serue him and should forsake our Lord. Therefore if wée follow the world and his vanities certainely we shall fall in to the snare of the diuell From the which defende vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ It is the ordinance of God that no man shall labour for worldly promotion by couetousnesle and falsehood Man for his first transgression should haue bene adiudged to perpetual torment in hell had not the sonne of god voluntarily offered him selfe to the death to saue mankinde and destroy sathan â—is enimie so that thereby he might place him in the habitacle of heauenly ioyes euerlasting The 35. Historie SOmetime in Rome there dwelt a noble Emperour of great liuelood named Alexander the which aboue all vertues loued the vertue of bountie wherefore hée ordained a law for great curiositie that no name vnder pâ—yne of Death should turne a Playce in his dishe at his meate but onely eate the whyte sayde and not the black and if any man would attempt to doe the contrary he should dye without remedie but or he died he shold aske thrée requests of the Emperour what him lyst except his lyfe which should be graunted him It befell after on a day that ther came an Earle his sonne of a strange couÌ„trie to speake with the Emperour And when this Earle was set to meat hée was serued with a Playce and hée which was hungry and had an appetite to his meate after he had eaten the white syde hée turned the black side and béegan to eate thereof wherfore straight way hée was accused to the Emperour béecause hée hadde offended against the law Than sayd the Emperour Let him dye according to the law without any delay When the Earles sonne heard that his father should dye immediately he sate him down on both his knées beefore the Emperour and sayd O my reuerend Lord for his loue that dyed vppon the crosse let me dye for my father Than sayd the Emperour It pleaseth mée well that one dye for the offence of the law Then sayd this Earles sonne sith it is so that I shall dye I aske the benefits of the law that is to saye that I may haue three petitions graunted or I dye The Emperour answered and sayde aske what thou wilt there shal no man say thée nay Than sayd this young knight My Lord ye haue but one daughter that which I desire of your highnesse that she may lye with mée a night or I dye The Emperour granted though it were against his will in fulfilling of his law Heuerthelesse this knight deflowred hir not as that night Therfore pleased hee greatly the Emperour The second peticion is this I aske all thy treasure And immediately the Emperour grauÌ„ted bicause he shold not be called a breaker of his owne law And when this Earles sonne had receiued the Emperours treasure he imparted it both to poore and rich by meanes whereof he obtained their good wills My third petition is this I aske my Lord that all the eyes may be put out incontinent which sawe my father eating of the blacke plaice Wherefore the Emperour let make inquisition immediately who it was that saw the Earle turne the black Plaice And they that saw him turne the playce bethought theÌ„ said within themselues If we knowledge that we saw him do this trespasse than shall our eies be put out and therfore it is better that wée hold vs still And so ther was none found that would accuse him Whan the Earles sonne saw this he said to the Emperour My Lord quod he yée see that there is no man accuseth my father therfore giue ye right full iudgement Than saide the Emperour For as much that no man will knowledge that they saw him turne the place therefore I will not that thy father shall dye Loe thus the sonne saued his fathers lyfe and after the decease of the Emperour married his daughter The Morall Déere friends this Emperour betokneth the father of heauen which ordained a law that no man should furne the black side of the Plaice that is to saye there should no man labour for riches or promotion by couetousnesse and falsehood The Earle that came to the Emperour betokeneth Adam our fore father which came out of the lande of Eden to the Court of Paradise turned vp the black side of the Plaice when he eate of the Apple wherefore he should haue bene condempned to euerlasting death But his sonne that betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ For he tooke slesh of Adam and profered himselfe voluntarily to dye for him The Father of Heauen graunted that hée should goe dwone to dye for mankinde Neuerthelesse or he dyed he asked thrée petitious of his father of heauen The first was this that hée might haue by him his daughter which betokeneth the Soule of man and bring hir with him into the bosome of heauen according to the wordes of Osee saying De sponsabo cam mihi That is to saye I shall wed hir to my wife The second petition was this all the Emperours treasure which betokeneth the treasure of heauen according to this scripture Sicut disposuit mihi pater That is to say like as my father hath disposed for mee so I dispose for you The third petition was this that all their eyes should be put out that is to say that the diuell which dayly accuseth man might be put from the light of heauenly grace And thus saued he mankinde and led him vp with him vnto the Pallayes of heauen Unto the which pallayes bring vs our Lord Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of Heauen of his meere grace promotith some poore men raising them from the dust to sit amongst Princes But extolling themselues without regard of gods goodnesse they are made abiects vnto him the diuell worketh deceipt in his members against the godly Christ came downe from heauen to minister the water of eternall life vnto man and by his death and passion to reâ—iâ—e our soules which before were dead vnto the firme state of eternall felicitie The 36. History IN Rome there dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Le mâ—â—us which on a day rode to a forrest to disport him where as he mette sodainly with a poore man to whome he sayd thus Friend whence commest thou and who art thou My Lord quod he I come from the next Cittie and your manne I am Than sayde the Emperour thou séemest poore therefore if thou wilt be good and true I shall promote thee to great riches and honour Then answered the poore man sayd My Lord I promise you faithfully to bée true to you as long as I liue The Emperour anon made him knight and gaue him great riches When hée was thus promoted hee waxed so proud that hee thought himselfe more able to bée an Emperour then his Lord wherfore he made suggestion to diuerrse lords of that Empyre that hee might vsâ—rpe and take vpon him through strength of them to bee Emperour When
thiefe that béetrayed hir to the Maister of the shippe was lame and full of the Crampe And the Master of the shippe distraught out of his wittes When the Emperour heard that so holy a woman was in such a Citie hée called his brother saide to him thus Goe wee déere brother vnto this holy woman that is dwelling in the Citie that she may heale tâ—ée of thy lepry Would to God quod hee that I were healed Anone the Emperour with his brother went toward the Citie And when the Citizens heard of his comming they receiued him Worshipfullye with procession And then the Emperour enquired of the Citizens if any such holy woman were among them that could heale sicke folke of theyr diseas The Citizens answered and sayde that such a one was there Then was the Empresse called foorth before the Emperour but shée muffled hir face as well as shée could that the Emperour hir husband shold not know hir when shée had so done shée saluted him with great reuerence as it appertained to his estate And hée againe in lyke wise saying thus O good Ladie if thou lyst of thy grace to heale my brother of his lepry aske of mee what thou wilt and I shall graunt it thee for thy reward When the Emprisse heard this shée looked about hir and saw there the Emperours Brother a foule Leprie shée saw there also the knight that slew the earles daughter blynde and deafe The thiefe that shée saued from the gallowes lame and also the Master of the Ship distraught out of his wittes and all were come to hir for to be healed of their sicknesse but they knew not hir for all that they knew not hir shee knew them well Then sayd shée vnto the Emperour thus My reuerend Lord though yée would giue mee all your Empyre I may not heale your Brother nor none of these other but if they knowledge openlye what they haue done When the Emperour heard this hée tourned him towardes his Brother and sayde vnto him Brother accknowledge openly thy sinne before all these men that thou maist bée healed of thy sicknesse Then anone he began to tell how hée had ledde his lyfe but hée tolde not how he had hanged the Emprisse in the Forrest by the haire of hir Head most dispightfully When he had knowledged all that him lyst the Empresse replyed and saide Sothly my Lord I would gladly laye vnto him my medicine but I wot right well it is in vaine for he hath not made a full confession The Emperour hearing this he tourned towarde his brother saide againe in this wise What euill sorrow or vnhappy wretchednesse is in thée seest that not how that thou art a foule lepry therefore knowledge thy sinne truely that thou maist be whole or else auoide my company for euermore A Lord quod hée I may not tell my life openly but if I be first sure of thy grace What hast thou trespassed against mee quod the Emperour Than answered his brother and saide Myne offence against thée is grâ—euous and therefore I aske mercie The Emperour thought not on the Emprisse for as much as he supposed she had beene dead many yéeres béefore hee commaunded his brother to tell foorth what hee had offended him hée should bée forgiuen And wheÌ„ the Emperour had thus forgiuen his brother hée béegan to tell openly how he had desired the Emprisse to comemitte adultry with him and hée hadde hanged hir by the haire in the Forrest bycause shée would not consent by any meanes to him And when the Emperour heard this hée was almost béeside himselfe and in his rage he sayd thus O thou most wreched creature the vengeaunce of God is fallen vpon thee and were it not that I haue pardoned thee thou shouldest dye the most shamefull death that could bee thought Then sayde the Knight that slew the earles Daughter I wot not quod hee of what Lady ye meane but I wote that my Lord found on a time such a Ladye hanginge by the hayre in the Forrist and brought hir home to his Castell and hée tooke hir his daughter to keepe I prouoked hir as much as I could to sinne with mee but shee would in no wise consent to mee wherfore I slâ—w the earles Daughter that laye with hir and when I had so done I put the bloodie Knife in the Ladies hand that the earle should thinke shée had slaine his daughter with hir owne hands and than was she exiled thence but where she became I wot not Than sayde the theife I wot not of what Lady ye meane but well I wotte that seuen officers were leading mée to the gallowes and such a Lady came riding by and bought mée of them than went I with hir and afterward I béetrayed hir vnto a master of a ship Such a Lady quod the master of the shippe receiued I and when wée were in the middest of the sea I would haue layne with hir but shee sate downe to hir prayers and anone there arose such a tempest that the shippe all to brast and wée were all drowned saue shée and I but what afterward befell of hir I wote not Than cryed the Emprisse with a loud voyce and sayde Soothly déere friends yee doe now truely confesse and declare the trueth wherefore I will now apply my medicine and anone they receiued their health When this lady the Emprisse had thus done she opened hir face to the Emperour and he foorthwith knew hir and ranne to hir and imbraced hir in his armes and kissed hir oftentimes and for ioy he wept bitterly saying Blessed be God now haue I found that I desired And when he had thus sayde he lead hir home to his Pallayes with great ioye and alter when it pleased almightie GOD they ended both their liues in peace The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ The Emprisse betokeneth a holy soule The Emperours brother betokeneth the flesh to whom our Lord hath giuen charge of this Emayre but most principally to the soule Neuerthelesse the wretched sleshe oft prouoketh the soule to sinne But the soule that loueth God aboue all things withstandeth that temptation and calleth to hir hir ghostly power that is to say reason will vnderstanding and conscience and maketh them to enprison the flesh that is disobedient to the soule in the prison of true repentaunce vnto the tyme hée obey to reason in all thing And thus in hope of mercie hée sinneth agayne to whom holy writ saith Maladictus homo que peccat in spe Curssed be that man that sinneth in hope And at the last the soule enclyneth to the flesh lettith him out of the prison of repentance washeth him from the filth of sinne and arayeth him with good vertues and maketh him leape on the palfray of charytable humilitie and so rydeth foorth to méete our Lorde with the sacrifice of thankes giuing But alas full oft the sinner trespasseth against holy scripture wherfore the hart that is to say
