And therto his auowe he hyght And thus this kyng thurgh preuy hate Abode vpon a wayte algate For he was not of suche empryse To auengyn hym in open wyse The fame which goth wyde where Maketh knowe how that the gregois were Home with al her felaushyp Fro Troye vpon the see by shyp Namplus when he this vnderstood And knewe the tydes of the flood And sawe the wynd blowe to the lond A grete deceypt anone he fonde Of preuy hate as thou shalt here Wherof I telle al this matere This kyng the weder he gan beholde And wyst wel that they moten holde Her cours endelong the marche ryght Aud made vpon the derk nyght Of grete shydes of blokkes Greâ—â— fyre ageyne the grete rokkes To shewe vpon the hylles hyghe So that the flete of grece it syghe So it fel ryght as he thought This flete whiche an hauen sought Tho bryght fyres sawe a ferre Aud they hem drawen ner nerre And wyste wel vnderstood How al that fyre was made for good To shewe where men shold aryue And thyderward they hasten blyue And in semblauÌ„t as men seyn is gyle And that was proued thylk whyle The ship which weÌ„d hym self accroche Droof al to pyeces on the roche And so deden ten or twelue There myght no man helpe hym selue For there they wenden deth escape Withouten help her deth was shape Thus they that comen fyrst to fore Vpon the Rokkes ben forlore But thurgh noyse theyr cry The other were al ware therby And whan they began to rowe Tho myght they the soth kuowe That where they wende frendes fynde They fonde frendship al behynde The lond was than sone weyued Where that they hadden be deâ—eyued And took hem to the hyghe see Therto they sayden alle ye Fro that day forth where they were Of that they haue assayed there My sone wherof thou myght auyse How fraude stant in many wyse Among hem that gyle thynke There is no sâ—ryueyne with his ynke Whiche half the fraude wryte can That stant in suche a maner man For thy the wyse men ne demen That thynges after that they semen But after that they knowe fynde The myrrour sheweth in his kynde As hath al the word withynne And is in sothe no thyng withynne And so fareth hate for a throwe Tyl a man hath ouerthrowe Shal no man knowe by his chere Whiche is auaunt whiche is arâ—re For thy my sone thynke on this Confessor My fadre so I wol Iwys And yf there more of wrathe be Now axe for charyte As yâ— by your bokes knowe And I the soth shal be knowe hIc cohiberr nequit manum sic speÌ„â—ius Naribus hic populo se timendus erit Sepius in luctum venê° sua gaudia transfâ—rt Cumque suis â—â—â—â—â—mus talis amicus adest Est amor plâ—xu non vtique alliciendê° Fraudis 〈◊〉 impetuosa manus â–ª hIc tractat Confessor super quarâ— qâ—unta specie Ire que Impetu ositas homicidium dicuntur â–ª sed primo de impetuositate specialiter intendit â—â—ius natura spmÌ„ in naribus gestando ad omnes ire meciones in vindicta parata pacienciaÌ„ nullatenus obseruat mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde That yet to ward wrath stonde Of dedely vyces other two And for to telle her names so It is conteâ—â— homicide That be to geder on euery syde Contake so as the bokes seyn Foolhast hath to his chamberleyn Whoos counseyl al vnauysed Is pacyence most despysed Tyl homycyde with hym mete Fro mercy they be al vnmete And thus be they the worst of alle Of hem whiche vnto wrath falle In dede bothe eke in thought For they acompten theyr wrath nouÈt But yf ther be shedyng of blood And thus lyche a best wode They knowen not the good of lyf Be so they haue other swerd or knyf Hyr dedely wrath for to wreke Of pyte lyst hem not to speke None other reason they ne songe But that they haue myghâ—â—o stronge But ware hym wel in other place Where euery man behoueth grace But there I trowe it shal hym fayle To whome no mercy myght auayle But wron â—hten vpon Tyrannye That no pyte myght hem plye Now telle my sone my fader what If thou hast be culpable of that My fadre nay cryst me forbede I speke only for the dede Of whiche I was neuer culpable With no cause resonable But this is not to my matere Of shryfte why we sytten here For we be set to shryue of loue As we begonne fyrst aboue And netheles I am beknowe That as touchend of loues throwe Whan my wyttes ouer wende Myn hertes contek hath none ende But euer stant vpon debate To grete dysese of myn estate As for the tyme that it lasteth For when my fortune ouercasteth Hyr whele is to me so straunge And I see she wol not chaunge Than cast I al the world aboute And thynke how I at home in doute Haue al my tyme in veyne fpended And see not how to be amended But rather for to be empeyred As he that is wel nyhe despeyred For I ne may no thank deserue And euer I loue euer I serue And euer I am a lyche nere Thus for I stonde in suche a were I am as who sayth oute of herre And thus vpon my self I werre I brynge put oute al pees That I fulofte in such a rees Am wery of myn owne lyf So that of contek of stryf I am byknowe haue ansuerd As ye my fadre now haue herd Myn hert is wonderly begone Whiche counseyl wherof wytâ—e is one Whiche hath reson in companye I agayn whiche stand partye Wylle whiche hath hope at acord And thus these bryngen vp dyscord Wytte reson counseylen ofte That myn herte shold softe And that I shold wel renue And put out of retenue Or â—lles holde hym vnder fote For as they seyne yf that he mote His owne reule haue vpon honde There shal no wytte be vnderstonde Of hope so they tellen this That ouer al where that he is He set the hert in champartye With wysshyng with fantasye And is not trâ—we of that he seyth So that in hym there is no feyth Thus with reson wyt auysed Is wyt hope al day despysed Reson sayth that I sholde leue To loue where there is no leue To spede wyll sayth agâ—yn That suche an hert is to vyleyn Whiche dar not leue tyl that he spede Lat hope serue at suche a nede He seyth eke where an hert syt Al gouerned after wyt He hath his lyues lust for lore Aud thus myn hert is al to â—â—re Of suche a conâ—â—ck as they make But yet I may not wel forsake That he nys mayster of my thought Or that I spede or speke nought Thou dost my sone ageynst the ryght But loue is of so grete myght His lawe may noo man refuse So myght thou the better excuse And
And seyth that he is mochel holde For whylome Theucer in a stede Grete grace socour to hym dede And sayth that he hym wold acquyte And prayth his fadre to respyte Achilles tho withdrough his hond But al the power of the lond When that they sawe hyr kyng thus take They fled hath the fâ—ld forsake The grekes vnto the chaas falle And for the moost part alle Of that countre the lordes grete They took wonne a grete beyete And anone after this vyctorye The kyng whiche had memorye Vpon the grete mercy thought Which the laphus toward hym wrouÈt And in presence of al the londe He took hym fayre by the honde And in this wyse he gan to seye My sone I mote by double weye Loue desyre thyn encrees Fyrst for thy fadre Achilles Whylome ful many a day or this When I shold fare amys Rescouse dyd in my quarele And kepte al myn estate in hele How so ther falle now dystaunce Among vs yet remembraunce I haue of mercy whiche he dede Than â–ª thou now in this stede Of gentylnes of fraunchesse Hast do mercy the same I gesse So wol I not that ony tyme Be lost of that thou hast do byme For how so this fortune falle Yet stant my trust abouen alle For the mercy whiche I now fynde That thou wolt after this â—e kynde And for that suche is myn espeyr And for my sone for myn he yre I the receyue al my lond I yeue sese in to thyn honde And in this wyse they accorde The cause was myserycorde The lordes do her obeysaunce To Thelaphus purueaunce Was made so that he was coroned And thus was mercy reguerdoned Whiche he to Theucer dyde to fore Loo this ensample is made therfore That thou myght take remembraunce My sone when thou seest a chaunce Of other mens passyon Take pyte compassyon And lete no thynge to the be leef Whiche to another man is greef And after this yf thou desyre To stonde ayene the vyce of Ire Counseyl the with pacyence And take in to thy conscyence Mercy to be thy gouernour So shalt thouâ—fynde no rancour Wherof thyn herte shal debate With homycyde ne with hate For cheste or melancolye Thou shalt be softe in companye Withoute conteck or foolhast For elles myght thou long wast Thy tyme or that thou haue thy wylle Of loue for the wedyr stylle Men preyse blame the tempestes My fadre I wol do your hestes And of this poynt ye haue me tauÈt Toward my self the better saught I thenke bewayle whyle that I lyne But for as moche as I am shryne Of wrathe al his circumstaunce Yeue that ye lyst to my penaunce And axe forther of my lyf Yf other wyse I be gyltyf Of ony thyng that toucheth synne My sone or we departe a twynne I shal behynde no thynge leue Amans My good fadre with your leue Than axe forth what you lyste For I haue in you suche tryste As ye that be my soule hele That ye fro me nothyng wol hele For I shal telle you the trouthe My sone art thou culpable of slouthe In ony poynt whiche to hym longeth My fadre of tho poyntes me longeth To wyte pleynly what they mene So that I maye me shryue clene Now herkne I shal the pointes deuyse And vnderstonde wel myn appryse For shryfte stant of no value To hym that wol hym not vertue To leue of vyces the folye For wynd is word but the maystrye Is that a man hym self defende Of thyng whiche is not to comende Wherof ben fewe now a daye And netheles so as I may Make vnto thy memorye knowe The poyntes of slouthe thou shalt knowe Explicit liber Tercius Incipit liber quartus dIcuÌ„t accidiaÌ„ fore nutriâ—em viaoruÌ„ Corpet in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis Que fieri possent hodie transfert piger in ceas Furato que prius hostia clandit equo Poscenti tardo negat emolumeÌ„ta cupi do Sed venê° in câ—beri ludit amore viri Iâ— in quarto libro loquitur con 〈◊〉 fessor de speciebus Accidie qua 〈◊〉 primam tardacionem vocat cuius â—â—â—diciouem pertractans Amanti suâ—â— hoc consequenter opponit bPon the vyces to procede After the cause ofemaÌ„nes dede The fyrst poynt of slouthe I calle Lachesse and is the chyef of alle Aud hath this properly of kynde To leuen al thyng behynde Of that he myght do now here He taryeth al the long yere And euermore he sayth to morowe And so he wol his tyme borowe And wyssheth after god me sende Than when he weneth to haue an ende Than is he forthest to begynne Thus bryngeth he many meschief Inue Vnware tyl that he be mescheued And may not than be releued And ryght so nother more ne lesse It stant ofloue of lachesse Somtyme he slouteth on a daye That he neuer after gete may Now sone as of this ylke thyng If thou haue ony knoulechyng That thou to loue hast done or this Telle on my good fadre yis As of laches I am be knowe That I may stonde vpon his rowe As I that am clad of his sute For when I thought my pursute To make therto set a day To speke vnto the swete may Lachesse bad abyde yet And bare on hond it was no wyt Ne tyme for to speke as tho Thus with his tales to fro My tyme in taryeng he drough When ther was tyme good ynough He sayd another tyme is better Thou shalt now sende here a letter And par caas wryte more pleyn Than thou by mouthe durst seyn Thus haue I lete tyme slyde For slouthe kept not my tyde So that laches with his vyce Ful of be hath made my wyt so nyce That what I thought speke or do With taryeng be â—eld me so Tyl when I wold myght nought I not what thyng is in my thought Or it was drede or it was shame But euer in ernest in game I wote ther is no long tyme passed But yet is not the loue lassed Whiche I vnto my lady haue For though my tonge is slouÈ to ocaue At al tyme as I haue bede Myn hert stant euer in one stede And axe besylyche grace The whiche I may not yet embrace And god wote it is maulgre myn For this I wote ryght wel afyn My grace cometh so selde aboute That is the slouthe whiche I doute More than of al the remenaunt Whiche is to loue appertenaunt And thus as touchend of lachesse As I haue told I me confesse To yow my fadre Eâ—byseche That ferthermore ye wol me teche And yf ther be of this matere Som goodly tale for to lere How I may do lachesse awey That ye it wold telle I prey To wysse the my sonne rede Among the tales whiche I rede An old ensample therupon Now herkne I wol telle on hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra Istos
hath his herte set He lede neuer to fare bet Ne wyte of other heuen more My sone yf thou of suche a lore Hast ben or thie I rede the leue Amans My holy fader by youre leue Of al that ye haue spoken here Whiche tâ—uchith vnto this matere To telle the soothe right as I wene I wote not one word what ye mene I wille not sey yf that I couthe That I nold in my lusty youthe Binethe in helle eke aboue To wyn with my lady loue Done al that euer that I myght For therof haue I none insight Where afterward that I bycome So that I wynne ouercome Hir loue whiche I coueyte My sone that gothe wonder streyte For this I may wel telle soothe There is noman whiche so doth For al the craft that he can cast That he ne byeth it at the last For ofte he that wol begyle Is gyled with the same gyle And thus the gylour is begyled I fynde in a book compyled To this matere an old hystorye Whiche cometh now to memorye And is of grete ensamplerye Ageynst the vyce of sorcerye Wherof none ende may be good But whylome how therof stood A tale whiche is good to knowe To the my sone I shal beknowe Nota hic contra istos ob amoris causam sortologos vbi narrat Exemplum quod cum Vlixes a subuersione Troie repatriare nanigio voluisset ipsum in Insula Cilli vbi illa expertissima ma ga nomine Cyrces regnauit coÌ„tigit applicuisse quem vt in sui amoris concupiscenciam exardesceret Circes oÌ„nibus suis incaÌ„tacionibus vincere conabatur Vlixes tamen Magica potencior ipsam in amore subegit Ex qua filium nomine thelogonum genuit qui postea patrem suum interfecit et sic contra fidei naturam geâ—â—tus contra generacionis naturam patricidium operatus est â— MoÌ„ges whiche at Troye were Vlixes at the syege there Was one by name in special Of whome yet the memoryall Abydeth for whyle ther is a mouthe For euer his name shal be couthe He was a worthy knyght and kyng And clerk knowyng of euery thyng He was a grete rethoryen He was a grete magycyen Of tullius the Rethoryk Of kyng Zorastes the magyke Of tholome the Astronomye Of plato the philosophye Of danyel the slepy dremes Of neptune eke the water stremes Of Salamon the prouerbis Of mater at the strengthe of herbes And the phisike of ypocras And lyche vnto pyctagoras Of surgerye he knewe the cures But somwhat of his auentures Whiche to my mater shal acorde To the my sone I wylle recorde This kyng of whiche thou hast herd seyne From Troye as he goth home ageyne By ship he found the see dyuerse With many wyndy storme reuerse But he thorugh wysedom that he shapeth Ful many grete perylle he escapeth Of whiche I thynk telle one How that mangre the nedel stone Wynde dryue he was al sodenly Vpon the strondes of Cylly Where that he must abyde a whyle Two quenes weren in that yle Calypha named aud Cyrces And when they herd how Vlixes Is londed therupon the Ryue For hym they senden also blyue With hym suche as he wold name And to the Courte to hem he came The quenâ—s weren as two goddesses Of art magyke sorceresses That what lord cometh to that ryuage They make hym loue in suche a rage That vpon hem assote soo That they wol haue oâ—â— that he goâ— Al that he hath of worldes good â—lixes wel this vnderstood They couthe moche he couthe more They shape cast ayenst hym sore And wrought many a subtyle wyle But yet they myght hym not â—egy But of the men of his nauye They two forshope a grete partye May none of hem withstond her hestes Some parte they shopen in to beestes Some parte they shopen in to fowles To beres tygres apes and oules Or els by some other way There myght no thyng hem disobeye Suche crafte they had aboue kynde But that arte couthe they not fynde Of whiche Vlixes was deceyued That he ne hath hem all weyued And broughte hem in to suche a rote That vpon hym they both assote And thurgh the scyences of his arte He took of hem so wel his parte That he bigate Cyrces with childe He kept hym sobre made hym wyld He set hym self so aboue That with hir good with hir loue Who that therof be leef or lothe Al quyte in to his ship he gothe Cyrces to swelle bothe sides He lefte wayted on the tydes And streyght thorugh the salt fome He taketh his cours cometh home Where as he fonde penelope A better wyf there may none be And yet there ben ynowe of good But who hir goodlyship vnderstood Fro first she wyfehode tooke How many loues she forsoke And how she bare hir al aboute Ther whyles that hir lord was oute Sâ—e myght take grete auaunt Amonges all the remenaunt That she was one of all the rest Wel myght he set his herte in rest This kyng whan he fouÌ„d hir al in bele For as he couthe in wysedom dele So couthe she in womanhede And when she sawe withoute drede Hir lord vpon his owne ground That â—e was come sauf and sonude In al the world ne myght be A gladder woman than was she The fame whiche may not be hydde Thorugh oute the lond is sone kydde â—ir kyng is come home ageyne There may no man the ful seyne How that they weren al glade So mechâ—â—â—oye of hem they made Tâ—◠〈…〉 euery day â—e newed He was with gyftes al be sewed The peple was of hym so glade Tâ—â—t â—â—â—ugh none other maÌ„ hym bade Tâ—â—â—ge vpon hem self they sette And as it were of pure dette Tâ—â—y yâ—ue her goodes to the kyng This was a glad welhome comyng Thus both Vlyxes what he wold His wyf was suche as she sholde His peple was to hym subiect As they shold be withoute lette But fortune is of suche a sleyght That whan a man is moost of myght Sâ—â— maketh hym rathest for to falle There no man wote what shall befalle The happes ouer mannâ—â— hede Bâ—â— hanged with a tendre threde That proued was on Vlyxes For whan he was moost in his pâ—â—s For 〈◊〉 sone gan to meke hym werre And set hie welthe oute of herre Vpon a day as he was mery As 〈…〉 there myÈt hym no thynge 〈…〉 when nyght was come â–ª he goth to â—â—dde with slâ—pe bothe his â—yen fedde And whyle he slepte he met a sweuen Hym thought he sawe a statue euen Whiche bryghter than sonne shenâ— A man it semeth was it none But as it was in fygure Moost lyche to mannes creature But as of beaute henenlyche It was moost to an Aungel lyche And thus bytwene Angel and man Beholden it this kyng began And suche a lust took of the syght That fayne he wold yf that he myght The forme of that figure embrace And goth hym forth toward the place Where
that is falle And fonnd a crafte amonges alle Thurgh which he hath a sefoul dasited With his magyke so enchaunted That he flewe forth when it was nyÈt Vnto the kynges tent ryght Where that he lay amyddes his hoost And when he was a slepe moost With that the sefoull to hym brought Another charme whiche he wrought At home within his chambre stylle The kyng he turneth at his wylle And maketh hym for to dreme see The dragon and the pryuete Whiche was bytwene hym the quene And ouer that he made hym wene In sweuen how that the god Amoo Whan he from the quene aroos Toke forth a rynge wherin a stone Was set graue therupon A sone in whiche whan he cam nyght A lyon with a swerd he syght With a prente as he tho mette Vpon the quenes womhe he sette A seall goth hym forth his way With that the sweuen went his waye And tho bygon the kyng a wake And sighed for his wyues sake With that he lay within his tent And hath a greete woÌ„der what it ment With that he hasted hym to ryse Anone and sent after the wyse Among the whiche there was one A Clerk his name is Amphyone When he the kynges sweuen herd What it bytokeneth he answerd And said as sykerly as the lyf A god hath leyn by thy wyf And gete a sone whiche shall wynne The world al that was withynne As the lyon is kyng of beestes So shalle the world obeye his heestes Which with his swerd shal all be woÌ„ne As ferre as shyneth ony sonne The kyng was doutif of this dome But netheles when that he come Ageyne in to his owne londe His wyf with child grete he founde He myght not hym self stere That he ne made hir heuy chere But he whiche couthe of all sorowe Nectanabus vpon the morow Thorugh the deceyte of Nygromaunce Toke of a dragon the semblaunce And where the kyng sat in his halle Came in rampyng among hem alle With suche a noyse and suche a rore That they agast were all so sore As though they shold deye anone And netheles he greueth none But goth toward the deyse on hye And when he quene nyghe He stynt his noyse and his wyse To hir he profered his seruyce And leyd his honde vpon hir barme And she with goodly chere hir arme Aboute his neck ayeneward leyde And thus the quene with hym pleyde In sight of al men aboute And at the last he gan to loute And obeysaunce vnto hir make And he that wold his leue take And sodenly his lothely forme In to an egle he gan transforme And flewe and set hym on a rayle Wherof the kyng had grete meruayle For there he plumeth hym pyketh As doeth an hawke when hym wel liketh And after that him self he shoke Wherof that all the halle quoke As it a terremote were They saiden alle god was there In suche a rees and forth he flygh The kyng whiche al this wonder sighe When he cam to his chambre alone Vnto the quene he made his mone And of foryeuenes he hir prayd For than he knewe wel as he said She was with child than with a god Than was the kyng withoute rod Chastysed the quene excused Of that she had ben accused And for the gretter euydence Yet after that in the presence Of kyng philip and of other mo Whan they roode in the feldes tho A fesaunte came before her cye The whiche anone as they hir seye Fleyng lete an egge doune falle And it to brake among hem alle And as they token therof kepe They sawe oute of the shelle crepe A lytel serpent oute of the ground Whiche rampeth al aboute round And in ayene it wol haue wonne But for the brennyng of the sonne It myght not so he deyde And therupon the clerkes seide As the serpent when it was oute Went enuyroun the shelle aboute And myght not torne in ageyne So shall it falle in certeyne This child the world shal enuyroune And aboue all to bere the Crowne Hym shalle befalle in his yong age He shall desire in his courage When all the world is in his honde To turne ageyne in to the londe Where he was bore and in his weye Home ward he shalle with poyson deye The kyng whiche al this sawe herd Fro that day forth how so it ferd His Ielousye hath all foryete But he whiche hath the child begÌ„ete Nectanabus in pryuete The tyme of his natyuyte Vpon the constellacion A wayteth and relacion Maketh to the quene how she shalle dâ— And euery houre appoynteth so That no mynute therof was lore So that in due tyme is bore This child forth with therupon There fell wondres many one Of terremote vnyuersell The sonne took coloure of the stele And left his lyght the wyndes blewe And many strengthes ouerthrewe The see his propre kynde chaunged And al the world his forme chauÌ„ged The thonder with his fyry beuen So cruel was vpon the heuen That euery erthely creature Tho thought his lyf in auenture The tempest at the last seceth The child is kepte his age encreceth And Alysaunder his name is hote To whome Calystre and Arystote To techen hym philosophye Endenden and Astronomye With other thynges whiche he couthe Also to teche hym in his youthe Nectanabus took vpon honde But euery man may vnderstonde Of sorcerye how that it wende It wylle hym self proue at the ende And namely for to begyle A lady whiche withoute gyle Supposeth all that she hereth But often he that euyll stereth His ship is dreynte therin a mydde And in this caas ryght so betydde Nectauabus vpon a nyght When it was fayre sterre bryght This yong lord lad vpon hyghe Aboue a towre where as he syghe The sterres suche as he acounteth He seeth what eche of hem amounteth And though he knewe of al thynge Yet hath he no knowlechyng That shall vnto hym self befalle When he hath told his wordes alle This yong lord than hym opposeth And asketh yf that he supposeth What deth he shall hym self deye He seith or fortune is aweye And euery sterre hath lost his wonne Or els of myn owne sonne I shall be slayn I may not fle Thought Alysandre in pryuyte Herof this old dotard lyeth And or that other ought aspyeth Al sodenlyche his old bones He shoof ouer the wal for the nones And seyth hym lye doune there a part Wherof now serueth al thyn art Thou knowest al other mennes chauÌ„ce And of thy self hast ygnoraunce That thou hast said amonges alle Of thy persone it is not befalle Neccanabus whiche hath his deth Yet whyles hym lasteth lyf or brethe To Alysander he spak and seyd That he wâ—th wroÌ„g blame on hym leid Fro poynt to poynt al che cas He told how he hie sonne was Tho he whiche sory was ynough Oute of the dyche his fader drough And told his moder how it ferde In counceyl
There was it proued how it stood To Perse whiche was ful of good They maden werre in especyal Anâ— soo they dyden oâ—eral Where grete rychesse was in lond So that they left no thyng stond â—n werred but only Archade Nota ê™ greci omnem terram deâ—ellabant fertilem sed tantum ArchadiaÌ„ pro eo quam pauper et steriâ—â—s fuit pacifiâ—â— dimiserunt For there they no werres made By cause it was bareyn pouer Wherof they myght not recouer And thus pouerte was forbore He that nought had nought â–ª hath lore But yet it is â–ª a wondre thyng When that a ryche worthy kynge Or other lord what so he be Wol axe clayme propyrte In thyng whiche he hath no ryght But only of his grete myght For this may euery man wel wyte That bothe kynde lawe wryte Expressely stonde there ageyn But he mote nedes somwhat seyn Al though â–ª there be no reson ynne Whiche seche cause â–ª for to wynne For wyt that his wyl oppressed When couetyse hym hath redressed And al reson put awey He can wel fynde suche a wey To werre where as euer he lyketh Wherof that he the word entryketh That many a man of hym coÌ„pleyneth But yet alwey somme cause he feyneth And of his wrongful hert hath demed That al is wel that euer hym semed Br so he may wynne ynough For as the trewe man to the plough Only to the gaygnage entendeth Ryght so the werryour dyspendeth His tyme hath no conscyence And in this poynt for euydence Of hem that suche werres make Thou myght a grete ensample take How they hyr tyrannye excusen Of that they wrongful werres vsen And they stonde of one acord The Sâ—udyour forth with the lord The poure man forth with the ryche As of courage they ben lyche To make werres to pyle For lucre for none other skyle Wherof a propyr tale I rede As it whylome byfell in dede hIc declarat per Exemplum coÌ„tra istos principes seu alios quos cumque illicite guerre motores Et narrat de quodam Pirata in partiâ—ê° mari nis spoliatore qui cum captus fuisset in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus de latricinio accusatê° dixit O Alexandre vere quia cum pau cis socijs spoliorum causa naues tantuÌ„ exploro â–ª ego latrunculus vâ—ooâ— tu auteÌ„ qâ—â—a cum infinita bellatorum multitu dine vniuersam terram subiuganâ—o spoliasti Imperator diceres Ita quam sta tus tuus a statu meo differt sed eodeÌ„ animo condicionem paâ—â—lem habemus Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans penes se familiarem retinuit Et sic bellicosus bellatori complaâ—â—t oF hym al this erthe drad When he the world so ouerlad Thurgh werre as it fortuned is Kyng Alysaunder I rede this How in a marche where he lay It felle par chaunce vpon a day A Rouer of the see was nome Whiche many a man had ouercome And slayn take her good awaye This Pylour as the boks saye A famous man in sondry stede Was of the werkes whiche he dede This prysoner afore the kyng Was brought therupon this thyng In audyence was he accused And he his dede hath nought excused And praid the kyngÌ„ to done hym ryÈt And seyd Syre yf I were of myght I haue an hert lyche vnto thyn For yf thy power were myn My wylle is moost in especyal To ryfle to gete oueral The large worldes good aboute But for I lede a poure route And am as who sayth at meschyef The name of Pylour of thyef I bere thou whiche Routes grete Maye lede take thy beyete And dost ryght as I wold doo Thy name is nothyng cleped so But thou art named Emperour Oure dedes ben of one colour And in effect of one deserte But thy Rychesse my pouerte They be not taken euen lyche And nethâ—lâ—â— he that â—s ryche This day to morowe he may by poure And in contrary also receuer A pouer man to grete ryches Men seyn for thy ryghtwysenes Be peyced euen in the balaunce The kyng his hardy contenaunce Behelde his wordes wyse And sayd vnto hym in this wyse Thyne ansuere I haue vnderstonde Wherof my wyl â—e that thou stonde In my seruyce stylle abyde And forth with al the same tyde He hath hym â—â—â—me of lyf witholde The more for he shal beholde He made hym knyght yaf hym lond Whiche afterward was of his hond Aâ— orped knyght in many a stede And grete prowesse of armes dede As the Cronyke it recorden And in this wyse they acorden The whiche of one â—â—ndycyâ—n Be sett vpon destructyon Suche Capytayne suche retenue But for to see what yssue The kyng befallyth at the laste In his grete wondre what men caste Her â—â—â—t vpon suche wrong to wynne Where no beâ—â—â—e may be Inne And deth dyâ—â—se on euery syde But when reson is put a syde And wylle gâ—nerneth the courage The fauâ—â—n with that fleeth ramage And suffreth no thyng in the weye Wherof that he may take his preye Is not more set vpon rauyne Than ylk man whiche his couyne Hath set in suche maner wyse For al the world ne may suffyse To wyl whiche is not resonable Wherof ensample concordable Lyche to this poynt of whiche I mene Was vpon Alysander sene Whiche had set al his entent So as fortune with hym went That the reson myÈt hym not gouerne But of his wylle he was so sterne That al the world he ouerâ—an And what hym lyst he took wan In inde the superyour When that he was ful conquerour And had his wylful purpoos wonne Of al this erthe vnder the sonne This kyng homeward to Macedoyne When that he cam to Babyloyne And wende moost in â–ª his empyre As he whiche was lord syre In honour for to be receyued Moost sodenlyche he was deceyued And with strong poyson enuenynâ—â—d And as he hath the world mystymed Not as he shold with his wyt Not as he wold it was acquyt Thus was he slayn that whylome slongh And he whiche ryche was ynough This day to morowe had nought And in suche wyse as he was wrouÈt In dysturbaunce of worldes pees His werre he fonde than endeles In whiche for euer dyscomfyte He was â–ª lo now for what proufyte Of werre it helpeth for to ryde For couetyse worldes pryde To slee the worldes men aboute As bestes whiche gone ther oute For ony lyf whiche reson can Ought wel â–ª to knowe that a man Ne shold thorugh no tyrannye Lyche to these other bestes dye Tyl kynde wold for hym sende I not how he it myght amende Whiche taketh awey for euermore The lyf that he may not restore For thy my sone in al weye Be wel auysed I the preye Of slaught or that thou be culpable Withoute cause resonable My fadre vnderstonde it is That ye haue sayd but ouer this I pray you
