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
possesseth lyfe of euerlasting ioy and blisse The 15. History SOmetime dwelled in Rome a noble Emperour named Agias which had retaining vnto him a Knight called Gerard which was a worthy warrior neuerthelesse he was as méeke as a Lambe in the Emperours courte but in the field he was like a Lion This Emperour had a faire daughter whome the strong and mightie Earle of Palester carryed perforce away and defiled neuerthelesse it displeased more themperour the defiling of his daughter than the carrying of hir away wherefore he called vnto him his counsayle and sayde Déere friends it is not vnknowen to you the despite and violence done to mée in deflowring of my daughter and therefore I purpose to giue battaile to the Earle wherefore I pray you to be ready at a day that ye may procéede with me in battaile And they sayde Lord we be readie to liue and dye with you in battaile When the apointed day of battaile came they met on both sides and a cruell sharp conflict was prosecuted on both sides and all that were of themperours part were slaine And as themperour himselfe should haue bene sorceably assayled the knight Gerard put himselfe among his enimies before themperour and fought manfully and so Themperour escaped and the knight aboad and slew the earle neuerthelesse this knight had diuers wounds This notwithstaÌ„ding he aboad still till the blood ran downe to his foote And when his enimies saw that the Earle was slaine they fledde and the Knight with his people â—â—â—â—owed on the 〈…〉 till hée came to the place where themperours daughter was and â—â—dde hâ—r with him And thus with triumph and victory he â—â—â—urned againâ— to themperour For â—â—â— which victory and reobtaining of themperours daughter he was greatly peaâ—â—â—d of all people Not long after it befel that this knight had a suâ—e to moue themperours court wherefore the knight came vnto themperour prayed him méekely to be fauorable in his cause and furthermore he prayed him to doe the reason touching his honest demaund When Themperour had heard him he called to him a Justice and sayd â—ir Justice our will is that you performe all equitie vnto this knight and that that the Law will And wheÌ„ the knight heard this he cryed with a lowd voice Alas alas who heard euer such a thing of an Emperour thou wert said hee in battaile where thy head should haue béene smitten off and I in myne owne person and none other man put my selfe in ieopardy for thée and saued thée and now thou hast assigned an other man to bee Judge in my cause alas that euer thou wert borne And with that word the knight put of all his clothes sheweh his wounds that hée had receiued in the battâ—â—â—e vnto all the men that were there present and sayde Loâ— what I haue suffered for thee Oh Emperour and I put none other man in my stâ—de and now thou assignest an other man in my cause For sooth I say to thée that I neuer serued such a Lord béefore When the Emperour heard this being almost confounded in himselfe said thus O Déere friend all that thou sayest is trouth thou sauedst mée from death thou diddest reobtaine my daughter againe and for my sake thou hast suffered many wounds For sooth it is right that I in my owne person come downe and make an end of thy cause such as may bee honour and ioye to thée And when themperour labored busily in this matter and made thereof an ende according to the knights entente wherefore all men greatly commended the Emperour The Morall Déere friends this Emperour may bée called euery Christian man or else all mankinde which had a faire daughter that is to say the soule made to the similitude of God This Earle beetokeneth the diuell which carryeth away deflowreth by sinne the soule of man through eating of the fruite of the tree knowing good and euill wherefore all mankind was in thraldom til a strong and valiant knight came and put himselfe on the Crosse to suffer death as a redéemer of mankinde from the diuell For if that had not béene wée had all beene partakers of thraldome euerlaistngly and this Knight reduced and reobtayned the Soule of man vnto the Church wherefore hée suffered many great wounds in his body And now this knight that is to saye our Lord Jesu Christ hath a matter to doe among vs that is to saye to fynde in vs perfecte life wherefore hee calleth on vs dayly that wée shold bée redy at all times saying thus in the Apocalipse iii. Eccesto ab hostium pulso si quis mihi aparuerit introibo câ—nibo That is to say Loe I stand and knocke at the dore if any man will open to mee I shall come in suppe with him But many men doe as the Emperour dyd the which appointed the knight an other Judge then him selfe But now a dayes there bée some men that will doe no repentaunce for the loue of him which assigned no man but himselfe to fight for vs. And therefore against vnthankfull persons it shal bee sayde thus Loe hée suffered for vs on the Crosse