his rost whiche had harde the noyse of the swordes vpon the sheldes came to departe the two knyghtes Polomites was sonne to the kyng of Thebes Thideus to another kyng of Grece but from theyr landes they were exyled Greatly honoured Adrastus the two Barons syth he gaue theÌ„ in mariage two right fayre doughters which he had After to put Polomites to the ryght of his land that Ethiocles his brother helde The kyng Adrastus made a great army went vpon Thebes with his great hoste whiche were all dyscomfyted deed and taken And the .ij. sonnes in lawe to the kyng slaine And the brethern betwyxt whom was the dyscorde slewe eche other in the battayle and to Adrastus besyde his owne person were not left on lyue thre knyghtes And therfore bicause to set and establysshe people exyled in to theyr ryght is a great affayre Prudence sayth to the good knyght that in suche a case he ought to haue counsayl and take example by the sayd aduenture and as Adrastus met vpon a nyghte that he shulde gyue his two doughters by maryage to a Lyon and a Dragon whiche shuld fyght togyther the exposicion of dremes sayth that sweuyns commen of fantasie which may be demonstraunce of good or euyl aduenture which shal come to creatures The .xlvi. Allegorie WHere it is said that yf he haue any Doughters to be maryed that he shall take hede to whom he shall gyue theÌ„ we may vnderstande that the good mynde or spryte cheualrous to GOD oughte to regarde well with whom he shall holde company yf it so be that he wol go in to company as dyd the good Thoby Also he ought to assygne set all his thoughtes in holy meditacions And saynt Augustyne sayth in an Epistle that they whiche haue lerned of our lord to be debondare humble and meke do profyte more in meditacion and prayers than they haue done in redyng and herynge Therfore sayd Dauid in his Psalter Meditabar iâ— mandatis tuis que dilexi The .xlvii. Hystorie The .xlvii. Texte WHan thou arte yonge and flouryng in pleasaunce Acquaynte the with Cupido but not frequente For so that measure leede the in her daunce The God of battayle holdeth hym well contente The .xlvii. Glose CVpido is the God of loue and for somoch as it is not vnsyttyng vnto a yonge knight to be amorous vpon a Lady that is good his condycions may therby become better But bycause Othea knoweth that the hauntynge therof is withdrawynge a man and a thynge moche anoyenge to Armes she sayth to the good knyght that she is well consentyng that he acqueynt him with Cupido And a Phylosoper sayth that to loue of good courage procedeth of Noblenes of the harte The .xlvii. Allegorie THat it pleaseth well to the God of battayle that he acqueynt hym w t Cupido may be vnderstande penaunce yf the good sprite repentaunt of his synnes fyghting agaynst vyces be yonge entre newly in to the ryght way well it pleaseth to God of battayle y â— is Iesu Christe that he acqueynte hym with penaunce that Iesu Christ by his worthy battayle was our redeÌ„ptoure sayth saynt Barnarde what worde sayth he of more great mercye myghte one saye to the synner whiche was dampned that where as he was solde by his synne to the enemye of hell and had not where with to redeme hym selfe GOD the Father sayde Take my sonne and giue him for the. And the sonne sayd Take me for thy Raunsome and redeme thy selfe by me This is brought into remembraunce by saynt Peter the apostle in his fyrst Epistle Non corruptibilibus aned vel argento cedeâ—â—â—ti est is sed precioso sanguine quasi agni incontaminati et immaculati iesu xvi prima Pet. i. ca. The .xlviii. Hystorie The .xlviii. Texte SLee thou not Corinis the fayre For the reporte of the Rauen vniuste For yf thou her Slee halfe in dyspayre Thou shalt repente after thou mayest me truste The .xlviii. Glose COrinis was a damosyll as sayth a fable whom Phebus loued paramoures the Rauen whiche than was his seruaunte reported to hym that he had sene Corinis his loue lyenge-with another yonge man of this nouell was phebus somoch dolent that he slew his loue as soone as he sawe her but therof meruaylously he after repented hym the Rauen which attended for his euerdon