it lyke the to knowe Some of her names howe they stonde Nowe herken thou shalt vnderstoÌ„de ☞ Hic ad eorum laudem qui iustitie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius coÌ„memorat ¶ Of euery benfite the merite The god hym selfe it wol acquyte And eke full ofte it falleth so The worlde it woll acquyte also But that may not ben euen lyche The god he yeueth the heuen ryche The worlde yefth onely but a name whiche stont vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen they that done well here wherof if that the lyst to here After the fame as it is blowe There myght thou well the soth knowe Howe thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first for ryghtwysenesse Amonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde and songe And holde in the cronyke write So that the men it shullen wyte To speaken good as they well oughten Of hem that fyrste the lawes soughten In foâ—drynge of the worldes pees Vnto the Hebrewes was Moyses The fyrste and to the Egypciens Mercurius and to Troiens Fyrst was Numa Pompilius To Athenes Licurgus yaue fyrst the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And Romulus of romayns For suche men that ben vilayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeineth That what man to the lawe pleyneth Be so the iuge stande vpryght He shall be serued of his ryght And so ferforth it is befall That lawe is come amonge vs all God leue it mote well bene holde As euery kynge therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette with kynges ought it not be lette what kynge of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royalme kepe Do lawe away what is a kynge where is the ryght of any thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kynge well vnderstonde As he whiche is to lawe swore That if the lawe be forlore withouten execucion It makth a londe turne vp so doun whiche is vnto the kynge a sclaundre For thy vnto kynge Alisaundre The wyse philosophre badde That he hym selfe fyrste be ladde Of lawe and forth than ouer all To do iustice in generall That all the wyde londe aboute The iustice of his lawe doubte And than shall be stonde in rest For therto lawe is one the best Aboue all other erthly thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But howe a kynge shall gete hym loue Towarde the hygh god aboue And eke amonge the men in erthe This nexte poynt whiche is the ferthe Of Aristotles lore it techeth wherof who that the schole secheth what policie that it is The boke reherseth after this Nil rationis habens ubi uelle tyrannica regna Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi Sed pietas regnum quae conseruabit in aeuum Non tantum populo sed placet illa deo ¶ Hic tractat de quarta principum regiminis policia que pietas dicta est per quam principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi gratius consequuntur ¶ It nedeth not that I delate The price whiche preysed is algate And hath bene euer and euer shall wherof to speake in speciall It is the vertue of Pite Through whiche the hye maieste was stered whan his sonne alyght And in pyte the worlde to ryght Toke of the mayde flesshe blood Pite was cause of thylke good wherof that we ben all saue well ought a man pite to haue And the vertue to sette in price whan he hym selfe whiche is all wyse Hath shewed why it shall be preysed Pite may not be counterpeysed Of tyranny with no peyse For pyte makth a kynge curteyse Both in his worde and in his dede It syt well euery lyege drede His kinge and to his best obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kinge to be pitous Towarde his people and gracious Vpon the reule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeaunce whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustice whiche doth equite Is dredful for he no man spareth But in the lond where pite fareth The kinge may neuer fayle of loue For pyte through the grace aboue So as the holy boke affermed His reigne in good estate confermed Thapostel Iames in this wise Seyth what man shulde do Iuise And hath not pyte forth with all The dome of him whiche demeth all He may him selfe ful sore drede That him shall lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte woll beholde It is a poynte of Christes lore And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reason and to lawe of kinde Cassodore in his aprise telleth The reigne is saufe where pite dwelleth And Tullyus his tale auoweth And sayth what kinge to pite boweth And with pite stont ouercome / He hath that shelde of grace nome whiche the kinges yeueth victorye ¶ Of Alysaunder in his histoyre 〈◊〉 rede howe he a worthy knyght Of â—odeyn wrath and not of right For iuged hath and he appelleth And with that word the king quareleth And saith None is aboue me That wote I wel my lorde quod he Fro thy lorship appele I nought But fro thy wrath in all my thought To thy pyte stant myn appele The kinge which vnderstode him wele Of pure pyte yaue him grace And eke I rede in other place Thus saide whilome Constantyne what emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunt Of all the worldes remenaunt He is worthy to ben a lord ¶ In olde bokes of recorde Thus finde I wryte of ensamplaire â—â—aâ—an the worthy debonaire By whome that Rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to familyer He sayde vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wil was not for vayne honoure Ne yet for reddour of iustice But if he myght in his office His lordes and his people plese Him thought it were a greatter ease with loue her hartes to him drawe Than with the drede of any lawe For whan a thinge is done for doubte Ful ofte it comth the wers aboute But where a kinge is pyetous He is the more gracious That mochel thrifte him shall be tyde whiche ellis shulde torne a syde Qualiter Iudeus pedester cum paganos equi tante itenerauit prr desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit ☞ To do pyte supporte and grace The philosophre vpon a place In his writenge of dayes olde A tale of great ensample tolde Vnto the kynge of Macedoyne Howe betwene Cayr and Babyloyne whan comen is the somer hete It hapneth two men for to mete As they shulde entre in a paas where that the wyldernesse was And as they wente forthe spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That o man asketh of that other what man arte thou my liefe brother whiche is thy creance and thy feyth I am paynym that other sayth
you quite My father here hath but a lyte Of waryson and that he wende Had all be lost but nowe amende He may well through your noble grace with that the kynge ryght in his place Anon forthe in that fresshe hete An Erledome whiche than of eschete was late falle in to his honde Vnto this knyght with rent and londe Hath youe and with his chartre sesed And thus was all the noyse appesed This maiden which sate on her knees Tofore the kynges charitees CoÌ„men death and sayth euermore My lyege lorde ryght nowe tofore ye sayde and it is of recorde That if my father were a lorde And pere vnto these other great ye wolden for nought elles lette That I ne shulde be your wyfe And thus wote euery worthy lyfe A kynges worde mote nede be holde For thy my lorde if that ye wolde So great a charite fulfylle God wote it were well my wylle For he whiche was a bachylere My father is nowe made a pere So whense as euer that I cam An erles doughter nowe I am This yonge kynge whiche peised all Her beaute and her wytte withall As he whiche was with loue hente Anone therto yafe his assente He myght not the place asterte That she nys lady of his herte So that he toke her to his wyfe To holde whyle that he hath lyfe And thus the kyng towarde his knight Accordeth hym as it is ryght And ouer this good is to wyte In the cronyke as it is wryte This noble kynge of whom I tolde Of spayne by tho dayes olde The kyngedome had in gouernaunce And as the boke maketh remembrance Alphons was his propre name The knyght also if I shall name Dom Petro hyght and as men telle His doughter wyse Petronelle was cleped whiche was full of grace And that was sene in thylke place where she her father out of tene Hath brought made her selfe a quene Of that she hath so well disclosed The poyntes wherof she was opposed Confessor Lo now my sonne as thou might here Of all this thinge to my mattere But one I take and that is pride To whom no grace may betyde In heuen he felle out of his stede And Paradyse hym was forbede The good men in erthe hym hate So that to belle he mote algate where euery vertue shall be weyued And euery vice be resceyued But Humblesse is all other wyse whiche moost is worth and no reprise It taketh ageyn but softe and fayre If ony thynge stant in contraire with humble speche it is redressed Thus was this yonge mayde blessed The whiche I spake of nowe tofore Her fathers lyfe she gatte therfore And wanne withall the kynges loue For thy my sonne if thou wolt loue It sytte the well to leaue pryde And take Humblesse on thy syde The more of grace thou shalt gete Amans ¶ My father I woll not foryete Of this that ye haue tolde me here And if that any suche manere Of humble porte may loue appaye Here afterwarde I thynke aslay But nowe forthe ouer I beseche That ye more of my shryfte seche Confessor ¶ My good sonne it shall be do Nowe herken and lay an eare to For as touchende of prydes fare Al 's ferforth as I can declare In cause of vice in cause of loue That hast thou playnly herde aboue So that there is no more to saye Touchende of that but other wey Touchende enuye I thynke telle whiche hath the propre kynde of helle without cause to mysdo Towarde hym selfe and other also Here afterwarde as vnderstonde Thou shalte the spices as they stonde Explicit liber primus ¶ Hic in secundo libro tractat de inuidia / et eius speciebus / quarum dolor alterius gaudii prima nuncupatur / cuius conditionem / secundum vitiuÌ„ Confessor primitus describens amanti quatenus amoreÌ„ concernit suê‘ eodeÌ„ coÌ„sequenter opponit ¶ Incipit liber Secundus Inuidiae culpa magis est attrita dolore Nam sua mens nullo tempore laeta manet Quo gaudent alii dolet ille nec vnus amicus Est cui de puro commoda velle facit Proximitatis honor sua corda veretur et omnis Est sibi laetitia sic aliena dolor Hoc etenim uitium quam sepe repugnat amaÌ„ti Non sibi sed reliquis dum fauet ipsa Venus Est amor ex propria motu fantasticus quae Gaudia fert alijs credit obesse sibi NOwe after pride the secoÌ„de There is whiche many a wofull stounde Towardes other bearethe aboute within hym selfe and not without For in his thought he brenneth euer whan that he wote an other leuer Or more vertuos than he whiche passeth hym in his degre Therof he taketh his maladye That vyce is cleped hotte enuy For thy my sonne if it be so Thou arte or hast ben one of tho As for to speke in loues cas If euer yet thyn hert was Sicke of an other mannes bele ¶ So god auaunce my quarele My father ye a thousande syth whan I haue sene another blythe Of loue and hadde a goodly chere Ethna whiche brenneth yere by yere was than nought so hote as I Of thylke sore for whiche priuely Myne hertes thought within brenneth The ship which on the wawes renneth And is forstormed and forblowe Is nat more payned for a throwe Than I am than whan I se Another whiche that passeth me In that fortune of loues yefte But father this I telle in shryfte That no where but in a place For who that lese or fynde grace In other stede it may nought greue But thus ye may ryght well beleue Towarde my lady that I serue Though that I weste for to sterue Myn hert is full of suche foly That I my selfe may not chasty whan I the court se of Cupide Approche vnto my lady syde Of hem that lusty ben and fresshe Though it auayle them not a resshe But onely that they ben of speche My sorowe is than not to seche But whan they rownen in her ere Than groweth all my moste fere And namely whan they talen longe My sorowe than be so stronge Of that I se them well at ease I can not telle my disease But syre as of my lady selue Though she haue wowers .x. or twelue For ne mystruste I haue of her 〈◊〉 greueth nought for certes syr I 〈◊〉 in all this worlde to seche 〈◊〉 woman that in dede and speche 〈◊〉 cetter auyse her what she doth Ne better for to saye a sothe 〈◊〉 her honour at all tyde 〈◊〉 yet gette her a thanke besyde 〈◊〉 â—â—â—theles I am beknowe Thy whan I se at any throwe 〈◊〉 if I may it here That she make any man good chere Though I therof haue not to done My thought woll entermete hym sone For though I be my seluen straunge Enuye maketh myn hert chaunge That I am sorowfully be stade Of that I se another glade with her but of other all Of loue what so may befall Or that he
