couetyse of eyes / and concupyscence of flesshe in the whiche thre that wretched man gretely delyted and atte the laste they lede hym in to hell This wytty knyght betokeneth the soule / the folysshe knyght betokeneth the flesshe the whiche is alwaye folysshe and atte all tymes redy to doo harme These two ben felowes and knytte in one / for eueryche of theym orynketh others blode / that is to saye they shall drynke of one cuppe eyther Ioye or payne they shall haue after the daye of dome The soule cheseth all the waye of penaunce / and in as moche as she may she styreth the flesshe to do the same / but the flesshe thynketh neuer what is to come after / therfore she gooth in the delyte of this worlde and fleeth the way of penaunce / and thus the soule after the deth is caste in to helle / and the flesshe is caste in to the dycke / that is to saye in to the graue But than the Iustyce cometh / that is oure lorde Ihesu cryste at the daye of dome to deme all mankynde Than the soule shall complayne vpon the flesshe / and y◠flesshe vpon the soule But than the Iustyce whiche wyll not be deceyued neyther by prayer ne by pryce shal condempne the soule bycause she folowed the fragylyte of the flesshe And also he shall condempne the flesshe bycause it wolde not byleue the soule / wherfore lete vs studye to tame oure flesshe that we maye obey god and than shall we haue euerlastynge lyfe Vnto the whiche brynge vs oure dere lorde Ihesus cryste Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperoure named Frederyk whiche had no chylderin saue a doughter to whome this Emperour after his dyscesse byquethed all his Empyre This vnderstandynge an erle that dwelt there be syde came vnto this yonge mayden and wowed her and styred her vnto synne all that he mught / wherfore this yonge lady in shorte processe enclyned to the erle / and this erle anone laye with her and defoyled her / and after that he put her frome her herytage and chased her oute of her Empyre wherfore she made grete lamentacyon and fledde vnto the realme there besyde where as she dayly wepte and mourned It befelie after on a daye that whyle she satte mournynge by a syde waye there came by her a fayre knyght rydynge yonge and ryght honest vpon a good horse whiche that came to warde her a swyfte pace and worshypfully saluted her and asked that cause why that she so sore mourned Than answered she and sayd My reuerent lorde I am an Emperours doughter comen of royall kynne / my fader is deed whiche that lefte me all his Empyre by cause he had none other heyre / and after his dyscesse an erle there besyde dysceyued me and toke frome me my maydenhode / and after that he put me vyolently out of myn herytage so the I now am fayne to begge my brede frome doore to doore / and this is the cause of my sorowe Than sayd the knyght / fayre damoysell I haue grete compassyon on thy fayrenesse and of thy gentylnesse / therfore yf thou wylt graunt to me one thynge I shall fyght for the agaynst the erle and I behote vnto the the vyctory Than sayd she Alas alas I haue no thynge that I may gyue vnto the but my selfe And I aske no more of the sayd the knyght but that thou woldest by my wyfe and loue no man so moche as me Than sayd she Reuerent syr that wyll I doo gladly more yf I myght Than sayd the knyght I wyll in certaynte that thou shalte doo for me one thynge / that yf it fortune me to dye in batayll for the to opteyne the vyctory that thou shalt take my blody sherte and hange it vpon a perche in thy chābre / and this shalte thou doo for two thynges The fyrst is that whan someuer thou behold este the sherte thou shalte wepe for me The seconde is that what someuer man come for to wowe the to be his wyfe / than thou shalte hastely renne vnto thy chambre and beholde my blody sherte and thynke hertely within thy selfe thus The lorde of this sherte dyed for my loue in batayll the whiche recouered myne herytage / god forbede that I sholde take oony other man after his dethe Than sayd she Reuerent syr all this I shall fulfylle by the grace of god And whan the knyght herde this he gaue batayll agaynst the erle and opteyned the vyctory / and the erle was ouercome and fledde / and thys yonge lady was brought and receyued agayne in to her herytage Neuerthesse this knyghte was deedly wounded in that batayll whereof he dyed / but or he dyed he byquethed his bloody sherte vnto this danioysell desyrynge her to kepe her promesse Whan this yonge lady herde of his dethe she wepte sore and made grete lamentacyon for his dethe And in his sherte was wryten this verse Thynke on hym and haue mynde / that to the was soo kynde Anone whan she hadde receyued the sherte she hanged it vpon a perche in her chambre / and as oftentymes as she behelde it she wepte bytterly It befelle not longe after that the states of her Empyre came to her and desyred and counseylleo her for to take an husbonde / But than she wente vnto her chambre behelde the blody sherte / than waxed she sorowfull and sayd oftentymes alas alas thou suffred deth for my loue and thou also recouerest agayne myne herytage / god forbede that euer I sholde take ony other man but the / and thus she answered euery man that came to her and soo they wente awaye vnspedde and she ended her lyfe in pease and reste ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour is the fader of heuen / and this doughter is the soule of man made atte the symylytude of god / to whome god gaue and byquethed the Empyre of paradyse But there came an erle / that is to say the deuyl styred her to syn̄e whā sheete of y◠appel sayd vnto her thus in what hour ye ete of that appel ye shal be lyke gods where for brekynge goddes commaundement we were all exyled out of paradyse and chaced vnto the realme of this worlde here to lyue in grete wretchednes / lyke as the psalme sayth In sudore vultus tui c. In the swete of thy vysage thou shalt ete thy brede But that came a fayre yonge knyght a strōge / that is to saye our lorde Ihesu cryst whiche had compassyon on mankynde and tooke our flesshe and our blode and gaue batayll to the deuyll ouercame hym / and thus wanne he agayne our herytage Therfore late vs do as this yonge lady dyde put we this blody sherte / that is to saye y◠mynde of the passyon of cryst in the perche of our herte thynke we how oure lorde Ihesu cryste shedde his blode for sv And yf ony man / that is to faye / the
.vii. yere sayd he lefte I a precyous nette in a preuy place / and nowe I wyll ryde and vysyte it / yf it be broken or to torne than wyl I leue it / and yf it be hole as I lefte it than shal it be to me ryght precyous I shall bere it with me Whan the Emperour herde this he cryed with a lowde voyce and sayd O ye my knyghtes and my seruauntes goo ye lyghtly vnto my doughters chamber for sothely that is the nette where of the knyght spake And anone his knyghtes and his seruauntes wente vnto his doughters chamber founde her not / the forsayd knyght had take her with hym And thus the kynge was dysceyued of the damoysell he wente home agayne to his owne countree confounded ¶ Dere frendes t is Emperoure is oure blyssed lorde Ihesus Cryste And this fayre doughter is euerlastynge lyfe the whiche that the emperoure hadde ordeyned for kynges knyghtes and for men The knyght that loued this yonge lady is euery good crysten soule whiche holdeth hym selfe not worthy to come in the syght of god vnto suche Ioye As the appostle sayth Non est condigne passionis huius temporis ad futuram gloriam The be not soo worthy of sufferynge to come vnto that glorye that is to come This knyght wente seuen yere on pylgrymage / lyke as a good crysten man all the dayes of his lyfe sholde laboure in fnlfllynge the seuen werkes of mercy By this kynge that cometh wtoute cloke in the rayne is to vndestande the myghty men of this worlde / as Iustyces Mayres balyes whiche had noclokes to couer al their other clothes by this cloke is vndstaÌ„de charyte / the whiche as the appostle sayth Caritas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charyte couerth all our synnes But many men haue not this cloke / wherfore they be wete in the rayne of pryde auaryce / and lechery This kynge was also almoost drowned for by cause he lacked his brydge / that is to saye parfyte fayth For we see dayly that there may no man passe ouer a grete water brode and horryble depe wtout a brydge or somme other thynge that is able for to bere hym Ryght to without fayth it is Impossyble for to please god / and thus may no man be saued withoute fayth whan they sette theyr lyfe in worldely Ioye or wordely helpe more than in the helpe of almyghty god whiche is myghty for to do all thynges / wherfore he sayth hymselfe thus Saluator si habueritis fidem sicut granuÌ„ sinapis poteritis et cetera Yf he haue fayth as the grayne of mustarde / than maye ye saye vnto the hylles