is wrytâ—n in my foreheed And than they loked vp sawe thys posey wryten TeÌ„pore mutantur homines determinaÌ„tur Tymes ben chaunged men ben worse worse For who wyll saye the trouth shall haue his heed broken therfore go ye forth to your lorde and tell hym all that ye haue redde seen The messengers wente forth tolde y e Emperour all that they had herde seen Than sayd y e Emperour arme your selfe and go to the ymage yf that ye fynde ony man that hath bosted or thretened the ymage bynde hym hande and fote brynge hym to me Than wente the messengers forth to y e ymage sayd vnto it Tell vs y e trouth yf ony maÌ„ hath thretened the and we shall auenge the anone Than sayd the ymage Take the smyth Focus for he is the man that wyll not honour the natyuyte of the Emperour Anone the messengers ledde forth that smyth before theÌ„perour anone examyned hym why he kepte not the daye of themperours natiuyte in reuerence honour accordyng to the lawe Than answered the smyth sayd Reuerend lorde I beseche you that ye wyl heare myne excuse yf I answere not reasonably to all maner of poyntes y t ye wyll aske me I wyll put me fully to your grace Than sayd themperour I shal heare the and that that is ryghtfull I shall do Than sayd the smyth It behoueth me to haue viij.d euery day in the weke that I can not gete wythout greate labour therfore I may in no maner wyse kepe y e day holy day more than other dayes Than sayd the Emperour Why behoueth it the to haue these viii d Than sayd y e smyth I am bouÌ„de to pay dayly ij.d and ii.d I lende and ii.d â–ª I lese and ii.d I spende Than sayd the Emperour Tell me more expresly of these viij.d Than sayd the smyth I am bounde euery day to paye ii.d. to my father for whan I was yonge my father spent on me ii.d dayly therfore am I bouÌ„de to helpe hym paye hym agayn hys ii.d for hys sustentacyon Also ii.d I lese on my wyfe Than sayde themperour why lesest thou that ii.d on thy wyfe Than sayd he where se ye euer woman but she had one of these poyntes eyther she is wylfull or contrary to her husbande or of hote coÌ„pleccyon therfore that I gyue her I lese Also ii.d I lende to my sone wherwyth he is susteyned that whan I coÌ„me to age pouerte that he may paye me agayn ii.d lyke as I do to my father Also I spende ii.d on my â—elfe in meate drynke and that is lytell ynough Than sayd themperoure thou hast answered well wisely Not longe after it befell that the Emperour dyed thys smyth Focus was chosen to be Emperour bycause he spente hys viii.d so wysely so profytably thus he ended hys lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Dere frendes thys emperour is our blessed sauyour Iesu Chryst whych ordeyned by hys holy lawe y t euery man sholde worshyp the sondaye This Uirgil that made thys ymage is the holy goost whyche is set vp amonge vs a precher to teche vertues to repreue vices that he sholde not spare the poore ne y e ryche But now yf a precher wolde saye trouth agaynst ony man anone he shall be thretened of the ennemyes of Chryst that is to saye by euyll men that neyther loue god nor man wherfore the precher may saye now a dayes that posey whyche was wryten in the fore heed of the ymage Tymes ben chaunged from good to yll men ben dayly worse and worse For who so wolde saye the trewth now a dayes shall haue his heed broken Therfore it is nede they be armed that is to say that euery precher be armed w t good dedes in ensample of other than it nedeth not to drede in so moche that they haue god trewth to staÌ„de by them accordyng to y e apostles sayenge Si deus nobiscuÌ„ quis contra nos Yf god be wyth vs who may be agaynst vs. By thys smyth Focus is vnderstande euery good chrysten man whyche dayly sholde werke merytoryous dedes than ought he to be presented before the heuenly Emperour Thys Focus payde ii.d to hys father so we sholde paye to our father of heuen ii.d that is to saye honour loue For whan we were the chyldren of wretchednes put in bondage almyghty god sente downe to the erth hys sone to redeme vs accordyng to saynt IohnÌ„ the euangelyst sayenge Deus dilexit munduÌ„ vt filiuÌ„ suuÌ„ vnigenituÌ„ daret pro minido God loueth the worlde so well that he wolde gyue hys onely sone for the saluacyon of the worlde Also this Focus lente ii.d to his sone that is to saye euery chrysten man ought to lende to y e sone of god our lord Chryst Iesu good wyll merytoryous dedes in our lyfe that the may paye vs agayn at y e day of dome whan soule body shal be gloryfyed in that he is our brother it may well be proued by y e texte of Esaie saying thus â—uer natus est nobis c. A chylde is borne to vs. This Focus lost ii.d on hys wyfe Thy wyfe betokeneth thy flesshe vpon whom thou hast lost ij d that is to saye vnlawfull loue consent to synne for why the flesshe is coÌ„trary to y e goost euer is redy to harme Thys Focus also spente ij.d on hym selfe y t is to saye by y e fyrst peny ye shall vnderstande penauÌ„ce done in whyche the soule greatly delyteth in heueÌ„ and there is gloryfyed And by the seconde peny we ought to vnderstande the stedfast abydynge in doynge of penaunce for he that abydeth vnto the ende shall be saued And who that spendeth well these two pens shall optayne euerlastynge lyfe Unto the whych brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a noble Emperour whyche among all other vertues loued best mercy wherfore he ordeyned a lawe that euery blynde man sholde haue an hondred shyllynges by yere of hys treasour It befell on a daye that there came certayne men to a tauerne to drynke wyne after that these men had sytten in the tauerne thre dayes the fourth daye they were greatly in the tauerners dette and had no money to paye for theyr wyne wherfore the tauerner came to them charged them y t they sholde not voyde tyll they had payde for theyr wyne ThaÌ„ sayd one of y e drynkers to hys felowes Syrs quod he themperour hath made suche a lawe that euery blynde man shall haue an hondred shyllynges of his treasour therfore let vs cast lottes amonge vs to whom the lot falleth let hys eyen be put out and so may he go to themperours palays gete an hondred shyllynges And this greatly reioysed them sayd that the couÌ„seyle was ryght good wherfore they cast lottes amonge them the
we may obey god and than shal we haue euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Frederyke whyche had no chyldren saue a doughter tho whome this Emperour after his decese bequethed all hys empyre Thys vnderstandynge an erle that dwelte there besyde came vnto thys yonge lady wowed her stered her to synne all that he myght wherfore thys yonge lady in shorte processe of tyme enclyneh to the erle this erle anone lay with her defouled her after that he put her froÌ„ her herytage and chaced her out of her empyre wherfore she made great lamentacyon fledde vnto a realme there besyde where as she dayly wept mourned It befell after on a day that whyle she sate mournynge besyde a waye there came rydyng by her a fayre yonge knyght vpon a good hors whyche came towarde her a greate pâ—ce worshypfully salewed her and asked the cause why she mourned so sore Than answered she sayd My reuerend lord I am an Emperours doughter coÌ„men of a royall kynne my father is deed whyche lefte me all hys empyre bycause he had none other heyre after his decese an erle there besyde deceyued me toke from me my maydenheâ—e after that he put me vyoleÌ„tly out of myne herytage so that now I am fayne to begge my breed from dore to dore this is the cause of my sorowe Than sayd the knyght fayre damoysell I haue great coÌ„passyon on thy beaute and on thy gentylnes therfore yf thou wylte graunte me one thynge I shall fyght for the agaynst y e erle and I behote the the victory Than sayd she alas alas I haue nothynge y t I may gyue to the but my selfe And I aske no more of the sayd the knyght but that thou woldest be my wyfe and loue no man so moche as me Than sayd she Reuerende syr that wyll I do gladly more yf I myght Than sayd the knyght I wyll that thou do for me one thynge that yf it fortune me to dye in batayle for the opteyne the victory thou shalte take my blody sherte hange it vpon a perche in thy chambre and thys shalte thou do for two thynges The fyrst is y t whan so euer thou beholdest the sherte thou shalt wepe for me The seconde is that what so euer man comme to wowe the to be his wyfe than shalte thou hastely renne vnto thy chambre beholde my blody sherte thynke hertely wythin thy selfe thus The lorde of this sherte dyed for my loue in batayle the whyche recouered my herytage god forbede that I sholde take ony other maÌ„ after his deth Than sayd she Reuerende syr all thys I shall fulfyll bi the grace of god And whan y e knyght heâ—de this he gaue batayle agaynst the erle oâ—teyned the victory and y e erle was ouercome â—ledde And thys yonge lady was brought receyued agayne in to her herytage Neuerthelesse thys knyght was deedly wouÌ„ded in that batayle wherof he dyed but or he dyed he bequethed hys blody sherte vnto this damoysell desyrynge her to kepe her promesse Whan thys yonge lady herde of his deth she wepte sore made great lamentacyon for his deth And in hys sherte was wryteÌ„ this verse Thynke on hym haue mynde that to y e was so kynde Anone whan she had receyued the sherte she hanged it vpon a perche in her chambre as oftentymes as she behelde it she wepte bytterly It befell not longe after that the states of her Empyre came to her desyred her to take a husbande But than she wente to her chambre behelde the blody â—herte than waxed she sorowfull sayd oftentymes alas alas thou suffred deth for my loue thou also recouered agayn myne heritage god forbede that I shold take ony other man but the. And thus she answered euery man that came to her so they wente away vnsped and she ended her lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour is the father of heuen and his doughter is the soule of man made at the similitude of god to whome god gaue bequethed the empyre of paradyse But ther came an erle y t is the deuyl and styred her to synne whan she ete of the apple sayd to her thus In what houre ye â—ate of y e apple ye shall be lyke goddes wherfore we brekyng goddes comaundement we were all exiled out of paradyse chased to the realme of thys worlde here to lyue in greate wretchednes lyke as the psalmyst sayth In sudore vultus tui c. In the swete of thy vysage thou shalte eate thy breed But than came a fayre yonge knight a stronge that is to saye our lorde Iesu Chryst whych had compassyon vpon mankynde toke our flesshe our blode and gaue batayle to the deuyl and ouercame hym and thus wanne he agayne our herytage Therfore let vs do as thys yonge lady dyd put we thys blody sherte that is to saye the mynde of y e passyon of Chryst on the perche of our hert and thynke we how â—ur lorde Iesu Chryst shed hys precyous blode for vs. And yf ony maÌ„ that is to saye the deuylt or ony other wolde styre vs to synne anone thynke we on y e passyon of Chryst saye we thus I shall take none other but the whyche hast shedde thy blode for me thus shall we wynne euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche god brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour named Apolloninus whyche ordeyned for a lawe that euery man vpon payne of deth sholde worshyp the day of his natiuite This Emperour called to hym a clerke y t hyght Uirgyll sayd My dere mayster there be many heed synnes done contrary to the lawe therfore I praye the that thou by thy connynge wolde make some craft wherby I myght knowe who trespaceth agaynst y e lawe pryuely or pertly Than sayd Uirgyll My reuâ—â—eÌ„de lord your wyll shall be done Anone thys Uirgyll thrugh hys crafte made an ymage in the myddes of the cyte of Rome whyche dysceuered tolde themperours messengers who trespaced agaynst the lawe who not There was that tyme dwellyng in y e cyte of Rome a smyth that hyght Focus whych for no thynge wolde worshyp the natyuyte of the Emperour It befell vpon a nyght as the smyth laye in hys bedde he thought vpon the ymage that had accused so many men before dred leest the ymage wolde accuse hym wherfore he rose went to the ymage sayd I make a vowe to god yf thou accuse me I shall breke thy heed And whan he had thus sayd he went home The Emperour on the morowe after folowynge sent hys messeÌ„gers to the ymage as he was wont before to knowe to vnderstande who had trespaced agaynst the lawe And to them than sayd the ymage lyfte vp your eyen behold what