And wrought of pryde many a wonder He was so full of vaynglorye That he ne hadde no memorye That there was any god but he For pryde of his prosperyte Tyll that the hyghe kynge of kynges whiche seeth and knoweth all thynges whose eye may nothynge asterte The pryuytes of mans hert They speken and sowne in his ere As though they loude wyndes were He toke vengeaunce of his pryde But for he wolde a whyle abyde To loke if he wolde hym amende To hym afore token he sende And that was in his slepe by nyght This proude kynge a wonder syght Hadde in his sweuen there be lay Hym thought vpon a mery day As he behelde the world aboute A tre full growe be sawe there out which stode in the world amiddes euen whos heyght straught vp to the heuen The leues weren fayre and large Of frute it bere so rype a charge That all men it myght fede He sawe also the bowes sprede Aboue all erth in whiche were The kynde of all byrdes there And eke hym thought he sawe also The kynde of all bestes go Vnder the tre about rounde And fedden them vpon the grounde As he this vnderstode and syghe Hym thought he herde a voys on high Cryende and sayde abouen all Hewe downe this tree and let it fall The leues lette defoule in hast And do the frute destroye and wast And let of shreden euery braunche But at rote he let it staunche whan all his pride is cast to grounde The rote shall be fast bounde And shall no mans herte bere But euery lust he shall forbere Of man and lyke an oxe his mete Of grasse he shall purchace and ete Tyll at the water of the heuen Hath wasshen hym by tymes seuen So that he thorough knowe aryght what is the heuenlyche myght And be made humble to the wylle Of hym whiche may all saue spylle This kyng out of his sweuen abraide And he vpon the morowe it sayde Vnto the clerkes which he hadde But none of them the foth aradde was none his sweuen couth vndo And it stode thylke tyme so This kynge hadde in subiection Iude and of affectyon Abouen al other one Danyel He loueth for be couth well Dyuyne that none other couthe To hym were all thynges couthe As he it hadde of goddes grace He was before the kynges face Assent and boden that he shulde Vpon the poynt the kynge of tolde The fortune of his sweuen expounde As it shulde afterward be founde whan Danyel this sweuene herde He stode longe tyme or be answerde And made a wonder heuy chere The kynge toke hede of his maner And hadde hym telle that he wyste As he to whome he mochel tryste And sayde he wolde not be wroth But Danyel was wonder loth And sayde vpon thy fo men alle Syr kynge thy sweuene mote falle And netheles touchend of this I woll the tellen howe it is And what dysese is to the shape God wote if thou it shalt escape The hyghe tre whiche thou hast sene with lesse and fruyt so wel besene The which stode in the world amiddes So that the bestes and the byrdes Gouerned were of hym alone Syr kynge betokeneth thy persone which stonde aboue all erthely thynges Thus reignen vnder the the kynges And all the people vnto the louteth And all the worlde thy person douteth So that with vayne honour deceyued Thou haste the reuerence weyued From hym whiche is thy kynge aboue That thou for drede ne for loue wolt nothynge knowen of thy god whiche nowe for the hath made a rod Thy vayne glorye and thy folye with great peynes to chastye And of the voyce thou herdest speke whiche badde the bowes for to breke And hewe and felle downe the tre That word belongeth vnto the Thy reigne shall be ouer throwe And thou dispoyled for a throwe But that the rote shulde stonde By that thou shalt wel vnderstonde There shall abyde of thy regne A tyme ageyne whan thou shall regne And eke of that thou herdest saye To take a mans herte aweye And set there a bestiall So that he lyke an oxe shall Pasture and that he be byreyned By tymes seuen and sore peyned Till that be knowe his goddis mightes Than shall he stond agayne vpryghtes All this betokeneth thyne estate whiche nowe with god is in debate Thy mans forme shall be lassed Tyll seuen yere ben ouer passed And in the lykenes of a beste Of gras shall be thy royall feste The wether shall vpon the rayne And vnderstonde that all this payne whiche thou shalt suffre thylke tyde Is shape all onely for thy pryde Of vayne glorye and of the synne whiche thou hast longe stonden inne So vpon this condicyon Thy sweuene hath exposicyon But er this thynge befalle in dede Amende the this wolde I rede yeue and departe thyn almesse Do mercy forth with ryghtwysnes Beseche and praye the hyghe grace For so thou myght thy pees purchace with god and stonden in good accorde But pryde is loth to lese his lorde And woll not suffre humylyte with hym to stonde in no degre And whan a shyp hath loste his stere Is none so wyse that may hym stere Ageyne the wawes in a rage This proude kynge in his courage Humylite hath so forlore That for no sweuen he sawe to fore Ne yet for all that Danyell Hym hath counseyled euery dele He lette it passe out of his mynde Through vaynglory and as the blynde He seeth no weye er hym be wo And felle within a tyme so As he in Babyloyne wente The vanyte of pryde hym hente His hert aros of vayne glorye So that he drough in to memorye His lordship and his regalye with wordes of surquedrye And whā that he him moste auaūteth That lorde which vainglorye daunteth All sodenly as who sayth treys where that he stode in his paleys He toke hym from the mens syght was none of them so ware that myght Set eye where he bycome And thus was be from his kyngdome In to the wylde foreste drawe where that the myghty goddes lawe Through his power did him trāsforme Fro man in to a bestes forme And lyke an oxe vnder the fote He graseth as he nedes mote To getten hym his lyues fode Tho thought hym cold gras goode That whilome ete the hote spices Thus was he torned from delyces The wyne which he was wonte drynke He toke then of the welles brynke Or of the pyt or of the slough It thought hym then good ynough Instede of chambres well arayed He was than of a busshe well apayed The harde grounde he lay vpon For other pylowes hadde he non The stormes and the raynes fall The wyndes blowe vpon hym all He was tormented day and nyght Suche was the hyghe goddes myght Tyll seuen yere an ende toke Vpon hym selfe tho gan be loke In stede of mete gras and streys In stede of handes longe cleys In stede of man a beste lyke He sawe and than he
layde That to my syster ne to my brother In all this worlde ne to none other ye durst telle a pryuete So well my father as to me For thy my father I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert away For I am she that wolde kepe your honour and with that to wepe Her eie may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her father so mystryst To tellen her of that he wyst And euer amonge mercy she cryed That he ne shulde his counscile hyde From her that so wolde hym good And was so nygh flesshe and bloud So that with wepynge at last His chere vpon his childe he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He tolde his tale and thus he sayde The sorowe doughter which I make Is not all onely for my sake But for the bothe and for you all For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shall er this thyrde day Lese all that euer I lese may My lyfe and all my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so what is the cause alas quod she My father that ye shulden be Dead and distroyed in suche a wise And he began the poyntes deuyse which as the kyng tolde him by mouth And sayd her playnly that he couthe Answere to no poynt of this And she that hereth howe it is Her counsayle yafe and sayd tho My father syn it is so That ye can se none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wolde pray you of o thynge Lette me go with you to the kynge And ye shall make hym vnderstonde Howe ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue layde your answere vpon me And telleth hym in suche degre Vpon my worde ye wol abyde To lyfe or deth what so betyde For yet perchaunce I may purchace with some good word the kynges grace your lyfe and eke your good to saue For ofte shall a woman haue Thynge whiche a man may not areche The fader herd his doughters speche And thought there was no reason in And sawe his owne lyfe to wynne He couthe done hym selfe no cure So better he thought in auenture To put his lyfe and all his good That in the maner as it stode His lyfe incerteyne for to lese And thus thynkende he gan to chese To do the counseyle of this mayde And toke the purpose whiche she sayd The day was come forth they gone Vnto the courte they come anone where as the kynge in his iugement was sette and hath this knyght assent Arrayed in her beste wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Her father ledde by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kynge with other which he wolde And to the kynge knelende he tolde As he enfourmed was tofore And prayeth the kyng that he therfore His doughters wordes wolde take And sayth that he woll vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stende Tho was ther great meruaile on hoÌ„de That he whiche was so wyse a knyght His lyfe vpon so yonge a wyght Besette wolde in ieopardye And many it helden for folye But at laste neuertheles The kynge commaundeth ben in peace And to this mayde he cast his chere And sayde he wolde her tale here And badde her speke and she began My lyege lorde so as I can Quod she the poyntes which I herde They shall of reason ben answerde The fyrst I vnderstonde is this what thynge of all the worlde it is which men most helpe hath lest nede My lyege lorde this wolde I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo with mannes labour is bego As well in wynter as in Maye The mannes honde doth what he may To helpe it forth and make it ryche And for thy men it delue and dyche And eren it with strength of plough where it hath of hym selfe inough So that his nede is at leste For euery man byrde and beast Of floure and grasse and rote rynde And euery thynge by wey of kynde Shall sterue and erthe it shall become As it was out of erthe nome It shall to erthe tourne ageyne And thus I may by reason seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lorde touchande of this I haue answerde howe that it is ¶ That other poynt I vnderstode whiche most is worth and most is good And costeth leest a man to kepe My lorde if ye woll take kepe I saye it is Humilite Through whiche the hygh Trinite As for deserte of pure loue Vnto Marye from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sonne adowne he sent Aboue all other and her he chese For that vertu which that bodeth pes So that I may by reason calle Humilite moost worthe of all And lest it costeth to maynteyne In all the worlde as it is seyne For who that hath huÌ„blesse on honde He bryngeth no werres in to londe For he desyreth for the best To serten euery man in reste ¶ Thus with your hygh reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffisaunt And touchende of the remenaunt whiche is the thyrde of your askynges what lest is worth of all thynges And costeth most I telle it Pryde whiche may not in the heuen abyde For Lucifer with them that felle Bare Pryde with hym in to helle There was pryde of to great cost whan he for pryde hath heuen loste And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde lost his pryce In myddell erth And eke also Pryde is the cause of all wo That all the worlde ne may suffise To stanche of pride the reprise Pryde is the heed of all synne whiche wasteth all and may not wynne Pryde is of euery mysse the prycke Pryde is the worste of all wycke And costeth moost and lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayde that I woll say Of myn answere and to you pray My lyege lorde of your offyce That ye suche grace and suche iustice Ordeyne for my father here That after this when men it here The worlde therof may speake good ¶ The kyng which reason vnderstode And hath all herde howe she hath said was inly gladde and so well payde That all his wrath is ouer go And he beganne to loke tho Vpon this mayden in the face In whiche he fonde so mochell grace That all his price on her he leyde In audience and thus he sayde My fayre mayden well ye be Of thyn answere and eke of the Me lyketh well and as thou wylte Forâ—eue be thy father gylte And if thou were of suche lygnage That thou to me were of parage And that thy father were a pere As he is nowe a bachylere So syker as I haue a lyfe Thou shuldest than be my wyfe But this I saye netheles That I woll shape thyn encrease what worldes good that thou wolte craue Axe of mi yeft thou shalt haue And she the kynge with wordes wise Knelynge thanketh in this wyse My lyege lorde god mote