Goo thou forth and it shall goo But many of vs now a dayes hath to ouer feble a fayth therfore they shall sodanly falle in the claye of desperacyon / and by deedly synne often tymes they offende god Also this kyÌ„ge had not brought with hym his fader and his moder By the father whiche is cause of gouernacyon is vnderstande humylyte without whome there is noo vertue in no man And therto accordeth saynt Gregory saynge thus Si quis ceteris virtutes sine humilitate congregat et cete He that gadereth al other vertues without humylyte is lyke a man that casteth duste in the wynde His moder betokeneth hope therfore he that wyll opteyne euerlastynge lyfe hym behoueth to haue the cloke of charyte / brydge of fayth a fader of mekenesse / and a moder of hope / as the appostle sayth Spe salut facti sumus Also this knyght wente the strayte pathe waye / and the kynge the brode waye / for he that wyll be saued behoueth to goo a strayte waye / that is to saye / the waye of fastynge / almes dedes / chastyte / and penaunce / of the whiche waye speketh the appostle ¶ Stricta est via que ducit ad vitam eternam The way is strayte that ledeth to euerlastynge lyfe But many men gone that other waye whiche ledeth to helle / that is to saye by the waye of flesshely luste and suche men gone oute of the waye of euerlastynge lyfe / but suche men be deceyued thrughe the waye Therfore study we to walke that waye wherby we may opteyne euerlastynge lyfe Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty stronge a bataylous Emperoure named Agias whiche had with hym a knyght whome men called Gerarde whiche was a doughty warryour neuerthe lesse he was as meke as a lambe in the Emperours hall / but in the felde he was lyke a lyon This Emperour had a fayre doughter whome the stronge and myghty exle of palaster rauysshed dysfloured neuerthesse it dysplesed more themperour the dyffoylnge of his doughter than the rauysshynge / wherfore he called vnto hym his counsel and sayd dere frendes it is not vnknowen to you the despyte vyolence done vnto me in deflourynge of my doughter and therfore Iaurpose to gyue barayle to the erle / wherfore I praye you to be redy at a daye sette to procede with me to batayle And they sayd lorde we redy to lyue and dye with you in batayle Whan the daye of batayll came they mette on bothe sydes a cruell harde betayle was gyuen on bothe sydes / all that were of themperours partye were slayne And as themperour sholde haue ben byheded the knyght Gerarde put hym selfe amonge this enemyes before themperour and fought manfully and so themperour escaped and the knyght abode and slewe the erle / neuertheles this knyght had dyuerse woundes This not withstondynge he abode fought styllâ—tyll the blode ranne to his helys And whaÌ„ his enemyes sawe that the Erle was slayne they fledde / and the knyght with his people folowed on the chace tyll he came to the place where themperours doughter was and ledde her with hyÌ„ and thus with tryumphe vyctory he retorned agayne to the emperour For the whiche vyctory and getynge agayn of themperours doughter he was gretely praysed of all people Not longe after it befell that this knyght had to do in themperours courte wherfore the knyghte came vnto themperour and prayed hym mekely to be fauourable in his cause / and ferthermore he prayed hym to do that reason asked Whan the emperour had herde hym he called to hym a Iustyce and sayd goo thou and do Iustyce to this knyght and that / that yâ— lawe wyll And whah the knyght herde this he cryed with a lowde voyce Alas alas who herde euer suche a thynge of an Emperour / thou were sayd he in batayle where thyn heed sholde haue be smyten of / and I in myn owne persone and none other men put my selfe in Ieoperdy for the and saued the / now thou hast assygned an other man to be Iuge in my cause / alas that euer thou were borne And with that worde the knyght dyde of all his clothes shewed the woundes that he had receyued in the batayle vnto all the men that wher there presente and sayd Loo what
to be hanged this day on the galowes / al thy goodes londes I grauÌ„te vnto gye / also I ordeyne that syr gye shall occupye thy place be stuarde so it was done WhaÌ„ syr Gye was thâ— rewarde by the Emperour and made stuarde he was well byloued of euery man longe tyme / and at the laste ended his lyfe with honoure and good pease ¶ This Emperour betokeneth yâ— fader of heuen The poore man betokeneth euery man the whiche cometh in to this worlde feble and naked frome his moders bely / and at the laste is promoted to grete rychesse and worldely honoure as the Salmist sayth De stercore erigens pauperent God lyfteth vp the poore man out of fylth / and many suche men knowe neyther god ne hym selfe but maketh hym selfe to make depe pyttes / that is to saye vnkyndenesse and malyce they ordeyne ayenst symple men in the whiche pytte the deuyll causeth them oft tyme to fall accordynge to a text in yâ— â—â—cctiastico foueam qui alteri facit ipse incidit in eam / that sayth thus / who maketh a pytte to another man oftyme he falleth therin hym selfe / the whiche text was well proued by Mardochy / and anone this Gye that wente dayly to yâ— forest with his asse to gader wode betokeneth euery ryghtfull man dredynge god in the foreste of this worlde the wode that he gadereth betokeneth his merytory werkes that he caryed on his asse whiche betokeneth yâ— body of maÌ„ wherwith his soule may Ioye and lyue in the tabernacle of heueÌ„ and as that stuarde / the lyon / the ape / and the serpente that fell in to the pytte Ryght soo whan a fynfull man falleth in the pytte of fynne True lyon of the kynred of Iude that is god almyghty descendeth with hym as often tyme as the synner hathe wylle to come to grace Therfore sayeth the Salmist thus â—um ipso sum in trybulacyone That is for to saye I am with hym in trybulacyon This Gye draweth vp the lyon / that is to saye almyghty god oute of the pytte by the rope of vertues He drewe vp the ape also that is to saye contrarye wyll to reason that he myght obey vnto reason For of all maner of beestes the ape is moost lyke vnto man Ryght soo amonge all the strengthnesse of soule wyll oweth namely to be lykened to reason and to â—bey reason He drewe vp also a serpente by the whiche is vnderstoâ—de penaunce for two causes For the serpente bereth in his mouthe venym / and his tayle is a medycyne Ryght so penaunce bereth at the begynnynge bytternesse vnto the doer Neuerthelesse it is ful swete and medycynable vnto the soule at the ende And therfore euery ryght wyse man sholde drawe vnto hym the serpente of penaunce And atte the laste he drewe vp the stewarde frome the pytte of synne accordynge vnto Crystes saynge thus I am not come onely to calle to me ryghtfull / but synners vnto penaunce Also it is wryten that Seneca called Senck that taught an Emperour many lores and vertues of trouthe And at the laste lyke this stewarde he lete slee his mayster Senek Also Cryste gaue power vnto Iudas to werke myracles lyke as he dyde vnto other dyscyples Neuerthelesse he bytrayed hym atte the laste Ryght soo nowe a dayes be many chyldren of Bellyall whiche delyteth more to do harme thaÌ„ good in especyall to theym that wolde teche theym in parfyte bothe for soule / and for body The Lyon gaue vnto the â—yghtfull man ten asses charged with marchaundyses that is to saye oure lorde Ihesu cryste gyueth vnto euery ryghtfull man ten commaundementes charged with vertues by the whiche he groweth in to the rychesse of heuen ¶ The ape also gadred hym wode as ofte as the ryghtfull man worcheth wylfully the dedes of charyte For wode is profytable for two thynges / that is to saye to make fyre to buylde an house Ryght soo perfyte charyte heteth the aungell bothe accordyÌ„ge to yâ— scrypture saynge thus Q ma magis gaudium est angelis c. That is to saye More Ioy is to aungelles for one synner doynge penaunce c. Charyte also arayeth the house of heuen agaynst the comynge of yâ— soule The serpente also gaue hym a stone of thre dyuerse maner of coloures the whiche betokeneth our lorde Ihesu cryste whome we seke by penaunce Therfore sayth saynt Ierome in the seconde table thus â—ost naufragium est premiam That is to saye We sholde doo penaunce after our trespaas That cryste is a stone may be proued by hym selfe saynge thus Eâ—go sum lapis viuus That is to saye I am a stone of lyfe Cryste hath thre coloures whiche by tokeneth the myght of the fader the wysdome of the sone / and the mekenesse of holy goost Therfore who that may gete this stone shall haue the Empyre of heuen / and Ioye without sore and plente without ony maner defaute / and lyght without derkenesse Vnto the whiche lyghte brynge vs our lorde Ihesus Cryste that dyed for the and me and all mankynde Amen Amen Amen for saynt charyte SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour whiche was named Anselme whiche wedded the kynges doughter of Ierusalem a fayre lady and a gracyous in the syght of euery man / but she was longe tyme with the Emperour or she was conceyued with chylde / wherfore the nobles of the Empyre were ryght sorowefull bycause theyr lorde had none heyre of his owne boody bygoten Tyll atte the laste it befelle that this Anselm walked after souper on a nyght in his gardeyne / and â—ythoughte hym selfe howe he hadde none heyre and how the kynge of Ampluy warred on hym contynually for soo moche that he hadde noo sone to make defence in his absence / wherfore he was ryght sorowefull and wente to his chamber and slepte â–ª and atte the last hym thought he sawe a vysyon in his slepe that the mornynge was more clere thenne it was wonte for to be and that the mone was moche more paler on that one syde then on that other syde And after he sawe a byrde of two coloures and by that byrde stode two beestes whiche fedde that lytel byrde with their hete / and after that came many mo bestes and bowed theyr hedes towarde the byrde wente theyr way And than there came dyuerse byrdes that songe so swetely and so shyll that the Emperoure awaked In the mornynge eâ—ly this Anselme remembred his vysyon and wondred moche what it myght sygnyfye / wherfore he called vnto hym his Phylosophers and also that states of his Empyre and tolde theym his dreme chargynge theym to telle hym the sygnyfyenge therof vpon the payne dethe And yf they tolde hym the true interpretacyon therof â–ª he behoted theym grete rewarde Than sayd they Lorde telle vs your dreme and we shall declare vnto you what it betokeneth Thenne the Emperour tolde theym frome the begynnynge to the ende lyke as it is
horse backe / soo that there with the Empresse was lefte no creature saue onely the Emperours brother / whiche seynge that no man was there but they two / this he sayd vnto the Empresse Loo lady here besyde is a preuy foreste and longe it is agone that I spake to the of loue come nowe and consente vnto me that I may lye with the. Than sayd the Empres a fole what may this be / yesterdaye I delyuered that frome pryson vpon thy promesse in hope of a mendement and nowe thou arte retourned to thy foly agayne / wherfore I saye now to the as I haue sayd before there shall no man do suche thynge with me but onely my lorde the Emperoure whiche oweth of very dutye and ryght so for to do Thenne sayd he / yf thou wylte not consente to me I shall hange the here vpon a tree in this forest where no man shall fynde the so shalt thou dye an euyll dethe The Empresse answered mekely and sayd though thou wylt smyte of myn heed and put me to dethe with all maner turmentynge thou shalt neuer haue thy consente to suche synne / whan he herde this he vnclothed her all saue her smocke / and henge her vp by the here vpon a tree and tyed her stede besyde her / and soo rode forthe to his felawes / and tolde theym that a grete hoost of men mete hym and toke the Empresse awaye fro hym And whan he hadde tolde theym this / they made grete sorowe ▪ It befelle on the thyrde daye / after that / that there came an erle to hunte in that foreste / and as he rode betynge the brakes he sterte a foxe whome his houndes folowed faste tylle they came nere the tree wherupon the Empresse was hanged / and whan the dogges felte the sauoure of her they lefte the foxe / and ranne towarde the tree as fast as they coude The erle this seynge wondred and smote the spores into his horse syde / and folowed theym tylle he came where as the body was henged / whan the Erle sawe her this hangȳge / he meruayled gretely / for soo moche she was ryght fayr and gracyous for to beholde / wherfore he sayd vnto her in this maner wyse O woman who arte thou of what countre / and wherfore hanged thou here in this maner wyse / the Empresse that was not yet fully deed / but in poynt redy for to dye answered and sayd I am quod she a straunge woman and am come oute offerre countrey / but how I came hyder god knoweth Than answered the erle and sayd whose horse quod he is this that standeth here by the bounde to this tree Than answered that lady and sayd that it was hers whan the Erle herde this / he kuewe wel that she was a gentyll woman / and come of somme noble kynred / wherfore he was the rather meued with pyte and sayd vnto her O fayre lady thou semeste gentyll And therfore I purpose to delyuer the frome this payne yf thou yf thou wylte promyse to goo with me and norysshe my yonge doughter / and teche her atte home in my castell / for I haue no chylde but onely her / and yf thou kepe her well / thou shalte haue a good rewarde / for thy laboure Than sayd she as ferforthe as I can or maye I shall fulfyl thyn entente And whan she had promysed hym thus / he toke her doune of the oke led her home to his castel gaue her the kepȳge of his doughter that he loued so moch she was cherysshed so well that she lay euery nyghte in the Erles Chaumber and his doughter togyder And in his Chambre euery nyght there brente a lampe the whiche henge euyn bytwene the Empresse bedde and the erles bedde This lady bare her soo gentely that she was beloued of euery creature There was that tyme in erles courte a stewarde whiche loued moche this Empresse aboue al thȳge / and oftentymes spake to her of his loue / but she answered hym euer agayne and sayd knowe ye dere frende for certayne I haue made a solempne vowe that I shall neuer loue man in suche wyse but onely hym whome I am gretely beholde for to loue hym by goddes commaūdement Than answer the stewarde and sayd thou wylte not than consent to me My lorde quod she what nedeth the more for to aske me The vowe whiche I haue made truely shall I kepe and holde be the grace of god Than whan the stewarde herde this he wente his waye in grete wrath and angre thȳkynge within hym selfe and / yf I may I shall be wroken on the. It befell within shorte tyme after vpon a nyghte that the erles chamber dore was forgoten and lefte vnshytte whiche the stewarde perceyued anone And whan all the were a slepe he wente and espyed by the lyght of the lampe where the Empresse and y◠yonge mayde laye togyder and with that / drewe out his knyfe / and cutte the throte of the Erles doughter and putte the blody knyfe in the Empresse hande she beynge a slepe and not knowynge nothynge theof to this entente that the Erle whan he wakened sholde see the knyfe in her hande and that he sholde thynke that she had cutte his doughters shrote wherfore she sholde be put vnto dethe for his defaute And whan this damoysell was thus slayne and the blody knyfe in the Empresse hande The Countesse awaked of her slepe and sawe by the lyght of the lampe the blody knyfe in her hande wherfore she was almoost out of her mynde and sayd to the Erle thus O my lorde anone byholde in yonder ladyes hande a wonderfull thȳge The Erle awaked and byhelde on the Empresse bed and sawe the blody knyfe as the Countesse sayd wherfore he was gretely meued and cryed vnto her and sayd A wake woman of thy slepe what thynge is this I se in thy hande Anone the Empresse thrughe his crye awaked of her slepe / in her wakynge the knyfe fall out of her hande / with that she loked by her and founde the Erles doughter deed by her syde and all the bedde full of blode / wherfore with an huge crye and voyce she cryed Alas alas and welaway my lordes doughter is slayne she cryed vnto the Erle with a pyteous voyce and sayd a my lorde lette that deuyll be putte to the moost foule dethe that can bethought the whiche hath slayne thus our onely chylde And whan the countesse had sayd thus to the Erle / she sayd vnto the Empresse in this wyse The hyghe god knoweth that thou myscheuous woman haste slayne my doughter with thyne owne hande / for I sawe the blody knyfe in thyne hande / and therfore thou shalte dye a fowle dethe Thenne sayd the Erle in this maner of wyse O thou woman / were it not that the drede of god is soo grete I sholde cleue thy boody with my swerde in two partyes / For I delyuered the frome
