sonne cc.lxxiii Why was heer made on mannys body cc.lxxiiii How is it that some be borne doume and defe cc.lxxv Profyteth men the almes dedes that they do cc.lxxvi Synneth the iuge that iugeth or he that doth execute cc.lxxvii Tho that are fooles and doume borne and do yll shall they be dampned cc.lxxviii Kepe aungels mennes soules here cc.lxxix Howe maye aungel shewe hymselfe openly to men seynge he hathe no body cc.lxxx Do deuyls espye that that people dothe cc.lxxxi On what maner is the fyre of purgatary cc.lxxxii What thyng is helle and how come soules thether cc.lxxxiii Know soules any thyng that be in helle cc.lxxxiiii The good that be hens gone be they in parfite ioy cc.lxxxv May soules shewe themselfe to theyr good frendes euery tyme whan they wyll cc.lxxxvi Wherof come dremys cc.lxxxvii Was the frute in the trees whā they were fyrst made cc.lxxxviii What tyme and what day was Adam made cc.lxxxix Whan the flode was done made god new frute to mā cc.lxxxx Where set Noe shyp on land cc. lxxxxi Whā Noe cā out of the shyp cā he strāge to this world cc. lxxxxii Wherof cometh petye in a mannes herte cc. lxxxxiii Why haue not fowles nature in them to engendure as other beastes do cc. lxxxxiiii Shall men haue pytye of thos that be in wo and delyuer them yf they haue myght therto cc. lxxxxv Whiche is better to drynke wyne or water cc. lxxxxvi Whan man is in great wyll to fyght how may he refrayne him of that passyon cc. lxxxxvii Why haue wymen all the wo and the ioy also cc. lxxxxviii Why are chyldren at theyr byrth as vnconyng as beastes that haue no reson cc. lxxxxix Wherof comyth natural wyt in man ccc Wherof comyth the nesyng ccci Why dyeth the wynd for a showre of rayne ccc.ii Whiche is stronger wynd or water ccc.iii On what maner shall a man leue in this worlde ccc.iiii Shall a man whan he is in a good place chaunge to seke abetter ccc.v. Whiche is worthyer of ryche or pouer ccc.vi Whiche is more semely to man fayre face or fayre body ccc.vii Howe shall a man lede his lyfe that fyndethe aman with his wyfe ccc.viii Shall men for theyr losse blame god ccc.ix Whiche is the sauorest thyng that is ccc.x Of what maner of bounte ought kynges to be ccc.xi How cometh swete of a body wherof and why ccc.xii Whiche are the best colours for mannes weryng ccc.xiii Whiche is the grenest thyng that is ccc.xiiii Whiche is the fattest thyng that is ccc.xv Whiche is better to haue whan a man shal dye repentaunce or hope of ioye ccc.xvi Shall men be sory for them that dye ccc.xvii Came euer any from the other worlde that tolde tydynges of heuyn or helle ccc.xviii Shal a man say any thyng whan he go to bed ccc.xix Whiche is the strongest batayle that is ccc.xx How lyeth the chyldren in the mothers wombe ccc.xxi Why is some wyne whyte and some red ccc.xxii Haue foules or beastes any vnderstandyng ccc.xxiii Whiche helpethe the soule more that a man dothe before he dye or after his dethe ccc.xxiiii Slepe the fysshes euer or no. ccc.xxv Whiche is the fayrest fowle in the world ccc.xxvi Which is the fayrest beast that myght worst be myst ccc.xxvii Whiche are the fayrest horses that be ccc.xxviii Whiche be the beastes that haue most vnderstondyng ccc.xxix By what tokē may mē know that goddis sone is borne ccc.xxx What sygnyfyeth tho tokens ccc.xxx Shal he be a chyld more conyng then other ccc.xxxi Where shal he most dwell ccc.xxxii Shal goddes sone a fayre man be ccc.xxxiiii Why wold god dye ccc.xxxv Who shall hym kyl and how long shal he be ded ccc.xxxvi Shal he ascend without company ccc.xxxvii Shal goddes sone haue any house in erthe ccc.xxxviii Shal his body be euer dwellyng in erthe ccc.xxxix Shall euery man haue power to make his body ccc.xl They that haue myght to make his body shal they be more honoryd before god than other ccc.xli Why shall they euery day make it ccc.lxii What thyng is synne that men shal be lost by ccc.xliii By what sygne shal mē know that goddes son is ded ccc xliiii Of what vertu shall goddes sone be ccc.xlv Shall his dyscypyls do myracles ccc.xlvi Shal they neuer haue wo nor ende that go to heuen ccc.xlvii Shall they neuer haue rest that be in helle ccc.xlviii Shal they that be in heuyn be nakyd or clothed ccc.xlix Whan god shall come to iugement and deme bothe quycke and dede who shal be than alyue ccc.l Where shal be borne the antichryst ccc.li What day shall the iugment be on ccc.lii What tyme shall the dome be ccc.liii On what maner shal he come to the iugment ccc.liiii Shal his crosse be there present ccc.liiii How shall he showe hym selfe at the iugement ccc.lv Shall his mynysters be with hym at the iugement ccc.lvi How shall he do the iugement and what shall he saye ccc.lvii Shall any man knowe what he hathe done ccc.lviii What shal be done after the dome ccc.lix What shal be come of this worlde after the dome ccc.lx. Shall the good haue leue to do what they wyll ccc.lxi Shall they remember them of theyr wyckednes ccc.lxii FINIS MEn may fynde in olde bokys Who so the in lokys Actes worthy of memory Full of knowlege and mystery Wherof I shall shew a lytell ielle That be fell on s in the Eest Ther was a kynge that Boccus hyght And was a man of moche myght His lande lay by the greate ynde Bectorye hyght it as we fynde After the tyme of Noe euen Eyght hundred yere fourty and seuen The kynge Boccus hym be thought That he wolde haue a cytye wrought His enmyes ther with to fere ¶ And agayn them to mayntayne his were Chefly for a kynge that was his foo That moche of ynde