to the forrest with his Asse to gather wood betookeneth euery iust and godly man fearing God in the forrest of this world the wood that he gathereth bâ—etokeneth his simple meaning to liue â—ell that hee carryeth on his Asse which béetokeneth the bodie of man wherewith his soule may ioye and liue in the taâ—â—â—na-cle of Heauen And as the Steward the Lyon the Ape and the Serpent that fell into the Pitte right so when a sinfull man falleth in the pitte of sinne The Lyon of the stocke of Iude that is Jesu Christ decendeth with him as oftentimes as the sinner hath will to come to grace Therfore saith the Psalmist Cum ipso sum in tribulatione That is to saie I am with him in tribulation This Guy draweth vp the Lyon that is to say Jesu Christ out of the pitte by the corde of vertues Hée drew vp the Ape also that is to saye contrary will to reason that hée might obay to reason For of all manner beasts the Ape is most lyke to manne right so among all the strengthes of the soule will ought to bée lykened vnto reason and to obey reason Hee drew vp also a Serpent by the which is vnderstoode repentaunce for two causes For the Serpent beareth in his mouth venim and his tayle is a medicine Right so repentaunce beareth at the beginning bitternesse to the doer neuerthelesse it is full swéete and medicinable vnto the soule at the ende therfore euery lust man should draw to him the serpent of repentaunce And at the last hée drew vp the Stewarde from the pyt of sinne according to Christes saying I am not come onely to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Also it is written that Seneca which taught an Emperour many lawes and vertues of truth and at the last like as this Steward dyd so dyd this Emperour seeke the death of his maister Seneca Also Christ gaue power to Iudas to worke myracles like as hée did to other Disciples neuerthelesse hée beetrayed him at the last Right so now a daies bée many children of Beliall which delight more to doe harme theÌ„ good in especiall to them that wouâ—d instruct them perfectly both for the soule and for the body The Lyon gaue to the iust and godly poore man tenne Asses charged with marchandise that is to saye our Lord Lesu Christ giueth to euery righteous man tenne commaundements charged with vertues by that which hée groweth to the riches of heauen The Ape also gathered him wood as oft as the iust man worketh the fruites of faith For wood voluntaryly is profitable for two thinges that is to saye to make fire and to builde houses Right so perfect charitie heateth the Angell according to scripture saying Quia magis gaudium est angelis c. That is to say More ioye is among angelis for one sinner doeing repentance c. Charitie also reyseth the house of heauen against the comming of the soule The Serpent also gaue him a stone of thrée diuers coulours the which betokneth our Lord Jesu Christ whome wée séeke by repentaunce Therefore sayth saint Ierome in the second table thus Post naufragium est penetendum That is to say We should repent vs after our trespasse That Christ is the stone may be proued by him selfe saying Ego sum lapis viuus That is to saye I am a liuing stone Christ hath three coullours which betokeneth the power of the father the wisdome of the sonne and the humilitie of the holy Ghost Therefore who so may get this stone shall haue the Empyre of heauen ioy without sorrow plentie without any want and light without darkenesse Unto which light bring vs our Lorde Jesu Christ that dyâ—d for all mankinde Amen The Argument ¶ By the natiuitie of Christ proceedeth ioyfull gladnesse to the world saluation vnto mankind Yet man is vnthankfull vnto God contrary to his promise made in Baptisme we are warned in all worldly tempestes to cleaue vnto Christ by faith hope to continue in well doing and to impugne the mallis of the diuell the prechers of gods woord are sent of god to confound the diuell by sound doctrine and good life life death is sette beefore man we ought then to chose that life that may be for our euerlasting comfort The 32. Historie IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour named Anselme which had wedded the kings daughter of Ierusalem a fayre Ladie and a gracious in the sight of euery man but she was long tyme with the Emperour or shée bare him any childe wherefore the Nobles of the Empyre were right sorowful because their Lord had none heyre of his bodie begotten Till at the last it befell that this Anselme walked after supper in an euening in his garden and bethought himself how he had none heyre and how the king of Ampluy warred on him continually for so much as hée had no sonne to make defence in his absence wherefore he was right sorowful and went to his chamber and slept And at the last him thought hée saw a vision in his sléepe that the morning was more cléerer than it was wont to bée that the Moone was much more paller on the one syde than on the other And after he saw a