leaue of the king and redde foorth and the King kept the broad high way When themperour heard of the Kings comming he went towards him with a great company royally receiued him causing him to shift his wet clothes and attyre him againe with new clothes And when the Emperour and the king were set to meat the Emperour welcommâ—d him with all the chéere solace that hée could And when they had dined themperour asked tidings of the King My Lord said hée I shall tell you what I heard this day by the way There came a knight to mée and reuerently saluted mee and anone after there came a great raigne which greatly spoiled my apparell anone the knight saide sir thou hast done foolishly for so much as thou broughtst not with thee thy house Then said themperour what clothing had the knight on him A cloake qd the king TheÌ„ said themperour forsooth that was a wise man for the house wherof hée spake was a cloake therefore hée saide to you that yée did foolishly because yée came without your cloake for if you had brought with you acloake then had not your clothes ben spoiled with raine Then saide the king when wee had riden a little farther we came to a déepe water I smote my horse with my spurres and almost I was drowned and hée 〈◊〉 on the other â—â—de of the water and found no peril and then said he to mée ye haue done folishly for so much that ye ledde not with you your bridge Forsoth said themperour he sayd truth for he called the bridge your â—quires that should haue ridden before you and assayde the déepenes of the water Then said the king we rode farther at the last he prayed me to dine with him and when we had dined he saide I did vnwisely for I ledde not with mée my father and my mother Sothly saide the Emperour he was a wise man and said trouth for he called your father mother bread and wine and other vitailes Then said the king we rode farther and anone after he asked mée leaue to goe from mée and I asked diligently whether he went And he answered agayne and sayde This day vii yéere I left a Nette in a priuie place and now I will ryde to visit it and if it bee broken or torne than will I leaue it and if it bée whole as I left it then shall it bée to mée right precious and I shall beare it with mée Whan themperour heard this he cryed with a lowde voice and said O ye my knights and my seruaunts come ye with mée spedily vnto my daughters chamber for sothly that is the nette whereof the knight spake And anone his knights and his seruaÌ„ts went vnto his daughters chamber and found hir not the soresayde knight had taken hir with him And thus the knig was deceiued of the damosell And hée went home againe to his owne country ashamed The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ and this faire daughter is euerlasting life the which themperour had ordained for kings knights and other men The knight that loued this young Lady is euery good christian soule which holdeth him selfe not worthy to come in the sight of God vnto such ioy as the apostle saith Non est condigne passionis huâ—s temporis ad futuâ—aÌ„ gloâ—aÌ„ They be not so worthy of suffering this time to attaine vnto y glory that is to come This knight was viiyéeres absent from his loue like as a good Christian man all the dayes of his life should labour and â—rauaile in â—ulfilling the vii workes of mercie By the king that came without a cloake in the raine is to vnderstande some nyghtie men of this world as that haue cloaks to couer all their other clothes By this cloake is vnderstood charitie as the apostle saith Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charitie couereth the multitude of â—innâ—s But many men haue not this cloake wherefore they be wet in the rayne of pride auarice and lecherie This king also was almost drowned bicause he lacked his bridge that is to saye perfect faith For we see dayly that there may no man passe ouer a greate water broad déepe without a bridge or some other thing that is able to beare him Right so with out faith it is impossible to please God And thus may no man be saued without faith when theilet their life in worldly â—oy or worldly helpe more than in the help of God which is mightie to doe all thinges wherefore he saith himselfe thus Si habueritis fide sicut granum sinapis poteâ—â—s c. If ye haue faith as the grayne of musterd then may ye say to the hills remoue out of your places they shall remoue But many of vs now a dayes hath ouer féeble faith therefore they shall sodainly fall in the clay of desperation and by deadly sinne oftentymes they offend God Also this king had not brought with him his father his mother By â—he father which is cause of generation is â—o vnderstande humilytie without whom there is no vertue in any man And thereto accordeth sainâ—t Gregory saying thus Si quis ceteâ—â—â— vertutes sine humilitate congregat c. He that gathereth all other vertues without humilytie is like a man that 〈…〉 th dust in the winde His mother betokeneth hope therefore he that will obtaine euerlasting lyfe him behoueth to haue the cloake of charitie bridge of faith a father of méekenes a mother of hope as the apostle saith â—pe saluâ— facti sumus Also this knight went the straight path way the king the broad way For he that will be saued it behoueth him to go a strayt way that is to saye the way of fasting almes déedes chastitie and repentaunce Of the which way speaketh the apostle Stricta est via que ducit ad vitam eternam The way is strayte that leadeth to euerlasting life But many men goe the other way which leadeth to hell that is to say by the way of sleshly lust such men bene gone out of the way of euerlasting lise but such men be deceiued through the way Therfore studie we to walke that way wherby we may obtaine euerlsting life The Argument ¶ By this history is figured as apeareth in the morall the soule of euery good christian to him holden as his daughter But beeing seduced caryed away and defiled by sathan our fowle enimy she is reduced by the helpe and valiant prowes of our heauenly champion Christ Iesus vnto his former habitation Yet man being vngrateful to his Redeemer forgetteth his dutie and for good rewarding euill to his champion Christ Iesus deliuering him to be iudged by the law as an offender but when the champion auoucheth what he hath done for man his soule than is he with shame of his ingratitude constrained to haue remorse call for grace to repent amend his life by the death passion of this champion Christ
better it were that I goe méete him with all honour and humilitie and accuse my selfe to him aske him mercie then any other should preuent mée accuse mée to my Lord of my treason Then the Steward streight put of all his clothes saue his hosen and his shert and tooke three ropes with him in his right hand and bare foote went and met the Emperour But when themperour had espied him comming a far of in such maner hee wondred greatly And when the steward was come so néere that hee might speake to the Emperour hée fell downe on his knees and saluted him reuerently Then said the Emperour what is beefalne thee that thou mâ—etest mée after such a sort for so much as thou art my steward thou shouldest haue mette mée with a great company of knights A my Lord quod hée there is beefallen mée an heauie case for the which it béehoueth mee thus to méete your highnes Then said the Emperour what case is that that is béefallen thee My reuerend Lord quod hée it be houeth first your 〈…〉 nesse to aske of mee why I bring with mee these three ropes Then sayd themperour why bearest thou these thrée ropes in thy hand Then answered this wofull steward and said This first corde I bring with mée to binde my hands and féete so hard till the blood brast out on euery side for that I haue well deserued The second rope I bring with mée to draw mee by a horse tayle vppon the pauement till that the bones bee bare without flesh for thou shall bée due to mée for the great treason I haue done against you The third rope that I haue brought is to hang mee with vppon an high galous so long that the byrds light on my head and on my body and feede them selues of my flesh and these things are due to such trespassers and breakers of the lawe as I am and therefore my reuerend Lord haue mercy on mée for I dare not knowledge my trespasse till I bee certaine of thy mercy and pittie TheÌ„ said themperour I sée in thée great méeknesse and contrition therefore tell foorth thy treaspasse soothly thou shalt finde mercy and grace Alas alas then saide hee I haue defiled thy daughter and driuen hir out of thy pallais and now in extreame necessitie shee beggeth hir bread from dore to dore I haue also dispoiled thy knights of all their goods and now some of them by meanes they lack liuings beecome théeues and robbers some mankillers and the comptrowler of the knights I haue slayne But I haue fedde thy graihound with the best meate as long as I might and tied him with a chayne but at the last hée brake his chaine went his way so that now hee runneth about in the country When the Emperour heard this hée was sore astonied and said Hast thou deâ—loured my daughter whome I loued so well and also exiled my knights and slaine their comptrowler and the greyhound which I loued best of whome I gaue thée charge is gone also certes were it not that I had forgiuen it thée and that thou humble thy selfe so greatly I should put thée to the most vilest death that could bee thought Therfore depart hence foorthwith and bring againe my daughter then mayst thou marry with hir