fayre of stature Lyche to an heuenlyche fygure And of maner of goodly speche Though men wold al londes seche They shold not haue founden her lyke She sawe hir fadre sorowe syke And wyst not the cause why So cam she to hym pryuely And that was where he made his mone Within a gardyn al hym one Vpon hyr knees she gan doune falle With humble hert to hym calle And sayd O good fadre dere Why make ye thus heuy chere And I wote nothyng how it is And wel ye knowe fadre this What auenture that yow felle Ye myght it saufly to me telle For I haue ofte herd you sayd That ye suche trust haue on me layd That to my suster ne to my brother In al this world ne to none other Ye durst haue told a pryuete So wel my fadre as to me For thy my fadre I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert awaye For I am she that wold kepe Your honour with that wepe Hyr eye may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her fadre so mystryst To tellen hyr of that he wyst And euer among mercy she cryede That he ne shold his counseylle hyde From hyr that so wold hym good And was so nyghe flesshe blood So that wepyng at the laste His chere vpon his child he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He told his tale thus he sayde The sorowe doughter whiche I make Is not al only for my sake But for the both for you alle For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shal or this thyrd day Lese al that euer I lese may My lyf al my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so What is the cause alas quod she My fadre that ye sholden be Deed destroyed in suche a wyse And he bygan the poyntes deuyse Whiche as the kyng told hym by mouth And sayd hyr pleynly that he couth Ansuere to no poynt of this And she that hereth how it is Hyr counseyl yafe sayd tho My fadre syn it is so That ye can none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wold pray of you a thyng Late me go with yow to the kyng And ye shal make hym vnderstonde Hou ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue leyd ansuere vpon me And telle hym in suche degre Vpon my word ye wol abyde Tho to lyue or deye what so betyde For yet per chaunce I maye purchace With som good word the kynges grace Your lyf eke your good to saue For ofte shal a woman haue Thyng which that a man may not areche The fadre herd the doughters speche And thought ther was reson ynne And sawe his owne lyf to wynne He reuthe done hym self no cure So better hym thought in auenture To put hym al his good Than in the maner as it stood His lyf in certeyne for to lese And thus thynkend he bygan to chese To do the counseyll of this mayde And eke the purpoos whiche she saide The day was come forth they gone Vnto the Court they come anone Where as the kyng in his Iugement Was set hath this knyght asent Arrayed in the best wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Hyr fadre led by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kyng with other whiche he wolde And to the kyng knelend he tolde As he enformed was to fore And prayth the kyng that he therfore His daughters wordes wol take And sayth that he wol vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stonde Tho was ther grete meritayl on honde That he whiche was soo wyse a knyÈt His lyf vpon so yong a wyght Be set wold in Ieopardye And many it helde for folye But at the last neuertheles The kyng commaunded to be in pees And to this mayde he cast his chere And seyd he wold hyr tale here And bad hyr speke she bygan My lyege lord so as I can Quod she the poyntes whiche I herde They shal of reson be ansuerde The first I vnderstond is this What thyng of al the world it is Whiche men moost helpe lest nede My lyege lord this wold I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo With mannys labour is vego As wel in wynter as in maye The mannes honde what he maye To helpe it forth make it ryche And for thy men it delue dyche And eren it with strengthe of plough Where it hath of hym self ynough So his nede is at the lest For euery man byrd best And flour gras rote rynde And euery thyng by wey af kynde Shal sterue erthe it shal bycome As it was oute of the erthe nome It shal to erthe torne ageyne And thus I may by reson seyne That therthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lord touchand of this I haue ansuerd how it is That other poynt I vnderstood Whiche most is worth most is good And costeth a man lest to kepe My lord yf ye wol take kepe I say it is Humylyte Thorugh whiche the hyghe Trynyte As for deserte of trewe loue Vnto Mary from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sone a doune he sent Aboue al other hyr he chese For that vertu whiche that bedeth pees So that I maye by reson calle Humylyte is most worthyest of alle And lest it costeth to mayntene In al the word as it is sene For who that hath humblesse vn hende He bryngeth no werâ—e in to londe For he desyreth for the best To set euery man in rest Thus with youre hyghe reuerence Me thynketh that this euydence As to this poynt is suffysaunt And touchend of the remenaunt Whiche is the thyrd of your askynges What lest is worth of al thynges And â—osteth most I telle it pryde Whiche may not in the heuene abyde For Luafer with hym it felle Bar Pryde with hym in to helle Ther was pryde of to grete a cost Whan he for pryde hath heuen lost And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde he lost his pryce In myddel erthe eke also Pryde is the cause of al We That al the world it may suffyse So stant of pryde the repryse Pryde is the heed of al synne Whiche wasteth all may not wynne Pryde is of euery mys the pryk Pryde is the worst of al wyck And costeth most lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayd that I wol sey Of myn ansuere to yow prey Myn lyege lord of your offyce That ye shal grace suche Iustyce Ordeyne for my fadre here That after this men it here The world therof may say good The kyng whiche reson vnderstood And hath al herd whiche she hath said Was inly glad so wel payd That al his wrath is ouer go And he bygan to loke tho Vpon this mayde in the face In whiche he founde so mochel
Prede que largitor pax in orbe timor d Estatu cleri vt dicunt secundum spiritualia videlicet tempore Ro â—â—th Gilbonensis qui nomen clemeÌ„tis â—â—â—â—tus est sibi tunc Antipape O thynk vpon the dayes old The lyf of clerkys to be hold Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample 〈◊〉 wle of al tho Which of wysedom the vertue souÈten Vnto the god fyrst they bysoughten As to the substaunce of here scole That they ne shold not be fole Her witte vpon none erthly werkes Which were ayene the astate of clerkis And that they myghten flee the vyce Whiche Symon hath in his offyce Wrerof he takyth gold in honde For thyke tyme I vnderstoÌ„de The lumbard made none exchaunge The bisshopryches for to chauÌ„ge Ne yet a letter for to send For dignyte ne for prouende Or curyd or without cure The chirche kay in aduenture Of armes of brigantaylle Stode no thyng thenne vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste Yet thought hem then not honeste But of symplycyte and pacyence They maden thenne no defence The court of worldly regaille To hem was thenne no bataylle The veyne honour is nought desyryd Whiche hath the proud herte fyred The humylyte was tho withholde And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy chirche the largesse Yafe thenne dyde grete almesse The poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word dede Wherof the peple ensample toke Her lust was al vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wyse men the ryght waye Of suche as stoode the trouth vnlered Lo thus is petrus barge stered Of hem that ylke tyme were And thus cam fyrste to mannys ere The feyth of cryst al good Thurgh hem that then ware good And sobre chast large wyse And now men seyn is other wyse Symon the cause hath vnder take The worldes swerd in hond is take And that is wonder netheles Whan crist hym self hath bode pees And set it in his testament How now that holy chirche is went Of that her lawe posyzyf Hath set to make werre stryf For wordly goodes which may not laste God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght wronge also But whyle the lawe is rewlyd so That clerkes to the werre intende I not how that they shal amend The woful world in other thynges To make pees bytwene kynges After the lawe of charyte Whiche is the propre dewte Belonged vnto the preesthode But as it thynketh to make manhode â–ª The heuen is for the world is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke to sleygh Whiche couetyse hath now withhold That they none other thynge behold But only that they myghten wynne And thus