bird of two colours and by that byrd stood two beasts which fed that little byrd with their heate And after that come many â—o beasts bowed their breasts toward the byrd and went theyr way And than came ther diuers byrds that soung so swéetly pleasantly that the Emperour awaked In the morning earely this Anselme remembred his vision and wondred much what it might signifie wherefore he called to him his Philosophers and also the states of his Empyre and tolde them his dreame charging them to tell him the signification therof vpon paine of death if they tolde him the true interpretation therof he promised them great reward Then sayde they Déere Lorde tell vs your dreame and wée shall declare vnto you what it betokeneth Than the Emperour tolde them from the beginning to the ending as it is afore sayd When the Philosophers heard this with glad cheere they answered sayd Lord the dreame that ye saw betokeneth good for the Empyre shall be more clearer than it is The Moone that is more pale on the one side than on the other béetokeneth the Empresse that hath lost part of hir coulour through the concepcion of a sonne that she hath conceiued The little byrd betokeneth the sonne that shée shall beare The two beastes that fedde this bird betokeneth all the wyse men and riche menne of this Empyre shall obey thy sonne These other beastes that bowed theyr brestes to the byrde béetokeneth that many other nations shall doe him homage The Byrd that soung so swéetly to this little Byrd betokeneth the Romaines which shall reioyce and sing bycause of his byrth Lo this is the verye interpretation of your dreame When the Emperour heard this he was right ioyfull Soone
loued sinfull man that he sent his onely begotten son to redeeme him out of the captiuitie of the wicked world to rest with him in the ioyes of heauen The third Historie IN Rome there dwelled some time a noble Emperour named Dioclesian which aboue all worldly goods loued the vertue of charitie wherfore he desired greatly to knowe what fowle loued hir birds best to the intent that he might thereby grow to more perfect charitie It fortuned after vpon a day that this Emperour walked to the forest to take his disport wher as he found the neast of a great bird that is called in latin Struthio Camely in English an Oistridge with hir bird the which bird the emperour toke w e him closed him in a vessel of glasse The dam of this litle bird followed after vnto the emperours place and slew into the hall where hir birde was closed But when she sawe hir bird and might by no meanes come to hir ne get her out shee returned againe to the forest there she abode three daies and at the last shee returned againe to the Pallys bearing in hir mouth a worme that is called Thumare Whan she came where hir birde was shee let the worme fall vppon the glasse thorough vertue of which worme the glalsse brake and the bird escaped and slew foorth with his dam. Whan the emperour saw this he praised much the dam of the birde which so diligently laboured for the deliueraunce of hir byrd The Morall ¶ My friends this Emperour is the father of Heauen which greatly loueth them that liue in perfect loue and charitie This litle birde closed in the glasse taken from the forest was Adam our forefather which was exiled froÌ„ out of Paradice put in the glasse that is to say in hel This hearing the Dam of the byrd that is to wit the sonne of God descended from heauen and came to the forest of the world and liued ther thrée dayes and more bearing with him a worme that is to say manhood according with the psalmist saying Ego sum vermis non homo That is to say I am a worme and no man This manhood was suffered to be slaine among the Jewes of whose blood the vessell eternall was broken and the byrd went out that is to saye Adam went foorth with his mother the sonne of God and flew vnto heauen The Argument ¶ A cleane spirite and vndefiled soule is the daughter of God so tender and deere vnto him that he bestoweth hir not vpon the rich man wanting the wisdome of God but vpon the poore manne that is wise and liueth in the feare of God which if she at any time transgresle by frailtie of flesh than for the recouery of hir health by the medicine of amendement of lyse to such a one though poore shall his soule be not onely in this lyfe espoused with much solace ioye ech of other but in the world to come shall liue with Christ in ioy and euerlasting blisse The fourth Historie SOmetime dwelled in Rome a worthy Emperour and a wyse which had a fayre daughter and a gracious in the sight of euery man This emperour bee thought him on a daye to whome he might giue his daughter in marriage saying thus If I giue my daughter to a rich man and he be a foole then is she lost and if I giue hir to a poore man and a wittie than may he get his liuing for him and hir by his wisedome There was that time dwelling in the citie of Rome a Philosopher named Socrates poore and wise