And tell to that by nyghtes tyde This knyght without felaushyp Hath take a boote and came to shyppe And thought of her his lust to take And swore if she hym daunger make That certaynly she shulde deye She sawe there was none other wey And sayde he shulde her well comforte That he fyrst loke out at porte That no man were nygh the stede whiche myght knowe what they dede And than he may do what he wolde He was ryght glad that she so tolde And to the port anone be ferde She prayeth god and he her herde And sodeinly he was out throwe And dreynt and tho began to blowe wynde meuable fro the londe And thus the myghty goddes honde Her hath conueyed and defended And whan thre yere ben full dispended ¶ Qualiter Nauicula Constanâ—ie quodam die ê‘ altum mare vagans inter copiosam namuÌ„ multudinem dilapsa est quarum Arcennius Romanorum conful dux et capitaneus ipsam ignotam suscipiens vsque ad Romam fecum perduxit vbi equalemvxori sue Elene permansuraÌ„ reuerenter affociauit nec non et eiusdem filjum Mauricium in omni habundantia quasi proprium educauit ¶ Her ship was driue vpon a daye where that a great nauye laye Of shippes all the worlde at ones And as god wolde for the nones Her ship goth in amonge hem all And stynt not er it be by fall And hath that vessell vnder gete whiche mayster was of all the flete But there it resteth and abode This great shyp on anker rode The lord come forth and when he sygh That other ligge on borde so nyghe He wondreth what it myght be And badde men to go in and se This lady tho was crope a syde As she that wolde her seluen hyde For she newyst what they were They sought about and fond her there And broughten vp her chylde and her And therupon this lorde to sper Began fro whens that she came And what she was Quod she I am A woman wofully bestadde I hadde a lorde and thus he badde That I sorth with my lytell sonne Vpon the wawes shulde wonne But why the cause wote I nought But he whiche all thynges wrought yet ay I thanke hym of his myght My childe and me so kepte vpryght That we be saufe bothe two This lorde her asketh euermo Howe she beleueth and she seyth I leue and trust in Christes feyth whiche dyed vpon the roode tre what is thy name tho quod he My name is Coust she hym sayde But furthermore for nought he prayde Of her astate to knowe playne She wolde hym nothynge els sayne But of her name whiche she fayned All other thynges she restrayned That o worde more she ne tolde This lorde than asketh if she wolde with hym abyde in companye And sayde he came from Barbarye To Rome warde and home he went Tho she supposeth what it ment And sayth she wolde with hym wende And dwelle vnto her lyues ende Be so it be to his pleasaunce And thus vpon her acqueyntaunce He tolde her playnly as it stode Of Rome howe that the gentill blode In Barbarye was betrayed And therupon he hath assayed By warre and take suche vengeaunce That none of thylke allyaunce By whome the treson was compassed Is from the swerde alyue passed But of Constaunce howe it was That couthe he knowe by no cas where she bycame so as be sayd Her ere vnto his worde she leyde But forther made she no chere And netheles in this mattere It happed that ylke tyme so This lord with whome she shulde go Of Rome was the senatour And of her father the emperour His brother doughter hath to wyfe whiche hath her father eke on lyue And was Salustes cleped tho His wyfe Eleyne hyght also To whome Constaunce was cosyne Thus to the seke a medicine Hath god ordeyned of his grace That forthe in the same place This senatour his trouth plyght For euer whyle he lyue myght To kepe her in worshyp and in welth Be so that god woll gyue her helth This lady whiche fortune hym sende And thus by shyppe forth say lende Her her childe to Rome be broughte And to his wyfe tho he besought To take her in to companye And she whiche couth of curtosye All that a good wyfe shulde conne was inly gladde that she hath wonne The felowshyp of so good one This emperours doughter Custe Forth with the doughter of Saluste was kept but no man redely Knewe what she was and not for thy They thoughten well she hadde be In her estate of hyghe degre And euery lyfe her loueth we le ¶ Qualiter rex Alle iniâ—a pace cum Scoâ—â—â— a guerris rediens et non inuenta vxore sua causam exilu diligencius perscrutans cum matrem suam Domildam inde culpubilem sciniffet ipsam in igne proiciens conburi fecit ¶ Nowe herke thylke vnstable whele whiche euer torneth wente aboute The kynge Alle while he was out As thou to fore hast herde the cas Deceyued through his modre was But whan that he come home agayne He axeth of his chamberlayne And of the bysshop eke also where they the quene had do And they answerde there he badde And haue hym thylke letter rad whiche he them sent for warrant And tolde hym playnly as it stante And sayne it thought hem great pyte To se a worthy one as she with suche a childe as there was bore So sodenly to be forlore He asketh hem what child it wer And they hym sayde that no where In all the world though men it sought was neuer woman that forth brought A fayrer childe than it was one And than he axeth hem anone why they ne hadden wryten so They tolden so they hadden do He sayde nay They sayden yis The letter shewed radde it is whiche they forsoken euery dele Tho was it vnderstonde wele That there is treson in the thynge The messenger tofore the kynge was brought and sodenly opposede 〈◊〉 thynge hath yet supposede 〈◊〉 welâ— began to saye 〈◊〉 no where vpon the waye 〈◊〉 but onely in a stede 〈…〉 why that he so dede 〈◊〉 he went to and fro 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—esburgh by nyghtes two 〈◊〉 â—ges moder made hym dwelle 〈…〉 the kynge it herd telle 〈◊〉 his hert he wyâ—â—e al 's faste 〈…〉 whiche his mother caste 〈◊〉 â—hought he wolde not abyde 〈◊〉 ryght in the same tyde 〈…〉 and rode anone 〈◊〉 in there ryde many one 〈…〉 â—â—burgh and forth they wente 〈◊〉 the fyre which thonder hente 〈◊〉 a rage as feyth the boke His mother sodeneche he toke And sayde vnto her in this wyse O 〈◊〉 of helle in what gyse 〈…〉 deseruede for to deye That haste so falsely put a weye with treson of thy backbitynge The trewest at my knolechynge Of wyues and the most honest But I wol make this by hest It shall be vengede or I go And lete a fyre do make tho And badde men for to caste her ynne But fyrste she tolde
speke a goodly worde assent And netheles this dare I say That if a synfull wolde preye To god of his foryeuenes with halfe so great a besynesse As I haue do to my lady In lacke of askynge of mercy He shulde neuer come in helle And thus I may you sothly telle Saufe onely that I crie and bydde I am in tristesse all amydde And fulfylled of desperaunce And therof yeue me my penaunce Myn holy father as you lyketh ¶ My sonne of that thyn herte syketh with sorowe myght thou not amende Tyll loue his grace woll the sende For thou thyn owne cause empeirest what tyme as thou thy selfe despeirest I not what other thinge auayleth Of hope whan the herte fayleth For suche a sore is incurable And eke the goddes ben vengeable And that a man may right well frede These olde bokes who so rede Of thinge whiche hath befalle er this Nowe here of what ensample it is ☞ HIC narrat qualiter Iphis / regis Theucer filius eb amorem cuiusdam puelle nomine Araâ—arathen quaÌ„ neque donis aut precibus vinâ—â—â—â—â—tuit / deâ—perans ante patris ipsius puelle 〈◊〉 nectanter se suspendit vnder dii commoti 〈◊〉 â—nellum in lapidem durissimam transmutâ—â—nt quam rex Theucer vna cuÌ„ filio suo apud Sâ—â—â—num in Templo veneris pro perpetua 〈◊〉 morta sepeliri et locari fecit ¶ whylom by olde dayes fer Of Moâ—e was the kynge Theucer whiche had a knyghte to sonne Iphis Of loue and he so maistred is That he hath set all his courage As to regarde of his lygnage Vpon a mayde of lowe estate But though he were a potestate Of worldes good he was subiecte To loue and put in suche a plyte That he excedeth the measure Of reason that hym selfe assure He can nought For the more he praid The lasse loue on hym she layde He was with loue vnwise constreined And she with reason was restreyned The lustes of his herte he seweth And she for drede shame escheweth And as she shulde toke good hede To saue and kepe her womanhede And thus the thinge stode in debate Betwene his lust and her estate He yaue he sende he spake by mouth But yet for ought that euer he couthe Vnto his spede he fonde no weye So that he cast his hope aweye within his hert he gan despeyre Fro day to day and so empeire That he hath lost all his delyte Of lust of slepe of appetyte That he through streÌ„gth of loue lasseth His wyt and reason ouerpasseth As he whiche of his lyfe ne rought His death vpon hym selfe he sought So that by nyght his weye he nam There wyst none where he becam The nyghte was derke there shone no mone Tofore the gates he cam sone where that this yonge mayde was And with this wofull worde alas His deadly pleyntes he began So styll that there was no man It herde and than he sayde thus O thou Cupyde O thou Venus Fortuned by whose ordynaunce Of loue is euery mans chaunce Ye knowen all myn hole hert That I ne may your hondes astert On you is euer that I crie And you deyneth not to plie Ne towarde me your eare enclyne Thus for I se no medicine To make an ende of my quarele My deth shall be in stede of hele Ha thou my wofull lady dere whiche dwellest with thy father here And slepest in thy bedde at ease Thou wotest nothynge of my disease Howe thou and I be nowe vnmete A lorde what sweuen shalt thou mete what dremes hast thou now on honde Thou slepest there and I here stonde Though I no death to the deserue Here shall I for thy loue sterue Here shall I a kynges sonne dye For loue and for no felonye whether thou therof haue ioy or sorow Here shalt thou se me deed to morowe O harde herte abouen alle This death whiche shall to me falle For that thou wolde not do my grace It shall be tolde in many place That I am deed for loue and trouth In thy defaute and in thy slouth Thy daunger shall to many mo Ensample be for euermo when they the wofull death recorde And with that worde he toke a corde with whiche vpon the gate tre He henge him selfe that was pite The morowe cam the nyght is gone Men come out and sygh anone where that this yonge lorde was deed There was an hous without rede For no man knewe the cause why There was wepynge there was cry This mayden whan she it herde And sigh this thinge howe it mysferde Anone she wyst what it ment And all the cause howe it went To all the worlde she tolde it out And preyeth to hem that were aboute To take of her the vengeaunce For she was cause of thilke chaunce why that this kynges sonne is spylt She taketh vpon her selfe the gilt And is all redy to the peyne whiche any man her wolde ordeyne But if any other wolde She saith that her selfe she sholde Do wreche with her owne honde Through out the worlde in euery loÌ„de That euery lyfe therof shall speke Howe she her selfe it shulde wreke She wepeth she cryeth she swouneth ofte She caste her eien vp alofte And sayde amonge full pitously O god thou wost that it am I For whom Iphis is thus beseyne Ordeyne so that men may seyne A thousande wynter after this Howe suche a mayden dyd amys And as I dydde do to me For I ne dydde no pite To hym whiche for my loue is lore Do no pite to me therfore And with this worde she fell to grouÌ„de A swoune and there she laye astounde The goddes which her pleyntes herd And sygh howe wofully she ferde Hir lyfe they toke awey anone And shopen hir into a stone After the forme of hir image Of body both and of visage And for the meruayle of this thynge Vnto the place came the kynge And eke the quene and many mo And whan they wysten it was so As I haue tolde it here aboue Howe that Iphis was deade for loue Of that he had be refused They helden all men excused And wondren vpon the vengeaunce And for to kepe remembraunce This fayre image mayden lyche with company noble and ryche with torches and great solempnite To Salamyne the Citie They leade carie forth withall This deade corps and seyne it shall Besyde thilke image haue His sepulture and be begraue This corps and this image thus In to the citie to Venus where that goddesse her temple had Together bothe two they ladde This ilke image as for myracle was set vpon an hygh pinacle That all men it myght knowe And vnder that they maden lowe A tombe ryche for the nones Of marble and eke of Iaspre stones wherin that Iphis was beloken That euermore it shall be spoken And for men shall the sothe wyte They haue her ephitaphe wryte As thynge whiche shulde abyde stable The letters grauen in a table Of marble were and sayde this Here lyeth whiche
