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
Amonge the whiche I sawe Narcyse And Pyrramus that sory were The worthy greke also was there Achilles whiche for loue deyed Agamemnon eke as men seyed And Menelay the kynge also I sygh with many an other mo whiche hadden be fortuned sore In loues cause And ouermore Of women in the same caas with hem I sigh where Dido was Forsake whiche was with Aene. And Philis eke I might se whom Demephon desceyued had And Ariadne hir sorowe lad For Theseus hir syster toke And hir vnkindly forsoke I sigh there eke amonge the prees Compleyninge vpon Hercules His fyrst loue Deianyre whiche set him afterward a fyre Medea was there eke and pleyneth Vpon Iason for that he feyneth â—â—â—hout cause and toke a newe The sayde fye on all vntrewe I sygh there Deidamie whiche had loste the companye Of â—â—hilles whan Dyomede 〈◊〉 â—roye him set vpon the nede Amoâ—ge thyse other vpon the grene 〈◊〉 also the wofull quene â—â—â—patras whiche in a graue 〈◊〉 â—â—rpentes hath hir selfe bygraue Aâ—â—qâ—â—cke and so she was to tore â—or sorowe of that she had lore Aâ—tony whiche hir loue hath be Aâ—d forth with hir I sygh Thy she 〈◊〉 be on thes harpe swerdes poynte 〈◊〉 loue deyed in sory poynte 〈◊〉 as my nere it might knowe 〈◊〉 â—ayde wo worth all slowe The pleint of Proigne and Philomene 〈◊〉 herde I what it wolde mene 〈◊〉 Thereus of his vntrouthe â—ndyd hem both that was routhe And next to hem I sawe Canace â—hiche for Machayr hir faders grace â—â—th lost and deyed in woful plyte And as I sigh in my spyrite The thought amonge other thus The doughter of kinge Priamus Polâ—â—ena whom Pyrrus slough was there and made sorowe ynough As she whiche deyed gyltles For loue and yet was loueles And for to take the disporte I sawe there some of other porte And that was Circes and Calypse That couthen do the mone clypse Of men and chaunge the lyknesse Of artmagik sorceresse They helde in honde many one To loue whether they wolde or none But aboue all that there were Of women I sawe foure there whose name I herde moste coÌ„mended By hem the courte stode all amended For where they comen in presence Men deden hem the reuerence As though they had ben goddesses Of all the worlde or empresses And as me thought an ere I leyde And herde howe that these other seyd Lo these ben the foure wyues whose feyth was proued in her lyues For in ensaumple of all good with maryage so they stode That fame which no great thing hideth Yet in cronycke of hem abydeth Penolope that one was hote whome many a knyght hath loued hote whyle that hir lorde Vlyxes lay Ful many a yere and many a day Vpon the great syege of Troye But she whiche hath no worldes ioye But onely of hir husbonde whyle that her lorde was oute of londe So wel she kept her womanhede That all the worlde therof toke hede And namlyche of hem in Grece That other woman was Lucrece wyfe to the Romayn Collatyne And she constreyned of Tarquyne To thinge whiche was ayenst hir wyll She wolde not hir seluen styll But deyed onely for drede of shame In kepinge of hir good name As she whiche was one of the beste The thyrde wife was hote Alceste whiche whan Admetus shuld dye Vpon his great maladye She prayed vnto the goddes so That she resceyueth all the wo And deyed hir selfe to gyue him lyfe Se where this were a noble wyfe The fourth wyfe which I there sigh I herde of hem that were nyghe Howe she was cleped Alceone whiche Ceix hir lorde allone And to no mo hir body kepte And whaÌ„ she sygh him dreÌ„che she lepte Into the wawes where he swam And there a se foule she becam And with hir winges she him besprad For loue that she to him had Lo these foure weren tho whiche I sigh as me thought tho Amonge the great companye whiche loue had for to gye But yongthe whiche in special Of loues courte was marchal So besy was vpon his laye That he none hede where he laye Hath take And than as I behelde We thoughc I sigh vpon the felde where Elde came a softte paas Toward Venus there as she was with him great company he ladde But not so fele as yougth had The moste parte were of great age And that was sene in her vysage And not for thy so as they might They made hem yongely to the syght But yet I herde no pypes there To make mirth in mannes ere But the musyke I might knowe For olde men which sowned lowe with harpe and lute and with cytole The houe daunce and the carole In suche a wyse as loue hath bede A softe paas they daunce and trede And with the women otherwhyle with sobre chere amonge they smyle For laughter was there non on hye And netheles ful well I fye That they the more queynte it made For loue in whom they weren gladde And there me thought I might se The kinge Dauyd with Bersabe And Salomon was not withoute Passynge an hundreth in a route Of wyues and of concubynes â—ewes eke and sarazyns To him I syght all intendaunt I not where he were suffy saunte But netheles for all his witte He was attached with that wrytte whiche loue with his honde enseleth From whom non erthly man appeleth And ouer this as for no wonder with his lyon whiche he put vnder with Dalida Sampson I knewe whos loue his strength all ouerthrewe I sawe there Arystotle also whome that the quene of Grece also Hath brydeled that in thilke tyme She made him suche a sylogesyme That he foryate all his logyke Ther was none arte of his practyke Through whiche it might ben excluded That he ne was fully concluded To loue and did his obeysance And eke Virgile of acqueyntaunce I sygh where he the mayden prayd whiche was the doughter as men sayd Of themperour whylom of Rome Sortes and Plato with him come So did O uyde the poete I thought than howe loue is swete whiche hath so wyse men reclamed And was my selfe the lasse ashamed Or for to lese or for to wynne In the meschyef that I was in And thus I laye in hope of grace And whan they comen to the place where Venus stode and I was falle This olde men with one voyce alle To Venus prayden for my sake And she that mighte not forsake So great a clamour as was there Lete pyte come in to hir ere And forth with all vnto Cupyde She prayeth that he vpon his syde Me wolde through his grace sende Some comforte that I might amende Vpon the caas which is befall And thus for me they prayden all Of hem that weren olde aboute And eke some of the yonge route And of gentylles and pure trouth I herde hem tel it was great routhe That I withouten helpe so ferde And thus me thought I laye and herde ¶ Hic tractat qualiter Cupido amantis senectute
tolde the trouth of his foole fo eodem ¶ Howe Roboas by enclyning to yonge counsayle and refusynge of olde lost .x. partes of his kyngedome fo eodem ¶ whether were beter a wise prince with yuell counsayle or a folisshe prince with good counseyle fo clxvi ¶ Of Anthonius whiche by example of Scipio sayde he had leauer to saue o 〈…〉 his owne people than slee an L. of 〈◊〉 â—emes fo eodem ¶ Of â—he fyfte polycie belongynge to a prynce called chastite fo eodem ¶ Howe a prynce to reioyce his mynde ought some tyme to beholde beautyfull women fo clxvii ¶ Howe Sardanapaulus became all womanliche wherby he was subdued and lost his realme fo eodem ¶ Howe kynge Dauid for the loue of women lefte not of the exercise of knighthode fo eodem ¶ How Cirus the kinge of Perse coude not subdue the Lydes tyll by disceyte be caused them to falle to lykinges of flesshely lustes fo eodem ¶ Howe Amoleche by counsayle of Balaam sent feyre women to the hebrewes whiche were cause that the hebrewes were ouercome and discomfite fo clxviii ¶ Howe Salomon was ouercome with carnall concupiscence and howe by then ticiment of his concubines he dyd worshyppe false goddes fo eodem ¶ Howe Achias the prophet shewed before vnto Ieroboas the son of Nabal that after Salomons deth he shulde reigne ouer .x. tribes of Israell fo eodem ¶ Howe Arrous the sonne of Tarquine by a false imagination deceyued and subdued the Gabiens fo clxix ¶ How and vnder what maner Arrous rauished Lucrece fo eodem ¶ Howe the worthy knyght Virginius slough his owne doughter because she shulde not lese her virginite fo clxxii ¶ A ryght notable example bowe the delite and lust in maryage ought to be moderate by the seuen husbondes of Sara the doughter of Raguelis which were slayne the fyrst night of their mariage by a fende called Asmodius And howe Thoby was preseruedde by the counseile of the angel Raphael fo eodeÌ„ ⧠The contentis of the eyght boke ¶ Howe some in loues cause do against nature as in theyr kynred and syâ—rede both contrary to the lawes of reasone and of the churche fo clxxiii ¶ Howe Caius Calygula lay by his owne thre sisters and afterwarde exiled them And howe Amon also ageynste kinde rauished his owne syster Tâ—amar the whiche dede he dere a bought â—fterwarde fo clxxiiii ¶ How Loth lay by his owne two doughters and gote on them two sonnes of the which the one was called Moab and the other Amon fo clxxv ¶ A wretched example of a king named Antiochus whiche defouled his owne doughter and of the probleme that he put to them that desyred to haue her vnto wyfe fo eodem ¶ Howe Appolyn of Tyre came to Antioche and desyred the kinges doughter and howe he assoyled the kynges probleme fo eodem ¶ what the question was that the kyng Antiochus put to them that desyred to haue his doughter fo clxxvi ¶ Howe Appolyn for feare of the great and cruelle kynge Antiochus fledde aweye and durste not abyde in his owne propre countrey fo clxxvii ¶ Howe the kynge Antiochus sente a â—â—â—ht pryuely to Tyre to slee Appolyne 〈◊〉 poyâ—â—n fo eodem ¶ Howe Appolyn arriued in the hauen of â—haâ—â—â— and was lodged with Stranâ—â—â—â— fo eodem ¶ Howe one Hilcane a citezen of Tyre 〈◊〉 â—o Tharse and howe he knewe Apâ—â—â—â—â— and warned hym of Antiochus 〈◊〉 and howe Appolyn therfore for 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rfe and sayled to Pentapolyn 〈◊〉 â—â—we he dydde behaue hym selfe 〈◊〉 fo clxxvij ¶ Howe the kynges doughter of Penâ—â—â—â— loued Appolyn and forsoke all 〈◊〉 â—â—r his sake that offered to marye 〈◊〉 â—â—d howe atte laste he maryed 〈◊〉 fo eodem ¶ Howe Appolinus wyfe trauayled on the 〈◊〉 and howe she there dyed and of the great calamites that felle to hym afterwarde fo clxxix ¶ How Appolyn delyuered his doughter to nource and of the wretched chances that she had fo clxxx ¶ Of the dole and beuynes that Appolâ—â— made whaÌ„ he thought his doughter hadde ben deed and howe at laste he sonde her fo clxxx iij. ¶ Howe Apolyn mette with his wyfe that he for deade before hadde cast in to the see fo clxxxiiij ¶ Howe Apolin toke wreche on Strangulio and Dionyse his wyfe for theyr falsheed fo eodem ¶ Howe the louer for a fynal conclusion of his confession desyred counsayle of his confessor fo clxxxv ¶ Howe fynally Genius enioyneth the louer these thynges that be bolsome for hym fo eodem ¶ The controuersye that felle betwen the confessor and the louer in the ende of his confession fo clxxxvi ¶ The fourme of a supplication that Genius in the louers behalfe delyuered to Venus fo eodem ¶ The aunswere that Venus made to the same supplication after she hadde resceyued it fo clxxxvij ¶ Howe Venus scorneth them which that in theyr olde age sette theyr hartes to be louers fo eodem ¶ Howe the mockynge exhortation of Venus had almost slayne the louer for sorowe fo eodem ¶ The names of the ioly louers bothe yonge and olde that came to comforte this louer in his dedly peyne fo eodem ¶ Howe Cupyde whan he had serched the bowels of the louer and fonde that he was wetheredde awey by age drewe out of hym his fyry darte fo clxxxix ¶ Howe the state of manne is compared to the monthes of the yere fo Lxc. ¶ Here in the ende he maketh a recapitulation on that that he promysed touchynge loues cause in the begynnynge of the boke for he concludeth that all delectation of loue out of Charite is nothynge fo Lxci ¶ Thus endeth the table of this warke entitled Gower de Confessione Amantis ¶ To the moste victorious / and our moste gracious soueraigne lorde kynge Henry the .viii. kynge of Englande and of France / Defender of the feyth / and lorde of Irelande c. PLutarke wryteth / whan Alexander had discoÌ„fyte Darius the kynge of Perse / amonge other iewels of the sayde kynges there was founde a curyous lyttell cheste of great value / whiche the noble kynge Alexander beholdynge / sayde This same shall serue for Homere whiche is noted for the great loue and fauour / that Alexander had vnto lernynge But this I thynke veryly / that his loue and fauour therto / was not so great as your gracis whiche caused me / moost victorious / and most redoubted souerayne lorde / after I had printed this warke / to deuyse with my selfe / whether I myght be so bolde to presente your hyghnesse with one of them / and so in your gracis name putte them forthe your moste hygh and most princely maieste abasshed and cleane discouraged me so to do / both bicause the present as concernynge the value was farre to symple / as me thought / and bycause it was none other wyse my acte / but as I toke some peyne to prynte it more correctly than it was before And though I shulde
