syluer hath blynded the eyen of iudges hath ouerthrowen wyse men so that equite and ryghtwysâ—es myght not entre but stode aferre and turned theyr backes Thys lady also bought a man froÌ„ hangynge that is to saye from euerlastyng deth whyche he had deserued by deedly synne Therfore do we as dyd thys lady smyte we our horse that is to say our flesshe wyth the spurres of penaunce so ryde we â—orth in all haste to saue our neyghbour from the galous of deedly synne helpynge hym bothe bodyly and goostly as Salomon sayth Wo be to that man lyenge in deedly synne that hath no man to lyfte hym out therof Therfore awake thy neyghbour and helpe hym For a brother that is holpen of an other is lyke a sure cyte yf he gyue no more but a cuppe of colde water to hym in the waye of helpe he shall not lose hys rewarde But many now a days be full vnkynde as was thys thefe whyche falsly deceyued hys lady after y t she had saued hym froÌ„ hangyng The mayster of y e shyppe betokeneth y e worlde by whome many men be deceyued But neuerthelesse as ofte as a man taketh on hym wylfully the charge of pouerte obeyeth vnto the coÌ„maundementes of god and forsaketh the worlde than breketh the shyppe For it is impossyble to please god man and the worlde at ones Whan thys lady had escaped the tempest of the see she wente to a nonry that is to saye the soule after y e troubles of thys worlde wente to the holy lyfe than she healed all maner sycke folke that is to saye euery man that is troubled in hys soule that is to say infecte wyth dyuerse sycknesses that this lady healeth thrugh holy lyfe But the soule myght not be seen of Chryst her husbande tyll she had knowleged openly all her .v. wyttes how she had spent them But whan she had made a pure coÌ„fessyoÌ„ than y e Emperour our lord god her husbande knewe her toke her in his armes ledde her home to the palays of heuen Unto the whyche almyghty god brynge vs all Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Martyn whyche for loue kepte wyth hym hys brothers sone whome men called FulgeÌ„tyus Wyth thys Martyn dwelled also a knyght that was steward of hys Empyre and vncle vnto the Emperour whyche enuyed thys FulgeÌ„tius studyed day nyght how he myght brynge the Emperour thys chylde at debate wherfore the stewarde on a daye wente vnto the Emperour sayd My lorde quod he I that am your true seruauÌ„t owe of duty to warne your hyghnes yf I heare any thynge y t toucheth your honour wherfore I haue harde suche thynges that I must nedes vtter it in secrete vnto your lordshyp bytwene vs two Than sayde the Emperour Good frende quod he saye on what the lyst My moost dere lorde quod the stewarde Fulgentius your cosyn and your nye kynsman hath defamed you wonderfully and shamefully thrugh out all your Empyre sayinge that your breth stynketh and that it is deth to hym to serue you of your cup. Than the Emperour waxed wrothe and was almoost besyde hym selfe for anger and sayde to hym thus I praye the my good frende tell me the very trouth yf that my breth so stynketh as he sayth My lorde quod the stewarde ye may byleue me I neuer perceyued a swâ—ter breth in my dayes than yours is Than sayde the Emperoure I praye the good frende tell me how I may brynge thys thynge to a good profe The stewarde answered and sayd My lorde quod he ye shall ryght well vnderstande the trouth for to morowe nexte whan he serueth you of your cuppe ye shall se that he shall turne awaye hys face from you bycause of your brethe and thys is the moost veray profe that may be had of thys thynge Forsothe quod the Emperoure a truer profe can not be had of thys thynge Wherfore anone whan the stewarde herde thys he wente streyght to Fulgentius and toke hym asyde sayinge thus Dere frende thou art my kynsman and also nenewe vnto my lorde the Emperoure therfore yf thou wylte con me thanke I wyll tell the of the vyce wherof my lorde the Emperoure complayneth ofte and thynketh to put the from hym but yf it be the rather amended and that myght be a greate reprofe to the. Than sayd thys Fulgentius A good syr for hys loue that dyed vpon the crosse tell me why my lorde is so sore moued wyth me for I am redy to amedde my defaute in all that I can or may and for to be ruled by your good and dyscrete couÌ„seyle Thy breth quod the stewarde stynketh so sore that hys drynke dothe hym no good so greuous is vnto hym the stynkynge breth of thy mouth Than sayde Fulgentyus vnto the stewarde Truly that perceyued I neuer tyll now but what thynketh you of my brethe I praye you to tell me the very trouth Sothly quod the stewarde it stynketh greatly and foule And this Fulgentius byleued all that he sayde and was ryght sorowfull in hys mynde and prayed the stewarde of hys counseyle and helpe in thys wofull case Than sayd the stewarde vnto hym Yf that thou wylt do by my counseyle I shall brynge thys mate to a good conclusyon therfore do as I shal tell the. I counseyle the for y e best and also warne the that whan thou seruest my lorde the Emperoure of hys cuppe that than thou turne thy face away from hym so that he may not fele thy stynkynge brethe vnto the tyme that thou hast prouyded the of some remedy therfore Than was Fulgentyus ryght glad and sware to hym that he wolde do by hys couÌ„seyle Not longe after it befell that thys yonge man Fulgentyus â—erued hys lorde as he was wonte to do and therwyth sodeynly he turned his face froÌ„ hys lorde as the stewarde had taught hym And whan the Emperoure perceyued the auoydyng of hys heed he smote thys yonge Fulgentius on the brest wyth hys fote and sayd to hym thus O thou noughty rybawde now se I well it is true that I haue herde of the and therfore go thou anone out of my syght that I se the no more in thys place And wyth that thys yonge Fulgentyus wepte full sore and auoyded the place and wente out of hys syght And whan thys was so done the Emperour called vnto hym hys steward and sayd How may I put thys rybawde from the worlde that thus hath defamed me My moost dere lorde quod the stewarde ryght well ye shall haue your entent For here besyde wythyn these thre myle ye haue bryckmakers whyche dayly make greate fyres for to brenne brycke and also they make lyme therfore my lorde sende to them thys nyght and charge them vpon payne of deth that who so euer coÌ„meth to them fyrst on the morowe sayinge to them thus My lorde commaundeth you to fulfyll hys wyll that they take hym and cast hym
thy good chere thy sone that was borne to nyght I wyll haue for to nourysshe brynge vp in my courte and to morowe I shall sende for hym A my gracyous lorde quod the foster it is not agreable that suche a noble Emperour sholde nourysshe the chylde of hys subgecte and seruaunt neuerthelesse your wyll be fulfylled for whan your messengers comme I shall delyuer them my sone Whan thys was sayde the Emperoure toke hys leue and rode home towarde his palays And whan he was comme home he called vnto hym suche seruauntes as he trusted best and sayde to them thus Go ye quod he vnto my foster wyth whome I was lodged thys nyght in the forest and receyue of hym his sone of whyche hys wyfe was delyuered thys nyght and vpon payne of deth I commaunde you that ye flee hym by the waye and cast hys flesshe to the dogges but brynge wyth you the herte to me And but ye fulfyll my commauÌ„dement ye shall dye the moost foulest deth that can be thought Anone hys seruauÌ„tes wente to the forest and receyued the fosters sone and brought hym wyth them And whan they were comme nere vnto the palays one of them sayde How shall we do that we may fulfyll our lordes coÌ„maundement in sleynge of thys chylde Some answered sayde that the chylde sholde be slayne and some wolde haue saued hys lyfe and whyle they stroue thus amonge themselfe one of them that was moost mercyfull sayde vnto the other O my good frendes heare my counseyle and ye shall not forthynke it Yf we murther thys innocent chylde we shall greatly offende almyghty god therfore here be yonge pygges sleâ—we one of them and than may we beare wyth vs hys herte and present it vnto the Emperoure sayinge that it is the herte of the chylde and thus shall we not shede the chyldes blode Than sayde they thy couÌ„seyle is good but what shall we do wyth the chylde Good frendes quod he let vs wrappe hym in some clothes laye hym in some holowe tree for perauenture god wyl helpe hym and saue hys lyfe And whan he had thus sayd they dyd gladly after hys counseyle in all thynges and slewe the pygge wente theyr waye and bare home with them the pygges hertâ— to the Emperoure sayinge vnto hym thus Loo gracyous lorde we haue slayne the chylde as ye commauÌ„ded vs and wyth that they shewed hym the pygges herte The Emperoure supposynge that it had ben the chyldes herte toke it kest it in to the fyre despyteously sayinge Loo that is the herte of hym whyche sholde haue ben Emperoure after me Loo what is to byleue in dremes vysyons whyche be nought else but fantasyes and vayne thynges The seconde daye after that the chylde was put in to the holowe tree thâ—re came an erle for to hunte in the forest and as hys houndes chaced an harte they came to thys holowe tree where the chylde laye and whan they felte the sauour of the chylde they wolde go no farther The erle seynge thys meruaylled greatly why hys houÌ„des abode there and smote his horse with the spurres and rode a great pace tyll he came to them And whan he came vnto the tree wherin the chylde was layde he loked in at an hole sawe there the chylde lyenge and than was he ryght glad and toke vp the chylde in hys armes full louyngly and bare hym home