if any harme heereafter beefall to â—â—r in thy default then shall I double thy punishment Also bring thou againe my knights and restore to them their goods and let them in their state and office as they were before And also seeke diligâ—tly my greyhound till thou sinde him then make him tâ—st so that in shee heereafter may bee sound no default And when the steward heard this hee bowed with most humble submission downe his head and thanked the Emperour of his great 〈…〉 And then hée went soorth and sought through all the Empyre so long till hée had sound the Emperours daughter and the knights and also the greyhound and brought them againe And after that he had got to wise the yong lady with great honour ioye and also restored againe the knights goods And at the last hee ended his life in peace and rest The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ His daughter béetokeneth the soule of man made after the similitude of our Lord God And the v. knights béetokeneth the v. wits armed with the vertue of baptim for the preseruation of the soule The comptrouller of the knights is reason which ought to rule the wits The greyhound is the flesh of man The steward betokeneth euery man to whoÌ„e god hath giuen life soule to keepe vnder paine of léesing euerlasting life But a wretched wicked man remembryng not that is to come full often corrupteth and poluteth his soule with sinne and repelleth hir from hir Pallayes of heauen and then wandreth shee from dore to dore that is to say from sinne to sinne Hee dispoiled these v. knights of their goods that is to say the v. wittes of theirs or rather gracious vertues taking away the naturall light from their eyes exhorteth them disorderly and also mouyng the eares to listen vnto slaunder and backbiting and so forth of all the other wittes and thus some bee made theeues some mankillers The master of these v. wittes is flame when so euer man is ruled by will and not by reason The greyhound that is the flesh wherein a man deliteth was fedde and bound with a chaine of reason which hee breaketh full oâ—t and runneth out and doth much harme The comming againe of this Emperour from the holy land betokeneth the comming of our Lord Jesu Christ at the day of dome to iudge all mankinde Therefore doe wee as the stewarde did accuse wee first our selfe of our sinnes least the diuell the world accuse vs then it is to late to aske mercie therfore put wee off our clothes betime that is to say our sinfull life and take wee thrée ropes in our hands The first rope that should bynd our hands and feete beetokeneth the rope of true repentaunce which not onely â—ught to binde our hands feete but also both our hearts within vs and our outward conuersation in such austeritie of life that the blood brast out on euery side that is to say that sinne might issue and voide it felse Héere to accordeth Ezechiell saying thus In quacunque hora egerit penâ—tentiam pecator saluus erit When so euer the sinfull man doth repent himselfe he shall be saued The second cord for to draw the trespasser is acknowledging of our sinnes which should draw vs from the beginning of our life vnto our liues ende by the party reconsiliation to our selues to God man vnto the time that the flesh be fallen from the bones that is to say till the lust of the flesh bée turned away by the stones of repentaunce For in like wise as the stone by nature and kind is hard right so the way of repentaunce ought to bée hard The
yée shall obtaine your reward without any withsaying Then the master of the shippe sware a great oath and sayde By the great God Jubiter after hee commeth once within my ship yée shall neuer see him more Then the lady paide him as much gold as he would haue foorth he went to his shippe And within short time after the emperour tooke his ship and when he was in the middes of the sea the master of that shippe toke Themperour threw him ouer borde into the sea Then the master returned againe and tolde the Empresse that the Emperour was cast into the sea whereof shee was full glad This Emperour that was thus cast into the sea had learned in his youth to swim and swam foorth till hée saw an Ilande in the sea but euer in his swimming when hée was faint like to haue béene drowned hée prayed to God to bée his help and wept sore tyll at the last hée came into a little Iland wherein was nothing but Lyons and Lybberds and diuerse other beasts that swam thether from other lands When this Emperour had taken land in that yle hée spyed a yong Lyon fighting with an olde Lybbard and the Lyon was almost ouercome The Emperour had great compassion on the Lion and drew out his sworde and slew the Lybbard The Lyon euen from the tyme foorth followed the Emperour would not leaue him for nothing but â—uery day the pray that this Lion toke he brought and layd it béefore the Emperours féete and anone the Emperour smote fire on the slint stone and boyled the body in the skinne and thus was he fedde long tyme tyll at the last hée walked to the Sea strand where he saw a ship come sayling by anone with an high voice hée cryed And when the shipmen heard the voyce they wondred what it might bée wherfore they sayled toward him and when they were come to him hée sayde good friends take mée with you and I shall pay you a good fraight And anone they tooke him into theyr ship and the Lyon followed him swimming in the Sea after the shippe And whan the Lyon was in point to haue bene drowned the shipmen had pittie on him and tooke him into the shippe And when the Emperour came to lande hée payd his fraight and when he had payd them he went foorth tyll hée came neere his owne Pallais wher he heard trumpets and Claryons with all maner of other minstrelsie and as hee hearkened what it might bée there came from the Pallayes a Squire towards him that was of his knowledge but the Squire knew not him to whome the Emperour sayde thus Good friend I praye thée tell mée what melody is this that I heare The Squire aunswered and sayde The Empresse is married this daye and there bée all the states of the Empyre at hir feast and therefore they make such melodie to make hir gestes merry Then sayde the Emperour to the squire where is hir husband that was the Emperour before The squire said that he was gone to the holy lande and was drowned by the way in the Sea Then sayd the Emperour I pray thée sir that thou wouldest doe my errande to thempresse to the Lord that would be hir Husband that I may come into the Pallayes and show theyr maiesties some disport with my Lion The squire graunted to doe his errande and went in and tolde the Lord and the Ladye that at the gate was a goodly olde man that desyred to come in and play with his Lyon afore you Then sayde the new wedded Lorde bring him in and if he be worthy percase hée might gette his meate for his playe Whan the Emperour with his Lyon was brought in the Lyon anone without any comfort or setting on ranne vppon the young knight that was newly maried and slew him and when hée had so done he ran vpon the Empresse deuoured hir to the hard bones before all the Lords of the Empyre And when the states saw this they were greatly agast and began to flee But the Emperour with his fayre speach comforted them said Lo this is the vengeance of god for this is my wyfe that hath vsed aduoutry long time with this knight that lyeth héere dead and she practized my death with the master of the ship and héere vpon the master threw mee into the Sea but God saued mee from the death and bicause I holp once the Lyon at a néed hée forsooke mée neuer sith and now as ye see all when I come into my Pallays without any comfort of mée hée hath slaine both the adoultereâ—s and therefore vnderstande ye for trouth that I am your Lord the Emperour Anone when they heard this they lift vp theyr eyen and béehelde him and at the last they knew him for theyr Lord wherefore they were greatly reioysed and praysed God for the miracle which had saued their Lord and Emperour And they liued after in rest and peace The Morall By this Emperor ye may vnderstaÌ„d euery Christian man that purposeth to vâ—â—c the Citie of Hierusalem that is to 〈◊〉 to get euerlasting life through fruitfull fâ—â—â—â— But his wife that is the wretched slâ—â—h murmureth against the soule and loueth better an adulteâ—er that is deadly sinâ—e thâ—n hiâ— husband This emperour went into the ship taking his iourney towâ—rd the citie of Hierusalem that is to â—ay he went to the Church of God which is the way to God But the wife that is to say fleshly men accuâ—ed him to the master of the ship that is to say to the Prelates of the church for great rewards which ofteÌ„ times blindeth the sight of many Justices where through many perfect men be cast out of the ship into the sea to be drowned that is to say out of the Church inâ—o the Sea of thys worlde But what shall hée doe then that is thus cast to be troubled in this worlde certainely this ought he to doâ— let him learne to swimme that is to saye let tâ— him put all his hope in God and then by his grace hee shall come to an Iland that is to saye the religion of heart and that he shal loue euer the better to keepe himselfe out of this world and therefore saith saint Jeames thus A cleane religion vndeâ—ilâ—d is a precious thing in the sight of God And â—e that is in this religion shall finde a Lyon whome he behoueth to haâ—â— against the diuell This Lyon is our Lord Jesus Christ that came of the tribe of luda which â—ighteth euer agâ—inst the diuell and if a man haue holpâ—n this Lyon at any â—yme tâ—â—sâ— well then that hée will not forsake him but be with him in all his néede according to the Psalmist saying thus Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in trouble By this Lyon thou maist take thy wife that is to say thy flesh with repentance and slay thy sinne and then without doubt thou shalt obtain the empire of heauen