which he shuld haue of his lorde for his good dede was by hym cursed and chased the fethers whiche he was wont to haue whyte as snowe Phebus them chauÌ„ged into blacke in sygne of dolour and Phebus from thensforth on ordeyned hym to be a beyrer and announcer of euyll tydynges and nouelles and the exposicion may be vnderstand that the seruauÌ„t of some puyssaunt maÌ„ brought to his lorde semblable tydynges wherfore he was chased and dysapoynted of his seruice Therfore woll Othea say that the good knyght ought not to auaunce hym to say to his prynce suche tydinges wherof he may haue the hart corrouced or angry for in the ende euyll maye come to hym therof and also he ought not to beleue the reporte whiche is vnto hym made by flatery To this purpose sayth he Phylosopher Hermes The reporter or contriuer of tydynges eyther he maketh a leasynge to hym to whom he sheweth them eyther he is false to hym of whom he sayth them The .xlviii. Allegorie BY Corinis whiche ought not to be slayne we may vnderstand our soule whom we oughte not for to slee by synne but therefro well to kepe her And saynt Augustyne sayth that the soule oughte to be kepte as the Cofre that is full of treasour and as the Castell whiche is assyeged with enemyes as the kyng which reposeth hym in his chambre of retraite and this chambre shuld be closed with v. gates which be the .v. wyttes of nature and it is none other thynge to close those gates but onely to retraye or drawe a backe the dilectacions of the .v. wyttes and yf it fortune that the soule shulde Issue by any of his gates to his outwarde operacions she ought demurely aduysedly and in dyscrecion to Issue And euen so as the Prynces whan they woll Issue fro theyr chambres haue huyssyers afore them holdynge maces to make way in the prease so whan the soule shulde Issue to se here speke or fele she ought to haue afore her Drede for her huyssyer whiche shulde haue for the mace the consideracion of the paynes of hell and of the Iudgement of GOD. And thus to garde the Soule admonesteth the Sage sayenge Omni custodia serua tuum cor quoniam ex iâ—o vita procedit Prouer. iiii capitulo The .xlix. Hystorie The .xlix. Texte TAke vpon Iuno no cure ne luste Yf thou to the name of honour haue more fauoure Than to the degree whiche falleth to duste For prowesse is better than all golde and hauyoure The .xlix. Glose IVno is the Goddes of ryches and substaunce after the fables of Poetes and bycause that hauiour and
worlde abrode is layde The glorious fame whiche rode on Pegasus Flyenge by the ayre with wynges dysplayed And from the monstre delyuered he the mayde Whiche named was Andromeda the bryght And by his force the monstre he desmayde Lyke a good and perfyte gentle arrant knyght ¶ He rendred her vnto her Parentes olde This feate oughtest thou to kepe in remembraunce For eche good knight the same maner shulde holde Yf he woll haue honoure and valyaunce Whiche valueth more then all mondayne substaunce So shadowe the vnder his shynynge shelde Fyght with his fashyon that putteth all to vtteraunce Than shalte thou be stronge stable in the felde The .v. Glose ANd for somoche as it is a thyng coÌ„uenient that to the good knight be due honoure and reuerence we shall showe therof a fygure after the maner of Poetes Perseus was a moche valyaunt knyght and many realmes he conquered of hym was named the great lande of Perse and the poetes say that rode vpon the horse which flewe by the ayre named Pegasus And it is to vnderstande renome whiche flyeth by the ayre into all countrees He bare in his hande a fauchyon or a sythe whiche is sayd for the great foyson of people whiche by hym were dyscomfyted in many battayles he delyuered Andromeda fro the monstre of the see whiche was a fayre mayde whom he delyuered from the sayd monstre whiche by the sentence of God shuld haue deuoured her Whiche is to vnderstande that all knyghtes ought to succoure women whiche shall haue nede of theyr ayde So may be noted by Perseus his flyeng horse good renome fame which the good knyght oughte to haue and purchase by his good merytes and therupon he oughte to