whych hangyng speketh the apostle saying Suspende elegit a iÌ„a mea My soule hath chosen to be hanged For lyke as a man is lyfte vp from the grounde by hangynge ryght so a synner is lyfte vp fro synne towarde heuen vnto god by the haÌ„gynge of satisfaccyoÌ„ vpon thys galous we shold hange tyll the byrdes of heuen came downe y t is to say tyll the apostles coÌ„me downe to fede vs wyth our good dedes For there is more ioye of one synner doynge hys penauÌ„ce a fore the auÌ„gels of god in heuen c. Lyke as the stewarde brought agayne themperours doughter So it behoueth vs to seke about by dyuerse werkes of mercy fynde our soule y t we lost brynge her agayn to the chyrche rule well our .v. wyttes and fede our greyhounde as we sholde make our lyfe so clene and pure that we fall not agayne to synne for drede that it fortune to vs worse y t we haue no leyser to aske mercy agayn at our nede And yf we fulfyll al this truly vnto to our lyues ende wtout doubte we shall optayne euerlastyng lyfe To y e whych our lord brynge vs all AmeÌ„ IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure and a wyse named Edfenne whych ordeyned for a law that who so euer rauysshed a mayde shold be at her wyll whether she wolde put hym to deth or y t she wolde haue hym to her husbande It befell after that a man rauyâ—shed in a nyght two fayre maydeÌ„s y e fyrst damoysell desyred that he sholde dye the second desyred weddyng The rauyssher was taken â—edde before the iudge that sholde satisfye bothe these damoyselles thrugh hys wysdome ryghtfulnes The fyrst damoysell euer desyred the deth accordyng to the lawe Than sayd the seconde I desyre hym to be my husbande for in lyke wyse as thou hast the lawe for the in lyke wyse I haue it for me neuerthelesse my petycyon is more better than yours for it is more charytable therfore me thynketh in my reason that the iustyce sholde gyue sentence wyth me Than the iustyce vnderstaÌ„dyng the greate mercy of the seconde damoysell gaue iudgemeÌ„t that he sholde wedde her and so it was done ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth our lord Iesu Chryst. The rauyssher betokeneth euery synner whyche rauyssheth goddes mercy as often as he defouleth the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god by synne for the deuyl may neuer ouercoÌ„me man but yf it be suffred by wyll For saynt Austyn sayth Non est peccatuÌ„ nisi sit voluÌ„tariuÌ„ It is no synne but yf it be voluntary The synner rauyssheth the mercy of god as oft as he hath very coÌ„tricyon The rauysher also is called afore the Iustyce whan y e soule is departed from the body and anone the fyrst damoysell that is the deuyll layde agaynst the synner that he ought to dye euerlastyngly by y e lawe of ryghtwysnes But that other mayden that is Chryst layde for her how y e mercy of god ought to helpe by coÌ„tricyon coÌ„fessyon whyche is y e hygh waye to euerlastyng lyfe Unto the whyche god brynge bothe you me Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty emperour and a ryche named Lypodyus whyche toke to wyfe a fayre vyrgyn a gentyll and was the kynge of Assyryens doughter This yonge lady coÌ„ceyued bare a chylde in the byrth of her sone she dyed And anone after her decese thys Emperour wedded an other wyfe and begate her wyth chylde also And anone after that these chyldren were borne he sente them bothe in to a strauÌ„ge lande for to be nourysshed Than sayd the mother of the seconde chylde My reuerende lorde .x. yeres ben passed syth I bare my chylde and yet sawe I hym neuer but ones that was the fyrst daye of hys byrth therfore I beseche you my lorde to sende for hym that I may ones reioyce me of hys syght Than sayd y e Emperour I haue an other chylde by my fyrst wyfe yf I sende for thy sone than must I sende for bothe thaÌ„ anone he sente for them And whan they were coÌ„men they were passyng fayre wel nourysshed wel taught and passynge lyke in al maner thynges that vnnethes that one myght be knowen fro that other but yf it were onely of the father Than sayd the mother of y e seconde chylde A my lorde tell me whyche of these is my sone he called hym her sone that he begate on hys fyrst wyfe Whan thempresse herde thys she gaue all her cure to nourysshe to eeche hym despysed that other Whan the Emperour sawe thys he sayd to hys wyfe Sothly I haue deceyued the for hym that y e louest so moche is not thy sone but that other is thy sone Than set she all her cure vpon the second forsoke the fyrst Whan the Emperour sawe thys he sayd Truly I haue deceyued the yet without doubte this is not thy sone but one of them two is thy sone Than sayd y e mother A my lorde for hys loue that dyed on y e rode tell me wythout cauellacyon whyche of them is my sone The Emperour answered sayd certaynly I wyl not tell you tyll they be coÌ„me to maÌ„hode for this reason Fyrst I tolde you that thys was thy sone hym thou nourysshest as thy sone and forsokest that other whan I tolde you that thys was thy sone than y e despysed the fyrst cherysshedest the seconde therfore I wyll that thou cherysshe nourrysshe them bothe tyll they coÌ„me to that y e mayst haue ioye of them Whan thempresse herde thys â–ª she nourysshed them bothe a lyke And whaÌ„ they were bothe coÌ„me to age themperour made a great supper and before all hys gestes he tolde hys wyfe openly whyche of them was her chylde Than reioyced she greatly wyth her sone she ended her lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Thys Emperours sones betokeneth those y t be chosen to euerlastyng lyfe those y e be not chosen The mother of them is the chyrche y t nouryssheth them bothe Therfore our lorde wyl not y t the chyrche sholde knowe whyche be chosen and whyche be not chosen For yf she knewe that than wolde she loue y e one hate y e other so sholde charyte be ouerthrowen amonge vs sholde lyue in discorde stryfe but trouth at the daye of dome shall tell vs whyche of them shall be saued and whyche shall be dampned Therfore praye we in thys worlde that we may coÌ„me to the euerlastynge feest in heuen Unto the whyche god brynge bothe you me Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a myghty emperour named PoleÌ„nus whyche had thre sones whom he loued moche It befell vpon a daye whan thys Emperour lay vpoÌ„ hys bedde he bethought hym to whych of hys sones he myght gyue hys empyre after hys decese Than called he to hym hys thre sones and sayde Whyche of you thre y t is slowest shall haue myne Empyre after
of man whych beareth the fyre of glotony lechery y t whych brent Adam our fore father whan he ete of the forboden apple The venymous beâ—stes that poysoned the men betokeneth the fendes of hell â–ª whych for y e moost parte hath destroyed mankynde The states of the cite betoken patriarkes prophetes whyche besought god of good couÌ„â—eyle remedy that mankynde myght be 〈◊〉 anone it was couÌ„seyled for the best 〈◊〉 that a lyon y t is Chryst sholde be hanged vpon a crosse accordynge to scripture saying thus Expediâ— vnus moriâ—tur homo ê“ populo et nongens peroat c. That is to saye It behoueth a man to dye for the people leest all folkes be perysshed Than toke they Chryst henge hym on y e crosse for the whych the deuyll dredeth christen people and dare not nyâ—h them And thus by the grace of god chrysten men shall coÌ„me to euerlastyng blysse Unto y e whych brynge vs he that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure and a mercyfull named Menalay whych ordeyned suche a lawe that what mysdoer wâ—re taken put in pryson yf he myght escape coÌ„me to the emperours palays he shold be there safe for all maner felony treason or ony other trespace that he had done in hys lyfe It was not longe after but it befell y t a knyght trespaced wherfore he was takeÌ„ put in a stronge a darke pryson where he lay longe tyme had no lâ—ght but at a lyttell wyndowe where as skante lyght shone in that lyghtned hym to eate the symple meate y t was brought hym by hys keper wherfore he mourned greatly and made great sorowe that he was thus fast shette vp froÌ„ the syght of men Neuerthelesse whan the keper was gone there came dayly a nightyngale in at y t wyndowe sange full swetely of whose songe this woful knyght oft tyme was fedde with ioye whaÌ„ thys byrde seased of her songe than wold she flye in to y e knyghtes bosom and there thys knyght fedde her many a day of the vytayle that god sente hym It befell after on a day that this knight was greatly desolate of coÌ„forte Neuerthelesse the byrde sate in his bosom eatyng nuttes thus he sayd vnto the byrde O good byrde I haue susteyned the many a day what wylte thou gyue me now in my desolacyon to coÌ„forte me remembre the well that y e art the creature of god and I also therfore helpe me now in my great nede Whan the byrde herde this she flewe forth from hys bosom taryed from hym thre dayes But the thyrde day she came agayne brought in her mouth a precyous stode layde it in the knyghtes bosome And whan she had so done she toke her flyght flewe from hym agayne The knyght meruayled of y e stone of the byrde therwyth he toke the stone in his hande touched his gyues fetters therwith anone fell of all his fetters chaynes wherw t he was bouÌ„de And than he arose touched the dores of the pryson anone they opened so he escaped ranne fast to y e Emperours palays Whan the keper of y e pryson perceyued thys he blewe a horne thryse reysed vp al the folke of the cyte ledde them forth cryenge wyth an hye voyce Lothe thefe is gone folowe we hym al. And with that he ranne before all his felowes towarde the knyght whaÌ„ he came nygh hym y e knyght beâ—â— his bowe dyd shote an arowe wherw t he smote the keper in y e lunges and slewe hym than he ranne to y e palays where as he founde socour accordynge to the lawe ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst whyche ordeyned a lawe that what mysdoer that is to saye what synner myght escape coÌ„me to the palays of holy chyrche thrugh confessyon and coÌ„tricyon sholde fynde there ê‘petuall socour helpe Thys knyght betokeneth euery synner that is taken in deedly synne and iudged vnto the pryson of hell by y e lawe of god he is straytly bounde w t chaynes of synne wherfore he wepeth mourueth dayly for hys trespace The keper of thys pryson betokeneth the deuyll that kepeth suche a man harde bouÌ„de in synne serueth hym w t rychesse delytes of thys worlde that he sholde not escape from hym The byrde that syngeth so swetely betokeneth the voyce of heuen that sayth to the synner Reuertere reuertere sunamitis Turne agayne now turne agayne thou prysoner that is to say turne agayne thou synner and I shall receyue the â—o grace For whan mankynde was in limbo patruÌ„ whyche was a certayne pryson of hell before the coÌ„mynge of Chryst. Than came a byrde that is to saye the godhede bearyng wyth hym a stone that betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst accordynge to holy scrypture saying Ego suÌ„ lapis c. I am a stone The soule of Chryst desceÌ„ded w t the godhede brought wyth hym all mankynde out of the pryson of hell therfore yf ony of vs be in the pryson of deedly synne touche we our synnes wyth the stone that is to saye wyth the vertue of our lorde Iesu Chryst by confessyon contricyon than wtouten doubte the chaynes of our synnes wyth his stone shall be broken fall from vs y e dores of heuenly grace shall be opened and we shall optayne helpe socour in the palays of y e chyrche And yf the keper of y e pryson that is to saye the deuyll whyche is the blower of the horne of pryde lechery or couetyse stere vp ony synners than turne we agayne towarde hym manly shote at him y e arowe of penauÌ„ce withouten doubte he shall flee from vs. And thaÌ„ by y e grace of god we may optayne the palays of heuen Unto y e whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour a mercyful named Ebolydes It fortuned on a daye that thys Emperour walked vnto the forest where as he mette sodeynly wyth a poore man anone whan thys Emperour sawe hym he was greatly moued wyth mercy sayde Good frende whens art thou My souerayn lorde quod he I am yours borne in your lande now I am in great pouerte and nede And than sayd the Emperour yf I knewe that y e were true in euery thynge I sholde promote the to great ryches therfore tell me what is thy name My lord ê™ he I am called Lentyculus I behote you my trouth true seruyce yf I do other wyse I submyt me to you and to all maner of payne that ye can put me to Whan the Emperour herde thys he ê“moted hym anone vnto great rychesse anone after y t he made hym a knyght stewarde of hys lande And whan he was thus exalted to rychesse honour he waxed so proude y t he despysed them
rowers of y e see betokeneth all mankynde whych was taken wyth the deuyll by the synne of our fore father Adam and was cast in to the pryson of hell wyth great sorowe and payne His father wolde not rauÌ„some hym that is to saye the worlde wolde do nothynge for hym Thys fayre doughter betokeneth the godhede whych came downe from heuen and toke manhode of the vyrgyn Marye and so made a goostly maryage bytwene hym and man And vpon thys condicyon he delyuered mankynde out of thys pryson of hell whan he came fro heuen and forsoke the felawshyp of auÌ„gels for to dwell wyth vs in thys wretched valey of teares But the father that betokeneth y e worlde grutched euer agaynst hym and wolde not suffre that the soule of man sholde becoÌ„me the spouse of Iesu Chryst but that she sholde alway serue hym and forsake our lord Therfore yf we folowe the worlde hys vanytees sothly we shall fall in to the snare of the deuyll Fro the whyche defende vs our blessed sauyour Iesu Chryst. Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a noble Emperoure of great lyuelode named Alexander the whyche aboue all vertues loued y e vertue of largesse wherfore he ordeyned a lawe for great curiosite that no man vnder payne of deth sholde turne a playce in his dysshe at hys meate but onely eate the whyte syde and not the blacke and yf ony man wolde attempte to do the contrary he sholde dye wythout remedy but or he dyed he sholde aske thre bones of the emperour what hym lyst excepte hys lyfe whyche sholde be graunted hym It befell after on a daye that there came an erle his sone of a straunge countree to speke wyth the Emperoure And whan thys erle was set to meate he was serued wyth a playce and he whyche was hungry and had an appetyte to his meate â–ª after he had eaten y e whyte syde he turned the blacke syde began to eate therof wherfore anone he was accused to the Emperoure bycause he had offended agaynst the lawe Than sayd the Emperoure Let hym dye accordynge to the lawe wythout one delaye Whan the erles sone herde that hys father sholde dye anone he set hym downe on bothe his knees tofore the Emperour and sayd O my reuerende lorde for hys loue that henge vpon the crosse let me dye for my father Than sayd the Emperoure It pleaseth me well that one dye for the offence of the lawe Than sayd thys erles sone syth it is so that I shall dye I aske the benefytes of the lawe that is to saye that I may haue thre peticyons graunted or I dye The Emperour answered and sayde Aske what thou wylte there shall no man saye the nay Than sayd thys yonge knyght My lorde ye haue but one doughter the whyche I desyre of your hyghnes that she may lye wyth me a nyght or I dye The Emperour grauÌ„ted though it were agaynst his wyll in fulfyllynge of his lawe Neuerthelesse this knyght defouled her not as that nyght Therfore pleased he greatly the Emperour The seconde peticyon is thys I aske al thy treasour And anone the Emperour graunted bycause he shold not be called a breker of his owne lawe And whan thys erles sone had receyued y e emperours treasour he departed it bothe to poore and ryche wherfore he optayned theyr good wylles My thyrde peticyon is thys I aske my lorde that all y e eyen may be put out incontynent whyche sawe my father eatynge of the blacke playce Wherfore the Emperour let make an inquisicyon