the werres they begynne Wherof the holy chirche is taxed That in the poynt as it is axed The dysme goth to the bataylle As though crist myght not auayle To do hem ryght by other waye In to the swerd the chirche kaye Is torned and the holy bede In to cursyng and euery stede Whiche shold stonde vpon the feyth And to this cause an ere leyth Astonyd is of the quarell That shold be the worldes heele Is now men sayn the pestyle nce Whiche hath expellyd pacyence Fro the clerge in specyal And that is shewyd oueral In euery thyng whan they be greuyd But yf gregory be beleuyd As it is in the bokes wryte He doth vs somdele to wete The cause of thylke Prelacye Where god is nought of companye For euery werke as it is foundyd Shal stonde or els be confoundid Who that only for cristes sake Desyreth care for to take And nought for pryde of thylk astate To bere a name of a prelate He shal by reson do proufyte In holy chirche vpon the plyte That he hath set his coÌ„scyence But in the worldes reuerence Ther be of suche many gladde Whan they to sylke astate be made Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wold hem self discharge Of pouerte become grete And for pompe for beyete The scryâ—e eke the pharysee Of moyses vpon the see In the chayre on hygh ben sette Wherof the feyth is ofte lette Whiche is bytake hem to kepe In crystes â–ª cause al day they slepe But of the world is nought foryete For wele is hym that now maye gete Offyce in court to be honouryd The strong Coffre hath al deuouryd Vnder the kaye of auaryce The tresour of the benefyce Wherof the poure shulne clothe And â–ª ete drynke house bothe The charyte goth al vnknowe For they no greyne of pyte knowe And slouthe kepyth the lybrarye Whiche longeth to the sayntuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffisith noâ—ght without more Delycacye his swete tothe Hath it suffryd so that it fordoth Of abstynence al that ther is And for to loken ouer this If ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to the mannes eye At Auynyon they peryence Therof hath youen an euydence Of that men seyn hem so deuyded And yet the cause is nought decyded But it is sayd euer shal Bytwene twoo stoles lyth the fall Whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy chirche of suche a flytte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote wel byfalle Towardes hym whiche hath the trouth But ofte is seen that mochel slouth Whan men ben drynke of the cuppe Doth moche harme whaÌ„ the fire is vppe But yf somwho the flamme stauÌ„che And so to speke vpon this brauÌ„che Which proud enuye hath made to spring Of scysme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an heresye Among the clerkes in hem selue It were better dyke delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe al that the byble sayth And erre as som clerkes do Vpon an hond to were a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men bebelden the vertuse That crist in erthe taught hyere They sholde not in suche maner Among hem that be hold wyse The papacye so desguyse Vpon dyuers electyon Whiche stant after thaffection Of sendry londes al aboute But whan god wol it shal weve oute Fâ—â— trouthe mote stande atte last But yet they argumenten fast Vpon the pope his astate Wherof they fallen in grete debate This clâ—rk sayd ye that other nay And thys â—â—ey dryue forth the daye And eche of hem hym self amendeth â—â— worldes good but none entendeth To if at whiche comyn proufyte were They seyen that god is myghty there And shal ordeyne what he wylle Ther make they none other skylle Where is the peryll of the feyth But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his world in specyal And of the cause general Whiche vnto holy chirche longeth Is none of hem that vnderfongeth To shapen ony resystence And thus the ryght hath noo defence But ther I loue ther I hold â—o thus to broke is Cristes fold Wherof the
Of man none other beeste Fro fyrst vnto the mannys heste Was euery creature ordeyned But afterward was restreyned Whan that he felle they fellen eke Whan he was seke they wexen seke For as the man hath passyon Of sekenes in comparyson So suffryn other creatures Lo fyrst the heuenly fygures hIc scribit quod ex diuisionis passione singula creata detrimentum corruptibile paciuntur tHe sonne the mone eclypsen to the And ben with mannys synne wroth The purest eyre for synne alofte Hath be is corrupt ful ofte Ryght now the highe wyndes blowe And anon after they ben lowe Now cloudy and now clere it is So maye it wel prouen by this A mannes synne is for to hate Whiche maketh the welken to debate And for to see the properte Of euery thyng m his degre Bynethe here among vs here Al stant a lyche in this mater The see now ebbeth now it floweth The loÌ„d now welketh now groweth Now the trees â–ª with leues grene Now they be bare nothyng sene Now be ther lusty somer floures Now be ther stormy wynter shoures Now be the dayes now be the nyÈtes So stant ther no thynge vpryghtes Now is it lyght now is it derke And thus stant al the worldes werke After the disposicion Of man his condycyon For thy Gregory in his moral Seyth that a man in specyal The lasse world is properly And that he proueth redyly For a man of soule resonable Is to an Angel resemblable And lyche to beste he hath felyng And lyche to trees he hath growyng The stones ben so is he Thus of his propre qualyte The man as tellyth the Clergye Is a world in his partye And whan this world mystorneth The a rete world al ouertorneth The lond the set the fyrmament They axen alle jugement Ayene the man make hym warre Ther whyle hym stant al out of harre The remenaunt wold nought acord And in this wyse as I record The man is cause of al woo Why this world is deuyded so Dyuysyon the gospel sayth One how 's vpon an other layâ—h Tyl that the Reygne ouerthrowe And thus many a man doth knowe Dynysyon abouen alle Is thyng whiche maketh the world â—alle â–ª And euer hath syth it began It may fyrst proue vpon a man Quod ex sue complexionis mate 〈◊〉 diuisus homo mortalis existat tHe whiche for his coÌ„plexyon Is made vpon deuysyon Of colde hote moyst drye He mote by verray kynde deye For the contrarye of his estate Stant euermore in suche debate Tyl that a part be ouercome Ther may no fynal pees be nome But â—therwyse yf a man were Made al to geder of one mater Withoute jnterupcion Ther shold no corrupcion Engen dyr vpon that vnyte But for ther is dyuersyte Within hym self he may not last That he ne dyeth at the last But in a man yet ouer this Ful grete dyuysyon ther is Thorugh which that he is euer in strif Whyle that hym last ony lyf Quod homo ex corporis anime condicione diuisus sicut saluacionis ita dampnacionis aptitudinem ingredituz tHe body the soule also Among hem ben deuyded so That what thyng that the body hateth The soule loueth debateth But netheles ful ofte is sene Of werre whiche is hem bytwene The feble bath the vyctorye And who so draweth in to memorye Qualiter Adam a statu innocen cie diuisus a Paradiso voluptatis in terram laboris peccator proiectus est wHat hath bifalle of old new He may that werreâ—sore rewe Whiche fyrst bygaÌ„ in paradys For ther was proued what it is And dysese ther is wrought For thylke werre tho forth brought The vyce of al dedly synne Thorugh whiche dyuysyon cam ynne Qualiter populi per vniuersum orbem a cultura dei diuisi Noe cum sua sequela duntaxat exceptis diluâ—io interierunt aMonge the men in erth here And was the cause the mater Why god the grete flodes sende Of al the world made an ende But Noe with his felauship Whiche only was sauf by shyp And ouer that thorugh synne it come That Nembroth syth th empyre nome Qualiter in edificacione Turris Babilonis quam in dei contemptum Nembroth erexit lingua prius hebreica in varias linguas celica vindicta di uidebatur wHan the toure babylon hyÈt Lat make as he that wold fiÈt Ayene the high goddes myÈt Wherof deuyded anon ryÈt Was the langage in suche eutent Ther wyst none what other ment So that they myght nought procede And thus it stant of euery dede Where synne taketh the caas on hond It may vpryght not long stonde For synne of hir condycyon Is moder of al deuysyon Qualiter mundus qui in statu diuisionis quali cotidianis presenti tempore vexatur flagellis a lapide superuenien te id est a diuina potencia vsque ad resolucionem omnis carnis subito contere tur aNd tokne whan the world shal fayle For so sayth crist without â—nyle That nyghe the worldes ende Pees acord a wey shal wende And al charyte shal seace Among the men hate encrece And whan these tokenes falle Al sodenly the stone shal falle As Danyel it hath byknowe Whiche al this world shal ouerthrowe And euery man shal than aryse