tHis book is intituled confessio amantis, that is to saye in englysshe the confessyon of the louer maad and compyled by Iohan Gower squyer ...

tHis book is intituled confessio amantie / that is to saye in englysshe the confessyon of the louer maad and compyled by Iohan Gower squyer borne in walys in the tyme of kyng richard the second which book treteth how he was confessyd to Genyus preest of venus vpon the causes of loue in his fyue wyttes and suum dedely synues / as in thys sayd book al alonge appyereth / and by cause there been comprysed therin dyuers hystories and fables towchyng euery matere / I haue ordeyned a table here folowyng of al suche hystoryes and fables where and in what book and leef they stande in as here after foloweth

Fyrst the prologue how Iohan golde● in the xvj yere of kyng rychard the second be●●n to make thys book and dyrected to ha●●● of lancastre thenne erle of derby folio ij Of the state of the royames temporally the sayd yere folio iij Of the state of the clergye the tyme of robert gyllonensis namyng hym self elemente thenne antipope folio iij Of the estate of the comyn people folio v How he treteth of the ymage that nabugodonosor save in his sleep hauyng 〈…〉 d of 〈…〉 / a breste of syluer / a ●●●y of 〈…〉 / legges of yron / and ●eet 〈…〉 & halfe erthe folio vj Of the 〈…〉 tacion of the dreme / and how the world was fyrst of golde / & after alwey worse & werse folio vj Thus endeth the prologue

Here begynneth the book ● And fyrst the auctor nameth thys book confessio amantis / that is to say the shryfte of the louer / wheron alle thys book shal shel●e not onely the loue humayn / but also of alle lyuyng beestys naturally folio ix How cupydo smote Iohan Gower with a fyry arowe and wounded hym so that venus commysed to hym genyus hyr preest for to here hys confessyon folio x How Genyus beyng sette / the loue● knelyng tofore hym prayeth the sayd confessor to appose hym in his confessyon folio xj The confessyon of the amant of two of the pryncipal●st of his fyue ●oyttes folio xi How atheon for lokyng vpon Deane was turned in to an herte folio xj Of phor●eus and hys thre doughters whiche had but one eye / & how phor●eus slel●e them folio xij How the serpente that bereth the charbune●e stoppeth his one ere wyth hys tayle and that other wyth the erthe whan he is ●nchaunted folio xij How vlyxes es●●ped fro the marma●dens by stoppyng of hys eerys folio xij How foloweth that there ben vij dedely synnes / of whome the fyrste is pryde hauyng dyuerse spices / and the fyrst is ypocresye / ●●hos properte the confessor declareth to the amant folio xiij Here treateth the confessor with the amant how somme there be that deceyue fraudulently by ypocresye ●f●e Innocente wymmen f●●●o xiiij How a knyght of Rome named mun ●us by fayned ypocresye defowled one ●aulyne the most chaste wyf of rome by the mene of two false preestys folio xiiij How by ●●e colour of sacrefyse the gre ●●s ●an ●r●ye in offryng of an hors of ●ms / by whiche the cyte was dest●●yed● and t●yn●● by tantes sley●e / & ●●●e vnder fayned ypocresye ●o xvj Here ●e telleth of the second spyce of pryde named Inobedyence / & declareth the nature of this vyce folio xvij ●● two vyces longyng to Inobedyence whiche serue to hym as secrete mynys●●● / and they ben murmur and com 〈◊〉 folio xviij ●● 〈◊〉 neuewe to the Empereu● 〈◊〉 ●●● obedyence deformed the kynges 〈◊〉 of Secyle / whyche 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 ●ad been transformed 〈◊〉 xviij Here ●e speketh of the thyrd spyce of 〈◊〉 / whiche is surquedrye and declareth it to the amant folio xxj Of the k●●yg●● Campaneus whyche was for his surquedrye ●●ente by fyre ●●m●ng fro heuen at the syege of thefes folio xxj Here he telleth an ensaunmple of a kyng of hungarye whiche humbled hym to ●oure men / wherof his ●●●der rebuked hym / and how the kynge by hys merueylous wysdom chastysed hys ●●●der folio xxij How narasus after his huntyng had grete thyrste / and dranke of a welle wherin he sawe his owne face / on whiche he enamo●red wenyng it had ben a nymphe / and how for his beaute ●e deyed folio xxiij Here he speketh of the fourth spyce of pryde named auantance / and sheweth the nature of thys vyce folio xxiiij How albyne kynge of the lombardes after he had sleyne gurmonde a kyng he maad a cuppe of the seulle of hys heed / and toke Rosemunde hys doughter in mariage / and after he maad hyr for to drynke of the cuppe maad of hyr faders s●ulle / wherfore he was afterward sleyne folio xxiiij Here the confessor speketh of the fifthe spyce of pryde whyche is called vayne glorye / and sheweth the nature of the vyce in the cause of loue to the amant folio xxvj How Nabugodonosor beyng in hys moste glorye / god ch●s●y●●d his pride and transformed hym in to a bee●● ●●yng heye / and soo abode seuen yere or he was restored to hys helthe and royame folio x●●●● How a prudent kyng● demaunded thre questyons of one of hys knyghtes vpon hys heed / whiche were assoyled by hys doughter / and for her wysdom the kyng wedded hyr folio xxviij Here endeth the fyrst book

And here foloweth the second book Here the confessor ●e●●th of the synne of enuye / and of his spytes of whiche the fyrste is sorowe of another mannes we le folio xxxj How polyphemus for enuye that he sawe A●● spekynge wyth galathe / threwe and caste on acis a grete roche and slewe hym / and whan he wold haue rauysshed Galathe Neptunus kepte hyr fro polyphem folio xxxj Of the second spyce of enuye whyche is ioye of other mennes sorowe / and telleth of the nature of the vice in cause of loue folio xxxij How Iupiter sente his aungel to two enuyous men one couetous and that other enuyous folio xxxij Of the thyrd spyce of enuye named detraccion folio xxxij How constaunce the doughter of the emperour was sente to the sowdan of surrye and of her meruaylous aduentures folio xxxiij Of the enuye and detraccion betwene perseus and Demetryus sones of phelyp kyng of ma●edone / and how that one caused that other to be slayne folio xl Here treteth the confessor of the fourth spyce of enuye / whyche is callyd dy● symylacyon and telleth his nature folio xlj How hercules wyth deyanyra was deceyued of nessus at a ryuer / in beryng aweye Deyanyra / and of the sherte by whiche hercul●●● after had his deth folio xliij Here he treteth of the fyfthe spyce of 〈◊〉 called supplantacion and telleth of his nature folio xliiij Of geta and amphytrion folio xlv How an emperours sone of rome was supp●● 〈◊〉 by his felowe / of the sow dan● 〈◊〉 by tellyng to hym hys 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xlv How 〈◊〉 ●●pe boneface supplanted 〈◊〉 celestyn his predecessour wherfor afterward he was in grete myserye of hunger and thurste 〈◊〉 folio xlvij How Ioab capeteyn of the hoost of dauyd slewe abner / and Achytofel for enuye that he had that c●usy was preferred henge hym self folio xlix How the confessor wryteth the natur● of enuye / as wel in loue as after the properte of the vyce folio xli● How the vertu of charite is ageyns● enuye / and telleth of constantyn sone of he layn shold haue be heled of hye lepre by blood of chyldren whyche he pardoned / wherfore he was heled b● myracle folio xlix Here endeth the second book

And here begynneth the thyrd book How the ●onfessor treteth of the synne of yre / and of hys fyue spy●● of whyche the fyrst is called malenc●● colye folio 〈◊〉 How macharye sone of kynge Eolus gate his suster Canace wyth chylde wherfore hyr fader Iuged hyr to d●●● folio ●●● How tyresyas for departynge of two serpentes engendryng was transformed in to a woman folio liiij Here he treteth of the second spyce of yre named cheste or stryf / and telleth his nature and what harme come●● therof folio liiij How pacyence is a vertu ageynst vy●● and telleth how Socrates wyf powded wa●●● vpon hy● husbondes ●●ed and how he suffred pacyently folio lv Of a questyon bytwene Iu●yter and Iuno / whether a man or a woman were moste b●●n●●ng in concupyscence and ordeyned ●yresyas to be Iuge folio lvj How phebus transformed the crowe which was whyte / in to blacke by cause she tolde hyr ladyes counceyl folio lvj How Iupyter cut of the tongue of ●aa● / bycause she tolde that he laye by ●u●●●ne folio lvj Of the thyrd spyce of yre named hate ● of his nature folio lvij How whan palamides was sleyne trai ●●●●slye of the syege of troyee / Nam●●●● in his contre made certeyn signes to deceyue the shyppes of grece ●●myng homeward to auenge hys ●o●●● de●●● folio lviij Of the fourth and fyfthe spyces of 〈◊〉 whiche ben cont●●● & homycyde ● 〈◊〉 theyr nature how they kepe not 〈◊〉 folio lviij How dyogynes sitiyng in a tonne answerd alexandre folio lix Of ●●e hystorye of ●●ramus and ●y● be and how eche slewe hym self for loue of eche other folio lx Of the loue of phe●●s that he had to daphne / and how the ho●●er that he loued hyr the co●●●● she was folio lxij Of the vengeaunce of athemas and demephon in theyr contre after they had retorned fro troye / & of the pacyence of kyng nestor folio lxij How clymes●●a by the counceyl of egyste slewe Agamenon slepyug in his bedde / and how his sone hor●●stes toke vengeaunce therof folio lxiij Here he telleth ageynste the moeuers of warre / whiche is not onely cause of homycyde / but desolacyon of alle the world folio lxv How the grekes werryd in euery contre that was ryche and fertyle / but archade by cause it was bareyn & poure it abode in pees folio lxv Of a see rouer taken in the see and brought to alysaundre / whyche sayd yf he were myghty as he was / he shold be callyd Turrian conquerour / but for he stale but ly●●l he was called a theef folio lxvj Of a byrde hauyng the vysage of a man / whiche whan he hath sleyne by his praye a man / and after seeth in the water that he hath slayn one lyke hym self / anone he deyeth for sorowe folio lxvij How achylles wyth Thelaphus foughte ageynst Tencer / and whan Tencer was caste doun achylles wold haue slayn hym but thelaphus by his pyte saued hym folio lxvij Thus endeth the thyrd book

And here begynneth the fourth book Here the confessor speketh of the syune of slouthe and of hys spyces of whyche the fyrst is latchesse & telleth his propertee folio lxviij How eneas lefte Dydo b●hy●● hym at cartage / and how she slewe ●●r self folio lx●● How Penolope wrote an epystle to vlyxes to troye / blamyng● hym for his latches and longe taryeng folio lxix How an astrologyen had made ●n Ingenyous werke by the space of vij yere And for latches of a momente loste it alle folio lxx And also of the fyue folysshe virgyns for theyr latchesse entred not with the spouse in to weddyng folio lxx Here he speketh of puyssyllamyte & of his nature folio lxx How pygmaleon by his contynuall prayers caused an yuory ymage to wexe quycke and to haue flesshe and blood folio lxxj How kyng lygd●s menaced his wyf yf she had a doughter it shold be sleyn and how by the goddesse y●●s she was transformed in to a man folio lxxj Of the vyde of forgetyng and of hys nature folio lxxij Of demophon and phillis / and how phillis henge her self for loue folio lxxiij Of the vice of negligence and of his nature folio lxxiiij How phe●●n sone of the sonne ladde his faders carte & se●●● al the world a fyre / and fyll in the sea and was drowned folio lxxv Of dedalus and y●harus his sone how they fly●● in thayer / and how ycharus for neclygen●e ▪ was throwen to the grounde folio lxxv Here telleth the confessor of that spice of slouthe which is named ydlenesse And sheweth the natur● ▪ therof folio lxxv How the doughter of the kynge of armonye me●●e on a tyme a companye of the fayrye / and fonde one folowyng be●yng the halters of thother fo lxxvj How ●epte had auowed to make sacrefyse to god the fyrst that came to welcome hym home / and it was his doughter / whyche desyred to bewayle hir vy●●ynyte folio lxxviij How for the cause of loue ●alyaunce of chyualrye shold not leue hys exercyse folio lxxviij Here alledgeth the amant for hys excusasyon how achylles for the loue of polyxene lefte to do armes at troye folio lxxix How vlyxes was taken by the grekes for to goo to troye / where h● wold fayne haue abyden wyth penolope his wyf folio lxxx How prothesalaus settyng his wyues connseyl ● part had leuer dye by honour at troye / than tabide at home in ydlenes folio lxxx How kyng saul not wythstondyng samuel and the phit●nysse whiche told hym ▪ he shold be slayn yf he went to bataylle / yet he preferred the same of chyualrye folio lxxx How achilles was in his yongthe encoraged by chiro a centaure for to be hardy / & bad hy● to take lyons & suche other bestes / and spare them that fled fro hym folio lxxxj How hercules conquerd achelous for loue of deyanyre folio lxxxj How pātasil●a quene of amozone cam to troye for loue of hector / And in hyr persone refused not to ●●re armes folio lxxxij How phylomenys for ●ame of chyual rye came to troye and gate yerely to haue thre maydens fro the royame of Amozone folio lxxxij How eneas ouercame tur●us in batayle / by whiche he gate the loue of lauyne / & subdued the royame of y●alye folio lxxxij How gentylnes is preferred ofte and what gentilnes is folio lxxxij Of the dylygence of our predecessours & their doctryne folio lxxxiij Of the thre stones that the phylosophres made / that is to saye ve●et● Anymal / & myneral fo●●o lxxxiiij Here he tr●teth of sompnolence / whyche is chamberleyn to s●outhe / and telleth of his nature & properte folio lxxxv Of the kyng Ceyx kyng of trocynye and ●●ceon his wyf / & how for loue Alceon lepte in to the see to her husbond and how they were torned in to byrdes fo●●o lxxxvj How cerhalus by wakyng gate Auroram his loue & desyred the sonne & the mone to lengthe theyr ●●●●rs fol●o lxxxviij How yo was transformed in to a ●●w● / & ●ut to the kepyng of argus by ●uno / but mercuryns brought hym a slepe & slewe hym foli● lxxxix How yphys the sone of Tencer louyd a mayde / and cou●e not gete hyr by prayers ne yefdes / hang hym self at his faders gate / and the goddes torned the mayde therfore in to an harde s●one folio lxxxx Thus endeth the fourth book

Here begynneth the fyfthe book Here entendeth the confessor to trede of coue●yse and aueryce which is rote of al euyls & of his spyces folio lxxxx How myda kyng of frigye her●erowed Cillenum the preest of bachus / wherfore bachus b●d hym demaunde what 〈◊〉 wold / and he shold haue / & vndyscrete●y he desyred that alle that he touched shold be golde folio lxxxx● Of the vyce of ●alousye whyche ene● hath suspecyo●n & without cause ymagyneth corrupcion folio lxxxxiij How vulcanus fonde venus a bedde with mars / wherupon he called all the felawshyp of goddes to see them / and they laughed hym to scorne folio lxxxxiiij Of the false sectes of godde● / & how they began by the paynyms / and fyrst of the secte of the caldees fo● lxxxxv The epystle of Dyndymus kynge of bragmans sente to kynge Alysaunder folio lxxxxix Of the fyrst culture in worshyppyng to ydolles folio lxxxxix Of the Synagoge / of the hebrewes or ●ewes / which fayled whan the chirche of crys●e began folio C Of crysten feythe in which is ineffabyly byleued the complement of the mysterye of the holy sacrament / & fundament of our sauacion folio C How thoas the hygh preest of the temple of mynerue corupte by golde torned his face ● syde wytyngfy whiles Anthenor toke awey● the palladyum folio Cj Saynt gregore sayth whan pe●re shal come with the Iurye / Andrewe wyth achaye / Thomas with ynde / & Paule with the gentyles / what shall we now say● folio C j Here the confessor tredeth on the spyce of aua●yce named ●ouetyse & sheweth it to the amaunt in the cause of loue folio C ij Of cra●●us the Emperour for couetyse lete ouerthrowe the myrrour of virgile in which the romayns my●t see what hurte shold come to them folio C ij Of hem that serue in prynces cour●es & grutche for theyr rewarde folio C iiij Of frederyke th emperour how he herde two ponre men stryu●ng / one sayen●● that he may be wel ryche whome the kyng wyl / & that other said who that god wyl shal be ryche / & to preue it the kyng made two pastyees f● C vj Here he treteth of the spyce that is called false wytnesse and periurye / & the nature therof folio C vij How the●ys clothed achylles hir sone in c●othyng of a mayde / and s●nt hym to kyng lychomede where he laye wyth his doughter and gate hyr wyth chylde folio C viij How ●ason gate the golden flees and after falsed medea for loue of crusa / & forsoke hyr and was forsworen folio C ix How medea made eson his fader yonge ageyn folio C xiij How the golden flees came fyrst in to colchos folio C xv Here he treteth of the spyce of Auaryce callyd vsure and of hys nature folio C xvj How Iuno auengyd hyr on Ec●● for l●r bawdrye folio C xvij Here he tredeth of the vyce of scarcenes which wyl not departe to god ne to man folio C xvij How eroceus large and lyberalle deceyued babyon strayte and auaricious of the loue of vyole by hys large y●ftes folio C xviij Here he speketh of the spyce of auarice callyd ●ngra●ytude or vnkyndenesse whiche is in condycyon abhomynable folio C xix Of adryan s●natour whiche fyl in a pytte / and how bardue pulled hym out and also thre bestes / whiche bestes rewarded hym / & how the sayd adrian ●●●s vnkynd● folio C xix Of the vnkyndenes of theseus to adryan whiche had saued his lyf / & how he lefte hir and ●oke phedra her suster folio C xxj Here he treteth of the spyce of auarice named 〈◊〉 whos moder is extorcion & of his nature folio Cxxiij Of proygne and phylomene suster● how they were dysceyued by Ter●us And of theyr t●ansformacyon in to byrdes folio C xxiij Here speketh of the vyce of auaryce called thefte folio C xxvj How neptuno wold haue oppressyd a vyrgyn walkyng by the see syde And Pallas delyuerd hyr fro hys handes folio C xxv● How Iupiter in symplitude of a mayde rauys●hed by thefte the vyrgynyte of calistone and gate on hyr Archas folio C xxvij How phirynus the fayrest yong man of rome put out his owne eyen by ●ause he wold s●me abhomynable in the syght of wymmen that desyred hym folio C xxviij How valentynyan the emperour had more ioye that he had kepte his virgynyte than of al the conquest that he had subdued to rome folio C xxviij Here he treteth of the vice called secre ●e thefte or mycherye / and hys nature folio C xxix Of lenchotoe whom phebus defloured vnwytyng the moder / wherfore hyr fader dyd do burye hyr quycke / out of whos tombe groweth an ●●be callyd goldes folio C xxx Of hercules and Eole / and how that eche of them wa●● others clothes / and how fawnus came to hercules bedde in stode of eole / whom hercule● threwe to the grownde folio C xxxj Here he treteth vpon the laste spyce of coue●yse and is called sacrylege which is to stele holy thynges / and in holy places folio C xxxij Here he telleth of thre sacreleges / one made anthiochus / another nabuzarda● & the third nabugodonosor ●o C xxxij How parys of troye rauysshed out of the temple heleyn wyfe to kynge menelaus / wherfore after alle Croye was destroyed folio C xxxij Here he speketh of the vertu of largesse whiche stondeth bytwene ly●e ra●●te & prodegalite folio C xxxv Thus endeth the fyfthe book

And bere begynneth the syxthe book Here the confessor tr●teth of the synne of ●l●tonye / and telleth onelye of two his vyces that is dronkenshyp and delycacyr & of theyr nature folio C xxxvj How Iupyter hath in his selere two ●unnes / in the fyrst of which is moste sw●te lyc●ur / and the second is ful of ●ytder fy●ur folio C xxxviij How at the re●u●s●● of ba●hus whan became fro a lutayle ●ut of the orryent and c●ude fynde no maner drynke / Iubyter sente hym a weder whiche with hys fode smote the greunde / and there anone sprange a welle folio C xxxviij Here he telleth how Trystram for the drynke that brangweyn gaue to hym he was as●●t●d & dronken in the loue of ●●le yso●de folio C xxx x How the centauri ▪ whan they were dronke wexyd wood / and in theyr woodnes rau●sshed ●potacye fro pyro th●s hir husbond folio C xxxix How galba & vytellus were ●uged to doth / & chees for to be dronken when they shold deye t eschewe the more the peyne of deth folio C xxxix Here he treteth on the spyce of glotonye callid dellicacye folio C xlj Here he telleth the ensaumple of dyues & lazare which is expressid in the gospel of luke folio C xlij Of the delycacye of new folio C xlij How the Impressyons ymagyned in the mynde gladeth & maketh the hertes of louers delicate folio C xliij Here he treteth how detycacye & dronkenesse bryngen a man to the promocion of carnal concupyscence / and causen magyke folio C xliiij The names of the auc●●nrs of the bookes of natural & superstycyons magyke & nygroman●ye folio C xliiij How v●xes a grete magicyen comyng fro troye ar●yued in the ysle of Cylly where the grete wytche circes was / on whom he gate a s●ne which afterward slewe his fader folio C xliiij How neet●nalus desc●●ued olympyas by his crafte / and gate on hyr Alysaunder the grete conquer●ur fo C xlvij How Zoras●●s the fy●ste magycy●n laughed at his byrth / wh●m the kyng of syrye sl●we folio C l Thus endeth the syxthe book

And here begynneth the seuenth book In thys vij book th auctor entendeth to telle the doctryne of arystotle which he taughte to Alysaunder touchyng● astrologye and phyl●sofye / & deuydeth it in to thr● partyes / that is th●orik / rethoryke & practyke folio C lj Here he telleth first of theoryke / which is endewed with thre scyences / that is theologye / ffysyke / and methama ● tyke folio C lj Of threfold essence folio C lj The second parte of theorike callyd 〈◊〉 physyke folio Clj The thyrd parte of theoryk callyd mathematyke folio C lj Of musike folio lij Of geometrye folio C lij Of the creacion of the foure elementis and of theyr natures and propyrtees folio C lij Of the erthe that is the fyrst elemente folio C lij Of the water whiche is the second elemente folio C lij Of the a●●r the iij element folio C lij Of the peryferyes of the aye● fo C lij Of the fyres fleyng in the ayer by nyght & of their names folio C liij Of the fyre whiche is the fourth elemente folio C liij How after the nature of the four elementes ben four complexyons in mannes body / whiche ben malencolye fflewme / blood / & colere folio C liij How the foure complexyons haue iiij mancyons in mannes body fo C li●ij Wherfore the stomake serueth fo C liiij Here he speketh of the dyuysyon of the erthe whiche was departed after the flood to the thre sones of noe that is asye / affryke & europe folio C liiij How the see is called the occeane folio C lv Here he speketh of the fourth spyce of mathematyke / whyche is called astronomye / and his felowe is astro●●●●ye / and of the seuen planet●s folio C liiij Here he speketh of the mone the netherest planete folio C lv The ij is mercurye folio C lvj The thyrd planete is called Venus folio C lvj The fourth planete is the sonne of his cours & his apparayl folio C lvj The ●yfthe plane●e is mars fo C lvj The syxthe planete is Iupyter fo●o C lvij The vij planete is Saturnus fo C lvij Of the twelue sygnes and effectys in twelue monethes folio C lviij Of the doctryne of nectanabus that he taughte to alysaundre of xv pryncypal sterres wyth theyr stones & herbes conuenyent to the natural operacion in arte magyke folio C lx Of thauctours of astronomy● and the bookes therof made folio C lx● Here the confessor speketh of the second parte of phylosophye which is rethoryke and maketh men facounde / and of his two spyces that is gramer and logy●ue by whos doctryne the rethour preferreth his wordes folio C lxij Of the eloquence of Iulyus Cezar in the cause of catelyne ageynst cyllene & other folio C lxij Here h● treteth of the thyrd parte of phylosophy● whiche is called practyke And hath thre spyces / that is ethyca / yconomya & polycya folio C lxiij How after polec●● / he treteth of fyue artycules by●ongyng to the rule of a kyng / and the fyrst is trouthe folio C lxiij How daryus demaunded his cubyculers / who was strengest / the kyng / the wyne or the woman folio C lxiiij Of th● strengthe of loue whiche was bytwene cirus kyng of perse & apemen doughter of besazys folio C lxiiij Of the trouthe of alceste wyf of amete which chaas to dey● to haue hyr husbond to lyue folio C lxiiij Here he treteth of the second polecye of the magestee of a kyng whyche is called largesse folio C lxv How arystotle made exaumple to alysaundre by the exaccions of the kyng of chaldees folio C lxvj How Iulyus cesar releued suche knyghtes as were noble and valyaunt folio C lxvj How a kyng shold reward and gyue by dyscrescion folio C lxvj H●w the state of a kyng ought to be support●d of his tre●●e lyeges folio C lxvi How prodegalite of a kyng bryngeth in comyn pouerte folio C lxvi How flaterers in p●ynces courtes offende thre manere wyse folio C lxvii How arisippus repreuyd dyogynes by cause he wold not dwelle in courte and how dyogynes answerd hym folio C lxvii Here he pu●●eth an ensa●imple ayenst flaterers / and telleth what is said to suche as take theyr tryumphe in rome folio C lxviii How whan an emperour is jn●renony sed in his estate / a masen shal demaunde hym of what stone he wyl haue his tem●e made folio C lxviii Of somme that make them self wyse ben feunde in th ende foles folio C lxix How kyng achab refused trewe prophetes / and byleued slaterers folio C lxix Here he treteth of the thyrd polecye of a kynge / whiche is called justyce / which ●●ndreth euery man that he ought to haue folio C lxx An emperours mageste ought not to be deffended ene●y ●y armes / but also ●y ●us●yce folio C lxx How maxymyn ▪ the ●mpereur wold knowe the fame of a man or he wold s●tte hym in ●ny offyce folio C lxxi How gayus fabryaus refused yeftes ●nd wold not be corupte for golde folio C lxxi How carmyde tayre for kepyng of his s●atute sle●●e hym self folio C lxxi How cambyses dyd doo flee a false juge / and made his sone to fytte on his faders skyn to auyse hym how he juged folio C lxxii Of the names that first made lawes folio C lxxii Here treteth the confessor of the fourth polecye of a kynge / whiche is named pyte folio C lxxiii How kyng alysaunder juged a knyght to deth / & he appeled his sentence fro hys yre to hys pyte folio C lxxiii How a jewe and a saresyn mette / & how the jewe deceyued the paynym wherfore a lyon slewe hym folio C lxxiiij How cod●●s kynge of athenes chaas to be sleyne hym self in the batayle for to saue his peple folio C lxxv How pompeyus after he had taken the kyng of armenye in batayle ●●te hym goo quyte / sayeng it is more noble to make a kyng / thenne to depose a kyng folio C lxxv How leoncyus ●ut of the nose & lippes of justynyan / and how it was after auengyd folio C lxxv How one berillus maad a bulle of bras for the plesure of Syculus the kynge to tormente men therin / & ●e●llus was the fyrst that was tormentyd therin folio C lxxv How dyonyse yaue ●his gh●s●ys to ●e deueured and eten of his horses / and in syke wyse hercules gaue dyonyse to be eten of the same horses fo C lxxvi How lychaon gaue mannes fles●he to be eten / wherfore he was transformed in to a wulfe folio C lxxvi How a leon spareth men that lyeth doun prostrate folio C lxxvi How spertachus spared none / but slewe them that were ouercome / a●d in lyke wyse after he was not spared but was drowned in blood folio C lxxvi Though a prynce ought not be ouer cruel / in lyke wyse he ought not to be ouer pusillanymous ne ●ymereus folio C lxxvii How gedeon with thre hondred men onely ouercame fyue kynges wyth four score and ten thousand men folio C lxxviii How a kynge is bounden to slee by ryght his aduersaryes somtyme / as it sheweth by Saul bycause he slewe not agag / he was put out of the kyngdom of Israel and his heyres also folio C lxxix How dauyd commaunded to salamon to slee joab wythout ony remyssyon folio C lxxix How salamon axed wysdom of god for to rule his people and alle other goodes came to hym wyth alle folio C lxxix How lucyus the emperour axed of his secrete counceyllours what men sayd of hym and how they answerd / and what his foole sayd folio C lxxx How roboas by cause he dyd after his yonge counceyl and refused the counceyl of olde men loste ten trybus of Israel attones folio C lxxx A questyon whether hit is better to haue a wyse prynce with euyl counceyl / or a folysshe prynce wyth good counceyl folio C lxxxi How antonyus by ensaumple of S●●pyon / had leuer to saue one of hys owne people / than slee an hondred of his enemyes folio C lxxxi Here treteth Arystotle of the fyfthe polecye of a kynge / whiche is named chastyte / & telleth what clennes it obserueth folio C lxxxi How sardanapallus became alle feme nyn and lefte for the loue of wymmen the warre / wherfore he loste hys roya me folio C lxxxii How Dauyd for the loue of wymmen lefte not the werre ne the exerase of armes folio C lxxxii How cirus kynge of perse coude not ouercome the lyddes / but he dyssymyled / by whiche his enemyes were dysused / and after thenne sodeynly he ranne on them and vaynquys●hed them folio C lxxxiii How amelech sente wynmen to the he brewes / by whome he ouercame them folio C lxxxiii How salamon for loue of his coucubynes worshypped false goddes folio C lxxxiii How achyas the prophete ●ut his man tel in to twelue partyes / and gaue ten of them to jeroboas fo C lxxxiiii How Arrous sone of Tarquyne by fal●ehede deceyued the gabyens and caused the towne to be taken folio C lxxxiiii How the said ar●ous came to Rome and fraudulently oppressyd Lucresse wyf of collatyn wherfore she slewe hir self folio C lxxxvi How a knyght vyrgyneus slowe his owne doughter by cause she shold not lese hir vyrgynyte folio C lxxxviii How●the seuen husbondes of Sarra were sleyne the fyrst nyght of theyr maryage / and how thobye was preserued by th aungel folio C lxxxix Thus endeth the seuenth book

Here begynneth the viii & last book Here telleth the confessor of them that in loues cause do on ageynst nature as in theyr kynrede and sybrede folio C lxxxx How calygula laye and rauysshed his owne thre susters / and afterward exyled them folio C lxxxxi How amon sone of dauyd rauysshed ●is suster thamar folio C lxxxxi How Loth after that his wyf was torned in to a saltstone laye by hys ●●o doughters / and gate on them two s●nes / one ●oab and that other amon folio C lxxxxi How kyng anthyochus defouled hys doughter / aud of the probleme that he ●ut forth to them that desyred / and of appellynus answer and his merueylous aduersyt●es / and how it torned al wel in th ende folio C lxxxxi How vpon loues cause genyus the confessor enioyned after the confesson made to the amant tho thynges which been meste holsom and expedyente folio CC iii Here speketh he of the conirauersyes bytwene the confessor and the amant folio CC iiii The forme of a supp●cacion of thamātes part● / delyuerd by Genyus vnto Venue folio CC iiii Here is shewed how venus after the 〈◊〉 of the supp●●cacion of the louer wythout delaye answereth to euery thynge folio CC v Here is shewed how venus beholdyng ●e jn●●●mytce of the seek louer exhorted hym by many e ensaumples to le●e hyr courte folio CC v How the amant was fallen deum as he had ben deed / and cupyde with a grete multitude of l●uers came and behelde hym folio CC vi Of the nam●s of them that tofore had loued / somme yonge and somme olde of whom the olde prayed specyally to the god and goddesse of loue for hym folio CC vi How venus ●●●●te out fro the amant the fyry crewe / and Venus took a colde ornemente and enoynted hym / and how he sawe in a myrrour hys age and jnhaby●●te folio CC viii How venus ●ad hym to praye for the pees / and hang aboute his necke a payre of bedes blacke as sable folio CC viii Here in the ende he treteth that al loue whyche is not in veray charite is of no valewe / for he that abydeth in charyte abydeth in god folio CC ix The enu●ye of his book & fynnss●yng of the same folio CC x

Explicit

Prologue

tOrpor hebes seusus scola ꝑua labor minimusque / Causant quo minimus ipse minora canam / Qua tum eugisti lingua canit insula bruti / Anglica carmente metra iuuante loquar / Ossibus ergo carens / que conterit ossa loquelis / Absit et jnterpres stet procul oro malus ▪

Hic in principio libri declarat qualiter in Anno Regis Ricardi Secundi Sextodecimo Iohannes Gower presentem litellum conposuit et finaliter compleuit / quem streunuissimo domino suo . Domino Henrico De Lancastria tunc Derbie Comiti cum omni reuerencia sp ●●ialiter destinauit /

oF hem that wryten vs to fore / The bookes duesbe & we therfore Ben taught of that was wryten thoo For thy good is that we also / In our tyme among vs here . Do wryte of newe somme mater

Ensampled of the old wyse So that it myght in suche a wyse Whan we be dede and elles where Beleue to the worldes ere In tyme comend after this But for men seyn & s●the it is That who that al of wysedom wryte It dulleth ofte a mannes wytte To hym that shal it al●ay rede For thylke cause yf that ye rede I wol goo the myddel wey And wryte a book bytwene the twey Somwhat of luste / & somwhat of lore That of the lasse or of the more Some man may lyke of that I wryte And for that fewe men endyte In oure englysshe for to make A book for englondes sake The yere xvj of kyng Richard What shal byfalle here afterward God wote / for now vpon this tyde Man see the world on euery syde In sondry wyse so dyuersed That it wel nygh stant al reuersed Als for to speke of tyme a goo The cause why it chaungeth so It nedeth nought to specyfye The thyng so open is at the ●ye That euery man it may behold And netheles by dayes old Whan that the bookes weren leuer Wrytyng was byloued euer Of hem that weren vertuous For here in erthe among vs I● noman wryte how it stode ●he prys of hem that were good Shold as who sayth a grete partye Be lost so for to magnyfye The worthy prynces that tho were The bookes shewen here & there Wherof the world ensampled is And tho that dyden then ne amys Though tyrannye & cruelte Ryght us they stonden in degre So wa● the wrytyng of the werk Thus I whiche am a borell clerk Purpose for to wryte a book After the world that whylome toke Long tyme in old dayes passyd But for men seyn it is now lassed In wers plyght than it was tho ● thenke for to touche also The world whiche neweth euery daye So as I can / so as I may Though I sekenesse haue vpon hond And long haue had yet wol I fonde To wryte & do my besynesse That in som partye so as I gesse The wyse man may be aduysed For this prologue is so assised That it to wysedome al bylongeth That wyse man that it vnderfongeth He shal drawe in to remembraunce The fortune of the worldes chaunce The whiche noman in his persone May knowe but the god allone Whan the prologue is so dispended The book shal afterward be ended Of loue whiche doth many a wondre And many a wise man hath put vnder And in this wyse I thenke trele Toward them that now be grete Betwene the vertu & the vyce Whiche longeth vnto this offyce But for my wyttes ben to smale To telle euery mannys tale This book vpon amendement To stond at his commaundement With whome myn hert is of acorde I send vnto myn owne lord Whiche of lancastre is henry named The hyghe god hath hym proclamed Ful of knyghthode & al grace So wold I now this werk embrace With hoole trust & hoole byleue God graunte I mote it wel acheue

t Empus preteritum presens fortuna beatum . Liquit & antiquas vertit in vrbe vias / Progenuit veterem concors dilectio pacem

Dum facies hominis nuncia mentis erat / Legibus vnicolor tunc temporis aura refulsit / Iustici● plane tunc que fuere vie / Nunc que latens odium vul tum depingit amoris / Pace que sub ficta tempus ad arma tegit / Instar & ex varijs mutoble Cameliontis / Lex gerit & regnis sunt noua iura noius / Climata que fuerant solidissima sic que per orbem / Soluuntur nec eo centra quietis habent

E statu regnoque vt dicunt secundnm temporalia / videlicet tempore Regis Ricardi secundi / Auno Regni sui Sextodecimo

i Shal drawe in to my mynde ▪ The tyme passed than I fynde / The world stoode in al his welthe Tho was the lyf of man in helth / To was plente tho was Ry chesse / Tho was fortune tho was prowesse / Tho was knyghthode in prys by name / Wherof the wide worldes fame Wryte in Cronycles is yet withhold Iustyce of lawe tho was holde

The pryuelege of Regalye Was fast / & al the Baronye Worshiped was in his astate ▪ The Cytees knewe no debate The peple stood in obeysaunce Vnder the reule of gouernaunce And pees with rightwysenesse keste With charyte tho stood in reste Of mannys hert the courage Was shewed thenne in the vysage The word was lyche to the conceyte Wtthout semblaunt of deceyte Tho was ther vnenuyed loue Tho was vertu set aboue And vyce was put vnder foote Now stant the crop vnder the rote The world is chaunged oueral And therof moost in specyal That loue is falle in to discord And that I take in to record Of euery ▪ lond for his partye The comyn voys ▪ whiche may not lye Nought vpon one but vpon alle Is that men now clepe & calle And seyne that regnes ben deuyded In stede of loue is hate guyded The werre wol no pees purchace And lawe hath take hyr double face So that Iustyce oute of the way With ryghtwysenes is gone awey And thus to loke on euery halue Men seen the soore without salue Whiche al the world hath ouertake Ther is no reygne of al out take For euery clymat hath his dyele After the tornynge of the whele Whiche blyude fortune ouerthroweth Wherof the certayne noman knoweth The heuene wote what is to done But we that duelle vnder the mone Stond in this world vppon a were And namely but the power Of hem that ben the worldes guydes With good counseylle on euery sides Ben kept vpright in suche a wyse That hate breke nought thassise Of loue whiche is al the chyef To kepe a reygne oute of meschyef For al reson wold this That vnto hym whiche the heued is The membres buxom shal bowe And he sholde eke her trouth alowe With al his hert and make hem chere For good counseyl is good to here Al though a man be wyse hym selue Yet is the wysedom more of tivelue And yf they stonde both in one To both it were thenne anone That god his grace wold sende To make of thylk werre an ende Whiche euery day now groweth newe And that is gretely for to rewe In specyal for cristes sake Whiche wold his owne lyf forsake Amonge the men to yeuen pees But now men tellen netheles That loue is from the world departed So stant the pees vneuene parted With hem that lyuen now a dayes But for to loke at al assayes To hym that wold reson seche After the comon worldes speche It is to wonder of thylk werre In which none wote who hath that werre For lond hym self deceyueth And of dysese his parte receyueth And yet take men no kepe But thylk lord whiche al may kepe To whome no counseyl may be hyd Vpon the world whiche is be tyd Amende that wherof men pleynen With trewe hertes & with pleyne And reconsyle loue ayene As he whiche is kyng souerayne Of al the worldes gouernaunce And of his hygh purucaunce Afferme pees bytwene the londes / And take here cause in to his hondes So that the world may stande appesed And his godbeede also be plesed

Quas coluit moises vetus aut nouus Ipse Iohannes / Hesternas leges vix colit ista dies / Sic prius ecclesia bina virtute rokta / Nunc magis inculta p●llet vtraque via / Pacificam petri vagi nam mucro resumens / Horruit ●●d x●i verba cruoris Iter / Nunc tamen assiduo gladium de sangiune tinctum / Vi●rat auaricia bege repente sacra / Sic lupus ●●t pastor pater hostis mors miscrator / Prede que largitor pax & in orbe timor /

d Estatu cleri vt dicunt secundum spiritualia / videlicet tempore Ro ●●th Gilbonensis / qui nomen clementis ●●●●tus est sibi tunc Antipape

O thynk vpon the dayes old The lyf of clerkys to be hold . Men seyn how that they were tho Ensample & 〈◊〉 wle of al tho Which of wysedom the vertue soughten Vnto the god fyrst they bysoughten As to the substaunce of here scole That they ne shold not be fole Her witte vpon none erthly werkes Which were ayene the astate of clerkis And that they myghten flee the vyce Whiche Symon hath in his offyce Wrerof he takyth gold in honde For thyke tyme I vnderstonde The lumbard made none exchaunge The bisshopryches for to chaunge Ne yet a letter for to send For dignyte ne for prouende Or curyd / or without cure The chirche kay in aduenture Of armes & of brigantaylle Stode no thyng thenne vpon bataylle To fyght or for to make cheste Yet thought hem then not honeste But of symplycyte and pacyence They maden thenne no defence The court of worldly regaille To hem was thenne no bataylle The veyne honour is nought desyryd Whiche hath the proud herte fyred The humylyte was tho withholde / And pryde was a vyce holde Of holy chirche the largesse / Yafe thenne & dyde grete almesse The poure men that had nede They were eke chast in word & dede Wherof the peple ensample toke Her lust was al vpon the boke Or for to preche or for to pray To wyse men the ryght waye Of suche as stoode the trouth vnlered Lo thus is petrus barge stered Of hem that ylke tyme were And thus cam fyrste to mannys ere The feyth of cryst & al good Thurgh hem that then ware good And sobre & chast large & wyse And now men seyn is other wyse Symon the cause hath vnder take The worldes swerd in hond is take And that is wonder netheles Whan crist hym self hath bode pees And set it in his testament How now that holy chirche is went Of that her lawe posyzyf Hath set to make werre & stryf For wordly goodes which may not laste / God wote the cause to the last Of euery ryght & wronge also But whyle the lawe is rewlyd so That clerkes to the werre intende / I not how that they shal amend The woful world in other thynges / To make pees bytwene kynges After the lawe of charyte Whiche is the propre dewte / Belonged vnto the preesthode But as it thynketh to make manhode ▪ The heuen is for the world is nyghe And vayne glorye is eke to sleygh Whiche couetyse hath now withhold That they none other thynge behold But only that they myghten wynne And thus the werres they begynne Wherof the holy chirche is taxed That in the poynt as it is axed The dysme goth to the bataylle As though crist myght not auayle To do hem ryght by other waye In to the swerd the chirche kaye Is torned and the holy bede In to cursyng and euery stede Whiche shold stonde vpon the feyth And to this cause an ere leyth Astonyd is of the quarell / That shold be the worldes heele Is now men sayn the pestyle nce Whiche hath expellyd pacyence Fro the clerge in specyal And that is shewyd oueral / In euery thyng whan they be greuyd But yf gregory be beleuyd As it is in the bokes wryte He doth vs somdele to wete The cause of thylke Prelacye Where god is nought of companye For euery werke as it is foundyd Shal stonde / or els be confoundid Who that only for cristes sake Desyreth care for to take And nought for pryde of thylk astate To bere a name of a prelate He shal by reson do proufyte In holy chirche vpon the plyte That he hath set his conscyence But in the worldes reuerence Ther be of suche many gladde Whan they to sylke astate be made / Nought for the meryte of the charge But for they wold hem self discharge Of pouerte & become grete / And for pompe & for beyete The scry●e & eke the pharysee Of moyses vpon the see In the chayre on hygh ben sette Wherof the feyth is ofte lette Whiche is bytake hem to kepe In crystes ▪ cause al day they slepe But of the world is nought foryete For wele is hym that now maye gete Offyce in court to be honouryd The strong Coffre hath al deuouryd Vnder the kaye of auaryce The tresour of the benefyce Wherof the poure shulne clothe And ▪ ete & drynke & house bothe The charyte goth al vnknowe For they no greyne of pyte knowe And slouthe kepyth the lybrarye Whiche longeth to the sayntuarye To study vpon the worldes lore Suffisith no●ght without more Delycacye his swete tothe Hath it suffryd / so that it fordoth Of abstynence al that ther is And for to loken ouer this If ethna brenne in the clergye Al openly to the mannes eye At Auynyon they peryence Therof hath youen an euydence Of that men seyn hem so deuyded And yet the cause is nought decyded / But it is sayd & euer shal Bytwene twoo stoles lyth the fall Whan that men wenen best to sytte In holy chirche of suche a flytte Is for to rewe vnto vs alle God graunte it mote wel byfalle Towardes hym whiche hath the trouth But ofte is seen that mochel slouth Whan men ben drynke of the cuppe Doth moche harme whan the fire is vppe But yf somwho the flamme staunche And so to speke vpon this braunche Which proud enuye hath made to spring Of scysme causeth for to bringe This newe secte of lollardye And also many an heresye Among the clerkes in hem selue It were better dyke & delue And stonde vpon the ryght feyth Than knowe al that the byble sayth And erre as som clerkes do Vpon an hond to were a sho And set vpon the foote a gloue Acordeth not to the behoue Of resonable mannes vse If men bebelden the vertuse That crist in erthe taught hyere They sholde not in suche maner Among hem that be hold wyse The papacye so desguyse / Vpon dyuers electyon Whiche stant after th affection / Of sendry londes al aboute But whan god wol it shal weve oute F●● trouthe mote stande atte last But yet they argumenten fast Vpon the pope & his astate Wherof they fallen in grete debate This cl●rk sayd ye / that other nay And thys ●●ey dryue forth the daye And eche of hem hym self amendeth ●● worldes good but none entendeth To if at whiche comyn proufyte were They seyen that god is myghty there And shal ordeyne what he wylle Ther make they none other skylle Where is the peryll of the feyth / But euery clerke his herte leyth To kepe his world in specyal And of the cause general Whiche vnto holy chirche longeth Is none of hem that vnderfongeth To shapen ony resystence / And thus the ryght hath noo defence / But ther I loue ther I hold ●o thus to broke is Cristes fold Wherof the flok withoute guyde Deuoured is on euery syde In lak of hem that be vnwar Shepeherdes which her wyttes beware Vpon the world in other halue The sharp pryk in stede of salue They vsen now / wherof the hele They hurte of that they shold hele What shepe that is ful of wulle Vpon his bak they tose & pulle Whyle ther is ony thyng to pylle And though there be none other skylle But only for they wold wynne They leue nought whan they begynne Vpon hir acte to procede Whiche is no good shepeherdes dede And vpon this also men seyn That fro the lese / whiche is pleyn In to the breres they forcatche Here of for that they wolden lache With suche duresse and so bereue That shal vpon the thornes leue Of wolle whiche the brere hath tore Wherof the shepe ben al to tore Of that the herdes make hem lese ●o how they feynen chalk for chese For though they speke & teche well They done ●em self / therof no dele For yf the wolf come in the wey Here goostly staf is thenne aweye Wherof they shold here flok defende But yf the poure shepe offende In ony thyng though it be lyte They ben al ▪ redy for to smyte And thus how euer that they tale The strokes falle vpon the smale And vpon other that ben grete Hem lacketh hert for to bete So that vnder the clerkes lawe Men seen the merel al mysdrawe I wol not saye in general For ther be somme in specyal In whome that al vertue duelleth And tho ben as thappostel telleth Qiu vocatur a deo tanquam Aaron That god of his electyon Hath cleped to perfectyon In the maner as Aawn was They be nothyng in thylk caas Of Symon whiche the foldes gate Hath lete & goth in other gate But they gone in the ryght weye Ther ben also somme as men saye That folowen Symon atte heles Whos carte goth vpon wheles Of couetyse & worldes pryde And holy chirche goth besyde Whiche sheweth out ward a vysage Of that is nought in the courage For yf men loke in holy chirche Bitwene the word & that they werche Ther is a ful grete difference They prechen vs in audyence That noman shal his soule empeyre For al is but a chery feyre This worldes good so as they telle Also they fayen ther is an helle Whiche vnto mannys synne is due And bydden vs therfor eschewe That wykked is / and do the good Who that here wordes vnderstode It thenketh they wold do the same But yet bytwene ernest and game Ful oftyme it torned other wyse With holy tales they deuyse How merytory is thylke dede Of charyte to clothe & fede The poure folk & for to parte The worldes good / but they departe Noo thyng nought / for that they haue Also they feyn good is to saue With penaunce & with abstynence Of chastyte the contynence But pleynly for to speke of that I not how that ylke body fat Whiche with that deynte metes kepe And leyen it softe for to slepe Whan it hath elles al his wylle With chastyte shal stonde stylle And netheles I can not say In aunter that I myssay Touchend of this ▪ how euer it stonde I here & wyl nought vnderstonde For therof haue I nought to done But he that made fyrst the mone The highe god of his goodnes If ther be cause he it redresse But what as ony man can accuse This may reson of trouthe excuse The vyce of hem that ben vngood Is no repreef to the good For euery man his owne werkes Shal bere / and thus as of the clerkes The good men ben to commende And al these other god amende For they be to the worldes eye The myrrour of examplarye To reulen & taken hede Bet wene the men & the godbede

Vulgaris populus regali lege subactus Dum iacet vt mitis digna subibit onus Si caput extollat & lex sua frena relax at / Vbi sibi velle iubet rigridis Instar habet / Ignis aqua dominans duo sunt pietate carentes / Ira tamen plebis est violenta magis

dEstatu plebis vt diaint secundum actidencia mutabilia

nOw for to speke of that comune It is to drede of that fortune which hath bifalle in sondry lō des / But ofte for defaute of bondes Al sodenlyche or it be wyst A tonue whan his lye aryst To breken & ronne al aboute Whiche endles shold nought gone out And eke ful ofte a lytel skare Vpon a bank or men be ware ●ete in the streme which with grete peyn If euery man it shal restreyne where lawe faylleth / errour groweth He is not wyse who that ne troweth For it hath proued ofte er this And thus the comyn clamour is In euery lond where peple duelleth And eche in his compleynt telleth How that the world is myswent And therupon his Iugement Yeueth euery man in sondry wyse But what man wold hym self auyse His conseyence & nought mysuse He may wel at the fyrst excuse His god whiche euer stant in one In hym ther is defaute none So must it stonde vpon vs ●elue Nought only vpon ten ne twelue But plenerlyche vpon vs alle For men is cause that shal byfalle

Nota contra hoc qd aliq●a sortem fortune aliqui influenciam planetarum penunt per quod vt dicitur reru●● euentus necessario contingit / Sed pocius di cendum est / qd ea que nos pros●er● 〈◊〉 aduersa in hoc mundo vocamus / secundum merita et demerita hominum digno der iudicio proueniunt

aNd netheles somme men wryte And sayn fortune is to wyte / And som men holde oppinion . That it is constellacion / Whiche causeth al that a man dothe God w●te of bothe whiche is sothe / The world as of his propre kynde Was euer vntrew & as the blynde Inproperlyche he demeth fame He blameth that is nought to blame And preyfeth that is nought to preyse Thus whan he shal the thynges peyse Ther is deceyt in his balaunce And al is that the varyaunce Of vs that shold vs better auyse For after that we falle & ryse The world aresteth and fallith with al So that the man is ouer al His owne cause of wele & wo That we fortune clepe soo ▪ Out of the man hym self it groweth And who that otherwyse troweth / Beholde the peple of Israel / For euer whyle they dyden wel Fortune was hem debonayre And whan they dyden the contrayre Fortune was contraryende So it proueth wele at the ende / Why that the world is wonderful And may no whyle stande ful / Though that it seme wel beseyn / For euery worldes thyng is vayne And euer goth the whele about / And euer stant a man in doute / Fortune stant no while stylle So hath ther no man his wylle Als fer as ony man maye knowe Ther lasteth noo thyng but a throwe

Boecius O qm dul●edo humane vite multa amaritudine aspersa est

He world stānt euer vpon debate So may be syker none astate / Now here now ther ▪ now to & fro Now vp now doun the world goth so And euer hath done & euer shal Wherof I fynde in specyal A tale wryten in the byble Whiche must nedes be credible And that as in conclusyon / Seyth that vpon deuysyon Stant / why noo worldes thyng maye laste / Til it be dryue to the laste And fro the fyrst regne of al In to this daye how soo befall Of that the regnes be meuable The man hym self hath be culpable Whiche of his gouernaunce / Fortuneth al the worldes chaunce

Prosper & aduersus obliquo tramite versus / Inmūdus mundus decepit oen genus / Mundus in euentu versatur vt alea casu . Quā●eler in ludis iactat auara manus . Sicut ymago biri variantur tempora mundi / Statque nichil firmum preter amare deum

hIc in Pro●ogo tractat de statua illa quam Rex Nabugodonosor viderat in sumpnis cuius caput aureum pectus argenteum / venter eneus / tibe● ferree . pedum vero quedam pars ferrea quedam fictilis videbatur / sub qua men brorum diuersitate secundum Danielis exposicionem huius mundi variacio fi gurabatur

tHe hygh almyghty purueaunce In whos eterne remembraunce From fyrst was euery thyng present / He hath his prophecye sent In suche a wyse as thou shalt here To danyel of this mater How that this world shal torne & wende Til it byfalle vnto his ende Wherof the tale telle I shal In whiche is bytokned alle aS Nabugodonosce slepte A sweuen he toke which he kepte Til on the morowe he was aryse For therof he was sore agryse Til danyel his dreme he told And prayd hym fayr that he wold A rede what it tokene may And seyd a bedde where I lay Me thought I syghe vpon a stage Where stood a wonder straunge ymage His hede with al the neck also They were of fyne gold bothe two His breste his shulders & his armes Were al of syluer / but tharmes The wombe & al doune to the kne Of bras they were vpon to see His legges they were made al of steel So were his feet also somdele And somdele part to hem was take Of erth which men myght pottes make The feble menged ▪ was with the strong So myght it not stande long

hIc narrat vlterius de quodam lapide grandi ● vt in dicto sompnio videbatur ab excelso monte super statuam corruens ipsam quasi in nichilum penitus contriuit

aNd than me thought that I syghe A grete stone from an hylle an hyghe / Fylle doun of sodeyne anenture Vpon the feet of this figure With whiche stone al to broke was Gold syluer erthe styel & bras That was in to pouder brought And s●●forth torned in to nought

hIc loquitur de īterpretaciōe sōpnij . & ●mo dicit de significacione capitis aurei

tHis was the sweuene whiche he had / That Danyel anone be rad And seyde hym that fygure straunge Betokeneth how the world shal chaunge And wax lasse worth & lasse Til it to nought al ouer passe The neck & hede that weren gold He sayd how that betoken shold A worthy world a noble a ryche To whiche none after shal be lyche

De pectore argenteo oF syluer that was ouer forth Shal ben a world of la●se worth

De bentre eneo aNd after that the wombe of bras Token of a wers world it was The whiche steel he sawe afterward A world bytokeneth more hard

De tibeis ferreis bVt yet the werst of euery dele Is last / that whan of erth & steell He sawe the feet departed so For that bytokeneth moche woo