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
vâ—ori sue regine porrexit dicens Bibe cum paâ—â—â— tuo / quod et ipsa huiusmodi operis â—â—nara fecit quo facto rex statim super his que â—â—prius gesta fuerant cunctis audieÌ„tibus per singuâ—â— se â—actauit Regina vero cum talia audiffet animo celato factum abhoreÌ„s in mortem dnÌ„i sui regis circumspecta industria conspirauit Ipsum que auxiliaÌ„tibus Glodesida et Helmege brem fuâ— secuto teÌ„pore inter fecit / cuins mortem dux rauenensis tam in corpus regine quam suoruÌ„ fautorum postea vindicauit ¶ Of theÌ„ that we lumbardes now call Albinus was the fyrste of all whiche bare crowne of Lumbardy And was of great chiualrie In warre ageynst dyuers kynges So felle amonge other thynges That he that tyme a warre had with Gurmund which the Geptes lad And was a myghtye kynge also But netheles it felle hym so Albinus slough hym in the felde Ther halpe him nother spere ne shelde That he ne smote his heed of than wherof he toke awey the panne Of whiche he sayde he wolde make A cuppe for Gurmundes sake To kepe and drawe in to memorie Of his batayle the victorie And thus when he the felde had wonne The londe anon was ouerronne And sesed in his owne honde where he Gurmundes doughter fonde whiche mayde Rosamunde hyght And was in euery mans syght A fayre fresshe a lusty one His hert fyll to her anone And suche a loue on her he cast That he her wedded at the last And after that longe tyme in reste with her he dwelleth and to the beste They loue eche other wonder wele But she which kepeth the blynd whele Venus when they be moste aboue In all the hottest of her loue Her whele she torneth and they felle In the maner as I shall telle This kynge which stod in all his welth Of pees of worship and of helth And felt hym on no syde greued As he that hath his worlde acheued Tho thought he wolde a fest make And that was for his wyues sake That she the lordes of the feste That were obeysaunt to his heste May knowe and so forth there vpon He lette ordayne and sent anon By letters and by messengers And warned all his offycers That euery thynge be well araide The great stedes were assayde For iustynge and for tornement And many a perled garnement Embrouded was ageyne the day The lordes in their beste aray Be comen at the tyme sette One iusteth well an other bet And other whyle they torney And thus they caste care awey And token lustes vpon honde And after thou shalt vnderstonde To mete into the kynges halle They comen as they be hydden all And whan they were sette and serued Than after as it was deserued To them that worthy knyghtes were So as they setten here and there The price was youen and spoken out Amonge the heraudes all about And thus benethe and eke aboue All was of armes and of loue wherof aboute at bourdes Men had many sondry wordes That of the myrthe whiche they made The kynge hym selfe bygan to glade within his hert and toke a pryde And sawe the cuppe stonde a syde whiche made was of Gurmundes hed As ye haue hard when he was deed And was with golde and ryche stones Beset and bounde for the nones And stode vpon a fote on hyghte Of borned golde and with great slight Of werkmenshyp it was by graue Of suche worke as it shulde haue And polysshed was eke so clene That no sygne of the sculle was sene But as it were a grypes eye The kyng badde bere his cuppe awey whiche stode before hym on the borde And sette thylke vpon his worde ¶ The sculle is fette and wyne therin wherof he badde his wyfe begynne Drynke with thy father dame he sayd And she to his byddynge obeyde And toke the sculle and what her lyste She drynketh as she which nothynge wist what cup it was and than all out The kynge in audyence about Hath tolde it was her fathers sculle So that the lordes knowe shull Of his batayle a soth wytnesse And made auant through what prowes He hath his wyues loue wonne whiche of the sculle hath so begonne Tho was there mochel pride alofte They speaken all and she was softe Thynkende on thylke vnkynde pride Of that her lorde so nygh her syde Auanteth hym that he hath slayne And pyked out her fathers brayne And of the sculle hath made a cuppe She suffered all tyll they were vppe And tho she hath sekenesse feyned And goth to chambre hath coÌ„pleined Vnto a mayde whiche she trust So that none other wyghte it wyst This mayde Glodesyde is hote To whome this lady hath by hote Of ladyshyp all that she can To auengen her vpon this man whiche dyd her drynke in suche a plite Amonge them all for despyte Of her and of her father bothe wherof her thoughtes ben so wrothe She sayth that she shall not be glad Tylle that she se hym so be bestad That he no more make auaunt And thus they felle in couenaunt That they acorden at the laste with suche wyles as they caste That they woll gette of their accorde Some orped knyght to sle this lorde And with this sleyght they begynne Howe they Helmege myght wynne whiche was the kynges botyler A proude and a lusty bachyler And Glodesyde he loueth hote And she to make hym more assote Her loue graunteth and by nyght They shape howe they to geder myght A bedde mete and done it was The same nyght and in this cas The quene her selfe the nyght seconde went in her stede and there she fonde A chaumber derke without lyght And goth to bedde to this knyght And be to kepe his obseruaunce To loue doth his obeysaunce And weneth it be Glodesyde And she than after lay a syde And axeth hym what he hath do And who she was she tolde hym tho And sayd Helmege I am the quene Nowe shall thy loue well besene Of that thou haste thy wyll wrought Or it shall sore ben abought Or thou shalt worche as I the saye And if thou wolt by suche a waye Do my plesaunce and holde it stylle For euer I shall ben at thy wylle Bothe I and all myn herytage ¶ Anone the wylde loues rage In whiche no man hym can gouerne Made hym that he can not werne But felle all holle to her assent And thus the whele is all myswent The whiche fortune hath vpon honde For howe that euer it after stonde They shope amonge them such a wyle The kynge was deed within a whyle So styly came it not aboute That they ne ben discouered out So that it thought them for the best To fle for there was no reste And thus the tresour of the kynge They trusse and moche other thynge And with a certayne felauship They fled and went awey by ship And helde their nyght cours from then Tyll that they comen to Rauenne where they
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
Enuy eis nought And other wyse if it besought Vpon what syde as euer it falle It is the werst vyce of alle whiche of hym selfe hath most malyce For vnderstonde that euery vyce Som cause hath wherof it groweth But of enuye no man knoweth Fro whens he cam but out of helle For thus the wyse clerkes telle That no spryte but of malyce By wey of kynde vpon a vyce Is tempted and by suche a way Enuye hath kynde put a waye And of malyce hath his sturrynge wherof he maketh his bakbytinge And is hym selfe therof dyseased So may there be no kynde pleased For ay the more that he enuyeth The more ayene hym selfe he plyeth Thus stant Enuye in good espeyre To ben hym selfe the dyuels heyre As he whiche is the next lyche And forthest from the heuen ryche For there may he neuer wonne ¶ For thy my good dere sonne If thou wolt fynde a syker weye To loue put enuye aweye ¶ Myn holy fader reason wolde That I this vice eschewe shulde But yet to strength my courage If that ye wolde in auauntage Therof set a recouere It were to me a great desyre That I this vice myght flee ¶ Nowe vnderstond my sonne see There is physyke for the seke And vertues for the vices eke who that the vyces wolde eschewe He mot by reason than sewe The vertues For by thylke weye He may the vyces done aweye For they to geder may not dwelle For as the water of the welle Of fyre abateth the malyce Ryght so vertu fordoth the vyce Ayene Enuye is Charyte whiche is the moder of pyte That maketh a mans hert tender That it may no malyce engender In hym that is inclined therto For his courage is tempred so That though he might him selfe releue yet wolde he not another greue But rather for to do plesaunce He bereth hym selfe the greuaunce So fayne he wolde another ease wherof my sonne for thyn ease Nowe herken a tale whiche I rede And vnderstonde it well I rede ¶ Hic ponit Confessor exempluÌ„ de vertute Chatitatis contra Inuidiam / Et narrat de Constantino Esene filio qui cum Imperu Romani dignitaiem obtenue rat a morb o lepre infectus medici pro sanitate recuperanda ipsum in sanguine puerororum masculo rum balneare proposuerâ—t sed cum innumera multitudo matrum cum fuâ—â—e huiusmodi medicina causa in circuitu palacâ—i affuisset / Imperator que eorum gemitus elamores percepisset charitate motus ingemiscens sic aâ— O vere eft ipse dominus qui se facit seruum pietatis Et his dictis statum suum cunctipoteâ—â—s medele committens sui ipsius mordum â—acius quam infancium mortem benignius elegit vnde ipse qui antea paganus et leprosus extiterat ex vnda baptismatis tenatus utrinusque materie tant corporis quam anime diuino miraculo consecutus est salutem AMonge the bokes of latyn I fynde it wryt of Constantyne The worthy emperour of Rome Suche infortunes to hym come whan he was in his lusty age The leper caught in his vysage And so forth ouer all aboute That he ne myght ryden out So left he both shelde and spere As he that myght hym not bestere And helde hym in his chamber close Through all the worlde the fame arose The great clerkes were assent And com at his commaundement To tret vpon this lordes he le So longe they to geder dele That they vpon this medicine Appoynten hem and determyne That in the maner as it stode They wolde hym bath in childes blod within seuen wynter age For as they sayen that shulde assuage The lepre and all the violence whiche that they knowe of accidence And not by wey of kynde is falle And therto they acorden alle As for fynall conclusyon And tolden her opinion To themperour And he an one His counsayll toke and therupon with letters and with seales out They send in euery londe about The yonge chyldren for to seche whose blode they sayd shulde be leche For themperours maladye There was ynough to wepe and crye Amonge the moders whan they herde Howe wofully this cause ferd But netheles they mot howe And thus women there come ynowe with chyldren soukend on the tete Thâ—â— were many teres lete But were hem lyefe or were hem loth The women and the thyldren both Into the paleys forth he brought with many a sory hertes thought 〈◊〉 hem whiche of her body bore The chyldren hadde and so forlore 〈◊〉 a while shulde se 〈◊〉 moders wepe in her degre And many of hem a swoune falle The yonge babyes cryeden alle This noyse arose this lorde it herde And loked out and how it ferde He sawe and as who sayde abrayde Oâ—â—e of his slepe and thus he sayde O thou