which came to the Emperour sayde My Lord displease you not though I put foorth my peticion before your highnes Themperour sayd whatsoeuer it pleaseth thee tell foorth Then sayd Socrates My Lord ye haue a daughter whome I desire aboue all thing Themperour answered and said My friend I shall giue thée my daughter to wife vpon this condicion that if she dye in thy feloship after that she is wedded to thée thou shalt without doubt léese thy head Then said Socrates Upon this condition I will gladly take hir to bée my wife Themperour hearing this let call foorth all the Lords and states of his Empyre and made a great feast at their wedding And after the feast Socrates led home his wife to his owne house where as they liued in peace and health long time But at the last this Emperours daughter sickned to death when Socrates perceiued this hee saide to himselfe Alas and wo to mée what shall I doe and whether shall I flée if the Emperours daughter that is my wife should dye and for sorrow this Socrates went to a forrest there béeside and wept bitterly The while he thus wept and mourned there came an aged man bearing a staffe in his hande and asked the cause of Socrates why he mourned Socrates answered and sayd I wedded themperours daughter vpon this condition that if she died in my feloship I should leese my lyfe now shee is sickned vnto the death I câ—n find no remedie nor help and therefore I mourne more than any creature can thinke Then saide the olde man be of good comfort for I shall help you if yee will doe after my counsell In this forrest be three herbes if ye make a drink of the first to your wife of the other two a playster and if she vse this medicinall drincke and plaister in due time without doubt she shall recouer to perfect health Socrates fulfilled all as the olde man had taught him And whaÌ„ his wife had vsed a while that medicinall drinke and plaister within short tyme she was perfectly whole of all hir sickenesse And when the Emperour heard that Socrates wrought so wisely and how diligently he laboured for to heale his wife he promoted him to great dignitie and worship The Morall Deere friendes this Emperour is our Lord Jesu Christ his daughter so fayre and so gracious is the soule made to the si 〈…〉 de of God which is full gracious glorious in the sight of him and of his Angells while that shee is not defiled and abideth in hir owne proper cleannesse This soule God would not giue it to a rich man but to a poore man that is to say a man that is made of the slyme of the earth This Socrates is a poore man for why euery man commeth poore naked into this world from his mothers belly euery man taketh his soule in wedlocke vpon such condition that if shée die in his felowshippe by deadly sinne without doubt hée shall loose eternall life Therefore O thou man if thy wife sicken so through frailtie of flesh vnto sinne doe then as Socrates dyd goe vnto the forrest that is the Church of Christ and thou shalt finde there an old man with a staffe that is a discréet preacher which shall minister vnto thée those thrée hearbes wherrof may bée confect the medicine of thy recouery vnto health namely the first herbe is
third rope that should hang the felon is the rope of amendement of life For as the scripture saith tâ—ere is more ioye in heauen ouer one sinner that turneth vnto the Lord in time than ouer c. Like as the stewaâ—d brought againe Themperâ—urs daughter â—o it behoueth vs to séeke about by fruitfull faith yea to finde our soule that we lost and bringing hir againe to the church to rule well our fiue witts to séede our greyhound as we should and make our lise so cleane and pure that we fall not againe to sinne for feare that it fortune to vs worse and that we haue no leasure to aske mercy againe at our néede And it we fullfil all this truely vnto our liues ende without doubt wée shall obtaine euerlasting life To the which our Lord bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The violating of our innoceÌ„cie in not â—â—â—nitating the law of God is heere described with being adiudged after the slesh yet by the merits of Christ our sauiour we obtaine our saluation The 19. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour and a wise named Edsenne which ordained a law for that whosoeuer rauished a maide should be at hir discretion wherewith she would put him to death or that she would take him to hir husband It befell after that a man rauished in a night two faire matdeus the first damosell which he rauished desired that he should dye and the second desired him to hir husband The rauisher was taken ledde before the Judge that should satisfie both these damosells through his wisdome and equitir of the cause The first damosell desired the death according to the law Then said the second I desired to haue him my husband for like as thou hase the law for thée so in like case I haue it for mée and neuertholesse my petition is more