De significacione pedum / que ex duabus materijs disco●dantibus adinui●em diuisi extiterunt

wHan that the world deuyded is It mote algate fare amys for erth which menet is with steel / To gydre may not laste w●ell But that one that other waste So mo●e it nedes falle at the laste

De lapide statua confringente

tHe ston̄ which from the hully stage He saw donne falle on the ymage And bath it in to poudre broke That sueuene hath danyel vnloke And sayde that it is goddes myght Whiche whan men wene moost vpright To stonde shal hem ouer caste And that is of this world the last And than a newe shal begynne From which a man shal neuer twynne Or al to payne or al to pees That world shal last endles

h●● scribit qualiter huius seculi regna var●s mutacionibus prout in dicta statua figurabatur secundum temp●●●m distinctioēs sensibiliter hat●●●● di●●nuuntur

●O thus expowned Danyel The kynges sueuen fair & wel In Babyloyne the Cyte Where that the wysest of chaldee N●●●uden wyte what it mente But he told al the hool entent As in partye it is byfalle Of gold the fyrst regne of alle

De seculo aureo quod in capite statue designatum est a tempore ipsius Nabugodonosor regis Caldee vsque in Regnum Ci● regis persarum

wAs in the kynges tyme tho And last many dayes so There whiles that the monarchye Of al the world in that partye To Babyloyne was subgette And held hym styll in such a plight Til that the world bygan dyuerse And that was whan the kyng of perse Whiche Cyrus hight ayene the pees Forth with his sone cambyses Of Babyloyne al that Empyre Ryght as they wold hem self desire Put vnder in subiection And toke it in possession And slayn was baltazar the kyng Whiche lost his regne & al his thyng

De seculo argenteo quod in pectore designatum est a tempore ipsius regis Ciri vsque in reg●um Allexandri Regis Macedonie

aNd thus whan they had it wonne The world of siluer was bigonne And that of gold was passed out And in this wyse it goth aboute In to the regne of Darius And than it felle to perse thus Ther Alysander put hem vnder Which wrought of ar●es many a wonder / So that the monarchye lefte With g●eces & here astate vp lefte And Persiens gone vnder foote So suffre they that nedes mote

De seculo en●o quod in ventre desig natum est a tempore ipsiue Allexandri vsque in regnum Iulij Romanorum Imperatoris /

aNd tho the world bigan of brus And that of siluer ended was But for the tyme thus it last Til it befelle that at the laste This kyng whan that his day was come / with strength of deth was ouercome / And netheles yet or he dyed He shope hi● regne to deuyde To knyghtes / whiche hym had serued And after that they haue deserued Yaf the conquestys that he wan ▪ Wherof grete werre tho bygan Among hem that the regnes had Thorugh proud ennye / whiche hem lad Til it bifell ayene hem thus The noble Cezar Inlius Whiche tho was kyng of Rome ●ond With grete bataylle & strong hond Al Grece / Perse / & Chaldee Wan ▪ & put vnder so that he Not al only of th oryent But al the marche of thoccydent Gouerne●h vnder his Empyre As he that was lord & Syre And held thorugh his chyualrye Of al the world the monarchye And was the fyrst of that honour Whiche taketh name of the Emperour

De seculo ferreo quod in tibeis de signatum est a tempore Iulij Cesaris vsque in Regnum Caros● magni Regis Fran●orum

wHere Rome than wold assaylle Ther myght no thyng contreua●●●e But euery contrey must obeye Tho goth the regne of bras aweye And comen is the world of steel And stode aboue vpon the whel● As steel is hardest in his kynde Aboue al other that men fynde Of metalles suche was Rome tho The myghtyest & last so Longe tyme among the Romayns Tyl they bycome so vyleyns That the fals emperour leo With Constaunce his sone also The pat●mon●● & the Rychesse Whiche to syluester in pure Almesse The fyrst Constantinus lefte Fro holy chirche they be refte But Adryan whiche pope was And sawe the meschyef of this caas Goth in to Fraunce for to playne And prayth the grete Char●emayne For Crystes sake & soule hel● That he wold take the quarele Of holy chirche in his defence And Charles for the reuerence Of god / the cause hath vndertake And with his hoost the waye take Ouer the Mountes of Lumbardye Of Rome & al the Tyrannye With bbody swerd he ouercome And the strengthe of the Cyte nome In suche a wyse & ther he wrought That holy chirche ayene he brought In to , Fraunchyse & d●thr restore The popes lust & yaf hym more And thus whan he his god hath serued / He toke as he hath wel deseruyd The dyademe & was ●orouned Of Rome / & thus was abandouned / Th empyre whiche cam neuer agayne In to the hon● of no Romayn But a long tyme it s●oode stylle Vnder the Frens●he kynges wylle Til that fortune hir whele so lad That afterward the lumbardes it had Nought by the swerd . but by the suffraunce Of hym that was kyng of Fraunce Whiche Carl Caluu● clepyd was And resygned in this caas Th empyre of Rome vnto Lowys His Cosyn whiche a lumbard is And so it last in to the yere Of Alberte & of Berenger

De seculo nou●ssimis iam temporibus ad similitudinem pedum in discordiam lapso et diuiso quod post decessum ipsius Caroli cum Imperium Roma norum in manus Longobardorum ꝑuenerat tempore Alberti & Berengarij incepit / Nam ob eorum diuisionem contingit vt Almani Imperatoriam adepti sunt Magestatem / in cuius so●●um quenda in principem Theonicum Otho nem nomine sublimari prin●tus constituerunt /

bVt than vp●n discencion They felle & in dyuysyon Among hem self that were grete . So that they lost the beyete Of worship & of Worldes pees But m prouerbe netheles Men seyn ▪ ful selde is that welthe Can suffre his owne astate in helthe And that was in the lumbardes seen Suche comon stryf was hem bytween Thorough couetyse & thorugh ennye That euery man drough his partye Whiche myght lede ony route Within Burgh and eke withoute The comen ryght hath no feloowe So that the gouernaunce of lawe Was l●st & for necessyte Of that they stode m suche degre Al only thurgh deuysyon Hem nedeth in conclusion Of straunge londes helpe beside And thus for they hem self deuyde And standen oute of re●le vneuen Of Almayne Prynces seuen ●●● chosen m this condycyon That vpon her electyon Th empyre of Rome shold stond● And thus they left it out of honde For lak of grace and it forsoke That Almayns vpon hem toke And to confermen here astate Of that they stoden in debate They toke it the possession After the composicion Among hem self and therupon They made an Emperour & that anon Whos name the Cronycle telleth Wae Othee / and so for●● it duelleth For fro thylk day yet vnto this Th empyre of Rome hath be & is To thalamans & in this wyse As to fore ye hane herde deuyse How Danyel the sweuene expouneth Of that ymage whome he foundeth The world whiche afterward shold falle Comen is the last token of alle Vpon the feete of erthe & stele So stant the world now euery dele Departed whiche bygan ryght tho Whan Rome was deuyded so● And that is for to rewe sore For alwey syth more & more The world empeyreth euery day Wherof the soth she we may At Rome yf we begynne The walle & the Cyte withynne Stand m ruyne & in decaas The feld is where the paleys was The tonne is wast & ouer that If we behold thylke astate Whiche whylome was of the romayns Of knyghthode & of Cytezeyne To peyse now with that byforne The chaf is t●ke from the corne And for to speke of Romes myght Vnnethes stant ther ought vpryght Of worship or of worldes good As it byfore tyme stode And why the worship is away If that a man the sothe say The cause hath ben deuysyon Whiche moder of confusyon Is where she comyth oueral Nought only of the ●●mporal But of the spyrytual also The dede proueth it ie so And hath do many a day or this Thorugh venym which that medled is In holy chirche of erthely thynge For Cryst hym self maketh knowlechyng / That noman may to geder serue God & the world but he swerue Froward that one & stond vnstable And Crystes word may not be falle The thyng so open is at the eye It nedeth nought to specyfye Or speke ought more in this mater And in this wyse a man may tere How that the world is gone aboute The whiche wel nyghe is wered oute After the forme of that fygure Whiche danyel in his scupture Expowned as to fore is told Of bras of syluer & of gold ▪ The world is passed & a gone And now vpon his old tone It stant of brutel erthe & stele The whiche acorden neuer a dele So mote it nedes swerue a syde A thyng whiche men seen deuyde

Hic dicit secundum apl̄m qd nos sumus In quos fines seculi deuenerunt ▪

tHappostel writeth vnto vs alle . And saith that vpon vs is falle . Th ende of the world so may we knowe / This ymage is nyghe ouerthrowe By which this world was sygnefyed That whysome so was magnyfyed And now is old feble & vyle Ful of meschyef & of perylle And stant deuyded eke also Lyche to the feet that were so As I told of the statue aboue And thus men seyn for lak of loue Where as the lond deuyded is It more algace fare amys And now to loke on euery syde A man may see the world deuyde The werres ●en-so general Among the Crystene oueral That euery man now secheth wreche And yet these clerkes alday preche And seyn good dedes may none be Whiche stant nought vpon charyte I not how charyte shold stonde Where dedely werre is taken on honde But al this wo is cause of man The whiche that wytte & reson can And in tokne & in wytnesse That eche ymage bare lykensse Of man & none other beeste Fro fyrst vnto the mannys heste Was euery creature ordeyned But afterward & was restreyned Whan that he felle they fellen eke Whan he was seke they wexen seke For as the man hath passyon / Of sekenes in comparyson So suffryn other creatures Lo fyrst the heuenly fygures

hIc scribit quod ex diuisionis passione singula creata detrimentum corruptibile paciuntur

tHe sonne & the mone eclypsen to the / And ben with mannys synne wroth The purest eyre for synne alofte / Hath be & is corrupt ful ofte / Ryght now the highe wyndes blowe . And anon after they ben lowe Now cloudy and now clere it is So maye it wel prouen by this A mannes synne is for to hate Whiche maketh the welken to debate And for to see the properte Of euery thyng m his degre Bynethe here among vs here Al stant a lyche in this mater The see now ebbeth & now it floweth The lond now welketh & now groweth Now the trees ▪ with leues grene Now they be bare & nothyng sene Now be ther lusty somer floures Now be ther stormy wynter shoures Now be the dayes , now be the nyghtes So stant ther no thynge vpryghtes Now is it lyght now is it derke And thus stant al the worldes werke After the disposicion Of man & his condycyon For thy Gregory in his , moral Seyth that a man in specyal The lasse world is properly And that he proueth redyly For a man of soule resonable Is to an Angel resemblable And lyche to beste he hath felyng And lyche to trees he hath growyng The stones ben & so is he Thus of his propre qualyte The man as tellyth the Clergye Is a world in his partye And whan this world mystorneth The a rete world al ouertorneth The lond the set the fyrmament They axen alle jugement Ayene the man & make hym warre Ther whyle hym stant al out of harre The remenaunt wold nought acord And in this wyse as I record The man is cause of al woo Why this world is deuyded so Dyuysyon the gospel sayth One hows vpon an other lay●h Tyl that the Reygne ouerthrowe And thus many a man doth knowe Dynysyon abouen alle Is thyng whiche maketh the world ●alle ▪ And euer hath syth it began It may fyrst proue vpon a man

Quod ex sue complexionis mate 〈◊〉 diuisus homo mortalis existat

tHe whiche for his complexyon Is made vpon deuysyon Of colde hote moyst & drye He mote by verray kynde deye For the contrarye of his estate Stant euermore in suche debate Tyl that a part be ouercome Ther may no fynal pees be nome But ●therwyse yf a man were Made al to geder of one mater Withoute jnterupcion Ther shold no corrupcion Engen dyr vpon that vnyte But for ther is dyuersyte Within hym self he may not last That he ne dyeth at the last But in a man yet ouer this Ful grete dyuysyon ther is Thorugh which that he is euer in strif Whyle that hym last ony lyf

Quod homo ex corporis & anime condicione diuisus sicut saluacionis ita dampnacionis aptitudinem ingredituz

tHe body & the soule also Among hem ben deuyded so That what thyng that the body hateth The soule loueth & debateth But netheles ful ofte is sene Of werre whiche is hem bytwene The feble bath the vyctorye And who so draweth in to memorye

Qualiter Adam a statu innocen cie diuisus a Paradiso voluptatis in terram laboris peccator proiectus est

wHat hath bifalle of old & new He may that werre●sore rewe Whiche fyrst bygan in paradys For ther was proued what it is And dysese ther is wrought For thylke werre tho forth brought The vyce of al dedly synne Thorugh whiche dyuysyon cam ynne Qualiter populi per vniuersum orbem a cultura dei diuisi Noe cum sua sequela duntaxat exceptis dilu●io interierunt aMonge the men in erth here And was the cause & the mater Why god the grete flodes sende Of al the world & made an ende But Noe with his felauship Whiche only was sauf by shyp And ouer that thorugh synne it come That Nembroth syth th empyre nome

Qualiter in edificacione Turris Babilonis quam in dei contemptum Nembroth erexit lingua prius hebreica in varias linguas celica vindicta di uidebatur

wHan the toure babylon hyght Lat make as he that wold fight Ayene the high goddes myght Wherof deuyded anon ryght Was the langage in suche eutent Ther wyst none what other ment So that they myght nought procede And thus it stant of euery dede Where synne taketh the caas on hond It may vpryght not long stonde For synne of hir condycyon Is moder of al deuysyon

Qualiter mundus qui in statu diuisionis quali cotidianis presenti tempore vexatur flagellis a lapide superuenien te id est a diuina potencia vsque ad resolucionem omnis carnis subito contere tur

aNd tokne whan the world shal fayle / For so sayth crist without ●nyle . That nyghe the worldes ende Pees & acord a wey shal wende And al charyte shal seace Among the men & hate encrece And whan these tokenes falle Al sodenly the stone shal falle As Danyel it hath byknowe Whiche al this world shal ouerthrowe And euery man shal than aryse To ioye or elles to iuise Where that he shal for euer duelle Or streyt to heuen or streyt to helle In heuen is pees & al acorde But helle is ful of suche discorde That ther may be no loue day For thy good is whyle a man may Echone to sette pees with other And louen as his owne broder So may he wynne worldes welthe And afterward his soule helthe

hIc narrat exemplum de concordia et vnitate inter homines pro uocanda / Et dicit quida in Arion̄ uu● Citharista ex sui cantus Cithare que consonam melodiam tante virtutis extiterat vt ipsum non solum virtum cum viro Sed eciam Leonem cum Cerua . Lupum cum agno / Canem cum lepore jpsum audientes vnanimiter absque vlla discor dia ad inuicem pacificauit

bUt wold god that now were one Another suche as Aryone Whiche had an●harp of suche temp●ire And therto of so good mesure He songe that the bestes wylde Made of his note tame & mylde The hynde in pees with the lyon The wolf in pees with the Moto● The hare in pees stood with the hound And euery man vpon this ground Whiche Aryon that tyme herde As wel the lord as the Shepeherde He brought hem al in good acord So that the Comon with the lord And lord with the Comon also He set in loue bothe two And put a wey melancolye That was a lusty melodye Whan euery man with other louz And yf ther were suche one nowe Whiche coude harpe as he dyde He myght auayle in many a stede To make pees where now is hate For whan men thynken to debate I not what other thyng is good But where that wysedom wa●eth wood And reson torned in to rage So that mesure vpon outrage Hath set his world it is to drede For that bryngeth in the comon drede Whiche stant at euery mannes dore But whan the sharpnes of the spore The ●hors syde smyteth to sore It greueth ofte & now no more As for to speke of this matere Whiche none but only god may stere So were it good at this tyde That euery man vpon his syd● Besought & prayd for the pees Whiche is the cause of al encrees Of worship & of worldes welthe Of hertes reste & soules helthe Withoute pees stond nothyng good For thy to cryst which shed his blood For pees byseketh alle men Amen / Amen / Amen / Amen

Explicit Prologus

Incipit liber primus

nAturatus amor nature legibus orbem . Subdit & vnanimes cō●tat esse feras / Huius enim mundi p●n●eps amore esse vide●ur/●u●●s eget diues pauper et omnis o●e / Sunt in agone pares amor & for 〈…〉〈…〉/●lebis ad insidias vertit 〈…〉 ●●tas / Est amor egra salus vex ●t●●uies pius error / Bellica pax vul ●●s du●ce suaue malum

〈…〉 in ●rologo tractatum bat●●nus existit qualiter hodierne condicionis diuisio cari●●●s dis●ctionem superauit / Intendit 〈…〉 ad ●●rsens libellum suu ▪ cuius noi● C●●fessio Amantis nuna●patur 〈…〉 de illo amore a quo non solū●●manum genue sed et cuncta animam 〈◊〉 naturaliter subiciuntur

j May not stretche vnto the heuene / Myn hond & set al in euene / This world which is euer in balaunce / It stant not in my suffysaunce / So grete thynges to compasse But I mote lete it ouer passe And treten vpon other thynges For thy the style of my wrytynges Fro this day forth I thenke chaunge And speke of thyng is not so straunge Whiche euery kynde hath vpon honde And therupon the world mote stonde And hath done syth it began And shal whyle ther is ony man And that is loue of whiche I mene To trete as after shal be sene In whiche ther can noman hym reule For lawes loue is oute of reule That of to moche or of to lyte Wel nyghe is euery man to wyte And netheles ther is no man In al this world so wyse that can Of loue temper the mesure But as it fallyth in auenture For wytte ne strengthe may not helpe And whiche elles wold he hym yelpe Is rathest throwen vnder foote Ther can no wyght therof do bote For yet was neuer suche couyne That couthe ordeyne a medycyne To thyng which god in lawe of kynd Hath sett / for ther may noman fynd The ryght salue for suche a soore It hath & shal be euermore That loue is mayster where he wylle Ther can no lyf make other skylle For where as euer hym lyst to sette Ther is no myght whiche may hym lette / But what shal fallen at the last They can no wysedome cast But as it falleth vpon chaunce For yf ther euer was in balaunce Whiche of fortune was gonerued I may wel leue as ▪ I am lerned That loue hath that balaunce on honde Whiche wol no reson vnderstonde For loue is blynde & may not see For thy may no certeynte Beset vpon his iugemente But as the whele aboute wente He yeueth his graces vndeserued And fro the man which hath hym serued Ful ofte a wey he hath taken his fees As he that playeth at the dyes And therupon what shal byfalle He not tyll that the chaunce falle Where he shal lese or he shal wynne And thus ful ofte men begynne That yf they wysten what it ment They wolde chaunge al her jugement

hIc quast in persona aliorum quos amor alligat fingens se Auctor esse amantes varias eorum passiones varijs huius libri distinctionibus per singula scribere proponit

aNd for to preue it is so I am my self one of tho Whiche to the scole am vnderfonge For it is soth go not longe As for to speke of this mater I may yow telle yf ye wol here A wonder hap whiche me befelle That was to me both hard & felle Touchend of loue & his fortune The whiche me lyketh to comune And pleynly for to tellen oute To hem that louers be aboute Fro poynt to poynt I wol declare And wryten of my woful care My wofnl day my woful chaunce That men may take remembraunce Of that they shal here after rede For in good feyth this wold I rede That euery man ensample take Of wysedome whiche is hym bytake That he wote of good appryse To teche it forth / for suche empryse Is for to preyse & therfor I Wyll wryte & shewe al openly Hou loue & I to gedre mette Wherof the world ensample fette May after this whan I am go Of thylke vnsely iolyf wo Where r●ule stant out of the wey Now glad & now gladnes awey And yet it may not be withstonde For ought that men may vnderstonde

Non ego sampsonis vires non he●ulis arma . ●inco sum sed vt hij victus amore pari / ●t discant alij docet experiencia facti / Rebus in ambiguis que sunt hēnda via / Deuius orde ducit temp tata pericula sequentem / Instruit a tergo me simul ille cadat / Me quibus er go venus casus laqucauit amantem Orbis in exemplum scribere cendo pal●

hIc declarat materiam dicens qualiter Cupido ignito iaculo sui cordis memoriam graui vlcere perforauit qd Genius percipiens jpsum vt dicit quasi in mortis articulo spasmatum ad confitendum se Genio sacerdoti super amoris causa sic semiuiuum speciali ter commendauit

vPon the poynt that is byfalle Of loue in whiche that j am falle I thynke telle my matere Now herkne who that wol it here Of my fortune how it hath ferde This endyrday as j forth ferde To walke as you telle maye And that was in the moneth of maye Whan euery ●ryd hath chose his make And thenketh his myrthes for to make Of loue that he hath acheued But so was I nothynge releued For I was forther fro my loue Than erthe is from the heuene aboue And for to speke of ony spede So wyst I me none other rede But as it were a man for fare ●nto the wode I gan to fare Not for to synge with the byrdes For whan j was the wode amyddes I fonde a soote grene pleyne And I gan my wo there compleyne Wysshyng & wepyng al myn one For other myrthes made I none So hard me was that ylke throwe That ofte sythes ouerthrowe To ground I was withoute breth And euer I wysshed after deth Whan I oute of my peyne awoke And cast vp many a pytous look Vnto the heuene & sayd thus O thou cupyde / O thou venus Thou god of loue & thou goddesse Where is pyte where is mekenesse Now doth me playnly lyue or dye For certes suche a maladye As I now haue & long haue had It myght make a wyse man mad If that it shold long endure O venus quene of loues cure Thou lyf thou lust thou mannes hele Behold my cause & my quarelle And yeue me sompart of thy grace So that I may fynde in this place If thou be gracious or none And with that word I saw anone The kyng of loue & the quene both But he that kyng with eyen wroth His chere aweyward fro me cast And forth he passed at the last But netheles or he forth went A fyry dart me thought he sent And threwe it thorugh myn hert rote In hym fonde I none other bote For benger hym lyst no● to duelle But she whiche is the source & welle Of wele & wo that shal betyde To hem that louen at that tyde Abode for to allen here She cast on me uoo goodly chere Thus netheles to me she sayde What art thou sone & I abrayde Ryght as a man doth oute of slepe And therof she took ryght good kepe And bad me●nothyng be adrad But for al that I was nothyng glad For I ne sawe no cause why And efte she axed what was I I sayde a Caytyf that lyeth here What wolde ye my lady dere Shal I be hool or elles deye She sayd telle thy maladye What is thy soore of whiche thou pley nest / Ne hyde it nought for yf thou feynest / I can do the no medycyne Madame I am a man of thyne That in thy court haue long serued And aske that I haue deserued Som we le after my long wo And she bygan to loure thoo And sayd ther be many of yow Faytours & so may be that thou Art ryght suche one & by feyntyse Seyst that thou hast me do seruyse And netheles she wyst wele My word stode on an other whele Withoute ony feyterye But algate of my maladye She bud me telle & say her trouthe Madame yf ye wold haue routhe Quod I thenne wold I telle yow Sey forth quod she & telle me hou She we me thy sekenes euery dele Madame that I can do we le Be so my lyf therto wol last With that her loke on me she cast And she sayd in aunter yf thou lyue My wylle is fyrst that thou be shryue And netheles how that it is I wote my self but for al this Vnto my preest whiche cometh anone I wol thou telle it one & one Bothe of thy thought & al thy werk O Genius myn owne clerk Come forth & here this mannes shryft Quod venus tho & I vplyft My hede with that & gan beholde The self preest whiche as she wolde Was redy there & set hym doune To here my confessyon

Confessus Genio si sit medicina salutis / Experiar morbis quos tulit ipsa venus / Lesa quidem ferro medicantur membra saluti / Raro tamen medicum vulnus amoris habet

Ic dicit qualiter Genio pro confessione sedenti prouolutus amans ad confitendum se flexis genibus incuruatur supplicans tamen vt ad sui sensus informacionem confessor ille in dicē dis opponere sibi benignus dignaretur

tHis worthy preest this holy man To me spekend thus began And seyde Benedicite My sone of the felycyte Of loue & eke of wo also Thou shalt be shryue of bothe two What thou or this for loues sake Hast felt . lete nothyng be forsake Telle pleynlyche as it is byfalle And with that word I gan doun falle On knees & with deuocyon And with ful grete contrycyon I sayd than Domiuus Myn holy fadre Genius So as thou hast experyence Of loue for whos reuerence Thou shalt me shryne at this tyme I pray the lete me not mystyme My shryfte for I am dystourbed In al myn hert & so conturbed That I ne may my wyttes gete So shal I moche thyng foryete But yf thou wolt my synne oppose Fro poynt to poynt than I suppose Ther shal no thyng be left behynde But now my wyttes be so blynde That I ne can my self teche Tho he bygan anone to preche And with his wordes debonayre He sayd to me softe & fayre In this place I am set here Thy shryfte to oppose & here By venus the Goddesse aboue Touchend whos preest I am of loue

Sermo Genij sacerdotis super confessione ad amantem

bVt netheles for certayne skylle . I mote algate & nedes wylle Nought only make my spekynges Of loue / but of other thynges That touchen to the cause of vyce For that bylongeth to th offyce Of prestes whos ordre that I bere So that I wol nothyng forbere That eche vyces one & one Me shal the shewe euerychone Wherof thou myght take euydence To rewle with thy conscyence But of conclusyon fynal Conclude I wold in specyal For loue whos seruaunt I am And why the cause is that I cam So thynke I to do bothe two Fyrste that myn ordre longeth to The vyces for to telle on rewe But next abouen al other shewe Of loue I wol the propyrtees How that they stond by degrees After the disposicyon Of veuus whos condycyon I must folowe as I am hold For I with loue am al withholde So that the lesse I am to wyte Though I ne conne but a lyte Of other thynges that be wyse I am not taught in suche a wyse For it is nought my comyn vse To speke of vyces & of vertuse But al of loue & his lore For Venus bookes of nomore Me techen nether text ne glose But for as moche as I suppose It syt a preest to be wel the wyd And shame it is yf he be lewed Of my presthode after the forme I wol thy shryfte so enforme That at the last thou shalt here The vyces & to thy matere Of loue I shal hem so remeue That thou shalt knowe what they meue For what a man shal axe or seyne Touchend of shryft it mote be pleyne It nedeth nought to make it queynt For trouth his wordes wol not peinte That I wol axe of the for thy My sone it shal be so pleynly That thou shalt knowe & vnderstonde The poyntes of shryfte how they stonde

Visus et auditus fragiles sunt ostia mentis Que viciosa manus claudere nulla pt

Est ibi largo via graditur qua cordis ad antrum / Hostis & ingrediens fossa talenta rapit / Hec michi confessor Genius pamordia profert / Dum sit in extremis vita remorsa malis / Nunc tn̄ vt potent feminina loquela fateri / Ver ba per os timide conscia mentis agam

hIc confessio amantis cui de duobns precipue quinque sens●bus / hoc est de visu & auditu confessor pre ceteris opponit

bYytwene lyf & deth I herde This prestes tale er I ansuerd And than I prayd hym for to say / His wyl & I it wold obeye After the forme of his appryse Tho spak he to me in suche a wyse And bad me that I shold shryue As couchend of my wyttes fyue And share that they were amended Of that I had hem myspended For tho be properly the gates Thorugh whiche as to the herte algates Cometh al thyng vnto the feyre Whiche may the mannys soule empeyre And now is this mater brought ynne My sone I thynk fyrst begynne To wyce how thyn eye hath stonde The whiche is as I vnderstonde The moost princypal of alle Thorugh whome the perylle may befalle And for to speke in loues kynde Ful many suche a man may fynde Whiche euer cast about her eye To loke yf that they myght aspye Ful ofte thyng which he in ne toucheth But only that here herte soucheth In hyndrynge of another wyght And thus ful many a worthy kynght And many a lusty lady bothe Hath be ful ofte sythe wrothe So that an eye is a theef To loue & doth ful grete meschyef And also for his owne part Ful ofte that ylke fyry dart Of loue which that euery man brenneth Thorugh hym in to the hert renneth And thus a mannes eye first Hym self greueth alder werst And many a tyme that he knoweth Vnto his owne harme it groweth My sone herkne me now for thy A tale to be ware therby Thyn eye for to kepe & warde See that it passe nought the warde

hIc narrat Confessor exemplum de visu ab illicitis preseruando dicens qualiter Acceon Cadmi Regis Thebarum nepos dum in quadam foresta venacionis causa spaaretur accidit vt ipse quendam fontem nemorosa arborum pulcritudine circum uentum superueniens vidit enim Dia nam cum suis Nimphis nudam in flu mine balncantem / quam diligencius intuens oculos suos a muliebri nudita te nullatenns auertere volebat / vnde indignata Diana ipsum in cerui figuram transformauit

Vyde sayth in his booke Ensample touchend mysloke And sayth whilome ther was one A worthy lord whiche Acceone Was hote & was Cosyn nyghe To hym that Thebes fyrst on hyghe Vpset / whiche kyng Cadme hyght This Acceon as he wel myght Aboue al other cast his chere And vsed it from yere to yere With houndes & with grete hornes Among the wodes & the thornes To make his huntyng & his chace Where hym best thought in euery place To fyude game in his way Ther rood he for to hunte & play So hym byfelle vpon a tyde On his huntyng as he cam ryde In a forest all one he was He sawe vpon the grene gras The fayre fressh flonres sprynge He herd among the leues synge The throstel with the nyghtyngalc Thus er he wyst in to a dale He cam wher was a lytel pleyne Al round about wel beseyn With bnsshes grene & Cedres hyghe And ther within he caste his eye A myddes the pleyne he sawe a welle So fayr ther myght noman telle In whiche Dyana naked stood To bathe & play hyr in the flood With many a nimphe which her serueth But he his eye awey ne suerueth Fro her whiche was naked al And she was wonder wroth with al And hym as she whiche was goddesse Forshoop anone & the lykenesse She made hym take of an herte Whiche was to fore his houndes sterte That ronne besylyche aboute With many an horne & many a route That maden moche noyse & crye And at the last vnhappelye This hert his owne houndes slough And hym for vengeaunce al to drough lO now my sone what it is A man to caste his eye amys Whiche Acceon hath dere abought Beware for thy & do it nought For ofte who that hede toke Better it is to wynke than loke And for to proue it is so Ouyde the Poete also A tale whiche to this matere Acordeth & sayth als thou shalt here /

hIc ponit aliud exemplum de eo dē vbi dicit ꝙ quidam princeps nomine Phorceus tres progenuit filias Gorgones a vulgo nuncupatas / que vno partu exorte deformitatem monstrorum serpentinam obtinuerunt qui bus citra in etatem peruenerant talis destinata fuerat natura . qd quicumque in eas aspiceret in lapidem subito mutabatur / Et sic ꝙ plures incaute respicientes visis illis perierunt / fed perseus Miles Clipeo palladis gladio que mercu rij munitus eas extra montem Athelantis cohabitantes auimo audaci abs que sui periculo interfecit

IN Methamor it telleth thus o How that a lord which phorcheus a Ws hote had doughters thre But vpon her natyuyte Suche was the Constellacyon That out of mannes nacyon Fro kynde they be so myswent That to lykenes of a serpent They were bothe & that one Of hem was cleped stellybone That other suster Snryale The thyrd as tellyth in the tale Me'ousa hyght / & netheles Of Comon name Gorgones In euery countrey ther about As monstres whiche as men doute Men clepe hem & but one eye Among hem thre in poure partye They had of whiche they myght see Now hath it this / now hath it she After the cause & nede it lad By throwes eche of hem it had A wonder thyng yet more amys Ther was wherof I telle al this What man on hem his chere cast And hem byhelde he was als fast Oute of a man in to a stone For shape / and thus many one Deceyued were of that they wolde Mysloke where they ne sholde But Perseus that worthy knyght Whome pallas of here grete myght Halpe & took hym a sheld therto And eke the god mercurye also Lent hym a swerd he as it felle Beyonde Athlans the hyghe hylle These monstres foughte & ther he fond Dyuerse men of thylk lond Thorugh syght of hem mystorned were Standed as stones here and there But he whiche wysedome & prowesse Had of the god & of the goddesse The sheld of pallas gan embrace With whiche he couerd sauf his face Mercurius swerd oute he drough And so he bare hym that he slough These dredeful monstres al thre

Confessor ●O now my sone auyse the That thou thy syght not mysuse Case not thyn eye vpon meduse That thou be torned in to stone For so wyse man was neuer none But yf he wol his eye kepe And take of foule delyte no kepe That with lust nys ofte nome Thorugh streugthe of loue & o●come Of myllokyng how it hath ferd As I haue told now hast thou herd My good sonne & take good hede And ouer this yet I the vede That thou beware of thyne heryng Whiche to the hert the tydynge Of many a wnyte hath brought And tarye with a mannes thonght And netheles good is to here 〈…〉 thyng wherof a man maye lere That to vertu is accordaunt And toward al the remenaunt Good is to torne his ere fro For esses but yf a man do soo Hym may ful ofte mysbefalle I rede ensample amonges alle Wherof to kepe wel an ere It ought put a man in fere

hIc Confessor exemplum narrat vt non ab auris exaudicione fatua animus deceptus inuoluatur / Et dicit qualiter ille serpens qui aspis wcatur quendam preciosissimum lapidem nomine carbunculum in sue frontis medi o gestans contra verba in cantantis aurem vnam assigendo promit / et aliam sue caude stimulo firmissime obturat

aSerpent whiche that aspydis Is cleped of his kynde hath this / That he the stone noblest of alle / Whiche that men carbuncle calle Bereth in his hede aboue on hight For whiche that a man by sliyghte The stone to wynne & hym to daunte With his corecte hym wold enchaunte Anone as he perceyueth that He leyth doune his one ere al plat Vnto the gronnde & hold it fast And eke the tother als faste He stoppeth with his taylle so sore That he the wordes lasse ne more Of his enchauntement ne heveth And in this wyse hym self he skyeveth So that he hath the wordes wayued And thns his ere is nought deceyued

Aliud exemplum super eodem qualiter Rex vlixes cum a bello Troiano versus Greciam nauigio remearet et prope illa monstra maxima Sirenes nuncupata angelica voce canorano ipsum ventorum aduersitate nauigare oporteret omnium nautarum suorum aures obturari coegit

iN other thyng who that recordeth Lyche vnto this sample acordeth Whiche in the Tale of Troye I fynde Syrenes of a wonder kynde Ben monstres as the bookes bellen And in the greete see they duellen Of body bothe & of vysage Lyke to the women of yong age Vp fro the nauyl on highe they be And doune bynethe as men may see They bere of fysshes the fygure And oner this of suche nature They be that with so swete a steuene Lyke to the melodye of heuene In womens wys they synge With notes of so grete lykyng Of suche mesure of suche mysyke Wherof the shippes they beswyke That passen by the costes there For whan the shipmen lay an ere Vnto the wyce in here advyce They wene it be of paradys Whiche after to hem is an helle For reson may not with hem duelle Whan they the grete lustes here They can not here shippes stere So besylyche vppon the note They herkene & in suche wyse assote That they hyr ryght cours & weye Foryete / & to here ere obeye And saylen tyl it so byfalle That they in to perylle falle Where as the shippes be to drawe And they be with the monstres slawe But fro this perylle netheles With his wysedom kyng vlyxes Escapeth and it ouer passeth For he to fore hyr hand compasseth That noman of his companye Hath power vnto that folye His ere for no lust to cast For he hem stopped als fast That none of hem maye here hem syng So whan they forth come saylyng There was suche gouernaunce on honde That they the monstres haue withstond And slough of hem a grete partye Thus was he saut with his nauye This wyse kyng thorugh gouernaunce

Confessor wHerof my sone in remembraunce Thou myght ensample take here As I haue told & what thou here Be wel ware & yeue no credence But yf thou see more euydence For yf thou woldest take kepe And wysely couthest warde & kepe Thyne eye and ere as I haue spoke Than haddest thou the gates stoke Fro suche felye as comyth to wynne Thyn hertes wytte whiche is within Wherof that now thy loue excedeth Mesure and many a peyne bredeth But yf thou couthest sette in rewle Tho two the thre were ethe to rewle For thy as for thy wyttes fyue I wol as now no more shryue But only of these ylke two Tel me therfor yf it be so Hast thou thyne eye ought myschrow ▪

Amans mY fader ye I am bekuowe I haue hem cast vpon meduse Therof I may me nought excuse Myn hert is growen in to stone So that my lady therupon Hath suche a prynte of suche a graue That I can nought my self saue

Opponit Confessor wHat sayst thou sone as of thyn ere mY fader I am gyltyf there For whan I may my lady here My wyt with that hath lost his steve I do nought as Ulyxes dede But falle anon vpon the stede Where as I see my lady stonde And ther I do yow vnderstonde I am so pulled in my thought So that of reason leueth nought Wherof that I may me defende

— Confessor mY good sonne god the amende For as me thynketh by thy spech Thy wyttes be ryght for to seche As of thyn ere & of thyne eye I wol no more specyfye But I wol axen ouer this Of other thynges how that it is

Celsior est aquila que leone forcior ille / Quem tumor elati cordis ad alta mouet / Sunt species quinque / quibus est superbia ductrix / Clamat et in multis mundus adheret eis / Lauando faciem ficto pallore subornat . Fraudibus Ipocrisis melle verba suis / Sic que pios animos ꝙ sepe ruit muliebres / Ex humili verbo sub latitante dolo

hIc loquitur ꝙ septem sunt peccata mortalia / quorum caput superbia vanas species habet et carum prima Ipocrisis dicitur cuius proprietatem secundum vicium Confessor Amanti declarat /

mY sone as i shal the enforme Ther ben yet of another forme Of dedly vyces seuen applyed Wherof the herte is ofte plyed To thyng which after shal hym greue The● fyrst of hem thou shalt byleue Is pryde whiche is princypal And hath with hym in especyal Mynystres syue ful dyuerse Of whiche the I shal reherce The fyrst is sayd Ipocrysye If thou art of his compauye Telle forth my sone & shryue the clene

Amans iWote not fadre what ye mene But this I wold yow beseche That ye me by somwey teche What is to ben an Ipocryte And yf I be for to wyte I wol beknowe as it is mY sone an Ypocryte is this A man whiche feyneth cōseyen As though it were al innocence Withoute & is not so within And doth so for he wold wynne Of his desyre the wyne astate And anone whan he come ther at He sheweth than what he was The corne is torned in to gras That was a Rose is than a thorne And he that was a lambe byforne Is than a wolf & thus malyce Vnder the colour of Iustyce As had / & as the peple telleth These ordres wyten where he duelleth As he that of her counseyll is And thylk world whiche they or this Forsaketh & drawen in ayene He cloteth ryches as men seyn Vnder the symplest of pouerte And doth to seme of grete deserte Thyng whiche is lytel worth within He seyth in open fy to synne And in secreet ther is no vyce Of whiche that he nys noryce And euer his chere is sobre & softe And where he goth he blessyd ofte Wherof the blynde world he dretcheth But yet al only he ne stretcheth His rewle vpon Relygyon But next to that condicyon In suche as clepe hem holy chirche It sheweth eke how he can worche Among the wyde furred hodes To gete hem the worldly goodes And they hem self by thylke same That setten moost the world in blame But yet in contrarye of his lore Ther is nothyng they louen more So that semed of lyght they werke The dedes whiche are inward derke And thus this double ypocrysye Whiche is deuoute apparancye A byser set vpon his face Wherof toward the worldes grace He semeth to be wel ryght thewed And yet his herte is al beshrewed But netheles he stant byleued And hath his purpoos ofte acheued Of worship & of worldes welthe And takyth it as who sayd by stelthe Thorugh couerture of his fallas And ryght so in semblable caas This vyce hath eke his offycers Among these other seculeres Of grete men for of the sinale As for to accompte he set no tale But they that passe the comune With suche hem lyke to comune And where he sayth he wold socoure The peple there he wol deuoure For now a day is many one Whiche speketh of Peter & of Iohn And thynketh Iudas in his hert Ther shal no worldes good astert His hand and yet he geueth Almesse And fasteth ofte & hereth messe With mea culpa whiche he seyth Vpon his breste ful ofte he leyth His hond & case vp ward his eye As though Crystes face he syghe Soo that it semeth at the syght As he alone al other myght Rescue with his holy dede But yet his hert in other stede Among his bedys moost deuoute Goth in the worldes cause aboute How that he myght his waryson Encrese / & in comparyson

hIc tractat confessor cum amante super illa jpocrisia que sub amoris facie fraudulenter lati tando mulieres ipsius ficticijs credulas sepissime decepit innocentes

tHer be louers of suche a sort That feynen hem an humble port And al is ypocrysye Whiche with deceyte & flaterye Hath many a worthy wyght begyled For whan he hath his tonge be fyled With softe speche & with lesyng Forth with his fals pytous lokyng He wold make a woman wene To gone vpon the fayre grene Whan that she fallyth in the myre For he may haue his desyre How so falleth on the remenaunt He halt no word of couenaunt But or the tyme that helspede Ther is no sloygthe in thylk deede Whiche ony lones faytour may That he ne put it in assay As hym belonged for to done The colour of the reyny mone With medycyne vpon his face He set / and than he axeth grace As he whiche hath sykenes feyned Whan his vysage was so desteyned With eye vp cast on her he syketh And many a contenaunce he pyketh To bryngen hyr in to byleue Of thyng whiche that he wold acheue Wherof he bereth the pale hewe And for he wold seme trewe And maketh him seke whan he is heyle But whan he berest lowest seyle Than is he swyfeest to begyle The woman whiche that ylke whyle Set vpon hym fayth or credence mY sone yf thou thy conseyence Entamed hast in such a wyse In shryfte thou myght the auyse And telle it me yf it be so

Amans mYn holy fadre certes no And for to feyne suche sykenesse It nedeth nought for this wytnesse I take to god that my courage Hath be more seke than my vysage And eke thus wel I may auowe So lowe couthe I neuer bowe To feyne humylyte withoute That me lyst better to loute With al the thoughtes of myn herte For that thyng shal me neuer sterte I speke as to my lady dere To make hyr ony feyned chere God Wote wel ther I lye nought My chere hath be suche as my thought For in good feith this leueth wele My wyll was better a thousand dele Than ony chere that i couthe But Syre I haue in my yougthe Done otherwyse in other place I put me therof in your grace For this excusen i ne shal That I haue elles oueral To loue and to his companye Be pleyne withoute ypocrysye But ther is one whiche that I ser●e Al though I may no thank deserue To whome yet neuer vnto this daye I sayd onlyche ye or nay But yf it so were in my thought As touchend other say I nought That I am somdele for to wyte Of that ye clepe an Ipocryte

Confessor mY sone it syt wel euery wyght To kepe his thonght in trouth vp ryght / Towardes loue in al wyse For who that wolde hym wel aduyse What hath byfalle in this matere He shold nought with feyned chere Deceyue loue in no degre To loue is euery hert fre But in deceyt of that thou feynest And therupon thy lust atteynest That thou hast wonne with thy wyle Though it be lyke for a whyle Thou shalt it afterward repente And for to proue myn entente I fynde ensample in a Cronyque Of hem that loue so beswyke

Quod Ipocrisia sit in amore pericu losa narrat exemplum qualiter sub regno Tiberij Imperatoris quidam miles nomine Mundns qui Romanorum dux milicie tune prefuit Dominam Paulinam pulcherrimam castitatis ● famosissimam mediantibus duobus falsis Presbiteris in Templo Isys domini sui se esse fingens sub fic●e sauctitatis Ipocrisi nocturno tempore vicia●●t vn̄ idem dux in exilium presbiteri in mortem ob sui criminis enormitatem damp nati extiterant

IT byfesse by old dayes thus Whylome the emperour Tiberius The Monarche of Rome thus lad Ther was a worthy Romayn had A wyf & she Pauline hyght Whiche was to euery mannys syght Of al the Cyte the fayrest And as men sayden eke the lest It is & hath ben euer yet That so strong is that no mans wyt Whiche thurgh beaute ne may be with drawe / To loue & vnder the lawe Of thylke frele bore kynde Whiche maketh the hert eyen blynde Where no reson may be comuned And in this wyse so fortuned This tale of whiche I wol mene This wyf whiche in her lustes grene Was fresshe & tendre of age She may not let the courage Of hym that wol on hyr assote Ther was a duk & he was hote Mundus whiche had in his bayllye To lede alle the chyualrye Of Rome & was a worthy knyght But he was nought of suche myght The strengthe of loue not to withstonde That he ne was brought to honde That maulgry where he wold or no This yong wyf he loueth so That he hath put al his assay To wynne thyng whiche he ne may Gete of hyr graunt in no maner By yefte of gold ne by prayer And whan he sa we that by no mede Toward her loue he myght spede By sleyght feyned than he wrought And therupon he hym bythought How that ther was in the Cyte A temple of suche auctoryte To whiche with grete deuocyon The noble women of the toune Most comonlyche on pylgremage Gone for to pray thylke ymage Whiche the goddesse of Chyldyng is And cleped was by name Isys And in her temple than were To rewle & to mynystre there After the lawe whiche was tho Abouen al other prestes two This duk whiche thought his loue gete Vpon a day hem two to mete Hath bede & they come at his haste Where they had a ryche feste And after mete in preuy place This lord whiche wold his thank purchace To eche of hem than gaf a gift And spak soo that by waye of shryfte He drough hem in to his couyne To helpe & shape how paulyne After his lust deceyue myght And they her trouthes both plyght That they by nyght her shold wynne In to the temple & he therynne Shal haue of hyr al his entent Thus acorded forth they wente Now lyste thorugh whiche Ipocrysye Ordeyned was the trecherye Wherof this lady was deceyued These prestes hadden wel conceyued That she was of grete holynesse And with a counterfeyt symplenesse Whiche hyd was in fals courage Feyned an heuenly message They come & sayd to hyr thus Paulyne the God Anubus Hath sente vs both prestes here And sayth he wol to the appere By nyghtes tyme hym self allone For loue he hath to thy persone And therupon he hath vs bede That we in Isys Temple a stede Honestly for the purueye Where thou by nyght as we the seye Of hym shalt take a vysyon For vpon thy condycyon The whiche is chast & ful of feyth Suche pryce as he vs tolde he leyth That he wol stonde of thyn acord And for to bere herof record He send vs hyder bothe two Glad was her Innocence tho Of suche wordes as she herd With humble chere & thus ansuerd And seyd that the goddes wylle She was al redy to fulfylle That by her housbondes leue She wold in Isys Temple at eue Vpon her goddes grace abyde To seruen hym by nyght tyde The prestes gone home tho ageyne And she goth to her souerayne Of goddes wylle & as it was She told hym al the pleyne cas Wherof he was deceyued eke And bad that she shold her meke Al hoole vnto the goddes heeste And thus she whiche was honeste To god ward after hyr entent At nyght to the temple went Where that the fals prestes were And they receyuen hyr there With suche a tokue ▪ of holynesse As though they sawen hyr Goddesse And al within a preuy place A softe bed a large space They had made & enterc●rteyned Where she was afterward engyned But she whiche al honour supposeth The fals prestes than opposeth And axeth by what obseruaunce She myght moost to the plesaunce Of god that nyghtes reule kepe And they hyr bydden for to slepe Lyggend vpon the bed a lofte For so they sayden al stylle & softe God Anubus her wold awake The counseylle in this wyse take The preestes fro this lady gone And she that wyst of gyle none In the maner as it was sayd Tho to slepe vpon the bed is leyd In hope that she shold acheue Thyng which stood than vpon bileue Fulfylled of all holynesse But she hath fayled as I gesse For in a closet fast by The duk was hyd so pryuely That she myght not perceyue And he that thought to deceyue Hath suche aray vpon nome That whan he wold vnto hyr come It shold seme at hir eye As though she veryly syghe God Anubus & in suche a wyse This ypocryyte of his queyntyse Awayteth euer tyl she slepte And than oute of his place he crepte So stylle that she nothyng herde And to the bed stalkynge he ferde And sodenly or she it wyst Beclypt in armes he hyr kyst Wherof in womannysshe ●rede She wooke & nyst what to rede But he with softe wordes mylde Comfort her & sayd with child He wold her make in suche a kynde That al the world shal haue in mynde The worship of that ylke sone For he shal with goddes wone And ben hym self a god also With such wordes & with moo The whiche he feyneth in his speche This ladyes wytte was al to seche As she whiche al trouth weneth But he that al vntrouthe meneth With blynde tales so her lad That al his wyl of her he had And whan hym thought it was ynough Agayne the day he hym withdrough So pryuely that she ne wyste Where he bycome as he lyste Oute of the temple be goth his waye And she bygan to bydde & praye Vpond the bare ground knelend And after that made her offrende And to the prestes yeftes grete She yafe & home ward in the strete The dnke her met & sayd thus The myghty god whiche Annbus ●s hote he saue the paulyne For thou art of his disciplyne So holy that no mannes myght May do that he hath do to nyght Of thyng whiche thou hast euer esche escheued / But I his grace haue so pursued That I was made his lyeutenaunt For thy by way of couenaunt Fro this day for ward I was thyne And yf the lyke to be myne That stond vpon thyne owne wylle sHe herd this tale & bare it stylle And home she went as it bifelle In to her chambr● & ther she fille ●●on hyr bed to wepe & crye And sayd O derke ypocrysye Thorugh whos dissimulacyon Of fals ymagynacyon I am wykkedly thus deceyued But that I haue it apperceyued I thanke vuto the goddes alle For though it thus byfalle I shal neuer eft whiles I lyue And thylk auowe to god I yeue And thus wepend she compleyneth Hyr fayr face & al dysteyneth With woful teres her eye So that vpon this agonye Her housbond is in come And sawe how she was ouercome With sow we & axeth hyr what hyr ey eyleth , And she with that hir self bewei●eth Wel more than she dyde therfore And sayd allas wyfhode is love In me whiche whysome was honeste I am no more than a beeste Now am I defouled of two And as she myght speke tho Ashamed with a pytous onde She told vnto her housbonde The sothe of al the hole tale And in her speche dede & pale She swouneth wele nyghe to the laste And he hyr in armes faste Vphelde & ofte swore his othe That he with hyr is nothyng wroth For wel he wote she maye ther nought But netheles within his thought His hert stood in a sory plyght And sayd he wold of that despyte Be auengyd how so euer it falle And sente vnto his frendes alle And whan they were comen in fere He told hem vpon this matere And axed hem what was to done And they auysed were sone And sayd it thought hem for the best To set his wyf fyrst in rest And after pleyne to the kyng Vpon the mater of this thyng Tho was his woful wyf comforted By al wayes & disported Tyl that she was somdele amended And thus they a day or tuo dispended The thyrd day she goth to pleyne With many a worthy Cytezeyne And he with many a Cytezeyne When th emperour it herd seyne And knewe the falshede of the vyce He sayd he wold do Iustyee And fyrste he lete the prestes take And for they shold it not forsake He put hem in to question But they of suggestion Ne coude not one word refuse But for they wold hem self excuse The blame vpon the duke they layd But ther ayene the counseyl sayd That they be nought excused so For he is one & they be two And two haue more wytte than one So thylke excusement was none And ouer that was sayd hem eke Than whan men wold vertue seke Men shold it in the prestes fynde Hir ordre is of so hyghe a kynde That they be tuterers of the weye For thy yf ony man forswey Thorugh hem they be not excusable And thus by lawe resonable Among the wyse Inges there The prestes bothe dampned were So that the preuy trecherye Hyd vnder fals ypocrysye Was than openly shewed That many a man hem hath beshrewed And whan the prestes were dede The temple of thylke horryble dede They thoughten purge & thylk ymage Whos cause was the pylgremage They drouen out & also fast Fer in to the Tyber they it cast Where the Ryuer it hath defyed And thus the temple puryfyed They haue of thylke horryble synne Whiche was that tyme do therynne Of this poynt was thus aduyse But of the duk was otherwyse For he with loue was bestad His dome was nought so hard lad For loue put reson awey And can nought see the ryght wey And by this cause he was respyted So that the deth hym was acquyted But for al that he was exybed For he his loue had so begyled That he shal neuer come ayene For he that is to trouthe vnpleyne He may not faylen of vengeaunce aNd to taken remembraunce Of that ypocrysye hath wrought On other halue men shal nought To lyghtly leue al that they here But than shold a wyseman stere The shyp when suche wyndes blowe For fyrst thouh they begynne lowe At ende they be nought meuable But al to broke mast & cable So that the shyp with sodeyne blast Whan men leste wene is ouer cast As now fuloften a man may see And of old tyme how it hath be I fynde a grete experyence Wherof to take euydence Good is and to be war also Of the perylle or hym be wo

hIc vlterius ponit exemplum de illa eciam Ipocrisia que inter virum & virum decipiens periculosissima consistit Et narrat qualiter Greci in obsidione ciuitatis Troye cum ipsam vi apprehendene nnllatenns potuerunt fallaci animo cum Troianis vt dicunt ꝓ perpetuo statuebant & super hoc quendam equm mire grossionis de ere fabricatum ad sacrificandum in templo Minerue confingentes

oF hem that ben so derk wit● At troye also if we begyn● Ipocrysye it hath bytrayd For whan the grekes had al assayed / And fonde that by no bataill Ne by no syege it myght auayll The toune to wynne thurgh prowesse This vyce feyned of symplesse Thorugh sleyghte of Calcas & Cryse It wan by suche a maner wyse An hors of bras they lete do forge Of suche entaylle & of suche a forge That in this world was neuer man That suche another werk began The crafty werkman Epius It made & for to telle thus The grekes that thoughten to begyle The kyng in Troye in thylke whyle With Anthenor & with Enee That were bothe of the Cyte And of the counseylle the wysest The rychest & the myghtyest In pryue place so they trete With fayr byhestes & yeftes grete Of gold that they haue engyned To gedre & whan they be couyned They feynen for to make a pees And vnder that yet neuertheles They shopen the destructyon Bothe of the kynge & of the Towne And thus the fals pees was take Of hem of Grece & vndertake And therupon they fonde awey Where strengthe myght not awey That sleyghte shold helpe thanne And of an ynche a large spanne By colour of pees they made And telden how they were glade Of that they stonden in acord And for it shal ben of record Vnto the kyng of Troye sayden By way of loue & thus they pra yden As they that wold his thank deserue A sacryfyce vnto myuerne The pers to kepe in good entent They must offre or that they went The kyng counseyled in the cas By Anthenor & Eneas Therto hath youen his assent So was the pleyne trouthe blent Thorugh counterfete ypocrysye Of that they sholden sacryfye The Grekes vnder the holynesse Anone with al besynesse Here hors of bras lete fayr dyghte Whiche was to seen a wonder syghte For it was trapped of hym selue And had of smale wheles twelue Vpon the whiche men ynough With craft toward the Town it drough And goth glystrend ayenst the sonne Tho was ther ioye ynough begonne For Troye in grete denocyon Came also with procession Ayenst this noble sacryfyse With grete honour & in this wyse Vnto the gates they it broughte But of here entent whan they soughte The gates weren al to smale And therupon was many a tale But for the worship of Mynerue To whome they comen for to serue They of the Towne whiche vnderstode That al this thyng was do for goode For pees / wherof they be glade The gates that Neptunus made A thousand wynter ther to fore They haue anon to broke & tore The strong wallys doune they breke So that in to the large strete This hors with grete solempnyte Was brought within the Cyte And offred with grete reuerence Whiche was to Troye an euydence Of loue & pees for euermo The Gregoys token leue tho With al the hole felauship And forth they wenten in to ship And crossen sayle & made hem yare Anone as though they wolden fare But whan the blak wynter nyght Withoute Mone or sterre lyght Bederked hath the water stronde Al pryuely they gone on londe Ful armed oute of the nauye Symon whiche was made her efpye Within Troye as was conspyred Whan tyme was a tokne fyred And with that theyr wey they holden And comen ryght as they wolden There as the gates were to broke The purpoos was ful take & spoke Er ony man may take kepe Whyle that the Cyte was a slepe They slowen al that was within And token what they myght wyn Of suche good as was suffysaunt And brenden vp the remenaunt And thus come oute the trecherye Whiche vnder fals ypocrysye Was hyd / and they that wened pees Tho myghten fynde no relees Of thylk swerd whiche al deuoured Fulofte & thus the swete soured Whan it is knowe to the tast He spylleth many a worde wast That shal with suche a peple trete For whan he weneth most beyete Than is he shape most to leese And ryght so yf a woman chese Vpon the wordes that she hereth Som man when he moste trewe appereth Than is he forthest fro the trouthe But yet fulofte & that is routhe They speden that be most vntrewe And louen euery day a newe Wherof the lyef is after loth And loue hath cause to be wroth But that man that his luste desyreth Of loue & therupon conspyreth With weedes feyned to deceyue He shal not fayle to receyue His peyne as it is ofte sene