dyuyne purueaunce whiche euery man in the balaunce Of kynde hast formed to be lyche The pore is bore as is the ryche And dieth in the same wyse Vpon the fole vpon the wyse Sekenesse and bele enter comune May none eschewe that fortune whiche kynde hath in her lawe sette Her strengthe and beaute ben besette To euery man a lyche free That she preferreth no degree As in the disposition Of bodely complection And eke of soule reasonable The poore childe is bore as able To vertue as the kynges sonne For euery man his owne wonne After the lustes of his assaye The vice or vertue chese maye Thus stande all men fraunchysed But in estate they ben deuysed To somme worshyp and rychesse To some pouerte and distresse One lordeth an other serueth But yet as euery man deserueth The worlde yeueth not his yeftes here But certes he hath great matere To be of good condicion whiche hath in his subiection The men that ben of his semblaunce And eke he toke his remembraunce Howe he that made lawe of kynde wolde euery man to lawe bynde And badde a man suche as he wolde Toward hym selfe ryght such he shuld Towarde an other done also ¶ And thus this worthy lorde as tho Set in balaunce his owne estate And with hym selfe stode in debate And thought howe it was not good To se so mochell mannes bloudde Be spylte by cause of hym alone He sawe also the great mone Of that the mother were vngladde And of the wo the children made wherof that his herte tendreth And suche pitie within engendreth That hym was leuer for to chese His owne body for to lese Than se so great a mourdre wrought Vpon the bloud which gilteth nought This for the pyte whiche he toke All other leches he forsoke And put hym out of auenture Allonly to goddes cure And sayth who that woll mayster be He mote be seruaunt to pite So ferforth he was ouercome with charite that he hath nome His counsayle and his offycers And badde vnto his treasourers That they his treasour all about Departe amonge the poore route Of women and of chyldren both wherof they might hem fede
boÌ„de As whan men haue a traytour fonde And tho that were with hym take whiche of treason were ouertake To gether in one sentence falle But false Egyste aboue hem alle was demed to dyuers peyne The werst that men couthe ordeyne And so after by the lawe He was vnto the gybet drawe where he aboue all other hongeth As to a traytour it belongeth The fame with her swyfte wynges About fleeth and bare tydynges And made it couth in all londes Howe that Horestes with his hondes Clytemnestre his owne mother slough Some seyne he dyd well inough And some seyne he dyd amys Dyuers opinions there is That she is dede they speken all But pleynly howe it is befalle The matter in so lyttell throwe In sothe there myght no man knowe But they that weren at the dede And commonlyche in euery nede The werst speche is rathest herde And leued tyll it be answerde The kynges and the lordes great Begonne Horestes for to threat To putten hym out of his reigne He is not worthy for to reigne The child which slough his moder so They sayde and thervpon also The lordes of common assent The tyme sette of parlement And to Athenys kynge and lorde To gether come of one accorde To knowe howe that the soth was So that Horestes in this cas They senden after and he come ¶ Kynge Menelay the wordes nome And asketh hym of this matere And he that all it myght here Answerde and tolde his tale at large And howe the goddes in his charge Commaunded hym in suche a wyse His owne honde to do iuyse with this tale a duke arose whiche was a worthy knyght of lose His name was Menestheus And sayde vnto the lordes thus The wreche whiche Horestes dede It was thynge of the goddes bede And nothynge of his crueltie And if there were of my degre In all this place suche a knyght That woll seyne it was no ryght I woll it with my body proue And thervpon he cast his gloue And eke this noble duke a leyde Full many an other skyll and seyde She had well deserued wreche Fyrst for the cause of spouse breche And after wrought in suche a wise That all the worlde it ought agryse whan that she for so foule a vice was of her owne lorde mourdrice They sytten all stylle and herde But therto was no man answerde It tought hem all he sayde skylle There is no man with say it wylle whan they vpon the reason musen Horestes all they excusen So that with great solempnite He was vnto his dignite Receyued and coroned kynge And tho befell a wondre thynge Egyona whan she it wyste whiche was the doughter of Egyste And syster on the mother syde To this Horest at thylke tyde whan she herde how her brother sped For pure sorowe whiche herled That he ne hadde ben exyled She hath her owne lyfe begyled Anone and henge her selfe tho It hath and shall be euermo To mourtherwho that woll assente He may not fayle to repent This false Egyona was one whiche to mourther Agamemnon yaue her accorde and her assent So that by goddes iugement Though none other man it wolde She toke her iuyse as she sholde And as she to an other wrought Vengeaunce vpon her self she thought And hath of her vnhappy wytte A mourther with a mourther quyt Suche is of mourther the vengeaunce ¶ For thy my sonne in remembrance â—f this â—nsample take good hede For who that thynketh his loue spede with mourther be shall with worldes shame Him selfe eke his loue shame ¶ My father of this auenture whiche ye haue tolde I you assure My herte is sory for to here But onely for I wolde lere what is to done and what to leue And ouer this by your leue That ye me wolde telle I prey If there be leful any weye withoute synne a man may slee ¶ My sone in sondry wyse ye what man that is of Traytorye Of mordre or elles Robberye At teynt the Iuge shal not let But he shal fleen of pure det And doth greate sinne if that he woÌ„de For who that lawe hath vpon honde And spareth for to do iustyce For mercy doth not his offyce That he his mercy so bewareth whaÌ„ for one shrewe whiche he spareth A thousand good men be greueth with suche mercy who that bileueth To please god he is deceyued Or elles mote reason be weyued The lawe stode or we were bore Howe that a kynges swerde is bore In sygne that he shall defende His true people and make an ende Of suche as wolden hem deuour ¶ Lo thus my sonne to souccour The lawe and common right to wynne A man may slee without synne And do therof a great almesse So for to kepe ryghtwysenes And ouer this for his countree In tyme of werre a man is free Hymselfe his house and eke his londe Defende with his owne honde And sleen if be may no bet After the lawe whiche is sette ¶ Nowe father than I you beseche Of hem that deedly werres seche In worldes cause and sheden bloode If suche an homicide is good Confessor ¶ My sonne vpon thy questyon The trouth of myn opinyon Al 's ferforth as my wyt arecheth And as the playne lawe teacheth I wolde the telle in euydence To rule with thy conscience Quod â—reat ipse deê° necat hoc homicida creatuÌ„ Vltor et humano sanguine spargit humum Vt pecoris sic est hoiÌ„s cruor heu modo fusus Victa iacet pietas et furor vrget opus Angelus in terra pax dixit et vltima Christi Verba sonent pacem quaÌ„ modo guerra fugat ¶ Hic sequitur contra motoresguerre que non solum homicidii sed vniuersi mundi desolationis mater existit ¶ The hygh god of his iustice The ilke foule horrible vice Of homicide he hath forbede By Moyses as it was bede whan goddes sonne was also bore He sent his aungell downe therfore whom the shepeherdes herden synge Pees to the men of welwyllynge In erthe amonge vs here So for to speke in this matere After the lawe of charite There shall no deadly werre be And eke nature it hath defended And in her lawe pees commended whiche is the chiefe of mans welth Of mans lyfe of mans helth But deadly werre hath his couyne Of pestilence and of famyne Of pouerte and of all wo wherof this worlde we blamen so which nowe the werre hath vnderfote Tyll god him selfe therof do bote For al thing which god hath wrought In erthe werre it bryngeth to nought The churche is brent the prest is slayn The wyfe the mayde is eke forlayne The lawe is lore and god vnserued I not what mede he hath deserned That suche werres ledeth inne If that he do it for to wynne Fyrst to accompte his great coste Forth with the folke that he hath loste As to the worldes reckenynge There shall he fynde no wynnynge And if be do it to purchace The
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
/ 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
pleyn Than thou by mouth durstest seyn Thus haue I let tyme slyde For slouthe and kept not my tyde So that laches with his vyce Full ofte hath made my wyt so nyce That what I thought to speke or do with taryenge he held me so Tyl whan I wolde and myght nought I not what thynge was in my thought Or it was drede or it was shame But euer in ernest and in game I wote there is longe tyme passed But yet is not the loue lassed whiche I vnto my lady haue For though my tonge is slow to craue At all tyme as I haue bede Myn hert stant euer in o stede And asketh besylyche grace The whiche I may not yet embrace And god wote that is maulgre myn For this I wote ryght wel afyn My grace cometh so selde aboute That is the slouthe whiche I doubte More than of all the remenaunte whiche is to loue appartenaunte And thus as touchende of lachesse As I haue tolde I me confesse To you my fader I beseche That ferthermore ye wol me teche And if there be to my mattere Some goodly tale for to here How I may do lachesse awey That ye it wolde telle I prey ¶ To wysse the my sonne and rede Amonge the tales whiche I red An olde ensample therupon Nowe herken and I wol telle on ☞ Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos qui in amoris causa tardantes delinquunt Et narrat qualiter Dido regina Cartaginis Ened ab incendus Troie fugitinum in amorem fuum gauisa suscepit / qui cum postea in partes Italie a Cartagine bellaturum se transtulit nimiam que ibidem moram faciens / tempus redditus sui ad DidoneÌ„ vltra moduÌ„ tardauit / ipsa intolleâ—abili dolore coÌ„cussa sui cordis intima gladio traÌ„sfodit Aâ—ayne lachessein loues caas I fynde howe whylome Eneas Home Anchyses to sonne hadde with great nauye whiche he ladde Fro Troye arryueth at Cartage wherfore a whyle his herbergage He toke and it betid so with her whiche was a quene tho Of the Cyte his acqueintaunce He wan whos name in remembraunce Is yet and Dido she was hote whiche loueth Eneas so hote Vpon the wordes whiche he sayde That all her herte on hym she layde And dyd all holy what he wolde But after that as it be shulde Fro thens he goth toward Itayle By shyp and there his arryuayle Hath take and shope hym for to ryde But she whiche may not longe abyde The hote payne of loues throwe Anon within alytel throwe A letter vnto her knyght hath wryte And dyd hym pleinly for to wyte If he made any taryinge To dretche of his ayen commynge That she ne myght hym fele and se She shulde stonde in suche degree As whylome stode a swan to fore Of that she hadde her make lore For sorowe a fether in to her brayne She shâ—of and hath her selfe slayn As kynge Menander in a lay Thâ— soth hath fonde where she lay Spraulend with her wynges twey As she whiche shulde than deye For loue of hym which was her make And so shal I do for thy sake Thâ—â—â—nene sayde wel I wote Lo to Ence thus she wrote with many a nother word of compleynt But he which had his thoughtes feynt Towardes loue and full of slouth His tyme let and that was routhe For she whiche loueth hym to fore Desyreth euer more and more And whan she sawe hym tary so Her hert was so full of wo That compleynend manyfolde She hath her owne tale tolde Vnto her selfe and thus she spake A who fonde euer suche a lacke Of slouth in any worthy knyght Nowe wote I well my deth is dyght Through him which shuld haue be my lyfe But for to stynten all this stryfe Thus whan she syghe none other bote Ryght euen vnto her hert rote A naked swerd anone she threfte And