynge of this thynge which that this knyght hym hath told He made sorowe many folde And toke the childe vnto his warde And sayde he wolde hym kepe warde Tyll that he were of suche a myght To handle a swerde and be a knyght To vengen hym at his owne wylle And thus Horestes dwelleth stylle Suche was the childes right name whiche after wrought mochel shame In vengeaunce of his fathers deth The tyme of yeres ouergeth That he was man of brede length Of wyt of manhode and of strength A fayre persone amonges all And he beganne to clepe and call As he whiche come was to man Vnto the kynge of Crete than Prayende that he wolde hym make A knyght and power with hym take For lenger wolde he not beleue He sayth but prayth the kynge of leue To gone and cleyme his heritage And venge hym of thylke oultrage whiche was vnto his father do The kynge assenteth well therto with great honor knight him maketh And great power to hym betaketh And gan his iourney for to caste So that Horestes at laste His leue toke and forth he goth As he that was in his herte wroth His fyrste playnt to be mene Vnto the cytie of Athene He goth hym forth and was receyued So there was be nought deceyued The duke and tho that weren wyse They proferen hem to his seruice And he hem thonketh of theyr proffer And sayd hym selfe he wolde gone offer Vnto the goddes for his spede And all men yeue hym rede So goth he vnto the temple forth Of yeftes that be mochell worth His sacrifyce and his offrynge He made and after his askynge He was answerde if that he wolde His estate recouer than he sholde Vpon his mother do vengeaunce So cruell that the remembraunce Therof myght euermore abyde Aâ—â— he that was an homicide â—â—d of her owne lorde mourdrice Hâ—â—â—stes whiche of thylke office 〈◊〉 nothyng glad and than he prayde Vâ—â—o the goddes there and sayde 〈◊〉 they the iugement deuyse â—â—we he shall take the iuyse And thervpon he had answere Tâ—â—t he her pappes shulde of tere 〈◊〉 of her breast his owne hondes Aâ—â— for eâ—sample of all londes 〈◊〉 â—oâ—s she shulde be to drawe 〈◊〉 houndes had her bones gnawe â—â—â—â—out any sepulture 〈◊〉 was a wofull auenture And whan Horestes hath all herde 〈◊〉 that the goddes haue answerde â—â—rth with the strength whiche he lad The duke and his power he had And to a citie forth they gone The whiche was cleped Cropheone where as Phoicus was lorde and fire whiche profereth hym withouten hyre His helpe and all that he may do As he that was right glad therto â—o greue his mortall ennemy And tolde hym certayne cause why Howe that Egyste in maryage His doughter whylom of full age Forlay and afterwarde forsoke whan he Horestes mother toke Men sayne olde synne newe shame Thus more and more arose the blame Ayene Egyste on euery syde Horestes with his hoste to ryde Began and Phoicus with hym went I trowe Egyst shall hym repent They ryden forth vnto Mycene There lay Clytemnestre thilke quene The whiche Horestes mother is And whan she herde telle of this The gates were faste shette And they were of her entre lette Anone this citie was without Beleyne and seged all about And euer amonge they it assayle Fro day to nyght and so trauayle Tyll at last they it wonne Tho was there sorowe inough begonne Horestes dyd his mother calle Anone tofore the lordes all And eke tofore the people also To her and tolde his tale tho And sayde O cruell beast vnkynde Howe mightest thou in thyn hert finde For any luste of loues draught That thou accordest to the slaught Of hym whiche was thyn owne lorde Thy treason stant of suche recorde Thou myght thy werkes not forsake So mote I for my father sake Vengeaunce vpon thy body do As I commaunded am therto Vnkyndely for thou hast wrought Vnkyndelyche it shall be bought The sonne shall the mother slee For that whylom thou saydest ye To that thou shuldest nay haue sayd And he with that his hondes hath laid Vpon his mother breast anone And rent out from the bare bone Her pappes both and caste away Amyddes in the cart way And after toke the deade cors And lete it be drawe awey with hors Vnto the hounde vnto the Rauen She was none other wyse grauen Egystus whiche was elles where Tydynges comen to his eare Howe that Mycenes was beleyne But what was more herd be not sayne with great manace and mochel boste He drough power and made an hoste And came in the rescous of the towne But all the sleyght of this treasone Horestes wyst it by a spye And of his men a great partie He made ambusshement abyde To wayte on hym in suche a tyde That he ne myght her honde escape And in this wyse as he hath shape The thynge befell so that Egyst was take er he hym selfe it wyst And was brought forth his hoÌ„des
heuen mede of suche a grace I can nought speke netheles Christ hath commanded loue and pees And who that worcheth the reuers I trowe his mede is full dyuers And sythen than that we fynde That werres in her owne kynde Ben toward god of no deserte And eke they bryngen in pouerte Of worldes good it is marueyle Amonge the men what it may eyle That they a pees ne connen set I trowe synne be the lette And euery mede of synne is deth So wote I neuer howe it geth But we that be of o beleue Amonge our selfe this wolde I leue That better it were pees to chese Than so by double weye lese ¶ I not if that it nowe so stonde But this a man may vnderstonde who that these olde bokes redeth That couetyse is one whiche ledeth And brought the fyrst werres inne At Grece if that I shall begynne There was it proued howe it stode To Perse whiche was full of good They maden werre in specyall And so they dydden ouer all where great rychesse was in londe So that they lefte nothynge stonde Vnwerred but onely Archade ¶ Nota ê™ greci omnem terram fertilem debellabant sed tantum Archadiam pro eo ê™ pauper et sterilis fuit pacifice dimiserunt ¶ For there they no werres made Bycause it was bareyne and poure wherof they myght nought recouer And thus pouerte was forbore He that nought had nought hath lore But yet it is a wonder thynge whan that a ryche worthy kynge Or lorde what so he be woll aske and clayme propertie In thynge to whiche he hath no right But onely of his great myght For this may euery man well wyte That bothe kynde and lawe wryte Expressely stonden there ageyne But he mote nedes somewhat seyne All though there be no reason inne whiche secheth cause for to wynne For wyt that is with wyll oppressed whan couetyse hym hath adressed And all reasone putte awaye He can well fynde suche a wey To werre where as euer hym lyketh wherof that he the worde entriketh That many a man of hym compleyneth But yet alway some cause he feyneth And of his wrongefull herte he demeth That all is well what euer him semeth Be so that he may wynne inough For as the true man to the plough Only to the gaynynge entendeth Right so the werriour dispendeth His tyme and hath no conscience And in this poynt for euidence Of hem that suche werres make Thou myght a great ensample take Howe they her tirrannye excusen Of that they wrongeful werres vsen And howe they stonde of one accorde The soudiour forth with the lorde The poore man forth with the riche As of courage they ben lyche To make werres and to pylle For lucre and for none other skylle wherof a propre tale I rede As it whylom befelle in dede ¶ Hic declar at per exemplum contra istos prinâ—â—es seu altes quoscilque illicite guerre motores / Et narrat de quodam pirata in partibus mariâ—is speliatore notissimo / qui cum captus fuisset et in iudicium coram rege Alexandro productus et de latricino accusatus dixit / O Alexander vere â—uia cuÌ„ paucis socus spoliorum causa naues tantum eâ—pforo / ego latruncusus vocor in auteÌ„ quia cum infinita beffatorum muftitudine vniuer fam tâ—rram subiugando spofiafti Imperator dicâ—tâ—â— Ita ê™ statue tuus a statu meo differt / sed â—â—â—em animo conditionem paâ—isem habemus 〈◊〉 â—ander vero enis audatiam in responsione 〈◊〉 bans ipsum penes se familiarem retinuit Et 〈◊〉 â—â—â—licâ—sâ—s beffatori complacnit ⧠Of hym whome all this erthe drad whan he the worlde so ouerladde Through werre as it fortuned is Kynge Alysaunder I rede this Howe in a marche where he lay It felle perchaunce vpon a day A Rouer of the see was nome whiche many a man bad ouercome And slayne and take her good awaye This pyller as the bokes say A famous man in sondry stede was of the werkes whiche he dede This prisoner afore the kynge was brought thervpon this thynge In audience he was accused And he his dede hath nought excused And praide the kyng to done him right And sayd Syre if I were of myght I haue an herte lyche vnto thyn For if thy power were myn My wylle is most in especiall To ryfle and gette ouer all The large worldes good about But for I leade a poure route And am as who sayth at mischiefe The name of pyllour and of these I beare and thou whiche routes great Myght leade and take thy beyete And doste right as I wolde do Thy name is nothynge cleped so But thou arte named emperour Our dedes ben of one colour And in effecte of one deserte But thy rychesse and my pouerte They be not taken euen lyche And netheles he that is ryche This day to morowe he may be poorer And in contrary also recouer A poore man to grete ryches Men seyn for thy let ryghtewysenes Be peysed euen in the balaunce ¶ The kynge his hardy contenaunce Behelde his wordes wyse And sayd vnto hym in this wyse Thyne answere I haue vnderstonde wherof my wyl is that thou stonde In my seruyce stylle abyde And forth with al the same tyde He hath hym terme of lyfe withholde The more for he shuld ben holde He made hym knyght yafe hym lond whiche afterwarde was of his honde An orped knyght in many a stede And grete prowesse of armes dede As the Cronykes it recorden And in this wyse they acorden The whiche of condicion Be sette vpon destruction Suche Capitaine suche retinue But for to see what yssue The kynge befalleth at the laste It is great wonder that men caste Her herte vpon suche wronge to wynne where no beyete may ben inne And doth dysese on euery syde But when reson is put a syde And wylle gouerneth the courage The faucon whiche fleeth ramage And suffreth no thyng in the weye wherof that he may take his preye Is not more set vpon rauyne Than thilke man whiche his couyne Hath set in suche a maner wyse For all the worlde may nought suffyse To wyl whiche is not resonable ☞ Hic secundum gefta Alexandri de guerris illicitis ponit Confessor exemplum / dicens quod quamuis Alexander sua potentia totius mundi victor subingarat imperium ipse tandem mortis victoria subiugatus / cunctipotentis sententiam euadere non potuit ⧠wherof ensampele concordable Lyche to this poynte of which I mene was vpon Alysander sene whiche hadde set all his entent So as fortune with hym went That reason myght hym not gouerne But of his wylle he was so sterne That all the worlde he ouerran And what hym lyst he toke and wan In Inde the superyour whan that he was full conquerour And hadde his wylfull pourpose woÌ„ne Of all this erth vnder the sonne This kynge homwarde to Macedoyne whan that he cam
death Anone as I hadde any breath Me hadde fro my mother cast But nowe I am nothynge agast I thanke god for Lachesis Ne Cloto whiche her felawe is Me shopen no suche destine whan they at my natiuite My werdes setten as they wolde But they me shopen that I shulde Eschewe of slepe the truandyse So that I hope in suche a wyse To loue for to ben excused That I no sompnolence haue vsed For certes father Genius yet vnto nowe it hath be thus At all tyme if it befelle So that I myght come and dwelle In place there my lady were I was not slowe ne slepy there For than I dare well vndertake That whan her lyst on nightes wake In chambre as to carole and daunce Me thynke I may me more auaunce â—f I may gone vpon her honde Than if I wynne a kynges londe For whan I may her honde beclyp with suche gladnes I daunce and skyp Me thynketh I touche not the floore The Roo whiche renneth on the moore Is than nought so lyght as I So mowe ye wyten all for thy That for the tyme slepe I hate And whan it falleth other gate So that her lyketh not to daunce But on the dyes to caste a chaunce Oâ— aske of loue some demaunde Oâ— els that her lyst commaunde To rede and here of Troylus Râ—ght as she wolde so or thus I am all redy to consent And if so is that I may hent Somtyme amonge a good leyser So as I dare of my desyre I tesâ—e a part but whan I â—reye Anone she byddeth me go my weye And â—â—ith it is ferre in the nyght And I swere it is euen lyght But as it falleth at laste There may no worldes ioye last So mote I nedes fro her wende And of my watche make an ende And if she than hede toke Howe pytouslyche on her I loke whan that I shall my leue take Her ought of mercy for to slake Her daunger whiche sayth euer nay But he seyth often Haue good day That lothe is for to take his leue Therfore whyle I may beleue I tary forth the nyght alonge For it is nought on me alonge To slepe that I soone go Tyll that I mote algate so And than I bydde god herse And so downe knelende on my kne I take leue and if I shall I kysse her and go forth withall And other while if that I dore Er I come fully at dore I tourne ayene and feyne a thynge As though I hadde lost a rynge Or somwhat els for I wolde Rysse her eftsone if I shulde But selden is that I so spede And whan I se that I mote nede Departe I departe and thanne with all my herte I curse and banne That euer slepe was made for eye For as me thynketh I myght drye without slepe to waken euer So that I shulde not disseuer Fro her in whom is all my lyght And than I curse also the nyght with all the wyll of my courage And saye Away thou blacke image whiche of thy derke cloudy face Makest all the worldes lyght deface And causest vnto slepe awaye By whiche I mote nowe gone away Out of my ladies companye O slepy nyght I the defye And wolde that thou lay in presse with Proserpyne the goddesse And with Pluto the belle kynge For tyll I se the daye sprynge I sette slepe nought at a rysshe And with that worde I sygh wysshe And say A why ne were it daye For yet my lady than I maye Beholde though I do no more And este I thynke forthermore To some man howe the night doth ease whaÌ„ he hath thing that may him plese The longe nyght is by his syde where as I fayle and go besyde But slepe I not wherof it serueth Of which no man his thanke deserueth To get hym loue in any place But is an hyndrer of his grace And maketh hym deed as for a throwe Ryght as a stoke were ouerthrowe And so my fader in this wyse The slepy nyghtes I despyse And euer a myddes of my tale I thynke vpon the nyghtyngale whiche slepeth not by wey of kynde For loue in bokes as I fynde Thus at last I goo to bedde And yet myn hert lyeth to wedde with her where as I cam fro Though I departe he wol not so There is no locke may shet hym oute Hym nedeth nought to gone aboute That perce may the hard wal Thus is he with her ouerall That be her leef or he it loth In to her bed myn hert goth And softely taketh her in his arme And feleth howe that she is warme And wyssheth that his body were To fele that he felyth there And thus my selfe n I torment Tyl that the deed slepe me hent But than by a thousand score wel more than I was tofore I am tormented in my slepe But that I dreme is not on shepe For I ne thynke nought on wullâ— But I am dretched to the full Of loue that I haue to kepe That nowe I laugh and nowe I wepe And nowe I lese and nowe I wynne And nowe I ende and nowe begynne And other whyle I dreme and mete That I alone with her mete And that daunger is left behynde And than in slepe suche ioye I fynde That I ne bede neuer awake But after whan I bede take And shall aryse vpon the morowe Than is all torned in to sorowe Nought for the cause I shall aryse But for I mette in suche a wyse And at last I am bethought That all is vayne and helpeth nought But yet me thynketh by my wylle I wold haue ley and slepe stylle To meten euer of suche a sweuen For than I had a slepy heuen Confessor ¶ My sonne and for thou tellyst so A man may fynde of tyme a go That many a sweuen hath be certeyn All be it so that som men seyn That sweuens ben of no credence But for to shewe in euydence That they full ofte soth thynges Be token I thynke in my wrytynges To telle a tale therupon whiche felle by old dayes gone ¶ Hic ponit exempluÌ„ qualiter somnia preâ—â—stice veritatis quandoque certitudinem figurant Et narrat ê™ cum Ceix rex Troicinie pro reformatione fratris sui Dedalionis in ancipitrem trans mutati peregre proficiscens in mari longins a pa tria dimersus fuerat Iuno mittens Iridem miciam suam in partes Chimerie ad domum somni iussit ê™ ipse Alcione dicti regis vxori huiê° rei euentuÌ„ per somnia certificaret Quo facto Alciona rem perscrutans corpus mariti sui vbi super fluctus mortuus iactabatur inuenit que pro do fore anguftiata cupiens corpus amplectere in al tum mare super ipsum prosiliit vnde du miserti amborum corpora in aues que adhuc Alciones dicte sunt subito conuerterunt ⧠This fynde I wryten in poesye Ceyx the kynge of Trocenye Hadde Alceon to his wyfe whiche as her owne hertes lyfe
qualiter Mida rex Frigie Cillenū Baccbi sacerdotem quem rustici vinculis ferreis alligarunt dissoluit et in hospiciū suū benignissime recollegit pro quo Bacchus quodcunque munus rex exigere vellei donari cōcessit Vnde rex auatitia ductus / vt quicquid tangeret in aurum conuerteretur indiscrete petiit ¶ Bacchus whiche is the god of wine Accordant vnto his diuine A prest the whiche Cillenus hight He had and fell so that by night This prest was drunke goth a strayde wherof the men were euyll apayde In Frygelonde where as he went But at last a chorle hym hent with strength of other felaushyp So that vpon his drunkeshyp They bounden hym with cheynes faste And forth they lad hym also faste Vnto the kynge whiche hyght Myde But he that wolde his vice hyde This curtois kynge toke of hym hede And bad that men shulde hym lede In to a chambre for to kepe Tyll he of leyser hadde slepe And thus this prest was sone vnbound And vpon a couche fro the grounde To slepe he was leyde softe inough And whā he woke the king him drough To his presence and dyd hym chere So that this preest in suche manere while that him liketh ther he dwelleth And al this he to Bacchus telleth whan that he cam to hym ageyne And whan that Bacchus hard seyne Howe Myde hath done his curtesy Hym thinketh it were a vilanie But he rewarde hym for his dede So as he myght of his godhede Vnto this kynge this god appereth And clepeth and that other hereth This god to Myde thonketh fayre Of that he was so debonayre Towarde his prest and had hym seye what thynge it were he wolde preye He shulde it haue of worldes good This kynge was glad and stylle stode And was of his askynge in doute And all the worlde he casteth aboute what thynge was best for his astate And with hym selfe stode in debate Vpon thre poyntes whiche I fynde Ben leuest vnto mannes kynde The fyrst of hem it is delyte The two ben worshyp and profyte And than he thought if that I craue Delyte though I delyte may haue Delyte shall passen in my age That is no syker auauntage For euery ioye bodely Shall ende in wo delyte for thy woll I not chese and if I worshyp Aske of the worlde lordshyp That is an occupation Of proude imagination whiche maketh an herte vayne within There is no certayne for to wynne For lorde and knaue is all one wey whan they be bore and whan they dey And if I profyte aske wolde I◠not in what maner I sholde Of worldes good haue sykernes For euery these vpon rychesse Awayteth for to robbe and stele Suche good is cause of harmes fele And also though a man at ones Of all the worlde within his wones The treasour myght haue euery dele yet had he but one mans dele Towarde hym selfe so as I thynke Of clothynge and of meate and drinke For more out take vanite There hath no lorde in his degre And thus vpon these poyntes diuerse Dyuersly he gan reherce what poynt hym thought for the beste But playnly for to gette hym rest He can no syker way cast And netheles yet at laste He felle vpon the couetyse Of golde and than in sondry wyse He thought as I haue sayd tofore How treasour may be soone lore And hadde an inly great desyre Touchende of suche recouer Howe that he myght his cause auayle To gete hym gold withouten fayle within his hert and thus he preyseth The gold fayth how that he peyseth Abouen all other metall most The golde he sayth may lede an hoost To make werre ayene the kynge The golde put vnder all thynge And set it whan hym lyst aboue The golde can make of hate loue And werre of pees and ryght of wrong And longe to short and short to longe withoute golde may be no fest Gold is the lorde of man and best And may hem both bye and selle So that a man may sothely telle That all the worlde to golde obeyeth For thy this kinge to Bacchus preyth To graunte him golde but he excedeth Mesure more than hym nedeth Men tellen that the maladye whiche cleped is hydropsye Resembled is vnto this vyce By waye of kynde of Auaryce The more hidropsy drynketh The more hym thrsteth for him thynketh That he may neuer drynke his fylle So that there may no thynge fulfylle The lustes of his appetyte And ryght in suche a maner plyte Stant euer Auaryce and euer stode The more he hath of worldes good The more he wolde it kepe streyte And euer more and more coueyte And ryght in suche condycion withoute good discrecyon This kynge with Auaryce is smitte That all the worlde it myght witte For he to Bacchus than preyd That therupon his honde he leyd It shulde through his touche anone Become gold and therupon This god hym graunteth as he badde Tho was this kynge of Fryge gladde And for to put it in assaye with all the hast that he maye He toucheth that he toucheth this And in his hond all golde it is The stone the tre the leef the gras The floure the fruyte all gold it was Thus toucheth he whyle he may laste To go but honger at laste Hym toke so that he mote nede By wey of kynde his honger fede The cloth was leyd the borde was set And all was forth tofore hym set His dyssh his cup his drynk his meet But whan he wolde or drynke or ete Anone as it his mouth cam nyghe It was all golde and than he syghe Of Auaryce the folye And he with that byganne to crye And preyde Bacchus to foryeue His gylt and suffer hym for to lyue And be suche as he was tofore So that he were nought forlore This god which herd of this greuaunce Toke routhe wpon his repentaunce And had hym go forth redyly Vnto a flood was fast by whiche Paceole than hyght In whiche al 's fast as euer he myght He shuld hym wasshe ouerall And sayd hym than that he shall Recouer his fyrste astate ageyn This kynge ryght as he herd seyn In to the flood goth fro the lond And wesshe hym both fote and hond And so forth all the remenaunte As hym was set in couenaunt And than he sygh meruayles straunge The flood his colour gan to chaunge The grauel with the smal stones To gold they torne both attones And he was quyte of that he hadde And thus fortune his chaunce ladde And whan he sygh his touch awey He goth hym home the ryght wey And lyueth forth as he dyd er And put all auaryce a fer And the ryches of gold despyseth And seith that mete and cloth suffyseth Thus hath this kynge experyence Howe fooles done the reuerence To gold whiche of his owne kynde Is lasse worth than is the rynde To sustenaunce of mars fode And than he made lawes good And all his thinge set vpon skylle He bede his