ryde that is that his name ought to be borne in to all landes regions And Aristotle saith good renome fame maketh a maÌ„ relusant shining to the worlde agreable in the presence of princes The .v. Allegorie REnome ought to be desyred of the knyghtly soule or spryte cheualrous amoÌ„gest the noble company of the blyssed sayntes of Paradyce purchased by his good merites The horse Pegasus which bare it shal be his good aungell whiche shall bere of hym good reporte at the day of Iudgement Andromeda which shal be delyuered is his soule whom he shall delyuer from the enemy by banquysshyng synne and that a man ought to flye ouer it that is to haue good renome in this world to th ende to be rewarded of God and not to haue vaynglory Saynt Augustyne sayth in his boke of correction that two thinges ben necessary to a good lyuer that is to say good conscience and good name or renome conscience for hym selfe and renome for his neyghboure and he that assysteth hym in conscience dyspyseth renome is cruell for it is a sygne of noble courage to loue the goodnes of renome and to this purpose sayth the sage Curam habe de bono nomine magis â—nietâ— permanâ—bit tibi quam mille thesauri preciosi Ecclesiastici .xli. capitulo The .vi. Hystorie The .vi. Texte AMongest all thyne other inclynacions Of Iupyter vse the maners glorious Thou shalt obtayne many collaudacions Yf them in ryghte kynde thou holde and dyscusse The .vi. Glose AS it is sayd afore the Paynimes whiche worshypped many Gods helde the planettes of the ayre for theyr especiall gods And of the .vii. planettes they named the .vij. dayes of the weke Iupyter or Iouis they helde for theyr gretest god for somoch as he is set in y â— highest aspect of planettes after Saturne Of Iouis hath the thursday his name and especially the Arsmetriscientes haue attribued compared the vertues of the .vij. metalles to the .vij. planettes and named the termes of theyr sciences by the same planettes as it may be sene in Geber and Nycholas and the other Aucthorities of that science To Iupyter they attrybued the metall of Tyn or pewter Iupyter or Iouis is a Planet of swete condicion amiable moch ioyous and is fygured to the sanguyne complectioÌ„ Therfore sayth Othea that is to say Prudence that y â— good knight ought to haue the condicions of Iupyter and that specially ought to haue al noble men hauÌ„tyng cheualrie To this purpose sayth Pytagoras that a kyng ought gracyously to be conuersaunt w t his people and to them shewe Ioyous vysage And in semblable wyse it is to be entended of all valyaunte entendynge to honoure The .vi. Allegorie ¶ Nowe brynge we to oure purpoâ—e the Allegorie of the propreties of the seuen Planettes Ouis whiche is a swete Planet gentle of whom the good knyght ought to haue the condicions To vs may sygnifie mercy and compassion whiche the good knyght ought to haue in hym for saynt Gregory sayth in his Epistle to Nepotian I remembre not saith he to haue sene or hard y t he may be deed which hath voluntarily accoÌ„plyshed the workes of mercy for misericorde or mercy hath many intercessours it is impossyble but that the prayers of many shuld not be exaulted And to this purpose speketh our lord in the Gospell Beati misericordes quontam iê‘i misericordiam consequantur The .vii. Hystorie The .vii. Texte MAke not thy Goddesse of blynde Venus Ne of her slypper promyse take none hede Her to pursue it is moche trauaylous Not honourable but ful of quakynge brede The .vii. Glose VEnus is a Planet of the Ayre of whom the fryday hath his name and the metall whiche we call Coper to her is attrybued Venus gyueth influence of loue and of vagant mynde and there was a Lady so named whiche was quene of Cypres And for somoche as she excelled all other in beaultie and Iolitie and was right Amourouse and not constant in one loue but abandoned to many they called her the goddesse of loue And bycause that she gyueth influence of luxurie saith Othea to the good knyght that he make not of her his goddesse that is to vnderstande that vnto that vice he ought not to abandone his body nor his entent and to this purpose sayth