yée shalbée like Gods wherfore wee breaking Gods commauÌ„dement we were all exiled out of Paradise chased to the realme of this world héere to liue in great wretchednes like as the psal saith In sudore vultas tui In thou sweat of thy visage shalt thou eate thy bred But then came a fayre young knight and a strong that is to saye our Lord Jesu Christ which had compassion vpon mankinde taking vpon him our flesh and our blood gaue battaille to the diuell and ouercame him and thus wan hée againe our heritage Therefore let vs doe as this young Lady did lay wée vp this bloody short that is to saye the minde of the passion oâ— Christ on the beame of our heart and think we how our Lord Jesu Christ shed his precious blood for vs. And if any man that is to say the diuell or any other would stir vs to sinne anone think wee of the passion of Christ and say wee thus I shall take none other but thée which hast shed they blood for mee thus shall wée win euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ Wee are â—eere generally aduertised of honorineg the Saboth day how for the redeeming of time to bee occupied in Ghostly contemplation profitable to the soule and bodie The preachers of Gods word oft times for sayinge trueth purchase inconuenyence if wee beestow our talents in the amplyfying of fayth and furdering one another with good workes Wee shall then inheritie the â—râ—iâ—on of eternall blessing prepared for the elect of Christ Iesus The 12. Historie SOmetime dwet in Rome a mightie emperour named Apolloninus which ordained for a law that eury man vpon paine of death shold celebrate the daie of his Natiuitie This Emperour called to him a clarke that hight Virgill and sayde My déere master there bee many hamous offences done in my Empyre contrary to the law therefore I pray thée that thou by thy cunning would make some crafte wherby I might know who trespasseth against the law priuely or appertly Then said Virgill My reuerend Lord your will shall be done Anone this Virgill through his craft made an Image in the middest of the Citie of Rome which denouÌ„ced told the Emperours messengers who trespassed against the law who not There was that tyme dwelling in the Citie of Rome a smith that hight Focus which for nothing would celebrate the natiuitie of the emperour It befell vpon a night as the smith lay in his bed hee thought vpon the Image that had accused so many men beefore and dread least the Image would accuse him wherefore hee rose and went to the ymage and said I make a vow to God if thou accuse mée I shall breake thy head And when hée had thus sayde hee went home The Emperour on the morow after following sent his messenger to that Image as before times he was accustomed to know vnderstand who had trespassed against the lawe And to them then said the Image lift vp your â—yne beehold what is ingrauen in my forhead And then they looked vp and saw this posie written Tempore mutanâ—ur homines determinatur Times bee chaunged men bée worse worse For who will say the truth shall haue his head broken therfore goe yée foorth to your Lord and tell him all that yee haue reade and séene The messengers went foorth and told the Emperour all that they had heard and seene Then sayde the Emperour arme your selfe and goe to the Image and if that you finde any man that haue mencioned or threatned to hurt the Image binde him hand and foote bring him to mee Then went the messengers foorth to the Image and said to it Tel vs the truth if any man haue threatned thée and we shall auenge thée anone Then said the Image Take the smith Focus for hée is the man that will not honour the natiuitie of the Emperour straight way the messengers led foorth the smith béefore the Emperour and there vpon examined him why he kept not the day of the Emperours natiuitie in reuerence honour according to the law Then answered the smith said Reuerend Lord I beseech you that yee will heere mine excuse and if I aunswere not reasonably to all maner of poyntes that yée will aske mée I will yeld mée fully to your grace Then sayd Themperour I shall heare thée and that is rightfull I shall doe Then sayd the smith It behoueth mée to haue vâ—ii d. euery day in the wéeke that I cannot get without great labour and therefore I may in no maner wise keepe that day holy day more than other dayes Then sayd the Emperour Why behoueth it thee to haue these viii d. Then saide the Smith I am bounde to paye dayely ii d. and ii d. I lend and ii d. I léese and ii d. I spend Then sayd the Emperour tel mee more eâ—pressely of these viii d. Then sayd the Smith I am bound euery daye to pay ii d. to my Father for when I was young my father spent on mée ii d. dayly and therefore am I bound to help him and pay him againe his ii d. for his sustentation Also ii d. I léese on my wife