ex tribus precipne statuis exorta est / quarum prima fuit illa / quam in filii sui memoriaÌ„ quidaÌ„ Princeps nomine Cirophanes a sculptore Promotheo fabricari constituit ¶ Thus was dyspers in sondry wyse The mysbyleue as I deuyse with many an ymage of entaylle Of suche as myght hem not auayle For thy withoute lyues chere Vnmyghty be to se or here Or speke or do or elles fele And yet the fooles to hem knele whiche is her owne hande werke A lord howe this byleue is derke And fer fro reasonable wytte And netheles they don it yet That was this day a raggyd tre To morowe vpon his maieste Stant in the Temple wel beseyne Howe myght a mans reason seyn That suche a stocke may helpe or greue But they that ben of suche beleue And vnto suche goddes calle It shall to hem ryght so befalle And faylen at most nede But if the lyst to taken heede And of the fyrst ymage wyte Petronius therof hath wryte And eke Nygargarus also And they afferme and wryte so That Promotheus was tofore And fonde the fyrst craft therfore And Cyrophanes as they telle Through couÌ„sel which was take in hell In remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his lignage Let setten vp the fyrst ymage Of Cyrophanes seyth the booke That he for sorow whiche he toke Of that he sygh his sonne deede Of comfort knewe none other rede But lete do make in remembraunce A fayre ymage of his semblaunce And set it in the market place whiche openly to fore his face Stood euery day to done hym ease And they that than wolden please The fader shuld it obeye whan that they comen thylke weye ¶ Secunda statuta fuit illa / quam ad sui patris Beli culturam rex Ninus fieri et adorari decreuit Et sic de nomine Beli postea Bel et Belzebub Idolum accreuit ¶ And of Nynus kynge of Assyre I rede howe that in his Empyre He was next after the second Of hem that fyrst ymages founde For he ryght in semblable caas Of Belus whiche his fader was From Nembroth in the ryght lyne Lete make of gold and stones fyne A precyous ymage ryche After his fader euenlyche And therupon a lawe he sette That euery man of pure dette with sacryfyce and with truage Honour shuld thylke ymage So that within tyme it felle Of Belus cam the name of Belle Of Bel cam Belsabub and so The mysbyleue went tho ¶ Tercia statuta fuit illa que ad honorem Apis Regis GrecoruÌ„ sculpta fuit cui postea nomeÌ„ Serapis iuponeÌ„tes ipsuÌ„ quasi deuÌ„ pagani coluerunt ¶ The thyrd ymage next to this whan the kynge of Grece Apys was deed they made a fygure â—n resemblaunce of his stature Of this kynge Apys seyth the booke That Serapys his nome tooke In whom through longe contynuance Of mysbyleue a great creaunce They hadden and the reuerence Of sacryfyce and of encence To hym they made and as they telle Amonge the wonders that befelle whan Alexander fro Candace Cam rydend in a wylde place Vnder an hylle a caue he fond And Candalus whiche in that lond was bore and was Candaces sonne Hym told howe that of comon wonne The goddes were in thylke caue And he that wolde assaye and haue A knoweleygnge if it be soth Lyght of his bors and in he gothe And fond therin that he sought For through the fendes sleyght hym thought Amonge other goddes mo That Serapys spake to hym tho whome he sygh there in great araye And thus the fende from day to daye The worshyp of ydolatrye Drough forth vpon the fantasye Of hem that were than blynde And couthen nought the trouth fynde Thus hast thou herd in what degre Of Grece Egypte and Chaldee The mysbyleue whylome stood And howe so they be not good Ne trewe yet they sprongen oute wherof the wyde worlde aboute His parte of mysbyleue toke Tyl so befelle as seyth the boke That god a people for hym selue Hath chose of the lynages twelue wherof the sothe redyly As it is wryten in Genesy I thynke telle in suche a wyse That it shall be to thyn a pryse ¶ De hebreorum seu Iudeorum secta quorum Sinogoga ecclesia Cristi superueniente defecit ¶ After the flood fro whiche Noe was saufe the worlde in his degree was made as who seyth newe ageyn Of flour of fruit of gras of greyn Of beest of byrd and of mankynde whiche euer hath be to god vnkynd For not withstondinge all the fare Of that this worlde was made so bare And afterward it was restored Amonge the men was nothynge mored Toward god of good lyuynge But all was torned to lykynge After the flesshe so that foryete was he whiche yafe hem lyfe and mete Of heuen and erth creatour And thus cam forth the great errour That they the hyghe god ne knewe But maden other goddes newe As thou hast herd me sayd tofore There was no man that tyme bore That he ne had after his choys A god to whom ye yafe his voys wherof the mysbeleue cam In to the tyme of Abraham But he fonde oute the ryght wey Howe onely men shuld obeye The hyghe god whiche weldeth all And euer hath done and euer shall In heuen in erth and eke in helle There is no tonge his myght may telle This Patriarche to his lynage Forbad that they to none ymage Enclyne shuld in no wyse But her offrende and sacryfyse with all the hole hertes loue Vnto the myghty god aboue They shulden yeue and to no mo And thus en thylke tyme tho Began that sect vpon this erthe whiche of byleues was the ferthe Of ryghtwysnes it was conceyued So must it nedes be receyued Of hym that all ryght is ynne The hygh god whiche wolde wynne A people vnto his owne feyth On Abraham the grounde he leyth And made hym for to multyply In to so great a progeny That they Egypte all ouer sprad But Phaaro with wronge hem lad In seruytude ayen the pees Tyl god let send Moyses To make the delyueraunce And for his people great vengeaunce He toke which is to here a wonder The kyng was slayn the lond put vnder God bad the reed se deuyd whiche stode vpryght on euery syde And yafe vnto his people aweye That they on fote it passed dreye And gone so forth in to desert where for to kepe hem in couert The dayes whan the sonne brent A large cloude hem ouer went And for to wyssen hem by nyght A fyry pyller hem alyght And whan that they for honger pleyn The myghty god began to reyne Manna fro heuen downe to ground wherof that eche of hem hath funde His fod suche ryght as hym lyst And for they shuld vpon hym tryst Ryght as who set a tonne a broche He perced the hard roche And spronge oute water all at wylle That man and best hath dronke his fille And afterward he yafe the
The prince and leader of Carthage whiche had sette all his courage Vpon knyghthode in suche a wyse That he by worthy and by wyse And by none other was counsayled wherof the worlde is yet meruayled Of the maistries that he wrought Vpon the marches whiche he soughte And felle in thilke tyme also The kynge of Puyle whiche was tho Thought ayene Rome to rebelle And thus was take the quarelle Howe to distroy the myrrour Of Rome tho was emperour Crassus which was so couetous That he was euer desyrous Of golde to gette the pyllage wherof that Puyle and eke Carthage with philosophers wyse and great Begynne of this matter to treat And at last in this degree There was philosophers thre To do this thyng whiche vndertoke And thervpon they with hem toke A great treasure of golde in cotres To Rome thus these philosophers To gether in company went But no man wyst what they ment whan they to Rome come were So priuely they dwelt there As they that thoughten to deceyue was none that myght of hem perceiue Tyll they in sondry stedes haue Her golde vnder the erthe begraue In two treasours that to beholde They shulde seme as they were olde And so forth than vpon a day All openly in good araye To themperour they hem present And tolden it was her entent To dwelle vnder his seruyse And he hem asketh in what wyse And they hym told in such a plyte That eche of hem had a spirite The whiche slepende a nyght appereth And hem by sondry dremes lereth After the worlde that hath betyd Vnder the grounde if ought be hyd Of olde treasour at any throwe They shall it in her sweuen knowe And vpon this condition They sein what golde vnder the towne Of Rome is hyd they woll it fynde There shall nought be lefte behinde Be so that he the balue dele Hem graunt he assenteth wele And thus cam sleyght for to dwelle with couetyse as I the telle This emperour badde redily That they be lodged fast by where he his owne body laye And whan it was at morowe day That one of hem saythe that he mette where he a golde boorde shall sette wherof this emperour was glad And thervpon anone he bad His mynours for to go and myne And he hym selfe of that couyne Goth forthe withall and at his honde The treasour redy there he fonde where as they sayde it shulde be And who was than glad but be ¶ Vpon that other day seconde They haue an other golde horde fonde whiche the seconde mayster toke Vpon his sweuen and vndertoke And thus the sothe experience To themperour yafe suche credence That all his trust and all his feith So sykerlyche on hem he layth Of that he fonde hym so releued That they be parfitely beleued As though they were goddes thre Nowe herken the subtylite The thirde mayster shulde mete whiche as they sayden was vnmete Aboue hem all and couth moste And he without noyse or boste All priuelyche so as he wolde Vpon the morowe his sweuen tolde To the emperour ryght in his eare And sayde hym that he wyst were A treasour was so plentious Of golde / and eke so precious Of iewelles and of ryche stones That it to all his hors at ones It were a charge suffisaunt This lorde vpon this couenaunt was glad and asketh where it was The maister sayde vnder the glas He tolde hym eke as for the myne He wolde ordeyne suche engyne That they the werke shulde vndersette with tymbre and without lette Men may the treasour sauely delue So that the myrrour by hym selue without empeirement shal stonde All this the maister vpon honde Hath vndertake in all weye This lorde whiche had his wyt awey And was with couetyse blent Anone therto yafe his assent And thus to myne forth withall The tymbre sette vp ouer all wherof the pyller stode vpryght Tyll it befelle vpon a nyght These clerkes when they were ware Howe that the tymber only bare The pyller where the myrrour stode Her sleyght no man vnderstode They go by nyght vnto the myne with pitche with sulphur with rosyne And when the cite was a slepe A wylde fyre in to the depe They cast amonge the tymber werke And so forth while the night was derke Desguysed in a poore araye They passeden the towne or day And whan they comen vpon an hylle They syghen howe the myrrour fylle wherof they made ioye inough And eche of hem with other lough And sayde Lo what couetyse May do with hem that he not wyse And that was proued afterwarde For euery londe to Romewarde whiche had be subiecte tofore when this myrrour was so forlore And they the wonder herde seye Anone begonne disobeye with werres vpon euery syde And thus hath Rome lost his pryde And was defouled ouer all For this I fynde of Hanyball That be of Romaynes in a day whan he hem fonde out of aray So great a multitude slough That of gold rynges which he drough Of gentyll handes that ben deade Busshelles full thre I rede He fylled / and made a brydge also That he myght ouer Tyber go Vpon the corps that dede were Of the Romaynes whiche he slough there ¶ But nowe to speke of the iuyse The whiche after the couetyse was take vpon this emperour For he distroyed the myrrour It is a wonder for to here The Romaynrs maden a chayer And sette her emperour therin And sayden for he wolde wynne Of golde the superfluite Of golde he shulde suche plente Receyue tyll he sayde bo And with golde which they hadde tho Boylende hote within a panne Into his mouth they poure thanne And thus the thirst of gold was queint with gold whiche had ben atteint ¶ wherof my sonne thou myght here whan couetyse hath lost the stere Of reasonable gouernaunce There falleth ofte great greuance For there may he no werse thynge Than couetyse about a kynge If it in his persone be It doth the more aduersite And if it in his counsayle stonde It bryngeth all day mischiefe to honde Of common harme and if it growe within his court it woll be knowe For than shall the kyng be pylled The man whiche hath his londe tylled Awayteth nought more redily The heruest than they gredily Ne make than warde and watche where they the profyt myghten catche And yet full ofte it falleth so As men may sene amonge hem tho That he whiche most coueyteth fast Hath leest auauntage at last For whan fortune is there agayne Though he coueyte it is in vayne The happes ben nought al lyche One is made poore an other ryche The courte to some it dothe profyte And some ben euer in one plyte And yet they both alyche sore Coueyte but fortune is more Vnto that one part fanourable And though it be nought reasonable This thynge may a man sene al day wherof that I the telle may After ensample in remembraunce Howe euery man may take his chaunce
had be forleyn But that he was so ouerseyn The wonder ouergoth his wyt For in Cronike is written yet Thing whiche shall neuer be foryete Howe that Achilles hath begette Pytrus vpon Deydame wherof came out the trecherye Of fals witnes when he sayde Howe that Achilles was a mayde But that was nothyng sene tho For he is to the syege go Forth with Vlyxes and Dyomede ¶ Lo thus was proued in the dede And fully spoke at thylke whyle If o woman an other begyle where is there any sekyrnesse whā Thetis which was thā the goddesse Daydamye hath so beiaped I not howe it shall bene escaped with tho women whose innocence Is nowe al daye through suche credence Deceyued ofte as it is sene with men that suche vntrouth mene For they ben slygh in suche a wyse That they by sleyght and by queyntise Of fals wytnes bryngyn inne That doth hem ofte for to wynne That they be not worthy therto For thy my sonne do not so ¶ My father as of fals wytnesse The trouth and the maner expresse Touchende of loue howe it hath ferde As ye haue tolde I haue well herde But for ye sayden other wyse Howe thylke vice of couetyse Hath yet periur of his acorde If that you lyst of some recorde To telle an other tale also In loues cause of tyme ago what thynge it is to be forswore I wolde preye you therfore wherof I myght ensamble take ¶ My good sonne and for thy sake Touchende of this I shall fulfyll Thyn axynge at thyne owne wyll And the mattere I shall declare Howe the women deceiued are whan they so tender hertes bere Of that they here men so swere But whan it cometh vnto thassay They fynde it fals a nother day As Iason dyd vnto Medee whiche stante yet of auctoritie In token and in memoriall wherof the tale in speciall Is in the boke of Troye writte whiche I shall do the for to wytte ⧠Hic in amoris caufa ponit exemplum contra periuros Et narrat qualiter Iason priusquam ad Insulam Colchos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet in amorem et coningium Medee regis Othonis filie iuramēto firmius se aftrinxit sed suo postea completo negotio cil ips◠secum nauigio in Cretiam perduxisset vbi illum senectam patris sui Efonis in floridam inuentutē mirabili scientia reformauit Ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento aliis que beneficiis post positis dictam Medeam pro quadam Crensa regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit ¶ In grece whylom was a kynge Of whom the fame and knowlegyng By leueth yet and Peleus He hyghte but it felle hym thus That his fortune hir whele so lad That he no childe his owne had To reignen after his decesse He had a brother netheles whose ryght name was Eson And he the worthy knyght Iason Begatte the whiche in euery londe All other passed of his honde In armes so that he the best was named and the worthyest He sought worshyp ouer all Nowe herken and I the tell shall An aduenture that he sought whiche afterwarde full dere he bought ¶ There was an yle whiche Colchos was cleped and therof aroos Great speche in euery londe aboute That suche meruayle was none oute In all the wyde worlde no where As tho was in that yle there There was a shepe as it was tolde The whiche his flees bare all of golde And so the goddes had it sette That it ne myght away be fette By power of no worldes wyght And yet full many a worthy knyght It had assayed as they dorst And euer it fell hem to the worst But he that wolde it nought forsake But of his knyghthode vndertake To do what thynge therto belongeth This worthy Iason sore alongeth To se the straunge regions And knowe the conditions Of other marches where he went And for that cause his hole entent He set Colchos for to seche Cnd therupon he made a speche To Peleus his eme the kynge And he wel payde was of that thynge And shope anone for his passage Suche as were of his lignage with other knyghtes whiche he chees with hym he toke and Hercules whiche full was of chiualrie with Iason wente in company And that was in the moneth of may whan colde stormes were away The winde was good the ship was yare They toke her leue and forth they fare Towarde Colchos but on the weye what hem byfelle is longe to seye Howe Laamedon the kynge of Troy whiche ought well haue made hem ioye whan they to rest a whyle hym preyde Out of his londe he them congeyde And so befelle the dissention whiche after was destruction Of that citie as men may here But that is nought to my matere But thus the worthy folke gregoys Fro that kynge whiche was not curtois And fro his londe with seyl vpdrawe They went hem forth and many a sawe They made and many a great manace Tyll at last in to that place whiche as they sought they arryue And stryken seyle and forth as blyue They senten vnto the kynge and tolden who weren there and what they wolden ¶ O etes whiche was then kynge whan that he herde this tydynge Of Iason whiche was comen there And of these other what they were He thought done hem great worshyp For they anone come out of shyp And streyght vnto the kynge they wente And by the honde Iason he hente And that was at the paleys gate So far the kyng came on his gate Towarde Iason to done hym chere And he whom lacketh no manere whan he the kynge sigh in presence Yafe hym ageyne suche reuerence As to a kynges state belongeth And thus the kynge hym vnderfongeth And Iason in his arme he caught And forth in to the halle he straught And there they sat and speke of thinges And Iason tolde hym tho tydynges why he was come and faire hym preide To hast his tyme the kyng thus said Iason thou art a worthy knyght But it lyeth in no mans myght To done that thou arte come fore There hath bene many a knyght forlore Of that they wolden it assaye But Iason wolde nat hym esmaye And sayde of euery worldes cure Fortune stant in auenture Paranter well paranter wo But howe as euer that it go It shall be with myn bonde assayed The kyng tho helde hym not wel payd For he the grekes sore dredde In aunter if Iason ne spedde He myght therof beare a blame For tho was all the worldes fame In grece as for to speke of armes For thy he drad hym of his harmes And gan to preache and to preye But Iason wolde not obeye But sayde he wolde his purpos holde For ought that any man hym tolde The kynge whan these wordes herde And sigh how that this knight āswerde Yet for he wolde make hym glad After Medea gone he bad whiche was his doughter and she cam And Iason whiche good hede
eke the nobles all Forth with the comun of the towne And as they loken vp and doune They were warē within a throw where cam the hote whiche they wel know And sȳgh how Iason brought his preye And tho they gauen all seye And cryden al with o steuen O where was euer vnder the heuen So noble a knyght as Iason is And wel nyghe all sayden this That Iason was a fayre knyght For it was neuer of mans myght The flees of golde so for to wynne And thus tellen they begynne with that the kynge cam forth anone And sygh the flees howe that shone And whan Iason cam to the londe The kynge hym selfe toke his honde And kyssed hym great ioye him made The grekes weren wonder glade And of that thīg right meri hē thought And forth with hē the fles they brought And eche on other gan to lygh But wel was hym that myght nygh To se there of the properte And thus they passen the cyte And gone vnto the paleis straught Medea whiche forgat her naught was redy there and sayde anon welcome O worthy knyght Iason She wolde haue kyst hym wonder fayn But shame tourned her agayne It was nought the maner as tho For thy she dorste nought do so She toke her leue and Iason went Into his chambre and she hym sente Her mayden to sene howe he ferde The whiche whan that he sygh herde Howe that he hadde faren out And that it stode well all about She tolde her lady what she wyst And she for ioye her mayden kyst The bathes weren than arayed with herbes tempred and assayed And Iason was vnarmed soone And dydde as it befelle to done Into his bathe he went anone And wyss he hym cleane as any bone He toke a soppe and out he cam And on his best aray he nam And kempt his heed whan he was clad And goth hym forth all mery and glad Ryght straught in the kinges halle The kynge cam with his knyghtes alle And made hym glad welcomynge And he hem tolde tho tydynge Of this and that howe it befelle whan that he wan the shepes fell Medea whan she was after sent Come soone to that parlement And whan she myght Iason se was none so glad of all as she There was no ioye for to seche Of hym made euery man a speche Som man sayd one som said other But though he were goddes brother And myght make fyre and thonder There myght be no more wonder Than was of hym in that citie Echone taught other this is he whiche hath in his power within That all the worlde ne myght wynne Lo here the beste of all good Thus they sayden that there stode And eke that walkende vp downe Both of the court and of the towne The tyme of souper cam anone They wysshen and therto they gon Medea was with Iason sette Tho was there many a deynte fette And set tofore hem on the bord But none so lykynge as the worde which was there spoke among hem two So as they dorst speke tho But though they had lytel space Yet they acorden in that place Howe Iason shuld come at nyght whan euery torche and euery lyght were oute and than other thynges they speke alowde for supposinges Of hem that stoden there aboute For loue is euermore in doute For if it be wysly gouerned Of hem that ben of loue lerned whan al was done that dissh and cup And cloth and bord and all was vp They wake whyle hem lyst to wake And after that they leue take And gon to bed for to reste And whan hym thought for the beste That euery man was fast on slepe Iason that wolde his tyme kepe Both forth stalkynge all pryuely Vnto the chambre and redyly There was a mayd whiche hym kepte Medea woke and no thyng slepte But netheles she was a bedde And he with all hast hym spedde And made hym naked and all warme Anone he toke her in his arme what nede is for to speke of ease Hem lyst eche other for to plese So that they had ioy ynowe And tho they setten whan and how That she with hym awey shal stele with wordes suche and other fele whan all was treted to an ende Iason toke leue and gan forth wend vnto his owne chamber in pes There wyst it non but Hercules ¶ He slepet and ros whan it was tyme And whan it fel towardes pryme He toke to hym suche as he tryste In secre that none other wyst And tolde hem of his counseyle there And sayde that his wyll were That they to shyp had all thynge So priuely in the euenynge That no man myght her dede aspie But tho that weren of company For he woll go without leue And lenger woll he nought beleue But he ne wolde at thilke throwe The kynge or quene shulde it knowe They sayde all this shall well be do And Iason trust well therto ¶ Medea in the meane whyle whiche thought her father to begyle The treasour whiche her father hadde with her all priuely she ladde And with Iason at tyme sette Away she stale and fonde no lette And straught she goth her vnto ship Of grece with that felaushyp And they anone drough vp the sayle And all that nyght this was counsayle But erly whan the sonne shone Men sygh that they were agone And come vnto the kynge and tolde And he the soth knowe wolde And axeth where his doughter was There was no worde but out alas She was a go the mother wepte The fa her as a wood man lepte And gan the tyme for to warye And swore his othe he wold no ttary That with Calyphe and with galeye The same cours the same wey which Iason toke he wolde take If that he myght hym ouertake To this they sayden all ye Anone as they weren at the see And all as who sayth at one worde They gone within shyppes boorde The saile goth vp forth they straught But none exploit therof they caught And so forth they tournen home ayene For all that labour was in vayne Iason to grece with his pray Goth through the see the ryght waye whan he there come and men it tolde They maden ioye yonge and olde Eson whan that he wyst of this Howe that his sonne comen is And hath acheued that he sought And home with hym Medea brought In all the wyde worlde was none So glad a man as he was one Together bene these louers tho Tyll that they had sonnes two wherof they weren bothe glade And olde Eson great ioy made To seen the encrees of his lignage For he was of so great an age That men awayten euery day whan that he shulde gone away Iason whiche sigh his fader olde Vpon Medea made hym bolde Of art magyke whiche she couth And praieth her that his fathers youth She wolde make ayenewarde newe And she that was towarde hym trewe Behyghte hym that she wolde it do whan that she tyme