vnto hys castell sayinge vnto the countesse hys wyfe Loo my dere wyfe thys daye by fortune I haue â—ounde a full fayre chylde in an holowe tree as I hunted in y e forest wherof I am ryght glad And bycause that I neuer begate sone ne doughter on the ne thou neuer yet conceyued a chylde therfore I exhorte the that thou wylte feyne thy selfe trauaylynge of chylde and saye that thou hast borne thys chylde The countesse fulfylled ryght gladly the erles wyll and desyre and sayde My moost dere lorde your wyll in thys thynge shall be done Not longe after this tydynges wente thrugh out all that countree that the countesse was delyuered of a fayâ—e sone wherfore euery man made great ioye The chylde began to growe and was ryght well beloued of euery man and moost specyally of the erle and of the countesse It befell after whan the chylde was .xv. yere of age the Emperoure made a solempne feest vnto all y e lordes of hys Empyre vnto the whyche feest thys erle was called And at the daye assygned he came and brought the chylde w t hym whyche was at that tyme a fayre yonge squyer carued at the borde before the erle The Emperour greatly behelde hym and espyed the token in hys forâ—heed whyche he had seen before in the fosters house â–ª wherfore he was greatly moued vexed wythin 〈…〉 and sayd vnto the erle in this wyse Whose sone is this Sothly sayd the erle he is my sone Than sayd y e Emperour By the fayth and trouth that thou owest vnto me tell me the trouth The erle seynge that he myght not excuse hymselfe by no maner wyse but that nedes he must tell hym the trewth than tolde he hym al togyther how he had founde hym in the forest in an holowe tree Thys hearyng the Emperoure was almoost out of his ryght mynde for anger and called vnto hym his seruauntes whyche he had sente before to slee y e chylde And whan they came before hym he made them for to swere vpon a boke that they sholde tell hym the trouth what they had done wyth the chylde Gracyous lorde sayde they we put vs vnto your grace goodnes for wythout doubte pyte so moued vs that we myght not â—lee hym and than we put hym in an holowe tree but what afterwarde befell of hym sothly we knowe not and in his stede we slewe a pygge and brought you the herte therof Whan the Emperoure had herde the very trewth of thys mater he sayd vnto y e erle Thys yonge man quod he shal abyde here wyth me The erle anone graunted though it was greatly agaynst hys wyll And whan the feest was ended euery man toke hys leue at the Emperoure and wente where as them lyst And at that tyme it fortuned that the Empresse her doughter soiourned in a greate countre farre fro thens by the coÌ„maundement of the Emperoure It befell not longe after the Emperour called vnto hym that yonge squyer and sayde The behoueth quod he to ryde vnto the Empresse my wyfe wyth my letters I am redy at your coÌ„maundement my lorde sayde he to fulfyll your desyre Anone the Emperoure let wryte letters wherof the entent was thys That the Empresse sholde take the bearer of these letters and let hym be drawen at a horse tayle and after that she sholde let hym be hanged tyll he were deed and that vpon payne of deth Whan the letters were all made and sealed than the Emperoure toke them vnto the yonge squyer coÌ„maundynge hym to spede hym on hys iourney And
reason for it is not good to stryue go we there vnto hym eueryche of vs laye hys ryght before hym and lyke as he wyll iudge let vs stande to hys iudgement Than sayd hys bretherne this couÌ„seyle is good wherfore they wente all thre vnto the kyng of reason eueryche of them syngularly shewed sorth hys ryght vnto hym lyke as it is sayd before Whan y e kynge had â—erde theyr tytels he rehersed them all agayn â—yngularly fyrst sayenge to the eldest sone thus Thou sayst for the quod the kyng that thy father gaue the all that is vnder the erth aboue the erth of the sayd tree And to the seconde brother he bequethed all that is in brede length depnes of that tree And to the thyrde brother he gaue all that is wete drye And with that he layde the lawe for them and sayd that the last wyll ought to stande Now my dere sones breuely I shall satisfye all your reasons And whan he had thus sayde he turned hym vnto y e eldest brother sayinge thus My dere sone yf the lyst to abyde y e iudgement of ryght the behoueth to be letten blode of the ryght arme My lorde quod he your wyll shal be done Than called the kynge forth a dyscrete physycyon coÌ„mauÌ„dyng hym to let hym blode Whan the eldest sone was thus letten blode the kyng sayd to them all thre My dere sones quod he where is your father buryed Than answered they sayde Forsothe my lorde in suche a place Anone the kyng coÌ„mauÌ„ded to delue vp the body and to drawe out a bone of his brest to bury the body agayne so it was done And whan the bone was drawen out the kynge coÌ„mauÌ„ded that it shold be layde in the blode of the elder brother that it shold lye tyll it had receyued kyndly the blode than to be layde in y e sonne dryed after that it shold be wasshen with clere water hys seruauntes fulfylled al that he coÌ„mauÌ„ded And whan they began to wasshe the blode vanysshed clene away Whan the kyng sawe this he sayd to the seconde sone It behoueth y t thou be letten blode as thy brother is Than sayd he My lorde thy wyll shall be fulfylled anone he was serued lyke as hys brother was in all thynge whan they began to wasshe the bone the blode vanysshed awaye Than sayd the kyng to the thyrde sone My dere chylde it behoueth the also to be letten blode He answered sayd My lorde it pleaseth me well so to be Whan y e yongest brother was letten blode serued in al thynge lyke as his two bretherne were serued before whan y e kynges seruauÌ„tes began to wasshe y e bone they might neyther for wasshynge ne for fretynge do away the blode of the bone but euer it appered blody Whan the kynge sawe thys he sayd It appereth openly y t this blode wythout doubte is of the nature of thys bone thou art hys true sone and these other two ben bastardes I gyue to the that tree for euermore ¶ Dere freÌ„des thys Emperour is our lord Iesu chryst whyche bare a sheelde of syluer wyth fyue reed roses that is ta saye hys body that is so fayre so clere more radiant than ony syluer according w t psalmist sayinge thus Speciosus forma pre filijs hominuÌ„ That is to saye he was more specyall fayrer of shape than all y e chyldren of men By these .v. roses we vnderstande hys fyue woundes whyche he suffred for mankynde And by the kynge of Egypte we vnderstande the deuyll agaynst whome he fought all the tyme of hys lyfe at the last he was slayne for maÌ„kynde Neuerthelesse before hys deth he made hys testament to hys thre sones By the fyrst to whome he gaue of the tree all that was vnder y e erth aboue we shall vnderstande the myghty men states of thys worlde to whome he hath gyuen power in erth in water and in ayre so that they be obedyent at theyr wyll all thynge vnder heuen By the seconde sone to whome he gaue y e tree in lenght brede depnes we may vnderstande the wytty men of thys worlde as Iustyces atturneys and men of lawe these men haue power in lengthe brede depnes vpon gentylmen of myddle degre and vpon poore men them to deme iudge as they lyst By y e thyrde sone to whome he gaue all that was wete drye of the tree we shall vnderstande good chrysten men whyche haue suffre bothe wete an drye that is to saye now pouerte now trouble now solace now care now cold now hete and all this they receyue of god thankfully to haue this noble tree y t was thus bequethed them Thys tree is the tree of paradyse y t is to saye euerlastyng iaye of heuen whyche is gyueÌ„ to vs all yf we wyl take it thankfully neuerthelesse it is heuen in dyuerse wyse not egally for some hath more some hath lesse after theyr merytes thys notwithstaÌ„dyng euery man opteyneth not therfore it behoueth them to go vnto y e kyng of reason that is to saye vnto the father of heuen that knoweth all thyng or they be made The fyrst sone was let blode and in his blode the bone was wrapped By this blode we shall vnderstande our merytoryous dedes by the whyte heuy almes dede whych is ful heuy to theÌ„ that gyue almes neuerthelesse it maketh the soule whyte wherfore whan these myghty men gyue almes or do a merytoryous dede though it be made drye stablysshed wyth the sonne by the wynde of dyuyne predicacyon neuerthelesse whan the water of pryde enuye wrath suche other all the merytoryous dedes done before is brought to nought the blode that is to saye the almes dedes by y e whyche they sholde coÌ„me to euerlastynge lyfe begynneth to vanysshe awaye For why as the apostle sayth he that offendeth in one synne is gylty in all Thys blode letter whych let them blode is a discrete confessour though the myghty men of thys worlde do good dedes fulfyl theyr penauÌ„ce neuerthelesse whan the water of couetyse that is to saye whan the purse is full of money anone they gyue true iudgement agaynst whome it is wryten thus The wysedome of this worlde is nothyng els but foly afore god And agaynst the myghty men of thys worlde speketh holy scrypture and sayth Where be those myghty men whych were praysed among the byrdes of heuen eate and drynke and often desceÌ„ded to hell The thyrde sone of thys Emperour is a good chrysten man whyche all the tyme of hys lyfe dyd good dedes lyued wythout pryde enuy and lechery from the bone of suche a man the blode may not be wasshen awaye that is to saye hys merytoryous dedes may not be put away from penaunce suche a man is y e true chylde of god of whome our lorde speketh thus Ye the whyche haue
