possesseth lyfe of euerlasting ioy and blisse The 15. History SOmetime dwelled in Rome a noble Emperour named Agias which had retaining vnto him a Knight called Gerard which was a worthy warrior neuerthelesse he was as méeke as a Lambe in the Emperours courte but in the field he was like a Lion This Emperour had a faire daughter whome the strong and mightie Earle of Palester carryed perforce away and defiled neuerthelesse it displeased more themperour the defiling of his daughter than the carrying of hir away wherefore he called vnto him his counsayle and sayde Déere friends it is not vnknowen to you the despite and violence done to mée in deflowring of my daughter and therefore I purpose to giue battaile to the Earle wherefore I pray you to be ready at a day that ye may procéede with me in battaile And they sayde Lord we be readie to liue and dye with you in battaile When the apointed day of battaile came they met on both sides and a cruell sharp conflict was prosecuted on both sides and all that were of themperours part were slaine And as themperour himselfe should haue bene sorceably assayled the knight Gerard put himselfe among his enimies before themperour and fought manfully and so Themperour escaped and the knight aboad and slew the earle neuerthelesse this knight had diuers wounds This notwithstaÌ„ding he aboad still till the blood ran downe to his foote And when his enimies saw that the Earle was slaine they fledde and the Knight with his people â—â—â—â—owed on the 〈…〉 till hée came to the place where themperours daughter was and â—â—dde hâ—r with him And thus with triumph and victory he â—â—â—urned againâ— to themperour For â—â—â— which victory and reobtaining of themperours daughter he was greatly peaâ—â—â—d of all people Not long after it befel that this knight had a suâ—e to moue themperours court wherefore the knight came vnto themperour prayed him méekely to be fauorable in his cause and furthermore he prayed him to doe the reason touching his honest demaund When Themperour had heard him he called to him a Justice and sayd â—ir Justice our will is that you performe all equitie vnto this knight and that that the Law will And wheÌ„ the knight heard this he cryed with a lowd voice Alas alas who heard euer such a thing of an Emperour thou wert said hee in battaile where thy head should haue béene smitten off and I in myne owne person and none other man put my selfe in ieopardy for thée and saued thée and now thou hast assigned an other man to bee Judge in my cause alas that euer thou wert borne And with that word the knight put of all his clothes sheweh his wounds that hée had receiued in the battâ—â—â—e vnto all the men that were there present and sayde Loâ— what I haue suffered for thee Oh Emperour and I put none other man in my stâ—de and now thou assignest an other man in my cause For sooth I say to thée that I neuer serued such a Lord béefore When the Emperour heard this being almost confounded in himselfe said thus O Déere friend all that thou sayest is trouth thou sauedst mée from death thou diddest reobtaine my daughter againe and for my sake thou hast suffered many wounds For sooth it is right that I in my owne person come downe and make an end of thy cause such as may bee honour and ioye to thée And when themperour labored busily in this matter and made thereof an ende according to the knights entente wherefore all men greatly commended the Emperour The Morall Déere friends this Emperour may bée called euery Christian man or else all mankinde which had a faire daughter that is to say the soule made to the similitude of God This Earle beetokeneth the diuell which carryeth away deflowreth by sinne the soule of man through eating of the fruite of the tree knowing good and euill wherefore all mankind was in thraldom til a strong and valiant knight came and put himselfe on the Crosse to suffer death as a redéemer of mankinde from the diuell For if that had not béene wée had all beene partakers of thraldome euerlaistngly and this Knight reduced and reobtayned the Soule of man vnto the Church wherefore hée suffered many great wounds in his body And now this knight that is to saye our Lord Jesu Christ hath a matter to doe among vs that is to saye to fynde in vs perfecte life wherefore hee calleth on vs dayly that wée shold bée redy at all times saying thus in the Apocalipse iii. Eccesto ab hostium pulso si quis mihi aparuerit introibo câ—nibo That is to say Loe I stand and knocke at the dore if any man will open to mee I shall come in suppe with him But many men doe as the Emperour dyd the which appointed the knight an other Judge then him selfe But now a dayes there bée some men that will doe no repentaunce for the loue of him which assigned no man but himselfe to fight for vs. And therefore against vnthankfull persons it shal bee sayde thus Loe hée suffered for vs on the Crosse despoyled of all his clothing and showeth to vs all his wouÌ„ds that hee suffered for vs. Bée wée therefore thankfull vnto God for his graces that wée may suffer for his loue some sorowfull repentaunce For hée that suffereth paine for the loue of God in this life shall receiue an hundrid tymes more reward in the lyfe euerlasting and also hée shall obtaine euerlasting life vnto the which our Lord Jesus bring all mankinde Amen The Argument The soule of man is heere warned to eschew the pleasant baites and subtill craft of the diuell that shee yeeld not to his allutments least shee bee ouercome of him and hee get the vantage of this mortall course from hir and bereue hir of the ioyes in the lyfe to come The 16. History THere dwelt somtimes in Rome a witty emperour namid Pompey which had a fayre daughter called Aglas This daughter had many vertues aboue all other women of that Empyre First shee was faire and gracious in the sight of euery man She was also swift in running that no man might ouertake hir by a great space When Themperour vnderstood these two vertues in his daughter hée was right ioyfull wherefore hée made to proclaime throughout all his Empyre that what man poore or riche would runne with his daughter should haue hir to wyfe with great riches if hée might ouerrunne hir and come sooner to the marke then shée and if shée ouer runne him and come sooner to the marke then hée his heade should bée smitten off When the states of that Empyre as Dukes Earles Barrons and knights heard this crye they offered themselues one after an other to runne with hir but euer this young Lady ouer-ranne them all wherfore they lost their heads according to the law That time there was a poore man dwelling in Rome which thought within himselfe I
rich and vicious worldlings The 21. History SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a noble Emperour named Polenus which had thrée sonnes whome hee loued much It béefell vpon a daie when this Emperour lay vpon his bed he bethought him to which of his sonnes he might giue his Empyre after his decease Then called hée to him his thrée sonnes and saide Which of you three that is slowest shall haue mine Empyre after my decease The first sonne answered and sayde Thyne Empyre by reason shall bée myne For I am so slow that if my foote were in the fyre I had rather it should be brent then I to take it out Then said the second I am quod hée more apt to the Empyre then thou for though ther were a rope about my neck wherwith I should bée hanged and if I had a sharp sword in my hand for great slouth that I haue I would not put soorth my hande to cutte the rope for to saue my life And when these two brethren had said the third saide for him thus I ought to be Emperour béefore you both for I passe you in slouth and that will I proue thus I lye vpright in my bed there droppeth water vpon both mine eyen for great slouth that I haue I moue not my head neither to the right side of the bedde nor to the lefte side for sauing of my selfe When the Emperour heard this hée béequethed the Empyre vnto the youngest sonne as to the slowest of the bretheren The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the diuell which is lord father ouer the vngodly in this world by the first son is vnderstood a man that chauÌ„ceth into euil compainy by whom he falleth into misdemenour and had leuer to be brent in the fire of sin then depart from them The second sonne betokeneth him that knoweth himselfe bound with the band of sin wherwith he is to be hanged on the gallous of hell is so slouthfull that hee wil not put them away with the lawfull sword of repentance By the third sonne is vnderstood a man that heareth the teaching of the ioyes of heauen and of the paines of hell and will not moue him selfe to the right for loue and desire of reward nor to the left side to forlake his sinnes for feare of eternall paine Such a man without doubt for his sloth shall obtaine the kingdome of hell from the which kéepe vs our Lord Jesus Amen The 22. Historie ALexander the mightie Emperour sometime ruled which beséeged a citie of the kinge of Egipt with a great hoast neuer the lesse this Emperour lost many mightie Knights without any hurt of stroke And thus froÌ„ day to day his people dyed sodenly whereat this Alexander wondred greatly was full sorowfull therof in his minde and anone let call afore him the wisest Philosophers that might bée found and praied them to tell him why his people dyed thus sodainly without wouÌ„d The Philosophers answered and said My Lord it is no wonder for vpon the walls of that Castell within