for her best For whan she was to lond brought She which that tyme thought nought But all trouth and toke no kepe Hath layd her soft for to slepe As she whiche longe hath ben forwatched But certes she was euil matched And fer from all loues kynde For more than the best vnkynde Theseus whiche no trouth kept whyle that this yonge lady slept Fulfylled of all vnkyndshyp Hath all forgeten the goodshyp whiche Ariadne hym had do And had vnto the shypmen tho Hale vp the sayle and nought abyde And forth he gothe the same tyde Toward Athenis and her on londe He left whiche lay nygh the stronde Slepend tyl that she awoke But whan that she cast vp her loke Towarde the stronde sygh no wyght Her herte was so sore aflyght That she ne wyst what to thynke But drough her to the water brinke where she behelde the see at large She sigh no shyp she sigh no barge Al 's ferforth as she myght kenne Ha lorde she sayd which a senne As all the worlde shall after here Vpon this wofull woman here This worthye knyghte hath done and wrought I weÌ„d I had his loue bought And so deserued at nede whan that he stode vpon his drede And eke the loue he me behyght It is great wonder howe he might Towardes me nowe ben vnkynde And so to lette out of his mynde Thyng which he sayd his owne mouth But after this whan it is couth And drawe to the worldes fame It shall ben hyndrynge of his name For well he wote and so wote I He yafe his trouthe bodely That he myn honour shulde kepe And with that worde she gan wepe And soroweth more than inough Hyr faire tresses she to drough And with her selfe she toke such a strife That she betwene the deth and life Swounende lay full ofte amonge And all was this on hym alonge whiche was to loue vnkynde so wherof the wronge shall euermo Stonde in cronyke of remembrance And eke it asketh a vengeance To ben vnkynde in loues cas So as Theseus than was All though he were a noble knyght For he the lawe of loues ryght Forfayted hath in all waye That Ariadne he put away whiche was a great vnkynde dede And after that so as I rede Phedra the whiche his syster is He toke in stede of hir and this Fell afterwarde to mekell tene For thilke vyce of whiche I mene Vnkyndshyp where it falleth The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth That he can no good dede acquyte So may be stonde of no meryte Towardes god and eke also Men calle hym the worldes fo For he no more than the fende Vnto none other man is frende But all toward hym selfe alone For thy my sonne in thy persone This vyce aboue all other flee ¶ My fader as ye teche me I thynke to do in this matere But ouer this I wolde fayn here wherof I shall me shryue more ¶ My good sonne as for thy lore After the reule of couetyse I shall the propyrte deuyse Of euery vyce by and by Nowe herken and be wel ware therby 〈◊〉 ex â—lara res tollit luce rapina Floribus et iuncta virgine mella capit ¶ Hâ—c tractat super illa specia cupida que rapina 〈◊〉 â—atur cuius mater extorcio ipsam ad desâ—â—â—â—nduÌ„ magnatuÌ„ curiis specialius coÌ„meÌ„dauit ¶ In the lygnage of auaryce My sonne yet there is a vyce His ryght name it is rauyne whiche hath a route of his couyne Rauyne amonge the maysters dwelleth And with his seruauntes as men telleth Extorcion is nowe witholde Rauyne of other mennes folde Maketh his lardyr and payeth nought For where as euer it may be sought In his hous there shall no thynge lacke And that fulofte abyeth the packe Of powre men that dwelle a boute Thus stant the coÌ„mune people in doute which can do none amendement For whan hym fayleth paiement Rauyne maketh non other skylle But taketh by strength al that he wille So ben there in the same wyse Louers as I the shall deuyse That whan nought elles may auayle Anone with strength they assayle And gette of loue the sesyne when they se tyme by rauyne For thy my sonne shryue the here If thou hast ben a Rauynere Of loue ¶ Certes father no For I my lady loue so For though I were as was Pompey That all the worlde me wolde obey Or els suche as Alisaundre I wolde nought do suche a sclaunder It is no good man whiche so doth ¶ In good feyth sonne thou sayst sothe For he that woll of purueance By suche a wey his luste auaunce He shall it after sore abye But if these olde ensamples lye ¶ Nowe good father telle me one So as ye connen many one Touchende of loue in this matere ¶ Now lyst my son thou shalte here So as it hath be befall er this In loues cause howe that it is A man to take by rauyne The preye whiche is feminyne ¶ Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in amoris causa raptores Et narrat qualiter Pandyon tex Athen .ii. filias vez ProgneÌ„ PhilomenaÌ„ habuit Progne autem regi Tracie Therreo desponsata contigit quod cum Tereus ad instantiam vxoris sue Philomenam de Athen in Traciam sororie visitationis causa secum quadam vice perduceret in concupiscentiam Philomene tanta seneritate in Itinere dilapsus est quod ipse non solum sue violentia rapine virginitatem eius oppressit sed et ipsius linguam ne factum detegeret forcipe mitula nit vnde imperpetue memorie ceonicam tanti raptoris austeritatem miro ordine dii postea vindicarunt ¶ There was a ryall noble kynge A ryche of all worldes thynge whiche of his propre enheritance Athenis had in gouernance And who so thynketh therupon His name was kynge Pandyon Two doughters had he by his wyfe The whiche he loued as his lyfe The fyrst doughter Progne hyght And the seconde as she well myght was cleped faire Philomene To whom fell after mochel tene The father of his purueaunce His doughter Progne wolde auarice And gaâ—e hir vnto mariage A worthy kyng of high lignage A noble knyght eke of his honde So was he kyd in euery londe Of Trace he hyght Thereus The clerke Ouide telleth thus This Thereus his wyfe home lad A lusty lyfe with her he had Tyll it befelle vpon a tyde This Progne as she lay hym besyde Bethought hir howe that it myght be That she hir suster myght se And to hir lorde hir wyll she sayde with goodly wordes and hym preyde That she to hir myght go And if it lyked hym not so That than he wolde hym selfe wende Or els by some other sende whiche myght hir dere suster grete And shap◠〈◊〉 that they myght mete Hir lordâ— anone to that he herde yafe his accorde and thus answerde I wyll saide he for thy sake The wey after thy syster take My selfe and brynge hir if I
that the floure of maydenhede was thylke tyme holde in pris And so it was and so it is And so it shall for euer stonde And for thou shalte it vnderstonde Nowe herken a tale nexte sewende Howe may denbede is to commende ¶ Hic loquitur de virginitatis commendatione vbi dicit quod nuper Imperatores ob tanti status dignitatem virginibus cedebant in via ¶ Of Rome amonge the gestes olde I fynde howe that Valery tolde That what man was tho emperour Of Rome he shulde done honour To the virgyn and in the weye where he hir mete he shulde obeye In worshyp of virginitie whiche was tho a great dignitie Nought onelyche of the women tho But of the chaste men also It was commended ouerall And for to speke in speciall Touchend of men ensample I fynde ¶ Hic loquitur qualiter Phirinus inuenuÌ„ Rome pulcherimus / vt illesam sud virginitate conserna ret ambos oculos ernens vultus sui decoreÌ„ abho minabilem constituit ¶ Phirinus whiche was of mans kinde Aboue all other the fayreste Of Rome and eke the comlyest That well was her which hym myght Beholde / and haue of hym a syght Thus was be tempted ofte sore But for he wolde be no more Amonge the women so coueyted The beaute of his face streyted He hath and put out bothe his eyen That all women / whiche it seyne That afterwarde of hym ne rought And thus his maydenheed he bought So may I proue wel for thy Aboue all other vnder the sky That maydenheed is for to preyse who that the vertues wolde peyse whiche as the apocalipsis recordeth To Christe in heuen best accordeth So may it shewe well therfore As I haue tolde it here to fore In heuen and eke in erth also It is excepte to bothe two Out of his flesshe a man to lyue Gregory hath this ensample yeue And sayth it shall rather be tolde Lyche to an angell many folde Than to the lyfe of mans kynde There is no reason for to fynde But only through the grace aboue In flesshe without flesshely loue A man to lyue chaste here And netheles a man may here Of suche / that haue bene er this And yet there bene but for it is A vertue whiche is selden wonne Nowe I this matter haue begonne I thynke tellen ouer more whiche is my sonne for thy lore If that the lyste to taken hede To trete vpon the maydenheed Vt â—osa de spinis spineto preualet orta Et â—ilii flores cespite plura ualent Sic sibi uirginitas carnis sponsalia uincit Aeternos flaetus quae fine labe parit The boke seyth that a mans lyfe Vpon knyghthode in warre and stryfe Is set amonge his ennemyes The freyle flesshe whose nature is Ay redy for to spurne and fall The fyrst foman is of all For thylke warre is redy ay It warreth nyght it warreth day So that a man hath neuer rest For thy is thylke knyght the best Through myght grace of gods sonde whiche that batayle may withstonde wherof yet dwelleth the memorie Of hem that some tyme the victorie Of thylke deedly warre hadden The hygh prowesse whiche they ladden wherof the soule stode amended Vpon this erthe it is commended ¶ Hic loquitur qualiter ValeÌ„tinianus imperator euÌ„ ipse octo genarius plures prouincias Romano Imperio belliger sub iugauit dixit se super omnia magic gandere de eo / quod contra sue carnâ—â— concupiscentiam victoriam optinuisset / nam et ipse virgo oibuâ— diebus vite sue castissimus ê‘mansuÌ„ ¶ An emperour by olde dayes There was and he at all assayes A worthy knyght was of his honde There was none suche in all the londe But yet for all his vassellage He stode vnwedded all his age And in cronyke as it is tolde He was an hundred wynter olde But whan men wolde his dedes peyse And his knyghthode of armes preyse Of that he dyd with his hondes whan he the kynges of the londes To his subiection put vnder Of all that preise hath he no wonder For he it set of none accounte And sayd all that may not amounte Ayens a poynt whiche he hath nome That he his flesshe hath ouercome He was a virgyne / as he sayde On that batayle his prys he layd ¶ Lo nowe my sonne auyse the ¶ Ye fader all this may well be But if all other dede so The worlde of men were sone a go And in the lawe a man may fynde Howe god to man by wey of kynde Hath set the worlde to multyplye And who that woll hym iustify It is ynough to do the lawe And netheles your good sawe Is good to kepe who so may I wol nought there ayen say nay ¶ My sonne take it as I say If maydenheed be take away without lawes ordinaunce It may not fayle of vengeaunce And if thou wolte the soth wyten Beholde a tale the which is wryten Howe that the kynge Agamemnon whan he the citie of Lesbon Hath wonne a mayden there he fonde whiche was the fayrest of the londe In thylke tyme that men wyst He toke of her what hym lyst Of thynge whiche was most precious wherof that she was daungerous This fayre mayde cleped is Chryseys the doughter of Chrisys whiche was that tyme in speciall Of thylke temple pryncipall where Phebus had his sacryfyce So was it well the more vyce Agamemnon was than in way To Troywarde and toke a wey This mayden whiche he with hym lad So great lust in hyr he had But Phebus whiche hath great dysdein Of that his maideÌ„ was forlein Anone as he to Troy came Vengeaunce vpon this dede he name And sent a comune pestylence They soughten than her euydence And maden calculacion To knowe in what condycion This deth cam in so sodenly And at laste redyly The cause and eke the man they fonde And forth with al the same stounde AgameÌ„non opposed was whiche hath knowen all the cas Of the foly whiche he hath wrought And therupon mercy they sought Toward the god in sondry wyse with prayer and with sacrifyce The mayden home ayene they send And yafe her good ynough to spende For euer whyles she wolde lyue And thus the synne was forgyue And all the pestylence seced Lo what it is to ben encrecid Of loue / whiche is ylle wonne It were better nought begonne Than take a thynge withoute leue whiche thou most after nedes leue And yet haue mâ—â—gre forth with all For thy to robben ouerall In loues cause if thou begynne I not what ease thou shalt wynne ¶ My sonne be well ware of this For thus of robbery it is ¶ My father your examplarie In loues cause of robberie I haue it ryght well vnderstonde But ouer this howe so it stonde yet wol I wyte of your apprise what thynge is more of couetyse Insidiando latens tempus rimatur et lioram Fur quibus occulto tempore furta parat Sic
There whyles that hir lorde was oute He myght make a great auant Amonge all the remenant That she one of all the best well myght he set his herte in rest This kynge whan he hir fonde in hele For as he couthe in wysedome dele â—e couthe she in woman bede And whan she sygh withouten drede 〈◊〉 â—â—rde vpon his owne grounde That he was come safe and sounde In all this worlde ne myght be A gladder woman than was she ¶ The fame which may nought be hyd Throughout the londe is sone kyd Her kynge is comen home ayene There may no man the full seyne Howe that they weren all glade So mochel ioye of hym they made The presentes euery daye bene newed He was with yeftes all bisnewed The people was of hym so glad That though none other man hem bad Tâ—llage vpon hem selfe they sette And as it were of pure dette They yeue her goodes to the kynge This was a glad home welcomynge Thus hath Vlyxes what he wolde His wyfe was such as she be shulde His people was to hym subiecte Hym lacketh nothynge of delyte ¶ Horatius Omnia sunt hominum tenni pendentia filo ¶ But fortune is of suche a fleyght That whan a man is most on heyght She maketh hym rathest for to falle There wote no man what shall befalle The happes ouer mannes hede Ben honged with a tender threde That proued was on Vlyxes For whan he was most in his pees Fortune gan to make hym werre And set his welthe oute of herre Vpon a day as he was mery As though there myght hym no thinge derye whan night was come he goth to bedde with slepe and both his eyen fedde And whyle he slepte he met a sweuen Hym thought he sygh a statu euen whiche bryghter than the sonne shone A man it semed was it none But yet it was a fygure Most lyche to mannyssh creature But as of beaute heuenlych It was most to an aungell lyche And thus betwene aungell and man Beholden it this kynge began And suche a lust toke of the syght That fayne he wolde if that he myght The forme of that fygure embrace And goth hym forth toward that place where he sygh that ymage tho And takth it in his armes two And it embraceth hym ageyne And to the kynge thus gan it seyne Vlyxes vnderstond wel this The token of oure acqueyntaunce is Here afterward to mochel tene The loue that is vs betwene Of that we nowe suche ioy make That one of vs the deth shall take whan tyme cometh of destyne It may none otherwyse be Vlixes the began to praye That this fygure wolde hym say what wyght he is that sayth hym so This wyght vpon a speare tho A pensell whiche was well begone Embroudred sheweth hym anone Thre fysshes all of o colour In maner as it were a toure Vpon the pensell were wrought Vlyxes knewe this token nought And prayth to wyte in some partie what thynge it myght signifie A sygne it is the wyght answerde Of an empire and forth he ferde All sodeynly whan he that sayd Vlyxes out of slepe abrayde And that was ryght ayene the day That lenger slepen he ne maye Men say a man hath knowlegynge Saue of hym selfe of all thynge His owne chaunce no man knoweth But as fortune it on hym throweth was neuer yet so wyse a clerke whiche myght knowe all goddes werke Ne the secrete whiche god hath sette Ayene a man may not be lette Vlyxes though that he be wyse with all his wytte in his auyse The more that he his sweuen accouÌ„teth The lesse he wote what it amounteth For all his calculation He seeth no demonstration As pleynly for to knowe an ende But netheles howe so it wende He drad hym of his owne sonne That maketh hym well the more astone And shope therfore anone withall So that within castell walle Thelemachus his sonne he shette And on hym stronge warde he sette The sothe farther he ne knewe Tyll that fortune hym ouerthrewe But netheles for sykernesse where that he myght wyt gesse A place strengest in his londe There let he make of lyme and sonde A strength where he wolde dwell was neuer man yet herde tell Of suche an other as it was And for to strength hym in that cas Of all his londe the sykerest Of seruantes and the worthyest To kepen hym within warde He set his body for to warde And made suche an ordinance For loue ne for aqueintance That were it erely were it late They shulde let in at yate No maner man what so betyd But if so were hym selfe it byd ¶ But all that myghte hym not auayle For whom fortune wol assayle There may be no suche resistence whiche myght make a man defence All that shall be mote fall algate This Cyrces whiche I spake of late On whom Vlyxes hath begete A childe though he it haue foryete whan tyme came as it was wonne She was delyuerde of a sonne whiche cleped is Telegonus This childe whan he was borne thus About his mother to full age That he can reason and langage In good estate was drawe forth And whan he was so mochell worth To stonden in a mannes stede Circes his mother hath hym bede That he shall to his father go And tolde hym all to geder tho what man he was that hym begate And whan Thelegonus of that was ware and hath full knowlechynge Howe that his fader was a kynge He prayth his moder fayre this To go where that his fader is And she hym graunteth that he shall And made hym redy forth with all It was that tyme suche vsance That euery man the cogysaunce Of his contre bare in his honde whan he went in to straunge londe And thus was euery man therfore wel knowe where that he was bore For espyall and mystrowynges They dyd than suche thynges That euery man myght other knowe So it be felle in that throwe Telegonus as in this cas Of his contre the sygne was Thre fisshes whiche he shulde here Vpon the pynon of a spere And whan that he was thus arrayde And hath his barneys all assayde That he was redy euerydele His moder bad him fare wele And sayde hym that he shulde swythe His fader griete a thousand syth Telegonus his moder kist And toke his leue and where he wist His fader was the way name Tyll he vnto Nachaie came whiche of that londe the chyefe cyte was cleped and there asketh he where was the kynge howe he ferde And whan that he the soth herde where that the kynge Vlixes was Alone vpon his hors great pas He roode him forth and in his honde He bare the sygnall of his londe with fisshes thre as I haue tolde And thus he went vnto that holde where that his owne fader dwelleth The cause why he came he telleth Vnto the kepars of the gate And wolde haue comen in there ate But shortely they hym sayde nay And he
al 's fayre as euer he may Besought and told hem of this Howe that the kynge his fader is But they with proude wordes great Began to manace and threte But he go fro the gate fast They wolden hym take and set fast Fro wordes vnto strokes thus They felle and so Telegonus was sore hurte and well nyghe dede But with his sharpe speres hede He maketh defence howe so it falle And wan the yate vpon hem all And hath slayn of the best fyue And they ascryden al 's blyue Through oute the castel all aboute On euery syde men come oute wherof the kynges herte afflight And he with all the hast he myght Aspere caught and forthe he gothe As he that was right woode for wrothe He sighe the gates full of bloode Telegonus and where he stoode He sighe also but he ne knewe what man it was but to hym threwe His spere and he sterte out a syde But destine whiche shall betyde Befell that ylke tyme so Telegonus knewe nothynge tho what man it was that to hym caste And whyle his owne spere laste with all the sygne therupon He cast vnto the kynge anon And smote hym with a dedly wounde Vlixes felle anone to grounde Tho euery man the kynge the kynge Be gan to crye and of this thynge Telegonus whiche sigh the caas On knes he felle and sayde alas I haue myn owne fader slayne Nowe wolde I deye wonder fayne Nowe sle me who that euer wylle For certes it is ryght and skyll He crieth he wepeth he seyth therfore Alas that euer was I bore That this vnhappy destine So wofully comth in by me This kyng which yet hath life ynough His herte ayen vnto hym drough And to that voyce an eare he layde And vnderstode all that he sayde And gan to speke and sayde on hygh Brynge me this man whan he sigh Telegonus his thought he sette Vpon the sweuen whiche he mette And asketh that he myght se His spere on whiche the fysshes thre He sigh vpon the pensell wrought Tho wyst he well it fayleth nought And bad hym that he telle sholde Fro whens he came and what he wolde Telegonus in sorowe and wo So as he myght told tho Vnto Vlyxes all the cas Howe that Cyrces his mother was And so forth sayde hym euery dele Howe that his moder griete hym wele And in what wyse she hym sent Tho wyst Vlyxes what it ment And toke hym in his armes softe And all bledend kyst hym ofte And sayd Sonne whyle I lyue This infortune I the foryeue After his other sonne in hast He sente and he began hym hast And cam vnto his fader tyte But whan he sygh hym in suche plyte He wolde haue ronne vpon that other Anone and slayne his owne brother Ne had ben that Vlyxes Betwene hem made a corde and pees And to his heyre Thelemachus He bad that he Telegonus with all his power shuld kepe Tyll he were of his woundes depe All hole and than he shulde hym yeue Londe where vpon he myght lyue Thelemachus whan he this herde Vnto his fader he answerd And seyde he wolde done his wylle So dwelle they to geder stylle These bretherne and the fader sterueth Lo wherof sorcery serueth Through sorcerye his lust he wan Through sorcery his wo began Through sorcerye his loue he chese Through sorcery his lyfe he lese The chylde was gete in sorcerye The whiche dyd all his felony Thing which was ayen kynde wrought Vnkyndlyche it was a bought The chylde his owne fader slough That was vnkyndshyp ynough For thy take hede howe that it is So for to wynne loue amys whiche endeth all his ioye in wo For of this arte I fynde so That hath be do for loues sake wherof thou might insample take A great cronycke Emperiall whiche euer in to memoryall Amonge the men howe so it wende Shall dwelle / to the worldes ende ☞ HIC narrat exemplum super eobem qualiter Nectanabus de Egipto in Macedoniam fugitiuus Olimpiadem Philippi regis ibideÌ„ tuÌ„c absentis vxorem arte magyca decipiens cum ipsa concubuit / magnumque ex ea Alexandrum sortelegus genuit qui naius postea cum ad erudiendit sub custodia Nectanabi coÌ„mendatus fuisset ipsum Nectanabum patrem suum ab altitudine cuiusdam turris in fossam profundam precipiens inter fecit Et sic sortilegus pro suo sortilegio infortunii sortem sortitus est ¶ The hygh creatour of thynges whiche is the kynge of all kynges Full many wonder worldes chaunce Let slyde vnder his sufferaunce There wote no man the cause why But he the whiche is almyghty And that was proued whylom thus whan that the kynge Nectanabus whiche had Egypte for to lede But for he sygh tofore the dede Through magike of his sorcerie wherof he couth a great partie His ennemies to hym comende From whom he might him not defende Out of his owne londe he fledde And in the wyse as he hym dredde It felle for all his wytchecrafte So that Egypte hym was berafte And he desguysed fledde away Byshyp and helde the ryght way To Macedoyne where that he Arryueth at the chiefe citie Thre yomen of his chambre there All only for to serue hym were The whiche he trusteth wonder wele For they were trewe as ony stele And hapneth that they with hym ladde Parte of the best good he hadde They take lodgynge in the towne After the disposition where as hym thought best to dwell He axeth than and herde telle Howe that the kynge was out go Vpon a werre he had tho But in that citie than was The quene whiche Olympias was hote and with solempnite The feste of her natiuite As it befell was than holde And for her lust to be behold And preysed of the people aboute She shope her for to ryden out At after meate all openly Anone all men were redy And that was in the moneth of May. This lusty quene in good aray was sette vpon a mule whyte To sene it was a great delyte The ioye that the citie made with fresshe thynges and with glade The noble towne was all behonged And euery wyght was sore alonged To se this lusty lady ryde There was great myrth on all syde where as she passeth by the strete There was ful many a tymbre bete And many a mayde carolende And thus through out the town plaiend This quene vnto the pleyne rode where that she houed and abode 〈◊〉 se dyuers games play â—he lusty folke iust and iourney And so forth euery other man whiche pley couth his pley began 〈◊〉 plese with this noble quene Nectanabus came to the grene Amonges other drough hym nigh 〈◊〉 whan that he this lady sygh â—nd of her beaute hede toke â—e couth not withholde his loke â—o sâ— nought els in the felde But stode and only her behelde Of his clothynge and of his gere He was vnlyche all other there So that it