Hermes The vice of lechery queÌ„cheth all vertues The .vii. Allegorie VEnus of whom the good knyghte ought not to make his Goddesse gyueth vs vnderstandyng that y â— good soule ought not to haue in her any vanite And Cassiodore sayth vpoÌ„ the Psalter Vanite doth the aungell to become a deuyll and to the fyrste man she gaue the death and made hym voyde of the felycite that vnto hym was graunted Vanite is mother of al euyll founteyne of all vyces and the vayne of all iniquitie whiche debouteth and casteth forthe man from the grace of god and maketh hym odyous and to be had in hatred and to this purpose saith Dauid in his Psalter in spekynge vnto God Odisti obserauntes vanitates superâ—aâ—ur Psalmo .xxx. The .viii. Hystorie The .viii. Texte AT any tyme whan thou syttest on Iudgement Take hede that thou resemble olde Saturne Gyuynge sentence delyberer thyne intent Tyll doubte
day togyther to cast the barre of yron and as Ganimedes was not of power agaynst the force of Phebus he was slayne by the reboundynge of the barre whiche Phebus cast so hyghe that he had lost the syght therof And therfore sayeth Othea that with his stronger or moste puyssaunte it is not good a man for to stryue For therof may not come but inconuenience So sayth one Sage A man for to playe with the men that be vngracyous is sygne of pryde And is fyninished most coÌ„menly with wrath The .liii. Allegorie AND as it is sayde that agaynst his stronger he ought not to enforce hym it is to be vnderstande that the good spryte ought not to enterpryse ouer stronge penaunce without counsayle Of this speketh saynt Gregory in Moralibus That penytence profyteth not but yf it be discret neyther the vertue of abstynence is nothynge worthy but yf it be so ordayned that it not more aspre than the bodye maye susteyne And therfore he concludeth that no symple person neyther ought to enterpryse penytence w toute the counsayle of more dyscrert than hym selfe Therfore sayth the Sage in his prouerbes Vbi mulâ—a consilia ivi erit Calus Prouerbiorum secundo capitulo And the common Prouerbe sayth Omnia fat cum consilio et postea non penitebiâ— The .liiii. Hystorie The .liiii. Texte IAson to resemble thy selfe well thou shulde Vvhiche by Media in conquest gaue the glorie Of the Golden flees wherfore he dyd her yelde A ryghte euyll Guerdon after his vyctorie The .liiii. Glose IAson was a knyght of Grece whiche went into a straunge countre that is to wyt into the I le of Colcos by the endictement or coÌ„mauÌ„dement of Peleus his vncle which by enuy desyred his death There was a shepe which had his flees of golde by enchauntement was kept but as the conquest was so stronge that no maÌ„ came thyther but he lost his lyfe Medea which was doughter to y e kyng of that countre was greatly surprysed with the loue of Iason that by the enchauntementes that she vnderstode beynge in that facultie a soueraigne maystres she gaue charmes and taught enchauntementes to Iason wherby he coÌ„quered the golden flees and therby had honour aboue al knightes lyuyng and was restored from death by Medea to whom he had promysed for euer to be a loyall louer but after fayth to hym fayled and he loued another and her vtterly he refused and forsoke Notwithstandyng that she was of right soueraigne beaulte Therfore sayth my Lady prudence to the good knyght that he refuse to resemble Iason which to moch was misknowyng desloyall vnto her which had done to hym great goodnes As it is a vyllayne thynge to a knyght to be ingrate vnkynde or mysknowyng any bounte or goodnes that he hath receyued be it of Lady Damosyll or other But he ought to remeÌ„bre it yelde guerdon therfore to his power To this purpose sayth Hermes Attende not to rewarde hym whiche hath shewed to the bounte For why Thou ougtest to remembre it for euer The .liiii. Allegorie IAson whiche was vnkynde ought not the good sprite to resemble whiche for the benefytes goodnes inenarrable receyued of his creatour oughte not to be vnkynde s. Barnard saith vpoÌ„ the Cantycles that ingratitude or vnkindnes is enemie to the soule the impediment of vertues the dispersion