the Citie is a Cocatrice through whose sight your men dye for they are infected with the venime that commeth of his eyen and there vpon they dye Than this Alexander asketh if there wer any remedy against that cocatrice The Philosophers answered and said My Lord there is good remedy which is this pleaseth it you to set vp a large myrrour of cléere glasse ouer against this Cocatrice between your hoast the wall of the citie when the cocatrice beholdeth him selfe in the myrrour the deadly nature of this venimous sight shall returne againe to himselfe thus he shall die and your men shal be saued The Emperour wrought by the counsell of the Philosophers and let set vp straight a large myrrour of glasse and thus was the Cocatrice slayne and the Emperour with his hoast made an assault to the Citie and obtained the victory The Morall This Emperour may bée called euery Christian man which ought to gather an hoast of vertues for without vertue there may no man fight ghostly The Citie against whom yee shall fight is the worlde wherein there is an high Castell that is to saye vanitie of vanities Vanitas vanitatum And all vanitie in this vanitie standeth the Cocatrice that is to say pride of life desire of the eyes and lust of the flesh wherfore this pride infecteth so many that they dy at the last euerlastingly Therfore the greatest remedy against this pride is the consideration of our vncleannes how wée came naked into this world if it be asked why a man is proude certainely it may bée answered thus for defanlte of robbing himselfe with vertues what shall wée doe wheÌ„ wee die thus gostly but set vp a pure mirrour of conscience and by that conscience wée may coÌ„sider our wil our brittilnes as in a glasse where thou maist sée thy owne default if wée doe thus without doubt the Cocatrice that is pride of life desire of the eyes and lust of the flesh wee shall vtterly destroy and obtaine the victory of this worldly citie then be we sure to winne euerlasting life vnto the which God bring both you and mée Anen The Argument The soule of man being occupied in the body with the flesh she seeketh by sinister meanes to ouerthrow the soule with hir vncleane lusts after the world wher though the soule for a time suffereth shipwrack of worldly felicitie yet the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda is of power not onely to comfort him in necessitie but also to reueÌ„ge his miury make him to repossesse with his former estate a more firmer euerlasting felicity in the world to come The 23. Historie A Mightie Emperour sometyme ruled the Romaynes maned Archelaus the which in his olde age espowsed a fayre young ladye whome a young knight loued had to doe with hir as oft as him list It béefell on a night that this Emperour beethought him in his bedde to visit the citie Ierusalem wherfore without any more delay he ordainâ—d al thing necessary to his iourney and tooke his leaue of the Emprisse and of the states of th empyre went towards the sayd Citie When the Emprisse heard this shée tooke the master of the shippe and sayd If thou wilt consent to mee bée true aske of me what thou wilt thou shalt haue it The master of the shippe was corrupt with couetousnesse and said O my déere ladye what so euer you will commaund mée I shall without fayle fulfill it so that yée will reward mée for my labour Then saide the Empresse or thou doe ought for mée I shall giue thée what thée list to haue so that thou wilt sweare to bée true to mée kéepe my counsaile The maister of the shippe anone made his oath to bée true to hir Than saide the Empresse My Lord goeth with you in your ship therefore when he is in the middest of the sea cast him out that hée may bee drowned and
to the forrest with his Asse to gather wood betookeneth euery iust and godly man fearing God in the forrest of this world the wood that he gathereth bâ—etokeneth his simple meaning to liue â—ell that hee carryeth on his Asse which béetokeneth the bodie of man wherewith his soule may ioye and liue in the taâ—â—â—na-cle of Heauen And as the Steward the Lyon the Ape and the Serpent that fell into the Pitte right so when a sinfull man falleth in the pitte of sinne The Lyon of the stocke of Iude that is Jesu Christ decendeth with him as oftentimes as the sinner hath will to come to grace Therfore saith the Psalmist Cum ipso sum in tribulatione That is to saie I am with him in tribulation This Guy draweth vp the Lyon that is to say Jesu Christ out of the pitte by the corde of vertues Hée drew vp the Ape also that is to saye contrary will to reason that hée might obay to reason For of all manner beasts the Ape is most lyke to manne right so among all the strengthes of the soule will ought to bée lykened vnto reason and to obey reason Hee drew vp also a Serpent by the which is vnderstoode repentaunce for two causes For the Serpent beareth in his mouth venim and his tayle is a medicine Right so repentaunce beareth at the beginning bitternesse to the doer neuerthelesse it is full swéete and medicinable vnto the soule at the ende therfore euery lust man should draw to him the serpent of repentaunce And at the last hée drew vp the Stewarde from the pyt of sinne according to Christes saying I am not come onely to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Also it is written that Seneca which taught an Emperour many lawes and vertues of truth and at the last like as this Steward dyd so dyd this Emperour seeke the death of his maister Seneca Also Christ gaue power to Iudas to worke myracles like as hée did to other Disciples neuerthelesse hée beetrayed him at the last Right so now a daies bée many children of Beliall which delight more to doe harme theÌ„ good in especiall to them that wouâ—d instruct them perfectly both for the soule and for the body The Lyon gaue to the iust and godly poore man tenne Asses charged with marchandise that is to saye our Lord Lesu Christ giueth to euery righteous man tenne commaundements charged with vertues by that which hée groweth to the riches of heauen The Ape also gathered him wood as oft as the iust man worketh the fruites of faith For wood voluntaryly is profitable for two thinges that is to saye to make fire and to builde houses Right so perfect charitie heateth the Angell according to scripture saying Quia magis gaudium est angelis c. That is to say More ioye is among angelis for one sinner doeing repentance c. Charitie also reyseth the house of heauen against the comming of the soule The Serpent also gaue him a stone of thrée diuers coulours the which betokneth our Lord Jesu Christ whome wée séeke by repentaunce Therefore sayth saint Ierome in the second table thus Post naufragium est penetendum That is to say We should repent vs after our trespasse That Christ is the stone may be proued by him selfe saying Ego sum lapis viuus That is to saye I am a liuing stone Christ hath three coullours which betokeneth the power of the father the wisdome of the sonne and the humilitie of the holy Ghost Therefore who so may get this stone shall haue the Empyre of heauen ioy without sorrow plentie without any want and light without darkenesse Unto which light bring vs our Lorde Jesu Christ that dyâ—d for all mankinde Amen The Argument ¶ By the natiuitie of Christ proceedeth ioyfull gladnesse to the world saluation vnto mankind Yet man is vnthankfull vnto God contrary to his promise made in Baptisme we are warned in all worldly tempestes to cleaue vnto Christ by faith hope to continue in well doing and to impugne the mallis of the diuell the prechers of gods woord are sent of god to confound the diuell by sound doctrine and good life life death is sette beefore man we ought then to chose that life that may be for our euerlasting comfort The 32. Historie IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Anselme which had wedded the kings daughter of Ierusalem a fayre Ladie and a gracious in the sight of euery man but she was long tyme with the Emperour or shée bare him any childe wherefore the Nobles of the Empyre were right sorowful because their Lord had none heyre of his bodie begotten Till at the last it befell that this Anselme walked after supper in an euening in his garden and bethought himself how he had none heyre and how the king of Ampluy warred on him continually for so much as hée had no sonne to make defence in his absence wherefore he was right sorowful and went to his chamber and slept And at the last him thought hée saw a vision in his sléepe that the morning was more cléerer than it was wont to bée that the Moone was much more paller on the one syde than on the other And after he saw a bird of two colours and by that byrd stood two beasts which fed that little byrd with their heate And after that come many â—o beasts bowed their breasts toward the byrd and went theyr way And than came ther diuers byrds that soung so swéetly pleasantly that the Emperour awaked In the morning earely this Anselme remembred his vision and wondred much what it might signifie wherefore he called to him his Philosophers and also the states of his Empyre and tolde them his dreame charging them to tell him the signification therof vpon paine of death if they tolde him the true interpretation therof he promised them great reward Then sayde they Déere Lorde tell vs your dreame and wée shall declare vnto you what it betokeneth Than the Emperour tolde them from the beginning to the ending as it is afore sayd When the Philosophers heard this with glad cheere they answered sayd Lord the dreame that ye saw betokeneth good for the Empyre shall be more clearer than it is The Moone that is more pale on the one side than on the other béetokeneth the Empresse that hath lost part of hir coulour through the concepcion of a sonne that she hath conceiued The little byrd betokeneth the sonne that shée shall beare The two beastes that fedde this bird betokeneth all the wyse men and riche menne of this Empyre shall obey thy sonne These other beastes that bowed theyr brestes to the byrde béetokeneth that many other nations shall doe him homage The Byrd that soung so swéetly to this little Byrd betokeneth the Romaines which shall reioyce and sing bycause of his byrth Lo this is the verye interpretation of your dreame When the Emperour heard this he was right ioyfull Soone