founde whiche serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whose priuilege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was fyrst comune But afterwarde vpon fortune was thilke comyn profyt cessed For whan the people stode encressed And the lygnages woxen great Anone for synguler beyete Drough euery man to his partie wherof come in the fyrst enuy with great debate and werres stronge And last amonge the men so longe Tyll no man wyst who was who Ne whiche was frende ne whiche so Tyll at laste in euery londe within hem selfe the people fonde That it was good to make a kynge whiche myght appesen all this thynge And yeue right to the lignages In partynge of her heritages And eke of all her other good And thus aboue hem all stode The kynge vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustifye The worldes good fro couetyse So syt it well in all wyse A kynge betwene the more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Towarde hym selfe and eke also Towarde his people and if not so That is to sayne if that he be Towarde hym selfe large and fre And of his people take and pylle Largesse by no wey of skylle It may be sayde but auarice whiche in a kynge is a great vice ¶ Nota super hoc quod Aristot ad Alexandrum exemplificauit de exactionibus regis ChaldeoruÌ„ ¶ A kynge behoueth eke to fle The vice of prodigalite That he measure in his expence So kepe that of indigence He may be saufe for who that nedeth In all his werke the wers he spedeth As Aristotle vpon Caldee Ensample of great auctorite Vnto kynge Alysaunder taught Of thilke folke that were vnsaught Towarde her kynge for his pyllage wherof he badde in his courage That he vnto thre poyntes entende where that he wolde his good dispende Fyrst shulde be loke how that it stood That all were of his owne good The yeues whiche he wolde yeue So myght he wel the better lyue And eke he must taken bede If there be cause of any nede whiche ought for to be defended Er that his goodes ben dispended He mote eke as it is befall Amonges other thynges all Se the decertes of his men And after that they bene of ken And of astate and of meryte He shall hem largelych acquyte Or for the warre or for the pease That none honour fall in discrease whiche myght torne in to diffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronike a tale I fynde whiche speaketh somdele of this matere Herafterwarde as thou shalte here Hic secunduÌ„ gesta Iulii exempluÌ„ ponit qualiter rex suorum militum quos ê“bos agnouerit indigeÌ„tiam largitatis sue beneficiis releuare tenetur ¶ In Rome to pursue his ryght There was a worthy poure knyght whiche came alone for to seyne His cause whan the courte was pleyne wher Iulius was in presence And for hym lacketh of dispense There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his astate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nothynge of manheed He wyst well his purse was pouer But yet be thought his ryght recouer And openly pouerte aleyed To the emperour and thus he sayed O Iulius lorde of the lawe Beholde my counseyll is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyne office After the lawe of Iustice Helpe that I had counseyll here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulius with that anone Assigned hym a worthy one But he hymselfe no worde ne spake This knyght was wroth fonde a lake In the emperour and sayde thus O thou vnkynde Iulius whan thou in thy batayle were Vp in Aufrike and I was there My myght for thy rescous I dyd And put no man in my stede Thou wost what woundes there I had But here I fynde the so bad That the ne lyst to speake o worde Thyne owne mouthe or of thyn borde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe Howe shulde I than me be yelpe Fro this day forth of thy largesse whan suche a great vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lorde as thou This Iulius knewe well mowe That all was soth whiche he hym tolde And for he wolde not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good inough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shulde euery worthye kynge Take of his knyghtes knowlegynge when that he sygh they hadden nede For euery seruice axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Through vertue but of iapes serued A kynge shall not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place ¶ Hic ponit exemplum de rege Antigono / qualiter dona regia secundum maius et miuuâ— / equa discrecione moderanda sunt ¶ It sytte well euery kynge to haue Discretion whan men hym craue So that be may his gyfte wyte wherof I fynde a tale write Howe Cinichus a powre knyght A somme whiche was ouer might Prayed of his kinge Antigonus The kinge answerd to him thus And sayde howe suche a yefte passeth His powre estate and than he lasseth And asketh but a litell peny yf that the kinge wolde yeuehym ony The kinge answerd it was to smalle For him whiche was a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytell thinge It were vnworship in a kynge By this ensample a kinge may lere That for to yeue is in manere For if a kinge his treasour lasseth with out honour and thaÌ„kelesse passeth whan he him selfe wil so begile I not who shall compleyne his while Ne who by right him shall releue But netheles this I beleue Tho helpe with his owne londe Belongeth euery man his honde To set vpon necessite And eke his kinges rialte Mote euery lyege man comforte with good and body to supporte whan they se cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp ryght his kinges name Him ought for to be to blame ¶ Nota hic secundum Aristotelem qualiter princiâ—um prodigalitas paupertatem inducit coÌ„muneÌ„ ⧠Of policie and ouer more To speke in this mater more So as the philosophre tolde A kinge after the reule is holde To modifie and to adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse That he mesure nought excede ☞ Sal. Sic aliis benefacito vt tibi non nocias ¶ For if a kinge falle in to nede It causeth ofte sondry thinges whiche are vngoodly to the kinges what man wille not him selfe mesure Men seen fulofte that mesure Him hath forsake and so doth he That vseth prodigalite whiche is the mother of pouerte wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan thilke vice Aboue a kinge stant in office And hath with holde of his partye The couetous flaterye whiche many a worthy kynge deceyueth Er he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that conne please and glose Ben as men tellen the notices Vnto the fostrynge of the
vices wherof full ofte netheles A kynge is blamed gylteles ¶ Qualiter in principum curiis adulatores triplici grauitate offendunt ¶ A philosopher as thou shalt here Spake to a kynge of this matere And seyd hym well how that flatours Coulpable were of thre errours One was towarde the goddes bye That weren wroth of that they sye The mischiefe whiche befall shulde Of that the fals flatour tolde Towarde the kynge An other was whan they by sleyght and by fallas Of feyned wordes make hym wene That blacke is whyte and blew is grene Touchende of his condicion For whan he doth extorcion with many an other vice mo Men shall not fynde one of tho To grutche or speke there ageyne But holden vp his oyle and seyne That all is well what euer he doth And thus of fals they maken soth So that her kynges eye is blent And wote not howe the worlde is went The thirde errour is harme coÌ„mune with whiche the people mote coÌ„mune Of wronges that they bryngen inne And thus they werchen treble synne That ben flatours about a kynge There myght be no werse thynge About a kynges regalye Than is the vice of flaterye And netheles it hath ben vsed That it was neuer yet refused As for to speke in court ryall For there it is most speciall And may not longe be forbore But when this vice of hem is bore That shulde the vertues forth brynge And trouthe is torned to lesynge It is as who seith agaynst kynde wherof an olde ensample I fynde ¶ Hic loquitur super eodeÌ„ et narrat ê™ est Diâ—genes et Aristippus philosophi a scholis AthenÌ„ ad Cartaginem vnde orti fuerunt renertissent Aristippus Curie principis sui familiaris adhefâ— Diogenes vero in quodam mansuinculo suo studio vocane permansit et contigit ê™ cum ipse quodaÌ„ die ad finem orti sui super ripam herbas quas ele gerat ad ofera lauasset Superuenit ex casu Aristippus dixitque ei O Diogenes certe si principi tuo placere scires tu ad olera tua lauanda non indigeres Cui ille respondit O Aristippe Certe si tu olera tua lauare scires te in vlandiciis et adulationibus principi tuo seruire non oporteret ¶ Amonge these other tales wyse Of philosophers in this wyse I rede howe whylome two there were And to the schole for to lere Vnto Athenes fro Cartage Her frendes whan they were of age Hem sende and there they studeÌ„ longe Tyll they suche lore haue vnderfonge That in her tyme they surmounte All other men that to accounte Of hem was tho the great fame The firste of hem his ryght name was Diogenes than hote In whom was founde no ryote His felawe Aristippus hyght whiche mochel couthe mochel might But at last sothe to seyne They bothe turnen home ayene Vnto Cartage and schole lete This Diogenes no beyete Of worldes good or lasse or more Ne sought for his longe lore But toke hym only for to dwelle At home and as the bokes telle His house was nygh to a ryuere Besyde a brygge as thou shalte here There dwelleth he and takth his rest So as it thought hym for the best To study in his philosophie As he whiche wolde so defye The worldes pompe on euery syde But Aristippe his boke a syde Hath leyde and to the courte he wente where many a wyle and many a wente with flatery and wordes softe He caste and hath compassed ofte Howe he his prince myght please And in this wyfe be gate hym ease Of veyne honour and worldes good The londes rule vpon hym stode The kynge of hym was wondre glad And all was do what thynge he had Gothe in the courte and eke without with flatery be brought about His purpos of the worldes werke whiche was ayene the state of clerke So that philosophy he lefte And to ryches hym selfe vp lefte Lo thus had Aristyppe his wyll But Diogenes dwelte styll At home and loked on his boke He sought not the worldes croke For veyne honour ne for rychesse But all his hertes besynesse He sette to be vertuous And thus within his owne hous He lyuch to the suffysaunce Of his hauynge and fell perchaunce This Diogene vpon a day And that was in the month of May whan that these herbes ben holsome He walketh for to gether some In his gardyn of whiche his ioutes He thought to haue and thus aboutes whan he hath gadred what him lyketh He set him than downe and piketh And wisshe his herbes in the flode Vpon the whiche his garden stode Nigh to the bregge as Itolde ere And hapneth whyle he sytteth there Cam Aristippus by the strete with many bors and routes great And straught vnto the bregge he rode where that he boued and abode For as he cast his eye nygh His felawe Diogene he sigh And what he dede he sigh also wherof he sayde to him tho O Deogene god the spede It were certes litel nede To sitte here and wortes pyke If thouthy prince coudest lyke So as I can in my degre O â—ristippe ageyne quod he If that thou coudest so as I Thy wortes pycke truely It were as lytell nede or lasse That thou so worldly woll compasse with flatery for to serue wherof thou thynkest for to deserue Thy prynces thonke and to purchace How thou myght stonde in his grace For gettynge of a lyttell good If thou wolt take in to thy mode Reason thou myght by reason deme That so thy prynce for to queme Is not to reason accordaunt But it is greatly discordaunt Vnto the scholes of Athene Lo thus answerde Diogene Ageyne the clerkes flateye But yet men seyne thessamplerye Of Aristyppe is well receyued And thilke of Diogene is weyued Office in courte and golde in coffer Is now men seyn the philosopher whiche hath the worshyp in the hall But flatery passeth all In chambre whom the court auaunceth For vpon chylke lotte it chuanceth To be beloued nowe a day ⧠Nota exemplum cuiusdam poete de Italia ouâ— Dante 's vocabatur ¶ I not if it be ye or nay Howe Dante the poete answerde To a flattrour the tale I herde Vpon a stryfe betwene hem two He sayd hym there ben many mo Of thy seruauntes than of myn For the poete of his couyne Hath none that wyl hym cloth and fede But a flatour may rule and lede A kynge with all his londe about So stant the wyse man in dout Of hem that to foly drewe For suche is nowe the comen lawe And as the commune voyce it telleth where nowe that flaterie dwelleth In euery londe vnder the lonne There is full many a thinge begonne whiche were better to be lefte That hath be shewed nowe and efte But if a prince him wolde rule Of the Romayns after the reule In thilke tyme as it was vsed This vice shulde be refused wherof the princis ben assoted But where the playn
trouth is noted There may a prince wel conceyue That he shall nought himselfe deceyue Of that he hereth wordes pleyne For him ther nought by reason pleyne That warned is er hem he wo And that was fully proued so whan Rome was the worldes chiefe The sooth sayer tho was leefe whiche wold not the trouth spare But with his worde playne and bare To themperour his sothes tolde As in cronicke it is withholde Here afterwarde as thou shalt here Acordend vnto this matere ☞ Hic eciam contra vicium adulationis ponit exemplum et narrat ê™ cum nuper Romanorum imperator contra suos hostes victoriaÌ„ optmuisset et cum palma triumphi in vrbem redire debuisset ne ipsum inanis glorie altitudo superextolleret licitum suit pro illo die quod vnus quisque priora que sue condicionie agnosceret in aures suas apâ—cius exclamaret vt sic gaudium cum dolore com pesceret et adulantum voces si que fuerant pro minimo computaret ⧠To se this olde ensamplarye That whilom was no flaterye Towarde the he princis wel I finde wherof so as it comthe to mynde My sonne a tale vnto thin ere while that the worthy princes were At Rome I thinke for to telle For whan the chaunces so byfelle That any emperour as tho Victorye had vpon his foo And so fort came to Rome ageyne Of treble honour he was certayne wherof that he was magnified The firste as it is specyfied was whan he came thylke tyde The chart in whiche he shuld ryde Foure whyte stedes shulde it drawe Of Iupiter by thylke lawe The cote he shulde were also His prisoners eke shulden go Endlonge the chare on eyther honde And all the noblesse of the londe Tofore and after with him come Rydend and broughten him to Rome In token of his chyualrye And for none other flaterye And that was shewed forth with all where he satte in his chare ryalle Besyde him was a rybaud set whiche had his worde so beset To themperour in all his glorye He sayde take in to memorye For all this pompe and all this pryde Let no iustice gon a syde But knowe thy selfe what so befalle For men seen often tyme falle Thinge which men wende syker stonde Though thou victory haue on honde Fortune may not stonde alwey The whele perchaunce anothere day May turne and thou ouer throwe There lasteth no thinge but a throwe with these wordes and with mo This ryhaulde which sat with him tho To themperour his tale tolde And ouermore what euer he wolde Or were it euyl or were it good So playnly as the trouth stood He spareth not but speketh it oute And so myght euery man aboute The day of that solempnyte His tale tel as wele as he To themperour all openly And all was this the cause why That while he stode in his noblesse He shulde his vanite represse with suche wordes as he herde ☞ HIC PONIT EXEMPLVM super codem / et narrat / ê™ eodem die quo imperator intonisatus in palacio suo regio ad conniniuÌ„ in maiori leticia fedisset / ministri sui sculptores procederant alta voce dicentes O imperator dic nobis cuius forme et vbi tumbam sculpture tue faciemus vt sic morte remorsus huius vite blandicias obtemperaret ¶ Lo nowe howe thylke tyme ferde Towarde so high a worthy lorde For this I finde eke of recorde whiche the cronyke hath auctorized what emperour was intronized The fyrst day of his corone where he was in his royal throne And helde his fest in the paleis Sittende vpon his hie deis withall the luste that may be gete whan he was gladest at his mete And euery mynstrell had pleide And euery dissour had saide what moste was pleasant to his ere Than at last came in there His masons for they shulde craue where that he wolde he begraue And of what stone his sepulture They shulden make what sculpture He wolde ordeigne therupon Tho was there flaterye none The worthy prynce to beiape The kynge was otherwyse shape with good counsayle and otherwyse They were hem selfe than wyse And vnderstoden well and knewen when suche softe wyndes blewen Of flaterye in to her eare They setten nought her hertes there But when they herde wordes feyned The pleyne trouth it hath disdeyned Of hem that weren so discrete Tho toke the flaterer no heyete Of hym that was his prince tho And for to prouen it is so A tale whiche befell in dede In a cronyke of Rome I rede Hic inter alia gesta Cesaris narrat vnuÌ„ exeÌ„plum precipue coÌ„tra illos qui cum in aspectu principis aliis sapienciores apparere vellent quandoque tameÌ„ similate sapiencie talia committunt per que ceteris stulciores in fine comprobantur ¶ Cesar vpon his royall trone where that he sat in his persone And was hyest in all his pris A man whiche wolde make hym wyse Fell downe knelende in his presence And dyd hym suche a reuerence As though the high god it were Men hadden great meruayle there Of the worshyp whiche he dede This man aros fro thylke stede And forth with all the same tyde He goth hym vp and by his syde He set hym downe as peer and pere And saide If thou that fyttest here Arte god whiche all thynges myght Than haue I worshypped a ryght As to the god and other wyse If thou be not of thylke assise But arte a man suche as am I Than may I syt the fast by For we be bothe of o kynde Cesar answerde and sayde O blynde Thou arte a fole it is well sene Vpon thy selfe For if thou wene I be a god thou doste amys â—o syt where thou seest god is And if I be a man also Thou hast a great foly do whan thou to suche one as shall deye The worshyp of thy god alweye Hast yeuen so vnworthily Thus may I proue redely Thou art not wise And they that herde Howe wysely that the kynge answerde It was to hem a newe lore wherof they dreden hym the more And brought nothynge to his ere But if it trouthe and reason were So ben there many in suche a wyse That â—aynen wordes to be wyse And all is veray flaterye To hym whiche can it well aspye ¶ Nota qualiter isti circa principem adulatores â—â—â—nus a curia expelli quam ad regie magestatis muneâ—a acceptari policia suadente deberent ¶ The kynde flaterour can not loue But for to brynge hym selfe aboue For howe that euer his mayster fare So that hym selfe stonde out of care Him retcheth nought And thus ful ofte Deceyued bene with wordes softe The kynges that ben innocent wherof as for chastement The wyse philosophre sayde what kynge that so his treasure layde Vpon suche folke he hath the lesse And yet ne doth he no largesse But harmeth with his owne honde Hym selfe and eke his owne londe And
vmbra Deuiat vt rectum nemo videbit iter ☞ Hic tractat de tercia principum legis policia que iusticia nominata est cuius condicio legibus in corupta vnicuique quod suum est equo pondere distribuit ⧠what is a londe where men be none what ben the men whiche are allone withoute a kinges gouernaunce what is a kinge in his ligeaunce where that there is no lawe in londe what is to take lawe on honde But if the Iuges ben trewe These olde worldes with the newe who that wil take in euydence There may he se experience what thinge it is to kepe lawe Through which wronges be withdrawe And rightwisnes stante commended wherof the regnes ben amended For where the lawe may commune The lordes forth with the comune Eche hath his propre deute And eke the kinges rialte Of bothe his worshyp vnderfongeth To his estate as it belongeth whiche of his high worthinesse Hath to gouerne rightwisnesse As he which shall the lawe guyde And netheles vpon some syde His power stant aboue the lawe To yeue both and to withdrawe The forset of a mannes lyfe But thinges which are excessise Ayen the lawe he shal not do For loue ne for hate also ¶ Imperatoriam magestatem non solum armie sed etiam legibus oportet esse armatam ¶ The mightes of a kinge be gret But yet a worthy kinge shall let Of wronge to done all that he might For he whiche shal the people right It syt wel to his regalye That he him selfe first Iustifye Towardes god in his degree For his astate is elles fre Towarde all other in his persone Saue onely to the god alone whiche wyl hym selfe a kynge chastise where that none other may suffise So were it good to taken hede That fyrste a kynge his owne dede Betwene the vertue and the vice Redresse and than of his iustice To set in euen the balance Towardes other in gouernance That to the powre and to the ryche His lawes myghten stondeÌ„ lyche He shall excepte no persone But for he may not all hym one In sondry places do iustyce He shall of his ryall office with wyse consideration Ordeyne his deputation Of sube iuges as ben lerned So that his people be gouerned By hem that true ben and wyfe For if the lawe of couetyse Be set vpon a iuges honde wo is the people of thylke londe For wronge may not hym selfe n hyde But els on that other syde If lawe stonde with the right The people is glad stont vpright where as the lawe is reasonable The comyn people stant menable And if the lawe torne amys The people also mystorned is ⧠Nota hic de iusticia Maximmi imperatoria / qui cum alicuius prouincie custodem sibi constituere volebat / primo de sui nonumis fama proclamacione facta ipsius condicionem diligencius inuestigabat ⧠And in ensample of this matere Of Maxymyn a man may here Of Rome which was emperour That whan he made a gouernour By weye of substitucion Of prouynce or of region He wolde fyrst enquire his name And lete it openly proclame what man he were or euyl or good And vpon that his name stode Enclyned to vertue or to vyce So wolde he set him in office Or elles put hym all aweye Thus helde the lawe his ryght weye which fonde no let of couetyse The worlde stode than vpon the wyse As by ensample thou might rede And holde it in the minde I rede ¶ Hic ponit exemplum de iudicibus incorruptis et narrat qualiter Caius Fabriâ—nis nuper Rome consul autum a Sampnitibus sibi oblatum renuit dicene / quod nobilus est aurum possidenâ—es dominio subiugare / quam ex auri cupiditate dominu libertatem amittere ¶ In a cronycke I fynde thus Howe that Cayus Fabrycius whiche whilome was consull of Rome By whome the lawes yede and come whan the Samuytes to hym brought A somme of golde and him besought To don hem fauour in the lawe Towarde the golde he gan him drawe wherof in all mennes loke Parte vp in his honde he toke whiche to his mouth in all haste He put it for to smelle and iuste And to his eye and to his ere But he ne founde no comforte there And than be gan it to despise And tolde vnto hem in this wyse I not what is with golde to thriue whan none of all my wittes fyue Fynde sauour ne delyte therin So is it but a nyce sinne Of golde to ben to couetouse But he is ryche and gloriouse whiche hath in his subiection Tho men whiche in possession Ben ryche of golde and by this skyll For he may all day whan he wyll Or be hem lese or be hem lothe Iustice done vpon hem both Lo thus he sayd and with that worde He threwe tofore hem on the borde The golde oute of his honde anone And sayd hem that he wolde none So that he kepte his lyberte To do Iustyce and equyte withoute lucre of suche rychesse There ben nowe fewe of suche I gesse For it was thylke tymes vsed That euery Iuge was refused whiche was not frende to comyn ryght But they that wolden stonde vp right For trouthe onely to do Iustyce Preferred were in thylke offyce Lo deme and Iuge comyn lawe which nowe men sayn is all withdrawe â— To sette a lawe and kepe it nought There is no comune profite sought But aboue al netheles The lawe whiche is made for pees Is good to kepe for the beste For that setteth all men in reste ¶ Hic narrat de iusticia nuper Conradi imperato 〈◊〉 cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone 〈◊〉 seâ— precum internencione quacunque vel auâ—â—â—empcione legum statuta commutari seu redi â—â—â—â—â—tenus potuerunt ¶ The ryghtful emperour Conrade To kepe pees suche lawe made That none within the cyte In dysturbaunce of vnyte Durst ones meuen a matere For in his tyme as thou myght here what poynte that was for lawe sette It shulde for no good be lette To what persone that it were And this brought in the comyn fere why euery man the lawe dradde For there was none which fauour bad ¶ Nota exemplum de constantia iudicis vbi narrat de Carmidotiro Rome nuper consule qui cum sui statuti legem nescius offendisset / Romani que super hoc penam sibi remittere voluissent ipse pro pria manu / vbi nullus alius in ipsum vindex fuit / sui criminis vindictam executus est ⧠So as these olde bokes sayne I fynde wryte howe a romayne whiche consull was of the pretoyre whose name was Carmidotoire He sette a lawe for the pees That none but he be wepenles Shall came into the counseyle hous And elles as malicious He shal ben of the lawe dede To that statute and to that rede Accorden all it shall be so For certeyne cause whiche was tho Nowe lyst
