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
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
giuen most of my lands rents tenements and cattells to the rich men that came before you Neuerthelesse I haue kept sâ—ill in mine owne hands the Soueraigntie and dominion ouer them and that I doe giue to you and so shall they be your seruaunts and be obedient to you all And when the poore men heard this greatly hereat reioysing knéeled downe to the Emperour and thanked him saying Lo though wée come late yet wée be made Lords ouer all these other And with this they tooke their leaue went home againe But when the rich the mightie men heard that they were greatly moued and ordained a common parliameÌ„t among themselues And thus it was spoken among them Alas alas how may we serue them that sometime were but pesants and our subiects in all maner thinges and now they bée made lords ouer vs. Therefore goe wée all with one assent to Themperour pray him of remedy When this was sayd their counsayle was commended and foorthwith they went to the Emperour and said to him Reuerend Lord what may this bée those that were our seruants be our lords we beséech you méekly that it may not be so Than said the Emperour Good friends I doe you no wrong for my crye was common that what so euer you asked of me you should obtaine your petition and ye asked nothing of me but lands rents and honours and all that haue I graunted you at your owene will in so much that I kept nothing for my selfe and each of you were well content at your away going after that came simple and poore men and asked of mée some goods according to my proclamation and I had nothing to giue them onely the Souer aigntie and Dominion ouer you which I kept in my handes and when the poore menne so cryed on mée I had nothing to giue them saue onely the authoritie ouer you and therfore ye should not blame mée for that ye asked ye had Than sayd they A good and gracious Lord we pray you effectuously of your counsayle in this case and of your help The Emperour answered and sayd Sirs if ye will work after mée I shall giue you good and profitable counsayle Than sayd they wée be readie to fulfill whatsoeuer ye saye to vs for our profit Then said Themperour My good friends ye haue of mée both landes and tenements with other moueable goods and that great plenty the which by my counsayle ye shall depart with to the poore menne that they may graunt you the soueraâ—gntie and dominien which they haue And anone these rich men gladly graunted to this and departed all their goods among the poore men and than they gaue them againe the authoritie ouer them like as they had of the rich men And thus were they both content and the Emperour was greatly commended of all the people bicause he accorded both the partes so wisely The Morall By this Emperour is vnderstood our Lorde Jesu Christ which made a proclamation by his Prophets Patriarks Apostles and Preachers that euerye man both poore and riche should come and aske euerlasting ioy and without doubt they shall obtaine their petition But the rich and mightie men asked none other thing but worldly honour transitory riches for this world shall passe all the couetousnesse thereof wherefore he gaue them so much of worldly goods that he had nothing left of himselfe according to the Scripture The byrds of heauen haue neastes and the Foxes in the earth haue caues but the sonne of GOD hath nothing in the earth where he may put his head The poore men bée such as be méeke in hart Of the which poore men speaketh our Lorde saying Blessed bée the poore in heart for the kingdome of heauen is theirs And if it should séeme that they haue soeueraintie in Heauen aboue mightie men of this world therefore these rich men ought to depart thir temporall riches with poore men according to the scripture saying thus Giue yée alines and all thing shal be cleane to you And thus may yée attaine vnto the kingdome of heauen vnto the which I béeseech almightie God to bring vs all Amen The Argument The Emperour of eternall glorie Christ hath two daughters the one faire the other foule the faire daughter is this world and the pleasures thereof the soule is pouerty trouble The fayre daughter is desired of many the foule daughter of fewe who so loueth the world setteth not by god nor heauenly things but by the vanites of this world who so loueth God heauenly things will suffer in Christ all persecution trouble for the obtaining therof dispising the world all that therein is The 27. Historie SOmetime in Rome dwelt a mightie Emperour named Domician which had two daughters the one of them was passing fayre but the other foule and euill fauored wherfore hée lette crye throughout all his Empyre that what man would haue his faire daughter to wyfe should haue nothing with hir but hir beautifull and comely personage And who so would marry his foule daughter should haue all his Empyre after his death And when the proclamation was made there came many Lords that desired to marry his faire daughter To whome the Emperour answered thus Sirs quod hée yée wote not what yée desire right well yée know that if yée marry hir yee shal haue nothing with hir but hir beautifull comely personage and farthermore if I giue hir to one of you and not to an other then will yée