thus she gat her selfe reste In remembraunce of all slowe wherof my sonne thou myght knowe Howe tarynge vpon the nede In loues cause is for to drede And that hath Dido sore abought whose deth shall euer be bethought And euermore if I shal seche In this matter another speche In a Cronycke I fynde wryte A tale whiche is good to wyte ¶ Hic loquitur super eodem qualiter Penolope Vlixem maritum suum in obsidione Troie diucius morantem ob ipsius ibidem tardacionem epistola sua redarguit ☞ At Troye whan kynge Vlyxes Vpon the sege amonge the pres Of hem that worthy knyghtes were Abode longe tyme stylle there In thylke tyme a man may se Howe goodly that Penelope whiche was to hym his trewe wyfe Of his lachesse was pleyntyfe wherof to Troye she hym sende Her wylle by letter thus spekende My worthy loue and lorde also It is and hath be euer so That where a woman is alone It maketh a man in his persone The more hardy for to wowe In hope that she wolde bowe To suche thynge as his wylle were whyle that her lorde were els where And of my selfe I telle this For it so longe passed is Syth fyrste that ye frome home went That welle nygh euery man is went To there I am whyle ye be oute Hadde made and eche of hem aboute whiche loue can my loue secheth with great prayer and me besecheth And some maken great manace That if they myght come in place where that they myght her wylle haue There is no thynge me shulde saue That they ne wolde worch thynges And some telle me tydynges That ye ben deed and some seyne That certaynly ye ben beseyne To loue a newe and leaue me But howe as euer that it be I thonke vnto the goddes all As yet for ought that is befall May no man do my chekes rede But netheles it is to drede That lachesse in contynuaunce Fortune myght suche a chaunce whiche no man after shulde amende ¶ ' Lo thus this lady compleynende A letter vnto her lorde hath wryte And prayde him that he wolde wyte And thynke howe that she was al his And that he tarye not in this But that he wolde his loue acquyte To her ayenewarde and not wryte But come hym selfe in all haste That he none other paper waste So that he kepe and holde his trouth without lette of any slouthe ¶ Vnto her lorde and loue liege To Troye where the great siege was leyde this letter was conueyde And he whiche wysdome hath purueid Of all that to reason belongeth with gentyll herte it vnderfongeth And whan he hath it ouer rad In parte he was right inly glad And eke in parte he was disesed But loue his hert hath so through sesed with pure imaginacyon That for for none occupacyon whiche be gan take on other syde He may not flytte his herte asyde For that his wyfe hym had enformed wherof he hath hym selfe conformed with all the wyll of his courage To shape and take the viage Homewarde what tyme that he may So that hym thynketh of a
a loue may not laste But nowe men seyn in oure dayes Men maken but a fewe assayes But if the cause be rychesse For thy the loue is well the lesse And who that wold ensamples telle By olde dayes as they felle Than myght a man wel vnderstonde Suche loue may not longe stonde Now herken sonne thou shalt here A great ensample of this matere ¶ Hic ponit exemplum contra istos / qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia fumunt Et narrat de quodam regis Apulie Se nescalo / qui non solum propter pecuniam vxoreÌ„ duxit sed eciam pecunie commercis vxorem sibi desponsatum vendidit ¶ To trete vpon the cas of loue So as we toâ—d here aboue I fynde wryte a wonder thynge Of Puyle whylom was a kynge A man of hygh complexion And yonge but his affectyon After the nature of his age was yet not falle in his courage The lust of woman for to knowe So it betyd vpon a throwe This lorde felle in to great sekenes Physyke hath done the besynes Of sondry cures many one To make hym holle and therupon A worthy mayster whiche there was Yafe hym counseyle vhon this cas That if he wolde haue parfyte hele He shuld with a woman dele Atress he a yonge a lusty wyght To don hym companye a nyght For than he sayde hym redely That he shal be al hole ther by And other wyse he knewe no cure The kyng whiche stode in a venture Of lyfe and deth for medicine Assented was and of couyne His stewarde whom he trusteth well He toke and tolde hym euery dele How that this mayster had sayde And thervpon he hath hym prayde And charged vpon his lygeaunce That he do make purueaunce Of suche one as be couenable For his pleasaunce and delitable And badde hym how that euer it stode That he shall spare for no good For his wyll is ryght well to pay The stewarde sayde he wolde assay ¶ But now here after thou shalt wyte As I fynde in the bokes wryte what couetyse in loue doth This stewarde for to telle soth Amonges all the men on alyue A lusty lady hath to wyue whiche netheles for golde he toke And nought for loue as sayth the boke A ryche marchaunt of the londe Her fader was and he her fonde So worthely and suche rychesse Of worldes good and suche largesse with her he yafe in mariage That onely for thilke auauntage Of good the stewarde hath her take For lucre and nought for loues sake And that was afterwarde wel sene Nowe herken what it woll mene The stewarde in his owne hert Sigh that his lorde may not asterte His maladie but he haue A lusty woman hym to saue And though he wolde yeue inough Of his treasour wherof he drough Great couetyse in to his mynde And set his honour ferre behynde Thus he whom golde hath ouersette was trapped in his owne nette The golde hath made his wyttes lame So that sechende his owne shame He ronneth in the kynges eare And sayd hym that he wyst where A gentyll and a lusty one Tho was and thyther wolde he gone But he mote yeue yeftes great For but it be through great beyete Of golde he sayd he shulde not spede The kynge hym bad vpon the nede That take an hundrede pouÌ„de he shuld And yeue it where that he wolde Be so it were in worthy place And thus to stonde in loues grace This kyng his golde hath habandoned And whan this tale was full rouned The stewarde toke the gold and went within his herte and many a went Of couetyse than he cast wherof a purpose at laste Ayene loue and ayene his ryght He toke and sayde how thilke nyght His wyfe shall lygge by the kynge And goth thynkende vpon this thynge Towarde his inne tyll he cam home In to the chaumbre and than he nome His wyfe and tolde her al the cas And she whiche redde for shame was with bothe her handes to hym prayde Kâ—â—lende and in this wyse sayde That she to reason and to skylle In what thynge that he bydde wyll Is redy for to done his beste But this thynge that were not honeste That he for golde her shulde selle And he tho with his wordes felle Forth with his gastely countenaunce Sayth that she shall done obeysaunce And folowe his wylle in euery place And thus through strength of his manace Her innocence is ouerladde wherof she was so sore adradde That she his wylle mote nede obeye And thervpon was shape a weye That he his owne wyfe by nyght Hath out of all mennes syght So priuely that none it wyst Brought to the king which as hym list May do with her what he wolde For whan she was there as she sholde with hym a bedde vnder the cloth The stewarde toke his leue and goth In to the chambre fast by But howe he slepte that wote not I For he sygh cause of ielousy ¶ But he whiche hath the company Of suche a lusty one as she Hym thought that of his degre There was no man so well at ease She doth all that she may to please So that his herte all holle she had And thus this kynge his ioye lad Tyll it was nygh vpon the day The stewarde than where she lay Cam to the bedde and in this wyse Hath bydde she shulde aryse The kynge sayth nay she shall not go The stewarde sayde nothynge so For she mote gone er it be knowe And so I swore at thilke throwe whan I her fette to you here The kynge his tale wolde not here And seith how that he hath her bought For thy she shall departe nought Tyll he the bryght day beholde And caught her in her armes folde As be whiche lyst for to pleye And bad his stewarde gone aweye And so he dyd ayene his wylle And thus his wyfe a bedde stylle Lay with the kynge the longe nyght Tyll that it was hygh sonne lyght But who she was he knew nothynge Tho cam the stewarde to the kynge And prayde hym without shame In sauynge of her good name He myght leaden home ayene This lady and tolde hym pleyne Howe that it was his owne wyfe The kynge his ere vnto this stryfe Hath leyde and whan that he it herde well nyhe out of his wyt he ferde And sayde A caytife moste of all where was it euer or this befall That any Cokarde in this wyse Betoke his wyfe for couetyse Thou hast bothe her and me begyled And eke thyn owne estate reuyled wherof that buxome vnto the Here after shall she neuer be For this auowe to god I make After this day / if I the take Thou shalte be honged and to drawe Nowe loke anone thou be withdrawe So that I se the neuer more This stewarde that drad hym sore with all the hast that he may And fled awey the same day And was exyled oute of lond ¶ Lo there a nyce husbond whiche
There myght no peryll hym dere In water maye it not be dreynte where as it cometh the fyre is queynt It daunteth eke the cruel heste There may none quad that man arest where so he be on se or londe That hath this rynge vpon his honde And ouer that she gan to seyne That if a man wyl ben vnsayne within his honde holde close the stone And he may inuysyble gone The rynge to Iason she betaught And so forth after she hym taught what sacrifyce he shuld make And gan out of her cofer take Hym thought an heuenly fygure whiche all by charme and by coniure was wrough eke it was through writ with names whiche he shuld wyte As she hym taught tho to rede And had hym as he wold spede without rest of any whyle whan he were londed in that yle He shuld make his sacryfyce And rede his carecte en the wyse As she hym taught on knes doun bent Thre sythes towerd oryent For so shuld he the goddes plese And wyn hym selfe mochel ese And whan he had it thryse radde To open a boxe she hym badde That she there toke hym in present And was full of suche oignement That there was fyre ne venym none That shulde fastenen hym vpon whan that he were anoynt withall For thy she taught hym howe he shall Anoynt his armes all aboute And for he shulde nothinge doute She toke him than a maner glue The whiche was of so great vertue That where a man it shulde cast It shulde bynde anone so fast That no man myght it done away And that she had by all waye He shulde into the mouthes throw Of tho two oxen that fyre blowe Therof to stoppe the malice The glue shall serue of that office And ouer that her oignement Her rynge and her enchauntement Ayene the serpent shulde hym were Tyll he hym slee with swerde or spere And than he may saufely inough His oxen yoke in to the plough And the teeth sowe in suche wyse Tyll he the knyghtes se aryse And eche of other downe be leyde In suche a maner as I haue sayde ¶ Lo thus Medea for Iason Ordeyneth and prayeth thervpon That he nothynge foryete shulde And eke she prayeth hym that he wold whan he hath all his armes done To grounde knele and thonke anone The goddes and so forth by ease The flees of golde he shulde sese And whan he had it sesed so That than he were sone ago without any taryenge whan this was sayde into wepynge She fel as she that was through nome with loue and so porth ouercome That all her worlde on hym she sette But whan she sygh there was no lette That he mote nedes parte her fro She toke hym in her armes two An honderde tymes and gan hym kysse And sayde O all my worldes blysse My trust my luste my lyfe myn hele To ben thyn helpe in this quarele I pray vnto the goddes all And with that word she gan downe fall Of swoune and he her vp nam And forthe with that the mayden cam And they to bedde anone her brought And than Iason her besought And to her seyde in this manere My worthy lusty lady dere Comforteth you for by my trouth It shall not fallen