better than yours for it is more charitable therefore me thinketh in my reason that the Justice should giue sinsence in fauour and furtherance of my desire Then the Justice vnderstanding the great mercy of the second damosell gaue iudgement that he should take hir to his wife and so it was done The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ The rauisher betokeneth euery sinner which rauisheth gods mercy as often he violateth the commaundements of God by sinne for the diuell may neuer ouercome man but if it bée suffered by will For saint Austin saith Non est peccatum nisi sit voluntarium It is no sinne but if it be voluÌ„tary The rauisher also is called afore the Justice when the soule is departed from the bodie and anon the first damosell Innocency layde against the sinner that he ought to dye euerlastingly by the law of righteousnesse But that other mayden that is Christ his merits layd for hir how the mercy of God ought to help by harty repentaunce and acknowledging our sinnes which is the high way to euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The mother of the childe of grace and of the reprobate is heere declared which of them shall be saued and which of them dampned is not yet reuealed vnto the world till the day of iudgement The 20 Historie SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a mightie Emperour and a rich named Lipodius which tooke to wise a faire virgin a gentill the daughter of the king of Assiria this yong lady conceiued and beare a childe And in the byrth of hir sonne she dyed And anone after hir decease this Emperour maried an other wife and had by hir achilde also And immediately after that these children were borne he sent them both into a strange land for to be norished Then said the mother of the second childe My reuerend Lord tenne yéeres bée now fully expired since I bare my childe and yet sawe I him neuer but once and that was the first daye of his byrth therefore I beséech you my Lord to send for him that I may once reioyce mée of his sight Then said the Emperour I haue an other childe by my first wyfe and if I send for thy sonne than must I send for both and than anone he sent for them And when they were come they were of passing faiture and well trayned well instructed passing like in all maner thinges so as hardly the one might bee knowen from the other but by the father onely discerned Than said the mother of the second childe A my Lord tell mée which of these is my sonne and he called to him his sonne that he begate on his fiest wâ—â—e Whan the Empresse heaâ—d this shée gaue all hir care to nourish him and despised the other child When the Emperour saw this he saide to his wise Certainely I haue deceiued thee for him that thou louest so much is not thy son but that other is thy sonne Than sette shée all hir care vpon the seconde and forsooke the first When the Emperour saw this hée saide Truely I haue deceiued thée without doubt this is not thy sonne but one of them two is thy sonne Then sayde the mother A my Lorde for his loue that dyed for mankinde tell mée without cauellacion which of them is my sonne The Emperour answered and sayd certainely I will not tell you till they come both to mans state for this reason First I told you that this was your sonne and him haue you cherished as thy sonne and forsaken that other and when I tolde you that this was your sonne than despised you the first and cherished the second therefore I will that you bring vppe and cherish them both till that you may haue ioye of them When themprisse heard this she nourished them both a like And when they were both come to age the Emperour made a great supper and before all his gestes hée tolde his wyfe openly which of them was hir childe Than reioysed the Empresse greatly and with hir sonne shée ended hir lyfe in peace and rest The Morall This Emperours sonnes betokeneth those that be chosen to euerlasting life and those that be not chosen The mother of them is the prouidence of God that nourisheth theÌ„ both Therfore our Lord will not that his prouidence should let the world know which bée chosen and which be not chosen For if shée knew that than would she loue the one and hate the other and so should charitie be ouerthrowen among vs and should liue in discord and strife but trouth at the day of Judgement shall tell vs which of them shall be saued which of them shall be dampned Therefore pray wee in this world that we may come to the euerlasting feast in heauen Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The vngodly of this world will take no paines to liue vertuously and yet often tymes are they enriched for the most pait with the guifts of fortune neither carefull of the reward laid vp for pure vertue in heauen nor fearing the torments of hell deputed for the