of merytes the destruction of perdycion of good dedes Ingratytude is as a dryeÌ„ wynde y t dryeth vp the fountayne of pyte the dewe of grace the ryuer of mercy To this purpose sayth the Sage Ingrati enim speâ— tanquam hibernalis glatiis tabescet et disparieâ— tanquam aqua superuacna Sapientis .xvi. capitulo The .lv. Hystorie The .lv. Texte OF the Serpent Gorgon fle the consystorie Her fygure to regarde beware thy selfe well The valyaunte Perseus haue in memorie Vhiche all the Hystorie therof can the tell The .lv. Glose GORgon as sayth the fable was a damosell of soueraygne beaulte but bycause that Phebus had pastyme with her in the temple of Diane the goddes toke therin so great displeasure that she transmued her into a serpent of ryght horryble fygure and such a properte had that serpent that the maÌ„ which behelde her was sodeynly turned into a stone For the euyl that of her did procede Perseus the valiaunt knyght went to fyght against the fyerce beeste And in the resplendour or brightnes of his sheelde whiche was all of golde he behelde hyÌ„self to th entent that he shuld not regarde the euyll serpent he dyd so moch that he stroke of her heed Many exposycions may be made vpon this sayd fable And Gorgon may be vnderstande for one Cytte or Towne whiche hath ben wonte to be of great bountie But by the vyces of the inhabitauntes it becometh a serpent venimous that is to vnderstande that many domages and euyls it doth to the marches nere adiacent as of al them to robbe pylle and the marchauntes other passyng by ben taken and put in strayte pryson and so be they turned to stones Perseus behelde hymself in his cheualry went to fyght agaynst the sayd Cytie and toke it and bereft it of the power for any more doyng euyll and also may it be a Lady that is ryght fayre and of euyll maners and affayres which by her couetyse leueth naked and vnclothed many of theyr hauiour ryches substaunce And many other entendementes and exposicions may be set vpon it Therfore wol she say to the good knyght that he be well ware to beholde that thynge that is euyl to euyll may him drawe And Aristotle sayth fle from people full of Iniquitie and folowe the Sages Study in theyr bokes and beholde the in theyr Feates The .lv. Allegorie THat he ought not to regarde Gorgon y t is that the good sprite ought not to beholde or thynke vpon any delyces but beholde his owne fygure in the sheelde of the estate of perfection And the delices ben to be refused saith Chrisostome that as it is impossyble that the fyre bren in water so is it impssible that compunction of harte be amoÌ„gest the delyces of the world They ben two thynges contrary whiche destroye eche other for compuÌ„ction is mother of teares and the delices engendre laughter CompuÌ„ction restrayneth the hart and delyces putteth it at lybertie To this purpose sayth the scripture Qui seruiaâ—nt in letrimie in exultacione meâ—â—t The .lvi. Hystorie The .lvi. Texte IF loue by nyghte constrayne the to wake Take hede that Phebus therof be not aduysed By whose aduertisement thou mayste be take And with the bondes of Vulcan to be surprysed The .lvi. Glose A Fable sayth that Mars and Venus loued eche other peramours It befell vpon a nyghte that these two louers arme in arme were fallen on slepe Phebus which sawe clerely them surprysed and apperceyued he them accused to vulcan husband to Venus thaÌ„ he seyng them in that poynte forged a chayne as he that
ii ad corin The .lxxxv. Hystorie The .lxxxv. Texte TO Achilles take thou good hede vpon After that thou shalt haue Patroclus slayne For truste me well them two ben both as one And haue theyr goodes coÌ„mune betwyxt them twayne The .lxxxv. Glose PAtroclus and Achylles were fellowes togither and so perfete frendes and louers that neuer two brethren loued better eche other and they theyr good were as one onely proper thing and bycause that Hector slewe Patroclus iÌ„ battayle therfore came the great hate of Achylles vpoÌ„ Hector But bicause he moch doubted his great puyssaunte and force he neuer ceased to watche hym to th entent to renne vpon hym beyng dyscouered by treason So