Confessor For thy my sone as I the mene It fyt the wel to take hede That thou eschewe of thy manhede Ipocrysye & his semblaunt That thou ne nought be deceyuaunt To make a woman to byleue Thyng whiche is not in thy byleue For in suche feynt Ipocrysye Of loue is al the trecherye Thorugh whiche loue is deceyned ofte For feyned semblannt is so softe Vnnethes loue may beware For why sone as I wel dare I charge the to fle that vyce That many a woman it hath made nyce But loke thou dele not with al Iwys fadre nomore I shal

Confessor Now sone kepe that thou hast swore For this that thou hast herd byfore Is sayd the fyrst poynt of pryde And next vpon that other syde To shryne & speke ouer this Touchend of pryde yet ther is The poynt second I the behote Whiche Inobedyence is hote

Flectere ꝙ frangi melius reputatur & olle Fictilis ad cacabum pugna valere nequit / Quem neꝪ lex hoīm neꝪ lex diuīa valebit / / Flectere multociens corde reflectit amor / Quem non flectit amor non flec tendus ab illo / Sed rigor illius plus ele phante riget / Ded gnatur amor poterit quos scire rebelles / Et rudibus sortem prestat habere rudem / Sed qui sponte sui subicit se cordis amore / Frangit in aduersis omnia fata pius

hIc loquitur de secunda specie superbie que Inobediencia dicitur / Et primo illius vicij naturam simpliciter declarat Et tractat consequente ▪ super illa obediencia que in curia Cupidinis exosa amoris cam̄ ex sua ībesillitate sepissime retardat

tis vyce of Inobediencie Ageyne the reule of conseyence Al that is humble he disaloweth That he toward his god ne boweth After the lawes of his heste Not as a man but as a beast Whiche goth vpon his lustes wylde So goth this proude vyce vnmylde That he dysdeyneth al lawe He not what is to be felawe And serue he may not for pryde So is he led on euery syde And is that selue of whome men speke Whiche wol not bowe or that he breke I not yf loue myght hym plye For elles for to Iustyfye His hert I not what myght duayle For thy my sone of suche entayle If that thyn hert be disposed Telle oute & lete it nought be glosed For yf that thou vnbuxome be To loue I not in what degre Thou shalt thy good world acheue

Amans My fadre ye shal wel byleue The yong whelpe whiche is affayted Hath not his mayster better wayted To couche whan he seyth go lowe Than I anone as I may knowe My lady wylle ne bowe more But other while I grutche sore Of som thynges that she doth Wherof that . I wol telle soth For of two poyntes I am bethought That I wold I myght nought Obeye vnto my lady hest But I dar make this byhest Sauf only of that ylke two I am vnbuxome of no mo

Confessor opponit What / ben tho two telle on quod he My fader this is one that she Commaundeth me my mouthe to close And that I shold nought here oppose In loue of whiche I ofte preche But preuelyche of suche a speche Forbere & suffre her in pees But that ne myght I netheles For al this world obeye I I wys For when I am there as she is Though she my tales nought alowe Ayene hir wyll yet mote I bowe To seche yf that I myght haue grace But that thynge may I not embrace For ought that I can speke or do And yet ful ofte I speke so That she is wroth & sayth be stylle For I that heest shal fulfylle And therto ben obedyent Than is my cause fully shent For speche les maye noman spede So wote I not what is to rede But certes I may nought obeye That I ne mote algates seye Somwhat of that I wold mene For euer it is alyche grene The grete loue whiche I haue Wherof I can not both saue My speche & this obedyence And thus fulofte my sylence I breke & is the fyrst poynt Wherof that I am oute of poynt In this & yet it is no pryde Now then vpon that other syde To telle my disobeysaunce Ful sore it stant to my greuaunce And may not synke in to my wytt For oftyme she me bytt To leue hyr & chese a newe And sayth yf I the soth knewe How fer I stonde oute of her grace I shold loue in other place But therof wol I disobeye For also wel she myght seye Go take the mone where it sytte As bryng that in to my wytte For there neuer roted tre That stood so fast in his degre That I ne stonde more fast Vpon hyr loue & may cast Myn hert awey as though I wolde For god wote though I neuer sholde Seen hyr with eye after this daye Yet stont it so that I ne maye Hyr loue oute of my brest renue This is a wondre retenue That maulgre where she wol or none Myn hert is euer more in one So that I can none other chese But whether that I wynne or lese I mote hyr loue tyl I deye And thus I breke as by that weye Here hestes & here commaundynges But trulyche in none other thynges For thy my fadre what is more Touchand to this ylke lore I yow byseche after the forme That ye pleynly me wold enforme So that I myght myn hert reule In loues cause after the reule

Murmur in aduersis ita concipit ille superbus . ●ena quod ex bina sorte purget eum / O bina fortune cum spes in amore resistit / Non sine mentali murmure plangit amans

h Ic loquitur de murmure & planc tu qui super omnes alios inobediencie secreciores vt ministre illi deseruiant

tOward the vyce of which we trete / Ther be twey of thilk estrete ▪ Here name is murmur & compleynt / Ther can noman here chere peynt . To set a glad semblaunt therinne For though fortune make hem wynne Yet grutche they & yf they lese There is no weye for to chese Wherof they myght stonde appesed So be they comonlych dysesed There may no welthe ne pouerte Attempren hem to the deserte Of buxomnesse by no wyse For oftyme they despyse The good fortune as the badde As they no mannes reson hadde Thorugh pryde wherof they be blynde And ryght of suche a maner kynde Ther be louers that though they haue Of loue al that they wold craue Yet wol they grutche by somme weye That they wold nought to loue obeye Vpon the trouthe as doo sholde And hem lakketh that they wolde Anone they shal in suche a peyne That euer vnbuxomly they pleyne Vpon fortune they curse & crye That they wold not her hertes plye To suffre tyll it better falle For thy yf thou amonges alle Hast vsed this condycyon My sone in thy confession Now telle me pleynly what thou art My fadre I knowe wel a part So that ye telle here aboue Of murmur & compleynt of loue That for I see no spede comende Ageynst fortune compleynende I am as who sayth for euermo And eke fuloftyme also Whan so is that I see & here Or heuy word or heuy chere Of my lady I grutche anone But wordes dar I speke none Wherof she myght be displesyd But in myn hert I am dysesed With many a murmour god it wote Thus drynke I in myn owne swote And though I make no semblaunt Myn hert is al disobeysaunt And in this wyse I me confesse Of that ye clepe vnbuxomnesse Now telle what your counseyl is

Confessor My sone & I rede this What so byfalle of other weye That thou to loues lust obeye As fer as thou it myght suffyse Fulofte syth in suche a wyse Obedyence in loue auayleth Where al a mannes strengthe fayleth Wherof yf thou lyst to wyte In a Cronyque as it is wryte A grete Ensample thou myght fynde Whiche is now comen to my mynde

Ic contra amori inobedientes ad commendacionem obediencie confessor super eodem Exemplum ponit vbi di at que q̄dam Regis Sealie filia in sue iuuentucis floribus pulcherrime ex eius Nouerce Incantacionibus in vetulam turpissimam transformata excitit / Flo rencius tunc Imperatoris Claudi Nepos Miles in armis strennuissimus amorosus que legibus intendens ex sua obediencia in pulcritudinem pristinam reformauit

tHer was whylom by dayes old A worthy knyght as men ●old He was neuewe to th emperour And of his Court a Courteour Wyfles he was Florent he hyghte He was a man that mochel myght Of armes he was desyrous Chyualrous & amerous And fame of worldes speche Straunge auentures for to seche He rood the marches all aboute And felle a tyme whan he was oute Fortune whiche may euery threde To breke & knytte of mannes spede Shope as this knyght rood in a pas That he by strengthe take was And to a Castel they hym ladde . Where that he fewe frendes hadde For so it felle that ylke stounde That he had a dedely wounde Frghtend his owne handes slayn Branchus whiche to the Capytayn Was sone & heyre wherof ben wroth The fadre & the modre both That knyght Branchus was of his honde The worthyest of al his londe And seyn they wold do vengeaunce Vpon Florent but remembraunce That they toke of his worthynes Of knyghthode & of gentylnes And how he stood of cosynage To th emperour toke assuage And durst not sleyn hym for fere In grete despute son they were Among hem self that was the best There was a lady the slyest Of al that men knewe tho So old she myght vnnethes go And was grandame vnto the dede And with that bygan to rede And she said she wold bring him ynne That she shal hym to deth wynne Al only of his owne graunt Thorugh strengthe of veray couenaunt Withoute blame of ony wyght Anone she sent for this knyght And of her sone she aleyde The deth / & thus to hym she seyde Florent hou so thou be to wyte Of Branchus deth men shal respyte As now to take a●engement Be so thou stonde in Iugement Vpon certeyne condycyon That thou vnto a questyon Whiche I shal axe shalt ansuere And ouer this thou shalt eke swere That yf thou of the soth fayle Ther shal none other thyng auayle That thou ne shalt the deth receyue And for men shal the not deceyue That thou therof myght be aduysed Thou shalt haue day & tyme assysed And loue saufly for to wende Be so that at thy dayes ende Thou come ageyne with thyn auyse This knyght which was worthy & wise This lady prayeth that he may wyte And haue it vnder seales wryte What question it shold be For whiche he shal in that degre Stonde of his lyf in Ieopardye With that she feyneth companye And sayth Florent on loue it longeth Al that to myn axyng longeth What al women moost desyre This wol I axe & in th empyre Where thou hast most knoulechyng Take counceylle of this axyng Florent this thyng hath vndertake The tyme was set & day take Vnder his seal he wrote his oth In suche a wyse & forth he goth Home to his emes court ageyne To whome his auenture pleyne He told of that hym is byfalle And vpon that they were alle The wysest of the lond assent But netheles of one assent They myght not acorde plat One sayde this another that After the disposicion Of natural complexyon To somme woman it is plesaunce That to another is greuaunce But suche a thyng in specyal Whiche to hem al in general Is most plesaunt & moost desyred Aboue al other & moost conspyred Suche one can they not fynde By Constellacyon ne by kynde And thus Florent withoute cure Must stonde vpon his auenture And is al shape vnto the lyere And as in defaulte of his ansuere This knyght hath leuer for to dye Than breke his trouthe & for to lye In place where he was swore And shapith hym gone ayene therfore Whan tyme come he toke his leue That lenger wold he not byleue And prayth his eme he be not wroth For that is a poynt of his oth He sayth that noman shal hym wreke Though afterward here men speke That he parauenture dye And thus he went forth his weye Alone as a knyght auenturous And in his ryght was curyous To wyte what was best to do And as he rode alone so And cam nyghe ther he wold be In a forest ther vnder a tre He sawe where sate a creature A lothly womannyssh fygure That for to speke of flessh & bone So foule yet sawe he neuer none This knyght byheld hyr redely And as he wold haue passed by She cleped hym & bad hym abyde And he his hors hede a syde Tho torned & to hyr he rode And there he houed & abode To wyte what she wold mene And she bygan hym to be mene And sayd Florent by thy name Thou hast on honde suche a game That yf thou be not better auysed Thy deth shapen is & deuysed That al the world ne may the saue But yf that thou my counceyl haue Florent whan he this tale herd Vnto this old wyght ansuerd And of her counseyl he her prayd And she ayene to hym thus sayd Florent yf I for the so shape That thou thorugh me thy deth escape And take worship of thy dede What shal I haue to my mede What thyng qd he that thou wold axe I byd neuer a better taxe Quod she but fyrst or thou be sped Thou shalt me leue suche a wed That I wol haue thy trouth on honde That thou shalt be myn husbonde Nay sayd Florent that may not be Ryde then forth thy wey quod she And yf thou go forth withoute rede Thou shalt be sekerlyche dede Florent behyght good ynough Of lond of rent of parke of plough But al that she compteth nought Tho felle this knyght in mochel thought Now goth he● forth / now cometh ayene He not what is best to seyne And thought as he rode to & fro That chose he mote one of the two Or for to take hyr to his wyf Or elles to lese his lyf And than he cast his auauntage That she was of so grete an age That she may lyue but a whyle And thought to put her in an Ile Where that noman her shold knowe Tyl she with deth were ouerthrowe And thus this yong lusty ▪ knyght Vnto this old lothely wyght Tho sayd yf that none other chaunce May make my delyueraunce But only thylke same speche Whiche as thou ●eyst thou shalt me teche / Haue here myn hond I shal the Wedde / And thus his trouth he leid to Wedde● With that she frounceth vp that browe This couenaunt wol I alowe She sayth yf ony other thyng But that thou hast of my techyng Fro deth thy body may respyte I wol the of thy trouthe acquyte And elles by none other weye Now herken me what I shal seye Whan thou art come in to the place Where now they maken grete manace And vpon thy comyng abyde They wol anone the same tyde Oppose the of thyne ansuere I wote thou wolt no thyng forbere Of that thou wenest be thy best And yf thou myght so fynde rest Wel is for than is ther more And elles this shal be my lore That thou shalt say vpon this molde That al women leuest wolde Be souerayne of mannes loue For what woman is so aboue She sayth as who sayth al her wylle And elles may she nought fulfylle What thyng were here leuest haue With this ansuer thou shalt saue Thy self & otherwyse nought And whan thou hast thy ende wrought Come here ayene thou shalt me fynde And lete nothyng oute of thy mynde He goth hym forth with heuy chere As ●e that not in what manere He may this , worldes Ioye atteyne For yf he dye he hath a peyne And yf he lyue he mote hym bynde To suche a wytche of old kynde Of women the vnsemelyest Thus wote he not what is the best But be hym lyef or be hym ▪ loth Vnto the Castel forth he goth His ful ansuere for to yeue Or for to dye or for to lyue Forth with his counseyll cam the lord The thynges stonden of record He send vp for the lady sone And forth she cam that old mone In presence of the remenaunt The strengthe of al the couenaunt Tho was reherced openly And to Florent she bad pardy That shal tellen his auys As he that wote what is the prys Florent sayth al that euer he couthe But suche word cam none to mouthe That he for yefte or for byheste Myght ony wyse his deth areste And thus he taryeth long & late Tyl this lady bad algate That shal for the dome fynal Yeue his ansuere in specyal Of that she had fyrst opposed And than he hath truly supposed That he hym may of nothyng yelpe But yf so be tho wordes helpe Whiche as the woman hath hym taught Wherof he hath an hope caught That he shal be excused so And told oute pleyne his wylle tho And whan this matrone herd The maner how this knyght ansuerd She sayd treson wo the be That hast thus told the pryuyte Whiche al women most desyre I wold that thou were on fyre But netheles in suche a plyght Florent of his ausuer is quyt And tho bygan his soro we newe For he mote gone or be vntrewe To her whiche his trouthe had But he whiche al shame drad Goth forth in stede of his penaunce And taketh the fortune of his chaunce As he that was with trouth affayted This olde wyght hym hath awayted In place where ▪ as he her in ▪ lefte Florent his woful hede vp lyfte And sawe this where that she sytte Which was the lothest wyghte That euer man cast on his eye Here nose●baas ▪ her browes hyghe Hyr eyen smal & depe sett Hyr chekes ben with teres weet And ryuelyn as in an empty skyn Hangyng doune vnto the chyn Her lyppes ben shronken for age Ther ▪ was no grace in her vysage Hyr front was narwe hir lockes hore She loketh forth as doth a more Her neck is short her shulders courbe That myght a mannes lust distourbe Here body grete & no thyng small And shortly for to descryue hyr all She hath no lyth withoute a lak But lyche vnto the wolle sak She profereth hyr vnto this knyght And bad hym as he behyght So as she bath by his warrant That he hyr helde couenaunt And by the brydel she hym seseth But god wote how that she hym pleseth Of suche wordes as she speketh Hym thynketh wel nyghe his hert breketh breaketh / ▪ For sorowe that he may fle But yf he wold vntrewe be Loke how a seke man for his hele Taketh baldemony with canele And with the myrre the sucre Ryght on suche maner lucre Stant Florent in this dyete He drynketh the bitter with the swete He medleth sorowe with lykyng And lyueth as who sayth deyng His thought shal be cast awey Vpon suche one as that the wey Is old & lothly oueralle But nede he mote that nede shalle He wold algate his trouthe holde As euery knyght therto is holde What hap so euer to hym is falle Though she be foulest of alle The honour of womanhede Hym thought he shold take heede So that for pure gentilnesse As he couthe hyr best adresse In ragges as she was to tore He set hir on his hors to fore And forth he taketh his weye softe No wonder though he sygheth ofte But as an oule fleeth by nyght Out of al other byrdes syght Ryght so this knyght on dayes brode In close hym helde & shope his rode On nyghtes tyme tyll the tyde That he come ther he wold abyde And pryuely withoute noyse He bryngeth this foule grete coyse To his Castel in suche a wyse That noman myght her shap auyse Tyl she in to chambre came Where he his preuy counseylle name Of suche men as he most trust And told hem that he nedes must This beste wedde vnto his wyf For elles he had lost his lyf The pryue women were assent That shold be of his assent Her ragges they anone of drawe And as it was that tyme lawe She had bath she had rest And was arrayed to the best But with no craft of combes brode They myght d●esse her lockes shode And she ne wold not be shore For no counseyl & therfore With suche a tyre as tho was vsed Ordeynen that it was excused And had so crafte lyche aboute That noman myght seen hem oute But whan she was fully arrayed And her a tyre was al assayed Tho she was fouler vnto se But yet it may none other be They were wedded by nyght So wo begon was neuer knyght As he was than of Maryage And she bygan to playe & rage As who sayth I am wel ynough But he therof nothyng ne lough For she toke than chere on honde And clepeth hym her husbonde And sayd my lord go we to bed For I to that entent wedde For thou shalt be my worldes blisse And profereth hym with that to kysse As she a lusty lady were His body myght wel be there But as of thought & memorye His hert was in purgatorye But the strengthe of matrimonye Who myght make none essonye That he mote algate plye To gone to bed of companye And whan they were abed naked Withoute slepe he was awaked He torneth on that other syde For that he wold his eyen hyde For lokyng on the foule wyght The chamber was ful of lyght The curteyne were of sendal thynne This newe bryd whiche lay withynne Though it be nought with his acord In armes she beclypt hyr lord And prayd as he was torned hir fro He wold hym torne ayeneward tho For now she sayd we be both one But he lay stylle as ony stone But euer m one she spak & praide And bad hym thynke on that he sayde Whan that he toke hyr by the honde hE herd & vnderstode the bonde How he was set to his penaunce And as it were a man in a traunce He torneth hym al sodenly And sawe a lady lay hym by Of eyghtene wynter age Whiche was the fayrest of vysage That euer m al this world he syghe And as he wold haue take hyr nyghe She put her hande & by his loue Besought hym that he wold loue And sayth for to wynne or lese He mote one of two thynges chese Where he wol haue suche on nyght Or elles vpon the dayes lyght For ye shal not haue bothe two And he bygan to sorowe tho In many a wyse & cast his thought But for al that yet coude he nought Deuyse hym self whiche was the best And she that wold his hert rest Prayth that he shold chese algate Tyl at the last long & late He sayd O ye my lynes he le Saye what ye lyst in my quarele I not what ansuer I shal yiue But euer while that I lyue I wol that ye be my Maystresse For I can not my self gesse Whiche is the best vnto my choys Thus graunte I yow myn hole voys Chese for vs bothe I yow praye And what as euer that ye saye Ryght as ye wol so wol I mY lord she sayd graunte mercy For of this word that ye now sayn That ye haue made me souerayn My destyne is ouerpassed That neuer here after shal be lassed My beaute whiche I now haue Tyl I be take in to my graue Both Nyght & day as I am now I shal alwey be suche to yow The kynges doughter of Cecyle I am / and felle but syth a whyle As I was with my fader late That my stepmoder for an hate Whiche to ward me she hath bygonne Forshope me tylle I had wonne The loue & the soueraynte Of what knyght that in his degre Al other passeth of good name As men seyn ye be the same The dede proueth it is so Thus am I youre for euermo Tho was plesaunce & ioye Inough Echone with other playd & lough They lyue long & wel they ferde And Clerkes that this chaunce herde They wryten it in euydence To teche how that obedyence May wel fortune a man to loue And set hym in his lust aboue As it byfelle vnto this knyght fOr thy my sone yf thou do ryght Thou shalt vnto thy loue obeye And folowe hyr wylle by all weye

Amans mYn holy fader so I wylle For ye haue told me suche a skylle Of this ensample now to fore That I shal euermo therfore Here after myn obseruaunce To loue & his obeysaunce The better kepe & ouer this Of pryde yf ther ought elles is Wherof that I me shryue shal What thyng it is m specyal My fadre axeth I you pray

Confessor nOw lest my sone & I shal saye For yet there is surquedrye Whiche stant of pryde of companye Wherof that thou shalt here anone To knowe yf thou haue gylt or none Vpon the forme as thou shalt here Now vnderstonde wel the matere

oMnia scire / putat sed se presumpci o nescit / Nec sibi consimile quem putat esse parem / Qui magis astutus reputat se vincere bellum . In laqueos veneris forcius ipse cadit / Sepe cupido virum sibi qui presumit amantem / Fallit & in vacuas spes redit ipsa vias

h Ic loquitur de tercia specie super bie que presumpcio dicitur cuius naturam primo secundum vicium confessor simpliciter declarat

s Vrquedrye is thylk vyce Of pryde which the third office Hath in his court & will not knowe / The trouthe til he be ouerthrow Vpon his fortune & his grace Cometh had I wyst ful ofte a place For he doth al his thyng by gesse And voydeth al sykernesse None other counseyll good hym semeth But suche as he hym self demeth For m suche wyse as he compasseth His wytte al other passeth And is with pryde so thurgh sought That he al thre set at nought And weneth of hym seluen so That suche as he ther be nomo And thus he wold bere a pryce So fayre so semely nor so wyse Abouen al other & nought for thy He sayth not ones graunt mercy To god / whiche al grace sendeth So that his wyttes he dispendeth Vpon hym self as though there were No god whiche myght auayle there But al vpon his owne wytte He stant tyl he falle in the pytte So ferre that he may not aryse

h Ic tractat confessor cum amante super illa saltem presumpcione ex cuius superbia ꝙ plures fatui amantes cum maioris certitudinis m amore spem sibi promittunt inexpediti cicius destituuntur ,

aNd ryght thus in the same wise The vyce vpon the cause of loue So proudely set the hert aboue And doth hym pleynly for to wene That he to louen ony quene Hath worthynes & suffysaunce And so withoute purueannce Ful ofte he heueth vp so hyghe That Chyppes fallen in his eye And eke fulofte he weneth this There as he nought byloued is To be loued al ther best Now sone telleth what so the lest Of this that I haue told the here

Amans hA fader be nought in a were I trowe ther be noman lesse Of ony maner worthynesse That halt hym lasse worthy than I To be byloued & not for thy I saye in excusyng of me To al men that loue is fre And certes that may noman werne For loue of hym self so derne It luteth in a mannes herte But that me shal not asterte To wene for to be worthy To louen but in her mercy But syre of that ye wold mene That I shold otherwyse wene To be byloued than I was I am beknowe as in that cas

Confessor

My good sone telle me how

Amans Now lest & I wol telle you My good fadre how it is Ful ofte it hath byfalle or this Thorugh hope & was not certeyne My wenyng hath be set in veyne To truste in thyng that helpe me nought But onlyche of myn owne thought For as semeth that a belle Lyke to the wordes that men telle Ansueryth ryght so nomore ne lesse To yow my fadre I confesse Suche wyl my wytte hath euer set That what so hope me behet Ful many a tyme I wene it sothe But fynally no spede it dothe Thus may I telle as I can Wenyng begyleth many a man So hath it me ryght wel I wote For yf a man wol in a bote Whiche is withoute botome ro we He must nedes onerthrowe Ryght so wenyng hath ferde by me For whan I wende next haue be As I by my wenyng cast Than was I forthest at last And as a foole my bowe vnbende Whan al was fayled than I wende For thy my fadre as of this That my wenyng hath gone amys Touchend to Snrquedrye Yeue me my penaunce or I dye But yf ye wold in ony forme ● Of this mater a tale enforme Whiche were ayene this vyce set I shold fare wel the bet

hIc ponit confessor exemplum contra illos qui in suis viribus presumentes debiliores efficiuntur / Et narrat qualiter ille Capaneus miles m armis probatissimus de sua presumens audacia inuocacionem ad superos tempore necessitatis ex vecordia tamen et non a liter primitus prouenisse asseruit vnde in obsidione Ciuitatis Thebarum cum ipse quodam die coram suis hostibus ad debellan dum se obtulit ignis de celo subito superueniens Ipsum armatum totaliter in Cineres conbussit

mY sone in al maner wyse Surquedrye is to despyse Wherof I fynde write thus The proud knyght Capaneus / He was of suche Surquedrye That he thorugh his chyualrye Vpon hym self so mochel truste That to the goddes hym ne lust In no quarelle to beseche But sayd it was an ydel speche Whiche cause was of pure drede For lak of herte & for nede And vpon suche presumpcion He held this proud oppynyon Tyl at the last ▪ vpon a day Aboute Thebes where he lay Whan it of syege was beleyne This knyght as the Cromyque seyne In al mannes syght there Whan he was proudest in his gere And how nothyng myght hym dere Ful armed with his sheld & spere As he the Cyte wold assaylle God toke hym self the bataylle Ayene his pryde & fro the sky A fyry thonder sodenly He sende & to poudre hym smote And thus the pryde whiche was hote Whan he most in his strengthe wende Was brent & lost withouten ende So that it proueth wel therfore The strengthe of man is sone lore But yf that he it wel gouerne And ouer this a man may lerne That eke ful oftyme it greueth What that a man hym self beleueth As though it shold hym wel beseme That he al other men can deme And hath foryete his owne vyce A tale of hem that be so nyce And feynen hem self to be wyse I shal telle the in suche a wyse Wherof thou shalt ensample take That thou no suche thyng vndertake

hIc loquitur Confessor contra illos qui de sua sciencia presumentes aliorum condicioues d●udicantes indi screte redarguunt / Et narrat Exemplum de quodam principe Regis Hungarie Germano qui cum featrem suum pauperibus peribus m publico vidit humiliatum Ipsum redarguendo in contrarium edocere presumebat / Sed Rex omni sciencia prepollens ipsum sic incaute presumentem ad humilitatis memoriam ter ribili prouidencia micius castigauit

I Fynde vpon Surquedrye How that whilom of hungarye By old dayes was a kyng Wyse & honest in al thyng And so byfel vpon a daye And that was m the moneth of Maye As thylk tyme it was vsance This kyng with noble purueannce Hath for hym self his chaar arrayed Wheryn he wold ryde amayed Oute of the Cyte for to playe With lordes & grete arraye Of lusty folk that were yonge Where somme pleyd & somme songe And somme gone & som ryde And somme pryke her hors a syde And brydlen hem now in now oute The kyng his eye cast aboute Tyll he atte last was ware And sawe comend ageyne his chare Two pylgryms of so grete age That lyche vnto a drye ymage That weren pale & fade hewed And as a busshe whiche is besnewed Here berdes be hoore & whyte Ther was of kynde but a lyte That they ne semen fully dede They come to the kyng & bede Somme of his good pur charyte And with grete humylyte Oute of his chare to grounde he lepe And hem m bothe his armes kepe And kyst hem bothe foote & honde Byfore the lordes of his lond And yaf hem of his good therto And whan he hath this dede do He goth in to his chare ageyne Tho was murmour tho was dysdeyne Tho was compleynt on euery syde They sayden of her owne pryde Echone to other what is this Oure kyng hath do this thynge amys So to abesse his Royalte That euery man it myght se And humbled hym in suche a wyse To hem that were of none empryse Thus was it spoken to & fro Of hem that were with hym tho Al pryuely behynde his bak But to hym self noman spak The kynges broder in presence Was thylk tyme & grete offence He toke therof & was the same Abouen al other which most to blame Vpon his lyege lord hath leyd And hath vnto the lordes seyd Anone as he can tyme fynde There shal nothyng be left behynde That he wol speke vnto the kyng Now what felle vpon this thyng They were mery & fayr ynongh Echone with other playd & lough And fellen in to tales newe How that the fresshe floures grewe And how the grene leues spronge And how that loue among the yonge Bygan the hertes than to wake And euery byrd hath chose his make And thus the may day to th ende They lad & home aye ne they wende The kyng was not so sone come That whan he had his chambre nome His broder ne was redy there And brought a tale vnto his ere Of that he had suche a shame In hyndeyng of his owne name When he hym self wold dretche That to so vyle a pouer wretche Hym deyneth shewe suche symplesse Ageynst the state of his noblesse And sayth he shal no more vse And that he mote hym self excuse Toward his lordes euerychone The kyng stode stylle as onystone And to his tale an ere he leyde And thought more than he seyde But netheles to that he herde Wel curtoysly he ansuerde And told it shold be amended And thus when that here tale was ended Al redy was the bord & cloth The kyng vnto his souper goth Among the lordes to the halle And when they had souped alle They when leue & forth they go The kyng bythought hym seluen tho Hou he his broder may chastye That he thought his surquedrye Took vpon hond to dispreyse Humylyte whiche is to preyse And therupon yaf suche counseylle Toward his kyng that was vnheyle Wherof to be the better lered Hym thynketh to make hym afered It felle so that in thylke dawe Ther was ordeyned by the lawe A Trompe with a sterne breth Whiche was cleped the Trompe of deth And in the Court where the kyng was A certeyne man a Trompe of bras Hath in kepyng & therof serueth That whan a lord his deth deserueth He shall this dredefull Trompe blowe To fore his gate & make it knowe How that the jugement is yeue Of deth whiche shal not be foryeue The kyng when it was nyght anone This man assent & bad hym gone To trompen at his broders gate And he whiche mote done algate Goth forth & doth the kynges heste This lord whiche herd this tempeste That he to fore his gate blewe Tho wyst he by the lawe & knewe That he was sekerlyche dede And as of helpe he wyst no rede But sende for his frendes alle And told hem how it is byfalle And they hym axe cause why But he the soth not for thy Ne wyst & ther was sow we tho For it stode thylk tyme so This Trompe was of suche sentence That ther ayene no resystence They coude ordeyne by no weye That he ne mote algate deye But yf so be he may purchace To gete his lyege lordes grace Here wyttes therupon cast And len appoynted at last This lord a worthy lady had Vnto his wyf whiche also drad Her lordes deth & childre fyue Bytwene hem two they had on lyne That weren yong & tendre of age And of stature & of vysage Ryght fayr & lusty to see Tho casten they that he & she Forth with her childre on the morowe As they that were full of sorowe Al naked but of smok & shyrte To tendre with the kynges herte His grace shold go to seche And pardon of deth biseche Thus passen they that wofull nyght And erly when it was lyght They gone hem forth in suche a wyse As thou to fore hast herd deuyse All naked but hyr shyrtes one They wepte & made mochel mone Hyr here hanged aboute hyr eres With sobbyng & with sory terys This lord goth then an humble pas That whylome proud & noble was Wherof the Cyte sore a flyght Of hem that sawen that ylke syght And netheles al openly With suche wepyng & suche cry Forth with his children & his wyf He goth to pray for his lyf Vnto the court whan thry be come And men therin hath hyed nome There was no wyght yf he hem syghe From water myght kepe his eye For sow we they maden tho The kyng supposyth of this wo And feyneth as he nought ne wyst But netheles at his vpryst Men told hym how it ferde And whan that he this wonder herde In hast he goth in to the halle And al attones doune they falle If ony pyte may be founde The kyng which seth hem fell to grounde Hath axed hem what is the fere Why be ye so dispoylled there His broder sayd A lord mercy I wote none other cause why But only that this nyght ful late The Trompe of deth was at my gate In tokene that I shold dye Thus we be come for to preye That ye my worldes deth respyte Ha foole thou thou art for to wyte The kyng vnto his broder seyde That thou art of so lytel freyd That only for a Trompes soune Hath gone dispoilled thorugh the toune Thou & thy wyf in suche manere Forth with thy children that ben here In syght of all men aboute For that thou sayst thou art in doute Of deth whiche stant vnder the lawe Of man & man may it withdrawe So that it may perchaunce faylle Now shalt thou not for thy meruaylle That I doune from my chare alyght When I behelde to fore my syght In hem that were of so grete age Myn owne deth thorugh her ymage Which god hath set by lawe of kynde Wherof I may no bote fynde For well I wote suche as they be Ryght suche am I in my degre Of flesshe & blood & so shal deye And thus though I that lawe obeye Of whiche that kynges be put vnder It ought be wel the lesse wonder Then thou whiche art withoute nede For lawe of lond in suche a drede Whiche for to accompt is but a iape As thyng which thou myght ouerscape For thy my broder after this I rede that sethyn that so is That thou canst drede a man so sore Drede god with al thyne hert more For al shal dye & al shal passe As wel a lyon as an asse As wel a begger as a lord Toward deth in one acord That shal stonde & in this wyse The kyng with his wordes wyse , His broder taught & al foryeue

Confessor For thy my sone yf thou lyue In vertu thou must vyce eschewe And with lowe hert humblesse sewe So that thou be not Surquedous

Amans My fadre I am amerous Wherof I wold you beseche That ye me ensample teche Whiche myght in loues cause stonde

Confessor My sene thou shalt vnderstonde In loue & other thynges alle If that Surquedrye falle It may to hym not wel betyde Whiche vseth thylk vyce & pryde Whiche torneth wysedome to wenyng And sothfastnesse in to lesyng Though foule ymagynacyon And for thyn enformacyon That thou thre vyce as I the rede Esche we shalt a tale I rede Whiche felle whilome by dayes olde So that the clerk Ouyde tolde

hIc in specyaali tractat Confessor a● in Amante contra illos qui de propri a formositate presumēte amorem Mu hens dedignantur / Et narrat Exemplum qualiter cuiusdam principis filius Nomine Narcizus estiuo tempore cum ipse venacionis causa quendam ceruum selue cum suis canibus exagitaret in gra uem sitim incurrens necessitate compulsus ad bibendum de quodam fonte pro mis inc●nauit . vbi Ipse faciem suam pulchirrimam in aqua percipiens putabat se per hoc illam Nimpham quam Poete Ekko woont in flumine coram suis oculis conspeyisse / de cuius amore confestim laqucatus vt Ipse ad se de fente extra haberet pluri●us blandicijs ad●sabatur / sed cum illud nullatenus perfi●ere poit pre nimio languore deficiens contra lapides ibidem adiacentre caput exuerferans cerebrum effudit

● He : was whilom a lords sonne Which of his pride a vice wonne / Hath caught that worthy to his lyche To sechen al the worldes riche 〈◊〉 was no woman for to loue So ●●ghe he set hym self aboue Of stature & of beaute bothe That hym thought al women lothe So was there no comparyson As toward his condycyon This yong lord Marcizus hyght No strengthe of loue to we myght His hert whiche is vnafyled But at the last he was begyled For the goddes purueaunce It felle hym a day per chaunce That he in al his proud fare Vnto the forest gan to fare Among other that ther were To hunte & disporte hym there And whan he cam in to the place Where that he wold make his chace The houndes were within a throwe Vncoupled & the hornes blowe The grete hert anone was founde With swyfte feet set on grounde And he with spore in hors syde Hym hasteth fast for to ryde Tyl al men be left behynde And as he wod vnder a lynde Besyde a roche as I the telle He sawe where sprong a lusty welle The day was wonder hote with alle And such a thurst was on hym falle That he must other dye or drynke And doune he lyeth & by the brynke And tyde his hors vnto a braunche And leyd hym lowe for to staunche His thurst & as he cast his look And to the welle & heed took He sawe the lyke of his vysage And wende there were an ymage Of suche a nymphe as tho was say Wherof his loue his hert assay Bygan as it after was sene Of his stoye & made hym wene It were a woman that he syghe The more that he the welle cam nyghe The ner cam she hym ageyne So wyst he neuer what to seyne For whan he wepte he sawe hyr wepe And when he cryed he toke good kepe The same word she cryed also And thus bygan the newe wo That whilome was to hym so straunge Tho made hym loue & herte eschaunge To set his herte & to begynne Thyng which he myght neuer wynne And euer among he gan to loute And praith that she to hym come oute And other while he goth a ferre And other whyle he draweth nerre And euer he fond her in a place He wepeth he cryeth he axeth grace There as he myght gete none So that ayene a roche of stone As he that knewe none other rede He smote hym self tyl he was deede Wherof the Nymphes of the welles And other that ther weren elles Vnto the wodes bylongend The body whiche was dede lyggend For pure pyte that they haue Vnder graue they be graue And than oute of his sepulture There sprong anone parauenture Of floures suche a wonder syght That men ensample take myght Vpon the dedes whiche he dede And tho was sene in other stede For in the wynter fressh & fayre The floures ben whiche is contrayre To kynde & so was the folye Whiche felle of his surquedrye Thus he whiche loue had in disdeyn Werst of al other was byseyn And as he set his pryce most hyghe He was lest worthy in loues eye And most beiaped in his wyt Wherof the remembraunce is yet So that thou myght ensample take And eke al other for his sake

Amans My fadre as touchend of me This vyce I thynke for to flee Whiche of his wenynge euer troweth And namlich of thing which groweth In loues cause or wel or wo Yet pryded in me neuer so But wold that grace sende That toward me my lady wende As towardes hyr I wene My loue shold so bysene Ther shold go no pryde a place But I am fer fro thylk grace As for to speke of tyme now So mote I suffre and praye yow That ye wo● axe on other syde If ther be ony poynt of pryde Wherof it nedeth me to be shryue

Confessor My sone God it the foryeue Yf thou haue thyng mysdoo Touchend of this for euermo Ther is another yet of pryde Whiche coude neuer his wordes hyde That he ne wold hym self auaunt There may nothynge his tonge daunt That he ne clappeth as a belle Wherof yf thou wolt that I telle It is behouely for to here So that thou myght thy tonge stere Toward the world & stande in grace Whiche lakketh ofte in many a place To hym that can not sytte stylle Whiche elles shold haue his wylle

Magniloque propriam minuit iactancia lingue / Famam quam stabilem firmat honore alens / Ipse sui laudem meriti non percipit vnde / Se sua per verba iactat in orbe palam / Est que viri culpa iactancia que rubifactas , In muliere reas cansat habere genas

hIc loqitur de quarta specie super bie que iactancia dicitur / ex cuius natura causatur vt homo de se ipso testi monium perhilens suarum vtrtutum merita de laude in culpam transferre et suam famam cum extollere vellet Illum proprio ore subuertit / Sed & venus in amoris causa de isto vicio maculatos a sua curia super omnes alios abhotrens expellit / vt eorum multiloquium verecundia detestatur / vnde Confesso : Amanti opponens materiam pleuius declarat

tHe Vyce cleped auauntaunce With pryde hath take his acque intaūce / So that his owne pryce he lasseth / When he suche mesure ouerpasseth That he his owne herauld is That fyrst was wel is than amys That was thank worthy is than blame And thus the worship of his name Thorugh pryde of his auauntrye He wineth in to vylonye I vede how that this pronde vyce Hath thylk wynde in his offyce Thorugh which the blastys that he bloweth The mans name he ouerthroweth Of vertu whiche shold elles sprynge Vnto the worldes knoulechynge But he fordeth it al to sore And ryght of suche manere lore Ther ben louers for thy yf thou Art one of hem trlle & say thou Whan thou hast take ony thyng Of loues ryght or ouche or ryng Or take vpon the for the colde Some goodly worde as the w●s tolde Or frendly chere or tokene or letter Wherof thyn hert was the better Of that she sent the gretyng Hast thou for pryde of thy lykyng Made thyn auannt where the lyst I Wold fadre that ye wyst My Conseyence lyeth not here Yet had I neuer suche matere Wherof myght myn hert amende Not of so moche as she sende By mouthe & said grete hym wele And thus for that ther is no delo Wherof to make myn auaunt It is to reson accordaunt That may neuer but I lye Of loue make auauntrye I wote not what I shold haue do If that I had encheson so As ye haue sayd here many one But I fonde cause neuer none But daunger whiche me welny slough Therof I couthe telle ynough And none other auantaunce Thus nedeth me no repentaunce Now axe fadre forther of my lyf For thewf am I not gyltyf

Confessor My sone I am wel payd with al For wyto wel in specyal That loue of his vevay Iustyce A louen al other ayene this vyce At al tymes most debateth With al his hert & most he hateth And eke in al maner wyse Auauntrye is most to despyse By ensample thou myght wyte Whiche I fynde in the bokes wryte

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra illos qui de sua in armis probitate vel de suo in amous causa desiderio completo se iactant / Et narrat qualiter Albinus primus Rex Longo bardorum cum ipse quendam alium rege in nomine Gurmundū in bello morientem triumphasset testam capitio de functi auferens aphum ex ea gemmis & ouw circumligatum in sue victorie memoriam fabricari constituit / insuper & Ipsius Gurmundi filiam Rosemūdam vapiens maritali thoro in coningēsibi copilauit . Vnde Ipso Albino postea coram regni sui nobilibus in suo regasli con 〈…〉 o sedente dicti Gurmundi aphum infuso bino ad se inter epulas of ferri iussit / quem sumptum Vxori sue Regiue porrexit dicens . Bibe cum patre tuo / qd & Ipsa huiusmodi operis ignara feat . quo facto Rex statim su● his que per prius gesta fucrant cunctis audientibus per singula se iactauit / Regina vero cum talia audisset animo celato factum abhorrens in mordem Dni sui Regis circumspecta Induseria conspiraint / Ipsum que auxiliantibus Glodesida & Helmege brew subsecuto tempore inter fecit / cuius mortem Dux Rauenensis tam in corpus Regine quam suorum fautorum pestea vindicauit

oF hem that we lumbardes calle Albinus was the first of alle Which bare croun of lumbardie And was of grete chyualrye An werre ageynst dyuers kynges So fell among other thynges That he that tyme a werre had With Gurmund which ● Geptees lad And was a myghty kyng also But netheles it felle hym so Albinus slough hym in the felde There halpe hym notherspere ne shelde That he ne smote his heed of than Wherof he toke awey the panne Of whiche he sayd he wold make A cuppe for Gurmundes sake To kepe & drawe in to memorye Of his bataylle the vyctorye And when he thus the feld had wonne The lond anone was ouer ronne And sesed in his owne honde There he gurmundes doughter founde Whiche mayde Rosamund hyght And was in euery mans syght A fayre fressh a lusty one His hert fylle to hyr anone And suche a loue on hyr he cast That he hyr wedded at the last And after that tyme long in reste With hyr he dwelte & to the beste They loue eche other wondre wel But she which kepeth the blynde wheel Venue when they be most about An al the hottest of her loue Hyr whele she torneth & they felle An the maner as I shal telle This king which stode in al his welth Of pees of worship & of helth And felt hym on no syde greued As he that hath his world acheued Tho thought he a fest he wold make And that for his wyues sake That she the lordes at the feste That were obeysaunt to his heste May knowe & so therupon He lete ordeyne & sent anon By lettres & by messagyers And warned al his offycers That euery thyng be wel arayed The grete stedes were assayed For Iustyng & for tornement And many a perled garnement Embrouded was ageyne the day The lordes in here best aray Be comen at tyme set One Iusteth wel another bet And other whyle they torney And thus they cast care awey And toke lustes vpon honde And after thou shalt vnderstonde To mete in to the kynges halle They comen as they he beden alle And when they were set & serued Than after as it was deserued To hem that worthy knyghees were So as they seten here & there The pryce was spoke & youe oute Among the herawdes al aboute And thus bynethe & eke aboue Al was of armes & of loue Wherof aboute at boordes Men had many sondry wordes That of the myrthe whiche they made The kyng hym self bygan to glade Within his hert & took a pryde And sawe the cuppe stonde a syde Whiche made was of Gurmundes hede As ye haue herd when he was dede And was with gold & ryche stones Beset & bounde for the nones And stood vpon a foote on hyghte Of borned gold & with grete sleyghte Of werkemanshyp it was bygraue Of suche werke as it shold haue And polysshed was eke so clene That no sygne of the sculle was sene But as it were a grypes eye The kyng bad bere his cuppe aweye Whiche stood byfore hym on the boord And fette thylk vpon his word The sculle is fet & wyn therin Wherof he bad his wyf hegynne Drynke with thy fadre dame he seyde And she to his byddyng obeyde And toke the sculle & what her lyst She drynketh as she nothyng wyst What cuppe it was & than al oute The kyng in audyence aboute Hath told it was hyr fadres sculle So that the lordes knowe shulle Of his vataylle a soth wytnesse And made auaunt thorugh what prowesse He hath his wyues loue wonne Whiche of the sculle hath so bygonne Tho was there pryde mochel alofte They speken as & she was softe Thynkend thylk vnkynde pryde Of that hyr lord so nygh her syde Auaunath hym that he has slayn And pyked oute hyr fadres brayn And of the sculle hath made a cuppe She suffered tyll they be vppe And tho she hath sekenesse feyned And goth to chambre & hath compleyned Vnto a mayde whiche she trust So that none other wyght it wyst This mayde Glodesyde is hote To whome this lady hath byhote Of sadyshyp al that she can ●o auenge hyr vpon this man Which dyd hyr drynke in suche a plight Among hem al for despyte Of hyr & of hyr fadre bothe Wherof her thoughtes ben so wrothe 〈…〉 sayd that she shal not be glad 〈…〉 that she hym so hath bestad ●hat be nomore make auaunt And thus they felle in couenaunt ●hat they acorden at the last With suche wyles as they cast That they wol gete of hyr acord Som orped knyght to slee this lord And with this sleyghte they begynne How they helmege myght wynne Whiche was the kynges botyler A proud & a lusty bachiler And Glodesyde he loueth hote And she to make hym more assote Here loue graunted & by nyght They shape how they to gedre myght A bedde mete & done it was The same nyght & in this was The quene hyr self the nyght seconde Went in her stede & there she fonde A chambre derke withoute lyght And goth to bedde to this knyght And he to kepe his obseruaunce To loue doth his obeysaunce And weneth it be Glodesyde And she than after lay a syde And hym axeth what he hath do And who she was she told hym tho And sayd I am thy quene Now shal thy loue wel beseen Of that thou hast thy wylle wrought Or it shal sore ben abought Or thou shalt worche as I the saye And yf thou wolt by suche a waye Do my plesaunce & hold it stylle For euer I shal ben / at thy wylle Bothe I & al myn herytage Anone the wyld loue rage An whiche noman hym can gouerne Hath made hym that he can not werne But felle al hool to here assent And thus the whele is al myswent The whiche fortune hath vpon honde For how that euer it after stonde They shope among hem / suche a wyle The kyng was dede within a whyle So slyly come it not aboute That they ne ben discouered oute So that it thought hem for the best To flee for there was no rest And thus the tresour of the kyng Tsxy trusse & moche other thyng And with a certeyne felauship They fled & went awey by ship And hel●● hyr cours from thenne Tyl that they come to Rauenne Where they the dukes helpe sought And he so as they hym besought A place graunteth for to duelle But after whan he herd telle Of / the maner how they haue do The duk lete shape for hem so That of a poyson whiche they drunke They hadden that they haue beswunke And al this made auauut of pryde Good is therfore a man to hyde His owne pryce . for yf he speke He may lyghtelyche his thanke breke An armes lyeth none auauntage To hym which thynketh his name auaunce / And be renomed of his dede And also who that thynketh to spede Of loue he may not hym auaunte For what man thylk vpce haunte His purpoos shal ofte faylle In armes he that wol trauaylle Or elles loues grace attryne His loue tonge he mote restreyne Whiche beryth of his honoure the keye For thy my sone in al weye Take ryght good hede of this matere I thanke yow my fadre dere This scole is of a gentyl lore And yf ther be ought elles more Of pryde whiche I shal eschewe Now axe forth & I wol shewe What thyng that ye me wol enforme

Confessor My sone yet in other forme Ther is a vyor of prydes lore Whiche lyche an hawke & he wyl sore Fleeth vpon hygh in his delyces After the lykyng of his vyces And wol nomans reson knowe Tyl he doune falle & ouerthro we This vyce veynglorye is hote Wherof my sone I the byhote To trete & speke in suche a wyse That thou the myght the better auyse

gLoria perpetuos pregnat mundana dolores / Qui tamen est vanus gaudia vana cupit / Eius amiciciam quem gloria tollit inanis . Non sine blam dichis planus habehit homo / Merbis compositis qui sit stagulare fauellum Scandere sellata iura valebit eques Sic in amore magis qui blanda subor nat in ore / Merba per hoc bra●●um qd nequit alter halebit / Et tamen ornato● cantus varios que paratus / Let a que corda suis legibus optat amor

hIc loquitur de quinta specie superbie que Inanis gloria vocatur Et eiusdem vicij naturam primo delscubens super eodem in a moris causa Confessor amanti consequenter opponit

tHe proud vyce of veinglorye Remembreth not of purgatorye His worldes ioyes be so grete Hym thynketh of heuen no beyete This lyues pompe is al his pes Yet shal he deye netheles And therof thynketh he but a lyte For al his lust is to delyte An newe thynges proud & veyne As ferforth as he may atteyne I trowe yf that he myght make His body newe he wold take A newe forme & leue his olde For what thyng that he may beholde The whiche the comon vse is straunge Anone his old guyse chaunge He wol & falle therupon Lyche vnto the Camelyon Whiche vpon euery sondry hewe That he behold he mote newe His colour & thus vnauysed Fuloftyme he stant desguysed More ioylyf than the vytd in May He maketh hym euer fessehe & gay And doth al his aray desguyse So that of hym the newe guyse Of lusty folk al other take And eke he can carolles make Roundel balade & verelay And with al this yf that he may Of ●●ue ge●e hym auauntage A none he waxt of his corage So ouer glad that of his end He thynketh ther is no deth comend For he hath than at al tyde Of loue suche maner pryde Hym thynketh his Ioye is endeles

Confessor Now shryue the sone in good pees And of thy loue telle me pleyn Yf that thy glorye hath so be veyn