anone who it was that sawe the erle turne y e playce And they that sawe hym turne the playce bethought them and sayd wythin themselfe Yf we knowlege that we sawe hym do thys trespace than shall our eyen be put out and therfore it is better that he holde vs styll And so there was none founde that wold accuse hym Whan the erles sone sawe thys he sayd to the Emperour My lorde quod he ye se that there is no man accuseth my father therfore gyue ye ryghtfull iudgemeÌ„t Than sayd the Emperour For as moche that no man wyl knowlege that they sawe hym turne the playce therfore I wyll not y t thy father shall dye Lo thus the sone saued his fathers lyfe after the decese of the Emperour wedded hys doughter ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour betokeneth the father of heuen whyche ordeyned a lawe that no man sholde turne the blacke syde of the playce that is to say there sholde no man labour for rychesse or lordshyp by couetyse and falshede The erle that came to the Emperour betokeneth Adam our for father whyche came out of the lande of Damasse to the courte of paradyse and turned vp the blacke syde of the playce whan he ete of the apple wherfore he sholde haue ben dampned to euerlastynge deth But hys sone that betokeâ—eth our lorde Iesu Chryst. For he toke flesshe of Adam and profered hymselfe wylfully to dye for hym The father of heuen graunted that he sholde go downe to dye for mankynde Neuerthelesse or he dyed he asked thre peticyons of his father of heuen The fyrst was thys y t he myght haue by hym hys doughter whyche betokeneth the soule of man and brynge her wyth hym into the bosome of heuen accordyng to y e wordes of Osee saying Desponsabo eam michi That is to saye I shall wedde her to my wyfe The second peticyon was thys All the Emperours treasour whyche betokeneth the treasour of heuen accordynge to thys scrypture Sicut disposuit michi pater That is to saye Lyke as my father hath disposed for me so I dyspose for you The thyrde petycyon was thys that al theyr eyen shold be put out that is to saye that the deuyll whyche dayly accuseth man that he myght be put fro the lyght of heuenly grace And thus saued he mankynde and ledde hym vp wyth hym vnto the palays of heuen Unto the whyche palays brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Lemycyus whyche on a daye rode to a forest for to sporte hym where as he mette sodeynly wyth a poore man to whome he sayde thus Frende whens coÌ„mest thou who art thou My lord quod he I coÌ„me fro the nexte cyte and your man I am Than sayd the Emperoure thou semest poore therfore yf thou wylte be good and true I shall promote the to great rychesse and honour Than answered this poore man and sayd My lorde I promyse you faythfully to be true to you as longe as I lyue The Emperour anone made hym knyght and gaue hym greate rychesse Whan he was thus promoted he waxed so proude that he thought hymselfe more able to be an Emperour than hys lord wherfore he made suggestyon to dyuerse lordes of that Empyre that he myght vsurpe take vpoÌ„ hym thrugh strength of them to be Emperour Whan y e Emperour herde thys anone he exiled hym and al those that were coÌ„sentyng to hym
anone y e yonge squyer receyued them gladly and put them sure in a boxe and rode forth on his iourney Whan he had rydden thre or foure dayes on his iourney in an euenynge he came vnto a castell where as dwelled a knyght and prayed hym mekely of a nightes lodynge The knyght seynge and beholdynge the good fauour of thys yonge squyer he graunted hym lodgynge made hym good chere and well to fare and afterwarde brought hym vnto hys chambre And whan he was there he wente to bedde and anone fell on slepe for he was full wery of hys iourney and forgate hys boxe wyth the letters lyenge openly in hys chambre Whan the knyght sawe the boxe he opened it founde the letters sealed wyth the Emperours sygne manuell and was greatly tempted to open them and at the last he opened them full subtylly and than he redde how the Empresse vpon payne of dethe sholde put the bearer of them to dethe and than he was ryght sorowfull sayde wythin hym selfe Alas quod he it is great pyte 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 y e same paper a letter sayinge these wordes Upon payne of deth I commaunde the that thou take the yonge squyer bearer of these letters and let hym be wedded wythout ony delay vnto my doughter and yours whyth al the honour solempnyte that can be tought and whan they be wedded that ye take hym as your owne sone and that he kepe my rowme tyll I comme vnto you my selfe Whan the knyght had thus wryten he closed the letters subtylly put them in to the boxe agayne Erly in the mornynge the yonge squyer arose and hastely made hym redy and toke hys leue of the knyght and rode forth on hys iourney and the thyrde daye after he came vnto the Empresse and salewed her ryght worshypfully in the Emperours behalfe and toke her the letters And whan the Empresse had redde them anone she sent her messengers thrugh the countree coÌ„maundynge the states and gentylmen to comme vnto her doughters weddynge at a certayne daye assygned Whan they day was coÌ„me thyder came many greate lordes and ladyes and anone this yonge squyer wedded the Emperours doughter wyth great honour and worshyp accordynge to the tenoure of the letters and was ryght well beloued and moost honoured amonge y e people Not longe after it befell that the Emperoure came in to that countre And whan y e Empresse herde of her lordes coÌ„mynge she toke wyth her her sone in lawe wyth moche other people and wente agaynst y e Emperoure for to welcoÌ„me hym Whan the Emperoure sawe thys yonge squyer ledynge the Empresse hys wyfe he was greatly moued wythin hym selfe and sayde O thou cursed woman bycause thou hast not fulfylled my coÌ„maundement thou shalte dye an euyll deth A my dere lorde quod she all that ye commaunded me to do I haue fulfylled Nay cursed 〈◊〉 man sayd the Emperour it is not so for I wrote to the that thou sholdest put hym to deth and now I se hym alyue My lorde quod y e Empresse sauynge your grace ye wrote to me that I sholde gyue hym your doughter to wyfe and that on payne of deth in wytnes wherof loo here your letters wyth your owne seale manuell Whan the Emperoure herde thys he wondred greatly and sayd Is he wedded than to my doughter Ye sothly sayd the Empresse longe agone w t great solempnite and worshyp and as I byleue your doughter is wyth chylde Than sayd the Emperoure O thou lorde Iesu Chryst it is great foly to sâ—â—yne agaynst thyne ordynaunce therfore syth it is so thy wyll must nedes be fulfylled And with that he toke his sone in lawe in his armes kyssed hym whyche after hys deth was Emperour and ended hys lyfe in rest and peace ¶ Thys Emperour may betoken Herode or else euery synner whyche walked alone wythout trouth tyll he came to the fosters house that is to saye the chyrche whyche is the house of god Thys Herode wolde haue slayne thys chylde Iesu wherfore he sente messengers to seke hym accordynge to the scrypture of saynt Mathewe tellyng how he coÌ„mauÌ„ded y e thre kynges to seke hym and brynge hym tydynges agayne where he was y t he myght coÌ„me worshyp hym also but thys sayde he not for loue but for deceyte The foster betokeneth Iosep our ladyes husbande whyche kepte hym But whan the messengers came that is to saye whan the thre kynges came they slewe hym not but worshypped hym on theyr knees and lefte hym in the holowe tree of hys godhede The erle that came foude thys chylde betokeneth the holy goost whyche warned Ioseph by the aungell in hys slepe that he sholde take our lady and her sone and flee in to the lande of Egypte Thys moralyte may be vnderstande of yer wyâ—e Thys Emperoure may betoken a synner that walketh in the forest of thys worlde sekyng vanytees and nought els vnto the tyme he comme to the house of god and there he is receyued benygnely of the prelate of the chyrche yf he wyll obey the coÌ„maundementes of god But many of vs now a dayes slepeth in the chyrche whan they obserue not the werkes of mercy and therfore ought they to drede the voyces whyche I haue rehersed by y e fyrst take that may be vnderstande the great benefyte that he gaue the whan he put in the a soule made at hys owne symylytude By the seconde take is vnderstande the sone of the father of heuen whyche was borne of the blessed virgyn Mary By the thyrde take is vnderstande the same sone of god whych dyed vpon the crosse By the fyrst yelde is vnderstande that we ought to yelde our soule vnto almyghty god as clene as fayre as he gaue it vs after the wasshynge of our baptysme By the seconde yelde is vnderstande that we ought dayly to yelde honour and worshyp and loue vnto almyghty god By y e thyrde yelde is vnderstande that we ought to yelde to god true confessyon contrycyon and satisfaccyon The fyrst flee betokeneth synne whych we sholde flee The seconde flee betokeneth the worlde whyche we sholde flee for the greate falshede temptacyons that ben therin The thyrde flee betokeneth euerlastynge payne the whyche we ought to flee thrugh merytoryous workes by the whyche we may coÌ„me the rather vnto euerlastyng ioye and blysse Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour named Sauracinus whyche ordeyned for a lawe that who so euer rauysshed a virgyn sholde dye yf she were rescowed than he that rescowed her sholde haue her to wyfe yf hym lyst and he wolde not wedde her than sholde she be guyded and wedded by hys couÌ„seyle It befell vpon a daye that a tyraunt named Poncianus wolde rauysshe a virgyn ledde her wyth hym into a
¶ Here after folowâ— the hystorye of Gesta-Romanorum SOmtyme there dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour whyche had a fayre creature to hys doughtar named Atleâ—ta whome dyuerse great lordes many noble knyghtes desyred to haue to wyfe Thys AtleÌ„ta was wounders swyfte on fote wherfore suche a lawe was ordeyned y t no maÌ„ sholde haue her to wyfe but suche as myght ouer renne her take her by strengthe of fote And so it befell that many came ranne wyth her but she was so swyfte that no 〈…〉 course of reunynge At y e last 〈…〉 Pomeys vnto her father sayd to hym thus 〈◊〉 lorde yf it myght please you to gyue me your doughter to wyfe I wyll gladly renne wyth her Than sayd her father there is suche a lawe ordeyned set that who so wyll haue her to wyfe must fyrst renne wyth her yf he fayle in hys course y t he ouertake her not he shall lese hys heed yf it fortune hym to ouertake her than shall I wedde her vnto hym And whaÌ„ the Emperoure had tolde hym all the peryll that myght â–ª fall in y e wynnynge of her the knyght wylfully graunted to abyde that ieopardye Than the knyght let ordeyne hym thre balles of golde agaynst the rennynge And whan they had begon to renue a lyttel spare the yonge lady ouer ranne hym than y e knyght threwe forth before her the fyrst ball of golde And whan the damoysell sawe y e bal she stouped and toke it vp and that whyle the knyght wanne before her but that auayled lyttell for whaÌ„ she perceyued that she ranne so fast that in shorte space she gate before hym agayne And than he threwe forth the seconde hall of golde and she stouped as she dyd before to take it vp and in that whyle the knyght wanne before her agayne whyche thys yonge damoysell seynge coÌ„strayned herselfe and ranne so fast tyll at the last she had hym at a vauntage agayn was afore hym and by that tyme they were nygh the marke where they sholde abyde wherfore y e knyght threwe forth y e thyrde ball before her and lyke as she had done before sâ—ouped downe to take vp the ball whyle she was in takynge vp the thyrde ball the knyght gate afore her and was fyrst at the marke And thus was she wonne ¶ By this Emperour is vnderstande the father of heuen and by thys damoysell is vnderstande the soule of man with whome many deuylles desyre to renne and to deceyue her thrugh theyr teÌ„ptacyons but she wythstandeth them myghtyly and ouercoÌ„meth them And whan they haue done theyr power and may not spede than make they thre balles of golde and casteth them before her in the thre ages of man that is to saye in youth in manhode in olde age In youth he casteth the ball of lechery before her that is to saye the desyre of the flesshe neuerthelesse for all this ball oftentymes man ouercoÌ„meth the deuyll by confessyon contrycyon and satisfaccyon The seconde ball is the ball of pryde the whyche the deuyll casteth to man in hys manhode that is to saye in hys myddle age but thys ball man oftentymes ouercoÌ„meth as he dyd y e fyrst But let hym beware of the thyrde ball whyche is y e ball of couetyse that the deuyll casteth to man in hys olde age whyche is dredefull For but yf a man may ouercoÌ„me this ball wyth these other two he shall lese hys honour that is to saye the kyngdome of heuen For whan man brenneth in couetyse he thynketh not on goostly rychesse for euer his hert is set on woorldly goodes and recketh not of prayers ne of almes dedes and thus leseth he hys herytage to y e whyche god hath bought hym wyth hys preâ—yous blode vnto the whyche our lorde Iesu Chryst brynge bothe you me al mankynde Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour a wyse named Anselme whyche bare in his armes a shelde of syluer w t fyue reed roses This Emperour had thre sones whome he loued moche he had also contynuall warre wyth the kynge of Egypte in the whyche warre he lost all hys temporall goodes excepte a vertuous tree It fortuned after on a daye that he gaue batayle to y e sayd kyng of Egypte wherin he was greuously wouÌ„ded Neuerthelesse he opteyned the vyctory notwythstandynge he had hys deedly wouÌ„de wherfore whyle he lay in poynt of deth he called vnto hym his eldest sone sayd My moost dere and welbeloued sone al my teÌ„poral rychesse I haue spente almoost nothynge is lefte me except a vertuous tree the whyche standeth in the myddes of myne Empyre I gyue to the all that is vnder the erth aboue y e erth of y e same tree O my reuerent father ê™ he I thanke you moche Than sayde themperour call to me my second sone Anone his eldest sone greatly gladded of his fathers gyfte called in hys brother and whan he came than sayd themperour My dere sone quod he I may not make my testament for as moche as I haue spent all my goodes excepte a tree whyche standeth in myne Empyre of the whyche tree I bequethe to the all that is greate and small Than answered he sayd My reuerent father I thanke you moche Than sayd y e Emperour call to me my thyrde sone and so it was done And whaÌ„ he was coÌ„me the Emperour sayd My dere sone I must dye of these woundes I haue but onely a vertuous tree of the whyche I haue bequethed thy bretherne theyr porcyon and to the I bequethe thy porcyon for I wyll that thou haue of the sayd tree all that is wete drye Than sayde hys sone Father I thanke you Soone after that y e Emperour had made hys bequest he dyed And the eldest sone anone toke season of the tree Whan the seconde brother herde thys he sayde My brother by what lawe or tytel occupy ye thys tree Dere brother quod he I occupy it by thys tytell my father gaue me all that is vnder the erth aboue of the sayd tree therfore by reason thys tree is myne Unknowynge to the quod the seconde brother he gaue me all that is in brede lengthe depnes of the sayd tree therfore I haue as great â–ª ryght in y e tree as thou This hearyng the thyrde sone came to them sayd O ye my best beloued bretherne 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 y e lawe that the last wyll testament ought to stande for sothly he gaue me of the sayd tree all that is wete drye therfore by ryght the tree is myne but for as moche as your tales ben greate myne also my couÌ„seyle is that we be iustyfyed by reason for it is not good nor coÌ„mendable that any stryfe or dyssencyoÌ„ shold be amonge vs. Here besyde dwelleth a kyng of