Or of rychesse or of pouerte How so it stande of the deserte Here is nought euery thynge acquite For ofte a man may se this yet That who best doth lest thoÌ„k shal haue It helpeth nought the worlde to craue whiche out of reule and of measure Hath euer stande in auenture As well in courte as els where And howe in olde dayes there It stode so as the thynges felle I thynke a tale for to telle ¶ Hic ponit exemplum contra illos qui in domibus regum sernientes pro eo ê™ ipsi secunduÌ„ eorum cupiditateÌ„ promoti non existunt / de regio seruitio quamuis iÌ„ eoruÌ„ defectu indiscrete murmuraÌ„t ¶ In a cronyke this I rede About a kynge as must nede There was knyghtes and squiers Great route and eke offycers Some of longe tyme hym had serued And thoughteÌ„ that they haue deserued Auauncement and gone without And some also ben of the route That comen but a whyle agone And they auaunced were anone These olde men vpon this thyng So as they durst ageyne the kynge Amonge hem selfe compleynen ofte But there is nothynge sayde so softe That it ne cometh out at last The kynge it wyst anone al 's fast As he whiche was of hygh prudence He shope therfore an euidence Of hem that playnen in the cas To knowe in whose defaute it was And all within his owne entent That no man wyst what it ment Anone be lette two cofres make Of one semblaunce of one make So lyche that no lyfe thilke throwe That one may fro that other knowe They were in to his chaumber brought But no man wote why they be brought And netheles the kynge hath bede That they be sette in preuy stede As he that was of wysedome slygh whan he therto his tyme sygh All priueliche that none it wyst His owne bondes that one kyst Of fyne golde / and of fyne perye The whiche out of his tresorie was take anone he fylde full That other coffre of strawe and mull with stones meued he fylde also Thus be they full bothe two So that erelyche vpon a day He had within / there he lay There shulde to fore his bedde A bourde vp sette and fayre spredde And than he let the cofres fette Vpon the bourde and did hem set He knewe the names well of tho The whiche ayene hym grutched so Both of his chambre and of his halle Anone and sent for hem alll And sayde to hem in this wyse ¶ There shall no man his hap despyse I wote well ye haue longe serued And god wote what ye haue deserued But if it is alonge on me Of that ye vnauaunced be Or els if it belonge on you The soth shall be preued nowe To stoppe with your euyll worde Lo here two cofers on the borde Chese whiche you lyst of both two And wyteth well that one of tho Is with treasour so full begone That if ye happe therupon Ye shal be riche men for euer Nowe chese take whiche you is leuer But be well ware er that ye take For of that one I vndertake There is no maner good therin wherof ye myght profite wynne Nowe goth to gether of one assent And maketh your aduisement For but I you this day auaunce It stant vpon your owne chaunce All onely in default of grace So shall be shewe in this place Vpon you all well afyne That no defaute shall be myn They knelen all and with one voys The kynge they thanken of this choys And after that they vp aryse And gon a syde and hem auyse And at last they acorde wherof her tale to recorde To what yssue they ben falle A knyght shall speke for hem alle He kneleth downe to the kynge And sayth that they vpon this thynge Or for to wynne or for to lese Ben all auysed for to chese Tho toke this knyght a yerd on hond And goth there as the cofers stond And with thassent of euerychone He leyd his yard vpon one And seyth the kynge howe thylke same They chese in reguerdon by name And preith him that they might it haue The king which wold his honour saue whan he hath herd the comon voys Hath graunted hem her owne choys And toke hem therupon the keye But for he wolde it were seye what good they haue as they suppose He had anone the cofer vnclose whiche was fulfilled with straw stones Thus be they serued all at ones This kynge than in the same stede Anone that other Cofer vndede where as they sawen great rychesse wel more than they couthen gesse Lo seyth the kynge nowe may ye see That there is no defaute in me For thy my selfe I wol acquyte And bereth ye your owne wyte Of that fortune hath you refused Thus was this wyse kynge excused And they lefte of her euyl speche And mercy of her kynge beseche ¶ Nota de diuiciarum accidencia / vbi narrat qualiter Fredericus RomanoruÌ„ imperator duos â—anperes andiuit litigantes quorum vnus dixit Bene potest ditari quem rex vult ditare Et alius dixit quem deus vult ditare diues erit / que rex cum ad experimeÌ„toÌ„ postea probata fuiffet ill equi deum innocabat pastellum auto plinum sortitâ—â— est alius vero caponis pastellum sorte preelegit ⧠Somdele to this mater lyke I fynde a tale howe Frederyke Of Rome that tyme Emperour Herde as he wente a great clamour Of two beggers vpon the weye That one of hem began to seye Halord wel may the man be ryche whome that a kynge lyst to ryche That other sayd no thynge soo But he is ryche and wel bego To whome that god wol send wele And thus they maden wordes fele wherof this lord hath hede nome And dyd hem both for to come To the payleys where he shall ete And bad ordeyn for her mete Two pasteys whiche he lete do make A capon in that one was bake And in that other for to wynne Of floreyns all that may within He let do put a great riches And euen as lyche as man may gesse Outward they were both two This begger was commaunded tho He that whiche held hym to the kynge That he fyrst chese vpon this thynge He sawe hem but he felt hem nought So that vpon his owne thought He chese the capon and forsoke That other whiche his felawe toke But whan he wyst howe that it ferde He seyth aloude that men it herde Nowe haue I certaynly conceyued That he may lyghtly be deceyued That trysteth vnto mans helpe But wel is hym that god wol helpe For he stant on the syker syde whiche elles shulde go besyde I se my felawe wel recouer And I mote dwelle still pouer Thus spake the begger his entent And powre he cam and powre he went Of that he hath rychesse sought His infortune it wolde nought So may it shewe in sondry wyse Betwene fortune and couetyse The chance
herafter shall But in to nowe yet dare I seyne Hir lyst neuer yeue ageyne A goodly worde in suche a wyse wherof myn hope myght aryse My great loue to recompense I not howe she hir conscience Excuse wol of this measure By large weyght and great measure She hath my loue and I haue nought Of that whiche I haue dere abought And with myn herte I haue it payde But all this is asyde layde And I go loueles aboute Hir ought stonde in full great doute Tyll she redresse suche a synne That she wol al my loue wynne And yeueth me not to lyue by Nought al so moche as grant mercy Hir lyst to seye of whiche I myght Some of my great peyne alyght But of this poynt lo thus I fare As he that payeth for his chaffare And byeth it dere and yet hath none So mote he nedes poure gone Thus bye I dere and haue no loue That I ne may nought come aboue To wynne of loue none encrece But I me wyl ne the lese Touchende vsure of loue acquite And if my lady be to wyte I pray to god suche grace hir sende That she by tyme it mote amende ¶ My sonne of that thou hast answerde Touchende vsure I haue al herde Howe thou of loue hast wonnen smale But that thou tellest in thy tale And thy lady therof accusyst Me thiketh these wordes thou misusest For by thyn owne knowlechyng Thou sayst howe she for one lokyng Thy hole herte fro the she toke She may be suche that hir o loke Is worthe thyne herte many folde So hast thou well thyn herte solde whan thou hast that is more worthe And eke of that thou tellest forthe Howe that hir weyght of loue vneuen Is vnto thyne vnder the heuen Stonden euer in euen that balance whiche stont in loues gouernance Suche is the statute of his lawe That though thy loue more drawe And peyse in the balance more Tho myght not aske ageyn therfore Of duetie but all of grace For loue is lorde in euery place There may no lawe hym iustifye By reddour / ne by company That he ne wol after his wylle whome that hym lyketh saue or spylle To loue a man may welle begynne But whether he shall les or wynne That wote no man tyl at last For thy coueyt not to fast My sonne but abyde thyn ende Percase all may to good wende But that thou hast me tolde and sayde Of o thynge I am ryght well payde That thou by sleyght ne by gyle Of no brocour hast otherwhyle Engyned loue of suche dede Is sore venged as I rede ¶ Hic ponit exemplum contra istos maritos qui vltra id quod proprias habent vxores ad noue voluptatis in crementum alias multeres superfâ—ne lucrari noÌ„ vereÌ„tur Et narrat qualiter Iuno vindictam suam in Ecco in huiusmodi mulierum lucris adquirendis de coÌ„silio mariti sui Ionis mediatrix exstiterat ¶ Brokers of loue that dceyuen No wonder is though they receyuen After the wronge that they deseruen For whom as euer that they seruen And do pleasance for a whyle yet at the last her owne gyle Vpon her owne heed descendeth The whiche god of his veÌ„geaÌ„ce sendeth As by ensample of tyme ago A man may fynde it hath be so It selle some tyme as it was sene The hygh goddesse and the quene Iuno tho had in company A mayden full of trechery For she was euer in acorde with Iupiter that was hir lorde To get hym other loues newe Through suche brocage was vntrewe All other wyse than hym nedeth But she the whiche no shame dredeth with queynt wordes and with slye Blent in suche a wyse her ladys eye As she to whom that Iuno tryst So that therof she nothyng wyst But so priuie may be nothyng That it ne coÌ„meth to knowlechyng Thynge done vpon the derke nyght Is after knowen on dayes lyght So it befelle that at last All that this slygh mayden cast was ouer cast and ouerthrowe For as the sothe mote be knowe To Iuno it was done vnderstonde In what manere her husbonde with fals brocage hath taken vsure Of loue more than his mesure whan he toke other than his wyfe wherof this mayde was gyltife whiche had bene of his assent And thus was all the game shent She suffred hym as she mote nede But the brocour of his misdede She whiche hir counseile yafe therto On hir is the vengeange do For Iuno with hir wordes hote This mayden whiche Eccho was hote Reproueth and sayth in this wyse O traytresse of whiche seruice Hast thou thyn owne lady serued Thou hast great peyne well deserued Thy slygh wordes for to peynt with flaterye that is so queynt Towardes me that am thy quene wherof thou madest me to wene That my husbonde trewe were whan that he loueth els where All be it so hym nedeth nought But vpon the it shall be bought The whiche art priuie to tho doynges And me full ofte of thy lesynges Deceyued hast nowe is the day That I thy whyle quite may And for thou hast to me counceled That my lorde hath with other dealed I shall the sette in suche a kynde That euer vnto the worldes ende All that thou herest thou shalte tell And clappe it out as doth a belle And with that worde she was forshape There may no vice her mouthe escape what man that in the worlde cryeth withouten faile Eccho replieth And what worde / that hym lust to sayn The same worde she sayth agayn Thus she whiche whylome had leue To dwelle in chamber mot belyue In wodes and on bylles both For suche brocage as wyues loth whiche doth her lordes hertes chaunge And loue in other places straunge For thy if euer it so befalle That thou my sonne amonges all Be wedded man hold that thou hast For than all other loue is waste O wyfe shal wel to the suffyse And than if thou for couetyse Of loue woldest aske more Thou shuldest don ayen the lore Of all hem that trewe be ¶ My fader as in this degre My conscience is nought accused For I no suche brocage haue vsed wherof that lust of loue is wonne For thy speketh forthe as ye begonne Of auyryce vpon my shryft ¶ My son I shall the braunches shifte By order as they ben set On whome no good is wel beset Pro uerbis uerba minius pro munere reddi Conuenit ut pondus equa stateta gerat Propterea Cupido non daâ— sua dona cupido Nam qui nulla serit gramina nulla mete◠¶ Hic tractat auctor super illa specie Auaricie que parcimonia dictiur cuius natura tengx aliqualem sue substaÌ„ntie porcionem aut deo aut hominibus participate nullatenus consentit ¶ Blynd Auaryce of his lygnage For counceylle and for cosynage To be witholde ayen largesse Hath one whose name is sayd scarsnesse The whiche is keper of his how 's And is so throughout auarous