the lust of flesh and of sinners ariseth before him after runneth great houndes that is to say euill thoughts so long they chase till the bodie and the soule be left alone and than the fleshe stirreth that noble Soule beeing the Spouse of Almyghtie God But the pure and vndesiled soule that is so wel beloued with God wil not forsake hir Lorde and consent to sinne wherefore the wretched flesh full ofte despoiâ—eth hir of all hir clothing that is to say of all hir vertues hangeth hir vp by the haire on an oake that is to say on lustes delights and there she hangeth till the good earle commeth that is to say a discréete preacher in the forrest of this world to preach and teach the woord of god and taketh hir downe and leadeth hir foorth to the Church to nourish his daughter that is to say to nourish consciens with fruitfull faith The earle had in his chamber a lamp right so euery discréet Preacher should haue afore him the Lamp of holy Scripture whereby he may see both the greuaunce and profit of the Soule in teaching of vertues and putting away of vice The steward that stirreth hir to sinne is none else but pride of life which is steward of this world by whome many men be deceiued But when the soule that is so well béeloued with Christ will not consent vnto the sinne of pryde than taketh thys euill steward the knife of couâ—tise wherwith he slaieth the earls daughter that is to say conscience according to Scripture saying Gold siluer hath blinded the eyes of Judges hath ouethrowen wise men so that equitie righteousnes might not enter but stoode afar turned their backs This Lady also redeemed a man from death that is to saye from euerlasting death which he had deserued by deadly sinne Therefore doe we as dyd this lady smite we oâ—r horse that is to say our flesh with the spurres of repentaunce so ryde we foorth in all hast to saue our neighbour from the sinck of deadly sinne helpe him both bodily ghostly as Saloman saith Wo be to that man lying in deadly sinne that hath no man to lift him out thereof Therefore awake thy neighbor and help him For a brother that is holpen of an other is like a sure citie and if he giue no more but a cup of cold water to him in the way of helpe hee shall not lose his reward But many now a dayes be very vnkinde as was this theife which falsely deceiued his lady after that she had saued him from hanging The maister of the ship betokeneth the world by whom many men be deceiued But neuerthelesse as oft as a man taketh on him voluntarily the charge of pouertie and obeyeth vnto the commaundements of God and forsaketh the worlde then breaketh the shippe For it is impossible to please God and man and the world all at one tyme. When this lady had espyed the tempest of the sea she went to a Citie that ie to say the soule after the troubles of this world went to the holy lyfe and than shee healed all maner sicke folke that is to saye euery man that is troubled in his soule that is to saye infecte with diuers sicknesses that this Lady healeth through holy lyfe But the Soule might not bée séene of Christ hir husbande till shée had knoweledged openly all hir fiue wittes But when she had made a pure acknowledgement of hir sinne than the Emperour our Lord God hir husband knew hir and tooke hir in his armes and ledde hir home to the pallaice of heauen Unto the which almightie God bring vs all for his sonnes sake Amen The Argument ¶ Euery supreme magistrate and other inferior is to be honoured and reuerenced Euery true Christian man ought to consider his dutie heerein euery false Christian peruerteth the wayes of the godlye the reward of such is hid vp in hell but the iust shal inherite the blessed life euerlasting The 41. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour namid Martin which for entier affection kept with him his brothers son whom men called Fulgencius With this Martin dwelt also a knight that was steward of his Empyre and vncle vnto the Emperour which enuied this Fulgentius studying day and night how he might bring the Emperour and this child at debate wherfore the steward on a day went to the Emperour sayd My Lord quod hee I that am your true seruaunt am bound in dutie to warne your highnesse if I heare any thing that toucheth your honour wherfore I haue heard such things that I must needs vtter it in secrete to your Lordship béetwéene vs two Then sayde the Emperour Good friend quod hée say on what thée list My most déere Lord quod the steward Fulgeneious your cosâ—n and your nigh kinsman hath desamed you wonderfully and shamefully throughout all your Empyre saying that your breath stinketh and that it is death to him to serue you of your cuppe Than the Emperour was grieuously displeased and almost belide himselfe for anger sayde to him thus I pray thee my good friend tell mée the very trouth if that my breath so stincketh as he sayth My Lord quod the steward ye may beeléeue mee I neuer perceiued a swéeter breath in my dayes than yours is Then sayd the Emperour I pray thee good friend tell mée how I may bring this thing to a good proofe The steward answered and sayd My Lord quod hée yee shall right well vnderstand the troth for to morrow next when hée serueth you of your cuppe yée shall see that hée will turne away his face from you bicause of your breath and this is the most certain proofe that may be had of this thing Forelooth quod the Emperour a truer proofe can not be had of this thing Wherefore anone when the steward heard this hée went straight to Fulgencious and toke him a side saying thus Déere friend thou art my kinsman and also nephew vnto my Lord the Emperour therefore if thou wilt bée thankfull vnto mee I will tell thée of the vice whereof my Lord the Emperour complayneth oft and thinketh to put thée from him except it be the rather amended and that might bée a great reproofe to thee Then sayd this Fulgencious A good sir for his loue that dyed vpon the crosse tell mée why my Lord is so sore moued with mée for I am ready to amend my default in all that I can or may and for to be ruled by your good discréete counsaile Thy breath quod the steward stincketh so sore that his drinck doth him no good so gréeuous is vnto him thy stincking breath of thy Mouth Then sayd Fulgentious vnto the Steward Truely that perceiued I neuer till now but what thinke you of my breath I praie you to tell mée the verie truth Truely quod the steward it stinketh greatly and foule And this Fulgentious béeléeued all that hée saide and was right sorowfull in his
earth and aboue the earth of the said Trée And to the second brother hee bequethed all that is in bredth length and déepnes of that trée And to the third brother hée gaue all that is wette and dry And with that hée layd the law for them saide that the last will ought to stand Now my déere sonnes briefely I shall satisfie all your reasons And when hee had thus said hée turned him vnto the eldest brother saying thus My déere sonne if you list to abide the iudgment of right it behoueth you to be letten bloud of the right arme My Lord quod hée your will shall hée dene Then called the king forth a discréet Phisition commaunding him to let him bloud When the eldest sonne was thus letten blood the king said to them all three My déere sonnes quod hée wher is your father buried Then answered they and said Forsooth my Lord in such a place Anone the King commaunded to digge in the ground for the body and to take a bonne out of his brest and to bury the body againe so it was done And when the bonne was taken out the king commaunded that it should bee laied in the blood of the elder brother and it should lie till it had receiued kindly the blood and then to bée laied in the Sunne and dried and after that it should bée washt with cléere water his seruants fulfilled all that hée commaunded And when they beegan to wash the blood vanished cleane away When the king saw this hée said to the second sonne It béehoueth that thou bee letten blood as thy brother is Then said hée My Lord thy will shall be fullfiled and a non hée was done vnto like as his brother was in all thing whē they began to wash the bone the blood vanished away Then said the king to the third son My déer child it behoueth thée also to bée letten blood Hée answered saide My Lord it pleaseth mée well so to bée When the yongest brother was lettē blood done vnto in all thing like as his two bretherne were before whē the kings seruaunts began to wash the bone they might neither for washing ne for fretting doe away the blood of the bone but euer it appeared bloody When the king saw this he saide It appeareth openly that this blood without doubt is of the nature of this bone thou art his