To ioye or elles to iuise Where that he shal for euer duelle Or streyt to heuen or streyt to helle In heuen is pees al acorde But helle is ful of suche discorde That ther may be no loue day For thy good is whyle a man may Echone to sette pees with other And louen as his owne broder So may he wynne worldes welthe And afterward his soule helthe hIc narrat exemplum de concordia et vnitate inter homines pro uocanda Et dicit quida in ArionÌ„ uuâ— Citharista ex sui cantus Cithare que consonam melodiaÌ„ tante virtutis extiterat vt ipsum non solum virtum cum viro Sed eciam Leonem cum Cerua LupuÌ„ cum agno Canem cum lepore jpsum audientes vnanimiter absque vlla discor dia ad inuicem pacificauit bUt wold god that now were one Another suche as Aryone Whiche had anâ—harp of suche tempâ—ire And therto of so good mesure He songe that the bestes wylde Made of his note tame mylde The hynde in pees with the lyon The wolf in pees with the Motoâ— The hare in pees stood with the houÌ„d And euery man vpon this ground Whiche Aryon that tyme herde As wel the lord as the Shepeherde He brought hem al in good acord So that the Comon with the lord And lord with the Comon also He set in loue bothe two And put a wey melancolye That was a lusty melodye Whan euery man with other louz And yf ther were suche one nowe Whiche coude harpe as he dyde He myght auayle in many a stede To make pees where now is hate For whan
he nedes mote To geten his lyues fode Tho thought hym cold gras goode That whilome ete the hotâ— spyces Thus was he torned from delyces The wyn was wonte to drynke He took thenne of the welles brynke Or of the pyt or of the slough It thought hym then good ynough In stede of chambres wel arayed He was than of a busshe wel payed The hard ground he lay vpon For other pylowes had he non The stormes the raynes falle The wyndes blowe vpon hym alle He tormented day nyght Suche was the hyghe goddes myght Tyl seuen yere an ende toke Vpon hym self tho gan he loke In stede of mete grâ—s treys In stede of handes long cleys In stede of man a beste lyke He sawe than he gan to syke For cloth of gold of perrye Whiche hym was wonte to magnyâ—ye When he byheld his cote of here 's He wepte with woful teres Vp to the heuen he cast his chere Wepend thought in this manere Though he no wordes may wynne Thus sayd his hert spak withynne O myghty god that al hast wrought And al myÈt brynge ageyne to nouÈt Now knowe I but al of the This world hath no prosperyte In thyn aspect ben al alyche The poure man eke the ryche Withoute the ther may no wyght And thou aboue al other myght O myghty lord to ward my vyce Thy mercy medle with Iustyce And I wol make a couenaunt That of my lyf the remenaunt I shal it by the grace amende And in thy lawe so dispende That veyn glorye I shal eschewe And bowe vnto thyn heste sewe Humylyte that I vowe And so thenkend he gan doune bowe And though hym lacke boys speehe He gan with his fete areche And wenend in his beestly steuene He made his pleynt vnto the heuene He kneleth in his wyse brayeth To seche mercy assayeth His god whiche made hym nothyng strauÌ„ge When that he saw his pride chaÌ„ge Anone as he was huÌ„ble tame He fond toward his god the same And in a twynkelyng of a look His mannes forme ageyne he took And was reformed to the Reygne In which that he was wont to reygne So that the pryde of veyn glorye Euer afterward oute of memorye He lete it passe thus it shewed What is to ben of pryde vnthe wed Ageyne the hyghe goddes lawe To whome no man may be felawe For thy my sone take good hede So for to lede thy manhede That thou be not lyke a beste But yf thy lyf shal be honeste Thou must humblesse take on honde For than myght thou syker stonde And for to speke in other wyse A proud man can not assise For thouÈ a womaÌ„ wold hym please His pryde can not ben at ease Ther may noman to mochel blame A vyce whiche is for to blame For thy men shulden nothyng hyde That myght falle in blame of pryde Whiche is the worst vyce of alle Wherof so as it was byfalle The tale I thynke of a Cronyque To telle yf it may the lyke So that thou myght humblesse sewe And eke the vyce of pryde eschewe Wherof the glorye is fals veyne Which god hym self hath in dysdeyne That though it mounte for athrowe It shall falle doune ouerthrowe Est virtê° humilis per quam deus altus ad yma Sed tulit nostre viscera carnis habet Sic humibis superest et amâ—â— sibi subditur omnis Cuius habet nulla sorte superbus opem Odit eum tetra celum defecit et ipsum Sedibus interm stat que receptus ibi hIc narrat Confessor ExeÌ„plum contra superbiam Et dicit ê™ nuper quidam Rex famose prudencie cuidam Militi suo super questionibus vt inde certitudinis responsioneÌ„ daret subpena capitalis seutencie terminum pre fixit Primo quid minoris indigencie ab inhabitantibê° orbem auxilium maius obtinuit Secundo quid maioris valencie meritum continens minoris expense reprisas exiguÌ„t Tercio qid oiÌ„a bona diminuens ex sui proprietate nichil penitus valuit Quarum vero questionnm quedam virgo dicti militis filia nomine patris solucionem aggredi ens taliter Regi respondit Ad primaÌ„ dixit quod terra nullius indiget quaÌ„ tnÌ„ adiuuare cotidianis laboribê° omnes intendunt Ad secundam dixit ê™ humi litas omnibus virtutibus preualet qÌ„ tamen nullius prodegalitatis expensis meÌ„suram excedit Ad terciam dixit ê™ suê‘bia omnia tam corporis qmÌ„ anime bona deuastans maiorum expensarum excessus inducit aKing was whilom yoÌ„g wise The which of his wit set grete pryce Of depe ymagynacyoÌ„s And straunge Interpretacions Problemes demauÌ„des eke His wysedom was to fynde seke Wherof he wold in sondry wyse Opposen hem that were wyse But none of hem it myght vere Vpon his word to yeue ansuere Out taken one whiche was a knyght To hym was euery thyng so lyght That also sone as he hem herde The kynges wordes ansuerde What thyng the kynge axe wolde Ther anone the trouthe he tolde The kyng somdele had an enuye And thouÈt he wold his wyttes plye To set som conclusyon Whiche shold be confusyon Vnto this knyght so that the name And of wysedome the hyghe fame To ward hym self he wold wynne And thus of al his wyt to wynne The kyng bygan to study muse What straunge mater be myght vse The knyghtes wyttes to confounde And at last he hath it founde And for the knyght anone he sent That he shal telle what he ment Vpon the poyntes of the mater Of questions as thou shalt here The fyrst poynt of al thre Was this What thyng in al degre Of al this World hath nede lest And yet men helpe it alther mest The second What most is worth And of costage is lest put forth The thyrd is whiche is of most coste And lest is worth goth to loste The kyng these thre demauÌ„des axeth To the knyght this lawe he taxeth That he shal gone come ageyne The thyrd weke telle hym pleyne To euery poynt what it amounteth And yf so be that he myscounteth To make in his ansuere a faylle Ther shal none other thyng faylle The kyng sayth that he shal be dede And lese his goodes his hede The knyght was sory of this thynge And wold excuse hym to the kyng But he ne wold hym not forbere And thus this knyght of his ansuere Goth home to take auyfement But after his entendement The more he cast his wytte aboute Therof he stant the more in doute Tho wyst he wel the kynges hert That he the deth ne shold astert And suche a sow we has to hym take That gladship he hath forsake He thought fyrst vpon his lyf And after that vpon his wyf Vpon his childee eke also Of whiche he had doughters two The yongest of hem had in age Fourtene yere of vysage She was ryght