there a citie newe That they whiche other londes knewe Tho seyden that of lyme and stone In all the worlde so faire was none And on that o syde of the towne The kynge lette make Ilion That hygh toure that stronge place whiche was adrad of no manace Of quarcle nor of none engyne And though men wolden make a myne No mans crafte it myght approche For it was sette vpon a roche The walles of the towne about Hem stode of all the worlde no dout And after the proportion Sixe gates were there of the towne Of suche a forme of suche entayle That hem to se was great meruayle The dyches weren brode depe A fewe meirit myght kepe From all the worlde as semeth tho But if the goddes weren fo Great prees vnto that citie drough So that there was of people inough Of burgeys that therin dwellen There may no man 's tunge tellen Howe that citie was ryche and good ¶ whan all was made all well stode Kynge Priamus tho hym bethought what they of grece whilom wrought And what was of her sworde deuoured And howe his suster deshonoured with Thelamon away was lad And tho thynkende he waxte vnglad And sette anone a parliment To whiche the lordes were assent In many a wyse there was spoke Howe that they myghten bene a wroke But at the last netheles They saiden all accorde and pees To setten euery parte in rest It thought hem than for the best with reasonable amendement And thus was Anthenor forth sent To aske Esyona ageyne And witten what they wolde seyne So passeth he the see by barge To grece for to sey his charge The whiche he sayde redyly Vnto the lordes by and by But where he spake in grece aboute He herde not but wordes stoute And namelyche of Thelamon The mayden wolde he not forgone He sayde for no maner thynge And had hym gone home to his kynge For there gate he none amende For ought he couth do or sende This Anthenor ayene goth home Vnto his kynge and whan he come He tolde in grece of that be herde And howe that Thelamon answerde And howe they were at her aboue That they wol neither pees ne loue But euery man shall done his best But for men seyen that nyght hath rest The kyng bithought him all that nyght And erely whan the day was lyght He toke his councell of this matere And they accorde in this manere That he withouten any let A certeyne tyme shulde set A parlement to ben auysed And in this wyse it was auysed Of parlement he set a day And that was in the moneth of May This Priamus had in his yght A wyfe and Hecuba she byght By whom that tyme eke had he Sonnes fyue and doughters thre Besyden hem and thyrty mo And weren knyghtes also tho But not vpon his wyfe begete But els where he myght hem gete Of women whiche he had knowe Suche was the worlde that â—ilke thâ—â—â—â— So that he was of children ryche So therof was no man hym lyche Of parlement the day was come There bene lordes all and some Tho was pronounced and purposed And all the cause was hem disclosed Howe Anthenor in grece ferde They sytten all styll and herde And tho spake euery man aboute There was alledged many a doute And many a proude worde spoke also But for the moste parte as tho They wysten not what was the beste Or for to warre or for to reste But he that was without fere Hector amonge the lordes there His tale tolde in suche a wyse And sayde Lordes ye ben wyse Ye knowen this / as well as I Aboue all other most worthy Stant nowe in grece the manhod Of worthynes and of knyghthod For who so wyll it wel agrope To hem belongeth all Europe whiche is the thyrd parte euen Of all the worlde vnder the heuen And we be but of folke a fewe So were it reson for to eschewe The perel er we fall therin Better is to leue than begyn Thyng which as may not ben acheued He is not wyse / that fynde hym greued And doth so that his greue be more For who that loketh all tofore And woll not se what is behynde He may full ofte his harmes fynde wycke is to stryue and haue the worse we haue encheson for to corse This wote I well and for to hate The grekes but er that we debate with hem that ben of suche a myght It is full good that euery wyght Be of hym selfe ryght well bethought But as for me thus say I nought For whyle that my lyfe woll stonde If that ye take werre in honde Falle it to the best or to the werst I shall my seluen be the ferst To greuen hem what euer I may I wolle not ones say nay To thinge whiche that your couÌ„ceil demeth For vnto me welle more it quemeth The werre certes than the pees But this I saye netheles As me belongeth for to say Nowe shape ye the beste way ¶ whan Hector hath sayde his auyse Next after hym tho spake Paris whiche was his brother and aleyed what hym best thought thus he sayde Stronge thynge it is to suffer wronge And suffer shame is more stronge But we haue suffred both two And for all that yet haue we do what so we myght to reforme The pees whan we in suche a forme Sent Anthenor as ye wel knowe And they her gret wordes blowe Vpon her wrongfull dedes eke And who that woll not hym selfe meke To pees and lyst no reason take Men seyn reason wyl hym forsake For in the multitude of men Is not the strengthe for with ten It hath be sene in trewe quarele Ayene an bonderd false dele And had the better of goddes grace Thus hath befalle in many place And if it lyke vnto you all I wylle assay howe so it falle Our enemys if I may greue For I haue caught a gret beleue Vpon a poynt I wol declare This ender day as I gan fare To hunte vnto the great herte whiche was tofore myn houndes sterte And euery man went on his syde Hym to pursewe and I to ryde Began to chase and sooth to say within a whyle oute of my way I rode and nyst where I was And slepe me caught and on the grasse Besyde a welle I leyd me downe To slepe and in a vysyon To me the god Mercurye came Goddesses thre with hym he nam Minerue Venus and Iuno And in his honde an apple tho He helde of golde with letters wryte And this he dyd me to wyte Howe that they put hem vpon me That to the fayrest of hem thre Of golde that apple shulde I yeue with eche of hem tho was I shryue And eche one faire me behyght But Venus sayde if that she myght That apple of my yefte gette She wolde it neuermore foryete And sayde howe that in grece londe She wolde brynge in to myn honde Of all this erth the fayrest So that me thought it for the best
therof was lore So that in due tyme is bore This childe and forthwith therupon There fell wonders many one Of teremote vniuersele The sonne toke colloure of stele And lost his lyght the windes blewe And many strengthes ouerthrewe These his propre kynde chaungeth And all the worlde his forme strangeth The thonder with his fyry leuen So cruel was vpon the heuen That euery erthely creature Tho thought his lyfe in auenture The tempest at last sesseth The childe is kepte his age encreceth And Alisaunder his name is hote To whome Calystre and Arystote To techen him philosophye Entenden and Astronomye with other thinges whiche he couth Also to teche him in his youth Nectanabus toke vpon honde But euery man may vnderstonde Of sorcery howe that it wende It wolle him selfe proue at ende And namely for to begyle A lady / whiche withoute gyle Supposeth trouthe all that she hereth But often he that euyll stereth His ship is dreint therin a mydde And in this cas right so betydde Nectanabus vpon a nyght whan it was fayre and sterre lyght This yonge lorde lad vpon highe A boue a towre where as he syghe The sterres suche as he acounteth And saith what eche of hem amounteth As though he knewe of all thinge yet hath he no knowlechinge what shal vnto him selfe befall whan he hath tolde his wordes all This yonge lorde than him apposeth And asketh if that he supposeth what deth he shule him selfe deye He seith or fortune is aweye And euery sterre hath lost his wonne Or els of myn owne sonne I shall be slayn I may not fle Thought Alysaunder in priuete Herof this olde dotarde lyeth Ander that other ought aspyeth All sodeinlyche his olde bones He shofe ouer the walle at ones And saith hym Lye downe there a part wherof nowe serueth all thyn art Thou knewe all other mens chaunce And of thy selfe hast ignoraunce That thou hast sayd amonges all Of thy persone is not befall ¶ Nectanabus whiche hath his death yet whyles hym lasteth lyfe and brethe To Alysaunder he spake and seyd That he with wrong blame on him leid Fro poynt to poynt and all the cas He tolde howe he his sonne was Tho be whiche sory was inough Out of the dyche his father drough And tolde his mother howe it ferde In counsayle and when she it herde And knewe the tokens whiche he tolde She nyst what she say shulde But stode abasshed as for the whyle Of this magike and all the gyle She thought how that she was deceyued That she hath of a maÌ„ conceiued And wende a god it had he But netheles in suche degree So as she myght her honour saue She shope the body was begraue And thus Nectanabus abought The sorcery whiche he wrought Though he vpon the creatures Through his caretes and fygures The maystry and the power had His creatour to nought hym lad Ageyne whose lawe his crafte he vseth when he for lust his god refuseth And toke hym to the deuyls crafte Lo what profyte is hym belafte That thing through which he weÌ„d haue stonde First him exiled out of londe which was his owne and from a kynge Made hym to be an vnderlynge And sythen to deceyue a quene That torneth hym to mochel tene Through lust of loue he gat hym hate That ende couth he nought abate His olde sleyghtes whiche he cast yonge Alisandre hym ouercast His father whiche hym mysbegat He sloughe a great myshappe was that But for omys an other mys was yolde and so full ofte it is Nectanabus his crafte myswent And so it mysfell hym er he went I not what helpeth that clergy whiche maketh a man to do foly And namelyche of Nygromance whiche stont vpon the myscreance ¶ Nota qualiter rex Zorastes statim cum ab vtero matris sue nasceretur gaudâ—o magno risit in quo pronosticum doloris subsequentis signum figurabatur Nam et ipse detestabilis artis magice primus fuit inuentor queÌ„ postea rex Surrie dira morte trucidauit et sic opus operariuÌ„ coÌ„sumpsit ¶ And for to se more euidence Zorastes whiche thexperience Of art magike ferst forth drough Anone as he was bore he lough whiche token was of wo suinge For of his owne controuinge He fond magik and taught it forth But all that was him lytel worth For of Surry a worthy kynge Him slewe and that was his endinge But yet through him this crafte is vsed And he through all the worlde excused For it shall neuer well acheue That stont not ryght with the beleue But liche to wolle is euil sponne who leseth him selfe hath litell wonne And ende proueth euery thyng ¶ Saul whiche was of iewes kynge Vp peyne of deth forbad this arte And yet he toke therof his parte The phitonysse in Samary yafe hym counsayle by sorcery whiche after felle to moche sorowe For he was slayne vpon the morowe To conne mochell thynge it helpeth But of to moche no man yelpeth So for to loke on euery syde Magyke may not well betyde For thy my sonne I woll the rede That thou of these ensamples drede That for no lust of erthly loue Thou seche so to come aboue wherof as in the worldes wonder Thou shalt for euer be put vnder ¶ My good fader graunt mercy For euer I shall beware therby Of loue what me so befalle Suche sorcery abouen all Fro this day forth I shall eschewe That so ne wylle I not pursewe My lust of loue for to seche But this I wolde you beseche Beside that me stant of loue As I you herd speke aboue Howe Alysandre was betaught Of Arystotle and so well taught Of all that to a kynge belongeth wherof my herte sore longeth To wyte what it wolde mene For by reason I wolde wene But if I herde of thinges straunge Yet for a tyme it shulde chaunge My peyne and lisse me somdele ¶ My good sonne thou sayest wele For wisdome howe that euer it stonde To him that can it vnderstonde Doth great profite in sondry wyse But touchend of so hyghe a pryse whiche is not vnto Venus knowe 〈◊〉 may it not my selfe knowe whiche of her courte am all forth drawe And can no thinge but of her lawe But netheles to knowe more As wel as thou me longeth sore And for it helpeth to commune All be they nought to me coÌ„mune The scholes of philosophye Yet thinke I for to specyfye In bokes as it is comprehended wherof thou mightest ben amended For though I be not all counninge Vpon the forme of this wrytinge Some part therof yet I haue herde In this mater howe it hath ferd ☞ Explicit liber sextus ⧠QVIA OMNIS DOCTRIna bona humano regimini saluteÌ„ confert / In hoc septimo libro ad instantiam amantis languidi intendit Genius illam ex qua philosophi et Astrologi philosophie doctrinam regem Alexandrum imbuerunt secundum aliquid declarare Diuidit enim philosophiam in tres partes /