striue for hir therefore if yée will néedes haue hir and forsake my soule daughter it shall béehoue you first to Just for hir hée that winneth hir shall wed hir Than the nobles stats of the Empire greatly reioysed and anone onely for loue of the beautiful damosell they would iust and also fight wherefore thy set a daie of battaile and many worthy men were slaine on both sides neuerthelesse one obtained the chiefe victory and espoused that faire Lady The second daughter which was foule and euill fauored séeing hir sister so béestowed with great solempnitie mourned wept dayly therefore the Emperour hir father came to hir and saide Déere daughter why mournest thou thus Alas déere father quod shée it is no wonder though I mourne séeing my sister is married with great honour gladnesse and euery man is ioyfull of hir no man loueth my company and therfore déere father what I may best doe sothly I wot not Then saide the Emperour O my déere daughter all that is mine is thine and it is not vnknowen to you that hée which marrieth thy sister had nothing with hir but hir beutiful corps therfore I shal proclaim in mine own persoÌ„ through all my empire that what man marrieth thée I shall make him assurance by letter patent of all mine Empyre after my death Then this young Lady though shée was foule euill fauored neuerthelesse shée reioyced in the promisse of hir father immediatly after the proclamation
to sinne after his acknowledged sinne like as a dogge that maketh a vomit and casteth vp the meate that he hath eaten before afterwarde when he is hungry commeth and eateth it againe Neuerthelesse if a man that hath sinned thus will drinck of the well of acknowledgeing his sinne he shall receiue his ghostly strength The Nightingale that sat on the trée betokeneth the soule that sitteth on the trée of holy doctrine And hir song betokeneth the soule that sitteth on the trée in deâ—out praiers to God But this soule doeth commit euill as oftentimes as she consenteth to sinne Neuerthelesse if she runne to the well of acknowledged sinne and bath hir with the water of contricion God shall loue hir But hir foes that be the fendes of hell séeing this that God is so mercifull they stoppe the well of acknowledgement of sinne that is to say they would withdraw vs from dutiful acknowledgemeÌ„t from due reconciliation of our selues betwéene vs and God and betwéene vs and man without shame and dread of repentaunce not to declare our sinnes And thus béene many exiled and put to death euerlasting And therefore study we to bath our life in the well of acknowledging of sinnes with the water of contrycion and than may we be sure to coms to euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The soule of euery good Christian man hath to prepare him armed vertues to withstand the assaultes of the diuell we are heere put in minde of our deliuerance out of thraldome by the precious bloud shedding of Iesus Christ which is a terrour to all the hagges of hell not to dare to assault vs so long as we liue firme in Christes faith and beleeue in him the bulwark of our saluation The 29. Historie IN Rome there dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Darmes which had a mightie strong Citie excéeding strongly walled about a Bell hanging in the middest of the Citie and when so euer this Emperour went to battayle with out the Cittie this Bell should be roâ—ng but there should no manne ring the Bell but a virgin Within short time after it béefell that Dragons Serpents and many other venimous beastes empoysoned much people so that the Citie was almost destroyed wherefore the states of the Citie went with one assent to the Emperour and sayde Lord what shall wée doe lo our goods and our Citie is almost destroyed and you and wée be in perill to perish through these fell beasts that consume vs therfore take wée good counsaile or else wée are but lost Then saide the Emperour what say you is best to be done in this matter and how may wée best be defended Than answered one of the wisest and sayde My Lord heare my counsaile and doe there after and yée shall not forethinke it ye haue quod he in your place a Lyon and set vppe a péece of timber for the purpose and therevpon let the Lyon be nailed made fast and when other venimous beastes sée him thus vsed and dealt withall they will dread and so shall they forsake this Citie and we shall be in rest and ease Then sayd the Emperour it pleaseth me well that he be hanged in sauing of you Than tooke they the Lyon vsed him in maner as aforesaid And when the other Lyons venimous dragons came toward the citie and saw the Lyon thus hanging they sled away for dread and durst come no nearer The Morall This Emperour betokeneth the Father of heauen the Citie well walled with the bell in the middest betokeneth the soule walled about with vertues The bell betokeneth a cleane consciens that warneth a man to battayle when he should fight against the diuell that he might arme himself before with vertues The virgin that should ring this bell is reason the which as a virgin enclineth all vnto rightfull clennesse The venemous dragon that beareth the fire betokeneth the flesh of man which beareth fire of gluttony lechery that which brent Adam our forefather when he eate of the forbidden Apple The venemous