thank for euermore That other cause I yow assure Is why that I see couerture Haue feyned semblaunt oftyme To them that passen al day byme And benâ— louers as wel as I For this I wene truly That there is of hem al none That they ne louen euerychone My lady sothelyche I leue And durst sytten it in preue Is none so wyse that shold asterte But he were lustles in his herte For why he my lady syghe Her vysage her goodly eye But he her loued or he went And for that suche is myn entent That is the cause of myn aspye Why that I feyne companye And make folowe ouer al For gladly wold I knowen al And hold me couert alway That I fulofte ye or nay Ne lyst ansuere in ony wyse But feynyng semblaunt as the wyse And herken tales tyl I knowe My lady louers al on rowe And when I here how they haue wrought I fare as though I herd it nouÈt And as I no word vnderstode But that is no thynge for her goode For leueth wel soth it is That when I knowe it so is I wol but fordren hem a lyte But al the werst I can endyte I telle it to my lady plat For forthryng of myn owne estat And hyndre them al that I maye But for al that yet dar I saye I fynde vnto my self no bote Al though myn herte nedes mote Though of loue al that I here Dyscouer vnto my lady dere For in good feyth I haue no myght To hele fro that swete wyght If that it toucheth her ony thyng But this wote wel the heuen kyng That sythen fyrst this world bygan Vnto none other strannge man Ne feyned I semblannt ne chere To wyte or axe of this matere Though that he loueth x or twelue When it was nought my lady selue But yf he wold axe ony rede Al onlyche of his owne hede How he with other loue ferde His tales with myn ere 's I herde But to myn hert cam it nought Ne sanke no depper in my thought Bnt helde counseylle as I was bede And told it neuer m other stede But lete it passâ—as it come Now fadre saye what is thy dome And how thou wolt that I be peyned For fals semblanÌ„t as I haue feyned My sone yf reson be wel peised There may no vertu be vp reysed Ne vyce none be set in pryse For thy my sone yf thou be wyse Do no vyser vpon my face Whiche wol not thyn hert embrace For yf thou do within a throwe To another man it shal be knowe So myÈt thou lightely falle in blame And lese a grete part of thy name And netheles in this degre Ful oftyme thou myght se Of suche men as now a day This vyce sette in assay I speke for no mans blame But for to warne the thy shame My sone as I may here talke In euery place where I walke I not yf it be so or none But it is many dayes gone That I fyrst herd telle this How fals semblauÌ„t hath be is Most comonly from yere to yere With hem that duelle among vs here Of suche as we Lumbardes calle For they be the slyest of alle So as men seyn in Towne aboute To feyne shewe thyng withoute Whiche is reuers to that within Wherof that they ofte wyn Whan they by reson shold lese They ben the last yet they chefe And we fyrst yet behynde We gone where as we shuld fynde The proufyte of our owne lond Thus gone they fre withoute bond To done her proufyte al at large And other men bere al the charge Of Lumbardes vnto this couyne Whiche al londes conne engyne May fals semblaunt in especyal Br lykened for they euer al Where that they thynken for to duelle Among them self so as they telle Fyrst ben enformed for to lere A craft whiche cleped is faucrere For yf faucrere come aboute Than afterward stant no doute To voyde with a subtyle honde The best goodes of the lond And brynge chaf take corn Where as faucrere goth to forn In al his wey he fynt no let That doâ—e can none vssher shet In whiche hym lyst to take entre And thus the counseyll most secre Of euery thyng faucrere knoweth Whiche in to strauÌ„ge place he bloweth Whiche he wote it may most greue And thus faucrere maketh byleue So that ful ofte he hath deceyued Er that he may ben apperceyued Thus is his vyce for to drede For who these old bokes rede Of suche ensamples as were ar Hym ought be the more war Of al tho that feynen chere Wherof thou shalt a tale here hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos qÌ„ sub dissimulate beniuoleÌ„cie speculo alios m amore defrau dant Et narrat qualiter Hercules câ— Ipse quoddam fluuium cuiê° vadâ— non nouit cum Deianyra transmeare proposuit superueniens Nessus Gigas ob amiciciam Herculis vt dixit Deianyram in vlnas suâ—s suscipiens trans ri pam saluo perduxit Et statim cum ad litus peruenisset ê™ cito currere pptuit ipsam tamquam propriam in preiudicium Herculis asportare fugiens conabatur Per qd non solum ipsi sed eciam Herculi mortis euentum fortuna post modum causauit oF fals semblaunt whiche is beleued Ful many a worthy wyght is greued And was long tyme or he was bore To the my sone I wyl therfore A tale telle of fals semblaunt Whiche falseth many a couenaunt And many a fraude of fals couÌ„seylle There be honged vpon his seylle And that abouten gylteles Bothe Deyanyre hercules The whiche in grete dysese felle Thorugh fals semblauÌ„t as I shal telle When hercules within a throwe Al only hath his hert throwe Vpon the fayre Deyanyre It felle hym on a day desyre Vpon a ryuer as he stood That passe he wold ouer the flood Withoute bote with hym lede His loue but he was in drede For tendrenesse of that swete wyght For he knewe not the forth aryght There was a geaunt than nyghe Whiche Nessus hyght whan he syghe This hercules Deianyre Within his hert he gan conspyre As he whiche thought his trecherye Hath Hercules in grete enuye Whiche he bare in his herte loke And than he thought it shal be wroke But he ne durst netheles Ayene this worthy Hercules Falle in debate as for to fyght But feyned semblaunt al by sleyght Of frendship of al good And cometh where as they both stood And maketh hem al the chere he can And sayth that here owne man He is al redy for to do What thyng he may it fel so That than vpon his semblaunt tryst And axeth hem yf that they wyst What thyng were best to done So that they myghten sauf sont The water passe he she And whan Nessus the pryuete Knewe we of hert what it ment As he that was double of entent He made hem ryght a glad vysage And
shall specyfye So as the philosophre told Now herken kepe that thou it holde Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summi Qui capit agnoscit sufficit illud ei â–ª Plura vires quaÌ„doqÈ iuuat nescire set illud Qd videt ex pediens sobrius ille sapit Hic tractat de prima parte philosophie que theorica dicitur cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia scilicet Theologia Phisica et Mathematica Set primo illam partem Theoryce declarabit t F Theoryk pryncipalle The philosopher in specialle The propyrtees hath determyned And thylk whiche is enlumyned Of wysedom of hyhe prudence Abone al other in his scyence And stant experte vpon thre The first of whiche in his degree Is cleped in philosophye The scyence of Theologye That other named is phisik The thyrd is seid Mathematyk Theologye is that scyence Whiche vnto man yeueth euydence Of thyng whiche is not bodely Wherof men knowen redyly The hyhe almyghty trynyte Whiche is one god in vnyte Withouten ende and begyunyng And creatoure of al thyng Of heuen of erthe and eke of helle Wherof as olde bookes telle The philosophre in his reson Wrote vpon his conclusion And of his wrytynge in a clause He cleped god the first cause Whiche of hym self this ylke goode Withouten whome is nothyng good Of whiche that euery creature Hath his beyng his nature After the beyng of the thynges There ben the formes of beynges Nota qd triplex est essencia prima temporalis que incipit et desinit Secunda perpetuo que incipit et noÌ„ desinit Tercia sempiterna que nec incipit nec desimt Thyng whiche bygan and ende shal That thyng to cleped temporall There is also by other wey Thyng which bigan shall not deye As sowles that ben spirituell Here beyng is perpetuel But there is one aboue the sonne Whoos tyme was neuer bigonne And endeles shal euer be That is the god whoo 's mageste Al other thynges shall gouerne And his beyng is sempyterne The god to whome al honoure Belongeth he is creatoure And other ben his creatures The god commaunded the natures That they to hym obeyen alle Withouten hym what soo bifalle Here myght is none he may alle The god was ener euer shalle And they begonne of his assent The tymes al be present To god and to hem al vnknowe But what hym lyketh that they know Thus bothe an Angel and man The whiche of al that god hygan Be chyef obeyen to goddes myght And he stont endeles vp ryght To this seyence ben pryue The clerkes of dyuynyte The whiche to the peple prechen The feythe of hooly chirche and techen Whiche in one caas of bileue Stant more than they conne preue By wey of argument sensyble But netheles it is credyble And doth a man grete mede haue To hym that thynketh hym self to saue Theology in suche a wyse Of hyhe seyence and hyhe pryse Aboue al other stant vnlyke And is the first of theoryk Nota de secunda parte Theoryce que Phisica dicitur â–ª Phisike is after the second Thurgh which the philosophre hath foÌ„de To techen sondry knowbechynges Vpon the lodelyche thynges Of man of beest of erthe of stone Of fisshe of fowle of euerychone That ben of dedely substaunce The nature and the circumstaunce Thorugh this scyence it is ful softe Which vaileth not which vaileth ofte Nota de tercia parte Theorice que Mathematica dicitur cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencies scilicet Ausmetricam Musicam Geometriam et Astronomiam Sed primo de Ausmetrice natura dicere intendit tHe third poynt of Theoryk Whiche cleped is Mathematyk Deuyded is in soudry wyse And stant vpon dyuerse appryse The first of whiche is ars metryk And the second is said Musik The thyrd is eke gemetrye Also the fourth astronomye Of ars metryk the matere Is that of whiche a man may lere What Algarysme in nombre amouÌ„teth When that the wyse man