true son these other two ben bastards I giue to thee the trée for euermore The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ which bare a shield of siluer with fiue red roses that is to say his body that is so faire so cléere more radient thē any siluer according with the Psalmist saying thus Speciosus forma pre filijs hominum That is to saye hee was more speciall fairer of shape thē all the children of men By these v. roses wee vnderstand his v. wounds which hee suffered for mankind And by the King of Egipt wee vnderstande the diuell against whom hee fought all the time of his life at the last hée was slaine for mankinde Neuerthelesse beefore his death hee made his testament to his iii. sonnes By the first to whom hée gaue of the Tree that was vnder the earth aboue the earth wee shal vnderstād such mightie men others of all estates of this world as not cōtent with their calling séeks ambiciously the subuersiō of others to magnifie and cralt them selues By the second sonne to whom hée gaue the trée in length bredth and déepnesse wée vnderstand such worldly wise men in this Worlde which in their subtill attempt to winne all loose all The Morall ¶ By the third sonne to whom he gaue all that was wette and dry of the tree wee shall vnderstand euery good christian prince noble man maiestrat or meaner person in euery common wealth where so euer which eschewing all ambition couetousnesse holdeth him selfe content with the prouidence of GOD and in his owne calling laboureth simply and truely to doe good vnto all men yea though nowe and then themselues sustaine iniuries in the world suffering now pouertie then troub c now solace then care now cold then heate and all this they receiued thankfully to haue this noble tree that was thus bequethed them This tree is the tree of Paradise that is to say euerlasting ioy of heauen which is giuen to vs all if wée take it thankfully neuerthelesse it is heauen in diuerse wise not egally for some hath more some hath lesse after that measure of Gods good grace This notwithstanding euery man obtaineth not therfore it behoueth thē to go vnto the king of reason that is to say vnto the father of heauen that knoweth all thing or they be made The first sōne was let blood and in his blood the bone was wrapped By this bone we shall understand our strong faith in Christes merites And by the blood the liuely and fruitfull sappe of good workes procéeding out of the same Which are rare thinges to bee found in those that seeke there owne priuate gaine to liue caring not how they come by it by hooke or by croke to the preiudice of others which whan they are let blood by the sharpe Launce of gods Justice though it bée stablished with diuine predication and made dry with the Sunne of outward profesion yet beeing washt with the water of swelling pride mallis enuie wrath and such other than the strong faith in Christes merits is as though we had neuer receiued it and the liuely and fruitfull sappe of good workes hath no power to tarry vpon it but vanisheth a way And thus fareth it with those two the first and second tonnes But the third sonne beeing cōtrary vnto the other in profession and practise of life and maners be he Prince noble man magistrate or meane person vpon earth The bone of such a man will euer be firme of faith in himself and towards others frō such a mans bone the blood of liuely fruits to himselfe and all others profitable will neuer be washed away with the water of wretchednes But the more it is dryed in the Sunne of true tryall the better it is such are the true children of God of whome our Lord speaketh thus Ye the which haue forsaken all thing for me all that is to say ye that haue forsaken the will of sinne shall receiue an hundreth tymes more the is to say ye shall not onely receiue the tree of Paradise but also the heritage of heauen These two other sons are basterds for why that they promised in their baptisme they wrought all the contrary through their wicked liuing And therfore he that desireth to obtaine the ioyes of heauen him behoueth to abide stedfastly in profession practise of good life maners then by Christ shall he obtaine the trée of Paradise vnto the which the Lord bring vs which liueth and reigneth eternally world without ende Amen The Argument God so
loued sinfull man that he sent his onely begotten son to redeeme him out of the captiuitie of the wicked world to rest with him in the ioyes of heauen The third Historie IN Rome there dwelled some time a noble Emperour named Dioclesian which aboue all worldly goods loued the vertue of charitie wherfore he desired greatly to knowe what fowle loued hir birds best to the intent that he might thereby grow to more perfect charitie It fortuned after vpon a day that this Emperour walked to the forest to take his disport wher as he found the neast of a great bird that is called in latin Struthio Camely in English an Oistridge with hir bird the which bird the emperour toke w e him closed him in a vessel of glasse The dam of this litle bird followed after vnto the emperours place and slew into the hall where hir birde was closed But when she sawe hir bird and might by no meanes come to hir ne get her out shee returned againe to the forest there she abode three daies and at the last shee returned againe to the Pallys bearing in hir mouth a worme that is called Thumare Whan she came where hir birde was shee let the worme fall vppon the glasse thorough vertue of which worme the glalsse brake and the bird escaped and slew foorth with his dam. Whan the emperour saw this he praised much the dam of the birde which so diligently laboured for the deliueraunce of hir byrd The Morall ¶ My friends this Emperour is the father of Heauen which greatly loueth them that liue in perfect loue and charitie This litle birde closed in the glasse taken from the forest was Adam our forefather which was exiled froÌ„ out of Paradice put in the glasse that is to say in hel This hearing the Dam of the byrd that is to wit the sonne of God descended from heauen and came to the forest of the world and liued ther thrée dayes and more bearing with him a worme that is to say manhood according with the psalmist saying Ego sum vermis non homo That is to say I am a worme and no man This manhood was suffered to be slaine among the Jewes of whose blood the vessell eternall was broken and the byrd went out that is to saye Adam went foorth with his mother the sonne of God and flew vnto heauen The Argument ¶ A cleane spirite and vndefiled soule is the daughter of God so tender and deere vnto him that he bestoweth hir not vpon the rich man wanting the wisdome of God but vpon the poore manne that is wise and liueth in the feare of God which if she at any time transgresle by frailtie of flesh than for the recouery of hir health by the medicine of amendement of lyse to such a one though poore shall his soule be not onely in this lyfe espoused with much solace ioye ech of other but in the world to come shall liue with Christ in ioy and euerlasting blisse The fourth Historie SOmetime dwelled in Rome a worthy Emperour and a wyse which had a fayre daughter and a gracious in the sight of euery man This emperour bee thought him on a daye to whome he might giue his daughter in marriage saying thus If I giue my daughter to a rich man and he be a foole then is she lost and if I giue hir to a poore man and a wittie than may he get his liuing for him and hir by his wisedome There was that time dwelling in the citie of Rome a Philosopher named Socrates poore and wise which came to the Emperour sayde My Lord displease you not though I put foorth my peticion before your highnes Themperour sayd whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee tell foorth Then sayd Socrates My Lord ye haue a daughter whome I desire aboue all thing Themperour answered and said My friend I shall giue thée my daughter to wife vpon this condicion that if she dye in thy feloship after that she is wedded to thée thou shalt without doubt léese thy head Then said Socrates Upon this condition I will gladly take hir to bée my wife Themperour hearing this let call foorth all the Lords and states of his Empyre and made a great feast at their wedding And after the feast Socrates led home his wife to his owne house where as they liued in peace and health long time But at the last this Emperours daughter sickned to death when Socrates perceiued this hee saide to himselfe Alas and wo to mée what shall I doe and whether shall I flée if the Emperours daughter that is my wife should dye and for sorrow this Socrates went to a forrest there béeside and wept bitterly The while he thus wept and mourned there came an aged man bearing a staffe in his hande and asked the cause of Socrates why he mourned Socrates answered and sayd I wedded themperours daughter vpon this condition that if she died in my feloship I should leese my lyfe now shee is sickned vnto the death I câ—n find no remedie nor help and therefore I mourne more than any creature can thinke Then saide the olde man be of good comfort for I shall help you if yee will doe after my counsell In this forrest be three herbes if ye make a drink of the first to your wife of the other two a playster and if she vse this medicinall drincke and plaister in due time without doubt she shall recouer to perfect health Socrates fulfilled all as the olde man had taught him And whaÌ„ his wife had vsed a while that medicinall drinke and plaister within short tyme she was perfectly whole of all hir sickenesse And when the Emperour heard that Socrates wrought so wisely and how diligently he laboured for to heale his wife he promoted him to great dignitie and worship The Morall Deere friendes this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ his daughter so fayre and so gracious is the soule made to the si 〈…〉 de of God which is full gracious glorious in the sight of him and of his Angells while that shee is not defiled and abideth in hir owne proper cleannesse This soule God would not giue it to a rich man but to a poore man that is to say a man that is made of the slyme of the earth This Socrates is a poore man for why euery man commeth poore naked into this world from his mothers belly euery man taketh his soule in wedlocke vpon such condition that if shée die in his felowshippe by deadly sinne without doubt hée shall loose eternall life Therefore O thou man if thy wife sicken so through frailtie of flesh vnto sinne doe then as Socrates dyd goe vnto the forrest that is the Church of Christ and thou shalt finde there an old man with a staffe that is a discréet preacher which shall minister vnto thée those thrée hearbes wherrof may bée confect the medicine of thy recouery vnto health namely the first herbe is