in my slouth That I ne woll throughout fulfylle your hestes at your owne wylle And yet I hope to you bringe within a whyle suche tydynge The whiche shall make vs bothe game ¶ But for he wolde kepe her name whan that he wyst it was nygh day Hâ— sayde adewe my swete may And forth with hym he nam his gere which as she had take hym there And straught vnto his chambre went Aâ—d goth to bedde and slepe hym hent And lay that no man hym a woke For Hercules hede of hym toke 〈◊〉 it was vndâ—rne high and more Aâ—d than he gan to sygh sore And sodeynly he brayde of slepe 〈◊〉 they than toke of hym kepe 〈◊〉 â—hamberleins ben soone there And maden redy all his gere And he arose and to the kynge He went and sayde howe to that thing For whiche he cam he wolde go The kynge therof was full wo And for he wolde hym fayne withdraw He tolde hym many a dredefull sawe But Iason wolde it nought recorde And at laste they accorde whan that he wolde nought abyde A bote was redy at tyde In which this worthy knyght of grece Full armed vp at euery pece To his batayle whiche belongeth Toke sore in honde sore hym longeth Tyll he the water passed were ¶ whan he cam to that yle there He set hym on his knees doun straught And his carecte as he was taught He rad and made his sacryfyce And sythe anoynte hym in that wyse As Medea hym hath bede And than arose vp fro that stede And with the glewe the fyre he queynt And anone after he atteynt The great serpent and hym slough But erst he had sorowe ynough For that serpent made hym trauayle So hard and sore of his batayle That nowe he stood and nowe he felle For longe tyme it so befelle That with his swerd and with his spere He myght not the serpent dere He was so sherded all aboute It hueld all edge tole withoute He was so rude and hard of skyn There myght no thynge go there in Venym and fyre to geder he cast That he Iason sore a blast And if it ne were his oyntement His rynge and his enchauntement whiche Medea toke hym before He had with that worme be lore But of vertu whiche therof cam Iason the dragon ouercam And he anone the tethe out drough And set his oxen in his plough with whiche he brake a pece of lond And sewe it with his owne hond Tho myght he great merueyle se Of euery toth in his degre Sprong vp a knyght with spere sheld Of whiche anone ryght in the feld Echone slough other and with that Iason Medea not forgat On both his knees he gan downe falle And gafe thonke to the godddes all The flees he toke and gothe to hote The sonne shyneth bryght and hote The flees of gold shone forth with all The water glysterd ouerall Medea wept / and syghed ofte And stode vpon a towre alofte All pryuely within her selfe There herd it not nen ne twelfe She prayd and sayd O god him spede The knight which hath my maideÌ„hede And aye she loketh toward the yle But whan she sygh within a whyle The flees glisterynge ageyn the sonne She sayd O lord all is ywonne My knyght the feld hath ouercomen Nowe wolde god he were comen O lorde god I wolde he were in londe But I dare take this on honde If that she had wynges two She wolde haue flowen to hym tho Streyght there he was vnto the hote The day was clere the sonne hote The grekes were in great doute The whyle that her lorde was oute They wyst not what shuld betyde But wayted euer vpon the tyde To se what ende shulde falle There stoden
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
befall In swoune tho she gan downe fall And efte arose and gan to stonde And efte she taketh the clothe on honde Behelde the letters and thymages But at last of suche outrages She sayde wepynge is nought the bote And swereth if that she leue mote It shall be venged other wyse And with that she gan her auyse How fyrst she myght vnto hir wyn Her suster that no man within But onely they that were swore It shulde knowe and shope therfore That Thereus nothynge it wyst And yet ryght as her seluen lyste Her syster was delyuered sone Out of prison by the mone To Progne she was brought by nyghte whan eche of other had a syght In chambre there they were alone They maden many a pytous mone But Progne most of sorow made whiche sigh her syster pale and fade And specheles and dishonoured Of that she had be defloured And eke vpon hir lorde she thought Of that he so vntruely wrought And had his espousayle broke She maketh auowe it shall be wroke And with that word she kneleth downe wepynge in great deuocion Vnto Cupyde and to Venus She prayd and sayd than thus O ye to whome no thynge astert Of loue may for euery herte ye knowe as ye that ben aboue The god and the goddesse of loue ye wyten well that euer yet withal my wylle and all my wyt Syth fyrst ye shope me to wedde That I lay with my lorde a bedde I haue ben trewe in my degre And euer thought for to be And neuer loue in other place But all onely the kynge of Trace whiche is my lorde and I his wyfe But nowe allas this wofull stryfe That I hym thus ageynward fynde The most vntrewe and most vnkynde That euer in ladys armes lay And wel I wote that he ne may Amend his wronge it is so great For to lytell of me he lete whan he myn owne suster toke And me that am his wyfe forsoke Lo thus to Venus and Cupyde She prayd and ferthermore she cryde Vnto Apollo the hyghest And sayd O myghty god of rest Thou do vengeaunce of this debate My suster and all her estate Thou wost how she hath forlore Her maydenhede and I therfore In all the worlde shall beare a blame Of that my suster hath ashame That Thereus to hir I sente And well thou wost / that myn entent was all for worshyp and for good O lorde that gyuest the lyues fode To euery wyght I pray the here These wofull systers that ben here And let vs nought to the ben loth we ben thyn owne women both Thus plaineth Progne / axeth wreche And though her sister lacke speche To hym that all thynges wote Her sorowe is not the lesse hote But he / that than herd them two Hym ought haue sorowed euermo For sorowe which was hem betwene with signes playneth Philomene And Progne saith / it shal be wreke That all the worlde therof shall speake And Progne tho syckenes feyned wherof vnto her lorde she pleyned And preith she mote her chambre kepe And as her lyketh wake slepe And he her graunteth to be so And thus to gether ben they two That wolde hym but a lytell good Nowe herken hereafter / how it stode Of wofull auntres that befelle These susters that ben both felle And that was not on hem alonge But onely on the great wronge whiche Thereus had hem do They shopen for to venge hem tho This Thereus by Progne his wyfe A sonne hath whiche as his lyfe He loueth and I this he hyght His mother wyst well she myght Do Thereus no more greue Than slee his childe whiche was so leue Thus she that was as who saith madde Of wo whiche hath her ouerladde without insyght of motherheed Forgate pyte and lost drede And in hir chambre priuely This childe without noyse or crye She slough and hewe hym all to peces And after with dyuers spieses The flesshe whan it was so to hewe She taketh and maketh therof a sewe with whiche the fader at his mete was serued tyll he had hym ete That he ne wyst howe that it stode But thus his owne flesshe and blode Hym selfe deuoureth ageyne kynde As he that was to fore vnkynde And than er that he were aryse For that he shulde bene agryse To shewen hym the childe was dede This Philomene toke the hede Betwene two dysshes / and all wrothe Tho came forthe the susters bothe And setten it vpon the borde And Progne than began the worde And seyde O werst of all wykke Of conscience whom no prykke May stere lo what thou hast do Lo here ben nowe we systers two O rauener lo here thy preye with whom so falsely on the weye Thou hast thy tyranny wrought Lo nowe it is som dele abought And better it shall for of thy dede The worlde shall euer synge and rede In remembraunce of thy defame For thou to loue hast done suche shame That it shall neuer be forgete with that he sterte vp fro the mete And shoue the borde in to the flore And caught a sworde anone and swore That they shulde of his hondes dye And they vnto the goddes crye Began with so loude a steuene That they were herde vnto heuene And in the twynkelyng of an eye The goddes that the myschiefe seye Her formes chaunged all thre Eche of hem in his degree was turned in to a bryddes kynde Dyuerselyche as men may fynde After the state that they were ynne Her formes were set a twynne And as it telleth in the tale The fyrst in to a nyghtyngale was shape and that was Philomene whiche in the wynter is not sene For than be the leues falle And naked ben the busshes alle For after that she was a brydde Her wylle was euer to be hyd And for to dwelle in pryue place That noman shuld se hir face For shame whiche may not be lassid Of thynge that was tofore passid whan that she lost her maydenhed Foreuer vpon her womanhede Though that the gods wold her chāg She thynketh and is the more straunge And holt her clos the wynter day But whan the wynter goth away And that nature the goddesse wyll of her owne fre largesse with herbes and with flours both The feldes and the medowes clothe And eke the woodes and the greues Ben bylled all with grene leues So that a brydde her hyde may Betwene March Apryl and May She that the winter held her clos For pure shame and nought aros whan that she sygh the bowes thycke And that there is no bare stycke But all his hyd with leues grene To wode cometh this Philomene And maketh hir fyrst yers flyght where as she syngeth day and nyght And in her songe all openly She maketh her plaint saith O why why ne were I yet a mayde For so this olde wyse sayd whiche vnderstood what she ment Her notes ben of suche entent And eke they sayd how in her songe She maketh great ioye
was a sory felaushyp For this thou myght wel vnderstonde That man may welle not longe stonde whiche is wine dronke of co men vse For he hath lore the vertues wherof reason shuld hym doth And that was sen vpon hem both Men seyn there his no euydence wherof to knowe a difference Betwene the dronken and the wode For they be neuer nother good For where that wyne doth wyt a weye wysdome hath lost the ryght weye That he no maner vyce dredeth No more than a blynd man thredeth His nedel by the sonne lyght No more is reason than of myght whan be with dronkeshyp is blent And in this poynt they weren shent This Galba both and eke Vytelle Vpon the cause as I shall tell wherof good is to take hede For they two through her dronkenhede Of witles excitation Oppressed all the nacion Of Spayne for all foule vsaunce whiche done was of continuaunce Of hem whiche all day dronke were There was no wyfe ne mayden there what so they were or fayre or foule whom they ne taken to defoule wherof the londe was often wo And eke in other thynges mo They wroughten many a sondry wroÌ„ge But howe so that the day be longe The derke nyght cometh at last God wolde nought they shulden last And shope the lawe in suche a wyse That they through dome to the Iuyse Bâ— damned for to be forlore But they that had be tofore Eâ—â—lyned to all dronkenesse Her ende than bare wytnesse For they in hope to asswage The peyne of dethe vpon the rage That they lasse shulden fele Of wyne let fyll full a meele And dronken tyll so was befell That they her strengthes losen all withouten wyt of ony brayne And thus they ben halfe deed slayne That hem ne greueth but a lite ¶ My sonne if thou be for to wite In ony poynt whiche I haue sayde wherof thy wyttes bene vnteyde I rede clepe hem home ageyne ¶ I shall do father as ye seyne Al 's ferforth as I may suffise But well I wote that in no wyse The dronkeshyp of loue aweye I may remue by no weye It stant nought vpon my fortune But if you lyst to coÌ„mune Of the seconde glotonye whiche cleped is delicacye wherof ye spake here to fore Beseche I wolde you therfore ¶ My sonne as of that ylke vice whiche of all other is the noryce And stant vpon the retenue Of Venus so as it is due The properte howe that it fareth The boke herafter nowe