what fyll therafter lone This Consul had for to done And was in to the feldes ryde And they hym hadde longe abyde That lordes of the counseyle were And for hym sende and he cam there with swerde begyrde and hath foryete Tyll he was in the counseyle sete was none of hem that made speche Tyll he hym selfe it wolde seche And fonde out the defaut hym selfe And than he sayde vnto the twelfe whiche of the senate weren wyse I haue deserued the iuyse In haste that it were do And they hym sayden all no For well they wyst it was no vyce whan he ne thought no malyce But onelyche of a lytell slouth And thus they leften as for routh To do iustyce vpon his gylte For that he shulde not be spylte And whan he sygh the maners howe They wolde hym saue he made anowe with manful herte and thus he sayde That Rome shulde neuer abrayde His heyres whan he were of dawe That her auncestre brake the lawe For thy er that they weren ware Forthwith the same swerde he bare The statute of his lawe kepte So that all Rome his dethe bewepte ☞ Nota quod falsi iudices mortis pena puuienbi sunt Narrat enim qualiter Cambices rex Per sarum quendam indicem coruptum excoriari vinuÌ„ fecit eiusque pelle cathedram iudicialem operiri coÌ„stituit Ita quod filius suus super patris pellem postea pro tribunali seffurus iudicii equitatem eui dencius memoraretur ⧠In other place also I rede where that a Iuge his owne dede Ne wol nought venge of lawe broke The kynge hath him selfe wroke The great kinge it whiche Cambises was hote a Iuge lawles He fonde and in to remembraunce He dyd vpon him suche vengeaunce Oute of his skin he was beflayne All quycke and in that wise slayne So that his skyn was shape all mete And nayled on the same sete where that his sonne shulde sytte Auise him if he wolde flytte The lawe for the couetyse There sawe be redy his Iuise Thus in defalte of other Iuge The kinge mote otherwhile iuge To holden vp the ryght lawe And for to speke of the olde dawe To take ensample of that was tho I fynde a tale wryten also Howe that a worthy prince is holde The lawes of his londe to holde Fyrst for the hygh goddes sake And eke for that him is betake The people for to guyde and lede whiche is the charge of his kinge hede ¶ Hic ponit exemplum de principibus illis / non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant / sed vt commune bonum adangeant propriam facultateÌ„ diminuuÌ„t Et narrat quod cum AtheuÌ„ principe subditos suos in omni prospiritatis habundantia diuites et vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisse volens ad vtilitatem reipublice leges if las firmnis obserniari peregre profecissise finxit sed priue iuramentuus solempne a legiis suis sub hac forma exegit quod ipsi vsque in reditum suum seges suas nullatenus infringerent quibus iuratis peregrinationem suam in exilium absque reditu perpetuo delegaust ¶ In a cronyke I rede thus Of the ryghtfull Lycurgus whiche of Athenes prynce was Howe be the lawe in euery cas wherof he shulde his people rule Hath set vpon so good a rule In all this worlde that cite none Of lawe was so well begone Forthwith the trouthe of gouernaunce There was amonge hem no distaunce But euery man hath his encrees There was without werre pees without enuye loue stode Rychesse vpon the coÌ„mune good And not vpon the synguler Ordeyned was and the power Of hem that weren in estate was saufe wherof vpon debate There stode nothynge so that in reste Myght euery man his herte reste And whan this noble ryghtfull kynge Sigh how it ferde of all this thynge wherof the people stode in ease He whiche for euer wolde please The hygh god whose thonke be sought A wonder thynge than he bethought And shope if that it myght be Howe that his lawe in the cite Myght afterwarde for euer laste And thervpon his wytte he caste what thynge hym were best to seyne That he his purpose myght atteyne A parlement and thus he sette His wysdome where that he be set In audience of great and smale And in this wyse he tolde his tale ¶ God wote and so ye woten all Here afterwarde howe so it fall yet in to nowe my wyll hath be To do iustyce and equyte In fordrynge of commune proffyte Suche hath ben euer my delyte But of one thinge I am be knowe The whiles my wylle is that ye knowe The lawe / whiche I toke on honde was all togeder of goddes sonde And no thinge of myn owne wit So mote it nede endure yet And shall do lenger if ye wyl For I wol telle you the skyl The god Mercurius and no man He hath me taught all that I can Of suche lawes as I made wherof that ye ben all gladde It was the god and nothinge I whiche dyd all this And nowe for thy He hath commaunded of his grace That I shall come in to a place whiche is foren oute in an yle where I mote tarye for a whyle with him to speke and he hath bede For as he sayth in thilke stede He shall me suche thinges telle That euer whyle the worlde shal dwell Athenes shall the better fare Bâ—t first er that I thyder fare For that I wolde that my lawe Amonges you ne be withdrawe There whiles that I shall be oute For thy to setten oute of doubte Bâ—â—h you and me thus wol I praye That ye me wolde assure and saye with suche an othe as ye wyl take That eche of you shall vndertake My lawes for to kepe and holde They sayden all that they wolde And there vpon they swore there othe That fro that tyme that he gothe 〈◊〉 he to hem be come ageyne They shuld his lawes wel and pleyne In euery poynt kepe and fulfyl Thus hath Lycurgus his wille And toke his leue and forth he went But list nowe wel to what entent Of rightwisnes be did so For after that he was ago He shope him neuer to be founde So that Athenis wyiche was bounde Neuer after shuld be releced Ne thilke good lawe seced whiche was for commune profit sette And in this wyse he hath it knette He whiche the commune profyte sought The kynge his owne estate ne rought To do profyte to the commune He toke of exyle the fortune And lefte of prynce thylke office Onely for loue and for iustyce Through whiche he thought if that he might For euer after his deth to right The cite whiche was hym betake wherof men ought ensample take The good lawes to auaunce with hem whiche vnder gouernaunce The lawes haue for to kepe For who that wolde take kepe Of hem that fyrst lawes founde Al 's ferre as lasteth any bounde Of londe her names yet ben knowe And if
it lyke the to knowe Some of her names howe they stonde Nowe herken thou shalt vnderstoÌ„de ☞ Hic ad eorum laudem qui iustitie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius coÌ„memorat ¶ Of euery benfite the merite The god hym selfe it wol acquyte And eke full ofte it falleth so The worlde it woll acquyte also But that may not ben euen lyche The god he yeueth the heuen ryche The worlde yefth onely but a name whiche stont vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen they that done well here wherof if that the lyst to here After the fame as it is blowe There myght thou well the soth knowe Howe thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first for ryghtwysenesse Amonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde and songe And holde in the cronyke write So that the men it shullen wyte To speaken good as they well oughten Of hem that fyrste the lawes soughten In foâ—drynge of the worldes pees Vnto the Hebrewes was Moyses The fyrste and to the Egypciens Mercurius and to Troiens Fyrst was Numa Pompilius To Athenes Licurgus yaue fyrst the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And Romulus of romayns For suche men that ben vilayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeineth That what man to the lawe pleyneth Be so the iuge stande vpryght He shall be serued of his ryght And so ferforth it is befall That lawe is come amonge vs all God leue it mote well bene holde As euery kynge therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette with kynges ought it not be lette what kynge of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royalme kepe Do lawe away what is a kynge where is the ryght of any thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kynge well vnderstonde As he whiche is to lawe swore That if the lawe be forlore withouten execucion It makth a londe turne vp so doun whiche is vnto the kynge a sclaundre For thy vnto kynge Alisaundre The wyse philosophre badde That he hym selfe fyrste be ladde Of lawe and forth than ouer all To do iustice in generall That all the wyde londe aboute The iustice of his lawe doubte And than shall be stonde in rest For therto lawe is one the best Aboue all other erthly thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But howe a kynge shall gete hym loue Towarde the hygh god aboue And eke amonge the men in erthe This nexte poynt whiche is the ferthe Of Aristotles lore it techeth wherof who that the schole secheth what policie that it is The boke reherseth after this Nil rationis habens ubi uelle tyrannica regna Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi Sed pietas regnum quae conseruabit in aeuum Non tantum populo sed placet illa deo ¶ Hic tractat de quarta principum regiminis policia que pietas dicta est per quam principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gratius consequuntur ¶ It nedeth not that I delate The price whiche preysed is algate And hath bene euer and euer shall wherof to speake in speciall It is the vertue of Pite Through whiche the hye maieste was stered whan his sonne alyght And in pyte the worlde to ryght Toke of the mayde flesshe blood Pite was cause of thylke good wherof that we ben all saue well ought a man pite to haue And the vertue to sette in price whan he hym selfe whiche is all wyse Hath shewed why it shall be preysed Pite may not be counterpeysed Of tyranny with no peyse For pyte makth a kynge curteyse Both in his worde and in his dede It syt well euery lyege drede His kinge and to his best obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kinge to be pitous Towarde his people and gracious Vpon the reule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeaunce whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustice whiche doth equite Is dredful for he no man spareth But in the lond where pite fareth The kinge may neuer fayle of loue For pyte through the grace aboue So as the holy boke affermed His reigne in good estate confermed Thapostel Iames in this wise Seyth what man shulde do Iuise And hath not pyte forth with all The dome of him whiche demeth all He may him selfe ful sore drede That him shall lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte woll beholde It is a poynte of Christes lore And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reason and to lawe of kinde Cassodore in his aprise telleth The reigne is saufe where pite dwelleth And Tullyus his tale auoweth And sayth what kinge to pite boweth And with pite stont ouercome / He hath that shelde of grace nome whiche the kinges yeueth victorye ¶ Of Alysaunder in his histoyre 〈◊〉 rede howe he a worthy knyght Of â—odeyn wrath and not of right For iuged hath and he appelleth And with that word the king quareleth And saith None is aboue me That wote I wel my lorde quod he Fro thy lorship appele I nought But fro thy wrath in all my thought To thy pyte stant myn appele The kinge which vnderstode him wele Of pure pyte yaue him grace And eke I rede in other place Thus saide whilome Constantyne what emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunt Of all the worldes remenaunt He is worthy to ben a lord ¶ In olde bokes of recorde Thus finde I wryte of ensamplaire â—â—aâ—an the worthy debonaire By whome that Rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to familyer He sayde vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wil was not for vayne honoure Ne yet for reddour of iustice But if he myght in his office His lordes and his people plese Him thought it were a greatter ease with loue her hartes to him drawe Than with the drede of any lawe For whan a thinge is done for doubte Ful ofte it comth the wers aboute But where a kinge is pyetous He is the more gracious That mochel thrifte him shall be tyde whiche ellis shulde torne a syde Qualiter Iudeus pedester cum paganos equi tante itenerauit prr desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit ☞ To do pyte supporte and grace The philosophre vpon a place In his writenge of dayes olde A tale of great ensample tolde Vnto the kynge of Macedoyne Howe betwene Cayr and Babyloyne whan comen is the somer hete It hapneth two men for to mete As they shulde entre in a paas where that the wyldernesse was And as they wente forthe spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That o man asketh of that other what man arte thou my liefe brother whiche is thy creance and thy feyth I am paynym that other sayth
And by the lawe whiche I vse I shall not in my feyth refuse To louen all men ylyche The poure bothe and eke the ryche whan they be glad I shall be glad And sory whan they ben bestad So shall I lyue in vnite with euery man in his degre For ryght as to my selfe I wolde Ryght so towarde al other shulde Be gracious and debonaire Thus haue I tolde the softe faire My faith my lawe and my creaunce And if the lyst for acqueyntaunce Nowe telle what maner man thou art And he answerde vpon his parte I am a iewe and by my lawe I shall to no man be felawe To kepe hym trouth in worde ne dede But if he be without drede A very iewe right as am I. For elles I may trewly Bereue hym both life and good The paynim herde and vnderstode And thought it was a wonder lawe And thus vpon their sondry sawe Talkende both forth they went The day was hote the sonne brent The paynim rode vpon an asse And of his catell more and lasse with hym a ryche trusse he lad The iewe which all vntrouth had And went vpon his fete besyde Bethought hym howe he myght ryde And with his wordes slye and wise Vnto the paynym in this wyse He sayde O nowe it shall be sene what thynge it is thou woldest mene For if thy lawe be certeyne As thou hast tolde I dare well seyne Thou wolt beholde my distres whiche am so full of werynesse That I ne may vneth go And let me ryde a myle or two So that I may my body ease The paynim wold hym not displease Of that he spake but in pite It list him for to knowe and se The pleynt whiche that other made And for he wolde his hert glade He light and made him nothing strauÌ„ge Thus was there made a newe chaunge The paynim goth the iewe alofte was sette vpon his asse softe So gone they forth carpende fast On this on that tyll at laste The paynym myght go no more And prayed vnto the iewe therfore To suffre hym ryde a lytell whyle The iewe which thought him to begyle Anone rode forth the great pase And to the paynym in this case He sayde Thou hast do thy ryght Of that thou haddest me behyght To do succour vpon my nede And that accordeth to the dede As thou art to the lawe holde And in suche wyse as I the tolde I thynke also for my partie Vpon the lawe of Iewerie To worche and do my duete Thin asse shall go forth with me with all thy good whiche I haue sesed And that I wote thou arte disesed I am right glad and not my spayde And whan he hath these wordes sayde In all haste he rode away This paynim wote none other way But on the grounde he kneleth euen His handes vp to the heuen And saide O hibe sothfastnes That louest all rightwysnesse Vnto thy dome lorde I appele Beholde and deme my quarele with vmble herte I the beseche The mercy bothe and eke the wreche I set all in thy iugement And thus vpon his marrement This paynym hath made his preiere And than he rose with drery chere And goth hym forth and in his gate He cast his eye aboute algate The iewe if that he myght se But for a tyme it might not be Tyll at last ayene the nyght So as god wolde he went a ryght As he whiche helde the highe weye And than he syghe in a valeye where that the iewe lyggende was All bloody deed vpon the gras whiche strangled was of a lyon And as he loked vp and down He fonde his asse fast by Forthe with his harneis redily All hole and sounde as he it lefte whan that the iewe it hym berefte wherof he thanked god knelende Lo thus a man may knowe at ende Howe the pitous pitie deserueth For what man that to pitie serueth As Aristotle it bereth witnesse God shall his fomen so redresse That they shall aye stonde vnder fote Pitie men seyne is thylke rote wherof the vertues sprengen all what infortune that befall In any londe lacke of pyte Is cause of thilke aduersite And that alday may shewe at eye who that the worlde discretely sye Good is that euery man therfore Take hede of that is sayde tofore For of this tale and other inowe These noble princes whylom drowe Her euidence and her apprise As men may fynde in many wyfe who that these olde bokes rede And though they ben in erthe deed Her good name may nought deye For pite whiche they wold obeye To do the dedes of mercy And who this tale redily Remembreth as Aristotle it tolde He may the wylle of god beholde Vpon the poynt as it was ended wherof that pyte stode commended whiche is to charite felawe As they that kepen bothe o lawe ¶ â—â—ta hic de principis pietate erga populum / 〈…〉 quod cum Codrus tex Athenis contra â—â—rences bellum gerere deberet consulto 〈◊〉 Apoâ—ine responsum accepit quod vnum de 〈◊〉 videâ—â—cet aut seipsum in prelio interfici 〈◊〉 populum suum sasuare aut seipsum saluuÌ„ fieri 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—um interfici eligere oporteret / Super 〈◊〉 â—â—â—etote motus plebisque sue magis quam 〈…〉 salutem affectans / mortem sibi 〈…〉 / Et sic bellum aggrediens pro vita 〈◊〉 solus interut ¶ Of pite for to speke pleyne whiche is with mercy well beseyne Full ofte he woll hym selue peyne To kepe an other fro the peyne For charâ—â— the mother is Of pite whiche nothynge amys Can suffre if he it may amende It syt to euery man lyuende To be pytous but none so wele As to a kynge whiche on the whele Fortune hath set abouen all For in a kynge if so befalle That his pitche ferme and stable To all the londe it is vaillable Onely through grace of his persone For the pite of hym alone May all the large royalme saue So sit it wel a kinge to haue Pyte For this Valery tolde And sayd howe that by dayes olde Codrus whiche was in his degre Kynge of Athenes the cyte A werre he had ayeinst Dorrence And for to take his euydence what shall befalle of the batayle He thought he wolde him first counsaile with Apollo in whom he tryste Through whose answere thus he wyste Of two poyntes that he might chese Or that he wolde his body lese And in batayle him selfe deye Or els the seconde weye To seen his people discomfite But he / whiche pite hath perfyte Vpon the poynte of his byleue The people thought to releue And chese him selfe to be deed where is nowe suche another heed whiche wolde for the lymmes dye And netheles in somme partye It ought a kinges hert stere That he his lyege men forbere And eke towarde his enemyes Full ofte he may deserue pryse To take of pyte remembraunce where that he might do vengeaunce For whan a kinge hath the victoire And than he drawe in
to the people a champion without any pite feyned For if manhode be restreyned Or be it pees or be it warre Iustyce goth all out of herre So that knyghthode is set behynde ¶ Of Aristotles lore I fynde A kynge shall make good vysage That no man knowe of his courage But all honour and worthynesse For if a kynge shall vpon gesse without verâ—y cause drede He may be lyche to that I rede And though that be lyke a fable Then saumple is good and reasonable ⧠Hic loquitur secundum philosophum diceus quod sicut non decet principes tyrannica impetuositate esse crudeles it a nec decet timorosa pufillanimitate esse vecordes ⧠As it by olde dayes fylle I rede whylom that an hylle Vp in the londes of Archade And wonder dredfull noyse it made For so it fyl that ylke day This hylle on his chyldynge lay And whan the throwes on him come His noyse liche the day of dome was ferefull in a mannes thought Of thinges which that they se nought But wel they herden all aboute The noise of which they were in doubte As they that wenden to be lore Of thinge whiche than was vnbore The nere this hyl was vpon chaunce To take his deliueraunce The more vnbuxomly he cryde And euery man was fledde a syde For drede and lefte his owne how 's And at last it was a mows The whiche was bore and to noryce By take and tho they helde hem nyce For they withouten cause dradde Thus if a kinge his herte ladde with euery thinge that he shall here Ful ofte he shulde chaunge his chere And vpon fantasye drede whan that there is no cause of drede ¶ Nota hic secundum Horacium de magnanimo Iacide et pusillanimo Thersite ¶ Horace to his prince tolde That him were leuer that he wolde Vpon knyghthode Achylles sewe In tyme of warre than eschewe So as Thersites did at Troye Achilles al his hole ioye Set vpon armes for to fyght Thersites sought all that he might Vnarmed for to stonde in reste But of the two it was the beste That Achilles vpon the nede Hath do wherof his knyghtlyhede Is yet commended oueralle Kynge Salomon in speciall Saith As there is a tyme of pees So is a tyme netheles Of werre in whiche a prynce algate Shall for the comon right debate And for his owne worship eke But it behoueth not to seke Onely the werre for worship But to the right of his lordship whiche he is holde to defende Mote euery worthy prince entende Betwene the symplesse of pyte And the fole hast of cruelte where stonte the very hardinesse There mote a kinge his herte adresse whan it is tyme to forsake And whan tyme is also to take The deedly werres vpon honde That he shall for no drede wonde If ryghtwisenes be withall For god is mighty ouer all To forther euery mans trouthe But it be through his owne slouthe And namely the kinges nede It may not fayle for to spede For he stante one for hem all So mote it well the better falle And wel the more god fauoureth whan he the comune righte socoureth And for to se the soth in dede Beholde the bible and thou might rede Of great ensamples many one wherof that I wil tellen one ¶ Hic dicit / quod princeps iusticie causa bellum nullo modo timere debet Et narrat qualiter dux Gedeon cum solis trecentis viris quinque reges scilicet Madianitarum Amalechitarum / Amoitanorum Amoreorum et Iebuseorum cum eorit excercitu qui ad nonaginta milia numeraius eft / gracia cooperante diuina victoriose in fugam conuertit ☞ Vpon a tyme as it byfelle Ayenst Iude and Israelle whan sondry kynges come were In purpos to destroye there The people / whiche god kepte tho And stode in thylke dayes so That Gedeon whiche shulde lede The goddes folke / toke him to rede And sende in all the londe aboute Tyl he assembled hath a route with .xxx. thousand of defence To fyght and make resistence Ageyne the whiche hem wolde assayle And netheles that one batayle Of thre / that weren enemys was double more than was all his wherof that Gedeon him drad That he so lytel people had But he whiche all thinge may helpe where that there locketh mannes helpe To Gedeon his aungel sente And bad / er that he forther wente All openly that he do crye That euery man in his partye whiche wolde after his owne wylle In his delyte abyde stylle At home in any maner wyse For purchace or for couetyse For lust of loue or lacke of herte He shuld nought aboute sterte But holde him stylle at home in pees wherof vpon the morow he lees wel .xx. thousande men and mo The whiche after the cry ben go Thus was with him but onely lefte The thryde parte and yet god efte His aungel send and sayd this To Gedeon If it so is That I thyn helpe shall vndertake Thou shalt yet lesse people take By whome my wyl is that thou spede For thy to morowe take good hede Vnto the flood whan ye be come what man that hath the water nome Vp in his hande and lappeth so To thy parte chese oute all tho And him whiche wery is to swinke Vpon his wombe and lyeth to drynke Forsake and put hem al aweye For I am myghty all weye where as me lyst my helpe to shewe In good men though they be fewe This Gedeon a wayteth wele Vpon the morowe and euery dele As god him bad right so he dede And thus ther lefte in that stede with him thre hondred and no mo The remenaunte was all ago wherof that Gedeon merueyleth And theron with god counceyleth Pleynynge as ferforth as he dare And god whiche wolde he were ware That he shuld spede vpon his right Hath bede him go the same nyght And take a man with hym to here what shall be spoke in this matere Amonge the hethen enemyes So may he be the more wyse what afterwarde him shall befalle This Gedeon amonges alle Phara to whome he tryst moste By nyght toke towarde thylke hoste whiche lodged was in a valeye To here what they wolden seye Vpon his fote and as he ferde Two sarazyns spekende he herde Quod one arede my sweuen aryght whiche I met in my slepe to night Me thought I sygh a barly cake whiche fro the hylle his wey hath take And com rollende doune at ones And as it were for the nones Forth in his cours so as it ran The kynges tente of Madyan Of Amaleche of Amorie Of A mon and of Iebuseye And many another tente mo with great ioye as me thought tho It threwe to grounde and ouer cast And all his host so sore agaste That I awoke for pure drede This sweuen can I well arede Quod the other sarazen anone The barly cake is Gedeon whiche fro the hylle donne sodenlye Shall come and set suche a skrye