the Emperour heard this anone hee exiled him and all those that were consenting to him so that they liued abiects in great wretchednesse and srrow and then the Emperour ordained other men in their stéedes and gaue them all the possessions of the traytors And when the banished men heard that straungers had taken possession of their lands and goods anone they conspyred against them and through treason requested them to a banquet And they as 〈◊〉 thinking vppon no such treason came at the day assigned and were serued with â—iuâ—â—â—â—sâ—s which were poysoned wherfore as many as tasted of that vice dyed incontinent When the Emperour heard this he was greatly moued and assembled his counsell to wit what was best to be don of this treason of their death Then said the Emperours sonne My Lord I am your sonne yée bee my Father therfore I shall giue you good counsell and profitable to all men Not far hence is a little nation wherin dwelleth a fayre Mayden and a gracious in the sight of euery man which hath an orchard wherein is a well the water therof hath such vertue that if it be cast vpon a dead man straight way he shall liue againe and recouer his life Therefore my â—ord I shall descende vnto that nation and seeke that water whereby they that were slayne at the Banquet might bée restored againe to lyfe And when the Emperour heard this he was greatly reioyced and sayde Sonne thy counsell is good And straight way the Emperours sonne went into the saide nation and fell inconceit with the Mayden in so much that hée entred in the garden and assayled to tast the water of the well And when hee had so done he made fiue déepe trenches in the ground in the which the water ranne till it came where the dead men lay buried thervpon when the water touched them they arose from death to life Then the Emperours sonne led them vnto his Father And when the Emperour saw this hée was right ioyefull wherfore hee crowned his sonne with a Laurate crowne in tooken of victorie so ended his life in rest and peace The Morall This Emperour béetokeneth the Father of Heauen The poore man that was promoted béetokeneth Lucifer the which was exalted of nought and enthroned in the Empyre of heauen with so great Joye and clearnesse that him séemed through his pride hée would bée like vnto almightie God and not onely lyke him but more than almightie God wherfore the Father of heauen exiled him all them that consented vnto him to hell and in their place man was exalted to great ioy honaur The diuell séeing this enuied him that man should come to such glory and honour and bad Adam and Eue to a banket when they eate of the Apple against Gods commaundement and counselled them thus saying In what houre yee eate of the Apple yee shall bée like gods And at this coursed banquet they were serued with v. mâ—sses that were poysoned that is to say their v. wits were accorded in eating of the Apple wherof man was insect and dyed This hearing the Emperours sonne moued with 〈…〉 ame downe from heauen into this world and acquainted him so wel with â— blessed Uirgin Mary that he sound in hir the well of manhoode and coâ—ioyned it to his Godhead according to the Scripture I am the well of lyâ—e who dunketh of it shall not thirst After that hee lette make fiue trenches in the ground that is to saye â—iue woundes in his bodie of the which ran both bloud and water whereby all mankinde was raised froÌ„ death to lyfe and led them vp into the pallace of heauen Unto the which bring vs our blessed Sauiour Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ The Father of heauen extendeth his goodnesse diuers waies towards frail man yet hee taking contrarie waies liueth in spirituall fornication for the which being exiled from the state of felicitie he is coÌ„pelled to leade a miserable and painefull life But beeing reconciled by the death of his sauiour he possesseth the heritage of heauenly felicitie The 37. History SOmetime in Rome there raigned a mighty emperor named Dunstain in whose Empyre there dwelt a gentill Knight that had two sonnes One of his sonne matched himselfe against his fathers will with a common harlotte The knight hearing this exyled his son from him And when he was thus exiled he begot on this woman a sonne And soone after that he wared sicke and in penury wherfore he sent messengers to his father beseching him of his mercie This hearing his father had compassion and ruth on him wherfore he was reconciled And when hée was thus brought againe to his fathers grace hee gaue his chtide which he hadde gotten tofore on this common woman to his father And he full kindely receiued it as his sonne and nourished it When his other sonne heard this he said to his father father quod hee it séemeth to mée that thou arte out of thy right minde which I will proue by this reason For hée is out of his righte minde that receiueth a salse heare and nourisheth him whose Father hath endomage and disease tosore For my brother which begat this childe haue done thée great iniury when hée marryed the common woman against thy will and commaundement