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
thiefe that béetrayed hir to the Maister of the shippe was lame and full of the Crampe And the Master of the shippe distraught out of his wittes When the Emperour heard that so holy a woman was in such a Citie hée called his brother saide to him thus Goe wee déere brother vnto this holy woman that is dwelling in the Citie that she may heale tâ—ée of thy lepry Would to God quod hee that I were healed Anone the Emperour with his brother went toward the Citie And when the Citizens heard of his comming they receiued him Worshipfullye with procession And then the Emperour enquired of the Citizens if any such holy woman were among them that could heale sicke folke of theyr diseas The Citizens answered and sayde that such a one was there Then was the Empresse called foorth before the Emperour but shée muffled hir face as well as shée could that the Emperour hir husband shold not know hir when shée had so done shée saluted him with great reuerence as it appertained to his estate And hée againe in lyke wise saying thus O good Ladie if thou lyst of thy grace to heale my brother of his lepry aske of mee what thou wilt and I shall graunt it thee for thy reward When the Emprisse heard this shée looked about hir and saw there the Emperours Brother a foule Leprie shée saw there also the knight that slew the earles daughter blynde and deafe The thiefe that shée saued from the gallowes lame and also the Master of the Ship distraught out of his wittes and all were come to hir for to be healed of their sicknesse but they knew not hir for all that they knew not hir shee knew them well Then sayd shée vnto the Emperour thus My reuerend Lord though yée would giue mee all your Empyre I may not heale your Brother nor none of these other but if they knowledge openlye what they haue done When the Emperour heard this hée tourned him towardes his Brother and sayde vnto him Brother accknowledge openly thy sinne before all these men that thou maist bée healed of thy sicknesse Then anone he began to tell how hée had ledde his lyfe but hée tolde not how he had hanged the Emprisse in the Forrest by the haire of hir Head most dispightfully When he had knowledged all that him lyst the Empresse replyed and saide Sothly my Lord I would gladly laye vnto him my medicine but I wot right well it is in vaine for he hath not made a full confession The Emperour hearing this he tourned towarde his brother saide againe in this wise What euill sorrow or vnhappy wretchednesse is in thée seest that not how that thou art a foule lepry therefore knowledge thy sinne truely that thou maist be whole or else auoide my company for euermore A Lord quod hée I may not tell my life openly but if I be first sure of thy grace What hast thou trespassed against mee quod the Emperour Than answered his brother and saide Myne offence against thée is grâ—euous and therefore I aske mercie The Emperour thought not on the Emprisse for as much as he supposed she had beene dead many yéeres béefore hee commaunded his brother to tell foorth what hee had offended him hée should bée forgiuen And wheÌ„ the Emperour had thus forgiuen his brother hée béegan to tell openly how he had desired the Emprisse to comemitte adultry with him and hée hadde hanged hir by the haire in the Forrest bycause shée would not consent by any meanes to him And when the Emperour heard this hée was almost béeside himselfe and in his rage he sayd thus O thou most wreched creature the vengeaunce of God is fallen vpon thee and were it not that I haue pardoned thee thou shouldest dye the most shamefull death that could bee thought Then sayde the Knight that slew the earles Daughter I wot not quod hee of what Lady ye meane but I wote that my Lord found on a time such a Ladye hanginge by the hayre in the Forrist and brought hir home to his Castell and hée tooke hir his daughter to keepe I prouoked hir as much as I could to sinne with mee but shee would in no wise consent to mee wherfore I slâ—w the earles Daughter that laye with hir and when I had so done I put the bloodie Knife in the Ladies hand that the earle should thinke shée had slaine his daughter with hir owne hands and than was she exiled thence but where she became I wot not Than sayde the theife I wot not of what Lady ye meane but well I wotte that seuen officers were leading mée to the gallowes and such a Lady came riding by and bought mée of them than went I with hir and afterward I béetrayed hir vnto a master of a ship Such a Lady quod the master of the shippe receiued I and when wée were in the middest of the sea I would haue layne with hir but shee sate downe to hir prayers and anone there arose such a tempest that the shippe all to brast and wée were all drowned saue shée and I but what afterward befell of hir I wote not Than cryed the Emprisse with a loud voyce and sayde Soothly déere friends yee doe now truely confesse and declare the trueth wherefore I will now apply my medicine and anone they receiued their health When this lady the Emprisse had thus done she opened hir face to the Emperour and he foorthwith knew hir and ranne to hir and imbraced hir in his armes and kissed hir oftentimes and for ioy he wept bitterly saying Blessed be God now haue I found that I desired And when he had thus sayde he lead hir home to his Pallayes with great ioye and alter when it pleased almightie GOD they ended both their liues in peace The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ The Emprisse betokeneth a holy soule The Emperours brother betokeneth the flesh to whom our Lord hath giuen charge of this Emayre but most principally to the soule Neuerthelesse the wretched sleshe oft prouoketh the soule to sinne But the soule that loueth God aboue all things withstandeth that temptation and calleth to hir hir ghostly power that is to say reason will vnderstanding and conscience and maketh them to enprison the flesh that is disobedient to the soule in the prison of true repentaunce vnto the tyme hée obey to reason in all thing And thus in hope of mercie hée sinneth agayne to whom holy writ saith Maladictus homo que peccat in spe Curssed be that man that sinneth in hope And at the last the soule enclyneth to the flesh lettith him out of the prison of repentance washeth him from the filth of sinne and arayeth him with good vertues and maketh him leape on the palfray of charytable humilitie and so rydeth foorth to méete our Lorde with the sacrifice of thankes giuing But alas full oft the sinner trespasseth against holy scripture wherfore the hart that is to say
A RECORD of auncient Histories intituled in Latin Gesta Romanorum Discoursing vpon sundry examples for the aduauncement of vertue and the abandoning of vice No lesse pleasant in reading then profitable in practise Now newly perused and corrected by R. Robinson Citizen of London ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Est 1595. To the right Honorable and vertuous Lady the Lady Margaret Duglas hir grace Countesse of Lineux Richard Robinson Citizen of London wisheth long and happie life increase of honour and the fruition of euerlasting blessednesse HORACE the POET testifieth right Honourable and vertuous Ladie that Poets in times past haue beene addicted either to profit and pleasure them selues and others either else in commune to write both sweet and necessary things for the life of their posteritie As Heathen Poets haue had this humour meriting worthie fame in that by their fained imaginations they semed to fauour further the welfare of humaine life So other writers haue indeuoured but not all leueling by one liue to publish their works some after one manner some after another either according as the holy spirit of God had operation of their harts either lese as their owne singularitie lead them to profit and pleasure them selues and others whose imperfection as their age could not so well discerne but flattered hir selfe with the nusled ignorance of the time then present sleeping in absurditie so when it pleased the Lord to spred forth the bright beames of his glorious gospel ouer the nations of the earth such as sauoured of the spirit of God haue more more illuminated theÌ„ selues others such as were blinded in their owne inuentions beeing nakedly manifested to the world haue with the world bene reduced to ful perfection and awaked out of their dreames by their posteritie wher vpon euen the most ancient Poets Historiographers writters were they now liuing they might finde no small occasioÌ„ to reioyce at the good industrie of their posteritie euen in these dayes where it is apparantly extaÌ„t that by studious practitioners of our age the workes of sundry auÌ„cient authors haue made the most fertile increase of fallowed grouÌ„ds by the sweat of others which their remisnesse and imperfection had left as wast ground beefore whereby their fame is more amplified then decreased vertue more aduaunced then abandoned and the age present henceforth more edified then defrauded of so noble benifits of knowledge and perfection of lyfe This as my simple capacitie by dayly experieÌ„ce could comprehend in