beastes that poysoned the men béetokeneth the fiendes of hell which for the most part haue destroyed mankind The states of the Citie betokeneth the Patriarks Prophets which besought God of couÌ„sayle remedy that mankind might he saued and anon it was counsayled for the best remedy that a Lyon that is Christ should be nayled vppon the Crosse according to the Scripture saying thus Expedit vnus moâ—iâ—tur homo pro populo vt gens non pereat c. That is to say It was requisit that one man should dye for the people least all flesh should perish ThaÌ„ toke they Christ and hong him on the Crosse for that which the diuell dreadeth Châ—sten people and dare not come nigh them And thus by the grace of God christen men shall come to euerlasting blisse Unto the which bring vs the Lambe of God which shed his precious blood for vs. Amen The Argument ¶ Heere is signified the thraldome of man vnto sathan by sinfull life till Chirst the sonne of God descended with the power of the holy Ghost to set him at libertie and put him in possession of the pallais of euerlasting felicity The 30. Historie IN Rome dwelled sometime a mighty emperour a merciful named Menalay which ordained such a lawe that what misdoer were taken put in prison if hée might escape come to the Emperours pallais he should be there safe for all maner felony treason or any other trespasse that he had done in his life It was not long after but it befell that a knight trespassed wherefore hée was taken put in a strong darke prison wher hée lay long time had no light but at a litle window whereas scant light shone in that lightened him to eate his simple meate that was brought him by his keeper wherfore hée mourned greatly made sorrow that hée was thus fast shette vp from the sight of men Neuerthelesse when the kéeper was gone there came dayly a Nightingale in at the window and sang full sweetly of whose songe this woefull knight oft times was fed with ioye and when this byrd ceased of hir song then would shee flye into the knights bosome and there this knight fedde hir many a daye of the vittayle that God sent him It beefell after on a day that this knight was greatly desolate of comfort Neuerthelesse the byrd that sat in his bosome feeding vpon kyrnells of Nuts and thus hee said vnto the byrd Sweet bird I haue sustained thée many a day what wilt thou giue me now in my desolation to comfort mée remember thee well that thou art the creature of God I also therefore help mée now in my grert néede WheÌ„ the byrd heard this shee flew forth froÌ„ his bosom taryed from him three daies But the third day she came againe brought in hir mouth a precious stone laid it in the knights bosome And
the Emperour heard this anone hee exiled him and all those that were consenting to him so that they liued abiects in great wretchednesse and srrow and then the Emperour ordained other men in their stéedes and gaue them all the possessions of the traytors And when the banished men heard that straungers had taken possession of their lands and goods anone they conspyred against them and through treason requested them to a banquet And they as 〈◊〉 thinking vppon no such treason came at the day assigned and were serued with â—iuâ—â—â—â—sâ—s which were poysoned wherfore as many as tasted of that vice dyed incontinent When the Emperour heard this he was greatly moued and assembled his counsell to wit what was best to be don of this treason of their death Then said the Emperours sonne My Lord I am your sonne yée bee my Father therfore I shall giue you good counsell and profitable to all men Not far hence is a little nation wherin dwelleth a fayre Mayden and a gracious in the sight of euery man which hath an orchard wherein is a well the water therof hath such vertue that if it be cast vpon a dead man straight way he shall liue againe and recouer his life Therefore my â—ord I shall descende vnto that nation and seeke that water whereby they that were slayne at the Banquet might bée restored againe to lyfe And when the Emperour heard this he was greatly reioyced and sayde Sonne thy counsell is good And straight way the Emperours sonne went into the saide nation and fell inconceit with the Mayden in so much that hée entred in the garden and assayled to tast the water of the well And when hee had so done he made fiue déepe trenches in the ground in the which the water ranne till it came where the dead men lay buried thervpon when the water touched them they arose from death to life Then the Emperours sonne led them vnto his Father And when the Emperour saw this hée was right ioyefull wherfore hee crowned his sonne with a Laurate crowne in tooken of victorie so ended his life in rest and peace The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the Father of Heauen The poore man that was promoted béetokeneth Lucifer the which was exalted of nought and enthroned in the Empyre of heauen with so great Joye and clearnesse that him séemed through his pride hée would bée like vnto almightie God and not onely lyke him but more than almightie God wherfore the Father of heauen exiled him all them that consented vnto him to hell and in their place man was exalted to great ioy honaur The diuell séeing this enuied him that man should come to such glory and honour and bad Adam and Eue