also / my coūceyll is that we be Iustyfyed by reason / for it is not good ne cōmendable that ony stryfe or dyssencyon sholde be amonge vs. Here besyde dwelleth a kynge of reason / for it is not good to stryue go we there vnto hym / eueryche of vs laye his ryght before hym / and lyke as he wyll Iuge stande we vnto his Iugement Than sayd his bretherin / this counceyl is good / wherfore they wente all thre vnto the kynge of Reason and euerychone of theym syngulerly shewed forthe his ryght vnto hym lyke as it is sayd before Whan the kynge had herde theyr tytles / he rehersed them all agayne syngulerly fyrst saynge vnto the eldest sone thus Thousayest for the quod the kynge thy fader gaue the all that is vnder the erthe and aboue the erthe of the sayd tree And to the seconde broder he byquethed all that is in brede length depnes of that tree And to the thyrde broder he gaue al that is wete and drye And with that he layde the lawe for them and and sayd / that the last wyll ought for to stande Now my dere sones breuely I shall satysfye all your reasons And whā he hadde thus sayd he tourned hym vnto the eldest broder saynge thus My dere sone yf the lyst to abyde the Iugement of ryght the behoueth to be letten blode of the ryghtarme My lorde quod he your wyll shall be done Than called the kynge forth a dyscrete physycyon cōmaundynge to lete hȳblode Whan the eldest sone was thus letten blode the kynge sayd to them all thre / my dere sones quod he where is your fader buryed Than answered they and sayd Forsothe my lorde in suche a place Anone the kynge commaunded to delue vp the body and to drawe out a bone of his brest and to bury his body agayne / so it was done And whan the bone was drawen out the kynge commaunded the it sholde be layde in the blode of the elder broder that it sholde lye tyll it had receyued kyndely the blode and than to be layde in the sonne and dryed / after that it sholde be wasshen with clere water / his seruauntes fulfylled all that he badde And whan they began to wasshe the blode vanysshed clene away whan the kynge sawe this he sayd to the seconde sone / it behoueth that thou he laten bolde as thy broder is Than sayd he My lorde thy wyll shall be fulfylled / anone he was serued lyke as his broder was in all thynge And whan they began to wasshe the bone the blode vanysshed awaye Than sayd y◠kynge to the thyrde sone My dere chylde it behoueth the also to be laten blode He answere and sayd My lorde it pleaseth me well so to be Whan the yongest broder was laten blode and serued in all thynge lyke as his two brethern were serued before whan the kynges seruaunt began to wasshe the bone they myght neyther for wasshynge ne for brekynge do awaye the blode of y◠bone but euer it appered blody whan that kȳge sawe this he sayd / it apered opēly that this blode wtout doubte is of the nature of this bone / thou arte his true sone and these other .ii. ben bastardes I gyue to the that tree for euer more ¶ Dere frendes this Emperour is our lorde Thesu cryst whiche bare a shelde of syluer with fyue reed rosys / that is to saye his body that was so fayre soo clere more radyent than ony syluer accordȳge with the psalmes saynge thus Speciosus formo p̄ filús hoūn That is to saye he was more specyous fayrer of shape than all the chylderin of men By this .v. rosys we vnderstande his .v. woūdes whiche he suffred for mankynde And by the kynge of Egypte we vnderstande the deuyll ayenst whome he faught all the tyme of of his lyfe / at last was slayne for mankynde Neuertheles before his deth he made his testament to his thre sones By the fyrst to whome he gaue of the tree al that was vnder erthe and aboue / we shall vnderstande the myghty men states of this worlde to whome he hath gyuen power in erthe in water in ayer so that be obedyent at theyr wyll all thȳge vnder heuen By the seconde sone to whome he gaue the tree in length brede depnes we may vnderstonde the wytty men of this worlde as Iustycis vocates men of lawe these men haue power in length brede depnes vpon gentlymen of myddell degre vpon poore men theym to deme to Iuge as they lyst By the .iii. sone to whome he gaue all that was were drye of the tree we shall vnderstōde good crysten men whiche haue suffre bothe wete drought / that is to saye now pouerte now trouble now solace now care nowe colde now hete / and all this they receyue of god / thanke fully this noble tree that was thus byquethed to This tree is the tree of paradyse / that is to saye euerlastȳge Ioye of heuen whiche is gyuē to vs al yf we wyl take it thākfully neuertheles it is heuē in dyuerse wyse nor egally for some hath more some hath lesse after their merytes this notwtstōdȳge euery man opteyneth not / therfore it behoueth them to go vnto the kȳge of reason / that is