this manere That he with loue and with glad chere Foryeue and graunte all that is asked Of that his fader had tasked For so he may his regne acheue with thing which shall hem litell greue The kinge hem herd and ouer passeth And with this other his wit compasseth That yonge were and nothinge wyse And they these olde men despise And sayden Sir it shall be shame For euer vnto thy worthy name If thou ne kepe not thy ryght while thou arte in thy yonge myght whiche that thyn olde father gate But say vnto the people plate That whyle thou lyuest in thy londe The leest fynger of thyn honde It shall be strenger ouer all Than was thy fathers body all And thus also shall be thy tale If he hem smote with roddes smale with scorpions thou shalt hem smyte And where thy father toke a lyte Thou thynkest take mychell more Thus shalt thou make hem drede sore The great hert of thy corage So for to holde hem in seruage This yonge kyng hym hath conformed To done as he was last enformed whiche was to him his vndoynge For whan it came to the spekynge He hath the yonge counseyle holde That he the same wordes tolde Of all the people in audience And whan they herden the sentence Of his malyce and the manace Anone tofore his owne face They haue hym vtterly refused And with full great reproue accused So they began for to raue That he hym selfe was fayne to saue For as the wylde wode rage Of wyndes maketh the see sauage And that was calme bryngeth to wawe So for defaut and grace of lawe The people is stered all at ones And forth they gone out of his wones So that of the lygnages twelfe Two tribus onely by hem selfe with hym abyden and no mo So were they for euermo Of no retourne without espeire Departed fro the rightfull heire Of Israell with comen voyce A kynge vpon her owne choyce Amonge hem selfe a anone they make And haue her yonge lorde forsake A powre knyght Ieroboas They toke and lefte Roboas whiche ryghtfull beyre was by dissent Lo thus the yonge cause went For that the counseyle was not good The reygne fro the ryghtfull blood Euer afterwarde deuyded was So may it prouen by this cas That yong counseyl which is to warme Or men beware doth ofte harme Olde age for the counseyle serueth And lusty yongth his thonke deserueth Vpon the traueyle whiche he doth And both for to sey a fothe By sondry cause for to haue If that he wyll his reigne saue A kynge behoueth euery day That one can and that other may Be so the kynge hem both rule Or elles all goth out of rule ¶ Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi / vtrum regno conuenientius foret principem cum malo consilio optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem ¶ And vpon this matere also A question betwene the two Thus wryten in boke I fonde where it be better for the londe A kynge hym selfe to be wyse And so to bere his owne pryse And that his counseyle be not good Or otherwyse if it so stode A kynge if he be vicious And his counseyle be vertuous It is answerde in suche a wyse That better it is that they be wyse By whom that the counseyle shall gone For they ben many and he is one And rather shall an one man with fals counseyle for ought he can From his wysedome be made to fall Than he alone shulde hem all Fro vices vnto vertue chaunge For that is well the more straunge For thy the londe may well be glad whose kynge with good counseyle is lad whiche sette hym vnto ryghtwysnes So that his high worthynes Betwene the reddour and pyte Doth mercy forth with equyte A kinge is holden ouer all To pyte but in speciall To hem where he is moste beholde They shulde his pite most beholde That ben the lieges of the londe For they ben euer vnder his honde After the goddes ordenaunce To stonde vpon his gouernaunce ¶ â—â—â—a ad huc precipne de principum erga suos 〈…〉 debâ—ta â—ietate legitur enim qualiter An 〈…〉 Sciâ—â—â—ne exeÌ„pâ—ificatus dixit quod malâ—er vâ—â—m de populo sibi commisso virum saluare câ—â—â—â—enâ—â— ex hostibê° alienigenis in bello perdere ☞ Of themperour Anthonius I fynd bowe that he sayde thus How him were leuer for to saue One of his liges than to haue Of enemyes an hundred dede And thus he lerned as I rede Of Scipio whiche had be Consul of Rome and thus to se Dyuers ensamples howe they stonde A kinge which hath the charge on hoÌ„de The comyn people to gouerne If that he wyl he may wel lerne Is none so good to the plesaunce Of god as is good gouernaunce And euery gouernaunce is due To pyte thus I may argue That pyte is the foundemente Of euery kynges regimente If it be medlyd with iustice They two remeuen all vyce And ben of vertu most vaylable To make a kinges royame stable Lo thus the foure poyntes tofore In gouernaunce as they be bore Of trouth fyrst and of largesse Of pyte forth with rightwisnesse I haue hem tolde and ouer this The fyrst poynte so as it is Set of the rule of policye wherof a kynge shall modefye The flesshly lustes of nature Nowe thinke I telle of suche mesure That both kinde shall be serued And eke the lawe of god obserued Corporis et mentis regeÌ„ decet omnis honestas Nominis vt famam nulla libido ruat Omne quod est liominis effeminat illa voluptas Sit nisi magnanimi cordis vt obstat ei ¶ Hic tractat secundum Aristotelem de quinta principum policia que castitatem concernit cuius honestas impudicicie molus obtemperans tam corporis quam anime mundiciciam specialius preseruat ⧠The male is made for the femele But where as one desyreth fele That nedeth nought by weye of kynde For whan a man may redy fynde His owne wyfe what shuld he seche In straunge places to beseche To borowe another mans plough whan he hath geare at home ynough Affayted at his owne heste And is to hym wel more honeste Than other thinge which is vnknowe For thy shulde euery good man knowe And thynke howe that in maryage His trouth plyte / lyeth in morgage whiche if he breke it is falsehode And that discordeth to manhode And namely towarde the great wherof the bokes all trete So as the phylosophre techeth To Alysaunder and him by techeth The lore howe that he shall mesure His body so that no mesure Of flesshly lust he shulde excede And thus forth if I shall procede The fyfte poynte / as I sayd ere Is Chastyte whiche selde where Comth nowe a dayes in to place And nethelesse but it be grace Aboue all other in specialle Is none that chaste may ben alle But yet a kynges hygh estate whiche of his order as
ipsis contaminati sunt ¶ And in the bible I fynde also A tale lyke vnto this thynge Howe Ameleche the paynym kynge whan that he myght by no weye Defende his londe and put awey The worthy people of Israell This sarasyn 〈◊〉 it befelle Through the counseyle of Balaam A rout of fayre women nam That lusty were and of yonge age And bad hem go to the lynage Of these hebrewes forth they went with eyen grey and browes bent And well arayed euerychone And whan they comen were anone Emonge thebrews was none in syght But catche who that catche myght And eche of hem his lustes sought whiche after they full dere abought For grace anone began to fayle That whan they comen to batayle Than afterwarde in sory plyte They were take and discomfyte So that within a lytell throwe The myght of hem was ouerthrowe That whylom were wont to stonde Tyll Phynees the cause on honde Hath take this vengeaunce last But than it cesed at laste For god was payed of that he dede For where he fonde vpon a stede A couple whiche mysferred so Throughout he smote hem both two And let hem lygge in mennes eye wherof oll other whiche hem sye Ensampled hem vpon the dede And prayden vnto the godhede Her olde synnes to amende And he whiche wolde his mercy sende Restored hem to newe grace Thus may it shewe in sondry place Of chastite howe the clennesse Accordeth to the worthynesse Of men of armes ouer all But most of all in speciall This vertue to a kynge belongeth For vpon his fortune it hongeth Of that his londe shall spede or spylle For thy but if a kynge his wyll Fro lustes of his flesshe restreyne Ageyne hym selfe he maketh a treyne Into the whiche if that he slyde Hym were better go besyde For euery man may vnderstonde Howe for a tyme that it stonde It is a sory lust to lyke whose ende maketh a man to syke And tourneth ioyes in to sorowe The bryght sonne by the morowe Beshyneth not the derke nyght The lusty yongth of mans myght In age but it stonde wele Mystorneth all the last whele ¶ Hic loquitur qualiter principum irregulata voluptas eos a semita recta multotiens deniare coÌ„pellit Et narrat exemplum de Salomone qui ex sue carnis concupiscentia victus mulierum blandimeÌ„tis in sui scandalum deos alienos colere presumebat ¶ That euery worthy prynce is holde within hym selfe to beholde To se the state of his persone And thynke howe there be ioyes none Vpon this erthe made to laste And how the flesshe shall at last The lustes of his lyfe forsake Hym ought a great ensample take Of Salomon whose appetite was holly sette vpon delyte To take of women the plesaunce So that vpon his ignoraunce The wyde worlde meruayleth yet That he whiche all mens wyt In thilke tyme hath ouerpassed with flesshly lustes was so tassed That he whiche ledde vnder the lawe The people of god him selfe withdrawe He hath fro god in suche a wyse That he worshyp and sacrifice For sondry loue in sondry stede Vnto the false goddes dede This was the wyse Ecclesiaste The fame of whom shall euer laste That he the myghty god forsoke Ageyn the lawe whan he toke His wyues and his concubynes Of hem that were sarazyns For whiche he dyd idolatrie For this I rede of his soty She of Sydoyne so hym ladde That he knelende his armes spradde To astratchen with great humblesse whiche of her londe was the goddesse And she that was of Moabyte So ferforth made hym to delyte Through lust which al his wit deuoreth That he Thamos hir god honoreth An other Amonyte also with loue him hath assoted so Hir god Moloche that with encence He sacreth and doth reuerence In suche a wyse as she hym bad Thus was the wysest ouerlad with blynde lustes whiche he sought But he it afterwarde abought ¶ Nota hic qualiter Achias propheta in signum 〈◊〉 regnum post mortem Salomonie ob eius â—â—â—catuÌ„ a suo herede dimineretur pallium suum in due decim partes scidit vnde decem partes Ieâ—◠〈◊〉 filio Nabal qui regnaturê° postea successit 〈◊〉 to deâ—tribuit ⧠For Achias solenites whiche was prophet er his deces while he was in his lustes all Betokeneth what shall after falle For on a day whan that he mette Ieroboam the knyght he grette And had hym that he shulde abyde To here what hym shall betyde And forth withall Achyas cast His mantell of and also fast He cut it in to peces twelfe wherof two parties vnto hym selfe He kepte and all the remenaunt As god hath set his couenaunt He toke vnto Ieroboas Of Nabal whiche the sonne was And of the kynges courte a knyght And saide hym suche is goddes myght As thou haste sene departed here My mantell right in suche manere After the dethe of Salomon God hath ordeyned thervpon This reygne than he shall deuyde whiche tyme eke thou shalt abyde And vpon that diuision The reygne as in proporcion As thou hast of my mantell take Thou shalt receyue I vndertake And thus the sonne shall abye The lustes and the lechery Of hym whiche nowe his father is So for to taken hede of this It syt a kynge well to be chast For els he may lyghtly wast Hym selfe and eke his reygne bothe And that ought euery kynge to lothe O whiche a synne violent wherof so wise a kynge was shent That he vengeance of his persone was not inough to take alone But afterwarde whan he was passed It hath his heritage lassed As I more openly to fore The tale tolde And thus therfore The philosopher vpon this thynge write and counseyled to a kynge That he the forfete of luxure Shall tempre and rule of suche mesure whiche he to kynde suffisaunt And eke to reason accordaunt So that the lustes ignoraunce Bycause of no mysgouernaunce Through which that he be ouerthrowe As he that wyll no reason knowe For but a mans wyt he swerued whan kynde is dulyche serued It ought of reason to suffyse For if it fall hym otherwyse He may the lustes sore drede ¶ For of Anthony thus I rede whiche of Seuerus was the sonne That he his lyfe of coÌ„mune wonne Yaue holly vnto thilke vice And ofte tyme he was so nyce wherof nature hir hath compleyned Vnto the god whiche hath disceyned The warkes whiche Anthony wrought Of luste whiche he fulle sore abought For god his forfete hath so wroke That in cronyke it is yet spoke But for to take rememembraunce Of speciall mysgouernaunce Through couetyse and iniustyce Forth with the remenaunt of vice And namelyche of lechery I fynde write a great partie within a tale as thou shalt here whiche is thensample of this matere ¶ Hic loquit he Tarquinio Rome nuê‘ impatore / necnoÌ„ et de eiusdeÌ„ filio noie Arrous / qui oim vicâ—oruÌ„ varietate repleti taÌ„ in hoies quam in mulieres in numer
dayes full a space I graunte the to ben aduysed And thus with leue and tyme assysed This yonge prynce forth he wente And vnderstode wel what it mente within his herte as he was lered That for to make him afered The kinge his tyme hath so delayed wherof he drad and was amayed Of treson that he deye shulde For he the kinge his southe tolde And sodeynly the nyghtes tyde That more wolde he nought abyde Al pryuely his barge he hente And home ageyne to Tyre he wente And in his owne witte he sayed For drede if he the kynge bewrayed He knewe so wel the kinges herte That deth ne shulde he nought asterte The kynge him wolde so purse we But he that wolde his deth eschewe And knewe all this tofore the honde Forsake he thought his owne londe That there wolde he not abyde For wel he knewe that on som syde This tyraunt of his felonye By some manere of trecherye To greue his body wyl not leue ¶ De fuga Appollini per mare a regno suo ¶ For thy withouten takinge leue As priuelyche as they might He goeth him to the see by night Her shippes that ben with whete laden Her takyl redy tho they maden And haleth sayle and forth they fare But for to tellen of the care That they of Tyre began tho whan that they wist he was ago It is a pyte for to here They losten lust they losten chere They toke vpon hem suche penaunce Ther was no songe there was no dauÌ„ce But euery myrthe and melody To hem was then a malady For vnlust of that auenture There was no man which toke tonsure In deedly clothes they hem clothe The bathes and the stewes bothe They shyt in by euery wey There was no lyfe whiche lust pley Ne take of any ioye kepe But for her lyege lorde to wepe And euery wyght saith as he couth Alas the lusty floure of youth Our prynce our heed our gouernour Through whom we stonden in honour without the commune assent That sodeynly is fro vs went Suche was the clamour of hem all ¶ Qualiter Thaliartus miles vt Appolinum 〈…〉 â—â—caret ab Antiocho in Tirum missê° ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ nâ—n inuento Antiochiam rediit ¶ But se we nowe what is befalle Vpon the fyrst tale playne And tourne we therto agayne ¶ Antiochus the great syre which full of rancour and of yre His herte hereth so as ye herde Of that this prynce of Tyre answerde He had a felowe bacheler whiche was his preuy counseyler And Thaliart by name he hyght The kynge a stronge poyson hym dight within a boxe and golde therto In all haste and bad hym go Streyght vnto Tyre and for no coste Ne spare tyll he had lost The prynce whiche he wolde spylle And whan the kynge hath said his wyll This Taliart in a galeye with all the haste he toke his wey The wynde is good they seyleth blyue Tyll he toke londe vpon the ryue Of Tyre and forth with all anone Into the borough be gan to gone And toke his inne and bode a throwe But for he wold nought be knowe Disguysed than he goth hym out He sygh the wepynge all about And axeth what the cause was And they hym tolde all the cas Howe sodeynly the prynce is go And whan he sygh that it was so And that his labour was in veyne Anone he tourneth home ageyne And to the kynge whan he cam nygh He tolde of that he herde and sygh Howe that the prynce of Tyre is fled So was be come ageyne vnsped The kynge was sory for a whyle But whan he sygh that with no wyle He myght acheue his cruelte He stynt his wrath and let hym be ¶ Qualiter Appolinus in portu Tharsis applicuit vbi in hospicio cuiusdam magni viri nomine Strangulionis hospitatus est ¶ But ouer this nowe for to telle Of aduentures that befelle Vnto this prince of whiche I tolde He hath his right cours forth holde By stone and nedell tyll he cam To Tharse and ther his londe be nam A bourgeys ryche of golde and fee was thylke tyme in that cite whiche cleped was Stranguillio His wyfe was Dionisie also This yonge prynce as saith the boke with hym his herbergage toke And it befyll that cite so Before tyme and than also Through stronge famyn whiche beÌ„ lad was none that any whete had Appolynus whan that he herde The mischefe howe the cite ferde All frelyche of his owne gyfte His whete amonge hem for to shyfte The whiche by shyp he had brought He yaue and toke of hem right nought But sithen fyrst this worlde began was neuer yet to suche a man More ioye made than they hym made For they were all of hym so glade That they for euer in remembraunce Made a fygure in resemblaunce Of hym and in a comon place They set it vp so that his face Myght euery maner man beholde So as the citie was beholde It was of â—aton ouer gylte Thus hath he nought his yefte spylte ☞ Qualiter Hellicanus ciuis Tyri Tharsim â—entens Appollinum de insidiis Anthiochi prenunciauit ¶ Vpon a tyme with a route This lorde to pley goeth hym oute And in his way of Tyre he mette A man whiche on his knees hym grette And Hellican by name he hyght whiche prayde his lorde to haue insight Vpon hym selfe and sayde hym thus Howe that the great Antiochus Awayteth if that he myght hym spylle That other thought / helde hym stylle And thanked hym of his warnynge And bad hym tell no tydynge whan he to Tyre cam home ageyne That he in Tharse hym had seyne ¶ Qualiter Appollinus portum Tharsis relinquens cum ipse per mare nauigio securiorem quesiuit superueniente tempestate nauis cum omnibpreter ipsum solum in eadem contentis iuxta Pen tapolim periclitabatur ¶ Fortune hath euer be muable And may no whyle stonde stable For nowe it hyeth nowe it loweth Nowe stant vpright now ouerthroweth Nowe full of blysse and nowe of bale As in the tellyng of my tale Here afterwarde a man may lere whiche is great routh for to here ¶ This lorde which wold done his best within hym selfe hath lytell rest And thought he wolde his place chauÌ„ge And seke a countre more straunge Of Tharsyens his leue anone He toke and is to shyppe ygone His cours he name with sayle vp drawe where as fortune doth the lawe And sheweth as I shall reherse Howe she was to this lorde diuerse The whiche vpon the see she ferketh The wynde aroos the wether derketh It blewe and made suche tempeste None anker may the ship arest whiche hath to broken al his gere The shipmen stode in suche a fere was none that might him selfe bestere But euer awayte vpon the lere whan that they shuldeÌ„ drenche at ones There was ynough within the wones Of wepinge / and of sorowe tho The yonge kyng maketh mochel wo So for to se the ship trauayle But all
The day is go the nightes chaunce Hath derked all the bright sonne This lord which hath his loue wonne Is go to bed with his wyfe where as they lede a lusty lyfe And that was after somdele sene For as they pleyden hem betwene They gete a chylde betwene hem two To whom fyl after mochel wo. ¶ Qualiter ambassiatores a Tyro in quadam naui Pentapolim venientes mortem regis Antiochi Appolino nunciauerunt ¶ Now haue I tolde of the spousayles â–ª But for to speke of the meruayles whiche afterwarde to hem befelle It is a wonder for to telle ¶ It fel a day they ryden oute The kinge and quene and all the route To pleyen hem vpon the stronde where as they seen towarde the londe A ship saylynge of great arraye To knowe what it mene may Til it be come they abyde Than se they stonde on euery syde Endlonge the shippes borde to shewe Of penounceals a ryche rewe They asken whens the ship is come Fro Tyre anone answerde some And ouer this they sayden more The cause why they comen fore was for to seche and for to fynde Appollynus whiche is of kynde Her lyege lorde â–ª and he appereth And of the tale whiche he hereth He was righte glad for they hym tolde That for vengeaunce as god it wolde Antiochus as men may wyte with thonder and lyghtning is forsmite His doughter hath the same chaunce So ben they both in o balaunce For thy our lyege lorde we seye In name of all the londe and preye That lefte all other thynge to done It lyke you to come sone And se your owne lyege men with other that ben of your ken That lyuen in longynge and desyre Tyll ye be com ageyne to Tyre This tale after the kynge it had Pentapolyn all ouersprad There was no ioye for to seche For euery man it had in speche And sayden all of one accorde A worthy kynge shall ben our lorde That thought vs fyrst an beuynes Is shape vs nowe to great gladnes Thus goth the tydynge ouer all ¶ Qualiter Appolino cuÌ„ vxore sua imprlgnata 〈◊〉 veâ—sus Tirum nauigantibus contigit 〈…〉 mortis articulo angustiatam in naui filiaÌ„ 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ta Thaâ—sis vocabatur parere ¶ But nede he mote that nede shall Appolynus his leue toke â—o god and all the londe betoke with all the people longe and brode That he no lenger there abode â–ª ¶ The kynge and quene sorowe made But yet somdele they were glade Oâ— suche thynge as they herde tho And thus betwene the we le and wo To shyp he goth his wyfe with chylde The whiche was euer meke and mylde And wolde not departe hym fro Suche loue was betwene hem two Lichorida for hir offyce was take whiche was a norice To wende with this yonge wyfe To whom was shape a wofull lyfe within a tyme as it betyd whan they were in the see amyd Out of the north they se a cloude The storme arose the wyndes loude They blewen many a dredefull blaste The welken was all ouercaste The derke nyght the sonne hath vnder There was a great tempest of thonder The mone and eke the sterres both In blacke cloudes they hem clothe wherof theyr bryght loke they hyde This yonge lady wepte and cryde To whom no comforte myght auayle Of chylde she began trauayle where she lay in a caban close Her wofull lorde fro hir arose And that was longe or any morowe So that in anguysshe and in sorowe She was delyuered all by nyght And deyde in euery mannes syght ¶ But nethelesse for all this wo A mayde chylde was bore tho Qualiter Appolinus mortem vxoris sue planxit ¶ Appolynus when he this knewe For sorowe a swoune he ouerthrewe That no man wyst in hym no lyfe And whan he woke be said a wyfe My ioye my lust and my desyre My welth and my recouerire why shall I lyue and thou shalt dye Ha thou fortune I the defye Now hast thou do to me thy werst A berte / why ne wylt thou berst That forth with hir I myght passe My paynes were well the lasse In suche wepynge and suche crye His deed wyfe whiche lay hym bye A thousande sithes he hir kyste was neuer man that sawe ne wyst A sorow to his sorowe lyche was euer amonge vpon the lyche He fyll swounynge as he that thought His owne deth whiche he sought Vnto the goddes all aboue with many a pitous worde of loue But suche wordes as tho were Herde neuer no mannes eare But onely thilke whiche he sayde The maister shypman came and prayde with other suche as ben therin And sayne that he may nothyng wyn Ageyne the deth but they hym rede He be well ware and take hede The see by wey of his nature Receyue may no creature within hym selfe as for to holde The whiche is deed For thy they wolde As they counseylen all about The deed body casten out For better it is they sayden all That it of her so befalle Than if they shulden all spylle ¶ Qualiter suadentibus nautis corpus vxoris sue mortue in quadam cista plumbo et ferro obtusa / que circumligata Appolinus cum magno thesauro vna cum quadam littera sub eius capite scripta recludi in marâ—proici fecit ¶ The kyng which vnderstode her wyll And knew her counsaile that was trewe Began ageyne his sorowe newe with pytous herte and thus to seye It is all reason that ye preye I am qd be but one alone So wolde I not for my persone There fell suche aduersite But whan it may no better be Doth than thus vpon my worde Let make a coffre stronge of borde That it be fyrme with leed and pytche Anone was made a coffer suche All redy brought vnto his honde And whan he sawe and redy fonde This coffre made and well englued The deed body was besewed In cloth of golde and leyde therin And for he wolde vnto her wyn Vpon some coste a sepulture Vnder her heed in aduenture Of golde he leyde sommes great And of iewels stronge beyete Forth with a letter and sayd thus ¶ Copia littere capiti vxoris sue supposite ¶ I kynge of Tyre Appolynus Doth all men for to wyte That here se this letter wryte That helpeles without rede Here lyeth a kynges doughter deede And who that happeth hir to fynde For charite take in his mynde And do so that she be begraue with this treasour whiche he shal haue Thus whan the letter was full spoke They haue anone the coffre stoke And bounden it with yron faste That it may with the wawes last And stoppen it by suche a weye That it shall be within dreye So that no water myght it greue And thus in hope and good beleue Of that the corps shall well aryue They cast it ouer borde as blyue ¶ Qualiter Appolinus vxoris sue corpore in mare proiecto Tyrum relinquens cursum suum versus Tharsim