Amans My fadre as touchend of al I may not wel ne not shal Of veyne glorye excuse me That I ne haue for loue be The better dressyd & arayd And also I haue ofte assayd Roundel balades & vyrelay For hy : loue on whome myn hert lay Tho to make also & for to peynte ●●rollys with my wordes queynte To set my purpoos alofte And ●yus I long hem forth ofte In balle ● eke in Chambre aboute And made mery among the ●oute But yet ne ferd I not the bet ●●●e was my glorye in veyn set I● all the ●oye that I made For when I wold with hyr glade And of ●er loue songes make ●● sayd it was not for hyr sake And ●●●e not my songes here N● wyten what the wordes were So fo: to speke of myn arraye Yet coude I neuer be so gay● ●e so wel make a song of loue wherof I myght ben aboue And haue encheson to be glad But rather I am ofte adrad For sorowe that she sayth me nay And netheles I wol not say That I am glad on other syde For ●ame that can nothyng hyde Al day wol brynge vnto myn ere Of that men speken here & there How that my lady beryth the pry●● How she is fayr how she is wyse How she is womanlyche of chere Of al this thynge that I may here What wonder is thaugh I be feyn And eke when I may here seyn Tydynges of my lady he le Al though I may not with hyr dele Yet am I wonder glad of that For when I wote of hyr good estat As for that tyme I dar wel swere None other sorowe may me dere Thus am I gladed in this wyse But fadre of youre lores wyse Of whicho ye be fully taught Now telle me yf ye thynke ought That I thewf am to wyte Of that ther is I the acquyte My sone he sayd & for thy good I wol that thou vnderstood For I thynke vpon this matere To telle a tale as thou shalt here How that ageyne this proud vyde The hyghe / god of / his Iustyce Is wrothe & grete vengeaunce doth Now herken a tale that is soth Though it be nought of loues kynde A grete ensample thou shalt fynde This veyne glorye for to flee Whiche is so ful of vanyte

hVmani generis cum sit sibi gloria maior . Sepe sub esse solet poox imis ille dolor / Mens elata graues descensus sepe subibit / Mens humilis stabile molle que firmat iter / Motibus Innumeris volutat fortuna per orbem / Cum magis alta petit inferiora time /

h Ic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra vicium inanis glorie norrans qualiter Rex Nabugodonosor rex Caldeorum cum ●pse in omni magestatis sue gloria celsior extitisset deus eius superbiam castigare ●olens ipsum extra formam hominis in ●estiam fenum commedentis transmutauit / Et sic perseptennium penitens cum ipse potenaorem se agnouit , misertus dens ipsum in sui Regni so●●um restituta sanitate emendatum graciosius collocauit

tHer was a king that moch might Whiche Nabugdonosor hyght Of whom that I spak here to fore Yet in the byble this name is bore For al the World in th oryent Was hoole at his commaundement Than of kynges to his lyche Was none so myghty ne so ryche To his empyre & to his lawes As who sayth in thylke dawes Were obeysaunt & trybute bere As though he god of erthe were With strengthe he put kynges vnder And wrought of pride many a wonder He was so ful of vayne glorye That he ne had no memorye That there was ony god but he For pryde of his pro●peryte Tyl that the hyghe kyng of kynges Whiche seeth & knoweth al thynges Whos eye may nothyng asterte The pryuyt●es of mans herte To speke & sowne in his ere As though they ●oude wyndes were He toke vengeaunce of his pryde But for he wold a while abyde To loke yf he wold hym amende To hym afore token he sende And that was in his slepe by nyght This proude kyng a wonder ●yght Had 〈◊〉 his sweuen● there he lay Hym thought vpon a mery day As he byhelde the world abou●● A tre growe he sawe ther out● Whiche in the world amyddes euen Whos heyght strauȝt vy to the heuen The leues were fayr & large The fouyt it ●ere so rype a c●arge That al men it myght fede He sawe also the bowes sprede Aboue al erthe in whiche were The kynde of al byrdes there And eke he thought he sawe also The kynde of al bestes go Vnder the tre aboute rounde And fedden hem vpon the grounde As he this wonder stond & syghe He thought he herd a wys on hyghe Cryend & sayd aboue alle Hewe doune this tre & lete it falle The leues lete defou●e in hast And doth feuyt destroye & wast And lete of shreden euery braunche But at rote he bete it staunche Whan al his pryde is cast to grounde The rote shal be fast bounde And shal no mans hert bere But euery lust shal he forbere Of man & lyche an Oxe his m●te Of gras he shal purchace & ete Tyl that the water of heuen Haue wasshen hym by tymes seuen So that he thorugh knowe aryght What is the heuenlyche myght And be made humble to the wylle Of hym whiche maye al saue & spylle This kyng out of his sweuene abrayd And he vpon the mow we it sayd Vnto the clerkes whiche he had But none of hem the soth arad Was none his sweuen couth vndo And it stood thylk tyme so This kyng had in subiectyon Iudee & of affectyon A bouen al other one Danyel He loueth for he couthe wel Dyuyne that none other couthe To hym were al thynges couthe As he it had of goddes grace He was byfore the kynges face And sente & ●oden that he sholde Vpon the poynt the kyng of tolde The fortune of his sweuene expounde As it shold afterward be founde Whan Danyel this sweuene herde He stood long tyme or he ansuerde And made a wondre beuy chere The kyng toke hede of his manere And bad hym telle that he wyst As he to whome he mochel ●●yse And sayd be wold not be wroth But Danyel was wonder loth And sayd vpon the so men alle Syre kyng thy sweuene myght falle And nethelce touchend of this I wol the tellen how it is And what dysese is to the shape God wote it yf thou shalt escape The hyghe tree whiche thou hast sene Whiche leues & f●uyt so wel besene The whiche stood in the world amyddes So that the beestes & the byrdes Gouerned were of hym alone Syr kyng bytokeneth thy persone Whiche stonte aboue al erthely thynges Thus regnen vnder the the kynges And al the peple vnto the lovoteth And al the world thy persone douteth So that with veyne honour deceyued Thou hast the reuerence weyued Fro hym which is thy kyng aboue Thou hast that thou for drede ne loue Wolt nothyng knowe of this god Which now for thou hath made a rod Thy veyne glorye & thy folye With grete peynes to chastye And of the voys thou herdest speke Whiche bad the bowes for to breke And bewe & felle doune the tr● That word by●ongeth vnto the Thy Regne shal be ouerthro we And thou dyspoylled for athro we But that the rote shal stonde , Thou shalt wel vnderstonde Ther shal abyde of thy regne A tyme ageyne where thou shal regne And eke of that thou herdest say● To take a mannes hert away● And set there a bestyal So that lyke an oxe shal Pasture & that he be reyned By tymes seuen & sore peyned Tyl that he knowe his goddes myghtes Than shal he stonde ageyne vprightes Al this bytokeneth thyne estate Whiche now with god is in debate Thy mannes forme shal be lassed Tyl seuen yere be ouer passed And in the lykenes of a beast Of gras shal be thy Royal ●●ste The wether shal vpon the rayne And vnderstonde that al this payne Whiche thou shalt suffre thylk tyde Is shape al only for thy pryde Of veyne glorye & of the ●ynne Whiche thou hast long stonde ynne So vpon this condycyon ▪ Thy sweuene hath exposicyon But or this thyng befalle in dede Amende the this wold I rede Yeue & departe thyn almesse Do mercy forth with ryghtwysenes Beseche & pray the hyghe grace For so thou myght thy pees purcha●● With god & stonden in good acord But pryde is loth to lose his lord And wol not suffre humylyte With hym to stonde in no deg●e And whan a shyp hath loste his stere Is none so wyse that may hym stere Ageyne the wawes in a rage This proud kyng in his courage Humylyte hath so forlore That for no sweuene he sawe to fore Ne yet for al that Danyel Hym hath counseylled euery del He lete it passe oute of his mynde Thorugh veyne glorye & as the blynde He seeth no weye or hym be wo And felle within a tyme so As he in Babyloyne wente The vanyte of pryde hym hente His hert aroos of veyne glorye So that he drough in to memorye His lordship & his Regalye With wordes of surquedrye Whan that he hym moost auaunteth That lord whiche glorye daunteth Al sodenly as who sayth treys Where that he stood in his paleys He took hym from the mens syght Was none of hem so war that myght Set eye where he bycome And thus was he from his kyngdome In to the wyld for●st drawe Where that the myghty goddes lawe Thorugh his power dyd transforme Fro man in to a bestes forme And lyke an oxe vndre the foote He graseth as he nedes more To geten his lyues fode Tho thought hym cold gras goode That whilome ete the hot● spyces Thus was he torned from delyces The wyn was wonte to drynke He took thenne of the welles brynke Or of the pyt or of the slough It thought hym then good ynough In stede of chambres wel arayed He was than of a busshe wel payed The hard ground he lay vpon For other pylowes had he non The stormes & the raynes falle The wyndes blowe vpon hym alle He tormented day & nyght Suche was the hyghe goddes myght Tyl seuen yere an ende toke Vpon hym self tho gan he loke In stede of mete gr●s & treys In stede of handes long cleys In stede of man a beast lyke He sawe & than he gan to syke For cloth of gold & of perrye Whiche hym was wonte to magny●ye When he byheld his cote of heres He wepte & with woful teres Vp to the heuen he cast his chere Wepend & thought in this manere Though he no wordes may wynne Thus sayd his hert & spak withynne O myghty god that al hast wrought And al myght brynge ageyne to nought Now knowe I but al of the This world hath no prosperyte In thyn aspect ben al alyche The poure man & eke the ryche Withoute the ther may no wyght And thou aboue al other myght O myghty lord to ward my vyce Thy mercy medle with Iustyce And I wol make a couenaunt That of my lyf the remenaunt I shal it by the grace amende And in thy lawe so dispende That veyn glorye I shal eschewe And bowe vnto thyn heste & sewe Humylyte & that I vowe And so thenkend he gan doune bowe And though hym lacke boys & speehe He gan with his fete areche And wenend in his beestly steuene He made his pleynt vnto the heuene He kneleth in his wyse & brayeth To seche mercy & assayeth His god whiche made hym nothyng straunge . When that he saw his pride change Anone as he was humble & tame He fond toward his god the same And in a twynkelyng of a look His mannes forme ageyne he took And was reformed to the Reygne In which that he was wont to reygne So that the pryde of veyn glorye Euer afterward oute of memorye He lete it passe & thus it shewed What is to ben of pryde vnthe wed Ageyne the hyghe goddes lawe To whome no man may be felawe For thy my sone take good hede So for to lede thy manhede That thou be not lyke a beste But yf thy lyf shal be honeste Thou must humblesse take on honde For than myght thou syker stonde And for to speke in other wyse A proud man can not assise For though a woman wold hym please His pryde can not ben at ease Ther may noman to mochel blame A vyce whiche is for to blame For thy men shulden nothyng hyde That myght falle in blame of pryde Whiche is the worst vyce of alle Wherof so as it was byfalle The tale I thynke of a Cronyque To telle yf it may the lyke So that thou myght humblesse sewe And eke the vyce of pryde eschewe Wherof the glorye is fals & veyne Which god hym self hath in dysdeyne That though it mounte for athrowe It shall falle doune & ouerthrowe

Est virtus humilis per quam deus altus ad yma / Sed tulit & nostre viscera carnis habet / Sic humibis superest et am●● sibi subditur omnis / Cuius habet nulla sorte superbus opem / Odit eum tetra celum defecit et ipsum / Sedibus interm stat que receptus ibi

hIc narrat Confessor Exemplum contra superbiam / Et dicit ꝙ nuper quidam Rex famose prudencie cuidam Militi suo super questionibus vt inde certitudinis responsionem daret subpena capitalis seutencie terminum pre fixit / Primo quid minoris indigencie ab inhabitantibus orbem auxilium maius obtinuit / Secundo quid maioris valencie meritum continens minoris expense reprisas exigunt . Tercio quid omnia bona diminuens ex sui proprietate nichil penitus valuit / Quarum vero questionnm quedam virgo dicti militis filia nomine patris solucionem aggredi ens taliter Regi respondit / Ad primam dixit quod terra nullius indiget quam tn̄ adiuuare cotidianis laboribus omnes intendunt / Ad secundam dixit ꝙ humi litas omnibus virtutibus preualet q tamen nullius prodegalitatis expensis mensuram excedit / Ad terciam dixit ꝙ superbia omnia tam corporis qm anime bona deuastans maiorum expensarum excessus inducit

aKing was whilom yong & wise The which of his wit set grete pryce Of depe ymagynacyons And straunge Interpretacions Problemes & demaundes eke His wysedom was to fynde & seke Wherof he wold in sondry wyse Opposen hem that were wyse But none of hem it myght vere Vpon his word to yeue ansuere Out taken one whiche was a knyght To hym was euery thyng so lyght That also sone as he hem herde The kynges wordes ansuerde What thyng the kynge axe wolde Ther anone the trouthe he tolde The kyng somdele had an enuye And thought he wold his wyttes plye To set som conclusyon Whiche shold be confusyon Vnto this knyght so that the name And of wysedome the hyghe fame To ward hym self he wold wynne And thus of al his wyt to wynne The kyng bygan to study & muse What straunge mater be myght vse The knyghtes wyttes to confounde And at last he hath it founde And for the knyght anone he sent That he shal telle what he ment Vpon the poyntes of the mater Of questions as thou shalt here The fyrst poynt of al thre Was this What thyng in al degre Of al this World hath nede lest And yet men helpe it alther mest The second What most is worth And of costage is lest put forth The thyrd is whiche is of most coste And lest is worth & goth to loste The kyng these thre demaundes axeth To the knyght this lawe he taxeth That he shal gone & come ageyne The thyrd weke & telle hym pleyne To euery poynt what it amounteth And yf so be that he myscounteth To make in his ansuere a faylle Ther shal none other thyng faylle The kyng sayth that he shal be dede And lese his goodes & his hede The knyght was sory of this thynge And wold excuse hym to the kyng But he ne wold hym not forbere And thus this knyght of his ansuere Goth home to take auyfement But after his entendement The more he cast his wytte aboute Therof he stant the more in doute Tho wyst he wel the kynges hert That he the deth ne shold astert And suche a sow we has to hym take That gladship he hath forsake He thought fyrst vpon his lyf And after that vpon his wyf Vpon his childee eke also Of whiche he had doughters two The yongest of hem had in age Fourtene yere & of vysage She was ryght fayre & of stature Lyche to an heuenlyche fygure And of maner & of goodly speche Though men wold al londes seche They shold not haue founden her lyke She sawe hir fadre sorowe & syke And wyst not the cause why So cam she to hym pryuely And that was where he made his mone Within a gardyn al hym one Vpon hyr knees she gan doune falle With humble hert & to hym calle And sayd O good fadre dere Why make ye thus heuy chere And I wote nothyng how it is And wel ye knowe fadre this What auenture that yow felle Ye myght it saufly to me telle For I haue ofte herd you sayd That ye suche trust haue on me layd That to my suster ne to my brother In al this world ne to none other Ye durst haue told a pryuete So wel my fadre as to me For thy my fadre I you praye Ne casteth nought that hert awaye For I am she that wold kepe Your honour & with that wepe Hyr eye may not be forbore She wyssheth for to ben vnbore Er that her fadre so mystryst To tellen hyr of that he wyst And euer among mercy she cryede That he ne shold his counseylle hyde From hyr that so wold hym good And was so nyghe flesshe & blood So that wepyng at the laste His chere vpon his child he caste And sorowfully to that she prayde He told his tale & thus he sayde The sorowe doughter whiche I make Is not al only for my sake But for the both & for you alle For suche a chaunce is me befalle That I shal or this thyrd day Lese al that euer I lese may My lyf & al my good therto Therfore it is I sorowe so What is the cause alas quod she My fadre that ye sholden be Deed & destroyed in suche a wyse And he bygan the poyntes deuyse Whiche as the kyng told hym by mouth And sayd hyr pleynly that he couth Ansuere to no poynt of this And she that hereth how it is Hyr counseyl yafe & sayd tho My fadre syn it is so That ye can none other weye But that ye must nedes deye I wold pray of you a thyng Late me go with yow to the kyng And ye shal make hym vnderstonde Hou ye my wyttes for to fonde Haue leyd ansuere vpon me And telle hym in suche degre Vpon my word ye wol abyde Tho to lyue or deye what so betyde For yet per chaunce I maye purchace With som good word the kynges grace Your lyf & eke your good to saue For ofte shal a woman haue Thyng which that a man may not areche The fadre herd the doughters speche And thought ther was reson ynne And sawe his owne lyf to wynne He reuthe done hym self no cure So better hym thought in auenture To put hym & al his good Than in the maner as it stood His lyf in certeyne for to lese And thus thynkend he bygan to chese To do the counseyll of this mayde And eke the purpoos whiche she saide The day was come & forth they gone Vnto the Court they come anone Where as the kyng in his Iugement Was set & hath this knyght asent Arrayed in the best wyse This mayden with her wordes wyse Hyr fadre led by the honde In to the place where he fonde The kyng with other whiche he wolde And to the kyng knelend he tolde As he enformed was to fore And prayth the kyng that he therfore His daughters wordes wol take And sayth that he wol vndertake Vpon her wordes for to stonde Tho was ther grete meritayl on honde That he whiche was soo wyse a knyght His lyf vpon so yong a wyght Be set wold in Ieopardye And many it helde for folye But at the last neuertheles The kyng commaunded to be in pees And to this mayde he cast his chere And seyd he wold hyr tale here And bad hyr speke & she bygan My lyege lord so as I can Quod she the poyntes whiche I herde They shal of reson be ansuerde The first I vnderstond is this What thyng of al the world it is Whiche men moost helpe & lest nede My lyege lord this wold I rede The erthe it is whiche euermo With mannys labour is vego As wel in wynter as in maye The mannes honde what he maye To helpe it forth & make it ryche And for thy men it delue & dyche And eren it with strengthe of plough Where it hath of hym self ynough So his nede is at the lest For euery man byrd & best And flour & gras & rote & rynde And euery thyng by wey af kynde Shal sterue & erthe it shal bycome As it was oute of the erthe nome It shal to erthe torne ageyne And thus I may by reson seyne That th erthe is most nedeles And most men helpe it netheles So that my lord touchand of this I haue ansuerd how it is That other poynt I vnderstood Whiche most is worth & most is good And costeth a man lest to kepe My lord yf ye wol take kepe I say it is Humylyte Thorugh whiche the hyghe Trynyte As for deserte of trewe loue Vnto Mary from aboue Of that he knewe her humble entent His owne sone a doune he sent Aboue al other / & hyr he chese For that vertu whiche that bedeth pees So that I maye by reson calle Humylyte is most worthyest of alle And lest it costeth to mayntene In al the word as it is sene For who that hath humblesse vn hende He bryngeth no wer●e in to londe For he desyreth for the best To set euery man in rest Thus with youre hyghe reuerence Me thynketh , that this euydence As to this poynt is suffysaunt And touchend of the remenaunt Whiche is the thyrd of your askynges What lest is worth of al thynges And ●osteth most I telle it pryde Whiche may not in the heuene abyde For Luafer with hym it felle Bar Pryde with hym in to helle Ther was pryde of to grete a cost Whan he for pryde hath heuen lost And after that in Paradyse Adam for pryde he lost his pryce In myddel erthe & eke also Pryde is the cause of al We That al the world it may suffyse So stant of pryde the repryse Pryde is the heed of al synne Whiche wasteth all & may not wynne Pryde is of euery mys the pryk Pryde is the worst of al wyck And costeth most & lest is worth In place where he hath his forth Thus haue I sayd that I wol sey Of myn ansuere & to yow prey Myn lyege lord of your offyce That ye shal grace & suche Iustyce Ordeyne for my fadre here That after this men it here The world therof may say good The kyng / whiche reson vnderstood And hath al herd whiche she hath said Was inly glad & so wel payd That al his wrath is ouer go And he bygan to loke tho Vpon this mayde in the face In whiche he founde so mochel grace That al his pryce on her he ●eyde In audyence & thus he seyde My fayre mayde wel ye be Of thyne ansuere & eke of the Me lyketh & as thou wylt Foryeue be thy fadre gylt And yf thou were of suche lygnage That thou to me were of parage And that thy fadre were a pere As he is now a bachylere Thou sholdest then be my wyf So syker as I haue lyf But this I say netheles That I wol shape thyn encrees What worldes good that thou wolt baue / Axe of my yeft & thou shalt haue And she the kynges wordes wyse Knelyng thanked in this wyse My lyege lord god mote yow quyte My fader here hath but a lyte Of waryson & that he wende Had al be lost but now amende Ye may wel thorugh your noble grace With that the kyng ryght in his place A none forth in the fressh hete An Erldom whiche than was eschete Was late falle in to his honde Vnto the knyght with rente & londe Hath youe & with his chartre sesed And thus was al the noyse appesed This maide which sate vpon hir knees Byfore the kynges charytees Comen deth & sayth euermore My lyege lord ryght now to fore Ye sayde as it is of record That yf my fadre were a lord And pere vnto these other grete Ye wolden not elles lete That I ne shold be your wyf And thus wote euery worthy lyf A kynges word mote be holden For thy my lord yf that ye wolden So grete a charyte fulfylle God wote it were wel my wylle For he whiche was a bachilere My fadre is now made a pere So when as euer that I cam An erles doughter now I am This yong kyng whiche plesyd alle Hyr beaute & hyr wyt with alle As he that wae with loue hente A none therto yaf his assente He myght not the mayde asterte That she nys lady of his herte So that he took hyr to his wyfe To holde whyle that he hath lyfe And thus the kyng toward this knyght Acordeth to hym as it is ryght And ouer this good is to wyte In the Cronyes as it is wryte This noble kyng of whome I tolde Of Spayne by the dayes olde The kyngdome had in gouernaunce And as the book maketh remembraunce Alphons was his propre name The knyght also yf I shal name Dom Petro hyght / & as men telle His doughter wyse Petronelle Was cleped whiche was ful of grace And that was sene in thylk place Where she hyr fadre oute of tene Hath breught & made hyr self a quene Of that she hath so wel disclosed The poyntes wherof she was opposed

Confessor Lo now my sone as thou myght here Of al this thyng to my matere But one I take & that is pryde To whome no grace may betyde In heuene he felle oute of his stede And paradys hym was forbede The good men in erthe hym hate So that to helle he mote algate Where euery vertu shal be weyued And euery vyce be receyued But Humblesse is al other wyse Whiche moost is worthy & noo repryse It taketh ageyne both softe & fayre If ony thyng stant in contrayre With humble speche it is redressed Thus was this yong mayd blessyd The whiche I spak of now to fore Her fadre lyfe she gat therfore And wanne with al the kynges loue For thy my sone yf thou wolt loue It sytt the wel to loue pryde And take Humblesse on thy syde The more of grace thou shalt gete

Amans My fadre I wol not foryete Of this that ye haue told me here And yf that ony suche manere Of humble port may loue appaye Here afterward I thenke assaye But now ouer I beseche That ye more of my shryfte seche

Confessor My good sone it shal be do Now herkne & lay an ere to For as tonchand of pryde fayre Als ferforth as I can declare In cause of vyce in cause of loue That thou hast pleyne herd aboue So that there is nomore to seye Touchend of that but other weye Touchend enuye I thynk to telle Whiche hath by propre kynde of helle Withoute cause to mysdo Toward hym self & other mo Here afterward as I vnderstonde Thou shalt the spyces as they stonde

Explicit liber primus

Liter secundus hOw after pryde the second Ther is which many a wo ful stound To wardes other beryth āboute Within hym self & not withoute For in his thought he brenneth euer Whan that he wote another leuer Or more vertuous than he Whiche passeth hym in his degre Wherof he taketh his maladye That vyce is cleped hoote enuye For thy my sone yf it be so That the art or hast ben one of tho As for to speke in loues cas Yf euer yet thyn herte was Seke of other mennes hele So god auannce my quarele My fadre ye a thousand sythe Whan I haue sene another blythe Of loue & a goodly chere Ethna whiche brenneth yere byyere Was than not so hoote as I Of thylk for whiche pryuely Myn hertes thought within brenneth The ship whiche on the wawe renneth And is forstormed & for blowe Is not more payned for athrowe Than I am than whan I se Another whiche that passeth me In that fortune of loues yefte But fadre this I telle in shryfte That now here but in a place For who that seche & fynde grace In other stede it may nought greue But this ye may ryght wel byleue Toward my lady that I serue Though that I wyst for to sterue Myn hert is ful of suche folye That I my self may not chastye Whan I the court see of Cupyde Approche vnto my lady syde Of hem that lusty ben & fresshe Though it auayle hem not a resshe But only that they ben of speche My sorowe is than not to seche But whan they rownen in her ere Then groweth al my most fere And namely whan they talen long My sorowes be than so strong Of that I se hem wel at ease I can not telle my dysease But syre as of my lady selue Though she haue wowers x or twelue For no mystrust I haue of hire Me greueth nonght for certes syre I trowe in al this world to seche Nys woman that in dede & speche Wol better auyse hyr what she doth Ne better for to sey a soth Kepe hyr honour at al tyde And yet gete hyr a thank besyde But netheles I am be knowe That whan I see ony throwe Or elles yf it I may here That she make ony man good chere Though I therof haue not to done My thought wol entermete sone For though I be my self straunge Enuye maketh myn hert chaunge That I am sorowfully be stad Of that I se another glad With hyr but of other alle Of loue what so may byfalle Or that he fayle or that he spede Therof take I but lytel hede Now haue I sayd my fader alle And of this poynt in specyal As ferforthly as I haue wyst Now axe fadre what yow lyst

Confessor My sone or I axe ony more I thynke somdele for thy lore Telle an example of this mater Touchend enuye as thou shalt here Though it be not the houndes kynde Wryte in Cyuyle this I fynde To ete chaf yet wol I werne An oxe whiche cometh to the herne Therof to take ony fode And thus who that it vnderstode It stant of loue many a place Who that is oute of loues grace He wold another shold faylle And may hym self not auaylle And yf he may put ony lettr He deth al that he may to lette Wherof I fynde as thou shalt wyte To this purpoos a tale wryte

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos saltem qui in amoris causa aliorum gaudijs inuidentes ne●uaquam per hoc sibi ipsis proficiunt / Et narrat qualiter Mundus Miles nomine Acis quem Galathea Numpha pulcherrima toto corde peramauit cum ipsi sub quadam rupe Iuxta litus maris colloquium ad inuicem habuerunt / Polophemus gigas concussa rupe magnam inde partem super caput Acis ab alto percipiens Ipsum per inuidiam in terfecit / Et cum ipse super hoc dictam Galatheam rapere voluisset Neptunus gigantem obsistens Ipsam inuolutum salua custodia preseruauit / Sed et dij miserti corpus Acis defuncti in fontem aque dulcissime subito transmutarant

tHer ben of suche mo than xij That be not able of hem selue To gete loue & for enuye Vpon al other they aspye And for hem lacketh that they wolde They kepe that none other sholde Touchend of loue his cause spede Wherof a grete ensample I rede Whiche vnto this mater acordeth As Ouyde in his book recordeth How Polyphemus whilome wrought When that he Galathe bysought Of loue whiche he may not latche That made hym for to waite & watche By al weyes how it ferde Tyl at the last he knewe & herde How that another had leue To loue there as he mote leue As for to speke of ony spede So that he knewe none other rede But for to wayten vpon alle Tyl he may see the chaunce falle That he hyr myght greue Whiche by hym self may not acheue This Galathe seyth the poete Aboue al other was vnmete Of beaute that men than knewe And had a lusty loue & true A bachyleer in his degre Ryght suche another as was he On whome she hath hyr hert set So that it myght nought be let For yefte ne for no byhest That she ne was al at his hest This yong knyght Acis was hote Whiche hyr ageynward also hote Al only loueth & no mo Herof was polyphemus wo Thorugh pure enuye & euer aspyede And wayteth vpon euery syde When he to geder myght se This yong Acis with / galathe So long he wayteth to & fro Tyl at the last he founde hem two In pryue place where they stood To speke & haue here wordes good The place where as he hem syghe It was vnder a bank nyghe The grete see & he aboue Stood & byhelde the lusty loue Whiche eche of hem to other made With goodly there & wordes glade That al his hert hath set a fyre Of pure enuye & as a fyre Whiche flyeth oute of a myghty bowe Awey he fled for a throwe As he that was for loue wood Whan that he sawe how it stood This Polypheme a geaunt was And when he sawe the soth cas How Galathe hym hath forsaken And Acis to here loue taken His hert may it not forbere That he ne roreth as a bere And as it were a wylde beste In whome no reson myght areste He ran Ethna the helle aboute Where neuer yet the fyre was oute Fulfylled of sorowe & grete dysease That he sawe Acis wel at ease Tyl at the last he hym bythought As he whiche al enuye sought And torneth to the banke ageyne Where he with Galathe hath seyne Acis whome he thought to greue Though he hym self may not releue This Geaunt with his rude myght Part of the bank he shoof doune right The whiche euen vpon Acis fylle So that with fallyng of this hylle This Polyphemus Acys slough Wherof she made sorowe ynough And as she fled from the lond Neptunus toke hyr by the hond And kepte hyr in so fast a plac Fro Polypheme & his manace That he with his fals enuye Ne myght atteyne hyr companye This Galathe of whome I speke That of hyr self may not be wreke Withouten ony semblaunt feyned She hath hyr loues deth compleyned And with hyr sorowe & with hyr wo She hath the goddis moued so That they of pyte & of grace Haue Acis in the same place There he lay deed vnto a welle Transformed as the bokes telle With fressh stremes & with clere As he whilome with lusty chere Was fresshe his lust for to queme And with his rude Polypheme For his enuye & for his hate They were wrothe & thus algate

Confessor My sone thou myght vnderstonde That yf thou wolt in grace stonde With loue thou must leue enuye And as thou wylt for thy partye Toward thy loue stonde fre So must thou suffre another be What so byfalle vpon thy chaunce For it is a vnwyse vengeaunce Whiche to none other mannes lefe And is vnto hym self grefe

Amans My fader this ensample is good But how so euer that it stood With Polyphemus lone as tho It shal not stonde with me so To worchen ony felonye In loue for none suche enuye For thy yf ther ought elles be Now axe forth in what degre It is & I me shal confesse With shryfte vnto youre holynesse

Orta sibi solito mentalia gaudia liuor Dum videt alterius dampna doloris agit Inuidus obridet hodie fletus , aliorum Fletus cui proprios crastina fata parent Sic in amore pare stat sorte iocosus amantes . Cum vidit illusos inuidus ille quasi

Sic licet iuua●uum speret tn̄ ipse leuamen / Alterius casu lapsus & ipse simul

hAc ●●quitur confessor de secunda specie In●die●que gaudium altr●us de●oris diatur / Et pumo eiusdem vicij materiam tractans amantis consciām super codem vlterius inuestigat

Y good sone yet ther is ● vyce reuers vnto this Which ●nuye taketh his glad●●sse . Of that he seeth the heuynesse Of other men for his welfare Is when he wot● another care Of that another hath a fall● He thynketh hym self aryse with alle Suche is the gladship of enuye In worldes thyng & in partye Ful oftymes & eke also In toues cause it stant ryght so If thou my sone hast ioye had When thou another sawe vnglad Shryue the thero / my fadre yis I am vysrno wen to yow this Of these louers that lotten streyte And fo: that poynt which they coucite Ben pursuaunt●s from yere to yere In soues court when I may fxr● Now that they clymbe vpon the whele And when they wene al shal be wele They ben doune throwe at the last Than am I fed of that I fast And laughe when I see hem loure And thus of that ▪ they brewe loure I drynke swete & am wel ●sed Of that they wote they ben dysesed But this whiche I telle here Is only for my lady dere That for none other that I knowe Me reheth not to ouerthrowe Ne who that stonde in loue vpryght But be he squyer or be he ●nyght Whiche to my lady ward pursueth The more he leseth of that he seweth The more than I thynke wynne And am the more glad withynne Of that I wote hym sorowe endute For euer vpon suche auenture It is a comfort as men seyn To see another in his peyn So that they both may compleyne Of hem that is so wo beseyne Where I my self may not●auayle To sene another mannes trauayle I am ryght glad & he be let And though I fare not the let Hie sow we is to myn hert a game Whan that I knowe it is the same Whiche to my lady stant enclyned And hath his loue not termyned I am ryght ioyeful in my thought Of suche enuye greueth nought As I ●e knowe me culpable Ye that be wyse & resonable My fadre telle youre aduyse

Confessor My sone enuye to no pryse Of suche a forme I vnderstonde Ne myght by no reson stonde For this enuye hath suche a kynde That he wol set hym self behynde To hynder with another wyght And gladly lese his owne ryght To make another lese his And for to knowe ▪ how it so is A tale lyche to this matere I thenke telle yf thou wolt here To shewe propyrly the vyce Of this ennye & the malyce

hIc ponit / Confessor exemplum contra ▪ illum qui sponte sui ipsius de trim●tum in alterius penam maic●ein patitur / Et narrat ꝙ cum Iupiter an gelum suum in forma hominis vt homi num condiaones exploraret ab exce●●o in terram misit / contigit ꝙ ipse angelus duos homines quorum vnus cupidus & alter inuidus erat itinevando spacio spacio quasi vnius di●i committabatur Et cum sero factum esset Angelus corum se ipsum tun● manifestans di●it / qd quidquid alter e●rum ab ipso dona ri sibi pecierit ▪ Illud statim obtinebit / qd & socio suo secum comutanti affixmat duplicādū super quo cupidus impeditus auaricia sperans sibi diiucias carpere duplicatas primo petere recusauit . Od cum inuidus animiaduerteret naturam sui vicij concernens ita vt socius suus vtroque lumine pr●uaretur se ipsum mo notulum fieri constanter primus ab Angelo postulabat / Et sic vnius inui d●a alteriu● auariciam maculauit

oF Iubitex thus I find y write That whilon how he wold wite Vpon the pleynt which he herd Among the men how that it ferd And of her wrong condycyon To do Iustyfycacyon And for that cause doune he sent An Aungel whiche aboute went That he the soth knowe may So it byfelle vpon a day This angel which hym shold enforme Was clothed in a mans forme And ouertook I vnderstonde Two men that wenten ouer bonde Thorugh whiche he thought to aspye His cause & goth in companye This Aungel with his wordes wyse Opposeth hem in sondry wyse Now lowde wordes & now softe That made hem to desputen ofte And eche of hem his wason had And thus with tales he hem lad With good examynacyon Tyl he knewe the condycyon What men they were bothe two And sawe also wel at the last tho That one of hem was coueyt●us And his fe lawe was enuyous And thus whan he hath knowlechyng Anone he feyned departyng And sayd he mote algate wende But herken now what fell at ende For than he made hem vnderstonde That he was of goddes sonde And sayd them for the kyndeship That they haue done hym felauship He wold do som grace ageyne And bad that one of hem shold seyne What thyng is hym leuest to craue And he it shal of yefde haue And ouer that eke forth with al He sayth that other haue shal The double that his felawe axeth And thus to them his grace he taxeth The concytous was wondre glad And to that other man he had And seyth that he fyvst ax● sholde For he supposeth that he wolde Make his axyng of worldes good For than he knewe wel how it stood If that hym self by double wyght Shal after take & thus by sleyght By cause that he wolde wynne He ●ad his felawe fyrst begynne This enuyous though it be late When that he sawe he mot● algate Make his axynges fyrst he thought If he worship or proufyte sought It shal be double to his fere That wold he chese in no manere But than he sheweth what he was Toward enuye & in this ●as Vnto this Angel & thus he seyd And for his yef●e & thus he preyd To make hym blynde on his owne eye So that his felawe no thyng syghe This word was not so sone spoke That his owne eye was loke ▪ And his felawe forth with also Was blynde on both his eyen two Tho was that other glad ynough That one wepte & that other ●ough And he set his on● tye at no cost Wherof that other two hath lost Of thylke ensample whiche felle tho Men telle now ful ofte so The world empeyreth comonly And yet wote none the cause why For it acordeth nought to kynde Myn owne harme to s●che & fynde Of that I shal my brother greue I myght neuer wel acheue What s●yst thou sone of my folye My fadre but yf I shold ly● Vpon the poynt whiche ye haue sayd Yet was myn hert neuer layd But in the wyse as I haue told But ouermore yf that ye wold Ought elles to my shryft saye Touchand enuye I wold praye

●●●●die pars est detractio p●ssima pestem / Qne magis infamein fla ●●bue o●● agit / ●ingua venenato sermone reper●utit aures / Sic vt in alteteris scandala f●ma volat / Morsibus a ●rge quos inficit ipsa fideles / Vulneris ignoti s●pe salute carent / Sed ge ne●●sue amor ●●nguam conseruat vt eius ●erbum qd loquitur nulla sinistra ge ●●t

hIc Tractat Confessor de tercia spe 〈◊〉 Iuiudie que detractio dicitur 〈◊〉 ●●● m●●sus viperos lesa qm sepe fama de●langit .

tOn●hend of enuyous brood I wote not one of al good But netheles such as they be / Yet ther is one & that is he Whiche ●l●ped is detractyon And to conferme his actyon He hath with holde male bouche Whoos tonge neuer crosse ne crouche May here so that he prouounce A pleyne good word withoute frounce O where behynde a mans bak For though he pr●yse he fynt som lak Whiche of his tale is ay the last That al the pryce shal ouer cast And though ther be no cause why Yet wol he iangle not for thy As he that was which hath that herauldye Of hem that vsen for to lye For as the nettle whiche vp renneth The fresshe rede Rose brenneth And maketh hym fade & pale of hewe Ryght so this fals enuyous hewe In euery place where he duelleth With fals wordes whiche he telleth He torneth preysyng in to blame And worship in to worldes shame Of suche lesynges as he compasseth Is not so good that he ne passeth Byt wene his teth & bakbyted And thorugh his fals tong endyted Lyke to the Sharnebyrdes kynde Of whos nature that I fynde That in the hotest of the day When comen is the mery may He spret his wynge & vp he fleeth And vnder al aboute he seeth The fayre lusty floures spryng But therof hath he no lykyng Where he seeth of ony beste The filthe there he maketh his feste And therupon he wold alyghte There lyketh hym none other syghte Ryght so this iangler enuyous Though he a man se vertuous And ful of good condycyon Therof maketh he no mencyon But elles be it not so ly●e Wherof that he may see a wyte There renneth he with open mouth Behynde a man & maketh it couth But al the vertu whiche he can That wol he hyde of euery man And openly the vyce telle As he whiche of the scole of helle Is taught & fostred vp with ●nuye Of houshold & of companye Where that he hath his propre offyce To set on euery man a vyce How so his mouth be comly His word euermore syt on wry And seyth the werst that he may And in this wyse nowe a day In loues court a man may here Ful ofte pleyne of this matere That many enuyous tale is stered Where that it may not be ansuered But yet ful ofte it is byleued And many a worthy loue is greued Thorugh bakbytynge of fals enuye IF thou haue made suche ianglarye In loues court my sone or this

hIc in amoris causa huins vicij ●●i men ad memoriam reducens Cōfesfessor amanti super codem plenius opponit

sHryue the therof / My fadre yis But wyte ye how not openly But other while priuely Whan I my dere lady mete And thynke how I am not mete Vnto hyr hyghe worthynesse And ese I see hyr besynesse Of al this yong busty route Whiche al day pursueth her aboute And eche of them his tyme a wayteth And eche of them his tale affayteth Al to deceyue an Innocent Whiche wol not be of her assent And for men seyn vnknow●n vnkist Hyr thombe she helde in hyr fist So close with n● hyr owne hond That there may wynne noman lond She leueth not al that , she hereth And thus ful ofte hyr self she skereth And is al ware of had I wyst But for al that myn herte aryst When I these comon louers see That wold not holde hem to thre But welny louen oueral Myn hert is enuyous with al And euer I am adrad of gyle In aunter yf within ony whyle They myght here Innocence enhaunte For thy my wordes ful ofte I haunte Behynden hem so as I dare Wherof my lady may be ware I say what euer cometh to mouth And wers I wold yf that I couth For when I come vnto here speche Al that I may enquere & seche Of suche deceyte I telle it al And ay the worst in specyal So fayne I wolde that she wyst How lytel they ben for to tryst And what they wold & what they ment So as they be of double encent Thus toward hem that wykked mene My wykked word was euer grene And netheles the soth to telle In certeyne yf it so byfelle That ●●der trewest man y bore To chese among a thousand score Whiche were al fully for to tryst My lady loued & I it wyst Yet rather than he shold spede I wold suche tales sprede To my lady yf that I myght That I wol al his peyne vnryght And therto wold I do al my peyne For certes though I shold feyne And telle that was neuer thought For al this world I myght nought To suffre another fully wynne There as I am yet to begynne For be they good or be they bad I wold none my lady had And that me maketh fnlof●e aspye And vsen wordes of enuye As for to make them bere a blame And that is but of thylk fame The whiche vnto my lady drawe For euer on them I renne & gnawe And hynder hem al that euer I may● And that is sothly for to saye But only to my lady selue I celle it nought to & or twelue Therof I wol me wel auyse To speke or iangle in ony wyse That toucheth to my lady name The which in ernest & in game I wold saue to my lady deth For me had leuer to lakke breth Than speke of hyr name amys Now haue ye herd touchend of this My sndre in Confession And therfor in detraxyon In loue that I haue myspoke Tesse howre wylle it shal be wroke I am al redy for to bere My peyne & also for to lere What thyng that ye wol allowe For who is hounden he must bowe So wol I bowe vnto youre best For I dar make this byhest That I to yow haue nothyug hyd But told ryght as it is betyd And otherwyse of no myspeche My conseyente for to seche I can not of enuye fynde That I myspoke haue ought behynde Wherof who so euer be myspayd Now haue ye herd & I haue sayd What wol ye fadre that I do My sone do no more so But euer kepe thy tonge stylle Thou myght the more haue of thy wille For as thou seyst thy seluen here My lady is of suche manere So wyse so ware in al thynges It nedeth of no bakbytynges That thou thy lady mys enforine For when she knoweth al the forme How that thy self art enuyous Thou shalt not be gracyous As thou parauentur sholdest be elles Ther wol no man drynk of the welles Whiche as he wote is poyson ynne And ofte suche as men begynne To wardes other suche as they fynde That set hem ofte fer behynde When that they wenen be byfore My good sone & thou therfore Be ware & leue thy wycked speche Wherof hath fallen ofte wreche To many a man byfore this tyme For who so wol his handes tyme They must be the more vncleue For many a mote shal be sene That wol not elles cleue there And that shold euery wyse man fere For who so wol another blame He sekyth ofte his owne shame Whiche elles myght be ryght stylle For thy yf that it be thy wylle To stonde vpon amendement A tale of grete entendemêt A thynke to telle for thy sake Wherof thou myght ensample take

hIc loqiutur Confessor contra istos in amoris causa detrahentes qui suis obliquijs aliena solacia perturbant / et nacrat exemplum de Constancia Tibe rij Rome Imperatoris Filia omnium biztutum famosissima ob eius amozem Soldanus tunc Persie vt eam in vxorem ducere posset cristianum se fieri & misit cuius accepta caucione consilio pe lagij tunc pape dicta filia vna cum du obus Cardinalibus aln̄s que proceribus in Persian maritagij can naiugio honozifice destinata fiut que tamen obloquenaū postea detractionis varijs modis absque sui culpa dolorosa fata multipliater pas sa est

a Worthy knyght in Castes law . Of grete rome as is the saw / The ceptre had for to ryght / Tybery Constantyn he hyght / Whos wyf was cleped ytalye But they to gedre of progenye No childre hadden but a mayde And the hyr god so wel apayde That al the wyde worldes fame Spake worship of her good name Constance as the Cronyque seyth She hyght & was ful of the feyth That the grettest of Barbarye Of hem whiche vseden marchandye She hath conuerted as they come Ther vpon a tyme in Rome To shewen suche thyng as they brought Whiche worthely of hem she bought And ouer that in suche a wyse She hath hem with her wordes wyse Of Crystes feyth so wel enformed That they therto ben al conformed So that baptysme ▪ they receyuen And al hir fals goddes weyuen Whan they were of the feyth certeyne They gone to Barbarye ayene And ther the Soudan for hem sent And axrth hem to what eutent They haue hyr fyrst feyth forsake And they whiche haue vndertake The ryght feyth to kepe & holde The mater of here tale tolde With al the hool cyrcumstaunce And when the Sowdan of Constaunce Vpon the poynt that they ansuerde The beaute & the grace herde As he whiche than was to wedde In al hast his , cause spedde To send for the maryage And ferthermore with good courage He sayth be so he may hyr haue That Cryst that cam this world to saue He wol byleue & recorded They ben on eyther syde accorded And therupon to make an ende The So wdan his hostage sende To Rome of prynces sones twelue Wherof the fadre was glad in hym selue And with the pope auysed Two Cardynallyz he hath assised With other lordes many mo That with his donghter they shold go To see the Sowdan be conuerted

qValiter adueniente Constancia in ●arbariam mater Soldanithuiusmo di nupcias perturbare volens filium fuum vna aim dicta Constancia cardinalibus que & alijs Romanis prima die ad conuiuium inuitauit / Et conues centibus illis in mensa Ipsuin Soldanum omnes que ibidem preter Constanciam Romanos ab Insidijs latitantibus subdola detractione interfeci procurciurt / Ipsam que Constanciam m qua dam na● absque gubernaculo positam y oltum mare ventorum flatibuo agitandam in exilium di●gi solam constituit

bVt he which was neu wel herted Enuye tho bygan to trauayle In dystourbaunce of hyr spousayle So pryuely that none was ware The modre whiche the souldan bare Was than a lyue & thought this Vnto hyr self yf it so is My sone hym wedde in this manere Then haue I lost my Ioyes here For myn estate shal so be lassed Thynkend thus she hath , compassed By sleyghte how that she may begyle Here sone & fylle that ylke whyle Bytwene hem two when that they were She feyned wordes in his ere , And in this wyse gan to saye ▪ My sone I am by double waye With al myn hert glad & blythe For that my self haue ofte sythe Desyre thou wolt as men seyth Receyue & take a newe feyth Whiche shal be forthryng to thy lyf And eke so worshipful a wyf The doughter of an Emperour To wedde it shal be grete honour For thy my sone I yow byseche That yf I myght suche grace areche That I may than in especyal When that my doughter come shal So as me thynketh honeste By thylk whiche the fyrst feste Shal make vnto hyr welcomyng The Souldan graunteth hyr axyng And she therof was glad ynoughe And vnder that anone she droughe With fals wordes that she spak Couyne of deth behynde his bak And euer vpon here ordynaunce She made so that when Constaunce Was comen forth with the Romaynes Of Clerkes & of Cytezeynes A Ryche feste she hem made Hyr close enuye tho she sprade And al tho that hadden be Or in apert or in pryue Of connseyll of the maryage She slough hem in a sodeyne rage Endelong the bord as they be set So that it myght not be let Here owne sone was not quyte But dyed vpon the same plyte But what the hyghe god wol spare It may not for no perylle mysfare This worthy maiden which was there St●de than as who saith nygh dede for ●ere To see the fest how that it stood Whiche al was torned in to blood The dysshe forth with the cuppe & alle Be bled they weren ouerable She sawe dye on euery syde No wonder though she wepte & syde Makyng many a woful mone When al was slayn but she al one This old fende this Sarazyn Lete take anon this Constancyn With al the good she thyder broughte And ordeyned as she thoughte A naked ship withoute stere The whiche the good & hyr in fere Vitaylles ynough for yeres fyue Where that the wynde it wold dryue She was put vpon the wawes wyld

Qualiter Nauis cum Constancia in partes Anglie que tune pagana fuit prope humber sub quodam Castello regis qui tunc Allee weabatur post triennium applicuit / quam quidam miles nomine Elda dicti Castelli tunc custes ▪ et naiu lete suscipiens vxori sue Hermyngylde in custodiam honoryfice commendauit

bVt he which al thinges may shild Thre yere to that she cometh to londe Hyr shyp to stere hath take on honde And in to Northumberlond arryueth And happeth than that she dryueth Vnder a Castel with the stood Whiche vpon Humber bank stood And was the kynges owne also The whiche Allee was cleped tho A Saxon & a worthy knyght But he bybeuyd not a ryght Of this Castel was castelleyne Elda the kynges chamberlayne A knyghtly man after his lawe And when he sawe vpon the wawe The ship dryuend alone also He bad anone men sholden go To see what it bytokene may This was vpon a somer day The shyp was loked & she founde Elda within a lytel stounde It wyst & / with his wyf anone To ward this yong lady gone Where that they founden grete rychesse But she her wold not confesse When they her axen what she was And netheles vpon the cas Once of the shyp with grete worship They take her in to felauship As they that were of hyr glade But she no maner ioye made But sow weth sore & that she fond No Crystendodom in thylk lond But elles she hath al hir wylle And thus with them she duellith stille Dame Hermegylde whiche was the wyf / Of Elda lyche her owne lyf

qValiter Constancia Eldam cum vxore sua Hermingylda qui antea cri stiana non extiterat ad fidem Eristi miraculose conuertit

cOnstaunce loueth & felle so Spekyng al day bytwene of hem two Though grace of goddes purueaunce This mayden taught the creaunce Vnto this wyf so●parfytely Vpon a day that fast by In presence of her husbond Where they go walkyng on the stronde A blynde man whiche cam ther lad Vnto this wyf cryend he bad With both his hondes vp & prayde To her & in this wyse he sayde O Hermegylde whiche Crystes feyth Enformed as Constaunce seyth Receyued hast yeue me my syght Vpon this word hir hert aflyght Thynkyng what was best to done But netheles the herd his bone And sayd in trust of Crystes lawe Which done was on the crosse & slawe Thou blynde man beholde & se With that to god vpon his kne Thankyng / his syght took anone Wherof they meruayle euerychone But Elda wondreth most of alle This open thyng whiche is byfalle Concludeth hem by suche a weye That he the feyth most nedes obeye

Qualiter quidam Iuuenis miles in amozem Constancie exardescens pro co que Ipsa consentice no luit eam de morte Hermyngylde qm ipse noctant interfecit / verbis detractorijs aceusauit , sed Angelus domim ipsum sic detrahentem in maxilla subito percuciens non solum pro mendaci comprobauit sed ictu morta ll post ipsius confessionem penitus interfecit

nOw lest what fel vpon this thing This Elda forth vnto the kyng A morowe took his weye & rode And Hermegyld at home abode Forth with Constaunce wel at ese Elda which thought his kyng to plese As he that than vnwedred was Of Constance al the pleyne cas As goodly as he couthe tolde The kyng was glad & sayd he wolde Come thyder in suche a wyse That he hym myght on her auyse The tyme appoynted forth with al This Elda trust in specyal Vpon a knyght whom fro childhode He had vp drawe in to manhode To hym he told al that he thought Wherof that after hym forthought And netheles that ylke tyde Vnto his wyf he bad hym ryde To make redy al thyng Ageynst the comyng of the kyng And sayth that he hym self to fore Thenketh to come & therfore That he hym kepe & told hym whan This knyght rode forth his weye than And soth was that of tyme passed He had in al his wyt compassed How he Constaunce myght wynne But he sawe tho no spede therynne Wherof his lust bygan to bate And that was loue is than hate Of her honoure he had enuye So vpon his trecherye A lesyng in his hert he cast Tyl he come home he hygheth fast And doth his lady to vnderstonde The message of her husbonde And therupon the long day They setten thynges in array That al was as it shold be Of euery thyng in his degre And when it cam in to the nyght This wyf her hath to bed dyght Where that this mayden with her lay This fals knyght vpon delay Hath taryed tyl they be a slepe As he that wol tyme kepe His dedely werkes to fulfylle And to the bed he stalketh stylle Where that he wyst was the wyf And in his hond a rasour knyf He bare with whiche her throte he cut And pryuely the knyf he put Vnder the other beddes syde Where that Constaunce lay besyde Elda come home the same nyght And stylle with a pr●uy lyght As he that wold not awake His wyf he hath awey take In to the chambre there lyggende He fonde his dede wyf bledende Where that Constaunce fast by Was falle a slepe so sodenly He cryed aloude & she awoke And forth with al she cast a look And sawe this lady blede there Wherof swowned deed for fere She was & stylle as ony stone She lay & elda therupon ●n to the Castel clepeth oute And vp stert euery man aboute An to the chambre forth they wente But he whiche al vntrouthe mente This fals knyght among them alle Vpon the thyng whiche is byfalle ●●yth that Constance hath do this dede And to the bed with that he yede After the falsh●de of his speche And made hym there for to seche And fonde the knyf there it sayde And than he cryed & than he sayde Lo see the knyf al blody here What nedeth more in this matere To ●ye & thus her Innocence He s●laundreth there in audyence With fals wordes whiche he feyneth But yet for that he compleyneth Elda no ful credence toke And har●ed that there lay a booke Vpon the whiche when he it syghe This knyght hath swore & sayd on hyghe That al men myght it wyte Now by this book which here is wryte Constance is gyltyf wel I wote With that the hond of heuen hym smote In token of that he was forswore There he hath both his eyen lore Oute of his hede the same stounde They stert & so they were founde A wys was herd when that they felle Whiche sayd O dampned man to helle Lo thus hath god thy s●laūdre wroke That thou ageyn Constance hast spoke Be knowe the sothe or that thou dye And he told oute his felonye And starf forth with his tale anone In to the ground where al is gone This dede lady was bygraue Elda whiche thought his honour saue Al that he may restreyneth sorowe

Qualitrr Rex All●e●ad fidem Cristi conuersus baptismnm recepit . & constāstanciam super hoc lew animo desponsauit que tn̄ qualis vel vnde fuit al●●ui nullo modo fatebatur / Et cum infra breue postea a domino su● inpregnata fuisset Ipse ad debellandum scotis iter ar ripuit et ibidem super guerras aliqunt diu permansit

For he the second day at morowe The kyng cam as they were acorded And wh●n it was to hym recorded What god hath wrought vpon this chance He took it in to remembraunce And thought more than he sayde For al his hool hert he layde Vpon Constaunce & sayde he sholde For loue of hir yf that she wolde Baptysme take & crystes feyth Byleue & ouer that he seyth He wold hyr wedde & vpon this Assured eche to other is And for to make shrot tales There cam a bysshop oute of wales Fro Bangor & lucye he hyght Whiche thurgh the grace of god almyght The kyng with many other mo He crystned & bytwene hem two He hath fulfylled the maryage But for no lust ne for no rage She told hym neuer what she was And netheles vpon this cas The kyng was glad how so it stood For wel he wyst & vnderstood She was a noble creature The hygh maker of nature Her hath vysyted in a throwe That it was openlyche knowe She was with childe by the kyng Wherof abouen al other thyng He thanked god & was ryght glad And fel that tyme he was bestad Vpon a werre & must ryde And while he shold there abyde He left at home to kepe his wyf S●che as he knewe of holy lyf Elda forth with the bisshop eke And he with power goth to seke Ayene the scottes for to fonde The werre whiche he toke on honde

Qualiter Regina Constancia infantem masculum quem in baptismo Mau ricium ●ocant Rege absente enixa est / Sed inuida mater Regis Domilda super isto facto condolens mendacibus regi certificauit ꝙ vxor sua demoniaci et non humani generis quondam monstruosum fantasma locum geniture ad ortum produxit / huiusmodique detracto●ibus aduersus Constanciam procurauit qd ipsa in nauim qua prius venerat iterum ad exilium / vna cum suo par tu remissa desolabatur

tHe tyme set of kynde is come This lady hath hyr chambre nome And of a sone borne ful Wherof that she was ioyeful She was delyuerd sauf & sone The bisshop as it was to done Yaf hym baptysme & Morys calleth And therupon as it byfalleth With lettecs wryten of record They sent vnto her lyege lord That kepers weren of the quene And he that shold go bytwene The messager to knaresburgh Whiche Towne he shold posse thorugh Rydend he cam the fyrst daye The kynges modre there laye Whos ryght name was Domylde Whiche after al the cause spylde For he whiche thanke deserue wolde Vnto this lady goth & tolde Of his message & how it ferde And she with feyned ioye it herde And yafe hym yeftes largely But in the nyght al pryuely She took his lettres whiche he had Fro poynt to poynt & ouer rad And she that was thurugh oute vntrewe And do wryte other newe In stede of hem & thus they speke