sayeth Othea to Hector as by prophecy of this that was to come that whan he shuld haue slayne Patroclus it was nedeful to kepe hym from Achylles And it is to be vnderstande that what man soeuer hath slayne or mysdone to the loyall felowe of another that his felowe beyng a lyue woll take vengeaunce therof yf he may Therfore sayth Madarge In what place soeuer thou be w t thyne enemye holde hyÌ„ euer for suspect although that thou be stronger than he The .lxxxv. Allegorie WHere it is sayd that whan he shuld haue slaine Patroclus he shuld haue euer a good eye vpoÌ„ Achilles we may vnderstand that yf the good spryte suffre him self to encline to synne he ought to doubte the deth euerlastyng and as sayth Iob the lyfe present is but a cheualry and insygne therof this present lyfe is called melitant to the difference of the lyfe aboue whiche is called tryumphaunt for that hath the vyctory of Enemyes To this purpose sayth saint Paule the Apostle Induite doe armatur a dei vt possitis stâ—re adâ—â—â—sus insidiâ—s diaboli Ad ephesi vi ca. The .lxxxvi. Hystorie The .lxxxvi. Texte GLadly to Echo her requestes at troye Be thou not in wyll her playntes to augmente If thou haue power to set her harte in ioye Thou knowest not what Fortune is vnto the lente The .lxxxvi. Glose ECho so sayth a fable was a Nymphe bycause that she was woâ—t to be ouer great a IaÌ„gleres by her iangling accused Iuno y t vpoÌ„ a day she watched her husband by Ialousy she raÌ„nâ— iÌ„ the indignacioÌ„ of y â— goddes which sayd that froÌ„ theÌ„sforth she shuld neuer speâ—e first any word to such tyme as another had spokeÌ„ it afore Echo was amourous vpoÌ„ y e fayre Narcisus but for any praier or sygne of amite y t she myght to hyÌ„ he dayned not to haue vpoÌ„ her pyte iÌ„ somoche y â— the farre Echo dyed for his loue but in dyeng she praied to the goddes y t she might be venged vpoÌ„ him in whom she had sounde so moch of cruelte that they wold giue hyÌ„ to fele the amourous pancture or pryckyng of loue wherby he myght know the great dolour that the perfite fyne louers haue which of loue ben refused therof behoueth to take their deth therw t fynished Echo her lyfe but the voyce of her remained which yet doth endure and the goddes made her euerlasting memory of â—his aduenture and yet she giueth answere to the people in valleys vpon ryuers after the voice of 〈◊〉 her but she may neuer speke first Echo may sygnify aâ— son that by great necessâ—tâ—e requireth a thyng of another the voyce that did remayne is y â— the people suffâ—yng payne or desease thynke the time long ynough how shorte so it be they may not speke but after another y t is theâ— may not helpe theÌ„self w tout the ayde of another Therfore well Othea say to the good knyght that he ought to haue pite vpon such as suffre whâ—Ì„ they 〈…〉 any thing of him 〈…〉 y â— â—yll wel kepe the 〈…〉 to ayd 〈◊〉 frenâ—◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 theÌ„ sufâ—â—e to be 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 y â— rygâ—t is to his 〈…〉 â—rom all vyces 〈◊〉 The .lxxxvi. Allegorie EChâ— whiche oughte not 〈…〉 her request denyed we maye vnderstande mercye whiche the good sprite ought to haue in hyÌ„ and s Augustyne sayth iÌ„ his boke of the sermoÌ„ of our lord in the mountaine that blyssed ben they which voluÌ„tarely succour in this pefent lyfe them y t ben in mysery for they deserue well y â— the mercy of god delyuer them fro their miseries it a iust rightwise thyÌ„g y t he which wold be ayded by his soueraigne that is more puissaunt thaÌ„ he in lyke wise y t he help such as belesse thaÌ„â—e in y â— thing wherin he is more puissauÌ„t Therfore sayth the sage Qui pronue est ad in am benedictiue Pro. xâ—ii ca. The .lxxxvii Hystory The .lxxxvii. Texte OF the Laurier yf that thou set thyne entente To haue a crowne which vaineth more than golde Daphne to pursue to the is coÌ„gruent ThaÌ„ shalt thou it haue yf thou her ryght path holde The .lxxxvii. Glose A Fable sayth that Daphne was a damosel whom Phebus loued by loue moch her pursued but in no wyse she wold to hym accorde It befel vpon a day that he sawe