telle me nay or ye To passe oueâ— the grete see To werre slee a SaraÈyn Is that the lawe Sone myn To preche suffre for the feyth That I haue herd the gospel seyth But for to slee that here I nought Cryst with his owne deth hath bought Al other men made hem fre In tokne of parfyte charyte And after that he taught hym selue When he was dede these other twelue Of his apostles went aboute The holy feyth to preche oute Wherof the deth in sondry place They suffre so god of his grace The feyth of Cryst hath made aryse But yf they wold in other wyse By werre haue bought in the creauÌ„ce It had yet stonde in balaunce And that may prouen in the dede For what man the Cronykes rede Fyrst that holy chirche hath weyued To preche hath the swerd receyued Wherof the werres be begonne A grete partye of that was wonne Of Crystes feyth stant now myswent God doo therof amendement So as he wote what is the best But sone yf thou wylt lyue in rest Of conscyence wel assysed Er that thou slee be wel auysed For man as tellen vs the clerkes Hath god aboue al erthely werkes Ordeyned to be pryncypal And eke of soule in specyal He is made lyche to the godhede So syt it wel to taken hede And for to loke on euery syde Er that thou falle in homycyde Whiche synne is now so general That it wel nye stant oueral In holy chirche elles where But al the whyle it is so there The wdorl mote nede fare amys For when the â–ª whele of pyte is Thorugh couetyse of worldes good Defouled with shedyng of bloâ—d The remenaunt of folk aboute Vnnethe stonden in ony doute To werre eche other to slee So is it al not worth a stre The charyte wherof we prechen For we do no thyng as we techen And thus the blynde conscyence Of peâ—â— hath lost thylk euydence Whiche cryst vpon the erthe taught Now may meÌ„ see mordre manslauÈt Lyche as is by dayes olde Whan men the synnes bought solde In grece afore Crystes feyth I rede as the Cronyke seyth Touchend af this mater thus In thylk tyme how peleus His owne broder Phocus slough But he had gold ynough To them his synne was dyspensed With gold wherof it was compensed Achastê° whiche with Venus was Her pryest assoylled in that cas Al were there no repentaunce And as the bokes make remembrauÌ„ce It tellyth of Medâ—e also Of that she slough her sones two Egeus in the same plyte Hath made hyr of hyr synne quyte The sone eke of Amphyoras Who 's ryght name Almeus was His moder slough Eryphele But Achylo the prest he So as the bokes it recorden For certayne somme of gold acorden That thylk horryble synful dede Assoylled was thus for mede Of worldes goode it fallyth ofte That homycyde is set alofte Here in this lyf but after this There shal be knowe how that it is Of hem that suche thynges wyrche And how also that holy chirche Lete suche synnes passe quyte How they wol hem acquyte Of dedely werres that they make For who that wold ensample take The lawe whiche is naturel By weye of kynde the weth wel That homycyde in no degre Whiche werreth ayene charyte Among men shold not duelle For a foer that the bokes telle To sâ—che in al the world ryche Men shal not fynde one his lyche No best that wyl take his preye And syth kynde hath suche a weye Than it is wondre of a man Whiche kynde hath reson can That he wol eyther more or lasse His kynde reson ouerpasse And slee that is to hym semblable So is the man not resonable He kynde that is not honeste When he is worse than a beste Nota secundum Solinum contra hoâ—â—iadium de natura cuiusdam aius faciâ—m ad similitudinem humanam habentis qiu cum de preda sua hominem myta flauium occident â–ª vident que in aqua sunile sibi occisum statim pro delo 〈◊〉 moritur aMong the bokes which I finde Solinê° speketh of a woÌ„dre kinde And seith of foules ther is on Whiche hath a face of bloood bone Whiche to a man in resemblaunce And yf it falle hym so par chaunce As he whiche is a foule of pray That he a man fynde in his way He wold hym slee yf that he mâ—y But after ward the same day When he hath eten al his felle And that shal be besyde a welle In whiche he wol drynke take In whiche visage he seeth the make That he hath slayne anone he thynketh Of his mysdede it forthynketh So gretely that for pure sorowe He lyueth not tyl on the morowe By this ensample it may wel se we That men shal homycyde eschewe For euer is mercy good to take But yf the lawe it hath forsake And that Iustyce is them ageyne Fnl oftyme I haue herd seyne Amonges that werres hadden That they som whyle her cause ladden By mercy when they myÈt haue slayn Wherof that they were after fayn And sone yf that thou wolt recorde The vertu of myserycorde Thou syghe neuer thylk place Where it was vsed lak grace For euery lawe euery kynde The mannes wyt to mercy bynde And namely the worthy knyghtes When they stonde moost vpryghtes And ben most myghty for to greue They sholden thenne most releue Hym whome they myÈten ouerthrowe As by ensample may men knowe Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum de pietate contra homicidium Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thephalo filio suo contra Regem Mesee qui tunc Theucer vocabatur bellum inicrunt Et cum Achilles dietum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset Thephalê° pietate motus ipsum Clipeo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit ê“ quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluÌ„tate constituit hE may not faylen of his mede That hath mercy for this I rede In a Cronyke I fynd thus Whan Achilles with Telaphus His sone to ward Troye were It fel hem or they come there Ayene Thoucer the kyng of mese To make warre for to lese His lond as they that wolde regne And Theucer pnt oute of his regne Thus the marches they assaylle But Theucer yaf to hem bata ylle They foughten on bothe sydes faste But so happeth at the laste This worthy greke Achilles The kyng among al other ches As he that was cruel felle With swerd on hond on hym he felle And smote hym with a dethes wouÌ„de That he vnhorced fel to grounde Achilles vpon hym alyght And wold anone as he wel myght Haue slayn hym in the place But Thephalus his fadre grace For hym besought for pyte Prayth that he wold late hym be And cast his sheld bytwene hem two Achilles axeth hym why so And Thephalus his cause tolde
fro the lond foreyn Lye vpon to the wynde al pleyn And fro thylk Iles to the lond Ful ofte cam the wynd to hond And after the name of hym for thy The wynde is cleped Eoly And is cleped the god of wynd Loo no whou this byleue is blynd The kyng of Crete Iupyter The same whiche I spast of er Vnto his broder whiche Neptune Whiche was hote hym lyst comune Part of his god so that by shyp He made hym strong of the lordshyp Of aÌ„l the see in tho partyes Where that he wrought his tyrannyes And the straunge Iles al aboute He wan that euery man hath doute Vpon his marche for to sayle For he anone hem wold assayle And robbe that thyng that they laddeÌ„ His sauf conduyt but yf they hadden Wherof the comon voys aroos â—n euery londe that suche a loos He caught al nere it worth a stre That he was cleped of the see The god by name yet he is With hem that so byleue amys This Neptunê° whiche was thylk also Whiche was the fyrst founder tho Of noble Troye he for thy Was wel the more lete by The boresman of the shepeherdes And eke of hem that Netherdes Was of Archade hyght pan Of whome hath spoke many a man For in the wode of Nouertyne Enclosed with the trees of pygne And oute of the mount of parysye He bade of beestes the baylye And eke bynethe in the valeye Where thylk ryuer as men may seye Whiche Ladon hyght made his cours He was the cheef of gouernours Of hem that kepen tame beestes Wherof they make yet the festes In the cyte of Stursalydes And forth with al yet netheles He taught men the forth drawyng Of bestaylle eke the makyng Of Oxen of hors the same Hou men hem shold ryde tame Of foules eke so as we fynde Ful many a subtyle craft of kynde He fonde whiche noman knewe to fore Men dyd hym worshyp eke therfore That he the fyrst in thylk lond Was whiche the melodye fond Of reedes when they were rype With double pypes for to pype Therof he yafe the fyrst lore Tyl afterward men couthe more To euery craÌ„ft of mannes helpe He had a redy wyt to helpe Thorugh natural experyence Thus the nyce reuerence Of fooles when he was dede The foote was torned to the hede And clepen hym god of nature For so they maden his fygure Another god so as they fele With Iupyter vpon Semele Bygate in his auoutrye Whome for to hyde his lecherye That none therof shal take kepe In a montayne for to kepe Whiche Dyon hyght was in Inde He sente in bokes as I fynde And he by name Bachus hyght Whiche afterward when that he myÈt A wastor was al his rente In wyn bordel he dyspente But alweye he wonder bad Among the grekes a name he had They cleped hym the god of wyne And thus a gloton was dyuyne There was yet Esculapius A god in thylk tyme as thus His craft stood vpon Surgerye But for the lust of lecherye That he to Dayres doughter drough It fel that Iupyter hym slough And yet they made hym nouÈt for thy A god wyst no cause why In Rome he was long tyme so A god among the Romayns tho For as he sayd in his presence There was destroyed a pestylence When they to the yle of Delphos wente And Appollo with hem sent This Esenlapius his sone Among the Romayns for to wone And there he duelte for a whyle Tyl afterward in that yle Fro when he cam ayene he torneth Where al his lyf that he soiourneth Among the grekes tyl he deyde And they vpon hym than leyde His name god of medycyne He â—atâ—e after that ylk lyne Another god of Hercules They made whiche was netheles A man but that he was so strong In al this world that brood long So myghty was no man as he Merucyles twelue in his degre As it was couthe in sondry londes He dyd with his owne hondes Ageyne geauntes monstres bothe The whiche were horeyble lothe But he with strengthe hem ouercam Wherof so grete a prys he nam That they hym clepe amonges alle The god of strengthe to hym calle And yet there is no reson Inne For he a man was fulfylled of synne Whiche proued was vpon his ende For in a rage hym self he brende And suche a cruel mannes dede acord Acordeth nought to the good lord They made of goddes yet another Which Pluto hyght was the broder Of Iupyter he fro youthe With euery word which cam to mouth Of ony thyng when he was wroth He wold swere his comon oth By Lethen and Flageton By Cocheton and Acheron The whiche after the bookes telle Ben the chyef flodes of helle By Segne Styge he swore also That by the depe pyttes twoo Of helle the moost pryncypal Pluto these othes oueral Swore of his comon custumounce Tyl it felle vpon a chaunce That he for Iupyters sake Vnto the goddes late do make A sacryfyce for that dede One of the pyttes for his mede In helle whiche I spak of er Was graunted hym thus he ther Vpon the fortune of this thynge The name took of helle kynge Loo these goddes wel mo Among the grekes they had tho And of goddes many one Whoos names thou shalt here anone And in what wyse they deceyuen The fooles whiche her feyth receyuen Oo as Saturne is souerayn Of al goddes as they sayn So is Cybylle of goddesses The moder whome withoute gesses The folk preyn honour serue As they the whiche her lawe obserue But for to knowen vpon this Fro when she cam what she is Bethnicia the countre hyght Where she cam fyrst to mannes syght And after was Saturnus wyf By whome thre children in her lyf She bare were cleped tho Iuno Neptunus Pluto The whiche of Nyce fantasye The people wold deyfye And for her children were soo Cybelle than was also Made a goddesse they hyr calle The moder of the goddes alle So was that name bore forth And yet the cause is lytel worth A voys vnto Saturne told Hou that his owne sone hym shold Oute of his reygne put awey And he by cause of thylk wey That hym was shape suche an hate Cybelle his wyf began to hate And eke her progenye bothe And whyle that they were wrothe By Phyberem vpon a day In this auoutrye he lay On whome he Iupyter vygat And this child was after that Whiche wrouÈt al that was prophecyed As it to fore was specyfyed So when that Iupiter of Crete Was kyng a wyf vnto hym mete The doughter of Sybell he took And that was Iuno sayth the book Of his deyfycacyon After the fâ—ls oppynyon That haue I told so as I mene And for this Iuno was the quene Of Iupyter and suster â—ke The fooles vnto her seke And seyn that she is the goddesse Of Regnes bothe
le there There was a shepe as it was told The whiche his flees bare al of gold And so the goddes had it sette That it ne myght a wey be fette By power of no worldes wyght And yet ful many a worthy knyght At had assayed as they dorst And euer it fel hem to the worst But he that wold it nought forsake But of his knyghthode vndertake To doo what thyng therto belongeth This worthy Iason sore alongeth To see the straunge regyons And knowe the condycyous Of other marches where he went And for that cause his hoole entent He set Colchos for to seke And therupon he dyde â–ª speke To Peleus his eme the kyng And he wel payd was of that thyng And shope anone for his passage Suche as were of his lygnage With other knyghtes whiche he chees With hym he toke Hercules Whiche ful was of chyualrye With Iason wente in companye And that was in the moneth of may When colde stormes were away The wynd was good the shyp was yare They took hyr leue forth they fare Toward Colchos but on the weye What hem byfelle is long to seye Hou Lamedon the kyng of Troye Whiche ought wel haue made hem ioyr When they to rest a whyle hym preide Oute of his lond he hem congeyde And so felle the dyssencyon Whiche afterward was destructyon Of that cyte as men may here But that is not to my matere But thus this worthy folk gregoys Fro that kyng which was not curtois And fro his land with seyl vpdrawe ThenÌ„e went hem forth many a sawe They made many a grete manace Tyl at last in to that place Whiche as they sought they arryue And stryken seyle forth as blyue They senten vnto the kyng tolden Who were there what they wolden Oetes whiche than was kyng When that he herd this tydyng Of Iason whiche was comen there And of these other what they were He thought done hem grete worshyp For they anone come oute of shyp And strayt vnto the kyng they went And by the hand Iason he hent And that wa s at the paleys gate So fer on the kyng cam on his gate Toward Iason to done hem chere And he whom lakketh no manere When he the kyng sawe in presence Yafe hym ageyn suche reuerence As to a kynges state belongeth And thus the kyng hym vnderfongeth And Iason in his arme he caught And forth in to the halle he straught And there they sat speke of thyngis And Iason told hym tho tydyngys Why he was come fayre hym prayde To haste his tyme the kyng sayde Iason thou art a worthy knyght But it lyeth in no mans myght To done that thou art come fore There hath be many a knyght forlore Of that they wolden it assaye But Iason hym wold not esmaye And seyd of euery worldes cure Fortune stant in auenture Parauenter wel parauenter woo But hou as euer that it goo It shal be with myn hond assayed The kyng tho helde hym not wel paid For he the grekes sore dredde In aunter yf Iason ne spedde He myght therof here a blame For tho was al the worldes fame In Grece as for to speke of armes For thy he drad hym of his harmes And gan to preche hym to preye But Iason wold not obeye But sayd he wold his purpoos holde For ought that ony man hym tolde When the kyng these wordes herde And sawe how that the knyÈt ansuerde Yet for he wold make hym glad After Medea gone he had Whiche was his doughter she cam And Iason whiche good hede nam When he hyr sawe ageyn hyr goth And she which was hym nothing loth Welcomed hym in to that londe And softe took hym by the honde And doune they seten bothe same She had herd spoke of his name And of his grete worthynes For thy she gan hyr eye inpresse Vpon his face his stature Aud thought hou neuer creature Was so welfarend as was he And Iason ryght in suche degre Nc myght not withholde his look But so good hede on hyr he took That hym ne thouÈt vnder the heuene Of beaute saw he neuer hyr euene With al that felle to womanhede Thus eche of other took hede Though there was no word of record Here hertes bothe of one acord Ben set to loue but as tho There myghten be no wordes mo The kyng hym made grete joye fest To al his men he yaf an hest So as they wol his thank deserue That they sholde al Iason serue Whyle that he wold there duelle And thus the day shortely to telle With many myrthes is dyspent Tyl nyght was come tho they went Echone of other took his leue When they no lenger myghten leue A not hou Iason that nyght slepe But wel I wote that of the shepe For whiche he cam in to that yle He thought but a lytel whyle Al was medea that be thought Soo that m many wyse he thought His wyt wakend or it was daye Somtyme ye somtyme nay Somtyme thus somtyme so As he was styred to fro Of loue eke of his conquest As he was holde of his heste And thus he roos vp by the morowe And took hym seynt Iohn to borow And sayd he wold fyrst begynne At loue after for to wynne The flees of gold for whiche he come And thus to hym good hert he nome Medea ryght in the same wyse Tyl day cam that she must ryse Lay bythought hyr al the nyght Hou she that noble worthy knyght By ony weye myght wedde And wel she ne wist yf he ne spedde Of thyng whiche he had vndertake She myght hyr self noo purpoos take For yf he deyde of his bataylle She most than algate fayle To geten hym when he were dede Thus she vygan to sette rede And torne aboute her wyttes al To loke hou it myght falle That she with hym bad a leyser To speke telle of his desyre And soo it felle the same day That Iason with that swete may To gyder sette hadde space To speke he besought hyr grace And she his tale goodly herd And afterward she hym ansuerd And seyd Iason as thou wylt Thou myÈt be sauf thou myÈt be spilt For wyte wel that neuer man But yf he couthe that I can Ne myght that fortune acheue For whiche thou comest but as I loue If thou wolt holde couenaunt To loue of al the remenaunt I shal thy lyf honour saue That thou the flees of gold shalt haue He sayd al at your owne wylle Madame I shal truly fulfylle Youre hest whyle my lyf may last Thus long he prayd at last She graunteth hyght hym this But when nyÈt cometh it tyme is She wold hym sende certeynly Suche one that shold hym pryuely A lone in to hyr chambre brynge He thanketh hyr of that tydyng For of that grace is hym begonne Hym thynketh al other thinges woÌ„ne The
he sawe that ymage tho And taketh in his armes two And it embraceth hym ageyne And to the kyng thus gan it seyne Vlixes vnderstood wel thâ—s The token of oure acqueyntaunce is Here afterward to mochel tene The loue that is vs bitwene Of that we now suche ioye make That one of vs the deth shal take When deth cometh of destyne It may none other wyse be Vlixes tho began to praye That this figure wold hym saye What wyght he is that seyth hym so This wyght vpon a spere tho A pensel whyte was wel bigone Enbrowdred shewed hym anone Thre fysshes all of one coloure In manere as it were a toure Vpon the pensel were wrought Vlixes knewe this token nought And praid to wyte in somme partyâ— What thyng it myght â—ygnyfye A signe it is whiche answered Of an empyre and forth it ferd Al sodenly when he that said Vlyxes oute of slepe he brayd And that was ryght ayene the day That lenger slepen he ne may Ayene a man hath knowlechyng Saue of hym self of all thyng His owne chaunce no man knoweth But as fortune it on hym throweth Was yet neuer so wyse a Clerke Whiche myght knowe al goddes werk Ne the secrete whiche god hath sette Ayene a man may not be lette Vlyxes though that he be wyse With all his wytte in his auyse The more that he his sweuen acounteth The lesse he wote what it amounteth For all his calculacion He seeth none demonstracion Al pleynly for to knowe an ende But netheles how so it wende He drad hym of his owne sone That maketh hym wel the more astone And shope therof anone with all So that within a castel walle Thelamon his sone he shette Tyl he myght knowe the bette The sooth for there he ne knewe Til that fortune hym ouerthrewe But netheles for sykernesse Where that he myght wyte gesse A place strengest in his londe There lete he make of lyme sonde A strengthe where he wold dwelle Was neuer man yet herd telle Of suche another as it was And for to strengthe hym in that cas Of al his â—onde the sykerest Of seruanntes and of the worthyest To kepe hym within ward He charged hem they sholden harde And make suche an ordynaunce For loue ne for acqueyntaunce That were it erly were it late They shold bete in at the yate No mauer man what so betydde But it so were hym self it bydde But al that myght hym not auaylâ— For whome fortune wyll assayle There may be no resistence Whiche myght a man make defence That al shall be must fal algate This Cyrces whiche I spake of tate On whome Vlyxes hath bigete A childe though he it haue foryete When tymâ— came as it was wonne She was delyuerd of a sonne Whiche cleped is thelogonus The child when he was bore thus Aboute his moder to ful age That he can reson and langage In good estate was drawe forth And when he was so mochel wâ—â—th To stonde in a mannes stede Circes his moder hath hym bede That he shall to his fader go And told hym al to geder tho What man he was that hym begaâ— And when â—lelogonus herd that Was ware had ful knowlechyng How that his fader was a kyng He prayd his moder fayre this To go where that his fader is And she hym graunted that he shall And made hem redy forth with all It was that tyme suche vsaunce That euery man the congâ—ysaunce Of his Countre bare in his honde When he went in to straunge londe And thus was euery man therfore Well knowe where that he was bore For espyall or mystâ—o wynges They dyde than suche thynges That euery man may other knowe Sâ—o it bifelle in that throwe Thelogonus as in this cas Of his Contre the signe was Thre fisshes whiche he sholde bere Vpon the pynon of a spere And when he was thus arrayd And had his harneys all assayd That he was redy euerydele His moder bad hym fare wele And said hym that he shold sâ—ythe His fader grete a thousand â—ythe Thelogonus his moder kyâ—â— And took his leue where he wyst His fader was the way he name Til he vnto Nachare came Whiche of that lond the chyef Cyte Was cleped there asketh he Where was the kyng how he ferde And when that he the sooth herde Where that the kyng Vlixâ—s was Alone vpon his hoâ—s grete paas He roodâ— hym forth in his honde He bare the signall of his londe With fisshes thre as I haue told And thus he went in to that hold Where that his owne fader dwelleth The cause why he came he telleth Vnto the kepars of the gate And wold haue cemen in ther ate But shortely they hym said nay And as fayre as euer he may Besought told hem of this How that the kyng his fader is But they with proude wordes grete Biganne to manace and threte But he go fro the gate fast They wold hym take and set fast Fro wordes vnto strokes thus They felle so that Thelogonus Was sore hurte wel nyhe dede But with his sharp speres hede He maketh defence how so it falle And wan the yate vpon hem alle And hath slayne of the best fyue And they aseryeden as belyue Thorugh oute the castel al aboute On euery syde men came oute Wherof the kynges herte aflyght And he with al the hast that he myght A spere caught oute he goeth As he that nyhe was woode wroth He sawe the yates ful of blood Thelogonus where he stood He sawe also but he ne knewe What man he was and to hym threwe His spere he sterte oute asyde But desteny whiche shold betyde Befelle that ylke tyme so Thelogonus knewe no thyng tho What man it was that to hym cast And whyles his owne spere last With al the signe therupon He cast vnto the kyng anone And smote hym with a dedely wouÌ„de Vlixâ—s felle anone to grounde Tho euery man the kyng the kyng Began to crye of this thyng Thelogonus whiche sawe the caas On knees felle seid alas I haue myn owne fader slayn Now I wold deye wonder faynâ— Now slee me who that euer wylle For certes it is right good skylle He cryeth he wepeth he seid therfore Alas that euer was I bore That this vnhappy destyne So wofully cometh in by me This kyng which yet hath life ynougâ— His herte ayene vnto hym drough And to that voyce an ere he leyd And vnderstood all that he seid And gan to speke said on hyghe Bryng me this man whan he syghe Thelogonus his thought he set Vpon the sweuen whiche he met And axeth that he myght see His spere on whiche the fysshes thre He sawe vpon a pensel wrought Tho wyst he wel it faileth nought And bad hym that he telle shold Fro whens he came what he wold Thelogonus in sorowe woo So as he myght told
To gete ageyn that he hath lore Which she that hath his deth forbore Fortune though he wold not yelpe Al sodeynly hath sente hym helpe Whan hym thought al grace aweye There came a fyssher in the weye And sawe there a naked man stonde And whan that he hath vnderstonde The cause of hym he hath grete routhe And onely of his power trouthe Of suche clothes as he hadde With grete pyte this lord he cladde And he hym thonketh as he sholde And saith hym that it shold be yolde If euer he gete his state ageyn And prayeth that he wold seyn Yf nyghe were ony towne for hym He sayd ye pentopolym Where bothe kyng quene dwellen This tale herde he tellen He gladeth hym and gan beseche That he the weye hym wold teche And he hym taughte forth he wente And to god with good entente To sende hym ioye after his sorowe It is not passed yet mydmorowe Qualiter appollinus pentapolim adue niente ludus a giguasij ê‘ vrbem publice proclamatus est tHan thyderward his weye he nam Where sone vpon the none he came He ete suche as he myght gete And anone forth as he had ete He goeth to see the towne aboute And came there as he fonde a ronte Of yonge lnsty men with alle And as it shold tho byfalle That day was set of suche assyse That they shold in the londes gyse As he herde of the peple seye Her comune game thenne pleye And cryed was that they shold come Bothe to the game al somme Of hem that ben delyner wyght To do suche mastrye as they myght They made hem naked as they shold For so that ylke game wold And it was the custome the vse Amonges hem was none refuse The floure of al the towne was there And of the courte also there were And that was in a large place Ryght euen before the kynges face Which artestraches thenne hyght The pleye was pleyed right in his siÈt And who moste worthy was of dede Reayue he shold his mede And in the cyte bere a pryce Appolynus which was ware wyse Of euery game he coude an ende He thought to assay who so it wende Qualiter appollinus ludum gignasij vâ—nâ—ens in aula regis ad cenam hoâ—onâ—ice receptus est aNd fyl emonge hem vnto game And wan hym there suche a name So as the kyng hym self accounteth That he al other men surmounteth And baâ—e the pryce aboue hem alle The kyng bad that in to his halle At souper tyme he shal be brought And he came than lefte it nought Without companye allone Was none so semelyche a persone Of vysage of lymmes bothe If that he had what to clothe At souper tyme nethelese The kyng amyddes al the prese Lete clepe hem vp emonge hem alle And bad his marchal of his halle To setten hym in suche degre That he vpon hym myght see The kyng was sone sette and serued And he which hath his prise deserued After the kynges owne worde Was made begyn a myddel borde That bothe kyng quene hym sye He sette caste aboute his eye And sawe the lordes in estate He with hym self wexe in debate Thynkyng what he had lore And suche a sorowe he toke therfore That he satte euer stylle thought As he which of no mete rought Qualiter appollinus in cena recum â—ens nichil comedit set dolo roso vultu capite maxime ingemescebat qui tandem a filia regis confortatus citheram plectens cunctis audientibus citherando vltra modum complacuit tHe kyng behelde his heuynrsse And of his grete gentylnesse His doughter which was fayre and â—ood And atte borde byfore hym stode As it was thylke tyme vsage He bad to goo on his message And fonde to make hym glade And she dyd as hir fader bade And goeth to hym the softe paas And axeth whan what he was And prayeth he shold his thouÈtes leue He saith madame by your leue My name is hote appolynus And of my ryches it is thus Vpon the see I haue it lore The contre where as I was bore Where that my londe is my rente I lefte at tyre whan that I wente The worshyp there of which I ought Vnto the god I there betought And thus to gyder as they speke The teeris ranne doun by his cheke The kyng which toke therof good kepe Had grete pyte to see hym wepe And forth his doughter sende ageyn And prayed hir fayr gan to sayn That she wold no lenger dretrhe But that she wold anone forth fetche Hir harpe done al that she can To glade with that sory man And she to done hir faders heste Hir harpe fette in the feste Vpon a chayer which they fette Hir self nexte to this man she sette With harpe bothe eke with mowthe To hym she dyd al that she couthe To make hym chere euer be sygheth And she hym axeth how hym lyketh Madame certeys wel he sayed But yf ye the mesure played Which yf you list I shal you lere It were a gladde thynge for to here A leue syr sayth she Take the harpe lete me see Of what mesure that ye mene Tho prayeth the kyng the quene Forthwith the lordes al arewe That he somme myrthe wold shewe And taketh the harpe in his wyse He tempreth of suche assyse Syngyng he harpeth forth with alle That as a voyâ—e celâ—styalle Hem thought it sowned in her here As though it an aungel were They gladen of his melodye But moste of al the companye The kynges douÈter which it herde And thouÈt eke and that he answerd Whan that it was of hir apposed Within her herte hath wel supposed That he his grete gentylnesse His dedes ben therof wytnesse Forthwyth the wysdom of his lore It nedeth not to sâ—che more He myght not haue suche manere Of gentyl blood but yf he were Whan he hath harpyd al his fylle The kynges heste to fulfylle Awey goeth dysshe aweye goeth cup Doun goeth the borde the cloth was vp They rysen goon out of halle The kyng his chamberleyn lete calle And bad that he by al weye A chambre for this man purueye Which nygh his owne chambre be It shal be do my lord qd he Qualiter appollinus cum rege pro filia sua erudienda retentus est aPpollynus of whom I mene Tho toke his leue of kyng quene And of the worthy mayde also Which prayed vnto hir fader tho That she myght with the yonge man Of tho sciences which he can His lore haue in this wyse The kyng hir graunteth hir apprise So that hym self therto assent Thus was accorded or they went That he with al that euer he may This yonge fayr fresshe may Of that he coude shold enforme And ful assented in this forme Qualiter filia regis appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit Et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quam
her mercy But syre of that ye wold mene That I shold otherwyse wene To be byloued than I was I am beknowe as in that cas Confessor My good sone telle me how Amans Now lest I wol telle you My good fadre how it is Ful ofte it hath byfalle or this Thorugh hope was not certeyne My wenyng hath be set in veyne To truste in thyng that helpe me nouÈt But onlyche of myn owne thought For as semeth that a belle Lyke to the wordes that men telle Ansueryth ryght so nomore ne lesse To yow my fadre I confesse Suche wyl my wytte hath euer set That what so hope me behet Ful many a tyme I wene it sothe But fynally no spede it dothe Thus may I telle as I can Wenyng begyleth many a man So hath it me ryght wel I wote For yf a man wol in a bote Whiche is withoute botome ro we He must nedes onerthrowe Ryght so wenyng hath ferde by me For whan I wende next haue be As I by my wenyng cast Than was I forthest at last And as a foole my bowe vnbende Whan al was fayled than I wende For thy my fadre as of this That my wenyng hath gone amys Touchend to Snrquedrye Yeue me my penaunce or I dye But yf ye wold in ony forme â— Of this mater a tale enforme Whiche were ayene this vyce set I shold fare wel the bet hIc ponit confessor exemplum coÌ„ tra illos qui in suis viribus presumeÌ„tes debiliores efficiuntur Et narrat qualiter ille Capaneê° miles m armis probatissimus de sua presumens audacia inuocacionem ad superos tempore necessitatis ex vecordia tamen et non a liter primitus prouenisse asseruit vnde in obsidione Ciuitatis Thebarum cuÌ„ ipse quodam die coram suis hostibus ad debellan dum se obtulit ignis de celo subito superueniens Ipsum armatum totaliter in Cineres conbussit mY sone in al maner wyse Surquedrye is to despyse Wherof I fynde write thus The proud knyght Capaneê° He was of suche Surquedrye That he thorugh his chyualrye Vpon hym self so mochel truste That to the goddes hym ne lust In no quarelle to beseche But sayd it was an ydel speche Whiche cause was of pure drede For lak of herte for nede And vpon suche presumpcion He held this proud oppynyon Tyl at the last â–ª vpon a day Aboute Thebes where he lay Whan it of syege was beleyne This knyght as the Cromyque seyne In al mannes syght there Whan he was proudest in his gere And how nothyng myght hym dere Ful armed with his sheld spere As he the Cyte wold assaylle God toke hym self the bataylle Ayene his pryde fro the sky A fyry thonder sodenly He sende to poudre hym smote And thus the pryde whiche was hote Whan he most in his strengthe wende Was brent lost withouten ende So that it proueth wel therfore The strengthe of man is sone lore But yf that he it wel gouerne And ouer this a man may lerne That eke ful oftyme it greueth What that a man hym self beleueth As though it shold hym wel beseme That he al other men can deme And hath foryete his owne vyce A tale of hem that be so nyce And feynen hem self to be wyse I shal telle the in suche a wyse Wherof thou shalt ensample take That thou no suche thyng vndertake hIc loquitur Confessor contra illos qui de sua scieÌ„cia presumentes aliorum condicioues dâ—udicantes indi screte redarguuÌ„t Et narrat ExempluÌ„ de quodam principe Regis Hungarie Germano qui cum featrem suum pau peribus m publico vidit humiliatum Ipsum redarguendo in contrarium edocere presumebat Sed Rex omni sciencia prepollens ipsum sic incaute presumentem ad humilitatis memoriam ter ribili prouidencia micius castigauit I Fynde vpon Surquedrye How that whilom of huÌ„garye By old dayes was a kyng Wyse honest in al thyng And so byfel vpon a daye And that was m the moneth of Maye As thylk tyme it was vsance This kyng with noble purueannce Hath for hym self his chaar arrayed Wheryn he wold ryde amayed Oute of the Cyte for to playe With lordes grete arraye Of lusty folk that were yonge Where somme pleyd somme songe And somme gone som ryde And somme pryke her hors a syde And brydlen hem now in now oute The kyng his eye cast aboute Tyll he atte last was ware And sawe comend ageyne his chare Two pylgryms of so grete age That lyche vnto a drye ymage That weren pale fade hewed And as a busshe whiche is besnewed Here berdes be hoore whyte Ther was of kynde but a lyte That they ne semen fully dede They come to the kyng bede Somme of his good pur charyte And with grete humylyte Oute of his chare to grounde he lepe And hem m bothe his armes kepe And kyst hem bothe foote honde Byfore the lordes of his lond And yaf hem of his good therto And whan he hath this dede do He goth in to his chare ageyne Tho was murmour tho was dysdeyne Tho was compleynt on euery syde They sayden of her owne pryde Echone to other what is this Oure kyng hath do this thynge amys So to abesse his Royalte That euery man it myght se And humbled hym in suche a wyse To hem that were of none empryse Thus was it spoken to fro Of hem that were with hym tho Al pryuely behynde his bak But to hym self noman spak The kynges broder in presence Was thylk tyme grete offence He toke therof was the same Abouen al other which most to blame Vpon his lyege lord hath leyd And hath vnto the lordes seyd Anone as he can tyme fynde There shal nothyng be left behynde That he wol speke vnto the kyng Now what felle vpon this thyng They were mery fayr ynongh Echone with other playd lough And fellen in to tales newe How that the fresshe floures grewe And how the grene leues spronge And how that loue among the yonge Bygan the hertes than to wake And euery byrd hath chose his make And thus the may day to th ende They lad home aye ne they wende The kyng was not so sone come That whan he had his chambre nome His broder ne was redy there And brought a tale vnto his ere Of that he had suche a shame In hyndeyng of his owne name When he hym self wold dretche That to so vyle a pouer wretche Hym deyneth shewe suche symplesse Ageynst the state of his noblesse And sayth he shal no more vse And that he mote hym self excuse Toward his lordes euerychone The kyng stode stylle as onystone And to his tale an ere he leyde And thought more than he seyde But netheles to that he herde Wel curtoysly he ansuerde And told it shold be amended And thus when that here tale was