Prima littera in commendacione n Constancie ab episcopo Regi missa per Domildam in contrarium falsata

Oure lyege lord we the beseke

That thou with vs ne be not wroth Though we suche thyng as is the loth Vpon oure trouthe certyfye Thy wyf whiche is of fayrye Of suche a child delynerd is Fro kynde whiche stant al amys But for it shold not be seye We haue it kepte oute of the weye For drede of pure worldes shame A power childe & in the name Of thylke whiche is so mysbore We took & therto we be swore That none but only thou & we Shal knowe of this pryuete Morys it hatte & thus men wene That it was borne of the quene And of thy owne body gete But this thyng may not be foryete That thou ne send vs word anon What is thy wylle & therupon This letter as thou hast herd deuyse Was counterfete in suche a wyse That no man shold it perceyue And she whiche thought to deceyue It leyde where she that other toke This messager when he awoke And w●st no thynge how it was He ●oos & ●ood the grete pas And took his lettres to the kyng And when he saw this wondre thyng He maketh the messager no chere But netheles in wyse manere He wrote ageyne & yaf hem charge That they ne suffre not at large His wyf to go but kepe hyr stylle Tyl they haue herd more of his wylle This messager was yeftles But with his letter netheles ●● be hym leef or be hym loth In al hast ageyne he goth By ●●na●●sbu●●gh & as he went Vnto the mod●● his entent Of that he fond to ward the kynge He told & she vpon this thyng Seyth that he shold abyde al nyght And made hym fest & chere aryght Feyned as though she coude him thōk But he with strong wyn which he dronk Forth with the trauayle of the daye Whiche dronke a slepe & whyle he laye She hath his lettres ouer saye And formed in another waye There was a newe letter wryte

Secunda le●t●ra per Regem Epis●●●● missa a Domilda iterum falsata /

wHiche sayth do yow for to wyte That thorugh the counseyll of you two It stonde in poynt to be vndo As he whiche is a kyng deposed For euery man it hath supposed How that my wyf Constance is faye And yf that I feyne the delaye To put hyr oute of companye The worship of my regalye Is lore & ouer this they telle Here child shal not among yow dwelle To claymen ony herytage So can I see none auauntage But al is lost yf she abyde For thy to loke on euery syde Toward the meschyef as it is I charge yow & byd this That ye the same ship vytaylle / In whiche that she toke arryuaylle Theryn & putteth both two Hyr self forth with hyr child also And so forth brought in to the depe Be taketh hyr the see to kepe Of foure dayes tyme set That ye this thyng no lenger let So that youre lyf be not forfete And thus this letter counterfete The messagyer whiche was vnware Vpon the kynges halue bare And where he shold it haue bytake But when that they hede take And rad that wryten is withynne So grete a sorowe they begynne As they her owne modre seyen Brenne in a fyre byfore theyr eyen There was wepyng & ther was wo But fynally the thyng is do Vpon the see they haue here brought But she the cause wyst nought And thus vpon the flood they wone This lady with her yong sone And than her handes to the heuene She straught & with a mylde steuene Knelend vpon hyr bare kne She sayd O hyghe mageste Whiche seest the poynt of euery trouth Take of thy woful woman routh And of thylk childe which I shal kepe And with that word she bygan to wepe Swouned / as dede & there she lay But he whiche al thynges may Comforteth hyr & at the last She loketh & her eyen cast Vpon hyr child & sayd this Of me no maner charge it is What sorowe I suffre but of the Me thynketh it is grete pyte For yf I sterue thou shalt deye So mote I nedes by that weye For moderhode 7 for tendrenesse With al myn hole besynesse Ordeyne me for this offyce As she whiche shal be thy Noryce Thus was she strengthed for to stonde And th● she took hyr child on honde And yaf it souke / but euer amonge She wepte & other whyle songe To rokke with hyr child on slepe And thus her owne child to kepe She hath vnder the goddes cure

Qualiter nauis Constancie post biennium in partes hispanie superior is inter Saraʒinos iactabatur / In quorum manibus deus ipsam conseruans graciosissime liberauit

aNd so fel vpon auenture When ylke yere hath made his ende Hyr ship so as it mote wende With strength of wynd which god hath yine / Estward was in to spayn dryue Ryght fast vnder a castel walle Where that an hethen admyralle Was lord & he afterward had One Thelons whiche al was bad A fals knyght & a renegate He goth to loke in what estate The shyp was comen & there he fonde Forth with a child vpon hyr honde This lady where she was al one He took hede on the persone And sawe she was a worthy wyght And thought he wold vpon the nyght Demene hyr at his owne wylle And in the ship she kepte hyr stylle That noman sawe hyr not that daye At goddes wylle & thus she laye Vnknowe what her shal betyde And fel so that by nyghtes tyde This knyght withoute felauship Hath take a boote & cam to ship And thought of hir his lust to take And swore yf she hym daunger make That certeynly she shold deye She sawe ther was none other weye And bad hym for her comforte That he loke fyrst oute at the porte That no man were nygh the stede Whiche myght knowe what they dede And that he maye do what he wolde He was ryght glad that she so tolde And to the port anon he ferde She prayeth god & he her herde And sodenly he was out throw And dreynt & then bygan to blowe Wynde meuable fro the londe And thus the myghty goddes honde Hyr hath conueyed & defended And when thre yere ben ful dispended

Qualiter Nauicula Constancie quo dam die per altum mare vagans inter copio●am nauium multitudinem dilapsa est . quarum Ar●ennius Romanorum Consul / Dux ▪ & Capitaneus Ipsam ignotam suscipiens vsque ad Ro mam secum perduxit vbi equalem vx ori sue Elene permansuram reuerenter associauit / Nec non et eiusdem filium Mauricium in omni habundanaa qua si propririum educauit

hIr ship was dryue vpon a daye Where that a grete nauye laye Of shyppes al the world at ones And as god wold for the nones Hyr shyp goth in among hem alle And stynt not or it be byfalle And hath the vessel vnder gete Whiche mayster was of al the flete And there it resteth & abode This grete ship on anker rode Tho lord come forth & when he syghe That other lay on borde so nyghe He wondreth what it myght be And bad men to go in & se This lady tho was ●rope on syde Aus she that wold her seluen hyde For she ne wyst what they were They sought aboute & hyr fonde there And brought vp hyr child & here And therupon this lord to spere Bygan fro whens that she cam And what she was / quod she I am A woman wofully bestad I had a lord & thus he had That I forth with my ●ytr● sone Vpon the wawes shold wone But why the cause wote I nought But whiche al thynges wrought Yet ay I thanke hym of his myght My child & me so kepte vpryght That we be sauf both two This lord ●xr ' axeth eu●●mo How she byleued & she seyth I ●●ue & trust in Crystes feyth Whiche dyed vpon the ●●od ●●e What is thy name tho quod he My name is Cust she hym sayde But ferthermore for nought he prayde Of her astate the trouthe pleyne She wold hym elles nothyng s●yne But of her name whiche she feyned Al other thynges she restreyned That a word more she ne told This lord than axeth yf she wold● With hym abyde in companye And sayd he cam fro Barbarye To Rome ●ard & home he w●nte Tho she supposeth what it mente And sayth she wold with hym wende And duelle to her lyues ende Yf it so be to his plesaunce And thus vpon here acqueyntaunce He told hyr pleynly as it stood Of Rome how that the gentyl blode In Barbarye was bytrayed And therupon he hath assayed By werre & take suche vengeaunce That none of thylk allyaunce By whome the treson was compassed Is from the swerd a lyue passed But of Constaunce how it was That couthe he knowe by noo ●●s Where s●● bycam as he seyde Hyr ere vnto his word she leyde But forther made she no che●e And ne●h●les in this maner● It happed that ●lke tyme so This lord with whome she wold go Of Rome was the Senatour And of her fadre the emperour His broder doughter hath to wyue Whiche hath hyr fadre eke on lyue And was Salustes cleped tho His wyf Eleyne hyght also To whome Constaunce was cosyne Thus to the seke a medycyne Hath god ordeyned of his grace That forthwith in the same place This Senatour his trouthe plyght For euer whyle he lyue myght To kepe hir in worship & in wele Be so that god wol gyue hyr hele This lady whiche fortune hym sen●● And by ship thus forth saylende Her & her child to Rome he brought And to his wyf thus he sought To take hyr in to companye And she whiche couthe of curtosye Al that a good wyf shold conne Was ●ly glad that she had wonne The felauship of so good one Tho twelue yeres were a gone This Emperours doughter Custe Forth with the doug●ter of Saluste Was kept / but no man redyly Knewe what she was & not for thy They though●●● wel she had be In hyr estate of hyghe degre And euery lyf hyr loueth wele

Qualiter Rex Allce inita pace cum S●otis a guerris rediens & non inuenta vyore sua causa m exilij diligencius pers●rutans cum matre● suam Domi● da● inde culpabilem sciusset ●psam in igue proiciens conburi fecit

nOw herke thylk vnstable whele Whiche euer torneth wente aboute The kyng Alle whiche was oute As thou to fore hast herd the cas D●ceyued thoruh his modre was But when that he come home ageyne He axeth of his Chamberlayne And of the bisshop eke also Where they the quene had do And they ansuerd there he bad And haue hym thylk letter rad Whiche he hem for warrant And tolde hym pleynly as it stant And seyn ●t thought he● grete pyte To see so worthy one as she With suche a child as there was bo●e So sodenly to be forbore And axeth hem what child it were And they hym sayd that nowhere In al the world though men it sought Was neuer woman that forth brought A fayrer child then it was one And than he axeth hem anone Why they ne hadden wryten so They to●den so they had do He sayd nay they sayden yis The letter shewed ●ad it is Whiche they forsoken euery dele Tho was it vnderscond wele That there is treson in the thyng The messager to fore the kyng Was brought & sodenly opposed As he whiche no thyng hath supposed But al wel bygan to saye That he nowhere vpon the waye Abode but only in a stede And cause why that he so dede Was as he went to & fro At ●naresburgh by nyght●s two The kynges moder dyde hym du●lle And when the kyng it herd telle Within his hert he wyst ●s fast The treson whiche his modre cast And thought he wold not abyde But forth ryght in the same tyde He took his●hors & rood anone With hym there ryde many one To knaresburgh & forth they wente And ●yche the fyre which thonder hence In suche a rage as s●yth the book His moder sodenlyche took And sayd vnto her in this wyse O ●este of helle in what gyse Hast thou deserued for to deye That thou thus hast put aweye With treson of thy bakbytyng The trewest at my knowlechyng Of wyues & the most honest But I wol make this byhest I shal be auengyd or I go And lete a fyre make tho And bad men for to cast her ynne But fyrst she told oute al her synne And dede hem alle for to wyte How she the lettres had wryte Fro poynt to poynt as it was wrought And tho she was to deth brought And brunt to fore her sones eye Wherof these other whiche it syghe And herden how the cause stood Seyn● that the ●ngement was good Of that her sone her hath so serued For she it had wel deserued Thorugh treson of her owne tonge Whiche thorugh the londe was after songe . Constance & euery wight cōple●neth But he who al wo dystreyneth This sorowful kynge was so bys●ad That he shal neuermore be glad He seyth eftsone for to wedde Tyl he wyst how that she spedde Whiche had ben his fyrst wyf And thus his yong vnlusty lyf He dryueth forth so as he may

qValiter post ●apsum duodecim anuozum rex Allee absolucionis causa Romam proficiscens vxorem suam Constana●m vna cum filio suo diuina prouidencia ibidem letus inuenit

tYl it byfel vpon a day When he his werres had acheued And thought he wold be releued Of soule he le vpon the feyth Whiche he hath take than he seyth That he to Rome on pylgremage Wold go where pope was pelage To take his absolucyon And vpon this condycyon He made Edwyn his lyeutenaunt Whiche heyr to hym was apparaunt That he the bond m absence Shal rewle & by prouydence Of al thyng wel bygone He took his leue & forth is gone Elda which was with hym tho there At they fully●●e at Rome were Was sent to fore to purueye And he hys guyde vpon the weye In helpe to be his herbeg●our Hath ayed who was Senatour That he his name myght kenne Of Ca●odece he sayd Arcenne He hyght & was a worthy knyght To hym goth Elda forth ryght And told hym of his lord tydyng And prayd for that his comyng He wold assygne hym herbergage And he so dyde of good courage Whan al is do that is to done The kyng hym self cam after sone This Senatour when that he come To Cust & to his wyf at home Hath told how suche a kyng Allee Of grete array to the Cyte Was come & cust vpon his tale With hert c●●se & colour pale A swoune felle / & he meruaylleth So sodenly what thyng hyr eyleth And caught hyr vp & when she woke She sygheth with a pytoue loke And feyneth sekenesse of the see But it was for the kyng Allee For ioye whiche felle in her thought That god hym hath to Towne brought This kyng hath spoke with the pope And told al that he couthe grope What greueth in his conscyence And than he thought in reuerence Of his estate or that he went To make a feest anon he sente Vnto the Senatour to come Vpon the morowe & other some To sytte with hym at mete This tale hath Cust not foryet● But to Morys hyr sone tolde That he vpon the morowe sholde In al that euer he couth & myght Be present in the kynges syght So that the kynge hym ofte syghe Morys to fore the kynges ●ye Vpon the morowe where he sat Ful ofte stood & vpon that The kyng his chere vpon hym cast And in his face he thought as fast He sawe his owne wyf Constance For nature as in resemblaunce Of face hym lyketh for to clothe That they were of one suyte bothe ▪ The kyng hath moeued in his thought Of that he sawe & knewe it nought This childe he loueth kyndely And yett he wote noo cause why But wel he saw & vnderstode That he toward Arcenne stode And axeth hym anone ryght there Yf that this child his sone were He sayd ye so I hym calle And wold it were so byfalle But it is al in other wyse And tho gan he to deuyse How he the childes modre fond Vpon the see from euery lond Within a ship was stereles And how this lady he speles ●●orth with hir child he hath forth draw The kynge hath vnderstonde his saw The childes name & axeth tho And what the modre hyght also That he hym wolde telle he preyde Moris this child is hote he seyde His modre hat Cust & this I not what maner name it is But Allee wyst wel ynough Wherof somdele smylend he lough For Cust in Saxon is to seyn Constance vpon the word Romeyn But who that couthe specyfye What tho was in his fantasye And how his wytt aboute renneth Vpon the loue in whiche he brenneth It were wondre for to here For he was neyther there ne here But clene oute of hym self awey That he note what to thynk ne sey So feyn he wold it were she Wherof his hertes pryuete Bygan the werre of ye & nay The whiche in suche balaunce lay That contenaunce for a throwe He lost tyl he myght knowe The soth but in his memorye The man whiche lyeth in purgatorye Desyreth not the heuen more That he ne longeth also sore To wyte what hym shal betyde And when the boordes were a syde And euery man was ryse aboute The kyng hath weyued al the route And with the Senatour al one He spak & prayd hym of a bone To see this Cust where she duelleth At home with hym where as he telleth The Senatour was wel apayd This kyng no lenger is delayd To see this Cust goth the kyng And she was warned of the thyng And with Eleyne forth she cam Ayene the kyng & he tho nam Good hede & he sawe his wyf Anone with al his hertes lyf He caught hyr in his armes & kyst Was neuer wyght that syghe ne wyst A man that more ioye made Wherof they weren al glad Whiche herd telle of this channce The kyng tho with his wyf Constance Whiche had a grete part of his wylle In Rome for a tyme stylle Abode & made hym wel at case But so yet coud he neuer please Of hyr estate the trouthe pleyne His wyf that she wold hym seyne Of what conntre that she was bore Ne what she was & yet therfore With al his wyt he dyde seke Thus as they lay in bed & speke She prayth hym & counseyleth bothe That for the worship of hem bothe So as here thought it were honest He wold an honourable fest Make or he went in the Cyte Where the Emperour shal be He graunted al that she hym prayd But in that tyme as men sayd Thylk Emperour from that day That fyrst his doughter went away He was than after neuer glad But what that ony man hym bad Of grace for his doughter sake That grace wold he nought forsake Aud thus ful grete almesse he dede Wher●f she had many a bede

qValiter Constancia que antea per totum tempus exilij sui penes omnes incognitam se celauit tunc ●●mum patri suo Imperatori se ipsam per omnia manifestant / Qd cum Rex Allee sci●●sset vna cum vniuersa Romanorum multitudine inestimabili gaudio admirances cuuctipotentem laudarunt

tHis Emperour oute of the toune Within a ten myle e●uyroune Where as it thought hym for the best Hath sondry places for to rest And as fortune wold tho He was duellend at one of tho The kyng Allee forth with th assent Of Cust his wyf hath thyder sent Moryce his sone as he was taught To Th emperour & he goth straught And in his fadre halue he sought As he whiche his lordship sought Tht he of his hyghe worthynes He wold do so grete mekenes His owne Towne to come & see And yeue a tyme in the Cyte So that his fadre myght hym gete That be wosd ones with hym ete This ford hath graunted his request And when the day was of the fest An worship of the Emperour The kyng & este the Senatour Forth with her wyues bothe two With many a lord & lady mo On hors ryden hym ageyne Tyl it byfell vpon a pleyne They syghe where he was comend With that Constaunce anone preyend Spak to her lord that he abyde So that I may to fore ryde To ben vpon his bien benu The fyrst whiche shal hym salu And thus after hyr lordes graunt Upon a mule whyte amblaunt Forth with a fewe rood his qu●ne They wondred what she wold mene But ryden after a softe pas But when this lady comen was To th emperour in his presence She sayd aloude in audyence My lord my fadre wel you be And of this tyme that I se Your honour & your good hele Whiche is the helpe of my quarele I thanke vnto the goddes myght For t●ye his ●●rt was aflyght Of that she told in remembraunce And when he wyst it was Constaunce Was neuer fadre half so blythe Wepend he kyst hyr ofte sythe So was his hert al ouercome For though his modre were come Fro deth to lyf out of the graue He myght no more wonder haue Than he hath when he hyr syght With that hyr owne lord come nyght And is to th emperour obeyed And when that comfort is be w●eyed How that Constaunce is come aboute So hard an hert was none oute That he for pyte tho ne wepte Arcenius which hyr fonde & kepte Was than glad of that is falle So that with ioye among hem alle They ryden in at Rome gate This Emperour thought al to late Tyl that the pope were come And of tho lordes sende some To pray hym that he wol hast And he cam forth in al hast And when he the tale herd How wonderly his chaunce ferd He thanked god of his myracle To whome may be none obstable The kyng a noble feste hem made And thuo they were al glade A parlement or that they went They setten vnto this entent To put Rome in ful espeyre That morys was apparent heyre And shold abyde with hym stylle For suche was al the londes wylle

Qualiter Mauricius cum Impera to ●e vt heres imperij remansit / Et Rex Allee et Constancia in ang●●am regres si sunt

wHen euery thing was fully spoke Of soro we & queynt was al that smoke Tho toke his leue allee that kyng And with ful many a ryche thyng Whiche th emperour hym had yeue He hath a glad lyf for to lyue For he Constance hath in his hond Whiche was the comfort of his lond For when that he come home ageyne There is no tong that myght seyne What ioye was that ylke stounde Whiche ●rst was sent of goddes sound By whome the mysbileue of synne Was left & Crystes feyth cam ynne To hem that whilome were blynde

Qualiter Rex All●● in Ang●a post bicnnium humane carnis resolucionem subiens nature debitum persoluit / post cuius obitum X cum patre suo Rome se transtulit moraturam

●t he which hyndreth euery kind And for no gold may be forlouȝt The deth comyng or he besought Toke with this kyng suche acqueyntaunce That he with al his retenaunce Ne myght not defende his lyf And thus he parteth from his wyf Whiche than made sorowe ynoughe And therupon hir herte droughe To leue Englond for euer And go where that she had leuer To Rome whens that she cam And thus of al the lond she nam Hyr leue & goth to Rome ageyne And after that the bokes seyne She was not there but a throwe When deth of kynde hath ouerthrowe Hir worthy fadre whiche men seyde That bytwene hyr armes deyde And after ward the yere suend The god of her hath made an end And fro this worldes fayrye Hath take hyr in to companye Moryce hyr sone was coroned Whiche so ferforth was abandoned To Crystes feyth that men hym calle Morys the Crystnest of alle And thus the whele meuyng of loue Was at the last set aboue And so as thou hast herd to fore The fals tunges were lore Whiche vpon loue wold lye For thy touchend of this enuye Whiche longeth vnto bakbytyngr Be ware thou make no lesyng In hyndryng of another wyght And yf thou wold be taught aryght What meschyef bakbytyng doth By other weye a tale soth Now myght thou here anone sewend Whiche to this vyce is acordend

hIc ponit Confesso● exemplum contra istos detractores qui in afterius bitupeaum mendacia confingentes diffamacom̄ fieri procurauit . Et natrat qualiter Perseus Philippi Regis Macedonij filius Demetrio fratri suo ob eius provitatem inuidens composito detractionis mendacio ipsum apud patrem suum mortaliter accusauit dicens ꝙ ipse non solum patrem sed & totum Macedonij regnum Romanis hostibus proditurie vendidisset . quem super hoc in iudicinm producens testibus que judicibns auro subornatis quamuis falsissime morte condempnatum e●●cit / quo defuncto eciam et pater infea breue postea mortuus est / Et Persio successiue regnante deus huius detractionis iuuidiam abhorrens Ipsum cum bniuersa suorum pugnatorum multitudine extra Dauubij fluuium ab emilio tunc Romanorum Consule euen tu bellico interfeci fortunauit / ita ꝙ ab illo die Macedonij potestas penitus des tructa Romano Imperio subiugata de seruiuit / & eius detractio quam contra a●●um conspirauerat in sui ipsius diffamacionem pro perpetuo diuulgata consistit

IN'a Cronyque as thou shalt wyte A grete ensample I fynd wryte Whiche I shal telle vpon this thyng Phelyp of Macedonye the kyng Two sones had he by his wyf Whos fame is yet in grece ryf Demetrius the fyrst broder Was hote & Perseus that other Demetrius they sayden tho The better knyght was of tho To whome the lond was attendanut As he whiche heyre was apparaunt To regne after his fadre day But that / thyng whiche no water may Quenche in this world but euer brenneth . In to his broder hert renneth The proud enuye of that he sygh● His broder shold clynne on hyg●● And he to hym than mote obeye That may he suffer by no wey● With strength durst he no thyng stō● So took he lesyng vpon honde When he sygh tyme & spak therto For it byfelle that tyme so His fadre grete werres had With Rome whiche he streyt lad Thorugh myghty strength of his manhod As he whiche hath yuough knygthod And ofte h●m had sore greued But or the werre were acheued As he was vpon ordynaunce At home in grece it felle par chaunce Demetaus whiche ofte aboute Rydend was stood that tyme oute So that this Perse in his absence Whiche bare the tonge of pestylence With fals wordes whiche he feyneth Upen his owne broder pleyneth In pryuete behynde his bak And to his fadre thus he spak My dere fadre I am holde By wey of kynde as reson wolde That I fro yow shal no thyng hyde Whiche myght torne in ony syde In youre estate to greuaunce For thy myn hertes obeysaunce Toward yow I thenke to kepe For it is good ye take kepe Upon a thyng whiche is me told My broder hath vs al sold To hem of Rome & yow also For then they behote hym tho That he with them shal regne in pees Thus hath he cast for his encres That youre estate shal go to nought And thus to proue shal be brought So ferforth that I vndertake It shal not wel mow be forsake The kyng vpon his tale ansuerd And said yf this thyng whiche he herd Be soth & may be brought to proue It shal not be to his behoue Whiche vs hath shapen so the werst For he hym self shal be the ferst That shal be dede yf / that I may Thus afterward vpon a day When that Demetrius was come Anone his fadre hath hym nome And bad to his broder Perse That he his tale shal reherce Of thylk treson whiche he told And whiche al vntrouthe wolde Counseylleth that so hyghe a nede Be treted where as it may spede In comon place of jugement The kyng therto yafe his assent Demetrius was put in holde Wherof that Perseus was bolde Thus stood the trouth vnder the charge And the falshede goth at large Whiche thou●gh byhest hath ouercome The grettest of the lordes some That preuelyche of his acord They stond as wytnesse of record The Iuge was made fauourable Thus was the lawe deceyuable So ferforth that the fronth fond Rescouse none & thus the lond Forth with the kyng deceyued were The gyliles was dampned there And deyde vpon acusement But suche a fals conspyrement Though it be preuy for a throwe God wold not it were vnknowe And that was after ward wel proued In hym whiche hath that deth controued Of that his broder was so slayn This Perseus was wondre fayn As he that ▪ tho was apparaunt Upon the regne & expectaunt Wherof he wax so proud & beyn That he his fadre in dysdeyn Hath take & set at none acompte As he whiche thought hym to surmounte That where he was fyrst de bonayre He was tho rebelle & contrayre And not as heyr but as a kyng He took vpon hym in al thyng Of malyce & of tyrannye In contempt of Regalye Lyued his fadre & soo wrought That when the fadre hym bethought And sawe to whedyr syde it droughe Anone he wyst wel ynough How Perse his fals tonge Hath so th enuyous belle ronge That he hath slayne his owne broder Wherof as then he knewe none other But sodenly the Iuge he nome Whiche corrupt sat vpon the dome In suche a wyse & hath hym pressed That he the soth hym hath confessed Of al that he hath spoke & do More sory than the kynge was tho Was neuer man vpon this molde And thought in certeyne that he wold ●engeaunce take vpon this wrong But the other party was so strongr That for the lawe of no statute There may no ryght be execute And vpon this dyuysyon The lond was torned vp so doun Wherof his herbe is so distraught That he for pure sorowe hath caught The maladye of whiche nature Is queynt in euery creature And when this kyng is passed thus This fals tonged Perseus The regyment hath vnderfonge But ther may no thyng stond longe Whiche is not vpon trouthe grounded For god whiche hath al thyng bounded And sawe the falshede of his gyle Hath set hym but a lytel whyle That he shal regne vpon depose For sodenly as the rose So sodenly doune he felle In thylk tyme it so byfelle This newe kyng of newe pryde With strengthe shope hym for to ryde And sayd he wold Rome waste Wherof he made a besy haste And hath assembled hym an hoost In al that euer he myght most What man that myght wepen be re Of al he wold none forbere So that it myght not be nombred The folk whiche was encombred Thorugh him that god wold ouerthrowe Anone it was at Rome knowe The pompe whiche that Perse lad And the Romayns that tyme had A consul whiche cleped was thus The name Panle Emilius A noble & a worthy knyght with alle And he whiche cheef was of alle This werre on hond hath vndertake And whan he shold his leue take Of a yong doughter whiche was his She wepte & what cause it is He axeth & she hym ansuereth That Perseus is dede & he it hereth And wondreth what she mene wold And vpon childehode hym told That Perse his lytel hound is dede Withethat he pulleth vp his hede And made ryght a glad vysage And seyd how that was a presage Touchend vnto that other Perse How that fortune hym shald aduerse He seyth for suche a prenostyke Moost of an hound was to hym lyke For as it is an houndes kynde To berke vpon a man behynde Ryght so behynde his broders bak With fals wordes whiche he spak He hath do slayn & that is routhe But he whiche hateth al vntrouth The hyghe god it shal redresse For so my doughter prophetesse Forth with hyr lytel houndes deth Betokeneth & thus forth he geth Conforted of this euydeuc● With the Romayns in his defence Ageyne the grekes that be comende This Perseus as nought semende This meschyef whiche that hym abode With al his multitude rode And prayd hym vpon the thyng Of that he was bycomen a kyng And how he had his Royalme gete That he hath al the ryght foryete Whiche longeth vnto gouernaunce Wherof thorugh good ordynaunce It felle vpon the wynter tyde That with his hoost he shold ryde Oner Dauubye thylke flood Whiche al be frorn than stood So hard that he wende wel To passe but the blynde wheel Whiche torneth ofte or men beware Thylk yee whiche hors men bare To brak so that a grete partye Was dreynt of the chyualrye The rereward it took awey Cam none of hem to lond drey Paulus the worthy knyght romeyn By his aspye it herd seyn And hasteth al that he may So that vpon that other day He cam where he this hoost byheld And that was in a large feld Where the baners ben displayed He hath anone his men arrayed And when that he was enbataylled He goth & hath the feld assaylled And slough & took al that he fonde Wherof the Macedonye londe Which thurgh kyng alisander is honoured / Long tyme stood was than deuoured / To Perse & al infortune ●●●y wyte so that the comune Of al the lond his heyre exyle And he dyspeyred for the whyle Desguysed in a power wede To Rome goth & ther for nede The ●●aft whiche thylk tyme was To worken in lawn̄ & in bras He lerneth for his sustenaunce Suche was the sones purueaunce And of his fadre it is sayd In strong pryson that he was layd In Albe where that he was dede For honger & for defaulte of brede The hounde was token of prophecye That lyche an hound he shold dye Whiche lyche was of condycyon Whan he with detractyon Bark on his broder so behynde

Coufessor Lo what proufyde a man may fynde Whiche hyndre wol another wyght For thy with al thyn hool myght My sone eschewe thylk vyce .

Amans My fadre elles were I nyce For ye therof so wel haue spoke That it is in myn hert loke And euer shal but of enuye If ther be more in his baylye Towardes loue say me what My sone as gyle vnder the hat With sleyghtes of a Tregetour Is hyd enuye of suche colour Hath yet the fourth deceyuaunt The whiche is cleped fals semblaunt Wherof the mater & the forme Now herkne & I the shal enforme

Nil bilinguis aget nisi duplo concitat ore / Dumque diem loquitur vox sua vota tegit / Vultus habet lucem tenebras mens sermo salutem / Actus sed morbum dat suus esse grauem / Pox tibi quam spondet magis est prenostica guerre . Comoda si dederit disce subesse dolum / Qnodque patet esse fides in eo fraus est que positi . P●ncipium pacti finis habere negat / O qm condicio talis deformat amantein / Qui magis apparens est in amore nichil /

hIc tractat Confessor super quarta specie Inuidie que dissimulacio dicitur cuius vultus quanto maioris amicicie apparenciam ostendit tanto subtilioris doli fallacias ad decipien dum mens ymaginatur

oF fals semblaunt yf I shall telle Aboue al other it is the welle Out of that which deceyt floweth There is no man so wyse that knoweth Of thylkf lood whiche is the tyde Ne how he shold hym self guyde To take sauf passage there And yet the wynd to mans ere Is softe & as it semeth oute It maketh clere weder al aboute But though it seme it is not soo For fals semblaunt hath euer moo Of his counseyl in companye The derke vntrewe Ipocrysye Whoos word destroyeth in his thought For thy they be to gyder brought Of one couyne of one houshold As it shal after ward thus be told Of fals semblaunt it nedeth nought To telle of old ensamples ought For al day in experyence A man may see thylk euydence Of fayre wordes whiche he hereth But yet the barge of enuye stereth And halt it euer from the londe Whiche fals semblaunt with oore in hond It roweth & wol not arryue But lete it on the wawes dryue In grete tempest & grete debate Wherof that loue & his estate Empeyreth & therfore I rede My sone that thou flee & drede This vyce & what that other seyn Lete thy semblaunt be trewe & pleyn For fals semblaunt is thylk vyce Whiche neuer was withoute offyce Where that enuye thynketh to gyle He shal byfore that ylke whyle Of pryue counseylle be messagere For when his semblaunt is most clere Than is he most derke in his thought Though man hym se they knowe hym nought / But as it sheweth in the glas Thyng whiche theryn neuer was So sheweth it in his vysage That neuer was in his courage Thus doth al his thyng with sleyght Now laye thy conscyence in weyght My good sone & shryue the here If thou were euer customere To fals semblaunt in ony wyse For ought I can me yet auyse My good fadre certes no For I for loue haue do so Now axe I wold pray yow For elles I wote neuer bow Of fals semblaunt how that I haue gy●t My sone & sethyn that thou wylt That I shal axe gabbe nought But telle yf euer was thy thought With fals semblaunt & couerture To wyte of ony creature How that he was with loue stad So wery or sory or he were glad Whan thou wystyst how it were Al that he rouneth in thyn ere Thou toldest forth in other place To setten hym fro loues grace Of that woman that hym best lyst Theryn no man his counseyll wyst But thou by whome he was deceyue ▪ Of loue & from his purpoos weyued And thoughtest at his dysturbaunce Thyn owne cause shold auaunce As who seyth I am so secrete There may no mans pryuete Beh●led halue so wel as myn Art thou my sone of suche engyn Telle on / My good fadre nay As for the more party I say But of somdele I am byknowe That ▪ I may stonde in thylk rowe Among hem that saundres vse I wol me not therof excuse That I with suche colour ne steyne When I my best semblaunt feyne Telle my fela we of that I wote Al his counseylle both cold & hote For by that cause I make hym chere Tyl I his loue knowe & here And yf so be myn herte soucheth That ought vnto my lady toucheth Of loue that he wold me telle Anone I renne vnto the welle And cast water in to the fyre So that his carte amyd the fyre By that I haue his counseyll knowe Ful ofte syth I ouerthrowe When that he weneth best to stonde But this I do yow to vnderstonde Yf that a man loue elles where So that my lady be nought there And he me telle he wol it hyde There shal no word escape asyde Forth with deceypt of no semblaunt To hym breke I none couenaunt Me lyketh not in other place To let no man of his grace Ne for to be Inquesyty● To knowe another mans lyf Where that he loue or loue nought That toncheth no thyng to my thought But al it passeth thorugh myn ere Ryght as a thyng that neuer were And is foryete & layd asyde But yf it toucheth ony syde My lady as I haue er spoken Myn eres be than nought loken For certes whan that by tyt My wyl myn hert & al my wyt Ben fully set to herken & spere What ony man wol saye of here Thus haue I feyned companye Ful ofte for I wold aspye What thyng it is that ony man Telle of my worthy lady can And for two causes I do this The fyrst cause wherof is At that I myght herken & seke That ony man of her myspeke I wol excuse hyr so fully That when she wyst it veryly Myn hope shold be the more To hane hyr thank for euermore That other cause I yow assure Is why that I see couerture Haue feyned semblaunt oftyme To them that passen al day byme And ben● louers as wel as I For this I wene truly That there is of hem al none That they ne louen euerychone My lady sothelyche I leue And durst sytten it in preue Is none so wyse that shold asterte But he were lustles in his herte For why & he my lady syghe Her vysage & her goodly eye But he her loued or he went And for that suche is myn entent That is the cause of myn aspye Why that I feyne companye And make folowe ouer al For gladly wold I knowen al And hold me couert alway That I fulofte ye or nay Ne lyst ansuere in ony wyse But feynyng semblaunt as the wyse And herken tales tyl I knowe My lady louers al on rowe And when I here how they haue wrought / I fare as though I herd it nought. . And as I no word vnderstode But that is no thynge for her goode For leueth wel soth it is That when I knowe it so is I wol but fordren hem a lyte But al the werst I can endyte I telle it to my lady plat For forthryng of myn owne estat And hyndre them al that I maye But for al that yet dar I saye I fynde vnto my self no bote Al though myn herte nedes more Though of loue al that I here Dyscouer vnto my lady dere For in good feyth I haue no myght To hele fro that swete wyght If that it toucheth her ony thyng But this wote wel the heuen kyng That sythen fyrst this world bygan Vnto none other strannge man Ne feyned I semblannt ne chere To wyte or axe of this matere Though that he loueth x or twelue When it was nought my lady selue But yf he wold axe ony rede Al onlyche of his owne hede How he with other loue ferde His tales with myn eres I herde But to myn hert cam it nought Ne sanke no depper in my thought But helde counseylle as I was bede And told it neuer m other stede But lete it pass●as it come Now fadre saye what is thy dome And how thou wolt that I be peyned For fals semblant as I haue feyned My sone yf reson be wel peised There may no vertu be vp reysed Ne vyce none be set in pryse For thy my sone yf thou be wyse Do no vyser vpon my face Whiche wol not thyn hert embrace For yf thou do within a throwe To another man it shal be knowe So myght thou lightely falle in blame And lese a grete part of thy name And netheles in this degre Ful oftyme thou myght se Of suche men as now a day This vyce sette in assay I speke for no mans blame But for to warne the thy shame My sone as I may here talke In euery place where I walke I not yf it be so or none But it is many dayes gone That I fyrst herd telle this How fals semblaunt hath be & is Most comonly from yere to yere With hem that duelle among vs here Of suche as we Lumbardes calle For they be the slyest of alle So as men seyn in Towne aboute To feyne & shewe thyng withoute Whiche is reuers to that within Wherof that they ofte wyn Whan they by reson shold lese They ben the last & yet they chefe And we fyrst & yet behynde We gone where as we shuld fynde The proufyte of our owne lond Thus gone they fre withoute bond To done her proufyte al at large And other men bere al the charge Of Lumbardes vnto this couyne Whiche al londes conne engyne May fals semblaunt in especyal Br lykened for they euer al Where that they thynken for to duelle Among them self so as they telle Fyrst ben enformed for to lere A craft whiche cleped is faucrere For yf faucrere come aboute Than afterward stant no doute To voyde with a subtyle honde The best goodes of the lond And brynge chaf & take corn Where as faucrere goth to forn In al his wey he fynt no let That do●e can none vssher shet In whiche hym lyst to take entre And thus the counseyll most secre Of euery thyng faucrere knoweth Whiche in to straunge place he bloweth Whiche he wote it may most greue And thus faucrere maketh byleue So that ful ofte he hath deceyued Er that he may ben apperceyued Thus is his vyce for to drede For who these old bokes rede Of suche ensamples as were ar Hym ought be the more war Of al tho that feynen chere Wherof thou shalt a tale here

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos q sub dissimulate beniuolēcie speculo alios m amore defrau dant / Et narrat qualiter Hercules c● Ipse quoddam fluuium cuius vad● non nouit cum Deianyra transmeare proposuit / superueniens Nessus Gigas ob amiciciam Herculis vt dixit Deianyram in vlnas su●s suscipiens trans ripam saluo perduxit / Et statim cum ad litus peruenisset ꝙ cito currere pptuit ipsam tamquam propriam in preiudicium Herculis asportare fugiens conabatur Per qd non solum ipsi sed eciam Herculi mortis euentum fortuna post modum causauit

oF fals semblaunt whiche is beleued / Ful many a worthy wyght is greued . And was long tyme or he was bore To the my sone I wyl therfore A tale telle of fals semblaunt Whiche falseth many a couenaunt And many a fraude of fals counseylle There be honged vpon his seylle And that abouten gylteles Bothe Deyanyre & hercules The whiche in grete dysese felle Thorugh fals semblaunt as I shal telle When hercules within a throwe Al only hath his hert throwe Vpon the fayre Deyanyre It felle hym on a day desyre Vpon a ryuer as he stood That passe he wold ouer the flood Withoute bote & with hym lede His loue but he was in drede For tendrenesse of that swete wyght For he knewe not the forth aryght There was a geaunt than nyghe Whiche Nessus hyght & whan he syghe This hercules & Deianyre Within his hert he gan conspyre As he whiche thought his trecherye Hath Hercules in grete enuye Whiche he bare in his herte loke And than he thought it shal be wroke But he ne durst netheles Ayene this worthy Hercules Falle in debate as for to fyght But feyned semblaunt al by sleyght Of frendship & of al good And cometh where as they both stood And maketh hem al the chere he can And sayth that here owne man He is / al redy for to do What thyng he may & it fel so That than vpon his semblaunt tryst And axeth hem yf that they wyst What thyng were best to done So that they myghten sauf & sont The water passe he & she And whan Nessus the pryuete Knewe we of hert what it ment As he that was double of entent He made hem ryght a glad vysage And when he herd of the passage On hym & hyr he thought gyle And feyneth semblaunt for a whyle But he thought al another wyse To done hem plesaunce & seruyce This Nessus with his wordes slyghe Yaf counseylle to fore her eye Whiche semed outward prouffytable And was within deceyuable He bad hem of the stremes depe That they beware & take kepe So as they knowe not the compas But for to helpe in suche a cas He sayth hym self that for his ease He wold yf that it myght hem please The passage of the water take And for this lady vndertake To bere hyr to that other stronde And sauf to set her vpon the londe And Hercules may then also The weye knowe how he shold go And they therto acorden alle But what as after shal byfalle Wel payd was hercules of this And this Geaunt also glad is And toke his lady vpon lofte And set hyr on his shulder softe And in the flood bygan to wade And he whiche no grutchyng made And bare hyr ouer sauf & sounde But when he stood on drye gronnd And Hercules was ferre behynde He set his trouthe al oute of mynde Who so ther be lefe or loth With Deianyre & forth he goth As he thought to dysseuer The companye of hem for euer When Hercules therof took hede As fast as euer he myght hym spede He hyeth after in a throwe And hapneth that he had a bowe The whiche in al hast he bende As he that wold an arowe sende Whiche he to fore had venymed He hath so wel his shot tymed That hym thorugh the body smet And thus the fals wyght he let But leste now suche a felonye Whan Nessus wyst he shold dye He took to Deianyre his shert Which with the blood was of his hert Thorugh oute desteyned ouer al Told how she so●t kepe shal And pryuely to hir entent That yf her lord his hert went To loue in ony other place This shyrt he sayth hath suche a grace That yf she may so mochel make That he the shyrte vpon hym take He shal al other lete in veyn And torne m to her loue ageyn Who was so glad but Deianyre Hyr hert hyr thought was on a fyre Tyl it was in her Cofer loke So that therof no word was spoke The dayes gone the yeres passe The hertes waxen lasse & lasse Of hem that be to loue vntrewe This Hercules with hert newe His hert hath set on Eolen And therof speken al men This Eolen this fayre mayde Was as men thylk tyme sayde The kynges doughter of Euryce And she made Hercules so nyce Vpon her loue & so assote That he hym clotheth in hyr cote And she in his was clothed ofte And thus feblesse is set alofte And strengthe was put vnder fote There can no man therof doo bo●e When Deianyre hath herd this speche There was no sorowe for to seche Of other helpe wote she none But goth vnto hyr coufer anone With wepeud eye & woful herte She took oute thylk vnhappy sherte And as she wend wel to do And brought hyr werke aboute so That Hercules this shert on dede Of suche entent & as she was bede Of Nessus & as I sayd er But that therfore was she not the ner And no fortune may be weyued With fals semblaunt she was deceyued Then when she wende best haue wonne She lost al that she hath bygonne For thylk shert vnto the bone His body set a fyre anone And cleueth so it may not twynne For the venym that was therynne And he than as a wyld man Vnto the hyghe wode ran And as the clerk Ouyde telleth The grete trees to the ground he felleth With strengthe of his owne myght And made an hughe fyre vpryght And lept hym self therin at ones And brente hym bothe flesshe & bones Whiche thyng cam thorugh fals sēblāt That fals Nessus the Geant Made vnto hym & to his wyf Wherof that he hath lost his lyf And she also for euermo For thy my sone or thou be wo I rede be wel ware therfore For when so grete a man was lore It ought to yeue a grete conceypt To warne al other of suche deceypt Graunt mercy fader I am ware So fer that I no more dare Of fals semblaunt take acqueyntaunce But rather I wol do penaunce That I haue feyned chere or this Now axe forth what so ther ●s Of that bylongeth to my shryfte My sone yet ther is the fyfte Whiche is conceyued of enuye And clepend is supplantarye Thorugh whos compassement & gyle Ful many hath lost his whyle In loue as wel as other wyse Here after as I shal deuyse

Inuidus alte riu s ● supplantator hōris Et tua quo vertat cultura subtus arat Est opus occultum q̄i q latrt angins in herba Qd facit & subita sorte nociuus adest Sic subtilis amans alium supplantat amant● Et capit occulte qd ne●t ipse palam Sepe que supplantans in plātan plantat amo ●s / Quod pntat m proprijs alter ha bere bo●us

Hie tractat Confessor de quinta spe cie Inuidie / que supplantacio dicitur cu ius cultor pr●usque percipiatur aliene dignitatis & officij multociens intrusor existens

tHe vyce of Supplantacyon With many a fals collacyon Which he cōspireth'al vnknowe . Ful oftyme hath ouerthrowe The worship of another man So wel no lyf awayte can Ayene his sleyght for to cast That he his purpoos at the last Ne hath or that it withset But moost of al his herte is set In court vpon these grete offyces Of dygnytees & benefyces Thus goth he with his sleyghte about To hyndre & shoue another out And stonden with his slyghe compas In seede there another was And so to set hym self ynne He r●ebeth not be so he wynne Of that another man shal l●se And thus ful ofte chalk for chefe He chaungeth with ful lytel cost Wherof another hath the lost And he the proufyt shal receyue For his fortune is to receyue And for to chaunge vpon the whele His woo with other mens wele Of that another man auayleth His astate thus vp he hayleth And taketh the byrd to his beyete Where other men the busshes bete My sone & in the same wyse There be louers of suche empryse That shapen hem to be relyeued Where it is wrong to be achyeued For it is an other mans ryght Whiche he hath take day & nyght Ty kepe for his owne store Toward hym self for euermore And is his propre by the lawe Whiche thynge that axeth no felawe But they that worchen by supplauut And take a part of thylk plant Whiche he hath for hym self set And so fulofte is al vnknet That som man weneth be ryght fast For supplaunt with his sly cast Ful ofte happeneth for to mowe Thyng which another man hath ●owe And maketh comon of propyrte With sleyghte & with subtylte As men may seen from yere to yere Thus cleymeth he the boot to stere Of whiche another mayster is For thy my sone yf thou or this Hast ben of suche professyon Dyscouer thy Confessyon Hast thou supplanted ony man For ought that I yow telle can Myn holy fadre as of the dede I am withouten ony drede And gilteles but of my thought My censcyence excuse I nought For were it wrong or were it ryght Me lacketh no thyng but myght That I ne wold longe or this Of other mans loue ●wys By wey of Supplantacyon Haue made appropryacyon And hold that I neuer bought Though it another man forthought And al this speke I but of one For whome I lete al other gone But here I may not ouerpasse That I ne mote alwey compasse ●e rought not by what queynty●e So that I myght in ony wyse Fro suche that my lady serue His hert make for to swerue Withoute ony part of loue For by thegoddes al aboue I wold it myght so byfalle That I alone shold hem alle Supplante & welde hyr at my wylle And that thyng may I nought fnlfylle And yf I shold strengthe make And that I dar not vndertake Thongh I were as was Alysander For therof myght ryse a sklaunder And certes that shal I do neuer For in good feyth yet had I lener In ony symplesse for to dye Than worche suche supplantarye Of other wyse I wol not say That yf I fond a syker way I wold as for conclusyon Worche after supplantacyon So hyghe a loue for to wynne Now fadre yf that this be synne I am al redy to redresse The gylt of whiche I me confesse My sone as of supplant The dar not drede tant ne quant As for no thyng that I haue herd But only that thou hast mysferd Thynkend and me lyketh nought For god beholt a mans thought And yf thou vnderstood in soth In loues cause what it doth A man to be a supplantour Thou woldest for thyn honour By double way take kepe Fyrst for thyn owne estate kepe To be thy self so wel be thought That thou supplanted were nought And eke for worship of thy name Towardes other do the same And suffre euery man haue his But netheles it was & is That in wayte at al assayes Supplant of loue in other wayes The leef ful ofte for the leuer Forsaketh & it hath done euer Ensample I fynde therupon

Qualiter Agamenon de amore Brexeide Achillem & Diomedes de amore Cri seide Troilum supplanta●ut /

aT Troye how that Agamenon Supplanted the worthy knyghte Achilles for that swete wyghte Whiche named was Brexeyda And also of Cryseyda Whome Troylus to loue ches Supplanted hath Diomedes

Qualiter Amphitriun socium suam Geta m qui Almaenam peramauit seipsum loco alterius cautelosa supplanta cione substituit

oF Geta & Amphitryone That whilome were both as one Of frendship & companye I rede how that supplantarye In loue as it betyd tho Begyled hath one of hem two That this Geta of whome I mene To whome the lusty fayr Almene Assured was by wey of loue When the best wende to be aboue And sykerest of that he had Cupido so the cause lad That whyle he was oute of the weye Amphytryon in hast the next weye Hath take & in this forme hath wrought By nyght vnto the chambre sought Where she lay & within a whyle And counterfeted & dyde do fyle The voys of Geet in suche a wyse That made hyr of hyr bed aryse Wenend that it were he And lete hym in & when they be To gyder a bed m armes fast This Geta cam than at at last Vndo the dore & sayd vndo And she ansuerd & bad hym goo And sayd how that a bedde al warme Hyr lyef lay naked in hyr arme She wende that it were soth Lo what supplaunt of loue doth This Get● forth beiaped went And yet ne wyst he what it ment Amphitryon hym hath supplanted With sleyghtr of loue & her enchaūtrd And thus put euery man oute other The ship of loue hath lost his rother So that he can no reson stere And fo: to skepe of this matere Touchend loue & his supplaunt A tal● whiche is acordaunt Vnto thyn ere I thynke enforme Now herken for this is the forme

hIc in amoris causa contra fraudem detractionis ponit Confessor exemplum / Et narrat de quodam Romani Imperatoris fillo qui probitates armorum super omnia exercere affectans nescrente patre vltra mare in partes per ●●e ad deseru●endū Soldano super guer 〈◊〉 cum solo Milite tamquam socio suo ignotu● se transtul●t / Et cum Ipsius mi ●●ae fama super alios ibidem accreuisset centigit vt in quodam bello contra ●aliphum Egipti inito Soldanus a Sagitra mortaliter vulneratu● priusquam moreretur quendam anulum suum filie sue secretissunū isto Romano tradi●●t dicens aualiter filia sua sub paterne ●enedictianis vinculo adiurata est ▪ quam●uicumque dictum anulum ei afferret Ipsum in coniugem pre omnibus susciperet / Defuncto autem Sol●●no ver sus ciuitatem que Lroyre dicitur itinerantes Iste Romanus commilitoni suo huius mistrij secretum reuelaiut / qui ●octāter a bursa domini sui anulo fur to surripiens / Hec que audiuit vsui proprio falsissima supplātacōne applicuit .