acompteth After the formuel propyrte Of Algarysmes A b c By whiche mnltyplycacion Is made and deuysyon Of sommes by experyence Of this arte this scyence â–ª Nota de Musica que secunda pars artis Mathematice dicitur The second of Mathematyk Whiche is the scyence of Musik That techeth vpon armony A man to make melody By voyce soune and InstruÌ„ment Thorugh notes of acordement The whiche men pronounce alofte Now sharp notes now softe Now hye notes now lowe As by gammuth a man may knowe Whiche techeth the prolacion Of note and the condycion Nota de tercia specie artis Mathematice quam geometriam vocant Mathematik of his scyence Hath the thyrd ntellygence Ful of wysedom and of clergy And cloped is Geometye Thorugh which a maÌ„ hath thylk sleiÈt Of length of brede of depth of heyÈt To knowe the proporcion Of very calculacion Of this scyence in this wyse As these old philosophres deuyse Of al this worldes erthe round How large how thyk was the grouÌ„d Contryued by this experyence The Cercle and the circumference Of euery thyng vnto the heuen They setten poynte mesure euen Mathematik aboue the erthe Of hye scyence aboue the ferth Whiche speketh vpon Astronomye And techeth of the sterres hyhe Begynnyng vp ward fro the mone But first as it was for to done This Aristotles in other thyng Vnto this worthy yong kyng The kynde of euery element Whiche stonden vnder the firmament How it is made and in what wyse Fro poynt to poynt he can deuyse Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat Nostra qâ— quadruplici coÌ„plexis sorte creatur Corpore sic qy suo stat variatus homo Hic interim tractat de creacione qua tuor elementorum scilicet terre Aque aeris et ignis Nec non et eorum naturis nam et singÌ„ulis proprietates singule attribuuntur tO fore the creaÌ„cion Of ony worldes stacion Of heueÌ„ of erth eke of helles So as these olde bookes telles As sone to fore the songe is set And yet to geder knyt Ryght so the hyghe purueaunce Tho had vnder his ordynaunce A grete substaunce a grete matere Of whiche he wold in his manere This other thyng make and forme For yet withouten ony storme Was that mater vnyuersall Whiche his ylem in special Of Ilem as I am enformed These elementes ben made fourmed Of ylem elementes they hote After the scole of Aristote Of whiche yf more I shal reherce Foure elementes there ben dyuerse Nota de terra quod est primum elementum The first of hem erthe men calle Whiche is the lowest of them alle And in his forme is shape round Substancialle stronge sadde sounde As that whiche made is suffysaunt To bere alle the remenaunt For as the poynte in a compas Stant euen amyddes ryght so was This erthe set shal abyde That it may swerue to no
slowe and wery soone Of euery thyng whiche is to done He is of kynde suffisaunt To hold loue his couenaunt But to hym lacketh appetyâ—â— Whiche longeth vnto suche delyte What man that taketh his kynd oâ— the ayâ—â— He shal be lyght he shall be fâ—yre De complexione sanguinis Fyrst his complexion is bloode Of al there is none so good Forth he hath bothe wylle myght To plese and pay loue his right Where he hath loue vndertake Wrong is yf he be forsake The fire of his condicion Appropreth the complexion Whiche in a mâ—n is cold hote Whoo 's propirtâ—â—s ben drye hote It maketh a man to be engynous And swyfte of foote â—ke yrous Of conteke â—ke ful of hastynesse He hath a ryght grete besynesse To thynk on loue and lytel mâ—y Though he be hote wel â— day On nyght when that he wol assay He may ful euyll his dette pay Nota qualiter quatuor complexionis quatuor in homine huÌ„acoÌ„nes diuiâ—â—m possident After the kynde of the element Thus stant a mannes kynde went As touchyng his complexion Vpon sondry dyuysyon Of drye of moyst of colde of hete And eche of hem his owne sete Appropred hath within a man And first to telle as I began Splen domus est melancolie The splen is to Melencolye Assigned for herborgery Pulmo domus est fleumatis The moyste fleume the whiche is cold Hath in the longes for his holde Ordeyned hym a propre stede And dwelleth there as he is bede Epar domus est sanguiuis To the sanguyne complexion Nature of his inspection A propre how 's hath in the lyuer For his dwellyng made delyuer Fel domus colere The fourth coloure with his hetâ— By wey of kynde his propre sete Hath in the gâ—lle where he dwelleth So as the philosophre telleth Nota de stomâ—cho qui vna cum alijs specialius deseruit Now ouer â—â—â—s is for to wyte As it is in phisike wryte Of lyuer longe of galle of splene They al vnto the herte bene Seruanntes and eche in his offyce Entendeth to doo hym seruyce As whiche is lord aboue The lyuer maketh hym for to loue The longes gyue hym wey of speche The galle serueth to doo wreche The splene doth hym to laugh play Whan al vnclennes is away Loo thus hath eche of hem in dede To suffren hem and fede In tyme of recreacion Nature hath increacion The stomake for a comune koke Ordeyneth so as seith the booke The stomak Cook is for the halle And boyleth mete for hem alle To make hem myghty for to serue The herte that he shall not sterue For a kyng in his empyre Aboue al other is lord syre So is the herte pryncipall To whome reson in special Is yeue as for the gouernaunce And thus nature his purueaunce Hath for man to lyuen here But god the whiche the sowle deâ—â— Hath formed it in other wyse That can no man pleynly deuyse But as Clerkes vs enforme That lyche to god it hath a forme Thorugh whiche forme and lykenesse The sowle hath many an hye noblesse Appropred to his owne kynde But of hiâ— wyt be made blynde Al onlyche of this ylk poynte That hir abydyng is conioynte For with the body for to dwelle That one desireth toward the helle That other vpward vnto heuen So shold they neuer stond in enâ—n But yf the flesshe be ouercome And that the sowle haue hooly nome The gouernaunce and that is selde Whyle that the â—â—esshe may he welde Al crthely thyng whiche god began Wao only made to serue man But the sowle al only made Hym seluen for to serue and glade And other beestes that men fynde They serue vnto hir owne kynde But to reson the sowle serueth Wherof the man his thonke deserueth And gete hym with his werkes good The perdurable syues foode hIc loquitur vlterius de diuisione terre â—ue post deluuium tâ—bus filijes Noe in tres partes seilicet Asiam affâ—â—cam Europam diuidebatur oF that mater it shall be told A tale lyketh many fold The better yf it be spoke pleyne Thus 〈…〉 I for to torne ageyne And telle pleynly therfore Of the erthe wherof now to fore I spake and of the waters eke So as these old clerkes speke And set propyrly the bounde After the forme of mappamounde Thorugh which the greuÌ„d in partyes Departed is in thre partyes That is Asye Affryke Europe The whiche vnder the heuen cope Begâ—ypeth al this erthe rounde As serre as stretcheth ony grounde But after that the hyhe wreche The water weyes lete oute feche And ouer goo the hylles hye Whiche euery kynde made dye That vpon myddel erthe stood Oute take Noe his bloode His sone his doughters thre They were saue so was he Her names who that rede ryght Sem Cam Iaphet the bretheren hyÈt And when thylk almyghty honde Withdre we the water fro the londe And al the rage was away And erthe was the mans weye The sones thre of whiche I told Ryght after that them self wold This world departe they begonne Asia the whiche lyeth to the sonne Vpon the marche of Oryent Was graunted by a comune assent To whome whiche was sone oldest For that partye was the best And double as moche as other two And was that tyme bounded soo Wher as the flode whiche meÌ„ nyle calleth Departed fro his cours falleth In the see Alleâ—andryne There taketh Asye first sesyne Towards the west ouer this Of Cana hym where the flood is In to the grete see rennende Fro that in to the worldes ende After Asy it is algates Till that men comen vnto the gates Of paradys and there hoo And shortely for to speke it so Of Oryent in generall Within his bounde Assy hath allâ— Nota hic de Affrica et Europa And than vpon that other side Westward as it felle thylk tyde The brother whiche hyghte cam Vpon his parte Affryke nam Iaphet Europe tho took he Thus parâ—â—d they the world in thrâ— But yet ther ben of londes fele In occident as for the chele In oryent as for the hete Whiche of the peple be forlete As londe deserte that is vnable For it may not be erable Nota de mare quod magnum Occeanum diatur The water eke hath sondry bounde After the londe where it is founde And taketh his name of thylk londes Where that it renne on the strondes But thylke see whiche no wane Is cleped the grete Occeane Oute of whiche aryse and come The hye floodes al and some Is none so lytell wel spryng Whiche there ne taketh his begynnyng Lyche a man that haleth brethe By wey of kynde so it gethe Oute of the see and in ageyne The water as the bookes seyne Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto elemento quod omnia sub celo creata infra suuÌ„ ambitum continet cui nomeÌ„ orbis specialiter appropriatuÌ„ eÌ„ oF elementes the propyrtees How