the Emperour herde that so holy a woman was in suche a nonry he sayd to his broder thus Goo we quod he dere broder vnto this holy woman that is dwellynge in the nourye that she may hele the of thy lepre wolde god quod he that I were heled Anone the Emperour his owne persone wente with his broder towardes the Nonery And whan that the Nones herde of his comynge they resceyued hym worshypfully and with processyon And than the Emperour enquyred of the pryoresse of ony suche holy woman were amonge them that coude hele seke folke of theyr maladyes The pryoresse answered and sayd / that suche one was there Than was the Empresse called forth afore the Emperour / but she muffled her face as well as she coude / that the Emperourt her husbande sholde not knowe her / and whan she had soo done She salued hym with grete reuerence as perteyned vnto his estate / he agayne in lyke wyse saynge thus O go de lady yf the lyst of thy grace to hele my broder of his lepre Axe of me what thou wylte I shall graunt it the for thy rewarde / whan y◠Empresse herde this she loked aboute her sawe there the Emperours broder stode and was a foule lepre She sawe also there the knyght that slewe the Erles doughter blinde defe The thefe that she saued fro the galowes lame also the mayster of the shyp dystraught oute of his mynde all were come to her for to be heled of theyr sykenesse but they knewe her not / for all the they knewe her not thoughe she knewe them Than sayd she vnto themperour thus my reuerent lorde though ye wolde gyue me all your Empyre I may not hele youre broder nor none of these other but yf they knowelege openly what they haue done / whan that Emperour herde this he torned hym towarde his broder sayd to hym broder knowelege openly thy synne before all these men that thou mayst be heled of sekenesse Anone he began to telle how he had lyued his lyfe / but he tolde not how he had hanged the Empresse in the foreste by the heere / whan that he had knoweledged all that hym lyste The Empresse sayd sothely my lorde I wolde gladly laye vnto hym my medycyne But I wote ryght well it is in vayne for he hath not made a ful confessyon The Emperour herynge this torned hym towarde his broder / sayd agayne in this wyse what euyll sorowe or vnhappy wretchednesse is in the feest thou not that thou arte a foule laser Therfore knowelege truely thyne synne that thou mayst be hole / or elles auoyde my felawshyppe for euer A lorde quod he I may not tell my lyfe openly but yf I be sure of thy grace / what hast thou trespaced ayenst me quod the Emperour His broder answered and sayd / myn offence agaynst the is greuous / and therfore I aske mercy The Emperour thought not of the Empresse for as moche as he supposed she had be dede many yeres before / he bad his brother telle forth what he had offended hym and he sholde be forgyuen And whan the Emperour had thus forgyuen his broder he began to telle openly how he had desyred the Empres to synne with hym / how he had hanged her by the heere in the forest by cause she wolde not consente to hym whan the Emperour herde this almoost wretched creature the vengeaūce of god is fallen on that and were not that I haue pardoned the thou sholdest dye the foulest deth that coude be thought Than sayd the knyght that slewe the erles doughter I wote not quod he of what lady ye ment / but well I wote that my lorde foūde suche a lady hangȳge by y◠heere in foreste brought her home to his castell bytoke her his doughter in kepynge / I styrred her to syn̄e with me as moche as I coude but she wolde not consent / wherfore I slewe the erles doughter the lay with her And whan that I had so done I put the blody knyfe in the ladyes hande that the erle sholde thynke she had slayne his doughter with her owne hande / than was she exyled thens but where she became wote I not Than sayd thefe I wote neuer of what lady ye mene but well I wote y◠seuen sergeauntes were ledynge me to the galowes / suche a lady came rydynge by bought me of them / and than wente I with her and afterwarde I betrayed her vnto a mayster of a shyppe Suche a lady quod he receyued I. And whan that we were the myddes of the see I wolde haue layne with her but she satte doune to her prayers / anone there arose suche a tempeste that the shyppe all to braste and were all drowned saue I But what after that befell on her wote I not ¶ Than ctyed the Empresse with an hyghe voyce and sayd Sothly dere frendes ye are now clene confessed / wherfore now wyl I laye to my medycyne / and anone they receyued theyr helthe / whan the lady had thus done she opened her face vnto the Emperour / and he knewe her anone and ranne to her braced her in his armes and kyssed her oftentymes / and for Ioye wepte bytterly saynge thus Blyssed be god now haue I founde that I desyred And whan he had thus sayd he led her home vnto his palyce with grete Ioye and after whan god wolde be pleased they ended theyr lyues both in pease ¶ This Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu cryste The Empres betokeneth an holy soule The Emperours broder betokeneth that flesshe to whome our lorde Ihesi cryste hath gyuen charge of his Empyre / but moste prȳcipally to the soule Netheles y◠wretched flesshe ofte styreth the soule to synne But the soule whiche loueth god aboue all thȳge withstandyth that temptacyon and calleth to her / her goostly power that is to saye reason wyll vnderstandynge and concyence and maketh theym to enpryson the flesshe whiche is dysobedyent to the soule in the pryson of penaunce vnto the tyme he obeye vnto reason in all thynge / and thus in hope of mercy he synneth agayn whome holy scrypture saȳge thus Maledictus homo qui peccat in spe Cursed be that man that synneth in hope And atte the last the soule enclyneth to the flesshe and letteth hym of the pryson of penaunce and wassheth hym frome the fylthe of synne and arayeth hym with good vertues and maketh hymn lepe o◠the palfray of charyte and so rydeth he forthe to mete our lorde on Esterday But alas for full ofte the synner trespaceth agaynst the holy scrypture wherfore the herte that is to saye / the lust of the flesshe and of synners aryseth before hym and after renneth grete houndes that is to saye euyll thoughtes / and so longe they chase tyll the body and the soule be lefte alone / than the flesshe styreth that noble soule the spouse of almyghty god vnto
Gesta romanorum SOmtyme there dwelled in Rome a puyssaunte Emperour whâ—che had a doughter a fayre creature and was named Atlenta whome dyuerse and many knyghtes and other grete lordes desyred her to theyr wyf This Atlenta was won derswyfte of foote / wherfore suche a lawe was ordeyned that no man sholde haue her to wyfe but suche as myght ouer renne her and take her by strength of foot And so it befell that many came ranne with her / but she was so swyfte that no man myght ouertake her by cours of rennynge At the laste there came a knyght named Pomeys vnto her fader sayd to hym thus / my lorde yf it myght please you to gyue me your doughter to wyfe I wyl gladly renne with her Than sayd her fader there is suche a lawe ordeyned and sette that who so wyll haue her to wyfe must fyrste renue wich her / and yf he fayle in his cours that he ouertake her not he shall lose his hede / and yf it fortune hym to ouertake her than shall I wedde her vnto hym / and whan the kynge had tolde hym all the peryll that myght falle in the wynnynge of her / the knyght wylfully graunted to abyde that Ieopardy Than the knyght lete ordeyne hym thre balles of golde ayenst the rennynge And whan they had begonne to renne a lytel space the yonge lady ouer ranne hym / than the knyght threwe forth before her the fyrste balle of golde And whan the damoysell sawe the ball she stouped and toke it vp / and that whyle the knyght waune before her but that auayled lytell / for whan she had that perceyued she ranne so fast that in shorte space she gate before hym agayne And than he threwe forth the seconde balle of golde / and she stouped as she dyde before to take it vp / in that whyle the knyght wanne before her agayne / whiche this yonge damosell seynge constreyned her selfe and ranne so fast tyll at the last she had hym at a vauntage agayne and was afore hym and by that tyme they were nyghe the marke where they sholde abyde / wherfore the knyght threwe the thyrde balle forth before her / and lyke as she had done before stouped downe to take vp the balle / and the whyle she was in takynge vp the thyrde balle the knyght gate afore her and was fyrst at the standynge / thus was she wonne ¶ By this Emperoure is vnderstande the fader of heuen / and this mayden is vnderstande the soule of man with whome many deuylles desyren to renne / and to dysceyue her thorugh theyr temptacyons / but she with standeth theym myghtly ouercometh hym / and whan he hath done his power / and may not spede than marketh the thre balles of golde / and casteth them before her in the thre ages of man / that is to saye / in youth / in manhode / and in olde age In youth he casteth the balle of lechery before her That is to saye the desyre of flesshe / neuerthelesse for al this balle often tymes man ouercometh the deuyll by confessyon contrycyon penaunce and satysfaccyon The seconde balle is the balle of pryde the whiche the deuyll casteth to man in his manhode / that is to saye in his myddell age / but this balle man oftentymes ouercometh as he dyde the fyrste But late hym beware of the thyrde balle whiche is the balle of coueryse that the deuyll casteth vnto man in his olde age that is full dredefull For but yf a man may ouercome this balle with this other two than he shall lese his honoure