Then said the Emperour why lesest thou that ii d. on thy wife Then saydâ— hée where saw ye euer woman but she had one of these points eyther shee is wilfull or contrary to hir husbande or of hotte complection and therefore that I giue hir I léese Also ii d. I lend to my sonne wherwith he is sustained that whan I come to age and pouertie he may paye me againe ii d. like as I doe my Father Also I spend ii d. on my selfe in meate and drincke and that is little ynough Then said the Emperour thou hast answered well wisely Not long after it befell that the Emperour dyed and this Smith Focus was chosen to be Emperour bicause he spent his viii d so wisely and so profitably and thus he ended his life in peace and rest The Morall Déere friends this Emperour is our blessed sauiour Jesu Christ which ordained by his holy law that euery man should kéepe holy the Saboth day This Virgill that made this ymage is the holy ghost which establisheth among vs Preachers to teach vertues and to reproue vices and that should not spare the poore ne the riche But now if a Preacher would say the truth against any man anon he shall be thretened of the enimies of Christ that is to saye by euill men that neither loue God nor man wherefore the Preacher may say now a dayes that posey which was written in the forehead of the image Times bene chaunged from good to ill and men bene dayly worse For who so would saye the truth now a dayes shall haue his head broken Therefore it is néede they be armed that is to say that euery Preacher be armed with vertuous examples of their good lyfe towards other and than it needeth not to
the prefixed daye of promise vndesiled which shall then wisely purchase the prouided place of euerlasting glory for all them that seeke the glory of God and their soules health The 14. Historie IN Rome dwelled some 〈…〉 mightie emperour named 〈…〉 mius which had onely a daug 〈…〉 a damosell fayre and gracious in the sight of euery man which had to name Aglaes There was also in themperours pallayes a gentle knight that loued this lady aboue all thing in the world It béefell after vpon a daye that this knight talked with this lady vttred in secrete wâ—â—e his disire to hir Then sayd shée courteously sith â—ée haue vâ—tred to mee the priâ—â—ty of your heart I shall in like wise for your loue vtter to you the secretes of mine heart and truely I say that aboue all other I loue you best Then saide the knight I purpose to visit the holy Land and therefore giue mee your trouth that this seauen yeere yee shall take no other man but onely for my loue to â—arry for mée so long if I come not againe by this day vn â—eere 〈…〉 ke then what man yée lyke best And 〈…〉 e wise I shall promise you that with 〈…〉 seuen yeere I shal take no wife 〈…〉 said she this couenaÌ„t pleaseth mée 〈…〉 When this was said eche of them 〈…〉 othed other and then this knight 〈…〉 ke his leaue of this Lady and went foorth to the holy land Anone after that the Emperour treated with the king of Hungary for the mariage for his daughter Then came the king of Hungary to the Emperours pallays to sée his daughter and when hee had seene hir he liked maruaclously wel hir beautie and hir goodnesse so that the Emperour and the King were accorded in all things as touching the marriage vpon the condicion that the damosell would consent Then called the Emperour t 〈…〉 young Lady to hin and said O my fay 〈…〉 daughter I haue prouided for thée t 〈…〉 a King shall hee thy husband if thée 〈…〉 so assent therefore tell mée what 〈…〉 swere thou wilt giue to this Then sayde shee to hir father it 〈…〉 seth mée well but of one thing dee 〈…〉 ther I you beseech iâ— it might plea 〈…〉 to graunt mée for the loue of 〈…〉 haue auowed my chastitie onely 〈…〉 for this vii yeere therefore déere 〈…〉 I beeseech you for all the loue that 〈…〉 tweene your gracious fatherhoo 〈…〉 mee that yee name no man to bée m 〈…〉 band till these vii yéere bée ended 〈…〉 I shall bee ready in all things to full 〈…〉 your will Then sayde the Emperour sith it is so that thou wilt no husbande haue this seuen yeere I will not breake thy vow but when these seuen yeeres beene passed thou shalt haue the king of Hungary to thy husband And then themeperour sent foorth his letters to the king of HuÌ„gary praying him if it might please him to abide vii yéere for the loue of his daughter and then â—hould hee spéede of his intent without 〈…〉 I le Heereof the King was pleased 〈…〉 d graunted to abide the promised day 〈…〉 when these vii yéeres were ended 〈…〉 a day the yong Ladie stoode in hir 〈…〉 er mindow and wept sore say 〈…〉 us Woe and alas as to morow 〈…〉 e promised to bee with me againe 〈…〉 e holy lande and also the King of 〈…〉 ary to morow will be héere for to 〈…〉 mée according to my fathers 〈…〉 and if my loue come not at a 〈…〉 e houre