what thyng is vycyoâ—â—s Touchyng for that lawe There may no maner man withdrawe The whiche Veneryen is bore By wey of kynde and therfore Venus of loue the goddesse Is cleped but of wantonnesse The clymate of hir lecherye Is moost comune in lumbardye Nota de sole qui medio planetaram residens Astrorum principatum obtinet Next vnto the planetes of loue The bryght sonne stont aboue Whiche is the hynderer of the nyght And fâ—rthereth of the dayes lyght As he whiche is the worldes â—ye Thorugh whome the lusty companye Of fowles by the morolâ—e synge The fresshe floures sprede and spryng The hye tree the ground beshadeth And euery mans herte gladeth For it is the hede planete Now that he sytteth in his sete Of what rychesse and what nobleye These bookes telle and thus they seye Nota de curru solis necnon de eius dem apparatu oF gold glispering spole whele The sonne his carte hath fayr we le In which he sytteth is coroned With bryght stones enuyroned Of whiche yf that I speke shal There be to fore in specialle Set in the frounte of his corone Hâ—â— stones whiche no persone Hath vpon erthe and the fyrst is By name cleped Lycuthis That other two ben cleped thus Astryces and Seramyus In his Corone also behynde By old bookes as I fynde There ben of worthy stones thre Set eche of his degre Wherof a Cristal is that one Whiche that Coroune it set vpone The second is an admaunt The thyrd is noble and aduenaunt Whiche cleped is ydryates And ouer this yet netheles â—oâ—â—n the sydes of the werk After the wrytyng of the clerk There syt â— stones â—â—o The smaragdyne is one of tho â—osâ—â—s and Elithropius And dendydes and Iacinctus Loo thus the Corowne is byset Wherof it shyneth wel the bet And in suche wyse his lyght to sprede Syt with his Dyademe on his hede The sonne shynyng in his carte And for to lede hym swythe smarte After the bryght dayes lawe There ben ordeyned for to drawe Four horses his chare hym with all Wherof the names telle I shall Ertheus the first is hote The whiche is tede shynyng hote The second acteos the bryght Lampes the thyrde hors hyght And philogeus is the ferth That bryngeth lyght in to this erthe And gone so swyft vpon the heuen In foure twenty houres euen The carte with the bryght sonne They drawe so that ouer ronne They haue vnder the Cercles hyghe Al myddel erthe in suche an hyghe And thus the sonne is oueral The chyef planete Imperiall Aboue hym and bynethe hym thre And thus bitwene tweyne renneth he As he that hath the myddel place Among the seuen of the face Be glad al erthely creatures And taken after the natures Here ease and recreacion And in his Constellacion He that is bore in speciall Of good wylle of lyberall He shalle â—e founde in al place And also stonden in myddel grace Toward the lordes for to serue And grete profyte thonke deserue Aud ouer that it causeth yet A man to be subtyle of wytte To worche in gold to be wyse In euery thyng that is of pryse But for to speken in what Coost Of al this erthe he regneth moost As for wysedom it is in grece Where is appropred thylke spece Nota de quinta planeta que mars dicitur Mars the planete batayllous Next to the sonne glorious Aboue stant doth meruaylles Vpon the fortune of batayles The Conquerours by dayes olde Were vnto this planete holde But who that his natyuyte Hath taken vpon the propyrte Of Martes disposicion By weye of constellacion He shall be fers and ful hastyf And desirous of werre and strif But for to telle redyly In what clymate moost contynuelly That this planete hath his affect Said is that he hath his aspect Vpon the hooly londe so cast That there is no pees stedfaste Nota de sexta planeta que Iubiter dicitur Aboue mars vpon the heuen The sixthe planete of the seuen Stant Iubiter he delycate Whiche causeth pees and no debate For he is cleped that planete Whiche of his kynde cold heete Attempreth all that to hym longeth And whom this planete vnderfongeth To stonde vpon his rayment He shall be meke and pacyent And fortunate to marchaundye And lusty to delycacye In euery thyng whiche he shal dâ— This Iubiter is cause also Of the scyence of highe werkes And in this wyse tellen clerkes He is the planete of delyces But in Egypt of his offices He renneth moost in specialle For there be lustes oueralle Of al that to this lyf befalleth For there no stormy weder falleth Whiche myght greue man or beest And â—â—e the londe is so honest That it is plentyuous and pleyne There is no ydell ground in veyne And vpon suche felycite Stant Iubiter in his degre De septima planeta que reliquis celcior Saturuus dictus est The hyest and abouen alle Stant the planete whiche men calle Saturnus whos complexion Is cold and his condicion Causeth malyce and cruelte To hym whoo 's natyuyte Is set vnder his gouernaunce For al his werkes ben greuaunce And enemy to mans hele In what degre that he shalle dele His clement is the oryent Where that he is moost vyolent Of the planetes by by How that they stonde vpon the sky Fro poynt to poynt as thou myÈt here Was Alysander made to lere But ouer this touchyng his lore Of thyng that they hym taught more Vpon the scoles of Clergy Now herken the philosophy Postquam dictum est de septem planetâ—s quibus sigule septimane dies sin gulariter attitulantur dicendum est â—aÌ„ de duodecim signis per quem duodecim meÌ„ses anni varijs temporibus effectus varijs assecuutur He whiche departed day fro nyght That one derk that other lyght Of seuen dayes made a wyke A moneth of foure wekes eke He hath ordeyned in his lawe Of monethes xij eke forth drawe He hath also the long yere And as he sette of his powere Accordaunt to the dayes seuen Planetes seuen vpon the heuen As thou to fore host herde deuyse To speke right in suche a wyse To euery moneth by hym selue Vpon the heuen of signes twelue He hath after his ordynalle Assigned one in specialle Wherof so as I shall reherce The tydes of the yere dyuerse But pleynly for to make it knowe How that the signes set arowe Eche after other by degre In substaunce and in propyrte The ydyote comprehendeth Within his Cercle it appendeth Nota hic de primo signo quod Aries diatur cuius meÌ„sis specialiter mar 〈◊〉 appropriatus est Quo deus in primo produxit adesse creata The whiche of the fyrst netheles By name is cleped Aryes Whiche lyche a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure And as it is seyd in almageste Of sterres twelue vpon the beste Bene set wherof in his degre The wâ—â—e
Decimum signuÌ„ capricornius vicitur cuius mensis decembris est ipse diem nauo nectem que giganti figurat The x signe drye and colde The whiche is capricornus colde Vnto a ghoot hath resemblaunce For whos loue acqueyntaunce Within his how 's to sorourne It liketh vnto satourne But vnto the mone it liketh nought For no prouffyte is there wrought The signe as of his propyrte Vpon his heed hath sterres thre And eke vpon his wombe two And two vpon his tayle also Decembre after the yeres forme So as the bookes vs enforme â—yth dayes shorte nyghtes longe This ylke signe hath vnderfenge VndecimuÌ„ signuÌ„ aquarius dicitur cuius mensis â—anuarius est Quo ianus vultum dupâ—â— conuertit in annum Of two that siâ—ten vpon the heuen Of signes in the nombre enleuen Aquarius hath take his place And stante wel in saturnus grace Whiche dwelleth in his berbegage But to the sonne he doth outrage This signe is berayly resembled Like to the man which hath assembled In eyther honde a water spoute Wherof the stremes rennen out He is of kynde moyste and hote And he that of the sterres wote Seyth that he hath of sterres twoo Vpon his heed ben of â—ho That capricorn hath on his ende And as the bokes maken mynde That tholomeus made hym self He hath eke on his womle twelf And two vpon his ende stonde Thou shalt also vnderstonde Tho frosty colde ryuere Whan comen is the newe yere That â—anus wyth double face In his chayer hath take his place And loketh vpon bothe sydes Somme dele toward the wynter tydes Somme dele to ward the yere suyng That is the monthe bylongyng Vnto this sygne of his dole Ye yeueth the fyrst prymerole Duo decimum signum psicis dicitue cuius mensis februarius est â–ª Quo pluuie torrens riparum concitat ampnes The xiâ— signe is laste of alle Of signes pisces men it calle The whiche is as telleth the scripture Beteth of two fysshes the fygure So is he colde and moyste of kynde And eke wyth sterres