grace That al his pryce on her he â—eyde In audyence thus he seyde My fayre mayde wel ye be Of thyne ansuere eke of the Me lyketh as thou wylt Foryeue be thy fadre gylt And yf thou were of suche lygnage That thou to me were of parage And that thy fadre were a pere As he is now a bachylere Thou sholdest then be my wyf So syker as I haue lyf But this I say netheles That I wol shape thyn encrees What worldes good that thou wolt baue Axe of my yeft thou shalt haue And she the kynges wordes wyse Knelyng thanked in this wyse My lyege lord god mote yow quyte My fader here hath but a lyte Of waryson that he wende Had al be lost but now amende Ye may wel thorugh your noble grace With that the kyng ryght in his place A none forth in the fressh hete An Erldom whiche than was eschete Was late falle in to his honde Vnto the knyght with rente londe Hath youe with his chartre sesed And thus was al the noyse appesed This maide which sate vpon hir knees Byfore the kynges charytees Comen deth sayth euermore My lyege lord ryght now to fore Ye sayde as it is of record That yf my fadre were a lord And pere vnto these other grete Ye wolden not elles lete That I ne shold be your wyf And thus wote enery worthy lyf A kynges word mote be holden For thy my lord yf that ye wolden So grete a charyte fulfylle God wote it were wel my wylle For he whiche was a bachilere My fadre is now made a pere So when as euer that I cam An erles doughter now I am This yong kyng whiche plesyd alle Hyr beaute hyr wyt with alle As he that wae with loue hente A none therto yaf his assente He myght not the mayde asterte That she nys lady of his herte So that he took hyr to his wyfe To holde whyle that he hath lyfe And thus the kyng toward this knyÈt Acordeth to hym as it is ryght And ouer this good is to wyte In the Cronyes as it is wryte This noble kyng of whome I tolde Of Spayne by tho dayes olde The kyngdome had in gouernaunce Aud as the book maketh remembrauÌ„ce Alphons was his propre name The knyght also yf I shal name Dom Petro hyght as men telle His doughter wyse Petronelle Was cleped whiche was ful of grace And that was sene in thylk place Where she hyr fadre oute of tene Hath breuÈt made hyr self a quene Of that she hath so wel disclosed The poyntes wherof she was opposed Confessor Lo now my sone as thou myght here Of al this thyng to my matere But one I take that is pryde To whome no grace may betyde In heuene he felle oute of his stede And paradys hym was forbede The good men in erthe hym hate So that to helle he mote algate Where euery vertu shal be weyued Aud euery vyce be receyued But Humblesse is al other wyse Whiche moost is worthy noo repryse It taketh ageyne both softe fayre If ony thyng stant in contrayre With humble speche it is redressed Thus was this yong mayd blessyd The whiche I spak of now to fore Her fadre lyfe she gat therfore And wanne with al the kynges loue For thy my sone yf thou wolt loue It sytt the wel to loue pryde And take Humblesse on thy syde The more of grace thou shalt gete Amans My fadre I wol not foryete Of this that ye haue told me here And yf that ony suche manere Of humble port may loue appaye Here afterward I thenke assaye But now ouer I beseche That ye more of my shryfte seche Confessor My good sone it shal be do Now herkne lay an ere to For as tonchand of pryde fayre Al 's ferforth as I can declare In cause of vyce in cause of loue That thou hast pleyne herd aboue So that there is nomore to seye Touchend of that but other weye Touchend enuye I thynk to telle Whiche hath by propre kynde of helle Withoute cause to mysdo Toward hym self other mo Here afterward as I vnderstonde Thou shalt the spyces as they stonde Explicit liber primus Liter secundus hOw after pryde the second Ther is which many a wo ful stouÌ„d To wardes other beryth aÌ„boute Within hym self not withoute For in his thought he brenneth euer Whan that he wote another leuer Or more vertuous than he Whiche passeth hym in his degre Wherof he taketh his maladye That vyce is cleped hoote enuye For thy my sone yf it be so That the art or hast ben one of tho As for to speke in loues cas Yf euer yet thyn herte was Seke of other mennes hele So god auannce my quarele My fadre ye a thousand sythe Whan I haue sene another blythe Of loue a goodly chere Ethna whiche brenneth yere byyere Was than not so hoote as I Of thylk for whiche pryuely Myn hertes thought within brenneth The ship whiche on the wawe renneth And is forstormed for blowe Is not more payned for athrowe Than I am than whan I se Another whiche that passeth me In that fortune of loues yefte But fadre this I telle in shryfte That now here but in a place For who that seche fynde grace In other stede it may nought greue But this ye may ryght wel byleue Toward my lady that I serue Though that I wyst for to sterue Myn hert is ful of suche folye That I my self may not chastye Whan I the court see of Cupyde Approche vnto my lady syde Of hem that lusty ben fresshe Though it auayle hem not a resshe But only that they ben of speche My sorowe is than not to seche But whan they rownen in her ere Then groweth al my most fere And namely whan they talen long My sorowes be than so strong Of that I se hem wel at ease I can not telle my dysease But syre as of my lady selue Though she haue wowers x or twelue For no mystrust I haue of hire Me greueth nonght for certes syre I trowe in al this world to seche Nys woman that in dede speche Wol better auyse hyr what she doth Ne better for to sey a soth Kepe hyr honour at al tyde And yet gete hyr a thank besyde But netheles I am be knowe That whan I see ony throwe Or elles yf it I may here That she make ony man good chere Though I therof haue not to done My thought wol entermete sone For though I be my self straunge Enuye maketh myn hert chaunge That I am sorowfully be stad Of that I se another glad With hyr but of other alle Of loue what so may byfalle Or that he fayle or that he spede Therof take I but lytel hede Now haue I sayd my fader alle And of this poynt in specyal As ferforthly as I haue wyst
wol make this byhest I shal be auengyd or I go And lete a fyre make tho And bad men for to cast her ynne But fyrst she told oute al her synne And dede hem alle for to wyte How she the lettres had wryte Fro poynt to poynt as it was wrouÈt And tho she was to deth brought And brunt to fore her sones eye Wherof these other whiche it syghe And herden how the cause stood Seynâ— that the â—ngement was good Of that her sone her hath so serued For she it had wel deserued Thorugh treson of her owne tonge Whiche thorugh the londe was after songe CoÌ„staÌ„ce euery wiÈt coÌ„pleâ—neth But he who al wo dystreyneth This sorowful kynge was so bysâ—ad That he shal neuermore be glad He seyth eftsone for to wedde Tyl he wyst how that she spedde Whiche had ben his fyrst wyf Aud thus his yong vnlusty lyf He dryueth forth so as he may qValiter post â—apsum duodecim anuozum rex Allee absolucionis causa Romam proficiscens vxorem suam Constanaâ—m vna cum filio suo diuina prouidencia ibidem letus inuenit tYl it byfel vpon a day When he his werres had acheued And thought he wold be releued Of soule he le vpon the feyth Whiche he hath take than he seyth That he to Rome on pylgremage Wold go where pope was pelage To take his absolucyon And vpon this condycyon He made Edwyn his lyeutenaunt Whiche heyr to hym was apparaunt That he the bond m absence Shal rewle by prouydence Of al thyng wel bygone He took his leue forth is gone Elda which was with hym tho there At they fullyâ—â—e at Rome were Was sent to fore to purueye And he hys guyde vpon the weye In helpe to be his herbegâ—our Hath ayed who was Senatour That he his name myght kenne Of Caâ—odece he sayd Arcenne He hyght was a worthy knyght To hym goth Elda forth ryght And told hym of his lord tydyng And prayd for that his comyng He wold assygne hym herbergage And he so dyde of good courage Whan al is do that is to done The kyng hym self cam after sone This Senatour when that he come To Cust to his wyf at home Hath told how suche a kyng Allee Of grete array to the Cyte Was come cust vpon his tale With hert câ—â—se colour pale A swoune felle he meruaylleth So sodenly what thyng hyr eyleth And caught hyr vp when she woke She sygheth with a pytoue loke And feyneth sekenesse of the see But it was for the kyng Allee For ioye whiche felle in her thought That god hym hath to Towne brouÈt This kyng hath spoke with the pope And told al that he couthe grope What greueth in his conscyence And than he thought in reuerence Of his estate or that he went To make a feest anon he sente Vnto the Senatour to come Vpon the morowe other some To sytte with hym at mete This tale hath Cust not foryetâ— But to Morys hyr sone tolde That he vpon the morowe sholde In al that euer he couth myght Be present in the kynges syght So that the kynge hym ofte syghe Morys to fore the kynges â—ye Vpon the morowe where he sat Ful ofte stood vpon that The kyng his chere vpon hym cast And in his face he thought as fast He sawe his owne wyf Constance For nature as in resemblaunce Of face hym lyketh for to clothe That they were of one suyte bothe â–ª The kyng hath moeued in his thought Of that he sawe knewe it nought This childe he loueth kyndely And yett he wote noo cause why But wel he saw vnderstode That he toward Arcenne stode And axeth hym anone ryght there Yf that this child his sone were He sayd ye so I hym calle And wold it were so byfalle But it is al in other wyse And tho gan he to deuyse How he the childes modre fond Vpon the see from euery lond Within a ship was stereles And how this lady he speles â—â—orth with hir child he hath forth draw The kynge hath vnderstonde his saw The childes name axeth tho And what the modre hyght also That he hym wolde telle he preyde Moris this child is hote he seyde His modre hat Cust this I not what maner name it is But Allee wyst wel ynough Wherof somdele smylend he lough For Cust in Saxon is to seyn Constance vpon the word Romeyn But who that couthe specyfye What tho was in his fantasye Aud how his wytt aboute renneth Vpon the loue in whiche he brenneth It were wondre for to here For he was neyther there ne here But clene oute of hym self awey That he note what to thynk ne sey So feyn he wold it were she Wherof his hertes pryuete Bygan the werre of ye nay The whiche in suche balaunce lay That contenaunce for a throwe He lost tyl he myght knowe The soth but in his memorye The man whiche lyeth in purgatorye Desyreth not the heuen more That he ne longeth also sore To wyte what hym shal betyde And when the boordes were a syde And euery man was ryse aboute The kyng hath weyued al the route And with the Senatour al one He spak prayd hym of a bone To see this Cust where she duelleth At home with hym where as he telleth The Senatour was wel apayd This kyng no lenger is delayd To see this Cust goth the kyng And she was warned of the thyng And with Eleyne forth she cam Ayene the kyng he tho nam Good hede he sawe his wyf Anone with al his hertes lyf He caught hyr in his armes kyst Was neuer wyght that syghe ne wyst A man that more ioye made Wherof they weren al glad Whiche herd telle of this channce The kyng tho with his wyf CoÌ„staÌ„ce Whiche had a grete part of his wylle In Rome for a tyme stylle Abode made hym wel at case But so yet coud he neuer please Of hyr estate the trouthe pleyne His wyf that she wold hym seyne Of what conntre that she was bore Ne what she was yet therfore With al his wyt he dyde seke Thus as they lay in bed speke She prayth hym counseyleth bothe That for the worship of hem bothe So as here thought it were honest He wold an honourable fest Make or he went in the Cyte Where the Emperour shal be He graunted al that she hym prayd But in that tyme as men sayd Thylk Emperour from that day That fyrst his doughter went away He was than after neuer glad But what that ony man hym bad Of grace for his doughter sake That grace wold he nought forsake Aud thus ful grete almesse he dede Wherâ—f she had many a bede qValiter Constancia que antea per totum tempus exilij sui penes omnes incognitam se celauit tunc â—â—mum patri suo Imperatori se ipsam per omnia manifestant Qd cum
Rex Allee sciâ—â—sset vna cum vniuersa RomanoruÌ„ multitudine inestimabili gaudio admirances cuuctipotentem laudarunt tHis Emperour oute of the toune Within a ten myle eâ—uyroune Where as it thought hym for the best Hath sondry places for to rest And as fortune wold tho He was duellend at one of tho The kyng Allee forth with thassent Of Cust his wyf hath thyder sent Moryce his sone as he was taught To Themperour he goth straught And in his fadre halue he sought As he whiche his lordship sought Tht he of his hyghe worthynes He wold do so grete mekenes His owne Towne to come see And yeue a tyme in the Cyte So that his fadre myght hym gete That be wosd ones with hym ete This ford hath graunted his request And when the day was of the fest An worship of the Emperour The kyng este the Senatour Forth with her wyues bothe two With many a lord lady mo On hors ryden hym ageyne Tyl it byfell vpon a pleyne They syghe where he was comend With that Constaunce anone preyend Spak to her lord that he abyde So that I may to fore ryde To ben vpon his bien benu The fyrst whiche shal hym salu And thus after hyr lordes graunt Upon a mule whyte amblaunt Forth with a fewe rood his quâ—ne They wondred what she wold mene But ryden after a softe pas But when this lady comen was To themperour in his presence She sayd aloude in audyence My lord my fadre wel you be And of this tyme that I se Your honour your good he le Whiche is the helpe of my quarele I thanke vnto the goddes myght For tâ—ye his â—â—rt was aflyght Of that she told in remembraunce And when he wyst it was ConstauÌ„ce Was neuer fadre half so blythe Wepend he kyst hyr ofte sythe So was his hert al ouercome For though his modre were come Fro deth to lyf out of the graue He myght no more wonder haue Than he hath when he hyr syght With that hyr owne lord come nyght And is to themperour obeyed And when that comfort is be wâ—eyed How that Constaunce is come aboute So hard an hert was none oute That he for pyte tho ne wepte Arcenius which hyr fonde kepte Was than glad of that is falle So that with ioye among hem alle They ryden in at Rome gate This Emperour thought al to late Tyl that the pope were come And of tho lordes sende some To pray hym that he wol hast And he cam forth in al hast And when he the tale herd How wonderly his chaunce ferd He thanked god of his myracle To whome may be none obstable The kyng a noble feste hem made And thuo they were al glade A parlement or that they went They setten vnto this entent To put Rome in ful espeyre That morys was apparent heyre And shold abyde with hym stylle For suche was al the londes wylle Qualiter Mauricius cum Impera to â—e vt heres imperij remansit Et Rex Allee et Constancia in angâ—â—am regres si sunt wHen euery thing was fully spoke Of soro we queynt was al that smoke Tho toke his leue allee that kyng And with ful many a ryche thyng Whiche themperour hym had yeue He hath a glad lyf for to lyue For he Constance hath in his hond Whiche was the comfort of his lond For when that he come home ageyne There is no tong that myght seyne What ioye was that ylke stouÌ„de Whiche â—rst was sent of goddes sound By whome the mysbileue of synne Was left Crystes feyth cam ynne To hem that whilome were blynde Qualiter Rex Allâ—â— in Angâ—a post bicnnium humane carnis resolucionem subiens nature debitum persoluit post cuius obitum CoÌ„stancia cum patre suo Rome se transtulit moraturam â—t he which hyndreth euery kind And for no gold may be forlouÈt The deth comyng or he besought Toke with this kyng suche acqueyntauÌ„ce That he with al his retenauÌ„ce Ne myght not defende his lyf And thus he parteth from his wyf Whiche than made sorowe ynoughe And therupon hir herte droughe To leue Englond for euer And go where that she had leuer To Rome whens that she cam And thus of al the lond she nam Hyr leue goth to Rome ageyne And after that the bokes seyne She was not there but a thro we When deth of kynde hath ouerthrowe Hir worthy fadre whiche men seyde That bytwene hyr armes deyde And after ward the yere suend The god of her hath made an end And fro this worldes fayrye Hath take hyr in to companye Moryce hyr sone was coroned Whiche so ferforth was abandoned To Crystes feyth that men hym calle Morys the Crystnest of alle And thus the whele meuyng of loue Was at the last set aboue And so as thou hast herd to fore The fals tunges were lore Whiche vpon loue wold lye For thy touchend of this enuye Whiche longeth vnto bakbytyngr Be ware thou make no lesyng In hyndryng of another wyght And yf thou wold be taught aryght What meschyef bakbytyng doth By other weye a tale soth Now myght thou here anone sewend Whiche to this vyce is acordend hIc ponit Confessoâ— exempluÌ„ coÌ„ tra istos detractores qui in afterius bitupeaum mendacia confingentes diffamacomÌ„ fieri procurauit Et natrat qualiter Perseus Philippi Regis Macedonij filius Demetrio fratri suo ob eius provitatem inuidens composito detractionis mendacio ipsum apud patrem suum mortaliter accusauit dicens ê™ ipse non solum patrem sed totum Macedonij regnuÌ„ Romanis hostibus proditurie vendidisset quem super hoc in iudicinm producens testibê° que judicibns auro subornatis quamuis falsissime morte condempnatum eâ—â—cit quo defuncto eciam et pater infea breue postea mortuus est Et Persio successiue regnante deê° huius detractionis iuuidiam abhorrens Ipsum cum bniuersa suorum pugnatorum multitudine extra Dauubij fluuium ab emilio tunc Romanorum Consule euen tu bellico interfeci fortunauit ita ê™ ab illo die Macedonij potestas penitus des tructa Romano Imperio subiugata de seruiuit eius detractio quam contra aâ—â—um conspirauerat in sui ipsius diffamacionem pro perpetuo diuulgata consistit IN'a Cronyque as thou shalt wyte A grete ensample I fynd wryte Whiche I shal telle vpon this thyng Phelyp of Macedonye the kyng Two sones had he by his wyf Who 's fame is yet in grece ryf Demetrius the fyrst broder Was hote Perseus that other Demetrius they sayden tho The better knyght was of tho To whome the lond was attendanut As he whiche heyre was apparaunt To regne after his fadre day But that thyng whiche no water may Quenche in this world but euer brenneth In to his broder hert renneth The proud enuye of that he syghâ— His broder shold clynne on hygâ—â— And he to hym than
mote obeye That may he suffer by no weyâ— With strength durst he no thyng stoÌ„â— So took he lesyng vpon honde When he sygh tyme spak therto For it byfelle that tyme so His fadre grete werres had With Rome whiche he streyt lad Thorugh myÈty strength of his maÌ„hod As he whiche hath yuough knygthod And ofte hâ—m had sore greued But or the werre were acheued As he was vpon ordynaunce At home in grece it felle par chaunce Demetaus whiche ofte aboute Rydend was stood that tyme oute So that this Perse in his absence Whiche bare the tonge of pestylence With fals wordes whiche he feyneth Upen his owne broder pleyneth In pryuete behynde his bak And to his fadre thus he spak My dere fadre I am holde By wey of kynde as reson wolde That I fro yow shal no thyng hyde Whiche myght torne in ony syde In youre estate to greuaunce For thy myn hertes obeysaunce Toward yow I thenke to kepe For it is good ye take kepe Upon a thyng whiche is me told My broder hath vs al sold To hem of Rome yow also For then they behote hym tho That he with them shal regne in pees Thus hath he cast for his encres That youre estate shal go to nought And thus to proue shal be brought So ferforth that I vndertake It shal not wel mow be forsake The kyng vpon his tale ansuerd And said yf this thyng whiche he herd Be soth may be brought to proue It shal not be to his behoue Whiche vs hath shapen so the werst For he hym self shal be the ferst That shal be dede yf that I may Thus afterward vpon a day When that Demetrius was come Anone his fadre hath hym nome And bad to his broder Perse That he his tale shal reherce Of thylk treson whiche he told And whiche al vntrouthe wolde Counseylleth that so hyghe a nede Be treted where as it may spede In comon place of jugement The kyng therto yafe his assent Demetrius was put in holde Wherof that Perseus was bolde Thus stood the trouth vnder the charge And the falshede goth at large Whiche thouâ—gh byhest hath ouercome The grettest of the lordes some That preuelyche of his acord They stond as wytnesse of record The Iuge was made fauourable Thus was the lawe deceyuable So ferforth that the fronth fond Rescouse none thus the lond Forth with the kyng deceyued were The gyliles was dampned there And deyde vpon acusement But suche a fals conspyrement Though it be preuy for a throwe God wold not it were vnknowe And that was after ward wel proued In hym whiche hath that deth coÌ„troued Of that his broder was so slayn This Perseus was wondre fayn As he that â–ª tho was apparauÌ„t Upon the regne expectauÌ„t Wherof he wax so proud beyn That he his fadre in dysdeyn Hath take set at none acompte As he whiche thouÈt hym to surmouÌ„te That where he was fyrst de bonayrâ— He was tho rebelle contrayre And not as heyr but as a kyng He took vpon hym in al thyng Of malyce of tyrannye In contempt of Regalye Lyued his fadre soo wrought That when the fadre hym bethought And sawe to whedyr syde it droughe Anone he wyst wel ynough How Perse his fals tonge Hath so thenuyous belle ronge That he hath slayne his owne broder Wherof as then he knewe none other But sodenly the Iuge he nome Whiche corrupt sat vpon the dome In suche a wyse hath hym pressed That he the soth hym hath confessed Of al that he hath spoke do More sory than the kynge was tho Was neuer man vpon this molde And thought in certeyne that he wold â—engeaunce take vpon this wrong But the other party was so strongr That for the lawe of no statute There may no ryght be execute And vpon this dyuysyon The lond was torned vp so doun Wherof his herbe is so distraught That he for pure sorowe hath caught The maladye of whiche nature Is queynt in euery creature And when this kyng is passed thus This fals tonged Perseus The regyment hath vnderfonge But ther may no thyng stond longe Whiche is not vpon trouthe grounded For god whiche hath al thyng bouÌ„ded And sawe the falshede of his gyle Hath set hym but a lytel whyle That he shal regne vpon depose For sodenly as the rose So sodenly doune he felle In thylk tyme it so byfelle This newe kyng of newe pryde With strengthe shope hym for to ryde And sayd he wold Rome waste Wherof he made a besy haste And hath assembled hym an hoost In al that euer he myght most What man that myght wepen be re Of al he wold none forbe re So that it myght not be nombred The folk whiche was encombred Thorugh him that god wold ouerthrowe Anone it was at Rome knowe The pompe whiche that Perse lad And the Romayns that tyme had A consul whiche cleped was thus The name Panle Emilius A noble a worthy knyght with alle And he whiche cheef was of alle This werre on hond hath vndertake And whan he shold his leue take Of a yong doughter whiche was his She wepte what cause it is He axeth she hym ansuereth That Perseus is dede he it hereth And wondreth what she mene wold And vpon childehode hym told That Perse his lytel hound is dede Withethat he pulleth vp his hede And made ryght a glad vysage And seyd how that was a presage Touchend vnto that other Perse How that fortune hym shald aduerse He seyth for suche a prenostyke Moost of an hound was to hym lyke For as it is an houndes kynde To berke vpon a man behynde Ryght so behynde his broders bak With fals wordes whiche he spak He hath do slayn that is routhe But he whiche hateth al vntrouth The hyghe god it shal redresse For so my doughter prophetesse Forth with hyr lytel houndes deth Betokeneth thus forth he geth Conforted of this euydeucâ— With the Romayns in his defence Ageyne the grekes that be comende This Perseus as nought semende This meschyef whiche that hym abode With al his multitude rode And prayd hym vpon the thyng Of that he was bycomen a kyng And how he had his Royalme gete That he hath al the ryght foryete Whiche longeth vnto gouernaunce Wherof thorugh good ordynaunce It felle vpon the wynter tyde That with his hoost he shold ryde Oner Dauubye thylke flood Whiche al be frorn than stood So hard that he wende wel To passe but the blynde wheel Whiche torneth ofte or men beware Thylk yee whiche hors men bare To brak so that a grete partye Was dreynt of the chyualrye The rereward it took awey Cam none of hem to lond drey Paulus the worthy knyÈt romeyn By his aspye it herd seyn And hasteth al that he may So that vpon that other day He cam where he this hoost byheld And that was in a
large feld Where the baners ben displayed He hath anone his men arrayed And when that he was enbataylled He goth hath the feld assaylled And slough took al that he fonde Wherof the Macedonye londe Which thurgh kyng alisaÌ„der is honoured Long tyme stood was than deuoured To Perse al infortune â—â—â—y wyte so that the comune Of al the lond his heyre exyle And he dyspeyred for the whyle Desguysed in a power wede To Rome goth ther for nede The â—â—aft whiche thylk tyme was To worken in lawnÌ„ in bras He lerneth for his sustenaunce Suche was the sones purueaunce And of his fadre it is sayd In strong pryson that he was layd In Albe where that he was dede For honger for defaulte of brede The hounde was token of prophecye That lyche an hound he shold dye Whiche lyche was of condycyon Whan he with detractyon Bark on his broder so behynde Coufessor Lo what proufyde a man may fynde Whiche hyndre wol another wyght For thy with al thyn hool myght My sone eschewe thylk vyce Amans My fadre elles were I nyce For ye therof so wel haue spoke That it is in myn hert loke And euer shal but of enuye If ther be more in his baylye Towardes loue say me what My sone as gyle vnder the hat With sleyghtes of a Tregetour Is hyd enuye of suche colour Hath yet the fourth deceyuaunt The whiche is cleped fals semblaunt Wherof the mater the forme Now herkne I the shal enforme Nil bilinguis aget nisi duplo conci tat ore Dumque diem loquitur vox sua vota tegit Vultus habet lucem tenebras mens sermo salutem Actus sed morbum dat suus esse grauem Pox tibi quam spondet magis est prenostica guerre Comoda si dederit disce subesse dolum Qnodque patet esse fides in eo fraus est que positi Pâ—ncipium pacti finis habere negat O qmÌ„ condicio talis deformat amantein Qui magis apparens est in amore nichil hIc tractat Confessor super quarta specie Inuidie que dissimulacio dicitur cuius vultus quanto maio ris amicicie apparenciam ostendit taÌ„to subtilioris doli fallacias ad decipien duÌ„ mens ymaginatur oF fals seÌ„blauÌ„t yf I shall telle Aboue al other it is the welle Out of that which deceyt floweth There is no man so wyse that knoweth Of thylkf lood whiche is the tyde Ne how he shold hym self guyde To take sauf passage there And yet the wynd to mans ere Is softe as it semeth oute It maketh clere weder al aboute But though it seme it is not soo For fals semblaunt hath euer moo Of his counseyl in companye The derke vntrewe Ipocrysye Whoo 's word destroyeth in his thouÈt For thy they be to gyder brought Of one couyne of one houshold As it shal after ward thus be told Of fals semblaunt it nedeth nought To telle of old ensamples ought For al day in experyence A man may see thylk euydence Of fayre wordes whiche he hereth But yet the barge of enuye stereth And halt it euer from the londe Whiche fals seÌ„blauÌ„t with oore in hond It roweth wol not arryue But lete it on the wawes dryue In grete tempest grete debate Wherof that loue his estate Empeyreth therfore I rede My sone that thou flee drede This vyce what that other seyn Lete thy semblaunt be trewe pleyn For fals semblaunt is thylk vyce Whiche neuer was withoute offyce Where that enuye thynketh to gyle He shal byfore that ylke whyle Of pryue counseylle be messagere For when his semblaunt is most clere Than is he most derke in his thought Though man hym se they knowe hym nouÈt But as it sheweth in the glas Thyng whiche theryn neuer was So sheweth it in his vysage That neuer was in his courage Thus doth al his thyng with sleyght Now laye thy conscyence in weyght My good soue shryue the here If thou were euer customere To fals semblaunt in ony wyse For ought I can me yet auyse My good fadre certes no For I for loue haue do so Now axe I wold pray yow For elles I wote neuer bow Of fals semblauÌ„t how that I haue gyâ—t My sone sethyn that thou wylt That I shal axe gabbe nought But telle yf euer was thy thought With fals semblaunt couerture To wyte of ony creature How that he was with loue stad So wery or sory or he were glad Whan thou wystyst how it were Al that he rouneth in thyn ere Thou toldest forth in other place To setten hym fro loues grace Of that woman that hym best lyst Theryn no man his counseyll wyst But thou by whome he was deceyue â–ª Of loue from his purpoos weyued And thoughtest at his dysturbaunce Thyn owne cause shold auaunce As who seyth I am so secrete There may no mans pryuete Behâ—led halue so wel as myn Art thou my sone of suche engyn Telle on My good fadre nay As for the more party I say But of somdele I am byknowe That â–ª I may stonde in thylk rowe Among hem that saundres vse I wol me not therof excuse That I with suche colour ne steyne When I my best semblaunt feyne Telle my fela we of that I wote Al his counseylle both cold hote For by that cause I make hym chere Tyl I his loue knowe here And yf so be myn herte soucheth That ought vnto my lady toucheth Of loue that he wold me telle Anone I renne vnto the welle And cast water in to the fyre So that his carte amyd the fyre By that I haue his counseyll knowe Ful ofte syth I ouerthrowe When that he weneth best to stonde But this I do yow to vnderstonde Yf that a man loue elles where So that my lady be nought there And he me telle he wol it hyde There shal no word escape asyde Forth with deceypt of no semblaunt To hym breke I none couenaunt Me lyketh not in other place To let no man of his grace Ne for to be Inquesytyâ— To knowe another mans lyf Where that he loue or loue nought That toncheth no thyng to my thouÈt But al it passeth thorugh myn ere Ryght as a thyng that neuer were And is foryete layd asyde But yf it toucheth ony syde My lady as I haue er spoken Myn ere 's be than nought loken For certes whan that by tyt My wyl myn hert al my wyt Ben fully set to herken spere What ony man wol saye of here Thus haue I feyned companye Ful ofte for I wold aspye What thyng it is that ony man Telle of my worthy lady can And for two causes I do this The fyrst cause wherof is At that I myght herken seke That ony man of her myspeke I wol excuse hyr so fully That when she wyst it veryly Myn hope shold be the more To hane hyr