despoyled of all his clothing and showeth to vs all his wouÌ„ds that hee suffered for vs. Bée wée therefore thankfull vnto God for his graces that wée may suffer for his loue some sorowfull repentaunce For hée that suffereth paine for the loue of God in this life shall receiue an hundrid tymes more reward in the lyfe euerlasting and also hée shall obtaine euerlasting life vnto the which our Lord Jesus bring all mankinde Amen The Argument The soule of man is heere warned to eschew the pleasant baites and subtill craft of the diuell that shee yeeld not to his allutments least shee bee ouercome of him and hee get the vantage of this mortall course from hir and bereue hir of the ioyes in the lyfe to come The 16. History THere dwelt somtimes in Rome a witty emperour namid Pompey which had a fayre daughter called Aglas This daughter had many vertues aboue all other women of that Empyre First shee was faire and gracious in the sight of euery man She was also swift in running that no man might ouertake hir by a great space When Themperour vnderstood these two vertues in his daughter hée was right ioyfull wherefore hée made to proclaime throughout all his Empyre that what man poore or riche would runne with his daughter should haue hir to wyfe with great riches if hée might ouerrunne hir and come sooner to the marke then shée and if shée ouer runne him and come sooner to the marke then hée his heade should bée smitten off When the states of that Empyre as Dukes Earles Barrons and knights heard this crye they offered themselues one after an other to runne with hir but euer this young Lady ouer-ranne them all wherfore they lost their heads according to the law That time there was a poore man dwelling in Rome which thought within himselfe I
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
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
shauen and apparelled him worshipfully according to his estate and then shée said vnto him thus Now good brother take thy stéede and come with mée that wee may méete my Lord. Hée answered and sayd Lady I am redy to fulfil your will commaundement in all things And than the Empresse toke him with hir and many other knights and so rod foorth to meeâ— with the Emperour and as they rode together by the way they sawe where a great hart ranne afore them wherefore euery man with such hounds as they had chased him on horse backe so that with the Empresse was left no creature saue onely the Emperours brother which seeing that no man was there but they two thus hee saide vnto the Empresse Loe Lady heere beside is a priuie forrest and long it is agone that I spake to thée of Loue come now and consent vnto mee that I may lye with thee Then sayde the Empresse a foole what may this bee yesterday I deliuered thée out of prison vpon thy promise in hope of amendement and now thou art retoâ—rned to thy folly againe wherfore I saye now to thée as I haue sayde before there shall no man doe such thing with me saue onely my Lorde the Emperour which ought of very duty so for â—â— doe Then sayde â—ee if thou wilt not consent to mée I shall hang thée héere vpon a trée in this Forrest where no man shall finde thée so shalt thou dye an euill death The Empresse aunswered méekely and sayde Though thou smite of my head and put mée to death with all maner of torment thou shalt neuer haue mee to consent to such sinne When hee heard this hée vnciothed hir all saue hir smock and hanged hir vp by the haire vpon a trée tyed hir stéede beside hir and so rode foorth to his fellowes and tolde them that a great hoast of men met him and tooke the Empresse away from him And wheÌ„ he hadde tolde them this they made all great sorrow It befell on the third day after there came an Earle to hunt in that Forrest and as he rode beating the barks there started a Foxe whome his hounds followed fast till they came néere the trée where the Empresse hanged And when the dogges felt the sauour of hir they left the Fore and ranne towarde the Trée as fast as they could The Earle séeing this wondred greatly and spurred his horse and folowed them till he came wher as the Empresse hanged Whan the Earle â—aw hir thus hanging he maruailed greatly for as much as she was right fayre and gracious to behold wherefore he sayde vnto hir in this manner wise O woman who art thou and of what countrie and wherefore hangest thou héere in this manner wise The Emprisse that was not yet fully dead but in point ready to dye aunswered and said I am quod she a straunge woman and I am come out from far countrie but how I came hither God knoweth Than aunswered the Earle and said Whose horse is this that staÌ„deth by thée bound to this trée Than answered the lady and said that it was hirs WhaÌ„ the earle heard this he knew well that she was a gentle woman and came of noble linage wherfore he was the rather moued with pitty said vnto hir O faire lady thou seâ—est of gentle blood therfore I purpose to