forsaken all thynge for me all that is to saye ye that haue forsaken the wyll of synne shall receyue an hoÌ„dred tymes more that is to saye ye shall not onely receyue the tree of paradyse but also the heritage of heuen These two other sones ben bastardes for why that they behote in theyr baptym they wrought all the contrary thrugh theyr wycked lyuynge And therfore he that desyreth to optayne the ioyes of heuen hym behoueth to abyde stedfastly in werkynge of good werkes and than by reason may he optayne the tree of paradyse vnto the whyche that lorde brynge vs whyche lyueth regneth eternally worlde wythouten ende Amen IN Rome there dwelled somtyme a noble Emperour named DyoclesiaÌ„ whych aboue all worldly goodes loued the vertue of charyte wherfore he desyred greatly to knowe what fowle loued her byrdes best to the entent that he myght therby growe to more perfyte charyte It fortuned after vpon a daye that thys Emperour walked to the forest to take hys dysporte where as he fouÌ„de the nest of a great byrde that is called in latyn strutio wyth her byrde the whyche byrde themperour toke wyth hym closed hym in a vessell of glasse The mother of thys lyttell byrde folowed after vnto y e Emperours place and entred into the hall where her byrde was closed But whan she sawe her byrde and myght by no meanes coÌ„me to her ne gete her out she returned agayn to y e forest there she abode thre dayes and at y e last she returned agayne to y e palays bearyng in her mouth a worme that is called thumare Whan she came where her byrde was she let the worme fall vpon y e glasse thrugh vertue of whyche worme y e glasse brake the byrde escaped sâ—ewe forth w t hys mother Whan themperour sawe thys he praysed moche y e mother of thys byrde whyche so dylygently laboured for the delyueraunce of her byrde ¶ My frendes thys Emperour is the father of heueÌ„ whyche greatly loueth them that ben in perfyte loue charite Thys lytel byrde closed in the glasse takeÌ„ fro the forest was Adam our forefather whyche was exiled fro paradyse and put in the glasse that is to say in hell Thys hearyng the mother of the byrde that is to wyte the sone of god descended fro heuen came to the forest of the worlde and lyued here thre dayes more bearyng wyth hym a worme that is to say manhode accordyng w t the psalmyst sayinge Ego sum vermis etnoÌ„ homo That is to saye I am a worme no man Thys manhode was suffred to be slayne amonge the iewes of whose blode y e vessel eternall was brokeÌ„ and the byrde went out that is to saye â–ª Adam wente forth wyth hys mother the sone of god flewe vnto heuen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a worthy emperour and a wyse whyche had a fayre doughter and a gracyous in the syght of euery man Thys Emperour bethought hym on a daye to whome he myght gyue his doughter in maryage saying thus Yf I gyue my doughter to a ryche man he be a foole than is she lost and yf I gyue her to a poore man a wytty than may he gete hys lyuynge for hym and her by his wysdome There was that tyme dwellynge in the cite of Rome a phylosopher named Socrates poore wyse whyche came to themperour sayd My lord displease you not though I put forth my petycyon before your hyghnes Themperour sayd what so euer pleaseth the tell forth Than sayde Socrates My lorde ye haue a doughter whome I desyre aboue al thyng Themperour answered sayd My frende I shall gyue the my doughter to wyfe vpon thys condicyon that yf she dye in thy felawshyp after that she be wedded to the thou shalte wythouten doutelese thy heed Than sayd Socrates UpoÌ„ thys condicyon I wyll gladly take her to be my wyfe Themperour hearyng thys let call forth all y e lordes states of his Empyre and made a greate feest at theyr weddynge And after y e feest Socrates ledde home his wyfe to hys owne house where as they lyued in peace and helth longe tyme. But at the last thys Emperours doughter syckned to deth Whan Socrates perceyued thys he sayde to hym selfe Alas and woo to me what shall I doo and whether shall I flee yf themperours doughter that is my wyfe sholde dye for sorowe this Socrates wente to a forest there besyde wepte bytterly The whyle he thus wepte mourned there came an aged man bearyng a staffe in hys hande asked y e cause of Socrates why he mourned Socrates answered and sayde I wedded themperours doughter vpon thys coÌ„dycyon y t yf she dyed in my felowshyp I sholde lese my lyfe now she is syckened vnto the deth I can fynde no remedy nor helpe therfore I mourne more than any creature can thynke Than sayde the olde maÌ„ be ye coÌ„forted for I shall be your helper yf ye wyll do after my counseyle In this forest be thre herbes yf ye make a drynke of the fyrst to your wyfe of the other two a plaester yf she vse thys medicynall drynke and plaester in due tyme wythout doubte she shall recouer to perfyte helth Socrates fulfylled al as the old man had taught hym And whaÌ„ hys wyfe had vsed a whyle that medicynall drynke pleaster wythin shorte tyme she was perfytly hole of al her sycknes And whan the Emperoure herde that Socrates wrought so wysely and how dylygently he laboured for to heale his wyfe he promoted hym to great dyngnyte and worshyp ¶ Dere freÌ„des this Emperour is our lord Iesu chryst hys doughter so fayre so gracyous is the soule made at the similitude of god whych is full gracyous gloryous in the syght of hym of hys auÌ„gels whyle that she is not defouled abydeth in her owne propre clennesse Thys soule god wolde not gyue it to a ryche man but to a poore man that is to say a man that is made of the slyme of the erth Thys Socrates is a poore maÌ„ for why euery man coÌ„meth poore and naked in to this worlde from hys mothers bely euery maÌ„ taketh hys soule in wedlocke vpon suche coÌ„dicyon that yf she dye in hys felawshyp by deedly synne wythout doubte he shal lese eternal lyfe Therfore o thou man yf thy wyfe sycken so thrugh deedly sinne do thaÌ„ as Socrates dyd go vnto the forest that is holy chyrche and thou shalte fynde there an olde man with a staâ—â—e that is a discrete coÌ„fessour whyche shall tell the of these thre herbes for he hath power to bynde to vnbynde The fyrst herbe is contricyon of whome thou sholdest make thy drynke of teares Ambrose sayth that teares wassheth awaye synne where shame is to knowlege it and these two other herbes ben confessyon and satysfaccyon yf these herbes be vsed in plaester the synner wythout doubte shall receyue his helth
and his soule shall be delyuered from synne and by al ryght he shall haue euerlastyng lyfe Vnto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus SOmtyme there regned in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wyse named Frederyke whyche had an onely sone whome he loued moche Thys Emperour whan he laye at the poynt of deth he called vnto hym his sone sayd Dere sone I haue a ball of gold whych I gyue the vpon my blessyng that thou anone after my deth shalt gyue it to the moost foole that thou mayst fynde Than sayd hys sone My lorde wothout doubte your wyll shall be fulfylled Anone thys yonge lorde after the deth of hys father went sought in many realmes founde many recheles fooles bycause he wolde satysfye hys fathers wyll laboured farther tyll he came in to a realme where the lawe was suche that euery yere a newe kyng was chosen there thys kyng had onely the guydynge of y e realme but a yere at the yeres ende he was deposed put in exile in an ylande where as he shold wretchedly fynysshe hys lyfe Whan themperours sone came to thys realme the newe kyng was chosen w t great honour all maner of mynstralsye wente afore hym brought hym wyth great reuerence and worshyp vnto hys regall sete And whan the Emperours sone sawe that he came vnto hym and salewed hym reuerently sayd My lorde loo I gyue the thys ball of gold on my fathers behalfe Than sayd he I praye the tell me the cause why thou gyuest me thys ball ThaÌ„ answered thys yonge lorde and sayd My father charged me in hys deth bedde vpon payn of forfeytynge of his blessynge that I sholde gyue this ball of y e moost foole y e I coude fynde wherfore I haue sought many realmes haue founde many fooles neuerthelesse a more foole than thou art founde I neuer therfore thys is the reason It is not vnknowen to the that thou shalt regne but a yere and at the yeres ende thou shalte be exiled into suche a place where as thou shalte dye a myscheuous deth wherfore I holde the for the moost foole that euer I founde that for the lordshyp of a yere thou woldest so wylfully lese thy selfe therfore before all other I haue gyuen to the thys ball of gold Than sayd the kyng wythout doubte thou sayst sothe and therfore whan I am in full power of thys realme I shall sende before me greate treasoure and rychesse wherwyth I may lyue and saue my selfe from my scheuous deth whan I shall be exiled put downe And so thys was done wherfore at the yeres ende he was exiled lyued there in peace vpon suche goodes as he had sente before and he dyed afterwarde a good deth ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen the whych byquethed the ball that is to saye worldly rychesse to fooles and ydyottes whyche sauoureth no thynge but that is erthly This Emperours sone that is to saye a precher and a discrete coÌ„fessour serched about many realmes landes to shewe to mysbyleuing men fooles theyr peryll The realme wherin no kyng myght regne but a yere is this worlde For who so had lyued an hondred yere whan he commeth to the deeth hym shall seme that he hath lyued but the space of an houre therfore do as the kyng dyd whyle that ye be in power