to a banket when they eate of the Apple against Gods commaundement and counselled them thus saying In what houre yee eate of the Apple yee shall bée like gods And at this coursed banquet they were serued with v. mâ—sses that were poysoned that is to say their v. wits were accorded in eating of the Apple wherof man was insect and dyed This hearing the Emperours sonne moued with 〈…〉 ame downe from heauen into this world and acquainted him so wel with â— blessed Uirgin Mary that he sound in hir the well of manhoode and coâ—ioyned it to his Godhead according to the Scripture I am the well of lyâ—e who dunketh of it shall not thirst After that hee lette make fiue trenches in the ground that is to saye â—iue woundes in his bodie of the which ran both bloud and water whereby all mankinde was raised froÌ„ death to lyfe and led them vp into the pallace of heauen Unto the which bring vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of heauen extendeth his goodnesse diuers waies towards frail man yet hee taking contrarie waies liueth in spirituall fornication for the which being exiled from the state of felicitie he is coÌ„pelled to leade a miserable and painefull life But beeing reconciled by the death of his sauiour he possesseth the heritage of heauenly felicitie The 37. History SOmetime in Rome there raigned a mighty emperor named Dunstain in whose Empyre there dwelt a gentill Knight that had two sonnes One of his sonne matched himselfe against his fathers will with a common harlotte The knight hearing this exyled his son from him And when he was thus exiled he begot on this woman a sonne And soone after that he wared sicke and in penury wherfore he sent messengers to his father beseching him of his mercie This hearing his father had compassion and ruth on him wherfore he was reconciled And when hée was thus brought againe to his fathers grace hee gaue his chtide which he hadde gotten tofore on this common woman to his father And he full kindely receiued it as his sonne and nourished it When his other sonne heard this he said to his father father quod hee it séemeth to mée that thou arte out of thy right minde which I will proue by this reason For hée is out of his righte minde that receiueth a salse heare and nourisheth him whose Father hath endomage and disease tosore For my brother which begat this childe haue done thée great iniury when hée marryed the common woman against thy will and commaundement therefore me séemeth that thou art out of thy right minde Then answered the father and sayde Bicause thy brother is reconciled thou art enuious to mée and also vnkinde to thy nowne brother willing to put him from my felowshippe for euermore and sothly no vnkinde man shall haue mine heritage except he be reconciled But yet thou neuer reconciledst to him of his vnkindenesse for thou mightest haue reconciled him but thou woldest not therefore of mine heritage gettest thou no part The Morall The Father of the two bretheren betokeneth the Fether of Heauen And his two sonnes betokeneth the nature of Angels and the nature of man For man was marryed to a common woman or harlot when hee eate of the Apple against the commaundement of God wherfore he was exilled by the father of heauen and put from the Joyes of Paradise The sonne of the common woman béetokeneth mankinde This knights sonne that is to say A â—am liued in great misery for after his sin hée was put from ioy into this wretched vally of teares and wéeping according to this Scripture In suodore vultus c. In the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eate thy bread But after by the passion of Christ hée was reconsiled But the other Sonne that betokeneth the diuell was euer vnkinde and grudged dayely against our reconciling saying that by sinne wee ought not to come vnto the heritage of Heauen Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ we ought in euery vocation and calling to beehaue our selues iustly and to vse the poore man with equite we must not iniury the rich man The mightie men are to be honoured and not defrauded of their
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
thou mischeuous woman hast slain my daughter with thine owne hands for I saw the bloodie knife in thy hand therefore thou shalt dye a foule death Than sayde the Earle in this wise O thou woman were it not that I dread God greatly I should cleaue thy bodie with my sword in two parts for I deliuered thée from hanging now thou hast slaine my daughter neuerthelesse for mée thou shalt haue no harme therefore goe thy way out of this cittie without any delaye for if I doe finde thée here this daye thou shalt dye a most euill death Than arose this wofull Emprisse and dyd on hir clothes after leapt on hir palsry and rode toward the east alone without any safe conduct And as shée rode thus mourning by the way she espyed on the left side of the way a payre of gallous and seuen officers leading a man to the gallous to be hanged wherfore she was moued with great pittie and smote hir horse with the spurres rode to them praying them that she might redéeme that misdoer if he might be saued from death for any meede Than sayd they Lady it pleaseth vs well that thou redéeme him Anone the Emprisse accorded with them and payed his raunsome and than he was deliuered