loued sinfull man that he sent his onely begotten son to redeeme him out of the captiuitie of the wicked world to rest with him in the ioyes of heauen The third Historie IN Rome there dwelled some time a noble Emperour named Dioclesian which aboue all worldly goods loued the vertue of charitie wherfore he desired greatly to knowe what fowle loued hir birds best to the intent that he might thereby grow to more perfect charitie It fortuned after vpon a day that this Emperour walked to the forest to take his disport wher as he found the neast of a great bird that is called in latin Struthio Camely in English an Oistridge with hir bird the which bird the emperour toke w e him closed him in a vessel of glasse The dam of this litle bird followed after vnto the emperours place and slew into the hall where hir birde was closed But when she sawe hir bird and might by no meanes come to hir ne get her out shee returned againe to the forest there she abode three daies and at the last shee returned againe to the Pallys bearing in hir mouth a worme that is called Thumare Whan she came where hir birde was shee let the worme fall vppon the glasse thorough vertue of which worme the glalsse brake and the bird escaped and slew foorth with his dam. Whan the emperour saw this he praised much the dam of the birde which so diligently laboured for the deliueraunce of hir byrd The Morall ¶ My friends this Emperour is the father of Heauen which greatly loueth them that liue in perfect loue and charitie This litle birde closed in the glasse taken from the forest was Adam our forefather which was exiled froÌ„ out of Paradice put in the glasse that is to say in hel This hearing the Dam of the byrd that is to wit the sonne of God descended from heauen and came to the forest of the world and liued ther thrée dayes and more bearing with him a worme that is to say manhood according with the psalmist saying Ego sum vermis non homo That is to say I am a worme and no man This manhood was suffered to be slaine among the Jewes of whose blood the vessell eternall was broken and the byrd went out that is to saye Adam went foorth with his mother the sonne of God and flew vnto heauen The Argument ¶ A cleane spirite and vndefiled soule is the daughter of God so tender and deere vnto him that he bestoweth hir not vpon the rich man wanting the wisdome of God but vpon the poore manne that is wise and liueth in the feare of God which if she at any time transgresle by frailtie of flesh than for the recouery of hir health by the medicine of amendement of lyse to such a one though poore shall his soule be not onely in this lyfe espoused with much solace ioye ech of other but in the world to come shall liue with Christ in ioy and euerlasting blisse The fourth Historie SOmetime dwelled in Rome a worthy Emperour and a wyse which had a fayre daughter and a gracious in the sight of euery man This emperour bee thought him on a daye to whome he might giue his daughter in marriage saying thus If I giue my daughter to a rich man and he be a foole then is she lost and if I giue hir to a poore man and a wittie than may he get his liuing for him and hir by his wisedome There was that time dwelling in the citie of Rome a Philosopher named Socrates poore and wise which came to the Emperour sayde My Lord displease you not though I put foorth my peticion before your highnes Themperour sayd whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee tell foorth Then sayd Socrates My Lord ye haue a daughter whome I desire aboue all thing Themperour answered and said My friend I shall giue thée my daughter to wife vpon this condicion that if she dye in thy feloship after that she is wedded to thée thou shalt without doubt léese thy head Then said Socrates Upon this condition I will gladly take hir to bée my wife Themperour hearing this let call foorth all the Lords and states of his Empyre and made a great feast at their wedding And after the feast Socrates led home his wife to his owne house where as they liued in peace and health long time But at the last this Emperours daughter sickned to death when Socrates perceiued this hee saide to himselfe Alas and wo to mée what shall I doe and whether shall I flée if the Emperours daughter that is my wife should dye and for sorrow this Socrates went to a forrest there béeside and wept bitterly The while he thus wept and mourned there came an aged man bearing a staffe in his hande and asked the cause of Socrates why he mourned Socrates answered and sayd I wedded themperours daughter vpon this condition that if she died in my feloship I should leese my lyfe now shee is sickned vnto the death I câ—n find no remedie nor help and therefore I mourne more than any creature can thinke Then saide the olde man be of good comfort for I shall help you if yee will doe after my counsell In this forrest be three herbes if ye make a drink of the first to your wife of the other two a playster and if she vse this medicinall drincke and plaister in due time without doubt she shall recouer to perfect health Socrates fulfilled all as the olde man had taught him And whaÌ„ his wife had vsed a while that medicinall drinke and plaister within short tyme she was perfectly whole of all hir sickenesse And when the Emperour heard that Socrates wrought so wisely and how diligently he laboured for to heale his wife he promoted him to great dignitie and worship The Morall Deere friendes this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ his daughter so fayre and so gracious is the soule made to the si 〈…〉 de of God which is full gracious glorious in the sight of him and of his Angells while that shee is not defiled and abideth in hir owne proper cleannesse This soule God would not giue it to a rich man but to a poore man that is to say a man that is made of the slyme of the earth This Socrates is a poore man for why euery man commeth poore naked into this world from his mothers belly euery man taketh his soule in wedlocke vpon such condition that if shée die in his felowshippe by deadly sinne without doubt hée shall loose eternall life Therefore O thou man if thy wife sicken so through frailtie of flesh vnto sinne doe then as Socrates dyd goe vnto the forrest that is the Church of Christ and thou shalt finde there an old man with a staffe that is a discréet preacher which shall minister vnto thée those thrée hearbes wherrof may bée confect the medicine of thy recouery vnto health namely the first herbe is
armour of our humanitie till he went to the graue that is to say to the wombe of the glorious virgin Mary by the annunciation of the Angel saying The holy Ghost shall light in thee c. Lo thou shalt conceiue and beare a sonne And thus in the wombe of the virgin he toke the armour of the dead knight that is to say hée toke the manhood of Adam our forefather and saued the Citie that is the world with mankinde from perill by his blessed passion that he uffered on the crosse and that he put the armour againe into the graue when his blessed body was buried but the citizens â—nâ—ied him that is to saye the Jewes of Iury accused him to Pilate and laid the law against him saying If thou suffer him thus thou arte not the Emperour Caesars freinde we haue a law and after the law hee ought to dye And thus our Lord Jesu Christ of his enimies was condempned to the death of the crosse and after ascended vp to heauen where our Lord Jesu bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The fornication of wicked worldly men is here detected by the prouidence of God and by his gratious fauour deliuered out of the thraldom of sinne vnto the libertie of life euerlasting The History THere raigned sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour a wyse named Betolde which ordained a law that what woman were taken in aduoutry hir husband beeing a liue shée should bee cast into perpetuall prison There was that time a knight that had a fayre lady to his wife which committed aduoutry hir husband being a liue and was with childe therefore by the law shee was put in prison wher within short tyme after shee was deliuered of a fayre sonne This childe grew vp till hée was seuen yeeres old his mother dayly wept hartely And when the child haâ—d this hee said to his mother O mother why wéepe yée thus and for what cause are you thus perplexed Then saide his mother O my swéete sonne I haue great cause to mourne and thou also for aboue our heads is people walking and the sunne shineth in cléerenes and great solace haue all men that are aboue vs and wee bée héere continually in such darknes that I may not sée thée ne thou me alas that euer I conceiued thee Then sayd the sonne such ioye ne such light as yée spake of sawe I neuer for I was borne here in this darknes therfore if I had meate and drink ynough heere would I liue all the dayes of my life therefore mother weepe yée not but show mee solace This lamentation that was betwéene the mother the sonne heard the Emperours Stewarde that stoode aboue their heads wherof he had great compassion and wept vnto the Emperour and kneeling beesought him of his grace that the mother the sonne might bee deliuered out of prison The Emperour as a mercifull Lord graunted that they should bee deliuered Neuerthelesse if they trespassed so in time to come they should bée punished with double paine and after that they were deliuered this woman ended hir life in that Citie The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is the Father of heauen that made this law that what wedded woman that is to saye what soule that is wedded to our Lord doth commit aduoutry that is to say doth worship strange gods should be cast in the prison of hell therefore a sinfull soule hath great cause to wéepe for shee is departed from light that is to saâ—e from the ioys of heauen Hir sonne that desired meate and drinck are the weaâ—thie wicked worldlings of this worlde that say to the prelates of the Church and to the preachers that preach vnto them the ioyes of Heauen that while wee may liue and haue all the solace of the world wee desire none other heauen The Steward that heard their lamentation is our Lord Jesu that knoweth all the priuities of our sorowful and repentant harts for our sinnes bâ— sought the Father of heauen for vs that wée might bee deliuered from the prison of sinne and that wee might come to euerlasting life to that which bring vs all our Lord Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ Christ proclaimeth the ioyfull feast of heauen wherin the Lambe to say the poore Preachers of the Gospell hauing their sight or knowledge iâ— gods word are suppoâ—ed of the blind layâ—â— and ech doe mutuâ—lly comfort other till they approch vnto the proclaymed feast of perpetual felicitie The Morall SOmetime in Rome dwelt an Emperour named Pompeâ— which aboue all other things was mercifull This Emrerour procliamed throughout all his Empire a great feast and that poore and rich should come to this feast And whosoeuer came to that feast should not onely bee well fed but also hee should haue great giftes When the herawld had warned all maner of men to come to this feast at that time there ware two poore men lying by the way the one was lame and the other was blinde This blinde man sayde to the lame man Alas and wo to vs both how shall wée doe for themperour hath proclaimed a feast and who so euer commeth there shall not onely bée well fedde but also hee shall haue great guifts and I am blinde and thou arts lame how shall wee doe Then sayde the lame man to the blinde man I shall tell thée counsell if thou wilt doe after mée thou shalt let for nothing I am lame and feeble may not goe neuerthelesse I may see thou art blinde and strong and maist not see take thou mée vpon thy beack and beare mee and I shall leade thee the right way thus shall wée both come to the Emperours feast Then sayde the blind after thy counsell let vs doe come on my back I shall beare thee and thou shalt leadâ— mee the right way and so they did that they came both to the feast recuied great rewards and giftes among other men And thus ended their liues in peace The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our sauiour Jesu Christ that proclaymeth a feast that is to say the ioyes of heauen vnto the which ioyes he called all mankinde and forsakeht no man that will come vnto hâ—m This lame man betokeneth the poore mini sters of the gospel which wanting worldly pleasures liue by the prouideÌ„ce of God And this blinde man béetokeneth the lay men which konw not the right way to heauen It bée loueth the the blind man to wit the late mâ—n to beare the lame man that is to saie the ministers of the gospell sustaining feeding theÌ„ with the duties of the church then the ministers for gods cause are bound to teach to enforme vs the way to heaueÌ„ wher as we shall not onely haue a feast but also great rewarde ioy vnto that which god bring vs all Amen The Argument Heauen hell are heere â—oÌ„pared to two cities to theâ—e two cities are two contrary waies To heauen which is the city of all heauenly