that is to saye that kyngedome of heuen For whan man brenneth in couetyse he thynketh not on goostly rychesse for euer his herte is sette in worldly goodes and recketh not of prayers ne of almes dedes / and thus leseth he his herytage to the whiche god hathe bought hym with his precyous blode vnto that whiche Ihesus brynge you and me and all mankynde Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wyse named Ancelme whiche bare in his armes a shelde of syluer with fyue reed cosys This Emperour had thre sones whome he loued moche / he had also contynuall warre with the kynge of Egypt / in the whiche warre he lost all his temporall goodes excepte a vertuous tree It fortuned after on a day that he gaue batayll vnto the sayd kynge of Egypt wherin he was greuously wounded Neuertheles he opteyned the vyctory notwithstandynge he had his dedely wouÌ„de / wherfore whyle he laye in poynte of deth he called vnto hym his eldest sone sayd / my moost dere welbeloued sone all my temporall rychesse I haue exspended almoost nothynge is lefte me excepte a vertuous tree the whiche standeth in the myddes of myne Empyre I gyue to the all that is vnder the erthe and aboue the erthe of the same tree O my reuerent fader quod he I thanke you moche ThaÌ„ sayd themperoure calle to me my seconde sone Anone his eldest sone gretely gladded of his faders gyfte called in his broder / and whan he came than sayd themperour / my dere sone quod he I may not make my testament for so moche that I haue spent al my goodes except a tree whiche staÌ„deth in my Empyre of the whiche tree I gyue byquethe to the all that is grete and smale Than answered he and sayd My reuerent fader I thanke you moche Than sayd themperoure calle to me my thyrde sone / and so it was done And whan he was come the Emperour sayd My dere sone I must dye of this sekenesse I haue but onely a vertuous tree of the whiche I haue byquethed thy bretherin theyr porcyon and to the I byquethe thy procyon / for I wyll yâ— thou haue of the sayd tree all that is were drye Than sayd his sone Fader god thanke you Soone after that the Emperour had made his byquest he deyed And the eldest sone anone toke season of the tree whan the seconde broder this herde he sayd broder myn by what lawe or tytell occupyed thou this tree Dere broder quod he I occupyed by this tytell / my fader gaue me all the is vnde erthe and aboue of the sayd tree and therfore by reason this tree is myn Vnknowynge to the quod the seconde broder he gaue me al that is in brede length depnes of that sayd tree / and therfore I haue as grete ryght in the tree as thou This herynge the thyrde sone came vnto theym sayd O ye my best beloued brethern it behoueth you not to stryue for this tree / for as moche ryght haue I in this tree as ye / for well ye wote by the lawe that the last wyll testament ought to stande / for sothely he gaue me of the sayd tree all that is wete and drye and therfore by ryght the tree is myn / but for as moche as your tales ben grete and myne
she sawe this purse anone she stouped doune tooke it vp / and anone she opened it and founde the balle and redde the poyse who soo playeth with me of my playe he shall not be fulfylled And than began she to playe / and so longe she contynued in playnge tyll that the Iougeloure was afore her at the marke / and thus he wanne the Emperours doughter ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour is oure blyssed lorde Ihesu Cryste / and his fayre doughter is mannes soule whiche was made clene with the water of the holy fonte and was also ful lyght to renne / that is to saye / in vertue whyle that she is in clennes soo that no deedly synne myght ouercome her This Iogeler that is come of so wyly blode is y◠deuyll the whiche studyeth daye and nyght to dysceyue Innocentes / he prouydeth hym of thre thynges / fyrste of the garlande whiche betoke neth pryde by this reason For why a garlande of floures it not sette vpon the arme nor vpon the fote / but vpon the heed that it may be seen Ryght so pryde wolde be seen / agaynst proude men speketh the holy man saynt Austyn saynge thus Quecūque superbiū videris filiū diaboli dici non dubitetis That is to saye / what proude man that thou mayst see doubte ye not to calle hym the sone of the deuyll / doo y◠therfore as the mayden dyde by wepe thy synne and thrawe of the garlande of pryde and caste it in the dytche of contrycyon / and so shalte thou gyue the deuyll a grete buffet and ouercome hym But whan this Iougeloure / that is to saye oure gostely enemye the deuyll seeth and perceyueth in hym selfe ouercomen in one synne / than he retorneth and tempted a man in another synne and casteth before man the gyrdell of lecherye But alas there be full many gyrded with the gyrdell of lecherye Of the whiche gyrdell speketh saynt Gregory saynge thus Gyrde we our buttockes with the gyrdell of chastyte For who someuer is gyrte with this gyrdell shall lese the course of lyfe Than casteth the Iougeler forth / that is for to saye the deuyll / the purse with the balle The purse that is open aboue and closed vnder betokeneth the herte whiche that euermore sholde be closed vnder ayenst erthly thynges / and open aboue to heuenly Ioye / and the two strynges that openeth and shytteth the purse betokeneth the loue of god of oure neyghboures The balle whiche is rounde and meuable to euery parte of his dyffrence betokeneth couetyse whiche moueth euer bothe in yonge and in olde / and therfore the poyse was good and true that was wryten on the purse / who so playeth with me / that is to saye with couetyse / they shall neuer be fulfylled Therfore sayth Senecke Cū omnia peccata senescunt sola cupiditas iuuenescit Whan that all synnes waxen olde than couetyse all only waxeth yonge Therfore late vs take hede that we playe not with this balle of couetyse / than without doubte we shall opteyne and wynne the game with the tenes balle in the blysse of heuen that neuer shall haue ende Vnto the whiche blysse brynge vs he that shedde his blode for us vpon the robe tree Amen SOmtyme in rome dwelled a myghty emperour and a wyse named Theodose whiche aboue all thynge loued best melody of harpe and huntynge It befelle after vpon vpon a daye whyle this Emperour hunted in a forest he herde so swete a melody of harpes that thrughe the swetnes therof he was almoost rauysshed frome hym selfe / wherfore he sought about the forest to fynde that melodye / and at the laste he aspyed in the ende of the forest a poore man syttynge besyde a water playnge on an harpe so swetely that themperour before that daye herde neuer so swete a melodye Than sayd the Emperour good frende cometh this melodye of thyn harpe or none The poore man answered and sayd / my reuerent lorde I shall tell you the trouth Besyde this water my wyfe and my chylde and I haue dwelled xxx yere god hath gyuen me suche grace that whan so euer I touche myn harpe I make soo swete melodye that the fysshe of this water cometh out to my hande and so I take them wherewith my wyfe my chylde and I ben fedde dayly in grete plente But alas and welawaye on the other syde of this water there cometh a whysteler and whysteleth soo swetelye that in many dayes my fysshe forsaketh me and gooth to his whystelynge / and therfore my reuerent lorde I beseche you of helpe agaynst his hyssynge and whystelynge Than sayd themperour / I shall gyue good helpe and counsell I haue here in my purse a golden hoke whiche I shall gyue the / take thou it and bynde it faste atte the ende of a rodde and with that smyte thy harpe / and whan thou seest the fysshe styre drawe them vp to the londe with that hoke and than his whystelynge ne hyssynge shall not auayll Whan the poore man herde this he reioysed hym gretely and dyde all thynge lyke as the Emperour had taught hym / and whan this poore man began to touche his harpe the fysshe meued / and than he toke theym vp with his hoke and lyued therby longe tyme / at the last ended gracyously his lyfe ¶ This Emperour betokeneth Ihesu cryste whiche gretely delyteth for to hunte the soule of mankynde in the foreste the is holy chirche He loueth also the melody of the harpe / the is to saye / he loueth moche to teche the holy worde of theologie This poore man that satte by the water syde betokeneth the prelates of the chirche / and the prechers of the worde of god whiche ought to sytte besyde the worlde and not in the worlde / that is to saye he sholde not sette his delyte in worldely thynges This precher ought to haue y◠harpe of holy scrypture wherwith he may prayse honoure god / also therwith drawe out of this worlde the synners Therfore sayth the psalmyst thus Prayse ye god in tympans and crowdes and synge ye to hym on the harpe◠the psauter of x. strenges But now a dayes the precher may saye alas / for whan I preche teche holy scrypture / the deuyll cometh whysteleth so swetely that the synners drawe to hym and wyll not here the worde of god but they tourne them selfe onely to the delyte of synne The deuyll dysceyueth also mankynde by dyuerse wayes Fyrst in tyme of prechynge he maketh some to slepe / and theym that he can not make slepe he causeth putteth in theym to clater and to talke / and theym that he can not make to clater he maketh theym soo dulle that they may not sauour ne vnderstonde what the precher sayth / theym that he can not begyle in these meanes he putteth in theym besynes and causeth theym to goo out of the chirche Loo so many wayes the deuyll hath