Thus sayde she to him Now déere friend be true till thou dye sith I haue deliuered thée from death On my soule quod he I promise you euer to be true And when hée had thus sayde he followed the Lady still till they came nigh a citie and than said the Emprisse to him Good friend quod shée goe foorth thy way afore mée out of the Cittie and take vp for vs an honest lodging for ther I purpose to rest a whilâ— This man went foorth as she commaunâ—â—â—â— tooke vp for hir a good lodging and an honest whereas she abode long tyme. Whan the men of the Citie perceined hir bewtie they wondred greatly wherefore many of them craued of hir vnlawfull loue but all was in vaine they might not speede in any wise It fortuned after on a day that there came a Shippe full of marchandise and ariued in the hauen of that Citie When the Ladys heard this she said vnto hir seruaunt Goe to the shippe and see if there be any câ—oth for myne vse Hir seruaunt went foorth to the shippe whereas he found many precious clothes wherefore hée prayed the master of the shippe that-hée would come into the Citie and speake with this Lady The master graunted him and so he came home to his lady beefore and warned hir of the comming of the master oâ— the shippe Anone after the master of the ship came and sâ—luted the Ladye worthyly And the lady receiued him according to his degrée praying him that she might haue for hir mony such cloth as might bâ— profitable for hir wearing Anone hee grauÌ„ted that shee should haue and soone they were agreed wherefore the seruaunt went emmediately again with the Maister of the Shippe And when they were both within the Ship boorde the Maister sayd to the Ladies seruant My déere friend to thée I wold open my counsaile if I might trust in thee help mee thou shalt haue of mee a great reward Then answered hée and sayd I shall quod hee bee sworne vnto thée on the holy Euangelist that I shall kéepe thy counsaile and fulfill thine intent as far foorth as I can Then said the Maister of the shippe I loue thy Lady more then I can tel thee for hir fayrenesse is so great that I would giue for the loue of hir all the gold that I haue and if I may obtaine the loue of hir through thy help I shall giue thée what so euer thou wilt desire of mée Then saide the Ladies seruaunt tell me by what meanes I may best speede Then sayd the Maister of the Shippe Goe home to thy Lady againe and tell hir that I will not deliuer to thee my cloth except she come hir selfe but bring hir to my Shippe except the winde bée good and able for then I purpose to lead hir away Thy counsell is alwayes good quod the Ladies seruant therfore giue me some reward I shall fulfil thyne intent And when he had receiued his reward hee went againe to his Lady and tolde hir that by no meanes the Master of the shippe would not deliuer him the cloth but if shée came hir selfe The Lady béeléeued hir seruaunt went to the ship And when she was within the ship bord hir seruaunt abode without When the Maister saw that she was within the Shippe and the winde was good hee drew vp the sayle and sayled foorth When the Lady perceiued this thus shée sayde to the master O Master quod shee what treason is this that thou hast done to mée The Maister answered and sayde Madame certainely it is so that I must needes lie with thée and afterwarde espouse thee For sooth quod shée I haue made a vowe that I shall neuer commit such sinne but with him vnto whom I am bound by right and by the law Soothly quod he if yée will not graunt mée with your good will I shall cast you out into the middest of the sea there shall yée die an euill death If it be so quod she that I must néedes consent or else dye than I pray thee to prepare a priuie place in the ende of the Shippe whereas I may fulfill thine entent or I dye but first I pray thée that I may say my prayers vnto the father of heauen that hée may haue mercy on mée The Master béeléeued hir wherfore hée let ordaine hir a Cabbin in the end of the Shippe wherevnto shée sette hir downe on both hir knees and made hir prayers saying on this wise O thou my Lord GOD that hast kept mée froÌ„ my youth in cleanenesse keepe mée now that I be not desâ—oured so that I may serue thée euer with a cleane heart and minde When shée had thus ended hir oryson ther arose sodenly a great tempest in the sea so that the Shippe all to brast and all that were within perished saue the lady that caught a Cable saued hir selfe the Master of the Ship an other neuerthelesse she knew not of him ne he of hir for they were driuen to diuerse coastes This ladie landed in hir owne Empyre beeside a Citie where in shée was worshipfully receiued and shee lyued so holy a life that GOD gaue hir grace and power to heale sicke folke of all manner of diseases wherfore there came much people to hir both crooked blinde and lame and euery man through the grace of God and hir good demeanure were healed wherfore hir name was knowne thorough diuerse regions Neuerthelesse she was not knowen as Emprisse In the same tyme the Emperours brother that had hanged hir beefore by the heyre was smitten with a foule Lepry The knight that slew the earles Daughter and put the bloody knife in hir hand was blynde deafe and had the palsey The
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