the trauailes of others So reputing it a thing acceptable and laudable with God and man I haue wished such abilitie in mee that I might wade through this streame to the gratefull acceptation of God and the world And the rather doe I take good courage vnto mee heere in beecause I haue founde no small gratefull good will of such as in this my natiue Countrie fauouringe vertue and furthering good literature haue once or twise heeretofore accepted my former slender consecrated studies in such sort that I agnize my selfe more indebted to them in power and good will then I am able or thinke I shall bee able to performe requitall to their condigne demerites Among whome the tryed testimonie of your honours most noble bountie hath not a little excited mee to the consideration of my greatefull dutie heerein And I cannot tell whether God giues it mee for my good hap that I lately had this worke brought mee by one whom I suppose sauoureth my good proceeding in this pointe Albeit this worke it selfe beefore I toke it in hand was both of imperfect phrase in the historie of indecent application in the Moralitie bearing the title of the History of Gesta Romanorum which when I had diligently perused the circumstance thereof I thought it beehooued mee so to trauaile therein that I might not onely make a simple thing better but so to handle the same that it might gaine mee the better credit for my good meaning And when I had reformed and repolished so well as I could the seuerall histories corrected the application of the Moralitie in many places I thought best to adde therevnto not impertinent for better light and farther intelligence of the Readers capacitie a forme of Argument purposed before euery history which being done I intituled it A recorde of auncient Histories videlicet Gesta Romanorum newly persued and corrected wherein wishing to bee profiting and pleasing the best gratefull vnto all and grudged of none voide of scruple and blemish of suspition in euerye part I yeelde the same with all humble and heartie duety vnder the Honorable patronage and protection of your most noble magnificent prerogatiue Most humbly crauing pardon of your honour for my bolde presumption in dedicating so simple a trauaile vnto you and no lesse humbly beseeching your good Ladishippes thanckfull acceptaunce of my vttermost good will in presentatioÌ„ hereof I hope then to haue the better good will of all others for supportation of my pretended good meaning heerein And so right Honourable and vertuous Ladye shall I finde manifold causes of dutiefull respensation what I may though to dyspeÌ„se I shal not be able yet in good will power I am will bee prest to the vttermost performaÌ„ce of my exacted duetie In practise prayer resting bounden to all my will willers Vnto the liuing God I pray amongst all others for the long and prosperous good estate of your Honour in this life And finally for your established felicitie immutable in the life euerlasting which God graunte Amen Your Honours most humble and heartifull bounden Orator Richard Robinson Citizen of London THE HISTORIE of Gesta Romanorum The Argument ¶ Mans soule is deerely beloued vnto God hir Father And yet for hir sondry good graces she is tempted of the diuell by iij diuers meanes at iij. seuerall ages in this mortall lyfe if she resist and ouercome the same she is therby adopted to the fruition of ma trimoniall ioy in heauen with Christ the sonne of God The first Historie SOme time there dwelt in Rome a mightie Emperour which had a faire creature to his daughter named AthalaÌ„ta whom diuers great Lords and many noble Knights desired to haue to wife This AthalaÌ„ta was woÌ„nderous swift on soote wherefore such a law was ordained that no man should haue hir to wife but such as could out runne hir and take hir by swiftnesse of foote And so it befell that many came and ranne with hir but she was so swifte that no manne might ouertake hir by course of running At the last there came a Knight named Pomeis vnto hir Father and said to him thus My Lord if it might please you to giue mée your daughter to wife I will gladly runne with hir Then said hir father there is such a â—aw ordained and sett that who so will â—aue hir to wife must first runne with hir if he faile in his course that he ouer take hir not he shall loose his
loued sinfull man that he sent his onely begotten son to redeeme him out of the captiuitie of the wicked world to rest with him in the ioyes of heauen The third Historie IN Rome there dwelled some time a noble Emperour named Dioclesian which aboue all worldly goods loued the vertue of charitie wherfore he desired greatly to knowe what fowle loued hir birds best to the intent that he might thereby grow to more perfect charitie It fortuned after vpon a day that this Emperour walked to the forest to take his disport wher as he found the neast of a great bird that is called in latin Struthio Camely in English an Oistridge with hir bird the which bird the emperour toke w e him closed him in a vessel of glasse The dam of this litle bird followed after vnto the emperours place and slew into the hall where hir birde was closed But when she sawe hir bird and might by no meanes come to hir ne get her out shee returned againe to the forest there she abode three daies and at the last shee returned againe to the Pallys bearing in hir mouth a worme that is called Thumare Whan she came where hir birde was shee let the worme fall vppon the glasse thorough vertue of which worme the glalsse brake and the bird escaped and slew foorth with his dam. Whan the emperour saw this he praised much the dam of the birde which so diligently laboured for the deliueraunce of hir byrd The Morall ¶ My friends this Emperour is the father of Heauen which greatly loueth them that liue in perfect loue and charitie This litle birde closed in the glasse taken from the forest was Adam our forefather which was exiled froÌ„ out of Paradice put in the glasse that is to say in hel This hearing the Dam of the byrd that is to wit the sonne of God descended from heauen and came to the forest of the world and liued ther thrée dayes and more bearing with him a worme that is to say manhood according with the psalmist saying Ego sum vermis non homo That is to say I am a worme and no man This manhood was suffered to be slaine among the Jewes of whose blood the vessell eternall was broken and the byrd went out that is to saye Adam went foorth with his mother the sonne of God and flew vnto heauen The Argument ¶ A cleane spirite and vndefiled soule is the daughter of God so tender and deere vnto him that he bestoweth hir not vpon the rich man wanting the wisdome of God but vpon the poore manne that is wise and liueth in the feare of God which if she at any time transgresle by frailtie of flesh than for the recouery of hir health by the medicine of amendement of lyse to such a one though poore shall his soule be not onely in this lyfe espoused with much solace ioye ech of other but in the world to come shall liue with Christ in ioy and euerlasting blisse The fourth Historie SOmetime dwelled in Rome a worthy Emperour and a wyse which had a fayre daughter and a gracious in the sight of euery man This emperour bee thought him on a daye to whome he might giue his daughter in marriage saying thus If I giue my daughter to a rich man and he be a foole then is she lost and if I giue hir to a poore man and a wittie than may he get his liuing for him and hir by his wisedome There was that time dwelling in the citie of Rome a Philosopher named Socrates poore and wise which came to the Emperour sayde My Lord displease you not though I put foorth my peticion before your highnes Themperour sayd whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee tell foorth Then sayd Socrates My Lord ye haue a daughter whome I desire aboue all thing Themperour answered and said My friend I shall giue thée my daughter to wife vpon this condicion that if she dye in thy feloship after that she is wedded to thée thou shalt without doubt léese thy head Then said Socrates Upon this condition I will gladly take hir to bée my wife Themperour hearing this let call foorth all the Lords and states of his Empyre and made a great feast at their wedding And after the feast Socrates led home his wife to his owne house where as they liued in peace and health long time But at the last this Emperours daughter sickned to death when Socrates perceiued this hee saide to himselfe Alas and wo to mée what shall I doe and whether shall I flée if the Emperours daughter that is my wife should dye and for sorrow this Socrates went to a forrest there béeside and wept bitterly The while he thus wept and mourned there came an aged man bearing a staffe in his hande and asked the cause of Socrates why he mourned Socrates answered and sayd I wedded themperours daughter vpon this condition that if she died in my feloship I should leese my lyfe now shee is sickned vnto the death I câ—n find no remedie nor help and therefore I mourne more than any creature can thinke Then saide the olde man be of good comfort for I shall help you if yee will doe after my counsell In this forrest be three herbes if ye make a drink of the first to your wife of the other two a playster and if she vse this medicinall drincke and plaister in due time without doubt she shall recouer to perfect health Socrates fulfilled all as the olde man had taught him And whaÌ„ his wife had vsed a while that medicinall drinke and plaister within short tyme she was perfectly whole of all hir sickenesse And when the Emperour heard that Socrates wrought so wisely and how diligently he laboured for to heale his wife he promoted him to great dignitie and worship The Morall Deere friendes this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ his daughter so fayre and so gracious is the soule made to the si 〈…〉 de of God which is full gracious glorious in the sight of him and of his Angells while that shee is not defiled and abideth in hir owne proper cleannesse This soule God would not giue it to a rich man but to a poore man that is to say a man that is made of the slyme of the earth This Socrates is a poore man for why euery man commeth poore naked into this world from his mothers belly euery man taketh his soule in wedlocke vpon such condition that if shée die in his felowshippe by deadly sinne without doubt hée shall loose eternall life Therefore O thou man if thy wife sicken so through frailtie of flesh vnto sinne doe then as Socrates dyd goe vnto the forrest that is the Church of Christ and thou shalt finde there an old man with a staffe that is a discréet preacher which shall minister vnto thée those thrée hearbes wherrof may bée confect the medicine of thy recouery vnto health namely the first herbe is