kinge She can so moche of euery thinge That she shall glad him anone A messager for hir is gone And she came with hir harpe in honde And saide hem that she wolde fonde By all the weyes that she can To glad with this sory man But what he was she wyst nought But all the shyp hir hath besought That she hir wytte on him dispende In aunter if he might amende And sayn it shall be wel aquyte whan she hath vnderstonden it She goeth hir doune there as he laye where that she harpeth many a laye And lyke an aungel songe with alle But he no more than the walle Toke hede of any thinge he herde And whan she sawe that he so ferde She falleth with him vnto wordes And telleth him of sondry bordes And asketh him demaundes straunge whereof she made his herte chaunge And to hir speche his ere he leyde And hath meruayle of that she sayde For in prouerbe and in probleme She spake and had he shulde deme In many a subtyle question But he for no suggestion whiche towarde hym she coude stere He wolde not one worde answere But as a mad man at laste His heed wepynge awey he caste And halfe in wrath he had hir go But yet she wolde not do so And in the derke forth she gothe Tyll she hym toucheth and he wroth And after hir with his honde He smote and thus whaÌ„ she him fonde Disesed courteisly she sayde Eâ—oy my lorde I am a mayde And if ye wyst what I am And out of what lynage I cam Ye wolde not be so saluage with that he sobreth his courage ¶ 〈◊〉 sicut deus destinauit paterfiliaÌ„ inuen 〈…〉 ¶ And put awey his heuy chere 〈◊〉 of hem two a man may lere what is to be so sybbe of bloud 〈◊〉 wyst of other howe it stode And yet the father at last His herte vpon this mayde cast A hathe her loueth kyndely And yet he wyst neuer why 〈◊〉 all was knowe or that they went yor god wote her hole entent Her hertes both anone discloseth This kynge vnto this mayde opposeth And asketh first what is her name And where she lerned all this game And of what kyn she was come And she that hath his wordes nome Answereth saith my name is Thayse That was sometyme well at ayse In Charse I was forthdrawe fedde There I lerned tyll I was spedde Of that I can my father eke I not where that I shulde hym seke He was a kynge men tolde me My mother dreynt in the see Fro poynt to poynt all she hym tolde That she hath longe in herte holde And neuer durst make hir mone But onely to this lorde allone To whom hir herte can not he le Tourne it to wo tourne it to wele Tourne it to good tourne it to harme And he tho toke hir in his arme But suche a ioye as he tho made was neuer sene thus ben they glade That sory hadden be toforne Fro this day fortune hath sworne To set hym vpwarde on the whele So goth the worlde now wo now wele ¶ Qualiter Athenagoras Appolinum de naui in hospicium honorifice recollegit et Thaisim / patre consensciente in vxorem duxit ¶ This kynge hath founde newe grace So that out of his derke place He goth hym vp in to the lyght And with hym cam that swete wyght His doughter Thayse and forth anone They bothe into the caban gone whiche was ordeyned for the kynge And there he dyd of all his thynge And was arayed ryally And out he cam all openly where Athenagoras be fonde whiche was lorde of all the londe He prayeth the kynge to come and se His castell bothe and his cite And thus they gone forthall in fere This kyng this lorde this mayden dere This lorde tho made hem ryche feste with euery thynge whiche was honeste To plese with this worthy kynge Ther lacketh hem no maner thynge But yet for al his noble araye wyueles he was vnto that day As he that yet was of yonge age So fyl ther in to his corage The lusty woo the glad payne Of loue whiche no man restrayne Yet neuer myght as now tofore This lorde thynketh al this world lore But if the kynge wyll done hym grace He wayteth tyme he wayteth place Hym thought his herte wold to breke Tyl he may to this mayde speke And to hir fader eke also For maryage and it fyl so That all was done right as he thought His purpos to an ende he brought She wedded him as for hir lorde Thus ben they all of one accorde ¶ Qualter Appolinus vna cum filia et eius marito nauim ingredieÌ„tes a Mitilena vsque Tharsim cursum proposuerunt sed Appolinus in sompnis admottus versus Ephesim vt ibideÌ„in templo Dia ne sacrificaret vela per mare diuertit ¶ whaÌ„ al was done right as they wold The kinge vnto his sonne tolde Of Tharse thylke trayterye And sayd howe in his companye His doughter and him seluen eke Shall go vengeaunce for to seke The shippes were redy soune And whan they sawe it was to done withoute let of any went with sayle vp drawe forth they wente Towarde Tharse vpon the tyde But he that wote what shall betyde The hye god whiche wolde him kepe whan that this kinge was fast a slepe By nyghtes tyme he hath him bede To sayle vnto another stede To Ephesym he bad him drawe And as it was that tyme lawe He shall do there his sacryfyce And eke he bad in all wyse That in the temple amongest all His fortune as it is befalle Touchinge his doughter and his wyfe He shall be knowe vpon his lyfe The kinge of this auision Hath great ymaginacion what thinge it signifye may And nethelesse whan it was day He bad cast anker and abode And whyle that he on anker rode The wynde that was tofore straunge Vpon the poynte began to chaunge And torneth thyder as it shulde Tho knewe he wel that god it wolde And bad the mayster make him yare Tofore the wynde for he wolde fare To Ephesym and so he dede And whan he came in to the stede where as he shulde londe he londeth with all the haste he may and fondeth To shapen him in suche a wyse That he may by the morowe aryse And done after the maundement Of him whiche hath him thider sent And in the wise that he thought Vpon the morowe so he wrought His doughter and his sonne he nome And forth to the temple he come with a great route in companye His yeftes for to sacryfye The cytezeins tho herden seye Of suche a kinge that came to praye Vnto Dyane the goddesse And lefte all other besynesse They comen thyder for to se The kinge and the solempnyte ¶ Qualiter Appolinus Ephesim in templo Dia ne sacrificans / vxorem suam ibidem velatam in uenit qua secum assumpta nauim versus Tyril regressus est ¶ with worthy knyghtes
enuyroned The kinge him selfe hath abandoned To the temple in good entente The dore is vp and in he wente where as with great deuocion Of holy contemplacion within his herte he made his shryfte And after that a ryche yefte He offreth with great reuerence And there in open audyence Of hem that stoden all aboute He tolde hem and declareth oute His happe suche as him is befalle There was no thinge foryete of alle His wyfe as it was goddes grace whiche was professed in the place As she that was abbesse there Vnto his tale hath leyed hir ere She knewe the voys and the vysage For pure ioy as in a rage She straught to him all at ones And fyl a swoune vpon the stones / wherof the temple flore was paued She was anone with water laued Tyl she came to hir selfe ageyne And than she began to seyne A blessed be the hygh sonde That I may se my husbonde whiche whylom he and I were one The kynge with that knewe hir anone And toke hir in his arme and kyst And all the towne this sone it wyst Tho was there ioye manyfolde For euery man this tale hath tolde As for myracle weren glade But neuer man suche ioye made As doth the king which hath his wyfe And whan men herde how that her lyfe was saued and by whom it was They wondred all of suche a cas Through all the londe arose the speche Of mayster Cerimon the leche And of the cure whiche he dede The kynge hym selfe tho hath hede 〈◊〉 seke the quene forth with hym 〈◊〉 â—he the towne of Ephesym 〈◊〉 leue and go where as they be 〈◊〉 neuer man of his degre Hath do to hem so mychell good And he his profyte vnderstode And graunteth with hem for to wende And thus they maden there an ende And token leue and gone to shyp 〈◊〉 had the hole felaushyp ¶ Qualiter Arcelinus vna cum vxore et filia 〈…〉 â—â—â—lâ—eâ—â—t ¶ This king which now hath his desire Saith he woll holde his cours to Tyre They hadden wynde at wyll tho with topsayle coole and forth they go And stryken neuer tyll they come To Lyre wher as they haue nome And â—â—nden hem with mochell blysse There was many a mouth to kysse Eche one welcometh other home But whan the quene to londe come And Thayse her doughter by her syde The whiche ioy was thylke tyde There may no man 's tunge telle They seyden all here cometh the welle Of all womannysshe grace The kynge hath take his royall place The quene is in to chambre go There was great fest arayed tho whan tyme was they gone to mete All olde sorowes ben foryete And gladen hem with ioyes newe The discoloured pale hewe Is nowe become a ruddy cheke There was no myrth for to seke ¶ Qualiter Appolinus Athenagord cuÌ„ Thase vxore sua super Tyrum coronari fecit ¶ But euery man hath what he wolde The kynge as he well coude and shulde Makth to his people right good chere And after sone as thou shalt here A parlement he had sommoned where he his doughter hath coroned Forth with the lorde of Mitelene That one is kynge that other quene And thus the fathers ordynaunce This londe hath set in gouernaunce And sayde that he wolde wende To Tharse for to make an ende Of that his doughter was betrayed wherof were all men well payed And said howe it was for to done The shyppes weren redy sone ¶ Qualiter Appolinus a Tyro per mare versus Tharsim iter arripiens vindictam coÌ„tra StraÌ„gulionem et Dionisiam vxorem suam ê“ inuiria quaÌ„ ipsi taâ—si filie sue italeruÌ„t iudicialiter affecutus est ¶ A strong power with hym he toke Vpon the skye he cast his loke And sygh the wynde was couenable They hale vp ancre with the cable They seyle on hye the stere on honde They seylen tyll they come a londe At Tharse nygh to the cite And whan they wysten it was he The towne hath done hym reuerence He telleth hem the violence which the traytour Strangulio And Dionise hym had do Touchynge his doughter as ye herde And whan they wyst how it ferde As he whiche pees and loue sought Vnto the towne this he besought To done him right in iugement Anone they weren both assente with strengthe of men and comen sone And as hem thought it was to done Atteyne they weren by the lawe And demed so honged and drawe And brent and with wynde to blowe That all the worlde it might knowe And vpon this condicion The dome in execucion was put anone withoute fayle And euery man hath great meruayle whiche herde tellen of this chaunce And thonked goddes purueaunce whiche doth mercy forth with iustice Slain is the mordrer and the mordrice Through very trouth of rightwysnesse And through mercy saue is simplesse Of hir whom mercy preserueth Thus hath he wel that wel deserueth ¶ Qualiter Artestrate PeÌ„tapolim rege mortuo ipsi de regno epistolas super hoc Appolino direx erunt Vnde Appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibideÌ„ aduenientes ad decus imperii cum magno gaudio coronati sunt ☞ whan al this thinge is done ended This kinge whiche loued was frended A letter hath whiche came to hym By ship fro Pentapolym In whiche the londe hath to him wrytte That he wolde vnderstonde and wyte Howe in good mynde and in good pees Deed is the kinge Artestrates wherof they all of one accorde Him prayden as her lyege lorde That be the letter wol receyue And come his reygne to receyue whiche god hath yeue him and fortune And thus besought the commune Forthwith the great lordes all This kinge sighe howe it is befalle Fro Tharse and in prosperite He toke his leue of that cyte And goeth him in to ship ayene The wynde was good these was pleyne Hem nedeth not a ryffe to slake Tyl they Pentapolym haue take The loude which herde of that tydinge was wonder glad of his cominge He resteth him a day or two And toke his counceyl to him tho And set a tyme of parlement where al the londe of one assente Forthwith his wyfe haue him croned where all good him was forsoned Lo what it is to be wel grounded For he hath fyrst his loue founded Honestly as for to wedde Honestly his loue he spedde And had chyldren with his wyfe And as him lyst he led his lyfe And in ensaumple his lyfe was wryte That all louers mighten wyt Howe at laste it shal be sene Of loue what they wolden mene For se nowe on that other syde Antiochus with all his pryde whiche set his loue vnkyndely His ende had sodeynly Set ageyn kynde vpon vengeaunce And for his lust hath his penaunce ¶ Lo thus my sonne might thou lerâ— what is to loue in good manere And what to loue in other wyse The mede aryseth of the seruyce Fortune though she be not stable yet at somtyme is
saye For in the lawe of my commune we be nought shape to commune Thy selfe and I neuer after this Nowe haue I seyde all that there is Of loue as for thy fynall ende â—dewe for I mote fro the wende And grete well Chaucer whan ye mete As my discyple and my poete â—or in the floures of his youth In sondry wyse as he well couth 〈◊〉 â—â—ces and of songes glade The whiche he for my sake made 〈◊〉 â—onde fulfylled is ouer all wherof to hym in specyall Aboue all other I am most holde For thy nowe in his dayes olde â—hou shalt hym tell this message That â—e vpon his latter age To â—ette an ende of all his werke As he whiche is myn owne clerke To make his testament of loue As thou hast done thy shryfte aboue So that my courte it may recorde ¶ â—radame I can me well accorde 〈◊〉 I to telle as ye me bydde 〈◊〉 with that worde it so betydde 〈◊〉 of syght all sodeynly Enclosed in a sterred skye Venus whiche is the quene of loue was take in to hir place aboue More wyst I not where she becam And thus my leue of hir I nam And forth with al that same tyde Hir preest whiche wolde not abyde Câ—â—me be lefe or me be lothe Out of my syght forth be goth And I was lefte withouten helpe So wyst I not wherof to yelpe But that onely I had lore My tyme and was sory therfore And thus bewhaped in my thought whan all was tourned in to nought I stode amased for a whyle And in my selfe I gan to smyle Thynkende vpon the bedes blake And howe they were me betake For that I shulde byd and pray And whan I sawe none other way But onely that I was refused Vnto the lyfe whiche I had vsed I thought neuer torne ageyne And in this wyse soth to seyne Homwarde a softe pas I went where that with all myn hole entent Vpon the poynt that I am shryue I thynke bydde whyle I lyue Parce precor Christe populus quo gaudeat iste Anglia ne triste subeat rex summe refiste Corrige quosque status fragiles absolue reatus Vnde deo gratus vigeat locus iste beatus ¶ He whiche within dayes seuen This large worlde forth with the heuen Of his eternall prouydence Hath made and thilke intelligence In mannes soule reasonable Hath shape to be perdurable wherof the man of his feture Aboue all erthly creature After the soule is immortall To thilke lorde in speciall As he whiche is of all thynges The creatour and of the kynges Hath the fortunes vpon honde His grace and mercy for to fonde Vpon my bare knees I praye That he this londe in syker way wyll sette vpon good gouernance For if men take in remembraunce what is to lyue in vnite There is no state in his degre That ne ought to desyre pes without whiche it is no les To seche and loke in to the laste There may no worldes ioye last ¶ Fyrst for to loke the clergy Hem ought well to iustifye Thyng whiche belongeth to their cure As for to pray and to procure Our pees towarde the heuen aboue And eke to sette rest and loue Amonge vs on this erthe here For if they wrought in this manere After the rule of charite I hope that men shulden se This londe amende and ouer this To seche and loke howe that is Touchende of the chiualrye whiche for to loke in some partie Is worthy for to be commended And in some parte to be amended That of her large retenue The londe is full of mayntenue whiche causeth that the coÌ„mune right In fewe countreys stont vpright Extorcion contecke rauyne with holde ben of that couyne All day men here great compleynt Of the disease of the constreynt wherof the people is sore oppressed God graunt it mote be redressed For of knyghthode thordre wolde That they defende and kepe shulde The common right and the fraunchise Of holy churche in all wyse So that no wycked man it dere And therof serueth shelde and spere But for it goth nowe other way Our grace goth the more aweye And for to loken ouermore wherof the people pleynen sore Towarde the lawes of our londe MeÌ„ sein that trouth hath broke his boÌ„d And with brocage is gone aweye So that no man se the weye where for to fynde ryghtwysenesse And if men seke sykernesse Vpon the lucre of marchandye Compassement and trecherye Of synguler profyte to wynne Men sayne is cause of mochel synne And namely of diuysion whiche many a noble worthy towne Fro welth and fro prosperite Hath brought to great aduersite So were it good to be all one For mochell grace thervpon Vnto the citees shulde falle whiche myght auayle to vs alle If these estates amended were So that the vertues stoden there And that the vyces were aweye Me thynketh I durst than seye This londes grace shulde aryse But yet to loke in otherwyse There is astate as ye shall here Aboue all other on erthe here whiche hath the londe in his balaunce To hym belongeth the lygeaunce Of clerke of knyght of man of lawe Vnder his honde is all forth drawe The marchaunt and the laborer So stant it all in his power Or for to spylle or for to saue But though that he suche power haue And that his myghtes ben so large He hath hem nought withouteÌ„ charge To whiche that euery kynge is swore So were it good that he therfore Fyrst vnto ryghtwysenes entende wherof that he hym selfe amende Towarde his god and leue vice whiche is the chiefe of his offyce And after all the remenaunt He shall vpon his couenaunt Gouerne and lede in suche a wyse So that there be no tyrannyse wherof that he his people greue Or elles may he nought acheue That longeth to his regalye For if a kynge wyll iustifye His londe and hem that ben within Fyrst at hym selfe he mote begyn To kepe and rule his owne estate That in hym selfe be no debate Towarde his god for otherwyse Ther may none erthly kynge suffyse Of his kyngedome the folke to lede But he the kynge of heuen drede For what kynge sette hym vpon pryde And takth his lust on euery syde And wyl not go the right weyt Though god his grace cast aweye No wonder is for at last He shall wel wytte it may not last The pompe whiche he secheth here But what kinge that with humble chere After the lawe of god escheweth The vyces and the vertues seweth His grace shall be suffysaunt To gouerne all the remenaunt whiche longeth to his duete So that in his prosperyte The people shal not be oppressed wherof his name shall be blessed For euer and be memoryalle ⧠Hic in fine recapitulat super hoc quod in 〈…〉 libri promisit se in amoris causa speciali 〈…〉 â—â—taturum concludit enim quod omnis amo 〈…〉 extra charitatem nichil est qui ma◠〈◊〉 â—aritate in deo manet ¶ And nowe to speke as in fynalle To â—chende that I vndertoke In englysshe for to make a boke whiche stant betwene ernest and game I haue it made as thylke same whiche aske for to be excused Anâ— that my boke be not refused Of â—â—red men whan they it se For lacke of curyosyte For thylke scole of eloquence Belongeth not to my scyence Vpon the forme of Rhetorike My wordes for to peynte and pyke As Tullius somtyme wrote â—ut this I knowe and this I wote That I haue done my trewe peyne â—â—to rude wordes and with pleyne In all that euer I couthe and might This boke to wryte as I behyght So as sikenes it suffer wolde And also for my dayes olde That I am feble and impotente I wote not howe the worlde is wente So pray I to my lordes all Nowe in min age / howe so befalle That I mot stonden in theyr grace For though me lacke to purchace Her worthy thonke as by deserte â–ª Yet the symplesse of my pouerte Desyreth for to do plesaunce To hem vnder whose gouernaunce I hope syker to abyde But nowe vpon my last tyde That I this boke haue made and wrytte My muse dothe me for to wyte And sayth it shall be for my beste Fro this day forth to take reste That I nomore of loue make whiche many a herte hath ouertake And ouertorned as the blynde Fro reason in to lawe of kynde where as the wysdome goeth aweye And can not se the ryght weye Howe to gouerne his owne estate But euery daye stante in debate within him selfe and can not leue And thus for thy my fynal leue I take nowe for euermore without makinge any more Of loue and of his dedely bele whiche no physicien can hele For his nature is so diuers That it hath euer some trauers Or of to moche / or of to lyte That playnly may no man delyte But if him fayle or that or this But thylke loue whiche that is within a mannes herte affirmed And stante of charyte confirmed Suche loue is goodly for to haue Suche loue may the body saue Suche loue may the sowle amende The hyghe god suche loue vs sende Forthwith the remenaunt of grace So that aboue in thilke place where resteth loue / and all pees Our ioye may be endelees AMEN ☞ Thus endeth De confessione Amantis