longed vnto His name was Garaab the kynge Boccus tho purueyed all thynge And shortly a towre began he There he wolde make a optye And was ryght in the incomynge Of Garabys lande the kynge The masons with grete laboure Began to worke on the towre And all that they wrought on the daye On nyght was it doone a waye On morowe whan Boccus it herde He was wrouthe that it so fared And it all newe quykly begonne At nyght whan they shulde leue sone Of werke and they wente to rest On the morowe all was downe kest Well vij monethes thus they wrought And all myght a vayle nought ¶ Boccus was wrothe wonderly He called his gentylls that was hym by Cownsell me lordynges quod he How I may best make this cytye Syr they sayd sende you anone For your phylosophers euerychone And y e astronomers that in your countre is For of them can you no cownsell mys Kynge Boccus for them sent His messyngers to gather them went And whan they apperyd to gyther there Foure score and .ix. maysters there were The kynge receyuyd them with the best And thre
dayes he dyd let them reste The fourth daye he dyd them caull And they before hym were come all ¶ Lordynges he sayd I shall tell you now For what cause I haue sent for you I am the most kynge I wysse That vnder the sonne rysynge is All the kynges of this countrye At my cōmaundment truly be Excepte Garaab the kynge That in ynde is raynynge He contraryes my commaundment And not comys to my parlyament And hym wolde I fayne compell But howe in his lāde to enter I cannot tell But men haue cowselyd me For to make there a cytye Masons and stone I thyther brought And seuen moūthes there as they wrought Ryght in the entre of his lande For to meke hym to his hande And all that they on daye wrought At nyght turned all to nought And yf Garaab hath perauenture herde Of our worke how it farede He wyll saye I haue no myght A tower in his land for to dyght Therfore your wyttes here on laye Prayeng you that ye me saye How I maye after my wyll This tower and the cytye fulfyll For I had leuer a venged to be Of Garaab that despysyth me Than y e name of all the world to bere And by my god I you swere That I shall soone for your dede Quyte rychely your mede ¶ Syr quod they we you promyse That tower suerly for to furnyshe So that ye shall a vengyd be And haue your mynde of the cytye And you vs respyte geue Fourty dayes by your leue Tyll we our arte haue ouer sene How your tower shall be made a gayne And we shall do our myght To make it stonde daye and nyght A place he causyd made redy to be With vernaunt flowers and many a tree And with freyshe water of the ryuer He commaundyd on all goodly maner That they were serued rychely That daye as his owne body Astronomers ther voare many one in fee That were the eldest men of that countryt And they wrought dylygently in theyr arte Euery one by hym selfe on his parte And whan the fourty dayes ware gone They came before the kynge anone He askyd them how they had wrought Syr quod they take you no thought Be you glade and mery also For you shall all your mynd come to Within a xiiij nyghtes ye shall se Therfore let your masons redy be Suche atyme as we shall you saye Stones vppon the tower to laye And loke that they be than redy And we all wyll be there by Full greatly thanked them the kynge And moche ioye had he of theyr sayenge ¶ Than came the daye that they had set The masons were all redy fet And the maysters wente with all To se them that worke shall With greate ioye they be gunne And wrought as longe as they had sonne Whan that the nyght came at the laste They wente home to make repaste And they lefte vpon the worke all nyght Great plenty truly of candell lyght They went all home at nyght tyme And came ageyne the nexte daye be pryme The kynge was the nexte daye wod Whan he sawe his worke not stode All the tresure that he had vp layed In ydylnesse it is consumyd he sayed And he anon cauled before hym the clerkes And sayed are thes your good werkes That you haue caused me for to do By the god that I beleue on and loue also Quyte I shall all your dede And for your werkes ye shall haue mede Bynde them fote and hande Thes wordis were spred a brode in his lāde And so they were in pryson cast Therin kepte without fauor fast ¶ Ferof this towre the voyce rane And vnto Garaab at lenght it came Whan he it herde great ioye he had And in his herte he was full glade A letter he made to kyng Boccus And sent it by hym that spake thus I Garaab of ynde kynge To the Boccus sendes gretynge We haue vnderstondyng well Of thy worke and thy wyll euerydele Of the Cytye thou woldest dyght But thou hast theyrto no myght Neyther by arte nor by engyn For to brynge it to a fyne But wylt thou sende me to my fere Thy doughter that to the is so dere And I shall gyue the leue thereto To make that thou desyrest so This came to Boccus the kynge All in skorne and in mockynge Boccus thought his herte shulde blede Whan he herde the letters rede And was so wode with that answere That by and by he slewe the messyngere Than dyd he in his lande crye Yf there ware eny lowe or hye That cowde hym cownsell of that thynge How he myhht brynge it to endynge That cytye with the tower He shulde with great honoure Gyue hym his doughter vnto wye With halfe his tresure in his lyfe Well two dayes after this crye The kynge sat full drerely For he wyste not what to do Than came an olde man hym to And sayd syr I shall not craue Your doughter nor your tresure to haue But yf you wyll do me good I shall