heed and thanked the Emperour of his grete mercy And than he wente forth and sought thorughe out all the Empyre so longe tyll he had founden themperours doughter / and the knyghtes and also the grehounde and brought theym agayne And after that wedded the yonge lady with grete honoure and Ioye / and also restored agayne the knyghtes goodes / and atte the laste he ended his lyfe in pease and in reste Amen ¶ This Emperoure betokeneth oure lorde Ihesu cryst His doughter betokeneth the soule of man made at the symylytude of our lorde god And the .v. knyghtes betokeneth the .v. wyttes armed with the vertue of baptyme to kepe yâ— soule The mayster of the knyghtes is reason whiche ought to gouerne the wyrtes The grehounde is the flesshe of man The stewarde betokeneth euery man to whome god hath gyuen lyfe and soule to kepe vnder payne of lesynge of euerlastynge lyfe But a wretched man not remembrynge that is to come ful often corrupted and defoyled his soule by synne and dryued her frome the palays of heuen / and than goothe she fro dore to dore / that is to saye frome synne to synne He dyspoyled these fyue knyghtes of theyr goodes / that is to saye the fyue wyttes of theyr vertues takynge awaye the lawfull syght fro the euen and exortyngetheym vnlawfully / and also styrynge his eeres to here sâ—lauÌ„der and bachytynge and so forth of all other wyttes and thus some be made theues and some manquellers The mayster of these fyue wyttes is slayne whan someuer man is ruled by wyll and not by reason The grehounde / that is the flesshe wherin a man delyteth was fedde and bounde with the chayne of reason whiche he breketh full often and renneth out and dooth moche harme The comyÌ„ge agayn of this Emperour from the holy londe betokeneth the comynge of our lorde Ihesu cryste at the daye of dome to deme all mankynde Therfore do we as the stewarde dyde accuse fyrst our self of our synne leste the deuyll and the worlde accuse vs and than it were to late to axe mercy / therfore do we of our clothes by tyme / that is to saye our synful lyfe / and take we thre ropes in our hondes The fyrste rope that sholde bynde our hondes and feet betokeneth the rope of contrycyon whiche not onely ought to bynde our hondes and feet but also our other membres bothe within and without soo harde that the blode brast out on euery syde / that is to saye that the synne myght voyde Her to accordeth Ezechiel saynge thus InquacuÌ„â—â— hora egerit penytenciam peccatoâ— saluus erit Whan someneâ— the synfull man dooth penauÌ„ce he shal be saued The seconde corde for to drawe the trespasser is confessyon whiche sholde drawe vs frome the begynnynge of oure lyfe vnto this daye by the penaunce of our mouth vnto the tyme that the flesshe be falle frome the bones / that is to saye tyll the lust of the flesshe be torned awaye by the stones of penaunce For in lyke wyse as the stone by nature and by kynde is harde And ryght soo penaunce oughte for to be harde And the thyrde rope whiche sholde hange the felloâ—â— is the rope of satysfaccyon of whiche hangynge speketh the appostle and sayth Suspende elegit anima mea My soule hath chosen to be hanged For lyke as a man is lyfte vp frome the grouÌ„de by hangyÌ„ge Ryght so a synner is lyft vp fro synne towarde heuen vnto god by the hangynge of satysfaccyon vpon this galous we sholde hange tyll the byrdes of heuen came doune / that is to saye tyll the Appostles come doune for to fede vs with our good dedes For there is more Ioye of one synner doynge his penaunce afore the aungels of god in heuen c. Lyke as the stewarde brought agayne themperours doughter So it behoueth vs for to seche about by dyuerse werkes of mercy fynde our soule whiche we loste and brynge her agayne to the churche and gouerne well our fyue wyttes / fe dde our grehounde as sholde make our lyfe so clene and pure the we falle not agayne in synne for drede yf it fortune vs worse and that we haue no layser for to aske mercy agayne at our nede And yf we fulfyl al this truely tyll our lyues ende without doubte we shall opteyne euerlastyÌ„ge lyf Vnto the whiche our lorde bryÌ„ge vs al Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour and a wyse named Edfenne / the whiche ordeyned for lawe the who someeuer rauysshed a mayde sholde be at her wyll / whether she wolde put hym to deth or that she wolde haue hym to her husbande It befelle after on a daye that a man rauysshed vpon a nyght two maydens / the fyrst damoysell desyred that she sholde dye / the seconde desyred weddynge The rauyssher was taken and ledde before the Inge that sholde satysfye to the these damoysels thrughe his wysdome and ryghtfulnesse The fyrst mayde euer desyred the dethe accordynge to the lawe And than sayd the seconde and I desyred hym for to be my husbande / for lyke wyse as thou haste the lawe for the / in lyke wyse I haue it for me And neuerthelesse my petycion is more and better than yours for it is more chary table / therfore me thynketh in my reason that the Iustyce sholde gyue sentence with me Than the Iustyce vnderstandynge the grete mercy of the seconde mayden gaue Iugement that he sholde wedde her and soo it was done ¶ This Emperour betokeneth our lorde Ihesu cryste The rauyssher beketoneth euery synner whiche rauysshed goddes mercy as often as he dyffoyleth the commaundementes of god by synne / for the deuyll may neuer ouercome man but yf it be suffred by wyll For saynt Austyn sayth Non est peccatum nisi sit voluÌ„tariuÌ„ It is no synne but yf it be voluÌ„tary The synner rauyssheth the mercy of god as ofte as he hath very contrycon The rauyssher also is called afore the Iustyce whan the soule is departed frome the body / anone the fyrste damoysell the is the deuyll larde ayenst the synner that ought to dye euerlastyngely by the lawe of ryghtwysnesse But that other mayden that is cryste layde for her yâ— mercy of god ought to helpe by contrycyon and confessyon whiche is the hyghe waye to euerlastynge lyfe Vnto the whiche god brynge bothe ye and me Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour and a ryche named Lypodyus whiche toke to his wyfe a fayre virgyn and a gentyll and was the kynge of Assyryens doughter This yonge lady conceyued and bare a chylde / and in the byrth of her sone she dyed And anone after her dyscesse this Emperour wedded an other wyfe begate her with chylde also And anone after the these chylderne were borne he sente them bothe in to straunge londe for to be nourysshed Than sayd the moder of the seconde chylde My reuerente lorde x. yere ben passed sythen I bare my chylde yet sawe I hym
they we re gladde and came at a day assygned and put forth theyr pertycyons euery man syngulerly to the Emperour / anone theyr pertycyons was graunte fulfylled In so moche that almoost all the Empyre was departed amonge them And than euery man was Ioyfull wente home agayne toke seasyen in suche londes and castelles as that the Emperour had gyuen them Anone after the poore men and symple gadred theym to gyder thus they sayd A commune ctye was made the all men bothe poore ryche no persone excepte sholde come vnto the Emperours palays there they sholhaue what someuer they asked And the ryche men haue ben there but late opteyned theyr petycyons Therfore go we nowe wyte yf we may optayne ony good of the Emperour That counsell was approbate and alowed amonges them all wherfore they wente forthe streyght tylle they came vnto the Emperours palays / there they put for the theyr petycyons accordynge to the Emperours proclamacyon And whan that the Emperour herde theym come he answered them so and sayd Dere frendes I haue herde all your petycyons / it is trouthe that my proclamacyon was this wyse as that euery man Indyfferently sholde come they sholde haue theyr petycyons But the ryche men the myghty men hauve ben here before you to whome I haue gyuen all that I had saue onely the royalte of my lordeshyppe vnto them and so haue I nothynge lefte for to gyue you A good lorde haue mercy vpon vs and lete vs not go voyde agay / for we knowe well that it is in our owne defaute that we came not rather with these other ryche myghty men But sythen that it is so we aske your grace that we may opteyne somwhat by the whiche