declareth Deliciae cum diuiciis sunt iura potentum In quibus orta Venus excitat ora gulae Non sunt deliciae tales que corpora pascunt Ex quibus impletus gaudia uenter agit Qui completus amor maiori munere gaudet Cum data deliciis mens in aman te fatur ☞ HIC tractat super illa specie gule que delicatia nuncupatur cuius mollicies volupiuose carni personis precipue potentibus queque compla centia corporaliter ministrat ¶ Of this chapter in whiche we trete There is yet one of suche dyete To whiche no pore may attayne For all is past as payndemayne And sondry wyne and sondry drynke wherof that he woll eate and drynke His cookes ben for hym affayted So that his body is awayted That hym shall lacke no delyte Al 's ferforth as his appetite Suffyseth to the meates hote wherof the lusty vice is hote Of Gule the delycacye whiche all the holle progenye Of lusty folke hath vndertake To fede whyle that he may take Rychesse wherof to be founde Of abstinence he wote no bounde To what profyte it shulde serue And yet phisyke of his conserue Maketh many a restrauracion Vnto his recreacion whiche wolde be to Venus lefe Thus for the poynt of his relefe The cooke whiche shal his meate aray But he the better his mouth assay His lordes thonke shall ofte lese Er he be serued to the chese For there may lacke not so lyte That he ne fyut anone a wyte But his lust be fully serued There hath no wight his thonke desued And yet for mans sustenaunce To kepe and holde in gouernance To hym that woll his hele gete Is none so good as comon mete For who that loketh on the bokes It seyth confection of Cookes A man hym shulde well auyse Howe he it toke and in what wyse For who that vseth that he knoweth Full selden sikenes on hym groweth And who that vseth metes straunge Though his nature empayre chaunge It is no wonder lyefe sonne whan that he doth ayene his wonne For in sikenes this I fynde Vsage is the seconde kynde In loue al 's well as other wey For as these holy bokes sey The bodely delyces all In euery poynt howe so they fall Vnto the soule done greuance And for to take in remembrance A tale accordant vnto this whiche of great vnderstanding is To mans soule reasonable I thynke tell and is no fable ¶ HIC PONIT EXEMPLVM contra iftos delicatos et narrat de diuite et Lazaro quorum gefta in euangelio Lucas euidentius describit ¶ Of Christis worde who wol it rede Howe that this vice is for to drede In theuangile it telleth pleyne whiche mote algate be certeyne For Christe hym selfe it bereth wytnesse And though the clerke and the clergesse In laten tonge it rede and synge yet for the more knowlechynge Of trouthe whiche is good to wite I shal declare as it is wriie In englyshe for thus it began ¶ Christe seith there was a ryche man A myghty lorde of great astate And he was eke so delycate Of his clothynge that euery day Of purpre and bysse he made hym gay And ete and dranke therto his fyll After the lustes of his wyll And he whiche all stode in delice And toke none hede of thilke vice And as it shulde so betyde A poure lazer vpon a tyde Came to the gate and axed mete But there myght he nothyng gete His deedly hungre for to staunche For he whiche had his full paunche Of all lustes at borde Ne deyneth not to speke a worde Onlyche a Cromme for to yeue wherof this poure myght leue Vpon the yefte of his almesse Thus lay this poure in great distresse A colde and hongred at the gate For whiche he myght go no gate So was he wofully besene And as these holy bokes seyn The houndes comen fro the haile where that this sycke man was falle And as he lay there for to deye The woundes of his maladye They lycken for to done hym ese But he was full of suche dysese That he may not the deth escape But as it was that tyme shape The sowle fro the body passeth And he whom nothynge ouerpasseth The hygh god vp to the heuen Hym toke where he hath set hym euen In Abrahams barme on hyghe where he the heuens ioye syghe And had all that he haue wold And fell as it befall shulde This ryche man the same throwe with sodeyn deth was
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
he was fully taught Of wysdom which was him betaught ¶ Nota hic de prima planeta / que aliis inferior luna dicitur ¶ Benethe all other stont the Mone The whiche hath with the see to done Of floodes hygh ebbes lowe Vpon his chaunge it shall be knowe And euery fysshe whiche hath a shelle Mote in his gouernaunce dwelle To wexe and wane in his degre As by the mone a man may se And all that stont vpon the grounde Of his moysture it mote be founde All other sterres as men fynde Ben shynende of her owne kynde Out take only the mone lyght whiche is not of hym selfe bryght But as he takth it of the sonne And yet he hath nought all full wonne His light that he nis somdell derke But what the lette is of that werke In Almagest it telleth this The mones cercle so lowe is wherof the sonne oute of his stage Ne seth him not with full visage For he is with the grounde beshaded So that the mone is somdele faded And may not fully shine clere But what man vnder his powere Is bore he shall his place chaunge And seche many londes straunge And as of this condicion The mones disposicion Vpon the londe of Alemayne Is set and eke vpon Britayne whiche nowe is cleped Englonde For they trauayle in euery londe ☞ De secunda planeta que Mercurine dicitur ¶ Of the planetes the seconde Aboue the mone hath take his bonde Mercurye and his nature is this That vnder him who that borne is In boke he shall be studious And in writinge curious And slowe and lustles to trauayle In thinge whiche els might auayle He loueth ese he loueth rest So is be not the worthiest But yet with somdele besinesse His hert is set vpon rychesse And as in this condicion Theffecte and disposicion Of this planete and of his chaunce Is moste in Borgoyne and in Fraunce ☞ De tercia planeta / que Venus dicitur ¶ Next to Mercurye as wolle befalle Stont that planet whiche men call Venus whose constellacion Gouerneth all the nacion Of louers where they spede or none Of whiche I trowe thou be one But whetherward thin happes wende Shall this planete shewe at ende As it hath do to many mo To some wel to some wo. And netheles of this planete The moste party is softe and swete For who that therof takth his byrth He shall desire ioy and myrthe Gentyl curtoys and debonayre To speke his wordes softe and fayre Suche shal he be by wey of kinde And ouerall where he may fynde Plesaunce of loue his herte boweth with all his might and ther he woweth He is so forforth amorous He not what thinge is vicious Touchend loue for that lawe There may no maner man withdrawe The whiche Veneryen is bore By wey of kinde And therfore Venus of loue the goddesse Is cleped but of wantoÌ„nesse The climate of her lecherye Is most comune in lumbardye ¶ 〈◊〉 de sole qui medio planetarum residens â—â—â—â—rum principatum obtinet ⧠Next vnto this planete of loue The bright sonne stont aboue whiche is the hindâ—rer of the night And fortherer of the dayes light As he whiche is the worldes eye Through whome the lusty companye Of fowles by the morowe singe The fresshe floures sprede and springe The hygh tre the grounde beshadeth And euery mans hert gladdeth And for it is the hede planete Howe that he sitteth in his sete Of what richesse of what nobleye These bokes telle and thus they seye ⧠Nota de curru solis necnon de vâ—rio eiusdem apparatu ¶ Of golde glistrende spoke and whele The sonne his carte hath faire and we le In whiche he sitte and is coroned with bright stones enuyroned Of whiche if that I speke shall There be tofore in speciall Set in the front of his corone Thre stones whiche no persone Hath vpon erth and the first is By name cleped Licuchis That other two cleped thus Astrices and Ceraunus In his corone and also behynde By olde bokes as I fynde There ben of worthy stones thre Set eche of hem in his degre wherof a Christall is that one whiche that corone is sette vpon The seconde is an adamant The thirde is noble and auenaunt whiche cleped is Idriades And ouer this yet netheles Vpon the sydes of the werke After the wrytynge of the clerke There sytten fyue stones mo The Smaragdine is one of tho Iaspis and Elitropius And Vendides and Iacinctus Lo thus the corone is beset wherof it shyneth well the bet And in suche wyse his lyght to sprede Syt with his Diademe on heed The sonne shynende in his carte And for to lede hym swithe and smarte After the bryght dayes lawe There ben ordeyned for to drawe Four hors his chare and hym withall wherof the naâ—â—â— telle I shall Eritheus the first is hote The whiche is redde and shyneth hote The seconde Acteos the bryght Lampes the thirde courser hight And Philogeus is the ferth That bringen lyght vnto this erth And gone so swifte vpon the heuen In foure and twenty houres euen The carte with the bryght sonne They drawe so that ouer ronne They haue vnder the cercles bye All mydde erthe in suche an bye And thus the sonne is ouer all The chefe planet imperiall Aboue hym and beneth hym thre And thus betwene hem renneth he As he that hath the middel place Amonge the seuen and of his face Ben glad all erthely creatures And taken after the natures Her ease and recreacion And in his constellacion who that is bore in speciall Of good wille and of liberall He shall be founde in all place And also stonden in mochel grace Toward the lordes for to serue And great profyte and thonke deserue And ouer that it causeth yet A man to be subtyl of witte To worch in golde and to be wise In euery thinge whiche is of prise But for to speken in what cost Of all this erth he regneth most As for wisdom it is in grece where is appropred thilke spece ☞ Nota de quinta planeta / que Mars dicitur ☞ Mars the planete bataillous Next to the sonne glorious Aboue stant and doth meruailles Vpon the fortune of batayles The Conquerours by dayes olde were vnto this planete holde But who that his natyuite Hath take vpon the propirte Of Martis disposicion By wey of constellacion He shall be fers and full hastyfe And desirous of werre and strife But for to tellen ridily In what climate most commonly That this planete hath his effecte Saide is that he hath his aspecte Vpon the holy londe so caste That there is no pees stedfaste ☞ Nota de sexta planeta / que Iupiter dicitur ¶ Aboue Mars vpon the heuen The sixte planete of the seuen Stant Iupiter the delicate whiche causeth pees and no debate For he is cleped the planete whiche of his kynde softe and swete Attempreth all that to hym longeth And whom this