deliuer thée from this mischife if thou wilt promise to goe with mée nourish my faire yong daughter teach hir at home in my castell for I haue no childe but onely hir if thou kéepe hir well thou shalâ— haue a good reward for thy labour Than said she As far soorth as I can or may I shall fulfill thine entent And when she had thus promised him he tooke hir downe of the trée and led hir home to his castel and gaue hir the kéeping of his daughter that he loued so much and she was cherished so well that shée lay euery night in the earles chamber and his daughter with hir and in his chamber euery night there brent a lamp the which hanged beetwéene the Empresse bed and the earles bed This lady béehaued hir so gently that she was beloued of euery creature There was that time in the earls court a steward which much loued this Emprisse exceedingly aboue all things and oftentymes spake to hir of his loue But shée answered him againe and sayd Know yée déere friend for certainetie that I haue made a solempne vow to God that I shall neuer loue any man in such maner wise but onely him whom I am greatly beholden to loue by gods commaundement Than sayd the Steward Thou wilt not than consent vnto mée My Lorde quod shâ— what needeth thee any more to aske such thing the vow that I haue made truely I shall keepe hold by the grace of god And when the steward heard this hée went his way in great wrath and anger thincking within himselfe if I may I shall be reuenged on thée It befell vppon a night within short time after that the Earls chamber dore was forgotten and left vnshet which the steward had anone perceiued And when they were all a sleepe hee went and espied by the light of the lamp where the Emprisse and the young Mayden laye to gether and with that he drewe out his Knife and cut the throte of the Earles daughter put the bloody knife into the Emprisse hande shee beeing a sléepe and nothing knowing thereof to the intent that whan the Earle awaked he should see the knife in hir hande and that hée should think that she had cut his daughters throte wherfore she should bée put to a shameful death for this mischeuous déede And when this damosell was thus slaine and the bloody knife in the Emprisse hand the countesse awaked out of hir sléepe and sawe by the light of the Lampe the blouddie knife in the Emprisse hande wherefore she was almost out of hir wittes and sayd to the Earle O my Lorde behold in yonder Ladies hand a wonderfull thing Anone the Earle awaked and beheld on the Emprisse bed and saw the bloody knife as the countisse had sayd wherefore he was greatly moued and cried to hir and sayd Awake woman out of thy sléepe what thing is this that I sée in thy hand Anone the Emprisse through his crye awaked out of hir sleepe and in hir waking the knife fell out of hir hand and with that she looked by hir found the Earles daughter dead by hir side all the bed be sprent with blood wherefore with an huge voyce shée cryed and sayd Alas alas and welaway my lords daghter is slayne Than cryed the couÌ„tisse vnto the Earle with á pitious voyce said A my lord let the diuelish woman be put to the most foule death that can be thought which thus hath slaine our onely childe And when the countisse had sayde thus to the Earle she sayde to the Emprisse in this wise The high God knoweth that
child Some aunswered and saide that the child should bée slaine and some would haue saued his lyfe while they stroue thus among themselues one of them that was most mercifull saide vnto the other O my good friendes heare my counsayle and ye shall not forethinke it If ye murther this innocent childe wée shall greatly offend almightie god and therefore héere bée young Pigges kill wée one of theÌ„ then may wée take with vs his hart and present it vnto the Emperour saying that it is the heart of the Childes blood Then said they thy counsaile is good but what shal we doe with the Child Good friends quod hee let vs wrap him in some clothes and late him in some holow trée for peraduenture God will help him saue his lyfe And when hée had thus said they did gladly after his counsaile in all things and killed the Pigge and went theyr way and carried home with them the Pigges hart to the Emperour saying vnto him thus Loe gracious Lord wée haue destroyed the Child as ye coÌ„maunded vs and with that they shewed him the Pigges heart The Emperour supposing that it had bene the Childes hart tooke it and cast it into the fire despitefully saying Loe that is the hart of him which should haue ben Emperour after me Lo what it is to beeléeue in dreames visions which be nought else but fantasies and vaine thinges The second day after that the Childe was put into the hollow tree there came an earle for to hunt in the forrest and as his houndes chased an harte they came to this hollow trée where the Childe laye and whan they felt the sauour of the Childe they would goe no farther The Earle séeing this maruailed greatly