after that the Empresse trauailed in childe byrth was deliuered of a fayre sonne in whose byrth was great ioye made without ende When the king of Ampluy heard this he thought in himselfe thus Loe I haue warred against the Emperour all the dayes of my life and now hée hath a sonne the which will reuenge all thée wronges that I haue done and wrought against his Father when hée commeth to full age therefore it is better that I send to the Emperour and beséech him of trewse peace that his sonne may haue nothinge againste mée when he commeth to manhoode When he had thus said to himselfe hée wrote vnto the Emperour beséeching him to haue peace When the Emperour saw that the king of Ampluy wrote to him more for feare then for loue hée wrote againe to him that if he would finde good and sufficient suertie to kéepe the peace and bynde himselfe all the dayes of his lyfe to doe him seruice homage and to giue him yéerely a certaine trybute he would receiue him to the peace When the king had read the tenour of the Emperours letters he called his Counsayle praying them to giue him counsayle how he might best doe as touching this matter Then said they It is good that ye obey the Emperours will and commaundement in all things For in the first he desireth of you suerty for the peace and as to this wée answere thus Yée haue but a daughter and the Emperour but a sonne wherfore lette a marriage be made béetwéen them and that may bée a perpetuall couenant of the peace And also hée asketh homage and rents which is good to fulfill And than the king sent his messengers to the Emperour saying that hée will fulfill his entent in all thing if it might please his highnesse that his sonne and the Kings daughter might bée wedded together All this pleased well the Emperour neuerthelesse héesent again that if his daughter were a cleane Uirgin from hir byrth vnto that daye hée would consent to that marriage Than was the king right glad for his daughter was a cleane virgin Therefore whan the letters of couenāt compact were sealed the king furnisht a faire ship wherein he might send his Daughter with many noble knightes Ladies and great riches vnto the Emperour for to haue his son in marriage And whan they were sayling in the sea toward Rome a storme arose so extremely and so horribly that the shippe all to brast against a rock of stone and they were all drowned saue onely that young lady which fixt hir hope and hart so greatly on God that she was saued And about thrée of the clocke the tempest ceased and the Lady droue foorth ouer the waues in that broken shippe which was cast vp agine but an huge whale folowed after ready to deuoure both the shippe and hir wherefore this fayre young Lady whan night came shée smote fyre with a stone wherewith the shippe was greatly lightened and than the whale durst not aduenture toward the shippe for feare of the light At the cocke crowing this young Lady was so weary of the great tempest and trouble of the sea that she slept and within a little while after the fire surceased and with that came the whale and deuoured this virgin And when shée wakened and found hir selfe swallowed vp in the whales belly she smot fire within a little while shée wounded the Whale with a knife in many places and when the Whale felt himselfe wounded according to his nature béegan to swim to land There was that time dwelling in that coūtry an Earle that was a noble man named Pyrris the which for his recreation walked by the Sea shore and as hée was walking thus hée saw where as the Whale was comming toward that lande wherefore hée turned home againe gathered many strong men and women and came thether againe and fought with this Whale and wounded him sore as they smote the Mayden that was in his belly cried with an high voice and sayd O gentle friends haue mercy and compassiō on me for I am a knights daughter and a true virgine from the houre of my byrth vnto this daye When the Earle heard this hée wondred greatly and opened the side of the Whale and founde the young Lady and tooke hir out And when she was thus deliuered shée told him foorthwith whose daughter shée was and how shée had lost all his goods in the sea and how shée should haue bene married vnto the Emperours son And when the Earle heard this shée was right glad wherefore hée comforted hir the more and kept hir still with him till shée was well refreshed And in the meane time hee sent messengers to the Emperour letting him to wit how this knights daughter was saued Then was the Emperour right glad of hir sauety and comming had great compassion on hir saying A good Mayde for the loue of