possesseth lyfe of euerlasting ioy and blisse The 15. History SOmetime dwelled in Rome a noble Emperour named Agias which had retaining vnto him a Knight called Gerard which was a worthy warrior neuerthelesse he was as méeke as a Lambe in the Emperours courte but in the field he was like a Lion This Emperour had a faire daughter whome the strong and mightie Earle of Palester carryed perforce away and defiled neuerthelesse it displeased more themperour the defiling of his daughter than the carrying of hir away wherefore he called vnto him his counsayle and sayde Déere friends it is not vnknowen to you the despite and violence done to mée in deflowring of my daughter and therefore I purpose to giue battaile to the Earle wherefore I pray you to be ready at a day that ye may procéede with me in battaile And they sayde Lord we be readie to liue and dye with you in battaile When the apointed day of battaile came they met on both sides and a cruell sharp conflict was prosecuted on both sides and all that were of themperours part were slaine And as themperour himselfe should haue bene sorceably assayled the knight Gerard put himselfe among his enimies before themperour and fought manfully and so Themperour escaped and the knight aboad and slew the earle neuerthelesse this knight had diuers wounds This notwithstaÌ„ding he aboad still till the blood ran downe to his foote And when his enimies saw that the Earle was slaine they fledde and the Knight with his people â—â—â—â—owed on the 〈…〉 till hée came to the place where themperours daughter was and â—â—dde hâ—r with him And thus with triumph and victory he â—â—â—urned againâ— to themperour For â—â—â— which victory and reobtaining of themperours daughter he was greatly peaâ—â—â—d of all people Not long after it befel that this knight had a suâ—e to moue themperours court wherefore the knight came vnto themperour prayed him méekely to be fauorable in his cause and furthermore he prayed him to doe the reason touching his honest demaund When Themperour had heard him he called to him a Justice and sayd â—ir Justice our will is that you performe all equitie vnto this knight and that that the Law will And wheÌ„ the knight heard this he cryed with a lowd voice Alas alas who heard euer such a thing of an Emperour thou wert said hee in battaile where thy head should haue béene smitten off and I in myne owne person and none other man put my selfe in ieopardy for thée and saued thée and now thou hast assigned an other man to bee Judge in my cause alas that euer thou wert borne And with that word the knight put of all his clothes sheweh his wounds that hée had receiued in the battâ—â—â—e vnto all the men that were there present and sayde Loâ— what I haue suffered for thee Oh Emperour and I put none other man in my stâ—de and now thou assignest an other man in my cause For sooth I say to thée that I neuer serued such a Lord béefore When the Emperour heard this being almost confounded in himselfe said thus O Déere friend all that thou sayest is trouth thou sauedst mée from death thou diddest reobtaine my daughter againe and for my sake thou hast suffered many wounds For sooth it is right that I in my owne person come downe and make an end of thy cause such as may bee honour and ioye to thée And when themperour labored busily in this matter and made thereof an ende according to the knights entente wherefore all men greatly commended the Emperour The Morall Déere friends this Emperour may bée called euery Christian man or else all mankinde which had a faire daughter that is to say the soule made to the similitude of God This Earle beetokeneth the diuell which carryeth away deflowreth by sinne the soule of man through eating of the fruite of the tree knowing good and euill wherefore all mankind was in thraldom til a strong and valiant knight came and put himselfe on the Crosse to suffer death as a redéemer of mankinde from the diuell For if that had not béene wée had all beene partakers of thraldome euerlaistngly and this Knight reduced and reobtayned the Soule of man vnto the Church wherefore hée suffered many great wounds in his body And now this knight that is to saye our Lord Jesu Christ hath a matter to doe among vs that is to saye to fynde in vs perfecte life wherefore hee calleth on vs dayly that wée shold bée redy at all times saying thus in the Apocalipse iii. Eccesto ab hostium pulso si quis mihi aparuerit introibo câ—nibo That is to say Loe I stand and knocke at the dore if any man will open to mee I shall come in suppe with him But many men doe as the Emperour dyd the which appointed the knight an other Judge then him selfe But now a dayes there bée some men that will doe no repentaunce for the loue of him which assigned no man but himselfe to fight for vs. And therefore against vnthankfull persons it shal bee sayde thus Loe hée suffered for vs on the Crosse despoyled of all his clothing and showeth to vs all his wouÌ„ds that hee suffered for vs. Bée wée therefore thankfull vnto God for his graces that wée may suffer for his loue some sorowfull repentaunce For hée that suffereth paine for the loue of God in this life shall receiue an hundrid tymes more reward in the lyfe euerlasting and also hée shall obtaine euerlasting life vnto the which our Lord Jesus bring all mankinde Amen The Argument The soule of man is heere warned to eschew the pleasant baites and subtill craft of the diuell that shee yeeld not to his allutments least shee bee ouercome of him and hee get the vantage of this mortall course from hir and bereue hir of the ioyes in the lyfe to come The 16. History THere dwelt somtimes in Rome a witty emperour namid Pompey which had a fayre daughter called Aglas This daughter had many vertues aboue all other women of that Empyre First shee was faire and gracious in the sight of euery man She was also swift in running that no man might ouertake hir by a great space When Themperour vnderstood these two vertues in his daughter hée was right ioyfull wherefore hée made to proclaime throughout all his Empyre that what man poore or riche would runne with his daughter should haue hir to wyfe with great riches if hée might ouerrunne hir and come sooner to the marke then shée and if shée ouer runne him and come sooner to the marke then hée his heade should bée smitten off When the states of that Empyre as Dukes Earles Barrons and knights heard this crye they offered themselues one after an other to runne with hir but euer this young Lady ouer-ranne them all wherfore they lost their heads according to the law That time there was a poore man dwelling in Rome which thought within himselfe I
was made ther came a yong knight a geÌ„til which espoused the lady and after the death of the Emperour seased vpon all the Empyre into his iurisdiction and was crouned Emperour and shée Empresse The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which hath two daughters the one saire and the other foule The faire daughters betokeneth this worlde which is full faire and delectable to many men The other foule béetokeneth pouertie and trouble whome few men desire to marry with Neuerthelesse a common cry was made by the holy scripture that who so would haue his faire daughter that is the world should haue nothing with hir but hir fairnes that is to say the worldly vanities which fade and fall away like as the bewtie of man But who that will marry the foule daughter that is to saye voluntarily receiueth pouerty and trouble for gods loue without doubt hée shall obtayne the Empyre of heauen according to the Scripture saying Yee that haue forsaken all thing for my loue to folow mee shall haue euerlasting life Many noble and worthie men haue Justed for the fayre daughter that is to saie haue foughten both by Sea and by lande for this worlde for couetise of worldly riches and at the last there bee many slayne for there is nothing heere but pride of life couetousnesse of the eyes and of the flesh where through these gréeuous sinnes all the world is put to great mischiefe But hée that marryeth the saire daughter that is to saye the worlde is hée that setteth all his affection desire in the wretchednesse of this world will not for any thing forsake this