to say vnto that fader of heuen whiche knoweth all thynge or they be made The fyrste sone was lete blode in his blode the bone was wrapped By this blood we shall vnderstande our merytory dedes / and be that whyte and heuy almes dede whiche iks full heuy to theym that gyueth almes / neuertheles it maketh the soule whyte / wherfore whan these myghty men haue almes or to do a merytory dede though it be made drye and stablysshed with the sone by the wynde of dyuyne predicacyon neuertheles whan the water of pryde enuy wrath and of suche other all the merytory dede done before is brought to nought and the blood / that is to saye almes dede by the whiche they sholde come to euerlastynge lyf begynneth to vanysshe awaye For why as the appostle sayth / he that offendeth in one synne is gylty in all This blode later whiche lete them blode is a dyscrete confessoure / though the myghty men of this worlde doo good and fulfyll theyr penaunce / neuertheles whan the water of couetyse that is to saye whan the purse is full of pence anone they gyue true Iugement / ayenst whome it is wrytē thus The wysdome of this worlde is no thynge els but foly afore god / and ayenst the myghty men of this worlde speketh holy scrypture and sayth where ben tho myghty men whiche were praysed amonge the byrdes of heuen ete and drynke and often dessended vnto hell The thyrde sone of this Emperoure is a good crysten man whiche all the tyme of his lyfe dyde good dedes and lyued without pryde enuy or lecherfy frome the bone of
the mayster of shyppe / and here up on the mayster threwe me in to the see / but god saued me frome that dethe and bycause I helped ones the lyon atte a nede he forsoke me neuer syns / and now as ye see all whaÌ„ I came in to my palays withoute ony comforte of me he hathe slayne bothe the auoutrers And therefore vnderstonde ye for trouthe that I am youre lorde the Emperour Anone whan they herde this they lyfte vp theyr eyen / and behelde hym / and atte the laste they knewe hym for theyr lorde / wherfore they were gretely gladded / and praysed god for that myracle whiche had saued theyr lorde and Emperour And the lyued in reste and pease ¶ By this Emperour ye maye vnderstonde euery crysten man that purposed to vysyte the holy londe / that is to saye togete euerlastynge lyfe thrugh werkes of mercy But his wyfe / that the wretched flesshe murmured agaynst the soule and loueth better her lemman / that is deedly synne thaÌ„ her husbande This Emperour wente in to the shyppe takynge his Iourneye to warde the holy londe / that is for the saye he wente vnto holy chirche whiche is the waye to god But the wyfe that is to saye flesshly men accused hym to the mayster of the shyppe / that is to saye to the prelates of the chirche for grete mede whiche oftentymes blyndeth the syght of many Iustyce where thrughe many parfyte men ben caste out of the shyppe in to the see to be drowned / that is to saye out of the chirche into the see of this wretched worlde But what shall he doo than that is thus casten to be troubled in this worlde / certaynly thus ought he to do / lete hym lerne to swymme / that is to saye let hym put all his hope in god and than by the grace he shall come to an ylonde / that is to saye the relygyon of clene herte / and that he shall loue euer the better to kepe hymself out of this worlde / and therfore sayth saynt Iames thus A clene relygyon and â—ndefoyled is a precyous thynge in the syghte of god / and he that is in this relygyon shall fynde a lyon to whome hym behoueth to gyue ayenst â—â— euyil This lyon is our lorde Ihesu cryst that came of the kynrede of Iude which â— fyghteth euer agaynst the deuyll And yf a man hath holpen this lyon atte ony tyme trust well than that he wyll not forsake hym but be with hym atte all his nede / accordynge to the psalmyste saynge thus CuÌ„ipÌ„o sum in tribulacioÌ„e I am with hym in trouble By this lyon thou mayst take thy wyfe / that is to saye thy flesshe with penaunce and slee thy synne and than without doubte thou shalte optcyne the Empyre of heuen Vnto the whiche brynge vs our lorde Ihesus Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Gorgony whiche had wedded a gentyll damoysell and a fayre to his wyfe / this yonge lady within due processe conceyued and bare hym a sone a fayre chylde and an amyable Whan this yonge chylde was x. yere olde / his moder the Emppresse dyed And after the Emperour wedded an other wyfe This seconde wyfe loued in no wyse the Emperours sone / but dyde hym all the shame and repreef that she myght Whan the Emperour had perceyued this wyllynge for to please his wyfe exyled his sone out sone out of his Empyre And whaÌ„ this chylde was exyled / he wente and lerned physyke / soo that within a shorte tyme he was a subtyll and a