third rope that should hang the felon is the rope of amendement of life For as the scripture saith tâ—ere is more ioye in heauen ouer one sinner that turneth vnto the Lord in time than ouer c. Like as the stewaâ—d brought againe Themperâ—urs daughter â—o it behoueth vs to séeke about by fruitfull faith yea to finde our soule that we lost and bringing hir againe to the church to rule well our fiue witts to séede our greyhound as we should and make our lise so cleane and pure that we fall not againe to sinne for feare that it fortune to vs worse and that we haue no leasure to aske mercy againe at our néede And it we fullfil all this truely vnto our liues ende without doubt wée shall obtaine euerlasting life To the which our Lord bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The violating of our innoceÌ„cie in not â—â—â—nitating the law of God is heere described with being adiudged after the slesh yet by the merits of Christ our sauiour we obtaine our saluation The 19. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour and a wise named Edsenne which ordained a law for that whosoeuer rauished a maide should be at hir discretion wherewith she would put him to death or that she would take him to hir husband It befell after that a man rauished in a night two faire matdeus the first damosell which he rauished desired that he should dye and the second desired him to hir husband The rauisher was taken ledde before the Judge that should satisfie both these damosells through his wisdome and equitir of the cause The first damosell desired the death according to the law Then said the second I desired to haue him my husband for like as thou hase the law for thée so in like case I haue it for mée and neuertholesse my petition is more better than yours for it is more charitable therefore me thinketh in my reason that the Justice should giue sinsence in fauour and furtherance of my desire Then the Justice vnderstanding the great mercy of the second damosell gaue iudgement that he should take hir to his wife and so it was done The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ The rauisher betokeneth euery sinner which rauisheth gods mercy as often he violateth the commaundements of God by sinne for the diuell may neuer ouercome man but if it bée suffered by will For saint Austin saith Non est peccatum nisi sit voluntarium It is no sinne but if it be voluÌ„tary The rauisher also is called afore the Justice when the soule is departed from the bodie and anon the first damosell Innocency layde against the sinner that he ought to dye euerlastingly by the law of righteousnesse But that other mayden that is Christ his merits layd for hir how the mercy of God ought to help by harty repentaunce and acknowledging our sinnes which is the high way to euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The mother of the childe of grace and of the reprobate is heere declared which of them shall be saued and which of them dampned is not yet reuealed vnto the world till the day of iudgement The 20 Historie SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a mightie Emperour and a rich named Lipodius which tooke to wise a faire virgin a gentill the daughter of the king of Assiria this yong lady conceiued and beare a childe And in the byrth of hir sonne she dyed And anone after hir decease this Emperour maried an other wife and had by hir achilde also And immediately after that these children were borne he sent them both into a strange land for to be norished Then said the mother of the second childe My reuerend Lord tenne yéeres bée now fully expired since I bare my childe and yet sawe I him neuer but once and that was the first daye of his byrth therefore I beséech you my Lord to send for him that I may once reioyce mée of his sight Then said the Emperour I haue an other childe by my first wyfe and if I send for thy sonne than must I send for both and than anone he sent for them And when they were come they were of passing faiture and well trayned well instructed passing like in all maner thinges so as hardly the one might bee knowen from the other but by the father onely discerned Than said the mother of the second childe A my Lord tell mée which of these is my sonne and he called to him his sonne that he begate on his fiest wâ—â—e Whan the Empresse heaâ—d this shée gaue all hir care to nourish him and despised the other child When the Emperour saw this he saide to his wise Certainely I haue deceiued thee for him that thou louest so much is not thy son but that other is thy sonne Than sette shée all hir care vpon the seconde and forsooke the first When the Emperour saw this hée saide Truely I haue deceiued thée without doubt this is not thy sonne but one of them two is thy sonne Then sayde the mother A my Lorde for his loue that dyed for mankinde tell mée without cauellacion which of them is my sonne The Emperour answered and sayd certainely I will not tell you till they come both to mans state for this reason First I told you that this was your sonne and him haue you cherished as thy sonne and forsaken that other and when I tolde you that this was your sonne than despised you the first and cherished the second therefore I will that you bring vppe and cherish them both till that you may haue ioye of them When themprisse heard this she nourished them both a like And when they were both come to age the Emperour made a great supper and before all his gestes hée tolde his wyfe openly which of them was hir childe Than reioysed the Empresse greatly and with hir sonne shée ended hir lyfe in peace and rest The Morall This Emperours sonnes betokeneth those that be chosen to euerlasting life and those that be not chosen The mother of them is the prouidence of God that nourisheth theÌ„ both Therfore our Lord will not that his prouidence should let the world know which bée chosen and which be not chosen For if shée knew that than would she loue the one and hate the other and so should charitie be ouerthrowen among vs and should liue in discord and strife but trouth at the day of Judgement shall tell vs which of them shall be saued which of them shall be dampned Therefore pray wee in this world that we may come to the euerlasting feast in heauen Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The vngodly of this world will take no paines to liue vertuously and yet often tymes are they enriched for the most pait with the guifts of fortune neither carefull of the reward laid vp for pure vertue in heauen nor fearing the torments of hell deputed for the
rich and vicious worldlings The 21. History SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a noble Emperour named Polenus which had thrée sonnes whome hee loued much It béefell vpon a daie when this Emperour lay vpon his bed he bethought him to which of his sonnes he might giue his Empyre after his decease Then called hée to him his thrée sonnes and saide Which of you three that is slowest shall haue mine Empyre after my decease The first sonne answered and sayde Thyne Empyre by reason shall bée myne For I am so slow that if my foote were in the fyre I had rather it should be brent then I to take it out Then said the second I am quod hée more apt to the Empyre then thou for though ther were a rope about my neck wherwith I should bée hanged and if I had a sharp sword in my hand for great slouth that I haue I would not put soorth my hande to cutte the rope for to saue my life And when these two brethren had said the third saide for him thus I ought to be Emperour béefore you both for I passe you in slouth and that will I proue thus I lye vpright in my bed there droppeth water vpon both mine eyen for great slouth that I haue I moue not my head neither to the right side of the bedde nor to the lefte side for sauing of my selfe When the Emperour heard this hée béequethed the Empyre vnto the youngest sonne as to the slowest of the bretheren The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the diuell which is lord father ouer the vngodly in this world by the first son is vnderstood a man that chauÌ„ceth into euil compainy by whom he falleth into misdemenour and had leuer to be brent in the fire of sin then depart from them The second sonne betokeneth him that knoweth himselfe bound with the band of sin wherwith he is to be hanged on the gallous of hell is so slouthfull that hee wil not put them away with the lawfull sword of repentance By the third sonne is vnderstood a man that heareth the teaching of the ioyes of heauen and of the paines of hell and will not moue him selfe to the right for loue and desire of reward nor to the left side to forlake his sinnes for feare of eternall paine Such a man without doubt for his sloth shall obtaine the kingdome of hell from the which kéepe vs our Lord Jesus Amen The 22. Historie ALexander the mightie Emperour sometime ruled which beséeged a citie of the kinge of Egipt with a great hoast neuer the lesse this Emperour lost many mightie Knights without any hurt of stroke And thus froÌ„ day to day his people dyed sodenly whereat this Alexander wondred greatly was full sorowfull therof in his minde and anone let call afore him the wisest Philosophers that might bée found and praied them to tell him why his people dyed thus sodainly without wouÌ„d The Philosophers answered and said My Lord it is no wonder for vpon the walls of that Castell within the Citie is a Cocatrice through whose sight your men dye for they are infected with the venime that commeth of his eyen and there vpon they dye Than this Alexander asketh if there wer any remedy against that cocatrice The Philosophers answered and said My Lord there is good remedy which is this pleaseth it you to set vp a large myrrour of cléere glasse ouer against this Cocatrice between your hoast the wall of the citie when the cocatrice beholdeth him selfe in the myrrour the deadly nature of this venimous sight shall returne againe to himselfe thus he shall die and your men shal be saued The Emperour wrought by the counsell of the Philosophers and let set vp straight a large myrrour of glasse and thus was the Cocatrice slayne and the Emperour with his hoast made an assault to the Citie and obtained the victory The Morall This Emperour may bée called euery Christian man which ought to gather an hoast of vertues for without vertue there may no man fight ghostly The Citie against whom yee shall fight is the worlde wherein there is an high Castell that is to saye vanitie of vanities Vanitas vanitatum And all vanitie in this vanitie standeth the Cocatrice that is to say pride of life desire of the eyes and lust of the flesh wherfore this pride infecteth so many that they dy at the last euerlastingly Therfore the greatest remedy against this pride is the consideration of our vncleannes how wée came naked into this world if it be asked why a man is proude certainely it may bée answered thus for defanlte of robbing himselfe with vertues what shall wée doe wheÌ„ wee die thus gostly but set vp a pure mirrour of conscience and by that conscience wée may coÌ„sider our wil our brittilnes as in a glasse where thou maist sée thy owne default if wée doe thus without doubt the Cocatrice that is pride of life desire of the eyes and lust of the flesh wee shall vtterly destroy and obtaine the victory of this worldly citie then be we sure to winne euerlasting life vnto the which God bring both you and mée Anen The Argument The soule of man being occupied in the body with the flesh she seeketh by sinister meanes to ouerthrow the soule with hir vncleane lusts after the world wher though the soule for a time suffereth shipwrack of worldly felicitie yet the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda is of power not onely to comfort him in necessitie but also to reueÌ„ge his miury make him to repossesse with his former estate a more firmer euerlasting felicity in the world to come The 23. Historie A Mightie Emperour sometyme ruled the Romaynes maned Archelaus the which in his olde age espowsed a fayre young ladye whome a young knight loued had to doe with hir as oft as him list It béefell on a night that this Emperour beethought him in his bedde to visit the citie Ierusalem wherfore without any more delay he ordainâ—d al thing necessary to his iourney and tooke his leaue of the Emprisse and of the states of th empyre went towards the sayd Citie When the Emprisse heard this shée tooke the master of the shippe and sayd If thou wilt consent to mee bée true aske of me what thou wilt thou shalt haue it The master of the shippe was corrupt with couetousnesse and said O my déere ladye what so euer you will commaund mée I shall without fayle fulfill it so that yée will reward mée for my labour Then saide the Empresse or thou doe ought for mée I shall giue thée what thée list to haue so that thou wilt sweare to bée true to mée kéepe my counsaile The maister of the shippe anone made his oath to bée true to hir Than saide the Empresse My Lord goeth with you in your ship therefore when he is in the middest of the sea cast him out that hée may bee drowned and