founde whiche serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whose priuilege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was fyrst comune But afterwarde vpon fortune was thilke comyn profyt cessed For whan the people stode encressed And the lygnages woxen great Anone for synguler beyete Drough euery man to his partie wherof come in the fyrst enuy with great debate and werres stronge And last amonge the men so longe Tyll no man wyst who was who Ne whiche was frende ne whiche so Tyll at laste in euery londe within hem selfe the people fonde That it was good to make a kynge whiche myght appesen all this thynge And yeue right to the lignages In partynge of her heritages And eke of all her other good And thus aboue hem all stode The kynge vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustifye The worldes good fro couetyse So syt it well in all wyse A kynge betwene the more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Towarde hym selfe and eke also Towarde his people and if not so That is to sayne if that he be Towarde hym selfe large and fre And of his people take and pylle Largesse by no wey of skylle It may be sayde but auarice whiche in a kynge is a great vice ¶ Nota super hoc quod Aristot ad Alexandrum exemplificauit de exactionibus regis ChaldeoruÌ„ ¶ A kynge behoueth eke to fle The vice of prodigalite That he measure in his expence So kepe that of indigence He may be saufe for who that nedeth In all his werke the wers he spedeth As Aristotle vpon Caldee Ensample of great auctorite Vnto kynge Alysaunder taught Of thilke folke that were vnsaught Towarde her kynge for his pyllage wherof he badde in his courage That he vnto thre poyntes entende where that he wolde his good dispende Fyrst shulde be loke how that it stood That all were of his owne good The yeues whiche he wolde yeue So myght he wel the better lyue And eke he must taken bede If there be cause of any nede whiche ought for to be defended Er that his goodes ben dispended He mote eke as it is befall Amonges other thynges all Se the decertes of his men And after that they bene of ken And of astate and of meryte He shall hem largelych acquyte Or for the warre or for the pease That none honour fall in discrease whiche myght torne in to diffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronike a tale I fynde whiche speaketh somdele of this matere Herafterwarde as thou shalte here Hic secunduÌ„ gesta Iulii exempluÌ„ ponit qualiter rex suorum militum quos ê“bos agnouerit indigeÌ„tiam largitatis sue beneficiis releuare tenetur ¶ In Rome to pursue his ryght There was a worthy poure knyght whiche came alone for to seyne His cause whan the courte was pleyne wher Iulius was in presence And for hym lacketh of dispense There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his astate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nothynge of manheed He wyst well his purse was pouer But yet be thought his ryght recouer And openly pouerte aleyed To the emperour and thus he sayed O Iulius lorde of the lawe Beholde my counseyll is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyne office After the lawe of Iustice Helpe that I had counseyll here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulius with that anone Assigned hym a worthy one But he hymselfe no worde ne spake This knyght was wroth fonde a lake In the emperour and sayde thus O thou vnkynde Iulius whan thou in thy batayle were Vp in Aufrike and I was there My myght for thy rescous I dyd And put no man in my stede Thou wost what woundes there I had But here I fynde the so bad That the ne lyst to speake o worde Thyne owne mouthe or of thyn borde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe Howe shulde I than me be yelpe Fro this day forth of thy largesse whan suche a great vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lorde as thou This Iulius knewe well mowe That all was soth whiche he hym tolde And for he wolde not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good inough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shulde euery worthye kynge Take of his knyghtes knowlegynge when that he sygh they hadden nede For euery seruice axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Through vertue but of iapes serued A kynge shall not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place ¶ Hic ponit exemplum de rege Antigono / qualiter dona regia secundum maius et miuuâ— / equa discrecione moderanda sunt ¶ It sytte well euery kynge to haue Discretion whan men hym craue So that be may his gyfte wyte wherof I fynde a tale write Howe Cinichus a powre knyght A somme whiche was ouer might Prayed of his kinge Antigonus The kinge answerd to him thus And sayde howe suche a yefte passeth His powre estate and than he lasseth And asketh but a litell peny yf that the kinge wolde yeuehym ony The kinge answerd it was to smalle For him whiche was a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytell thinge It were vnworship in a kynge By this ensample a kinge may lere That for to yeue is in manere For if a kinge his treasour lasseth with out honour and thaÌ„kelesse passeth whan he him selfe wil so begile I not who shall compleyne his while Ne who by right him shall releue But netheles this I beleue Tho helpe with his owne londe Belongeth euery man his honde To set vpon necessite And eke his kinges rialte Mote euery lyege man comforte with good and body to supporte whan they se cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp ryght his kinges name Him ought for to be to blame ¶ Nota hic secundum Aristotelem qualiter princiâ—um prodigalitas paupertatem inducit coÌ„muneÌ„ ⧠Of policie and ouer more To speke in this mater more So as the philosophre tolde A kinge after the reule is holde To modifie and to adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse That he mesure nought excede ☞ Sal. Sic aliis benefacito vt tibi non nocias ¶ For if a kinge falle in to nede It causeth ofte sondry thinges whiche are vngoodly to the kinges what man wille not him selfe mesure Men seen fulofte that mesure Him hath forsake and so doth he That vseth prodigalite whiche is the mother of pouerte wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan thilke vice Aboue a kinge stant in office And hath with holde of his partye The couetous flaterye whiche many a worthy kynge deceyueth Er he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that conne please and glose Ben as men tellen the notices Vnto the fostrynge of the
And by the lawe whiche I vse I shall not in my feyth refuse To louen all men ylyche The poure bothe and eke the ryche whan they be glad I shall be glad And sory whan they ben bestad So shall I lyue in vnite with euery man in his degre For ryght as to my selfe I wolde Ryght so towarde al other shulde Be gracious and debonaire Thus haue I tolde the softe faire My faith my lawe and my creaunce And if the lyst for acqueyntaunce Nowe telle what maner man thou art And he answerde vpon his parte I am a iewe and by my lawe I shall to no man be felawe To kepe hym trouth in worde ne dede But if he be without drede A very iewe right as am I. For elles I may trewly Bereue hym both life and good The paynim herde and vnderstode And thought it was a wonder lawe And thus vpon their sondry sawe Talkende both forth they went The day was hote the sonne brent The paynim rode vpon an asse And of his catell more and lasse with hym a ryche trusse he lad The iewe which all vntrouth had And went vpon his fete besyde Bethought hym howe he myght ryde And with his wordes slye and wise Vnto the paynym in this wyse He sayde O nowe it shall be sene what thynge it is thou woldest mene For if thy lawe be certeyne As thou hast tolde I dare well seyne Thou wolt beholde my distres whiche am so full of werynesse That I ne may vneth go And let me ryde a myle or two So that I may my body ease The paynim wold hym not displease Of that he spake but in pite It list him for to knowe and se The pleynt whiche that other made And for he wolde his hert glade He light and made him nothing strauÌ„ge Thus was there made a newe chaunge The paynim goth the iewe alofte was sette vpon his asse softe So gone they forth carpende fast On this on that tyll at laste The paynym myght go no more And prayed vnto the iewe therfore To suffre hym ryde a lytell whyle The iewe which thought him to begyle Anone rode forth the great pase And to the paynym in this case He sayde Thou hast do thy ryght Of that thou haddest me behyght To do succour vpon my nede And that accordeth to the dede As thou art to the lawe holde And in suche wyse as I the tolde I thynke also for my partie Vpon the lawe of Iewerie To worche and do my duete Thin asse shall go forth with me with all thy good whiche I haue sesed And that I wote thou arte disesed I am right glad and not my spayde And whan he hath these wordes sayde In all haste he rode away This paynim wote none other way But on the grounde he kneleth euen His handes vp to the heuen And saide O hibe sothfastnes That louest all rightwysnesse Vnto thy dome lorde I appele Beholde and deme my quarele with vmble herte I the beseche The mercy bothe and eke the wreche I set all in thy iugement And thus vpon his marrement This paynym hath made his preiere And than he rose with drery chere And goth hym forth and in his gate He cast his eye aboute algate The iewe if that he myght se But for a tyme it might not be Tyll at last ayene the nyght So as god wolde he went a ryght As he whiche helde the highe weye And than he syghe in a valeye where that the iewe lyggende was All bloody deed vpon the gras whiche strangled was of a lyon And as he loked vp and down He fonde his asse fast by Forthe with his harneis redily All hole and sounde as he it lefte whan that the iewe it hym berefte wherof he thanked god knelende Lo thus a man may knowe at ende Howe the pitous pitie deserueth For what man that to pitie serueth As Aristotle it bereth witnesse God shall his fomen so redresse That they shall aye stonde vnder fote Pitie men seyne is thylke rote wherof the vertues sprengen all what infortune that befall In any londe lacke of pyte Is cause of thilke aduersite And that alday may shewe at eye who that the worlde discretely sye Good is that euery man therfore Take hede of that is sayde tofore For of this tale and other inowe These noble princes whylom drowe Her euidence and her apprise As men may fynde in many wyfe who that these olde bokes rede And though they ben in erthe deed Her good name may nought deye For pite whiche they wold obeye To do the dedes of mercy And who this tale redily Remembreth as Aristotle it tolde He may the wylle of god beholde Vpon the poynt as it was ended wherof that pyte stode commended whiche is to charite felawe As they that kepen bothe o lawe ¶ â—â—ta hic de principis pietate erga populum / 〈…〉 quod cum Codrus tex Athenis contra â—â—rences bellum gerere deberet consulto 〈◊〉 Apoâ—ine responsum accepit quod vnum de 〈◊〉 videâ—â—cet aut seipsum in prelio interfici 〈◊〉 populum suum sasuare aut seipsum saluuÌ„ fieri 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—um interfici eligere oporteret / Super 〈◊〉 â—â—â—etote motus plebisque sue magis quam 〈…〉 salutem affectans / mortem sibi 〈…〉 / Et sic bellum aggrediens pro vita 〈◊〉 solus interut ¶ Of pite for to speke pleyne whiche is with mercy well beseyne Full ofte he woll hym selue peyne To kepe an other fro the peyne For charâ—â— the mother is Of pite whiche nothynge amys Can suffre if he it may amende It syt to euery man lyuende To be pytous but none so wele As to a kynge whiche on the whele Fortune hath set abouen all For in a kynge if so befalle That his pitche ferme and stable To all the londe it is vaillable Onely through grace of his persone For the pite of hym alone May all the large royalme saue So sit it wel a kinge to haue Pyte For this Valery tolde And sayd howe that by dayes olde Codrus whiche was in his degre Kynge of Athenes the cyte A werre he had ayeinst Dorrence And for to take his euydence what shall befalle of the batayle He thought he wolde him first counsaile with Apollo in whom he tryste Through whose answere thus he wyste Of two poyntes that he might chese Or that he wolde his body lese And in batayle him selfe deye Or els the seconde weye To seen his people discomfite But he / whiche pite hath perfyte Vpon the poynte of his byleue The people thought to releue And chese him selfe to be deed where is nowe suche another heed whiche wolde for the lymmes dye And netheles in somme partye It ought a kinges hert stere That he his lyege men forbere And eke towarde his enemyes Full ofte he may deserue pryse To take of pyte remembraunce where that he might do vengeaunce For whan a kinge hath the victoire And than he drawe in