and his soule shall be delyuered from synne and by al ryght he shall haue euerlastyng lyfe Vnto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus SOmtyme there regned in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wyse named Frederyke whyche had an onely sone whome he loued moche Thys Emperour whan he laye at the poynt of deth he called vnto hym his sone sayd Dere sone I haue a ball of gold whych I gyue the vpon my blessyng that thou anone after my deth shalt gyue it to the moost foole that thou mayst fynde Than sayd hys sone My lorde wothout doubte your wyll shall be fulfylled Anone thys yonge lorde after the deth of hys father went sought in many realmes founde many recheles fooles bycause he wolde satysfye hys fathers wyll laboured farther tyll he came in to a realme where the lawe was suche that euery yere a newe kyng was chosen there thys kyng had onely the guydynge of y e realme but a yere at the yeres ende he was deposed put in exile in an ylande where as he shold wretchedly fynysshe hys lyfe Whan themperours sone came to thys realme the newe kyng was chosen w t great honour all maner of mynstralsye wente afore hym brought hym wyth great reuerence and worshyp vnto hys regall sete And whan the Emperours sone sawe that he came vnto hym and salewed hym reuerently sayd My lorde loo I gyue the thys ball of gold on my fathers behalfe Than sayd he I praye the tell me the cause why thou gyuest me thys ball ThaÌ„ answered thys yonge lorde and sayd My father charged me in hys deth bedde vpon payn of forfeytynge of his blessynge that I sholde gyue this ball of y e moost foole y e I coude fynde wherfore I haue sought many realmes haue founde many fooles neuerthelesse a more foole than thou art founde I neuer therfore thys is the reason It is not vnknowen to the that thou shalt regne but a yere and at the yeres ende thou shalte be exiled into suche a place where as thou shalte dye a myscheuous deth wherfore I holde the for the moost foole that euer I founde that for the lordshyp of a yere thou woldest so wylfully lese thy selfe therfore before all other I haue gyuen to the thys ball of gold Than sayd the kyng wythout doubte thou sayst sothe and therfore whan I am in full power of thys realme I shall sende before me greate treasoure and rychesse wherwyth I may lyue and saue my selfe from my scheuous deth whan I shall be exiled put downe And so thys was done wherfore at the yeres ende he was exiled lyued there in peace vpon suche goodes as he had sente before and he dyed afterwarde a good deth ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen the whych byquethed the ball that is to saye worldly rychesse to fooles and ydyottes whyche sauoureth no thynge but that is erthly This Emperours sone that is to saye a precher and a discrete coÌ„fessour serched about many realmes landes to shewe to mysbyleuing men fooles theyr peryll The realme wherin no kyng myght regne but a yere is this worlde For who so had lyued an hondred yere whan he commeth to the deeth hym shall seme that he hath lyued but the space of an houre therfore do as the kyng dyd whyle that ye be in power of lyfe sende before you your treasour that is to say almes dede other merytoryus dedes certaynly whaÌ„ ye be put in exile out of thys world ye shall lyue in peace shall fynde y e mercy of god plentefull wherby ye shall optayne euerlastynge lyfe Unto the whych brynge vs he that for vs dyed on the rode tree Amen DIoclesyan regned in the cyte of Rome in whose empyre dwelled a noble phylosopher y e whych let vp by hys crafte an ymage in the myddes of yeâ—ite of Rome the whyche ymage stretched out hys arme hys formest fynger whervpon stode thys posy wryten in latyn Percute hic Smyte here Thys ymage after the deth of thys phylosopher stode styll a longe tyme many greate clerkes came thyder for to rede the superscripcyon that was on y e fynger but none of them vnderstode what it mente wherfore there was greate wondrynge amonge the people And at the last a longe tyme after there came a strauÌ„ge clerke out of ferre couÌ„trees whan he sawe thys ymage he redde y e scripture Smyte here And than vpon a daye whan he sawe the shadowe of the hande he toke a mattocke brake vp y e grounde vnder the hande where the shadowe was accordyng to the vnderstandyng of the superscripcyon anone he founde an house al of marble vndernethe the grouode wherin he entred came in to a hall where he founde so moche rychesse so many yewelles and so great meruayles that he neuer sawe ne herde of suche nor so many before that tyme. At y e last he sawe a borde couered and all maner of thynges necessary therto set ther vpon He be helde farther and sawe a carbuncle in a wall that lyghtened all y e hous And anenst thys carbuncle on that other syde stode a man holdynge in hys hande a bowe wyth an arowe redy to shote The clerke merualled moche whan be sawe all these thynges and thought in hymself yf that I tâ—ll thys forth there wyll no man byleue me therfore I wyll haue somwhat of these goodes in token of profe And wyth that he sawe a knyfe of golde vpon y e borde whyche he toke wolde haue put it in his bosome But anone the archer smote the carbuncle and brake it wherwyth all the hole hous was shadowed made darke And whan y e clerke perceyued it he wept more bytterly than ony man myght thynke for he wyst not by what way he myght go out for as moche as the hous was made darke thrugh the brekynge of the carbuncle And that darknesse abode styll for euermore after And so fynisshed the clerke his lyfe there in that darknesse ¶ Dere frendes thys ymage so standyng is the deuyll whyche sayth euermore Smyte here That is to saye take hede to erthly rycheâ—se not to heuenly treasour Thys clerke that smote with the mattocke betokeneth the wyse men of thys worlde as pleders of y e lawe atturneys and other wordly men that euer be smytyng what by ryght what by wronge so y t they may gete the vanytees of thys worlde in theyr smytynge they fynde great wonders meruayles that is to say they fynde therin the delytes of the worlde wherin many men reioyseth The carbuncle that gyueth lyght is the youth of man whyche gyueth hardynes to take theyr pleasure in worldly rychesse The archer w t hys arowe is deth whyche layeth watche anenst man to slee hym The clerke that toke vp y e knyfe is euery wordly man that weneth euer to haue all thynge at hys wyll Deth
smyteth the carbuncle that is to saye youth strength and power of man and than lyeth he wrapped in darknes of synne â–ª in whyche darknes oftentymes he dyeth Therfore study we to flee the worlde and hys desyres and than shall we be sure to wynne euerlastynge lyfe vnto the whyche Iesu brynge bothe you me Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure named Tytus a wyse man a dyscrete whyche ordeyned in his dayes suche a lawe that what knyght dyed in hys empyre sholde be buryed in hys armure who so euer presumed to spoyle any knyghtes armure after he were deed he shold dye wythout ony withstandyng or gaynsaying It befell after within fewe yeres that a cyte of y e empyre was besyeged of themperours ennemyes wherfore that cyte was in peryll of lesyng â–ª for nâ—ne that was wythin that cyte myght not defendâ— themselfe by no maner of crafte therfore great sorowe and lamentacyon was made thrugh out all y e cite But at the last win fewe days there came to the cite a yonge knyght and a fayre and doughty to do dedes of armes whome the worthy men of the cite beholdyng vnderstandyng his doughtynesâ—â— cryed w t one voyce O thou most noble knyght we beseche the yf it please thy worthynesse to helpe vs now at our most nede loo ye may so this cyte in is peryll of lesynge Than answered he sayd 〈◊〉 ye not syrs thâ—â— I haue none armure yf I had armure I wolde gladly defende your cyte Thys â—earynge a myghty man of the cyte sayd to hym in secrete wyse Syr here was somtyme doughty knyght whyche now is deed and buryed within this cite acâ—orâ—dynge to the lawe yf it please you to take his armure ye myght defende thys cite delyuer vs fro peryll and that shall be honour vnto you and profyte vnto all the empyre Whan thys yonge knyght had herde thys he wente to the graue toke y e armure arayed hym selfe therwyth fought myghtyly agaynst hys ennemyes and at the last he opteyned had the vyctory delyuered y e cite from peryll And whan he had so done he put the armure agayne in to the graue There were some men in the cite that had great indignacion and enuy at hym bycause he had opteyned the vyctory and accused hym to the iudge saying thus Syr a lawe was made by themperour y t who so euer despoyled a deed knyght of hys armure sholde dye thys yonge knyght founde a deed knyght toke away hys armure therfore we beseche y e that thou procede in the lawe agaynst hym as agaynst hym y t is breker of y e lawe Whan the Iustyce herde this he made y e knyght to be takeÌ„ to be brought a fore him And whaÌ„ he was examyned of this trespace agaynst the lawe he sayd thus Syr it is wryten in the lawe â–ª that of two harmes the leest is to be chosen it is not vnknowen to you that this cite was in peryll to be lost but I had taken thys armure I had neyther saued you ne the cyte therfore me thynketh ye ought rather to honour worshyp me for thys good dede that I haue done than thus shamefully to repreue me for I am ledde as he that is redy to be haÌ„ged and also good syrs an other reason I may laye for myne excuse He y t steleth or robbeth vyolently purposeth not to restore y e thynge that he robbeth but it is not thus wyth me for though I toke the armure of the deed knyght for your saluacyon whan I had opteyned the victory I bare it agayne to y e same place so the deed knyght hath that is hys by the lawe Than sayd the Iustyce a thefe that breketh a hous that he may stele bere away suche as he may fynde though he brynge agayn that he hath taken I aske of the yf that the brekyng of the hous be lawfull or not The knight answered somtyme the brekynge of an hous may be good where as it is made in feble place whych sholde cause the lorde of the hous to make hys wall stronger that the theues after y e breke not the walles so lyghtly in auoydyng of more harme Than sayd the Iustyce yf the brekyng of the hous be good neuerthelesse in that brekyng violence is done to the lorde of the hous And so though thou dydest good wyth the armure of y e deed knyght neuerthelesse thou dydest wronge to the deed knyght in takyng away hys armure The knyght sayd I haue tolde you how that of two harmes the leest is to be chosen and that harme where thrugh great goodnes coÌ„meth ought not to be called harme but it sholde rather be called good For yf that ony hous wythin the cite were on fyre began to brenne it were more better to throwe it to the grounde and thre or foure houses therby than they sholde be set on fyre also wherby all y e cyte myght be brente Ryght so yf the armure oft y e deed knyght had not ben taken the cyte and ye all had ben lost And whan the Iustyce herde y t he answered so well so reasonably he myght gyue no iudgemeÌ„t agaynst hym But the whyche had accused thys knyght slewe hym for whose deth there was great wepyng thrugh out all the cyte hys body was worshypfully buryed in a neeâ— tombe ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen and thys cite is y e worlde the whych is besyeged of the deuyll and deedly synne And as many as were within this cyte were al in peryl to be lost This yong knyght that came to the cyte is our lorde Iesu Chryst whyche had not the armure of our manhode tyll he went to the graue that is to saye to the wombe of y e gloryous vyrgyn Mary by the annuÌ„ciacyon of the aungell sayinge The holy goost shall lyght in the. c. Lo thou shalt conceyue bere a sone And thus in the wombe of the vyrgyn he toke the armure of y e deed knyght that is to say he toke the manhode of Adam ourfore father saued the cyte that is the worlde wyth maÌ„kynde from peryll by hys blessed passyon whych he suffred on the crosse than he put hys armure agayn in to y e graue whan his blessed body was buryed but y e cytezyns enuyed hym that is to saye the iewes of Iury accused hym to Pylate and layde the lawe agaynst hym saying Yf thou suffre hym thus thou arte not the Emperour Cesars frende we haue a lawe after y e lawe he ought to dye And thus our lorde Iesu Chryst of his ennemyes was coÌ„dempned to the deth of the crosse after ascended vp to heuen where our lorde Iesu brynge vs all Amen THere regned somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wysed named Betolde whych ordeyned a lawe that what woman were taken in anoutry her husbande beynge alyue she