world like a wretch and couetous man But hée that marrieth the foule daughter is a good christen man which for the loue of the kingdome of Heauen forsaketh all this world and not onely doth thus but also despiseth himselfe bodily obeying vnto his soueraines in all thing Such a man certainly shall obtaine the Empyre of heauen Unto the which Jesu Christ bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ Deuotion prayer and thankes giuing vnto God for his giftes is a sounding Musick delectable in the eares of God Wee are warned not after our first offending to returne to our vomit with the dogge no rather let vs bath our Soules in the Well of sorowfull and harty repentaunce and perceiueraunce of good lyfe that wee may lyâ—e with Christ in euerlasting ioye and blisse The 28. History SOmetime in Rome dwelt a mightie Emperour named Andromick which aboue all thing loued the harmony of Musicke This Emperor had within his Castel a wel of such vertue that whosoeuer were dronk by drinking the water therof should incontineÌ„t make him fresh againe deliuered froÌ„ all kinde of dronkennesse There was also dwelling in this Emperours court a Knight named Ydrony whom the Emperour loued much but often times hée was dronken which vice the Emperor heted aboue all thing And when this knight perceiued himselfe dronken then would hée goe to the well and drinck of that water and refresh himselfe so that what so euer The Emperour sayde to him hée would aunswere him so reasonably that no dronkenesse might bée séene in him and for his witty answere hée was greatly béeloued of the Emperour Neuerthelesse his fellowes of the court enuied him much and imagined amonge them selues how they myght withdrawe the Emperours loue from him It fortuned on a daye that this Emperour went to the Forrest and heard a Nightingale sing so merrely that often times after hée would rise earely in the morning sometimes from his meate and walke to the wood for to heare the swéetnesse of hir songe wherefore many of his men sard among themselues Our Lord delighteth so much in the Nightingales songe that hee rekoneth little of our profit in so much that thorough two things his loue is withdrawen from vs that is to saye by Ydrony the knight and by the swéete song of the Nightingale Then saide an olde knight that was among them Syes quod hee if yee will doe by my counsell I shall deliuer you of the knight Ydrony and of the Nightingale without hurt or death They sware and saide what so euer yee bidde vs doe wée shall straight way fulfill with all our heart When this knight heard this within a while after it chaÌ„ced he espied this Ydrony dronken wherfore hee locked fast the well and as this knight Ydrony came to refresh himselfe he found the well fast locked The Emperour had a great matter to treate of wherefore in hast he sent for this knight bicause of his great wisdome to haue his counsell And when hée came beefore the Emperour he was so dronken that he might not once moue his tongue neither had witte reason nor vnderstanding to answere the Emperour to his matter But when the Emperour saw this he was greatly gréeued for so much as hée hated that vice wherefore he commaunded anon that from the daye foorth he should no more bée séene within his land vpon paine of death This hearing his soes were very glad and said vnto the olde knight Now wée be deliuered of this knight Ydrony ther is no more to doe but that wée might finde the way to be deliuered of the Nightingale in which the Emperour delighteth so much Than sayd this olde knight your eares shall heare and your eyes shall see that this Nightingale shall be destroyed in short tyme. Not long after this olde knight espied that the Nightingale vsed to sit vpon a tree euen aboue the foresayd wel wheras hir make came coupled with hir neuerthelesse in the absence of hir make she tooke oftentymes an other make and coupled with hir when shée had thus done than would she descend to the well to bath hir selfe that when hir make came he should féele no sauour ne euill odour of that she had done When the knight had séene this on a tyme hee locked the well and when the Nightingale would haue descended to bath hir selfe after hir coupling with the other make shee found the well closed wherfore she flew vp into the trée againe and mourned sore in hir maner and left hir sweet song Then came hir make saw that she had done against hir nature he returned againe in short time brought a great multitude of Nightingales which slew his make tare hir all to péeces And thus was the wise knight put away and the Nightingale slayne and the Emperour put from his pleasure and solace such as he was wont to haue The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ which loueth greatly the song of deuotion for when we pray wée speake with God and when we reade God speaketh vnto vs. The well that was in the pallaies betokeneth acknowledging of our sinnes to God therefore if any man be dronken with sinne lette him drincke of that well of acknowledgeing his sinnes without doubt he shall be safe This Ydrony betokeneth euery man that wilfully returneth againe
to the forrest with his Asse to gather wood betookeneth euery iust and godly man fearing God in the forrest of this world the wood that he gathereth bâ—etokeneth his simple meaning to liue â—ell that hee carryeth on his Asse which béetokeneth the bodie of man wherewith his soule may ioye and liue in the taâ—â—â—na-cle of Heauen And as the Steward the Lyon the Ape and the Serpent that fell into the Pitte right so when a sinfull man falleth in the pitte of sinne The Lyon of the stocke of Iude that is Jesu Christ decendeth with him as oftentimes as the sinner hath will to come to grace Therfore saith the Psalmist Cum ipso sum in tribulatione That is to saie I am with him in tribulation This Guy draweth vp the Lyon that is to say Jesu Christ out of the pitte by the corde of vertues Hée drew vp the Ape also that is to saye contrary will to reason that hée might obay to reason For of all manner beasts the Ape is most lyke to manne right so among all the strengthes of the soule will ought to bée lykened vnto reason and to obey reason Hee drew vp also a Serpent by the which is vnderstoode repentaunce for two causes For the Serpent beareth in his mouth venim and his tayle is a medicine Right so repentaunce beareth at the beginning bitternesse to the doer neuerthelesse it is full swéete and medicinable vnto the soule at the ende therfore euery lust man should draw to him the serpent of repentaunce And at the last hée drew vp the Stewarde from the pyt of sinne according to Christes saying I am not come onely to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Also it is written that Seneca which taught an Emperour many lawes and vertues of truth and at the last like as this Steward dyd so dyd this Emperour seeke the death of his maister Seneca Also Christ gaue power to Iudas to worke myracles like as hée did to other Disciples neuerthelesse hée beetrayed him at the last Right so now a daies bée many children of Beliall which delight more to doe harme theÌ„ good in especiall to them that wouâ—d instruct them perfectly both for the soule and for the body The Lyon gaue to the iust and godly poore man tenne Asses charged with marchandise that is to saye our Lord Lesu Christ giueth to euery righteous man tenne commaundements charged with vertues by that which hée groweth to the riches of heauen The Ape also gathered him wood as oft as the iust man worketh the fruites of faith For wood voluntaryly is profitable for two thinges that is to saye to make fire and to builde houses Right so perfect charitie heateth the Angell according to scripture saying Quia magis gaudium est angelis c. That is to say More ioye is among angelis for one sinner doeing repentance c. Charitie also reyseth the house of heauen against the comming of the soule The Serpent also gaue him a stone of thrée diuers coulours the which betokneth our Lord Jesu Christ whome wée séeke by repentaunce Therefore sayth saint Ierome in the second table thus Post naufragium est penetendum That is to say We should repent vs after our trespasse That Christ is the stone may be proued by him selfe saying Ego sum lapis viuus That is to saye I am a liuing stone Christ hath three coullours which betokeneth the power of the father the wisdome of the sonne and the humilitie of the holy Ghost Therefore who so may get this stone shall haue the Empyre of heauen ioy without sorrow plentie without any want and light without darkenesse Unto which light bring vs our Lorde Jesu Christ that dyâ—d for all mankinde Amen The Argument ¶ By the natiuitie of Christ proceedeth ioyfull gladnesse to the world saluation vnto mankind Yet man is vnthankfull vnto God contrary to his promise made in Baptisme we are warned in all worldly tempestes to cleaue vnto Christ by faith hope to continue in well doing and to impugne the mallis of the diuell the prechers of gods woord are sent of god to confound the diuell by sound doctrine and good life life death is sette beefore man we ought then to chose that life that may be for our euerlasting comfort The 32. Historie IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Anselme which had wedded the kings daughter of Ierusalem a fayre Ladie and a gracious in the sight of euery man but she was long tyme with the Emperour or shée bare him any childe wherefore the Nobles of the Empyre were right sorowful because their Lord had none heyre of his bodie begotten