we may lyue Than sayd the Emperour Good frendes here ye me for though I haue gyuen all my londes / rentes / and tenementes / and all the castelles to the ryche men whiche came before you Neuerthelesse I haue kepte styll in to my owne hondes the lordeshyp ouer theym / and that lordeshyp I gyue vnto you so they shall be your seruauntes and be obedyent vnto you all And whan the poore men herde this they were gretely gladded kneled lowe doune vnto the Emperour thanked hym saynge thus Lo thoughe we come late yet we be made lordes ouer all these other And with this they toke theyr leue and wenvnto theyr owne dwellynge But whan the ryche and the myghty men herde that they were gretely meued / and sette a commune parlyament amonge theymselfe And thus it was spoken amonges theym Alas alas vnto vs how may we serue theym that somtyme were but churles and oure subgettes in all maner thynges and nowe they be made lordes ouer vs. Therfore goo we all with one assente to themperour and praye we hym of remedy Whan this was sayd theyr counsell was commended and forth they weure to the Emperoure and sayd to hym Reuerente lorde what may this be tho the whiche were our seruauntes be made our lordes we beseche you mekely that it maye not be soo Than sayd the Emperoure / good frendes I doo you no wronge for my crye was commune that what soeuer ye asked of me ye sholde opteyne your petycyon / and ye asked nothynge of me but londes rentes and honours and all that haue I graunted you atte youre owne wyll / in soo moche that I kepte nothynge for my selfe and eche of you were well contente atte your awaye goynge / and after that came symple men and poore and asked of me some goodes accordynge vnto my proclamacyon / and I had nothynge to gyue them for I hadde gyuen you all that I hadde before saue onely the lordeshyppe ouer you whiche I kepte in my handes / and whan the poore men soo cryed on me I had nothynge to gyue them saue onely the lordeshyppe ouer you and therfore ye sholde not blame me for that ye asked ye had Than sayd they A good lorde we praye you effectually of youre counsell in this case and of youre helpe The Emperour answered and sayd Syrs yf ye wyll werke after me I shall gyue you very good counseyl and prouffytable Than sayd they Lorde we be redy for to fulfyll what some euer ye saye vnto vs for our prouffyte Than sayd the Emperour My good frendes ye haue of me bothe londes and tenementes and rentes with other meuable goodes and that grete plente the whiche by my counsell ye shall departe with the poore men that they may graunt you the lordeshyppe and anone these grete ryche men gladly graunted to this and departed all theyr goodes amonge the poore men and that they gaue theym agayne the lordeshyppe ouer them lyke as they had of the ryche men yâ— lordshyp ouer them / thus were they bothe contente themperour was gretly coÌ„mended of all peope bycause he accorded to bothe yâ— partyes so wysely ¶ By this Emperour is vnderstande our lorde Ihesu cryst whiche made a proclamacyon by his prophetes patryarkes appostles and prechours that euery man bothe poore and ryche sholde come and asked euerlastynge Ioye without doubte they shall opteyne theyr petycyon But the ryche the myghty men asked none other thynge but worldely honoure and rychesse transytory / for this worlde shall passe and all this couetyse / wherfore he gaue theym soo moche of worldely goodes that he lefte no thynge to hym selfe accordynge to the scrypture / the byrdes of heuen haue nestes foxes in erth haue caues / but the sone of god hathe no thynge in erthe where he may put his heed The poore men be suche as â—e meke in herte of the whiche poore men speketh our lorde saynge thus / blyssed be the poore men wherte / for why thy kyndome of heuen is theyrs / and yf it sholde seme that they haue lorshyppes aboue myghty men of this worlde Therfore these ryche men ought to departe their rychesse with poore men accordynge to the scrypture saynge thus Gyue ye almes and all thynge shall be clene to you thus may ye gete a lorshyppe in heuen vnto the whiche lorshyppe I beseche almyghty god to brynge vs Amen IN Rome somtyme dwelled a myghty Emperour named Domicyan whiche had two doughters of whome one was passynge fayre and that other foule oughly to beholde wherfore he lete crye thrughe all his Empyre that what man wolde haue his fay doughter to wyfe sholde haue no thynge with her but her fayrenesse And who that wedded his foule doughter sholde haue all his Empyre after his dethe And whan the proclamacyon was made there came many lordes and desyred to wedde his fayre doughter To whome the Emperour answered thus Syr quod he ye wote neuer what ye desyre ryghte well ye knowe that yf yewedde her ye shall haue no thynge with her but her fayrenesse / and furthermore yf I gyue her to one of you and not to another than wyll ye stryue for her Therfore
chased an herte / they came to the holowe tre where the chylde laye / whan they felte the sauoure of the chylde they wolde no ferder go The Erle seynge this / meruayled gretely why his houndes abode there / smote hors w e his spores and rode a grete pase tyll he came to them And whan he came vnto the tree where in the chylde was closed loked in at a hole / and founde the chylde / and than was he ryght glad toke vp the chylde in his armes ful louyngely / bare hym home vnto his castell / saynge to the countesse his wyfe Lo my dere wyfe this daye by fortune I haue frunde a full fayre chylde in an holowe tree as I hunted in the forest wherof I am ryght glad And by cause that I gate neuer sone ne doughter on the / ne thou neuer yet conceyued chylde therfore I exorte the that thou wylte feyne thy selfe trauaylynge of chyl and saye the thou hast borne this chylde The councesse fulfylled w e gladnesse / sayd my lorde youre wyll shall be done Not longe after tydynges wente thorughe all that countrey that the Countesse was delyuered of a fayre sone / wherfore they made grete Ioye The chylde began to waxe / and was ryght well beloued of euery man / and specyally of the erle and of the Countesse It befell after whan the chylde was xv yere olde the Emperoure made a solempne feest to all his lordes vnto the whiche this Erle was called / and at the daye assygned came and brought the chylde whiche was that tyme a fayre squyre and carued atte the borde before the Erle The Emperour behelde hym gretely espyed the token in forheede that he hadde sene before in the Fosteres house / wherfore he was gretely meued within hym selfe / and sayd vnto the Erle in this wyse / whose sone is this quod the Emperour Sethely sayd the Erle he is my sone Than sayd the Emperour by the fayth and trouthe the thou o west to me telle me the trouthe The Erle seynge that he myght not excuse hym by no wyse but that he muste nedes tell / than tolde he hym all togyder how he founde hym in the forest in an holowe tree This heryÌ„ge the Emperour almoost waxed oute of hym selfe and called to hym his seruauntes whiche the he had sente before to slee that chylde And whan they came he made them to swere on a boke that they sholde tell the trouth what they had done with the chylde Good lorde sayd they we put vs vnto thy grace for without doubte pyte so meued vs that we myght not slee hym wherfore we putte hym in an holowe tree / but after warde what befelle on hym sochly we knowe not and in his stede we slewe a pygge and brought you the herte therof / whan the Emperour had herde the verey trouthe of this mater / he sayd vnto the Erle This yonge man quod he shall abyde here with me The Erle yâ— graunted thoughe it were gretely agaynst his wyll And whan the feest was ended / euery men toke his leue at the Emperour and wente whyther than theym lyste And that tyme as it fortuned the Empresse and her doughter solourned in a grete countrey thens by the commaundement of the Emperour It berelle not longe after the Emperour called vnto hym that yonge squyer and sayd The behoueth quod to ryde vnto the Empresse my wyfe with my letters All redy my lorde sayd he I am fer to fulfyll youre wyll Anon the Emperour lete wryte letters wherof the entente was this That the Empresse sholde take the berer of these letters lette hym be drawen at an horses tayle / after that she sholde lete hym be hanged tyll he were deed / that vpon payne of deth / whan the letters were all made sealed than the Emperour toke theym vnto the yonge squyer coÌ„maundynge hym to spede hym her Iourney And anone the chylde receyued them gladly put theym sure in a boxe / and rode forth vpon his Iourney / whan he had ryden thre dayes or foure on his Iourney in the euentyde he came vnto a castell where as a knyght dwelled and prayed hym mekely of a nyghtes lodgynge The knyght seynge and beholdynge the good fauoure of this yonge Squyr / he graunted hym lodgynge and made hym good chere and well