the fayre mayde goyng by the way whan she sawe hym come she toke her to stye and the god after and whan he was so nere y â— she sawe well she myght not escape she made her prayer to Diane goddes of chastite that she wold saue vnto her poore mayde the virginite of her body contynent was the body of the Pucell transmued in to a grene Laurier whan Phebus was approched therto he toke of the brannches of the tree a made him therof a chaÌ„plet in sygne of victory And euer sythen vnto this day hath a chapiet of Laurier sygnified victory and specially in the time of the great felicite of the Romaynes they crowned euer with Laurier the victorious Many entedemeÌ„tes may be had of this fable it may be that a puâ—â—saunt man pursued w t long trauayle a lady in somoch that vâ—deâ— a Laurier he at fayned her to his pleasure and for y â— cause he loued the Laurier euer after bare it in deuyse and speche in sygne of vitory that he had of his loue vnder the Laurier and the Laurier may be taken for golde which sygnifieth nobles bycause y t the Laurier sygnifieth honour she sayth to the good knyght that it is conuenient for â—ym to pursue Daphne yf he wâ—ll haâ—◠〈◊〉 of Laurier y t is to vnderstand he must pursue payne and trauayle yf he wâ—l come to honour To this purpose saith Omere by great dylygence cometh a man to perfection The .lxxxvii. Allegorie YF he woll haue a Crowne of Laurier it behoueth hym to pursue Daphne by this we may vnderstande that yf the good spryte woll haue glorious victory hym behoueth good perseueraunce which shall bryng hym to the victory of Paradyce Wherof the ioyes ben infynite as sayth saynt Gregory What is sayth he the tonge that suffyseth to recompte and
what is the endemente that maye comprehende howe great ben the ioyes of this soueraygne Cytie of Paradyce to be eche daye present with the ordre of Aungelles to be assystynge with the blyssed sprytes in the glory of the maker To regard beholde presently the visage of God To se the lyght iÌ„circuÌ„scriptible To be sure neuer to haue drede of deth to reioyce him self iÌ„ the rest of euerlasting incorrupcioÌ„ To this sayth Dauid in the Psalter Gloriosa dicta sunt de teâ—ciuitas dei The .lxxxviii. Hystorie The .lxxxviii. Texte OF Andrometha thy wyfe I shall make mencion By that vision to be aduertised Refuse not al iÌ„ thine entencion Ne of none other women that well ben apprysed The .lxxxviii. Glose ANdrometha was wyfe to Hectoâ— and the nyght afore that he waâ— slayne came an auision to the lady thaâ— yf vpon the day ensuynge Hector wenâ— to batayle w tout fayle he shuld be slayne wherof Andrometha w t great sighes and wepyngê did her power that he shulde not go into batayle but he wold not gyue credence vnto her so was he slayne Therfore saith Othea that the good knyght ought not fully to disprayse the auysions of his wyfe y t is to vnderstaÌ„d the counsayle and auyse of his wyfe yf she be sage well condicioned Plato sayth y u shuldest not disprayse the counsayle of a lytel person which is sage for though it so be that y u be olde haue thou no shame to take the auyse which a childe sheweth vnto the for some tyme the ignoraunt may auyse the sage The .lxxxviii. Allegorie THe auysion of Andrometha which shuld not be dispraysed is that the good sprite ought not to adnichille set at nought y e good purpose that the holy ghost hath put in his hert but he ought anone to put it to effect after his power of this sayth s. Gregory that the good sprite to haue vs to do wel admonesteth vs moueth vs ensigneth vs he admonesteth our memory he moueth our wyl he ensygneth techeth our entendemeÌ„t the spryte doulce and swete suffreth no spot of maculacioÌ„ to remayne w tin the habitacioÌ„ of the hart wherin he hyÌ„ self enspireth but iÌ„ contineÌ„t he breÌ„neth it w t the fyre of his subtle circuÌ„spectioÌ„ Therfore sayth S. Paule the Apostle Spiritum nolite extinguere Ad hebreos .xi. ca. The .lxxxix. Hystorie The .lxxxix. Texte IF that great warre vpon the be surmysed In force of Babyloyne ouer moche the not affye For vnto Nâ—nus the force so well suffysed That he it toke no man might