my sonne thou hast suffered much woe neuerthelesse if thou be worthy to be his wife soone shal I proue And when he had thus sayd hée let bring foorth thrée vessells the first was made of pure Gold well béesette with precious stones without and within full of dead mens bones and therevpon was engrauen this posey Who so chooseth mee shall finde that he deserueth The second vessell was made of fyne siluer fylled with earth and wormes and the superscription was thus Who so chooseth me shall sinde that his nature desireth The third vessell was made of Lead full within of precious stones and therevpon was insculpt this posey Who so chooseth mee shall finde that God hath disposed for him These thrée vessells the Emperour shewed to the Mayden and layde Loe here daughter these bée noble vessells if thou choose one of these wherin is profit to thée and to other thē shalt thou haue my son And if thou choose that wherin is no profit to thée nor to none other sothly thou shalt not wed him When the Mayden saw this shèe lift vp hir hands to God and sayde Thou Lord which knowest all things graunt mée grace this houre so to choose that I may receiue the Emperours sonne And with that shée beeheld the first vessell of gold which was grauen royally reade this superscription Who so chooseth mee c. saying thus Though this vessel be full precious and made of pure gold neuerthelesse know not I what is with in therefore my déere Lord this vessell will I not choose And then behelde shée the second vessell that was of pure siluer and reade the superscription who so chooseth me shall finde that his nature desireth Thinkeing thus within hir selfe if I choose this vessell what is within I know not but well I wot there shall I finde that anture desireth my nature desireth the lust of the flesh and therefore this vessell will I not choose When she had seene those two vessells giuen an answere as touching two of thē shée béeheld the third vessell of
yée shall obtaine your reward without any withsaying Then the master of the shippe sware a great oath and sayde By the great God Jubiter after hee commeth once within my ship yée shall neuer see him more Then the lady paide him as much gold as he would haue foorth he went to his shippe And within short time after the emperour tooke his ship and when he was in the middes of the sea the master of that shippe toke Themperour threw him ouer borde into the sea Then the master returned againe and tolde the Empresse that the Emperour was cast into the sea whereof shee was full glad This Emperour that was thus cast into the sea had learned in his youth to swim and swam foorth till hée saw an Ilande in the sea but euer in his swimming when hée was faint like to haue béene drowned hée prayed to God to bée his help and wept sore tyll at the last hée came into a little Iland wherein was nothing but Lyons and Lybberds and diuerse other beasts that swam thether from other lands When this Emperour had taken land in that yle hée spyed a yong Lyon fighting with an olde Lybbard and the Lyon was almost ouercome The Emperour had great compassion on the Lion and drew out his sworde and slew the Lybbard The Lyon euen from the tyme foorth followed the Emperour would not leaue him for nothing but â—uery day the pray that this Lion toke he brought and layd it béefore the Emperours féete and anone the Emperour smote fire on the slint stone and boyled the body in the skinne and thus was he fedde long tyme tyll at the last hée walked to the Sea strand where he saw a ship come sayling by anone with an high voice hée cryed And when the shipmen heard the voyce they wondred what it might bée wherfore they sayled toward him and when they were come to him hée sayde good friends take mée with you and I shall pay you a good fraight And anone they tooke him into theyr ship and the Lyon followed him swimming in the Sea after the shippe And whan the Lyon was in point to haue bene drowned the shipmen had pittie on him and tooke him into the shippe And when the Emperour came to lande hée payd his fraight and when he had payd them he went foorth tyll hée came neere his owne Pallais wher he heard trumpets and Claryons with all maner of other minstrelsie and as hee hearkened what it might bée there came from the Pallayes a Squire towards him that was of his knowledge but the Squire knew not him to whome the Emperour sayde thus Good friend I praye thée tell mée what melody is this that I heare The Squire aunswered and sayde The Empresse is married this daye and there bée all the states of the Empyre at hir feast and therefore they make such melodie to make