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
Clymestre had hym assent And weren bothe of one assent By treson slough hym in his bed But mordre whiche may not ben hed Sprong oute to euery mans ere Wherof the lond was ful of fere Agamenon hath by this quene A Sone that was after seue But yet as than he was of youthe A babe whiche no reson couthe And as god wold it fel hym thus A worthy knyght Taltabeus This yong child had in kepyng And when he herd of this tydyng Of this treson of this mysdede He gan within hym self to drede An aunter yf this fals Egiste â—pon hym come or he it wyst To take mordre of this malyce This child whiche he hath to noryce And for that cause in al hast Oute of the lond he gan hym haste And to the king of grece he goth strauÈt And hym this yong lord betaught And prayd hym for his fadre sake That he this child wold vndertake And kepe hym tyl he be of age So as he was of his lygnage â–ª And told hym oueral the cas How that his fadre mordred was And how egistus as men seyde Was kyng to whome the lond obeyde Aud when Adonemeus the kyng Hath vnderstondyng of this thyng Whiche that this knyÈt hym had tolde He made sorowe manyfolde And took the child vnto his warde And sayd he wold hym kepe warde Tyl that he were of suche a myght To handle a swerd be a knyght To wngen hym at his owne wylle And thus Horestes duelleth stylle Snche was the childes ryght name Whiche after wrought nâ—ochel shame An â—â—nÄeaunce of his fadre deth The tyme of yerrs ouer geth That he was man of brede lengthe Of wyt of manhode of strengthe A fayre persone amonges alle And he gan to clepe calle As he whiche come was to man Vnto the kynge of grece than Prayend that he wold hym make A knyght power with hym take For lenger wold he not byleue He sayth but prayth the kyng of leue To gone cleyme his herytage And venge hym of thylk oultrage Whiche was vnto his fadre do The kyng assenteth wel therto With grete honour knyÈt hym maketh And grete power with hym betaketh And gaÌ„ his iourney for to case So that Horestes at the last His loue he taketh forth he goth As he that was in herte wroth His fyrst pleynt to be mene Vnto the Cyte of Athene He goth hym forth was receyued So there he was nought deceyued The dust â—tho that were wyse They proferen hem to his seruyse And he them thanketh of theyr profer And sayd hym self he wol gone offer Vnto the goddes for his spede And al men yeue hym rede So goth he vnto the Temple forth Of yeftes that be mochel worth His sacryfyce his offryng He made after his axyng He was ansuerd yf that he wold His estate than recouer he shâ—ld Vpon his moder do vengeaunce So crueâ— that the remembraunce Therof myght euer abyde As she that â—as an Homycyde And of her oâ—ne lord Mordryce Horestes whiche of thylk offyce Was no thyng glad as than ho prayd Vnto the goddes there sayd That they the Augement deuyse How she shal take the juyse And therupon he had ansuere That he hyr pappes shold of tâ—re Oute of her brest his owne hondes And for ensample of al londes With hors she shold be to drawe Tyl honndes had her bones gnawe Withoute ony sepulture This was a woful auenture And when Horestes hath al herd How that the goddes haue ansuerd Forth with the strengthe whiche he lad The dust his power he had And to a cyte forth they gone The whiche was cheped Cropheone Where as Phoieuâ— was lord syre Whiche profereth hym withouten hyre His helpe al that he may do As he that was ryght glad thertâ— To greue his mortal enemy And tolde hym certayne cause why How that Egyste in maryage His doughter whylome of ful age Forlay afterward forsoke When he Horestes modre toke Men seyne old synne newe shame Thus more more â—â—rose the blame Ayene Egyst on euery syde Horestes with his hoost to ryde Bygan Phoieus with hym went Atro we Egyste shal hym repent They ryden forth vnto Mycene There lay Clymestre thylk quene The whiche Horestes moder is And when she herd telle of this The gates were fast shet And they were of herâ— entre lett Anone this Cyte was withoute Beleyn beseged al aboute And euer it among assayle Fro day to nyght so trauayle Tyl at last they it wonne Tho was there ynough begonne Horestes dyd his modre calle Anone tofore the lordes alle And eke to fore the peple also To her told his tale tho And sayd O cruel best vnkynde Hou myghtest thou thyn herte fynde For ony lust of loues draught That thou acordest to the slaught Of hym whiche was thyne owne lord Thy treson stant of suche record Thou myght thy werkes not forsake So mote I for my fâ—dre sake Vengeaunce vpon thy body do As I commaunded am therto Vnkyndely for thou hast wrought Vnkyndelyche it shal be bought The sone shal the modre slâ—eâ— For that whylome thou saydest ye That thou sholdest nay haue sayd And he with that hie hondeâ— hath layd Vpon his modeâ—â— brest anone And rent out from the barâ— bone Hyr pappes bothe cast a way A myddes in the cart way And after took the dede corps And leâ—â— it be drawe awey wyth hors Vnto the hound to the Rauen She was none otherwyse grnuen Egystus whiche was elles where Tydynges come to his ere How that Mycenes was byleyn But what was more herd he not seyn With grete manace mochel bost He drough power made an hoost And cam in the â—â—scous of the Toun But al the sleyghte of this treson Hooâ—stes wyst it by a spyâ— And of his men a gtrâ—â— partye He made abusshement abyde To wayde on hym in suche a tyde That he myght her hond escape And in this wyse as he hath shape The thyng byfel so that Egyste Was take or he hym self it wyste And was forth brouÈt his hoÌ„des boÌ„de And when men haue a treytour fouÌ„de And tho that were with hym take Whiche of reson were ouertake To geder in one sentence falle But fale Egyst aboue be in alle Was demed in dyuers peyne The werst that men couthe â—â—deynâ— And soo after by the lawe He was vnto the gybet drawe Where he aboue all other hongeth As to a traytour it bylongeth The fame of hyr sâ—â—yft wynges Aboute fleeth bare tydynges And made it couthe in al londes How that Horestes with his hondes Clymestâ—â— his owne modre sâ—â—ugh Somme seyn he dede wel â—nough And somme seyn he dyde amys yuers opynyon ther is That she is dede they spesten alle But pleynly how it is byfalle The mater in so lytel thro we An soth there myght noman knowe But they that weren at
the beaute of her face Ne yet for vertu ne for grace Whiche she hath elles ryght Inough But for the park for the plough And other thynges whiche therto loÌ„geth For in none otherwyse ther longeth To loue but yf they profyt fynde And yf the profyte be behynde Hyr loue is euer lesse lesse For after that she hath rychesse Here loue is of proporcyon If thou hast suche condycyon My sone telle ryght as it is Myn holy fader nay Iwys Condycyon suche haue I none For truly fader I loue one So well with al myn hertes thougÌ„ht That certes though she had nought And were as poure as Medea Whiche was exyled for Creusa I wold hyr nought the lesse loue Ne though she were at hyr aboue As was the Ryche quene Candaâ—e Whiche to deserue loue grace To Alysander that was kyng Yofe many a worthy ryche thyng Or elles as Pantasylee Whiche was the quene of Femyne And grete Rychesse with hyr nam When she for loue of Hector cam To Troye in rescous of the toune I am of suche condycyon That though my lady of hyr selue Where also ryche as suche twelue I couthe not though it were so No better loue hyr than I do For I loue in so pleyne a wyse That for to speke of couetyse As for pouerte or for rychesse My loue is nouther more ne lesse For in good feyth I tro we this So couetous no man is For why he my lady syghe That he thorugh lokyng of his eye Ne sholde haue suche a stroke withyn That for no gold he myght wyn He shold nought hyr loue asterte But yf he lefte there his herte Be so it were suche a man That couthe-skylle of a woman For there be men so rude some When they among the women come They gone vnder protectyon That loue his affectyon Ne shal not take hem by the sleue For they ben oute of that byleue Hem lusteth of no lady cheere But euer thynkend here there Where as the gold is in the Cofte And wol none other loue profre But who so wote what loue amouÌ„teth And by reson trulyche acompteth Then may he knowe taken hede That al the lust of womanhede Whiche may ben in a lady face My lady hath eke of grace If men shold yeuen here apryse They maye wel seye hou she is wyse And sobre symple of contenaunce And al that to good gouernaunce Belongeth of a worthy wyght She hath pleynly for thylk nyght That she was bore as for the nones Nature set in hyr al at ones Beaute with bounte so byseyn That I maye wel afferme seyn I sawe yet neuer creature Of comlyheede of feture In ony kynges Regyon Be lyche hyr in comparyson And therto as I haue you told Yet hath she more a thousand fold Of bounte and shortely to telle She is pure heede welle And myrroure ensample of good Who so hyr vertues vnderstood Me thynketh it ought ynough suffyse Withouten other couetyse To loue suche one to serue Whiche with hyr chere can deserue To be byloued better ywys Than she par cas that rychest is And hath of gold a mylyon Suche hath be myn opynyon And euer shal neuertheles I saye nought she is haueles That she nys ryche wel at ese And hath Inough where with to plese Of worldes good whome that hyr lyst But one thyng I wold wel ye wyst That neuer for no worldes good Myn hert vnto hyr ward stood But only ryght for purr loue That wote the hyghe god aboue Now fader what ye say therto Confessor My sone I saye it is wel doo For take of this ryght good byleue What man that wol hym self releue To loue in ony other wyse He shal wel fynde his couetyse Shal sore greue hym at last For suche a loue may not last But now men seyn oure dayes Men taken but a fewe assayes But yf the cause be rychesse For thy the loue is wel the lesse And who that wold ensamples telle By old dayes as they felle Than myght a man wel vnderstond Suche loue may not long stonde Now herkne sone thou shalt here A grete ensample of this matere Hic ponit Exemplum contra istos qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia sumunt Et narrat de quodam Regis Apubic Senescalla qui non solum propter pecuniam vxorem duxit sed eciam pecunie comeâ—cis vxorem sibi desponsatam vendidit tO trete vpon the cas of loue Soo as we tolden here aboue I fynde wryte a woÌ„der thyng Of puyle whysome was a kyng A man of hyghe complexyon And yong but his affectyon After the nature of his age Was yet not falle in his courage The lust of women for to knowe Soo it betyd vpon a throwe This lord felle in to grete sekenes Phisyk hath done the hesynes Of sondry cures many one To make hym hoole therupon A worthy mayster whiche ther was Yafe hym counseyl vpon this cas That yf he wold haue parfyte heele He shold with a woman dele A fresshe a yong a lusty wyght To done hym compauye a nyght For than he sayd hym redely That he shal be al hole ther by And otherwyse he knewe no cure This kyng which stode in auenture Of lyf deth for medycyne Assented was of couyne His styward whome he trusteth wel He took told hym euery del Hou that this mayster hath seyd And therupon he hath hym prayd And charged vpon his lygeaunce That he do make purueaunce Of suche one as be couenable For his plesaunce delytable And bad hym hou that euer it stood That he shal spare for no good For his wylle is ryght wel to paye The styward seyd he wold assaye Bnt now here after thou shalt wyte As I fynde in the bokes wryte What couetyse in loue doth This styward for to telle soth Amonges al the men on lyue A lusty lady hath to wyue Whiche netheles for gold he took And nouÈt for loue as seyth the book A ryche marchaunt of the lond Hyr fader was hyr fond So worthely suche Rychesse Of worldes good suche largesse With hyr he yafe in maryage That only for thylk auauntage Of gold the styward hath hyr take For lucre nought for loues sake And that was in the stiward wel sene Now herkne what it wol mene The styward in his owne herte Sowe that his lord may not asterte His maladye but he haue A lusty woman hym to saue And though he wold yeue Inough Of his tresour wherof he drough Grete couetyse in to his mynde And set his honour fer behynde Thus he whome gold hath ouerset Was trapped in his owne net The gold hath made his wyttes lame Soo that sechend his owne shame He rouneth in the kynges ere And seyd that he wyste where A gentyl a lusty one Tho was thyder wolde he gone But he mote yiue yeftes grete For
but yf it be thurgh grete beyete Of gold he seyd he shold not spede The kyng hym bad vpon the nede That take an honderd pound he shold And yeue it where that he wolde Be so it were in worthy place And thus to stonde in loues grace This king his gold hath habandouned And when this tale was ful rouned The Styward toke the gold went Within his hert many a went Of couetyse than he cast Wherof a purpoos at the last Ayene loue ayene his ryght He toke sayd hou thylk nyght His wyf shal lygge by the kyngÌ„ And goth thynkend vpon this thyng Toward his Inne tyl he ca in home In to the chambre there he nome His wyf told hyr al the cas And she whiche rede for shame was With both hyr handes hath hym praid â—enelend and in this wyse sayd That she to reson to skylle In what thyng that he bydde wylle Is redy for to done his heste But this thyng were not honest That he for gold her shold selle And he tho with his wordes felle Forth with his gastely contenaunce Seyth that she shal done obeysaunce And folowe his wylle in euery place And thus thurgh strengthe of his ma nace Her Innocence is ouerlad Wherof she was so sore adrad That she his wylle mote nede obeye And therupon was shape a weye That he his owne wyf by nyghte Hath oute of al mennes syght So pryuely that none it wist BrouÈt to the kyng which as hym list May doo with hyr what he wolde For when she was there as she sholde With hym a bedde vnder the cloth The styward took his leue goth In to the chambre fast by But hou he slepte that wote not I For he sawe cause of Ielousye But he whiche hath the companye Of suche a lusty one as she Hym thought that of his degre There was noman so wel at ese She doth al that she may to plese Soo that al his hert she had And thus this kyng his ioye lad Tyl it was nyhe vpon the day The Styward than where she lay Cam to the bedde in his wyse Hath bede she shold aryse The kyng sayd nay she shold not go His styward sayd ageyne nought soo For she mote gone er it be knowe And so I swore that ylke throwe When I her fette to you here The kyng his tale wold not here And seyth hou that he hath hir bouÈt For thy she shal departe nought Tyl the bryght day be holde And in his armes he gan hyr folde As he whiche lyst for to pleye And bad his styward gone aweye And soo he dyd ayene his wylle And thus his wyf a bedde stylle Lay with the king the long nyght Tyl that it was hyghe sonne lyght But who she was he knewe no thyng Tho cam the styward to the kyng And prayd hym that withoute shame In sauyng of her owne name He myght leden home ayene This lady told hym pleyne Hou that it was his owne wyf The kyng his ere vnto his stryf Hath leyd when that he it herde Wel nyhe oute of his wyt he ferde And sayd A caytyf moost of al Where was it euer or this byfalle That ony Coward in this wyse Betoke his wyf for conetyse Thou hast hyr me begyled And eke thyne owne estate reuyled Wherof that buxome vnto the Here after shal she neuer be For this auowe to god I make After this day yf I the take Thou shalt be honged to drawe Now loke anone thou be withdrawe Soo that I see the neuer more This Styward that drad hym sore With al the hast that he may And fled awey the same day And was exyled oute of lond Loo there a nyce hysbond Whiche thus his wif hath lost for euer But netheles she had a leuer The kyng hyr weddeth honoureth Wherof hyr name she secoureth Whiche erst was lost thurgh couetyse Of hym that lad hyr other wyse And hath hym self also forlore My sone be thou ware therfore Where thou shalt loue in ony place That thou no couetyse embrace The whiche is not of loues kynde But for al that a man may fynde Now in this tyme of thylk rage Ful grete dysese in maryage When venym medleth with the sucreÌ„ And maryage is made for lucre Or for the lust or for the hele What man that shal with other dele He may not fayle to repente My fader suche is myn entente But netheles good is to haue For good may oftyme saue The loue whiche shold elles spylle But god which wote my hertes wille I dar wel take to wytnesse Yet was I neuer for Rychesse Be sett with maryage none For al myn herte is vpon one So frely that in the persone Stant al my worldes ioye alone I axe nother park ne plough If I hyr had it were Inough Hyr loue shold me suffyse Withouten other couetyse Loo now my fader as of this Touchend of me ryght as it is My shryfte I am be knowe pleyn And yf yr wol ought elles seyn Of couetyse yf ther be more In loue agropeth oute the sore Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude subornat Testes sic que eis vera retorta fides Sicut Agros cupidus duÌ„ querit amans mulieres Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos Non sine vi dicta periurus abibit in eis Visu qui cordis intima cuncta videt Fallere per iuro non est laudanda puella in Glori a set falso condicionis opus hIc tractat super illis auaricie speciebus que falsum testimonium et periurum nuÌ„cupantur quorum fraudulenta circumuencio tam in cupiditatis que in amoris causa sui desiderij propositum quam sepe fallaciter attingit mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde Hou couetyse hath yet on hoÌ„de In specyal two couÌ„seyllours That ben also his procurours The fyrst of hem is fals wytnesse Whiche euer is redy to wytnesse What thyng his maister wol hym hote Periure is the second hote Whiche spareth nought to swere an oth Though it be fals god be wroth That one shal fals wytnes bere That other shal the thyng for swere When he his charged on the booke So what with hepe what with croke They make here mayster ofte wynne And wol not know what is the sinne Of couetyse thus men seyn They make many a fals bargÌ„eyn There may no trewe qua rel aryse In thylk queste thylk assyse Where as they two the people enforme For they kepe euer one maner forme That vpon gold here conscyence They founde take here euydence And thus with fals wytnes othes They wynne hem mete drynk clotheâ— Ryght so there be who that hem knewe Of these louers ful many vntrewe Now may a woman fynde ynowe That eche of hem when he shal wowe Anone he wold his hand doune leyn Vpon a book swere seyn That he wol feyth trouthe bere
they tretâ— And at last among the grete â–ª They fellen vnto his acord That Phorâ—eus of his record Whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a grete magycyen â–ª Shold of his calculacyon Serche after constellacyon Hou they the cyte myghten gete And he whiche had nought foryetâ— Of that belongeth to a clerk His study set vpon this werk So long aboute his wytte he cast Tyl that he fond outeâ—at last But yf they hadden Achylles Hereâ—werre shal be endeles And oner that he told hem pleyn In what manere he was byseyn And in what place he shal be founde Soo that within a lytel stounde Vlyxes forth with Dyomede Vpon this poynt to Lychomedâ— Agamen on to geder sent But vlyxes or he forth went Whiche was one of the moost wyse Ordeyned hath in suche a wyse That he the moost rychest aray Wherof a woman may be gay With hym he took manyfolde And ouermore as is told An harnoys for a lusty knyght Whiche burued was as syluer bryght Of swerde of plate eke of mayle As though he shold doo batayle He took also with hym by shyp And thus to geder in felaushyp Forth this Dyomede he In hope tyl they myghten see The place where Achylles is The wynde stood not than â—mys But euery topseyle cole it blewe Tyl Vlyxes the marches knewe Where Lychomede his regne had The styresman so wel hym lad That they be comen sauf to londe Where they gone oute vpon the stronde In to the burgh where that they fouÌ„d The kyng he whiche hath facounde Vlyxes dyd the message But the counseyl to his courage Why that he cam he told nought But vndernethe he was bethought In what maner he myght aspye Achilles from Deydamye And fro these other that there were Ful many a lusty lady there They pleyd them there a day or two And as it was fortuned so It fel that tyme in suche a wyse To Bachus that a sacryfyce These yong ladyes shold make And so the straunge mennes sake That come fro the syege of Troye They maden wel the more ioye There was reuel there was daunsyng And euery lyf whiche couthe syng Of lusty women in the route A fresshe carolle hath songe aboute But for al this netheles The grekes vnknowe of Achilles So weren that m no degre They â—outhen wyte whiche was he Ne by his voys ne by his paas Vlyxes than vpon this caas A thyng of high prudence hath wrouÈt For thylk aray whiche he hath bouÈt To yeue among the women there He letâ— do fetten al the gere Forth with a knyghtes harnoys eke In al a countre for to seke Men sholden nought a fayâ—er see And euery thyng in his degre Endelong vpon a boorde he leyde To Lychomede than he preyde That euery lady chesâ— sholde What thyng of al that she wold And take it as by wey of yefte For they hem self it shold shefte He sayde after her owne wylle Achylles than stood nought stylle When he the bryght helâ—e beheld The swerde the hauberk the shelde His hert felle therto anone Of al â–ª that other wold he none The knyghtes geâ—e he vnderfongeth And thylk array whiche that beloÌ„geth Vnto the women he forsoke And in this wyse as seyth the booke They knowen than whiche he was For he goth forth the grete paas In to the chambre where he lay Anone made no delay He armeth hym in knyghtely wyse That better can no man deuyse And as fortune sholde falle He cam forth to fore hem alle As he whiche tho was glad Inough But Lychomede no thyng lough When that he sawe how that it ferde And than he wyst wel herde His doughter had be forleyn But that he was so ouerseyn The wonder ouergoth his wyt For in Cronyke is wreton yet Thyng whiche shal neuer be foryete Hou that Achilles hath bygeâ—e Pyrrus vpon Deydamye Wherof cam oute the trecherye Of fals wytnes when they sayde Hou Achylles was a mayde But that was no thyng sene tho For he is to the syege go Forth with Vlyxes and Dyoinede Loo thus was proued m the dede And fully spoke at thylk whyle If one woman another begyle Where is there ony sekyrnesse When Thetys whiche was the goddesse Deydamye hath so beiaped I not hou it shal ben escaped With tho women whos Innocence Is now al day thorugh suche credence Deceyued ofte as it is sene With men that suche vntrouthe mene For they ben slye in suche a wyse That they by sleyghte by queyntyse Of fals wytnesse bryngen Inne That doth hem ofte for to wynne Where they be not worthy therw For thy my sone doo not soo My fader as of fals wytnesse The trouthe the maner expresse Touchend of loue hou it bath ferd As ye haue told I haue wel herd But for ye sayden otherwyse Hou thylk vyce of couetyse Hath yet periure of his acord If that thou lyst of som record To telle another tale also In loues cause of tyme ago What thyng it is to be forswore I wolde preye you therfore Wherof I myght ensample take My good sone for thy sake Touchand of this I shal fulfylle Thyn axyng at thyne owne wylle And the matere I shal declare How the women deceyued are When they so tender herbe be re Of that they here men so swere But when it cometh to thassay Ther fynde it fals another day As Iason dyde to Medee Whiche stant yet of auctoryte In tokne in memoryal Wherof the tale in specyal Is in the book of Troye wryte Whiche I shal do the for to wyte hIc in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra perinros Et narrat qualiter Iason priusquam ad Insulam col chos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet in amorem couiugium Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit sed suo postea completo negocio cuÌ„ ipsaÌ„ secuÌ„ nauigio iÌ„ greciaÌ„ perduxisset vbi illa senectaÌ„ patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit Ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento alijs que beneficijs post positis dictam Medeam pro quadam causa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit IN grece whylome was a kyng Of whom the fame knoulechyng Byleueth yet peleus He hyghte but it felle hym thus That his fortune hyr whele so lad That he no chylde his owne had To regne after his decesse He had a broder netheles Who 's ryght name was Eson And he hath the worthy knyght Iason Bygoten in whiche in euery lond Al other passed of his hond In armes so that he the best Was named the worthyest He sought worshyp oueral Now herkne I the telle shal An auenture that he sought Whiche afterward ful dere he bought There was an Ile whiche Colchos Was cleped therof awos Grete speche in londe aboute That suche meruayle was none oute In al the wyde world nowhere As tho in that I
whyle suche tydyng The whiche shall make vs bothe gaâ—â— But for he wold kepe hyr name When that he wyst it was nyhe day He said adyeu my swete may And forth with hym he took his geâ—â— The whiche she bad take hym there And streyght vnto his chambre he weÌ„t And gothe to â—ed a slepe hym henâ— And lay that no man hym awoke For Hercules hede of hym toke Tyl it was vnder of the day more And than he ganne to syke sore And sodenly abrayed of slepe And than they took of hym kepe His chamberleyns â—en soone there And make redy al his gere And he awos and vnto the kyng He went and said how to that thyng For whiche he cam he wold go The kyng therfore was wonder woo And for he wold hym fayn withdraw He told hym many a dredeful saw But Iason wold it not recorde And at the last they were accorde When that he wold not abyde A â—ote was redy at the â—yde In that which this worthy knyÈt of greâ—â— Ful armed vp at euery pece To his batayle that belongeth Toke other on hond sore him longeth Till he the water passid were And whan he cam to that yâ—â— there He set hym on his knee doun strauÈl And his carecte as he was taught He rad made his sacryfyce And sythen anoynced hym mâ— wysâ— As Medea hym hath â—ede And than he arose hym fro the 〈◊〉 And with the glewe the fiâ—e he quâ—ynt He anone after gan ateynt The grete serpent and hym slough But erst he had sorowe ynough For that serpent made hym to trauaile So hard and sore of his batayle That now he stood now he felle For long tyme soâ— it be felle Thâ—t with his swerd ne with his spere He myght not that serpent dere It was so shelled al aboute It spyld al edge tole withoute He was soo rude and hard of skyn There myght no thyng goo ther in Venym and fire to geder he cast That he â—ason greued sore with blast And yf it had not ben his oynement His rynge his enchauntement The whiche Medea took hym beforn He had with that worm be lorn But thurgh the vertu that therof caâ— Iason the dragon ouercam And he anone the tethe oute drowe And set his oxen in a plowe With the whiche he brake a pece of â—ond And sewe hem with his owne â—ond Than myght he grete merueyle see Of euery tooth in his degre SpraÌ„g vp a knyÈt with spere sheld Of the whiche ryght anon 〈◊〉 the feld Echone slough other with that Iason not Medea forgat On bothe his knees he gan doune fall And gaâ— thankyng to the goddes all The flees he took gothe to the bote The sonne shyneth bryght hote The flees of gold shone forth with all The water glystered oueralle Medea weped and syghed ofte And stode vppon a to wre aloft Al pryuely within hir self There herd it not ten or twelf She prayd and said god hym spede The knyght that hath my maidenhede And dy she loked toward the yle And when she sawe within a whyle The flees glisteryng â—geyn the sonne She said O lord al is wonne My knyght the feld hath ouereomen Now wold god that he were comen O lord god I wold he were in londe But I dare take this on honde If that she had wynges two She wold haue flowen to hym tho Streyte there he was vnto the â—ote The day wâ—s clere the sonne was hote The grekes were in grete doute The whyle that hyr lord was oute They wise not what shold betyde But waited vpon the tyde To see what ende shold falle There stood also the nobles alle Footh with the comyn of the Towne And as they loked vp doune They were ware within a throwe Where as cam the bote as they wel know And saw how â—ason brought his prey And than they gan al to sey And â—â—yden of with one sreuen O where was euer vnder heuen So noble a knyght as Iason is And wel nyâ—e al saiden this That Iason was a fayre knyght 〈…〉 t was neuer of mans myght The â—â—â—es of gold so for to wynne And thus to talk they begynne 〈…〉 that the kyng forth anone 〈◊〉 sawe the flees how that shone And when Iason cam to the londe The kyng hym self took his honde And kyssed hym â–ª and greete ioyr made â—he grekes were wonder glade And of the thyng right mery thought And forth with hym that flees they broÈt And euery man gan prece in For well was hym that myght wyn To see there of the propyrte And thus they passen the Cyte And gone vnto the place straught Medea the whiche forgate hyr naught Was redy there and saiâ— anone Welcome O worthy knyght Iason She wold haue kyst hym woÌ„der fayne But shame borned hyr agayne It was not the maner as tho For thy she durst not do so She took hyr leue and Iason wenâ—e In to his chambre she hym sente Hyr maide to see how he ferd The whiche whan she sawe and herdâ— How that he had faren oute And that it stood wel al aboute She told hyr lady what she wist And she for ioye hyr mayden kyst The bathes were than arrayd With herbes tempred and assayd And Iason was vnarmed soonâ— And dyde as it befelle to done In to his bathe he went anone And wysshe hym clene as ony â—one He took a soppe and oute he came And on his best array he name And kempt his hede when he was glad And goth hym forth al mery glad Ryght streyght in to the kynges hallâ— Aâ—pmg the grete lordes alle And made hym glad welcomyng And he hem told the tythyng Of this that how it befelle When that he wan the shepes felle Medea when she was after sent Came soone to that parlement And when she myght Iason see Was none so glad of al as she There was no ioye for to seche Of hym made euery ma n a speche Som men said one somme saide other But though he were goddes broder And myght make fire and thonder There myght be no more wonder Then was of hym in that Cyde Eche man taught other this is he That hath in his power within That al the world myght not wyn Lo here the best of al goode Thus seid they that there stood And also that walked vp and doune Bothe of the Court of the towne The tyme of souper cam anone They wysshen therto they gone Medea was with Iason set Tho was there many a deynte fet And set to â—ore hem on the boord But none soo lykyng as the word Which was ther spoke amoÌ„g hem two Soâ— as they dorst speke tho But though they â—adden lytyl space Yet they acorden in that place How Iason shold come at nyght When euery torche euery lyght Were oute than of other thynges They speken a loude for supposynges Of hem that stoden there aboute For loue is