sholde be cast in to ê‘petuall pryson There was that tyme a knyght that had a sayre lady to hys wyfe whyche dyd aâ—outry her husbande beynge alyue was wyth chylde therfore by y e 〈…〉 in pryson where wythin shorte tyme after she was delyuered of a fayre sone Thys chylde grewe vp tyll he was .vij. yere olde hys mother dayly wepte hertely And whan the chylde herde thys he sayd to hys mother O mother why wepe ye thus for what cause is your body thus turmented Than sayd hys mother O thou my swete sone I haue great cause to mourne and thou also for aboue our hedes is people walkyng y e sonne shyneth in clerenes great solace haue all men y t are aboue vs we be here contynually in suche darknes that I may not se the ne thou me alas that euer I conceyued the. Than sayd y e sone suche ioye ne suche lyght as ye speke of sawe I neuer for I was borne here in thys darknes therfore yf I had meate and drynke ynough here wolde I lyue all the dayes of my lyfe therfore mother wepe ye not but shewe me solace This lameÌ„tacyon that was bytwene the mother and the sone herde themperours stewarde that stode aboâ—â— theyr hedes wherof he had great compassioÌ„ wente vnto y e Emperour knelyng besought hym of hys grace that the mother and the sone myght be delyuered out of pryson The Emperour as a mercyfull lorde grauÌ„ted y t they sholde be delyuered Neuerthelesse yf they trespaced so in tyme to coÌ„me they shold be punysshed wyth double payne after that they were delyuered thys woman ended her lyfe in that cyte ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour is the father of heuen that made thys lawe that what wedded woman that is to say what soule that is wedded to our lord doth auoutry that is to say deedly synne sholde be cast in y e pryson of hell therfore a synfull soule hath great cause to wepe for she is departed from lyght that is to saye from the ioyes of heuen Her sone that desyred meate drynke ben the myghty men of thys worlde that saye to the prelates of the chyrche to the prechers y t preche vnto them the ioyes of heuen that whyle we may lyue and haue all y e solace of y e worlde we desyre none other heuen The stewarde that herde theyr lamentacyon is our lorde Iesu that knoweth all the preuytees of our hertes contricyon of our synnes besought the father of heuen for vs that we myght be delyuered from the pryson of synne that we myght coÌ„me to euerlastyng lyfe to the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled an Emperoure named Pomper whyche aboue all other thynges was mercyful Thys Emperour let crye thrugh our al hys empyre a great feest and that poore ryche sholde coÌ„me to thys feest And who so euer came to that feest sholde not onely be well fedde but also he sholde haue great gyftes Whan the herawde had warned all maner of men to comme to thys feest at y e tyme there were two poore men lyenge by the waye that one was lame and that other was blynde Thys blynde man sayd to the lame man Alas and woo to me the how shall we do for themperour hath let crye a feest who so euer coÌ„meth there shall not onely be well fedde but also he shall haue greate gyftes and I am blynde thou art lame how shall we do What sayd the lame man to the blynde man I shall tell the good counseyle yf y e wylte do after me thou shalte let for nothynge I am lame feble may not go neuerthelesse I may se thou art blynde stronge mayst not se take thou me vpon thy backe bere me and I shall lede the the ryght waye thus shall we bothe come to themperours feest Than sayd the blynde after thy counseyle let vs do coÌ„me on my baâ—k and I shall bere the thou shalt lede me the ryght waye so they dyd that they came bothe to that feest and receyued greate rewardes gyftes amonge other men And thus ended theyr lyues in peace ¶ Dere â—rendes thys Emperour is our sauyour Iesu Chryst that let crye a generall feest that is to saye the ioyes of heuen vnto y e whiche ioyes he calleth all mankynde forsaketh iiâ— man that wyll coÌ„me vnto hym This lame man betokeneth the prelates of the chyrche prechers and confessours that haue nothynge of theyr owne but lyuen by techynge and almes of other men And thys blynde man betokeneth the laye men whych knowe not the ryght waye to heuen It behoueth that the blynde man that is to say the laye men to bere the lame man that is to saye the prelates of the chyrche susteynynge fedyng them wyth the tythyng of almes and other oblacyons than the prelates be beholden to teche to enforme vs the waye to heuen where as we shal not onely haue a feest but also great rewarde and ioye vnto the whyche god brynge vs all Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled an Emperoure named Follyculus the whyche was ryght wyse mercyfull ryghtfull in all hys werkes Thys Emperour buylded in the eest a noble cyte wherin he put all hys treasour precyous stones rychesse to be kepte Unto thys cyte the waye was stony full of brymbles and sharpe thornes thre knyghtes were armed redy to fyght wyth them that wolde coÌ„me to that cyte Therfore themperour ordeyned that who so euer ouercame these knyghtes sholde entre the cite take at his wyll of themperours treasour After that thys Emperour let make in the northwest a cite wherin he ordeyned all maner of payne turmentyng sorowe myschefe to y e whyche was a brode waye full delectable growynge full of roses fayre lyllyes and in that way were thre knyghtes euer waytynge yf ony man came towarde the cyte of the north to serue hym wyth al maner of delycates and thynges necessary And yf it fortuned ony man to entre wythin that cyte the custome was suche that the people sholde take bynde hym handes fâ—te and cast hym in pryson there to abyde the coÌ„mynge of the Iustyce Whan thys was cryed thrugh out all the empyre there were two knyghtes dwellynge in a cyte there besyde one hyght Ionatas and he was a wyse man that other hyght Pyrrius he was a foole neuerthelesse there was bytwene them great loue Thys Ionatas sayd to Pyrrius Dere frende there is a commune crye made thrugh all landes that themperoure hath made a cyte in the eest wherin he hath put all his treasour who so euer may entre that cyte shall take of the treasour what hym lyst therfore my couÌ„seyle is that we go to y e cyte Than sayd Pyrryus thy couÌ„seyle is good I desyre to fulfyll it The wyse knyght sayd yf it be so that thou wylte folowe my
hous thou spekest to me lyke a foole Whan thys was sayd they rode farther tyll they came to a great water and a depe the kyng smote hys hors wyth hys spurres lepte in to y e water so that he was almoost drowned Whan the knyght sawe thys was ouer on that other syde of the water wtout peryll he sayd to y e kynge Ye were in peryll therfore ye dyd folysshly bycause ye brougt not wyth you your brydge Than sayd the kynge thou spekest meruaylously my brydge is made of lyme stone coÌ„teyneth in quantite more than halfe a myle how sholde I than beare with me my brydge therfore y u spekest folysshly Well sayde the knyght my folysshnes may turne the to wysdome Whan the kyng had rydden a lyttell farther he asked y e knyght what tyme of the daye it was Than sayd the knyght yf ony man haue lust to eate it is tyme of the daye to eate therfore my reuerent lorde I praye you to take a sop wyth me for that is no disworshyp to you but great honour to me before y e states of this Empyre Than sayd y e kyng I wyll gladly eate with the. They sate bothe downe in a vyne gardyn all y t were wyth the kynge wyth the knyght dyned And whan dyner was done that y e kyng had wasshen the knyght sayd to the kynge My lorde quod he ye haue done folysshly for that ye ledde not w t you your father your mother Than sayd the kynge what sayst y u my father is deed and my mother is olde may not trauayle how sholde I than brynge them wyth me therfore to the I saye y e trouth a folyssher man than thou arte sawe I neuer Than sayd the knyght euery werke is praysed at the ende Whan y e kyng had rydden a lyttell farther was ny hande themperours palays the knyght asked leue to go from hym for thys cause he knewe a nerer waye to the palays to the yonge lady y t he myght coÌ„me fyrst and lede her wyth hym Than sayd the kynge I praye the syr tell me by what place purposest thou to ryde Than sayd y e knyght I shall tell you trouth this daye vii yere I lefte a nette in a place now I purpose to visyte it drawe it to me yf it be broken I wyll leue it yf it be hole than wyl I take it to me kepe it as a precyous iewell and whan he had sayd what hym lyst he toke hys leue of the kyng rode forth and the kyng kepte the brode hye waye Whan themperour herde of the kynges coÌ„mynge he went agaynst hym w t a great company worshypfully receyued hym let do of his wete clothes arayed hym agayn wyth newe clothes And whan themperour the kynge were set to meate themperour dyd hym all y e châ—â—e â—â—lace that he coude And whaÌ„ they had dyned thâ—mperour asked tydynges of the kyng My lorde sayd he I shall tell you what I herde thys day by y e waye There came a knyght to me reuerently â—alewed me anone after that there came a great raine coÌ„fouÌ„ded greatly my clothing anone the knyght sayd syr y â— hast done folyshly for so moche thou brought not w t the thy hous Than sayd themperour what clothing had y â— knight on him A cloke quod the kynge Than sayd themperour for sothe that was a wyse man for the hous wherof he spake was a cloke therfore he sayd to you that ye dyd folysshly bycause ye came wtout your cloke for yf ye had brougt w t you a cloke thaÌ„ had not your clothes ben defouled wyth the rayne Than sayd y e kyng whan we had rydden a lytâ—l farther we came to a depe water I smoote my hors w t the spurres almoost I was drowned he rode on the other syde of the water founde no peryll than sayd he to me ye haue done folysshly for so moche y â— ye ledde not wyth you your brydge Forsothe sayd themperour he sayd trouth for he called the brydge your squyers y t sholde haue rydden before assayed the depnes of y e water Than sayd the kyng we rode farther at the last he prayed me to dyne wyth hym whan we had dyned he sayd I dyd vnwysely for I ledde not w t me my father my mother Sothly sayde themperour he was â— wyse man sayd trouth for he called your father mother breed wyne other vytayles Than sayd y e kyng we rode farther and anone after he asked me lâ—ue to go fro me I asked dylygently whether he went And he answered agayn sayd Thys daye .vij. yere I lefâ—e a nette in a preuy place now I wyll ryde to vysyte it yf it be broken or torne thaÌ„ wyll I â—eue it yf it be hole as I lefte it than shall it be to me ryght precyous I shall beare it wyth me Whan themperour herde thys he cryed with a lowde voyce sayd O ye my knyghtes and my seruauntes go ye lyghtly vnto my doughters chambre for sothly that is the nette wherof y e knyght spake And anone hys knyghtes and hys seruauntes wente vnto hys doughters chambre founde her not the sore sayd knyght had take her with hym And thus the kyng was deceyued of the damoysell and he went home agayne to hys owne countree confounded ¶ Dere freÌ„des this emperour is our lord Iesu Chryst and hys fayre doughter is euerlastyng lyfe the whych theÌ„perour had ordeyned for kynges knyghtes other men The knyght that loued thys yonge lady is euery good christeÌ„ soule which holdeth hymselfe not worthy to coÌ„me in the syght of god vnto suche ioye as y e apostle sayth Non est condigne passionis huiê° teÌ„poris ad futuraÌ„ gloriaÌ„ They be not so worthy of suffryng to coÌ„me vnto the glory that is to coÌ„me Thys knyght went .vii. yere on pylgrymage lyke as a good chrysten man al y e dayes of his lyfe sholde labour trauayle iÌ„ fulfyllyng the .vii. werkes of mercy By thys kynge y â— came wtout a cloke in the rayne is to vnderstande the myghty men of this worlde as Iustyces Mayres Baylyes that haue no clokes to couer all theyr other clothes By this cloke is vnderstaÌ„de charite as the apostle sayth Charitas cooperit multitudineÌ„ pctoÌ„rum Charyte couereth al our synnes But many men haue not thys cloke wherfore they be wete in y e rayne of pryde auaryce lechery This kyng also was almoost drowned bycause he lacked hys brydge that is to say perfyte fayth For we sâ— dayly that there may no man passe ouer a great water brode depe wythout a brydge or some other thynge y t is able to beare hym Ryght so wythout fayth it is impossyble to please god And thus may no man be saued wythout fayth whan they set theyr