hir gestes merry Then sayde the Emperour to the squire where is hir husband that was the Emperour before The squire said that he was gone to the holy lande and was drowned by the way in the Sea Then sayd the Emperour I pray thée sir that thou wouldest doe my errande to thempresse to the Lord that would be hir Husband that I may come into the Pallayes and show theyr maiesties some disport with my Lion The squire graunted to doe his errande and went in and tolde the Lord and the Ladye that at the gate was a goodly olde man that desyred to come in and play with his Lyon afore you Then sayde the new wedded Lorde bring him in and if he be worthy percase hée might gette his meate for his playe Whan the Emperour with his Lyon was brought in the Lyon anone without any comfort or setting on ranne vppon the young knight that was newly maried and slew him and when hée had so done he ran vpon the Empresse deuoured hir to the hard bones before all the Lords of the Empyre And when the states saw this they were greatly agast and began to flee But the Emperour with his fayre speach comforted them said Lo this is the vengeance of god for this is my wyfe that hath vsed aduoutry long time with this knight that lyeth héere dead and she practized my death with the master of the ship and héere vpon the master threw mee into the Sea but God saued mee from the death and bicause I holp once the Lyon at a néed hée forsooke mée neuer sith and now as ye see all when I come into my Pallays without any comfort of mée hée hath slaine both the adoultereâ—s and therefore vnderstande ye for trouth that I am your Lord the Emperour Anone when they heard this they lift vp theyr eyen and béehelde him and at the last they knew him for theyr Lord wherefore they were greatly reioysed and praysed God for the miracle which had saued their Lord and Emperour And they liued after in rest and peace The Morall By this Emperor ye may vnderstaÌ„d euery Christian man that purposeth to vâ—â—c the Citie of Hierusalem that is to 〈◊〉 to get euerlasting life through fruitfull fâ—â—â—â— But his wife that is the wretched slâ—â—h murmureth against the soule and loueth better an adulteâ—er that is deadly sinâ—e thâ—n hiâ— husband This emperour went into the ship taking his iourney towâ—rd the citie of Hierusalem that is to â—ay he went to the Church of God which is the way to God But the wife that is to say fleshly men accuâ—ed him to the master of the ship that is to say to the Prelates of the church for great rewards which ofteÌ„ times blindeth the sight of many Justices where through many perfect men be cast out of the ship into the sea to be drowned that is to say out of the Church inâ—o the Sea of thys worlde But what shall hée doe then that is thus cast to be troubled in this worlde certainely this ought he to doâ— let him learne to swimme that is to saye let tâ— him put all his hope in God and then by his grace hee shall come to an Iland that is to saye the religion of heart and that he shal loue euer the better to keepe himselfe out of this world and therefore saith saint Jeames thus A cleane religion vndeâ—ilâ—d is a precious thing in the sight of God And â—e that is in this religion shall finde a Lyon whome he behoueth to haâ—â— against the diuell This Lyon is our Lord Jesus Christ that came of the tribe of luda which â—ighteth euer agâ—inst the diuell and if a man haue holpâ—n this Lyon at any â—yme tâ—â—sâ— well then that hée will not forsake him but be with him in all his néede according to the Psalmist saying thus Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in trouble By this Lyon thou maist take thy wife that is to say thy flesh with repentance and slay thy sinne and then without doubt thou shalt obtain the empire of heauen
the prefixed daye of promise vndesiled which shall then wisely purchase the prouided place of euerlasting glory for all them that seeke the glory of God and their soules health The 14. Historie IN Rome dwelled some 〈…〉 mightie emperour named 〈…〉 mius which had onely a daug 〈…〉 a damosell fayre and gracious in the sight of euery man which had to name Aglaes There was also in themperours pallayes a gentle knight that loued this lady aboue all thing in the world It béefell after vpon a daye that this knight talked with this lady vttred in secrete wâ—â—e his disire to hir Then sayd shée courteously sith â—ée haue vâ—tred to mee the priâ—â—ty of your heart I shall in like wise for your loue vtter to you the secretes of mine heart and truely I say that aboue all other I loue you best Then saide the knight I purpose to visit the holy Land and