acknowledging of sinne the second repentaunce and the third newnes of lyfe according to the will of GOD if these hearbes be vsed in plaister the sinner without doubt shall receiue his health and his soule shal be deliuered from sin by all right he shall haue euerlasting lyfe Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesus The Argument ¶ Many folish Idiots of this world doe commonly flow flote in abundance of worldly wealth pomp with thinking they shall liue heere alwaies are labored vnto by the preachers of gods word to be admonished of their momentany felicities and so to prepare themselues in bestowing well theyr short time heere to emoye the blessings of euerlasting felicitie in the world to come The fift History SOmetime there raigned in Rome a mightie Emperour and a wyse named Frederike which had one onely sonne whome he loued much This Emperour when hee laye at the point of death hée called vnto him his sonne and sayde Déere sonne I haue a ball of Gold which I giue thée vpon my blesseing that thou anone after my death shalt giue it to the most foole that thou maiest finde Then saide his sonne My Lord without doubt your will shall bee fulfilled Anone this young Lord after the death of his father weÌ„t sought in many Realmes found many rechlesse fooles bicause hée would satisfie his Fathers will laboured farher til hee came into a realme where the law was such that euerie yeere a new King was chosen there and this King had onely the guiding of that Realme but a yeere and at the yéeres ende hée was deposed and put in exile in an Ilande where as hée should wretchedly finish his life When the Emperours sonne came to this Realme the new King was chosen with great honour and all maner of Musical instrumeÌ„ts went before him and brought him with great reuerence and worship vnto his regall seaâ—â— And when the Emperours sonne sawe that hée came vnto him and saluted him reuerently and said My Lord loe I giue thee this ball of gold on my fathers behalâ—e Then saide hee I praye thee tell mee the cause why thou giuest mee this ball Then answered this young Lord and said My father charged mee in his death bedde vpon paine of forfaiting of his blesseing that I should giue this ball to the most foole that I could find wherfore I haue sought many Realmes and haue found many fooles neuerthelesse a more foole then thou art found I neuer therefore this is the reason It is not vnknown to thee that thou shalt raign but a yeere and at the yeeres end thou shalt bee exiled into such a place where as thou shalt die a mischeuous death wherfore I hold thée for the most foole that euer I found that for the Lordship of a yéere thou wouldest so wilfully leese thy selfe and therefore before all other I haue giueÌ„ thee this ball of gold Then saide the king without doubt thou saiest truth and therefore when I am in ful power of this realme I shall send béefore mee great treasure and riches wherewith I may liue saue my selfe from mischeuous death when I shal bee exiled put downe And to this was done wherfore at the yeeres ende hee was exiled and iued there in peare vpon such goods as hee had sent beefore hée died afterward a good death The Morall ¶ Déere friends this Emperour is the father of heauen the which â—eequetâ—â—d the ball that is to saye worldly riches to fooles ydiots which sauoureth nothing but that is earthly This Emperours sonne that is to say a preacher and a discréet minister trauailed about many Realms lands to shew to misbeeleeuing men and fooles theyr perill The Reame wherein no King might reigne but a yeere is this world For who so had liued an hundred yeere when he commeth to the death him shal seeme that hee hath liued but the space of an houre therefore doe as the King did while that yee bee in power of life sende before you your treasure that is to say firme faith in Christes merits and the fruits of Gods word procéeding from the same Then certainely when wée bee put in exile out of this world we shal liue in peace shall finde the mercy of God plentifull wherby wée shal obtain euerlasting life Unto the which bring vs hée that for vs shed his precious blood The Argument The euill disposed whcked wise men of this world are heere aduertised of their greedie groping after the sweet temptation of the diuel wherein such doe reioyce till death comming sodaynly vpon them then fall they into the horrible pitte of desolate darckenesse due to their deserts The sixt Historie ¶ Dioclesian reigned in the citie of Rome in whose empire dwelt a noble Philosopher the which sette vp by his craft an ymage in the middest of the Citie of Rome the which ymage strethed out his arme and his formost finger whervppon stoode this posie written in Latine Percute hic Strike heere This ymage after the death of this Philosopher stoode still a long time and many great clarkes came thether for to read the superscription that was on the finger but none of them vnderstoode what it ment wherfore ther was great wondring among the people And at the last a long time after there came a strange clarke out of farre countries and wheÌ„ hée saw this ymage he read the scripture strike héere And then vpon a day wheÌ„ he saw the shadow of the hand hee tooke a mattocke brake vp the ground vnder the hand where the shadow was according to the vnderstanding of the superscription and anone hée found an house all of Marble vnderneath the ground wherin he entred and came into a hall wherin hée found so much riches so manie Jewells and so great maruailes that he neuer saw ne heard of such nor so many béefore that time At the last hée saw a table redy couered and all maner of things necessary therto set there vpon Hee beheld further and saw a carbuÌ„cle in the hall that lightened all the house And Against this Carbuncle on that other side stoode a man holding in his hand a bow with an arow ready to shoote The clark maruailed much when he saw all these things and thought in himselfe if that I tell this foorth ther will no man beeleeue mee and therefore I will haue somewat of these goodes in token of proofe And with that hée law a knife of golde vpon the table the which hoe tooke and would haue put it in his boosome But anon the Archer smote the Carbuncle and brake it where with the whole house was shadowed and made darke And when the clarke perceiued it he wept more bitterly then any man might thinke for he know not by what way he might goe out for as much as the house was made darke through the breaking of the carbuncle And that darknes abode still for euermore after And so finished the clarke his life
serue him and should forsake our Lord. Therefore if wée follow the world and his vanities certainely we shall fall in to the snare of the diuell From the which defende vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ It is the ordinance of God that no man shall labour for worldly promotion by couetousnesle and falsehood Man for his first transgression should haue bene adiudged to perpetual torment in hell had not the sonne of god voluntarily offered him selfe to the death to saue mankinde and destroy sathan â—is enimie so that thereby he might place him in the habitacle of heauenly ioyes euerlasting The 35. Historie SOmetime in Rome there dwelt a noble Emperour of great liuelood named Alexander the which aboue all vertues loued the vertue of bountie wherefore hée ordained a law for great curiositie that no name vnder pâ—yne of Death should turne a Playce in his dishe at his meate but onely eate the whyte sayde and not the black and if any man would attempt to doe the contrary he should dye without remedie but or he died he shold aske thrée requests of the Emperour what him lyst except his lyfe which should be graunted him It befell after on a day that ther came an Earle his sonne of a strange couÌ„trie to speake with the Emperour And when this Earle was set to meat hée was serued with a Playce and hée which was hungry and had an appetite to his meate after he had eaten the white syde hée turned the black side and béegan to eate thereof wherfore straight way hée was accused to the Emperour béecause hée hadde offended against the law Than sayd the Emperour Let him dye according to the law without