●F thylk cyte cheef of alle Which men the noble rome calle Er it was set to crystes feith There was as the Cronyque seyth An Emperour whiche it ladde In pees that he no werres hadde There was no thyng dysobeysaunt Whiche was ▪ to Rome appertenaunt But al was torned in to rest To som it thought for the best To som it thought no thyng so And that was only vnto tho Whos herte stood vpon knyghthode But moost of al of his manhode The worthy sone of the Emperour Whiche wold ben a werryour As he that was chyualrous Of worldes fame & desyrous Bygan his fadre to beseche That he the werres myght seche In straunge marches for to ryde His fadre sayd he shold abyde And wold graunte hym no leue But he whiche wold not byleue A knyght of his whiche he tryst Ryght euen as he thought & lyst He toke & told hym his courage That he purposyth in vyage If that fortune with hym stonde He seyd how that he wold fonde The grete see to passe vnknowe And there abyde for a throwe Vpon the werres to t●auayle And to this poynt withoute fayle This knyght when he hath herd his lord Is swore & stant of his acord And they bothe yong were So that in preny counseyl there They ben assented for to wende And therupon to make an ende Tresour ynough with hem they token And whan the tyme is best they loken That sodenlyche in a galey Fro Rome lond they wente ▪ their wey And londed vpon that other syde The world felle so that ylke tyde Whiche euer his happes hath dyuerse The grete Soldan of Perse Ayene the Calyphe of Egypt A werre whiche that hym beclypt Hath in a marche costeraunt And he whiche was a pursyuaunt Worship of armes to atteyne This Romayn anone lete ordeyne That he was redy euery dele And when he was arrayed wele Of euery thyng which hym bylongeth Strauȝt vnto Kayre his wey he fong fonggeth / where he the Sowdan than fond And axeth that within his lond He myght hym for the werre serue As he whiche wol his thank deserue The Soldan was ryght glad with all And wel the more in specyall When that he wyst he was Romayn But what he was elles incertayn That myghte he wyte by no wey And thus the knyght of whome I sey Toward the Soldan he is be left And in the marches now & eft Where that the dedely werres were He wrought suche knyghthode there That euery man spak of hym good And thylke tyme so it stood This myghty Soldan by his wyf A doughter hath that in her lyf Men sayd there was none so feyr She shold be hyr fadres heyr And was of yeres rype ynough Hyr beaute many an herte drongh To bowe to that ylke lawe Fro which no lyf may be withdrawe And that is loue whos nature Set lyf & deth in noo mesure Of hem that knyghthode vndertake This lusty peyne hath ouertake The h●rte of this Romayn so sore That to knyghthode more & more Pro wesse auaunteth his courage Lyche to the Lyon in his rage Fro whome that al bestes fbe Suche was the knyght in his degre Where he was armed in the felde Ther durst none abyde his shelde Grete pryce vpon the werres he had But she whiche al the chaunce lad Fortune shope the marches so That by th assent of bothe two The Soldan & the Calyphe eke Batayll vpon a day they seke Whiche was in suche awey set That lenger shold it not be let They made hem strong on euery syde And when it drough toward the tyde That the bataylle shold be The Soldan in grete prynete A goldryng of his doughter toke And made hyr swere vpon a book And eke vpon the goddes alle That yf fortune so byfalle In the bataylle that he dye That she shal thylk man obeye And take hym to her housbonde Whiche thylk same ryng to honde Hyr shold brynge after his deth This hath she swore & forth he geth With al the power of his lond Vnto the marches where he fond His enemy ful enbataylled The Soldan hath the feld assaylled They that ben hardy sone assemblen Wherof the dredeful hertes tremblen That one sleeth / that other sterueth But abouen all his pryce deserueth The knyght Romayn where he rode His dedely swerd no man abode Ayene the which was no defence Egypt fled in his presence And they of Perse vpon the chace Pursuen but I not what grace Byfelle on arowe oute of a bowe Al sodenly that ylke throwe The Soldan smote & there he lay The chaas is left for thylke day And he was bore in a tent The Souldan syghe how it went And that he sholde algate dy● And to this knyaht of Romanye As to hym he most tryst His doughter rynge anone twyst He took hym & told hym al the cas Vpon here othe what token it was Of that she shold ben his wyf When this was sayd the hertes lyf Of this Souldan departed sone And therupon as was to done The dede body wel & fayre They carye tyl they come at Kayre Where he was worthelyche bygraue The lordes whiche as wolden saue The regne whiche was desolate To brynge it in to good estate A parlement they set anone Now herkne what fel therupon This yong lord this worthy knyght Of Rome vpon the same nyght That they a morowe trete shold Vnto his bachyler he told His counseyll & the ryng with ●lle He sheweth thurgh whiche that he shall He seyth the kynges doughter wedde For soo the rynge was leyd to wedde He told in to hyr fadre honde That with that man that she it fonde She shold ●ym toke vnto her lord And thus he seyth stant of record But no man wote who hath this ring This bachyler vpon this thyng His ere & his entent l●yde And thought more than he seyde And feyneth with a●fals vysage That he was glad but his courage Was s●t in another wyse These old philosophr●s wyse They wryten vpon thylk whyle That he may best a man begyle In whome the man hath most credence And this byfelle in euydence Toward this yong lord of Rome His bachyler whiche he nome When that his lord by nyght slepte This ryng whiche his mayster kepte Oute of his purs awere he dede And put another in the stede A morow when the court is set This yong lady was forth fet To whome the lordes done homage And after that of maryage They treten & axen of her wylle But she whiche thought to fulfylle Her fadre hest in this mater Sayd openly that men may here The charge whiche hyr fadre bad Tho was this lord of Rome glad He droughe toward his purs anone But al for nought it was a gone His bachyler hath forth drawe And axeth therupon the lawe That she hym hold couenaunt The tokne was so suffysaunt That it myght not be forsake And netheles his lord hath take Quarelle ayene his owne man But for no thynge that euer he can He myght as than nought be herd So that his clayme is vnansuerd And he hath of his purpos fayled This bachiler was soo counsayled And wedded & of thylk empyre He was crouned lord & syre And al the lond hym hath receyued Wherof his lord whiche was deceyued A sekenes or the thyrd morowe Conceyued hath of dedely sorowe And as he lay vppon his deth Ther whyle hym lasteth speche & breth He sende for the worthyest Of al the londe & eke the best And told hem al the soth tho That he was sone & heyre also Of th emperour of grete Rome And how that they to gyder come This knyght & he ryght as it was He told hem al the pleyne cas And for that he his counseyll tolde That other al that he wolde And he hath fayled of his mede And for the good he taketh none hede He sayth but only of the loue Of whiche he wende haue be aboue And therupon by letter wryte He doth his fadre for to wyte Of al this mater how it stood And than with an bertely mood Vnto the lordes he besought To telle his lady how he bought Hyr loue of whiche another gladeth And with that word his hewe fadeth And sayd adieu my lady swete The lyf hath lost his kyndely hete And he lay dede as ony stone Wherof was sory many one But none of al so as she This fals knyght in his degre Arested was & put in hold For openly when it was told Of the treson whiche is falle Thorugh oute the lond they sayden alle If it be soth that men suppose His owne vntrouth hym shal depose And for to seche an euydence With honour & grete reuerence Wherof they myghten knowe an ende To th emperour anone they sende The letter whiche his sone wrote And when that he the soth wote To telle his sorow is endeles But yet in hast netheles Vpon the tale whiche he herde His styward in to Perse ferde With worthy Romayns eke His lyege traytor for to seke And when they thyder come were This knyght hym hath confessid there How falsely that he hath hym bore Wherof his worthy lord was lore Tho sayden som he shold deye But yet they haue founden suche a weye That he shal not be dede in Perse And thus the skyles be dyuerse By cause that he was coroned Of that the lond was habandoned To hym al though it werr vnryght There is no peyne to hym dyght But to this poynt & to this ende They graunten wel that he shal wende With the Romayns to Rome ageyne And thus acorded ful & playne The quyk body with the dede With leue take forth they lede Where that supplaunt hath his Iuyse Wherof that thou the myght auyse Vpon this Informacyon Touchend of supplantacion That thou my sone do not so And for to take hede also What supplaunt doth in other halue There is no man can fynde a salue Pleynly to hele suche a sore It hath & shal be euermore When pryde is with enuye Ioynt He suffreth no man in good poynt Where that may his honoure let And therupon yf I shal set Ensample in holy chirche I fynde How that supplaunt is not behynde God wote now yf that it be so For in Cronyque of tyme a go I fynde a tale concordable Of supplaunt whiche is no fable In the maner as I shal telle So as whylome the thynges felle

I● ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos in causa dignitatis adquirende supplantatores / Et narrat qualiter papa Bonefacius predecessorem suum celestinum a papatu contractata circumuencione fraudulenter supplantauit / Sed qui potentes a sede deponit hu iusmodi supplātacōm fraudem non sus tinens ipsum sic in sublime exaltatum postea in profundi carceris miseriam proici fame que siti cruciari nec non ab hu ius vite gaudijs dolorosa morte supplantari permisit /

aT Rome as it hath ofte falle The vyker generall of alle Of hem that lyeuen cristes feyth Ists al whiche none with seyth Hath shett as to the worldes eye Whos name yf I shal specyfye He hyght Pope Nycholas And thus that he passed was The Cardynals that wold saue The forme of lawe in the conclaue Gone for to chese a newe pope And after that they couthe agrope Hath eche of hem sayd his entent Tyl at the last they assent Vpon an holy good recluse Whiche ful was of gostely vertuse His pacyence & his symplesse Hath set hym in to hyghe noblesse Thus was he pope canonysed With grete honour & intronyced And vpon channce as it is falle His name Celestyn men calle Whiche notyfyed was by bulle To holy chirche & to the fulle In al londes magnyfyed But euery worship is enuyed And that was thylk tyme sen● For when this pope of whome I mene Was chose & other set a syde A Cardynal was thylk tyde Whiche the papate hath long desyred And therupon gretely hath conspyred But when he syghe fortune is fayled For whiche long tyme had trauayled That ylke fyre whiche Ethna brenneth Thorugh his woful hert renneth Whiche is resembled to enuye Wherof Supplaunt & trecherye Engendred is & netheles He feyneth loue he feyneth pes Outward he doth the reuerence But al within his conseyence Thorugh fals ymagynacyon He thought Supplantacyon And therupon a wonder wyle He wrought for at thylke whyle It fel so that of his lygnage He had Clergyon yonge of age Whome he had in his chamber affaited This Cardynal his tyme hath waited And with his wordes sly & queynt The whiche he couth lyghtely peynt He shope this clerk of whiche I telle Toward the pope for to duelle So that within his chambre a nyght He lay & was a preuy wyght Toward the pope on nyghtes tyde May no man flee that shal be tyde This Cardynal whiche thought gyle Vpon a day whan he had whyle This yong clerk to hym took And made hym swere vpon a book And told hym what his wylle was And forth with al a Trompe of bras He hath hym take & bad hym this That shal he saye when tyme is Awayte & take ryght good kepe When that the pope was fast a slepe And that none other man be ny And than that thou be so sly Thorugh oute the Trompe in to his ere Fro heuen as though a voys it were To sowne of suche prolacyon That he his medytacyon Therof may make & vnderstonde As though it were goddes sonde And in this wyse thou shalt sex That he do thylk estate awey Of pope in whiche he stant honoured So shal his soule be socoured Of thylk worship at the last In heuen whiche shal euer last This clerk when he hath herd the forme How ho the pope shold enforme Toke of the Cardynal his leue And goth hym home tyl at eue And pryuely the trompe be hedde Tyl that the pope was a bedde And at mydnyght when that he knew The pope slepte than he blew Within his Trompe thurgh out that wal And told in what maner he shal His papacye leue & take His fyrst estate & thus awake This holy pope hath made thryes Wherof dyuers fantasyes Vpon his grete holynesse Within his hert he gan impresse The pope ful of Innocence Conceyueth in his conscyence That it is goddes wyl he cese But in what wyse he may relese His hye estate that wote he nought And thus within hym self he thought He have it stylle in his memorye Tyl he cam to the Consistorye And there in presence of hem alle He axeth yf it so byfalle That ony pope chefe sholde How that the lawe it suffre wolde They seten al stylle & herde Was none whiche the poynt ansuerde For to what purpoos that he ment There was no man knewe his entent But only he whiche shope the gyle This Cardyual the same whyle Al openly with wo●des pleyne Seyth yf the pope wol ordeyne That there be suche a lawe wrought Than myght he chese & elles nought And as he sayd done it was The pope anone vpon the cas Of his papal auctoryte Hath made & youe the decre And when the lawe was confermed In due forme & al affermed This Innocent whiche was deceyued His papacye anone hath weyued Reuounced & resygned eke That other was no thyng to seke But vndernethe suche a iape He hath for hym self so shape That thou as euer it hym be seme The myter with the dyademe He hath thorugh supplantacyon And in his confyrmacyon Vpon the fortune of his grace His name is cleped Boneface Vnder the vyser of enuye Lo was hyd the trecherye Whiche hath begyled many one But suche counseyll ther may be non Whiche treson when it is conspyred That it nys lyke the spark fyred Vp in the roofe whiche for a throwe Lyeth hyd tyl whan that wyndes blowe It blaseth oute on euery syde This Boneface whiche can not hyde The trecherye of his supplaunt Hath openly made his auannt How he the papacye hath wonne But thyng which is with wrong be - gonne / May neuer stonde wel at ende Where pryde shal the bowe bende He sheteth ful ofte oute of the weye And thus the pope of whome I seye When that he stode on hyghe the whele He can not suffre hym self be we le Enuye whiche is loueles And pryde whiche is lawebes With suche tempestes made hym erre That charyte goth out of herre So that vpon mysgouernaunce Agaynst lowys the kyng of fraunce He toke quarel of his oultrage And sayd he shold done homage Vnto the chirche bodely But he that wyst no thyng why He shold doo so grete seruyce After the world in suche a wyse Withstood the wrong of that demaund For nought the pope may commaund The kyng wol not the pope obeye This pope tho by al weye That he may worche of vyolence Hath sent the bulle of his sentence With cursyng & enterdyt The kyng vpon this wrongful plyght To kepe his regne fro seruage Counseyled was of his baronage That with myght it shal be withstonde Thus was the cause take on honde And sayden that the papacye They honoure & magnyfye In al that euer is spyrytual But of the pryde temporal Of Boneface in his persone Ayene that ylke wrong allone They wolden stonde in debate And thus the man & nought the state The frensshe shopen by her myght To greue & fel ther was a knyght Syre Gwilliam de langaret Whiche was vpon this cause set And therupon he took a route Of men of armes & rood oute So long & in awayte he laye That he aspyede vpon a daye The pope was at Auynyon And sholde ryde oute of the toun Vnto Ponniforge whiche is A castel in a prouynce of his Vpon the weye & as he rood This knyght whiche houed & abood Embuysshed vpon horsbak Al sodenlyche vpon hym brak And hath hym by the brydel sesed And sayde O thou whiche hast dysesed The courte of fraunce be thy wrong Thou shalt synge another song Thyn enterdyte & thy sentence Ayene thyn owne conseyence Here afcer thou shalt fele & grope We pleyne nought ageyne the pope For thylk name is honourable But thou whiche hast be deceyuable And trecherours in al thy werke Thou Boneface thou proude clerke Mysl●der of the papacye Thy fals body shal abye And suffre that it hath deserued Lo thus this supplantour was serued For they hym lad in to fraunce And setcen hym to his penaunce Within a toure of hard bondes Where he for honger both his hondes Ece of & dyed god wote how Of whome the wrytyng is yet now Regystred as a man maye here Whiche speketh & sayth in this manere Thy entre lyke a foxe was slyghe Thy regne also with pryde on hyghe Was lyche the lyon in his rage But at the last at thy passage Thy deth was to the houndes lyke Suche is the letter of his Cronyke Proclamed in the court of Rome Wherof the wyse ensample nome And yet as ferforth as I dare I rede af other men beware And that they loke wel / algate That none his owne estate translate Of holy chirche in no degre By frāude ne by subtylyte For thylk Aaron which honour took Shal none receyue as seyth the book But he becleped as he was What shal I thynken in this cas Of that I here now a day I not but he whiche can & may By reson bothe & by nature The helpe of euery mans cure To kepe Symon fro the folde

Nota de prophecia Ioachim quanti meranarij sunt in ouile dei tuas aures meis narracionibus fedare nolo

fOr Ioachym thylk abbot tolde How suche dayes sholden falle That comonlyche in places alle The chapmen of suche mercery With fraude & with supplantary So many sholden bye & selle That he ne may for shame teste So foule a synne in mans ●re But god forbede that it so were In oure dayes that he seyth For yf the clerk be ware his feyth In chapmanhode in suche a feyre The remenaunt mote nedes empeyre Of al that to the world bylongeth For whan that holy chirche wrongeth I not what other thyng shal be And netheles at mannes owne eye Enuye for to be preferred Hath conscyence so dyfferred That no man loketh to the vyce Whiche is the modre of malyce And that is thylk fals enuye Whiche causeth many a trecherye For where he may another see That is more gracious than he / It shal not stonden in his myght But yf he hynder suche a wyght And that is wel nyghe oueral This vyce is now so general

Qualiter Ioab princeps milicie dauid Inuidie causa Abner subdole inter fecit . Et qualit Achitofell ab hoc qd Cusy in Consilio Absolon preferebatur / attenso Inuidia laqueo se suspendit

Enuye thylk vnhap in drough When Ioab by deceypt slough Abnet for drede he shold be With kyng dauyd suche as was he And ennye also it felle Of thylk fals Achitofelle For his counseylle was not ach●ued But that be sawe Cusy byleued With Absolon & hym forsake He henge hym self vpon a stake Senec wytnesseth openly How that enuye propyrly Is of the court the comon wenche And halt tauerne for to shence That drynke whiche maketh an hert to brenne / And doth the wytt about renne By euery wey to compasse How that he myght al other passe As he whiche thorugh vnkyndeshyp Enuyeth euery falauship So that thou myght wel knowe & see There is no vyce suche as he Fyrst toward god abhomynable And to mankynde vuprofytable And that ben worth but a fewe I shal by reson proue & shewe Inuidie stumilus sine causa ledit abortus / Nam sine temptante crimine crimen habet / Non est huius opus tempture cupdinis archum / Dum que facies veneris Ethnica flamina vorat / Absque rubore gene palles quies fustus obumbrat / Frigida nature c●●a membra docent

Hic describit Confessor naturain inuidie tam in amore quam aliter secundum proprietatem vicij

eNuye yf that I shal deseryue He is not shapely for to wyue In erthe among the women here For there is in hym no matere Wherof he myght do plesaunce Fyrst for his heuy contenaunce Of that he semeth euer vnglad He is not able to be had And eke he brenneth withynne That kynde may no proufyte wynne Wherof he shold his loue please For thylk blode which shold haue ease To regne among the moyst veynes Is drye of thylk vnkyndely peynes Thorugh whiche enuye is fyred ay And thus by reson proue I may That toward loue enuye is nought And other wyse yf he besought Vpon what syde as euer it falle It is the werst vyce of alle Whiche of hym self hath most malyce For vnderstonde that euery vyce Som cause it hath wherof it groweth But of enuye no man knoweth Fro whens he cam but oute of helle For thus the wyse clerkes telle That no spyryt but of malyce By wey of kynde but on a vyce Is tempted & by suche a waye Enuye hath kynde put a waye And of malyce hath his sturyng Wherof he maketh his bakbytyng And is hym self therof dyseased So may ther be no kynde pleased For ay the more that he enuyeth The more ayene hym self he plenyeth Thus stant enuyt in good espeyr To ben hym self the deuels heyr As he whiche is the next lyche And forthest from the heuen ryche For there he may neuer wone For thy my good dere sone If thou wold fynde a syker weye To lone put enuye aweye Myn holy fadre reson wolde That I this vyce esche we shold But yet to strengthe my courage If that ye wold in auauntage Therof set a recouere It were to me a grete desyre That I this vyce myght flee Now vnderstonde my sone & see There is physyk for the seke And vertues for the vyces eke Who that the vyces wold esche we He mote by reson than sewe The vertues for by thylk weye He may the vyces done aweye For they to gydre maye not duelle For as the water of a welle Of fyre abateth the malyce Ryght so vertu fordoth the vyce Ayene enuye is charyte Whiche i● the modre of pyte That maketh a mans hert tendre That it may no malyce engendre In hym that is incline therin For his courage is tempred so That though he myght hym self releue Yet wold he not another greue But rather for to do plesaunce He bereth hym self the greuaunce So fayne he wold another case Wherof my sone for thyn ease Now ● t●ne a tale whiche I rede And vnderstond it wel I rede

hIc ponit Confossor Exemplum de virtute cartatis centra Inuidi am / Et narrat de Constantino E lene filio suo qiu cum Imperij Romani dig nitatem obtinuerat a morbo lepre in ●fectus medici pro sanitate recuperanda ipsum in sanguine● puerorum moseulorum balneare prepe suerant / sed cum in numera multitudo matrum cum filijs huiusmodi medicine causa in circuitu palacij affuisset / Imperator que corum gemitus & clamores percepisset caritate motus ingemiscens sic agit . O vere ipse est dominus qui se facit seruum pietatis . Et his dictis statum suum cuncti potentis medele commuttens sui ipsius morbum pocius quam infancium mortem benignus elegit / vnde ipse quo an t●a paganus & lepresus extiterat ex vnda baptismatis renatus vtrinsque materie tam corporis que anime diuine miraculo consecutus est salutem

IMong the bokes of latyn I fynde it wryte of Constantyn The worthy emperour of rome Suche infortunes to hym come When he was in his lusty age The lepre caught in his vysage And so forth ouer al aboute That he myght not ryden oute So left he both shelde & spere As he that myght hym not bestere And holde hym in his chambre close Thorugh al the world the fame arose The grete clerkes ben assent And come at his commaaundement To trete vpon this lordes he le So long they to geder dele That they vpon this medycyne Appoynten hem & determyne That in the maner as it stood They wold hym bathe in childes blode Within seuen yere age For as they sayen that shold a suage The lepre & al the vyolence Whiche that they knewe of accidence And not by wey of kynde is falle And therto they acorden alle As for fynal conclusyon And tolden her oppynyon To th emperour & he anone His counseyl toke & therupone With letters & with seales oute They send in euery lond aboute The yong children for to seche Whoos blood they sayd shold be leche For th emperours maladye There was ynough to wepe & crye Among the modres when they herd How wofully this cause ferd But netheles they mote bowe And thus women ther come ynowe With children soukend on theyr tete There were many teres lete But were hem lyef or were hem lothe The women & the children bothe In to the paleys forth be brought With many a sory hertes thought Of hem whiche of her body bore The children had & so forlore Within a whyle shold see The modres wepe in her degre And many of hem a swoune falle The yong babyes cryeden alle This noyse arose this lord it herde And loked oute & how it ferde He sawe & as who sayd abrayd Oute of his slepe & thus he sayd O thou dyuyne purueaunce Whiche euery man in the balaunce Of kynde hast formed to be lyche The pore is bore as is the ryche And dyeth in the same wyse Vpon the fool vpon the wyse Seken esse & he le enter comune May not eschewe that fortune Whiche kynde hath in her lawe sett Her strengthe & beaute ben set To euery man a lyche fre That she profereth no degre As in the dysposycyon Of bodely complexyon And eke of soule resonable The pore child is bore as able To vertu as the kynges sone For euery man his owne wone After the luste of his assaye The vyce or / vertue chefe maye Thus stand al men fraunchysed But in estate they be deuysed To somme worshyp & rychesse To some pouerte & dystresse One lordeth another serueth But yet as euery man deserueth The world yeueth not his yeftes here But certes he hath grete matere To be of good condycyon Whiche hath in his subiectyon The men that ben of his semblaunce And eke he toke a remembraunce How that he made lawe of kynde Wolde euery man to lawe bynde And bad a man suche as he wold Toward hym self ryght suche he shold Toward another done also And thus this worthy lord al tho Set in balaunce his owne estate And with hym self stood in debate And thought how it was not good To see so mochel mans blood Be spylt by cause of hym alone He sawe also the grete mone Of that the moders were vnglade And of the wo the childre made Wherof that his hert tendreth And suche pyte within engendreth And that hym was leuer for to chese His owne body for to lese Than see so grete a mordre wrought Vpon the blood which gylteth nought Thus for the pyte whiche he toke Al other leches he forsoke And put hym oute of auenture Al only in to goddes cure And sayth who that wol mayster be He mote be seruaunt to pyte So ferforth he was ouercome With charyte that he hath nome His counseyll & his offycers And bad vnto his tresorers That they his tresour al aboute Departe among the pouer route And of wymmen & of chyldren bothe Wherof they myght hem fede & clothe And sothly borne home ageyne Withoute losse of ony greyne Thorugh charyte thus he dyspendeth His / good wherof he amendeth The pouer peple & countreuayleth The harme that he hem so trauayleth And thus the woful nyghtes sorow To ioye is torned on the morowe Al was thankyng anl was blyssyng Whiche erst was wepyng & cursyng These women gone home glad ynough Echone of ioye on other lough And preyd for this lordes hele Whiche hath relesed the quarele And hath his owne wyl forsake In charyte for goddes sake But now here after thou shalt here What god hath wrought in this matere As he that doth al equyte To hym that wrought charyte He was ayeneward charytous And to pyte he was pytous For it was neuer knowe yet That charyte geth vnaquit The nyght when he was leyd to slepe The hyghe god which wold hym kepe Seynt peter & seynt Poule hym sende By whome he wold his lepre amende They two to hym slepend appere Fro god & sayd in this manere O Constantyn for thou hast serued Pyte thou hast pyte deserued For thy thou shalt suche pyte haue That god thorugh pyte wol the sane Thou shalt so double he le fynde For the fyrst bodelyche kynde ●nd for thy woful soule also Thou shalt be hole of both two And for thou shalt not the despeyre Thy lepre shal no more empeyre Tyl thou wylt sende therupon Vnto the mount of Celyon Where Syluestre & his clergye To gyder duellen in companye For drede of the whiche many a day Hast ben a foo to Crystes lay And hast destroyed to mochel shame The prechours of his holy name But now thou hast somdele appesed Thy god & with good dede plesed That thou thy pyte hast bywaryd Vpon the blood whiche thou hast spared For thy to thy saluacyon Thou shalt haue Informacyon Suche as Syluestre shal the teche The nedeth of none other leche This Emperour whiche al this herd Graunt mercy lord he ansuerd I wol do as ye me say But of one thyng I wold pray What shal I telle vnto Syluestre Of youre name or of your estre And they hym told what they hyght And forth with al oute offhis syght They passen vp in to the heuen And he awoke oute of his sweuen And clepeth & men come anone And told his dreme & therupone In suche a wyse as hem telleth The mount where Syluestre duelleth They haue in all hast sought And founden he was & with hem brought To th emperour whiche to them told His sweuen & elles that he wold And when Siluestre hath herd the king He was ryght ioyeful of that thyng● And hym bygan with al his wyt To techen vpon holy wryt Fyrst how mankynde was for●ore And how the hyghe'god therfore His sone send from aboue Whiche born was for mannes loue And after of his owne choys He toke his deth vpon the / croys And how in ḡraue he was byloke And how that he hath helle broke And toke hem out that were him lyeue And for to make vs ful / byloue That he was veray goddes sone Ayene the kynde of mannes wone Fro deth he rose the thyrd day And when he wold as he wel may He styghe vp to his fadres euene With flesshe & blood in to the heuene And ryght so in the same forme In flesshe & blood he shal reforme When tyme cometh the quyk & dede At thylk woful day of drede Where euery man shal take his dome As well the mayster as the groome The myghty kynges retenue That day maye stonde of no value With worldly strengthe to defende For euery man mote than entende To stonde vpon his owne dedes And leue as other mennes nedes That day may no counseyl auayle The pledour & the ple shal fayle The sentence of that ylke daye Maye none appele set in delaye There may no gold the Iuge plye That he ne shal the soth trye And fetten euery man vp ryght As wel the plow man as the knyght The leud man the grete clerk Shal stonde vpon his owne werk And suche as he is fonnde tho Suche shal he be for euermo There may no peyue be relesed There may no Ioye be encresed But endeles as they haue do ● He shal receyue one of the two Thus Syluester with his sawe The ground of al the newe lawe With grete deuocyon he precheth Fro poynt to poynt & techeth Vnto this he then Emperour And sayth the hyghe creatour Hath vnder fonge his charyte Of that he wrought suche pyte When he the children had no honde Thus when this lord hath vnderstonde Of al this thyng how that it ferde Vnto Syluestre he than ansuerde With al his hool hert & seyth That he is redy to the feyth And so the vessel whiche for blood Was made Syluestre there it stood With clene water of the welle In al hast he lete do felle And set Constantyn therynne Al naked vp in to the chynne And in the whyle it was begonne A lyght as though it were a sonne Fro heuen in to the place come Where that he took his crystendome And euer among the holy tales Lyke as they weren fysshes scales They fellen from hym now & efte Tyl that ther was no thyng be lefte Of al his grete maladye For he that wold hym puryfye The hyghe god hath made hym clene So that there left no thyng sene He hath hym cleused both two The body & the soule also Tho knewe this Emperour in dede That Crystes feyth was for to drede And sende anone his lettres oute And lete do cryen al aboute Vpon peyne of deth that no man weyue That he baptysme ne receyue After his moder quene Eleyne He send & so bytwene hem tweyne They treten that the Cyte al Was Crystned & she forth with al This Emperour whiche hele hath found Within Rome anone lete found Two chirches whiche he dyd make For Peter & for poule sake Of whome he had a vysyon And yaf therto possession Of lordship & of worldly good But how so that his wylle was good Toward the pope & his Franchyse Yet hath it proued other wyse To see the worchyng of the dede For in Cronyque thus I rede Anone as he hath made the yefte A voys was herd on hyghe the lefte Of whiche al Rome was adrad And sayd this day venym is shad In holy chirche of temporal Whiche medleth with the spyrytal And how it stant of that degre Yet may a man the soth see God maye amende it when he wylle I can therto none other skylle But for to go ther I bygan How charyte may helpe a man To bothe worldes I haue sayd And yf thou haue an ere layd My sone thou myght vnderstonde If charyte be take on honde ▪ ●here foloweth after mochel grace For thy yf that thou wolt purchace How that thou enuye fle Acqueynte the with charyte Whiche is the vertu souerayne My fadre I shal do my peyne For this e●sample whiche ye told With al myn hert I haue withold So that I shal for euermore Eschewe enuye wel the more And that I haue or this mysdo Ye●e me my penaunce or I go And ouer that to my matere Of shryfte whyle ye sytten here In pryuete betwene vs tweye Now axe what ther is I preye

Confessor My good sone & for thy lore I wol the telle what is more Thou shalt so the vyces knowe For when they be to the ful knowe Thou myght hem wel the better eschewe And for this cause I thynke sewe The forme both & the matere As now sewend thou shalt here Whiche vyce stant next after this And whan thou wost what it is As thou shalt here me deuyse Thou myght thy self the better auyse

Explicit Liber secundus

Incipit liber Tercius

IRa suis paribus est par fu rijs Acherontis / Quo furo● ad tempus nil pi●tatis habet / Ira melancolicos ani mos perturbat vt equo . ●ure sui pondus nulla statera tenet / Omnibus in causis grauat Ira inter amantes / Illa magis facili sorte grauamen agit / Esi vbi vir discors leuiter que repugnat amori / Sepe loco ludi fletus ad ora venit

hIc in ●ercio libro tractat super quinque speciebus Ire / quarum prima Melancoli●● dicitur / cuius Confessor primo describens amanti super eodem consequenter opponit

IF thou the vyces lest knowe / My sone it hath not be vnknowe Fro fyrste that men theyr swerdes grounde That ther is none vpon the grounde . A vyce foreyn fro the lawe Wherof that many a good felawe Hath be dystraught by sodeyn chaū●● And yet to kynde no plesaunce It doth but where he most acheueth His pur●●os most to kynde he greueth As he whiche outr of conscyence Is enemy vnto pacyence And is by name one of the seuene Whiche ofte hath set the world vneuent And cleped is the cruel Ire Whoos herte is euermore on fyre To speke amys & to do bothe For his seruauntes ben euer wrothe My good fadre telle me this What thyng is Ire . Sone it is That in oure Englysshe wrath is hote Whiche hath his wordes ay so hote That al a mans pacyence Is fyred of the vyolence For he with hym hath euer fyue Seruauntes that helpen hym to seryue The fyrst of hem Melancolye Is cleped whiche m companye An honderd tymes in an oure Wol as an angry best loure And no man wote the cause why My sone shryue the now for thy Hast thou be malencolyen My fadre ye by seynt Iulyen But I vntrewe wordes vse I may me not therof excuse And al maketh loue wel I wote Of whiche myn hert is euer hote So that I brenne as doth a glede For wrath that I may not spede And thus ful ofte a day for nought Sauf onlyche of myn owne thought I am so with my seluen wrothe That how so that the game gothe With other men I can not glade But I am wel the more vnglade For that is other mens game It torneth me to pure grame Thus am I with my self oppressed Of thought whiche I haue impressed That al wakyng I dreme & mete That I with hyr alone mete And prayd ▪ hyr of som good ansuere But the wol not gladly swere She seyth me nay withouten oth And thus waxe I within wroth That outward I am al affrayed And so dystempered & so es●●ayed A thousand tymes on a day There sowneth in myn eres nay The whiche she sayd me to fore Thus be my wyttes as forlore And namely whan I begynne To rekne with my self within How many yeres ben agone Syth I haue truly loued one And neuer took of hyr hede And euer a lyche for to spede I am the more fole with hyr dele So that my hap & al my hele Me thynketh is ay the lenger the ferre That bringeth my gladship out of erre Wherof my wyttes ben empryred And I as who sayth al dispeyred For fynally when that I muse And thynk how she wol me refuse I a● with anger so bestad For al this world myght I be glad And for the while that it lasteth Al vp so doune my ioye it casteth And ●y the forther that I be When I ne may my lady se The more I am redy to wrathe That fo: the touchyng of a lathe Or for the tornyng of a sere I wode as doth the wylde see And am so melancolyous That ther nys seruaunt in myn hous Ne none of tho that be aboute That eche of hem ne stant in doute And wene that I wold raue For anger that they see me haue And so they wondre more & lasse That they seen it ouerpasse ▪ But fadre yf it so betyde That I approche at ony tyde The place where my lady is And than hyr lyketh I I wys To speke a goodly word vntome For al the gold that is in Rome Ne couth I after that be wroth But al myn anger ouer goth So glad I am of the presence Of hyr that I al offence Foryete as though it were nought So ouer glad is my thought And ▪ netheles the soth to telle A ●ene word yf it soo byfelle That I at thylk tyme syghe On me that she myscast hyr eye Or that she lyst nought to loke And I therof good hede toke Anone in to my fyrst estate I torne & am with that also mate That euer it asyche wycke And thus myn hond ayen the prycke I hurte & haue do many a day And go so forth as I goo may Fulofte bytyng on my lyppe And make vnto my self a whyppe With whiche in many a chele & he●● My woful hert is so to bete That al my wyttes ben vnsofte And am wroth I not how ofte And al it is melancolye Whiche groweth on the fantasye Of loue that me wol not loute So bere I forth an angry sno wte Ful many tymes in a yere But fadre now ye sytten here In loues stede I yow byseche That som ensample ye me teche Wherof I may my self appese

Confessor My Sone for thyn hertes ese I shal fulfylle thy prayer So that thou myght the better ler● What meschyef that this vyce stereth Whiche in his angre not forbereth Wherof that after hym for thynketh When he is sobre that hym thynketh Vpon the foly of his dede And of this poynt a tale I rede

Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos qcū vires amoris non sunt realiter experti contra al●os amantes malen ●ol●●● s●ueritate ad iracundiam vindicte prouocantur / Et narrat qualiter rex Eolus filium nomine Marcharium & Filiam nomine can●●●m habuit / qui cum ab infanci●●sque pubertatem inui cem ▪ fuerant educati / Cnpi●o cum ignito iaculo amborum cordis desideria amo rose penetrauit / I●a que natura Canacis cooperan●● a fratre suo inpregnata parturit / super quo pater intollerabilem i● uentutis concupiscenci●m ▪ ignorans nimiamque furoris malencolia preuentus dictam filiam cum partu dolorosissimo c●su interfeci diiudicauit

●Her was a kyng whiche Eolus Was hote & it befel hym thus That he two children had fayre The sone cheped was Machayre The doughter Canace hyght By day both & este by nyght Whyle they be yong of comon wone In chāmbre they to geder come And as they shold pleyd hem ofte Tyl they be growen vp alofte In the yongthe of lusty age When kynde assaylleth the courage With loue & doth hym for to lowe That he no reson can allowe But halt the lawes of nature For whome that loue hath vnder c●re And he is blynd hym self ryghtso ▪ He maketh his ●lyent blynde also In suche maner as I yow telle As they al day to geder duelle This broder myght not asterte That he with al his hoole herte His loue vpon his suster cast And soo it fel hem at the last So that this Machayre with Canace When they were in a preuy place Cupyde bad hem fyrst to ●rysse And after she whiche is maystrysse In kynde & techeth euery lyf Withoute lawe posytyf Of whiche she taketh no maner charḡe But kepeth her lawes al at large Nature took hem in to lore And taught hem soo that ouermore She hath hem in suche a wyse da●i●●d That they were as who saith enchaū●ed And as the blynde another ledeth And tyll they falle nothynge dredeth Ryght so they had none insyght But as a byrd whiche wol a lyght And seeth the mete & not the net●e Whiche in deceyt of hym is set●● These yong folk no perylle syghe But that was lykyng in her eye In that they felle vpon the chaunce Where wyt hath lore his remembraunce So long they to geder assemble The wombe a●●os & she gan to tremble And held hyr in hir chambre cloos For drede it shold be discloos And come vnto hyr fadre ere Wherof the sone had also fere And feynend cause for to ryde For long durst he not abyde In aun●et yf men wol seyn That he his suster hath forleyn For yet she had it not be knowe Whos was the child at thylke throwe Machayre goth Canace abyt The whiche was not delynerd yet But ryght sone after that she was Now lest & herkne a woful cas The soth whiche may not ben hyd Was at the last knowe & kyd Vnto the kyng how that it stood And when that he it vnderstood Anone in to Melenoolye As though it were a frenesye He felle as he whiche no thyng couthe How mayster ful loue is yougthe And for he was to loue straunge He wold not his herte chaunge To be benigne & fauourable To loue but vnmerciable Bytwene the wawe of wode & wroth In to his doughter chambre be goth And sawe the child was late bore Wherof he hath his oth swore That she it shal ful sore abye And she bygan mercy for to crye Vpon hyr bar● kn●●s & prayde And to hyr fadre thus she sayde Haue mercy fadre thenke I am Thy child & of thy blode I cam That I mysdede yongthe it made And m the flodes bad me wade Where that I sawe no peryl tho But now it hath byfalle so Mercy my fadre do no wreche And with that word she lost hyr speche And felle swounend at his fote As she for sorowe nedes more But his ▪ horryble cruelte That myght attempre no py●● Oute of her chambre forth he ▪ went And fnl of wrath in his entent And took the counseyl in his herte That she shal not the deth asterte And he whiche is Melan●●lyen̄ Of pacyence hath no lyen̄ Wherof he may his wrath restreyne And in this wylde wode peyne When al his reson was vntame A knyght he ●leped by his name And toke hym as by wey of sonde A naked swerd to bere on honde And sayd hym that he shold go And telle vnto his doughter so In the manere as be hym bad How she that sharp swerdes blad Receyue shold & do with al So that she wo●● where to she shal Forth in message goth the knyght ▪ Vnto this woful yong wyght This sharp swerde to hyr ●e took Wherof that al her bodye quook For wel she wyste what it ment And that it was to thylke entent That she hyr seluen shold sle And to the knyght she sayd ye Now that I wote my fadres wylle That I shal in this wyse spylle I wol●o●eye me ther to And as he wol it shal ●e ●● But now this thyng ▪ may be none other / I wol a letter vnto my broder Soo as my feble hand may wryte With al my wofull hert endyte She took a penne on honde tho Fro poynt to poynt & al the wo As ferforth as hyr self it wote Vnto hyr dedely frend she wrote And told how that hyr fadre grace She myght for no thyng purchace And ouer that as thou shalt here She wrote & sayd in this manere O thou my sorowe & my gladnes O thou my hele & my sekenesse O thou my wanhope & my trust O thou my dysese & al my lust O thou my wele O thou my woo O thou my frend O thou my foo O thou my lone O thou my hate For the more I be dede algate Thylk deth maye I not asterte And with al myn hole herte Whyst that me lasteth ony birth I wol the loue in to my deth But of oo thyng I shal the preye If that my lytel son deye ●ete hym be buryed in my graue Besyde me so shalt thou haue Vpon vs both remembraunce For thus it stondeth of my grenaunce Now at this tyme as thou shalt wite With 〈◊〉 & with ynke wryte This letter I haue in car●● cold In my ryght hond my penne I hold And in my left my swerd I kepe And in my barme ther lyeth to wepe Thy child & myn whiche sobbeth faste Now am I come vnto my laste Fare wel for I shal sone dye And thynke how I thy loue abye The pomel of the swerd to gronnd She set & with the poynt a wound Thorugh out hyr hert anone she made And fo●th with that al pale & fade She felle doune dede fro ther she stood The child lay bathend in her blood Out rolled fro the modre barme And for the blood was h●te & warme He basked hym aboute therin There was no bote for to wynne For whiche he ●an no pyte knowe The kyng cam in the same throwe And sawe how that his doughter dyed And how this baby al blody cryed But al that myght hym not suffyse That he ne bad to do ●uyse Vpon the child & bere hym oute And seche in the fo●●st aboute So in wylde place that it were To cast hym oute of honde there So that som best hym may deuou●● Where as no man hym shall socoure Al that he ●ad was done in dede A who herd euer synge o● rede Of suche a thyng as tho was done But he whiche lad his wrath s●ne Hath knowe of loue but a lyte But for al that he was to wyte Thorugh his sodeyn melanoolye To do so grete a felonye For thy my sone how so it stond By this caas thou myght vnderston● That yf thou euer in cause of loue Shal dem● & thou be so aboue That thou myght lede it at thy wylle Lete neuer thorugh thy wrath spylle Whiche euery kynde shold saue For it syt euery man to haue Reward to loue & to his myght Ayenst whos streugthe may no wyght And syth an herte is so streyned That reddour ought to be restreyned To hym that may bet aweye When he mote to nature obeye For it is sayd thus oueral That nedes more that nedes shal Of that a lyf doth after kynde Wherof he may no bote fynde ▪ That nature bath set in her lawe There may no mans myght withdrawe And who that wor●heth there ayen● Ful oftyme it hath ●e seyne There hath byfalle grete vengeaunce Wherof I fynde a remembraunce

h Ic narrat qualiter Tiresias in quodam monte duos serpentes in uenit parite● commiscentes quos cum virga percussit ▪ ●●ati dij ob hoc quam naturam imped●uit ipsum contra naturam forma virili in muliebrem transm●tarunt

oVyde after the tyme tho Tolde ensample & sayd soo How that whilom Tiresias As he was walkend goth par cas Vpon an hyghe Mounteyn he syghe Two serpentes in his weye nyghe And they so as nature hem taught Assembled were & he tho caught A yerde whiche he bare on honde And thought that he wold fonde To letten hem & smote hem bothe Wherof the goddes weren wrothe And for he hath dystourbed kynde And was so to nature vnkynde Vnkyndelyche he was transformed That he whiche erst a man was formed In to a woman was for shape That was to hym an angry iape But for that he with angyr wrought Hys angyr angerlyche he bought Lo thus my sone Ouyde hath wryte Wherof thou myght by reson wyte More is a man than suche a best So myght it neuer ben honest A man to wrathen hym to sore Of that another doth the lore Of kynde of whiche is no maly●● But only this is a vy●● And though a man be resonable Yet after kynde he is m●uable To loue where he wol or none Thynke thou my sone therupone And do melanoolye aweye For loue hath his lust to pleye A● he whiche wold no lyf greue

Amans My f●dre that I may wel byleue And that ye telle it is skylle Lete euery man loue as he wylle Be so it be not my lady For I shal not be wroth ther by But that I wrath & fare amys Alone vpon my self it is That with bothe loue & kynde I am soo bestad that I can fynde No wey how it may asterte Whiche stant vpon myn owne hert● And toucheth to none other lyf Sauf only to that swete wyf For whome but yf it be amended My glad / dayes ben dispended That I my self shal not forbere The wrathe whiche I now bere For there is none other lyche Nowa●e forth I yow byseche Of wrathe yf ther ought e●●es is Wherof to shryue Sone yis

●●a mouet ●●tem que lingue frena resoluens / Laxa per infam●s ●●rrit vbiquam vias / Rixarum nutrix quo● educat ista loquaces / Hos venus a latere linquit habere vagos / Sed pacient●r agens taciturno qui delet ore / Vincit & optati carpit amoris iter /

hIc tractat Confessor super secunda specie ●re / que Lis dicitur / 〈◊〉 cuius comtumefijs innumerosa do●orum occasio tam in ainoris causa ●m̄ a●●ter in quampluribus sepissime exorta est

oF wrathe . the second is cheste Which hath the wyndes of tempest To kepe & many a sodeyne blast He bloweth wherof ben agast That they that desyre pees & reste He is that ylke vngoodlyeste Whiche many a lusty hath twynned For euer he bereth his mouth vnpynned ! So that his lyppes ben vnloke And his courage is al to broke That euery thyng which he couth telle It spryngeth vp as deth a welle Whiche may no man of his stumes hide But renneth ou●● on euery syde So boylen vp the foule sawes That chest wote of his felawes For as a Syue kepeth Ale Ryght so can chest kepe a tale Al that he wote he wol dys●lose And speke or ony man oppose As a cyte withoute walle Where men may go oute oueralle Withoute ony resystence So with his croked eloquence He speketh al that he wote withynne Wherof men lese more than wynne For oftyme of his chydyng He bryngeth to hous suche tydyng That maketh werre at beddes hede It is the leueyn of the brede Whiche soureth al the past aboute Men ought wel suche one to doute For euer his bowe is redy bent And whome he hyt I telle hym shent If he maye perce hym with his tonge And e●e so loude his belle is ronge That of the noyse & of the soune Men feren him in al the Towne Wel more than they done of thonder For that is cause of more wondre For with the wyndes which he bloweth Ful of●● syth he ouerthroweth The Cytees & the polycye That I haue herd the peple crye And echone sayd in his degre Ha wykked tonge woo the be Men sayn that the hard bone Al though hym self haue none A tonge breketh al to pyeces He hath so many sondry spy●●●s Of vyces that I may not wel Desc●yue hem by a thousand dele But when that he to cheste falleth Ful many a wondre thyng byfalleth For he ne can no thyng forbere Now t●lle my sone of thyn ansuere If it hath euer so be●yd That thou at ony tyme hast chyd Tothard thy loue Fader naye Suche chest yet vnto this daye Ne made I neuer god forbede For er I syng suche a crede I had le●er to be lewed For than were I al beshrewed And worthy to be put a bak With al the sorowe vpon my bak That ony man ordeyne couthe But I spak neuer yet by mouthe That vnto chest myght touche And that I durst ryght wel vouche Vpon hyr self as for wytnes For I wote of hyr gentylnes That she me wold wel excuse That I no suche thynges vse And yf it shold so betyde That I algates must chyde It myght not be to my loue For so yet neuer was I aboue For al this wyde world to wynne That I durst ony word begynne By which she myght haue be amoued And I of cheste also reproued But rather yf it myght hyr lyke The best wordes wold I pyke Whiche I couthe in myn hert chese And serue hem forth in stede of chose For that is helpelyche to defye And wold my wordes plye That myght wrath in chest auale With tellyng of my softe tale Thus dar I make a forward That neuer vnto my lady ward Yet spak I word in suche a wyse Wherof chest sh●ld aryse Thuo say I not that I ful ofte N● haue when I spak most softe Parcas sayd more than ynough But so wel halt no man the plough That he ne balketh other whyle N● so wel can no man affyle His tonge that somtyme in ia●● Hym may som lyght word ouerscape And yet ne meneth he no ch●ste But then I haue ay●● hyr hest Ful ofte spoke I am byknowe That thou my wylle i● that ye knowe For when my tyme cometh aboute That I dar speke & say al oute My long loue of whiche she wote That neuer in one alyche hote Me greueth than al my dysese I telle & though it ●er dysplese I speke it forth & nought ne leue And though it bebesyde hyr leue I hope & trowe netheles That I do not ayene the pees For though I telle hyr al my thought She wote wel that I chyde nought Men maye the hyghe god byseche And he wol here a mans speche And be not wroth of that he seyth So yeueth it me the more seyth And maketh me hardy s●th to sey That I dar wel the better ●●●y My lady whiche a woman is For though that I telle her that ther is Of loue whiche me greueth sore Hyr ought not be wroth therfore For I withoute noyse or crye My playnt make al buxoml●● To putten al wrath away Thus dar I say vnto this day Of cheste in ernest or in game My lady shal no thyng blame But oftyme it hath be tyd That with my seluen I haue chid That no man couthe better chyde And that ben at euery tyde When I ●●m to my selue allone Forthan I made a preuy mon● And euery tale by & by Whiche as spake to my lady I thenke & p●yse in my balaunce And drawe in to my remembraunce And than yf that I fynde a lak Of ony word that I myspak Whiche was to moche in ony wyse Anone● my wyttes I despyse And maste a chydyng in myn herte That ony word me shold asterte Whiche as I shold haue holden ynne And so after I begynne And yf ther was elles ought To speke & I spak it nought And yf I may seche & fynde That ony word be l●●t behynde Whiche I shold more haue spoke I wold vpon my self be wroke And chyde with my self so That al my wyt is ouer goo For noo man maye his tyme lor● Recouer & thus I am therfore So ouer wroth in my thouyht That I my self chyde al to nought Thus for to moche or for to lyte Ful ofte I am my self to wyte But al that may me not auayle With cheste though I me trauayle But oule on stok & stok on oule Tho more that a man defoule Men wote wel whiche hath the werse And so to me nys worth a ●erse But torneth vnto myn ●wne heede Though that I telle that I were deede Wold euer chyde in suche a wyfe Of loue as I to yow deuyse But fadre ye haue al herd In this manere how I haue ferd Of cheste & of dyssencyon Yeue me your absolucyon

Confessor My sone yf thou wystest al That cheste doth in specyal To loue & to his welwyllyng Thou woldest fleen his knowlechyng For who that most can speke fayre And lerne to be debonayre Is most acordynge vnto loue Fayre speche hath ofte brought aboue Ful many a man as it is knowe Whiche elles shold haue be ryght lowe And fayled mochel of / his wylle For thy hold thy tonge stylle And lete thy witte thy wille r●ste So that thou falle not in cheste Whiche is the soure of grete dystasice And taste in to thy remembraunce If thou myght ge●e pacyence Whiche is the seche of al offence As tellen vs the old wyse For when nought elles may suffyse By strengthe ne by mans wyt Then pacyence is ouer syt And ouer cometh at the laste But he maye nen●● long sast Whiche wol not bowe or that he brek● Take hede sone of that I speke My fadre of your goodly speche And of the wytte whiche ye me teche I thanke yow with al myn hole hert For that world shal me neuer astert That I ne shal your wordes holde Of pacyence as ye me tolde As ferforth as myn hert thynketh And of my wrath it me forthynketh But fadre yf ye forth with al Somme good ensample in specyal Me wolden telle in som C●●nyste It shold wel myn hert lyke Of pacyence for to he●● So that I myght in my matere The more vnto my loue obeye And putten my dysese aweye

●Ic ponit Confessor exemplum de paciencia in amore contra ●tem habenda / Et narrat qualiter vxor Socratis ipsum quodam die multis sermonibus ●tigauit / Sed cum ipse abs●●●lla responsione omnia probra pacienter sustulit indignat● vxor qm̄dam ydriam plenam aque quam in manu tenebat super caput viri sui subito effudit dicens E●●gila & loquere , qui respondens tune ait . O bere iam scio & expertus sum quam post ventorum rabiem sequuntur vmbres / Et isto modo litis contumeliam sua paciencia deuicit

mY sone a man to bye hym pees Behoueth suffre as Socrates Ensample left whiche is wryte And for thou shalt the soth wy●e Of this ensample that I mene Al though it be now lytel sene Among the men thylk euydence Yet he was vpon pacyence So set that hym self to assay In thyng whiche myght hym moste myspay , Desyred & a wykked wyf He wedded whiche in sorowe & stry● Agaynst his easee was contrayre But he spak euer softe & fayre Tyl it byfelle as it is tolde In wynter when the day is colde This wyf was fro the welle come Where that a pot with water nome She hath & ●●ought it in to howse And sawe how hat there sely spouse Was set & loked on a book Nygh to the fyre as he whiche ●●●● His ease as for a man of age And she bygan the wood ●●ge And axeth him what deuel he thoug●● And bare on hond that hym ne ●●●● What labour she took on honde And sayth that suche an husbonde Was to a wyf not worth a stre He sayd nother nay ne ye But helde hym stylle & le●e hyr ●●●●● As she whiche may hyr self not hyde Bygan within for to swelle And that brought in fro the welle The water pot she ●ent ▪ a●●f●● And badde hym speke & le al softe Sat stylle & no word ansuerd And she was wroth that ●e so ford And axrth hym yf he be dede And al the water on his hede She poured oute & bad hym wake But he whiche wol not forsake His pacyence than fpa● And sayde how he fond no last In no thyng whiche she had do For it was wynter tyme th● And wynter as by wey of kynde Whiche stormy is as men may fynde Fyrst maketh the wyndes for to blow And after that within a throwe He tryneth & the water gates ●ondoth & thus my wyf algates Whiche is with reson wel beseyn Hath made me both wynde & wyn After the season of the yere And than he set hym ner the fyre And as he myght his clothes dryed That he no more no word ne seyd Wherof he gat hym somdele reste For that hym thought was for the best I not of thylk ensample yet Acordeth with a mans wyt To suffre as Socrates dede And yf it fal in ony seede A man to ●ese so his galle Hym ought among the women alle In loues court by Iugement The name bere of pacyent To yeue ensample to the good Of pacyence how that it stood That other men it myght knowe And sone yf thou at ony throwe Be tempted ayenst pacyence Take hede vpon this euydence It shal par was the lesse greue My fadre so as I byleue Of that shal be no maner nede For I wol take so good hede That er I falle in suche assay I thynke ▪ esche we yf that I may But yf ther be ought elles more Wherof I myght take lore I pray yow so as I dare Now telle that I may beware Somme other tale of this matere Sone it is euer good to lere Wherof thou myght thy word restreyne Er that thou falle in ony peyne For who that no counseyl can hyde He may not fayle of wo besyde Whiche shal byfalle or he it wy●● As I fynde in the bokes wryte

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum ꝙ de alterius lite intromittere cauen dum est / Et narrat qualiter Iupiter cum Iunone super quadam questi one litigabat / videlicet vtrum vir an mulier in amous concupiscencia feruencius ardebat super quo Tiresiam eorum Iudicem constituebant / Et quia ille contra Iunonem in dicte litis causa sm̄agh diffiniuit irata ipsorum amborum oculorum lumine claritatis absque remis sione priuauit

yEt cam ther neuer good of seryf To seche in al a mans lyf Though it begynne on pure game Ful ofte it torneth in to grame And doth greuaunce on som syde Wherof the grete clerk Ouyde After the lawe whiche was tho Of Iupyter & of Iuno Maketh in his bokes mencion How they felle at dyssencyon In maner as it were a boorde As they bygonne for the woorde Among hem self in pryuete And that was vpon this degre Whiche of the two more amorous is Or man or wyf / & vpon this They myght not acorde in to one And took a Iuge therupon Whiche cleped is Tyresyas And bad hym deme in the caas And he withoute auysement Ayene Iuno gaf Iugement The goddesse ▪ vpon this ansuere Was wrothe & wold not forbere But took a wey for euermo The lyght from both his eyen two When Iupiter this hurt hath sene Another benefete ther ayene He yafe & suche a grace hym doth That for he wyst he sayd soth A soth sayer he was for euer But yet that other had leuer Haue had the lokyng of his eye Than of his word the prophecye But how so that the soth ment Strxfe was the cause of that he hent So grete a peyne bodely My sone be thou ware ther by And hold thy ton● stylle cloos For who that hath his word dyscloos Or he wote what they mene He is ful ofte nyhe his tene And leseth ful many tyme grace Where that he wold his thank purchace And ouer this my sone ▪ dere Of other men yf thou myght here In pryuyte what they haue wrought Holde counseyle & dyscouer it nought For cheste can no counseyl hele Or be it wo or be it wele And take a tale into thy mynde The whiche of old ensample I fynde

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum centra illos qui in amoris causa al●●●●us consilium reuelare presumunt Et narrat qualiter quedam auis tunc albissima nomine Coruus Consilium ●●mine sue Cornide Phebo denudauit / ●onde contigit non solum ipsam Cor●●dem interfeci / sed et Coruum qui an t●a tamquam my albus fuit in piceum colorem pro perpetuo transmutari

phebus whiche maketh that dayes lyght / A loue he had whiche tho hyght / Cornide which aboue hem alle He pleseth but what shal befalle Of loue ther is noman that knoweth But as fortune hyr happes throweth So it byfel vpon a chaunce A yong knyght to her acqueyntaunce And had of her what he wolde But a fals byrd whiche she hath holde And kept in chambre of pu●● youthe D●scoueryth al that euer he couthe The byrdes name was as tho Coruus whiche was than also Wel more whyte than ony swan And he that shrewe al that he can Of his lady to Phebus sayde And for wrath his swerd oute braide The whiche Cornyde anone be slough But after hym was woo ynough And took ful grete repentaunce Wherof in token & in remembraunce Of hem whiche vsed wycked speche Vpon this byrd he toke his wreche That there he was snowe whyte to fore Euer afterward cole black therfore He was transformed as it sheweth And many a man yet hym beshreweth And clepen hym in to this day A Rauen yet by whome men may Take euydence when he cryeth That som myshap it ▪ sygnyfyeth Beware therfore & say the best If thou wolt be thy self in rest My good sone as I the rede

hIc loquitur super eodem Et narrat qualiter Laar Nimpha de eo qd Iupiter Iuturnam adulterauit ●unoni Iouis vxori secretnm reuelauit Quapropter Iupiter ira commotus lin gua Laaris prius abscisa ipsam post●a in profundum Acherontis exulem ꝓ perpetuo man●pauit