And netheles yf thou wolt wyte In the maner as thou hast preyde I shal the telle hou it is seyde Nota qualiter aureum vellus in pardes Insule Colchos primo deuenit Athemas Rex philen habiut coniugem 〈◊〉 qua Faxum genuit et Hellen Mortua autem Hellen Athemas Iunonem Regis Cadmi filiam postea 〈◊〉 vxorem dnxit que more Nouerce diâ—tos infaÌ„tes in tantum recollegit odiâ—que ambos in mari proici penes Regem procurauit Vnde Iuno compaciens quemdam Arietem grandem aureo vestitum vellere ad litus natantem destinauitâ— super cuius dorsum pueros apponi iussit quo facto Aries super vndas regressus cum solo Frixo sibi adherente in Colchos applicuit vbi Iuno dictum Arietem cuÌ„suo vellere prout in alijs canitur â—coniâ—is sub aâ—ta custodia collocauit tHe fame of thylk shepes felle Which in Colchos as it bifelle was al of gold shal neuer deye Wherof I thynke for to seye Hou he cam fyrst in to that I le There was a kyng in thylk whyle To wardes grece and Athemas The Cronyke of his name was And had a wyf whiche Phylen hyght By whome so as fortune it dyght He had of chyldren yong two Fayâ—s the fyrst was of tho A man chylde ryght fayre with all A doughter eke whiche men call Hellen he hade by this wyf But for ther may no mans lyf Endure vpon this erthe here This worthy quene as thou myÈt here Er that the chyldren were of age Took of her ende the passage With grete worshyp was bygraue What thyng it lyketh god to haue It is grete reason to ben his For thy thys kyng so as it is With grete suffrauÌ„ce it vnderfongeth And afterward as hym belongeth When it was tyme for to wedde A newe wyf he toke to bedde Whiche Iuo hyght was a mayde And eke the doughter as men sayde Of Cadme whiche a kyng also Was holde in thylke dayes tho When Iuo was the kynges make She cast hou that she myght make These chyldre to hyr fadre loth And shope a wyle ayene hem both Which vnto the kyng was at vnknow A yere or two she sete doo sowe The lond with soden whete aboute Wherof no corn may spryngen oute And thus by sleyghte by couyne Aroos the derthe the famyne Thorugh oute the lond in suche a wyse Soo that the kyng a sacryfyce Vpon the poynt of this dyserrsse To Ceres whiche is the goddesse Of corne hath shape hym for to yeue To loke yf it may be foryeue The meschyef whiche was in his lond But she whiche knewe to fore the hond The cyraimstaunce of al thys thyng Ageyn the comynge of the kyng In to the Temple hath shape soo Of hyr acord that al tho Whiche of the Temple prestes were Haue sayd ful declared there Vnto the kyng but yf so be That he desyuer the countre Of Fryxus of hellen bothe With whome the goddes ben so wrothe That whyle tho chyldre ben within Suche tylthe shal no man begyn Wherof to gete hym ony corn Thus was it sayd thus was it sworn Of al the prestes that there are And she whiche causeth al this fare Seyd eke therto what that she wolde And euery man than after tolde Soo as the quene had hem preyd The kyng whiche bath his ere leyd And leueth al that euer he herde Vnto here tale thus ansuerde And seyth that leuer is hym to chese His chyldren bothe for to lese Than hym al the remenaunt Of hem whiche are apperdendunt Vnto the lond whiche he shal kepe And bade his wyf to take kepe In What manere is best to done That they delyuerd were sone Oute of the world she anone Two men ordeyneth for to gone But fyrst she made hem for to swere That they the chyldren shold here Vnto the see that none it knowe And hem therin both throwe The children to the see ben lad Where in the wyse as Yuo bad These men be redy for to doo But the goddesse whiche Iuno Is hote appereth in the stede And hath vnto the men forbede That they the chyldren not ne slee â–ª But bad hem loke in to the see And taken hede of that they syghen There swam a sheepe to fore hyr eyen Whoo 's flees of burned gold was al And this goddesse forth with al Comaundeth that withoute let They shold anone the chyldre set Aboue vpon the shepes bak And al was do ryght as she spak Wherof the men gone home ageyne And felle so as the bokes seyne Hellen the yong mayden tho Whiche of the see was wo bego For pure drede hyr hert hath lore That fro the shepe whiche hath hyr bore As she that was swounend feynt And felle hyr self deeynt Frixus this shepe forth swam Tyl he to the I le of Colchos cam Where Iuno the goddesse he fond Whiche toke the shepe to the lond And sâ—tte it there in suche a wyse As thou to fere hast herd deuyse Wherof camâ—after al the wo Why Iason was forswore soo Vnto medeâ— as it is spoke My fader who that hath to broke His trouth as ye haue here told about He is not worthy for to loue Ne be beloued as me semeth But euery loue ne we quemeth To hym whiche newe fangle is And netheles now after this If that thou lyst to taken hede Vpon my shryfte to procede In loues cause ayene the vyce Of couetyse and Auoryce What there is more I wold wyte My sone this fynde I wryte There is yet one of thylk brood Whiche only for the worldes good To make a Tresoure of moneye Put al conscyence a weye Wherof in thy Confessyon The name and the condycyon I shal here afterwarde declare Whiche maketh one ryche another bare Plus capit vsura sibi quam debetur et illud Fraude colocata sepe latenter agit Sic amoz excessus quam sepe suos vt cuarus Spirat et viuus tres capit ipse loco Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie que vsura dicitur cuius creditor in pecunia tantum numerata plus quam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri ad auget â—Pon the benche syttend on hyÈ With auaryce vsure I syghe Ful clothed of his owne sute Whiche after good maketh chase sute With his brocours that renne aboute Lyche vnto ratches on a route Suche lucre is none aboue ground Whiche is not of the ratches founde For where they see beyete sterte That shal hem in no wyse asterde But they it dryue in to the net Of lucre whiche vsure hath set Vsure with the ryche duelleth To al that euer he byeth selleth He hath ordeyned of his sleyghte Mesureâ— double double weyghte Outward he selleth by the lasse And with the more he maketh his tasse Wherof his hous is ful withynne He retcheth nought be soo he wynne Though that he lese ten or twelue His loue is al toward
hyr lyst hyr selue commaÌ„de So that it nedeth no demaunde To aske of me yf I haue be scarse To loue for I to that parse Wylle answere and sey no My sone that is ryght wel doo For of tyme 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rcenesse It hath ben sene that fore the lesse Is lost the more as thou shalt â—eâ—e A tale lyke to this matere Hic loquitur contra istos qui auaricia stricti largitans beneficium in amo ris causa confundunt Et ponit exemplum quaâ—â—cer Croseus larguâ— et hilaris babionem auarum et tenacione de amore viole qui pulcherrima fuit dono largissimus circumuenit â— Carcenes loue acord neuer ffor euery thyng is wel that leueâ— When that a maÌ„ hath bouÈt it dere And for to speke in this matere For sparyng of a lytel cost Ful oftyme a man is lost The large cote for the hode What man that scarse is of his gode And wylle not gyue he shall not take With gyfte a man may vndertakâ— The hyghe god to plese queme With gyft a man the world may deme For euery creature y bore If thou yeue hym is glad therfore And euery gladship as I fyndâ— Is comfort vnto loues kynde And causes of man to spedâ— So was he wise that first gaf meâ—â— For mede kepeth loue in how 's But when the men ben couetouâ— And space to gyue a parte They knowe not of Cupides aâ—â—â— For his fortune and his apryse Deceyueth al couetyse And hateth al negardry And for to loke on this partyâ— A sooth ensample that it is sâ—â— I fynde wryten of Babeo That had a loue of his menage There was no fayter of hyr age And hyght vyota by name The whiche ful of youthe of game Was of hyr seft large and fre But suche another Chynche as â—e Men wise not m al the londe And had afaited to his honde His seruaunt whiche Spodius Was called and in this wise thus The worldes good of suffysaunce Was had but lykyng plesaunâ—â— Of that that longeth to Rycâ—esse Of loue stood in grete dystresse Soo that this yong lusty wyght Of the thyng that felle to louâ—s right Was euer serued ouerall That she was so begone with al Tyl that Cupyde and â—oenus eâ—â—e A medycyn for to seke Ordeyne wold in this câ—â—s Ryght as fortune than was Of loue vpâ—on the dâ—stene It felle ryght as it shold bâ— A fresshe a fre lusty man That nought of auaryâ—â— can The whiche crocius by name hyght And was lyberall al oute ryght And ther as she was he cam in presence She sawe hym large of his dispense And amerous and glad of there So that hyr lyked wel to here The goodly wordes that he said And therupon of loue he prayd It was of loue al that he mâ—nt And for that she shold to loue assâ—â—â— He gaf hyr gyftes euer among But for men seyen that mede is strong Hit was wel sene that same tyde For as it shold of ryght â—etyde This vpolâ— largesse bath take And the negard she dyde forsake Of bicâ—â—us she wyll no more For he was gratchyng and euer more There was with hym none other fare But for to pynche for to spare Of worldes mukke to gete encrees So goth the wretche loueles Beiaped for his scarcyte And he that large was and free And set his herte to dispend This Crocius his to we hath bende The which Venus took him for to hold And shot as oft as he wold Loo thus departeth loue his al we That what man wol not be felawe To gyue spend as I the telle He is not worthy for to dwelle In loues Courte to be releued For thy my sone yf I be leued Thou shalt be large of thy dispence My fader in my conscyence If there be ony thyng amys I wylle amend it after this Toward my loue namely My sone wel redyly Thou saist so that wel paid with al I am and ferthermore I shall Vnto thy shryft specyfye Of auaryâ—â— the progenye That vyce sueth after this Thou shalt haue wonder how hit iâ— Among the folk in many Regne That suche a vyce myght regne That is comune to alle assayes As men may fynde now a dayes Cuncta creatum deus et qui cuncta câ—â—â—uit Dampnant ingrati dicta quam facto viu Non dolor a longe stat quo siâ—i tâ—â—is amiâ—am Traxit et in fine deserit esse suam Hic â—â—quitur super illa aborta specie auaricie que ingratitudo dicta esâ—cuius coÌ„dicioni non â—â—lum creator sed it cuncte creature abhominabilem detestantur tHe vyce lyke vnto the fende That neuer yet was maÌ„s freÌ„de And cleped is vnkyndeship Of Couyne of felauship With auaryce he is witholde And thynketh that he shold be bolde Vnto the moder that hym bare Of hym may neuer man beâ—â— are He wol not haue the meryte For that he wold not acquyte That in this world is moche vsed And fewe ben there excused To telle of hym is endeles And thus I saye neuertheles Where as this vyce cometh to sonde There taketh no maÌ„ his thoÌ„ke oâ—â— hoÌ„de Though he with al his myghtes serue He shall of hem no thyng deserue He taketh what ony man may gyue But whyle he hath one day to lyue He wylle nothyng reward agâ—yne He grutcheth to gyue ageyne Where he hath a berne fulle That maketh a kynde herte dulle To sey his trust in suche frendship There as he fyndeth no kyndeship And for to speke wordes pleyne Thus here I many a man compleyne That now on dayes thou shalt fynde At nede fewe frendes kynde In what thou hast done for hem bifore It is forgeten as it were lore The bookes speken of this vyce And tellen how that god of his Iustice By wey of kynde also of nature And euery lyuynge creature And the lawe also who that it can They dampne an vnkynde man Ars et natura Cristus sit omnia iura DampnaÌ„t ingratum lamentantur fore natum Hit is all one to sâ—y vnkynde Aâ—â—hynge that done is ageyne kynde For it with kynde neuer stood A man to yelde euylle for goode For he that wold take hede A beste is glad of a goood dede And loueth that creature After the lawe of his nature The whiche doth hym ese for to seâ— Of this mater auctoryte Ful oftyme it hath befalle Wâ—â—rof a tale among vs alle The whiche of old â—â—samplaryâ— I thynke it for to specyfye Hic narrat quod bestie in suis benefiâ—ns hominem ingratum naturaliter preceâ—â—unt â–ª Et ponit Exemplum de aâ—â—â—no Rome senature qui in quadam forâ—sta venacionis insistens dum predicta inseaucretur in cisternam profuÌ„â—â— nestia familia corâ—uit vbi peruenieÌ„s auidam pauper nomine Bardus inâ—â—ssa cordula putans hominem extrax 〈◊〉 primo Simeam extraxit Secundo serpentem Tercio Adrianum qui paupâ—rem despiciens aliquid pro benefacto reddere recusabat
offendunt WHan Couetyse in poure estate Stondeth with hym self vpon debate Thurgh lack of mysgouernaunce That he vnto his sustenauÌ„ce Ne can none other wey fynde To gete hym good than as the blynde The whiche seeth not what shalle after falle That ylke vyce that which meÌ„ calle Of Robbery he taketh on honde Where thorugh the water the londe Of thyng that other men forswynke He geteth hym clothe mete drynke Hym retcheth not what to do he begyn Though theft soo that he may wyn For thy to make his purchaas He lyeth waytyng on the paas And what thyng that he seeth ther passe He taketh his paas more lasse If it be ought worth for to take He can the pakkes wel rensake So pryncly bereth none about His gold ne be it fyndeth oute Or other â—ewel what it be He taketh it as his propyrte In wodes in feldes eke Thus Robbery goth to seke Where as he may his purpoos fynde And right so in the same kynde My good sone as thou myght here To speke of loue in this matere And make a veray resemblaunce Right as a thefe maketh his cheuesaÌ„ce And robbeth mennes goodes aboute In woode in feld where he goth oute So ben there of these louers some In wylde stedes where they come And fynd there a woman able And therto space couenable Withoute let or that they fare They take a parte of that chaffare Ye though she were a shepeherdesse Yet wold the lord of wantonnesse Assay all though he be vâ—mete For other mennes good is sweâ—â— â–ª But therof wote nothyng the wyf At fâ—me the whiche loueth as hir lyf Hir lord and sytteth alwey wysshyug After hir lordes home comyng But whan he cometh home at eue Anone he maketh his wyf to leue For she not els shold knowe He telleth hir how his huÌ„te gan blowe And how his houndes haue wel ronne And how there shone a mery sonne And how his hawkes flowen wele But â—e wold telle hir neuer a dele How â—e to loue vntrewe was Of that â—e robbed in the pas And tooke his lust vnder the shawe Ageyne loue ageyne his lawe The which thyng my sene I the forbede For it iâ— an vngoodly dede For who that taketh by Robberye His loue â—e may not â—ustyfye His cause so ful oft sythe For onye that he hath ben blythe He shall be after sory thryes Examples for suche robberyes I fynde wryten as thou shalt here Acordynge vnto this matere Hic loquitur contra istos in amoÌ„â—s causa predones qui cum suam furtiue concupiscenciam aspirant fortuna in contraâ—uÌ„ operatur Et narrat quod cum Neptunus quandam virginem no mine Cornicem solam inxta more deaÌ„bulantem opprimere suo furto voluisset superueniens pallas ipsam de manibus eius virginitate seruata gracius lâ— beraâ—it I Rede how whilome wâ—s a mâ—id The fairest as Ouyde said That was in hir tyme tho And she was of the chambre also Of â—allas that is the goddesse Wyfe to mars of whome the prowesse Is gyuen to these worthy knyghtes For he is of so grete myghtes That he gouerneth the bataile Withoute hym may not auayle The strong honde but he it helpe There maye no knyght of armes yelpe But he fyght vnder his banere But now to speke of my matere This faire fresshe lusty may Alone as she went on a day Vpon the stronde for to play There cam Neptunus in the way The whiche hath the see in gouernauÌ„ce And in his herte suche plesaunce He tooke when he this maiden sygh That all his hert aroos on hyghe For he so sodenly vnware Beheld the beaute that she bare And cast anone in his herte That she shall hym no wey asterte But yf he take in auauntage From that mayden some â—â—lâ—ge Not of no broches ne of no thynges But of somme other smale thynges He thought to haue parte or that she weÌ„t And hir in bothe his armes hent And put his hond toward the Cofre Wherfor to robbe he made a profere That lusty tresour for to stele The whiche passeth other goodes feâ—â— That called is the mayâ—enhede The which is the floure of womanhede This mayde that Câ—â—nyx by name Was cleped dredyng al shame Sawe that she myght not debate And wel she wyst he wold algate Fulfylle his lust of Robberye Anone began to wepe cryeâ— And said O pallas noble quene Shewe now thy myght late be sent To kepe and saue myn honoure Help that I lese not my floure The whiche now vnder key is loken That worde was not so soone spoken When pallas shope recouyre After the wylle the desyre Of hir the whiche a mayden wâ—s And sodenly vpon this cas Oute of hir womans kynde In to a byrdes lykenes I fynde She was transformed forth with all So that Neptunus no thyng stall Of thyng that he wold haue stole With federes black as ony cole Oute of his armes in a throwe She flewe before his eyen a crowe The whiche was to hir more delyte To kepe hir maydenhede whyte Vnder the wede of fethers blake Than in perlys whyte to forsake That no lyf may restore ageyne But thus Neptune his hert in veyn Hath vppon robbery set The byrd was flowen he was let The fayr mayde is fro hym scaped So that for euer le was â—eiâ—â—ed And scoâ—â—â—d of that â—e hath â—ore My sone â—e thou ware therfore That thou no maydenhede stele Wherof men see dyseses fele Al day befalle in dyuerse wyse So as I shal the yet deuyse Another tale therupon That felle by old â—â—yes gone Hic ponit exâ—pluÌ„ coÌ„tra istos in causa virginitatis lese predonis et narrat qd cum Calistona Regis Lichoantis mire pulcritudinis filia suam virginitatem Dâ—ane conseruare castissimaâ— voluisset Et in sâ—luam que tegea dicitur inter alias â—hidem Nimphas moraturam se transtulit â–ª â—ubiter virginis castitatem subtili furto surripiens quendam filium qui postea Archas nominatus eÌ„ ex ea genuit vnde Iuno in CalistonaÌ„ semel eius pulcritudinem in vrse tur pissime deformitatem subito transfigurauit KYnâ— Lychaon vpon his wyf A doughter had a goodely lif And cleue mayden of worthy fame Calystona whoo 's right name Was cleped of many a lorde She was besought but hyr acorde To loue myght no man wyn As she that had no lust therin But swore in hyr herte said That she wold euer be a maid Wherfor to kepe hir self pees With suche as amadryades Were clexed were maydens tho And with the Nympâ—es eke also â–ª Vpon the spryng of fresshe welles She shope to dwelle nowhere ellâ—â— And thus cam this Calistona In to the wode to Tegea Where she vyrgynyte behyght Vnto Dyane therto plyghâ— Hir trouthe vpon the bowes gâ—â—ne To kepe hir maydenhede clene The whiche afterward vpon a day Was pryuely stolen away For Iubiter thorugh his queyntyse From hir it toke in suche a
super oÌ„nia magis gaudere de eo quod contra sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam opâ—â—nuisset nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus permansit aN Emperour by old dayes There was he at al assayes A worthy knyÈt was of his honde There was no suche in all the loÌ„d But yet for all his vassellage He stood vn wedded al his age And in Cronycle as it is told He was an honderd wynter old But when men wold his dedes peyse And his knyghthode of armes preyse Of that he did with his hondes When he the kynges the londes To his subiection put vnder Of all that pryce had he no Wonder For he it set at none acounte And seid â—ll that myght not amounte Ageyn one poynte that he hath nomen That his flesshe he hath ouercomen He was a virgyn as he sayde On that batayle his prys he laid Lo now my sone auyse the Fader all this may wel be But and al other did soo The world of men were sone agâ— And in the lawe men may fynde How god to man the lawe of kynde Hath set the world to multyplye And who that wylle hym Iustyfye It is not to doo the lawe And neuertheles youre good sawe Is good to kepe who so may I wol not there ageyne seye nay My sone take it as I say If maydenhede be taken away Withoute lawes ordynaunce It may not fayle of vengeauuce And yf thou wylt the sooth wyten Behold a tale the whiche is wryten How that the kyng of Agamenon When he the Cyte of Lâ—sbon Had wonuen a mayden there he fond That was the fairest of the londe In that tyme that men wyst And he had of hir what hym lyst Wherof that she was daungerous Of the thyng that whiche was most precious This fayre mayden cleped is Creseyde the doughter of Crysys The whiche was that tyme speciall Of that tyme bisshop pryncipal Where Phebus had his sacryfyce So was it wel the more vyce Agamenon was than in way To Troyward and tooke a way This mayden that he with hym ladde And grete lust in hir he hadde But Phebus that whiche had grete disdeyne For that this maiden was forleyn Anone as he to Troye came Mengeaunce vpon this dede name Aud sent a comune pestylence They sought than hir euydence And made calculacion To knowe in what condicyon This deth cam in sodenly And at the last redyly The cause also the man they fonde And forth with all the same stounde Agamenon opposed was The whiche hath knowleched all the cas Of the foly that he hath wrought And therupon mercy they sought Toward the god in dyuerse wyse With prayer with sacryfyce And the mayden home they sende And gafe hir gold ynough to spende For euer whyles she wold lyue And thus the syn was forgyue And all the pestylence seced Loo what it is to be encrecid Of loue whiche is ylle wonne It were letter be vnbegonne Than take a thyng withoute leue Whiche thou must after nedes leue And yet haue maugre forth with all For thy to robben ouerall In loues cause yf thou begynne I not what ease thou shalt wynne My fader so wyl I wys My sone be wel ware of this But now youre examplarye In loue is cause of Robberye I haue it right wel vnderstonde But ouer this how so it stonde Yet wol I wyte of youre apryse What thynge is more of Couetyse Inâ—idiando latens tempus rimatur et horam Fur quibus occulto tempore furta parat Sic amor insidijs vacat et sub tegmine laudes PreÌ„dere furtiuos nocte fauente queat Hic tractat super illa cupiditatis specie que secrum latrocinium dicitur cuius natura custodire rerum nesciente ea que cupit tam per diem quam per nâ—c tem absqÈ strepitu clauculo fnratur wYth Couetyse yf I fynde A seruaunt of the same kynd Which steleth is hote myche â—ye With hym is euer in companye Of whome yf I shall telle sooth He stalketh as a Pecok doth And taketh his pray soo couerte That no man wote it in aperte And wote the lord at home Than wold he stalke aboute come And what thyng he fynt in his way When that he sawe the men away He steleth it goth forth with al That therof no man knowe shal And eke â—uf oft he goth a nyght Withouten mone or sterre lyght And with his craft the dore vnpykyth And taketh therin what hym lyketh And yf the dore be so shet That he be of his entre lette He wylle at the wyndowe in crept And whyle the lord is fast a slepe He steleth what thyng hym best lyst And goth his wey or it be wyst Ful ofte also by lyght of day Yet wold he stele make assay Vnder the cete his hond he put And with a knyf his purs he cut And receyueth what he fynde therin And thus he auntreth hym to wyn And bereth an horne not bloweth For no man of his counceyll knoweth That he may gete of his mychyng It is al bylle vnder the wyng And as an hound goth to fold And hath there taken what he wold His mouth vppon the gras he wypeth And so with feyned chere hym slyketh And what as euer of shepe he strangle There is no man therof shall iangle As for to knowe who it dede Ryght so doth stelthe in euery stede Where as hym lyst his pray take He can so wel his cause make And so wel feyne so wel glose That there ne shalle no man suppose But that he were an Innocent And thus a mannes eye he blent So that this craft he may vse Withoute helpe of ony refuse There ben louers of that degre With all hir lust in pryuete As who sey geten al by stelthe And ther of atteynen to grete welthe And for the tyme that it lasteth For loue awayteth euer casteth How he may stele catche his pray When he therto may fynde a way For be it nyght or be it day He taketh his parte when he may And yf he may no more doo Yet wol he stele a kysse or two Telle yf thou euer dydest so In ony wyse thy lady vnto My fader how my sone thus If thou haue stolen ony kus Or other thyng that therto longeth For no man suche theues hongeth Telle on for thy sey the trouthe My fader nay that is routhe For by wylle I am a thefe But she that is to me moost lefâ— Yet durst I neuer in pryuete Mot ones take by r by the kne To stele of hir or this or that And yf I durst I wote wel what And netheles but yf I lye By stelthe ne by robberye Of loue whiche felle in my thought To hir dyd I neuer nought But as meÌ„ seyn where herte is fayled There shalle no castel be assayled But though I had hertes ten And were as strong as all men
all my deuocion And al myn contemplacion With al my herte my courage Is only set on hyr ymage And euer I wayte vpon the tyde If she loke ony thyng a syde That I me maye on hir auyse Anone I am with Couetyse So smytâ— that me were leef To be in holy chirche a theef But not to stele a vestyment For that is no thyng my talent But I wold stele yf that I myght A glad word or a goodly syght And euer my seruyce I profere And namely when she goth offre For her I lede then yf that I may For somwhat wold I stele away When I beclyppe hir on the wast Yet at the last I stele a tast And other whyle graunt mercy She seith â–ª so wynne I therby A lusty touche a good word eke But al the remenannt to seke Is fro my purpoos wonder ferre So may I say as I said erre In hooly chirche yf that I wowe My conscyence yet wold I allowe Be soo that vpon amendement I myght gete assignement Wherfore I spede in other place Suche sacrylege I hold a grace And thus my fader sooth to sey In chirche right as in the wey If I myght ought of loue take Suche hansell haue I not forsake But fynally I me confesse There is in me no holynesse Whyle I hir see in ony stede And yet for onght that euer I dede No sacrylege of hyr I took But as it were a word or looke Or els yf that I herd frede When I toward offryng hir lede Take therof what I take may For els â—ere I nought away For though I wold ought â—ls haue At other thynges ben so saue And kepte with suche a pryuelege That I may doo no sacrylege God wote my wylle netheles Though I must nedes kepe pees And in all gree sone myn lete it passe My wyl therto is not the lasse For I myght otherwyse awey For thy my fader I yow prey Telle what thou thynkest therupon If I therof haue gylt or none Thy wylle my sone is for to blame The remenaunt is but a game That I haue the told as yet But take this lere in to thy wyt That all thyng hath tyme stede The whiche serueth for the bede â—â—e Chambre is of another speche But yf thou wystest of the wreche How sacrylege it hath abought Tâ—ow sholdest vse it ryght nought And for thou shalt the more amende A tale on the I wol dispende Hic in amoris causa super istius vi 〈◊〉 articulo ponit exemplum Et narrat pro â—o quod paris prâ—ami Regis filius â—â—â—â—nam menelai vxorem in quadaÌ„ gâ—â—at Insula a templo veneris sacrile â—â—s abduxit illa Troye famosissima â—â—sidie per vniuersum orbis climita di nulgata precipue causabat ita qd huiusmodi sacrilegium non solum ad ipsius Regis patriam omnium az suoruÌ„ interitum Sed ad perpetuam vrbis de solacionem vindicem fomitem ministrabat tO al men as who saith know It is in the world thoruÈ blow How that of Troye lamedon To Hercules and to Iasen When toward Colchos oute of grâ—â—â— By see seylyng vpon a pece Of londe of Troye reste preyde But he wrongfully conueyde And for they found hym so vyleyne When they cam in to grece ageyne With power that they gete myght Towardes Troye they haue hem dyght And they took suche vengeaunce Wherof stant yet in remembraunce For they destroyed kyng alle And leften but the brent walle The grekes of Troyes many slowe And prysoners they took ynowe Among the whiche there was one The kynges doughter lamedone Esyona the fayre thynge Whiche vnto the lamon the kyng By Hercules and by the assent Of all the hole parlement Was at his wylle yeue graunted And thus hath grete Troye dannted And hym to torne in suche manere But after this now shalt thou here The cause why the tale I telle Vpon the chaunces that bifelle Kyng lamedon whiche dyed thus He had a sone one priamus Whiche was not thylke tyme at home But when he herd of this he come And fond how the Cyte was falle Whiche he bygan vpon the walle And made there a Cyte newe That they whiche other londes knewe Tho seâ—den that of lyme stone In all the world so fayre was none And on that one side of the towne The kyng lete make ylyowne That hye toure that strong place Whiche was adrad of no manace Of quarell none nor of engyne And though men wold make a myne No mans craft it myght approche For it was set vpon a roche The walles of the Towne aboute Hem stode of al the world no doute And after the proporcyon Syx gates were there of the toun Of suche enforme of suche entayle That hem to see was grete meruaylâ— The dyches were brode depe And fewe men it myght kepe From al the world as semeth tho But yf the goddes weren foo Grete prees vnto that Cyte drowe So that there was of peple ynowe Of burgeys that therin dwellen There may no mans tong tellen How that Cyte was ryche of good When all was made all wel stood Kyng Pryâ—mus tho hym bethought What they of grece whylome wrought And what was of hir swerd deuoured And how his suster dishououred With thelamon awey was ladde And he thynkyng he wex vnglad And set anone a parlement To whiche the lordes were assent In many a wyse there was spoke How that they myghten ben awroke But at the last netheles They seid al acord and pees To setten eyther party in rest It thought hem al for the best With resonable amendement And thus was Anthenor forth sent To aske Esyona ageyne And wyte what they wold seyne So passeth he the see by barge To grece for to sey his charge The whiche he said redyly Vnto the lordes by and by But where he spak in grece aboute He herd not but wordes stoute And namelyche of Thelamon The mayden wold he not for gone He said for no maner thynge And bad hym gone home to his kyng For there gate he none amende For ought he couthe doo or sende This Anthenor ayene goth home Vnto his kyng when he come He told in grece what that he herd And how that thelamon answerd And how they were at hir aboue That they wol neyther pees ne loue But euery man shall done his best But for men seyen that nyght hath rest The kynge bythought hym all the nyÈt And erly when the day was lyght He took his counceyll of this matere And they acord in this manere That he withouten ony let A certeyne tyme shold set A parlement to ben auysed And in this wyse it was anysed Of parlement he set a day And that was in the moneth of may This priamus had in his sight A wyf Hecuba she hyght By whome that tyme she he Sones fyue had doughters thre Beside two and thyrty mo And weren knyghtes al