of lyfe sende before you your treasour that is to say almes dede other merytoryus dedes certaynly whaÌ„ ye be put in exile out of thys world ye shall lyue in peace shall fynde y e mercy of god plentefull wherby ye shall optayne euerlastynge lyfe Unto the whych brynge vs he that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen DIoclesyan regned in the cyte of Rome in whose empyre dwelled a noble phylosopher y e whych let vp by hys crafte an ymage in the myddes of yeâ—ite of Rome the whyche ymage stretched out hys arme hys formest fynger whervpon stode thys posy wryten in latyn Percute hic Smyte here Thys ymage after the deth of thys phylosopher stode styll a longe tyme many greate clerkes came thyder for to rede the superscripcyon that was on y e fynger but none of them vnderstode what it mente wherfore there was greate wondrynge amonge the people And at the last a longe tyme after there came a strauÌ„ge clerke out of ferre couÌ„trees whan he sawe thys ymage he redde y e scripture Smyte here And than vpon a daye whan he sawe the shadowe of the hande he toke a mattocke brake vp y e grounde vnder the hande where the shadowe was accordyng to the vnderstandyng of the superscripcyon anone he founde an house al of marble vndernethe the grouode wherin he entred came in to a hall where he founde so moche rychesse so many yewelles and so great meruayles that he neuer sawe ne herde of suche nor so many before that tyme. At y e last he sawe a borde couered and all maner of thynges necessary therto set ther vpon He be helde farther and sawe a carbuncle in a wall that lyghtened all y e hous And anenst thys carbuncle on that other syde stode a man holdynge in hys hande a bowe wyth an arowe redy to shote The clerke merualled moche whan be sawe all these thynges and thought in hymself yf that I tâ—ll thys forth there wyll no man byleue me therfore I wyll haue somwhat of these goodes in token of profe And wyth that he sawe a knyfe of golde vpon y e borde whyche he toke wolde haue put it in his bosome But anone the archer smote the carbuncle and brake it wherwyth all the hole hous was shadowed made darke And whan y e clerke perceyued it he wept more bytterly than ony man myght thynke for he wyst not by what way he myght go out for as moche as the hous was made darke thrugh the brekynge of the carbuncle And that darknesse abode styll for euermore after And so fynisshed the clerke his lyfe there in that darknesse ¶ Dere frendes thys ymage so standyng is the deuyll whyche sayth euermore Smyte here That is to saye take hede to erthly rycheâ—se not to heuenly treasour Thys clerke that smote with the mattocke betokeneth the wyse men of thys worlde as pleders of y e lawe atturneys and other wordly men that euer be smytyng what by ryght what by wronge so y t they may gete the vanytees of thys worlde in theyr smytynge they fynde great wonders meruayles that is to say they fynde therin the delytes of the worlde wherin many men reioyseth The carbuncle that gyueth lyght is the youth of man whyche gyueth hardynes to take theyr pleasure in worldly rychesse The archer w t hys arowe is deth whyche layeth watche anenst man to slee hym The clerke that toke vp y e knyfe is euery wordly man that weneth euer to haue all thynge at hys wyll Deth
my decese The fyrst sone answered sayde Thyne Empyre by reason shall be myne for I am so slowe that yf my fote were in the fyre I had leuer y t it sholde be brent than to take it out Than sayd y e second I am quod he more apte to the Empyre than thou for though there were a rope aboute my necke wherwyth I sholde be hanged yf I had a sharpe swerde in my hande for greate slouth that I haue I wolde not put forth my hande to cutte the rope in sauynge of my lyfe And whaÌ„ these two bretherne had sayd the thyrde said for him thus I ought to be emperour before you bothe for I passe you in slouth that wyll I preue thus I lye vpryght in my bedde there droppeth water vpon bothe myne eyen for greate slouth y t I haue I mene not my heed neyther to the ryght syde of the bedde nor to the lefte syde for sauynge of my selfe Whan the Emperour herde thys he byquethed the Empyre vnto the yongest sone as to the slowest of the bretherne ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth the deuyll whyche is lorde father ouer y e chyrche of pryde By the fyrst sone is vnderstande a man that coÌ„meth in euyll felawshyp by whome he falleth in mysgouernauÌ„ce had leuer to be brente in the fyre of synne than departe from them The second sone betokeneth hym y t knoweth hymselfe bounde wyth the bande of synne wherwyth he is to be hanged on the galous of hell is so slouthfull that he wyll not cut them away wyth the lawfull swerde of coÌ„fessyon By the thyrde sone is vnderstande a man that heareth the techynge of y e ioyes of heuen of y e paynes of hell and wyl not mâ—â—e hymselfe to the ryght syde for loue desyre of rewarde nor to the lyfte syde to forsake hys synnes for drede of turmeÌ„t Suche a man wythout doubte for hys slouth shall optayne the realme of hell From y e whych realme kepe vs our lorde Iesus AmeÌ„ THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperoure named Alexander the whyche besyeged a cyte of the kyng of Egypte wyth a great hoost neuerthelesse thys Emperour lost many myghty knyghtes without ony hurte of stroke And thus from day to day hys people dyed sodeynly wherat thys Alexander wondred greatly was ful sorowful therof in his mynde anone let cal afore hym y e wysest philosophers y t myght be founde and prayed theÌ„ to tell hym why hys people dyed thus sodeynly wtout wounde The phylosophers answered sayd My lorde it is no wonder for vpon y e walles of that castel wtin the cite is a cocatryce thrugh whose syght your men dye for they ben infected w t the venym that coÌ„meth of hys eyen anone the dye Than this AlexaÌ„der asked yf there were ony remedy agaynst that cocatryce The philosophers answered and sayd My lord there is a good remedy whych is thys let set vp a large myrrour of clere glasse ouer agaynst thys cocatryce bytwene your hoost the wall of the cyte and whan the 〈◊〉 beholdeth hymselfe in the myrrour the deedâ—â—â—â—ture of his venymous syght shal rebouÌ„de agaynâ— to hymselfe and thus he shall dye and your men shal be saued The Emperoure wrought by the counseâ—lâ— of the phylosophers and let set vp anone a large myrrour of glasse and thus was thys cocatryce slayne and the Emperour wyth hys hoost made an assaâ—te to the cyte and optayned the vyctory ¶ This Emperour may be called ony chrysteÌ„ man the whycâ—â—â—â—ght to gader an hoost of vertues for wythout 〈…〉 more may no man fyght goostly The cyte agaynst whome ye shall fyght is the worlde wherin there is an 〈◊〉 castell that is to saye vanite of vanytees 〈◊〉 vanitatuÌ„ And al vanite in thys vanite standeth thâ—â—â—â—atryce that is to saye pryde of lyfe desyre of 〈◊〉 â—â—istes of flesshe wherfore thys pryde infectet 〈◊〉 that they dye at the last euerlastyngly Therfore the greatest remedy agaynst thys pryde is y e coÌ„syderacyon of our vnclennes how we came naked in to thys worlde yf it be asked why a man is proude certaynly it may be answered thus for y e defaute of clothyng of vertues what shall we do whan we dye thus goostly but set vp a poore myrrour of conscyence by that conscyence we may consyder our wyll our bryttylnes as in a glasse where then mayst se thyne owne defaute yf we do thus wythout doubte y e cocatryce y t is pryde of lyfe desyre of eyen lust of flesshe we shall vtterly destroye optayne y e victory of this worldly cite than be we sâ—re to wynne euerlastynge lyfe vnto the whych god brynge â—othe you and me Amen A Myghty emperour somtyme 〈…〉 named Archelaus the whyche 〈…〉 wedded a fayre yonge lady whome a yonge knyght loued had to do wyth her as ofte as hym lyst It befell on a nyght that thys Emperour bethought hym in his bedde to visyte y e holy lande wherfore wtout ony more delay he ordeyned al thynge necessary to his iourney toke hys leue of thempresse of the states of th empyre went towarde y e holy lande Whan thempresse herde thys she toke the mayster of the shyppe sayd Yf thou wylte consent to me be true aske of me what y e wylte thou shalte haue it The mayster of the shyppe was smytten wyth couetyse sayd O my dere lady what so euer ye wyll coÌ„mauÌ„de me I shall wythout fayle fulfyll it so that ye wyll rewarde me for my labour ThaÌ„ sayd thempresse or y e do ought for me I shall gyue the what the lyst to haue so that y u wylte swere to be true to me and kepe my couÌ„seyle The mayster of y e shyppe anone made hys othe to be true to her Than sayd thempresse My lord goth wyth you in your shyppe therfore whan he is in the myddes of the see cast hym out that he may be drowned ye shall optayne your rewarde wythout ony wythsaying Than the mayster of y e shyppe sware a greate othe sayd By god after he coÌ„meth ones win my shyppe ye shall neuer se hym more Than the lady payde hym as moche golde as he wolde haue forth he wente to hys shyppe And wythin shorte tyme after the Emperour take hys shyppe whan he was in the myddes of y e see the mayster of y e shyppe toke themperour threwe hem ouer borde in to the see Than the mayster returned agayne tolde the Empresse that the Emperour was casten in to y e see wherof she was full glad Thys Emperour that thus was cast in to the see had lerned in hys youth to swymme swamme forth tyll he sawe an ylande in the see but euer in hys swymmynge whaÌ„ he was faynt lyke to haue ben drowned he prayed god to be hys helpe wepte sore tyll at y e last he came in