lyfe in worldly ioye or worldly helpe more than in the helpe of god whyche is mighty to do al thinges wherfore he sayth hymselfe thus Saluator si habueritis fideÌ„ sicut granuÌ„ sinapis poteritis c. Yf ye haue fayth as y e grayne of mustarde than may ye saye to y e hylles go thou forth it shall go But many of vs now a dayes hath ouer feble fayth therfore they shall sodeynly fall in the claye of desperacyon by deedly synâ—e oftentymes they offende god Also thys kynge had not brought with hym his father and hys mother By the father whych is cause of generacyon is vnderstaÌ„de humylite wythout whome there is no vertue in no maÌ„ And therto accordeth saynt Gregory sayinge thus Si qis ceteris virtutes sine humilitate congregat c. He that gadereth al other vertues wythout humilite is lyke a man that casteth dust in y e wynde Hys mother betokeneth hope therfore he that wyll optayne euerlastyng lyfe hym behoueth to haue the cloke of charyte brydge of fayth a father of mekenes a mother of hope as y e apostle sayth Spe salui facti sumus Also thys knyght wente the strayte path waye the kynge the brode waye For he that wyll be saued behoueth to go a strayte waye that is to say the waye of fastynge almes dedes chastyte penauÌ„ce Of the whyche waye speketh the apostle Stricta est via que ducit ad vitaÌ„ eternaÌ„ The waye is strayte y e ledeth to euerlastyng lyfe But many men go that other way whyche ledeth to hell that is to say by y e waye of flesshly lust suche men ben gone out of the waye of euerlastynge lyfe but suche men be deceyued thrugh y â— waye Therfore study we to walke that waye wherby we may optayne euerlastynge lyfe Amen SOmtyme dwelled in Rome a noble Emperour named Agyas whyche had with hym a knyght called Gerarde whyche was a doughty warryour neuerthelesse he was as meke as a lambe in the Emperours hall but in y e felde he was lyke a lyon Thys Emperour had a fayre doughter whome the stronge and myghty erle of palester rauysshed defouled neuerthelesse it displeased more themperour y e defoulyng of his doughter than the rauysshynge wherfore he called vnto hym his counseyle sayd Dere frendes it is not vnknowen to you the despyte violence done to me in defoulyng of my doughter therfore I purpose to gyue batayle to the erle wherfore I praye you to be redy at a daye set to procede with me in batayle And they sayd lorde we be redy to lyue dye w t you in batayle Whan the daye of batayle came they mette on bothe sydes a cruell harde batayle was gyuen on bothe sydes all that were of themperours party were slayne And as themperour sholde haue ben byheded the knyght Gerard put hymselfe amonge hys ennemyes before theÌ„perour fought manfully so themperour escaped and the knyght abode and slewe the erle neuerthelesse thys knyght had dyuerse wouÌ„des This not withstandyng he abode fought styl tyl the blode ranne down to hys heles And whan hys ennemyes sawe that y e erle was slayne they â—edde and the knyght wyth hys people folowed on y â— chace tyll he came to y e place where themperours doughter was ledde her wyth hym And thus wyth triumphe vyctory he returned agayn to themperour For y â— whiche victory getyng agayne of themperours doughter he was greatly praysed of all people Not longe alter it befell that thys knyght had to do in themperours courte wherfore the knyght came vnto themperour prayed hym mekely to be fauourable in hys cause farthermore he prayed hym to do y e rayson asked Whan themperour had herde hym he called to hym a iustyce and sayd Go thou and do iustyce to thys knyght that that the lawe wyll And whan y e knyght herde thys he cryed w t a lowde voyce Alas alas who herde euer suche a thynge of an Emperour thou were sayd he in batayle where thy heed shold haue ben smytten of and I in myne owne persone none other men put mi selfe in ieopardy for the saued the now thou hast assigned an other maÌ„ to be iudge in my cause alas that euer y u were borne And wyth y t worde the knyght dyd of all hys clothes shewed y e woundes that he had receyued in the batayle vnto all y e men that were there present sayd Lo what I haue suffred for the and I put none other man in my stede now thou assygnest an other man in my cause Forsothe I saye to y e that I neuer serued suche a lorde before Whan themperour herde thys beynge almoost coÌ„fouÌ„ded in hymselfe sayd thus O dere frende all that thou sayth is trouth thou saued me froÌ„ deth thou wonnest my doughter agayne and for my sake y u hast suffred many wouÌ„des Forsothe it is ryght that I comme downe make an ende of thy cause suche as may be honour ioye to the. And than themperour laboured besyly in thys mater and made therof an ende accordyng to y e knyghtes entent wherfore all men greatly coÌ„mended the Emperour ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperoure may be called euery chrysten man or else al mankynde whyche had a fayre doughter that is to saye the soule made to the symilytude of god Thys erle betokeneth y e deuyll whyche rauysshed and defouled by synne the soule of man thrugh eatyng of the fruyte of y e tree knowynge good euyll wherfore al mankynde was in seruage tyll a stronge valyaunt knyght came put hymselfe on the crosse bytwene the deuyll mankynde For yf that had not ben we had all ben dampned euerlastyngly thys knyght brought agayn the foule of man vnto y e chyrche wherfore he suffred many great woundes in hys body And now thys knyght that is to say our lorde Iesu Chryst hath a mater to do amonge vs that is to saye to fynde in vs pâ—rfyte lyfe wherfore he calleth on vs dayly that we sholde be redy at all tymes saying thus in the apocalipse .iii. Ecce sto ad hostium et pulso si qs mihi aparuerit in troibo et cenabo That is to saye Lo I stande and knocke at the dore yf ony man wyll open to me I shall coÌ„me in soupe wyth hym But many men dothe as thys Emperour dyd the whyche gaue y e ynyght an other iudge than hymselfe But now a dayes there ben some men that wyll do no penauÌ„ce for the loue of hym whyche assygned no man but hymfelfe to fyght for vs. And therfore agaynst vnkynde meÌ„ it shal be sayd thus Lo he hangeth on y e crosse despoyled of all his clothyng and sheweth to vs all hys woundes y t he suffred for vs. Be we therfore kynde that we may suffre for hys loue some penaunce and that at the daye of dome we may
couetyse al onely waxeth yonge Therfore let vs take hede y t we playe not w t this bal of couetyse than wythout doubte we shall optayne wynne the game with y e tenes ball in y e blysse of heuen y t neuer shall haue ende Unto the whyche blysse brynge vs he that shedde hys blode for vs vpon the rode tree Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty Emperour a wyse named Theodose whyche aboue all thynge loued best melody of harpe huntynge It befell after vpon a day as thys Emperour hunted in a forest he herde so swete a melody of harpes that thrugh the swetnes therof he was almoost rauyshed froÌ„ hym selfe wherfore he sought about the forest to fynde that melody at the last he espyed at the ende of the forest a poore man syttyng besyde a water playing on a harpe so swetely that themperour before y e daye herde neuer so swete a melody Than sayd themperour good freÌ„de coÌ„meth this melody of thy harpe or no. The poore man answered sayd My reuerende lorde I shal tell you y e trouth Besyde this water my wyfe my chylde and I haue dwelled .xxx. yere and god hath gyuen me suche grace that whan so euer I touche my harpe I make so swete melody that y e fysshes of thys water coÌ„me out to my hande and so I take them wherwyth my wyfe my chylde and I ben fedde dayly in great plenty But alas welaway on the other syde of thys water there coÌ„meth a whysteler whysteleth so swetely that many tymes the fysshes for sake me go to his whysteling and therfore my reuerende lord I beseche you of helpe agaynst his hyssyng whystelyng Than sayd themperour I shall gyue the good helpe and couÌ„seyle I haue here in my purse a golden hoke whyche I shall gyue y e take thou it and bynde it fast at the ende of a roode and wyth y e smyte thy harpe whan y u seest the fysshe stere drawe them vp to the lande wyth that hoke than his whystelyng ne hyâ—syng shall not auayle Whan y e poore maÌ„ herd thys he reioysed hym greatly dyd al thynge as he had taught hym And whan thys poore man began to touche hys harpe y e fysshe moued than he toke them vp wyth hys hoke lyued therby longe tyme at the last ended gracyously hys lyfe in peace and rest ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth Iesu Chryst whyche greatly delyteth to hunte the soule of mankynde in the forest that is holy chyrche He loueth also the melody of the harpe that is to saye he loueth moche those y t teche the holy worde of god This poore man that sate bithe water syde betokeneth the prelates of the chyrche the prechers of y e worde of god whyche ought to syt besyde the worlde not in the worlde y t is to saye they sholde not set theyr delyte in worldly thynges The prechers ought to haue the harpe of holy scrypture wherw t they may prayse honour god also therwith drawe out of this worlde y e synners Therfore sayth y e psalmist thus Prayse ye god in timpanes crowdes and synge ye to hym on the harpe the psalter of .x. strenges But now adayes the precher may say alas for whan I preche teche holy scripture the deuyll coÌ„meth whysteleth so swetely that y e synners drawe to hym wyll not heare the worde of god but they turne themselfe onely to the delyte of synne The deuyll deceyueth also maÌ„kynde by dyuerse wayes Fyrst in tyme of prechynge he maketh some to slepe them that he can not make to slepe he causeth them to talke clatter them that he can not make to clatter he maketh them so dull that they may not sauour ne vnderstande what the precher sayth them that he can not begyle by these meanes he putteth in them be synesse causeth them to go out of the chyrche Lo so many wayes the deuyll hath to deceyue mankynde to let y e worde of god Therfore euery prelate euery precher behoueth y e golden hoke of goddes grace agaynst thys whysteling by y e whych grace they may drawe synners out of this worlde vp to heuen vnto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesus Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour a wyse man named Polemus whyche had no chylde saue onely a doughter whome he loued so moche that dayly nyghtly he ordeyned to kepe her wyth armed knyghtes And aboue these knyghtes he ordeyned a mayster well taught in euery connynge for to teche them to enferme them how they shold do He ordeyned also a steward for to guide his houshold And whan all thys was done on a nyght as he laye in hys bedde he be thought hym y t he wolde go vysyte the holy lande And than whaÌ„ all thynge was redy for his iourney accordynge to hys purpose he called vnto hym his stewarde sayde Dere frende I purpose to se the holy lande therfore I leue my doughter in thy kepyng also I charge the that she lacke nothynge but that she haue all maner of ioye gladnes that pertayneth to a vyrgyn Secondly I leue in thy kepyng fyue knightes that ben her kepers that they lacke nothyng y t to them behoueth Also I leue to the my greyhouÌ„de that thou nourysshe fede hym as it apperteyneth yf y u fulfyll all thys that I haue sayd thou shalt at my coÌ„mynge agayne receyue a great rewarde Than sayd y e stewarde My dere lorde in all y t I may I shal fulfyll your wyll Whan thys was sayd the Emperour toke hys iourney to warde the holy lande and the stewarde a longe tyme kepte well truly themperours ordynauÌ„ce But at the last it befell vpon a daye that this stewarde had espyed this yonge lady walkyng alone in an orcheyarde with whose loue he was sodeynly taken wherfore anone agaynst her wyll he defloured her And whaÌ„ he had synned wyth her he gaue her yll laÌ„guage hated her more after than euer he loued her before droue her out of y e palays wherfore this damoysel for great pouerte and defaute wente fro dore to dore begged her breed But whan the knyghtes that were her kepers herde of thys they reproued shamefully the steward of y t synful dede Than the stewarde waxed wroth for great hate that he had in his herte he despoyled y e knyghtes of al theyr goodes droue them fro the palays And whan they were thus robbed exyled some for defaute of goodes became theues some manquellers that thrugh thys incoÌ„uenyent they wrought great harme Soone after thys there came tydynges that themperour was arryued in farre landes coÌ„mynge homewarde And whan the stewarde herde thys he was greatly troubled and moued in hymselfe thus thynkynge in hymselfe he sayd thus Thys may not be but nedes I shall be accused for
great rychesse And whan I herde that I was glad and let downe a corde supposyng to haue drawen vp hym than I haled vâ— a lyon after that an ape than a serpent and at the last your stewarde The lyon gaue me ten asses charged w t marchaundyse the ape gaue me as moche wode as myne asse myght beare the serpent gaue me this stone y t I haue solde you but your stewarde bette me wouÌ„ded me so sore for my good dede that I was borne home vpon myne asse Whan y e Emperour herde thys hys herte was greatly moued agaynst y e steward wherfore he examyned hym of that false dede but he was dombe wolde not speke for so moche y t he coulde not deny his falshede Than sayd y e Emperour O thou wretched creature vnreasonable beestes as the lyon the ape the serpent rewarded hym for hys good dede and thou that art a reasonable man hast almost beaten hym to deth that saued the and toke the out of the pyt therfore for thy falshede wyckednes I iudge the to be hanged this daye on the galowes and all thy goodes landes I graunte to syr Guy also I ordeyne that syr Guy shall occupye thy place and be stewarde and so it was done Whan syr Guy was thus rewarded by the Emperoure and made stewarde he was well beloued of euery man as longe as he lyued and at y e last ended hys lyfe wyth honour and good peace ¶ Thys emperour betokeneth the father of heuen the poore man betokeneth euery maÌ„ that coÌ„meth in to this worlde feble naked from his mothers bely at y e last is promoted to great rychesse worldly honour as the psalmyst sayth Destercore erigens paupereÌ„ God lyfteth vp the poore man out of fylthe many suche men knowe neyther god ne theÌ„selfe but cause to make depe pyttes that is to saye vnkyndnes and malyce they ordeyne agaynst symple men in the whyche pyt y e deuyll causeth them ofte to fall accordyng to a texte in Ecclesiastico HoueaÌ„ qui alteri facit ipse incidit in eaÌ„ That is to saye who maketh a pyt to an other man oft tyme he falleth therin hymselfe whyche texte was well proued by Mardocheus Thys Guy that went dayly to y e forest w t his asse to gader wode betokeneth euery ryght full man dredyng god in y e forest of this worlde y t wode that he gadereth betokeneth his meryâ—oryous werkes that he caryeth on hys asse whyche betokeneth y e body of man wherwith his soule may ioye lyue in y e tabernacle of heuen And as the steward the lyon the ape the serpent that fell in to the pyt ryght so whan a synfull man falleth in y e pyt of synne The lyoÌ„ of y e kynrede of Iude that is Iesu Chryst descendeth with hym as oftentymes as the synner hath wyll to coÌ„me to grace Therfore sayth the psalmyst Cum ipso sum in tribulatione That is ta saye I am with hym in tribulacioÌ„ Thys Guy draweth vp y e lyon y t is to say Iesu Chryst out of the pyt by the rope of vertues He drewe vp y e ape also that is to say contrary wyll to reason y t he myght obey to reason For of all maner beestes the ape is most lyke to man ryght so amonge all the strengthes of the soule wyll ought to be lykened vnto reason and to obey reason He drewe vp also a serpeÌ„t by the whych is vnderstande penauÌ„ce for two causes For the serpent beareth in hys mouth venym and his tayle is a medicyne Ryght so penaunce beareth at the begynnynge bytternes to the doer neuerthelesse it is full swete medicynable vnto the soule at y e ende therfore euery ryghtwyse man sholde drawe to hym the serpent of penauÌ„ce And at the last he drewe vp the steward from the pyt of synne accordynge to Chrystes saying I am not coÌ„me onely to call ryghtwyse men but synners to penaunce Also it is wryten that Seneca whyche taught an Emperour many lores vertues of trewth and at the last lyke thys stewarde caused to slee his mayster Seneca Also Chryst gaue power to Iudas to werke myracles lyke as he dyd to other dyscyples neuerthelesse he betrayed hym at the last Ryght so now a dayes be many chyldren of Belial whych delyte more to do harme thaÌ„ good in especyall to them y t wolde â—eche them perfytly bothe for the soule for the body The lyon gaue to the ryghtwyse man .x. asses charged with marchaundyse that is to saye our lorde Iesu Chryst gyueth to euery ryghtwyse man .