to fore Enclyâ—ed to al dronkenesse Here ande than â—are wytnesse For they in hope to aswage The payne of deth vppon the rage That they the lesse sholde fele Of wyn leâ—e fulfylle a mele And 〈…〉 â—ill so was bifalle Thâ—â— her the strengthes loften alle Withâ—â—te wyâ—â— of ony brayne And thus they â—en dede holf slayne That hem ne grâ—ueth but a lyde My 〈…〉 if thou be for to wyde In ony poynt whiche I haue seide Wherof thy wyttes ben vnteyâ—â— I rede the clepe hem home ayene I shal do fader as ye seyn As ferforth as I may suffyse But wel I wote that in no wyse The dronkeship of loue awey I may remeue in no wyse It stont not vpon my fortune But yf thou lyst to comune Of the second glotonye Whiche cleped is delycacye Wherof ye spak here to fore Byseche I wold you therfore My sone as of that ylke vyce Whiche of all other is the noryce And stant vpon the retenue Of Venus so as it is due The propyrte how that it fareth The â—ook herafter now declareth Delicie cum diuicijs sunt iâ—ra poteÌ„â—um â—n quibus orta Venus excitat ora gule Non sunt delicie tales quam corpora pascunt Ex quibus impletus gau dia venter agit Qui completus amor maiori munere gaudet Cum data delicijs mens in amante fatur Hic narrat super illa specie gule que delicacia nuncupatur cuius moâ—â—icijs voluptuose carni in personis precipue potentibus quequam complacencia corporaliter ministrauit oF this Chapiter in whiche I trete There is yet one of suche dyete To which no power may 〈…〉 For al is paast of peindemayn And sondry wyn and sondry drynke Wherof that he wyll ete or drynke His 〈…〉 ben for hym affayted So that his body is a wayted That hym shal lacke no delyte As ferforth as his appetyte Suffyseth to the metes hote Wherof this lusty vyce is hote Of gule the delycacye Whiche all the hole progenye Of lusty folk hath vndertake To fele whyles that he may take Rychesse wherof to be founde Of abstynence he wote no bounde To what proufyte it shold serue And yet phâ—sik of his conserue Maketh many a restauracion Vnto his recreacion Whiche wold be to Venus leef Thus for the poynt of his releef The Cooke whiche shall his mete aray But he the better his mouthe assay His lordes thonk shall oft lese Eâ— he be serued to the chese For ther may lacke not soo lyte That he ne fynt anone a wyte For but his lust be fully serued There hath no wyÈt his thonk deseruÌ„ed And yet for mannes sustenaunce To kepe and hold in gouernaunce To hym that wylle his hele gete Is none so good as comon mete For who so loketh on the bookes It seyth confexion of Cookes A man hym shold wel auyse How he it took and in what wyse For who that vseth that he knoweth Ful seldom sykenes in hym groweth And who that vseth metes straunge Though his nature empayre chauÌ„ge It is no wonder lyef sonne Whan that he doth ayene his wonne For in sykenes this I fynde Vsaunce it is second kynde Philosophus Consuetudo est alterâ— natura And right so chaunged his estatâ— He that of loue is delycate For though he had to his honde The best wyf of al the londe Or the fayrest loue of alle Yet wold his herte on other falle And thynk hem more delycious Than he hath in his owne houâ— Men seyn it is now ofte so Auyse hem wel they that so do And for to speke in other way Ful oftyme I haue herd say That he whiche hath no loue acheued Hym thynkth he is not releued Though that his lady make hym chere So as she may in good manere Hir honoure hir name saue But yf he the surplus myght haue No thyng withstondyng hir estate Of loue more delycate He set hir chere at no delyte But he haue all his appetyte My sone yf it be with the so Telle me my hooly fader no For delycate in suche a wysâ— Of loue as ye me deuyse Ne was I neuer yet gyltyf For yf I had suche a wyfe As ye speke of what shold I more For than I wold neuermore For lust of ony womanhede My herte vpon none other fede And yf I dyd it were a waste But all withoute suche repaste Of suche as ye me told aboue Of wyf or yet of other loue I faste and may no foode gete So that for lack of deynte mete Of whiche an herte may be fedde I go fastyng to my bedde But myght I geten as I told So mochel that my lady wold Me fede with hir glad semblanntâ— Though me lacke all the remenaunt Yet shold I somdele be abesshed And for the tyme wel refresshed But certes fader she ne doth For in good feyth to tellen sooth I trowe though I shold serâ—ue She wold not his eye swerue My herte with one goodely looke To fede thus for suche a Cooke I may goo fastyng euer mo But yf so is that ony woo May fede a mans herte we le Therof I haue at euery mele Of plente more than ynough But that is of hym self so cough My stomak may not it defye Loo thus is the delycacye Of loue whiche my herte fedeth Thus haue I lack of that me nedeth But for al this yet netheles I sey not I am gyltles That I somdele am delycate For els were I fully mate But yf that I somme lusty stoundâ— Of comforte of ese founde To take of loue somme repast For though I with the ful taste The lust of loue may not stele My hongeâ— otherwyse I kele Of smale lustes whiche I pyke And for a tyme yet they lyke If that ye wysten what I mene Now good sone shryue the clene Of suche dayntees as ben good Wherof thou takest thyn hertes foode My fader I shall yow reherce How that my foodes ben dyuerse So as they fallen in degre If fedyng is of that I see Another is of that I here The thyrd as I shalle telle here It groweth of myn owne thought And eâ—â—es shold I â—eue nought For who that fayleth foode of herde He may not wel the deth asterte Notâ—i qualiter visus in amore se coÌ„tinet de 〈…〉 Of syght is al my fyrst foode Thoâ—ugh whiche my eye of al goode Hath that to hym is acordaunt A lusty foode suffysaunt When that I go toward the place Where I shall see my ladyes face Myn eye whiche is loth to fast Begynneth to hongre anon as fast That hym thynketh of one houre thre Tyll I there come and he hir see And than after his appetyte He taketh a foode of suche delyte That hym none other deynte nedeth Of sondry sightes he hym fedeth He seeth hir face of suche coloure That fressher is than ony floure He seeth hir fronte is large pleyne Withoute frouÌ„ce of ony greyne He seeth hir eyen lyche
when she it herd And knew the tokenes whiche he told She nyst what she sey shold But stoode abasshed as for the whyle Of his magyke and of his gyle She thought how she was deceyued That she hath of a man conceyued And wend a god it had be But netheles suche degree So as she myght hir honoure saue She shope the body was begraue And thus Nectanabus abought The sorcery whiche he wrought Though vpon the creatures Thorugh his carectis and figures The maystry and the power had His creatour to nought hym lad Ageyne whos law his crafde he vseth When he for lust his god refuseth And tooke hym to the deuyls â—aft Lo what profyte is hym belaft That thyng thurgh which he weÌ„de haue stoÌ„de First hym exiled out of londe Whiche was his owne froÌ„ a kyng Made hym to be an vnderlyng And sythen to deceyue a quene That torneth hym to mochel â—â—ne Thorugh lust of loue he gate hym hate That ende couthe he not abate His old sleyghtes whiche he cast Yong Alisander hyn ouercast His fader whiche hym mysbigat He slewe a grete myshappe was that But for one mys another mys Was yolde and so ful oft is Nectanabus his craft myswent And so it mysfell hym or that he went I note what helpeth that clergy Whiche maketh a man to doo foly And namelyche of Nygromaunce Whiche stont vpon the mysereaunce Nota qualiter rex Zorastes statim cuÌ„ ab vtero matris sue nasceretur gaudio magno risit in quo prenosticum doloris subsequentis signum figurabatur Nam et ipse detestabilis artis magica primus fuit inuentor quem postea rex Surrie dira morte trucidauit sic opus operarium consumpsit aNd for to see more euydence Zorastes which that experyence Of arte Magyke first forth drough â–ª Anon as he was bore he lough Whiche token was of woo sewyng For of his owne contreuyng He found Magyke taught it forth But al was hym lytell worth For of surry a worthy kyng Hym slewe and that was his endyng But yet thurgh hym this craft is vsed And he thorugh all the world accused For it shal neuer wel acheue Thei stont not ryght with the byleue But lyche to wulle is euyl sponne Who leseth hym self hath lytell wonne And the ende proueth euery thyng Saul whiche that was of Iewes kyng Vpon peyne of deth forbede this arte And yet he took therof his parte The phitonysse in Samary Yafe hym counceyll by sorcery Whiche after felle to moche srowe For he was slayn vpon the morowe To conne moche it helpeth But of to moche no man yelpeth So for to loke on euery side Magyk may not wel betyde For thy my sone I wol the rede That thou of these ensamples drede That for no lust of erthely loue Thou seche so to come aboue Wherof as in the worldes wonder Thou shalt euer be put vnder My good fader graunte mercy For euer I shall beware therby Of loue what so euer me bifalle Suche sorcery abouen alle Fro this day forth I wyll eschewe That so ne wylle I not pursewe My lust of loue for to seche But this I wold yow byseche â—â—eside that me stant of loue As I yow herd speke aboue How Asysandre was betaught Of Arystotle and so wel taught Of all that to a kyng belonged Wherof my herte sore longeth To wyte what it wold mene For by reson I wold wene That yf I herd of thynges straunge Yet for a tyme it shold chaunge My peyne lesse me somdele My good sone thou shalt wele For wysedom how that euer it stonde To hym that can it vnderstond Doth grete preue in sondry wyse But touchyng of so hyghe a pryse Whiche is not vnto Venus knowe I may it not my self knowe Whiche of her courte am al forth draw And can no thyng but of hir lawe But netheles to knowe more As wel as thou me longeth sore And for it helpeth to comune Of euery thynge in comune The scole of the philophye Yet thynk I for to specyfye In bookes as it is comprehended Wherof thou myghtest be amended For though I be not al connyng Vpon the forme of his wrytynge Somme parte therof yet I hane herde In this mater how it hath ferd Explicit liber sextus Sequitur Liber septimus â— Mnibus in causis sapiens doctrina saluteÌ„ CoÌ„sequitur nec habet quis nisi dectus opem Naturam superat doctrina viro quod et ortus Ingenij docilis non dedit ipsa dabit Non ita discretus hominuÌ„ per climata regnat QuaÌ„ magis vt sapiat indiget ipse scole Quia omnis doctrina bona huma no regno salutem confert in hoc septi mo libro ad instanciam amantis lang ueÌ„di intendit genius illam ex qua philosophi et Astrologi philosophie doctrinaÌ„ regem Allexandrum inbucrunt secun â— duÌ„ aliquid declarare diuidit enim philosophiam in tres partes quarum prima Theorica secunda Rethorica Tercia practica nuncupata est de quarum condicionibus subsequenter per singula tractabit Incipit liber Septimus I Genius the preest of loue My sone as thou hast praid aboue That I the scole shal declare Of Aristotle and eke the fare Of Alysaundre how he was taught I am somdele therof distraught For it is not the matere Of loue why we sytcen here To shryue as Menus bad But nenertheles for it is glad So as thou seest for thyn apryse To here of suche thynges wyse Wherof thou myght the tyme blysse So as I can I shall the wysse For wysedom is at euery throwe Aboue al other thyng to knowe In loues cause els where For thy my sone vnto thyn ere Though it be not in the Regystre Of Venus yet of that Calystre And Aristotle whylome wryte To Alysander thou shalt wyte But for the lores ben dynerse I thynk fyrst to the reherce The nature of the philosophy Whiche Aristotle of his clergy Wyse and experte in the seyence Declared thylke intellygence As of the poyntes in pryncipalle Wherof the first in specialle Is Theoryk whiche is grounded On hym whiche al the world hath fouÌ„ded Whiche comprehended al that lore And for to loken ouermore Next of seyence the second Is Rethoryk whoo 's facounde Aboue al other is eloquent To telle a tale in Iugement So wel can no man speke as he The last seyence of the thre Is practyke whoo 's offyce The vertu tryeth fro the vyce And techeth vppon good thewes To slee the company of shrewes Whiche stant in disposicion Of mannes fre election Practyke enformeth eke the rewle How that a worthy kyng shal rule His realme bothe in werre and pees Lo thys done Aristotles These thre scyrncrs hath deuyded And the nature also decydeed Wherof that eche of hem shall serue The first whiche is conserue And kepar of the remenaunt And that whiche is moost suffysaunt And chyef of the philosophye If I therof
side Philosophus Vnumquodque naturaliter appetit suum censum And hath his Centre after the lawe Of kynde to that Centre drawe Desyreth euery worldes thyng If there were no lettyng Nota de aqua quod est secundum elementum Aboue the erthe kepeth his bounde The water whiche is the second Of elementes and al aboute It vywneth ther withoute But as it sheweth not for thy This subtyle water myghtely Though it be of hym self softe The strengthe of erthe passeth ofte For right as veynes ben of bloode In man right so the water in floode The erthe of his cours maketh dyuerse veynes As wel the hylle as the pleynes And that a man may see at the eye For where the hylles be moost hye There may men wel stremes fynde So preueth it by wey of kynde The water lyghter than the londe And ouer this now vnderstoude Nota de aera quod est tercium elementum Ayer is the thyrd of elemente Of whoo 's kynde his asperimente Taketh euery lyues creature Whiche shal vpon the erthe endure For as the fysshe yf it be drye Must in defaute of water dye Ryght so withoute eyer on lyue No man ne beest myght pryue The whiche is made of flesshe bone There is oute take of al none Nota quod aer in tribus periferijs diuiditur This ayer in periferijs thre Deuyded is of suche degre Bynethe is one and one amydde And aboue is set the thyrdde Of whiche vpon deuysyons There ben dyuerse oppressions Of moyst eke of drye also Whiche by the sonne both two Ben drawe and haled vpon hye And maken clowdes in the skye As shewed is at mannes sight Therof by day and eke by nyght After the tyme of the yere Among vs vpon erthe here De prima aeris periferia In sondry wyse thynges falle The first peryfery of alle Engendreth myst and ouermore The dewes the frostes hore After thylk insterticion In whiche they take inpression De secunda aeris periferia Fro the second as the lookes seyn The moost droppes of the reyn Descenden in to myddel erthe And tempereth it to sede and eâ—the And doth to spryng gras floure And ofte also the grete shoâ—re Oute of suche place it may be take That it the forme shal forsake Of reyne in to snowe be torned And eke it may be so soiourned In sondry places vp alofâ—â— â—hat in to hayle it torneth ofte De tercia aeris periferia The thyrd of ayer after the lawe Thorugh suche matere as vp is drawe Of drye thyng as it is ofte Among the clowdes vpon lofte And is so close it may not oute Than is it chased sore aboute Tyll it to fyre and leyte it falle And it breketh the clowdes alle The whiche of so grete noyse craken That they the fâ—rfull noyse maken The thonder stroke smyte or it lyght And yet men sene the fire ful ryght The thonder stroke or that men here So may it wel be proued here In thyng whiche shewed is fro fâ—râ— A mans eye is there neâ—â— Than is the second to mannes â—â—â— And netheâ—es it is grete fere Bothe of the stroke of the fire Of whiche is no recouyre In place where that they descende But yf god wold his grace sende Nota qualiter ignes quos noâ—antuâ— in â—ere diseuâ—â—ere videmus secundum varias apparentes formas varia gestant nomina quorum primus Assub Secuudus Capra saliens tercius eges Et quartus daali libus philosophorum nuncupatus est â— No for to speken ouer this In this parte of the ayer it is That men ful ofte seen by nyÈt The fyre in sondry forme alyght Somtyme the fire drake it semeth And the lewde peple it demeth Somtyme it semeth as it were After whiche that glydeth there But it is nether of the two The philosophre telleth so And seith that of Impressions Thorugh dyuerse exaltacions Vpon the cause and the matere Men sene dyuerse forme appere Of fyre whiche hath sondry name Assub he said is thylke same The whiche in sondry place is founde When it is downe to the grounde So as the fire it hath anheled Lyke vnto slyme whiche is congeled Of exaltacions I fynde Fyre kendeleth of the same kynde But it is in another forme Wherof I shall conforme The fygure vnto that it is These old clerkes tellen this For it is lyke a gote skyppyng And for it is suche semyng It is hote Capra saliens And these Astronomyens Another fire also by nyght Whiche sheweth hym to mans fight They clepen eges the whiche brenneth Lyke to the curraunt fire it renneth Vpon a corde as thou hast sene When it with powdre was so besene Of sulphur thre thynges mo There is another fire also Whiche semeth to a mannes eye By nyghtes tyme as though ther fâ—yâ— A dragon brennyng in the sky And that is cleped propyrly Baasy wherof men sene fallen ofte â—o where the fyry drake alofte Fleeth vpon the eyer soo they semen But why the fires so semen Of sondry formes to beholde The wyse philosophre tolâ— So as the fore it hath â—en herd â—o thus my sone how it ferd Of ayre the due propyrte In sondry wyse thou myght see And how vnder the firmament It is â—ke the thyrd element Whiche enuyronned bothe the two The water and the sonde also Nota de igne quod est quartum elementum And for to telle ouer this Of elementes the whiche the fourth is That is the fire in his degre The whiche enuyroneth the other thre And is withoute moyste al drye But lyst now what seyth the clergye For vpon hem that I haue seyd The câ—â—atour hath set leyd The kynde and the complexion Of al mennes nacion Foure elementes sondry ther be Lyche vnto whiche in that degre Among the men ther ben also Complexions foure and no mo Wherof the philosophre treteth That he no thyng behynde leteth And seyth how that they ben dyuerse So as I shall to the reherce Nota hic aualiter secundum naturaÌ„ quatuor elemeÌ„torum quatuor in humano â—â—rpore complexionis scilicet Melencolica Fleuma Sangnis et colera naturaliter constituuntur vnde primo de melencolica dicendum est â— E whiche naturâ—d euery kynde The myghty god so as I fynde Of man whiche is his creature Hath so deuyded the nature That none tyâ— other wel acordeth And by this cause it so discordeth The lyf whiche feleth the sykernesse May stonde vpon no sykernesse Of the erthe whiche is cold drye The kynd of man Melencolye Is cleped that is the first The moost vngoodlyest the werst For vnto loues werke on nyght Hym lacketh bothe wylle and myght No wondre is in lusty place Of loue though he lese grace What man hath that complexion Is ful of ymagynacion Of dedes of wrongful thought He fretyth hym self al to nought The water whiche is moyst colde Maketh fleume whiche is many fold De complexione Fleumatis Foryeteful
after trouthe the second In polecye as it is founde Which serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whos preuylege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was first comune But afterward vpon fortune Was thylke comyn prouffyt cesed But Whan the peple stode encresed As the lygnages wexen grete Anone for synguler byÈâ—â—e Drewe euery man to his partye Wherof comyn the fyrst enuye With grete debate warees stronge And laste emoÌ„ge the men so longe Tyl no man wyst who was who Ne which was frende ne whiche foo Whyl atte laste in euery londe Within hem self the peple fonde That it was good to make a kynge Whiche myght appesen al this thynge And yeue ryght to the lignages In partyng of her heritages And eke of al the other good And thus aboue hem al stood The kyng vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustefye The worldes good for couetyse So syt it wel in al wyse A kyng betwene more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Toward hym self eke also Toward his peple yf not so That is to say yf that he be Toward his self large and free And of his peple take and pylle Largesse by no weye of skylle It may be said but auarice Which in a kyng is a grete vyce A kyng hehoueth eke to flee The vpce of prodegalyte That he mesure in expence So kepe that of indygence He may be saufe fro who that nedeth In al his werke the wers he spedeth Nota super hoc qued aristotilus ad Alexandrium exemplificauit de exactionibus Regis chaldeoruÌ„ aS aristotle vpon caldee Ensaumple of grete auctorite Vnto alisaunder taughte Of thylke folke that were vnsaughte Toward hir kyng for his pyllage Wherof he hade in his corage That he vnto thre poyntes entende Where that he wold his good dyspende Fyrst shold he loke how that it stood That al were of his owne good The yeftes whiche he wold yeue So myght he the better leue And eke he must taken hede Yf there be canse of ony nede Whiche oughte to be deffended Or that his goodes ben dyspended He mote eke as it is befalle Amonge other thynges alle Se the decertes of his men And after they ben of ken And of estate and meryte He shal hem largely acquyte Or for the werre or for the pease That none honoure falle in dyscreast Whiche myght torne in to deffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronycle a tale I fynde Whiche speketh som dele of this matere Here afterward as thou shalt here Hic secundum gesta Iulij exempluÌ„ ponit qualiter Rex suorum militum quos probos agnouerit indigenciam largitatis sue beneficijs releuare tenetur â–ª In rome to pursue his right There was a worthy poure knyght Whiche came allone for to seyne His cause when the courte was pleyne Where Iulyus was in presence And for hym lacketh of his dyspeÌ„ce There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his estate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nought of manhede He wist wel his purse was pouer But yet he thought his right receuer And o penly pouerte aleyed To the emperour thus he seyed O Iulyns lord of the lawe Behelde my counceyl is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyn offyce After the lawe of Iustyce Helpe that I had counceyl here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulyus with that anone Assygned hym a worthy one But he hym self no worde spáke This knyght was wroth fonde lake In the emperour said thus O thou vnkynde Iulyus Whan thou in thy batayle were Vpon aufrik I was there My might for the rescue I dyd And that no man in my stede Thou wotest woundes there I had But for I fynde the so bad That the ne list speke one worde Thyn owne mowthe or of thy horde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe How shold I than me be yelpe Fro this forth of my largesse Whan suche a grete vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lord as thou This Iulyus knewe wel y now That al was sothe which he hym tolde And for he wold not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good ynough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shold euery worthy kyng Take of his knyghtes knowlechyng Whan that he sawe they had nede For euery seruyce axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Thorugh vertu but of â—apes serued A kyng shal not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place Hic ponit exemplum de rege antigo no qualiter dona regia secundum mame et minus equa discrecione moderanda sunt iT sitteth wel euery kyng to haue Discressyon whan men hym craue So that he may his gyfte wyte Wherof I fynde a tale wryte How Ciuichus a power knyght A somme whiche was ouer myght Prayed of his kyng antygonus The kyng answerd to hym thus And said how suche a yefte passeth His power estate and than he lasseth And axeth but a lytel peny Yf that the kyng wold yeue hym ony The kyng answerd it is to smalle For hym that is a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytel thynge It were vnworshyp in a kyng By this ensaumple a kyng may lere That for to yeue is in manere For yf a kyng his tresour lasseth Without honoure thankelesse passeth Whan he hym self wyl so begyle I note who shal compleyne his whyle Ne who by right hym shal releue But nethelesse this I beleue Nota hic qd regis status a suis fidelibÈ omni fauore supportandus est The whiche with his owne londe Behoueth euery mannes honde To sette vpon necessyte And eke his kynges ryalte Mote euery lyege man comforte With good body to supporte Whan they see cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp right his kynges name Hym ought for to be to blame Nota hic secundum aristotelem qua liter principum prodigalitas pauperta tem induat coâ—nneâ—â— Of polecye euer more To speke in this matere more So as the phylosophre tolde A kyng after the rule is holde To modefye adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse Seneca sit alijs benefacito vt tibi non noâ—â—gs That the mesure not excede For yf a kyng shal in to nede It causeth ofte sendry thynges Which ben vngoodly to the kynges What man wyl not hym self mesure Men secth ful ofte that mesure Hym hath forsake so doth he That vseth prodygalite Which is the moder of pouerte Wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan that ylke vyce Aboue a kynge stante in offyce And hath with holde of his partye The cenetous flaterye Which many a worthy kyng deceyueth Or he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that can plese glose Ben as men tellen
que iusticia nominata est â—â—â—us condicio legibus incorupta vniuiaue qd suum est cquo pondere distribuit wHat is a londe there men be none What ben the men that are allone Without a kynges gouernaunce What is a kyng in his lygeaunce Where that there is no lawe in londe What is to take lawe on honde But yf the Iuges ben trewe These olde worldes with the newe Who that wyl take in euydence There may he se experience What thynge it is to kepe lawe Thorow which wronges be withdrawe And rightwysnes stande coÌ„mended Wherof the regnes ben amended For where the lawe may commune The lordes forth with the comune Eche hath his propre deute And eke the knyghtes ryalte Of bothe his worshyp vnderfongeth To his estate as it bylongeth Whiche of his worthynesse Hath to gouerne rightwysnesse As he whiche shal the lawe guyde And neuerthelesse vpon soÌ„me syde His power stante aboue the lawe To yeue bothe and to drawe The forset of the mannes lyf But thynges whiche are excessyf Ageyn the lawe he shal not doo For loue ne for hate also Imperatoriam magestatem non solum armis sÈ eciam legibus oportet esse armatam b The myghtes of a kyng be grete But yet a worthy kyng shal â—etâ— Of wronge to done al that he myght For he whiche shal the peple right Yt sitteth wel to his regalye That he hym self fyrst Iustefye Toward god in his degree For his estate is elles fre Toward al other in his persone Saue onely to the god allone Whiche wyl hym self a kyng chastyse Where that none other may suffyse So were it good to taken hede That fyrst a kyng his owne dede Betwene the vertu and the vyce Redresse than his iustyce So sette in euen the balaunce Towardes other in gouernaunce That to the powre to the ryche His lawes myght stonde in lyche He shal excepte no persone But for he may not al hym one In sondry place to Iustyce He shal of his ryal offyce With wyse consyderacion Ordeyne his dysputacion Of suche Iuges as ben lerned So that his peple be gouerned By hem that trewe ben wyse For yf the lawe of couetyse Be set vpon Iuges honde Woo is the peple of thylke londe For wronge may not hym self hyde But allas on that other syde Yf lawe stonde with the right The peple is glad stonte vp right Where as the lawe is meuable The comyn peple stante resonable And yf the lawe torne a mys The peple also mystorned is Nota hic iusticia maximinj imperato ris qui cum alicuius prouincie custodeÌ„ sibi constituere volebat primo de sui nominis sama proclamacione facta ipsius condicionem diligencius inuesti gabat aNd in ensaumple of this matere Of maxymyn a man may here Of Rome Whiche was emperour That whan he made a gouernour By weye of substytucion Of prouynce or of regyon He wold fyrst acquyre his name And lete it openlye proclame What man he were or euyl or good And vpon that his name stode Enclyned to vertu or to vyce So wold he sette hym in offyce Or ellis put hym al a weye Thus helde the lawe the right weye Whiche fonde no lette of couetyse The world stode than vpon that wyse By ensaumple thou myght rede And holde in thy mynde I rede Hic ponit exemplum de iudicibus incorruptis narrat qualiter Gaius Fabricius nuper Rome consul aurum a sampnitibus sibi oblatum remiâ—t dicens qd nobilius est aurum possidentes domino subuigare quam ex auri cupidi tate dominij libertacem amâ—â—tere IN a cronyque I fynde thus How that gayus fabricius Whiche whylom was consul of rome By whom the lawes yede come Whan the sampnytes to hym brought A somme of golde hym besought To done hym fauour in the lawe Toward the golde he gan hym drawe Wherof in al mennes loke A parte in to his honde he toke Whiche to his mowthe in al haste He put it for to smelle and taste And to his eye to his lere But he ne foude no comforte there And than he began it to despyse And tolde vnto hem in this wyse I note what is wyth golde to thryue Whan none of al my wyttes fyue Fynde sauour ne delyte therin So it is but a nyce synne Of golde to be couetouse But he is ryche and gloriouse Whiche hath in his subieccion Tho men whiche in pocessyon Ben riche of golde by this skylle For he may al day whan he wylle Or be hym lefe or be hym lothe Iustyce doon vpon hem bothe Lo thus he said with that worde He threwe tofore hym vpon a borde The golde out of his honde anone And said theym that he wold none So that he kepte his lyberte To doo Iustyce and equyte With lucre of suche rychesse Ther ben now fewe of suche I gesse For it Was thylke tyme vsed That euery Iuge was refused Whiche was not frende to comyn right But they that wolden stonde vp right For trouthe onely to Iustyce â—referred were in thylke offyce To deme Iuge comyn lawe Whiche now meÌ„ sayn is al with draw To settâ— a lawe and kepe it nought There is no comune prouffyt sought But abeue al nethelees The lawe whiche is made for pees Is good to kepe for the beste For that setteth al men in reste Hic nâ—rrat de iusticia nuper conrar â—i imperatoris cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone aliqua seu precum inâ—â—ruencione quacunqÈ vel auri redempcione legum statuta coÌ„mutari seu râ—dâ—â—i nullatenus potuerunt tHe rightful emperour conrâ—de To kepe pees suche a lawe made That none within the cyte In dysturbaunce of vnyte Durst ones meuen a matere For in his tyme as thou myght here What poynte that was for lawe sette It sheld for no good be lette To what persone that it were And this brought in the comyn fere Why ony man the lawe dradde For ther was none which fauour had Nota exemplum de constancia judicis vbT narrat de carunidotiro rome nuper coÌ„sule aui cum sui statuti legem nes ciens offendisset Romani que super hee penam sibi remittere noluisseÌ„t ipeÌ„ propria manu vbi nullns alius in ipsum vnidex fuit sui criminis vindic tam exâ—cutus est sO as these olde lookes sayn I fynde write where a romayn Whiche consul was of pretoyre Who 's name was caromydotâ—yre He sette a lawe for the pees That euery man be Wepenlees That came in to the counceyl how 's And elles as malicious He shal ben of the lawe dede To that statute to that rede Accorden al it shal be so For certeyn cause whiche was tho Now here what fyl herafter sone This consul had for to done And was in to the feldes ryden And they hym longe abyden That lordes of the couuceyl were And bad hym come and he came there With swerde y
gyrde and had foryete Tyl he was in the couuceyl sete Was none of hom that made speche Tyl he hym self it wold seche And fonde out the defaute hym self And said vnto the twelfe Whiche of the senate weren wyse I haue deseruyd the juyse In haste that it were I do And they hym sayden al no For wel they wyst it was no vyce Whan he ne thought no malyce But onely of a lytel slouthe And thus they leften as for routhe To do justyce vpon his gylte For that he shold not be spylte And whan in the maner how They wold hym saue he made a vowe With manful herte thus he sayed That rome shold neuer abrayed His heyres whan he was of dawe That her auncetour brake the lawe For thy that they weren ware Forthwyth the same swerde he â—are The statute of his lawe he kepte So that al rome his deth be wepte Nota â—d falsâ— iudices mortis penâ— puâ—iendi sunt narrat enim qualiter cambices Rex persarum quemdam iudicem coruptum excoriâ—â—â— viuum fecit eius que pelle cathedram iudicialem opeâ—â—â—â— coÌ„stituit â—ta qd filius suus supeâ— patâ—s pellem posteâ— pro tribunali sessurus iudicij equitatem euidenâ—ius me â—oraretu â—N other places also I rede Where that a Iuge hys owne dede Ne wil not venge his lawe broke The kyng it hath hym self y wroke The grete kyng whiche cambises Was hoâ—e a juge lawles He fonde and to remembraunce He dyd vpon hym suche vengeaunce Out of his skyn he was befloyne Al quycke in that wyse slayne So that his skyn was shape al metâ— And nayled vpon the same setâ— Where that his sone shold sitte Auyse hym yf â—e wold flitte The lawe of couetyse There sawe he redy his juyse Thus in defaulte of other juge The kyng mote other while inge To holden vp the right lawe And for to speke of the olde dawe To take ensaumple of that was tho I fynde a tale wryten also How that a worthy prynce is holâ—â— The lawes of his londe to helde First for the hygh goddes sake And for that hyâ— is betake The peple for to guyde lede Whiche is the charge of his kyngheâ—â— Hic ponit exemplum de principiâ—uâ— illis qui non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant Set â—t comune bonum adaugeant propriam fatultate in diminuunt Et narrat qd cum liguri us atheum princeps in omni prosperitatis habundancia diues vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisse volens ad vtilitatem reipubâ—â—e leges il las firmius obsâ—ruari peâ—â—gri profâ—â—ssi se fuixit set prius iuramentuÌ„ solempne a leges suis sub hac forma exegit qd ipsi vsque in reditum suuÌ„ leges suas millaâ—enus infringerent quibus miratis pere gâ—â—nacionem suam in exiliuÌ„â—bsque redditu perpetuo delegauit IN a cronycle I rede thus Of the rightful lygurgyus Whiche of athenes prynce was How he the lawe in euery was Wherof he shold his peple rule Hath sette vpon so good a rule In al this world that cite none Of lawe was so wel begone Forthwith the trouthe of gouernauÌ„ce There was emonge hem no distannce But euery man hath his encrees There was without werre pees Without enuye loue stood Richesse vpon the comune good And not vpon the synguler Ordeyned was the power Of hom that weren in estate Was sauf wherof vpon debate There stode no thynge so that in reste Myght euery man his herre reste And whan this noble rightful kyng Saw how it ferde of al this thynge Wherof the peple stode in ese He whiche for euer wold plese The hye god whos thonke he soughte A wonder thynge than he bethoughtâ— And shope how that it myght be How that his lawe in the cite Myght afterward for euer laste And there vpon his witte he caste What thynge hym were beste to sayen That his purpoos myght atteyne A parlemente thus he sette His wysdom â—here that he be sette In audience of grete smale And in this wyse he tolde a tale God wote so ye woten alle Here afterward how so it falle Yet to now my wylle hath be To do iustyce and equyte In ferderyng of the comyn proffyt Suche hath ben euer my delyte But of one thynge I am beknowe The whâ—les my wylle is that ye knowe The lâ—â—e whiche I toke on honde Was al to gyder of goddes sonde And no â—ynge of myn owne wit So mote it nede endure yit And shal do lenger yf ye wyl For I wyl trlle you the skyl The god mercurius no man He hath me taught al that I can Of suche lawes as I made Wherof that ye ben al glade It was the god no thynge I Which dyd al this now for thy He hath coÌ„maunded of his grace That I shal come in to a place Whiche ferre out in an yle Where I moto tarye for a whyle Wich hym to speke as he hath bede For as be saith in thylke stede He shal me suche thynges telle That euer while the world shal dwelle Aâ—â—nes shal the better fare But fyrst or that I thyder fare For that I wold that my lawe Amonges you ne be withdrawe The whiles that I shal be oute For thy to setten out of doubte Bothe you me thus wil I praye That ye me wold assure saye With suche an othe as I wyl take That eche of you shal vndertake My lawes for to kepe holde They sayden al that they wold And there vpon they swere theyr othe That fro that tyme that he gothe Tyl he to hem be come ageyn They shullen his lawe wel pleyne In euery poynte kepe fulfille Thus hath lygurius his wylle And toke his leue forth he wente But here now wel to what entente Of rightwysnes he dyd so For after that he was a goo He shope hym neuer to be founde So that athenes whiche was founde Neuer after shold be releced Ne thylke good lawe seced Which was for comune prouffyt souÈt The kyng his owne estate ne rought To do prouffyt to the comune He toke of exyle the fortune And lefte of pryuely thylke offyce Onely for loue for justyce For whiche he thoughte yf that he myÈt For euer after his deth to right The cite which was hym betake Wherof men ought ensaumple take With hem whiche vnder gouernaunce The good lawes to auaunce And who that wold take kepe The lawes haue for to kepe Of hem that first the lawes founde As ferre as lasteth ony grounde Of londe her names yet be knowe And yf it lyke the to knowe SoÌ„me of their names how they stonde Now herken thou shalt vnderstonde Hic ad eorum laudem qui iusticie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat oF euery benefete the meryte The god hym self it wyl acquyte And eke ful ofte it falleth so The world it wyl acquyte also But that may not be euen syche