Till at the last it befell that this Anselme walked after supper in an euening in his garden and bethought himself how he had none heyre and how the king of Ampluy warred on him continually for so much as hée had no sonne to make defence in his absence wherefore he was right sorowful and went to his chamber and slept And at the last him thought hée saw a vision in his sléepe that the morning was more cléerer than it was wont to bée that the Moone was much more paller on the one syde than on the other And after he saw a bird of two colours and by that byrd stood two beasts which fed that little byrd with their heate And after that come many â—o beasts bowed their breasts toward the byrd and went theyr way And than came ther diuers byrds that soung so swéetly pleasantly that the Emperour awaked In the morning earely this Anselme remembred his vision and wondred much what it might signifie wherefore he called to him his Philosophers and also the states of his Empyre and tolde them his dreame charging them to tell him the signification therof vpon paine of death if they tolde him the true interpretation therof he promised them great reward Then sayde they Déere Lorde tell vs your dreame and wée shall declare vnto you what it betokeneth Than the Emperour tolde them from the beginning to the ending as it is afore sayd When the Philosophers heard this with glad cheere they answered sayd Lord the dreame that ye saw betokeneth good for the Empyre shall be more clearer than it is The Moone that is more pale on the one side than on the other béetokeneth the Empresse that hath lost part of hir coulour through the concepcion of a sonne that she hath conceiued The little byrd betokeneth the sonne that shée shall beare The two beastes that fedde this bird betokeneth all the wyse men and riche menne of this Empyre shall obey thy sonne These other beastes that bowed theyr brestes to the byrde béetokeneth that many other nations shall doe him homage The Byrd that soung so swéetly to this little Byrd betokeneth the Romaines which shall reioyce and sing bycause of his byrth Lo this is the verye interpretation of your dreame When the Emperour heard this he was right ioyfull Soone
shauen and apparelled him worshipfully according to his estate and then shée said vnto him thus Now good brother take thy stéede and come with mée that wee may méete my Lord. Hée answered and sayd Lady I am redy to fulfil your will commaundement in all things And than the Empresse toke him with hir and many other knights and so rod foorth to meeâ— with the Emperour and as they rode together by the way they sawe where a great hart ranne afore them wherefore euery man with such hounds as they had chased him on horse backe so that with the Empresse was left no creature saue onely the Emperours brother which seeing that no man was there but they two thus hee saide vnto the Empresse Loe Lady heere beside is a priuie forrest and long it is agone that I spake to thée of Loue come now and consent vnto mee that I may lye with thee Then sayde the Empresse a foole what may this bee yesterday I deliuered thée out of prison vpon thy promise in hope of amendement and now thou art retoâ—rned to thy folly againe wherfore I saye now to thée as I haue sayde before there shall no man doe such thing with me saue onely my Lorde the Emperour which ought of very duty so for â—â— doe Then sayde â—ee if thou wilt not consent to mée I shall hang thée héere vpon a trée in this Forrest where no man shall finde thée so shalt thou dye an euill death The Empresse aunswered méekely and sayde Though thou smite of my head and put mée to death with all maner of torment thou shalt neuer haue mee to consent to such sinne When hee heard this hée vnciothed hir all saue hir smock and hanged hir vp by the haire vpon a trée tyed hir stéede beside hir and so rode foorth to his fellowes and tolde them that a great hoast of men met him and tooke the Empresse away from him And wheÌ„ he hadde tolde them this they made all great sorrow It befell on the third day after there came an Earle to hunt in that Forrest and as he rode beating the barks there started a Foxe whome his hounds followed fast till they came néere the trée where the Empresse hanged And when the dogges felt the sauour of hir they left the Fore and ranne towarde the Trée as fast as they could The Earle séeing this wondred greatly and spurred his horse and folowed them till he came wher as the Empresse hanged Whan the Earle â—aw hir thus hanging he maruailed greatly for as much as she was right fayre and gracious to behold wherefore he sayde vnto hir in this manner wise O woman who art thou and of what countrie and wherefore hangest thou héere in this manner wise The Emprisse that was not yet fully dead but in point ready to dye aunswered and said I am quod she a straunge woman and I am come out from far countrie but how I came hither God knoweth Than aunswered the Earle and said Whose horse is this that staÌ„deth by thée bound to this trée Than answered the lady and said that it was hirs WhaÌ„ the earle heard this he knew well that she was a gentle woman and came of noble linage wherfore he was the rather moued with pitty said vnto hir O faire lady thou seâ—est of gentle blood therfore I purpose to deliuer thée from this mischife if thou wilt promise to goe with mée nourish my faire yong daughter teach hir at home in my castell for I haue no childe but onely hir if thou kéepe hir well thou shalâ— haue a good reward for thy labour Than said she As far soorth as I can or may I shall fulfill thine entent And when she had thus promised him he tooke hir downe of the trée and led hir home to his castel and gaue hir the kéeping of his daughter that he loued so much and she was cherished so well that shée lay euery night in the earles chamber and his daughter with hir and in his chamber euery night there brent a lamp the which hanged beetwéene the Empresse bed and the earles bed This lady béehaued hir so gently that she was beloued of euery creature There was that time in the earls court a steward which much loued this Emprisse exceedingly aboue all things and oftentymes spake to hir of his loue But shée answered him againe and sayd Know yée déere friend for certainetie that I haue made a solempne vow to God that I shall neuer loue any man in such maner wise but onely him whom I am greatly beholden to loue by gods commaundement Than sayd the Steward Thou wilt not than consent vnto mée My Lorde quod shâ— what needeth thee any more to aske such thing the vow that I haue made truely I shall keepe hold by the grace of god And when the steward heard this hée went his way in great wrath and anger thincking within himselfe if I may I shall be reuenged on thée It befell vppon a night within short time after that the Earls chamber dore was forgotten and left vnshet which the steward had anone perceiued And when they were all a sleepe hee went and espied by the light of the lamp where the Emprisse and the young Mayden laye to gether and with that he drewe out his Knife and cut the throte of the Earles daughter put the bloody knife into the Emprisse hande shee beeing a sléepe and nothing knowing thereof to the intent that whan the Earle awaked he should see the knife in hir hande and that hée should think that she had cut his daughters throte wherfore she should bée put to a shameful death for this mischeuous déede And when this damosell was thus slaine and the bloody knife in the Emprisse hand the countesse awaked out of hir sléepe and sawe by the light of the Lampe the blouddie knife in the Emprisse hande wherefore she was almost out of hir wittes and sayd to the Earle O my Lorde behold in yonder Ladies hand a wonderfull thing Anone the Earle awaked and beheld on the Emprisse bed and saw the bloody knife as the countisse had sayd wherefore he was greatly moued and cried to hir and sayd Awake woman out of thy sléepe what thing is this that I sée in thy hand Anone the Emprisse through his crye awaked out of hir sleepe and in hir waking the knife fell out of hir hand and with that she looked by hir found the Earles daughter dead by hir side all the bed be sprent with blood wherefore with an huge voyce shée cryed and sayd Alas alas and welaway my lords daghter is slayne Than cryed the couÌ„tisse vnto the Earle with á pitious voyce said A my lord let the diuelish woman be put to the most foule death that can be thought which thus hath slaine our onely childe And when the countisse had sayde thus to the Earle she sayde to the Emprisse in this wise The high God knoweth that
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