therefore giue mee your trouth that this seauen yeere yee shall take no other man but onely for my loue to â—arry for mée so long if I come not againe by this day vn â—eere 〈…〉 ke then what man yée lyke best And 〈…〉 e wise I shall promise you that with 〈…〉 seuen yeere I shal take no wife 〈…〉 said she this couenaÌ„t pleaseth mée 〈…〉 When this was said eche of them 〈…〉 othed other and then this knight 〈…〉 ke his leaue of this Lady and went foorth to the holy land Anone after that the Emperour treated with the king of Hungary for the mariage for his daughter Then came the king of Hungary to the Emperours pallays to sée his daughter and when hee had seene hir he liked maruaclously wel hir beautie and hir goodnesse so that the Emperour and the King were accorded in all things as touching the marriage vpon the condicion that the damosell would consent Then called the Emperour t 〈…〉 young Lady to hin and said O my fay 〈…〉 daughter I haue prouided for thée t 〈…〉 a King shall hee thy husband if thée 〈…〉 so assent therefore tell mée what 〈…〉 swere thou wilt giue to this Then sayde shee to hir father it 〈…〉 seth mée well but of one thing dee 〈…〉 ther I you beseech iâ— it might plea 〈…〉 to graunt mée for the loue of 〈…〉 haue auowed my chastitie onely 〈…〉 for this vii yeere therefore déere 〈…〉 I beeseech you for all the loue that 〈…〉 tweene your gracious fatherhoo 〈…〉 mee that yee name no man to bée m 〈…〉 band till these vii yéere bée ended 〈…〉 I shall bee ready in all things to full 〈…〉 your will Then sayde the Emperour sith it is so that thou wilt no husbande haue this seuen yeere I will not breake thy vow but when these seuen yeeres beene passed thou shalt haue the king of Hungary to thy husband And then themeperour sent foorth his letters to the king of HuÌ„gary praying him if it might please him to abide vii yéere for the loue of his daughter and then â—hould hee spéede of his intent without 〈…〉 I le Heereof the King was pleased 〈…〉 d graunted to abide the promised day 〈…〉 when these vii yéeres were ended 〈…〉 a day the yong Ladie stoode in hir 〈…〉 er mindow and wept sore say 〈…〉 us Woe and alas as to morow 〈…〉 e promised to bee with me againe 〈…〉 e holy lande and also the King of 〈…〉 ary to morow will be héere for to 〈…〉 mée according to my fathers 〈…〉 and if my loue come not at a 〈…〉 e houre then am I vtterly de 〈…〉 of the inward loue of him 〈…〉 en the day came the king arayed 〈…〉 towardes the Emperour with a 〈…〉 at company to marry his daughter and was royally bee seene and arayed in purple And while the king was ryding on his way there came a knight soâ—ainly riding by him to whome hee sayde thus Déere friend whence art thou and whence commest thou The knight answered and sayd I am of th empyre of Rome and now am come late from the holy land and am ready to doe your seruice such as I can And as they rode talking by the way it béegan to rayne so fast that all the kings apparell was almost spoyled Then saide the knight My lord quod hée yée haue done foolishly for as much as yée brought not with you your house Then sayd the king why speakest thou so my house is large and broad made of stones morter how should I then beare with mée my house thou speakest to mée like a foole When this was laid they rod farther till they came to a great water and a déepe the king smote his horse with his spurres and leapt into the water so that hée was almost drowned Then the knight saw this was ouer on that other side of the water without perill hee sayd to the king Yée were in perill and therefore yee did foolishly bicause yée brought not with you your bridge Then saide the king thou speakest meruaylously my bridge is made of lime stone and containeth in quantity more then halfe a myle how should I then beare with mee my bridge therefore thou speakest foolishly Well said the knight my foolishnesse may turne thée to wisdome When the king had ridden a little farther he asked the knght what time of daye it was Then sayde the knight if any man haue list to eate it is tyme of the day to eat and therfore my reuereÌ„t Lord I pray you to take a modicome with mée for that is no disworshippe to you but great honour to mee before the states of this Empyre Then sayde the king I will gladly eate with thee They sate both downe in a vyne garden and all that were with the King and with the knight dined And when dinner was done and that the king had washen the knight saide to the King My Lord quod hée yee haue done foolishly for that yee lead not with you your father and your mother Then saide the king what saiest thou my father is dead and my mother is olde and may not