a byrde of two colours by that byrde stode two beestes whych fedde that lytel byrde wyth theyr heate after that came many moo beestes and bowed theyr heedes towarde the byrde went theyr waye And than came there dyuerse byrdes that songe so swetely so meryly that the Emperour awaked In y e mornynge erly this Anselme remēbred his visyon wondred moche what it myght sygnyfye wherfore he called to hym hys phylosophers also the states of hys Empyre tolde thē hys dreme chargyng them to tell hym the sygnyfyenge therof vpon payne of deth yf they tolde hym the true interpretacyon therof he behyght them great rewarde Than sayd they Dere lorde tell vs your dreme and we shall declare vnto you what it betokeneth Thā y e Emperour tolde them frō the begynnynge to the endynge as it is afore sayd Whan the phylosophers herde thys wyth a glad chere they answered sayd Lord y e dreme that ye sawe betokeneth good for the Empyre shall be more clerer than it is The mone that is more pale on y e one syde than on y e other betokeneth the Empresse that hath lost parte of her colour thrugh the cōcepcyon of a sone y t she hath conceyued The lytell byrde betokeneth the sone that she shal beare The two beestes that fedde thys byrde betokeneth all the wyse men ryche men of this Empyre shall obey thy sone These other beestes y t bowed theyr heedes to the byrde betokeneth that many other nacyōs shall do hym homage The byrde y e songe so swetely to thys lytell byrde betokeneth y e Romayns whyche shall reioyce and synge bycause of this byrthe Lo this is y e very interpretacyon of your dreme Whan the Emperour herde this he was right ioyfull Soone after that the Empresse trauayled was delyuered of a fayre sone in whose birth was great ioye made wtout ende Whan y e kyng of Ampluy herde thys he thought in hymselfe thus Lo I haue warred agaynst the Emperour all the dayes of my lyfe and now he hath a sone the whych wyll reuenge all thre wronges that I haue done wrought agaynst his father whan he cōmeth to full age therfore it is better that I sende to the Emperour and beseche hym of trewse peace that hys sone may haue nothynge agaynst me whan he commeth to manhode Whā he had thus sayd to hymselfe he wrote vnto the Emperoure besechynge hym to haue peace Whan the Emperour sawe that the kynge of Ampluy wrote to hym more for drede than for loue he wrote agayne to hym that yf he wolde fynde good suffycient surety to kepe the peace bynde hymselfe all the days of hys lyfe to do hym seruyce homage to gyue hym yerely a certayne trybute he wolde receyue hym to the peace Whan the kynge had redde the tenour of y e Emperours lettres he called his counseyle praying thē to gyue hym coūseyle how he myght best do as touchyng thys mater Than sayd they It is good that ye obey y e Emperours wyll cōmaundement in all thynges For in the fyrst he desyreth of you surety for the peace as to thys we answere thus Ye haue but a doughter and the Emperoure but a sone wherfore let a maryage be made bytwene them y t may be a perpetuall sykernes of y e peace And also he asketh homage rentes whych is good to fulfyll And than the kynge sente hys messengers to the Emperour sayinge that he wyll fulfyll his entēt in al thynge yf it myght please his hyghnes that his sone the kynges doughter myght be wedded togyder All thys pleased well the Emperour neuerthelesse he sente agayne that yf his doughter were a clene vyrgyn from her byrth vnto that daye he wolde consent to that maryage Than was the kyng ryght glad for his doughter was a clene vyrgyn Therfore whā y e lettres of couenauntes sykernes were sealed the kynge dyd do make araye a fayre shyppe wherin he myght sende hys doughter with many noble knyghtes ladyes and great rychesse vnto the Emperour for to haue hys sone in maryage And whan they were saylynge in the see towarde Rome a storme arose so feruētly so horrybly that the shyppe al to brast agaynst a rocke of stone and they were all drowned saue onely y e yonge lady whych set her hope her herte so greatly on god that she was saued And aboute thre of the clocke the tempest seaced and the lady droue forth ouer the wawes in that brokē shyppe whyche was cast vp agayn but an huge whale folowed after redy to deuoure bothe the shyppe her wherfore thys fayre yonge lady whan nyght came she smote fyre wyth a stone wherw t the shyppe was greatly lyghtned than y e wale durst not auēture towarde the shyppe for drede of the lyght At the cocke crowynge thys yonge lady was so wery of the great tempest and trouble of the see that she slepte wythin a lytel whyle the fyre was out than came y e whale deuoured her And whan she wakened and vnderstode her selfe in the whales bely she smote fyre wythin a lytell whyle she wounded the whale wyth a knyfe in many places and whan y e whale felte hymselfe wounded accordynge to hys nature began to swymme to lāde There was that tyme dwellyng in that coūtree an erle that was a noble man named Pyrrys the whych bycause of recreacyon walked by the see strande as he was walkyng thus he sawe where as the whale was cōmynge towarde y e lande wherfore he returned home agayne gadered many stronge men women came thyder agayne fought wyth thys whale wounded hym sore and as they smote the mayden that was in hys bely cryed w t a hye voyce sayd O gentyll syrs haue mercy compassyō on me for I am a kynges doughter a true virgyn from the houre of my byrth vnto thys daye Whan the erle herd thys he wondred greatly opened the syde of the whale founde the yonge lady toke her out And whan she was thus delyuered she tolde hym forthw t by ordre whose doughter she was how she had lost all her goodes in the see how she sholde haue ben maryed vnto the Emperours sone And whan y e erle herde thys he was ryght glad wherfore he conforted her the more kepte her styll wyth hym tyll she was well refreshed And in the meane tyme he sente messengers to the Emperoure lettynge hym wyte how thys kynges doughter was saued Than was the Emperour ryght glad of her saluacyon cōmyng had great cōpassyon on her saying A good mayde for y e loue of mi sone thou hast suffred moche woo neuerthelesse yf thou be worthy to be hys wyfe ▪ soone shall I preue And whan he had thus sayd he let brynge forth thre vessels the fyrst was made of pure golde well couched wyth precyous stones
rowers of y e see betokeneth all mankynde whych was taken wyth the deuyll by the synne of our fore father Adam and was cast in to the pryson of hell wyth great sorowe and payne His father wolde not rauÌ„some hym that is to saye the worlde wolde do nothynge for hym Thys fayre doughter betokeneth the godhede whych came downe from heuen and toke manhode of the vyrgyn Marye and so made a goostly maryage bytwene hym and man And vpon thys condicyon he delyuered mankynde out of thys pryson of hell whan he came fro heuen and forsoke the felawshyp of auÌ„gels for to dwell wyth vs in thys wretched valey of teares But the father that betokeneth y e worlde grutched euer agaynst hym and wolde not suffre that the soule of man sholde becoÌ„me the spouse of Iesu Chryst but that she sholde alway serue hym and forsake our lord Therfore yf we folowe the worlde hys vanytees sothly we shall fall in to the snare of the deuyll Fro the whyche defende vs our blessed sauyour Iesu Chryst. Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a noble Emperoure of great lyuelode named Alexander the whyche aboue all vertues loued y e vertue of largesse wherfore he ordeyned a lawe for great curiosite that no man vnder payne of deth sholde turne a playce in his dysshe at hys meate but onely eate the whyte syde and not the blacke and yf ony man wolde attempte to do the contrary he sholde dye wythout remedy but or he dyed he sholde aske thre bones of the emperour what hym lyst excepte hys lyfe whyche sholde be graunted hym It befell after on a daye that there came an erle his sone of a straunge countree to speke wyth the Emperoure And whan thys erle was set to meate he was serued wyth a playce and he whyche was hungry and had an appetyte to his meate â–ª after he had eaten y e whyte syde he turned the blacke syde began to eate therof wherfore anone he was accused to the Emperoure bycause he had offended agaynst the lawe Than sayd the Emperoure Let hym dye accordynge to the lawe wythout one delaye Whan the erles sone herde that hys father sholde dye anone he set hym downe on bothe his knees tofore the Emperour and sayd O my reuerende lorde for hys loue that henge vpon the crosse let me dye for my father Than sayd the Emperoure It pleaseth me well that one dye for the offence of the lawe Than sayd thys erles sone syth it is so that I shall dye I aske the benefytes of the lawe that is to saye that I may haue thre peticyons graunted or I dye The Emperour answered and sayde Aske what thou wylte there shall no man saye the nay Than sayd thys yonge knyght My lorde ye haue but one doughter the whyche I desyre of your hyghnes that she may lye wyth me a nyght or I dye The Emperour grauÌ„ted though it were agaynst his wyll in fulfyllynge of his lawe Neuerthelesse this knyght defouled her not as that nyght Therfore pleased he greatly the Emperour The seconde peticyon is thys I aske al thy treasour And anone the Emperour graunted bycause he shold not be called a breker of his owne lawe And whan thys erles sone had receyued y e emperours treasour he departed it bothe to poore and ryche wherfore he optayned theyr good wylles My thyrde peticyon is thys I aske my lorde that all y e eyen may be put out incontynent whyche sawe my father eatynge of the blacke playce