connynge physycyen It befell sone after that the Emperour his fader sykened and was almoost deed wherfore whan he herde that his sone was suche a physycyen he sente for hym by letters praynge hym that he wolde come to hym withoute delaye And than the sone wyllynge to obey and to fulfyll his faders commaundement in all thynge and soo in all hast came to hym And whan he had seen his fader and groped his pouces and his vaynes / all maner of sykenesse that he had was soone helyd with his medycynes frome all maner of daungers Soone after that the Empresse his stepmoder began to waxe syke And many physycyens sayd the she wolde deye and whan themperour herde this he prayed his sone for to helpe her of her sykenesse Than sayd his sone / certaynly fader I wyll not laye hande on her Than the Emperour at this began to waxe wrothe and sayd / yf thou wylte not obeye my commaundement thou shalte voyde my felaushyppe His sone answered and sayd / yf ye do soo dere fader ye doo vnryghtfully for well ye knowe the ye exyled me out of your Empyre thrughe her suggestyon / myn absence was cause of your sorowe sekenesse And in lyke my presence is cause her sekenesse / and therfore I wyll not medell with her / and also I wyll vse nomore medycynes for oftentymes physycyens ben desceyued / and therfore I bare not laye hande on her leste men wolde saye that yf it fortuned her to dye that I were cause therof Than sayd the Emperour she hath quod he the same sekenes that I had His sone answered and sayd / thoughe she haue the same sekenes neuer thelesse ye be not of one complexyon For what so euer I dyde to you ye helde you contente And whan ye sawe me come with in the palays ye reioysed of my comynge and gretely were eased for to see hym that ye begate But whaÌ„ my stepmoder sawe me she swelled for anger waxed euyll at ease / and therfore yf I sholde speke to her her sorowe wolde encrease / and yf I touche her she wolde be frome her self And also a physycyen prouffyteth nought but where as the seke man delyteth in hym And whan the chylde had sayd he escaped and went his waye ¶ This Emperour betokeneth euery crysten man whiche is wedded to his crystendome at the fonte stone for whan the soule is made the spouse of cryste on whome man begeteth a sone / that is to saye reason But this wyfe / that is to saye crystendome dyeth whan someuer a man lyeth in deed ly synne and after her a man wedded a stepdame / that is to saye wyckednesse as oftymes as he is gouerned by wyl and not by reason / wherfore a man that lyueth by flesshely lust of tyme eryleth reason / and than anone the soule waxeth seke for the absence of reason is cause of the sekenesse of the soule But whan reason whiche is bothe goostly and bodely the physycyan is bryngyÌ„ge agayne by werkes of mercy thaÌ„ anone man is heeled of his sykenes But than the stepmoder waxed seke / that is to saye whan frowarde wyll waxed seke than is the flesshe oppressed by penaunce And therfore study we to oppresse our flesshe soo by penaunce the we may come vnto euerlestynge Ioye Amen IN Rome dwelled somtyme a myghty Emperour named Folemê° whiche had wedded the kynges doughter of
yf ye wyll nedes haue her and forsake my foule doughter / you be houeth fyrste to Iuste for her he that wynneth her shall wedde her Than were the grettest states of the Empyre gretely gladded / and anone onely for her loue they wolde Iuste and also fyght / wherfore they sette a daye of batayle / and many worthy men were slayne on bothe sydes Neuerthelesse one opteyned the vyctory wedded that yonge and fayre lady The seconde doughter that was foule oughly sawe this that her syster was wedded with grete solempnyte mourned wepte dayly / wherfore the Emperour her fader came to her sayd / dere doughter why mornest thou thus Alas dere fader quod she it is no wonder thoughe I mourne seynge my syster wedded with so grete honoure and gladnesse and euery man is fayne of her and no man loueth my felaushyp / and therfore dere fader what may I do beste sothely I knowe it not Then sayd the Emperour O my swete doughter all yâ— is myn is thyne and that is not vnknowen to you that he whiche wedded thy syster had no thynge with her but her fayrnesse / and therfore I shal proclame in myn owne persone thrughe all myn Empyre that what man that weddeth you I shall make hym sure by letter patent of all myn Empyre after my deth Than this yonge lady thought she was foule and oughly neuerthelesse she reioysed in the promysse of her fader / and anone after the proclamacyon was made / than there came a yonge knyght and a gentyll and wedded that lady / and after the dethe of the Emperour he seased all the Empyre was crowned Emperour and she Empresse ¶ This Emperour betokeneth our lorde Ihesu cryste whyche hath two doughters / that one fayre and that other foule That one fayre betokeneth this worlde whiche is full fayre and delectable vnto many men That other foule betokeneth pouerte and trouble whome fewe men desyre to wedde Neuerthelesse a comen crye was made by holy scrypture that who so wolde haue his fayre doughter that is the worlde sholde haue nothynge with her but her fairnes / that is to saye the worldly vanytees whiche faden and fall awaye lyke as the fayrnesse of man But who that wyll wedde the foule doughter / that is to saye wylfully to receyue pouerte and trouble for goddes loue / without doubte he shall opteyne the Empyre of heuen accordynge to the scrypture saynge thus ye that haue forsaken all thynge for my loue to to folowe me shall haue euerlastynge lyfe Full many noble and worthy men haue Iusted for the fayre doughter / that is to saye haue foughten bothe by see and by londe for this worlde for couetyse of worldely rychesse / and arte laste there be many slayne / for there is no thynge here but pryde of lyfe or courtyse of eyen or of flesshe where thrughe all the worlde is put vnto grete myscheef But he that weddeth the fayre doughter that is the worlde is he that setteth all his affecte and desyre in the wretchednesse of this worlde wyll not for no thynge forsake this worlde / lyke as a wreetche and couetous man But he that wedded the foule doughter is a good crysten man whiche that loue of the kyngedome of heuen forsaketh all this worlde / and not onely he dooth thus but also despysed hym selfe bodely obeynge to his souereynes in all thynge / suche a man certaynly shall opteyne the Empyre of heuen Vnto the whiche Ihesu cryste brynge bothe you and me Amen SOmtyme there dwelled in Rome a myghty Emperour named Andromyke whiche aboue all thynge loued melody This emperour had with in his castel a welle of suche vertue that soo euer were dronken / and dranke of that water of this welle sholde be contynent fresshe agayn and be delyuered frome all maner of dronkenesse There was also dwellynge in this Emperours courte a knyghte named Yorony whome the Emperoure loued moche / but ofte tymes he was dronken the whiche vyce the Emperour hated aboue all thynge / whan this knyght vnderstode hym selfe that he was dronken Than wolde he goo to the welle and drynke of that water and refresche hym selfe soo well that what soeuer the Emperour put to hym he wolde answere hym soo reasonably / that no synne of dronkenesse myght he founde in hym / and for his wytty answere and his wysdome he was gretly beloued of the Emperour Neuerthelesse his felawes of yâ— courte enuyed hym moche and ymagyned amonge them selfe how they myght departe the Emperour loue fro hym It fortuned upon a daye that this Emperour wente to the forest as he herde the nyghtyngale whiche is a gentyll byrde synge merely / wherfore this Emperour ofte tymes after that wolde ryse erly in yâ— mornynge and also some tyme frome his mete and walke vnto the wode for the swetenesse of her songe / wherfore many of his men sayd amonge them selfe Thus our lorde delyteth soo moche in the nyghtyngales songe that he recketh lytell of our profyte in so moche that thrughe two thynges his loue is worawen from vs. That is to saye by ydronye the knyght and by the swete songe of the nyghtyngale Than sayd an olde knyght the whiche was amonge theym Syrs quod he yf ye do by my counceyll I shall delyuer you of the knyght Ydronye / and of the nyghtyngale without hurte or dethe They answered and sayd what thynge that ye bydde vs do we shall fulfyll anone with all our herte Whan this knyght herde this within a whyle after he aspyed this ydrony that he was dronke wherfore he locked the welle faste as this knyght ydrony came to refresshe hym selfe and founde the welle locked The Emperour hadde a grete mater to trete / wherfore he sente in hast for this knyght by cause of his gre fore he sente in hast for this knyght by cause of his grete wysdome that was in hym to haue his counceyll And whan he came before that Emperour he was so dronke that he myght not ones meue his tonge neyther he hadde wytte / reason nor vnderstondynge to answere yâ— Emperour to his mater But whan the Emperour sawe this he was gretely greued for so moche yâ— he hated namely that vyce / wherfore he coÌ„mauÌ„ded anone that frome that daye / forth he sholde not be seen within his londe vpon payne of deth This herynge his fomen gretely were gladded and sayd vnto the olde knyght in this maner of wyse Now be we delyuered of this knyght ydrony There is no more to do but that we myght fynde that waye and remedy that we were deiyuered of the nyghtyngale in the whiche the Emperour delyteth so moche the songe Then sayd this olde knyght your erys shall here your eyen shall see yâ— this nyghtyngale shall be destroyed in shorte tyme. Not longe after this olde knyght aspyed yâ— yâ— nyghtyngale vsed to sytte vpon a tree euyn aboue this same wel where as her make that was yâ—