wytsafe to amende your mode And shew who shall on hym take Your tower and cytye for to make ¶ The kynge anon swore by his god That he loued and trusted in euer more He shulde so quyt his seruyse That it shulde lyke hym and all his Syr he sayed this is beste to do Sende the kynge Tractabar vnto And praye hym for your seruyse That he you lende in eny wyse The boke of Astronomye That Noe had with hym in balye By an Aungell was made that boke And Noe to one of his sonnes it toke And so hath it gone I tell you That Tractabar hath it now Praye hym also you to lende And with that boke hastely to sende His astronomer Sydrac Whiche shall vndo all the hole pac All your wyll shall sone be do Yf Sydrac come you ones to Anon the kynge dyd letters make And to a messynger he dede them take And vnto Tractabar them sent Withe a full ryche and good present Desyryng hym very curtesly His boke and Sydrac to sende shorty ¶ Whan Tractabar that messengere Had receyued with louynge there Sayeng you are ryght welcome to me Grete ioye I haue that I nou se My lorde and my frende Boccus To sende me louyng letters thus A boke to sende hym he prayes me That in olde tyme had Noe That boke can fulfyll his wyll Of a thynge that lyes beryed in a hyll That who so myght come them to He myght an his wyll do My father wente vp to that hyll But he myght neuer come ther tyll But Boccus is of moche myght And he wyll with them fyght That vpon that hyll wonne He shall haue his wyll sone He sent hym his boke and Sydrac And a letter that thus spake Unto our lorde and frende The kynge Boccus vnto we sende Whom kynge Garaab getteth well And certyfyeth that we haue euery dele Accordyng your mynde we sende you to Our boke and our clarke also And thanke ye moche of your sendynge A glade man
was Boccus tho Whan Sydrac before hym cam truly He toke hym by the hande ryght gladly And tolde hym euery dele of his case And how to hym it befallen was ¶ Syr quod Sydrac that lande I wysse Euery dele be weched is There shall nere man spede Upon that lande to do no dede That therof shall come eny prosperyte Excepte theyr wychecrafte vndoune be And I shall it redely vnbynde ¶ I thaÌ„k the quod the kyng for thy wordes ¶ Syr kynge quod Sydrac we fynde In this â—osse that was Noes â—ynde That an aungel came hym to From his god that sent hym tho And tolde hym that he myght fynde An hyll fare in the lande of ynde That called is the grene rauens hyll And hath that name for this skyll Whan Noe the rauen sent Out of the arke verament To proue yf there apered eny grounde But he fell on careyn that he founde And wolde not truly come awaye The dowe vpon another daye Fownd lande and came ageyne blyue With a branche of grene olyue That hyll is of length as we rede Foure ioyrneys and thre of brede People ther dwelleth of strange chere Made of body as we are here But theyr vysages for to se on Are as houndes euerychon By the lawe of femynne as it tellys Lyes it there no man in dwellys On that hyll such frutfulnese is That .xij. M. herbes there growys Foure thowsand may good do Foure thowsand are yuel to The thyrd thowsand who theÌ„ vnderstode May do nether yuell ne good Seuen maner waters there are on And all they gather in tyl one The dewes the herbes cause to sprynge And yf you wyll haue your entendynge Fynde menys the herbes to wynne And than may you neuer blynne To do all that your wyll is And ouercome your enemys The kynge made ioy whan he herde this And swore so euer haue I blys His tresure and goddes to lose all But thos herbes haue I shall ¶ Redely on the thyrde daye He with great company went his waye Unto the hyll warde they made spede And Sydrac with them dyd lede The thyrtene daye come they tyll A vale at the fote of the hyll There taryed they thre dayes The fourth daye to y e hyll toke theyr wayes But the people that dwelled there Hard that they come were Anon agayne them went boldly And dyd bet them backe manfully Unto the vale ageyne they tourned And fyften dayes so they iourned And than went they to the hyll ageyne Truly with all theyr mayne And fought with them full hardely But they ware dyscomfortyd fouly Unto the dale ageyne they went And after great succoure they sent Whan they come they dyd them spede Ageyne that they ware at that dede And than they that on the hyll wore They dyd dyscomforte for euer more And viij dayes they dwellyd styll Hauynge all the hyl at wyll ¶ Boccus was hethen and knew nought God that heuyn wrought He beleuyd all in ydolatre And in false ymagere Sydrac beleuyd in the Trynyte Kepynge his coÌ„maundment with dylygeÌ„se The kynge where he yede His mammetes with hym dyd lede And vpon the eyghtene daye Upon the hyll where they lay Theyr warre clene don The kynge made redy a pauylyon And his goddes forth fet Eche one in his place was set There ware they set in molde Both of syluer and golde And amonge them there was one Rychest of them euerychone Of golde and syluer comly to se Hyest amonge them stode he Most had in honoure Amonge all that there wore Bestes the kynge forth gan call To make sacryfyce with all He toke Sydrac by the hande With other lordes of his lande To the pauylyon they went The bestes ware there present A shepe very fat he toke truly Kyllynge hym with his knyfe deuoutly Before hym that so hye stode And offeryd to hym the blode And euery one slewe at the last And aboute the pauylyon them cast ¶ Sydrac wondered in his thought And markyd sadly what they wrought ¶ Kynge Boccus sayd Sydrac vp ryse And