then am I vtterly de 〈…〉 of the inward loue of him 〈…〉 en the day came the king arayed 〈…〉 towardes the Emperour with a 〈…〉 at company to marry his daughter and was royally bee seene and arayed in purple And while the king was ryding on his way there came a knight soâ—ainly riding by him to whome hee sayde thus Déere friend whence art thou and whence commest thou The knight answered and sayd I am of th empyre of Rome and now am come late from the holy land and am ready to doe your seruice such as I can And as they rode talking by the way it béegan to rayne so fast that all the kings apparell was almost spoyled Then saide the knight My lord quod hée yée haue done foolishly for as much as yée brought not with you your house Then sayd the king why speakest thou so my house is large and broad made of stones morter how should I then beare with mée my house thou speakest to mée like a foole When this was laid they rod farther till they came to a great water and a déepe the king smote his horse with his spurres and leapt into the water so that hée was almost drowned Then the knight saw this was ouer on that other side of the water without perill hee sayd to the king Yée were in perill and therefore yee did foolishly bicause yée brought not with you your bridge Then saide the king thou speakest meruaylously my bridge is made of lime stone and containeth in quantity more then halfe a myle how should I then beare with mee my bridge therefore thou speakest foolishly Well said the knight my foolishnesse may turne thée to wisdome When the king had ridden a little farther he asked the knght what time of daye it was Then sayde the knight if any man haue list to eate it is tyme of the day to eat and therfore my reuereÌ„t Lord I pray you to take a modicome with mée for that is no disworshippe to you but great honour to mee before the states of this Empyre Then sayde the king I will gladly eate with thee They sate both downe in a vyne garden and all that were with the King and with the knight dined And when dinner was done and that the king had washen the knight saide to the King My Lord quod hée yee haue done foolishly for that yee lead not with you your father and your mother Then saide the king what saiest thou my father is dead and my mother is olde and may not trauaile how should I then bringe them with mee therefore to thee I say the truth a folisher man then thou art saw I neuer Then said the Knight euery worke is praised at the ende When the Knight had ridden a little farther and was â—y hand to themperours pallaies the Knight asked seaue to goe from him for this cause hee knew a neerer way to the palays to the young Lady that he might come first and leade hir with him Then said the king I pray thée sir tell me by what place purposest thou to ride Then said the Knight I shall tell you truth this day seuen yeere I left a net in a place and now I purpose to visit it and draw it to mee if it bée broken I will leaue it and if it be whole then will I take it to me and keepe it as a precious Jewell and when he had sayd what him list he toke his
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
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
thou mischeuous woman hast slain my daughter with thine owne hands for I saw the bloodie knife in thy hand therefore thou shalt dye a foule death Than sayde the Earle in this wise O thou woman were it not that I dread God greatly I should cleaue thy bodie with my sword in two parts for I deliuered thée from hanging now thou hast slaine my daughter neuerthelesse for mée thou shalt haue no harme therefore goe thy way out of this cittie without any delaye for if I doe finde thée here this daye thou shalt dye a most euill death Than arose this wofull Emprisse and dyd on hir clothes after leapt on hir palsry and rode toward the east alone without any safe conduct And as shée rode thus mourning by the way she espyed on the left side of the way a payre of gallous and seuen officers leading a man to the gallous to be hanged wherfore she was moued with great pittie and smote hir horse with the spurres rode to them praying them that she might redéeme that misdoer if he might be saued from death for any meede Than sayd they Lady it pleaseth vs well that thou redéeme him Anone the Emprisse accorded with them and payed his raunsome and than he was deliuered Thus sayde she to him Now déere friend be true till thou dye sith I haue deliuered thée from death On my soule quod he I promise you euer to be true And when hée had thus sayde he followed the Lady still till they came nigh a citie and than said the Emprisse to him Good friend quod shée goe foorth thy way afore mée out of the Cittie and take vp for vs an honest lodging for ther I purpose to rest a whilâ— This man went foorth as she