that many a sondry weye wherof if that a man shall seye As for to speake in generall where suche thynge falleth ouer all That any kinge him selfe misreule The philosophre vpon his reule In speciall a cause set whiche is and euer hath be lette In gouernance aboute a kinge Vpon the meschiefe of the thinge And that he seith is flaterye wherof tofore as in partye what vice it is I haue declared For who that hath his wit bewared Vpon a flatour to bileue whan that he weneth best achieue His good worlde it is moste fro And for to prouen it is so Ensamples there be many one Of whiche if thou wolte knowe one It is behouely for to here what whylom fell in this matere ¶ Hic loquitur vlterius de consilio adulantuÌ„ quo rum fabulis principis aures organizate veritatis audituÌ„ capere nequeunt Et narrat exempluÌ„ de rege Achab que pro eo / quod ipse propheciâ—â— fidelis Michee recusauit / blandicus / que adulantis Zedechie adhesit rex Syrie Benedab in campo bellator ipsuÌ„ diuino iudicio denictum interfecit ¶ Amonge the kynges in the byble I fynde a tale and is credible Of hym that whylom Achab hyght whiche had all Israell to ryght But who that coude glose softe And flater suche he sette alofte In great estate and made hem ryche But they that speken wordes liche To trouthe and wolde it not forbere For hem was none estate to bere The courte of suche toke none hede Tyll at last vpon a nede That Benedab kynge of Surry Of Israell a great partie whiche Ramoth Galaad was hote Hath sesed and of that ryote He toke counseyle in sondry wyse But not of hem that weren wyse And netheles vpon this cas To strenghthen him for Iosephas whiche than was kynge of Iudee He sende for to come as he whiche through frendshyp and alyance was nexte to hym of acqueyntaunce For Ioram sonne of Iosaphath Achabs doughter wedded hath whiche hyght fayre Goodelye And thus cam into Samary Kynge Iosaphat and he founde there The kynge Achab and when they were To gether spekende of this thyng This Iosaphat saith to the kynge Howe that he wolde gladly here Some true prophet in this matere That he his counsayle might yeue To what poynt it shall be dreue And in that tyme so befelle There was suche one in Israel whiche sette hym all to flaterye And he was cleped Sedechy And after hym Achab hath sent And he at his commaundement Tofore hym cam and by a sleyght He hath vpon his heed on heyght Two large hornes set of bras As he whiche all a flattrour was And goth rampende as a lyon And cast his horne vp and downe And bad men ben of good espcire For as the hornes persen the eyre He saith withouten resistence So wyst be well of his science That Benedab is dyscomfyte when Sâ—dechy vpon this plyte Hath tolde this tale vnto his lorde Anone they were of his acorde Prophetes false many mo To bere vp oyle and al tho Affermen that whiche he hath tolde wherof the kynge Achab was bolde And yaue hem yeftes all aboute But Iosaphat was in great doubte And beine fantosme all that he herde Prayende Achab howe so ferde If there were ony other man The whiche of prophecie can To here hym speke er that they gone Quod Achab than there is one A brothel whiche Myche as hyght But he ne comth nought in my syght For he hath longe in prisone leyen Hym lyked neuer yet to seyen A goodly worde to my pleasance And netheles at thyne instance He shall come out and than he may Say as he sayde many a day For yet he sayde neuer wele Tho Iosaphat began some dele To gladen hym in hope of trouthe And bade withouten any slouthe That men hym shulde fette anone And they that were for hym gone whan that they comen where he was They tolden vnto Mycheas The manere howe that Sedechye Declared hath his prophecye And therupon they prayen hym fayre That he wyll say no contrarye wherof the kynge may be displeased For so shall euery man be eased And he may helpe hym selfe also Mycheas vpon trouthe tho His herte set and to hem saythe All that belonged to his faythe And of none other feyned thynge That woll he tell vnto the kynge As ferre as god hath yeue hym grace Thus came this prophete in to place where he the kynges wyll herde And he therto anone answerde And sayde vnto hym in this wyse My liege lorde for my seruice whiche trewe hath stonde euer yet Thou haste with prisone me acquite But for all that I shall nat glose Of trouthe as far as I suppose And as touchende of thy batayle Thou shalte not of the sothe fayle For if it lyke the to here As I am taught in that matere Thou myght it vnderstonde sone But what is afterwarde to done Auise the for this I sye I was tofore the trone on hye where all the worlde me thought stode And there I herde and vnderstode The voyce of god with wordes clere Axende and sayde in this manere In what thynge may I best begyle The kynge Achab and for a whyle Vpon this poynt they speken fast Tho sayd a spirite at last I vndertake this emprise And god hym axeth in what wyse I shall qd he deceyue and lye wâ—â—h flaterende prophecie In suche mouthes as he leueth And be whiche all thynge acheueth â—ad hym go forth and do ryght so And ouer this I sygh also The noble people of Israel Dispers as shepe vpon an hylle without a keper vnarayed And as they wenten about astrayed I herde a voyce vnto hem seyne Goth home in to your hous ayene Til I for you haue better ordeyned â—uod Sedechi thou hast feined This tale in angringe of the kynge And in a wrathe vpon this thinge He smote Miche vpon the cheke The kinge him hath rebuked eke And euery man vpon him cried Thus was he shente on euery syde A yene and in to prisone ladde For so the kinge him selfe hadde The trouth might nought ben herde But afterward as it hath ferde The dede proueth his entent Achab to the batayle went where Benedab for all his shelde Him slough so that vpon the felde His people goth aboute a straye But god whiche all thinges may So doth that they no mischiefe haue Her kinge was deed / and they be saue And home ageyn in goddes pees They wente and all was founde ses That Sedechye hath saide tofore So sit it wel a kinge therfore To loue them that trouth mene For at last it will be sene That flaterye is no thinge worth But nowe to my mater forth As for to speken ouer more After the philosophers lore The thirde poynte of policye I thinke for to specifye Propter transgressos leges statuuntur in orbe Vt viuant iusti regis honore viri Lex sine iusticie populum sub principis
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
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
the cytole and to the harpe And whome it lyketh for to carpe Prouerbes and demaundes slye An other suche they neuer sye whiche that science so well taught wherof she great gyftes caught That she to Lyonyn hath wonne And thus hir name is so begonne Of sondry thynges that she techeth That all the londe to hir secheth Of yonge women for to lere ¶ Qualiter Theophilus ad Dionisiam mane rediens affirmauit se Thaisim occidisse super quo Dionisia vnâ— cum Strangulione marito suo dolorem in publico confingentes exequias et sepulturam honorifice quantum ad extra subdola coniectatione fieri constituerunt ¶ Nowe lette we this mayden here And speke of Dionyse ageyne And of Theophyle the vyleyne Of whiche I spake of nowe tofore whan Thayse shulde haue be forlore This false chorle to his lady whan he cam home all priuely He saith Madame sleyne I haue This mayde Thayse and is begraue In preuy place as ye me hede For thy madame taketh hede And kepe counseyle howe so it stonde This fende whiche hath this vnderstoÌ„d was glad and weneth it be soth Now se hereafter how she doth She wepeth she crieth she coÌ„pleyneth And of syckenes whiche she feyneth She saith that Thaise sodeynly By nyght is deed as she and I To gether lyen nygh my lorde She was a woman of recorde And all is leued that she seyth And for to yeue a more feith Hir husbonde and eke she both In blacke clothes they hem cloth And make a great enterement And for the people shall be blent Of Thayse as for the remembraunce â—â—ter the ryall olde vsaunce A tombe of laton noble and ryche with an ymage vnto her lyche â—â—ggâ—nge aboue thervpon They made and set it vp anon Her â—â—itaphe of good assyse was wryte about and in this wyse It spake O ye that this beholde Lâ— here lyeth she the which was holde The fayrest and the floure of all whose name Thaysis men call The kynge of Tyre Appolynus Hir father was nowe lyeth she thus â—ourtene yere she was of age â—handeth hir toke to his viage ¶ Quâ—liter Appolinus in regno suo apud TyraÌ„ 〈…〉 parliamentum fieri constituit ¶ Thus was this false treason hyd whiche afterward was wyde kyd As by the tale a man shall here But to declare my matere To Tyre I thynke tourne ageyne And telle as the cronykes seyne whan that the kynge was comen home And hath lefte in the salte fome His wyfe whiche he may not foryete For he some comforte wolde gete He lette sommone a parlement To whiche the lordes weren assent And of the tyme he hath ben out He seeth the thynges all about And tolde hem eke howe he hath fare whyle he was out of londe fare And prayde hem all to abyde For he wolde at same tyde Do shape for his wyues mynde As he that wolde not be vnkynde Solempne was that ilke offyce And ryche was the sacrifice The feest ryally was holde And therto was he well beholde For suche a wyfe as he had one In thylke dayes was there none ¶ Qualiter Appolinus post parliamentuÌ„ Thasim pro Thaise filia sua querenda adiit qua ibideÌ„ non inuenta abinde nauigio recessit whaÌ„ this was done theÌ„ he him thought Vpon his doughter and besought Suche of his lordes as he wolde That they with hym to Tharse sholde To sette his doughter Thaise there And they anone all redy were To shyp they gone and forth they went Tyll they the hauen of Tharse bent They londe and fayle of that they seche By couerture and sleyght of speche This false man Strangulio And Dionyse his wyfe also That he the better trowe myght They ladde hym to haue a syght where that hir tombe was arrayed The lasse yet he was myspayde And netheles so as he durst He curseth and seyth all the worst Vnto fortune as to the blynde whiche can no syker wey fynde For hym she neweth euer amonge And medleth sorowe with his songe But sythe it may no better be He thonketh god and forth goth he Saylynge towarde Tyre ageyne But sodeynly the wynde and reyne Began vpon the see debate So that he suffre mote algate ¶ Qualiter nauis Appollini ventis agitata potum urbis Mitelene in die quo festa Neptuni celebrari consifeueruÌ„t / applicuit sed ipse pro dolore Thaisis filie sue quam mortuam reputabat in fundo nauis obscuro iacens sumen videre noluit ⧠The law which Neptune ordeineth wherof full oft tyme he pleyneth And held him wel the more esmayed Of that he hath tofore assayed So that for pure sorowe and care Of that he seeth this worlde so fare The reste he leueth of his caban That for the counceyl of no man Ageyne therin he nolde come But hath beneth his place nome where he wepinge allone lay There as be sawe no lyght of day And thus tofore the wynd they dryue Tyl longe and lat they arryue with great distresse as it was sene Vpon this towne of Mytelene whiche was a noble cite tho And happeneth thylke tyme so The lordes both and the commune The high festes of Neptune Vpon the stronde at ryuage As it was custome and vsage Solempnelych they be sight whan they this straunge vessel sygh Com in / and hath his sayle aualed The towne therof hath spoke and taled ¶ Qualiter Atenagoras vrbis Mitelene princeps nauim Appolini inuestigans ipsuÌ„ sic coÌ„tristatuÌ„ nihil que respondenteÌ„ consolari satagebat ¶ The lorde whiche of that cyte was whose name is Atenagoras was there and sayde he wolde se what ship it is and who they be That ben therin and after soune whan that he sigh it was to done His barge was for him arayed And he goeth forth and hath assayed He fonde the shyp of great araye But what thinge it a mownte may He sygh they maden heuy chere But wel him thynketh by the manere That they ben worthy men of blood And asketh of hem howe it stode And they him tellen all the caas Howe that her lorde fordryue was And whiche a sorowe that he made Of whiche there may no man him glad He prayeth that he her lorde may se But they him tolde it may not be For he lyeth in so derke a place That there may no wyght se his face But for all that though hem be lothe He fond the ladder and doune he goeth And to him spake but none answer Ageyne of him ne might he bere For ought that he can do er seyne And thus he goeth him vp ageyn ¶ Qualiter precepto principis vt Appolinum consolaretur Thaisis cum cithera sua ad ipsum in obscuro nauis vbi iacebat producta est ¶ Tho was there spoke in many wyse Amongest hem that weren wyse Nowe this nowe that but at last The wysdome of the towne thus cast That yonge Thayse was assent For if there be amendement To glad with this wofull
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