vnto our god make sacryfyse ¶ Sydrac answeryd with great yre And sayd that shall I neuer syre Sacryfyse shall I make hym to Heuyn and erth that made also Both ayer element sonne and the se And all that therin be Also that made both Adam and Eue He is the god that I on beleue ¶ The kynge was wrothe there he stode And askyd hym in his mode What canyst thou by my goddes say Are they not good and all thynges may ¶ Nay quod Sydrac trust me to They are wycked and false also And the deuyl in them dwellynge is Craftely that begyleth the I wys And all that honoure to them make But I cownsel you them forsake For a bad god I hym suppose That cannot amannys herte dysclose I had leuer to dethe be tourmentyd Or of me they shulde be honoryd ¶ The kynge was wrothe of his sayeng And caused his goddes forth to bryng And whan they were before hym brought He sayd Sydrac dysdayne nought Sacryfyse to do anone Before so rych a god as this is one Syr he sayd my sacryfyce Shall be to god that hye iustyce That made man and man not hym But this is the deuelys lym The deuyl of them thanke takyth That vnto hym honour makyth Therfore they be refusyd of me All thes mahowndes that ye here se Now was the kynge moued sore That his goddes despysed wore And sayd to Sydrac tell thou me Thy god how callyd is he ¶ Syr he sayd I shall tell ywys On god a goostly substance is And the aungels of heuyn lyght That are so noble and so bryght Passynge the sonne in manyfolde Hauynge great ioy on hym to beholde ¶ The kynge than callyd two of his That ware in his lawe counted wyse For to dyspute with Sydrac But he cast them sone abacke And ouercome all theyr reson Ryght in opyn dysputacyon ¶ Praye thou than quod they thy god vnto And we wyll to ours also Trustynge to haue tokenynge Who shall sonyst haue his askynge And loke how that we shall fare In this wylde countre where we are Anone they all forth wente And helde a great parleamente Than was there one that spake ¶ I shall tel you this Sydrac That causyth y e kyng this werke to begyne And brought vs here it for to wyne Without hym may it nought Our purpose to ende be brought And through his enchauntmente Our god with fyre hath brente Neuerthelesse I rede that we Counsel that he delyuered be And whan we haue that we haue sought And in to our countre agayne brought Hauynge our purpose on our enemyes Than shall the kynge by my aduyse Cause hym hanged and drawen to be By cause to our god he hath do felone ¶ All assentyd to that conclusyon And made to the kynge of it relacyon ¶ Anone the kynge chose hym ten Of his most sagyest wyse men And byd them to Sydrac goo Sayenge that the kynge was woo That he
euerychone Than shal he betaken anone He that sacryfyce shall do Be bounden fote and hand also And vp drawen shal he be Into the ouermost ende of the tre Ther shal he crye the folke vnto In the worshype of god this I do They slake the rope they hym with drow And he fallyth sharpe I now Upon the swerdes he doth lyght And goyth to the deuyl ryght Than shal men that body take And a fayr stede for it make Two dayes and that whyl shal be A crye made in al the cowntre That such a man made sacryfyce And yf eny are so wyse To come and aske eny bone Hast them and come thyther sone Or he to his graue be brought For of theyr bone want shal they nought Than come some vnto that stede And vnto hym make theyr bede And at theyr goddys fote shal he Afterward grauyn be ¶ Yet is there a countre ferthermore Whan a man is dede thore Yf he haue a wyfe then shal she All quycke by hym grauen be And also the man by the wyfe Yf she or he forlese theyr lyfe ¶ Another folke there is and that Wyll ete for deyntes hound and cat ¶ Another is when he wyfe shal wed He dare not with her go to bed The fyrst nyght but he causeth blythly Another gest to lye her by For it is peryl a says to lyfe To touch fyrst a weddyd wyfe ¶ Another maner ther is wel fedde But they wyl neuer wyfe wedde They say that one wyfe ne can Holde her euer to one man ¶ Yet is there one that men do call Lande femynne that men call All of wymen and no men For therin lyue no man can That passyth fyue yere of age Ouer fyue dayes ther to haue herytage But in foure sesons of the yere Men and they gathere ful nere Hauynge with them felowrede Lokyng after no syburrede Viij dayes fare they thus no mo Or the men depart them fro And yf any a chylde haue Be it so that it be a knawe They shal it kepe and norysshe wel Fyue yere but more no dele And than shal they dryue it sone To the lande there men in wone They labour and tyl theyr met to wyne And ouer them they haue a quene That cōmaundyth them as quene shuld do Holdyng them in peas and ro Countres are there many mo But longe it ware to tel of tho But of thes some shal mere At the comyng of the false prophyte But many shal there fyrst be lorne For a kynge that shal be borne That shal the world seke valyently And shal do wryt them as men fynde truly And many of thos shal he spyll And with other theyr landes fyll ¶ The .lxxiiij. questyon ¶ Why are some men blake in towne Some whyt and some browne IN thre maners it comyth to That a man is colouryd so One is through kynde As we in our bokys fynde For yf the man broune be And the woman as wel as he And yf they to gether haue engendrure It ought to be broune of nature If the one be broune the other whyt And they assemble with great delyt Who 's seed with most delyt festys Whan it in the chamber restys That seed shal the chyld be Lyckenyd most and shape of ble