to fare and afterwarde brought hym vnto his chambre And whaÌ„ he was there he wente to bed and anone was on slepe for he was ryght wery of his Iourney forgate his boxe with the letters lyenge open in his chambre / whan the knyght sawe the boxe he opened it and founde the letters sealed with the Emperours sygne manuell / and was gretely tempted for to open them And at the last he opened theym subrylly and thenne he redde how the Empresse vpon payne of deth sholde putte the berer of theym vnto the deth / and than he was ryght sorowfull and sayd within hym selfe Alas quod he it is grete pyre for to slee suche a fayre yonge man / and therfore yf I may it shall not be so And anone the knyght scraped awaye that wrytynge and wrote in the same paper a letter saynge these wordes Vpon payne of dethe I commaunde the that thou take the yonge squyer berer of these letters and lette medde hym without ony delaye vnto my doughter and youres with all the honoure and solempnyte that ye can / whan that they be wedded / that ye take hym in honoure and worshyppe hym as youre owne sone And that he kepe my place tyll I come to you my selfe / whan the knyght had thus wryten he closed the letters subtylly and put them in the boxe agayne Erly in the mornynge the chyl de arose and toke his leue of the knyght and rode forth in his Iourney / and came the thyrde daye to the Empresse and saluted her worshypfully in the Emperours behalfe / and tâ—ke her the letters / whan thempresse had rede them / anone she sente her messengers thrughe the courte coÌ„mauÌ„dynge the gentylmen to come to her doughters weddynge atte a certayne daye assygned / whan yâ— daye was come theder came many grete lordes / and anone this chylde wedded the Emperours doughter with grete honour worshyp accordyÌ„ge to the tenoure of the letters / and was ryght well beloued moost honoured amonge the people Not longe after it befell that the Emperoure came into that countre / whan the Empresse herde of her lordes comynge She toke with her her sone in lawe with moche other peple / and wente ayenst the Emperour to welcome hym whan the Emperour sawe this chylde ledynge the Empresse his wyfe he was gretely meued with hym selfe / and sayd O thou cursed woman for thou haste not fulfylled my commaundement thou shalte dye an euyll dethe A lorde quod she all that ye commaunded to do I haue fulfylled Nay cursed woman it is not so for I wrote to
the that thou sholdest put hym to deth now I se hyÌ„ alyue My lorde quod she safe your grace ye wrote to me â— I sholde gyue hym your doughter to wyfe / and that on payne of deth In wytnesse wherof lo here is your seale your letters with your owne seale Whan the Emperour herde this he wondred gretly sayd is he wedded thaÌ„ to my doughter ye sothly sayd the empresse longe agone with grete solempnyte / and as I beleue your doughter is with chylde Than sayd the Emperour O thou lorde Ihesu it is grete foly to stryue agaynst thyne ordynauÌ„ce / therfore syth it is so thy wyll must â—e fulfylled / with yâ— he toke his sone in lawe in his armes and kyssed hym whiche after his dethe was Emperour and ended his lyfe in reste and pease ¶ This Emperoure may betoken herod or elles euery synner whiche walketh alone without trouthe / tylle he come to the fosters house That is to saye the chirche whiche is the house of god This herode wolde haue slayne this chylde Ihesu / wherfore he sente messengers to seke hym accordynge to the scrypture of saynt Mathewe tellynge how he commauÌ„ded the thre kynges to seche hym brynge hym tydyÌ„ges agayne where he was the he myght come worshyp hym / but this sayd he not for loue but for dysceyte The foster betokeneth Ioseph oure ladyes husbonde whiche kepte hym / but whan the messengers came That is to saye whaÌ„ the thre kynges came they slewe hym not but on theyr knees worshypped hym lefte hym in the holowe tre of his god hede The Erle that came and founde this chylde Betokeneth the holy goost whiche warned Ioseph by the aungell in his slepe that he sholde take oure lday and her sone and flee in to the londe of Egypte This moralyte may be vnderstonde in other This Emperour may betoken a synner that walketh in the forest of this worlde sechyÌ„ge vanytes / not elles vnto the tyme he come vnto the house of god there he is receyned benyngnely of the prelate of the chirche yf he wyll obey the coÌ„manÌ„dementes of god But many of vs now a dayes slepeth in the chirche whaÌ„ they obserue not the werkes of mercy And therfore they ought to drede the voyces whiche I haue â—â—hersed by the fyrst take yâ— may be vnderstonde yâ— grete benefyte yâ— he gaue the whaÌ„ he put in the a soule made at his owne symylytude The secoÌ„de take is vnâ—stonde the sone of the fader of heueÌ„ / whiche was borne of the blyssed holy virgyn mary By the thyrde take is vnâ—stoÌ„de the same sone of god whiche dyed vpoÌ„ the crosse By the fyrst yelde is to vnâ—stoÌ„de the we ought to yelde our soule vnto almyghty god as clene / as fayre as he gaue it vnto vs after the wasshynge of our baptyme By the seconde yelde is for to vnderstande that we ought dayly to yelde honour / and worshyppe and loue vnto god The thyrde yelde is vnderstonde that we yelde to hym true confessyon / contrycyon satysfaccyon The fyrst Flee betokeneth synne whiche we sholde flee The seconde betokeneth the worlde that we sholde flee for the grete fallsehede and temptacyons that is therin The thyrde flee betokeneth euerlastyÌ„ge payne whiche we ought to flee thrugh â—erytory werkes by the which we may come the rather to euerlastynge Ioye Vnto the whiche brynge vs our lorde Amen THere dwelled soÌ„tyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Sauracinus whiche ordeyned for lawe that who so euer rauysshed a vyrgyÌ„ sholde dye / yf she were rescued / than he that rescued her sholde haue her to wyfe yf hym lyst / and he wolde not wedde her than sholde she gyded be wedded by his counceyll It befelle vpon a daye that a tyraunt named Poncianus had rauysshed a vyrgyn and ledde her with hym to a forest and defloured her of her maydenhode And whaÌ„ he had so done he wolde haue slayne her / and as he was despoylynge her clothes ther came rydynge by that foreste a gentyl knyght whiche herde yâ— cryenge of a damoysel Therfore he smote his horse with his spores and rode a grete pase into the foreste to wyte what it myght be And thenne he sawe a woman standynge naked saue her smocke / than sayd the knyght arte thou now she quod he that cryed soo Than answered the mayde and sayd ye sothely quod she / this man that standeth here hath rauysshed me and defoyled my maydenhode and now he wolde slee me / therfore he hath dyspoyled me of my clothes that he myght smyte of myn hede / for the loue of god gentyll knyght helpe me now than sayd the tyraunt She lyeth quod he for she is my wyfe and I haue founde here in auoutry with an other man and therfore I wyll slee her Than sayd the knyght I byle ue better the woman than the / for lo the tokenes of trouth appereth openly in her vysage that thou hast rauysshed her and therfore wyll I fyghte with the for her delyueraunce And anone they sterte togyder and foughte egrely tyl they were bothe sore wounded Neuerthelesse the knyght opteyned the vyctorye and put the tyraunt to the flyght Than sayd the knyght vnto the woman Loo I haue suffred for thy loue many sore woundes and haue saued the frome the deth wylte thou thou therfore be my wyfe That I desyred quod she with all my herte therupon I take you my trouthe whan she was thus ensuered the knyght than sayd / here besyde is my castell / go ye thyder and abyde there tylle I haue besyted my frendes my kynnesmen to prouyde for all thynge nedeful for our weddynge For I purpose to make a grete feest for thyn honoure and worshyppe My lorde quod she I am redy to fulfyll thy wyll Theme wente she forthe to the castell where as she was worshypfully receyued And the knyght wente vnto his frendes to make hym redy agaynst the daye of maryage In the meane wyle came Poncianus the tyraunt to the knyghtes castell prayed her that he myght speke with her Than came she downe frome the castell to hym This tyraunt subtylly flatered her and sayd Gentyll loue yf it lyst you to consente to me I shal gyue you bothe golde and syluer and grete rychesse and I shall be your seruaunt and ye my souereyne / whan the woman herde this / dysceyued she was thrughe his flaterynge and graunted hym to be his wyfe and toke hym in with her in to the castell It was not longe after but that this knyght came home founde the castell gate shyt knocked therat / but longe he was or he myght haue answere / and atte the last the woman came demauÌ„ded why he knocked so herde Than sayd he O dere lady hast yâ— chauÌ„ged so sone my loue / lette me come in Nay sothly sayd she thou shalte not come here for I haue here w e