of the seconde chyldhode Than answereth the wycked man and sayth that his wyne is not yet clere ynoughe that is for to saye / he is not apte for to serue god whan god may not haue of the seconde tonne Thenne asketh he of the thyrde tonne / that is for to saye of the thyrde tonne of his youth Thenne answered the wycked man and sayd / that wyne is to stronge and myghty And therfore his youth ought for to be spended aboute nedes of this worlde / and not in penaunce whiche sholde make hym feble and weyke whan god seeth that he may not haue of this tonne Thenne asketh oure lorde Ihesu Cryste of the fourth tonne of age And thenne answred the wycked man and sayth that an aged man is feble and may not faste ne doo none harde penaunce / yf he dyde he sholde be cause of his owne deth And then asketh our lorde of the syfte tonne That is for to saye / of his olde age whan he dooth crepe and maye not goo withoute a staffe / But the wycked man excuseth hym selfe / and saythe that this wyne is to feble for to gyue suche a man that is feble / for yf he sholde faste one daye / it were tyme on the morowe to make his graue And whan out lorde Ihesu cryste seeth that may not haue of the fyfth tonne Than asked he of the syxth tonne That is to saye whan man is blynde and man not goo to synne no more / yet desyreth he of suche a maner drynke that is for to saye the helpe of his soule But yâ— wretched man lyenge in despayre sayth Alas alas to me for bycause I serued not almyghty god my maker / and my redemer here in tymes paste whyle I was in my youth / and in my prosperyte But nowe there is no thynge lefte but onely the dregges and the leys of all wretchednesse Therfore what auayleth nowe for to tourne me to godwarde / but for suche men me sholde mourne Neuerthelesse god is so mercyfull that thoughe he myght haue no seruyce of man in all his tyme / yet is he contente to haue the leyse of his tonne / that is to say his good wyll thoughe he may not serue hym other wyse / soo shall his good wyll stande hym in good stede of penaunce For in what houre the synner dooth his penaunce he shal be saued As Ezachiel wytnesse The apostle sayth thus Alas alas and welawaye for there be full many that wyll not gyue wyne ne none other thynge vnto hym wherfore god shall complayne vnto the kynge of Iherusalem / that is to saye to his god hede atte the daye of dome / than god and man shall gyue a sentence defensable ayenst suche men sayenge thus â—suriui et non dedistis I haue hun / gred and ye haue me no mete And I haue thursted and ye gaue me no drynke Loo thus sHall he reherce vnto the / the suen wrekes of mercy / and whan this is done thenne shall they be put vnto euerlastynge payne / and yâ— ryghtfull men into euerlastyÌ„ge lyf where they shall Ioy wtout ende vnto the whiche bryÌ„ge vs he that dyed for vs on the rode tree Amen SOmtyme there dwelled in Rome a myghty emperour Named Antony vnder whose reygne yâ— rowers of the see had taken prysoner a myghty mannes sone of another region / and broughte hym to the Emperours pryson faste bounde / whan this yonge man was this in pryson he wrote to his owne fader for his raunsome but his fader wolde no raunsome paye me none other thynge sende to the conforte of hym This herynge his sone wepte sore and myght not be conforted for the vnkyndenesse of his fader This Emperour had a fayre doughter whiche euery daye vysyte this prysoner and conforted hym as moche as she myght Too whome the prysoner answered thus and sayd How shall I be mery / or how may I Ioye thus for to lye faste bounde in pryson frome yâ— syght of man / and notwithstandynge this it greueth me more that my fader wyll not paye my raunsome / whan this mayden herde this she was meued with pyte and sayd Dere frende I am sory for the. Neuertheles yf thou wylte graunte me one thynge I shall delyuer the frome this anguysshe payne / what thynge is that That thou wylte take me to thy wyfe Than sayd the prysoner I behote you surely to fulfyll your entente And for the more sykernesse I gyue you my trouth / whan he had soo done it was not longe after the mayden delyuered hym out of pryson and fledde awaye with hym home to his faders house / whan the fader sawe his sone and the mayden togyder / he asked the cause why he brought her with hym Than sayd he Syr this damoysell delyuered me frome pryson therfore she shall be my wyfe ThaÌ„ sayd his fader I wyl not concent that she shal by thy wyfe for .ii. resonable causes whiche I shall shewe The fyrst is this It is not vnknowen to the that the Emperour her fader myght haue had for thy delyueraunce grete good / and for soo moche that she was vntrue to her owne fader and true to the / it semeth well that thou sholde not truste in her longe / for who is false to her owne fader by reason sholde be veray false and vntrue to another man The seconde reason is this / the cause why she delyuered the fro enprysonmente It was not for pyte ne for louâ— but for flesshely luste that she hadde to the. For atte thy delyueraunce she made couenaunt with the to be thy wyfe / and hadde of thy thy trouth / and therfore sone it is not reason that she sholde be thy wyfe The mayden answered to this questyon and sayd As for the fyrste reason that thou layest agaynst me that I sholde be vntrue vnto my fader / that is false / for my fader hath plente of rychesse and thy sone is but poore and therfore I holpe hym for pyte and for none other cause / and Neuerthelesse thou whiche arte his fader wolde noâ— paye his raunsome that he myght be delyuered frome pryson Loo for this cause I haue delyuered hyÌ„ therfore I am kynder vnto hym than thou whiche arte his owne fader / and he is more byholden to me thenne to the. Vnto the other reason where thou sayest that I delyuered hym dy cause of flesshely luste I answered and sayd playnly that is is not trouthe For all maner of flesshly loue it caused for strength orelles for fayrnesse But thy sone is not stronge / for his emprysonement hath done away his streng the. He is not fayre / for by the payne that he had in prysoÌ„ he is made lowe and vnlustye to the syght / and therfore pyte onely moued me for to delyuer hym / and not flesshely luste Than sayd the sone / to his fader Dere fader for soo moche that I was in parell of dethe
the Emperour herde that so holy a woman was in suche a nonry he sayd to his broder thus Goo we quod he dere broder vnto this holy woman that is dwellynge in the nourye that she may hele the of thy lepre wolde god quod he that I were heled Anone the Emperour his owne persone wente with his broder towardes the Nonery And whan that the Nones herde of his comynge they resceyued hym worshypfully and with processyon And than the Emperour enquyred of the pryoresse of ony suche holy woman were amonge them that coude hele seke folke of theyr maladyes The pryoresse answered and sayd / that suche one was there Than was the Empresse called forth afore the Emperour / but she muffled her face as well as she coude / that the Emperourt her husbande sholde not knowe her / and whan she had soo done She salued hym with grete reuerence as perteyned vnto his estate / he agayne in lyke wyse saynge thus O go de lady yf the lyst of thy grace to hele my broder of his lepre Axe of me what thou wylte I shall graunt it the for thy rewarde / whan y◠Empresse herde this she loked aboute her sawe there the Emperours broder stode and was a foule lepre She sawe also there the knyght that slewe the Erles doughter blinde defe The thefe that she saued fro the galowes lame also the mayster of the shyp dystraught oute of his mynde all were come to her for to be heled of theyr sykenesse but they knewe her not / for all the they knewe her not thoughe she knewe them Than sayd she vnto themperour thus my reuerent lorde though ye wolde gyue me all your Empyre I may not hele youre broder nor none of these other but yf they knowelege openly what they haue done / whan that Emperour herde this he torned hym towarde his broder sayd to hym broder knowelege openly thy synne before all these men that thou mayst be heled of sekenesse Anone he began to telle how he had lyued his lyfe / but he tolde not how he had hanged the Empresse in the foreste by the heere / whan that he had knoweledged all that hym lyste The Empresse sayd sothely my lorde I wolde gladly laye vnto hym my medycyne But I wote ryght well it is in vayne for he hath not made a ful confessyon The Emperour herynge this torned hym towarde his broder / sayd agayne in this wyse what euyll sorowe or vnhappy wretchednesse is in the feest thou not that thou arte a foule laser Therfore knowelege truely thyne synne that thou mayst be hole / or elles auoyde my felawshyppe for euer A lorde quod he I may not tell my lyfe openly but yf I be sure of thy grace / what hast thou trespaced ayenst me quod the Emperour His broder answered and sayd / myn offence agaynst the is greuous / and therfore I aske mercy The Emperour thought not of the Empresse for as moche as he supposed she had be dede many yeres before / he bad his brother telle forth what he had offended hym and he sholde be forgyuen And whan the Emperour had thus forgyuen his broder he began to telle openly how he had desyred the Empres to synne with hym / how he had hanged her by the heere in the forest by cause she wolde not consente to hym whan the Emperour herde this almoost wretched