any delay When the Earles sonne heard that his father should dye immediately he sate him down on both his knées beefore the Emperour and sayd O my reuerend Lord for his loue that dyed vppon the crosse let me dye for my father Than sayd the Emperour It pleaseth mée well that one dye for the offence of the law Then sayd this Earles sonne sith it is so that I shall dye I aske the benefits of the law that is to saye that I may haue three petitions graunted or I dye The Emperour answered and sayde aske what thou wilt there shal no man say thée nay Than sayd this young knight My Lord ye haue but one daughter that which I desire of your highnesse that she may lye with mée a night or I dye The Emperour granted though it were against his will in fulfilling of his law Heuerthelesse this knight deflowred hir not as that night Therfore pleased hee greatly the Emperour The second peticion is this I aske all thy treasure And immediately the Emperour grauÌ„ted bicause he shold not be called a breaker of his owne law And when this Earles sonne had receiued the Emperours treasure he imparted it both to poore and rich by meanes whereof he obtained their good wills My third petition is this I aske my Lord that all the eyes may be put out incontinent which sawe my father eating of the blacke plaice Wherefore the Emperour let make inquisition immediately who it was that saw the Earle turne the black Plaice And they that saw him turne the playce bethought theÌ„ said within themselues If we knowledge that we saw him do this trespasse than shall our eies be put out and therfore it is better that wée hold vs still And so ther was none found that would accuse him Whan the Earles sonne saw this he said to the Emperour My Lord quod he yée see that there is no man accuseth my father therfore giue ye right full iudgement Than saide the Emperour For as much that no man will knowledge that they saw him turne the place therefore I will not that thy father shall dye Loe thus the sonne saued his fathers lyfe and after the decease of the Emperour married his daughter The Morall Déere friends this Emperour betokneth the father of heauen which ordained a law that no man should furne the black side of the Plaice that is to saye there should no man labour for riches or promotion by couetousnesse and falsehood The Earle that came to the Emperour betokeneth Adam our fore father which came out of the lande of Eden to the Court of Paradise turned vp the black side of the Plaice when he eate of the Apple wherefore he should haue bene condempned to euerlasting death But his sonne that betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ For he tooke slesh of Adam and profered himselfe voluntarily to dye for him The Father of Heauen graunted that hée should goe dwone to dye for mankinde Neuerthelesse or he dyed he asked thrée petitious of his father of heauen The first was this that hée might haue by him his daughter which betokeneth the Soule of man and bring hir with him into the bosome of heauen according to the wordes of Osee saying De sponsabo cam mihi That is to saye I shall wed hir to my wife The second petition was this all the Emperours treasure which betokeneth the treasure of heauen according to this scripture Sicut disposuit mihi pater That is to say like as my father hath disposed for mee so I dispose for you The third petition was this that all their eyes should be put out that is to say that the diuell which dayly accuseth man might be put from the light of heauenly grace And thus saued he mankinde and led him vp with him vnto the Pallayes of heauen Unto the which pallayes bring vs our Lord Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of Heauen of his meere grace promotith some poore men raising them from the dust to sit amongst Princes But extolling themselues without regard of gods goodnesse they are made abiects vnto him the diuell worketh deceipt in his members against the godly Christ came downe from heauen to minister the water of eternall life vnto man and by his death and passion to reâ—iâ—e our soules which before were dead vnto the firme state of eternall felicitie The 36. History IN Rome there dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Le mâ—â—us which on a day rode to a forrest to disport him where as he mette sodainly with a poore man to whome he sayd thus Friend whence commest thou and who art thou My Lord quod he I come from the next Cittie and your manne I am Than sayde the Emperour thou séemest poore therefore if thou wilt be good and true I shall promote thee to great riches and honour Then answered the poore man sayd My Lord I promise you faithfully to bée true to you as long as I liue The Emperour anon made him knight and gaue him great riches When hée was thus promoted hee waxed so proud that hee thought himselfe more able to bée an Emperour then his Lord wherfore he made suggestion to diuerrse lords of that Empyre that hee might vsâ—rpe and take vpon him through strength of them to bee Emperour When
nourishing of him and after promoted him to great honor and worship The Morall This Emperour betokeneth the father of heauen The Empresse béetokeneth the blessed virgin Mary The Emperours sonne betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ The Herauld that was sent throughout the Citie betokeneth saint Iohn Baptist which was sent before our Lord to prepare the way for him according to holy scripture Ecce mitto Angelum c. Loe I sende myne aungell before mée c. The states that desired the Emperours sonne to nourish beetoken the Patriarkes and Prophets which desired greatly to nourish our Lord Jesu Christ and also to see him but they might not see him ne nourish him for fyre and water which should haue béene cause of their sight was not with them perfectly The fyre betokeneth the holy Ghost which had not yet appered in them for they were not washed with the water of Baptisme Also yée may vnderstand by the fyre perfect charitie and by the water true contricion which two now a daies faileth in many men and therfore they may not haue the little childe Jesus in their hearts Ionathas that watched so diligently betokeneth euery good Christian man which studieth euer to watch in well doeing yéelding to GOD for sinnes the fyre of charitable repentaunce the watter of contrition But oftentimes the tyrant which béetokeneth the diuell putteth out the fire of charitie from out of mens harts and casteth out the water of contrition so that they may not nourishe the little childe Jesus Therefore lette vs watch as lonathas dyd that wâ—e enter not into temptation And call wee vnto vs Masons that is to saye descrete Preachers which can make in our hartes a chamber of stone that is to say a sure Faith and hope Than call wée to vs Painters that is to saye ministers of Gods word which canne painte in our harts ten Images that is to say the x. commaundements which if thou kéepe and obserue dayly without doubt thou shalt bée honoured in heauen And if thou kéepe well the Emperours sonne thou shalt sit in a chayre of Gold crowned with a crowne of Gold And if that thou nourish him not well without doubt thou shalt bée in daunger of torment in hell From the which preserue vs our blessed Sauiour Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ The soule of man espoused vnto Christ the flesh procureth the same to sinne The Christian soule by faith withstan death temptation The redemption of mankinde from sinne death The deceits of vnthankfull heartes The spirit healeth the defectes of the flesh after a pure repentaunce followeth perpetuall ioye and felicitie both of soule and body The 40. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Menaly which had wedded the Kinges daughter of Hungary a fayre Lady and a gracious in all hir woorkes and specially shée was mercifull On a tyme as the Emperour lay in his bed hée bée thought him that hée would goâ— visitâ—e the holy lande And on the morrow he called to him the Emprisse his wife and his owne onely brother and thus he sayde Deere Lady I may not ne I will not hide from you the priuities of my heart I purpose to visit the holy land wherefore I ordaine thee principally to be Lady gouernour ouer all mine Empyre and all my people And vnder thee I ordaine héere my brother to be thy steward for to prouide all things that may bée profitable to mine Empyre and to my people Then said the Emprisse Sith it will none otherwise bee but the needs yée will goe to visit the Citie Ierusalem I shall bee in your absence as true as any turtle that hath lost hir mate for as I beeléeue yée shall not escape thence with your life The Emperour anone comforted hir with faire words and kissed hir and after that tooke his leaue of hir and of all other and so went foorth vnto the citie of Ierusalem And anone after that the Emperour was gone his brother became so proude that he oppressed poore men robbed rich men and yet did he worse theÌ„ this for dayly he stirred the Emprisse to commit sinne with him But euer she answered again as an holy and deuout woman saide I will quod shee neuer consent to you ne to none other as long as my Lord liueth Neuerthelesse this knight would not leaue with this answere but euer when he founde hir alone hee made his complaint to hir and stirred hir by all the wayes that hee could to sinne with him When this Ladie sawe that he would not cease for no answer ne wold not amend himselfe when shée sawe hir tyme shée called to hir three or foure of the worthiest men