Wherfore the Emperour let make an inquisicyon anone who it was that sawe the erle turne y e playce And they that sawe hym turne the playce bethought them and sayd wythin themselfe Yf we knowlege that we sawe hym do thys trespace than shall our eyen be put out and therfore it is better that he holde vs styll And so there was none founde that wold accuse hym Whan the erles sone sawe thys he sayd to the Emperour My lorde quod he ye se that there is no man accuseth my father therfore gyue ye ryghtfull iudgemeÌ„t Than sayd the Emperour For as moche that no man wyl knowlege that they sawe hym turne the playce therfore I wyll not y t thy father shall dye Lo thus the sone saued his fathers lyfe after the decese of the Emperour wedded hys doughter ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour betokeneth the father of heuen whyche ordeyned a lawe that no man sholde turne the blacke syde of the playce that is to say there sholde no man labour for rychesse or lordshyp by couetyse and falshede The erle that came to the Emperour betokeneth Adam our for father whyche came out of the lande of Damasse to the courte of paradyse and turned vp the blacke syde of the playce whan he ete of the apple wherfore he sholde haue ben dampned to euerlastynge deth But hys sone that betokeâ—eth our lorde Iesu Chryst. For he toke flesshe of Adam and profered hymselfe wylfully to dye for hym The father of heuen graunted that he sholde go downe to dye for mankynde Neuerthelesse or he dyed he asked thre peticyons of his father of heuen The fyrst was thys y t he myght haue by hym hys doughter whyche betokeneth the soule of man and brynge her wyth hym into the bosome of heuen accordyng to y e wordes of Osee saying Desponsabo eam michi That is to saye I shall wedde her to my wyfe The second peticyon was thys All the Emperours treasour whyche betokeneth the treasour of heuen accordynge to thys scrypture Sicut disposuit michi pater That is to saye Lyke as my father hath disposed for me so I dyspose for you The thyrde petycyon was thys that al theyr eyen shold be put out that is to saye that the deuyll whyche dayly accuseth man that he myght be put fro the lyght of heuenly grace And thus saued he mankynde and ledde hym vp wyth hym vnto the palays of heuen Unto the whyche palays brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Lemycyus whyche on a daye rode to a forest for to sporte hym where as he mette sodeynly wyth a poore man to whome he sayde thus Frende whens coÌ„mest thou who art thou My lord quod he I coÌ„me fro the nexte cyte and your man I am Than sayd the Emperoure thou semest poore therfore yf thou wylte be good and true I shall promote the to great rychesse and honour Than answered this poore man and sayd My lorde I promyse you faythfully to be true to you as longe as I lyue The Emperour anone made hym knyght and gaue hym greate rychesse Whan he was thus promoted he waxed so proude that he thought hymselfe more able to be an Emperour than hys lord wherfore he made suggestyon to dyuerse lordes of that Empyre that he myght vsurpe take vpoÌ„ hym thrugh strength of them to be Emperour Whan y e Emperour herde thys anone he exiled hym and al those that were coÌ„sentyng to hym
so that they were put in great wretchednes and sorowe and than the Emperour ordeyned other men in theyr stedes and gaue them all the possessyons of the traytours And whan the banysshed men harde that straūgers had taken possessyō of theyr lande and goodes anone they conspeyred agaynst them and thrugh treason prayed them to a feest And they as innocentes thynkyng no treason came at y e day assygned and were serued wyth fyue messes whyche were poysoded wherfore as many as tasted of that viteyle dyed incontynent Whan the Emperour herde thys he was greatly moued and called hys counseyle to wyte what was best to be done of thys treason and of theyr dethe Than sayd the Emperours sone My lorde I am your sone ye be my father and therfore I shall gyue you good coūseyle and profytable to all men Not far hens is a lyttell realme wherin dwelleth a fayre mayde and a gracyous in the syght of euery man whyche hath an orcharde wherin is a well wherof y e water is of suche vertue that yf it be cast vpon a deed man anone he shall lyue agayne recouer his lyfe Therfore my lord I shall descende vnto that realme and seke that water by the whyche they that were slayne at the feest myght ryse agayne to lyfe And whan y e Emperour herde thys he was greatly reioysed and sayd Sone thy counseyle is good And anone the Emperours sone went in to the sayd realme and fell in conceyte wyth the mayden in so moche that he entred in to the gardyne and assayed of the well And whan he had so done he made fyue depe trenches in the grounde in the whyche the water ranne tyll it came where the deedmen lay buryed and anone whan the water touched them they arose from deth to lyfe And than the Emperours sone ledde them vnto hys father And whan the Emperour sawe thys he was ryght ioyfull wherfore he crowned hys sone wyth a laureate crowne in token of vyctory and so he ended hys lyfe in rest and peace ¶ Thys Emperoure betokeneth the father of heuen The poore man that was promoted betokeneth Lucifer the whych was made of nought and exalted in the Empyre of heuen in so greate ioye and clerenes that hym semed thrugh hys pryde that he wolde be lyke almyghty god and not onely lyke hym but more than almyghty god wherfore the father of heuen expled hym and all them that consented vnto hym to hell in theyr place man was exalted to great ioye and honour The deuyll seynge thys enuyed hym that man sholde cōme to suche glory and honour and badde Adam Eue to a feest whan they ete of the apple agaynst goddes commaundement and counseyled them thus sayinge In what houre ye eate of y e apple ye shall be lyke goddes And at thys cursed feest they were serued wyth fyue messes that were poysoned that is to saye theyr fyue wyttes were accorded in eatynge of the apple wherof man was infecte and dyed Thys hearynge the Emperours sone moued wyth mercy came downe frō heuen in to this worlde and acqueynted hym so wel wyth the blessed vyrgyn Mary that he founde in her the well of manhode conioyned it to his godhede accordynge to scrypture I am y e well of lyfe who drynketh of it shall not thurst After that he let make fyue trenches in the grounde that is to saye fyue woundes in hys body of the whyche ranne bothe blode and water wherby all mankynde was reysed fro deth to lyfe and ledde them vp in to the palays of heuē Unto the whych brynge vs our blessed sauyour Iesu Chryst. Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty emperour named Dunstane in whose empyre dwelled a gentyll knyght that had two sones One of hys sones wedded hymselfe agaynst hys fathers wyll vnto a cōmune woman of the bordell The knyght hearing this exyled hys sone from hym And whan he was thus exiled he begote on thys woman a sone And soone after that he wexed sycke nedefull wherfore he sente messengers to hys father besechynge hym of hys mercy Thys hearynge hys father had compassyon and rushe on hym wherfore he was reconsyled And whan he was thus brought agayne vnto hys fathers grace he gaue hys sone whych he had begoten to fore on this cōmune woman to hys father And he full kyndly receyued it as hys sone and nourysshed it Whan hys other sone herde this he sayd to hys father Father quod he it semeth that thou art out of thy ryght mynde whych I wyll proue by this reason For he is out of his ryght mynde that receyueth a false heyre nouryssheth hym whose father hath done hym anguysshe and disease tofore For my brother whyche begate thys chylde hath done the great iniury whan he wedded y e cōmune woman agaynst thy wyll and cōmaūdement therfore me semeth that thou arte out of thy ryght mynde Than answered the father and sayd Bycause thy brother is reconsyled thou art enuyous to me also vnkynde to thyne owne brother wyllynge to put hym from my felawshyp for euermore and sothly none vnkynde man shall haue myne herytage but yf he be reconsyled But yet thou neuer reconsyled hym of hys vnkyndnes for thou myght haue reconsyled hym but thou woldest not therfore of myne herytage getest thou no parte ¶ The father of the two bretherne betokeneth the father of heuē And his two sones betokeneth the nature of aungels and the nature of man For man was wedded to a cōmune woman of the bordell whan he ete of the apple agaynst the commaundement of god wherfore he was exyled by the father of heuen and put fro the ioyes of paradyse The sone of the cōmune woman betokeneth mankynde This knyghtes sone that is to saye Adam began to be nedefull for after hys synne he was put from ioye in to thys wretched valey of teares and wepynge accordynge to thys scripture In sudore vultus c. In the swete of thy vysage thou shalte eate thy breed But after by the passyon of Chryst he was reconsyled But the other sone that betokeneth the deuyll was euer vnkynde grutched dayly agaynst our reconsylynge sayinge that by synne we ought not to comme vnto the herytage of heuen Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour named Donate whyche dyd do make thre ymages of y t whyche one helde out hys hande streyght vnto the people and had on his fynger a rynge of gold The seconde ymage had a berde of golde And y e thyrde had a mantell of purple cōmaundynge vpon payne of deth that no man sholde robbe these ymages of y e rynge the herde nor the mantell It befell afterwarde vpon a tyme that one Dionyse a tyraunt came in to the temple and toke awaye the rynge from the fyrst ymage the berde from the seconde the mantell from the thyrde And anone whan he had thus done he was forthwyth accused vnto the Emperoure