creature the vengeaūce of god is fallen on that and were not that I haue pardoned the thou sholdest dye the foulest deth that coude be thought Than sayd the knyght that slewe the erles doughter I wote not quod he of what lady ye ment / but well I wote that my lorde foūde suche a lady hangȳge by y◠heere in foreste brought her home to his castell bytoke her his doughter in kepynge / I styrred her to syn̄e with me as moche as I coude but she wolde not consent / wherfore I slewe the erles doughter the lay with her And whan that I had so done I put the blody knyfe in the ladyes hande that the erle sholde thynke she had slayne his doughter with her owne hande / than was she exyled thens but where she became wote I not Than sayd thefe I wote neuer of what lady ye mene but well I wote y◠seuen sergeauntes were ledynge me to the galowes / suche a lady came rydynge by bought me of them / and than wente I with her and afterwarde I betrayed her vnto a mayster of a shyppe Suche a lady quod he receyued I. And whan that we were the myddes of the see I wolde haue layne with her but she satte doune to her prayers / anone there arose suche a tempeste that the shyppe all to braste and were all drowned saue I But what after that befell on her wote I not ¶ Than ctyed the Empresse with an hyghe voyce and sayd Sothly dere frendes ye are now clene confessed / wherfore now wyl I laye to my medycyne / and anone they receyued theyr helthe / whan the lady had thus done she opened her face vnto the Emperour / and he knewe her anone and ranne to her braced her in his armes and kyssed her oftentymes / and for Ioye wepte bytterly saynge thus Blyssed be god now haue I founde that I desyred And whan he had thus sayd he led her home vnto his palyce with grete Ioye and after whan god wolde be pleased they ended theyr lyues both in pease ¶ This Emperour betokeneth our lorde Iesu cryste The Empres betokeneth an holy soule The Emperours broder betokeneth that flesshe to whome our lorde Ihesi cryste hath gyuen charge of his Empyre / but moste prȳcipally to the soule Netheles y◠wretched flesshe ofte styreth the soule to synne But the soule whiche loueth god aboue all thȳge withstandyth that temptacyon and calleth to her / her goostly power that is to saye reason wyll vnderstandynge and concyence and maketh theym to enpryson the flesshe whiche is dysobedyent to the soule in the pryson of penaunce vnto the tyme he obeye vnto reason in all thynge / and thus in hope of mercy he synneth agayn whome holy scrypture saȳge thus Maledictus homo qui peccat in spe Cursed be that man that synneth in hope And atte the last the soule enclyneth to the flesshe and letteth hym of the pryson of penaunce and wassheth hym frome the fylthe of synne and arayeth hym with good vertues and maketh hymn lepe o◠the palfray of charyte and so rydeth he forthe to mete our lorde on Esterday But alas for full ofte the synner trespaceth agaynst the holy scrypture wherfore the herte that is to saye / the lust of the flesshe and of synners aryseth before hym and after renneth grete houndes that is to saye euyll thoughtes / and so longe they chase tyll the body and the soule be lefte alone / than the flesshe styreth that noble soule the spouse of almyghty god vnto
Gesta romanorum SOmtyme there dwelled in Rome a puyssaunte Emperour whâ—che had a doughter a fayre creature and was named Atlenta whome dyuerse and many knyghtes and other grete lordes desyred her to theyr wyf This Atlenta was won derswyfte of foote / wherfore suche a lawe was ordeyned that no man sholde haue her to wyfe but suche as myght ouer renne her and take her by strength of foot And so it befell that many came ranne with her / but she was so swyfte that no man myght ouertake her by cours of rennynge At the laste there came a knyght named Pomeys vnto her fader sayd to hym thus / my lorde yf it myght please you to gyue me your doughter to wyfe I wyl gladly renne with her Than sayd her fader there is suche a lawe ordeyned and sette that who so wyll haue her to wyfe must fyrste renue wich her / and yf he fayle in his cours that he ouertake her not he shall lose his hede / and yf it fortune hym to ouertake her than shall I wedde her vnto hym / and whan the kynge had tolde hym all the peryll that myght falle in the wynnynge of her / the knyght wylfully graunted to abyde that Ieopardy Than the knyght lete ordeyne hym thre balles of golde ayenst the rennynge And whan they had begonne to renne a lytel space the yonge lady ouer ranne hym / than the knyght threwe forth before her the fyrste balle of golde And whan the damoysell sawe the ball she stouped and toke it vp / and that whyle the knyght waune before her but that auayled lytell / for whan she had that perceyued she ranne so fast that in shorte