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes charged wyth vertues by the whyche he groweth to y e rychesse of heuen The ape also gadereth hym wode as ofte as the ryghtfull maÌ„ werketh wylfully y e dedes of charite For wode is profytable for two thynges that is to saye to make fyre to buylde houses Ryght so â—fyâ—â— charite heateth the aungell accordyng to scrypture saying Quia magis gaudiuÌ„ est angelis c. That is to say More ioye is to aungels for one synner doynge penauÌ„ce c. Charite also reyseth the hous of heuen agaynst the coÌ„mynge of the soule The serpent also gaue hym a stone of thre dyuerse colours the whyche he betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst whome we seke by penaunce Therfore sayth saynt Ierome in the seconde table thus â—ost naufragiâ—â— est premiaÌ„ That is to saye We sholde do penaunce after our trespace That Chryst is a stone may be proued by hymselfe saying thus Ego sum lapis viuus That is to saye I am a lyuyng stone Chryst hath thre colours whyche betokeneth y t myght of the father the wysdome of the sone the mekenes of the holy goost Therfore who that may gete thys stone shall haue the empyre of heuen ioye without sorowe plente wtout ony defaute lyght wythout darknes Unto whyche lyght brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst that dyed for you and me and all mankynde Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Anselme whych had wedded y e kynges doughter of Iherusalem a fayre lady and a gracyous in the syght of euery man but she was longe tyme wyth the Emperour or she waâ— coÌ„ceyued wyth chylde wherfore the nobles of y e Empyre were ryght sorowfull bycause theyr lorde had none heyre of hys body begoten Tyll at the last it befel that this Anselme walked after supper in an euenynge in hys gardeyn and bethought hymselfe how he had none heyre and how the kynge of Ampluy warred on hym coÌ„tynually for so moche as he had no sone to make defence in hys absence wherfore he was ryght sorowfull wente to hys chambre and slepte And at the last hym thought he sawe a vysyon in hys slepe that y e mornynge was more clerer thaÌ„ it was wont to be that the mone was moche more paler on that one syde than on that other And after he sawe
these that he choseth he shall optayn Therfore sayth Sampson Ante homineÌ„ mors et vita Deth and lyfe is set before man chose whyche hym lyst And yet man is vncerteyn whether he be worthy to chose lyfe vefore deth By the fyrst vessell of golde full of deed mennes bones we shall vnderstande worldly men as myghty men ryche whyche outwarde shyneth as golde in rychesse pompes of thys worlde Neuerthelesse wythin they be full of deed mennes bones that is to saye the werkes y t they haue wrought in thys worlde ben deed in y e syght of god thrugh deedly synne Thefore yf ony man chose suche lyfe he shall haue y t he deserueth that is to saye hell And suche men be lyke toumbes that be whyte royally paynted arayed wythout couered wyth cloth of golde sylke but wtin there is nothynge but drye bones By y e seconde vessel of syluer we ought to vnderstaÌ„de the Iustyces wyse men of thys worlde whyche shyne in fayre speche but wythin they be full of wormes and erth that is to saye theyr fayre speche shall auayle them no more at y e day of dome than wormes or erth and perauenture lesse for than shall they suffre euerlastynge payne yf they dye in deedly synne By the thyrde vessell of lede full of golde and pecyous stones we ought to vnderstande a symple lyfe a poore whych the chosen men chose that they may be wedded to our blessed lorde Iesu Chryst by humilite and obeysaunce suche men beare wyth them precyous stones that is to saye merytoryous werkes pleasynge to god by the whyche at y e daye of dome they be wedded to our lorde Iesu Chryst optayne y e herytage of heuen vnto the whyche brynge vs he y t dyed on y e rode tree Amen SOmtyme in Rome dwelled a myghty Emperour named Calopodu whyche wedded a fayre lady to hys wyfe they were not longe togyder but that thys Empresse coÌ„ceyued and bare hym a sone a goodly chylde and a fayre whan he was of age he was set to scole And whaÌ„ he came to .xx. yere of age he desyred hys fathers herytage sayinge Dere father ye are an olde man may not gouerne your Empyre therfore yf it please you to gyue it me it shal be to your profyte Than answered the Emperour and sayd Dere sone I drede me sore that whan the Empyre is in thy power thou wylte not fulfyll my wyll ne my desyre Than answered the empresse for so moche as she loued her sone better than her husbande and sayd My lord quod she that may not be for thou hast but one sone therfore as I byleue he wyll fulfyll thyne entent in all thynge and thys Empyre may helpe hym well therfore it is best to graunte hym the Empyre Than answered the Emperour and sayd I wyll fyrst haue of hym a lettre obligatory that whan so euer he dothe ony thynge agaynst my wyll that than I shall depryue hym of the Empyre wythout ony withstandynge The sone grauÌ„ted to thys let make the obligacyon sealed it And whan this was done thys yonge Emperour waxed so proude that he dredde neyther god nor man dyd very moche harme But euer his father suffred it pacyently for he wold not be corrected by no man Tyll at the last there fell a great derthe in that Empyre so that many men dyed for deâ—aute Thys olde Emperoure was by hymselfe began to haue nede wherfore he wente to his sone for to haue some sustenaunce whych his sone grauÌ„ted suffred for a whyle But wythin shorte tyme hys father began to ware syeke wherfore he called his sone and prayed hym to gyue hym a draught of muste Hys sone answered sayd That wyll I not do for my muste is not good for thy complecâ—yon Than sayd the Emperour I praye the sone gyue me a draught of thy wyne His sone answered and sayd that he sholde haue none for my wyne is not yet fyned yf I touche it it wyll trouble and therfore I wyll â—â—t broâ—he it tyll it be clere fyned Than sayd hys father Gyue me some of thy seconde tonne That wyl I not be quod â—e for that wyne is passynge myghty stronge suche wyne is not good for a sycke man ThaÌ„ hys father prayed hym hertely for a draught of the fourth tonne Than answered he sayd therof gete ye none for it is feble wtout ony sustentacyoÌ„ suche wyne is not good for you for it is not confortable Than sayd hys father new good sone gyue me than of the fyfth tonne That wyll I not quod he for that tonne is full of lyes dregges suche is not for men nor vnnethes for hogges Whan hys father sawe he myght gete nothyng of hym after was as hole as euer he was than wente he to the kynge of Iherusalem end made hys complaynt of his sone and shâ—wed hym the lettre obligatory whyche his sone had maâ—â— wherfore hys father myght put hym out of the Empyre wythout ony wythsayinge Whan the kynge herde thys he called y e Emperours sone to answere his father And whan he came he coude not answere to his father wyth no reason wherfore the kyng put hym froÌ„ hys Empyre and seasoned hys father therin agayne so he contynued all the dayes of hys lyfe ¶ Thys Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu Chryst accordyng to the psalmiâ—t saying He is thy father that hath the in possessyon made the of nought The loâ—e betokeyeth man to whome he gaue all the Empyre of thys worlde accordynge to thys scripture Celum celi dnÌ„o c. That is to say Heuen he hath gyuen our lorde and erth to man Mankynde made an obligacyoÌ„ vnto our lorde Iesu Chryst whan he receyued hys chrystendome at y e font stone where he behyght hym surety to serue hym truly to forsake y e deuyll all his pompes and vaynglory This Emperour began to waxe sycke on a daye that is to say our lorde Iesu Chryst is troubled as ofteÌ„tymes as a chrysteÌ„ man synneth breketh hys coÌ„maundementes wherfore he thursteth greatly the helpe of our soule than he asket a draught of the fyrst tonne that is to say he asketh of man the fyrh age of hys chyldhode to be spente in his seruyce But a none the wycked man answereth sayth I may not do so formy chyldhode is muste that is to say it is so tendre and so yonge that it may not attempte so soone to serue god whyche is openly false for the chylde of a daye is not without synne For saynt Gregory sayth in his dialogues that chyldren of .v. yeres of age put out fendes froÌ„ the bosomes of theyr fathers And whan god seeth that he may not haue of y e muste of his chyldhode than desyreth he the wyne of y e seconde tonne Than answereth the wycked man sayth that hys wyne is not yet
clere ynough that is to saye he is not apte to serue god And whan god may not haue of the second tonne than asketh he of the thyrde tonne that is to say of y e thyrde tonne of hys youth Than answereth the wycked man and sayth that wyne is to stronge myghty and therfore hys youth ought to be spente aboute dedes of this worlde and not in penaunce whyche sholde make hym feble weyke Whan god seeth that he may not haue of thys tonne than asketh he of the fourth tonne And than answereth the wycked man sayth that an aged man is feble may not fast ne do no harde penaunce yf he dyd he shold be cause of hys owne deth And than asketh our lorde of the fyfth tonne that is to say of his olde age whan he dothe crepe may not go wythout a staffe But the wycked man excuseth hymselfe sayth that thys wyne is to feble to gyue suche a feble man for yf he sholde fast one day it were tyme on y e morowe to make hys graue And whan our lorde seeth that he may not haue of the fyfth tonne than asketh he of the syxth tonne that is to saye whan a man is blynde and may not go to synne no more yet desyreth he of suche a man drynke that is to saye the helpe of hys soule But the wretched man lyenge in despeyre sayth Alas alas to me bycause I serued not almyghty god my maker redemer her in tyme past whyle I was in youth in prosperyte but now there is nothynge lefte but onely y e lyes the dregges of all wretchednes therfore what sholde it auayle me now to turne towarde god But for suche men we sholde mourne Neuerthelesse god is so mercyfull that though he myght haue no seruyce of man in all hys tyme yet is he coÌ„tent to haue the lyes of hys tonne that is to say his good wyll though he may not serue hym otherwyse so shal his good wyll staÌ„de hym in stede of penauÌ„ce For in what houre the synner doth hys penaunce he shall be saued as Ezechiel wytneâ—seth The apostle sayth Alas alas welawaye for there be many that wyll gyue no wyne ne none other thynge to hym wherfore god shal complayne vnto the kyng of Iherusalem that is to saye to hys godhede at the day of dome than god man shal gyue a sentence defensable agaynst suche men saying Esuriui et non dedistis c. I haue hungred ye gaue me no meate I haue thursted and ye gaue me no drynke Loo thus shall he reherse to the the seuen werkes of mercy And whan this is done than shall they be put to euerlastyng payne and the ryghtfull men into euerlastynge blysse where they shall haue ioye wythouten ende Unto the whyche brynge vs our lorde Iesu Chryst. Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperoure named Antony vnder whose reygne the rowers on the see had taken prysoner a myghty mannes sone of an other regyon brought hym to y e Emperours pryson fast bouÌ„de Whan this yonge man was thus in pryson he wrote to hys father for hys rauÌ„some but his father wold no rauÌ„some paye ne none other thyng sende to conforte hym This hearynge hys sone wepte sore myght not be coÌ„forted for the vnkyndnes of his father Thys Emperour had a fayre doughter whych visyted euery daye this prisoner conforted hym as moche as she myght To whome the prysoner answered sayd How shal I be mery or how may I ioye thus for to lye fast bounde in pryson froÌ„ the syght of man notwithstandyng thys it greueth me more that my father wyll not paye my raunsom Whan thys mayden herde thys she was moued wyth pyte and sayd Dere frende I am sory for the neuerthelesse yf thou wylte grauÌ„te me one thynge I shall delyuer the froÌ„ this anguysshe payne What thynge is that quod he That thou wylte take me to thy wyfe Than sayde the prysoner I promyse you surely to fulfyll your entent and desyre and for the more sykernes I plyght you my trouth Whan he had so done it was not longe after the damoysell delyuered hym out of pryson and fledde awaye wyth hym home to hys fathers hous Whan the father sawe hys sone the mayden togyder he asked y e cause why he brought her wyth hym Than sayd hys sone Syr thys daâ—oysell delyuered me out of pryson and therfore she shal be my wyfe Than sayd hys father I wyl not coÌ„sent that she shal be thy wyfe for two reasonable causes whych I shall shewe the. The fyrst is this it is not vnknowen to the that the Emperoure her father myght haue had for thy delyueraunce great good and for as moche as she was vntrue to her owne father and true to the it semeth well that thou sholde not trust longe in her for who is false to her owne father by reason shold be very false and vntrue to an other man The second reason is thys The cause why she delyuered the out of pryson it was neyther for pyte nor for loue but for flesshly lust that she had to the. For at thy delyueraunce she made couenaunt wyth the to be thy wyfe and had of the thy trouth and therfore sone it is not reason that she shold be thy wyfe The mayden answered to thys questyoÌ„ sayd As for the fyrst reason which thou layest agaynst me that I sholde be vntrue to my father that is false for my father hath plente of rychesse thy sone is but poore and therfore I holpe hym for pyte and for none other cause and neuerthelesse thou that art hys father wolde not paye hys raunsome that he myght be delyuered out of pryson Loo for thys cause I haue delyuered hym therfore I am kynder to hym than thou that art hys owne father he is more beholden to me than to the. Unto that other reason where as y e sayst that I delyuered hym bycause of flesshly lust I answere and saye playnli that it is not trouth For al maner of flesshly loue is cause of strengthe or else of fayrnes but thy sone is not stronge for his enprysonment hath done awaye hys strengthe He is not fayre for by the payne that he hath had in prison he is made lowe and vnlusty to the syght and therfore pyte onely moued me to delyuer hym and not flesshly lust Than sayd the sone vnto hys father Dere father for as moche as I was in peryll of deth and wrote vnto the that thou woldest paye my raunsome that I myght be delyuered and thou woldest not helpe me but this damoysel of her gentylnes and for pyte hath saued me from deth and delyuered me out of pryson and therfore sothly she shal be my wyfe wherfore forth wyth he wedded her wyth great honour and wyth her ended hys lyfe ¶ Dere frendes thys Emperour betokeneth the father of heuen The yonge man whyche was taken wyth the