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
liche The poure bothe eke the riche Whan they be glad I shal be glad And sory whan they ben bestad So shal I lyue in vnyte With euery man in his degre For right as to my self I wolde Right so toward al other I sholde Be gracious debonayr Thus haue I tolde the softe fâ—yâ— My feyth my lawe my creaunce And yf the lyst for acqueyntaunce Now telle what manere man thou art And he answerd vpon his part I am a Iewe by my lawe I shal to no man be felawe To kepe hym trouth in worde ne dde But yf he be without drede A veray Iewe right as am I For ellis I may truly Bereue hym bothe lyf good The paynym herde vnderstood And thought it was a wonder lawe And thus vpon their sondry sawe Talkyng bothe forth they wente The day was hote the sonne brente The paynym rode vpon an asse And of his catel more lasse With hym a riche trusse he ladde The Iewe which al vntrouth hadde And went vpon his feet besyde Bethought hym how he myght ryde And with his wordes slye wyse Vnto the paynym in this wyse He said o now it shal be sene What it is thou woltest mene For yf thy lawe be certeyn As thou hast tolde I darwel seyn Thou wylt beholde my distresse Which am so ful of werynesse That I ne may vnnethe goo And lete me ryde a myle or two So that I may my body ese The paynym wold hym not dysplese Of that he spake but in pytee It list hym for to knowe see The pleynte whiche that other made And for he wold his herte glade He light made hym no thyng strauÌ„ge Thus was ther made a newe chauÌ„ge The paynym the Iewe a lofte Was sette vpon his asse softe Soo goon they forth carpend faste On this on that tyl on the laste The paynym myght goo nomore And prayed vnto the Iewe therfore To suffre hym ryde a lytel whyle The Iewe which thouÈt hym to begyle Anone rode forth the grete paas And to the paynym in this caas He seid thou hast do thy right Of that thou haddest me behyght To do socour vpon my nede And that accordeth to the dede As thou arte to the lawe holde And in suche wyse as I the tolde I thynke also for my partye Vpon the lawe of Iewrye To werche do my duete Thyn asse shal goo forth with me With al thy good whiche I haue sesed And that I wote thou arte dysesed I am right glad not myspayed And whan he hath these wordes sayed In al haste he rode aweye The pâ—â—nym wote none other weye But on the grounde he kneleth euen His hondes vp vnto the heuen And said o hye sothfastnes That louest al rightwysnes Vnto thy dome lord I appele Beholde deme my quarele With humble herte I the beseche The mercy bothe the wreche I set al in thy Iugement And thus vpon his marrement This paynym hath made his prayere And thenne he was with drery chere And goeth hym forth in his gate â—e caste his eye aboute algate The Iewe yf that he myght see But for a tyme it may not bee Tyl atte last ageyn the nyght So as god wold he wente a right As he whiche helde the hye weye And theÌ„ne he sawe in a valeye Where that the Iewe liggend was Al blody deed vpon the gras Which strangeled was of a leon And as he boked vp doun He fonde his asse fast by Forthwith his harneys redely Al hool sounde as he it lefte Whan that the Iewe it hym byrefte Wherof he thanked god knelende â—o thus a man may knowe at ende How the pytous pyte deserueth For what man that to pyte serueth As aristotle it bereth wytnesse God shal his foomen so represse That they shal ay stonde vnderfote Pyte men sayn is thylke rote Wherof the vertues spryngen alle What infortune that befalle In ony londe lacke of pyte Is cause of thylke aduersite And that alday may shewe at eye Who that the world discretely syhe Good is that euery man therfore Take hede of that is said tofore For of this tale other y nowe These noble princes whylom drowe Her euydence and her appryse As men may fynde in many wyse Who that these olde bookes rede And though they ben in erthe dede Her good name may not deye For pyte which they wold obeye To doo the dedes of mercy And who this tale redely Remembre as aristotle it tolde He may the wylle of god beholde Vpon the poynte as it was ended Wherof the pyte stood comended Which is to charite felawe As they that kepen bothe one lawe Nota hic de pietate principis erga populum vbi narrat quod â—odius rex atheuis contra dorences bellum gere re deberet consulto prius appoline respoÌ„sum accepit quod vnum de duobus vâ—â—eâ—â—cet seipsum preliâ— interfeci et populum saluari aut seipsum saluum fiâ—ri â— populum interfeci eligere oportâ—ret Super quo rex pietate motâ—â— plebis que sui magis quaÌ„ proprij corporis salutem affectans mortem sibi â–ª preelegit Et sic bellum aggredieÌ„ce provita multorum solus incerijt oF pyte for to speke playne Which is with mercy wel besayn Fuf ofte hym self he wold peyne To kepe another fro the peyne For charite the moder is Of pyte which no thynge a mys Can suffre yf he it may amende It sitteth to euery man lyuende To be pytons but none so welâ— As to a kyng which on the whele Fortune hath set abouen alle For in a kyng yf so befalle That his pyte be ferme stable To al the londe it is vaylable Onely thorugh the grace of his persone For the pyte of hym allone May al the large royame saue So sit it wel a kyng to haue Pyte of this valere tolde And said how that by dayes olde Godrus which was in hys degree Kyng of athenes the cyte A werre he had ageynst dorrence And for to take his euydence What shal lefalle of the batayle He thouÈt he shold hym self counceyl With appollo in whom he triste Thorough whos answer thus he wyste Of two poyntes that he myght chese Or that he wold his body lese And in batayle hym self deye Or ellis the second weye To seen his peple dyscomfyte But he which pyte hath persyte Vpon the poynte of his byleue The peple thought to releue And chese hym self to be dede Where is now suche another hede Which wold for the lymmes deye And nethelesse in somme parteye It ought a kynges herte stere That he his lyege men forbere And eke toward his enemyes Ful ofte he may deserue prise To take of pyte remembraunce Where that he myght do vengeaunce For whan he hath the victorye And than he drawe in to memorye To do pyte in stede of wreche He may not fayle of thylke speche Wherof ariseth the worldes fame
pryuelye He had in his condycion And vnto this conclusion That tyraunt is to dyspryse I fynde ensaumple in sondry wyfe And namelyche of hem ful ofte To whom fortune hath set aâ—ofte Vpon the warres for to wynne But how so that the wronge begynne Of tyrannye it may not laste But suche as they done atte laste To other men suche on hem falleth For ageyn suche pyte calleth Vengeaunce to the god aboue For who that hath no tender loue In sauyng of a mannys lyfe He shal be founde so gyltyfe That whan he wold mercy craue In tyme of nede he shal none haue Nota qualiter beo homiÌ„bÈ stratis ê‘cit Of the nature thus I fynde The fiers lyon in his kynde Which goeth rampyng after his praye Yf â—e a man fynde in his waye He wil hym slee yf he withstonde But yf the man coude vnderstonde To falle anone tofore his face In signe of mercy and of grace The lyon shal of his nature Restreyne his yre in suche mesure As though it were a beste y tamed And torne aweye halfyng ashamed That be the man shal no thyng greue How shold than a prynce acheue Thâ— worldes grace yf that he wold Dâ—â—â—râ—ye a mâ—n whan he is yolde And stante vpon his mercy alle But for to speken in specialle There haue be suche suche there be Tyrauntes whos hertes ne pyte May to no poynte of mercy plye That they vpon her tyrannye Ne gladen hem the men to slee And as the ractes of the see Ben vnpytous in the tempeste Right so may no pyte reste Of cruelte the grete vltrage Which the tyraunt in his corage Engendreth hath wherof I fynde A tale now which cometh to mynde Hic loquitur contra tiraÌ„nos illos qui cuÌ„ in bello vicere possuÌ„t huaÌ„ni saÌ„guinis effusioâ— saturare nequeuÌ„t et narrat in exempluÌ„ de quodam ê‘saâ— rege cuiê° nomen sê‘tachus erat qui pre ceberis tuÌ„c in oriente bellicosus victoriosus quoscuÌ„qÈ gladio vincere poterat absqÈ pietate interfeci coÌ„stituit Set tandem sub manu thamaris marsegittaruÌ„ regine in bello captus quam a diu quesiuit seueritatem ê“ seueritate finalâ—t inuenit nam ipaÌ„ quoddmÌ„ has de sanguine ê‘saruÌ„ plenuÌ„ ante se offerre decreuit in quo capud tiranni vsqÈ ad morteÌ„ mergens dixit O tiraÌ„naruÌ„ crudeâ—ssime semper esuriens sanguinem sicisti ecceiam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe I Rede in olde bokes thus Ther was a due which spertachus Men cleped was a wetrour A cruel man a conquerour With stronge power which he ladde For this condicion he hadde That where hym happeneth the victorye His lust al his glorye Was for to slee not to saue Of rauÌ„son wold he no good haue For sauyng of a maÌ„nys lyfe But al goeth to the swerde knyfe So beef hym was mannys blood And nethelesse thus it stodâ— So as fortune aboute wente He fyl right heyre as by dyssent To pers was crowned kynge And whaÌ„ the worship of this 〈◊〉 ynge Was falle he was kyng of pers If that they weren fyrst dyuers Hath shape for vpon a tyde Whan he was hyest in his pryde In his rancour in his hete Ageyn the quene of mersagete Which thamaris that tyme hyght He made werre al that he myght And she which wolde hir londe defeÌ„de Hir owue sone ageyn hym sende Which the deffence hath vndertake But he dyscomfyte was take And whaÌ„ this kyng hym had in honde He wold no mercy vnderstonde But dyd hym slee in his presence The kyng of his vyolence Whan it came to the moders ere She sende aâ—one ay wyde where To suche frendes as she had A grete power tyl that she lad In sondre wyse tho she caste How she this kyng may ouercaste And atte last accorded was That in the daunger of a paas Thorugh which this tyrauÌ„t shold pas She shope his power to compas By strengthe of men by suche a weye That he shal not escape aweye And whan she had thus ordeyned She hath hir owne body feyned For fere as though she wold flee Out of hir londe when that he Hath herde how that thys lady fledde So fast after the chase he spedde That he was founde out of araye For it betyd vpon a day In to the paas whan he was falle The enbusshementes to breke alle And hym beclypte on euery syde That fle ne myght he not a syde So that there were dede take Two hondred thousand for his sake That weren with hym of his hoost And thus was leyed the grete boost Of hym of his tyrannye Hit helpeth not mercy for to crye To hym which whilom dyd none For he vnto the quene anone Was brought when that she hym sye This word she spake leyed on hye O man which out of mannes kynde Reson of man hath lefte behynde And lyued wors than a beste Whom pyte myght not areste The mannys blode to shede spylle Thou haddest neuer yet thy fylle But now the last tyme is come That thy malyce is ouercome And thou tyl other hast mys do Now shal be do to the right so Tho bad this lady that men shold A vessel brynge in which she wolde See the vengeaunce of his Iuyse Which she began anone deuyse And toke the princes whiche she ladde By whom his chyef counceyl he hadde And while hem lefte ony brethe She made hem blede to the dethe In to the vessel where it stode And whan it was fulfilled of blode She caste the tyraunte therin And said to thus myght thou wynne The lustres of thyn appetyte In blode was whylom thy delyte Thou shalt now drynke al thy fylle And thus onely of goddes wylle He which that wold hym self sirauÌ„ge To pyte fonde mercy so straunge That he without grace is bore So may it wel shelbe therfore That cruelte hath no good ende But pyte how so that it wende Maketh that god is merciable If there be cause resonable Why that a kyng shal be pytous But ellys yf he be doubtous To sleen in cause of rightwysnesse It may be sayd no pytousnesse But it is pusillanymyte Which euery prynce shold flee For yf pyte mesure excede Kynghode may not alwey procede To do Iustyse vpon right For it belongeth to a knyght As gladly for to fyght as reste To sette his liege peple in reste Whan that the warre vpon hem falleth For them he mote as it befalleth Of his knyghthode as a lyon Be to the peple a champyon Without vny pyte fayned For yf manhode be restreyned Or be it pees or be it werre Iustyce goeth out of herre So that knyghthode is set behynde Of aristotles lore â— fynde A kyng shal mâ— ke good vysage That no man knowe of his corage But al honour worthynesse For yf a kyng shal vpon gesse Without vâ—râ—y cause drede He may be lyke to that I rede And though that it be lyke a fable
also shal be thy tale If he hem smote with roddes smale With scorpyons thou shalt hem smyte And where thy fader toke a lite Thou thynkest to take mychel more Thus shalt thou make hem drede sore The grete herte of thy corage So for to holde hem in seruage This yong kyng hym hath coÌ„formed To done as he was laste enformed Which was to hym vndoyng For whan it came to the spekyng He hath the yonge counceyl holde That he the same wordes tolde Of al the peple in audyence And whan they herde the sentence Of his malyce the manace Anone tofore his owne face They haue hym entyerly refused And with ful grete reproue accused So they began for to raue That he hym self was fayne to saue For as the wylde wode rage Of wyndes maketh the see sauage And that was calme bryngeth to wawe So for defaute grace of lawe This peple is stered al at ones And forth they goo out of his wones So that of the lignage twelfe Two tribus onely by hem selfe With hym abyden no moo So were they for euer moo Of no retorne without espryre Departed fro the rightful heyre Al Israel with comyn voyce A kyng vpon her owne choyce Amonge hem self anone they make And haue her yonge lord forsake A polber knyght jeroboas They toke lefte roboas Which rightful heyre was by dyssent Thus the yonge cause wente For that the counceyl was not good The reygne fro the rightful blood Euer afterward deuyded was So may it prouen by this caas That yonge couÌ„ceyl which is to warme Or men be ware dothe ofte harme Olde age for the counceyl serueth And lusty yongth his thonke deserueth Vpon the traueyle which he dothe And bothe for to say a sothe By sondry cause for to haue If that he wyl his wygne saue A kyng behoueth euery day That one can that other may Be so the kyng bothe rule Or ellys al goeth out of rule Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi vtrum regno conueniencius foret principem optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem aNd vpon this matere also A questyon betwene the two Thus writen in book I fonde Whether it be better for the londe A kyng hym self to be wyse And so to bere his owne pryse And that his counceyl be not good Or otherâ—â—kse yf it so stode A kyng yf he be vycious And his counceyl be vertuous It is answered in suche a wyse That better it is that they be wyse By whom the counceyl shold gone For they be many he but one And rather shal an onely man With fâ—ls counceyl for ought he can From his wysdem be made to falle Than he allone shold hem alle Fro vyces vnto vertues chaunge For tâ—â—t is wel the more straunge For thy the â—onde may wel be glad Whâ—s kyng with good couÌ„ceyl is lad Which sette hym vnto rightwysnes So that his hygh worthynes Betwene the reddeur pyte Dâ—th mercy forth with equyte A kyng is holden ouer alle To pyte and in specialle To â—â—m where he is moste beholde Thy shold his pite most beholde That bâ—n the â—â—ges of the â—onde For they ben euer vnder his honde A fâ—â—r the goâ—des ordenaunce To stonde vnder his gouernaunce Nota adâ—uâ— precipue de principis â—â—ga suos subditos debita pietate legitur â—nim ouabter anthonius a scipionâ— exemplificatus dixit quod mallet vnum de populo sibi commisso viruÌ„ saâ—uare â—uam centum ex hostibus aâ—enigenis in beâ—lo perdere oF the emperour anthonyus I fynde hâ—w he sayd thus That leuer hym were for to saue One of his liegâ—s than to haue Of enemyes an hundred dede As thus he lerned as I rede Of Cypyo which had be Consul of Rome thus to see Druâ—rs ensaumples how they stonde A kyng which hath â— charge on honde The comyn peple to gouâ—rne If that he wyl be may wel lerne Is none so good to the plesaunce Of god as is good gouernaâ—â—â—e And euery gouernaunce is due The pyte thus I may argue That pyte is the foundemente Of euery kynges reygnemente If it be medlyd wyth iustyce They two remeuâ—n al vyce And be of vertu moste vaylable To make a kynges royame stable Lo thus the foure poyntes tofore In gouernaunce as they be bore Of trouth first of laregsse Of pyte forth with rightwisnesse I haue hem tolde ouer this The first poynte so as it is Set of the rule of polecye Wherof a kyng shal modefye The flesshly lusâ—es of nature Now thynke I telle of suche mesure That bothe kynde shal be serued And eke the lawe of god obserued Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis honestas Nominis vt famam nulla libido râ—at Omne qd est hominis effe minat illa voluptas Sit nâ—si magnanimi cordis vt obstat ei Hic tractat secundum aristotilem de quinta principum xegiminis polâ—cia quam castitatem concernit cuius honestas im pudicicie motus obtemporans tam cor poris quam anime mundiciciam specialius presâ—rnat tHe male is made for the femele â–ª But where as one desyreth fele That nedeth not by weye of kynde For whan a man may redy fynde His owne wyf what shold he sâ—che In straunge places to beseche To borowe another maÌ„nes plough When he hath grete good yuough Affayted at his owne heste And is to hym wel more honeste Than other thynge which vnknowe For thy shold euery good man knowe And thynke how that in maryage His trouth plyte lyeth in morgage Which yf he breke it is falsehede And that discordeth to manhede And namely toward the grete Wherof the bookes al trete So as the phylosophre techeth To alysaunder hym bytecheth The lore how that he shal mesure His body so that no mesure Of flesshly lust he shal excede And thus forth I shal procede The first poynte as I sayd ere Is chastyte which selde where Cometh now a dayes in to place But nethelesse but it be grace Aboue al other in specialle Is none that chaste may ben alle But yet a knyghtes hygh estate Which of his order as a prelate Shal be enoynted scifyed He mote be more magnefyed For dygnyte of his corone Than shold another lowe persone Which is not of so hygh empryse Therfore a prynce â–ª hym shold aduyse Or that he falle in suche ryote And namely that he ne assote To chaunge for the womanhede The worthynesse of his manhede Nota de doctriua aristotiles quasi ter princeps vt animi sui iocundita tâ—â—â— prouocet mulieres formosas câ—â—bro aspicere debet caueat tamen ne mens vo luptuosa torpesceus ex carnis fragilita te in vicium dilabatur F aristotle I haue wel radde How he to alysaunder badde That for to gladen his corage He shold beholden the vysage Of wymmen when that they ben fayre But yet he set an exaumplayre His body so to
His sone Iacob dyd also And of bulam the doughters two Which was his eme he toke to wyfe And gate vpon hem in his lyfe Of hir fyrst which hyght lye Syâ— senes of his progenye And of rachel two sones eke The remenaunt was for to seke That is to sayn of four moo Wherof he gate on bala two And of zelpha he had eke twey And these twelue as I the sey Thorough the prouydence of god hym self Ben said the patriarkes twelf Of whome as afterward byfelle The tribus twelf of Israel Engendred were ben the same That of hebrues tho hadden name Which of syâ—red in alyaunce For euer kepte thylke vsaunce Moost contynuelly tyl cryst was bore But afterward it was folore Emonge vs that ben buptyzed For of the lawe canonyzed The pope hath bode to the men That none shal wedden of his kyn Ne the second ne of the thyrd But yf holy chyrche it bydde So to restreyne mariage There ben yet vpon loues rage Ful many of suche now a day That taken where they take may For loue of which is â—nbeseyn Of al reson as men sayn Thorugh sotye thorugh nycete Of his voluptuosite He spareth no condycyon Of kynne ne of religyon But as a cock emonge the hennes Or â—s a stalon in the fennes Which goes emonge al. the stode Right so can he nomore good But taketh what cometh next to hoÌ„de My sone thou shalt vnderstende That suche delyte is for to blame For thy yf thou hast ben the same To loue in ony suche manere Telle forth therof shryue the here My fader nay god wote the sothe My feyre is not of suche a bothe So wylde a man yet was I neuer That of my kynne or leue or leuer Me lust loue in suche a wyse I note eke for what empryse I shold assote vpon a nonne For though I had hir loue wonne It myght in to no pryce amounte So therof set I none acouute Ye may wel axe of this that But sothely for to telle plat Iu al this world there is but one The which my herte hath ouergone I am toward al other fre Fnl wel my sone now I see Thy word stonte euer vpon a place But yet therof thou hast a grace That though the myght so wel excuse Of loue suche as somme men vse So as I spake of now tofore For al suche tyme of loue is lore And lyke vnto the bytter swete For though it thynke a maÌ„ first swete He shal wel felen atte laste Thai it is soure may not â—aste For as a morcâ—l enuenymed So hath suche loue his lust mystymed And grete ensaumples many one A man may fynde therupon Hic loquitur contra istos quos 〈◊〉 nus sui desiderij feruore inflammar ita incestuosos efficit vt nequam preprijsororibus parcunt Et narrat exempluÌ„ qualiter pro eo qd Gayus Caligula tres sorores suas virgines coitu illicito oppressit deus tanti sceleris peccatum impium non ferens ipsum non solum ab imê‘io set a vita iusticia vindice preliauit Narrat eciam aliud exemplum super eodent qualiter amon filius dauid fatui amoris concupiscenciam preuentus sororem suam thamar a sue virginitatis pudicicia inuitam deflora uit propter qd et ipse a fratre suo ab solon postea interfectus peccatum sue mortis precio inuitus dedemit Trome fyrst yf we begyn Ther shal I fynde how of this syn An emperour was for to blame Gayus Caligula by name Which of his owne susters thre Byrefte the vyrgynyte And whan he had hem so forleyn As he which was al vylayn He dyd hem out of londe exyle But afterward within a whyle God hath byrefte hym in his yre His lyf eke his large empâ—ro And thus for lykyng of a throwe For euer his loue was ouerthrowe Of this soty also I fynde Amon his suster ageyn kynde Which hyght thamare he forleyâ— But he that lust another day A bought whan that absolon His owne broder there vpon Of that he had his suster shente Toke of that synne vengemente And slewe hym with his owne hond And thus the vnkynde vnkynde fond Hic narrat qualiter loth duas filias suas ipsis concencientibus carnaâ— copu la cognouit duos que ex eis filios sci licet moab Amon progenuit quorum postea generacio pratia exasperans contra populum dei in terra saltim promissionis vario grauamine quaÌ„ sepius insultabat aNd for to see more of this thyng The byble maketh knowlechyng Wherof thou myght take euydence Vpon the soth experience Whan bothes wyf was ouergone And shape vnto the salte stone As it is spoke vnto this day By bothe his doughters than he lay With chylde he made hem bothe grete Tyl that nature wold hem lete And so the cause aboute ladde That eche of hem a sone hadde Moab the first the second Amon of which as it is fonde Came afterward to grete encrece Two nacions nethelece For that the stockes were not good The traunches myght not be good For of the false moabytes Forthwith the strengthe of amonytes Of that they were fyrst mysgete The peple of god was ofte vpsete In Israel and in Iudee As in the byble a man may see Lo thus my sone as I the say Thou myght thy self be besay Of that thou haste of other herde For euer yet it hath so ferde Of loues lust yf so byfalle That it in other places falle Than it is of the lawe set He which his loue hath so bysette Mote afterward repente it sore And euery man is other lore Of that befyl in tyme or this The present tyme which now is May be enformed how it stode And take that hym thynke good And leue that which is not so But for to loke of tyme a goo How lust of loue excedeth lawe It ought for to be withdrawe For euery man it shold drede And namelyche in his sybrede Which torneth ofte to vengeauuce Wherof a tale in remembraunce Which is a longe processe to here I thynke for to tellen here Omnibus est communis amor sed et immoderatus Qui facit excessus non reputatur amans Sors tamen vnde venus attractat corda videre Que rationis erunt non ratione sinit Hic loquitur adhuc contra incestuosos amantum coitus Et narrat mirabile exemplum de â—â—â—gno rege antiocho qui vxore mortua propriam filiam violauit et quia filie matrimonium penes alios Impedire voluit tale ab eo exiit edictum quod si quis eam in vxorem peterit nisi quoddam proble nia questionis quam ipse rex proposu erat veraciter solueret capitali sentencia puniretur super quo veniens taÌ„dem discretus iuuenis princeps tiri appolinus questionem soluit Nec tamen filiam habere potuit sed rex indignatus ipsum propter hec in mortis odium recollegit Vnde
for vengeaunce as god it wolde Antyochus as men may wyte With fire lyghtenyng is al to smyte His doughter hath the same chaunce So ben they bothe in one balaunce For thy our lyege lord we the seye In name of al the londe and preye That lefte al other thynge to done It lyke you to come sone And see your owne lyege men With other that ben of your ken That lyuen in longyng desyre Tyl ye be come ageyn to tyre This tole after the kyng it had Pentapolyn al ouer it sprad There was no ioye for to seche For euery man it had in speche And sayden al of one acoorde A worthy kyng shal ben our lorde That thouÈt vs first an heuynesse Is shape vs now to grete gladnesse Qualiter appollino cum vxore sua imprignata a pentapoli versus tyrum nauigantiê° contigit vxorem mortis artiaâ—â— angustiatam in naui filiam que postea thaysies vocabatur patere tThus goeth the tydyng ouer al But nede he must that nede shal Appollynus his leue took To god he al that bonde bytook With al the peple longe brode That he no lenger there abode The kyng quene sorow made But yet somdele they were glade Of suche thynge as they herde tho And thus bytwene the we le woo To shyp he goeth his wyf with childe The which was euer meke mylde And wold not departe hym fro Suche loue was bytwene hem two Lycho rida for hir offyce Was take which was a norice To wende with this yonge wyf To whom was shape a wooful lyf Within a tyme as it betyd When they were in the see amyd Out of the northe they see a cloude The storme awos the wyndes loud They blewen many a dredesul blaste The welken was al ouer caste The derke nyght the sonne hath vnder Ther was a grete tempest of thondre The mone eke the sterres bothe In blacke clowdes they hem clothe Wherof their bright loke they hyde This yonge lady wepte cryde To whom no comforte myght auayle Of chylde she began to trauayle Where she laye in a caban choos This wooful lord fro hir awos And that was longe or ony morowe So that in anguysshe in sorowe She was delyuerd al by nyght And dede in euery mannes syght But nethelesse for al this woo A mayde chylde was boren tho Qualiter appollinus mortem vxoris sue planxit Appollynus when he thys kuewe A swowne he hym self ouerthrewe That no man wyst in hym no lyf And when he woke he said a wyf My ioye my lust my desyre My welth my recoueryre Why shal I lyue thou shalt dye Ha thou fortune I the defye Now hast thou do to me thy werste A herte why ne wyl thou breste That forth with hir I myght passe My paynes were moche the lasse In suche wepyng suche crye His dede wyf which laye hym bye A thousand sythes he hir kyste Was neuer man that sawe ne wyste A sorowe to his sorowe lyche Was euer emonge vpon the lyche He fyl swownyng as he that thouÈt His owne deth which he besought Vnto the goddes al aboue With many a pytous worde of loue But suche wordes as tho were Herde neuer no mannes eere But onely thylke which he sayed The mayster shypman came prayed With other suche as ben therin And sayn that he may no thyng wyn Ageyn the deth but they hym rede He be wel ware take hede The see by weye of his nature Receyue may no creature Within hym self as for to holde The which is dede for thy they wolde As they counceyllen al aboute The deed body casten oute For better it is they sayden alle That it of hir so byfalle Than yf they sholden al spylle The kyng which vnderstode her wylle And knewe her counceyl was trewe Began ageyn his sorowe newe With pytous herte thus to seye It is al reson that ye preye Qualiter suadentibuâ— nautis corpus vxoris sue mortue in quadam cista plumbo et ferro obtusa circumligata apoolinus cum magno thesauro vna cuÌ„ quadam littera sub eius capite scripta reludi in mari proiti fecit IAm ad he but one allone So wold I not for my persone There fel suche aduersite But whan it may no better be Doth than thus vpon my worde â—ete make a coofere stronge of borde That it be fyrme with lede pytche Anone was made his coofre suche Al redy brought vnto his honde And whan he sawe redy fonde This cooffre made wel englued The deed body was besewed In cloth of golde leyed therin And for he wold vnto hir wyn Vpon somme coste a sepulture Vnder hir heed in aduenture Of golde he leyed sommes grete And of Iuels stronge byyete Copia littere capiti vxoris sue supposite Forthwith a lettre said thus Kyng of tyre Appollynus Doeth al men to wyte That heereth seeth this lettre wryte That helpeles without rede Here lâ—eth a kynges doughter dede And who that happeth hir to fynde For charite take in his mynde And do so that she begraue With that tresour that she haue Thus whan the lettre was ful spoke A none they haue the coofre sâ—oke And bounden it with yron faste So that it may with wawes laste And stoppen it by suche a weyâ— That it shal be within dreye So that no water myght it greue And thus in hope good beleue Of that the corps sâ—â—l nâ—l aryâ—e They caste it ouer borde as blyue Qualiter appoâ—â—â—ê° vxoris sue corâ—e in â—â—are proiecto Tirum reâ—â—nguens cursuÌ„â—â—um versus tharsim nauigio dolens arripuit The shippes forth on the wawes went The prynce hath chaunged his entent And saith he wyl not come at tyre As thenne but al his desyre Is first to saylen vnto tharse The wyndy storme began to scarse The sonne aryseth the weder clereth The shâ—â—man which behynde stereth Whan that he sawe the wyndes softe Toward tharse his cours he sought Qualiter corâ—us predicte deffun â—â—e super â—â—ttus apud ephesim quidem medicus nomine Cerimon cum aâ—â—auâ—â—us suis dscipulâ—s inuenit quod in hospicium â—ortans et extra cistam 〈◊〉 â— neÌ„s spirâ— cuâ—o vite in ca inuento ipsam plene sanitati restituit bâ—t now to my matere agâ—yn To telle as olde bookes seyn This dede corps of which ye knowe With wynde water was forthrowe Now here now there tyl atte laste At ephesym the see vp caste The cooffre al that was therin Of grete meruayle now begyn May hâ—re who that sâ—te stylle That god wyl saue may not spylle Right as the corps was throwe on loÌ„de There came walkyng by the stronde A worthy clerke surgyen And eke a grâ—te physycien Of that londe the wysest one Which hyght mayster Ciâ—â—mone Ther was of his dysaples somme This maistre is to the â—â—offre come He poyseth ther was somwhat in And bade hym bere it