yée shall obtaine your reward without any withsaying Then the master of the shippe sware a great oath and sayde By the great God Jubiter after hee commeth once within my ship yée shall neuer see him more Then the lady paide him as much gold as he would haue foorth he went to his shippe And within short time after the emperour tooke his ship and when he was in the middes of the sea the master of that shippe toke Themperour threw him ouer borde into the sea Then the master returned againe and tolde the Empresse that the Emperour was cast into the sea whereof shee was full glad This Emperour that was thus cast into the sea had learned in his youth to swim and swam foorth till hée saw an Ilande in the sea but euer in his swimming when hée was faint like to haue béene drowned hée prayed to God to bée his help and wept sore tyll at the last hée came into a little Iland wherein was nothing but Lyons and Lybberds and diuerse other beasts that swam thether from other lands When this Emperour had taken land in that yle hée spyed a yong Lyon fighting with an olde Lybbard and the Lyon was almost ouercome The Emperour had great compassion on the Lion and drew out his sworde and slew the Lybbard The Lyon euen from the tyme foorth followed the Emperour would not leaue him for nothing but â—uery day the pray that this Lion toke he brought and layd it béefore the Emperours féete and anone the Emperour smote fire on the slint stone and boyled the body in the skinne and thus was he fedde long tyme tyll at the last hée walked to the Sea strand where he saw a ship come sayling by anone with an high voice hée cryed And when the shipmen heard the voyce they wondred what it might bée wherfore they sayled toward him and when they were come to him hée sayde good friends take mée with you and I shall pay you a good fraight And anone they tooke him into theyr ship and the Lyon followed him swimming in the Sea after the shippe And whan the Lyon was in point to haue bene drowned the shipmen had pittie on him and tooke him into the shippe And when the Emperour came to lande hée payd his fraight and when he had payd them he went foorth tyll hée came neere his owne Pallais wher he heard trumpets and Claryons with all maner of other minstrelsie and as hee hearkened what it might bée there came from the Pallayes a Squire towards him that was of his knowledge but the Squire knew not him to whome the Emperour sayde thus Good friend I praye thée tell mée what melody is this that I heare The Squire aunswered and sayde The Empresse is married this daye and there bée all the states of the Empyre at hir feast and therefore they make such melodie to make hir gestes merry Then sayde the Emperour to the squire where is hir husband that was the Emperour before The squire said that he was gone to the holy lande and was drowned by the way in the Sea Then sayd the Emperour I pray thée sir that thou wouldest doe my errande to thempresse to the Lord that would be hir Husband that I may come into the Pallayes and show theyr maiesties some disport with my Lion The squire graunted to doe his errande and went in and tolde the Lord and the Ladye that at the gate was a goodly olde man that desyred to come in and play with his Lyon afore you Then sayde the new wedded Lorde bring him in and if he be worthy percase hée might gette his meate for his playe Whan the Emperour with his Lyon was brought in the Lyon anone without any comfort or setting on ranne vppon the young knight that was newly maried and slew him and when hée had so done he ran vpon the Empresse deuoured hir to the hard bones before all the Lords of the Empyre And when the states saw this they were greatly agast and began to flee But the Emperour with his fayre speach comforted them said Lo this is the vengeance of god for this is my wyfe that hath vsed aduoutry long time with this knight that lyeth héere dead and she practized my death with the master of the ship and héere vpon the master threw mee into the Sea but God saued mee from the death and bicause I holp once the Lyon at a néed hée forsooke mée neuer sith and now as ye see all when I come into my Pallays without any comfort of mée hée hath slaine both the adoultereâ—s and therefore vnderstande ye for trouth that I am your Lord the Emperour Anone when they heard this they lift vp theyr eyen and béehelde him and at the last they knew him for theyr Lord wherefore they were greatly reioysed and praysed God for the miracle which had saued their Lord and Emperour And they liued after in rest and peace The Morall By this Emperor ye may vnderstaÌ„d euery Christian man that purposeth to vâ—â—c the Citie of Hierusalem that is to 〈◊〉 to get euerlasting life through fruitfull fâ—â—â—â— But his wife that is the wretched slâ—â—h murmureth against the soule and loueth better an adulteâ—er that is deadly sinâ—e thâ—n hiâ— husband This emperour went into the ship taking his iourney towâ—rd the citie of Hierusalem that is to â—ay he went to the Church of God which is the way to God But the wife that is to say fleshly men accuâ—ed him to the master of the ship that is to say to the Prelates of the church for great rewards which ofteÌ„ times blindeth the sight of many Justices where through many perfect men be cast out of the ship into the sea to be drowned that is to say out of the Church inâ—o the Sea of thys worlde But what shall hée doe then that is thus cast to be troubled in this worlde certainely this ought he to doâ— let him learne to swimme that is to saye let tâ— him put all his hope in God and then by his grace hee shall come to an Iland that is to saye the religion of heart and that he shal loue euer the better to keepe himselfe out of this world and therefore saith saint Jeames thus A cleane religion vndeâ—ilâ—d is a precious thing in the sight of God And â—e that is in this religion shall finde a Lyon whome he behoueth to haâ—â— against the diuell This Lyon is our Lord Jesus Christ that came of the tribe of luda which â—ighteth euer agâ—inst the diuell and if a man haue holpâ—n this Lyon at any â—yme tâ—â—sâ— well then that hée will not forsake him but be with him in all his néede according to the Psalmist saying thus Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in trouble By this Lyon thou maist take thy wife that is to say thy flesh with repentance and slay thy sinne and then without doubt thou shalt obtain the empire of heauen
giuen most of my lands rents tenements and cattells to the rich men that came before you Neuerthelesse I haue kept sâ—ill in mine owne hands the Soueraigntie and dominion ouer them and that I doe giue to you and so shall they be your seruaunts and be obedient to you all And when the poore men heard this greatly hereat reioysing knéeled downe to the Emperour and thanked him saying Lo though wée come late yet wée be made Lords ouer all these other And with this they tooke their leaue went home againe But when the rich the mightie men heard that they were greatly moued and ordained a common parliameÌ„t among themselues And thus it was spoken among them Alas alas how may we serue them that sometime were but pesants and our subiects in all maner thinges and now they bée made lords ouer vs. Therefore goe wée all with one assent to Themperour pray him of remedy When this was sayd their counsayle was commended and foorthwith they went to the Emperour and said to him Reuerend Lord what may this bée those that were our seruants be our lords we beséech you méekly that it may not be so Than said the Emperour Good friends I doe you no wrong for my crye was common that what so euer you asked of me you should obtaine your petition and ye asked nothing of me but lands rents and honours and all that haue I graunted you at your owene will in so much that I kept nothing for my selfe and each of you were well content at your away going after that came simple and poore men and asked of mée some goods according to my proclamation and I had nothing to giue them onely the Souer aigntie and Dominion ouer you which I kept in my handes and when the poore menne so cryed on mée I had nothing to giue them saue onely the authoritie ouer you and therfore ye should not blame mée for that ye asked ye had Than sayd they A good and gracious Lord we pray you effectuously of your counsayle in this case and of your help The Emperour answered and sayd Sirs if ye will work after mée I shall giue you good and profitable counsayle Than sayd they wée be readie to fulfill whatsoeuer ye saye to vs for our profit Then said Themperour My good friends ye haue of mée both landes and tenements with other moueable goods and that great plenty the which by my counsayle ye shall depart with to the poore menne that they may graunt you the soueraâ—gntie and dominien which they haue And anone these rich men gladly graunted to this and departed all their goods among the poore men and than they gaue them againe the authoritie ouer them like as they had of the rich men And thus were they both content and the Emperour was greatly commended of all the people bicause he accorded both the partes so wisely The Morall By this Emperour is vnderstood our Lorde Jesu Christ which made a proclamation by his Prophets Patriarks Apostles and Preachers that euerye man both poore and riche should come and aske euerlasting ioy and without doubt they shall obtaine their petition But the rich and mightie men asked none other thing but worldly honour transitory riches for this world shall passe all the couetousnesse thereof wherefore he gaue them so much of worldly goods that he had nothing left of himselfe according to the Scripture The byrds of heauen haue neastes and the Foxes in the earth haue caues but the sonne of GOD hath nothing in the earth where he may put his head The poore men bée such as be méeke in hart Of the which poore men speaketh our Lorde saying Blessed bée the poore in heart for the kingdome of heauen is theirs And if it should séeme that they haue soeueraintie in Heauen aboue mightie men of this world therefore these rich men ought to depart thir temporall riches with poore men according to the scripture saying thus Giue yée alines and all thing shal be cleane to you And thus may yée attaine vnto the kingdome of heauen vnto the which I béeseech almightie God to bring vs all Amen The Argument The Emperour of eternall glorie Christ hath two daughters the one faire the other foule the faire daughter is this world and the pleasures thereof the soule is pouerty trouble The fayre daughter is desired of many the foule daughter of fewe who so loueth the world setteth not by god nor heauenly things but by the vanites of this world who so loueth God heauenly things will suffer in Christ all persecution trouble for the obtaining therof dispising the world all that therein is The 27. Historie SOmetime in Rome dwelt a mightie Emperour named Domician which had two daughters the one of them was passing fayre but the other foule and euill fauored wherfore hée lette crye throughout all his Empyre that what man would haue his faire daughter to wyfe should haue nothing with hir but hir beautifull and comely personage And who so would marry his foule daughter should haue all his Empyre after his death And when the proclamation was made there came many Lords that desired to marry his faire daughter To whome the Emperour answered thus Sirs quod hée yée wote not what yée desire right well yée know that if yée marry hir yee shal haue nothing with hir but hir beautifull comely personage and farthermore if I giue hir to one of you and not to an other then will yée striue for hir therefore if yée will néedes haue hir and forsake my soule daughter it shall béehoue you first to Just for hir hée that winneth hir shall wed hir Than the nobles stats of the Empire greatly reioysed and anone onely for loue of the beautiful damosell they would iust and also fight wherefore thy set a daie of battaile and many worthy men were slaine on both sides neuerthelesse one obtained the chiefe victory and espoused that faire Lady The second daughter which was foule and euill fauored séeing hir sister so béestowed with great solempnitie mourned wept dayly therefore the Emperour hir father came to hir and saide Déere daughter why mournest thou thus Alas déere father quod shée it is no wonder though I mourne séeing my sister is married with great honour gladnesse and euery man is ioyfull of hir no man loueth my company and therfore déere father what I may best doe sothly I wot not Then saide the Emperour O my déere daughter all that is mine is thine and it is not vnknowen to you that hée which marrieth thy sister had nothing with hir but hir beutiful corps therfore I shal proclaim in mine own persoÌ„ through all my empire that what man marrieth thée I shall make him assurance by letter patent of all mine Empyre after my death Then this young Lady though shée was foule euill fauored neuerthelesse shée reioyced in the promisse of hir father immediatly after the proclamation