syluer hath blynded the eyen of iudges hath ouerthrowen wyse men so that equite and ryghtwysâ—es myght not entre but stode aferre and turned theyr backes Thys lady also bought a man froÌ„ hangynge that is to saye from euerlastyng deth whyche he had deserued by deedly synne Therfore do we as dyd thys lady smyte we our horse that is to say our flesshe wyth the spurres of penaunce so ryde we â—orth in all haste to saue our neyghbour from the galous of deedly synne helpynge hym bothe bodyly and goostly as Salomon sayth Wo be to that man lyenge in deedly synne that hath no man to lyfte hym out therof Therfore awake thy neyghbour and helpe hym For a brother that is holpen of an other is lyke a sure cyte yf he gyue no more but a cuppe of colde water to hym in the waye of helpe he shall not lose hys rewarde But many now a days be full vnkynde as was thys thefe whyche falsly deceyued hys lady after y t she had saued hym froÌ„ hangyng The mayster of y e shyppe betokeneth y e worlde by whome many men be deceyued But neuerthelesse as ofte as a man taketh on hym wylfully the charge of pouerte obeyeth vnto the coÌ„maundementes of god and forsaketh the worlde than breketh the shyppe For it is impossyble to please god man and the worlde at ones Whan thys lady had escaped the tempest of the see she wente to a nonry that is to saye the soule after y e troubles of thys worlde wente to the holy lyfe than she healed all maner sycke folke that is to saye euery man that is troubled in hys soule that is to say infecte wyth dyuerse sycknesses that this lady healeth thrugh holy lyfe But the soule myght not be seen of Chryst her husbande tyll she had knowleged openly all her .v. wyttes how she had spent them But whan she had made a pure coÌ„fessyoÌ„ than y e Emperour our lord god her husbande knewe her toke her in his armes ledde her home to the palays of heuen Unto the whyche almyghty god brynge vs all Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Martyn whyche for loue kepte wyth hym hys brothers sone whome men called FulgeÌ„tyus Wyth thys Martyn dwelled also a knyght that was steward of hys Empyre and vncle vnto the Emperour whyche enuyed thys FulgeÌ„tius studyed day nyght how he myght brynge the Emperour thys chylde at debate wherfore the stewarde on a daye wente vnto the Emperour sayd My lorde quod he I that am your true seruauÌ„t owe of duty to warne your hyghnes yf I heare any thynge y t toucheth your honour wherfore I haue harde suche thynges that I must nedes vtter it in secrete vnto your lordshyp bytwene vs two Than sayde the Emperour Good frende quod he saye on what the lyst My moost dere lorde quod the stewarde Fulgentius your cosyn and your nye kynsman hath defamed you wonderfully and shamefully thrugh out all your Empyre sayinge that your breth stynketh and that it is deth to hym to serue you of your cup. Than the Emperour waxed wrothe and was almoost besyde hym selfe for anger and sayde to hym thus I praye the my good frende tell me the very trouth yf that my breth so stynketh as he sayth My lorde quod the stewarde ye may byleue me I neuer perceyued a swâ—ter breth in my dayes than yours is Than sayde the Emperoure I praye the good frende tell me how I may brynge thys thynge to a good profe The stewarde answered and sayd My lorde quod he ye shall ryght well vnderstande the trouth for to morowe nexte whan he serueth you of your cuppe ye shall se that he shall turne awaye hys face from you bycause of your brethe and thys is the moost veray profe that may be had of thys thynge Forsothe quod the Emperoure a truer profe can not be had of thys thynge Wherfore anone whan the stewarde herde thys he wente streyght to Fulgentius and toke hym asyde sayinge thus Dere frende thou art my kynsman and also nenewe vnto my lorde the Emperoure therfore yf thou wylte con me thanke I wyll tell the of the vyce wherof my lorde the Emperoure complayneth ofte and thynketh to put the from hym but yf it be the rather amended and that myght be a greate reprofe to the. Than sayd thys Fulgentius A good syr for hys loue that dyed vpon the crosse tell me why my lorde is so sore moued wyth me for I am redy to amedde my defaute in all that I can or may and for to be ruled by your good and dyscrete couÌ„seyle Thy breth quod the stewarde stynketh so sore that hys drynke dothe hym no good so greuous is vnto hym the stynkynge breth of thy mouth Than sayde Fulgentyus vnto the stewarde Truly that perceyued I neuer tyll now but what thynketh you of my brethe I praye you to tell me the very trouth Sothly quod the stewarde it stynketh greatly and foule And this Fulgentius byleued all that he sayde and was ryght sorowfull in hys mynde and prayed the stewarde of hys counseyle and helpe in thys wofull case Than sayd the stewarde vnto hym Yf that thou wylt do by my counseyle I shall brynge thys mate to a good conclusyon therfore do as I shal tell the. I counseyle the for y e best and also warne the that whan thou seruest my lorde the Emperoure of hys cuppe that than thou turne thy face away from hym so that he may not fele thy stynkynge brethe vnto the tyme that thou hast prouyded the of some remedy therfore Than was Fulgentyus ryght glad and sware to hym that he wolde do by hys couÌ„seyle Not longe after it befell that thys yonge man Fulgentyus â—erued hys lorde as he was wonte to do and therwyth sodeynly he turned his face froÌ„ hys lorde as the stewarde had taught hym And whan the Emperoure perceyued the auoydyng of hys heed he smote thys yonge Fulgentius on the brest wyth hys fote and sayd to hym thus O thou noughty rybawde now se I well it is true that I haue herde of the and therfore go thou anone out of my syght that I se the no more in thys place And wyth that thys yonge Fulgentyus wepte full sore and auoyded the place and wente out of hys syght And whan thys was so done the Emperour called vnto hym hys steward and sayd How may I put thys rybawde from the worlde that thus hath defamed me My moost dere lorde quod the stewarde ryght well ye shall haue your entent For here besyde wythyn these thre myle ye haue bryckmakers whyche dayly make greate fyres for to brenne brycke and also they make lyme therfore my lorde sende to them thys nyght and charge them vpon payne of deth that who so euer coÌ„meth to them fyrst on the morowe sayinge to them thus My lorde commaundeth you to fulfyll hys wyll that they take hym and cast hym
forest and defouled her of her maydenhede And whan he had so done he wolde haue slayne her and as he was despoylynge of her clothes there came rydyng by that forest a curteys a gentyll knyght whych herde the cryenge and lamentynge of a damoysell wherfore he smote hys horse wyth hys spurres and rode a greate pace in to the forest to wyte what it myght be And than he sawe a woman standynge naked saue her smocke than sayd the knyght Art thou she sayd he that cryed so lamentably Than answered the damoysell and sayde Ye sothly for thys man that standeth here hath rauysshed me and defouled me of my maydenhede and now he wolde slee me and therfore he hath despoyled me of my clothes that he myght smyte of my heed for the loue of god gentyll knyght helpe me now Than sayde the tyraunt She lyeth for she is my wyfe and I haue founde her in auoutry wyth an other man and therfore I wyll slee her Than sayde the knyght I byleue better the woman than the for lo the tokens of trouth appere openly in her vysage that thou hast rauysshed hâ—r and therfore wyll I fyght wyth the for her delyueraunce And anone they sterte togyther and fought egerly tyll they were bothe sore wounded Neuerthelesse the knyght optayned the vyctory and put the tyraunt to flyght Than sayde the knyght vnto the woman Loo I haue suffred for thy loue many sore woundes and haue saued the from y e deth wylte thou therfore be my wyfe That I desyre you quod she wyth all my herte thervpon I betake you my teouth Whan she was thus ensured than sayde the knyght Here besyde is my castell go ye thyder and abyde there tyll I haue vysyted my trendes and my kynnesmen to prouyde for al thynges nedefull for our weddynge for I purpose to make a greate feest for thyne honour and worshyp My lorde quod she I am redy to fulfyll your wyll Than wente she forth vnto the castell where as she was worshypfully receyued And the knyght went vnto hys frendes for to make hym redy agaynst the daye of maryage In the meane whyle came Poncyanus the tyraunt to the knyghtes castell and prayed her that he myght speke wyth her Than came she downe from the castell to hym Thys tyraunt subtylly flatered her and sayd Gentyll loue yf it please you to consent to me I shall gyue you bothe golde and syluer and greate rychesse and I shall be your seruaunt and ye my souerayne Whan the woman herde thys full lyghtly she was deceyued thrugh hys flateryng language and graunted hym to be hys wyfe and toke hym in wyth her into the castell It was not longe after but that thys knyght came home and fouÌ„de the castell gate sheâ—â—e 〈◊〉 therat but longe it was or he myght haue an answeâ—â— And at the last the woman came and demaunded why 〈◊〉 knocked so harde at the gate Than sayde he to her 〈◊〉 â—ere lady why hast thou so soone changed my loue 〈…〉 comme in Naye sothly sayd she thou shalte not 〈…〉 here for I haue here wyth me my loue whyche 〈◊〉 â—oued before Remembre quod the knyght that thou gaue me thy trouth to be my wyfe and how I saued the from deth and yf thou ponder not thy fayth beholde my woundes whyche I haue suffred in my body for thy loue And anone he vnclothed hymselfe naked saue hys breche that he myght shewe hys wouÌ„des openly But she wolde not se them ne speke more wyth hym but shette fast the gate and went her waye And whan the knyght sawe thys he wente to the Iustyce and made hys complaynte to hym prayenge hym to gyue ryghtwyse iudgement on thys tyraunt and thys woman The iudge called them before hym and whan they were coÌ„me the knyght sayd thus My lorde quod he I aske the benefytes of the lawe whyche is thys Yf a man rescowe a woman from rauysshynge the recower shall wedde her yf hym lyst and thys woman delyuered I from the handes of the tyraunt therfore I ought to haue her to my wyfe and farthermore she gaue me her fayth and trouâ—h to wedde me and thervpon she wente to my castell and I haue done great cost agaynst our weddynge and therfore as it semeth me she is my wyfe as by the lawe Than sayd y e iudge to the tyraunt Thou knowest well that thys knyght delyuered her from thy handes and for her loue he suffred many greuous woundes and therfore 〈◊〉 thou wotest that she is hys wyfe by the lawe yf 〈…〉 lyst But after her delyuerauÌ„ce wyth â—â—aterynge speche thou hast deceyued her therfore thys daye I iudge 〈◊〉 to be hanged Than sayde the iudge to the woman 〈◊〉 lyke wyse O woman thou knowest how thys 〈…〉 saued the from deth and therupon thou betokest 〈◊〉 thy fayth and trouth to be hys wyfe therfore by 〈◊〉 reasons thou art hys wyfe fyrst by the lawe and a 〈◊〉 by thy fayth and trouth Thys notwythstandyng thou coÌ„sented afterwarde to the tyraunt and brought hym in to the knyghtes castell and shette the gate agaynst the knyght an wolde not se hys woundes whyche he suffred for thy loue and therfore I iudge the to be hanged And so it was done bothe the rauyssher and she that was rauysshed were dampned to the deth wherfore euery man praysed the iudge for hys ryghtwyse iudgement ¶ Thys Emperoure betokeneth the father of heuen whyche ordeyned for a lawe that yf the soule of man were rauysshed from god by synne the sauer of the soule sholde wedde hym yf hym lyst The woman that was rauysshed betokeneth the soule of man whyche was rauysshed by synne of our fore father Adam and ledde out of paradyse in to the forest of thys wretched worlde by the tyraunt Poncyanus whych betokeneth the deuyll and he not onely defouled her by lesynge of the herytage of heuen but also he wolde slee her wyth euerlastyng payne But the soule cryed wyth an hygh voyce whose crye our lorde Iesu Chryst herde Thys crye was made whan Adam cryed after y e oyle of mercy 〈…〉 tyll 〈…〉 was nedefull 〈…〉 the ascencyon daye 〈…〉 a dwellynge place of 〈…〉 sholde dwell after the daye 〈…〉 in honour and glory But alas in 〈…〉 the deuyll and begyled the wretched 〈…〉 synne so he entred in to y e castell of our 〈…〉 sholde be the castell of god The knyght I 〈…〉 at the gate of our herte accordynge to 〈…〉 Eccesto ad hostium et pulso Lo I stande 〈…〉 and knocke yf ony man wyll open that I 〈…〉 But where as the deuyll is god may not entre but yâ— the synner wyll receyue hym by penaunce whyche seynge the gentyll knyght Iesu shewed hymselfe naked 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Geâ—â—a Romanâ—rum 〈…〉 London in Crede lane by 〈…〉 Kynge In the yere of our 〈…〉 god M. â— LUII