Another maner there yet is If a man be fedde amys And pourly lye and pourly go It makyth hym not colouryd so As he shuld be with ryght If he ware kept day and nyght The thyrd cause it is also The land and the ayre therto For euer the hoter the londe is The browner is the folke Iwys The colder lande the whyter aye For theyr skyn is not brent al day ¶ The .lxxv. questyon ¶ Tell me nowe per company Wherof cometh felony Wycked humours make malēcolye And that engendereth felonye The wicked humours kīdel smert And gloweth sō whyle about the hert And chafeth it as a fyre And maketh it derke and blacke for Ire And that darkenes answereth than Up into the brayne panne And whan the braynes are derked so Great dele of wyt they for go And smyte anone in felony And that maketh the hart so drye But whan that the humours sease And of theyr glowyng do release The herte resteth and styll lyeth And the derkenes fro hym wendeth The lymmes lyghten euerychone And in good poynt becometh anone ¶ The .lxxvi. questyon The beastes y t god ī erth hath wrought Of one hewe why are they nought FOr they of goddes lykenes not be Dyuers colours haue they perde And by cause they on the ground frete Dyuers herbes to theyr mete Some are colde and some are hote And some are drye and some are wete And yf a beast whan it great is Gothe etynge on the gras That most is hote and drye also The yonge shal blacke hewe come vnto And yf the most parte be hote Redde shal that yonge be god it wote And be they moyst it shal be graye And be they colde whyte for aye And yf that a beast fynde In one place erbes of sondry kynde And she fede her of them all Of dyuers hew the yonge shal fall And after that she most of eteth Most of that hew the yong geteth And of all beastes fareth it so Wylde and tame where so it go And al hath god dyght this thyng At his wyl and his ordaynyng ¶ The .lxxvij. questyon ¶ They y t ete or drynke more thā nede is Whether do they wel or amys HE that eteth more than he shuld And more than his kynd wold He doth harme his body vnto And some vnto his soule also And dystruccyon of mete doth he That other withall myght fed be A gayne god such aman is Wors than a beast I wys God ordayned man to fede After that his kynd hath nede And the remnaunt to saue Untyl after he nede haue And a man that is wyse Shal ete onys a day or twyse A man that etyth at meel Untyl hym thynkyth that he is wel And layth efte aboue more Or that be dygestyd before His stomacke encombres he And the hete that therin shuld be And so his kynde he bryngyth doune And hym selfe to corrupcyon And his wyt in that is lesse Than a beast that etyth gresse For there is nether hors ne kowe From that he hath etyn I nowe That wyl ete eny more Tyl after he hongar sore And seyng a brute beast doth yt More shuld a man that hath wyt Wherfore I say a mys they do That ete more than nede is to ¶ The .lxxviij. questyon ¶ Which is the best thyng of y e man And y e worst that thou reckyn can THe best thyng of the man I wys And the worst the tonge it is For by his tonge a man may get Syluer and golde drynke and mete Loue worshype and fauoure And enhauntynge of honoure Also for the tonge he may Haue shame and bylony alday For such wordes may he say That perauenture may cause hym to dey The tonge hath nother
body lowe or hye So the erth that we on go Is vnder ful of veynes also And open the hyde the veyne vpon The blode spryngeth out anon Euyn as wel vpon the crowne As on the fote beneth downe So the veynes that in the erth lye Haue water runnyng lowe and hye Up and doune to and fro As the veynes in erth go And there they the erth feble se Hye or lowe whether it be It brestyth out and rennyth there Hylle or dale whether it be ¶ The C.xxv questyon ¶ The water that is in the see Why is it salt tel you me IN the mydel of the world a see is Where the sonne euer brennyng is And by that brennyng hete Are the waters that shuld be swete Become bytter and salt also Which see renneth the other vnto Wherof al salt it is And y e hete of y e sonne makyth moche of this Ware it that the see styl stode And ware the water fresshe and good The stynke therof so great shuld be That al the fysshes in the see Shuld dye anon both great and smal And that ware vnto man great bale And on the land shuld be such stynke More than I can expresse or thynke Which shuld on lande so be here That it shulde al the people dere ¶ The C.xxvi questyon ¶ Wherof euer may it be The lyghtenyng that we here se CLowdes somtyme on the sky Renne to gether vp a hy With so great fyre and so kenne That fyre lyghtenyth them betwene And that is that we lyghtnyng call And somtyme downe wyl it fall Somtyme slekenys it a lofte In the cloude and that is ofte ¶ The C.xxvij questyon ¶ The waters that ebbe flow also Wherof come they whyter do they go ALl the waters that euer be Al they come out of the see And thyther agayne they go Unto the see wher they came fro The waters that fall in erth synkyth And as a spryng the erth them drynkyth And whan they are come thether In veynes gather they to gether And they that go in by one syde By another out they glyde The erth takyth and geuyth all The waters that are and on erth fall ¶ The C.xxviii questyon ¶ Hylles and roches ware they nought Made whan y e world was fyrst wrought FRom the fyrst tyme of adam Unto the tyme that Noe came Was neuer hyl ne rocke with al But as playne about as a ball Rayne fell than to erth none No tempest was nor storme But in the tyme of Noe For the great