commaunâ—â—â—â— tooke vp for hir a good lodging and an honest whereas she abode long tyme. Whan the men of the Citie perceined hir bewtie they wondred greatly wherefore many of them craued of hir vnlawfull loue but all was in vaine they might not speede in any wise It fortuned after on a day that there came a Shippe full of marchandise and ariued in the hauen of that Citie When the Ladys heard this she said vnto hir seruaunt Goe to the shippe and see if there be any câ—oth for myne vse Hir seruaunt went foorth to the shippe whereas he found many precious clothes wherefore hée prayed the master of the shippe that-hée would come into the Citie and speake with this Lady The master graunted him and so he came home to his lady beefore and warned hir of the comming of the master oâ— the shippe Anone after the master of the ship came and sâ—luted the Ladye worthyly And the lady receiued him according to his degrée praying him that she might haue for hir mony such cloth as might bâ— profitable for hir wearing Anone hee grauÌ„ted that shee should haue and soone they were agreed wherefore the seruaunt went emmediately again with the Maister of the Shippe And when they were both within the Ship boorde the Maister sayd to the Ladies seruant My déere friend to thée I wold open my counsaile if I might trust in thee help mee thou shalt haue of mee a great reward Then answered hée and sayd I shall quod hee bee sworne vnto thée on the holy Euangelist that I shall kéepe thy counsaile and fulfill thine intent as far foorth as I can Then said the Maister of the shippe I loue thy Lady more then I can tel thee for hir fayrenesse is so great that I would giue for the loue of hir all the gold that I haue and if I may obtaine the loue of hir through thy help I shall giue thée what so euer thou wilt desire of mée Then saide the Ladies seruaunt tell me by what meanes I may best speede Then sayd the Maister of the Shippe Goe home to thy Lady againe and tell hir that I will not deliuer to thee my cloth except she come hir selfe but bring hir to my Shippe except the winde bée good and able for then I purpose to lead hir away Thy counsell is alwayes good quod the Ladies seruant therfore giue me some reward I shall fulfil thyne intent And when he had receiued his reward hee went againe to his Lady and tolde hir that by no meanes the Master of the shippe would not deliuer him the cloth but if shée came hir selfe The Lady béeléeued hir seruaunt went to the ship And when she was within the ship bord hir seruaunt abode without When the Maister saw that she was within the Shippe and the winde was good hee drew vp the sayle and sayled foorth When the Lady perceiued this thus shée sayde to the master O Master quod shee what treason is this that thou hast done to mée The Maister answered and sayde Madame certainely it is so that I must needes lie with thée and afterwarde espouse thee For sooth quod shée I haue made a vowe that I shall neuer commit such sinne but with him vnto whom I am bound by right and by the law Soothly quod he if yée will not graunt mée with your good will I shall cast you out into the middest of the sea there shall yée die an euill death If it be so quod she that I must néedes consent or else dye than I pray thee to prepare a priuie place in the ende of the Shippe whereas I may fulfill thine entent or I dye but first I pray thée that I may say my prayers vnto the father of heauen that hée may haue mercy on mée The Master béeléeued hir wherfore hée let ordaine hir a Cabbin in the end of the Shippe wherevnto shée sette hir downe on both hir knees and made hir prayers saying on this wise O thou my Lord GOD that hast kept mée froÌ„ my youth in cleanenesse keepe mée now that I be not desâ—oured so that I may serue thée euer with a cleane heart and minde When shée had thus ended hir oryson ther arose sodenly a great tempest in the sea so that the Shippe all to brast and all that were within perished saue the lady that caught a Cable saued hir selfe the Master of the Ship an other neuerthelesse she knew not of him ne he of hir for they were driuen to diuerse coastes This ladie landed in hir owne Empyre beeside a Citie where in shée was worshipfully receiued and shee lyued so holy a life that GOD gaue hir grace and power to heale sicke folke of all manner of diseases wherfore there came much people to hir both crooked blinde and lame and euery man through the grace of God and hir good demeanure were healed wherfore hir name was knowne thorough diuerse regions Neuerthelesse she was not knowen as Emprisse In the same tyme the Emperours brother that had hanged hir beefore by the heyre was smitten with a foule Lepry The knight that slew the earles Daughter and put the bloody knife in hir hand was blynde deafe and had the palsey The