trauaile how should I then bringe them with mee therefore to thee I say the truth a folisher man then thou art saw I neuer Then said the Knight euery worke is praised at the ende When the Knight had ridden a little farther and was â—y hand to themperours pallaies the Knight asked seaue to goe from him for this cause hee knew a neerer way to the palays to the young Lady that he might come first and leade hir with him Then said the king I pray thée sir tell me by what place purposest thou to ride Then said the Knight I shall tell you truth this day seuen yeere I left a net in a place and now I purpose to visit it and draw it to mee if it bée broken I will leaue it and if it be whole then will I take it to me and keepe it as a precious Jewell and when he had sayd what him list he toke his
espyed at the ende of the forrest a poore man sitting beside a water playing on a harpe so swéetly that themperour before that day heard neuer so swéete a melody Then saide themperour good friend procéedeth this melody from thy harpe or no. The poore man answered sayd My reuerend Lord I shal tell you the trouth Beside this water my wife and my childe and I haue dwelled xxx yéere God hath giuen me such grace that when so euer I touch my harpe I make so swéete melody that the fishes of this water come out to my hand and so I take them where with my wife my childe and I be sustained dayly in great plenty But alâ—s welaway on the other side of this water there commeth a whistler whisteleth so sweetly that many times the fishes forsake mée and goe to his whistling and therefore my reuerend Lord I besech you of help against his hissing whisteling Then said themperour I shall giue thée good help couÌ„saile I haue héere in my pursse a golden hooke which I will giue thée take thou it binde it fast at the ende of a rod with some worme for the bait vpon the hooke then cast thy rod into the water forthwith ply thy play vpon thy harp and when thou perceiuest the fish to byte on the baite draw them vp to the lande with that hooke then his whisteling ne hissing shall not auaile When the poore man heard this he reioysed him greatly and did all thing as hée had taught him And wheÌ„ this poore man began to touch his harpe the fishes came to the bayte than he tooke them vp with his hooke liued there by in better estate long time and at the last ended gratiousiy his life in peace and rest The Morall ¶ This Emperour betokeneth Jesu Christ which greatly delighteth to hunt the soule of mankinde in the forrest that is holy Church Hee loueth also the melody of the harpe that is to say he loueth much those that teach the holy word of god This poore man that sate by the water side betokeneth the prelats of the church and the preachers of the word of god which ought to sit beside the world and not in the world that is to say they should not set their delight in worldly things The preachers ought to haue the harp of holy seripture wherewith they may praise and honour God and also therewith draw out of this world the sinners Therfore saith the psalmist thus Praise ye god in timpanes and sing ye to him on the harpe the psalter of the x stringes But now a dayes the preacher may say alas for when I preach and teach holy scripture the diuell commeth whsteleth so swéetly that the sinners draw to him and will not heere the word of god but they turne themselues onely to the delight of sinne The diuell deceiueth also mankinde by diuerse wayes First in time of preaching he maketh some to sléepe and them that he cannot make to sléepe he causeth them to talke clatter and them that he cannot make to clatter hée maketh them so dull that they may not vnderstand what the preacher saith and them that he cannot beguile by these meanes hée putteth in them businesse and causeth them to goe out of the Church Lo so many waies the diuell hath to deceiue mankinde and to let the woord of God Theresore euery prelate euery Preacher béehoueth to haue the golden hooke of gods grace against this whiseeling by the which grace they may draw sinners out of this world vp to heauen vnto the which bring vs our Lord Jesus Amen The Argument ¶ Mans soule the daughter of our Sauiuiour is so deere vnto him that he being careful for the conuersation of hir in state of sincere liâ—e is yet seduced by the sugestion of the flesh which beeing a greeuous transgressor is by earnest repentance and amendemeÌ„t of life enforced to bâ—ing the said soule againe vnto dutifull obedience towards God man that thence forwards coÌ„tinuing she may attayn vnto the â—oâ—es of euerlasting blislednesse c. The 18. Historie THere dwelled