of the Empyre and sayd to them thus It is not vnknowen to you that my Lord the Emperour ordained mee principal gouernour of this Empyre also he ordained his brother to bee steward vnder mee and that hée should doe nothing without my counsel but he doth all the contrary for he oppresseth greatly poore men and likewiâ—e robbeth the rich men and yet he would doe worse then this if hee might haue his entent wherefore I commaund you in my Lords name that you binde him fast and cast him in prison Than said they sothly he hath done many euill déedes sith our Lord themperor wâ—nt therfore we be redy to obay your commaundement but in this matter ye must aunswere for vs to our Lord the Emperour Than said she dread ye not if my Lord knew what he hath done as well as I he would put him to the foulest death that could be thought Immediately these men sette hand on him and bound him fast with yron chaines and put him fast in prison where as he lay long tyme aâ—ter till at the last if fortuned there came tydings that the Emperour was comming home and had obtained great worship and victory When his brother heard of his comming hée said Would to God my brother might find mée in prison for than would he enquire the cause of myne enprisonment of the Emprisse she will tell him all the trouth and how I procured hir to commit sinne so for hir I shall haue no fauour of my Brother but loose my lyfe this know I well therefore it shall not bée so Then sent hée a messenger vnto the Emprissee praying hir for christes passion that shee would vouchsafe to come vnto the pryson dore that he might speake a word or two with hir The Emprisse came to him and enquired of him what hee would haue Hee answered and sayde O lady haue mercy vpon mée for if the Emperour my brother finde mée in this prison then shall I die without any remedy Then said the Emprisse if I might konw that thou wouldest be a good man and leaue thy folly thou shouldest haue grace Then dyd hée promise hir assuredlie to bee true and to amend all his trespasse When hee had thus promised the Emprisse deliuered him anon and made him to be bathed and
minde And praied the Stewarde of his counsell and helpe in this woefull case Than saide the stewarde vnto him if that thou wilt doe by my counsell I shall bring this matter to a good conclusion therefore doe as I shall tell thée I counsell thée for the best and also warne thée that when thou seruest my Lord the Emperour of his cuppe that thou that turne thy face away from him so that hée may not féele thy stincking breath vnto the time that thou hast prouided thée of some remedie therfore Then was Fulgentious right glad and swere to him that he would doe by his counsell Not long after it béefell that this young man Fulgentious serued his Lord as hée was wont to doe and therewith sodainely he tourned his face from his Lord the Emperour as the Steward had taught him And when the Emperour perceiued the auoyding of his head hée smote this young Fulgentious on the breast with his foote and saide to him thus O thou leude varlet now sée I well it is true that I haue heard of thée and therfore goe thou anon out of my sight that I may sée thée no more in this place And with that this yong Fulgencious wept full sore auoided the place and went out of his sight And when this was so done the Emperour called vnto him his Steward and sayd How may I ryd this varlet from the world that thus hath defamed mée My most déere Lord quod the steward right well you shall haue your intent For héere béeside within these thrée miles yée haue brickmakers which daily make great fires for to burne brick also they make lyme therfore my Lord send to them this night charge them vppon paine of death that whosoeuer commeth to them first on the morrow saying to thē thus My Lord commaūdeth you to fulfil his will that they take him and cast him into the Forncis with the stones and this night commaunde you this Fulgentious that he goe earely in the morning to your workmen and that hee aske them whether they haue fulfilled your wil which they were commaunded or not and then shall they according to your commaundement cast him in the Fyre and thus shall hee dye an euill death Surely quod the Emperour thy counsell is good therfore call to me that varlet Fulgentious And when this young man was come to the Emperours presence hée sayde to him thus I charge thée vpon paine of death that thou rise early in the morning goe to the brenners of lyme brick and that thou bee with them earely before the sunne ryse thrée myles from this house and charge them in my behalfe that they fullfil my commaundement or else they shall dye a most shamefull death Then spake this Fulgentious My Lord if God send mée my lyfe I shall fulfill your will were it that I should goe to the worlds ende When Fulgentious had this charge he could not sléepe for thought but that hée must arise earely for to fulfil his Lords commandement The Emperour about midnight sent a messenger on horseback vnto his bricke makers commaunding them vppon paine of death that who so euer came to them first in the morning saying vnto them the Emperours commaundement which is before rehearsed that they should take and bynd him and cast him into the fire burne him to the bare bones The Bryck makers answered and sayde it should bée done And then the messenger returned home againe incontinent and told the Emperour that his commandement should bée diligently fulfilled Earely in the morning following Fulgentious arose prepared him towards his way as hée went hée heard a bell ring to seruice wherefore hee went to that Church for to heare Seruice and after the ende of seruice he fell a sléepe and ther hée slept a long while so that the priest ne none other might a wake him The steward desiring inwardly to heare of his death as he did hope about one of the clock he went vnto the workmen and saide vnto them thus Syrs quod hée haue yée done the Emperours commaundement or no. The Brickmakers answered him againe and saide Nay surely wée haue not yet done his commaundement but anone it shall bée done with that they layde handes on him Then cried the steward with an high voice and saide Good sirs saue my Lyfe sor the Emperour cōmaunded that Fulgentious should bée put to death Then saide they the messenger told not vs so but hée bad vs that whosoeuer came first to vs in the morning saying as ye before rehearsed that wée should take him and cast him into the Fornace bourne him to ashes And with that word they threw him into the fire And when he was bournt Fulgentious came to them and said Good sirs haue you done my Lords commaundement yea soothly said they and therefore go◠yée againe to the Emperour and tel him so Thē said Fulgentious For Christes loue tell mée that commaundement Wée had in commaundement saide they vpon paine of death that who so euer came to vs first in the morninge and saide like as thou hast saide that wée should take him and cast him into the Fornace But béefore thée came the Steward and therefore haue wee fulfilled on him the Emperours commaundoment and now is hee bournt to the bare bones And when Fulgentious heard this hée thanked God that hée had so preserued him from death wherfore hée tooke his leaue of the workmen and went againe to the Pallaice When the Emperour perceiued him hée was almost distract of his wittes for anger and thus hee sayde Hast thou beene with the Bryckmaker and fulfilled my commaundement Soothly my gracious Lord I haue béene there but or I came there your commaundement was fulfilled How may that bee true quod the Emperour Forsooth said Fulgencious the steward came to them afore mee and sayd that I should haue sayde and when they heard that they tooke him and threw him into the forneis and if I had comen any rather so would they haue done to me and therfore I thanck God that hath preserued me from death Then sayd the Emperour tell mée the trueth of such questions as I shall demaund of thee Then saide Fulgentious vnto the Emperour As I béeleue you neuer sound in mee any falsehoode and therfore I wondred greatly why ye had ordained such a death for mee for well ye know that I am your own brothers sonne Then saide the Emperour to Fulgentious It is no wonder for that death I ordained to thee through counsell of the steward bicause thou didst defame mée throughout all my Empyre saying that my breath did stinck so grieuously that it was death to thée and in token hereof thou turnedst away thy face whē thou seruedst mée of my cuppe and that saw I with mine eyes and for this cause I ordained for thée such a death and yet thou shalt dye except I heare a better excuse Then answered Fulgentious and sayd A my most deere