For in another place I rede Of thylk Nymphe whiche Laar hyght For she the pryuete by nyght How Iupyter lay by Iuturne Hath told / god made ●yr ouertorne Hyr tonge he cut & hyr in to helle For euer he send there for to duelle As she that was not worthy here To ben of loue a● Chamberere For she no counseyl couthe hele And suche a dayes be now fele In loues court as it is seyd That lete her tonges gone vnteyd My sone be thou none of tho To li●ngle & telle tales soo And namely that thou ne chyde For cheste can no counseyl hyde For wrath said neuer wele My fadre soth is euery dele That ye me teche & I wol holde The reule whiche I am holde To ▪ flee the chest as ye me byd For wel is hym that neuer chyd Now telle me forth yf ther be more As touchyng vnto wrathes lore

Demoui● est odium quasi scrib● cui dabit ira / M●teriam scripti cordis ad antra sui / Non laxa●it amor odij que frena restringunt / Nec secreta sui iuris adire sciuit /

Hic tractat Confessor de tercia specie ire que odium dicitur cuius natura om̄s ire inimicicias ad mentem reducens illas vsque ad tempus vindicte velut scriba demonis in cordis pappiro commemorandas inserit

oF wrathe yet there is another Whiche is to chest his owne broder / And is by name cleped hate / That suffceth not within his gate / That there cam other loue or pes For he wol make no reles Of no debate whiche is byfalle Now speke yf thou art one of alle That with the vyce hast be witholde And ●yet for ought that ye me tolde My fadre I not what it is In good feyth sone I too we yis My fadre nay but ye me leue Now lest my sone & thou shalt here Ha●● is a wrath not shewend But of loug tyme gaderend And duelleth in the hert loken Tyl he see tyme to be wroken And than he sheweth his tempest More sodeyn than the wylde best Whiche wote no thyng what mercy is My sone art thou knowen of this My good fadee as I wene Now wote I sonidele what ye mene But I dare saufly make an othe My lady was me neuer loth I wol not swere netheles That I of hate am gylteles For when I to my lady plye Fro day to day & mercy crye And she no mercy on me leyth But shrote wordes to me seyth Though I my lady loue algate Tho wordes mote I nedes hate And wold they were al dyspent Or so fer oute of londe went That I hereafter shold hem not here And yet loue I my lady dere Thus is there hate as ye may see Bytwene my lady word & me The word I hate & hyr I loue What so shal me betyde of loue But forthermore I wol me shryue That I haue hated al my lyue These ianglers whiche of her enuye Ben euer redy for to lye For with her fals compassement Ful often they haue made me shent And hyndred me ful oftyme When they no cause wyste ●yme But onlyche of hyr owne thought And thus ful ofte haue I bought The lye & dranke not of the wyn I wold her happe were suche as myn For how so that I be now shryue Them ne may I not foryeue Tyl that I see them at debate With loue & than myn estate They myghten by her owne deme And loke how wel it shold hem queme To hyndre a man that loueth sore And thus I hate hem euermore Tyf loue on hem wol do his wreche For that I shal al●●cy byseche Vnto the myghty Cupydo That he so moche wolde doo So as he is of loue a god To smy●● with the same rod With whiche I am of loue smyten So that they myght knowe & wyten How hyndryng is a woful peyne To hym that loue wold at●●yn● Thus euer on hem I wayte & hope Tyl I may seen hem lepe a lope And halten on the same sore Whiche I do now for euermore I wold than do my myght So for to stonden in her lyght That they ne sholden haue aweye To that they wolden put aweye ▪ I wold hem put oute of the st●de Fro loue ryght as they me dede With that they spoke of me by mouth So wold I do yf that I ●●uth Of hem & this so god me saue Is al the hate that I haue Toward the Ianglers euery dele I wold al other ferd wele Thus haue I fader sayd my wylle Saye forth now for I am stylle My sone of that thou hast me sayd I hold me nought fully payd That thou wolt hat●n ony man To that acorden I ne can Though he haue hyndred to fore But this I telle the therfore Thou myght vpon my benyson Wel haten the condycyon Of the Ianglers as thou me toldest But forthermore yf that thou woldest Hem hyndre in ony other wyse Suche ha●● is euer to despyse For thy my sone I wold the rede That thou drawe in by frendelyhede That thou ne myght not do by hate So myght thou gete loue algate And set the my sone in rest For thou shalt fynde it for the best And ouer this so as I dare I ●●d● that thou be ryght ware Of other mens ha●● aboute Whiche euery wyse man shold doute For hate is euer vpon a wayte And as the fyssher on his bayte Sleeth when he seeth the fysshes fast● So when he seeth tyme at the last That he may worche an other woo Shal no man torne hym ther fro That hate nyl his felonye Fulfylle & feyne companye Yet netheles for fal● semblaunt Is toward hym of couenaunt Witholde so that vnder bothe The preuy wrath can hym clothe That he shal seme a grete byleue But ware the wel that thou ne loue Al that thou seest afore thyn eye So as the Gregoys whylome syghe The book of Troye who so ●●de There maye he fyude ensample in dede

hIc ponit Confesso : exemplum ●ō tra illos qui cum ire sue odium aꝑte vindicare non possint ficta dissimu●acione vindictam subdole assequentur Et narrat ꝙ cum Palamides princep● Grecorum in obsidione Troye a quibus dam suis Emulis proditorie interfectus fuisset / pater que suus Rex Namplus in patria sua tun● existens huiusmodi euentus certitudinem sci●usset grecos in sui cordis odium super omnia r●●●llegit / vnde contigit ꝙ cum greci deuicta Troia per altum mare versus Greciam nauigio remeantes obscurissimo noctis tempore nimia ventorum tempestate iac tabantur Rex Namplus in terra sua contra litus maris vbi m●ioca saxorū●minebant pericula super cacumina moncium grandissimos noctanter fecit ignes / quos greci aspicientes saluum po● tum ibidem inuenire certissime putabant Et terram approxim●ntes diru●●is nauibus magna pars grecorum 〈◊〉 riclitabatur

sOne after the destructyon When troye was al bete doun And slayn was ●amus the king The gregoys whiche of al this thyng Ben cause tornen home ageyn There may no man his hop wythseyn It hath ben seen & felt ful ofte The hard tyme after the softe By see forth as they homeward went A rage of grete tempest hem hent Iuno lete bende her party bowe The s●y was derk the wynd gan blowe The fyry welken bygan to thonder As though the world shold al a sonder From heuen oute of the water gates The reyny storme fel doune algates And al her tacle made vnwelde That noman myght hym self byheld● There may men here shipmen crye That stood in aunter for to dye He that behynde sat to stere May not the for sterne here The ship arose ageyne the wawes The lodesman hath lost his lawes The see on bete on euery syde They nysten what fortune abyde But setten hem al at goddes wylle Where he wold hem self saue or spylle And thylk tyme felle thus There was a kyng whiche Namplus Was hote & he a sone had At Troye whiche the gregoys ●ad As he that was made prynce of alle Tyl that fortune lete hym falle His name was palamydes But thorugh an hate netheles Of somme of hem his deth was caste And he by treson ouer caste His fadee when he herd it telle He swore yf euer his tyme felle He wold hym venge yf that he myght And therto his auowe he hyght And thus this kyng thurgh preuy hate / Abode vpon a wayte algate For he was not of suche empryse To auengyn hym in open wyse The fame which goth wyde where Maketh knowe how that the gregois were Home with al her felaushyp Fro Troye vpon the see by shyp Namplus when he this vnderstood And knewe the tydes of the flood And sawe the wynd blowe to the lond A grete deceypt anone he fonde Of preuy hate as thou shalt here Wherof I telle al this matere This kyng the weder he gan beholde And wyst wel that they moten holde Her cours endelong the marche ryght And made vpon the derk nyght Of grete shydes & of blokkes Gre●● fyre ageyne the grete rokkes To shewe vpon the hylles hyghe So that the flete of grece it syghe So it fel ryght as he thought This flete whiche an hauen sought Tho bryght fyres sawe a ferre And they hem drawen ner & nerre And wyste wel & vnderstood How al that fyre was made for good To shewe where men shold aryue And thyderward they hasten blyue And in semblaunt as men seyn is gyle And that was proued thylk whyle The ship which wend hym self accroche Droof al to pyeces on the roche And so deden ten or twelue There myght no man helpe hym selue For there they wenden deth escape Withouten help her deth was shape Thus they that comen fyrst to fore Vpon the Rokkes ben forlore But thurgh noyse & theyr cry The other were al ware therby And whan they began to rowe Tho myght they the soth kuowe That where they wende frendes fynde They fonde frendship al behynde The lond was than sone weyued Where that they hadden be de●eyued And took hem to the hyghe see Therto they sayden alle ye Fro that day forth where they were Of that they haue assayed there My sone wherof thou myght auyse How fraude stant in many wyse Among hem that gyle thynke There is no s●ryueyne with his ynke Whiche half the fraude wryte can That stant in suche a maner man For thy the wyse men ne demen That thynges after that they semen But after that they knowe & fynde The myrrour sheweth in his kynde As hath al the word withynne And is in sothe no thyng withynne And so fareth hate for a throwe Tyl a man hath ouerthrowe Shal no man knowe by his chere Whiche is auaunt & whiche is ar●re For thy my sone thynke on this

Confessor My fadre so I wol Iwys And yf there more of wrathe be Now axe for charyte As y● by your bokes knowe And I the soth shal be knowe

hIc cohiberr nequit manum & sic spē●ius / Naribus hic populo se timendus erit / Sepius in luctum venus & sua gaudia transf●rt / Cumque suis ●●●●●mus talis amicus adest / Est amor pl●xu non vtique alliciendus / Fraudis 〈◊〉 impetuosa manus ▪

hIc tractat Confessor super quar● q●unta specie Ire / que Impetu ositas & homicidium dicuntur ▪ sed primo de impetuositate specialiter intendit ●●ius natura spm̄ in naribus gestando ad omnes ire meciones in vindicta parata pacienciam nullatenus obseruat

mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde That yet to ward wrath stonde Of dedely vyces other two And for to telle her names so It is conte●● & homicide That be to geder on euery syde Contake so as the bokes seyn Foolhast hath to his chamberleyn Whoos counseyl al vnauysed Is pacyence most despysed Tyl homycyde with hym mete Fro mercy they be al vnmete And thus be they the worst of alle Of hem whiche vnto wrath falle In dede bothe & eke in thought For they acompten theyr wrath nought But yf ther be shedyng of blood And thus lyche a best wode They knowen not the good of lyf Be so they haue other swerd or knyf Hyr dedely wrath for to wreke Of pyte lyst hem not to speke None other reason they ne songe But that they haue mygh●●o stronge But ware hym wel in other place Where euery man behoueth grace But there I trowe it shal hym fayle To whome no mercy myght auayle But wron ●hten vpon Tyrannye That no pyte myght hem plye Now telle my sone / my fader what If thou hast be culpable of that My fadre nay cryst me forbede I speke only for the dede Of whiche I was neuer culpable With no cause resonable But this is not to my matere Of shryfte why we sytten here For we be set to shryue of loue As we begonne fyrst aboue And netheles I am beknowe That as touchend of loues throwe Whan my wyttes ouer wende Myn hertes contek hath none ende But euer stant vpon debate To grete dysese of myn estate As for the tyme that it lasteth For when my fortune ouercasteth Hyr whele & is to me so straunge And I see she wol not chaunge Than cast I al the world aboute And thynke how I at home in doute Haue al my tyme in veyne fpended And see not how to be amended But rather for to be empeyred As he that is wel nyhe despeyred For I ne may no thank deserue And euer I loue & euer I serue And euer I am a lyche nere Thus for I stonde in suche a were I am as who sayth oute of herre And thus vpon my self I werre I brynge & put oute al pees That I fulofte in such a rees Am wery of myn owne lyf So that of contek & of stryf I am byknowe & haue ansuerd As ye my fadre now haue herd Myn hert is wonderly begone Whiche counseyl wherof wyt●e is one Whiche hath reson in companye I agayn whiche stand partye Wylle whiche hath hope at acord And thus these bryngen vp dyscord Wytte & reson counseylen ofte That myn herte shold softe And that I shold wel renue And put out of retenue Or ●lles holde hym vnder fote For as they seyne yf that he mote His owne reule haue vpon honde There shal no wytte be vnderstonde Of hope & so they tellen this That ouer al where that he is He set the hert in champartye With wysshyng & with fantasye And is not tr●we of that he seyth So that in hym there is no feyth Thus with reson & wyt auysed Is wyt & hope al day despysed Reson sayth that I sholde leue To loue where there is no leue To spede & wyll sayth ag●yn That suche an hert is to vyleyn Whiche dar not leue tyl that he spede Lat hope serue at suche a nede He seyth eke where an hert syt Al gouerned after wyt He hath his lyues lust for lore And thus myn hert is al to ●●re Of suche a con●●ck as they make But yet I may not wel forsake That he nys mayster of my thought Or that I spede or speke nought Thou dost my sone ageynst the ryght But loue is of so grete myght His lawe may noo man refuse So myght thou the better excuse And netheles thou shalt be lerned That wyl shold be gouerned Of reson more than of kynde Wherof a tale wryte I fynde

hIc ponit Cōsessoz Exemplum qd omnis Impetuosa voluntas sit discrecionis moderamine gubernanda / Et narrat qua●●ter Dyogenes qui motus sui ammiracione subiugauerat Regem alexandrum sub isto facto sibi opponente plenins informauit

a Phylosopher whylome men told That whylome by dayes old And Dyogenes than he hyght So old he was that he ne myght The worldes trauayll & for the best He shope for to take his rest And duellyth at home in suche a wyse That nyhe his hous he lete deuyse Endelong vp an extre To set a Tonne in suche degre He it myght torne about Wherof an ende was taken out For therin sytte he shold And torne hym self as he wold And take the eyer & see the heuene And deme of the planetes seuene As he whiche couthe moche what And thus ful ofte there he sat To muse in his philosophye Sool withoute companye So that vpon a morow tyde A thyng whiche shold so betyde When he was set where hym lyst To loke vpon the sonne vpryst Wherof the propyrtees he syghe It felle there cam rydynge nyghe Kyng Alysander with a route And as he cast his eye aboute He sawe this Tonne & what it ment He wold wyte & thyder sent A knyght by whome he myght know And he hym self that ylke throwe Abode & houeth ther stylle This knyght after the kynges wylle With spore made his hors to gone And to the Tonne he cam anone Where that he fond a man of age And to hym told the message Suche as the kyng hym had bede And axeth within thylk stede The Tonne stood & what it was And he whiche vnderstood the cas Sat stylle & spak no word ageyne The knyght bad speke & sayd vyleyne Thou shalt me telle or that I goo It is thy kyng which axeth soo My kyng quod he that were vnryght What is he than sayd the knyght Is he thy man that say I nought Quod he but as I am bythought My mannes man how that he is Thou lyest fals chorl Iwys The knyght hym said & was ryght wroth And to the kyng ayene he goth And told hym how this man ansuerd The kyng when he this tale herd Bad that they shold alle abyde For he hym self wold thyder ryde And when he cam to fore the Tonne He hath this tale thus bygonne Al heyl he seyth what man art thou Quod he suche one as thou seest now The kynge whiche had wordes wyse His age wold not despyse But sayth fadre I the praye That thou wolt me the cause saye How that I am thy mans man Syre kyng quod he that I can Yf thou wylt / yes seyth the kyng Quod he this is the soth thyng Syth I fyrst reason vnderstood And knewe that was euyll & good The wyl whiche of my body moueth Whos werkes that the god reproueth I haue restreyned euer more As hym that stant vnder the lore Of reson whos subiect he is So that he may not do amys And thus by weye of couenaunt Wyll is my man & my seruaunt And euer hath be & euer shal And wyl is thy pryncipal And the lordship of thy wyt So that thou couthest neuer yet Take a day rest of thy laboure But for to be a Conqueroure Of worldes good whiche may not last Thou hyghest euer a lyche fast Where thou no reason hast to wynne Thus thy wylle is cause of synne And is thy lord to whome thou seruest Wherof thou lytel thank deseruest The kyng of that he thus ansuerd Was no thyng wroth but when he herd The hyghe wordes whiche he sayde With gooodly wordes thus he prayde That he hym wold telle his name I am quod be thylk same Whiche men Dyogenes calle Tho was the kyng ryght glad with alle For he had herd ofte to fore What man he was so that therfore He sayde O wyse Dyogene Now shal thy grete wyt be sene For thou shalt of my yefte haue What worldes good that thou wolt craue Quod he than houe out of my sonne And lete it shyne in to my Tonne For thou bynemest me thylk yifte Which lyeth not in thy myght to shyfte None other good of the me nedeth The kyng whome euery countrey dredeth Lo thus he was enformed there Wherof my sone thou myght lere How that thy wylle shal not beleued Where it is of no wyt releued And thou hast sayd thy self or this How there thy wyl thy mayster is Thorugh whiche thyn hertes thought within / Is euer of contak to begynne So that it is gretely to drede That it no homycyde brede For loue is of a wondre kynde And hath his wyttes ofte blynde That they fro mannes reason falle But whan that it is so byfalle That wylle shal the courage lede In loues cause it is to drede Wherof I fynde ensample wryte Whiche is behouely for to wyte

Ic in amoris causa ponit Confes sor Exemplum contra illos qui in sua dampna nimis accelerantes ex impetuositate ipsos multociens offendunt Et narrat qualiter Piramus cum ipse Tisbe amicam suam in loco inter eosdem deputato tempore aduentus sui promptam non inuenit animo impetuoso se ip sum pre dolore extracto gladio mortaliter transfodit . qui postea infra breue tempus veniens cum ipsum sic mortuum inuenisset eciam et illa in sui ipsius mortem impetuose festinans eiusdem gladio cuspide sui cordis intima per medium penetrauit

I Rede a tale & telle thys The Cyte whiche Semeramis Enclosed hath with walle aboute Of worthy folk with many a route Was inbabyted here & there Among the whiche two ther were Abouen al other noble & grete Duellyug tho within a strete So nyghe / to gedre as it was sene There was no thyng hem bytwene But wow to wow & walle to wal This one lord hath in specyal A sone a lusty bachyler In al the Towne was none his pyer That other bad a doughter eke In al the Towne that for to seke Men wysten none so fayre as she And felle so that it shold be This fayre doughter nye this sone As they to geder than wone Cupyde hath so the thynges shape That they ne myght the hand escape That his fyre on hem ne cast And so it felle at the last To folowe his lore & sewe Whiche neuer man myghte eschewe And that was loue as it is shaped Whiche hath hyr hertes ouerthraped That they by alle weyes seche How that they myght wynne a speche Her woful peyne for to lysse Who loueth wel it maye not mysse And namely when ther be two Of one accord how so it goo But yf that they som weye fynde For loue is euer of suche a kynde And hath his folk so wel affayted That how so that it be awayted There may no man the purpoos let And thus bytwene hem twoo set An hoole vpon the wal to make Thorugh whiche they haue hyr counseil take / At al tyme when they myght This fayre Mayde Tysbe hyght And he whome she loued hote Was Piramus by name hote So long her lesson they recorden Tyl at the laste they acorden By nyghtes tyme for to wende Alone oute from the Townes ende Where was a welle vnder a tree And who so cam fyrst be or she He shold there stylle abyde So it felle by nyghtes tyde This mayde whiche desguysed was Al pryue●y the soft paas Goth thurugh the large town vnknow Tyl that she cam within a throw Where that she lyked for to duelle And thylk vnhappy fresshe welle Whiche was also the forest nyghe Where she cemyng a lyon syghe In the felde to take his pray In hast & fleeth so away So as fortune shold falle For feer & lete hyr wympyl falle Nyhe to the wel vpon therbage This wylde beest in his rage A best whiche he found ther oute Hath slayn & his blody snowte When he hath eten what he wold To drynke of the stremes cold Come vnto the welle where he fond The wympel whiche oute of her hond Was falle & he hath to drawe Be bled aboute & al for gnawe And he straught hym for to drynke Vpon the fresshe welles brynke And after that oute of the playne He torneth to the wode agayne And Tysbe durst not remewe But as a byrd whiche were in mewe Whiche in a busshe she kepte hyr close So styl that she not arose Vnto her self & playneth ay And fell whyle that she there lay This Pyramus cam after sone Vnto the welle & by the mone He fonde hyr wympyl blody there ●am neuer yet to mannes ere Tydyng ne to mannes syght Meruaylle whiche so sore a fryght At mans herte as it tho dede To hym whiche in the same stede With many a woful compleynyng Bygan his handes for to wryng As he whiche demeth sykerly That she be dede and sodeynly His swerd al naked oute he breyde In his fool hast & thus he seyde I am cause of thy felonye So it is reson that I dye And she is dede by cause of me And with that word vpon his kne He felle & / to the goddes alle Vnto the heuene he gan to calle And prayd syn it was done so That he may not his loue as tho Haue in this world that of hyr grace He myght● her haue in other place For here wold he not abyde He sayth as it shal betyde The pomel of his swerd to ground He set & to his hert a wound He made vp to the hard hylte And this wyse he hym self spylte With his fool hast & deth he nam For she within a whyle cam Where he laye dede vpon a knyf So woful yet was neuer lyf As Tysbe was when she hym syghe She myght not one word on hygh Speke for hyr hert shette That of hyr lyf no prys she sette But dede swownyng dede there she fel Tyl afterward it so byfel That she oute of hyr trauns awoke With many a woful pytous loke Hyr eye alweye among ● she caste Vpon her loue & at the laste She caught breth & sayd thus O thou whiche cleped art venus Goddesse of loue & thou Cupyde Whiche loues cause haste for to guyde I wote nowe wel that ye be blynde Of thylk vnhappe that now I fynde Only bitwene my loue & me This Piramus whiche I here se Bledyng what hath he deserued For he thyn hest hath kept & serued And was yonge & I bothe also Allas why do ye with vs soo Yet set our hertes both on fyre And made vs suche thyng desyre Wherof that we noo skyl couthe But thus oure fresshe lusty youthe Withoute ioye is al dispended Whiche thyng may neuer be amended For as for me this wol I seye That me is leuer for to deye Then haue after this sorowful day And with this word there as he lay Hyr loue in armes embraseth Hyr owne deth & she purchaseth That now she wepte & now she kyst Tyl at the laste or she it wyst So grete a sorowe is to her falle Whiche ouergoth hyr wyttes alle And she whiche myght not asterte The swerdes poynt ayenst hyr herte She set & felle doune therupon Wherof that she was dede anone And thus on a swerd bledende They were founde dede lyggende Now that my sone hast herd this tale Beware of thyn owne bale Thou be not cause in thy foolhast And kepe that thou thy wyt ne cast Vpon thy thought in auenture Wherof thy lyues forfeture Maye falle & yf thou haue so thought Telle thy tale & hyde it nought My fad●e vpon loues syde My conscyence I wol not hyde How that for loue of pure wo I haue ful ofte be moued so That my wysshes yf I myght A thousand tymes I yow plyght I had storuen in a day And therof I me shryue may Though loue fully me ne slow My wyll to deye was ynow So am I of my wyl culpable And yf she be not mercyable Whiche may me yeue lyf & he le But that her lyst not with me dele I wote by whos counseyl it is And hym wold I long tyme or this And yet I wold & euer shal Sleen & destroye in especyal The gold of nyne kynges londes Ne shold hym saue fro myn hondes In my power yf that he were But yet hym stant at no fere For nought that euer I couthe manace He is the hynderer of my grace Tyl he be dede I may not spede So mote I nede taken hede And shape how that he were aweye If I therto may fynde a weye My sone telle me for thy Whiche is that mortal enemy That thou manacest to be dede My fadre it is suche a quede That where I come he is to fore And doth so that my cause is lore What is his name he is daunger Whiche is my lady counseyler For I was neuer yet so slyghe To come in a place nyghe Where as she was by nyght or day That daunger ne was redy ay With whome for speche ne for mede Yet myght I neuer of loue spede For euer this fynde I soth Al that my lady sayth or doth To me daunger shal make an ende And that maketh al my world myswēde And euer I aske helpe but he May be wel cleped Sauns pyte For ay the more I to hym bowe The lesse he wol my tale allowe He hath my lady so englewed She wol not that he be remewed For euer he hongeth on her seyl And is soo preuy of counseyl That euer when I haue ought bede I fynde daunger in her stede And myn ansuere of hym I haue But for no mercy that I craue Of mercy neuer a poynt I had And thus daunger my fortune lad That worse myght I neuer be And thus bytwene daunger & me I euer werre tyl he dye But myght I be of suche maystrye That I daunger myght ouercome With that were al my ioye come Thus wold I fonde for noo synne Ne yet for al the world to wynne If that I myght fynde a sleyght To laye al my state in weyght I wold hym for the countre deseuer So that he come ayene ward neuer Therfore I wysshe & wold fayn That he were on som wyse slayn For whyle he stant in thyl● place Ne gete I not my lady grace Thus hate I dedely thylk vyde And wold he stood in none offyce In place where my lady is For yf he doo I wol wel this That outher he shal dye or I Within a whyle & not for thy On my lady ful of●e I muse How that she may her self exa●se For yf that I dye in suche ● plyght Me thynketh she myght not be quyt That she ne were an homycyde And yf it shold so betyde As god forbede it shold be By double wey it is pyte For I with al my wyl & wyt Haue yeue & euer serued yet For when I shold in suche a wyse In towardyng of my seruyse Be dede me thynketh it were routhe And ferthermore I telle the trouthe She that euer hath be wel named Were worthy than to be blamed And of reson to be appeled When with one word she myght an heled A man & suffreth hym for to deye A who sawe euer suche a weye A who sawe euer suche a dystresse Withoute pyte or gentylnesse Withoute mercy or womanh●de That wol so quyte a man his mede Whiche hath euer be to loue trewe My good fadre yf ye ●●we Vpon my tale telle me now And I wol stynte & herkne yow My sone attempre thy courage Fro wrath & lete thyn hert assuage For who so wol hym vnderfonge He may his grace abyde longe Or he of loue be receyued And eke also but yf it be weyued There myght mochel thyng byfalle That shold make a man to falle Fro loue that euer afterward Ne durst he soke thyderward In hard weyes men gone softe And er they clymbe auyse them ofte And men seen al day that rape reweth And who so wykked ale breweth Ful ofte he mote the werse drynk Bettyr it is to flede than synke Better it is vpon the brydel chewe Than yf he fel & ouerthrewe The hors & stykked in the myre To cast water in the fyre Better is than brenne vp al the hows The man whiche is malycyous And foolhasty ful ofte he falleth And selden is when loue hym calleth For thy better is to suffre a throwe Than to be wylde & ouer throwe Suffraunce hath euer be the best To wysen hym that secheth rest And thus yf thou wylt loue spede My sone suffre as I the rede What may the mous ayene the ca● And for thylk cause I aske that Who may to loue make a werre That he ne hath hym self the werre Loue axeth pe●s & euer shalle And who that fyghteth most of alle Shal lest conquere of his empryse For this they tellen that ben wise Wicke is to seryue & haue the werse To hasten / is nought / worth a kerse Thyng that a man maye not acheue That maye not wel be done at eue It mote abyde tyll the morowe Ne hast not thyne owne soro we My sone & take this in thy witte He hath not lost that wel abitte Ensample that it falleth thus Thou myght wel take of Piramu● When he in hast his swerd out drough And on the poynt hym self slough For loue of Tysbe pytously For he hye wymple fond blody And wende a beast had her slayn Where as hym ought be ryght fayn For she was sauf ryght besyde But for he wold not abyde This meschyef felle for thy be ware My sone as I the warne dare Do now no thyng in suche a rees For sufferaunce is the wel of pees Though thou to loues court pursewe Yet syt it wel that thou esche we That thou the court not ouerhas● For so thou myght thy tyme wast But yf thyne hap therto shape It may not helpe for to rape Therfore attempte thy courage Foolhast doth none auauntage But yf it sett a man behynde In cause of loue & that I fynde By old ensamples thou shalt here Touchend of loue in this ma●●re

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra illos qui in amoris causa nimia festinacione concupiscentes tardius expediunt / Et narrat qualiter pro ●o quam Phebus qm̄dam virginem pulche trimam nomine Da●hnem nimi● amoris acceleracione insequ●batur/●ra tus Cupido cor Pheb● sagitta aurea ig nita a●dencius vulnerau●t / Et econtra cor Daphne quadam sagitta plumbea que f●igidissima fuit sobrius per●orauit / Et sic quanto magts Phebus a● dencior in amorem daphnem per●ecutus est quanto magis frigidior phe Bi concupiscenciam dedignabatur

aMayden whysom ther was one Which daphne hyght & such was none . Of beaute than as it was sayd / Phebus hio loue hath on hir laid And therupon to hyr he sought In his foolhast & so besought That she with hym no reste had For euer vpon hyr loue he grad And she sayd euer vnto hym nay So it byfelle vpon a day Cupyde whiche hath euery chaunce Of loue vnder his gouernaunce Sawe phebus hasten hym so sore And for hym shold haste the more And yet not sp●den at the last A dart thorugh oute his hert he cast Whiche was of gold & al a fyre That made hym many fold desyre Of loue more than he dede To Daphne eke in the same stede A dart of leed he cast & smote Whiche was al cold & no thyng hote And thus Phebus in lou● brenneth And in hast aboute renneth To boke yf that be myght wynne Thus was he euer to begynne For euer a wey f●o hym she fl●d So that he neuer his loue sped And for to make hym ful byleue That no foolhase myght acheue To gete loue in suche degre This Daphne in to a laurel tree Was torued whiche is euer grene In tokne as yet it may be sene That she shal duelle a mayden stylle And phebus faylen of his wylle By suche eusamples as they stonde My sone thou myght vnderstonde To basten loue is thyng in veyn Whan that fortune is ther ageyn To take where a man may leue Good is & elles he mote leue For when a mannes happes faylen There is no hast may auaylen My fadre graunt mercy of this But whyle I see my lady is No tre but hold her owne forme There may no man so on forme To w●edyr part fortune wende That I vnto my lyues ende ●e wold hyr serue euermo My sone syth it is so I / say no more but in this ●●s Beware how it with Phebus was Nought only vpon loues chaunce But vpon euery gouernaunce Whiche falleth vnto mannes dede Foolhast is euer for to drede And that a man good counseyl take E● he his purpos vndertake For counseyl put foolhast awey Now good fadre Iyowprey That for to wysse the more Somme good ensample vpon this lore Ye wold me telle of that is wryte That I the better myght wyte How I foolhast sho●d esche we And the wysedome of counseyl sewe My sone that thou myght enforme Thy pacy●nce vpon the forme Of old ensamples as they felle Now vnderstond what I shal telle

●Ic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos qui nimio furo● attensi vindictam ●re sue vltra quam decet cons●●u● effectant . Et narrat qualiter Athemas et Demephon Reges cum I●s● a b●●●o Troiano ad propria remeass●nt / Et a●us ibidem pacifice receptinon fruss●●t congregatorum a●unde pugnat●rum ●●eratu regiones suas non solum vastare incendio sed & om̄s in e●sdem habitantes a minimo vsque ad ma●orem in perpetuam vindicte memor●am gladis interficere feruore iracundie pro pesu●run● / Sed Rex Nestor qui sen●● & sapiens fuit fractatus inte● ipsos reges & eorum regna inita pace humsmodi impetuosita●● in miciu● pacifica●t /

wHen noble Troye was byleyn And ouercome & home ageyn The gregoys torned from the siege The kynges fonde her owne lyege In many places as men seyde That hem forsoke & dysobeyde Among the whiche fel this cas To Demephon & Athemas That were kynges bothe two And both were serued so Here syeges wold not hem receyue So that they more algates weyue To seche lond in other place For there fond they noo grace Wherof they token hem to rede And sough●●n frendes at nede And eche of hem assureth other To helpe as to his owne broder To vengen hem of thylk oultrage And wynne oyene her herytage And thus they ryde aboute fast To geten hem helpe & at the laste They hadden power suffysaunt And maden than a couenaunt That they shold no lyf saue Ne prest ne clerk ne lord ne knaue Ne wyf ne child of / that they fynde Whiche bereth vysage of mankynde So that no lyf shal be socoured But with the dedely swerde deuoured In suche a foolhast here ordynaunce They shape for to doo vengeaunce When this purpos was wist & knowe Among theyr hoost tho was ther blowe Of wordes many a speche aboute Of yong men the lusty route Were of this tale glad ynough There was no care for the plough As they that were foolhastyf They ben acorded to the s●ryf And seyn it may not be to grete To vengen hem of suche forfet Thus sayth the vnwyse wylde tonge Of hem that there were yonge But Nes●or whiche was old & hore The salue sawe to fore the sore As he that was of counseyl wyse So that anone by his aduyse There was a preuy counseyl no●e The lordes be to geder come This Demephon & Anthemas Her purpoos tolden as it was They seten al stylle & herde Was none but Nestor ansuerde He bad hem yf they wold wynne They sholden see or they begynne Here ende & set her fyrst entent That they hem after ne repent And axeth hem this questyon To what fynal conclusyon They wolden ●egne kynges there If that no peple in ●onde were And seyth it were a wonder wyerd To seen a kyng bycomen an hyerd Where no lyf is but only best ●onder the lygeaunce of his heste For who that is of man no kyng The remenauut is as no thyng He seyth eke yf he the purpoos holde To slee the peple as they two wolde When they it myght not restore Al grece it shold abye ful sore To see the wylde lestes wone Where whylome duellyd a mans sone And for that cause he had hem trete And stynte of the manaces grete Better is to wynne by fayr speche He seyth than suche a vengeaunce seche For when a man is moost aboue Hym nedeth moost to gete hym loue Whan Nestor hath this tole sayd Arene hym was no word withsayd It thought hem al he sayd wel And thus fortune hyr dedely wheel For werre torneth in to pees But forth they wenten netheles But when the Countreyes herd seyn And how here kynges be beseyn Of suche a power as they lad Was none so told that hym nedrad And for to seche pees & ●ryth They sende & prayd forthwith So that the kynges ben a●●esed And euery mannes hert is esed Al was forye●● & not recorded And thus they ●en to geder acorded The kynges were ayene receyued And pees was take & wrath weyued And al thorugh counseyl whiche was good / Of hym that reson vnderstood By this ensample sone attempre Thyn hert & lete no wyl dystempre Thy wytee & do no thyng by myght Whiche may be do by loue & ryght Foolhast is cause of mochel wo For thy my sone do not so And as touchend of Homycyde Whiche toucheth vnto loues syde Fulofte it falleth vnauysed Thurgh wil whiche is not wel assised When wyt & reson ben awey And that foolhast is in the wey Wherof hath falle grete vengeaunce For thy take in to remembraunce To loue in suche a maner wyse That thou dese●●e no iuyse For wel I wote thou myght not lett That thou ne shalt thyn hert sett To loue where thou wolt or none But yf thy wyt be ouergone So that it torne in to malyce There wote noman of thylk vyce What perylle that there maye byfalle Wherof a tale amonges alle Whiche is grete pyte for to here I thenke for to tellen here That thou such mordre myght withs●●d When thou the tale hast vnderstonde

Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum contra illos ob sue concupiscencie desid●rium homicide efficiuntur Et narrat qualiter Climeston ●xor Regis Agamenonis cum ipse a bello Troiano domi redisset consi●io Egisti quem adulte●● peramauit sponsum suum in cubili dormientem sub noctis silencio tru●dabat . cuius mortem filius eius Horestes ●un●●nioris etatis postea dijs admonitus crudelissi ma seueritate vindicauit

OF roTyr at thylk noble toun Whos fame stant yet of renoun And euer shal to mannes ere The syege last long there Er that the grekes it myght wynne While P●●amus Was kyng withynne But of the grekes that lyen aboute Agamenon lad al the route This thyng is knowen oueral But yet A thynke in specyal To telle my mater therupon An what wyse Agamenon Thorugh chaunce whiche may not be werued . Of loue vntrew was deceyued An old sawe is who that is syhe An place where he may be nyhe He maketh the ferre leef loth Of loue & thus fulofte it goth ▪ There whyle Agamenon bataylleth To wynne Troye & it assaylleth From home & was long tyme there Egysius drough his quene nere And with the leyser whiche he had This lady at his wylle he lad Clymestre was her ryght name She was therof gretely to blame To loue there it may not laste But fel to meschyef at the laste For when this worthy noble knyght Fro Troye cam the fyrst nyght That he at home a bed laye Egistus long or it was daye And this Clymestre had hym assent And weren bothe of one assent By treson slough hym in his bed But mordre whiche may not ben hed Sprong oute to euery mans ere Wherof the lond was ful of fere Agamenon hath by this quene A Sone / & that was after seue But yet as than he was of youthe A babe whiche no reson couthe And as god wold it fel hym thus A worthy knyght Taltabeus This yong child had in kepyng And when he herd of this tydyng Of this treson of this mysdede He gan within hym self to drede An aunter yf this fals Egiste ●pon hym come or he it wyst To take mordre of this malyce This child whiche he hath to noryce And for that cause in al hast Oute of the lond he gan hym haste And to the king of grece he goth strauȝt And hym this yong lord betaught And prayd hym for his fadre sake That he this child wold vndertake And kepe hym tyl he be of age So as he was of his lygnage ▪ And told hym oueral the cas How that his fadre mordred was And how egistus as men seyde Was kyng to whome the lond obeyde And when Adonemeus the kyng Hath vnderstondyng of this thyng Whiche that this knyght hym had tolde He made sorowe manyfolde And took the child vnto his warde And sayd he wold hym kepe & warde Tyl that he were of suche a myght To handle a swerd & be a knyght To wngen hym at his owne wylle And thus Horestes duelleth stylle Snche was the childes ryght name Whiche after wrought n●ochel shame An ●●nĝeaunce of his fadre deth The tyme of yerrs ouer geth That he was man of brede & lengthe Of wyt of manhode & of strengthe A fayre persone amonges alle And he gan to clepe & calle As he whiche come was to man Vnto the kynge of grece than Prayend that he wold hym make A knyght & power with hym take For lenger wold he not byleue He sayth but prayth the kyng of leue To gone & cleyme his herytage And venge hym of thylk oultrage Whiche was vnto his fadre do The kyng assenteth wel therto With grete honour & knyght hym maketh / And grete power with hym betaketh / And gan his iourney for to case So that Horestes at the last His loue he taketh & forth he goth As he that was in herte wroth His fyrst pleynt to be mene Vnto the Cyte of Athene He goth hym forth & was receyued So there he was nought deceyued The dust & ●tho that were wyse They proferen hem to his seruyse And he them thanketh of theyr profer And sayd hym self he wol gone offer Vnto the goddes for his spede And al men yeue hym rede So goth he vnto the Temple forth Of yeftes that be mochel worth His sacryfyce & his offryng He made & after his axyng He was ansuerd yf that he wold His estate than recouer he sh●ld Vpon his moder do vengeaunce So crue● that the remembraunce Therof myght euer abyde As she that ●as an Homycyde And of her o●ne lord Mordryce Horestes whiche of thylk offyce Was no thyng glad as than ho prayd Vnto the goddes there & sayd That they the Augement deuyse How she shal take the juyse And therupon he had ansuere That he hyr pappes shold of t●re Oute of her brest his owne hondes And for ensample of al londes With hors she shold be to drawe Tyl honndes had her bones gnawe Withoute ony sepulture This was a woful auenture And when Horestes hath al herd How that the goddes haue ansuerd Forth with the strengthe whiche he lad The dust & his power he had And to a cyte forth they gone The whiche was cheped Cropheone Where as Phoieu● was lord & syre Whiche profereth hym withouten hyre His helpe & al that he may do As he that was ryght glad thert● To greue his mortal enemy And tolde hym certayne cause why How that Egyste in maryage His doughter whylome of ful age Forlay & afterward forsoke When he Horestes modre toke Men seyne old synne newe shame Thus more & more ●●rose the blame Ayene Egyst on euery syde Horestes with his hoost to ryde Bygan & Phoieus with hym went Atro we Egyste shal hym repent They ryden forth vnto Mycene There lay Clymestre thylk quene The whiche Horestes moder is And when she herd telle of this The gates were fast shet And they were of her● entre lett Anone this Cyte was withoute Beleyn & beseged al aboute And euer it among assayle Fro day to nyght & so trauayle Tyl at last they it wonne Tho was there ynough begonne Horestes dyd his modre calle Anone tofore the lordes alle And eke to fore the peple also To her & told his tale tho And sayd O cruel best vnkynde Hou myghtest thou thyn herte fynde For ony lust of loues draught That thou acordest to the slaught Of hym whiche was thyne owne lord Thy treson stant of suche record Thou myght thy werkes not forsake So mote I for my f●dre sake Vengeaunce vpon thy body do As I commaunded am therto Vnkyndely for thou hast wrought Vnkyndelyche it shal be bought The sone shal the modre sl●e● For that whylome thou saydest ye That thou sholdest nay haue sayd And he with that hie honde● hath layd Vpon his mode●● brest anone And rent out from the bar● bone Hyr pappes bothe & cast a way A myddes in the cart way And after took the dede corps And le●● it be drawe awey wyth hors Vnto the hound & to the Rauen She was none otherwyse grnuen Egystus whiche was elles where Tydynges come to his ere How that Mycenes was byleyn But what was more herd he not seyn With grete manace & mochel bost He drough power & made an hoost And cam in the ●●scous of the Toun But al the sleyghte of this treson Hoo●stes wyst it by a spy● And of his men a gtr●● partye He made abusshement abyde To wayde on hym in suche a tyde That he myght her hond escape And in this wyse as he hath shape The thyng byfel so that Egyste Was take or he hym self it wyste And was forth brought his hondes bonde And when men haue a treytour founde And tho that were with hym take Whiche of reson were ouertake To geder in one sentence falle But fale Egyst aboue be in alle Was demed in dyuers peyne The werst that men couthe ●●deyn● And soo after by the lawe He was vnto the gybet drawe Where he aboue all other hongeth As to a traytour it bylongeth The fame of hyr s●●yft wynges Aboute fleeth & bare tydynges And made it couthe in al londes How that Horestes with his hondes Clymest●● his owne modre s●●ugh Somme seyn he dede wel ●nough And somme seyn he dyde amys yuers opynyon ther is That she is dede they spesten alle But pleynly how it is byfalle The mater in so lytel throwe An soth there myght noman knowe But they that weren at the dede And comonlyche at euery nede The worst speche is rathest herd And leued tyl it be ansuerd The kynges & the lordes grete Begonne Horestes for to thre●● To putten hym out of his regne He is not worthy for to regne The child whiche slough his moder soo They sayde & therupon also The lordes of comon assent The tyme sett of parlement And to Athenys kyng & lord To geder●come of one acord To knowe how the sothe was So that Horestes in this cas They senden after & they come Kyng Men ●lay the wordes nome And axeth hym of this matere And he that al it myght here Ansuerd & told his tale at large And how the goddes in his charge Commaunded hym in suche a wyse His owne hond to do Iuyse With this tale a Duk arose Whiche was a worthy knyght of lose His name was Menesteus And sayd vnto the lordes thus The wreche whiche Horestes dede At was thyng of the goddes ●ed● And no thynge of his ocuelte And yf there were of ony degre An al this pla●● suche a knyght That wol seyn it was no ryght I wol it with my body proue And therupon he cast his gloue And eke this noble duk Alleyde Ful many another skylle he seyde She had wel deserued wreche Fyrst for the cause of spouse breche And after wrought in suche a wyse That al the world it ought agryse When that she for so foul a vyce Was of her owne lord Mordryce They sytten al stylle & herde But therto was noman ansuerde At ought hem alle he sayd skylle There is noman wythsey it wylle When they vpon the reson musen Horestes alle they ●●cusen So that with grete solempnyte He was vnto his dygnyde Receyned & coroned kyng And tho byfel a wondre thyng Egyona when she it wyst Whiche was the doughter of Egyst And suster on the modre syde To thys Horeste at thylā tyde When she herd ho whis broder sped For pure sorowe whiche her led That he had len ●xyled She bath her owne lyf begyled Anone & henge hyr self tho At hath & shal be euermo To mordre who that wol assente He may not fayle to repente This fals Egyona was one Whiche to mordre Agamenone Yaue her acord & her assent So that by goddes Augement Though none other man it wolde She took her Iuyse as she sholde And as she to another wrought Vengeaunce vpon her self she thought And hath of hyr vnhappy wyt A mordre with a mordre quyt Suche is of mordre the vengeaunce For thy my sone in remembraunce Of this ensample take good frede For who that thynketh his loue spede With mordre he shal with worldes shame / Hym self & eke his loue shame My fadre of this auenture Whiche ye haue told A yow assure Myn herti● fory for to here But only for A Bold here What is to done & what to leue And ouer this by your leue That ye me wold telle A pr●y Af there be leful ony weye Withoute synne a man to slee My sone in sondry wyse ye What man that is of Traytorye Of mordre or elles Robberye Atteynt the Iuge shal not bet But he shal sleen of pure def And doth grete syune yf that he wonde For who that lawe hath vpon honde And spareth for to do Iustyce For mercy doth not his offyce That he his mercy so be waxeth When for one shrewe whiche he spareth A thousand good men he greueth Which suche mercy as who that bileueth To please god he is deceyned Or elles more reson be weyued The lawe stood or we were bore How that a kynges swerd is bore An sygne that he shal defende His peple & make an ende Of suche as wolden hem deuoure Lo thus my sone to socoure The lawe & comon ryght to wynne A man may shee withoute synne And therof a grete almesse So for to kepe ryght wyseuesse And ouer this for this contre An tyme of werre a man is fee Hym self his ●ous & eke his lond Defende with his owne hond And slayne yf that he maye no bet After the lawe whiche is set Now fadre than A you byseche Of hem that dedely werres seche An worldes cause & shed●n lobod Af suche an homycyde is good

Confessor My sone vpon thy questyon The trouthe of myn oppynyon Ale ferforth as my wyt arecheth And as the pleyn lawe techeth A wold the telle in euydence To reule with thy conscyence Quod creat iyse deus n●eat hoc homicida creatum / ●ltor & humano sanguine s● git humum / Vt pecoris sic est hominis cruor heu hom fusus / Victa iacet pietas & furo● vrget opus / Angelus in term pax dixit & vltima Cristi . Verba so nent pacem quam m● guerra fugat

Hic sequitur contra ●●oto●●s guerre que non solum homicidij sed vniuer se mnndi desolacionis mater existit

tHe hyghe god of his iustyce That ylke foule horryble vyce Of Homycyde he hath forbede By Moyses as it was bede When goddes sone also was bore He sente his Aungel doune therfore Whome the shepeherdes herde synge ●●es to the men of welwyllynge In erthe among vs here So for to speke in this matere After the lawe of charyte There shal no dayly werre be And eke nature it hath defended And in hyr lawe pees comended Whiche is the chyef of mannes welthe Of mannes lyf of mannes helthe But dedely werre hath this couyne Of pestylence & of famyne Of pouerte & of al woo Wherof this world we blamen so Whiche now the werre hath vnderfote Tyl god hym self therof do bote For al thyng whiche god hath wrought In erthe werre it bryngeth to nought The chirche is brent the prest is slayn The wyf the mayde is the forlayn The lawe is lord & god vnserued I not what mede he hath deserued That suche werres ledeth Inne If that he do it for to wynne Fyrst to acompte his grete cost Forth with the folk that he hath los● As to the worldes rekenyng There shal he fynde no wynnyng And yf he do it to purchace The heuen mede of suche a grace I can not speke netheles Cryst hath commaunded loue & pe●● And who that worcheth the reuers I trowe his mood is ful dyuers● And sythen ▪ that ▪ we fynde The werres in her owne kynde Ben toward god of no deserte And eke they bryngen in pouert● Of worldes good it is merueyle Among the men what it maye eyle That they vs a pees ne conne set I trowe synne be the let And euery mede of synne is deth So wote I neuer how it geth But we that be of one byleue Among oure self this world I leue That better it were pees to chese Than so by double weye lese I not yf that it now so stonde But this a man may vnderstonde Who that these old lokes redeth That one is Couetyse whiche ledeth And brought the fyrst werres inne At grece yf that I shal begynne There was it proued how it stood To Perse whiche was ful of good They maden werre in especyal An● soo they dyden o●eral Where grete rychesse was in lond So that they left no thyng stond ●n werred but only Archade

Nota ꝙ greci omnem terram de●ellabant fertilem sed tantum erran pro eo quam pauper et steri●●s fuit pacifi●● dimiserunt

For there they no werres made By cause it was bareyn & pouer Wherof they myght not recouer And thus pouerte was forbore He that nought had nought ▪ hath lore But yet it is ▪ a wondre thyng When that a ryche worthy kynge Or other lord what so he be Wol axe & clayme propyrte In thyng whiche he hath no ryght But only of his grete myght For this may euery man wel wyte That bothe kynde & lawe wryte Expressely stonde there ageyn But he mote nedes somwhat seyn Al though ▪ there be no reson ynne Whiche seche cause ▪ for to wynne For wyt that his wyl oppressed When couetyse hym hath redressed And al reson put awey He can wel fynde suche a wey To werre where as euer he lyketh Wherof that he the word entryketh That many a man of hym compleyneth But yet alwey somme cause he feyneth And of his wrongful hert hath demed That al is wel that euer hym semed Br so he may wynne ynough For as the trewe man to the plough Only to the gaygnage entendeth Ryght so the werryour dyspendeth His tyme & hath no conscyence And in this poynt for euydence Of hem that suche werres make Thou myght a grete ensample take How they hyr tyrannye excusen Of that they wrongful werres vsen And they stonde of one acord The S●udyour forth with the lord The poure man forth with the ryche As of courage they ben lyche To make werres & to pyle For lucre & for none other skyle Wherof a propyr tale I rede As it whylome byfell in dede

hIc declarat per Exemplum contra istos principes seu alios quos cumque illicite guerre motores / Et narrat de quodam Pirata in parti●us mari nis spoliatore / qui cum captus fuisset . & in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro productus & de latricinio accusatus dixit / O Alexandre vere quia cum paucis socijs spoliorum causa naues tantum exploro ▪ ego latrunculus v●oo● . tu autem q●●a cum infinita bellatorum multitu dine vniuersam terram subiugan●o spoliasti . Imperator diceres / Ita quam sta tus tuus a statu meo differt / sed eodem animo condicionem pa●●lem habemus Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans penes se familiarem retinuit / Et sic bellicosus bellatori compla●●t

oF hym al this erthe drad When he the world so ouerlad Thurgh werre as it fortuned is / Kyng Alysaunder I rede this How in a marche where he lay It felle par chaunce vpon a day A Rouer of the see was nome Whiche many a man had ouercome And slayn & take her good awaye This Pylour as the boks saye A famous man in sondry stede Was of the werkes whiche he dede This prysoner afore the kyng Was brought & therupon this thyng In audyence was he accused And he his dede hath nought excused And praid the kynḡ to done hym ryght And seyd Syre yf I were of myght I haue an hert lyche vnto thyn For yf thy power were myn My wylle is moost in especyal To ryfle & to gete oueral The large worldes good aboute But for I lede a poure route And am as who sayth at meschyef The name of Pylour & of thyef I bere / & thou whiche Routes grete Maye lede & take thy beyete And dost ryght as I wold doo Thy name is nothyng cleped so But thou art named Emperour Oure dedes ben of one colour And in effect of one deserte But thy Rychesse & my pouerte They be not taken euen lyche And neth●l●● he that ●s ryche This day to morowe he may by poure And in contrary also receuer A pouer man to grete ryches Men seyn for thy ryghtwysenes Be peyced euen in the balaunce The kyng his hardy contenaunce Behelde & his wordes wyse And sayd vnto hym in this wyse Thyne ansuere I haue vnderstonde Wherof my wyl ●e that thou stonde In my seruyce & stylle abyde And forth with al the same tyde He hath hym ●●●me of lyf witholde The more & for he shal beholde He made hym knyght & yaf hym lond Whiche afterward was of his hond A● orped knyght in many a stede And grete prowesse of armes dede As the Cronyke it recorden And in this wyse they acorden The whiche of one ●●ndycy●n Be sett vpon destructyon Suche Capytayne suche retenue But for to see what yssue The kyng befallyth at the laste In his grete wondre what men caste Her ●●●t vpon suche wrong to wynne Where no be●●●e may be Inne And deth dy●●se on euery syde But when reson is put a syde And wylle g●nerneth the courage The fau●●n with that fleeth ramage And suffreth no thyng in the weye Wherof that he may take his preye Is not more set vpon rauyne Than ylk man whiche his couyne Hath set in suche maner wyse For al the world ne may suffyse To wyl whiche is not resonable Wherof ensample concordable Lyche to this poynt of whiche I mene Was vpon Alysander sene Whiche had set al his entent So as fortune with hym went That the reson myght hym not gouerne But of his wylle he was so sterne That al the world he ouer●an And what hym lyst he took & wan In inde the superyour When that he was ful conquerour And had his wylful purpoos wonne Of al this erthe vnder the sonne This kyng homeward to Macedoyne When that he cam to Babyloyne And wende moost in ▪ his empyre As he whiche was lord & syre In honour for to be receyued Moost sodenlyche he was deceyued And with strong poyson enuenyn●●d And as he hath the world mystymed Not as he shold with his wyt Not as he wold it was acquyt Thus was he slayn that whylome slongh And he whiche ryche was ynough This day / to morowe had nought And in suche wyse as he was wrought In dysturbaunce of worldes pees His werre he fonde than endeles In whiche for euer dyscomfyte He was ▪ lo now for what proufyte Of werre it helpeth for to ryde For couetyse & worldes pryde To slee the worldes men aboute As bestes whiche gone ther oute For ony lyf whiche reson can Ought wel ▪ to knowe that a man Ne shold thorugh no tyrannye Lyche to these other bestes dye Tyl kynde wold for hym sende I not how he it myght amende Whiche taketh awey for euermore The lyf that he may not restore For thy my sone in al weye Be wel auysed I the preye Of slaught or that thou be culpable Withoute cause resonable My fadre vnderstonde it is That ye haue sayd but ouer this I pray you telle me nay or ye To passe oue● the grete see To werre & slee a Saraʒyn Is that the lawe Sone myn To preche & suffre for the feyth That I haue herd the gospel seyth But for to slee that here I nought Cryst with his owne deth hath bought Al other men & made hem fre In tokne of parfyte charyte And after that he taught hym selue When he was dede these other twelue Of his apostles went aboute The holy feyth to preche oute Wherof the deth in sondry place They suffre & so god of his grace The feyth of Cryst hath made aryse But yf they wold in other wyse By werre haue bought in the creaunce It had yet stonde in balaunce And that may prouen in the dede For what man the Cronykes rede Fyrst that holy chirche hath weyued To preche & hath the swerd receyued Wherof the werres be begonne A grete partye of that was wonne Of Crystes feyth stant now myswent God doo therof amendement So as he wote what is the best But sone yf thou wylt lyue in rest Of conscyence wel assysed Er that thou slee be wel auysed For man as tellen vs the clerkes Hath god aboue al erthely werkes Ordeyned to be pryncypal And eke of soule in specyal He is made lyche to the godhede So syt it wel to taken hede And for to loke on euery syde Er that thou falle in homycyde Whiche synne is now so general That it wel nye stant oueral In holy chirche & elles where But al the whyle it is so there The wdorl mote nede fare amys For when the ▪ whele of pyte is Thorugh couetyse of worldes good Defouled with shedyng of blo●d The remenaunt of folk aboute Vnnethe stonden in ony doute To werre eche other & to slee So is it al not worth a stre The charyte wherof we prechen For we do no thyng as we techen And thus the blynde conscyence Of pe●● hath lost thylk euydence Whiche cryst vpon the erthe taught Now may men see mordre & manslaught Lyche as is by dayes olde Whan men the synnes bought & solde In grece afore Crystes feyth I rede as the Cronyke seyth Touchend af this mater thus In thylk tyme how peleus His owne broder Phocus slough But he had gold ynough To them his synne was dyspensed With gold wherof it was compensed Achastus whiche with Venus was Her pryest assoylled in that cas Al were there no repentaunce And as the bokes make remembraunce It tellyth of Med●e also Of that she slough her sones two Egeus in the same plyte Hath made hyr of hyr synne quyte The sone eke of Amphyoras Whos ryght name Almeus was His moder slough Eryphele But Achylo the prest & he So as the bokes it recorden For certayne somme of gold acorden That thylk horryble synful dede Assoylled was & thus for mede Of worldes goode it fallyth ofte That homycyde is set alofte Here in this lyf but after this There shal be knowe how that it is Of hem that suche thynges wyrche And how also that holy chirche Lete suche synnes passe quyte How they wol hem acquyte Of dedely werres that they make For who that wold ensample take The lawe whiche is naturel By weye of kynde the weth wel That homycyde in no degre Whiche werreth ayene charyte Among men shold not duelle For a foer that the bokes telle To s●che in al the world ryche Men shal not fynde one his lyche No best that wyl take his preye And syth kynde hath suche a weye Than it is wondre of a man Whiche kynde hath & reson can That he wol eyther more or lasse His kynde & reson ouerpasse And slee that is to hym semblable So is the man not resonable He kynde & that is not honeste When he is worse than a beste