why his houndes abode there and smote his horse with his spures and rode a great pace till he came to them And when he came vnto the trée wherin the Childe was laide he looked in at an hole saw there the childe lying and then was hée right glad tooke vp the Childe in his armes full louingly and bare him home vnto his Castle saying vnto the Countesse his wise Loe my deere wise this day by fortune I haue found a very faire Childe in an holow trée as I hunted in the forrest whereof I am right glad And beecause that I neuer begat sonne daughter on thee ne thou neuer yet conceiued a childe therfore I exhort thée that thou wilt faine they selfe trauailing with childe and say that thou hast borne this childe The Countesse fulfilled right gladly the earles will and desire and said My most déere Lord your will in this thing shall bee done Not long after this newes went throughout all the country that the countesse was deliuered of a fayre Sonne wherfore euery man reioysed much The Childe beegan to grow and was right well beloued of euery man most specially of the earle and of the Countesse It beefell after when the Childe was xv yéeres of age the Emperour made a solempe feast vnto all the Lords of his Empyre vnto the which feast this earle was called and at the day assigned he came and brought his Childe with him which was at the time a fayre yong squire and â—aruer at the bord before the Earle The Emperour greatly béeheld him and espyed the token in his forehead which hee had séene beefore in the Fosters house wherfore hée was greatly moued and vexed within him selfe and saide vnto the Earle in this wise Whose Sonne is this certes said the Earle hee is my sonne Than saide the Emperour By the saith and trouth that thou owest vnto mée tell mee the trouth The earle séeing that hée might not excuse himselfe by no manner wise but that néeeds hee must tell him the trouth than told hée him altogether how hée had found him in the forrest in an hollow tree This hearing the Emperour was almost distracte of his wittes for anger called vnto him his seruants which he had sent before to destroy the Childe And when they came béefore him hée made them to sware vpon a booke that they should tell him the trouth what they had done with the Childe Gracious Lord saide they wée yéelde vs vnto your grace goodnes for without doubt pitie so moued vs that wée might not destroy him and then wée put him in an hollow trée but what afterward befell of him certainely we know not and in his steade we kilde a Pyg and brought you the hart thereof When the Emperour had heard the very trueth of this matter hee said vnto the earle This yong man quod hee shall abide heere by mée the earle immediatly grauÌ„ted though it was greatly against his will And when the feast was ended euery man tooke his leaue of the Emperour went whereas they list And at that time it fortuned that the Emprisse and hir daughter soiourned in a great countrie far fro thence by the commaundement of the Emperour It befell not long after the Emperour called vnto him that yong Squyre and saide it béehoueth thée quod hee to ride vnto the Emprisse my wife with my letters I am ready at your commaundement my Lord sayde hee to fulfill your desire Immediately the Emperour lette write letters whereof his intent was this That the Emprisse should take the bearer of these letters and let him bée drawen at the horse taile and after that shée should let him bée hanged till he were dead and that vpon paine of death When the letters were all made sealed then the Emperour tooke them vnto the yong squire commaunding him to spede him on his iorney And straight way the yong Squier receiued thé gladly and put them â—ure in his bore rode foorth on his iourney When hée had rydden thrée or foure daies on his iourney in an euening hee came vnto a Castle wher as dwelt a knight and gently desired him of a nights lodging The knight seeing and beeholding the good fauour of this young squier grauÌ„ted him lodginge and made him good cheere and well to fare and afterward brought him vnto his chamber when hée was there hee went to bed And immediatly fell on sléepe for hée was full wery of his â—ourney and forgot his boxe with the Letters lying openly in his chamber When the knight saw the bore hee opened it and sound the letters sealed with the Emperours signe manuel was greatly tempted to open them at the last hée opened them full subtylly and than hee redde how the Empresse vpon paine of death shoulde put the bearer of them to death and then he was right sorrowfull and saide within himselfe Alas quod hee it is great pitie to destroy such a fayre young man therefore if I may it shall not bée so And immediatly after the knight raced out that writtinge and wrote in the same paper a letter saying these words Upon paine of death I commaund thée that thou take the young Squire bearer of these letters and let
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