child Some aunswered and saide that the child should bée slaine and some would haue saued his lyfe while they stroue thus among themselues one of them that was most mercifull saide vnto the other O my good friendes heare my counsayle and ye shall not forethinke it If ye murther this innocent childe wée shall greatly offend almightie god and therefore héere bée young Pigges kill wée one of theÌ„ then may wée take with vs his hart and present it vnto the Emperour saying that it is the heart of the Childes blood Then said they thy counsaile is good but what shal we doe with the Child Good friends quod hee let vs wrap him in some clothes and late him in some holow trée for peraduenture God will help him saue his lyfe And when hée had thus said they did gladly after his counsaile in all things and killed the Pigge and went theyr way and carried home with them the Pigges hart to the Emperour saying vnto him thus Loe gracious Lord wée haue destroyed the Child as ye coÌ„maunded vs and with that they shewed him the Pigges heart The Emperour supposing that it had bene the Childes hart tooke it and cast it into the fire despitefully saying Loe that is the hart of him which should haue ben Emperour after me Lo what it is to beeléeue in dreames visions which be nought else but fantasies and vaine thinges The second day after that the Childe was put into the hollow tree there came an earle for to hunt in the forrest and as his houndes chased an harte they came to this hollow trée where the Childe laye and whan they felt the sauour of the Childe they would goe no farther The Earle séeing this maruailed greatly why his houndes abode there and smote his horse with his spures and rode a great pace till he came to them And when he came vnto the trée wherin the Childe was laide he looked in at an hole saw there the childe lying and then was hée right glad tooke vp the Childe in his armes full louingly and bare him home vnto his Castle saying vnto the Countesse his wise Loe my deere wise this day by fortune I haue found a very faire Childe in an holow trée as I hunted in the forrest whereof I am right glad And beecause that I neuer begat sonne daughter on thee ne thou neuer yet conceiued a childe therfore I exhort thée that thou wilt faine they selfe trauailing with childe and say that thou hast borne this childe The Countesse fulfilled right gladly the earles will and desire and said My most déere Lord your will in this thing shall bee done Not long after this newes went throughout all the country that the countesse was deliuered of a fayre Sonne wherfore euery man reioysed much The Childe beegan to grow and was right well beloued of euery man most specially of the earle and of the Countesse It beefell after when the Childe was xv yéeres of age the Emperour made a solempe feast vnto all the Lords of his Empyre vnto the which feast this earle was called and at the day assigned he came and brought his Childe with him which was at the time a fayre yong squire and â—aruer at the bord before the Earle The Emperour greatly béeheld him and espyed the token in his forehead which hee had séene beefore in the Fosters house wherfore hée was greatly moued and vexed within him selfe and saide vnto the Earle in this wise Whose Sonne is this certes said the Earle hee is my sonne Than saide the Emperour By the saith and trouth that thou owest vnto mée tell mee the trouth The earle séeing that hée might not excuse himselfe by no manner wise but that néeeds hee must tell him the trouth than told hée him altogether how hée had found him in the forrest in an hollow tree This hearing the Emperour was almost distracte of his wittes for anger called vnto him his seruants which he had sent before to destroy the Childe And when they came béefore him hée made them to sware vpon a booke that they should tell him the trouth what they had done with the Childe Gracious Lord saide they wée yéelde vs vnto your grace goodnes for without doubt pitie so moued vs that wée might not destroy him and then wée put him in an hollow trée but what afterward befell of him certainely we know not and in his steade we kilde a Pyg and brought you the hart thereof When the Emperour had heard the very trueth of this matter hee said vnto the earle This yong man quod hee shall abide heere by mée the earle immediatly grauÌ„ted though it was greatly against his will And when the feast was ended euery man tooke his leaue of the Emperour went whereas they list And at that time it fortuned that the Emprisse and hir daughter soiourned in a great countrie far fro thence by the commaundement of the Emperour It befell not long after the Emperour called vnto him that yong Squyre and saide it béehoueth thée quod hee to ride vnto the Emprisse my wife with my letters I am ready at your commaundement my Lord sayde hee to fulfill your desire Immediately the Emperour lette write letters whereof his intent was this That the Emprisse should take the bearer of these letters and let him bée drawen at the horse taile and after that shée should let him bée hanged till he were dead and that vpon paine of death When the letters were all made sealed then the Emperour tooke them vnto the yong squire commaunding him to spede him on his iorney And straight way the yong Squier receiued thé gladly and put them â—ure in his bore rode foorth on his iourney When hée had rydden thrée or foure daies on his iourney in an euening hee came vnto a Castle wher as dwelt a knight and gently desired him of a nights lodging The knight seeing and beeholding the good fauour of this young squier grauÌ„ted him lodginge and made him good cheere and well to fare and afterward brought him vnto his chamber when hée was there hee went to bed And immediatly fell on sléepe for hée was full wery of his â—ourney and forgot his boxe with the Letters lying openly in his chamber When the knight saw the bore hee opened it and sound the letters sealed with the Emperours signe manuel was greatly tempted to open them at the last hée opened them full subtylly and than hee redde how the Empresse vpon paine of death shoulde put the bearer of them to death and then he was right sorrowfull and saide within himselfe Alas quod hee it is great pitie to destroy such a fayre young man therefore if I may it shall not bée so And immediatly after the knight raced out that writtinge and wrote in the same paper a letter saying these words Upon paine of death I commaund thée that thou take the young Squire bearer of these letters and let
home and found the castell gate shutte and knocked there at but longe it was ere he might haue an aunswere And at the last the Woman came and demaunded why hee knocked at the gate Then saide hée to hir O déere lady why hast thou so soone chaunged my loue let me come in Nay surely said she thou shalt not come here for I haue here with me my loue which I loued before Remember quod the knight thou gauest me thy troth to be my wife and how I saued thée from death and if thou ponder not thy faith béehold my wounds which I haue suffred in my body for thy loue And anone he vnclothed himselfe naked saue his hosen that he might shew his woundes openly But she would not sée them ne speake more with him but shet fast the gate went hir way And when the knight saw this he went to the Justice made his complaint to him praying him to giue right wise iudgment on this tyrant and this woman The Judge called them béefore him and when they were come the Knight said thus My Lord quod hée I aske the benefite of the law which is this If a man rescew a woman from rauishinge the rescuer shall marrie hir if him list and this woman deliuered I from the hands of the tyrant therefore I ought to haue hir to my wyfe furthermore she gaue me hir faith trouth to marry with mee and therevpon shee went to my castle I haue done great cost against our wedding and therefore as it seemeth mee shee is my wife as by the law Then sayde the Judge to the tyrant Thou knowest well that this knight deliuered hir from thy hands for hir loue hath suffred many grieuous wounds and therefore well thou wottest that shée is his wife by the law if that him list But after hir deliuerance with flattering spech thou hast deceiued hir therfore I iudge thée to bee hanged Than said the Judge to the woman in lykewise O woman thou knowest how this knight saued thée from death and therevpon thou bée tookest him thy faith and troth to bee his wife therfore by two reasons thou art his wife first by the lawe and after by thy faith and trouth This notwithstanding thou concenâ—idst afterward to the tyraunt and broughtest him into the Knightes Castell shottest the gate against the knight and wouldst not sée his wounds which he suffered for thy loue and therfore I iudge thée to bée hanged And so it was done both the rauisher and shee that was rauished were condempned to the death wherefore euerie man praised the iudge for his right wise iudgement The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the father of Heauen which ordained for a law that if the soule of man were rauished from God by sinne the sauer of the soule should espouse hir if him list The woman that was rauished béetokeneth the soule of man which was rauished by sinne of our forefather Adam led out of Paradise into the forrest of this wretched world by the tirant Poncianus which betokeneth the diuell and he not onely defouled hir by leasyng of the heritage of heauen but also hée would sley hir with euerlasting paine But the soule cryed with a high voice whose crye our Lord Jesu Christ heard This cry was made when Adam cryed after the oyle of mercie And the Patryarkes prophets cryed for remedy saying these wordes O thou highnesse in the Cast and so foorth visite thou vs. c. The knight betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which came from Heauen and fought with the tyrant that is to say the diuell both they were sore wounded For our Lord Jesu Christ was wounded in the flesh the diuell maymed in his kingdome wherfore the woman that is to say the soule gaue hir faith and troth vnto almightie GOD when he became christian saying these wordes I forsake the Diuell and all his pride and beléeue in God the father almightie Than ordayned our Lord Jesu Christ a marriage betwéene him and hir with the