was made ther came a yong knight a geÌ„til which espoused the lady and after the death of the Emperour seased vpon all the Empyre into his iurisdiction and was crouned Emperour and shée Empresse The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which hath two daughters the one saire and the other foule The faire daughters betokeneth this worlde which is full faire and delectable to many men The other foule béetokeneth pouertie and trouble whome few men desire to marry with Neuerthelesse a common cry was made by the holy scripture that who so would haue his faire daughter that is the world should haue nothing with hir but hir fairnes that is to say the worldly vanities which fade and fall away like as the bewtie of man But who that will marry the foule daughter that is to saye voluntarily receiueth pouerty and trouble for gods loue without doubt hée shall obtayne the Empyre of heauen according to the Scripture saying Yee that haue forsaken all thing for my loue to folow mee shall haue euerlasting life Many noble and worthie men haue Justed for the fayre daughter that is to saie haue foughten both by Sea and by lande for this worlde for couetise of worldly riches and at the last there bee many slayne for there is nothing heere but pride of life couetousnesse of the eyes and of the flesh where through these gréeuous sinnes all the world is put to great mischiefe But hée that marryeth the saire daughter that is to saye the worlde is hée that setteth all his affection desire in the wretchednesse of this world will not for any thing forsake this world like a wretch and couetous man But hée that marrieth the foule daughter is a good christen man which for the loue of the kingdome of Heauen forsaketh all this world and not onely doth thus but also despiseth himselfe bodily obeying vnto his soueraines in all thing Such a man certainly shall obtaine the Empyre of heauen Unto the which Jesu Christ bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ Deuotion prayer and thankes giuing vnto God for his giftes is a sounding Musick delectable in the eares of God Wee are warned not after our first offending to returne to our vomit with the dogge no rather let vs bath our Soules in the Well of sorowfull and harty repentaunce and perceiueraunce of good lyfe that wee may lyâ—e with Christ in euerlasting ioye and blisse The 28. History SOmetime in Rome dwelt a mightie Emperour named Andromick which aboue all thing loued the harmony of Musicke This Emperor had within his Castel a wel of such vertue that whosoeuer were dronk by drinking the water therof should incontineÌ„t make him fresh againe deliuered froÌ„ all kinde of dronkennesse There was also dwelling in this Emperours court a Knight named Ydrony whom the Emperour loued much but often times hée was dronken which vice the Emperor heted aboue all thing And when this knight perceiued himselfe dronken then would hée goe to the well and drinck of that water and refresh himselfe so that what so euer The Emperour sayde to him hée would aunswere him so reasonably that no dronkenesse might bée séene in him and for his witty answere hée was greatly béeloued of the Emperour Neuerthelesse his fellowes of the court enuied him much and imagined amonge them selues how they myght withdrawe the Emperours loue from him It fortuned on a daye that this Emperour went to the Forrest and heard a Nightingale sing so merrely that often times after hée would rise earely in the morning sometimes from his meate and walke to the wood for to heare the swéetnesse of hir songe wherefore many of his men sard among themselues Our Lord delighteth so much in the Nightingales songe that hee rekoneth little of our profit in so much that thorough two things his loue is withdrawen from vs that is to saye by Ydrony the knight and by the swéete song of the Nightingale Then saide an olde knight that was among them Syes quod hee if yee will doe by my counsell I shall deliuer you of the knight Ydrony and of the Nightingale without hurt or death They sware and saide what so euer yee bidde vs doe wée shall straight way fulfill with all our heart When this knight heard this within a while after it chaÌ„ced he espied this Ydrony dronken wherfore hee locked fast the well and as this knight Ydrony came to refresh himselfe he found the well fast locked The Emperour had a great matter to treate of wherefore in hast he sent for this knight bicause of his great wisdome to haue his counsell And when hée came beefore the Emperour he was so dronken that he might not once moue his tongue neither had witte reason nor vnderstanding to answere the Emperour to his matter But when the Emperour saw this he was greatly gréeued for so much as hée hated that vice wherefore he commaunded anon that from the daye foorth he should no more bée séene within his land vpon paine of death This hearing his soes were very glad and said vnto the olde knight Now wée be deliuered of this knight Ydrony ther is no more to doe but that wée might finde the way to be deliuered of the Nightingale in which the Emperour delighteth so much Than sayd this olde knight your eares shall heare and your eyes shall see that this Nightingale shall be destroyed in short tyme. Not long after this olde knight espied that the Nightingale vsed to sit vpon a tree euen aboue the foresayd wel wheras hir make came coupled with hir neuerthelesse in the absence of hir make she tooke oftentymes an other make and coupled with hir when shée had thus done than would she descend to the well to bath hir selfe that when hir make came he should féele no sauour ne euill odour of that she had done When the knight had séene this on a tyme hee locked the well and when the Nightingale would haue descended to bath hir selfe after hir coupling with the other make shee found the well closed wherfore she flew vp into the trée againe and mourned sore in hir maner and left hir sweet song Then came hir make saw that she had done against hir nature he returned againe in short time brought a great multitude of Nightingales which slew his make tare hir all to péeces And thus was the wise knight put away and the Nightingale slayne and the Emperour put from his pleasure and solace such as he was wont to haue The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ which loueth greatly the song of deuotion for when we pray wée speake with God and when we reade God speaketh vnto vs. The well that was in the pallaies betokeneth acknowledging of our sinnes to God therefore if any man be dronken with sinne lette him drincke of that well of acknowledgeing his sinnes without doubt he shall be safe This Ydrony betokeneth euery man that wilfully returneth againe
lead read the superscription who so chooseth me shall finde that God hath disposed Thinking within hir selfe this vessell is not passing riche ne thorowly precious neuerthelesse the superscription saith who so chooseth mée shall finde that God hath disposed without doubt God neuer disposed any harme therefore as now I will choose this vessell by the leaue of God When the Emperour saw this he said O good Mayden open thy vessell for it is full of precious Stones and sée if thou hast well chosen or no. And when this yong Lady had opened it she found it full of fine gold and precious stones lyke as the Emperour had foretold hir béefore And than sayd the Emperour O my déere daughter because thou hast wisely chosen therefore shalt thou wed my sonne And when he had so said he ordained a marriage and wedded them together with great solempnitie much honour and so continued to theyr liues ende The Morall This Emperour betokeneth the Father of heauen that which was long tyme without a naturall Sonne wherefore many men were in danger of perishing in hell The Emprisse conceiued when the Angell Gabriell sayde Loe thou shalt conceiue and beare a childe And than the firmamēt began to cléere when this little childe lightened the world with his byrth The Moone that béegan to ware pale when the face of the Uirgin Mary was ouershadowed by vertue of the grace of the holy ghost and not onely hir face was thus shadolwed but also hir bodie for shée was conceiued with childe as an other Woman wherefore Ioseph would haue forsaken hir priuily and gone away The little byrd that came from the one side of the Moone betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which at mydnight was borne of our Ladie wrapped in clothes layd in an Oxe stall The two beasts beetokeneth the Oxe and the Asse that Ioseph brought with him which honoured him in his byrth These other beastes that came from farre béetokeneth your heards in the field to whom the Angell said thus Ecce nuncio vobis gaudium magnum Lo I shew to you great ioye The byrds that sung so swéetly béetokeneth the Angells of heauen which sung at his birth this ioyfull song Gloria in excelsis Joy to God aboue and peace to men in earth The king of Amply which held warre againe the Emperour beetokeneth all mankinde that was contrarie to God as long as he was in the diuells power But immediately when our Lord Jesu Christ was borne hée bowed himselfe to God béesought him of peace when he receiued his baptim for at our baptising we promised to drawonely to God and forsake the diuell and all his pomps This king gaue his daughter in marriage to the Emperours sonne Right so eche of vs ought to giue his soule in marriage to Gods sonne for hée is alwayes redye to receiue our soule to his spouse according to the scripture saying thus Desponfabo ipsam mihi I will spouse hir to mée But or the soule may come to the pallays of heauen hir béehoueth to sayle by the sea of this world in the Shippe of good lyfe but oftentimes there aryseth a Tempest in the Sea that is to saye trouble of this Worlde the temptation of the flesh and the suggestion of the diuell aryseth sodainely drowneth the vertues that the Soule receiueth in Baptisme neuerthelesse yet falleth shée not out of the shippe of charitie but kéepeth hir selfe surely therein by fayth and hope For as the Apostle saith Spe salui facti sumus By hope wée bée saued For it is impossible to be saued without hope or Faith The great Whale that followed the Maiden béetokeneth the diuell which by night and by day lyeth in a wayte to ouercome the Soule by sinne therfore doe wée as dyd the Maiden smyte wée fire of charitie and loue out of the stone that is Christ according to this saying Ego sum lapis I am a stone And certaynely the diuell shall haue no power to grieue vs. Many men begin wèll as did the Maiden but at the last they bée wery of their good workes and so sléepe they in sinne And anone when the diuell perceiueth this hée deuoureth the sinner in euill thoughts delights consent and worke Therefore if any of vs féele our selfe in such life vnder the power of the diuell let him doe as the Mayde dyd smite the diuell with the knife of bitter repentaunce than kindle the fire of charitie and without doubt he shall cast thée on the lande of good life The Earle that came with his seruants to slay the Whale betokeneth a discréet Preacher which dwelleth béeside the sea that is to say béeside the world and not in the worlde that is to saye not drawing to worldly delectation but euer is redye with good wordes of holye scripture to sly the diuell and to distroy his power wée must all crye with an high voice as did this Mayden knowledging our sinnes and than shall wée be deiliuered from the diuell and nourished with vertuous exercise The Emperour sheweth this Mayden thrée vessells that is to say God putteth before man life death good and euill which of these that he chooseth hée shall obtaine Therefore saith Sampson Ante hominem mors vita Death and lyfe is sette before man choose which him lyst And yet man is vncertaine whether he bée worthy to choose lyfe béefore death By the first vessell of golde full of dead mennes bones we shall vnderstand some worldly men both mightie men riche which outwardly shine as golde in riches and pomps of this world Neuerthelesse within they be full of dead mennes bones that is to saye the workes that they haue wrought in this world bene dead in the sight of god thorough deadly sinne Therefore if any man choose such life he shall haue that he deserueth that is to say hell And such men be like toumbes that be white and roially painted and arayed without and couered with cloth of gold and silke but within there is nothing but dry bones By the second vessell of siluer we ought to vnderstand some Justices wise men of this world which shine in faire speach but within they be full of wormes and earth that is to saye theyr faire speach shall auaile them no more at the day of iudgement than wormes of earth and paraduenture lesse for than shall they suffer euerlasting paine if they dye in deadly sinne By the third vessell of lead full of golde and precious stones we ought to vnderstand a simple life and a poore which the chosen men choose that they may be wedded to our blessed Lorde Jesu Christ by humilitie and obeysance and such men beare with them precious stones that is to saye faith and hir fruitfull workes pleasinge to God by the which at the iudgement day they be espoused to our Lord Jesu Christ and obtaine the heritage of heauen vnto the which bring vs he that dyed on the Crosse Amen The Argument ¶
Manne by Baptisme promiseth to liue in the feare of God and forsake the diuell Christe sorroweth for our sinnes he requireth dutifull seruice of vs at vi seuerall ages but we are alwayes vnreadie for him yet the mercie of God is so fauorable towards vs that hee spareth vs euen till the last age of manne vouchsafing if than wee repent vs and call for grace beleuing in his mercies he will receiue vs into the throne of his heauenlye grace c. The 33. Historie SOmetime in Rome there dwelt a mightie Emperour named Calopo du which tooke a fayre ladie to his wife they were not long together but that this Empresse conceiued bare him a sonne a goodly childe and a fayre when he was of age he was set to schole And when he came to twenty yéeres of age he desired his Fathers heritage saying Déere father ye are an olde man may not gouerne your Empyre therefore if it please you to giue it mée it shall be to your profit Then aunswered the Emperour and sayde Déere sonne I dread mée sore that when the Empyre is in thy power thou wilt not fulfill my will ne my desire Then aunswered the Empresse for so much as she loued hir sonne better than hir husband and sayd My Lord quod shée that may not bée for thou hast but one sonne therefore as I beléeue he wil fulfill thine entent in all thing this Empyre may help him well and therefore it is not best to grauÌ„t him the Empire Then answered the Emperour sayd I will first haue of him a letter obligatory that wheÌ„ so euer he doth any thing against my will that than I shall depriue him of the Empyre without any withstanding The sonne graunted to this and let make the obligation and sealed it And when this was done this yong Emperour waxed so proud that he feared neither God nor man and dyd very much harme But euer his father suffered it paciently for he would not be corrected by no man Till at the last there fell a great dearth in the Empyre so that many men dyed for want of foode This olde Emperour was all alone himselfe and began to haue néede wherfore hée went to his sonne for to haue some substance which his sonne graunted and suffered for a tyme. But within short time his father began to waxe sicke wherefore hee called his sonne and prayed to him to giue him â— draught of must His sonne answered