as I fynde Beset in sonâ—ry wyse as thus Two of his ende aquarius Hath lente vnto his heed two This signe hath of his owne also Vpon his wombe ouer this Vpon his ende also there is A nombre of xx sterres righte Which is to seen wonder sight Toward this signe in to his hous Cometh â—ubyter glorious And venus eke with hym accordeth To dwellen as the book recordeth The month but to this signe ordeyneth Is february which be reyned And with londe flodes in his rage That fordes letteth the passage Now hast thou herde the properte Of signes but in this degree Albumazare yet ouer this Seyth so as the erthe parted is In four right so ben deuysed The signes twelue and stonde assised That eche of hem in his partye Hath his clymate to â—ustefye Wherof the first regyment Toward the parte of orryent From antioche and that contre Gouerned is of signes thre That is cancer virgo leo And toward thocâ—â—dent also From Armenye as I am lerned Of capricorn it stant gouerned Of piscis and aquarius And after hem I fynde thus Southward fro alisaunder forth Tho signes whiche moste ten worth In gouernaunce of that dayayre Librn they ben and sagittayre With soorpyo whiche is conioynt With hem stante vpon the poynt Of constantynople the cyte So as the bookes tallen me The last of this dyuysion Stant outward septemtryon Where as by weye of pourueâ—unâ—e Aryes hath the gouernaunce Forth with Taurus and gemini Thus ben the signes propirly Deuyded as it is â—hersed Wherof the londes ben dyuersed Loo thus my sone as thou myght here Was Alysander made to lere Of hem that werken for his lore But now to loken ouermore Of other sterres how they fare I thynke herafter for to declare So as kyng Alysander in youthe Of hem that suche thynges couthe Enformed was tofore his eye By nyght vpon the sterres hyhe Hic tractat super doctrina Nectanabi dum ipse Iuuenem Allexandrum instruxit de illis precipue quindecim stellis vna eorum lapidibus et herbis â—ue ad artis Magice naturalis operaci onem specialius conueniunt vPon sondry creacion Stant sondry operacion Some worth this some worth that The fire is hote in his estat And brenneth what he may attryne The water may the fire restreyne The whiche is cold and moyst also Of other thyng it fareth also Vpon the erthe among vs here And for to speke in this manere Vpon the heuen as men may fynde There sterres ben of sondry kynde And worchen many sondry thynges To be that ben hir vnderlynges Among the whiche forth with alle Nectanabus in specialle Whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a grete magycyen And vndertake hath thylke empryse To Alysander in his appryse As of magyke naturele To knowe enformed hem somdele Of certeyne sterres what they mene Of whiche he seith thâ—â— ben fyftene And sonderly to euerychone A gras belongeth and a stone Wherof men worchen many a wonder To set thyng lothe vp and vnder Prima stella vocatur Aldeâ—oran cuius carbunculus et herba anabulla est To telle right as he bigan The first sterre Aldeâ—oran The clerest and the moost of alle By right name men it calle Whiche is of condicion To mars and of compleyion To Venus and hath therupon Carbuncle his propre stone His herbe is anabulla named Whiche is of grete vertu proclamed Secunda stella vocatur Clota seu pliades cuins lapis cristallum et herba funiculus est The second is not vertules Clota or els plyades Is hote and of the mones kynde He is and also this I fynde He taketh of mars complexion And lyche to suche condicion His stone appropred is Cristalle And eke his herbe in specialle The vertuous Fenel it is The thyrdde whiche cometh after this Tercia stella vocatur Algol â–ª cuius la pis Diamans et herba Eleborum nigrum est Is hote Algol the clere rede Whiche of Saturne as I may tâ—de His kynde taketh and eke of Ioâ—e Complexion to his beloue His propre stone is Dyamant Whiche is to hym moost acordaunt His herbe whiche is hym betake Is hote Eâ—â—â—pum the blake Quarta stella vocatur Alhaiot cuius lapis â—aphiâ—s et herba maribium est So as it falleth vpon â—â—tte The fourthe sterre is Albaiotte Whiche in the wyse as I said et Of saturne and of â—ubiter Hath take his kynde and therupon Saphire is his propre stone Maâ—bium his herbe also The whiche acorden to the two Quintâ— stella vocatut canis mator cu ius lapis berâ—â—â—us et herba sauina est And canis maior in his lyke The fifth sterre is of magyke The whoo 's kynde is veneryen As seith this Astronomyen His propre stone is said beryll But for to worche and to fulfylle Thynge whiche to this scyence falleth There is an herbe whiche men calleth Saueyne and that he
cleped in philosophy Wherof touchyng this party Is Rethoryke the scyence Appropred to the reuerence Of wordes that ben resonable And for this arte shalle be vaylable With goodly wordes for to lyke It hath grammer it hath logyke That seruen bothe vnto the speche Gramer hath first for to teche To speke vpon congruyte Logyke hath eke in his degre Bitwene the trouthe and the falshede The pleyne wordes for to shede So that no thynge shal goo beside That he the right shall not decyde Wherof full many a grete debate Reformed is to good estate And pees susteyned vpon lofte With easy wordes and with softe Where strengthe shold lete it falle The philosophre amonges alle For they commenden this scyence Whiche hath the rewle of eloquence In stone and gras vertu ther is But yet the bookes tellen this That worde about al erthely thynges Is vertuous in his doynges Where so it be euylle or good For yf the wordes semen good And ben wel spoke at mannes ere Whan that there is no trouthe there They done ful ofte ful grete deceyte For when the word to the conceyte Discordeth in so double wyse Suche Rethoryke is to despyse In euery place and for to drede For Plyxes thus I rede And in the booke of Troye is founde His eloquence and his faconde Of goodly wordes whiche he told Hath made that Anthenor hym sold The towne whiche he with treson wan Worde hath begyled many a man With word the wyld beest is dauÌ„ted With worde the serpent is enchaunted Of worde amonge the men of armes Ben woundes heled with the charmes Wordes ben vertuous and fyne Where lacketh other medycyne Of sorcery the carectes The wordes ben of sondry sectes Of euylle and eke of good also The wordes maken frende and foo Of foo a frende and pees of werre And werre of pees and oute of herre The word the worldes cause entryketh And reconcyleth whome hym lyketh The word vnder the cope of heuen Set euery thynge or odde or euen With word the hyhe god is plesyd With worde the worldes ben apesed The softe worde the lowde stylleth Where lacketh good that word futfylloth To make amendes for the wronge Whan wordes medlen with the songe It doth plesaunce wel the more But for to loke vpon this lore How Tullius his Rethoryke Compouneth there a man may pyke How that he shalle his wordes set How he shalle loose how he shall knet And in what wyse he shall pronounce His tale pleyne withoute frounce Wherof ensample yf thou wylt seche Take hede and rede whiâ—ome the speche Nota de eloquencia Iulij in causa Cateline contra Tilenum et alios tunc vrbis Romane continentes oF Iulius and Cithero Which consul was of rome tho Of Caton eke and Tillene Beholde the wordes hem bit wene When the treson of Catelyne Discouered was and the couyne Of hem that were of his assent Was knowe and spoke in parlement And asked how and in what wyse Men shold done hem to Iewyse Cillenus first his tale tolde And as he was to trouthe beholde The comyn proufite for to saue â–ª He said treson shold haue A cruel deth â–ª and thus they speke The consull bothe Caton eke And saiden that for suche a wronge There may no peyne be to strong But Iulius with wordes wyse His tale told al other wyse As he whiche wold his deth respite And foundeth how he myght excyte The Iuges thorugh his eloquence Fro dethe to torne the sentence And set hir hertes to pyte Now tolde they now cold he They speken playne after the lawe But he the wordes of his sawe Coloured in another wey Spekyng and thus bitwene the swey To trece vpon this Iugement Made eche of hem his argument Wherof the tales for to lere There may a man the scole here Of Rethoryke the eloquence Whiche is the second of scyence Touchyng to philosophye Wherof a man shalle justifye His wordes in disputacion And knytt vpon conclusion His argument in suche a forme Which may the pleyne trouth enforme And the subtile cautele abate Whiche euery trewe man shalle debate Peacticat quemqÈ statum pars tercia philosophie Ad regimen recte donec in orbe vie Set quanto maior rex est tanto magis ipsum â–ª Ex scola concernit qua sua regna regat Hic tractat de tercia parte philosophie que practica vocatur â–ª cuius