that might him nought auayle The mast to brake the sayle to roofe The ship vpon the wawes droofe Tyl that they se the londes coste Tho made a vowe the leste and moste Be so they mighten come a loude But he whiche hath the se on honde Neptunus wolde nought accorde But all to brake cable and corde Er they to londe myght approche The ship to claue vpon a roche And all goth doune in to the depe But he that all thinge may kepe Vnto this lorde was mercyable And brought him saue vpon a table whiche to the londe him hath vpbore The remenaunt was all forlore Therof he made mochel mone ¶ Qualiter Appolinus nudus super litus iaciabatur / vbi quidam piscator ipsum suo collobio vestiens ad vrbem Pentapolim direxit ¶ Thus was this yonge lorde alone All naked in a poure plyte His colour which was whylom whyte was than of water fade and pale And eke he was so sore a cale That he wist of him selfe no bote It helpe him no thynge for to mote To gete a geyn that he hath lore But she which hath his deth forlore Fortune though she wyll not yelpe All sodeynly hath sent him helpe whan him thought all grace aweye There came a fyssher in the weye And sigh a man there naked stonde And whan that he hath vnderstonde The cause he hath of hym great routh And onely of his pouer trouth Of suche clothes as he hadde with great pite this lorde he cladde And he hym thonketh as he sholde And saith hym that it shall be yolde If euer he gete his state ageyne And prayth that he wolde hym seyne If nygh were any towne for hym He sayde ye Pentopolym where both kynge and quene dwellen â–ª whan he this tale herde tellen He gladdeth hym and gan beseche That be the wey hym wolde teche And he hym taught and forth he went And prayde god with good entent To sende hym ioye after his sorowe It was nought passed yet mydmorowe ¶ Qualiter Appollino Pentapolim adueniente 〈◊〉 â—â—gnasâ— per vrbem publice ê“clamatus est ¶ Than afterwarde his wey he nam where soone vpon the none he cam He â—te suche as he myght gete And forth anone whan he had ete He goth to se the towne about And cam there as he fonde a rout Of yonge lusty men withall And as it shulde tho befalle That day was set of suche assyse That they shulde in the londes gyse As was herde of the people seye Her commune game than pleye And cryed was that they shulde come Vnto the game all and some Of hem that ben delyuer and wyght To do suche maistry as they myght They made hem naked as they sholde For so that ilke game wolde And it was the custome and vse Amonges hem was no refuse The floure of all the towne was there And of the courte also there were And that was in a large place Ryght euen before the kynges face whiche Arthescates than hyght The pley was pleyed rigâ—â— in his syght And who moste worthy was of dede Receyue he shulde a certayne mede And in the cite berâ— a price Appolynus whiche ware and wyse Of euery game couth an ende He thought assay howe so it wende ¶ Qualiter Appollinus ludum gignasil vintâ—â—â— in aula regis ad cenam honorifice ceptus est ¶ And fyll amonge hem into game And there he wanne hym suche a name So as the kynge hym selfe accounteth That he all other men surmounteth And bare the pryce aboue hem all The kynge bad that in to his halle At souper tyme he shulde be brought And he cam than and lefte it nought without company alone was none so semely of persone Of visage and of lymmes bothe If that he had what to clothe At souper tyme netheles The kynge amyddes all the pres Let clepe hym vp amonge hem all And bad his marshall of his hall To setten hym in suche degre That he vpon hym myght se The kynge was sone sette and serued And he whiche had his prise deserued After the kynges owne worde was made begyn a myddel borde That both kynge and quene hym sye He sette and cast about his eye And sawe the lordes in estate And with hym selfe wexe in debate Thynkende what he had lore And suche a sorowe he toke therfore That he sat euer stylle and thought As he whiche of no mete rought ¶ Qualiter Appollinê° in cena recumbens nihil comedit sed doloroso vultu submisso capite maxime ingemescebat qui tandem a filia regis confortatus Citheram plectens cunctis audieÌ„tibus / citherando vltra modum complacuit ¶ The kynge behelde his heuynesse And of his great gentylnesse His doughter which was fayre good And at the borde bifore him stode As it was thylke tyme vsage He bad to go on his message And fonde for to make him glade And she did as hir fader bade And goth to him the softe paas And asketh whens and what he was And praith he shulde his thought I leue He sayth madame by your leue My name is hote Appolynus And of my ryches it is thus Vpon the see I haue it lore The contre where as I was bore where that my londe is and my rente I lefte at Tyre whan that I wente The worshyp there of whiche I ought Vnto the god I there betought And thus togider as they two speke The teeris ranne downe by his cheke The king which therof toke good kepe Had great pite to se him wepe And for his doughter send ageyn And prayd hir fayre and gan to sayn That she no lenger wolde dretche But that she wolde anone forth fetche Hir harpe and done al that she can To glad with that sory man And she to done hir faders hest Hir harpe fet and in the feste Vpon a chair whiche they fette Hir selfe next to this man she sette with harpe both and eke with mouth To him she did all that she couth To make him chere and euer he sigheth And she him asketh howe him lyketh Madame certes wel he sayed But if ye the mesure played whiche if you lyst I shall you lere It were a gladde thinge for to here A leue syr tho quod she Nowe take the harpe and lete me se Of what mesure that ye mene Tho prayth the kinge tho prayth the quene Forth with the lordes all arewe That he somme myrthe wolde shewe He takth the harpe and in his wise He tempreth and of suche assyse Synginge he harpeth forth with all That as a voyce celestiall Hem thought it sowned in her ere As though that it an aungell were They gladen of his melodye But moste of all the companye The kinges doughter whiche it herde And thought eke of that he answerde whan that it was of hir apposed within hir herte hath wel supposed That he is of great gentylnesse His dedes ben therof wytnesse Forthwith the wisdome of his lore It nedeth
saye For in the lawe of my commune we be nought shape to commune Thy selfe and I neuer after this Nowe haue I seyde all that there is Of loue as for thy fynall ende â—dewe for I mote fro the wende And grete well Chaucer whan ye mete As my discyple and my poete â—or in the floures of his youth In sondry wyse as he well couth 〈◊〉 â—â—ces and of songes glade The whiche he for my sake made 〈◊〉 â—onde fulfylled is ouer all wherof to hym in specyall Aboue all other I am most holde For thy nowe in his dayes olde â—hou shalt hym tell this message That â—e vpon his latter age To â—ette an ende of all his werke As he whiche is myn owne clerke To make his testament of loue As thou hast done thy shryfte aboue So that my courte it may recorde ¶ â—radame I can me well accorde 〈◊〉 I to telle as ye me bydde 〈◊〉 with that worde it so betydde 〈◊〉 of syght all sodeynly Enclosed in a sterred skye Venus whiche is the quene of loue was take in to hir place aboue More wyst I not where she becam And thus my leue of hir I nam And forth with al that same tyde Hir preest whiche wolde not abyde Câ—â—me be lefe or me be lothe Out of my syght forth be goth And I was lefte withouten helpe So wyst I not wherof to yelpe But that onely I had lore My tyme and was sory therfore And thus bewhaped in my thought whan all was tourned in to nought I stode amased for a whyle And in my selfe I gan to smyle Thynkende vpon the bedes blake And howe they were me betake For that I shulde byd and pray And whan I sawe none other way But onely that I was refused Vnto the lyfe whiche I had vsed I thought neuer torne ageyne And in this wyse soth to seyne Homwarde a softe pas I went where that with all myn hole entent Vpon the poynt that I am shryue I thynke bydde whyle I lyue Parce precor Christe populus quo gaudeat iste Anglia ne triste subeat rex summe refiste Corrige quosque status fragiles absolue reatus Vnde deo gratus vigeat locus iste beatus ¶ He whiche within dayes seuen This large worlde forth with the heuen Of his eternall prouydence Hath made and thilke intelligence In mannes soule reasonable Hath shape to be perdurable wherof the man of his feture Aboue all erthly creature After the soule is immortall To thilke lorde in speciall As he whiche is of all thynges The creatour and of the kynges Hath the fortunes vpon honde His grace and mercy for to fonde Vpon my bare knees I praye That he this londe in syker way wyll sette vpon good gouernance For if men take in remembraunce what is to lyue in vnite There is no state in his degre That ne ought to desyre pes without whiche it is no les To seche and loke in to the laste There may no worldes ioye last ¶ Fyrst for to loke the clergy Hem ought well to iustifye Thyng whiche belongeth to their cure As for to pray and to procure Our pees towarde the heuen aboue And eke to sette rest and loue Amonge vs on this erthe here For if they wrought in this manere After the rule of charite I hope that men shulden se This londe amende and ouer this To seche and loke howe that is Touchende of the chiualrye whiche for to loke in some partie Is worthy for to be commended And in some parte to be amended That of her large retenue The londe is full of mayntenue whiche causeth that the coÌ„mune right In fewe countreys stont vpright Extorcion contecke rauyne with holde ben of that couyne All day men here great compleynt Of the disease of the constreynt wherof the people is sore oppressed God graunt it mote be redressed For of knyghthode thordre wolde That they defende and kepe shulde The common right and the fraunchise Of holy churche in all wyse So that no wycked man it dere And therof serueth shelde and spere But for it goth nowe other way Our grace goth the more aweye And for to loken ouermore wherof the people pleynen sore Towarde the lawes of our londe MeÌ„ sein that trouth hath broke his boÌ„d And with brocage is gone aweye So that no man se the weye where for to fynde ryghtwysenesse And if men seke sykernesse Vpon the lucre of marchandye Compassement and trecherye Of synguler profyte to wynne Men sayne is cause of mochel synne And namely of diuysion whiche many a noble worthy towne Fro welth and fro prosperite Hath brought to great aduersite So were it good to be all one For mochell grace thervpon Vnto the citees shulde falle whiche myght auayle to vs alle If these estates amended were So that the vertues stoden there And that the vyces were aweye Me thynketh I durst than seye This londes grace shulde aryse But yet to loke in otherwyse There is astate as ye shall here Aboue all other on erthe here whiche hath the londe in his balaunce To hym belongeth the lygeaunce Of clerke of knyght of man of lawe Vnder his honde is all forth drawe The marchaunt and the laborer So stant it all in his power Or for to spylle or for to saue But though that he suche power haue And that his myghtes ben so large He hath hem nought withouteÌ„ charge To whiche that euery kynge is swore So were it good that he therfore Fyrst vnto ryghtwysenes entende wherof that he hym selfe amende Towarde his god and leue vice whiche is the chiefe of his offyce And after all the remenaunt He shall vpon his couenaunt Gouerne and lede in suche a wyse So that there be no tyrannyse wherof that he his people greue Or elles may he nought acheue That longeth to his regalye For if a kynge wyll iustifye His londe and hem that ben within Fyrst at hym selfe he mote begyn To kepe and rule his owne estate That in hym selfe be no debate Towarde his god for otherwyse Ther may none erthly kynge suffyse Of his kyngedome the folke to lede But he the kynge of heuen drede For what kynge sette hym vpon pryde And takth his lust on euery syde And wyl not go the right weyt Though god his grace cast aweye No wonder is for at last He shall wel wytte it may not last The pompe whiche he secheth here But what kinge that with humble chere After the lawe of god escheweth The vyces and the vertues seweth His grace shall be suffysaunt To gouerne all the remenaunt whiche longeth to his duete So that in his prosperyte The people shal not be oppressed wherof his name shall be blessed For euer and be memoryalle ⧠Hic in fine recapitulat super hoc quod in 〈…〉 libri promisit se in amoris causa speciali 〈…〉 â—â—taturum concludit enim quod omnis amo 〈…〉 extra charitatem nichil est qui ma◠〈◊〉 â—aritate in deo manet ¶ And nowe to speke as in fynalle To â—chende that I vndertoke In englysshe for to make a boke whiche stant betwene ernest and game I haue it made as thylke same whiche aske for to be excused Anâ— that my boke be not refused Of â—â—red men whan they it se For lacke of curyosyte For thylke scole of eloquence Belongeth not to my scyence Vpon the forme of Rhetorike My wordes for to peynte and pyke As Tullius somtyme wrote â—ut this I knowe and this I wote That I haue done my trewe peyne â—â—to rude wordes and with pleyne In all that euer I couthe and might This boke to wryte as I behyght So as sikenes it suffer wolde And also for my dayes olde That I am feble and impotente I wote not howe the worlde is wente So pray I to my lordes all Nowe in min age / howe so befalle That I mot stonden in theyr grace For though me lacke to purchace Her worthy thonke as by deserte â–ª Yet the symplesse of my pouerte Desyreth for to do plesaunce To hem vnder whose gouernaunce I hope syker to abyde But nowe vpon my last tyde That I this boke haue made and wrytte My muse dothe me for to wyte And sayth it shall be for my beste Fro this day forth to take reste That I nomore of loue make whiche many a herte hath ouertake And ouertorned as the blynde Fro reason in to lawe of kynde where as the wysdome goeth aweye And can not se the ryght weye Howe to gouerne his owne estate But euery daye stante in debate within him selfe and can not leue And thus for thy my fynal leue I take nowe for euermore without makinge any more Of loue and of his dedely bele whiche no physicien can hele For his nature is so diuers That it hath euer some trauers Or of to moche / or of to lyte That playnly may no man delyte But if him fayle or that or this But thylke loue whiche that is within a mannes herte affirmed And stante of charyte confirmed Suche loue is goodly for to haue Suche loue may the body saue Suche loue may the sowle amende The hyghe god suche loue vs sende Forthwith the remenaunt of grace So that aboue in thilke place where resteth loue / and all pees Our ioye may be endelees AMEN ☞ Thus endeth De confessione Amantis