and saide That will I not doe for my must is not good for your complection Than sayd the Emperour I pray thée sonne giue mée a draught of thy wine His sonne answered and sayde that hee should haue none for my wyne is not yet fined if I touch it it will trouble therfore I will not broch it till it bée cléere and fined Then sayde his father Giue mée some of the second tonne That will I not doe quod he for the wine is passing mightie strong such wine is not good for a sick man Than his father praied him hartely for a draught of the fourth tonne Than answered hée and sayde thereof get ye none for it is féeble and without any sustentacion such wyne is not good for you for it is not comfortable Than said his father now good sonne giue mee thaÌ„ of the fift tonne That wil I not quod hée for that tonne is full of â—ées or dregges and such is not for men nor vnnethes for hoggs When his father saw he might get nothing of him after was as whole as euer he was than went he to the king of Hierusalem and made his complaint of his sonne shewed him the letter obligatory which his sonne had made wherefore his father might put him out of the Empyre without any withsaying Whan the king heard this he called the Emperours sonne to aunswere his father And wheÌ„ he came he could not aunswere to his father with no reason wherefore the king put him from his Empyre seasoned his father therein againe and so he contineued all the dayes of his life The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ according to the Psalmist He is thy father that hath thée in possession and made thée of nought The son betokeneth man to whome he gaue all the Empyre of this world accordinge to this scrpture Celâ—m celi domino c. That is to saye Heauen he hath giuen our Lorde and earth to man Mankind made an obligation vnto our Lord Jesu Christ when he receiued the sacrament of Baptisme where he promised him suertie to serue him truely and to forsake the diuel and all his pomps and vaineglory This Emperour began to waxe sicke on a day that is to say our Lorde Jesu Christ is troubled as oftentimes as a christian man sinneth and breaketh his commaundements wherefore hée thyrsteth greatly the helpe of our soule and than he asked a draught of the first tonne that is to saye he asketh of man his first age of his childhood to bée spent in his seruice But incontment the wicked man answereth and saith I may not doe so for my childehood is mustie that is to saye it is so tender and so younge that it may not attempt so soone to serue God which is manifestly against the truth for the child of one day is not without sin For saint Gregory in his dialogues saith the children of v. yeeres of age put out finds from the bosoms of their fathers And whan God séeth that hee may not haue of the must of his childhoode then desireth hée the wine of the second tonne Then answereth the wicked man and sayth that his wine is not yet cléere enough that is to say he is not apt to serue God And when God may not haue of the second tonne then asketh he of the third tonne that is to say of the third tonne of his youth Then answereth the wicked man and saith the wine is strong and mightie and therefore his youth ought to bee spent about vertuous deeds in this world and not in good lise which should make him féeble and weake When God seeth that he may not haue of this tonne then asked hée the fourth tonne And then answered the wicked man and saith that an aged man is feeble may not fast no doe no heard repeÌ„taunce and if hee died hee should be cause of his owne death And then asked our Lord of the fift tonne that is to say of his olde age when hée doth créepe and may not goe without a stâ—sse But the wicked man â—xcuseth himselfe and saith that this Wyne is feeble to giue such a feeble man for if hée should fast one day it were time on the morow to make his graue And when our Lord séeth that hée may not haue of the â—ift tonne then asketh he of the sirt tonne that is to say when a man is bâ—inde â— may not goe to sinne no more yet desireth hée of such a man drinck that is to say
the Emperour heard this anone hee exiled him and all those that were consenting to him so that they liued abiects in great wretchednesse and srrow and then the Emperour ordained other men in their stéedes and gaue them all the possessions of the traytors And when the banished men heard that straungers had taken possession of their lands and goods anone they conspyred against them and through treason requested them to a banquet And they as 〈◊〉 thinking vppon no such treason came at the day assigned and were serued with â—iuâ—â—â—â—sâ—s which were poysoned wherfore as many as tasted of that vice dyed incontinent When the Emperour heard this he was greatly moued and assembled his counsell to wit what was best to be don of this treason of their death Then said the Emperours sonne My Lord I am your sonne yée bee my Father therfore I shall giue you good counsell and profitable to all men Not far hence is a little nation wherin dwelleth a fayre Mayden and a gracious in the sight of euery man which hath an orchard wherein is a well the water therof hath such vertue that if it be cast vpon a dead man straight way he shall liue againe and recouer his life Therefore my â—ord I shall descende vnto that nation and seeke that water whereby they that were slayne at the Banquet might bée restored againe to lyfe And when the Emperour heard this he was greatly reioyced and sayde Sonne thy counsell is good And straight way the Emperours sonne went into the saide nation and fell inconceit with the Mayden in so much that hée entred in the garden and assayled to tast the water of the well And when hee had so done he made fiue déepe trenches in the ground in the which the water ranne till it came where the dead men lay buried thervpon when the water touched them they arose from death to life Then the Emperours sonne led them vnto his Father And when the Emperour saw this hée was right ioyefull wherfore hee crowned his sonne with a Laurate crowne in tooken of victorie so ended his life in rest and peace The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the Father of Heauen The poore man that was promoted béetokeneth Lucifer the which was exalted of nought and enthroned in the Empyre of heauen with so great Joye and clearnesse that him séemed through his pride hée would bée like vnto almightie God and not onely lyke him but more than almightie God wherfore the Father of heauen exiled him all them that consented vnto him to hell and in their place man was exalted to great ioy honaur The diuell séeing this enuied him that man should come to such glory and honour and bad Adam and Eue to a banket when they eate of the Apple against Gods commaundement and counselled them thus saying In what houre yee eate of the Apple yee shall bée like gods And at this coursed banquet they were serued with v. mâ—sses that were poysoned that is to say their v. wits were accorded in eating of the Apple wherof man was insect and dyed This hearing the Emperours sonne moued with 〈…〉 ame downe from heauen into this world and acquainted him so wel with â— blessed Uirgin Mary that he sound in hir the well of manhoode and coâ—ioyned it to his Godhead according to the Scripture I am the well of lyâ—e who dunketh of it shall not thirst After that hee lette make fiue trenches in the ground that is to saye â—iue woundes in his bodie of the which ran both bloud and water whereby all mankinde was raised froÌ„ death to lyfe and led them vp into the pallace of heauen Unto the which bring vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of heauen extendeth his goodnesse diuers waies towards frail man yet hee taking contrarie waies liueth in spirituall fornication for the which being exiled from the state of felicitie he is coÌ„pelled to leade a miserable and painefull life But beeing reconciled by the death of his sauiour he possesseth the heritage of heauenly felicitie The 37. History SOmetime in Rome there raigned a mighty emperor named Dunstain in whose Empyre there dwelt a gentill Knight that had two sonnes One of his sonne matched himselfe against his fathers will with a common harlotte The knight hearing this exyled his son from him And when he was thus exiled he begot on this woman a sonne And soone after that he wared sicke and in penury wherfore he sent messengers to his father beseching him of his mercie This hearing his father had compassion and ruth on him wherfore he was reconciled And when hée was thus brought againe to his fathers grace hee gaue his chtide which he hadde gotten tofore on this common woman to his father And he full kindely receiued it as his sonne and nourished it When his other sonne heard this he said to his father father quod hee it séemeth to mée that thou arte out of thy right minde which I will proue by this reason For hée is out of his righte minde that receiueth a salse heare and nourisheth him whose Father hath endomage and disease tosore For my brother which begat this childe haue done thée great iniury when hée marryed the common woman against thy will and commaundement therefore me séemeth that thou art out of thy right minde Then answered the father and sayde Bicause thy brother is reconciled thou art enuious to mée and also vnkinde to thy nowne brother willing to put him from my felowshippe for euermore and sothly no vnkinde man shall haue mine heritage except he be reconciled But yet thou neuer reconciledst to him of his vnkindenesse for thou mightest haue reconciled him but thou woldest not therefore of mine heritage gettest thou no part The Morall The Father of the two bretheren betokeneth the Fether of Heauen And his two sonnes betokeneth the nature of Angels and the nature of man For man was marryed to a common woman or harlot when hee eate of the Apple against the commaundement of God wherfore he was exilled by the father of heauen and put from the Joyes of Paradise The sonne of the common woman béetokeneth mankinde This knights sonne that is to say A â—am liued in great misery for after his sin hée was put from ioy into this wretched vally of teares and wéeping according to this Scripture In suodore vultus c. In the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eate thy bread But after by the passion of Christ hée was reconsiled But the other Sonne that betokeneth the diuell was euer vnkinde and grudged dayely against our reconciling saying that by sinne wee ought not to come vnto the heritage of Heauen Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ we ought in euery vocation and calling to beehaue our selues iustly and to vse the poore man with equite we must not iniury the rich man The mightie men are to be honoured and not defrauded of their
the lust of flesh and of sinners ariseth before him after runneth great houndes that is to say euill thoughts so long they chase till the bodie and the soule be left alone and than the fleshe stirreth that noble Soule beeing the Spouse of Almyghtie God But the pure and vndesiled soule that is so wel beloued with God wil not forsake hir Lorde and consent to sinne wherefore the wretched flesh full ofte despoiâ—eth hir of all hir clothing that is to say of all hir vertues hangeth hir vp by the haire on an oake that is to say on lustes delights and there she hangeth till the good earle commeth that is to say a discréete preacher in the forrest of this world to preach and teach the woord of god and taketh hir downe and leadeth hir foorth to the Church to nourish his daughter that is to say to nourish consciens with fruitfull faith The earle had in his chamber a lamp right so euery discréet Preacher should haue afore him the Lamp of holy Scripture whereby he may see both the greuaunce and profit of the Soule in teaching of vertues and putting away of vice The steward that stirreth hir to sinne is none else but pride of life which is steward of this world by whome many men be deceiued But when the soule that is so well béeloued with Christ will not consent vnto the sinne of pryde than taketh thys euill steward the knife of couâ—tise wherwith he slaieth the earls daughter that is to say conscience according to Scripture saying Gold siluer hath blinded the eyes of Judges hath ouethrowen wise men so that equitie righteousnes might not enter but stoode afar turned their backs This Lady also redeemed a man from death that is to saye from euerlasting death which he had deserued by deadly sinne Therefore doe we as dyd this lady smite we oâ—r horse that is to say our flesh with the spurres of repentaunce so ryde we foorth in all hast to saue our neighbour from the sinck of deadly sinne helpe him both bodily ghostly as Saloman saith Wo be to that man lying in deadly sinne that hath no man to lift him out thereof Therefore awake thy neighbor and help him For a brother that is holpen of an other is like a sure citie and if he giue no more but a cup of cold water to him in the way of helpe hee shall not lose his reward But many now a dayes be very vnkinde as was this theife which falsely deceiued his lady after that she had saued him from hanging The maister of the ship betokeneth the world by whom many men be deceiued But neuerthelesse as oft as a man taketh on him voluntarily the charge of pouertie and obeyeth vnto the commaundements of God and forsaketh the worlde then breaketh the shippe For it is impossible to please God and man and the world all at one tyme. When this lady had espyed the tempest of the sea she went to a Citie that ie to say the soule after the troubles of this world went to the holy lyfe and than shee healed all maner sicke folke that is to saye euery man that is troubled in his soule that is to saye infecte with diuers sicknesses that this Lady healeth through holy lyfe But the Soule might not bée séene of Christ hir husbande till shée had knoweledged openly all hir fiue wittes But when she had made a pure acknowledgement of hir sinne than the Emperour our Lord God hir husband knew hir and tooke hir in his armes and ledde hir home to the pallaice of heauen Unto the which almightie God bring vs all for his sonnes sake Amen The Argument ¶ Euery supreme magistrate and other inferior is to be honoured and reuerenced Euery true Christian man ought to consider his dutie heerein euery false Christian peruerteth the wayes of the godlye the reward of such is hid vp in hell but the iust shal inherite the blessed life euerlasting The 41. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour namid Martin which for entier affection kept with him his brothers son whom men called Fulgencius With this Martin dwelt also a knight that was steward of his Empyre and vncle vnto the Emperour which enuied this Fulgentius studying day and night how he might bring the Emperour and this child at debate wherfore the steward on a day went to the Emperour sayd My Lord quod hee I that am your true seruaunt am bound in dutie to warne your highnesse if I heare any thing that toucheth your honour wherfore I haue heard such things that I must needs vtter it in secrete to your Lordship béetwéene vs two Then sayde the Emperour Good friend quod hée say on what thée list My most déere Lord quod the steward Fulgeneious your cosâ—n and your nigh kinsman hath desamed you wonderfully and shamefully throughout all your Empyre saying that your breath stinketh and that it is death to him to serue you of your cuppe Than the Emperour was grieuously displeased and almost belide himselfe for anger sayde to him thus I pray thee my good friend tell mée the very trouth if that my breath so stincketh as he sayth My Lord quod the steward ye may beeléeue mee I neuer perceiued a swéeter breath in my dayes than yours is Then sayd the Emperour I pray thee good friend tell mée how I may bring this thing to a good proofe The steward answered and sayd My Lord quod hée yee shall right well vnderstand the troth for to morrow next when hée serueth you of your cuppe yée shall see that hée will turne away his face from you bicause of your breath and this is the most certain proofe that may be had of this thing Forelooth quod the Emperour a truer proofe can not be had of this thing Wherefore anone when the steward heard this hée went straight to Fulgencious and toke him a side saying thus Déere friend thou art my kinsman and also nephew vnto my Lord the Emperour therefore if thou wilt bée thankfull vnto mee I will tell thée of the vice whereof my Lord the Emperour complayneth oft and thinketh to put thée from him except it be the rather amended and that might bée a great reproofe to thee Then sayd this Fulgencious A good sir for his loue that dyed vpon the crosse tell mée why my Lord is so sore moued with mée for I am ready to amend my default in all that I can or may and for to be ruled by your good discréete counsaile Thy breath quod the steward stincketh so sore that his drinck doth him no good so gréeuous is vnto him thy stincking breath of thy Mouth Then sayd Fulgentious vnto the Steward Truely that perceiued I neuer till now but what thinke you of my breath I praie you to tell mée the verie truth Truely quod the steward it stinketh greatly and foule And this Fulgentious béeléeued all that hée saide and was right sorowfull in his
minde And praied the Stewarde of his counsell and helpe in this woefull case Than saide the stewarde vnto him if that thou wilt doe by my counsell I shall bring this matter to a good conclusion therefore doe as I shall tell thée I counsell thée for the best and also warne thée that when thou seruest my Lord the Emperour of his cuppe that thou that turne thy face away from him so that hée may not féele thy stincking breath vnto the time that thou hast prouided thée of some remedie therfore Then was Fulgentious right glad and swere to him that he would doe by his counsell Not long after it béefell that this young man Fulgentious serued his Lord as hée was wont to doe and therewith sodainely he tourned his face from his Lord the Emperour as the Steward had taught him And when the Emperour perceiued the auoyding of his head hée smote this young Fulgentious on the breast with his foote and saide to him thus O thou leude varlet now sée I well it is true that I haue heard of thée and therfore goe thou anon out of my sight that I may sée thée no more in this place And with that this yong Fulgencious wept full sore auoided the place and went out of his sight And when this was so done the Emperour called vnto him his Steward and sayd How may I ryd this varlet from the world that thus hath defamed mée My most déere Lord quod the steward right well you shall haue your intent For héere béeside within these thrée miles yée haue brickmakers which daily make great fires for to burne brick also they make lyme therfore my Lord send to them this night charge them vppon paine of death that whosoeuer commeth to them first on the morrow saying to thē thus My Lord commaūdeth you to fulfil his will that they take him and cast him into the Forncis with the stones and this night commaunde you this Fulgentious that he goe earely in the morning to your workmen and that hee aske them whether they haue fulfilled your wil which they were commaunded or not and then shall they according to your commaundement cast him in the Fyre and thus shall hee dye an euill death Surely quod the Emperour thy counsell is good therfore call to me that varlet Fulgentious And when this young man was come to the Emperours presence hée sayde to him thus I charge thée vpon paine of death that thou rise early in the morning goe to the brenners of lyme brick and that thou bee with them earely before the sunne ryse thrée myles from this house and charge them in my behalfe that they fullfil my commaundement or else they shall dye a most shamefull death Then spake this Fulgentious My Lord if God send mée my lyfe I shall fulfill your will were it that I should goe to the worlds ende When Fulgentious had this charge he could not sléepe for thought but that hée must arise earely for to fulfil his Lords commandement The Emperour about midnight sent a messenger on horseback vnto his bricke makers commaunding them vppon paine of death that who so euer came to them first in the morning saying vnto them the Emperours commaundement which is before rehearsed that they should take and bynd him and cast him into the fire burne him to the bare bones The Bryck makers answered and sayde it should bée done And then the messenger returned home againe incontinent and told the Emperour that his commandement should bée diligently fulfilled Earely in the morning following Fulgentious arose prepared him towards his way as hée went hée heard a bell ring to seruice wherefore hee went to that Church for to heare Seruice and after the ende of seruice he fell a sléepe and ther hée slept a long while so that the priest ne none other might a wake him The steward desiring inwardly to heare of his death as he did hope about one of the clock he went vnto the workmen and saide vnto them thus Syrs quod hée haue yée done the Emperours commaundement or no. The Brickmakers answered him againe and saide Nay surely wée haue not yet done his commaundement but anone it shall bée done with that they layde handes on him Then cried the steward with an high voice and saide Good sirs saue my Lyfe sor the Emperour cōmaunded that Fulgentious should bée put to death Then saide they the messenger told not vs so but hée bad vs that whosoeuer came first to vs in the morning saying as ye before rehearsed that wée should take him and cast him into the Fornace bourne him to ashes And with that word they threw him into the fire And when he was bournt Fulgentious came to them and said Good sirs haue you done my Lords commaundement yea soothly said they and therefore go◠yée againe to the Emperour and tel him so Thē said Fulgentious For Christes loue tell mée that commaundement Wée had in commaundement saide they vpon paine of death that who so euer came to vs first in the morninge and saide like as thou hast saide that wée should take him and cast him into the Fornace But béefore thée came the Steward and therefore haue wee fulfilled on him the Emperours commaundoment and now is hee bournt to the bare bones And when Fulgentious heard this hée thanked God that hée had so preserued him from death wherfore hée tooke his leaue of the workmen and went againe to the Pallaice When the Emperour perceiued him hée was almost distract of his wittes for anger and thus hee sayde Hast thou beene with the Bryckmaker and fulfilled my commaundement Soothly my gracious Lord I haue béene there but or I came there your commaundement was fulfilled How may that bee true quod the Emperour Forsooth said Fulgencious the steward came to them afore mee and sayd that I should haue sayde and when they heard that they tooke him and threw him into the forneis and if I had comen any rather so would they haue done to me and therfore I thanck God that hath preserued me from death Then sayd the Emperour tell mée the trueth of such questions as I shall demaund of thee Then saide Fulgentious vnto the Emperour As I béeleue you neuer sound in mee any falsehoode and therfore I wondred greatly why ye had ordained such a death for mee for well ye know that I am your own brothers sonne Then saide the Emperour to Fulgentious It is no wonder for that death I ordained to thee through counsell of the steward bicause thou didst defame mée throughout all my Empyre saying that my breath did stinck so grieuously that it was death to thée and in token hereof thou turnedst away thy face whē thou seruedst mée of my cuppe and that saw I with mine eyes and for this cause I ordained for thée such a death and yet thou shalt dye except I heare a better excuse Then answered Fulgentious and sayd A my most deere
Lord if it might please your highnesse for to heare mée I shall shew you a subtill and a deceitfull imagination Say on quod the Emperour The steward quod Fulgencious that now is dead came to mée and sayde that ye tolde him that my breath dyd stinck and there vpon he counsailed mée that when I serued you of your cuppe I should than turne away my face I take God to witnesse I lye not When the Emperour heard this he beleued him said O my neuew now I see through the right wise iudgement of God the steward is brent and his owne wickednesse and enuie is fallen on him selse for he ordained this malice against thee and therfore thou arte much bound to almightie God that hath preserued thée from death The Morall Déere friends this Emperour béetokeneth euery supreame magistrate and other inferiours And Fulgentious his neuew béetokeneth euery true christian man which should duely truely serue them with faithfull homage and duetifull loyalty like as Fulgentious serued the Emperour of his cup wherefore ye shall be greatly loued of God This steward betokeneth euery false Christen man as Cayne which oftentimes turneth the harts of right wise men from God saying that his breath stinketh that is to say that the life of the magistrate is not acceptable to GOD nor man which is against this Scripture saying thus Nolite iudicare c. That is to say iudge not and ye shall not be iudged But oftentimes such malicious peole accuseth righteous men wherefore they shal be cast into the euerlasting fire of hell where is wayling wéeping and misery without charitie And rightwise shall ascend to euerlasting lyfe Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ Tyrants and vngodly persons walke without knowledge of the truth tyll they come to the Church of God the wicked persecute the godly But they are preserued by the mightie prouidence of god so we ought not to sleep in sinne A figuratiue speach of three seuerall meanings videlicet Take Yeelde and Flee the significacion thereof The 42. Historie THere dwelt sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour named Delphinus which had no childreÌ„ saue onely one daughter which was a fayre creature and welbeloued of hir father As this Emperour walked on a day on hunting in the Forrest sodainly he rode out of his way and lost his men wherfore he was greatly discomforted for he wist not whether he rode ne in what place he was till at the last when he had rydden thus all the day alone in the euening he saw a house and thether hée rode a great pace knocked at the gate Immediately the good manne of the house heard him and asked the cause of his knocking and what he would haue Deere friend quod the Emperour lo it is night as ye may se therfore I desire you of lodging for the loue of God When he had thus sayd the goodman of the house vnware that he was the Emperour aunswered thus and sayd Good friend quod he I am the Emperours Foster and haue plenty of venison and other vittailes for you When the Emperour hearde this he was right glad in his mind neuerthelesse he told him not that he was the Emperour And the Foster opened the gate and receiued him as worshipfully as hée could and set him to his supper and serued him honestly And when he had supped the Foster brought him to his chamber and when time was he went to bed In the same night it befell that the Fosters