iniquyte And for the synne that adam wrought God sent astode that sesyd nought Xl. dayes and xl nyghtes Al the world destroyed he thore Saue them that in the arch wore And the course of the stode them among In his comyng was so strong That where it neysshe ground fonde It dyd fret away both erth and sonde Stone and rocke felde and towne Al was turned vp se downe But whan the flode began to slake And lytel stremes for to make Stones on hepes so with stode And turned no more for the flode And whan some with stode so Mo them gathered vnto The neysshe ground the water doth fret For no hardnes it doth let And afterward the sonnys hete With frost and snow to gether do mete Dryuyng the stones to gether harde And became rockes afterwarde Wherfore by the forsayd skyl That flode made both dale and hyll ¶ The C.xxix questyon ¶ Shal the dyluuy come eny more In the world that was before GOd hath hyght vnto man kynde As we in our bokes fynde That neuer shal come to destroy man Such a dyluuy as than ran But yf of synne man not amende A sharpe scourge he shal them sende That scourge is a swerd of wrake That one shal agayne a nother take And oâ—e shal a nother for do And destroye the world also ¶ The C.xxx questyon ¶ Whan Noe shuld to the arch go And of ech beastes toke w t hym two Why wold he euyl beastes take As scorpyons adder and snake NOe dyd them in the arch ley For two thynges that I shal the sey That one for the coÌ„maundment That god hym be the aungel sent And that durst he not breke For he sawe moch wreke Of ech one two god byd hym take For he wold not them al new make Wherfore his precept dyd he And of them came that now be ¶ That other was for mannys he le For but yf venemous beastes fele Ware dwellyng in ech countre So ful of venom the erth shuld be That it shuld enuenym al thynge As frute and corne that in erth dyd sprynge And so shuld no man therof ete But he dyed by that mete And the beastes ne lyue I wys But of the venym that in erth is And they clense the erth by kynde Of the venym they therin fynde And al theyr venym is truly Of the erth that they lyue by For take an adder for asay The venemost that men fynde may And in a vessel hym do That no erth come hym to With flesshe and bred kepe it thore Fyftene dayes and no more Al his venom shal be gon And hurte may he do none For venom in hym none doth abyde Except he on the erth do slyde ¶ The C.xxxj questyon ¶ Wherof euer comyth the gold That man so precyous doth hold THe myne of gold without mys In veynes of y e erth waxyng is And syluer also with metals mo Which the erth come fro But gold and syluer men fynde betwene The erth there it is pure and clene Men gather it and dyght it so With arte that they haue therto But there men it most fynde Is a lande by the west Inde In gyse of brasse men fynde there By the banke of the see euerywhere But euery man can not it dyght For to brynge it to the ryght ¶ The C.xxxi questyon ¶ Tel me now yf thou wote How out of y e erth spryng waters hot WAters that al hote so sprynge Haue it somwher in theyr reÌ„niÌ„g By brymstone hath his cours And not fare from his sours By y e hete of y â— kynd of brimstone The water becomyth warme anon And warme spryngeth out also And who so leyd his nose therto He shuld anon fele ful we le Sauoure of brymstone somdele ¶ The C.xxxii questyon ¶ Among al other tel me one Wherof comyth the brymstone QUycke brymstone that men call Cometh of lyghtenyng that doth fall Upon roches by the see Eyther on hylles whether it be And so hard downe are they cast With ayre aboue and wyndes blast That they fall the erth within And that erth they lye and â—ryâ— Which erth exâ—st hyght therby For it is brente so wondersly And that turneth to brymstone Which wellyth vp somtyme anon ¶ The C.xxxiij questyon ¶ Carboncles and other stones mo Wherof may come al tho OUt of Nygre that is a see Where cokyls are in great plente And hang to gether two and two
of man was made ech lym The seuenth day god restyd hym For veryhed toke he no rest But for that he chose it day best And bade man that day he in pees And of al werkes to fees Wherfore the Saturday of al The dygnyest day we cal But a tyme shal men se Whan goddys sonne shal man be That he shal dye and after aryse The thyrd day on alwyse Which rysyng day men worshyp shal ay And that shal be the Sonday And after shal men euer calle Sonday the best of al ¶ The CC.ij questyon ¶ Yet wold I wyt more Why slepe was made wherfore SLepe is made for mannys rest Of al thyng one of the best For it esyth the herte namely And myght geuyth to al the body As yf a lorde waken be Wakyd is al his meyne There ne may slepe non of al For to be redy yf he call Tyl he slepe slepe al his Than are they the lyghter in seruys The herte of man the lord call I For it maysteryth al the body And whan it is a slepe anon The lymes rest them euerychon And than al the kyndly hete Of the body geuyth to mete Aboute the stomacke for to brynne And to dygest that ther is with in And than the kynde to hym takys That to hym shal or he wakys And purges hym of that other dele As kynde geuyth hym ful we le Thus gatheryth the body myght And is after stronge and lyght For to do that it shal do That ne ware yf slepe ware not so Therfore hath god the nyght wrought To mannys rest and els nought For payne is none ne no mornyng Unto man agayne wakyng ¶ The CC.iij questyon ¶ Shal euer in this word be Warre and contecte as men now se AT the begynnyng whan there wore Foure men in the world no