therefore me séemeth that thou art out of thy right minde Then answered the father and sayde Bicause thy brother is reconciled thou art enuious to mée and also vnkinde to thy nowne brother willing to put him from my felowshippe for euermore and sothly no vnkinde man shall haue mine heritage except he be reconciled But yet thou neuer reconciledst to him of his vnkindenesse for thou mightest haue reconciled him but thou woldest not therefore of mine heritage gettest thou no part The Morall The Father of the two bretheren betokeneth the Fether of Heauen And his two sonnes betokeneth the nature of Angels and the nature of man For man was marryed to a common woman or harlot when hee eate of the Apple against the commaundement of God wherfore he was exilled by the father of heauen and put from the Joyes of Paradise The sonne of the common woman béetokeneth mankinde This knights sonne that is to say A â—am liued in great misery for after his sin hée was put from ioy into this wretched vally of teares and wéeping according to this Scripture In suodore vultus c. In the sweat of thy brow thou shalt eate thy bread But after by the passion of Christ hée was reconsiled But the other Sonne that betokeneth the diuell was euer vnkinde and grudged dayely against our reconciling saying that by sinne wee ought not to come vnto the heritage of Heauen Unto the which bring vs our Lord Jesu Christ Amen The Argument ¶ we ought in euery vocation and calling to beehaue our selues iustly and to vse the poore man with equite we must not iniury the rich man The mightie men are to be honoured and not defrauded of their
dignitie estate being men of cinceare life they that did contrary to the meaning of dutifull behofe heerin are worthie of euerlasting death The 38. Historie SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a mighty Emperour named Donate which dyd let make thrée Images of the which one held out his hand straight vnto the people and had on his finger a ring of Gold The second Image had a beard of gold And the third had a mantell of Purple commaunding vpon paine of death that no man should beare these Images of the ring the beard nor the mantell It befell afterward vppon a time that one Dyonise tyrant came into the temple and toke away the ring from the first Image the beard from the second and the mantell from the third And when he had thus done he was foorthwith accused vnto the Emperour and brought before him and straightly examined of that trespasse why hée dispoyled the Images against the Emperours commaundement Than aunswered Dionise and said as followeth My Lord it is lawfull to answere for mée when I entred into the Temple the first Image held foorth his hand straight to mee as who would saye I giue thee this ring and therefore I toke the ring at the guift of the Image béeing loth to refuse his gentle offer And when I law the second Image hauing a beard I thought thus with in my selfe I knew sometyme the father of this Image which had no bearde and now his sonne hath a beard which is against reason the sonne to haue a bearde and the father none and therefore I tooke from him his bearde that he should bée like his father After that whan I saw the third Image clothed in a mantell of Golde I thought that a mantell of gold was not behoueable to him in winter for gold is naturally colde which might be cause of his death and therefore I tooke it from him bicause it was to colde in winter to hotte in sommer When Dionise had excused him by these reasons the Emperour answered and said Thou hast answered wickedly for thy selfe what shold cause thée rather than any other man to dispoyle these Images for as much as I commaunded that no man should take any thing away from them thine owne mouth hath condempned thée Anone the Emperour called to him one of his Squires and charged him to smyte of his head and so it was done The Morall This Emperour betokeneth Almightie God the Father of Heauen The thrée Images betokeneth the poore men the rich men and the mightie men of this worlde The tyrant Dionise béetokeneth all officers in euery estate lewdely behauing themselues which take away from poore menne the ringe of theyr fingers and saye thus I may take that is giuen me But when the poore man hath ought to doe he must needes put foorth his hand to giue whether he will or no if hée shall spéede They take also the beard from the rich man an say thus This man is richer thaÌ„ his father was therefore take we his liueloode from him and make him like his forefather They take also the mantell of â—olde from the mightie men when they sée any man of honour of good â—â—â—ing wâ—ling to correct such misdoâ—â—s then saye they this man is to colde for he enclyneth nothing to our opinions and also he is to hot of power in working against vs therfore goe we and take from him the mantill of might and so they accuse him and put him out of office But certainely all such men