species sunt tres scilicet Ethica Iconomia et policia quarum doctrina regia inagestas in suo regimine ad honoris magnificenciam per singula dirigitur tHe first whiche theoryk And the second Rethoryke Scyences of philosophy I haue hem tolde as in party So as the philosophre it told To Alysander and now I wold Telle of the thirdde what it is The whiche practyke cleped is Practyke stant vpon thre thynges To ward the gouernaunce of kynges Wherof the first Etyke is named The whoo 's seyence stant proclamed To trehe of vertu thylke rule How that a kynge hym self shal rule Of his moral condicion With worthy disposicion Of good lyuyng in his persone Whiche is the chyef in his corone It maketh a kyng also to lerne How he his body shall gouerne How he shalle wake how he shall slepe How that he shalle his he le kepe In mete in drynke in clothynge eke There is no wisedome for to seke As for the reule of his persone Whiche this scyence al one Ne techeth as by wey of kynde That there nothyng leue behynde That other poynt whiche to practyke Belongeth to Iconomyke Whiche techeth thylke honeste Thorugh whiche a kynge in his degre His wyf and child shalle rule gy So ferforth all the company Whiche in his houshold shold abyde And his estate on euery syde In suche manere for to lede That he his houshold not myslede Practyke hath yet the thyrdde appryse Whiche techeth how and in what wyse Thorugh hyhe purueyed ordynaunce A kynge shalle set in gouernannce His reame and that is pollycye Whiche longeth vnto regalye In tyme of werre in tyme of pees To worship and to god encrees Of clerke of knyght of Marchaunte And so forth of the remenaunt Of all the comyn peple aboute Within borgh and eke withoute Of hem that ben artificers Whiche vsen craft and mysters Whoo 's arte is cleped Mathematyke And though they be not all lyke Yet neuertheles how so it falle One lawe mote gouerne hem alle Or that they lese or that they wyn After the state that they ben in Loo thus the worthy yong kyng Was fully laught of euery thyng Whiche myght yeue entendement Of good rule and of good regemâ—t Is suche a worthy prynce as he But of verry necessite The philosophre hym hath bitake Fyue poyntes which he hath vndertaâ—e Toke and hold in obseruaunce â—fore the worthy gouernaunce Whiche longeth to his regalye After the rule of polycye Moribus ornatus regit hic qui regâ—â— moderna Tercius exspectat cepâ—â—â—
To god he yeueth the heuen ryche The world yeueth onely but a name Which stante vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen that done wel here Wherof yf that thou list to here After the fame as it is blowe Ther myght thou wel the soth knowe How thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first of rightwysnesse Emonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde songe And hole in the cronyke write So that the men shullen wyte To speke good as they wel oughten Of hem that first the lawes soughten In forderyng of the worldes pees Vnto thebrewes was moyses The first the Egypciens Mercurius to troiens First was ne wma pompilius To athenes ligurius Yaue first the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And romulus of romayns For suche men as ben vylayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeyneth That what man the lawe pleyneth By so the juge stonde vp right He shal be serued of his right And so ferforth it is befalle That lawe is comune emonge vs alle God lene it moâ—e wel be holde As euery kyng therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette With kynges ought it not to be lette What kyng of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royame kepe Do lawe aweye what is a kynge Where is the right of ony thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kyng wel vnderstonde As he which is to lawe sworne That yf the lawe be forlorne Withouten execusyoun Hit maketh a londe torne vp so dou n Which is vnto the kyng sclaundre For thy vnto kyng alisaundre The wyse philosophre hadde That he hym self first be ladde Of lawe than forth with alle To doo justyse in generalle That al the wyde londe aboute The iustyce of his lawe doubte And than shal he stonde in reste For therto lawe is one the beste Aboue al other erthely thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But how a kyng shal gete hym loue Toward the hygh god aboue And eke a man in erthe This nexte poynte whiche is the ferthe Of aristotles lore it techeth Wherof who the soole secheth What polecye that it is The book reherceth after this Nil racionis habens vbi vel tiraÌ„ni 〈◊〉 regna Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi Set pietas regnum que conseruabit in euum Non tantum po pulo set placet illa deo Hic tractat de quarta principum re giminis policia que pietatis dicta est per quam principes erga populum mi serioordes effecti misericordiam altissimi consecuntur iT nedeth not that I debate The prynce which preised is algate And hath ben euer euer shal Wherof to speke in special It is the vertu of pyte Thorough which the hye mageste Was sterred whan his sone alyght And in pyte the world to right Toke of the mayde flesshe blood Pyte was cause of thylke good Wherof that we ben all saue Wel oughte a man pyte to haue And the vertu to sette in price Whan he hym self which is al wyse Hath shewed why it shal be preysed Pyte may not be counterpeysed Of tyrannye with no peyse For pyte maketh a man curteyse Bothe in his worde in his dede It sit wel euery liege to drede His kyng to his heste obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kyng to be pytous Toward his peple gracious Vpon the rule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeauuce Whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustyce which doth equyte Is dredeful for he no man spareth But in the lâ—nde where pyte fareth The kyng may neuer fayle of loue â–ª For pyte thorough the grace aboue So as the phylosophre affermeth His reygne in good estate confermeth The appostle iames in this wyse Sâ—yth what man that shold do iuyse And hath not pyte forth wyth all The dome of hym whiche demeth all He may hym self ful sore drede That hym shal lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte wyl beholde It is a poynte of cristes love And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reson to lawe of kynde Tassyodre in his aprise telleth The royame is sauf where pite dwelleth And tullyus this tale auoweth And saith what kyng to pite boweth And with pyte stonte ouercome He hath that shelde of grace nome Whichâ— vnto kynges yeueth victoryâ— Of alisannder in his hystorye I rede how a worthy knyght Of sodeyn wrath not of right Foriuged bath he appeleth And with that word the kyng quareleth And said none is aboue me That wote I wel my lord ad he Fro thy lordshyp appele I nought But fro thy wrath in al my thouÈt To thy pyte stante myn appele The kyng which vnderstode hym wele Of pure pyte gaue hym grace And eke I rede in another place Constantinus imperator ait vere se dominum esse â–ª comprobat qui seruum pietatis se facit Thus said whilom constantyne What emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunte Of al the worldes remenaunte He is worthy to ben a lorde In olde bookes of recorde Traiâ—nus ait qd cum ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quaÌ„ austeritatis rigore regere corum que be neuolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat tHis fynde I write of ensauÌ„playr Traian the worthy debonayr By whome that rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to famulyer He said vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wylle was not for veyne honour Ne yet for reddour of Iustyce But yf he myght in his offyce His lord his peple plese Hym thought it were a grete ease With loue her hertes to hym drawe Than with the drede of ony lawe For whaÌ„ a thynge is done for doubte Ful ofte it cometh the wers aboute But where a kynge is pytous He is the more gracious That mykel thrist hym shal leiyde Whiche ellis shold torne a syde Qualiter Iudeus predester cum pa â— gaue equitante itinerauit per desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit tO do pite supporte grace The phiâ—â—sophre vpon a place In his writyng of dayes olde A tale of grete ensaumble tolde Vnto the kyng of macedoyne How bytwene cayr babyloyne Whan comen is the somer hete It happened two men for to mete As they shold entre in to a paas Where that the wyldernes was And as they wente forth spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That one man axeth of that other What man art thou my lyef broder Which is thy creaunce thy feyth I am a paynym that other seyth And by the lawe which I vse I shal not in my feyth refuse To louen al men y