more Was there warre and enuy And mannys slawghter and felony And it shal neuer seas That the world be al in peas For were the world in peas holly Men myght calle it skylfully Paradyse and els nought For there was neuer no warre wrought But loue peas and charyte And tho may holly here not be But in this world are warres two Goostly and bodely also The goostly warre may no man se Which is of the deuyl and his meyne Nyght and day on man he warres And in al that he may men deres Bodely warre al fyrst began Which is betwyx man and man And that shal neuer to ende torne Untyl it be the day of dome ¶ The CC.iiii questyon ¶ Wrathes god hī ough for mānis dede What ded so he dye good or quede THough god sawe al the world brynne And al the folke dye that are therin And dryed euerydele the see In god shold no wreth be In hym may be no euyl mode For nothyng of this worldes good Mannes dede deryth god no more What dede so he dyes no whore Than it doth the fyre to brynne A hylle that many auntes were in The payne that they fele in brennyng Ne derys them for no kynges thyng No more doth god soth to sey What tyme aman shal here dey No surar thyng than is the dede But of the tyme can no man rede And for that what tyme he dey shal God greuyth hym nothyng with al But sythen man wot no prow Whan he shal dey ne how Loke he be redy ay I rede Than shal hym not the dede drede ¶ The CC.v. questyon ¶ Which folke are it as thou wetes That the world now most susteynes FOure maner of folke there are That were it so that they ne ware The world myght not vp holden be Ne fare so wel as we now se One than are thes men of crafte That lerne other that are dafte Conyng theyr lyuelod for to wynne And god to serue without synne Another are tho that tyl the lande And wynne vs mete and drynke to hande The thryde are lordes that peas kepe For in peas may men suerly slepe If peas were not there were great doute To lyue or eny wher walke aboute The fourth maner of folke than are Chapmen that about fare Fro feyre to feyre fro lande to lande And bryng that men do wande And shuld defaute haue of it also Dyd not chapmen gyue them therto Wherfore the world with out thys Mought be kept on none wyse ¶ The CC.vij. questyon ¶ Whether is hyer as y u doyst vndarstād The kynge or the lawe of the lande LAwe is of more antyquyte Than kyng or prynce may be And yf thou wylt wyt why I shal the tel apertly The name of kynge or emperour Is geuyn for worldly honour And it fallyth to his myght The lawe for to kepe aryght Than is kynge for lawe set To kepe that lawe be not let Than is lawe more than he For to do lawe hath he potence For a thyng y t ordayned is For another than semys thys That he that it is dyght for Of them two is the more And yf the kynge for lawe be Than is lawe more than he Yet shal I say the a nother sawe If the kynge do agayne the lawe Lawe shal hym deme with skyl and ryght Than is lawe aboue his myght And breke he lawe in eny thyng He is not worthy to be kynge Truly here after shal come one A kyng that shal hyght Salomon In his sawes say shal he Blessyd mote they al be That shal in this world rounde Do iustyce and ryght in euery stounde ¶ The CC.viij questyon ¶ May man in ony manere Ony worldly good haue here That he ouer al may with hym bere And the weyght hym not dere AMan in this world may haue Good hym eneywhere for to saue And helpe hym at his nede And euer he may it with hym lede That is conyng of some arte Which wyl not fro man parte Who so hath hym nedyth not to drede For it wyl hym both cloth and fede Bettar tresour neuer no man wan Than is conyng vn to man And whyther so aman wyl go He may it bere with out wo And here vnto none of his Wherfore shal Salomon the wyse Say as aman wel be taught That wyt and wysdome is worldys aught The CC.ix. questyon ¶ If two haue loue to gether stronge And after are a sonder longe And come to gether ought one whore May they loue so as they dyd before LOue betwyx frendes twey That onys is ne shuld not dey And yf that they in sonder be That eyther other longe not se And they to gether come efte The loue y t was before lefte Before that they in sondre wore May come agayne and ryght wel more As thou in a garden mayst se Standyng a wel lykyng tre And the gardynar behaue hym so That he take no hede therto To mucke and tyl and els it dyght It myscaryeth anon ryght Losyng his wel lykyng For it zemyd is nothyng But whan the gardynar it sees That it fayleth among other trees Hede agayne therto he takys And
Shal his mynystres with hym be In the dome to here and se HIs mynysters shal be thore Tho that with hym walked before And al that lyued after hys â—ore And ke pars of his hous wore And al that lyue in chastyte Or that ded for his loue shal be Al shal they be of his wylte Synful wreches for to spylle For that shal they be there present To here and se the iugement The CCC.lvij questyon ¶ How shal he the dome do And what shal he say them to GOod departed shal he se Fro the wicked that there shal be Than shal he to the good say Ye in erth stode by me ay I houngred sore and ye me fedde I thursted and ye me drynke bede I was nakyd and ye me clad In sycknesse I helpe of you had I lay in pryson and myght not se Thether ye came to vyset me And by cause ye dyd this gladly Come to my fathers ioy heuynly And ye that of me not rought But al that ye lyked wrought With the deuyl and his ye go Unto payne for euer and od For ye nothyng dyd me fore Whan ye in your lykyng wore This shal euery man here and