stand in perill of euerlasting death From the which saue vs he that shed his precious bloud for vs. The Argument ¶ Man ought to nourish Christ in his hart by faith and fruits of good lyfe The reward of such as haue care vppon the conseruation of Christ his institutions we must watch least wee enter into temptation these thinges concidered we shall then by gods gracious good prouidence atâ—ayne vnto the reward of his heauenly and euerlasting blisse The 39. Historie THere dwelt sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour named Euas which had a fayre yong Lady to his wife vpon whome he had begotten a fayre sonne Whan the states of the empyre heard this they came vnto the Emperour besought him to haue the keepeing of his sonne Immediately the Emperour sent a Herould throughout the citie proclaiming that in whose house were firste founde fyre and water the good manne of that house should haue his sonne in kéeping and to nourish And than the emperour made a proclamacion that who so euer had his sonne to kéepe should nourish him cleanly féede him with wholesom meats and drinckes And when the childe came to age than should the keeper be promoted to great honor wherefore many men let make redy fire and water in hope to haue the childe But on the night when euery manne was a sléepe there came a tyrant named Sulapius that quenched the fire and threw out the water Neuerthelesse among all other there was a man named Ionathas that laboured so diligently that hée kept both day and night fire and water In a morning earely the Herauld at the Emperours commaundement went through the Citie and sought in euery house for Fyre and Water but hée could finde none tyll hee came to Ionathas house where as hée founde both Fyre and Water readie wherefore hee was brought béefore the Emperour and deliuered him his sonne according to his proclamacion When Ionathas had the Emperours sonne he led him home vnto his house And soone after he sent for masons and carpeÌ„ters let make a strong chamber of lyme and stone And when the chamber was made he sent for painters and let paint on the wall within the chamber x. Images with this posey paynted aboue their heads Who so defileth these Images shall dye a cruell death And than he lette draw on the dore agallous figure of a man hanging thervpon with this posey paynted aboue his head So shal he be serued that noursheth the Emperours sonne amisse Also he lette make a chaire of golde himselfe sitting therein crowned with a crowne of golde with this superscription aboue his head Who so nourisheth the Emperours sonne cleanly thus shal he be honoured Whan this was done often tymes as hée was a sléepe hée was greatly tempted to defyle these ten excelent Images but anone hée reade the superscription aboue their heads than all the temptations ceased And when the Emperours sonne was euill kept than went he to the gallows and read that posey which was writteÌ„ aboue his own head and for dread thereof kept the child better and was diligent to giue attendaÌ„ce on him And when he beheld the chayre and himselfe sitting therein crowned with a crowne of golde hée was right ioyfull thinking to haue a good reward for keeking of the Emperours sonne Whan the Emperour heard of his diligent demeanour aboute his sonne hée sent for him and for his sonne thanking him for his well keeping and
child Some aunswered and saide that the child should bée slaine and some would haue saued his lyfe while they stroue thus among themselues one of them that was most mercifull saide vnto the other O my good friendes heare my counsayle and ye shall not forethinke it If ye murther this innocent childe wée shall greatly offend almightie god and therefore héere bée young Pigges kill wée one of theÌ„ then may wée take with vs his hart and present it vnto the Emperour saying that it is the heart of the Childes blood Then said they thy counsaile is good but what shal we doe with the Child Good friends quod hee let vs wrap him in some clothes and late him in some holow trée for peraduenture God will help him saue his lyfe And when hée had thus said they did gladly after his counsaile in all things and killed the Pigge and went theyr way and carried home with them the Pigges hart to the Emperour saying vnto him thus Loe gracious Lord wée haue destroyed the Child as ye coÌ„maunded vs and with that they shewed him the Pigges heart The Emperour supposing that it had bene the Childes hart tooke it and cast it into the fire despitefully saying Loe that is the hart of him which should haue ben Emperour after me Lo what it is to beeléeue in dreames visions which be nought else but fantasies and vaine thinges The second day after that the Childe was put into the hollow tree there came an earle for to hunt in the forrest and as his houndes chased an harte they came to this hollow trée where the Childe laye and whan they felt the sauour of the Childe they would goe no farther