shent Telle on further hast thou ben one Of hem that hath slouth begonne ¶ ye father ofte it hath ben so That whan I am my lady fro And thynke vntowarde her drawe Than cast I many a newe lawe And all the worlde tourne vp so downe And so recorde I my lesson And write in my memoriall what I to her telle shall Ryght all the matter of my tale But all nis worthe a nutte shale For whan I come there she is I haue it all foryete iwis Of that I thought for to telle I can not than vnnethes spelle That I wende alther best haue redde So sore of her I am adredde For as a man that sodeynly A goost beholdeth so fare I So that for feare I can nought gette My wyt but I my selfe foryete That I wote neuer what I am Ne whither I shall ne when I cam But mufe as be that were amased Lyche to the boke in whiche is rased The letter and may nothynge be radde So ben my wyttes ouerladde That what as euer I thought haue spoken It is out of myn herte stoken And stoÌ„de as who saith dombe deefe That all nys worth an iuye lefe Of that I wende well haue sayde And at laste I make abrayde Last vp myn heed and loke aboute Ryght as a man that were in doute And wote not where he shall become Thus am I ofte all ouercome There as I wende best to stonde But after whan I vnderstonde And am in other place alone I make many a wofull mone Vnto my selfe and speke so ¶ A foole where was thyne herte tho whan thou thy worthy lady sye were thou afered of her eie For of her bonde there is no drede So well I knowe her woman hede That in her is no more oultrage Than in a childe of thre yere age why hast thou drede of so good one whom all vertue hath begone That in her is no violence But goodlyhede and innocence without spotte of any blame A nyce herte fye for shame A cowarde herte of loue vnlered wherof arte thou so sore afered That thou thy tonge suffrest frese And wolte thy good wordes lese whan thou hast fonde tyme and space Howe sholdest thou deserue grace when thou thy selfe darst aske none But all thou hast foryete anone And thus dispute in loues lore But helpe ne fynde I nought the more But stomble vpon myn owne treyne And make an ekynge of my peyne For euer whan I thynke amonge Howe all is on my selfe alonge I saye O foole of all fooles Thou farest as he betwene two stoles That wolde sytte and goth to grounde It was ne neuer shall be founde Betwene Foryettylnes and Drede That man shulde any cause spede And thus myn holy father dere Towarde my selfe as ye may here I pleyne of my foryettylnes But elles all the busynesse That may be take of mans thought My hert taketh and is through sought To thynken euer vpon that swete withoutâ—n slouthe I you byhete For what so falle or wele or wo That thought foryete I neuermo wâ—â—â—e so I laugh or so I loure Not halfe a mynute of an houre Ne myght I lette out of my mynde But if I thought vpon that hende Therof me shall no slouth lette Tyll death out of this worlde me fette All though I had on suche a rynge As Moyses through his enchauntyng Sometyme in Ethyope made whan that he Tharbys wedded had whiche rynge bare of obliuion The name and that was by reason That where on a fynger it sate Anone his loue he so foryate As though he had it neuer knowe And so it felle that ilke throwe whan Tharbis had it on her honde No knowlegynge of hym she fonde But all was cleane out of memorie As men may rede in his storye And thus he went quyte awaye That neuer after thylke day She thought that there was suche one All was foryete and ouergone But in good feyth so may not I For she is euer faste by So nigh that she myn herte toucheth That for no thing that slouth voucheth I may foryete her lefe ne loth For ouer all where as she goth Myn herte foloweth her aboute Thus may I say withouten doute For bet for wers for ought for nought She passeth neuer fro my thought But whan I am there as she is Myn hert as I you sayde er this Somtyme of her is sore adradde And sometyme is ouergladde All out of reule and out of space For whan I se her goodly face And thynke vpon her hygh prys As though I were in Paradys I am so rauysshed of the syght That speke vnto her I ne myght As for the tyme though I wolde For I ne may my wytte vnfolde To fynde o worde of that I mene But it is all foryete cleane And though I stonde there a myle All is foryete for the whyle A tonge I haue / and wordes none And thus I stonde and thynke alone Of thynge that helpeth ofte nought But what I had afore thought To speake whan I come there It is foryete as nought ne were And stonde amased and assoted That of no thyng which I haue noted I can not than a note synge But all is out of knowlegynge Thus what for ioy and what for drede All is foryeten at nede So that my father of this slouth I haue you sayde the playne trouth ye may it as ye lyste redresse For thus stant my foryetylnesse And eke my pusyllanymite Say nowe forth what ye lyste to me For I wol onely do by you ¶ My son I haue wel herd how thou Hast sayd and that thou must amende For loue his grace wol not sende To that man which dare aske none For this we knowen euerychone A mans thought withoute speche God wote and yet that men beseche His wil is for withoute bedis He dothe his grace in fewe stedis And what man that foyete hym selue Amonge a thousand be not twelue That wol hym take in remembraunce But let hym falle and take his chaunce For thy pul vp a besy herte My sonne and let no thynge asterte Of loue fro thy besynesse For touchynge of foryetylnesse whiche many a loue hath set behynde A tale of gret ensample I fynde wherof it is pyte to wyte In the maner as it is wryte ☞ Hic in amoris causa contra obliuiosos ponit Confessor exemplum qualiter Demophon versus bellum Troianum itinerando a Philli de Rodipea regina non tantum in hospicium / sed etlam in amorem gaudio magno susceptus eft qui postea ab ipsa Troie descendens rediturum infra certum tempus fidelissime se compromisit sed quia huiusmodi promissiones diem statutum post modum oblitus est Phillis obliuionem Demephontis lacrimis primo deplangens / tandem cordula collo suo cerculigata se mortuaÌ„ suspedit ⧠Kyng DemophoÌ„ whaÌ„ he by ship To troye ward with felauship Seylend goth vpon his weye It hapneth hym at Rodepeye As Eolus
hym hadde blowe To londe and rested for a throwe And felle that ylke tyme thus That the doughter of Lycurgus whiche quene was of the countre was soiourned in that Cyte within a castel nygh the stronde where Demophon cam vp to londe Phylles she hyght and of yong age And of stature and of vysage She hadde all that her best besemeth Of DemophoÌ„ ryght wel her quemeth whaÌ„ he was come and made hym chere And he that was of his manere A lusty knyght ne myght asterte That he ne set on her his herte So that within a day or two He thought howe euer that it go He wolde assaye the fortune And gan to comune with goodly wordes in her ere And for to put her out of fere He swore and hath his trouth plyght To be for euer her owne knyght And thus with her he stylle abode There whyle his shyp on anker rood And hadde ynough of tyme and space To speke of loue and seke grace This lady herd all that he sayde Howe he swore and howe he prayde whiche was and an enchauntement To her that was as an Innocent As though it were trouthe and feyth She leueth all that euer he feyth And as her fortune shulde She graunteth hym all that he wolde Thus was he for the tyme in ioye Tyl that he shuld go to Troye But tho she made mochel sorowe And he his trouth leyd to borowe To come and if that he lyue may Ageyne within a moneth daye And therupon they kysten bothe But were hym leef or were hym loth To shyp he goth and forth he went To Troye as was his fyrst entent The dayes go the moneth passeth Her loue encreseth and his lassethe For him she lost slepe and mete And he his tyme hath all foryete So that this wofull yonge quene whiche wore not what it myght mene A letter sent pnd prayd hym come And sayth howe she is ouercome with strengthe of loue in suche a wyse That she not longe may suffyse To lyuen out of his presence And put vpon his conscience The trouthe whiche he hath behote wherof she loueth hym so hote She sayth that if he lenger lette Of suche a day as she hym sette She shulde steruen in his slouthe whiche ware a shame vnto his trouth This letter is forth vpon her sonde wherof somdele comfort on honde She toke as she that wolde abyde And wayteth vpon that ylke tyde whiche she hath in her letter wryte But nowe is pyte for to wyte As he dyd erst so he forgate His tyme estsone and ouer sate But she whiche myght not do so The tyde owayteth euermo And cast her eye vpon the see Somtyme nay somtyme ye Somtyme he cam somtyme nought Thus she disputeth in her thought And wote not what she thynke may But fastend all the longe day She was in to the derke nyght And tho she hath do set vp lyght In a lanterne on hyghe alofte Vpon a toure where she goth ofte In hope that in his commynge He shuld se the lyght brennynge wherof he myght his weyes ryght To come where she was by nyght But all for nought she was deceyued For Venus hath her hope weyued And shewed her vpon the sky How that the day was fast by So that within a lytel throwe The dayes lyght she myght knowe Thâ— she beheld the see at large And whan she sygh there was no barge He shyp al 's fer as she may kenne Dâ—â—ne fro the tour she gan to renne In to an herber all her owne where many a wonder wofull mone She made that no lyfe it wyst As she whiche all her ioy myst That now she swouneth now she pleyneth And all her face she dysteyneth with teres whiche as of a welle The stremes from her eyen felle So as she myght and euer in one She cleped vpon Demephoon And sayd Allas thou slowe wyght There was neuer suche a knyght That so through his vngentilnesse Of slouthe and of foryetylnesse Ayenst his trouthe breketh his steuen And tho her eye vp to the heuen She cast and sayde O thou vnkynde Here shalt thou through thi slouth find If that the lyst to come and see A lady dede for loue of the So as I shall my selue-spylle whome if it hadde be thy wylle Thou myghtest saue well ynough with that vpon a grene bough A seynt of sylke whiche she there had She knyt and so her selfe she lad That she about her whyte swere Hit dyd and henge her self there wherof the goddes were amoued And Demephon was reproued That of the goddes prouydence was shape suche an euidence Euer afterward ayene the slowe That Phyllis in the same throwe was shape in to a nute tre That all men it myght se And after Phyllis Phylberd This tre was cleped in the yerd And yet for Demophon to shame In to this daye it bereth the name This wofull chaunce howe that it ferde Anone as Demephon it herde And euery man it hadde in speche His sorowe was not tho to seche He gan his slouthe for to banne But it was all to late thanne ¶ Lo thus my sonne myght thou wyte Ayene this vice howe it is wryte For no man may the harmes gesse That fallen through foryetylnesse wherof that I thy shryft haue herd But yet of slouthe how it hath ferd In other wyse I thynke oppose If thou haue gylt as I suppose Dum plantare licet cultor qui negligit ortum Si desint fructus imputat ipse sibi Preterit ista dies bona nec valebit illa secunda Hoc caret exemplo lentus amore suo ☞ Her tractat Confessor de viciis negligen cie cuius condicio Accidiam amplectens omnes aries sciencia tom in amoris causa que aliter ignominiosa pretermittens cum nullum poterit eminete remedium sui ministerii diligenciam ex post facto in vacuum attemptare presumit ⧠Fulfilled of slouthes exemplair ⧠There is yet one his secretayr And he is cleped Negligence whiche woll not loke his euydence wherof he may beware tofore But whan he hath his cause lore Than is he wyse after the honde whan helpe may no maner bonde Than at fyrst wold he bynde Thus euermore he stant behynde whan he the thynge may not amende Than is he ware and sayth at ende A wolde god I hadde knowe wherof beiaped with a mowe He goth for whan the great stede Is stole than he taketh bede And maketh the stable dore fast Thus euer he pleyth an after cast Of all that he shall saye or do He hath a maner eke also Hym lyst not lerne to be wyse For he sette of no vertu pryse But as hym lyketh for the whyle So feleth he fulofte gyle whan that he weneth seker to stonde And thus thou might wel vnderstond My sonne if thou art suche in loue Thou myght not come at thyn aboue Of that thou woldest wel acheue ¶ Myn holy fader as I leue I may wel with sauf conscyence
people for to tylle Her lond and lyue vnder the lawe And that they shulde also forth drawe Bestayl and seche none encrees Of gold whiche is the breche of pees For this a man may fynde wryte To fore the tyme er gold was smyte In coygne that men the floren knewe There was wel nyhe noman vntrewe Tho was there shelde ne spere Ne dedely wepen for to here Tho was the towne withouten walle whiche nowe is closed ouer alle Tho was there no brocage in londe which now taketh euery cause on hond So may men knowe howe the florayn was moder fyrst of malengyn And brynger in of all werre wherof this word stant out of herre Through the counseyl of auaryce whiche of his owne propre vyce Is as the helle wonderful For it may neuermore be full That what as euer cometh therynne A wey ne may it neuer wynne ¶ But sonne myn do thou not so Let all suche auaryce go And take thy part of that thou hast I hyd not that thou do wast But hold largesse in his mesure And if thou se a creature whiche through pouert is falle in nede Yeu◠hym somme good for this I rede To hym that wol not yeuen here what peyne he shal haue els where There is a peyn amonge all Benethe in helle whiche men calle The wofull peyne of Tantaly Of which I shall the redely Deuyse howe men therin stonde In helle thou shalt vnderstonde There is a flood of thylke offyce whiche serueth all for auaryce what man that stond shall therin He stant vp euen to the chynne Aboue his hede also there hongeth A fruyt whiche to that peyne longeth And that fruyt toucheth euer in one His ouerlyppe and therupon Suche thirst and honger hym affayleth That neuer his appetyte ne fayleth But whan he wolde his honger fede The fruyt withdraweth hym at nede And though he heue his hede on hygh The fruyt is euer alyche nygh So is the honger wel the more And also though hym thurst sore And to the water bowe a doune The flood in suche condycion Aualeth that his drynke areche He may not lo nowe whiche a wreche That mete and drynke is hym so couth And yet ther cometh none in his mouth Lyche to the peynes of this flood Stant Auaryce in worldes good He hath ynough and yet hym nedeth For his scarcenes it hym forbedeth And euer his honger after more Trauayleth hym alyche sore So is he peyned ouerall For thy thy goodes forth withal My sonne loke thou dyspende wherof thou myght thy selfe amende Both here and eke in other place And also if thou wolte purchace To be beloued thou must vse Largesse for if thou refuse To yeue for thy loues sake It is no reason that thou take Of loue that thou woldest craue For thy if thou wolte grace haue Be gracious and do largesse Of Auaryce and the sekenesse Eschewe aboue all other thynge And take insample of Myde the kynge And of the flood of helle also where is ynough of all wo And though there were no matere But onely that we fynden here Men ought Auaryce eschewe For what man thylke vyce sewe He gete hym selfe but lytel rest For howe so that the body rest The hert vpon the golde trauayleth whom many a nyghtes drede assayleth For though he ligge a bed naked His herte is euermore awaked And dremeth as he lyeth to slepe Howe besy that he is to kepe His tresour that no these it stele Thus hath he but a wofull wele And ryght so in the same wyse If thou thy selfe wolt we le auyse There be louers of suche inow That wol vnto reason bowe If so be they come aboue whan they ben maysters of her loue And that they shulden be most gladde with loue they ben moste bestadde So fayn they wolde it holden all That her herte her eye is ouerall And wenen euery man be thefe To stele awey that hem is lefe Thus through her owne fantasye They fallen in to Ielousye Than hath the shyp to brok his cable with euery wynde and is meuable ¶ My fader for that ye nowe telle I haue herde ofttyme telle Of Ielousye but what it is yet vnderstod I neuer or this wherfore I wolde you beseche That ye me wolde enforme and teche what maner thyng it myght be ¶ My sonne that is hard to me But netheles as I haue herd Now herkē and thou shalt be āswerd ⧠Nota de Zelotipia cuius fantastica suspicio amorem quemuis fidelissimum multociens sine causa corruptum imaginatur ⧠Among the men lack of manhod In maryage vpon wishode Maketh that a man him self deceiueth wherof it is that he conceyueth That ylke vnesy maladye The whiche is cleped Ielousye Of whiche if I the propyrte Shall telle after the nycete So as it worcheth on a man A feuer it is cotidian whiche euery day wol come aboute where so a man be in or oute At home if that a man wol wonne This feuer is than of comon wonne Moste greuous in a mans eye For than he maketh hym tote and prye where so as euer his loue go She shal not with her lytell to My steppe but he seeth it all His eye is walkend ouerall where that she synge or that she daūce He seeth the lest countenaunce If she loke on a man a syde Or with hym rowne at any tyde Or that she laugh or that she loure His eye is there at euery houre And whan it draweth to the nyght If she than be withoute lyght Anone is all the game shente For than he set his parlyament To speke it whan he cometh to bed And sayth if I were nowe to wed I wolde neuer haue wyfe And so he torneth in to stryfe The luste of loues dute And al vpon dyuersyte If she be fresshe and well arayed He sayth her baner is dysplayed To clepe in gestes by the waye And if she be not wel heseye And that her lyst not to be gladde He bereth on honde that she is madde And loueth not her husbonde He sayth he may wel vnderstonde That if she wolde his companye She shuld than afore his eye Shewe all the plesyre that she myght So that by day ne by nyght She not what thynge is for the best But lyueth oute of all rest For what as euer hym lyste to seyn She dare not speke o worde ageyn But wepeth and holt her lyppes close She may wel wryte Sance repose The wyfe which is to such one maried Of all women be he waryed For with his feuer of Ielousye His eche dayes fantasye Of sorowe is euer alyche grene So that there is no loue sene whyle that hym lyst at home abyde And whan so is he woll oute ryde Than hath he redy his aspye Abydynge in her companye A iangler an euyl mouthed one That she ne may no whether gone Ne speke one worde ne ones loke But he ne wol it wende and croke And torne after his
Of hem whiche are appertenant Vnto the londe whiche he shall kepe And bade his wyfe to take kepe In what manere is best to done That they delyuerde were sone Out of this worlde and she anone Two men ordeyneth for to gone But fyrste she made hem for to swere That they the chyldren shulde bere Vnto the see that none it knowe And hem therin both throwe The children to the see ben lad where in the wyse as Ino bad These men be redy for to do But the goddesse whiche Iuno Is bote appereth in the stede And hath vnto the men forbede That they the children nought ne slee But bad hem loke in to the see And taken hede of that they syghen There swam a shepe tofore her eyen whose flees of burned golde was all And this goddesse forth with all Commandeth that without let They shulde anone the childre set Aboue vpon the shepes back And all was do ryght as she spak wherof the men gone home ageyne And fell so as the bokes seyne Helle the yonge mayden tho whiche of the see was wo bego For pure drede her hert hath lore That fro the sheepe whiche hath her bore As she that was swounēde feynt She fell and hath hir selfe adreynt with Phrixus this sheepe forth swam Tyll be to the yle of Colchos cam where Iuno the goddesse he fonde whiche toke the sheepe vnto the londe And set it there in suche a wyse As thou tofore hast herde deuise wherof cam after all the wo why Iason was forswore so Vnto Medee as it is spoke ¶ My father who that hath to broke His trouth as ye haue tolde aboue He is not worthy for to loue Ne be beloued as me semeth But euery newe loue quemeth To hym that newefangle is And netheles nowe after this If that you lyst to taken hede Vpon my shryfte to procede In loues cause ayene the vice Of couetyse and auaryce what there is more I wolde wyte ¶ My sonne this I fynde wryte There is yet one of thylke brood whiche only for the worldes good To make a treasoure of money Put all conscience aweye wherof in thy confession The name and the condition I shall here afterwarde declare whiche maketh one riche an other bare Plus capit usura sibi quam debetur et illud Fraude collocata saebe latenter agit Sic amor excessus quam saepe suos ut auarus Spirat et unius tres capit ipse loco ¶ Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie que vsura dicitur cuius creditor in pecunia tātum numerata plus quam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri adauger ¶ Vpon the benche syttende on hye with Auarice vsure I syghe Ful clothed of his owne sute whiche after golde maketh chase sute with his brocours that renne aboute Lyche vnto ratches in a route Suche lucre is none aboue grounde whiche is nat of tho ratches founde For where they see beyete sterte That shall hem in no wyse asterte But they it driue in to the net Of lucre whiche Vsure hath set Vsure with the ryche dwelleth To all that euer he byeth and selleth He hath ordeyned of his sleyght Mesure double and double weyght Outwarde he selleth by the lasse And with the more he maketh his tasse wherof his hous is full within He recheth nought be so he wyn Though that there lese ten or twelue His loue is all toward hym selue And to none other but he se That he may wynne suche thre For where he shall ought yeue or lene He woll ayenward take a bene There he hath lent the smal pese And ryght so there ben many of these Louers that though they loue alyte That skarsly wolde it weye a myte yet wolde they haue a pound ageyn As doth vsure in his bargayne But certes suche vsure vnlyche It falleth more vnto the ryche Al 's well of loue as of beyete Than vnto hem that ben nought great And as who saith bē simple and pouere For selden is whan they recouere But if it be through great deserte And netheles men se pouerte with pursuite of countenance Full ofte make a great cheuaunce And take of loue his auauntage For with the helpe of his brocage That maken seme where is nought And thus full ofte is loue bought For litel what and mochell take with false weightes that thy make ¶ Nowe sonne of that I sayde aboue Thou wotest what vsure is of loue Tell me for thy what so thou wylt If thou therof hast any gylte ¶ My father nay for ought I here For of tho poyntes ye tolden here I wyll you by my trouth assure My weyght of loue and my mesure Hath be more large / and more terteyne Than euer I toke of loue ageyne For so yet couthe I neuer of sleyghte To take ageyne by double weyghte Of loue more than I haue yeue For also wys mote I be shryue And haue remission of synne As so yet couth I neuer wynne Ne yet so mochel soth to seyne That euer I myght haue halfe ageyne Of so full loue as I haue lent And if myne hap were so well went That for the hole I myght haue halfe My thynketh I were a goddesse halfe For where vsure wolde haue double My conscience is not so trouble I byd neuer as to my dele But of the hole an haluen dele That is none excesse as me thynketh But netheles it me forthynketh For well I wote that wol nat be For euery day the better I see That howe so euer I yeue or lene My loue in place that I mene For ought that euer I axe or craue I can nothynge ayenewarde haue But yet for that I wol not lete what so befalle of my beyete That I ne shall yeue and lene My thought and all my loue so clene That towarde me shall nought beleue And if she of her good leue Rewarde wolde me nought ageyne I wote the last of my bargeyne Shall stonde vpon so great a lost That I may neuer more the cost Recouer in this worlde tyll I dye So that touchende of this partie I may me well excuse and shall And for to speke forth withall If ony brocour for me went That poynt come neuer in myn entent So that the more me meruayleth what thynge it is my lady eyleth That all myn herte and all my tyme She hath and do ne better hyme I haue herde sayde that thought is free And netheles in priuitie To you my fader that bene here Myn hole shrifte for to bere I dare myn herte well disclose Touchende vsurie as I suppose whiche as ye tellen in loue is vsed My lady may not bene excused That for o lokynge of her eie Myn hole herte tyll I deye with all that euer I may and can She hath me wonne to hir man wherof me thynketh good reson wolde That she somdele rewarde shulde And yeue a parte there she hath all I not what falle