hym denye The .lxxxix. Glose BAbyloyne the great which was edefied by Nemdrothtite Gyant was the most stroÌ„ge cytie that euer was made but that notwithstanding it was taken by the kyng Ninus Therfore saith she to y â— good knight that he ought not ouer moche to affye hym in the force of his Cytie or casâ—ello time of warre dut that he be we fourâ—ayde of people at many as hym behoueth for conuenable offence And Plato sayth he that affyeth hym all quelye in his force is oftentymes vanquysshed The .lxxxix. Allegorie IN the force of Babyloyne no man ought not to affye him selfe ouermoch that is that the good spryte ought not to set his truste ne to gyue attendaunce for any thing that the world promiseth Of this sayth s. Augustyne in the boâ—e of the syngularite of clerkes that it is ouer lewde affyaÌ„unce a man to repute his lyfe sure against the perilles of this worlde and folysshe hope it is to supose to be safe amonges the morsures or bytynges of synne lytel certaynte hath a man of victory as longe as he is amonges the dartes of his Enemyes he y t is enuyrouned all aboute with hydeous flames of fyre is not delyuered lyghtly without brennynge Beleue in hym that hathe the experyence yf the worlde laughe vpon the haue in hym none affyaunce In GOD set all thyne hope Therfore sayth Dauid Bonum est confidere in domino sâ— confidere in homine The lxxxx Hystorie The lxxxx Texte HEctor me behoueth with syghes despytuous Thy death to expresse whiche doth my harte to brest Whiche shall to the fall when of kynge Pryamus Thou wolte not obey the prayer ne request The lxxxx Glose THe day that Hector was slayne in the batayle Andrometha his wyfe came to pray kynge Priam w t pytuous and great complayntes and wepynges that he shuld not suffre Hector to go in to batayle for without fayle he shuld be slayne yf he thyther went for it was certeinly shewed vnto her by Mars the god of batayle whiche in slepyng had appered vnto her Priam treated in asmoch as he myght and hym greatly endeuoured to desturne him so that he shuld not syght that day but Hector stole himself preuely from his father and went forth of the Cytie by a way made vnder the grounde and went in to batayle where he was slayne And so bycause that he had neuer dysobeyed his Father but onely that daye She myght well saye that the daye wherin he shulde dysobey his Father he shulde dye and it is for to be vnderstande that no man ought to dysobey his good frendes whan as they ben sage And therfore sayde Arystotle to Alexandre As longe as thou shalt beleue the counsayle of them whiche vseth sapyence and that loueth the loyally thou shalt reygne victoryously The lxxxx Allegorie WHere she sayth to Hector that it behoueth her to shewe his death is that the good spryte ought to haue in contynuall memory the houre of death Of this sayeth S. Barnarde That nothynge is founde amonges the thynges humayne more certayne than the death nor more vncertayne than is the houre of death for death hath no mercy of pouerte she bereth none honour to rychesse she spareth neyther sapyence maners nor age Of the death no man hath other certayntie but that she standeth at the dore of the auncyent or olde people and to the yonge she is in maner of an espye To this purpose sayth the Sage Memor esto quoniam mors non tardabit Ecclesiastici .xiiii. ca. The lxxxxi Hystorie The lxxxxi Texte YET the to make Sage I shall do my best Take hede that in bataile thou vse not this conceyte Of Armes to dyscouer thy bodye ne thy brest Vvhiche vnto death may well be called a bayte The lxxxxi Glose HEctor in the batayle was founde dyscouert of his Armes and so slayne Therfore saith Othea to y e good knight that of his armes in batayle he ought not to discouer him and Hermes saith the death is lyke to the stroke of an arowe and the lyfe is lyke to the arowe that is commynge The lxxxxi Allegorie WHere it is said that he ought to holde hym couerte of his armes is to be vnderstand that the good knyght of Iesu christ ought to holde his wyttes close and not vagaunt Of this saith s. Gregory in his moralles that the person which disperseth his