man whych studyeth euer to watche in doynge of good werkes yeldynge to god for synnes the fyre of charyte and the water of contricyon But afteÌ„tymes the tyraunt whyche betokeneth the deuyll putteth out the fyre of charyte fro mennes hertes and casteth out y e water of contricyon so that they may not nourysshe the lyttel chylde Iesus Therfore let vs watche as Ionathas dyd that we entre not in to temptacyon And call we vnto vs masons that is to saye dyscrete confessours whyche can make in our hertes a chambre of stone that is to saye a sure fayth and hope Than call we to vs paynters that is to saye prechers of goddes worde whyche can paynt in our hertes ten ymages that is to saye .x. coÌ„maundementes whyche yf thou kepe and obserue dayly wythout doubte thou shalte be honoured in heuen And yf thou kepe well the Emperours sone thou shalte syt in a chayre of golde crowned with a crowne of gold And yf that thou nourysshe hym not well wythout doubte thou shalt be haÌ„ged on the galous of hell From the whych preserue vs our blessed sauyour Iesus Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure named Menaly whyche had wedded the kynges doughter of Hungary a fayre lady a gracyous in all her werkes and specyally she was mercyfull On a tyme as the Emperour lay in hys bedde he bethought hym that he wolde go vysyte the holy lande And on y e morowe he called to hym the Empresse hys wyfe hys owne onely brother thus he sayde Dere lady I may not ne I wyll not hyde from you the preuytees of my herte I purpose to vysyte the holy lande wherfore I ordeyne the princypally to be lady and gouernour ouer all myne Empyre all my people And vnder the I ordeyn here my brother to be thy stewarde for to prouyde all thynges that may be profytable to myne Empyre to my people Than sayde the Empresse Syth it wyll none otherwyse be but that nedes ye wyll go to the holy lande I shall be in your absence as true as ony turtyll that hath lost her make for as I byleue ye shal not escape thens wyth your lyfe The Emperour anone coÌ„forted her wyth fayre wordes and kyssed her and after that toke hys leue of her and of all other and so wente forth towarde the holy lande And anone after that the Emperour was gone hys brother became so proude that he oppressed poore men robbed ryche men yet dyd he worse thaÌ„ thys for dayly he sâ—erâ—d the Empresse to synne wyth hym But euer she answered agayne as an holy and a deuoute woman and sayd I wyll quod she neuer consent to you ne to none other as longe as my lorde lyueth Neuerthelesse thys knyght wolde not leue by thys auswere but euer whan he founde her alone he made hys complaynt to her and stered her by all the wayes that he coude to synne wyth hym Whan thys lady sawe that he wolde not cease for no answere ne wolde not amende hymselfe whaÌ„ she sawe her tyme she called to her thre or foure of y e worthyest men of the Empyre and sayd to them thus It is not vnknowen to you that my lorde the Emperour ordeyned me pryncipall gouernour of this Empyre and also he ordeyned hys brother to be stewarde vnder me and that he shold do nothynge wythout my conseyle but he dothe all the contrary for he oppresseth greatly poore men and robbet ryche men and yet he wolde do worse yf he myght haue hys entent wherfore I commaunde you in my lordes name that ye bynde hym fast cast hym in pryson Than sayd they Sothly he hath done many euyll dedes syth our lord themperour wente therfore be we redy to obey your coÌ„mauÌ„dement but in thys mater ye must answere for vs to our lorde the Emperour Than sayde she drede ye not for yf my lorde knewe what he hath done as welles I he wolde put hym to y e foulest deth that coude be thought Anone these men set hande on hym and bounde hym fast wyth yron chaynes and put hym fast in pryson where as he laye longe tyme after tyll at the last it fortuned there came tydynges that the Emperour was coÌ„mynge home and had optayned great worshyp and victory Whan his brother herde of hys coÌ„mynge he sayd Wolde to god my brother myght fynde me in pryson for than wolde he enquyre y e cause of myne enprysonment of the Empresse she wyll tell hym all the trouth how I desyrey her to synne and so for her I shall haue no grace of my brother but lose my lyfe thys knowe I well therfore it shall not be so Than sente he a messenger vnto y e Empresse prayinge her for Chrystes passyon that she wolde vouchesafe to coÌ„me vnto y e pryson dore that he myght speke a worde or two wyth her The Empresse came to hym enquyred of hym what he wolde haue He answered Tayde O lady haue mercy vpon me for yf the Emperoure my brother fynde me in thys pryson than shall I dye with out ony remedy Than sayd the Empresse yf I myght knowe that thou woldest be a good man leue thy foly thou sholdest haue grace Than dyd he promyse her sykerly to be true and to amende all hys frespace Whan he had thus promysed the Empresse delyuered hym anone and made hym to be bathed and shauen arayed hym worshypfully accordynge to hys estate and than she sayd vnto hym thus Now good brother lepe on thy stede and coÌ„me wyth me that we may mete my lorde He answered and sayd Lady I am redy to fulfyl your wyll and coÌ„maundement in all thynges And than the Empresse toke hym wyth her many other knyghtes and so rede forth to mete wyth the Emperoure and as they rode togyder by y e waye they sawe where a great harte ran afore them wherfore euery man wyth suche houndes as they had chased hym on horsbacke so that wyth y e Empresse was lefte no creature saue onely the Emperours brother whyche seynge that no man was there but they two thus he sayd vnto y e Empresse Loo lady here besyde is a preuy forest and longe it is agone that I spake to the of loue coÌ„me now and consent vnto me that I may lye wyth the. Than sayd the Empresse Al foole what may thys be yesterdaye I delyuered the out of pryson vpon thy ê“messe in hope of amendment and now thou arte returned to thy foly agayne wherfore I say now to the as I haue sayd before there shal no man do suche thynge wyth me saue onely my lorde the Emperour whyche oweth of very duty so for to do Than sayd he yf thou wylte not consent to me I shall hange the here vpon a tree in this forest where no man shall fynde the and so shalt thou dye an euyll deth The Empresse answered mekely and sayde Though thou smyte of my heed and put me to
hym Good frende quod she go forth thy waye afore me of the cyte and take vp for vs an honest lodgynge for there I purpose to rest a whyle Thys man wente forth as she coÌ„mauÌ„ded and toke vp for her a good lodgynge an honest where as she abode loÌ„ge tyme. Whan the men of the cyte perceyued her fayrnes they wondred greatly wherfore many of them spake vnto her of vnlawfull loue but all was in vayne they myght no spede in no wyse It fortuned after on a day that there came a shyppefull of marchaundyse arryued in the hauen of that cyte Whan the lady herde this she sayde vnto her seruaunt Go to the shyppe and se yf there be ony cloth for myne vse Her seruauÌ„t went forth to the shyppe where as he founde many precyous clothes wherfore he prayed y e mayster of the shyppe that he sholde coÌ„me in to the cite speke with hys lady The mayster graunted hym and so he came home to his lady before and warned her of the coÌ„mynge of y e mayster of the shyppe Anone after y e mayster of y e shyppe came and saluted the lady worthly And the lady receyued hym accordynge to hys degree prayinge hym that she myght haue for her money suche cloth as myght be profytable for her werynge Anone he graunted that she sholde haue soone they were accorded wherfore the seruaunt wente agayne wyth the mayster to y e shyppe And whan they were bothe wythin the shyppe borde the mayster sayd to y e ladyes seruaunt My dere frende to the I wolde open my counseyle yf I myght trust in the and yf the lyst to kepe my counseyle and helpe me thou shalte haue of me a great rewarde Than answered he and sayd I shall quod he be sworne vnto the on the holy gospels that I shall kepe thy couÌ„seyle fulfyll thyne entent as farforth as I can ThaÌ„ said y e mayster of the shyppe I loue thy lady more than I can tell the for her fayrnes is so greate that I wolde gyue for the loue of her all the golde that I haue and yf I may optayne the loue of her thrugh thy helpe I shall gyue the what so euer thou wylte desyre of me Than sayd the ladyes seruaunt Tell me by what meanes I may best spede Than sayde the mayster of the shyppe Go home to thy lady agayne and tell her that I wyll not delyuer the my cloth but yf she comme her selfe but brynge her not to my shyppe but yf the wynde be good able for than I purpose to lede her away Thy couÌ„seyle is good quod the ladyes seruaunt theâ—fore gyue me some rewarde and I shall fulfyll thyne entent And whan he had thus receyued hys mede he wente agayne to hys lady and tolde her that by no meanes y e mayster of the shyppe wold not delyuer hym the cloth but yf she came her selfe The lady byleued her seruaunt and wente to the shyppe And whan she was wythin y e shyppe borde her seruaunt abode wythout Whan the mayster sawe that she was wythin the shyppe that the wynde was good he drewe vp the sayle and sayled forth Whan the lady perceyued thys thus she sayde to the mayster O mayster quod she what treason is thys that thou hast done to me The mayster answered and said Madame certaynly it is so that I must nedes lye wyth the â—fter wedde the. Forsothe quod