people for to tylle Her lond and lyue vnder the lawe And that they shulde also forth drawe Bestayl and seche none encrees Of gold whiche is the breche of pees For this a man may fynde wryte To fore the tyme er gold was smyte In coygne that men the floren knewe There was wel nyhe noman vntrewe Tho was there shelde ne spere Ne dedely wepen for to here Tho was the towne withouten walle whiche nowe is closed ouer alle Tho was there no brocage in londe which now taketh euery cause on hond So may men knowe howe the florayn was moder fyrst of malengyn And brynger in of all werre wherof this word stant out of herre Through the counseyl of auaryce whiche of his owne propre vyce Is as the helle wonderful For it may neuermore be full That what as euer cometh therynne A wey ne may it neuer wynne ¶ But sonne myn do thou not so Let all suche auaryce go And take thy part of that thou hast I hyd not that thou do wast But hold largesse in his mesure And if thou se a creature whiche through pouert is falle in nede Yeu◠hym somme good for this I rede To hym that wol not yeuen here what peyne he shal haue els where There is a peyn amonge all Benethe in helle whiche men calle The wofull peyne of Tantaly Of which I shall the redely Deuyse howe men therin stonde In helle thou shalt vnderstonde There is a flood of thylke offyce whiche serueth all for auaryce what man that stond shall therin He stant vp euen to the chynne Aboue his hede also there hongeth A fruyt whiche to that peyne longeth And that fruyt toucheth euer in one His ouerlyppe and therupon Suche thirst and honger hym affayleth That neuer his appetyte ne fayleth But whan he wolde his honger fede The fruyt withdraweth hym at nede And though he heue his hede on hygh The fruyt is euer alyche nygh So is the honger wel the more And also though hym thurst sore And to the water bowe a doune The flood in suche condycion Aualeth that his drynke areche He may not lo nowe whiche a wreche That mete and drynke is hym so couth And yet ther cometh none in his mouth Lyche to the peynes of this flood Stant Auaryce in worldes good He hath ynough and yet hym nedeth For his scarcenes it hym forbedeth And euer his honger after more Trauayleth hym alyche sore So is he peyned ouerall For thy thy goodes forth withal My sonne loke thou dyspende wherof thou myght thy selfe amende Both here and eke in other place And also if thou wolte purchace To be beloued thou must vse Largesse for if thou refuse To yeue for thy loues sake It is no reason that thou take Of loue that thou woldest craue For thy if thou wolte grace haue Be gracious and do largesse Of Auaryce and the sekenesse Eschewe aboue all other thynge And take insample of Myde the kynge And of the flood of helle also where is ynough of all wo And though there were no matere But onely that we fynden here Men ought Auaryce eschewe For what man thylke vyce sewe He gete hym selfe but lytel rest For howe so that the body rest The hert vpon the golde trauayleth whom many a nyghtes drede assayleth For though he ligge a bed naked His herte is euermore awaked And dremeth as he lyeth to slepe Howe besy that he is to kepe His tresour that no these it stele Thus hath he but a wofull wele And ryght so in the same wyse If thou thy selfe wolt we le auyse There be louers of suche inow That wol vnto reason bowe If so be they come aboue whan they ben maysters of her loue And that they shulden be most gladde with loue they ben moste bestadde So fayn they wolde it holden all That her herte her eye is ouerall And wenen euery man be thefe To stele awey that hem is lefe Thus through her owne fantasye They fallen in to Ielousye Than hath the shyp to brok his cable with euery wynde and is meuable ¶ My fader for that ye nowe telle I haue herde ofttyme telle Of Ielousye but what it is yet vnderstod I neuer or this wherfore I wolde you beseche That ye me wolde enforme and teche what maner thyng it myght be ¶ My sonne that is hard to me But netheles as I haue herd Now herkē and thou shalt be āswerd ⧠Nota de Zelotipia cuius fantastica suspicio amorem quemuis fidelissimum multociens sine causa corruptum imaginatur ⧠Among the men lack of manhod In maryage vpon wishode Maketh that a man him self deceiueth wherof it is that he conceyueth That ylke vnesy maladye The whiche is cleped Ielousye Of whiche if I the propyrte Shall telle after the nycete So as it worcheth on a man A feuer it is cotidian whiche euery day wol come aboute where so a man be in or oute At home if that a man wol wonne This feuer is than of comon wonne Moste greuous in a mans eye For than he maketh hym tote and prye where so as euer his loue go She shal not with her lytell to My steppe but he seeth it all His eye is walkend ouerall where that she synge or that she daūce He seeth the lest countenaunce If she loke on a man a syde Or with hym rowne at any tyde Or that she laugh or that she loure His eye is there at euery houre And whan it draweth to the nyght If she than be withoute lyght Anone is all the game shente For than he set his parlyament To speke it whan he cometh to bed And sayth if I were nowe to wed I wolde neuer haue wyfe And so he torneth in to stryfe The luste of loues dute And al vpon dyuersyte If she be fresshe and well arayed He sayth her baner is dysplayed To clepe in gestes by the waye And if she be not wel heseye And that her lyst not to be gladde He bereth on honde that she is madde And loueth not her husbonde He sayth he may wel vnderstonde That if she wolde his companye She shuld than afore his eye Shewe all the plesyre that she myght So that by day ne by nyght She not what thynge is for the best But lyueth oute of all rest For what as euer hym lyste to seyn She dare not speke o worde ageyn But wepeth and holt her lyppes close She may wel wryte Sance repose The wyfe which is to such one maried Of all women be he waryed For with his feuer of Ielousye His eche dayes fantasye Of sorowe is euer alyche grene So that there is no loue sene whyle that hym lyst at home abyde And whan so is he woll oute ryde Than hath he redy his aspye Abydynge in her companye A iangler an euyl mouthed one That she ne may no whether gone Ne speke one worde ne ones loke But he ne wol it wende and croke And torne after his
owne entent Though she no thyng but honour meÌ„t whaÌ„ that the lord cometh hom ageyne The iangler must somwhat seyn So what withoute and what withinne This feuer is euer to begynne For where he cometh he can not ende Tyl deth of hym hath made an ende For though so be that he ne here Ne se ne wyte in no manere But all honoure and womanhede Therof the Ielous taketh none hede But as a man to loue vnkynde He cast his stafe and as the blinde And fynt defaulte where is none As who so dremeth on a stone Howe he is leyde and groneth ofte whan he lyeth on his pylowe softe So is there nought but stryfe and chest whan loue shuld make his fest It is great thynge if he her kysse Thus hath she loste the nyghtes blysse For at suche tyme he grutcheth euer And bereth on honde there is a leuer That she wolde another were In stede of hym abedde there And with tho wordes and with mo Of Ielousye he torneth her fro And lyeth vpon that other syde And she with that draweth her asyde And there she wepeth all the nyght A to what peyne she is dyght That in her youth hath so beset The bond whiche may not ben vnknet I wote the tyme is ofte cursed That euer was the gold vnpursed The whiche was layd vpon the boke whan that all other she forsoke For loue of hym but all to late She pleyneth for as than algate She mote forbere and to hym bowe Though he ne woll it nought allowe For man is lord of thylke feyre So may the woman but empeyre If she speke ought ageyn his wylle And thus she beryth her peyne stylle But if this Feuer a woman take She shall be wel more harde shake For though she both se and here And fynde that there is no mater She dare but to her selfe pleyne And thus she suffreth double peyne ¶ Lo thus my sonne as I haue wryte Thou myght of Ielousye wyte His feuer and his condycyon whiche is full of suspectyon But wherof that this feuer groweth who so these olde bokes troweth There may he fynde howe it is For they vs teche and telle this Howe that this feuer of Ielousye Somdel it groweth of sotye Of loue and somdele of vntrust For as a sekman lest his lust And whan he may no sauoure gete He hateth than his owne mete Ryght so this feuerous malady whiche caused is of fantasye Maketh the Ielous in feble plyte To lese of loue his appetyte Through feyned informacyon Of his ymaginacyon But fynally to taken hede Men may wel mak a lykelyhede Bytwene hym whiche is auarous Of golde and hym that is Ielous Of loue in o degre They stonde both as semeth me That one wold haue his bagges styl And nought departen with his wyll And dare not for the theues slepe So fayne he wolde his treasour kepe That other maye not well be glad For euermore he is adrad Of these louers that gone aboute In aunter if they put hym oute So haue they bothe lytell ioye As wel of loue as of moneye ¶ Now hast thou son of my techynge Of Ielousy a knowlechynge That thou myght vnderstonde this Fro whance he cometh and what he is And eke to whome that he is lyke Beware for thy thou be not syke Of thylke feuer as I haue spoke For it woll in hym selfe be wroke For loue hateth no thynge more As men may fynde by the lore Of hem that whylom were wyse Howe that they speke in many wyse ¶ My fader sothe is that ye seyn But for to loke there ayen Before this tyme howe it is falle wherof there myght ensample falle To suche men as ben Ielous In what maner it is greuous Ryght fayn I wolde ensample here ¶ My good sonne at thy prayere Of suche ensamples as I fynde So as they comen nowe to mynde Vpon this poynt of tyme agone I thynke for to tellen one ⧠HIC ponit Confessor exemplum contra istos maritos quos Zelotipia maculauit Et narrat qualiter Vulganus cuius vxor Venus extitit suspecioneÌ„ inter ipsaÌ„ MarteÌ„ coÌ„cipieÌ„s eoruÌ„ gestus diligeÌ„tins explorabat Vnde coÌ„tigit ê™ cuÌ„ ipse quadaÌ„ vice ambos inter se pariter amplexantes in lecto nudos inuenit et exclamans omnem cetum deorum et dearuÌ„ ad tantum spectaculum conuocauit / super quo tamen derisum pocius quam remedium a tota cohorte consecutus est ⧠Ouyde wrote of many thynges Amonge the whiche in his wrytynges He told a tale in poesye whiche toucheth vnto Ielousye Vpon a certayne cas of loue Amonge the goddes al aboue It felle at thylke tyme thus The god of fyre whiche Vulganus Is hote and hath a crafte forth with Assygned for to be the smyth Of Iupiter and his fygure Both of vysage and of stature Is lothly and malgracyus But yet he hath within his hous As for the lykynge of his lyfe The fayre Venus to his wyfe But Mars whiche of bataylles is The god an eye had vnto this As he whiche was chyualrous It felle him to ben amorous ♣ And thought it was great pyte To se so lusty one as she Be coupled with so lourd a wyght So that his peyne day and nyght He dyd if he her wynne myght And she that had a good insyght Toward so noble a knyghtly lord In loue fel of his acorde There lacketh nought but tyme place That he nys sycker of her grace But whan two hertes fallen in one So wyse a wayte was neuer none That at sometyme they ne mete And thus this fayre lusty swete with Mars hath ofte companye But thylke vnkynde Ielousye whiche euermore the herte opposeth Maketh Vulcanus that he supposeth That it is not wel ouerall And to hym selfe he sayd he shall Aspye better if that he may And so it felle vpon a daye That he this thynge so slyghtly ledde He fonde hem both two a bedde All warme echone with other naked And he with crafte all redy maked Of stronge cheynes hath hem bounde As he togeder hem had founde And lefte hem both lygge so And gan to clepe and crye tho Vnto the godes all aboute And they assembled in a route Come all at ones for to se But none amendes hadde he But was rebuked here and there Of hem that loues frendes were And sayden that he was to blame For if there felle hym any shame It was through his mysgouernaunce And thus he lost contenaunce This god and let his cause falle And they to scorne hym laughen all And losen Mars out of his hondes wherof these erthely husbondes For euer myght ensample take If suche a chaunce hem ouertake For Vulcanus his wyfe bewrayd The blame vpon hym selfe he layde wherof his shame was the more whiche ought for to ben a lore For euery man that lyueth here To reulen hym in this matere Though suche an happe of loue asterte yet shuld he not