she and telle me how Shewe me thy sekenes euery dele Madame that can I do we le Be so my lyfe therto wol laste with that her loke on me she caste And sayde in aunter if thou lyue â—y wylle is fyrste / that thou be shryue And netheles howe that it is I wote my selfe / but for all this Vnto my preest / whiche cometh anone I woll thou telle it one and one Both of thy thought / and al thy werke O Genius myn owne clerke Come forth / here this mannes shryft Quod Venus tho and I vplyfte My hede with that / and gan beholde The selfe preest / whiche as she wolde was redy there / and set hym doune To here my confessyon Confessus Genio si sit medicina salutis Experiar morbis quos tulit ipsa Venus Lesa quidem ferro medicantur membra saluti Raro tamen medicum vulnus amoris habet ¶ Hic dicit qualiter Genio pro coÌ„fessore sedenti prouolutus amans ad confitendum se flexis ge nibus incuruatur supplicaÌ„s tamen / vt ad fui sensus informationem confessor iffe in dicendis opponere sibi benignus dignaretur ¶ This worthy preest / this holy man To me spekend thus began And sayde Benedicite My sonne of the felycite Of loue / and eke of all the wo Thou shalt be shryue of bothe two what thou er this for loues sake Haste felte / let nothynge be forsake Telle pleynly / as it is befalle And with that worde I gan downe fal On knees with good deuocyon And with full great contrycion I sayde than Dominus Myn holy fader Genius So as thou haste experyence Of loue / for whose reuerence Thou shalt me shryue at this tyme I pray the lette me not mystyme My shryfte / for I am destourbed In all myn herte / and so conturbed That I ne may my wyttes gete So shall I moche thynge foryete But if thou wolte my synne oppose Fro poynt to poynte / than I suppose There shall nothynge be lefte behynde But nowe my wyttes be so blynde That I ne can my selfe teche Tho he beganne anone to preche And with his wordes debonayre He sayde to me softe and fayre In this place I am set here Thy shryfte to oppose and here By Venus the Goddesse aboue whose preest I am touch end of loue ¶ Sermo Genii sacerdotis super confessione ad amantem ¶ But netheles for certayne skyll I mote algate / and nedes wylle Nought only make my spekynges Of loue / but of other thynges That touchen to the cause of vyce For that belongeth to thoffyce Of prestes / whose ordre that I bere So that I wol nothyng forbere That I the vyces one and one Ne shall the shewe euerychone wherof thou myght take euydence To rewle with thy conscyence But of conclusion fynall Conclude I wolde in speciall For loue / whose seruaunt I am And why the cause is that I am So thynke I to do bothe two Fyrste that myn ordre longeth to The vices for to telle on rewe But nexte aboue all other shewe Of loue I wol the propretes Howe that they stonde by degrees After the disposicion Of Venus / whose condicion I must folowe as I am holde For I with loue am all withholde So that the lesse I am to wyte Though I nowe con but a lyte Of other thynges / that bene wyse I am not taught in suche a wyse For it is nought my comyn vse To speke of vyces / and vertuse But all of loue / and of his lore For Venus bokes of nomore Me techen nether text ne glose But for as moche as I suppose It syt a preest to be well thewde And shame it is / if he be lewde Of my presthode after the forme I wol thy shryfte so enforme That at the laste thou shalte here The vyces / and to thy matere Of loue I shal them so remeue That thou shalt know what they meue For what a man shall axe or seyne Touchend of shryfte / it mote be pleyne It nedeth nought to make it queynt For trouth his wordes wol not peinte That I wol axe of the for thy My sonne it shall be so pleynly That thou shalt knowe vnderstonde The pointê of shrift how that they stoÌ„d Visus et auditus fragiles sunt ostia mentis Quae uitiosa manus claudere nulla potest Est ibi larga uia graditur qua cordis ad â—ntruÌ„ Hostis et ingrediens fossa talenta rapit Haec mibi confessor Genius primordia profert Dum sit in extremis uita remorsa malis Nunc tamen ut Poterit faeminina loquela fateri Verba per os timide conscia mentis agam ¶ Hic confessio amantis cui de duobus precipue quinque sensibus hoc est de visu et auditu confessor pre ceteris opponit ¶ Bytwene the lyfe and dethe I herde This prestes tale er I answerde And than I prayed hym for to say His wyll and I it wolde obey After the forme of his apprise Tho spake he to me in suche wyse And bad me that I shulde me shryue As touchende of my wyttes fyue And shape / that they were amended Of that I had them my spended For tho be properly the gates Through which / as to the hert algates Cometh all thyng vnto the feyre whiche may the mannes soule empeyre And nowe is this matter brought in My sonne I thynke fyrste begynne To wytte / how that thyn eie hath stoÌ„de The whiche is as I vnderstonde The moste princypall of all Through whom that peril may befalle And for to speke in loues kynde Full many suche a man may fynde whiche euer caste aboute theyr eye To loke / if that they myght aspye Ful oft thing / which them ne toucheth But only that their hertes soucheth In byndringe of a nother wyght And thus ful many a worthy knyght And many a lusty lady bothe Hath be full ofte sythe wrothe So that an eie is as a thefe To loue and doth full great meschiefe And also for his owne part Ful ofte thilke firy dart Of loue whiche that euer brenneth Through hym in to the hert renneth And thus a mannes eye first Him selfe greueth alder werst And many a tyme that he knoweth Vnto his owne harme it groweth My sone herken nowe for thy A tale to be ware therby Thyn eye for to kepe and warde So that it passe nought his warde 〈◊〉 sâ—â—t Confessor exemplum de visu ab 〈…〉 diceÌ„s qualiter Acteon Cad 〈…〉 The barum nepos dum in quadam foâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 causa spaciarit accidit vt ipse 〈◊〉 fontem nemorosa arborum puschrituâ—â—mentuÌ„supernemens vidit ibi DianaÌ„ 〈…〉 nudaÌ„ in flumine bafneanteÌ„ qu◠〈…〉 â—ituens â—â—uses suos a muliabri nudi 〈…〉 euertâ—â—e volebat / vnde indigna 〈…〉 ceâ—â—â— figuram transformauit ¶ â—â—â—de telleth in his boke â—â—â—ample touchend of misloke And saith howe whilome ther was one A worthy lorde
whiche Acteon 〈◊〉 â—hete and he was Cosyn nyghe 〈◊〉 hâ—m that Thebes firste on high By set whiche kynge Cadme hyght This Acteon / as he wel myght A 〈◊〉 all other cast his chere And vsed it from yere to yere with houndes and with great bornes Amonge the wodes / and the thornes To make his huntynge / and his chace where hym best thought in euery place To fynde game in his way There rode he for to hunte and play So hym befelle vpon a ryde On his huntynge as he can ryde In a foreste a lone he was He sawe vpon the grene gras The fayre floures fresshe sprynge He herd amonge the leues synge The throstel / with the nyghtyngale Thus er he wyste in to a dale He came / wher was a lytell pleyne All rounde aboute / well beseyne with busshes grene / and cedres bye And there within he caste his eye A myddes the playne he sawe a welle So fayre there myght no man telle In whiche Diana naked stode To bathe and play her in the flode with many nimphes / which her serueth But he his eye awey ne swerueth From her / whiche was naked all And she was wonder wroth with all And hym / as she whiche was goddesse Fo rs hope anone / and the likenesse She made him taken of an herte whiche was tofore his houÌ„des sterte That rone besily aboute with many an horne / and many a route That maden moche noyse and crie And at the laste vnhappilye This hert his owne houndes slough And hym for vengeaunce all to drough ¶ Lo nowe my sone what it is A man to caste his eye amis whiche Acteon hath dere abought Beware for thy / and do it nought For ofte / who that hede toke Better is to wynke than to loke And for to prouen it is so Ouide the Poete also A tale whiche to this matere Acordeth sayth / as thou shalt here ¶ Hic ponit aliud exeÌ„pfuÌ„ de eodeÌ„ vbi dicit quod quid aÌ„ princeps nomine Forcus tres progenuit filias Gorgones a vulgo nuncupatas que vno partu exorte deformitateÌ„ monstroruÌ„ serpentinaÌ„ obtinuerunt quibus cuÌ„ in etatem peruenerant talis destinata fuerit natura quod quicuÌ„que in eas aspiceret in lapideÌ„ fubito mutabatur et sic quaÌ„plures incaute respicientes visis illis perierunt sed Perseus miles clipeo Palladis / gladioque Mercurij munitus eas extra monteÌ„ AtlaÌ„tis cohabitaÌ„tes aio audaci absque sui periculo interfecit ¶ In Methamor it telleth thus How that a lorde / whiche Forcus was hote / had doughters thre But vpon their natiuite Suche was the constellacion That out of mannes nacion Fro kynde they be so myswent That to the lykenes of a serpent They were bothe / and that one Of them was cleped Stellybone That other suster Suryale The thyrde as telleth in the tale Medusa hyght / and netheles Of comon name Gorgones In euery countrey there about As monstres / whiche that men doute Men clepen them / and but one eye Amonge them thre in purpartie They had / of whiche they myght se Nowe hathe it this / nowe hath it she After that cause and nede it ladde By throwes eche of them it hadde A wonder thyng yet more amys There was / wherof I telle all this what man on them his chere caste And them behelde / he was al 's faste Out of man in to a stone Forshape / and thus full many one Deceyued were / of that they wolde Misloke / where they ne shulde But Perseus / that worthy knyght whome Pallas / of her great myght Halpe / and toke hym a shelde therto And eke the god Mercury also Lent hym a swerde he as it fylle Beyonde Athlans the hyghe hylle These moÌ„stres sought / there he fonde Diuerse men of thylke londe Through sight of them mistorned were Standinge as stones here and there But he which wysdome and prowesse Hath of the god and the godesse The shelde of Pallas gan embrace with whiche he couereth saufe his face And Mercurius swerde out he drough And so he bare hym / that he slough These dredfull monstres all thre Confessor ¶ Lo nowe my sonne auyse the That thou thy syght not misuse Cast not thin eye vpon Meduse That thou be torned in to stone For so wyse man was neuer none But yf he woll his eye kepe And take of foule delyte no kepe That he with luste nis ofte nome Through strengthe of loue / ouercome Of mislokynge howe it hath ferde As I haue tolde / nowe hast thou herde My good sonne take good hede And ouer this I the rede That thou beware of thine herynge whiche to the harte the tydinge Of many a vanite hath brought To tarye with a manes thought And netheles good is to here Suche thynge / wherof a man may lere That to vertue is accordaunt And towarde all the remenaunt Good is to torne his ere fro For elles but a man do so Hym may full ofte mysbefalle I rede ensample amonges alle wherof to kepe wel an eare It ought put a man in feare ¶ Hic confessor exempluÌ„ narrat / vt non ab auris exauditione fatua animus deceptus inuolâ—atur Et dicit qualiter ille serpens qui aspis vocatur quendaÌ„ preciosissimuÌ„ lapidem nomine caâ— bunculuÌ„ in sue frontis medio geftans coÌ„tra verba incantantis aurem vnaÌ„ terre affigeÌ„do prema aliaÌ„ sue caude stimulo firmissime obturat ¶ A serpent / whiche that aspidis Is cleped / of his kynde hath this That he the stone noblest of all The whiche that men CarbuÌ„cle call Bereth in his heed aboue on high For whiche whan that a man by slight The stone to wynne / hym to daunte with his carecte hym wolde enchaunte Anone as he perceyueth that He leyth downe his one eare all plat Vnto the grounde / and halt it fast And eke that tother eare al 's faste He stoppeth with his taylle so sore That he the wordes / lasse or more Of his enchauntement ne hereth And in this wyse hym selfe he skyereth So that he hath the wordes wayued And thus his eare is nought deceyued ¶ Aliud exempluÌ„ super eodeÌ„ qualiter rex Vlix es cuÌ„ a bello Troiano versus Greciam nauigio remiaret et prope issa monstra a maxima Syrenes micuâ—ata angefica voce canorans ipsum veÌ„â—â—rum aduersitate nauigare oporteret omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit ¶ In other thyng who that recordeth Lyke vnto this sample acordeth whiche in the tale of Troye I fynde Syrenes of a wonder kynde Ben monstres / as the bokes tellen And in the great see they dwellen Of body bothe and of vysage Lyke vnto women of yonge age Vp fro the nauyl on highe they be And downe benethe as men may se They bere of fysshes the fygure And ouer this of suche nature They beâ— that with so swete a