space she gate before hym agayne And than he threwe forth the seconde balle of golde / and she stouped as she dyde before to take it vp / in that whyle the knyght wanne before her agayne / whiche this yonge damosell seynge constreyned her selfe and ranne so fast tyll at the last she had hym at a vauntage agayne and was afore hym and by that tyme they were nyghe the marke where they sholde abyde / wherfore the knyght threwe the thyrde balle forth before her / and lyke as she had done before stouped downe to take vp the balle / and the whyle she was in takynge vp the thyrde balle the knyght gate afore her and was fyrst at the standynge / thus was she wonne ¶ By this Emperoure is vnderstande the fader of heuen / and this mayden is vnderstande the soule of man with whome many deuylles desyren to renne / and to dysceyue her thorugh theyr temptacyons / but she with standeth theym myghtly ouercometh hym / and whan he hath done his power / and may not spede than marketh the thre balles of golde / and casteth them before her in the thre ages of man / that is to saye / in youth / in manhode / and in olde age In youth he casteth the balle of lechery before her That is to saye the desyre of flesshe / neuerthelesse for al this balle often tymes man ouercometh the deuyll by confessyon contrycyon penaunce and satysfaccyon The seconde balle is the balle of pryde the whiche the deuyll casteth to man in his manhode / that is to saye in his myddell age / but this balle man oftentymes ouercometh as he dyde the fyrste But late hym beware of the thyrde balle whiche is the balle of coueryse that the deuyll casteth vnto man in his olde age that is full dredefull For but yf a man may ouercome this balle with this other two than he shall lese his honoure that is to saye that kyngedome of heuen For whan man brenneth in couetyse he thynketh not on goostly rychesse for euer his herte is sette in worldly goodes and recketh not of prayers ne of almes dedes / and thus leseth he his herytage to the whiche god hathe bought hym with his precyous blode vnto that whiche Ihesus brynge you and me and all mankynde Amen THere dwelled somtyme in Rome a myghty Emperour and a wyse named Ancelme whiche bare in his armes a shelde of syluer with fyue reed cosys This Emperour had thre sones whome he loued moche / he had also contynuall warre with the kynge of Egypt / in the whiche warre he lost all his temporall goodes excepte a vertuous tree It fortuned after on a day that he gaue batayll vnto the sayd kynge of Egypt wherin he was greuously wounded Neuertheles he opteyned the vyctory notwithstandynge he had his dedely wouÌ„de / wherfore whyle he laye in poynte of deth he called vnto hym his eldest sone sayd / my moost dere welbeloued sone all my temporall rychesse I haue exspended almoost nothynge is lefte me excepte a vertuous tree the whiche standeth in the myddes of myne Empyre I gyue to the all that is vnder the erthe and aboue the erthe of the same tree O my reuerent fader quod he I thanke you moche ThaÌ„ sayd themperoure calle to me my seconde sone Anone his eldest sone gretely gladded of his faders gyfte called in his broder / and whan he came than sayd themperour / my dere sone quod he I may not make my testament for so moche that I haue spent al my goodes except a tree whiche staÌ„deth in my Empyre of the whiche tree I gyue byquethe to the all that is grete and smale Than answered he and sayd My reuerent fader I thanke you moche Than sayd themperoure calle to me my thyrde sone / and so it was done And whan he was come the Emperour sayd My dere sone I must dye of this sekenesse I haue but onely a vertuous tree of the whiche I haue byquethed thy bretherin theyr porcyon and to the I byquethe thy procyon / for I wyll yâ— thou haue of the sayd tree all that is were drye Than sayd his sone Fader god thanke you Soone after that the Emperour had made his byquest he deyed And the eldest sone anone toke season of the tree whan the seconde broder this herde he sayd broder myn by what lawe or tytell occupyed thou this tree Dere broder quod he I occupyed by this tytell / my fader gaue me all the is vnde erthe and aboue of the sayd tree and therfore by reason this tree is myn Vnknowynge to the quod the seconde broder he gaue me al that is in brede length depnes of that sayd tree / and therfore I haue as grete ryght in the tree as thou This herynge the thyrde sone came vnto theym sayd O ye my best beloued brethern it behoueth you not to stryue for this tree / for as moche ryght haue I in this tree as ye / for well ye wote by the lawe that the last wyll testament ought to stande / for sothely he gaue me of the sayd tree all that is wete and drye and therfore by ryght the tree is myn / but for as moche as your tales ben grete and myne