him be wedded without any delaie vnto my daughter and yours with all the honour and solempnitie that can bée thought and whan they bée marryed that yée take him as your owne sonne and that hée keepe my roome till I come vnto you myselfe Whan the knight had thus written hée closed the letters subtylly and put them into the bore againe Early in the morning the young Squire arose and very hastely made him redie and toke his leaue of the knight rode foorth on his iourney and the third daie after he came vnto the Emprisse and saluted hir right worshipfully in the Emperours beehalfe and toke hir the letters And when the Empresse had redde them anone she sent foorth hir messengers through the countrie commaunding the states and gentilmen to come vnto hir daughters wedding at a certaine daie assigned When the daie was come thether came manie great Lordes and Ladies and anone this young Squire espoused the Emperours Daughter with great honour and worshippe according to the tenour of the letters was right well beloued and most honoured among the people Not long after it befell that the Emperour came into that Countrie and when the Empresse heard of hir Lords comming shee toke with hir hir sonne in law with much other people and went towardes the Emperour for to welcome him When the Emperour saw this yong Squire leading the Emprisse his wyfe he was greatly moued within himselfe and sayde O thou curssed Woman bycause thou hast not fulfilled my commaundement thou shalt dye an euill death A my déere Lord quod shée all that ye commaunded mee to doe I haue fullfilled Nay curssed woman sayde the Emperour it is not so for I wrote to thée that thou sholdest put him to death and now I see him aliue My Lord quod the Emprisse saueing your grace you wrote to mee that I should giue him your dauhter to wyfe and that on payn of death in witnesse wherof loe here your letters with your owne seale manuell When the Emperour heard this hée wondred greatly and sayd Is he espowsed then to my daughter Yea soothly sayd the Empresse long agoe with much solempnitie and great worshippe and as I perceiue your Daughter is with childe Than sayde the Emperour O thou lord Jesu Christ it is great folly to striue against thy ordinaunce therefore sith it is so thy will must needes be fulfilled And with that he tooke his sonne in law it his armes and kissed him which after his death was Emperour and ended his life in rest and peace The Morall ¶ This emperour maybetoken Herod or else euery tyraunt which walked alone without truth till he came to the fosters house that is to say the Church which is the house of God This Herode would haue slaine this childe Jesu wherefore he sent messengers to séeke him according to the scripture of saint Mathew telling how he commaunded the three kings to séeke him and bring him tidings againe where he was that he might come and worship him allso but this saide he not for loue but for deceipt The Foster betokeneth Ioseph our Ladies husband which kept him But when the messengers came that is to say when the thrée kinges came they slew him not but worshipped him on their knées and left him in the holow trée of his Godhead The Earle that came and found this childe betokeneth the holy ghost which warned Ioseph by the Angell in his sléepe that he should take our Lady and his sonne and flée in to the lande of Egipt This moralitie may be vndestoode otherwise This Emperour may be token a sinner that walketh in the forest of this world seeking vanities nought else vnto the time he come to the house of god there he is receiued benignely of the Prelate of the Churche if hée will obey the Commaundementes of GOD. But many of vs now a dayes sléepe in the Churche when they practyse not according to their profession and therefore ought they also to dreade thée voyces which I haue rehearsed by the first take that may be vnderstoode the great benisit that he gaue thee when hée put in thée a soule made at his owne similitude By the second take is wnderstoode the sonne of the father of heauen which was borne of the blessed Uirgin Mary By the third take is vnderstoode the same sonne of God which dyed vpon the crosse By the first yéelde is vnderstood that wee ought to yéeld our Soule vnto allmightie God as cleane as faire as hée gaue it vs after our regeneration in haptisme By the second yeld is vnderstood that we ought to yeld honour worship and loue vnto Almightie God and man By the third yelde is vnderstoode that we ought to yeld to God true confession of faith contricion of hart and amendement of life The first shee beetokeneth sinne which we should â—lee The second flee betokeneth the world which we should flee for the great salsehoode temptations that are therein The third â—lee betokeneth euerlasting paine the which we ought to â—lee through faith and hir fruits by the tyrant She lyeth for she is my wife and I haue found hir in adultry with an other man and therefore I will slea hir Than sayde the knight I beleue better the woman theÌ„ thee for loe the tokens of truth appere openly in hir visage that thou hast rauished hir therefore wil I fight with thée for hir deliueraunce And immediately they buckled both together fought egerly till they were both sore wounded Neuerthelesse the knight obtayned the victorie put the tyrant to slight Then said the knight vnto the woman Loe I haue suffered for thy loue many sore wounds and haue saued thée from thy death wilt thou therefore promise to be my wise That I desire you quod she with all my hart and therevpon I betake thee my trouth When shée was thus ensured than said the knight as foloweth Héere beside is my Castell go thether and abyde there till I haue visited my friends and my kinsmen to prouide for all thinges néedefull for our weddinge for I purpose to make a great feast for thine honour and worship My Lord quod she I am ready to fulfill your wil. Than went she foorth vnto the Castell where as shée was worshipfully receyued And the Knight went vnto his friends for to make him readie against the day of marriage In the meane while came Poncianus the tirant to the knights Castell and prayed hir that hée might speake with hir Than came she downe from the castell to him This tirant subtilly flattered hir saide Gentle loue if it please you to consent to mée I shall giue you both golde and siluer greate riches and I shall be your seruaunt ye my soueraigne When the woman heard this full lightly shée was deceyued through his flattering language graunted him to be his wife and tooke him with hir into the castell It was not long after but that thys knight came
home and found the castell gate shutte and knocked there at but longe it was ere he might haue an aunswere And at the last the Woman came and demaunded why hee knocked at the gate Then saide hée to hir O déere lady why hast thou so soone chaunged my loue let me come in Nay surely said she thou shalt not come here for I haue here with me my loue which I loued before Remember quod the knight thou gauest me thy troth to be my wife and how I saued thée from death and if thou ponder not thy faith béehold my wounds which I haue suffred in my body for thy loue And anone he vnclothed himselfe naked saue his hosen that he might shew his woundes openly But she would not sée them ne speake more with him but shet fast the gate went hir way And when the knight saw this he went to the Justice made his complaint to him praying him to giue right wise iudgment on this tyrant and this woman The Judge called them béefore him and when they were come the Knight said thus My Lord quod hée I aske the benefite of the law which is this If a man rescew a woman from rauishinge the rescuer shall marrie hir if him list and this woman deliuered I from the hands of the tyrant therefore I ought to haue hir to my wyfe furthermore she gaue me hir faith trouth to marry with mee and therevpon shee went to my castle I haue done great cost against our wedding and therefore as it seemeth mee shee is my wife as by the law Then sayde the Judge to the tyrant Thou knowest well that this knight deliuered hir from thy hands for hir loue hath suffred many grieuous wounds and therefore well thou wottest that shée is his wife by the law if that him list But after hir deliuerance with flattering spech thou hast deceiued hir therfore I iudge thée to bee hanged Than said the Judge to the woman in lykewise O woman thou knowest how this knight saued thée from death and therevpon thou bée tookest him thy faith and troth to bee his wife therfore by two reasons thou art his wife first by the lawe and after by thy faith and trouth This notwithstanding thou concenâ—idst afterward to the tyraunt and broughtest him into the Knightes Castell shottest the gate against the knight and wouldst not sée his wounds which he suffered for thy loue and therfore I iudge thée to bée hanged And so it was done both the rauisher and shee that was rauished were condempned to the death wherefore euerie man praised the iudge for his right wise iudgement The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the father of Heauen which ordained for a law that if the soule of man were rauished from God by sinne the sauer of the soule should espouse hir if him list The woman that was rauished béetokeneth the soule of man which was rauished by sinne of our forefather Adam led out of Paradise into the forrest of this wretched world by the tirant Poncianus which betokeneth the diuell and he not onely defouled hir by leasyng of the heritage of heauen but also hée would sley hir with euerlasting paine But the soule cryed with a high voice whose crye our Lord Jesu Christ heard This cry was made when Adam cryed after the oyle of mercie And the Patryarkes prophets cryed for remedy saying these wordes O thou highnesse in the Cast and so foorth visite thou vs. c. The knight betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which came from Heauen and fought with the tyrant that is to say the diuell both they were sore wounded For our Lord Jesu Christ was wounded in the flesh the diuell maymed in his kingdome wherfore the woman that is to say the soule gaue hir faith and troth vnto almightie GOD when he became christian saying these wordes I forsake the Diuell and all his pride and beléeue in God the father almightie Than ordayned our Lord Jesu Christ a marriage betwéene him and hir with the