sometime in Rome a mightie Emperour and a wise named Polemus which had no childe saue onely a daughter whom he loued so much that daye and night hée ordayned to haue hir garded with armed knights And aboue these knightes he ordayned a comptroller well erperienced in euery thing for to teach and instruct them how they should doe Hée ordayned also a steward for to guide his household And when all this was done on a night as hée lay in his bed hée béethought him that hée would goe visit the holy land And then when all thing was ready for his iourney according to his purpose hée called vnto him his steward and sayd My trusty seruant I purpose now to goe see the holy land and therfore I leaue my daughter in thy kéeping also I charge thée that she lack nothing but that shee haue all maner of ioye and gladnesse that pertaineth to a virgin Secondly I leaue in thy kéeping fiue knights that beene hir kéepers and charge thée that they lack nothing which to them beehoueth Also I leaue to thée my greyhound commaunding that thou nourish and féede him as it appertaineth and if thou fulfill all this that I haue sayd thou shalt at my comming againe receiue a great reward TheÌ„ said the steward my dere Lord in all that I may I shall fulfill your will When this was said the emperour tooke his iourney toward the citie of Ierusalem and the steward a long time kept well and truely themeperours ordinaÌ„ce and charge enioyned him But at the last it befell vpon a day that this steward had espyed this yong Lady walking alone in an Orcheyard with whose loue hee was sodainly surprised wherfore straitway against hir will hée desâ—oured hir And when he had committed sinne with 〈◊〉 hee gaue hir â—ll language and hated hir more after thâ—n euer hee loued hir 〈…〉 and dr 〈…〉 hir out of the pallais wherfore this da 〈…〉 by this meanes being driuen to 〈…〉 and great po 〈…〉 went from dore to dore begged hir bread But when the knightes that were hir kepers heard of this they reâ—orâ—ed shamefully the steward of that sinfull deede Then the steward waxed wroth and for great hate that he had in his hart he dispoiled the hâ—ights of their goods droue them fro the pallayes And when they were thus robbed exiled some for lack of liuings became theeues and some mankillers which through this inconuenience they wrought great harme Soone after this ther came tidings that themperour was arriued in far lands comming homeward And when the steward heard this hée was greatly troubled and moued in himselfe and thus thinking in himselfe hée said thus This may not bée but néedes I shall bée accused for my treaspasse that I haue committed against themperours coÌ„mandemeÌ„t hée is my God and mercifull Lord therfore
third rope that should hang the felon is the rope of amendement of life For as the scripture saith tâ—ere is more ioye in heauen ouer one sinner that turneth vnto the Lord in time than ouer c. Like as the stewaâ—d brought againe Themperâ—urs daughter â—o it behoueth vs to séeke about by fruitfull faith yea to finde our soule that we lost and bringing hir againe to the church to rule well our fiue witts to séede our greyhound as we should and make our lise so cleane and pure that we fall not againe to sinne for feare that it fortune to vs worse and that we haue no leasure to aske mercy againe at our néede And it we fullfil all this truely vnto our liues ende without doubt wée shall obtaine euerlasting life To the which our Lord bring vs all Amen The Argument ¶ The violating of our innoceÌ„cie in not â—â—â—nitating the law of God is heere described with being adiudged after the slesh yet by the merits of Christ our sauiour we obtaine our saluation The 19. History IN Rome dwelt sometime a mightie Emperour and a wise named Edsenne which ordained a law for that whosoeuer rauished a maide should be at hir discretion wherewith she would put him to death or that she would take him to hir husband It befell after that a man rauished in a night two faire matdeus the first damosell which he rauished desired that he should dye and the second desired him to hir husband The rauisher was taken ledde before the Judge that should satisfie both these damosells through his wisdome and equitir of the cause The first damosell desired the death according to the law Then said the second I desired to haue him my husband for like as thou hase the law for thée so in like case I haue it for mée and neuertholesse my petition is more better than yours for it is more charitable therefore me thinketh in my reason that the Justice should giue sinsence in fauour and furtherance of my desire Then the Justice