â—he I haue made a 〈◊〉 that I shall neuer do suche synne but wyth hym vnto whome I am bounde by ryght and by the lawe Sothly quod he yf ye wyll not graunte me wyth your good wyll I shall cast you out into the myddes of the see there shal ye dye an euyl deth Yf it be so quod she that I must nedes consent or else dye than praye I the to araye a preuy place in the ende of the shyppe where as I may fulfyll thyne entent or I dye but fyrst I praye the that I may saye my orâ—ysoâ—s vnto the father of heuen that he may haue mercy on me The mayster byleued her wherfore he let ordeyne her a cabon in the ende of the shyppe and in she gothe set her downe on bothe her knees and made her prayers sayinge in thys wyfe O thou my lord god that hast kepte me from my youth in clennes kepe me now that I be not defouled so that I may serue the euer wyth clene herte mynde Whan she had thus ended her oreyson there arose sodeynly a great tempest in the see so that the shyppe all to brast and all that were wythin perysshed saue the lady that caught a cable and saued herselfe and the mayster of y e shyppe an other neuerthelesse she knewe not of hym ne he of her for they were dryuen to dyuerse coostes This lady landed in her owne Empyre befyde a noâ—ry wherin she was worshypfully receyued and she lyued so holy a lyfe y t god gaue her grace to heale sycke folke of all maner diseases wherfore there came moche people to her bothe croked blynde and lame and euery man thrugh the grace of god and her holy prayer were healed wherfore her name was knowen thrugh dyuerse regyons â–ª Neuerthelesse she was not knowen as Empresse In the same tyme the Emperours brother that had haÌ„ged her before bâ— the heare was smytten wyth a foule lepry The knight y t slewe the erles doughter and put the blody knyfe in her hande was blynde defe and had the palsey â–ª The thefe that betrayed her to the mayster of the shyppe was lame and full of the crampe And the mayster of the shyppe was distraught out of hys mynde Whan the Emperoure herde that so holy a woman was in suche a nonry he sayd to his brother thus Go we dere brother vnto thys holy woman that is dwellynge in the nonry that she may heale the of thy lepry Wolde to god quod he that I were healed Anone the Emperour wyth hys brother went towarde the noâ—ry And whan the nonnes herde of his coÌ„myng they receyued hym worshypfully wyth procession And than y e Emperour enquyred of y e pryoresse yf ony suche holy woman were among them that coude heale sycke folke of theyr dyseases The pryoresse answered sayd that suche one was there Than was y e Empresse called forth before the Emperour but she muffled her face as well as she coude that the Emperour her husbande sholde not knowe her and whan she had so done she salewed hym wyth greate reuerence as it apperteyned to hys estate And he agayne in lyke wyse sayinge thus O good lady yf y e lyst of thy grace to heale my brother of hys lepry aske of me what thou wylte and I shall grauÌ„te it the for thy rewarde Whan y e Empresse herde thys she loked aboute her sawe there the Emperours brother that was a foule lepre She sawe there also the knyght that slewe the erles doughter blynde defe The thefe that she
forest and defouled her of her maydenhede And whan he had so done he wolde haue slayne her and as he was despoylynge of her clothes there came rydyng by that forest a curteys a gentyll knyght whych herde the cryenge and lamentynge of a damoysell wherfore he smote hys horse wyth hys spurres and rode a greate pace in to the forest to wyte what it myght be And than he sawe a woman standynge naked saue her smocke than sayd the knyght Art thou she sayd he that cryed so lamentably Than answered the damoysell and sayde Ye sothly for thys man that standeth here hath rauysshed me and defouled me of my maydenhede and now he wolde slee me and therfore he hath despoyled me of my clothes that he myght smyte of my heed for the loue of god gentyll knyght helpe me now Than sayde the tyraunt She lyeth for she is my wyfe and I haue founde her in auoutry wyth an other man and therfore I wyll slee her Than sayde the knyght I byleue better the woman than the for lo the tokens of trouth appere openly in her vysage that thou hast rauysshed hâ—r and therfore wyll I fyght wyth the for her delyueraunce And anone they sterte togyther and fought egerly tyll they were bothe sore wounded Neuerthelesse the knyght optayned the vyctory and put the tyraunt to flyght Than sayde the knyght vnto the woman Loo I haue suffred for thy loue many sore woundes and haue saued the from y e deth wylte thou therfore be my wyfe That I desyre you quod she wyth all my herte thervpon I betake you my teouth Whan she was thus ensured than sayde the knyght Here besyde is my castell go ye thyder and abyde there tyll I haue vysyted my trendes and my kynnesmen to prouyde for al thynges nedefull for our weddynge for I purpose to make a greate feest for thyne honour and worshyp My lorde quod she I am redy to fulfyll your wyll Than wente she forth vnto the castell where as she was worshypfully receyued And the knyght went vnto hys frendes for to make hym redy agaynst the daye of maryage In the meane whyle came Poncyanus the tyraunt to the knyghtes castell and prayed her that he myght speke wyth her Than came she downe from the castell to hym Thys tyraunt subtylly flatered her and sayd Gentyll loue yf it please you to consent to me I shall gyue you bothe golde and syluer and greate rychesse and I shall be your seruaunt and ye my souerayne Whan the woman herde thys full lyghtly she was deceyued thrugh hys flateryng language and graunted hym to be hys wyfe and toke hym in wyth her into the castell It was not longe after but that thys knyght came home and fouÌ„de the castell gate sheâ—â—e 〈◊〉 therat but longe it was or he myght haue an answeâ—â— And at the last the woman came and demaunded why 〈◊〉 knocked so harde at the gate Than sayde he to her 〈◊〉 â—ere lady why hast thou so soone changed my loue 〈…〉 comme in Naye sothly sayd she thou shalte not 〈…〉 here for I haue here wyth me my loue whyche 〈◊〉 â—oued before Remembre quod the knyght that thou gaue me thy trouth to be my wyfe and how I saued the from deth and yf thou ponder not thy fayth beholde my woundes whyche I haue suffred in my body for thy loue And anone he vnclothed hymselfe naked saue hys breche that he myght shewe hys wouÌ„des openly But she wolde not se them ne speke more wyth hym but shette fast the gate and went her waye And whan the knyght sawe thys he wente to the Iustyce and made hys complaynte to hym prayenge hym to gyue ryghtwyse iudgement on thys tyraunt and thys woman The iudge called them before hym and whan they were coÌ„me the knyght sayd thus My lorde quod he I aske the benefytes of the lawe whyche is thys Yf a man rescowe a woman from rauysshynge the recower shall wedde her yf hym lyst and thys woman delyuered I from the handes of the tyraunt therfore I ought to haue her to my wyfe and farthermore she gaue me her fayth and trouâ—h to wedde me and thervpon she wente to my castell and I haue done great cost agaynst our weddynge and therfore as it semeth me she is my wyfe as by the lawe Than sayd y e iudge to the tyraunt Thou knowest well that thys knyght delyuered her from thy handes and for her loue he suffred many greuous woundes and therfore 〈◊〉 thou wotest that she is hys wyfe by the lawe yf 〈…〉 lyst But after her delyuerauÌ„ce wyth â—â—aterynge speche thou hast deceyued her therfore thys daye I iudge 〈◊〉 to be hanged Than sayde the iudge to the woman 〈◊〉 lyke wyse O woman thou knowest how thys 〈…〉 saued the from deth and therupon thou betokest 〈◊〉 thy fayth and trouth to be hys wyfe therfore by 〈◊〉 reasons thou art hys wyfe fyrst by the lawe and a 〈◊〉 by thy fayth and trouth Thys notwythstandyng thou coÌ„sented afterwarde to the tyraunt and brought hym in to the knyghtes castell and shette the gate agaynst the knyght an wolde not se hys woundes whyche he suffred for thy loue and therfore I iudge the to be hanged And so it was done bothe the rauyssher and she that was rauysshed were dampned to the deth wherfore euery man praysed the iudge for hys ryghtwyse iudgement ¶ Thys Emperoure betokeneth the father of heuen whyche ordeyned for a lawe that yf the soule of man were rauysshed from god by synne the sauer of the soule sholde wedde hym yf hym lyst The woman that was rauysshed betokeneth the soule of man whyche was rauysshed by synne of our fore father Adam and ledde out of paradyse in to the forest of thys wretched worlde by the tyraunt Poncyanus whych betokeneth the deuyll and he not onely defouled her by lesynge of the herytage of heuen but also he wolde slee her wyth euerlastyng payne But the soule cryed wyth an hygh voyce whose crye our lorde Iesu Chryst herde Thys crye was made whan Adam cryed after y e oyle of mercy 〈…〉 tyll 〈…〉 was nedefull 〈…〉 the ascencyon daye 〈…〉 a dwellynge place of 〈…〉 sholde dwell after the daye 〈…〉 in honour and glory But alas in 〈…〉 the deuyll and begyled the wretched 〈…〉 synne so he entred in to y e castell of our 〈…〉 sholde be the castell of god The knyght I 〈…〉 at the gate of our herte accordynge to 〈…〉 Eccesto ad hostium et pulso Lo I stande 〈…〉 and knocke yf ony man wyll open that I 〈…〉 But where as the deuyll is god may not entre but yâ— the synner wyll receyue hym by penaunce whyche seynge the gentyll knyght Iesu shewed hymselfe naked 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Geâ—â—a Romanâ—rum 〈…〉 London in Crede lane by 〈…〉 Kynge In the yere of our 〈…〉 god M. â— LUII