The Earle séeing this maruailed greatly why his houndes abode there and smote his horse with his spures and rode a great pace till he came to them And when he came vnto the trée wherin the Childe was laide he looked in at an hole saw there the childe lying and then was hée right glad tooke vp the Childe in his armes full louingly and bare him home vnto his Castle saying vnto the Countesse his wise Loe my deere wise this day by fortune I haue found a very faire Childe in an holow trée as I hunted in the forrest whereof I am right glad And beecause that I neuer begat sonne daughter on thee ne thou neuer yet conceiued a childe therfore I exhort thée that thou wilt faine they selfe trauailing with childe and say that thou hast borne this childe The Countesse fulfilled right gladly the earles will and desire and said My most déere Lord your will in this thing shall bee done Not long after this newes went throughout all the country that the countesse was deliuered of a fayre Sonne wherfore euery man reioysed much The Childe beegan to grow and was right well beloued of euery man most specially of the earle and of the Countesse It beefell after when the Childe was xv yéeres of age the Emperour made a solempe feast vnto all the Lords of his Empyre vnto the which feast this earle was called and at the day assigned he came and brought his Childe with him which was at the time a fayre yong squire and â—aruer at the bord before the Earle The Emperour greatly béeheld him and espyed the token in his forehead which hee had séene beefore in the Fosters house wherfore hée was greatly moued and vexed within him selfe and saide vnto the Earle in this wise Whose Sonne is this certes said the Earle hee is my sonne Than saide the Emperour By the saith and trouth that thou owest vnto mée tell mee the trouth The earle séeing that hée might not excuse himselfe by no manner wise but that néeeds hee must tell him the trouth than told hée him altogether how hée had found him in the forrest in an hollow tree This hearing the Emperour was almost distracte of his wittes for anger called vnto him his seruants which he had sent before to destroy the Childe And when they came béefore him hée made them to sware vpon a booke that they should tell him the trouth what they had done with the Childe Gracious Lord saide they wée yéelde vs vnto your grace goodnes for without doubt pitie so moued vs that wée might not destroy him and then wée put him in an hollow trée but what afterward befell of him certainely we know not and in his steade we kilde a Pyg and brought you the hart thereof When the Emperour had heard the very trueth of this matter hee said vnto the earle This yong man quod hee shall abide heere by mée the earle immediatly grauÌ„ted though it was greatly against his will And when the feast was ended euery man tooke his leaue of the Emperour went whereas they list And at that time it fortuned that the Emprisse and hir daughter soiourned in a great countrie far fro thence by the commaundement of the Emperour It befell not long after the Emperour called vnto him that yong Squyre and saide it béehoueth thée quod hee to ride vnto the Emprisse my wife with my letters I am ready at your commaundement my Lord sayde hee to fulfill your desire Immediately the Emperour lette write letters whereof his intent was this That the Emprisse should take the bearer of these letters and let him bée drawen at the horse taile and after that shée should let him bée hanged till he were dead and that vpon paine of death When the letters were all made sealed then the Emperour tooke them vnto the yong squire commaunding him to spede him on his iorney And straight way the yong Squier receiued thé gladly and put them â—ure in his bore rode foorth on his iourney When hée had rydden thrée or foure daies on his iourney in an euening hee came vnto a Castle wher as dwelt a knight and gently desired him of a nights lodging The knight seeing and beeholding the good fauour of this young squier grauÌ„ted him lodginge and made him good cheere and well to fare and afterward brought him vnto his chamber when hée was there hee went to bed And immediatly fell on sléepe for hée was full wery of his â—ourney and forgot his boxe with the Letters lying openly in his chamber When the knight saw the bore hee opened it and sound the letters sealed with the Emperours signe manuel was greatly tempted to open them at the last hée opened them full subtylly and than hee redde how the Empresse vpon paine of death shoulde put the bearer of them to death and then he was right sorrowfull and saide within himselfe Alas quod hee it is great pitie to destroy such a fayre young man therefore if I may it shall not bée so And immediatly after the knight raced out that writtinge and wrote in the same paper a letter saying these words Upon paine of death I commaund thée that thou take the young Squire bearer of these letters and let