vnderstanding the great mercy of the second damosell gaue iudgement that he should take hir to his wife and so it was done The Morall This Emperour betokeneth our lord Jesu Christ The rauisher betokeneth euery sinner which rauisheth gods mercy as often he violateth the commaundements of God by sinne for the diuell may neuer ouercome man but if it bée suffered by will For saint Austin saith Non est peccatum nisi sit voluntarium It is no sinne but if it be voluÌ„tary The rauisher also is called afore the Justice when the soule is departed from the bodie and anon the first damosell Innocency layde against the sinner that he ought to dye euerlastingly by the law of righteousnesse But that other mayden that is Christ his merits layd for hir how the mercy of God ought to help by harty repentaunce and acknowledging our sinnes which is the high way to euerlasting life Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The mother of the childe of grace and of the reprobate is heere declared which of them shall be saued and which of them dampned is not yet reuealed vnto the world till the day of iudgement The 20 Historie SOmetime there dwelt in Rome a mightie Emperour and a rich named Lipodius which tooke to wise a faire virgin a gentill the daughter of the king of Assiria this yong lady conceiued and beare a childe And in the byrth of hir sonne she dyed And anone after hir decease this Emperour maried an other wife and had by hir achilde also And immediately after that these children were borne he sent them both into a strange land for to be norished Then said the mother of the second childe My reuerend Lord tenne yéeres bée now fully expired since I bare my childe and yet sawe I him neuer but once and that was the first daye of his byrth therefore I beséech you my Lord to send for him that I may once reioyce mée of his sight Then said the Emperour I haue an other childe by my first wyfe and if I send for thy sonne than must I send for both and than anone he sent for them And when they were come they were of passing faiture and well trayned well instructed passing like in all maner thinges so as hardly the one might bee knowen from the other but by the father onely discerned Than said the mother of the second childe A my Lord tell mée which of these is my sonne and he called to him his sonne that he begate on his fiest wâ—â—e Whan the Empresse heaâ—d this shée gaue all hir care to nourish him and despised the other child When the Emperour saw this he saide to his wise Certainely I haue deceiued thee for him that thou louest so much is not thy son but that other is thy sonne Than sette shée all hir care vpon the seconde and forsooke the first When the Emperour saw this hée saide Truely I haue deceiued thée without doubt this is not thy sonne but one of them two is thy sonne Then sayde the mother A my Lorde for his loue that dyed for mankinde tell mée without cauellacion which of them is my sonne The Emperour answered and sayd certainely I will not tell you till they come both to mans state for this reason First I told you that this was your sonne and him haue you cherished as thy sonne and forsaken that other and when I tolde you that this was your sonne than despised you the first and cherished the second therefore I will that you bring vppe and cherish them both till that you may haue ioye of them When themprisse heard this she nourished them both a like And when they were both come to age the Emperour made a great supper and before all his gestes hée tolde his wyfe openly which of them was hir childe Than reioysed the Empresse greatly and with hir sonne shée ended hir lyfe in peace and rest The Morall This Emperours sonnes betokeneth those that be chosen to euerlasting life and those that be not chosen The mother of them is the prouidence of God that nourisheth theÌ„ both Therfore our Lord will not that his prouidence should let the world know which bée chosen and which be not chosen For if shée knew that than would she loue the one and hate the other and so should charitie be ouerthrowen among vs and should liue in discord and strife but trouth at the day of Judgement shall tell vs which of them shall be saued which of them shall be dampned Therefore pray wee in this world that we may come to the euerlasting feast in heauen Unto the which God bring vs all Amen The Argument The vngodly of this world will take no paines to liue vertuously and yet often tymes are they enriched for the most pait with the guifts of fortune neither carefull of the reward laid vp for pure vertue in heauen nor fearing the torments of hell deputed for the