the leche And of the cure which he dede The kyng hym self this hath hym bede And eke the quene forth wyth hym That he the towne of ephesym Wyl leue goo where that they be For neuer man of his degre Hath do to hem so mychel good And he his prouffyt vnderstood And grauÌ„teth with hem for to wende And thus they maden there an ende And token leue went to shyp With al the fayre felawshyp Qualiter appolliuus vna cum vxere â—t fiâ—ia sua tirum applicuit This kyng which now hath his desire Sayth he wold holde his coâ—â—rs to tyre They hâ—dden wynde atte wylle tho With topsayle cool forth they goo And stryken neuer tyl they come To tyre where as they haue nome And â—â—nden hem with mochel blysse Thâ—re was many a mowthe to kysse Echone â—â—elcometh other home But whan the quene to londe come And thayse hir deughter by hir syde The â—â—ye was tâ—ylke tyde Ther may no mannes tunge telle They sayden al here cometh the welle Of al womanlye grace The kyng hath take his ryal place The quene is in to chambre goo There was grete feste arayed tho Whan tyme was they goon to mete Al olde sawes ben foryete And gladen hem with ioyes newe The dyscolered peple hewe Is now become a â—â—ddy cheke Ther was no myrthe for to sâ—ke Qualiter appollinus anthenogo â—â—m cum tharse vxore sua super tyrum câ—ronaâ—â— feâ—t But euery man hath what he wolde The kyng as he wel â—â—ude shelde Maketh to his peple right good there And after sone as thou shalt here A parlement he had somoned Where he his doughter hath coroned Forthwyth the lord of metelene That one is kyng that other quene And thus the faders ordenaunce This londe hath sette in gouernaunce And said that he wold wende To tharse for to make an ende Of that his doughter was betrayed Wherof were al men wel payed And said how it was for to done The shyppes weren redy sonâ— Qualiter appollinus a tiro y mare versus tharsim iter axipiens vindictam contra strangulionem et dionisiam vx orem suam pro inuiria quam ipiÌ„ thaysi filie sue intulerâ—nt iudicialiter assecutus est aStronge power with hym he toke Vpon the skye he toke his loke And sawe the wynde was couenable They hale vp ancre with the calle The seyle on hye the stere in honde And seylen tyl they come on londe At tharse nygh to the cyte And whan they wysten it was he The towne hath doo hym reuerence He telleth hem the vyolence Which the traytour strangulyo And dyonyse hym had doo Towâ—lyng his doughter as he herde And whan they wyst how it ferde As he which peâ—s loue sought Vnto the towne thus he bysought To done hym right in jugement Anone they weren bothe assente With strengthe of men cemen sone And as hym thought it was to done Atteynt they were by the lawe And demed to be honged drawe And brent with wynde to blowe That al the world it myght knowe And vpon this condycyon The dome in execucion Was put anone without fayle And euery man hath grete meruayle Which herde telle of this chaunce And thonked goddes purueaunce Which doth mercy with iustyce Slayn is the mordrer the morâ—â—â—â— Thorugh very trouth of rightwysnesse And thorugh mercy saue is symplenesse Of hir whom mercy preserueth Thus hath he wel that wel deserueth Qualiter artestrate pentapolim rege mortuo ipsi de regno epistolas suâ— hoc appolino direxerunt Vnde appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperij cum magno gaudio coronati sunt When al this thyng is goo ended This kyng which loued was frended A letter hath which came to hym By shyp fro pentapolym In which the londe hath to hym write That he wyl vnderstonde wyte How in good mynde in good pees Deed is kyng arestrates Wherof they al of one accorde Hym prayden as her lyege borde That he the letter wyl conceyue And come his reygne to receyue Which god hath yeue hym fortune And thus besought hym the comune Forth with the grete lordes alle This kyng sawe how it is befalle Fro tharse in prosperyte He toke his lâ—ue of that cyte And goeth hym in to shyp ageyn The wynde was good that see was pleyn Hem nede not a ryff to slake Tyl they pentapolym haue take The londe which herde of that tydyng Was wonder glad of that comyng He resteth hym a day or two And toke his counceyl to hym tho And set a tyme of parlement Where al the londe of one assent Forthwith his wyf hath hym câ—roned Where al good hym was forsoned Lo what it is to be wel grounded For he hath first his loue founded Honestlye as for to wedde Honestly his loue he spedde And had chyldren with his wyf And as hym lyst he ledde his lyf And in ensaumple his lyf was wryte That al louers myghten wyte How atte last it shal be sene Of loue what they wolden mene For see now on that other syde Antyochus with al his lewde pryde Which sette his loue vnkyndely His ende had sodeynly Set ageyn kynde vpon vengeaunce And for his lust hath his penaunce Confessor ad amantem procedendo Lo thus my sone thou myght lere What it is to loue in good manere And what to loue in other wyse The mede aryseth of the seruyse Fortune though she be not stable Yet at somtyme is fauourable To hem that ben of loue trewe But certes it is for to rewe To see loue ageyn kynde falle For that maketh a man sore to falle As thou myght tofore rede For thy my sone I wyl the rede To lete al other loue aweye But yf it be by suche a weye As loue reson wyl accorde For ellis yf that thou discorde And take luste as doeth a leste Thy loue may not be honeste For by no skyl that I fynde Suche luste is not of loues kynde Confessio amantis vnde pro finali conclusione consiliuÌ„ confessoris impetrat mY fader how so that it stonde Your tale is herde vnderstonde As thynge which worthy is to here Of grete ensaumple grete matere Wherof my fader god you quyte But in this poynte my self acquyte I may right wel that neuer yet I was assoted in my wyt But onely in that worthy place Where al luste and al grace Is set that yf daunger ne were But that is al my moste fere I note what the fortune acounte But what thyng daunger may amouÌ„ te I wote wel for I haue assayed For whan my herte is beste arayed And I haue al my wyt thorugh souÈt Of loue to beseche hir ought For al that euer I syke may â— am concluded with a nay That one syllable hath ouerthrowe A thousand wordes in a rowe Of suche as I best speke can â—â—us am I but a lâ—ude man But
Thynkyng vpon the bedes â—lake And how they were me betake For that I shold byd praye And whan I sawe none other waye But onely that I was refused Vnto the lyf which I had vsed I thought neuer to torne ageyn And in this Wyse soth to sayn Homewarde a softe paas I wente Where as with al myn hole entente Vpon the poynte that I am shryue I thynke to bydde whyle I lyue Marce precor xpriste populus quo gau det iste Anglia ne triste subeat rex summe resiste Corrige quosque fragiles absolue reatus vnde deo gratê° vigeat â—ocus iste beatus hE which within dayes seuen This large world forthwith the heuen Of his eternal prouydence Hath maad thylke intellygence In mannes sowle resonable Hath shape to be perdurable Wherof the â—an of his feture Aboue al erthely creature After the sowle is inmortal To thylke lord in special As he which is of al thynges The creatour of the kynges Hath the fortunes vpon honde His grace mercy for to fonde Vpon my bare knees I preye That he this londe in syker weye Wyl sette vpon good gouernaunce For yf men taken remembraunce What is to lyue in vnyte There is no state in his degre That nâ— ought to desyre pees Without which it is no lees To seche loke in to the laste Ther may no worldes ioye laste Fyrst for to loke the clergye Hem ought wel to iustefye Thynge which bylongeth to theyr cure As for to praye to proâ—â—re Our pees toward the heuen aboue And eke to sette reste loue Emonge vs on this erthe here For yf they wrought in this manere After the rule of charite I hope that men sholden see This londe amended ouer this To seche look how it is Touchend of the chyualrye Which for to loke in somme partye Is worthy for to be commendyd And in somme parte to â—e amended That of her large retenue The londe is ful of meyntenue Which causeth that comyn right In fewe contrees stonde vp â—ight Extorcyon contek rauyne Withholde ben of that couyne Al day men here grete compleynte Of the dysease of the constreynte Wherof the peple is sore oppressyd God graunte it mote be redressyd For of knyghthode thordre wolde That they deffende kepe sholde The comyn right the fraunchyse Of holy chirche in al wyse So that no wycked man it dere And therof serueth shelde and spere But for it goeth now other weye Our grace goeth the more aweye And for to â—oken ouermore Wherof the peple pleynen sore Toward the lawes of our londe Men say that trouth hath broke his boÌ„de And with brocage is goon aweye So that no man can see the weye Wher for to fynde rightwisnesse Aud yf men seke sykernesse Vpon the lucre of marchandye Compassement trycherye Of synguler prouffyte to wynne Men sayn is cause of mochel synne And namely of dyuysyoun Which many a noble toun Fro welthe fro prosperyte Hath brought to grete aduersyte So were it good to be allone For mochel grace therupon Vnto the cytees shold falle Which myght auayle to vs alle Yf thyse estates amended were So that the vertues stoden there And that the vyces were aweye Me thynketh I durst thenne seye This londes grace shold aryse But yet to loke in other wyse Ther is astate as ye shal here Aboue al other on erthe here Which hath the londe in his balaunce To hym bylongeth the lygeaunce Of clerke of knyght of man of lawe Vnder his honde al is forth drawe The marchaunt the laborer So stante it al in his power Or for to spylle or for to saue But though he suche power haue And that his myghtes be so large He hath hem nought without charge To which that euery kyng is swore So were it good that he therfore Fyrst vnto the rightwysnes entende Wherof that he hym self amende Toward his god leue vyce Which is the chyef of his offyce And after al the remenaunt He shal vpon his couenaunt Gouerne lede in suche a wyse So that there be no tyrannyse Wherof that he his peple greue Or ellis may he nought acheue That longeth to his regalye For yf a kyng wyl Iustefye His londe hem that â—en within Fyrst at hym self he must begyn To kepe rule his owne estate That in hym self be no debute Toward his god for otherwyse Ther may none erthely kyng suffyse Of his kyngdom the folke to lede But he the kyng of heuen drede For what kyng sette hym vpon pride Ad taketh his lust on euery syde And wyl not goo the right weye Though god his grace cast aweye No wondre is for atte laste He shal wel wyte it may not laste The pompe which he secheth here But what kyng with humble chere After the lawe of god escheweth The vyces the vertues selveth His grace shal be suffysauunt To gouerne al the remenaunte Which longeth to his duete So that in his prosperite The peple shal not be oppressyd Wherof his name shal be blessed For euer be memoryalle And now to speke as in fynalle Tolbchyng that I vndertook In englysshe for to make a book Which stante bytwene ernest game I haue it made as thylke same Which axe for to be excused And that my book be not refused Of lered men when they it see For lacke of curyosyte For thylke scole of eboquence Bylongeth not to my scyence Vpon the forme of rethorike My wordes for to peynte pyke As tullyus somtyme wrote But this I knowe thus I wote That I haue done my trewe peyne With rude wordes with pleyne In al that euer I couthe myght This book to wryte as I behyght So as sekenes it suffre wolde And also for my dayes olde That I am feble Impotente I wote not how the world is wente So praye I to my lordes alle Now in myn age how so byfalle That I mote stonden in theyr grace For though me lacke to purchace Her worthy thanke as by deserte Yet the symplesse of my pouerte Desyreth for to do plesaunce To hem vnder whos gouernaunce I hope spker to abyde But now vpon my last tyde That I this book haue made wryte My muse dothe me for to wyte And saith it shal be for my beste Fro thie day ferth to take reste That I nomore of loue make Which many a horte hath ouertake And ouertorned as the blynde Fro reson in to salbe of kynde Where as the wysdem goeth aweye And can not see the right weye How to gouerne his owne estate But euery day stante in debate Within hym self can not leue And thus for thy my synal leue I take now for euermore Without makyng ony more Of loue of his dedely hele Which no physycyen can hele For his nature is so dyuers That it hath euer somme trauers Or of to moche or of to lyte That playnly may no man delyte
that nought by reson pleyne That warned is or hym be woo And that was fully preâ—yd tho Whan rome was the worldes chyef â—he sooth sayer tho was leef Which wold not the trouthe spare But with his worde playnâ— bare To themperour his sothes tolde As in cronyke is yet withholde Here afterward as thou shalt here Accordyng vnto this matere Hic narraÌ„t super eodem qualiter nuper Romanorum Imperator cum ipso triumphator in hostes a bello rome rediret Tres sibi laudes in signum sui triumphi precipue debebantur primo quatuor equi abbissimi currum in quo sedebat veherent Secundo tunica Iouis pro tunc indueretur Tercio sui captiui prope currum ad viriusque latus cathena ti deambularent Set ne tanti honoris adulacio eius animum in superbiam extolleret quidam scurra linguosus iuxta ipsum in curru sedebat qui quasi contumatis vocibus improperando Notheos hoc est noscete ipsum quia hodie fortunata sibi prospera sunt cras forte versa rota mutabilis aduersabitur O see this olde ensaumplerye That whilom was no flaterye Toward the prynces wel I fynde Wherof so as cometh to mynde My sone a tale vnto thyn ere While that the worthy princes were At rome I thynke for to tellen For whan the chaunces so byfellen That ony emperour as tho Victorye vpon his foo And so came forth to rome ageyn Of treble honour he was certeyne Wherof that he was magnefyed The first as it is specefyed Was whan he came that ylke tyde The chare in whiche he shold ryde Four whyt stedes shold it drawe Of Iubyter by thilke lawe The cote he shold were also His prisoners eke shold goo Endlonge the chare on eyther honde And al the noblesse of the londe To fore â—after with hym come Rydyng broughte hym to rome In token of his chyualrye And for none other flaterye And that was she wed forth with al Where he satte in his chare ryalle Besyde hym was a rybaud set Which had his worde so beset To themperour in al his glorye He said take in thy memorye For al this pompe al this pride Lete no iustice goo a syde But knowe thy self what so befalle For men seen oftymes falle Thynges which men wende siker stoÌ„de Though thou victorye haue in honde Fortune may not stonde alwey The whiche perchaunce another day May turne thou myght ouer throwe Ther lasteth no thynge but a throwe With these wordes with moo This ribaulde which sat with hym the To themperour hys tale tolde And euermore after what be wolde Or were it euyl or were it good So playnly as the trouth stood He spareth not but be speketh oute And so myght euery man aboute The day of that solempnyte His tale telle as wel as he To themperour al openly And al was this cause why That while he stode in that noblesse He shold his vanyte represse With suche wordes as he herde Lo now how thylke tyme it ferde Toward so hygh a worthy lorde For this I fynde eke of recorde Whiche the cronycle hath auctorized What emperour was Intronyzed Hic eciam contra adulacionem narrat qd primo die quo nuper Imperator intronisatus extitit latonij sui ab ipso constanter peterent de quali lapide sue sepulture tumulum fabricarent vt sic futuram mortem commemorans vani tates huius seculi transitonas facilius reprimeret tHe first day of his corone Where he was in his ryal trone And helde his feste in the paleys Sittyng vpon his hye deys With al the lust that may be gete Whan he was gladdest at his mete And euery mynstral had played And euery gestour had sayed What moste was plesaunt to his ere Atte laste came in there His masons for they shullen craue Where that he wold be bygraue And what stone his sepulture They sholden make what scripture He wold ordeyne there vpon Tho was there flatrrye none The worthy prynce to beiape The kyng was otherwyso shape With good counceyl other wyse They were hem self than wyse And vnderstoden wel knewen Whan suche softe wyndes hlewen Of flaterxe in to her ere They setten nought her hertes there But whan they herde wordes feyned The pleyne trouthe it hath disdeyned Of hem that weren so dyscrete So toke the flaterer no beyete Of hym that was his prynce tho And for to proue that it is so A tale which I fynde in dede In a cronycle of rome I rede Hic inter alia gesta cesaris narrat vnum exempluÌ„ precipue contra illos qui cum in aspectu principis alijs sapi enciores apperere vellent quando que tamen similitate sapiencie talia comittunt per que ceteris stulciores in fine comprobantur cEsar vpon his ryal trone Where that he satte in his persone And was hyest in al his pryse A man whiche wold make hym wyse Fyldoun knelyng in his presence And dyd hym suche a reuerence As though he hygh god were Men had grete meruayle there Of the worshyp which he dede This man aroos fro thylke stede And forth withal the same tyde He goeth hym vp by his syde He set hym doun as there a pere And said yf thou that sittest here Arte god whiche al thynges myght Than I haue doo worshyp a right As to the god otherwyse Yf thou he not of thylke assyse Bnt arte a man suche as am I Than may I syt the faste by For we be bothe of one kynde Cesar answerd said o blynde Thou arte a fole it is wel sene Vpon thy self yf thou wene If I be a god thou doest a mys To sit where thou seest that god is And I be a man also Thou hast a grete foly do Whan thou to suche one as shal deye The worshyp of thy god alweye Hast yeuen so vnworthely Thus may I preue redely Thou arte not wyse that herde How wysely that the kyng answerde It was to hem a newe lore Wherof they dreden hym the more And brought no thynge to his ere Bnt yf it treuth reson were So ben there many in suche a wyse That faynen wordes to be wyse And al is veray flaterye To hym whiche can it wel aspyr Nota qualiter ista circa principem adultores potius a curia expelli quam ad regie magestatis munera acceptan policia suadente delerent tHe kynde flatour can not loue But for to brynge hym self aboue For how that euer his mayster fare So that hym self stonde out of care He retcheth nought thus ofte Deceyueth with wordes softe The kynges that ben Innocent Where as for thastement The wyse phylosophre seyed What kyng that so his tresour leyed Vpon suche folke he hath the lesse And yet no doeth he no largesse â—nt harmeth with his owne honde Hym self eke his owne londe And that by many a sondry weye Wherof yf that a man shal seye As for to
speke in generalle Where suche thynge falleth ouer al That ony kyng hym self mysrule The phylosophre vpon this rule In speaal a cause sette Whiche is euer hath be the bette In gouernaunce aboute a kyng Vpon 〈◊〉 myselyef of the thyng And that he seyth is slaâ—â—ye Wherof to fore as in partye What that vyce is I haue declared For who that hath his wytte bywared Vpon a flaterer to beleue Whan that he weneth best acheue His god worde it is moste fro And for to preuen it is so Exaumples ther ben many one Of whiche yf thou wylt knowe one It is behouely for to here What whylom fyl in this matere hIc loquitur vlterius de consilio adusantum quorum fabulis principes aures organiÈate veritatis auditum caâ—ere nequeunt Et narrat exempluÌ„ de rege achab oui pro eo qd ipse prophe aâ—s fidelis Michee recu auit blandiaas oue adulantis Èedechye adhesit Rex Sirâ—e benedab in campo bellator ipsum diuino Iudicio deuictum interfecit â—Monge the kynges in the byble I fynde a tale is credyble Of one that whylom achab hyght Whiche had al Israel to ryght But who that coude glose softe And â—latre which he sette on lofte In arete estate and made hem ryche But they that wroten wordes lyche To trouthe wold it not forbere For hem was none estate to beâ—â— The contre of suche toke none here Tyl atte laste vpon a nede That benadab the kyng of surry Of Israel a grete partye Which ramoth coloath was hote Hath seced of that â—yote He toke counceyl in sondry wyse But not of hem that weren wyse And nethelesse vpon this caas To strengthe hym for Iosaphas Whiche thenne was kyng of Iudee He sende for to come as he Whiche thorugh frendshyp alliauÌ„ce Was nexte to hym of acqueyntaunce For Ioram sone of Iosaphath Achabbes doughter wedded hath Whiche hyght fayr goodelye And thus came in to samerye Kyng Iosaphath he founde there The kyng achab whan they were To gyder spekyng of this thynge This Iosaphath saith to the kynge How that he wold gladly here Somme trewe prophete in this matere That he his counceyl myght yeue To what poynte it shal be dreue And in that tyme so befelle That there was suche one in Israel Whiche sette hym al to flaterye And he was cleped sedechye And after hym achab hath sente And he at his coÌ„maundement To hym came by a sleyghte He hath vpon his heed on heyght Two large hornes sette of bras And he which a flaterour was And goeth rampynâ— as a lyon And cast his hornes vp doun And bad men ben of good espeyre For as the hornes persen the eyre He saith withouten resistence So wist he wel of his science That benadab is discomfyte Whan sedechye vpon this plyte Hath tolde this tale vnto this lord Anone they were of one accorde Prophetes false many mâ— To bere vp oyle and altho Affermed that whiche he hath tolde Wherof the kyng achab was bolde And yaue hem yeftes al aboute But Iosaphath was in grete doubte He helde fantasme al that he herde Prayeng achab how so it ferde Yf there were ony other man The whiche of prophecye can To here hym speke or that théy gone Quod achab than there is one A brothel which mycheas hyght But he ne cometh in my syght For he hath longe in pryson leyen Hym lyked neuer yet to sayen A goodely word to my plesaunce And nethelesse at thyn instauÌ„ce He shal come out than he may Say as he hath said many a day For yet he said neuer wele Tho Iosaphath gan somme dele To gladen hym in hope of trouthe And bade hym withouten slouthe That men hym shold fâ—tte anone And they that were fro hym gone Whan that they came where he was They tolden vnto mycheas The manere how that sedechye Declared hath his prophecye And therupon they praye hym fayre That he wyl say no contrayre Wherof the kyng may be dyspleseâ— For so shal euery man be esed And he may helpe hym self also Mycheas vpon trouthe tho His herte sette to hem seyth Al that belongeth vnto his feyth And of none other feyned thynge That wyl he telle vnto the kynge As ferre as god hath yeue hym grace Thus came this prophete in to the place Where he the kynges wylle herde And he therto anone answerde Vnto hym in this wyse My lyege lord for my fernyse With treuth stonde hath euer yet Thou hast me with pason aquyt But for al that I shal not glose Of trouthe after as I suppose And as touchyng of this batayle Thou shalt not of the soth sayle For yf it lyke the to here As I am taught in that matere Thou myght it vnderstonde sone But what is afterward to done Auyse the of this I seye I was tofore the trone on heye Where al the world me thought stode And there I herde vnderstode The voyce of god with wordes clere Axyng said in this manere In what wyse may I best begylâ— This kyng achab for a whyle And vpon this poynte they speke fast Tho said a spyrit atte last I vndertake this empryse And god hym axeth in what wyse I shal qd he deceyue and lye With flateryng prophecye In suche mowthes as he leueth And he whiche al thynge acheueth Bad hym goo forth and do right so And ouer this I say also This noble peple of Israel Dispers as sheep vpon an hylle Without a kepar vn arayed And as they wente aboute strayed I herde a voys vnto hem seyn Goeth home in to your how 's ageyn Tyl I for you haue fetter ordeyned Quod sedechye thou hast feyned This tale in angeryng of the kyng And in a wrath vpon this thynge He smote mychee vpon the cheke The kyng hym hath rebuked eke And euery man vpon hym cryed Thus was he shente on euery syde Ageyn in to pryson ladde For so the kyng hym self badde The trouthe myght not be herde But afterward as it hath ferde The dede proueth his entente Achab to the batayle wente Where benadab for al his shelde Hym slewe so that vpon the felde His peple goeth aboute a straye But god whiche al thynge may So doth that they no myschyef haue Her kyng was deed they be saue And home ageyn in goddes pees They wente al was founde lees That sâ—â—â—chye hath sayd tofore So sit it wel a kyng therfore To loue theym that trewe mene For atte laste it wyl be sene That flaterye is no thynge worthe But now to my matere forth As for to speken ouer more After the phylosophers lore The third poynte of polecye I thynke for to specefye Propter transgressores leges statuuntur in oâ—be Vt vnâ—aÌ„t iusti regis honore vâ—â— â–ª Lex sine Iusticia populum sub principis vmbra Deuiat vt rectum nemo videbit itâ—r Hic tractat de tercia principum legie policia
Dysesed courteysly she sayd Do way my lorde I am a mayde And yf ye wyst what I am And out of what lygnage I cam Ye wold not be so saluage With that he sobreth his corage Qualiter sicut deus destinauit patri filiam inuentam recognouit And put aweye his heuy chere But of hem two a man may here What is to be so feble of blood None wyst of other how it stood And yet the fader atte laste His herte vpon this mayde caste That he hir loueth kyndely And yet he wyst neuer why But al was knowe or that they went For god which wote her hole entent Her hertes bothe anone dyscloseth The kyng vnto the mayde opposeth And axeth first what is hir name And where she lerned al this game And of what kyn she was come And she that hath his wordes nome Answereth seith my name is thayse That was somtyme wel at ayse In tharse I was withdrawe fedde There I lernyd tyl I was spedde Of that I can my fader eke I note where I shold hym seke He was a kynge men tolde me My moder dreynte was in the see Fro poynte to poynte to hym tolde That he hath longe in herte holde And neuer durst make hir mone But onely to this lorde allone To whome hir herte can not helâ— Terned to woo torned to wele Torne it to good torne it to harme And he tho took hir in his arme But suche a ioye as she tho made Was neuer seen thus ben they glade That forth hadden be toforne Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn To set hym upward on the whâ—le So goeth the world now woo now wele Qualiter allenagâ—ras appollinum de nâ—â— in he spiaum henorifice recollegit thaâ—sim patre consenciente in vxorem â—uxit tHis kyng hath founde newe grace So that out of his derke place He gâ—eth hym vp in to the lyght And with hym came that swete wyÈt His doughter thayse forth anone They bothe in to the caban gone Which was ordeyned for the kynge And there he dyd of al his thynge And was arayed ryally And cut he came al openlye Where aâ—â—enagoras he fonde Which was lorde of al the bonde He prayeth the kyng to câ—me see The castel bothe his cytâ— And thus they goon forth al in fere Tâ—ie kyng this bord this mayden dere Thie lord tho made hym ryche feste With euery thynge that was honeste To these with this worthy kynge Ther lacketh hym no manere thynge But yet for al this nolle araye Wyuâ—les he was vnto that day As he that yet was of yonge age So fyl there in to his corage The lusty woo the glad payne Of loue which no maÌ„ may restrayne Yet neuer myght as now tofore This lord thynketh al this world lore But yf the kyng wyl done hym grace He wayteth tyme he wayteth place Hym thouÈt his herte wold to lreke Tyl he may to this mayde speke And to hir fader eke also For maryage it fyl so That al was done right as he thouÈt His purpoos to an ende he brought She wedded hym as for hir lorde Thus ben they al of one accorde Qualiter appolinus vna cum filia eius marito nauim ingrediâ—tes a metilena vsqÈ tharsâ—n ê“posueruÌ„t sÈ appolinus in sompnis amoitus versus â—phesim vt ibid in tâ—plo diane sacrificaret vela per mare diuertit WhnÌ„ al was done riÈt as they wolde The kyng vnto his sone tolde Of tharse thylke trayterye And said how now in his companye His doughter hym seluen eke Shal goo vengeaunce for to seke The shyppes were redy sone And whan they sawe it was to done Without â—ette of ony went With sayle vp drawe forth they went Towarde tharse vpon the tyde But he that wote what shal betyde The hye god which wold hym kepe Whan that this kyng was fast a slepe By nyghtes tyme he hath hym bede To seke vnto another stede To ephesym he bad hym drawe And as it was that tyme lawe He shal do there his sacrefyse And â—ke he bad in al wyse That in the temple emongest alle His fortune as it is befalle To wâ—hyng his doughter his wyf He shal be knowe vpon his lyf The kyng of this auysyon Hath grete ymagynacion What thynge it sygnefye may Ande nethelesse whan it was day He bad cosâ—e anker abode And whyle that he on anker rode The wynde that was to fore straunge Vpon the poynte began to chaunge And torneth thyder as it sholde Tho knewe he wel that god it wolde And â—ud the maister make hym yare Tofore the wynde for he wolde fare To ephesym so he â—ede And whan he came in to the stede Where as he shold londe he londeth With al the haste he may fondeth To shapen hym in suche a wyse That he may by the morowe aryse And done after the commaundement Of hym which hath hym thider sent And in the wyse that he thought Vpon the morowe so he wrought His doughter his sone he nome And forth to the temple he come With a grete rowte in companye His yeftes for to sacrefye The cyteÈeyns tho herden seye Of suche a kyng that came to praye Vnto dyane the goddesse And lefte al other besynesse And camen thyder for to see The kynge and the solempnyte Qualiter appolinê° ephesym in tem plo dyane sacrifiâ—â—ns vxoreÌ„ suam ibid velatam inuenit qua secum assumpta nauim versus tirum regressus est With worthy knyghtes enuyroned The kyng hym setf hath abandoned To the temple in good entente The dore is vp in he wente Where as with grete deuocioh Of holy contemplacion Within his herte he made his shryfte And after that a ryche yefte He offreth with grete renerence And there in open audyence Of hem that stoden al aboute He tolde hem declareth oute His happe suche as is hym byfalle Ther was no thynge foryete of alle His wyf as it was goddes grace Which was professed in the place As she that was abbesse there Vnto his tale hath leyrd hir eere She knewe the voys the vysage For pure ioye as in a rage She straught to hym al at ones And fyl a swowne vpon the stones Wherof the temple flore was paued She was anon with water laued Tyl she came to hir self ageyn And than she began to seyn A blessyd be the hygh sonde That I may see my husbonde Which whylom he I were one The kyng with that knewe hir anone And toke hir in his arme kyste And al the towne this sone wyste Tho was there ioye many folde For euery man this tale hath tolde As for myracle weren glade But neuâ—r man suche ioye made As doth the kyng which hath his wyf And when men herde how that hir lyf By hym saued by whome it was They wondred al of suche a caas Thorugh al the londe aroos the speche Of mayster Cyrymon