se Why he shal saued or dampnyd be ¶ The CCC.lviij questyon ¶ Sal euery man than know wele That he hath don here euery adele AL that euer aman hath wrought Good and yl in dede or thought Al shal on hym wryten be That al the world may it se But yf eny ware of repentaunce That toke his shryft here and penaunce Of his mysded with harte contryte That synne for geuen is al tyte The good than thanke god shal thore That they of such lyfe wore Wherfore that they shulde than wende To the blys with out ende And the wicked shal se eft What goodnesse they haue left And what wickednesse they toke Whan that they the good forsoke Ful â–ª sory be they than in thought But al shal avayle them nought For they shal anon be shent With the deuyl in tourment ¶ The CCC.lix questyon ¶ Whan al is don that dome so harde What shal be don afterwarde AFterwarde the deuyl shal Take tho that shal with hym al And wend to helle for euer more The wicked men to payne thore Goddys sonne shal his take That here dyd wel for his sake And lede them to his fathers blys Where euer I lyke ioy is And al shal theyr blys be That they euer god shal se And neuer more shal deye For yf they shuld chose one of tweye They shuld leuer in helle be God euery day in blys to se Than be in heuyn and se hym nought For that ware nought worth them thought ¶ The CCC.lx questyon ¶ What shal than betyde and who Of this world where we are now AS water it fyrst fordyd also Shal it fyre than fordo Al to gether shal it brynne Shal nothyng beleft therin The elementes shal than slake Of theyr fygure and a newe take Sonne and mone shal bryghter be Seuen tymes than men now them se Erth water fyre and ayre They shal be than thre tymes so fayre Than they euer ware before And so shal be left euer more Al trauayls in erth shal blynne Shal no payne after be therin ¶ The CCC.lxj questyon Shal the good haue leue ther tyl For to do al that they wyl THe good shal than be of that wyl To do but good and nothyng yl For than shal they ech thyng do That theyr wyl standyth vnto And in what stede they wold they wore Anon as thought they shal be thore And other worke shal they haue none But goddys vysage to se vpon And thanke hym that of al lord is That they are come to that hlys ¶ The CCC.lxij questyon ¶ Shal they than remember ought Of wickednesse y t they here wrought REmember them they shal euery dele Of that they wrought here yl and wel And great ioy haue they shal That they the wickednesse ouer came al As a knyght is blyth and glad That a stronge batayle hath had And hath bore the prayse away From al his enymyes that day Great ioy it is his frendes vnto That he that day bare hym so And al so sory are they tho That for theyr synne go than to wo ¶ Here ende the questyons ¶ The ende of the hystory Sydracke god yeld it the The techyng y t thou hast teched me From darknesse thou hast me brought Unto lyght that fayleth nought Now than wot I moch thyng That after Iesus haue great longyng And now wot I what god may do To lyfe and vnto soule also Wherfore it is good now Upon what maner and how That we shal our toure fulfyl Wherto we fyrst had great wyl For that was the cause why we Came fyrst vnto this countre FOr thy the kyng Boccus anon Toke hors and worthed there vpon And his mayster Sydracke before And al his folke be gan to raye thore They came in to the in comyng Of Garabys lande the kyng There they began the toure to dyght That sanke from them euery nyght The kyng caused to be brought lyme stone And caused masons to come anon And Sydracke the kynge present Deuysed them the foundament In the name of the Trynyte One god and persons thre Boldly ther vpon they wrought And y t shuld hurt them found they nought And in dayes syxe and twenty Was the toure made vp fully And al thyng that therto shuld After the kyng it ordayne wold ¶ Whan that Garaab it herde Of the toune how it farede How it was to ende brought He was ful sory in his thought And foule abasshed he was also For he perseuyd it shuld hym vndo In harte myght haue no rest He counselyd hym what was best A messynger anon he sent That vnto kyng Boccus went And prayed hym purcharyte Of hym to haue mercy and pyte Kynge Boccus answered and spake By the counsel of Sydracke That yf Garaab wyl a good man be And beleue in the Trynyte That may both dampne and saue That he shal of hym mercy haue And Garaab sent to hym agayne That what he wyl I shal do fayne Kyng Garaab caused to be broken anon His false ydols euerychone And trusted in god of heuyn lyght Seruyng hym with al his myght And many landes there mo Causyd Boccus to serue god tho But whan kynge Boccus was deed And Sydracke than was there no rede But anon they god forsoke And to theyr false ydols they toke Throughe entysement of the wicked goost Now he that is of myght most Saue vs fro his wycked wyles For many one that shrew begyles And bryng vs into that blys Wherof that none ende is AMEN PRay we now with al our myght Unto god of heuen lyght That he geue vs grace so to do That we heuen may come vnto That we shal al to I wâ—â—â— And that Hughe of caumpedenâ— That this boke hath throughe sought And vnto Englysshe tyme brought Lyue in ioye without synne And that he god is loue here wynne So that he at his lyues ende Unto the blesse of heuen wende FINIS ¶ Thus endeth the hystory and questyoÌ„s of kynge Boccus and Sydracke Prynted at London by Thomas Godfray At the coste and charge of dan Robert Saltwode moÌ„ke of faynt Austens at Cantorbury ¶ Cum priuilegio regali