wife was trauailing of childe in another chamber fast by and was deliuered that same night of a faire sonne And as the Emperour lay in his bed sléeping him séemed he heard a voice saying to him thrise these words Take take take And with that hée awoke meruailed greatly what it might bée saying to himselfe thus A voyce biddeth mée take take what shall I take And immedately he fell a sléepe againe and the second time hée heard a voyce saying vnto him these wordes Yelde yelde yelde And with that he wakened againe and wondred greatly saying vnto himselfe What may this signifie First I heard a voyce that sayed take take and nothing I receiued And right now I heard another voice that sayde yeld yeld yeld what shoulde I yelde And as he laye thus thinking to him selfe he fell a sléepe againe And when he heard the third voyce saying these wordes thrice flee flee flee for this night is a childe borne that after thy decease shal be Emperour When the Emperor heard this he wakened wondred greatly what it might bee In the morning carely solowing the emperour arose called to him the foster and said Deere friend I pray thée that thou wâ—lt tell me if any childe be borne this night to thy knowledge My wife quod the Foster this night is deliuered of a fayre son I pray thée sayd the Emperour shew me thy sonne When the Emperour had séene the childe he saw a marke in the childes visage whereby he might know him an other time and than he sayd to the Foster thus Déere friend knowest thou who I am nay southly quod the Foster for I saw you neuer before this time as farre as I am remembred neuerthelesse it séemeth that ye be a gentleman Than answered the Emperour and sayd I am quod he the Emperour your Lord whome yée haue lodged this night wherefore right hartely I thanke you This hearing the foster fell downe vpon both his knées at his féete besought him of mercy if that he had offended his hightnesse in any thing praying him of forgiuenesse Then aunswered the Emperour and said be thou nothing afrayed for I thanke thee hartely of thy good chéere and thy sonne that was borne to night I wil haue for to nourish and bring vp in my court aud to morrow I shall send for him O my gratious Lord quod the foster it is not agréeable that such a noble Emperour should nourish the childe of his subiect and seruaunt neuerthelesse your will be fulfilled for when your messengers come I shall deliuer them my son Whan this was sayde the Emperour tooke his leaue and rode home towarde his pallaice And whan he was come home he called vnto him such seruaunts as hée trusted best and sayd to them thus Goe yée quod hée vnto my Foster with whom I was lodged this night in the forrest and receiue of him his sonne of which his wife was deliuered thys night and vpon payne of death I commaund you that yee destroy him by the way and cast his flesh to the dogges but bring with you the hart to mee And except ye fulfill my commaundement yée shall dye the most foulest death that can be thought Anone his seruaunts went to the forrest and receiued the Fosters sonne and brought him with them and when they were come néere vnto the pallaice one of them said How shall wée doe that we may fulfill our Lords commaundement in distroying of this
him be wedded without any delaie vnto my daughter and yours with all the honour and solempnitie that can bée thought and whan they bée marryed that yée take him as your owne sonne and that hée keepe my roome till I come vnto you myselfe Whan the knight had thus written hée closed the letters subtylly and put them into the bore againe Early in the morning the young Squire arose and very hastely made him redie and toke his leaue of the knight rode foorth on his iourney and the third daie after he came vnto the Emprisse and saluted hir right worshipfully in the Emperours beehalfe and toke hir the letters And when the Empresse had redde them anone she sent foorth hir messengers through the countrie commaunding the states and gentilmen to come vnto hir daughters wedding at a certaine daie assigned When the daie was come thether came manie great Lordes and Ladies and anone this young Squire espoused the Emperours Daughter with great honour and worshippe according to the tenour of the letters was right well beloued and most honoured among the people Not long after it befell that the Emperour came into that Countrie and when the Empresse heard of hir Lords comming shee toke with hir hir sonne in law with much other people and went towardes the Emperour for to welcome him When the Emperour saw this yong Squire leading the Emprisse his wyfe he was greatly moued within himselfe and sayde O thou curssed Woman bycause thou hast not fulfilled my commaundement thou shalt dye an euill death A my déere Lord quod shée all that ye commaunded mee to doe I haue fullfilled Nay curssed woman sayde the Emperour it is not so for I wrote to thée that thou sholdest put him to death and now I see him aliue My Lord quod the Emprisse saueing your grace you wrote to mee that I should giue him your dauhter to wyfe and that on payn of death in witnesse wherof loe here your letters with your owne seale manuell When the Emperour heard this hée wondred greatly and sayd Is he espowsed then to my daughter Yea soothly sayd the Empresse long agoe with much solempnitie and great worshippe and as I perceiue your Daughter is with childe Than sayde the Emperour O thou lord Jesu Christ it is great folly to striue against thy ordinaunce therefore sith it is so thy will must needes be fulfilled And with that he tooke his sonne in law it his armes and kissed him which after his death was Emperour and ended his life in rest and peace The Morall ¶ This emperour maybetoken Herod or else euery tyraunt which walked alone without truth till he came to the fosters house that is to say the Church which is the house of God This Herode would haue slaine this childe Jesu wherefore he sent messengers to séeke him according to the scripture of saint Mathew telling how he commaunded the three kings to séeke him and bring him tidings againe where he was that he might come and worship him allso but this saide he not for loue but for deceipt The Foster betokeneth Ioseph our Ladies husband which kept him But when the messengers came that is to say when the thrée kinges came they slew him not but worshipped him on their knées and left him in the holow trée of his Godhead The Earle that came and found this childe betokeneth the holy ghost which warned Ioseph by the Angell in his sléepe that he should take our Lady and his sonne and flée in to the lande of Egipt This moralitie may be vndestoode otherwise This Emperour may be token a sinner that walketh in the forest of this world seeking vanities nought else vnto the time he come to the house of god there he is receiued benignely of the Prelate of the Churche if hée will obey the Commaundementes of GOD. But many of vs now a dayes sléepe in the Churche when they practyse not according to their profession and therefore ought they also to dreade thée voyces which I haue rehearsed by the first take that may be vnderstoode the great benisit that he gaue thee when hée put in thée a soule made at his owne similitude By the second take is wnderstoode the sonne of the father of heauen which was borne of the blessed Uirgin Mary By the third take is vnderstoode the same sonne of God which dyed vpon the crosse By the first yéelde is vnderstood that wee ought to yéeld our Soule vnto allmightie God as cleane as faire as hée gaue it vs after our regeneration in haptisme By the second yeld is vnderstood that we ought to yeld honour worship and loue vnto Almightie God and man By the third yelde is vnderstoode that we ought to yeld to God true confession of faith contricion of hart and amendement of life The first shee beetokeneth sinne which we should â—lee The second flee betokeneth the world which we should flee for the great salsehoode temptations that are therein The third â—lee betokeneth euerlasting paine the which we ought to â—lee through faith and hir fruits by the tyrant She lyeth for she is my wife and I haue found hir in adultry with an other man and therefore I will slea hir Than sayde the knight I beleue better the woman theÌ„ thee for loe the tokens of truth appere openly in hir visage that thou hast rauished hir therefore wil I fight with thée for hir deliueraunce And immediately they buckled both together fought egerly till they were both sore wounded Neuerthelesse the knight obtayned the victorie put the tyrant to slight Then said the knight vnto the woman Loe I haue suffered for thy loue many sore wounds and haue saued thée from thy death wilt thou therefore promise to be my wise That I desire you quod she with all my hart and therevpon I betake thee my trouth When shée was thus ensured than said the knight as foloweth Héere beside is my Castell go thether and abyde there till I haue visited my friends and my kinsmen to prouide for all thinges néedefull for our weddinge for I purpose to make a great feast for thine honour and worship My Lord quod she I am ready to fulfill your wil. Than went she foorth vnto the Castell where as shée was worshipfully receyued And the Knight went vnto his friends for to make him readie against the day of marriage In the meane while came Poncianus the tirant to the knights Castell and prayed hir that hée might speake with hir Than came she downe from the castell to him This tirant subtilly flattered hir saide Gentle loue if it please you to consent to mée I shall giue you both golde and siluer greate riches and I shall be your seruaunt ye my soueraigne When the woman heard this full lightly shée was deceyued through his flattering language graunted him to be his wife and tooke him with hir into the castell It was not long after but that thys knight came
home and found the castell gate shutte and knocked there at but longe it was ere he might haue an aunswere And at the last the Woman came and demaunded why hee knocked at the gate Then saide hée to hir O déere lady why hast thou so soone chaunged my loue let me come in Nay surely said she thou shalt not come here for I haue here with me my loue which I loued before Remember quod the knight thou gauest me thy troth to be my wife and how I saued thée from death and if thou ponder not thy faith béehold my wounds which I haue suffred in my body for thy loue And anone he vnclothed himselfe naked saue his hosen that he might shew his woundes openly But she would not sée them ne speake more with him but shet fast the gate went hir way And when the knight saw this he went to the Justice made his complaint to him praying him to giue right wise iudgment on this tyrant and this woman The Judge called them béefore him and when they were come the Knight said thus My Lord quod hée I aske the benefite of the law which is this If a man rescew a woman from rauishinge the rescuer shall marrie hir if him list and this woman deliuered I from the hands of the tyrant therefore I ought to haue hir to my wyfe furthermore she gaue me hir faith trouth to marry with mee and therevpon shee went to my castle I haue done great cost against our wedding and therefore as it seemeth mee shee is my wife as by the law Then sayde the Judge to the tyrant Thou knowest well that this knight deliuered hir from thy hands for hir loue hath suffred many grieuous wounds and therefore well thou wottest that shée is his wife by the law if that him list But after hir deliuerance with flattering spech thou hast deceiued hir therfore I iudge thée to bee hanged Than said the Judge to the woman in lykewise O woman thou knowest how this knight saued thée from death and therevpon thou bée tookest him thy faith and troth to bee his wife therfore by two reasons thou art his wife first by the lawe and after by thy faith and trouth This notwithstanding thou concenâ—idst afterward to the tyraunt and broughtest him into the Knightes Castell shottest the gate against the knight and wouldst not sée his wounds which he suffered for thy loue and therfore I iudge thée to bée hanged And so it was done both the rauisher and shee that was rauished were condempned to the death wherefore euerie man praised the iudge for his right wise iudgement The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the father of Heauen which ordained for a law that if the soule of man were rauished from God by sinne the sauer of the soule should espouse hir if him list The woman that was rauished béetokeneth the soule of man which was rauished by sinne of our forefather Adam led out of Paradise into the forrest of this wretched world by the tirant Poncianus which betokeneth the diuell and he not onely defouled hir by leasyng of the heritage of heauen but also hée would sley hir with euerlasting paine But the soule cryed with a high voice whose crye our Lord Jesu Christ heard This cry was made when Adam cryed after the oyle of mercie And the Patryarkes prophets cryed for remedy saying these wordes O thou highnesse in the Cast and so foorth visite thou vs. c. The knight betokeneth our Lord Jesu Christ which came from Heauen and fought with the tyrant that is to say the diuell both they were sore wounded For our Lord Jesu Christ was wounded in the flesh the diuell maymed in his kingdome wherfore the woman that is to say the soule gaue hir faith and troth vnto almightie GOD when he became christian saying these wordes I forsake the Diuell and all his pride and beléeue in God the father almightie Than ordayned our Lord Jesu Christ a marriage betwéene him and hir with the