Nota secundum Solinum contra ho●●iadium de natura cuiusdam aius faci●m ad similitudinem humanam habentis qiu cum de preda sua hominem myta flauium occident ▪ vident que in aqua sunile sibi occisum statim pro delo 〈◊〉 moritur

aMong the bokes which I finde Solinus speketh of a wondre kinde And seith of foules ther is on Whiche hath a face of bloood & bone Whiche to a man in resemblaunce And yf it falle hym so par chaunce As he whiche is a foule of pray That he a man fynde in his way He wold hym slee yf that he m●y But after ward the same day When he hath eten al his felle And that shal be besyde a welle In whiche he wol drynke take In whiche visage he seeth the make That he hath slayne anone he thynketh Of his mysdede & it forthynketh So gretely that for pure sorowe He lyueth not tyl on the morowe By this ensample it may wel se we That men shal homycyde eschewe For euer is mercy good to take But yf the lawe it hath forsake And that Iustyce is them ageyne Fnl oftyme I haue herd seyne Amonges that werres hadden That they som whyle her cause ladden By mercy when they myght haue slayn Wherof that they were after fayn And sone yf that thou wolt recorde The vertu of myserycorde Thou syghe neuer thylk place Where it was vsed lak grace For euery lawe & euery kynde The mannes wyt to mercy bynde And namely the worthy knyghtes When they stonde moost vpryghtes And ben most myghty for to greue They sholden thenne most releue Hym whome they myghten ouerthrowe As by ensample may men knowe

Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum de pietate contra homicidium / Et narrat qualiter Achilles vna cum Thephalo filio suo contra Regem Mesee qui tunc Theucer vocabatur bellum inicrunt / Et cum Achilles dietum Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset / Thephalus pietate motus ipsum Clipeo cooperiens veniam pro Rege a patre postulauit , ꝓ quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit

hE may not faylen of his mede That hath mercy for this I rede , In a Cronyke I fynd thus Whan Achilles with Telaphus His sone to ward Troye were It fel hem or they come there Ayene Thoucer the kyng of mese To make warre & for to lese His lond as they that wolde regne And Theucer pnt oute of his regne Thus the marches they assaylle But Theucer yaf to hem bata ylle They foughten on bothe sydes faste But so happeth at the laste This worthy greke Achilles The kyng among al other ches As he that was cruel & felle With swerd on hond on hym he felle And smote hym with a dethes wounde That he vnhorced fel to grounde Achilles vpon hym alyght And wold anone as he wel myght Haue slayn hym in the place But Thephalus his fadre grace For hym besought & for pyte Prayth that he wold late hym be And cast his sheld bytwene hem two Achilles axeth hym why so And Thephalus his cause tolde And seyth that he is mochel holde For whylome Theucer in a stede Grete grace & socour to hym dede And sayth that he hym wold acquyte And prayth his fadre to respyte Achilles tho withdrough his hond But al the power of the lond When that they sawe hyr kyng thus take They fled & hath the f●ld forsake The grekes vnto the chaas falle And for the moost part alle Of that countre the lordes grete They took & wonne a grete beyete And anone after this vyctorye The kyng whiche had memorye Vpon the grete mercy thought Which the laphus toward hym wrought And in presence of al the londe He took hym fayre by the honde And in this wyse he gan to seye My sone I mote by double weye Loue & desyre thyn encrees Fyrst for thy fadre Achilles Whylome ful many a day or this When I shold fare amys Rescouse dyd in my quarele And kepte al myn estate in hele How so ther falle now dystaunce Among vs yet remembraunce I haue of mercy whiche he dede Than ▪ & thou now in this stede Of gentylnes & of fraunchesse Hast do mercy the same I gesse So wol I not that ony tyme Be lost of that thou hast do byme For how so this fortune falle Yet stant my trust abouen alle For the mercy whiche I now fynde That thou wolt after this ●e kynde And for that suche is myn espeyr And for my sone & for myn he yre I the receyue & al my lond I yeue & sese in to thyn honde And in this wyse they accorde The cause was myserycorde The lordes do her obeysaunce To Thelaphus & purueaunce Was made so that he was coroned And thus was mercy reguerdoned Whiche he to Theucer dyde to fore Loo this ensample is made therfore That thou myght take remembraunce My sone & when thou seest a chaunce Of other mens passyon Take pyte & compassyon And lete no thynge to the beleef Whiche to another man is greef And after this yf thou desyre To stonde ayene the vyce of Ire Counseyl the with pacyence And take in to thy conscyence Mercy to be thy gouernour So shalt thou●fynde no rancour Wherof thyn herte shal debate With homycyde ne with hate For cheste or melancolye Thou shalt be softe in companye Withoute conteck or foolhast For elles / myght thou long wast Thy tyme or that thou haue thy wylle Of loue for the wedyr stylle Men preyse & blame the tempestes My fadre I wol do your hestes And of this poynt ye haue me taught Toward my self the better saught I thenke bewayle whyle that I lyne But for as moche as I am shryne Of wrathe & al his circumstaunce Yeue that ye lyst to my penaunce And axe forther of my lyf Yf other wyse I be gyltyf Of ony thyng that toucheth synne My sone or we departe a twynne I shal behynde no thynge leue

Amans My good fadre with your leue Than axe forth what you lyste For I haue in you suche tryste As ye that be my soule hele That ye fro me nothyng wol hele For I shal telle you the trouthe My sone art thou culpable of slouthe In ony poynt whiche to hym longeth My fadre of the poyntes me longeth To wyte pleynly what they mene So that I maye me shryue clene Now herkne I shal the pointes deuyse And vnderstonde wel myn appryse For shryfte stant of no value To hym that wol hym not vertue To leue of vyces the folye For wynd is word but the maystrye Is that a man hym self defende Of thyng whiche is not to comende Wherof ben fewe now a daye And netheles so as I may Make vnto thy memorye knowe The poyntes of slouthe thou shalt knowe

Explicit liber Tercius

Incipit liber quartus

dicunt accidiam fore nutri●em viaorū / Corpet & in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis / Que fieri possent hodie transfert piger in ceas / Furato que prius hostia clandit equo Poscenti tardo negat emolumenta cupi do / Sed venus in c●beri ludit amore viri I● in quarto libro loquitur con 〈◊〉 fessor de speciebus Accidie / qua 〈◊〉 primam tardacionem vocat / cuius ●●●diciouem pertractans Amanti su●● hoc consequenter opponit

bPon the vyces to procede / After the cause ofemānes dede / The fyrst poynt of slouthe I calle Lachesse and is the chyef of alle And hath this properly of kynde To leuen al thyng behynde Of that he myght do now here He taryeth al the long yere And euermore he sayth to morowe And so he wol his tyme borowe And wyssheth after god me sende Than when he weneth to haue an ende Than is he forthest to begynne Thus bryngeth he many meschief Inue Vnware tyl that he be mescheued And may not than be releued And ryght so nother more ne lesse It stant ofloue & of lachesse Somtyme he slouteth on a daye That he neuer after gete may Now sone as of this ylke thyng If thou haue ony knoulechyng That thou to loue hast done or this Telle on . my good fadre yis As of laches I am be knowe That I may stonde vpon his rowe As I that am clad of his sute For when I thought my pursute To make & therto set a day To speke vnto the swete may Lachesse bad abyde yet And bare on hond it was no wyt Ne tyme for to speke as tho Thus with his tales to & fro My tyme in taryeng he drough When ther was tyme good ynough He sayd another tyme is better Thou shalt now sende here a letter And par caas wryte more pleyn Than thou by mouthe durst seyn Thus haue I lete tyme slyde For slouthe & kept not my tyde So that laches with his vyce Ful of be hath made my wyt so nyce That what I thought speke or do With taryeng be ●eld me so Tyl when I wold & myght nought I not what thyng is in my thought Or it was drede or it was shame But euer in ernest & in game I wote ther is no long tyme passed But yet is not the loue lassed Whiche I vnto my lady haue For though my tonge is slouȝ to ocaue At al tyme as I haue bede Myn hert stant euer in one stede And axe besylyche grace The whiche I may not yet embrace And god wote it is maulgre myn For this I wote ryght wel afyn My grace cometh so selde aboute That is the slouthe whiche I doute More than of al the remenaunt Whiche is to loue appertenaunt And thus as touchend of lachesse As I haue told I me confesse To yow my fadre E●byseche That ferthermore ye wol me teche And yf ther be of this matere Som goodly tale for to lere How I may do lachesse awey That ye it wold telle I prey To wysse the my sonne & rede Among the tales whiche I rede An old ensample therupon Now herkne & I wol telle on

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra Istos qui in amoris causa tardantes delinquunt / Et narrat qualiter Dido Regina Eartaginis Eneam ab Incendijs Troie fugitiuum in amo rem suum gaiusa suscepit / qui cum postea in partes Italie a Cartagine bella turum se transtulit / ninuam que ibidem moram faciens tempus redditus sui ad Didonem vltra modum tardauit Ipsa intolieravili gaudio concussa sui cordis intima gladio transfodit

aGeyne lachesse in loues caas I fynde how whylom Eneas Whome Anchyses to sone had With greete nauye which he lad Fro Troye arryueth at Eartage Where fo: a while his herbergage He took & betyd soo With hyr whiche was quene tho Of the Cyte his acqueyntaunce He wan whos name in remembraunce Is yet & Dydo she was hote Whiche loueth Eneas soo hote Vpon the wordes whiche he sayd That al hyr herte on hym she layd And dyd al holy what he wolde But after that as it be sholde Fro then he goth to Itayle By shyp & thew his arryuayle Hath take & shope hym for to ryde But she whiche may not long abyde The hote payne of loues throwe Anone within a lytel throwe A setter vnto hyr knyght hath wryte And dyde hym pseynsy for to wyte If he made ony tarying To dretche of his ayene comyng That she ne myght hym fele & see She shold stonde in suche degree As whylome stood a swan to fore Of that she had hyr make ●ore For sorowe a fether in to her brayne She shoof & hath hyr self slayn As kyng Menander in a lay The soth hath fonde where she lay Spraulend with her wynges tweye As she whiche shold than deye For loue of hym which was her make And so shal I do for thy sake This quene sayde wel I wote Lo to Enee thus she wrote With many another word of compleynt But he which had his thoughtes feint Towardes loue & ful of slouthe ●●s tyme let & that was routhe For she whiche loueth hym to fore 〈◊〉 euer more & more And when she sawe hym tarye so Hyr hert was so ful of wo That compleynend manyfolde She hath hyr owne tale tolde Vnto her self & thus she spack A who fonde euer suche a lack Of slouthe in ony worthy knyght Now wote I wel my deth is dyght Thurgh hym whiche shold haue be my ●yf / But for to stynten al this stryf Thus when she syghe none other bote Ryght euen vnto her hert rote A naked sword anone she threste And thus she got hyr self reste In remembraunce of al slowe Wherof my sone thou myght knowe Hou taryeng vpon the nede In loues cause is for to drede And that hath Dydo sore abought Whoos deth shal euer be bethought And euermore yf I shal seche In this maner another speche In a Cronyke I fynde wryte A tale whiche is good to wyte

His loquitur super eodem qualiter ●enolope vlixum maritum suum in obsidione Troie diucius morantem ob ipsius ibidem tardacionem epistola sua redargiut

aT Twye when kyng Vlyxes Vpon the sege among the pres Of hem the worthy knightes were Abode longe tyme stylle there In thylke tyme a man may see Hou goodly that Penolope Whiche was to hym his trewe wyf Of his lachesse wa● pleyntyf Wherof to Troye she hym sende Hyr wylle by letter thus spekende My worthy loue & lorde alsso It is & hath be euer soo That where a woman is alone At maketh a man in his persoue The more hardy for to wowe In hope that she wolde bowe To suche thyuge as his wylle werr Whyle that here lord were elles where And of my self I telle this For it so long passed is Syth fyrste that ye from home went That we le nyhe euery man is went To come there I am whyle ye be oute And besyly eche of hem aboute Whiche loue can / my loue secheth With grete prayer & me bysecheth And somme maken grete manace That yf they myght come in place Where that they myght here wyl haue There is no thyng me shold saue That they ne wold worche thynges And somme telle me tydynges That ye he dede & somme seyn That certeynly ye be beseyn To loue a newe & leue me But holle as euer that it be I thanke vnto the goddes alle As yet for ought that is byfalle May no man do my chekes rede But netheles it is to drede That lachesse in contynuaunce Fortune myght werke suche a●chaunce Whiche noman● after shal amende Loo thus thys lady compleynend A letter vnto hyr lord hath wryte And prayd hym that he wold wyte And thynke how that she was al his And that he tarye not in this But that he wold his loue acquyte To her ayeneward & not wryte But come hym self in al hast That he none other paper wast Soo that he kepe & holde his trouthe Withoute let of ony slouthe Vnto her lord & loue lyege To Troye where the grete syege Was leyd / this letter was conueyd And he whiche wysedom hath purueyd Of al that to reson belongeth With gentyl hert it vnderfongeth And when he hath it ouer rad In part he was ryght Inly glad And eke in part he was dysesed But loue his hert hath thorugh sesed With pure ymagynacyon That for none occupacyon Whiche he gan take on other syde He may not flyt his hert asyde For that his wyf hym had enformed Wherof he hath hym self conformed With al the wyl of his courage To shape & take the ●yage Homeward what tyme that he may Soo that hym thynketh one day A thousand yere tyl he may see The ●ysage of Penolope Whiche he desyreth moost of alle And when the tyme was so byfalle That Troye was destroyed & brent He made no delayment But goth hym home in al hyghe Where that he fond to fore his eye His worthy wyf in good estate And thus was seced the debate Of loue & slouthe was excused Which doth gret harme where it is bsed And hyndreth many a cause honest

Nota ad huc de quodam Astrologo super eodem qui quondam opus ingeniosum quasi ad complementum septennius perducens vnius momenti tardacione omnem sui operis diligenciam pe nitus feustrauit /

For of the grete clerk Grostest I rede how redy that he was Vpon clergyr an hede of bras To make & forge it for to telle Of suche thynges as befelle And seuen yeres besynesse He layde but for the lachesse Of half a mynute of an houre Fro fyrst that he began laboure He lost al that he had do And other whyle it fareth soo In loues cause who is slowe That he withoute vnder the wowe By nyght fue ofte stant a colde Whiche myght yf that he had wolde His tyme haue kept haue ben Inne

Nota ad huc contra tardacionem de virginibus fatuis que ni●●iam moram facientes intrante sponso ad nupa●●s cum ipso non introterunt

But slouthe may no profyt wynne But he may synge in his Carole How late ware come to the dole Where he no good receyue myght And that was proued wel by nyght Whylome of the maydens fyue When thylk lord cam for to wyue For that her oy●e was awey To lyght her lampes in the wey Here slouthe brought it so aboute Fro hym that they be shet oute Wherof my sone that thou beware As ferforth as I the telle dare For l●u● must be awayted And yf thou be not wel affayted In loue to esehewe slouthe My sone for to telle trouthe Thou myght not of thy self be able To wynne loue or make it stable As though thou myghtest loue acheue My fadre that I may wel leue But me was neuer assygned place Where yet to gete ony grace ●e me was no suche tyme appoynted For than I wold I were vnioynted Of euery lyme that I haue If I ne shold hepe & saue Myn oure bethe & eke my seede If my lady it had ●●de But she is otherwyse auysed Than graunt suche tyme assysed And netheles of my lachesse There hath be no defaulte I gesse Of tyme lost yf that I myght But yf her lyketh not alyght ●pon no lure whiche I fynde & cast For ay the more I crye fast The lesse her lyketh for to here So for to speke of this matere I seche that I may not fynde I hast & euer I am behynde And wote not what it may amounte But fadre vpon myn acompte Whiche ye ben set to examyne Of shryft after the diseyplyne Say what youre best counseyl is My sonne my counseyl is this How so it stonde of tyme a goo Doo forth thy besynes soo That no lachesse in the be founde For slouthe is myghty to confounde The speed of euery man● werke For many a vyce as sayth the clerke There hongen vpon slouthes lappe Of suche as maketh man myshappe To pleyne & telle of that I wyst And therupon yf that the lyst To knowe of slouthes cause more In specyal yet ouermore There is a vyce ful greuable To hym whiche is therof culpable And stant of al wrtues bare Here after as I shal declare

Qui nichi●●attempt●t nichil expedit ore que muto / Munus amicicie vir sibi caro capit / Est modus in verbis sed et qui parcit amori / Verba referre sua ●ō fauet vllus amor

Hic loquitur Confessor de quadam specie Accidie que pusillanimitas dicta est cuius Imaginatiua formido neque virtutes aggredi neque vicia f●gere audet / sic quam vtriusque vite tam actiue quam contemplatiue premium non attingit

Ouchend of slouth in his degre t There is yet pusillanymyte Whiche is to saye in this langage He that hath lytel of courage And dare not mans werke legynne So may he not by reson wynne For who that dare nought vndertake By ryght he shal no profyte take But of this vyce the nature Dare no thyug set in auenture Hym lacketh both worth & dede Wherof he sholde his cause spede He wol no manhode vnderstonde For euer he hath drede vpon honde Al his peryll that he shal saye Hym thynketh the wolf is in the way And of ymagynacyon He maketh his excusacyon And feyneth cause of pure drede And euer he fayleth at nede Tyl al be spylt that he with deleth He hath the sore whiche no man heleth The whiche is cleped lak of herte Though euery grace aboute hym sterte He wol not ones stew his fote So that by reson lese he mote That wol not aunter for to wynne And soo forth sone yf we begynne To speke of loue & his seruyce There ben truantes in suche a wyse That lakken hert vhan best were They speken of loue & ryght for fere They wexen dombe & dare not telle Withoute soune as doth the belle Whiche hath no claper for to chyme And ryght so they as for the tyme ●●on herteles withoute speche Of loue & dare no thyng byseche And thus they lese & wynne nought For thy my sone yf thou art ought Culpable as touchend of this slouthe Shryue the therof & telle me trouthe My sadee I am al beknowe That I haue ben one of the slowe As for to telle in loues ●●as Myn hert is yet & euer was And though the world shold to breke So ferful that I dar not speke Of what purpoos that I haue nome When I toward my lady come But lete it passe & ouer goo My sone do no more soo For after that a man pursueth To loue so fortune seweth Ful ofte & yeueth her happy chaunce To hym whiche maketh contynuaunce To preyse loue & to byseche As by ●nsample I shal the teche

Hic in ●moris causa loquitur contra 〈◊〉 / Et dicit qd Amons pre timore verbis obtumeseere non debet sed concinuando 〈◊〉 sui amous ●●dia onem tucius prosequ●tur / Et ponit consessor Exemplum qualiter Pigma●ion / pro ●0 quam preces continuauit quandam imaginem e●urneam cuius puleritudinis concupiscencia illaque●tus extitit in carnem & sanguinem ad latus suum transformatam sencijt

I Fynd hou whilome ther was one Whos Iname was Pygmalyone Whiche was a lusty man of youthe The werkes of entayll he couthe Aboue al other men as tho And though fortune fel hym so As he whome loue shal trauayle He made an Image of entayle Lycho to a woman in semblaunce Of feture & of contynaunce Soo fayre was neuer fygure Ryght as alyues creature She semeth for of yuor whyte He hath hyr wrought of suche delyte She was rody on the eheke And rody vpon hyr lyppes eke Wherof that he hym self begyleth For with a goodly looke she smyloth So that thurgh pure Impressyon Of his owne Imagynacion With al the herte of his courage His loue vpon this faire ymage He set & hyr of lone he preyde But she no word ayeneward seyde The long day what thyng he dede This Image in the same stede Was euer by and att mete He wold hyr serue & prayde her ete And put vnto her mouthe the cuppe And when the boord was taken vppe He hath hyr in to his Chambre nome And after when the nyght was come He leyd hyr in his led al naked He was for wepte he was for wasted He kyste her colde lyppes ofte And wyssheth that they were softe And ofte he ronneth in her ere And ofte his arme now here & there He s●yd as he wold hyr embrace And euer among he axeth grace As though she wyst what he ment And thus hym self he gan torment With suche dysese of loues peyne That noman myght hym more peyne But how it were of his penaunce He made suche contynuaunce Fro day to nyght & prayd so long That his prayer is vnderfonge Whiche Venus of hyr grace herd By nyght & when that he werst ferd And it say in his naked arme The cold ymage he felt warme Of flessh & bone & ful of lyf ●o thus he wan a lusty wyf Whiche obeysaunt was at his wylle And yf he wold haue hold hym stylle And no thyng spoke he shold haue faysed / But for he hath his word tra uayfed / And durst speke his loue he spedde / And al that he wold abedde For or they went than a two A man childe betwene hem two They ga●●e whiche that hyght ●aphus after the whome yet ful ryght A certeyne y●● whiche paphos Men clepe & of this name aros By this ensample thou myght fynde That worde may worche aboue kynde For thy my sone yf that thou spare To speke lost is al thy fare For slouthe bryngeth Inne al wo And ouer this to loke also The god of loue is fauourable To hem that be of loue stable And many a wondre hath byfalle Wherof to speke amonges alle If that ye lyst to taken hede Wherof a solempne tale I rede Whiche I shal telle in remembraunce Vpon the sorte of loues chaunce

Hic ponit exemplum super eodem qualiter Rex Ligdus vxo●i sue ▪ Thela cuse pregnanti ●●nabatur / quam si ●●●am pareret Infans occidetetur ▪ que tamen postea aim filiam ediderat . Isis de● patt●s tunc presens ▪ Fi●●am nomine fili● Iphi appellari / ipsam que more maseu●● educare admonuit / quam pater Fi●●●● credens Ipsam in maritagium fil●● cuiusdam principis e●a●e slita copulauit Sed cum Iphis debitum sui co●●ugij vnde soluere non habnit deos in sui ad iutorium interpellabat / qui super hoc miserti femineum genus in mascu●●n●● ob affectum / nature Ip●e per omnia transmu●●runt

tHe kyng Lyg●us vpon a s●ryf Spa● vnto Thelacuse his wif Which than was with chyld● grete ▪ He swore it shold not be lete That yf she had a doughter ●ore That it n● shold be forlore And slayn wherof she sory was Soo it vyfel vpon this cas Whan she delyuerd shld be Isys by nyght in pryne●e Whiche of childyng ▪ is the goddesse Cam for to helpe in that dys●r●sse Tyll that this lady was al smal And had a doughter forth with al Whiche the goddesse in al weye Bad kepe & that they shold seye It were a sone & thus Iphys They named hym & vpon this The fadre was made for to wene And thus in chambre with the qu●●● This Iphis was forth drawe tho And clothed and arayed so Ryght as a kynges sone sholde Tyl after as fortu●e it wolde When it was of a ten yere age Hym was bytake in maryage A dukes doughter for to wedde Whiche Daun●e hyght & ofte a bedde These children lay she & she Whiche of one age both be Soo ▪ that within tyme of yere● To gede● as they ben pley fer●s Lyggend a bed vpon a nyght Nature whiche doth euery wyght Vpon her lawe for to muse Constreyneth hem so that vse Thyng whiche to hem was al vnknow Wherof Cupyde thylk throwe Toke pyte for the grete loue And lete do set kynde aboue So that her lawe may be vsed And they vpon her lust e●cused For loue ha●eth no thyng more Than thyng whiche stant ayenst ye●ore Of that nature ● kynde hath s●t For thy Cupyde hath so beset His grace vpon this auenture That he acordaunt to nature When that he sawe the tyme best That eche of hem hath other ●est Transformeth Iphe in to a man Wherof the kynde loue he wan Of lusty yongthe Iante his wyf And tho they led a mery lyf Whiche was to kynde none offence And thus to take an euydence It semeth loue is wel wyllend To hem that be contynuend With ●esy hert to pursue Thynge whiche is to loue due Wherof my sone in this matere Thou myght ●nsample taken here That with thy gre●e besynesse Thou myght at●●yne to rych●sse Of loue yf that there be no slouth● I dar wel say by my trouth : As fe● as my wyt can seche My fadre as for lak of speche But se as I me sh●oof to fore There is none other tyme lore Wherof ther myght be obstacle To let● loue of his myracle Whiche I bys●ch● day & nyght But fadre so as is ryght In forme of shryf●e to be knowe What thyng belongeth to the slowe Your faderhode I wol prey If ther be forther ony weye Touchend vnto this ylk vyce My sone ye of this offyce Ther serueth one in specyal Whiche hath lost his memoryal So that he can not withholde In thyng whiche to kepe is holde Wherof hym self ful ofte agreueth And who that moost vpon hym leueth When that his wyttes ●en so weyued He may ful lytel be deceyued

Mentibus oblita alienis labitur i●●e Quem probat accidia non meminisse fui Sic amor incautus qui non memoratur ad horas / Perdit & offendit quod ●●pera●e nequit .

Hic tractat Confessor de vicio obliuionis quam mater eius Accidia ad o●s virtutum memo●ias nec non & in amo ris causa inmemorem constitu●t

tO serue Accidie in his offyce Ther is of slouth another vice Whiche cleped is foryet ylness● That may not in his hert impresse Of vertu whiche reson hath sette So clene his wyttes he foryede For in the tellyng of his tale No more his hert than his male Hath remembraunce of thy●k forme Wherof he shold his wyt enforme And than yet ne wote he why Thus is his purpoos nought for thy Forlore of that he wold abyde And scarsely yf he seeth the tyde To loue of that he had ment Thus many a louer hath be shent Telle on therfore hast thou be one Of hem that hath slouthe so begone Y● fader it hath ofte be so That when I am my lady fro And thynke vnto ward her drawe Then cast I many a newe lawe And al the world torne vp so doune And so decorde I my lesson And wryte in my memoral That I to her telle shal For when I come there she is I haue it al foryete ●wy● Of that I thought for to telle I can not than vnnethes spelle That I wende alther best haue red So sore of her I am adred For as a man that sodenly A goost byhelde so fare I So that for fere I can not get● My wyt but I my self foryete That I wo●● neuer what I am N● whether I shal ne when I cam But muse as he that were amased ●yche to the book in whiche is rased The letter & may no thyng be rad See ben my wyttes ouer lad That what as euer I thought haue spo●en It is oute fro myn hert stoken And stonde as who sayth dombe & deef That al nys worth an Iuy leef Of that I wende wel haue say● And at last I make abrayd ●ast vp myn heede & loke aboute ●●ght as a man that were in doude And wote not where he shal bycome Thus am I oft al ouercome There as I wende best for to stonde But after when I vnderstonde And am in other place alone I make many a woful mone Vnto my self & speke soo A fool where was thyn hert tho ▪ When thou thy worthy lady syghe Were thou ●ferd than of her eye For of her hond there is no drede So wel I knowe her womanly de That in her is no more oul●●age Then in a child of thre yere age Why hast thou drede of so good one Whome al vertu both begone That in her is no vyolence But goodlyhede & Innocence Withoute spot●e of ony blame A nyce hert Fy for shame A coward herte of loue vnlered Wherof art thou so sore afered That thy ●ong thou suffcest frese And wolt thy goodly wordes lese When thou hast fonde tyme & space How sholdest thou deserue grace When thou thy self darst axe none But al thou hast foryete anone And thus despute in loues ●ore But helpe I fynde none the more But stomble vpon myn owne treyne And make an akynge of my peyne For euer when I thynk among Ho● al is on my self along I say O fool of al fooles Thou farest as bytwene two stole● ▪ That wold sytte & goth to groū●● It was ne neuer it shal be founde Bytwene foryetylnes & drede That man shold ony cause spede And thus myn holy fadre dere Toward my self as ye may hare I pleyne of my fo●yetylnesse But elles al the besynesse That may be take of mans thought My hert taketh & is thurgh sough● To thynken euer vpon that swe●● Withoute slouthe I you byhete For what so falle or wele or wo That thought foryete I neuerm● Where so I laugh or where so I loure Nought half a mynute of an oure Ne myght I lete oute of my mynde But yf Itho●ght vpon that hende Therof ne shal no slouthe lette Tyl deth oute of this world me fet●e Al though I had on suche a ryng As moyses thorugh his enchauntynge Somtyme in Ethyope made When that he Tharbys wedded hade Whiche ryng bare of oblyuyon The name and was by reson That where on a fynger it sate Anone his loue he so forya●e And that he had it neuer knowe And so it fel that ylke throwe When Tharbys had it on her hond No knowlechyng of hym she fond But al was clene oute of memorye As men may rede in his storye And thus he went quyte aweye That neuer after thylk day She thought that ther was suche one Al was foryete & ouer gone But in good feyth soo may not I For she is euer fast by So that myn herte toucheth That for no thyng that slouthe voucheth I may foryete her leef ne loth For oueral where as she goth Myn herte foloweth hyr aboute Thus may I say withoute doute For ●e● for werse for ought for nought She passeth neuer fro my thought But when I am there as she is Myn herte as I you seyd or this Somtym● of hyr is so sore adrad And somtyme is ouerglad And once of reule & o●●e of space For when I see her goodly face And thynke vpon hyr hyghe prys As though I were in paradys I am so ●●uesshed on the syght To speke vnto her I n● myght As for the tyme though I welde For I ne may my wyt vnfolde To fynde one word of that I men● But al is it forye●● clene And though I stonde ther a myle Al is foryerte for the whyle A tonḡe I haue & wordes none And thus I stond● & thynke alone Of thyng that h●lpeth ofte nought But what I had afore thought To speke when I come there It is fory●●● as nought ne were And stonde ●mased & asso●ed That of no thyng which I haue noted I can not than a note synge But al is oute of knoulechynge Thus what for ioye & what for drede Al is forye●e at the nede So that my fader of this slouth I haue you sayd the pleyn trouth Ye may it as ye lyst redresse For thus stant my foryetylnesse And eke my pusyllanymy●e Saye now forth what ye lyke to me For I wol only do by you My sone I haue wel herd hou thou Hast sayd & thou must amende For loue his grace wol not sende To that man whiche dare axe none For this we knowen euerychone A mans thought withoute speche God wote & yet men byseche His wyl is for withoute bedys He dothe his grace but in fewe stedys And what man that foryete hym selue Among a thousand be not twelue That wol hym take in remembraunce But lete hym falle & take his chaunce For thy pul vp a besy herte My sone & lete no thyng aster●e Of loue fro thy besynesses For touchyng of foryetylnesse Whiche many a loue hath set behynde A tale of grete ensample I fynde Wherof it is py●e for to wyte In the maner as it is wryte

Hic in amoris causa contra obliuiosos ponit Confessor Exemplum / qualiter Demophon versus bellum Troia num itinerando a Philli de Rodepey regina non tantum in hospicium sed eciam in amorem gandio magno susceptus est qui postea a● ipsa Tro●● descendens rediturum infra certum tempus fide●●ss● me se compromisit / sed qiua huiusmodi promissiones diem statutum oblitus ● Phillis obliuionem Demephontis lacrimis primo deplangens tandem cordula collo suo circumligata ▪ se mortuam suspendit

kYng demophon when he by ship To Troye ward with felauship Seylend goth vpon his weye It hapneth hym at Rodepeyr As Eolus hym had blowe To l●nd & rested for a throwe And feste that ylke tyme thus That the daughter of Lygurgius Whiche quene was of the countre Was soiourned in the Cyte Within a Castel in the stronde Where Demophon cam vp to the londe ●hylles she hyght & of yong age And bothe of stature & of ●ysage She had al that hyr best vesemeth Of Demophon ryght wel her quemeth When he was come she made hym chere And he that was of suche manere A lusty knyght ne myght asterte That he ne s●t on hyr his herte So that within a day or twoo He thought how euer that he go He wold assaye the fortune And gan with this quene comune With goooly wordes in her ere And for to put hyr oute of fere He swore & hath his trouthe plyght To be for euer hyr owne knyght And thus with hyr he stylle abode There whyle his shyp on anker rood And bad ynough of tyme & space To speke of loue & seke grace This lady herd al that he sayde How he swore & how he prayde Whiche was an enchauntement To her that was an Innocent And though it were trouthe & feyth She leueth al that euer he seyth And as her fortune sholde She graunteth hym al that he wolde Thus was he for the tyme in ioye Tyl that he shold go to T●o●e But tho she made mochel sorowe And he his trouth leyd to sorowe To come & yf that he lyue may Ageyne within a moneth day And therupon they kysten bothe But were hym leef or were hym loth To shyp he goth & forth he went To Troye as was his first entent The dayes gone the monethe passeth Her loue encreseth & his lasseth For hym she lost slepe & mete And he his tyme hath al foryete So that this woful yong quene Whiche wote not what it myght mene A letter send & prayd hym come And sayd that she was ouercome With strengthe of loue in suche a wyse That she not long may suffyse To lyuen out of his presence And put vpon his conseyence The trouthe whiche he hath 〈◊〉 Wherof she loueth hym so hote She sayth yf that he lenger lette Of suche a / day as she hym sette She shold ste●●en in his slouthe Whiche were a shame vnto his trouth This letter is forth vpon hyr fonde Wherof somdele comfort on honde She took as she that wold abyde And wayteth vpon that ylke tyde Whiche she hath in her letter wryte But now is pyte for to wyte As he dyde erst / so he forgate His tyme eftsone & forsate But she whiche myght not do so The tyde awayteth euermo And cast hyr eye vpon the se● Somtyme nay somtyme ye Somtyme he cam somtyme nought Thus she dysputeth in her thought And wote not what she thynke may But fastend al the long day She was in to the derk nyght And tho / she hath do set vp lyght In a lanterne on hyghe 〈◊〉 Vpon a toure where she goth ofte In hope that in his comyng He shold see the lyght brennyng Wherof he myght his weyes ryght To come where she was by nyght But al for nonght she was deceyued For Venus hath hyr hope weyued And shewed hyr vpon the sky How that the day was fast by So that within a lytel throwe The dayes lyght she myght knowe Tho she byhelde the see at large And when she saw ther was no barge ●e shyp 〈◊〉 fer as she may kenne Doune fro the tour she gan to renne In to an herber al hyr one Where many a wonder woful mone She made that no lyf it wyst As she whiche al her ioye myst That now she swouneth now she pleyneth And her face she dyst●yneth With teres whiche as of a welle The stremes from her eyen felle So as she myght & euer in one She cleped vpon Demephon And sayd Allas thou slowe wyght There was neuer suche a knyght That so thorugh his vngentylnesse Of slouthe & of foryetylnesse Ayenst his trouthe breketh his steuene And tho hyr eye vp to the heuene She cast & sayde O thou vnkynde Here shalt thou for thy slouthe fynde If that the lyst to come & see A lady dede for loue of the So as I shal my selue spylle Whome yf it had be thy wylle Thou myghtest saue wel Inough With that vpon a grene bough A 〈◊〉 of syle whiche there she ha d She knyt & so hyr self she lad That she aboute hyr whyte swere Hit dede / & henge hyr self there Wherof the goddes were amoued And Demephon was reproued That of the goddes prouydence Was shape suche an euydence Euer afterward ayene the slowe That ●hillis in the same throwe Was shape in to a note tre That al men it myght see And afterward ●hyllys ●hyllerd This tre was cleped in the yerd And yet for Demophon to shame In to this daye it bereth the name This woful chaunce & how it ferde Anone as Demephon it herde And euery man it had in speche His sorowe was not tho to seche He gan his slouthe for to banne But it was al to late thanne Lo thus my sone myght thou wyte Ayene this vyde hou it is wryte For no man may the harmes gesse That fallen thurgh foryetylnesse Wherof that I thy shryft haue herd But yet of slouthe hou it hath ferd In other wyse I thenke oppose If thou haue gylt as I suppose

Dum plantare licet cultor qui n●cli git ortum / Si desint feuctus imputat ipse sibi / Preterit ista dies bona nec valebit illa secunda . Hoc caret exemplo lentus amore suo /

Hic tractat Confessor de vicijs necligencie cuius condicio A●●idiam amplectens omnes artes sciencie tam in ●mo●s cansa quam aliter ignominiosa pretermittens / cum nullum poterit eminere remedium sui ministerij diligenciam ey post facto in vacuum attemptare presumit

fVlfylled of slouthes exemplair Ther is yet one his secretayr And he is cleped Necligence Whiche wol not loke his euydence Wherof he may beware to fore But when he hath his cause lore Than is he wyse after the hond When helpe may no maner bond Than at fyrst wold he bynde Thus euermore he stant behynde When he the thyng may not amende Than is he ware / and seyth at the ende A wold god I had knowe Wherof beiaped with a mowe He goth / for when the grete stede Is stole than he taketh hede And maketh the stable dore fast Thus euer he pleyth an after cast Of al that he shal saye or do He hath a maner ●ke also Hym lyst not lerne to be wyse For le sett of no vertu pryse But as hym lyketh for the whyle So fayleth he ful ofte gyle When that he weneth seker to stonde And thus thou myght wel vnderstonde My sone yf thou art suche in loue Thou myght not come at thyn aboue Of that thou woldest wel acheue ▪

Amans Myn holy fadre as I leue I may wel with sauf conscyence Eycuse me of neglygence Towardes loue in al wise For though I ●e none of the wyse So truly I am amerous That I am euer curyous Of hem that can best enforme To knowen & wyten al the forme What falleth vnto loues / craft But yet ne fond I nought the haft Whiche myght vnto the blade acorde For neuer herd I man recorde What thyng it is that myght auayle To wynne loue withoute fayle Yet so ferforth couthe I neuer fynde Man that by reson ne by kynde Me conthe teche suche an arte That he ne fayled of a parte And as toward myn owne wyt Contryue I couthe neuer yet To fynde ony se●yrnesse That me myght other more or lesse Of loue make me for to spede For leueth wel withouten drede That yf ther were suche a weye As certaynly as I shal deye I had it lerned long a go But I wote wel there is none so And netheles it may wel be I am soo rude in my degre And eke my wyttes ben soo dul That I ne may nought to the ful Atteyne vnto so hyghe a lo●e But this I dar seye ouermore Al though my wyt be not strong It is not on my wyl along For that is ●●sy nyght & day To lerne al that I lern emay Hou that I myght loue wynne But yet I am as to begynne If I wold make an ende And for I not hou it shal wende That is to me my moost sorowe But I dare take god to borowe As after myn entendement None other wyse neclygent Than I you saye haue I not be For thy pur seynt charyte Telle me my fadre what yow semeth

Confessor In good feyth sone wel me quemeth That thou thy self hast thus acquyte Toward this vyce in whiche noo wyte A byde may for in an houre He lost al that he may laboure The long yere soo that men seyne What euer he doth it is in veyne For thorugh the slouthe of neclygence There was neuer suche a scyence Ne vertue whiche was bodely That nys destroyed & lost therby Ensample that it hath be soo In bokes I fynde wryte also

Hic contra vicium necligencie ponit Confessor Exemplum Et narrat ꝙ cum Pheton filius solis currum pa●●is sui per 〈◊〉 Regere debuerat ad monitus a patre vt equos ne deuiarent equa manu diligencius 〈◊〉 ipse cons● lium pris sua necligēcia pret●●ēs equos curru nimis basse errare permisit / vn de non solum incendio orbem inflammauit / sed & ipsum de curru cadendem in quoddam fluuium demergi ad inte●●tum causauit

phebus whiche is the sonne hote That shyneth vpon erthe hote And causeth euery lyues helthe He had a sone in al his welthe Whiche Pheton hyght & he desyreth And with his modre he conspyreth The whiche was cleped Clemene For helpe & counseyl so that he His fadre cart lede myght Vpon the fayre dayes lyght And for this thyng they both prayde Vnto the fadre & he sayde He wold wel but forth with al Thre poyntes he bad in specyal Vnto his sone in al wyse That he hym shold wel auyse And take it as by weye of lore The first was that he his hors to sore Ne pryk & after that he told That he the reynes fast hold And also that he be ryght ware In what maner he ledeth his chare That he mystake not his gate But vp auysement algate He shold bere a syker weye That he to lowe ne to heye His cart dryue at ony throwe For drede lest he shold be ouerthrowe And thus by Phebus ordynaunce Toke Pheton in to goueruaunce The sonnes cart whiche he lad B●t he suche veyn glory had Of that he was set vpon hygh That he his owne estate ne sygh Thorugh neglygence & took none hede So myght he wel not long spede For he the hors withouten lawe The cart lete aboute drawe Where as hym lyketh wantonly That at the last sodenly For he no reson wold knowe This fyry cart he droue to lowe And fyreth al the world aboute Wherof they weren al in doute And to the god for helpe cryden Of suche vnhappes as betyden Phebus whyche sawe the neglygence How Pheton ayene his defence His chare hath dryue oute of the weye Ordeyneth that he fel a weye Oute of the cart in to the flood And drowned lo now how it stood With hym that was so neglygent That fro the hyghe fyrmament For that he wold goo to lowe He was anone doune ouerthrowe In hyghe estate it is a vyce To goo to lowe & in seruyce It greueth for to goo to hyghe Wherof a tale in ●eesye

Exemplum super eodem de Icharo filio Didali in carcere minotau● existente / cui Dedalus vt inde eu●faret alas componens firmite● imunxit / ne nimis alte propter solis ardorem ascen deret ▪ quod Icharus sua ngligēcia post ponens cum alcius sublimatus f●●sset subito ad terram corruens expira●●t

I Fynde how whylome Dedalus Whiche had a sone / and Icharus He hyght & though hym thought loth In suche pryson they were both With mynotaurus that aboute They myghten nowher wenden oute So they bygonnen for to shape How they the pryson myght escape This Dedalus whiche fro his youthe Was taught & many craftes couthe Of fethers & of other thynges Hath made to flee dyuers wynges For hym & for his sone also To whome he yafe in charge tho And bad hym thynke therupon How that his wynges be set on With wax & yf he took his flyght To hyghe al sodenlyche he myght Make it to melte with the sonne And thus they haue hyr flyʒt legōne Oute of the pryson fayre & softe And they were both alofte This Icharus gan to mounte And of the good counseyl none acompte He set whiche his fadre taught Tyl that the sonne his wynges caught Wherof it melt & ●rom the hyght Withouten helpe of ony flyght . He felle to hi● destructyon And lych● to that condycyon There fallen oftymes fele For lok of gouernaunce in wele Als wel in loue as other weye N●w good fadre I yow preye If ther be more in the matere ●f s●uthe that I myght it here M● sene & for thy dylyg●nce Whiche euery mans comeyence ●y reson shold reule ● kepe And yf that the lyst to take kepe 〈◊〉 the trllen abouen alle 〈…〉 me no vertu may befalle Whiche yeueth vnto the vyces rest And is of sleuthe the slowest

Absque labore vagus vi● inutilis ●●a plec●eno / Nescio qui● 〈◊〉 vita v●●● bit ei . Non amor in ta●● nusero ●i get imme valoris / Qui faciunt opera clamat habere su●s /

Hic loquitur Confessor super illa specie ●ue Ocium dicitur / auus condiao in virtutum cultura nullius occupacionis diligenciam admittene / cuiusaim que expe●icionem cause non attingit

aMong these other of ●louthes kynde / Whiche al labour set behynde . And hateth al besynes T●●re is yet one whiche Idelnes Is cleped and is the noryoe In mans kynde of euery vyce Whiche secheth cases many folde In wynter doth he nought for colde In somer may he nought for hete Soo whether that he freese or swete Or be he in or be he oute He wol ben ydel al aboute But yf he pley ought at the dyes For who that euer taketh fees And thynketh worship to deserue There is no lord whome he wol serue And for to duelle in his seruyce But for it were in suche a wyse Of that he seeth parauenture That by lordship & by oeuerture He may the more s●onde stylla And vse his Idelnesse at wylle For he ne wol no trauaylle take To ryde for his lady sake But lyueth vpon al his wysshes And as a Catt wold ete Fysshes Without wetyng of his clees So wold he do but netheles He fayleth of that he haue wolde

Confessor My sone yf thou of suche a molde Art made telle me pleyne thy shryft

Amans My fadre god I yeue a yift That toward loue as he may wytt Al ydel was I neuer yett Ne neuer shal whyle I may goo Now sone telle me than so What hast thou done of besyshyp To loue & to the ladyshyp Of hyr whiche thy lady is My fadre euer yet or this In euery place in euery stede What so my lady hath me bede With al myn herte obedyent I haue therto be dylygent And yf so be that she byd nought What thyng in to my thought Cometh fyrst of that I may suffyse I bowe & profre my seruyce Sometyme in chambre somtyme in halle Ryght so as I see the tymes falle And when she goth to here masse That tyme shal not me ouerpasse That I ne approche hyr ladyhede In aunter yf I may hyr lede Vnto the chapel and ageyne Than is not al my wey in veyne Somdele I may the better fare When I that may not fele hyr bare May lede hyr clothed in myn arme But afterward it doth me harme Of pure Imagynacyon For than there a collacyon I make vnto my seluen ofte And say O lord how she is softe How she is round . how she is smal Now wold god / I hadde hyr al Withoute daunger at my wylle And than I syke & sitte ful stylle Of that I see my besy thought Is torned Idel in to nought But for al that lete I ne may When I see tyme another day That I ne do my besynes Vnto my ladyes worthynes For I therto my wytte affayte To see the tyme & awayte What is to done & what is to leue And so whan tyme is by hyr leue What thyng she bydde me do I doo And where she bydde me go ● goo And when hyr lyst to clepe I come Thus hath she fullyche ouercome Myn Idelnesse tyl that I sterue Soo that I mote hyr nedes serue For as men seyn nede hath no lawe Thus mote I nedely to her deawe I serue I bowe I lofte I lowte Myn eye foloweth hyr aboute What so she wol so wol I When she wol syt I knele her by And when she stondeth than wol I stond But when she taketh hir werk on hond Of weuyng or of brouderye Than can I not but muse & prye Vpon hyr fyngers long & smale And now I thynke & now I tale And now I synge & now I syke And now my contenaunce I pyke And yf it falle as for a tyme Her lyketh nought abyde byme But occupyeth hyr on other thynges Than make I other taryenges To dryue forth the long daye For me is loth to departe a waye And than I am so symple of port That for to feyne somme dysport I play wyth hyr lytel hounde Now on the bed now on the ground Now with the byrdes in the cage For there is none so lytel page Ne yet so symple a Chamberere That I ne make hem alle chere And al for they shold speke wele Thus may ye see my besy whele That goth not ydelyche aboute A 〈…〉 her lyst to ryden oute 〈…〉 or other stede I come thus though I be not bede And take hyr in myn arme alofte And set hyr in hyr sadel softe And so forth lede hyr by the brydel For that I wold not ben ydel And yf her lyst to ryde in chare And that I may therof be ware A none I shape me for to ryde Ryght euen by the chares syde And as I may I speke among And otherwhyle I synge a songe Whiche Ouyde in his book made And sayd O what sorowes glade O what woful prosperyte Belongeth to the propyrte Of loue who so wol hym serue And yet ther fro may no man swerue That he ne mote his lawe obeye And thus I ryde forth my weye And am ryght besy oueral With herte & with my body al As I haue sayd yow here to fore My good fadre telle me therfore Of ydelnes yf I haue gylt My sone but yf thou alle wylt Ought elles than I may now here Thou shalt haue no penaunce here And netheles a man may see How now a dayes that ther be Ful many of suche hertes slowe That wol not besyen hem to be knowe What thyng that loue is tyl at the last That he with strengthe hem ouercast That maulgre hem they mote obeye And done al ydelshyp aweye To serue wel & besylyche But sone than art thou none of suche For loue shal the wel excuse But otherwyse yf thou refuse To loue thou myght so par ca●s B●n Idel as somtyme was A kynges doughter vnauysed Tyl that Cupyde hyr hath chastysed Where of thou shalt a tal● here Acordaunt vnto this matere

Hic ponit Confessor Ex●mplum ●●os qui in amoris occupacionem omit 〈◊〉 grauioris infortunij casus expectant / Et narrat de quadam Armennie Regis filia que huiusmodi condicionis in ●anapio iuuentutis ociosa persistens micabili postea visione castigata in amoris obseqiuum pre ceteris diligencior efficitur /

oF armenye I rede thus Ther was a kyng whiche herupus / Was hote & he a lusty mayde . To doughter had & as men saide Her name was Rosiphele Whiche tho was of grete renome For she was bothe wyse & feyre And shold be hyr fadre heyre But she had one defaulte of slouthe Towardes loue & that was routhe For so wel couthe noman seye Whiche myght her set in the weye Of loues occupacyon Thorugh none Imagynacyon That seole wold she not knowe And thus she was one of the slowe As of suche hertes besynesse Tyl when Venus the goddesse Whiche loues court hath for to reule Hath brought her in to better reule Forth with Cupyde & his myght For they meruayle how suche a wyght Whiche tho was in her lusty age Desyreth nouther maryage Ne yet the loue of peramours Whiche euer hath ben the comon cours Among hem that lusty were So was it shewed after there For he that hye hertes loweth With fyry dart whiche he throweth Cupyde whiche of loue is god In chastysynge hath made a rod To dryue awey her wantonnesse Soo that within a whyle I gesse She had on suche a chaunce sporned That al her moo● was ouertorned Whiche fyrste she had of slowe manere For this it fel as thou shalt here When come was the moneth of may She wold walke vpon a day And that was or the sonne aryst Of women but a fewe it wyst And forthe she went pryuely Vnto the park was fast by Al soft walkend vpon the gras Tyl she cam ther the launde was Thorugh which there ran a grete riuer It thought hyr fayr & sayd her I wol abyde vnder the shawe And badde hyr women to withdrawe And there she stood alone stylle To thynke what was in her wylle She sawe the swete floures spryng She herd gladde foules synge She sawe bestes in her kynde The buk the doo the hert the hynde The male go with the femele And so bygan there a quarele Bytwene loue & hyr owne hert For whiche she couthe not astert And as she cast hyr eye aboute She sawe clad in one sute a route Of ladyes where they come ryde A long vnder the wode syde On fayre ambulend hors they sete That were al whyte fat & grete And they echone ryde on syde The sadeles were of suche a pryde With perles & gold so wel begone , So ryche sawe she neuer none In kyrtels & in copes ryche They were clothed al alyche Departed euen of whyte & blewe With al lustes that she knewe They were embroudred oueral Here bodyes were long & smal The beaute fayr vpon hyr face None erthely thyng it may deface Corownes on theyr hedes they bere As eche of hem a quene were That al the gold of Cresus halle The lest coronal of hem alle Myght not haue bought after the worth Thus come they rydend forth The kynges doughter that sawe that tide For pure abasshede drewe hyr asyde And held hyr cloos vnder abough And lete hem stylle ryde Inough For as her thought in her auyce To hem that were of suche a pryce She was not worthy to axe there Fro when they come & what they were But leuer than this worldes good She wold haue wyst how it stood And put hyr hede a lytel oute And as she loked hyr aboute She sawe comend vnder the lynde A woman vpon an hors behynde The hors on which she rood was blak Al ●ene & galled vpon the back And halted as he were enc●oyed Wherof the woman was annoyed Thus was the hors in sory plyght But for al that a sterre lyght Amyddes in the front she had Her sadel este was wonder bad In whiche the woful woman sat And netheles ther was with that A ryche brydel for the nones Of gold & precious stones Here cote was somdele to tore Aboute her myddel tweuty score Of hors halters & wel mo Ther hangen that tyme tho Thus when she cam the lady nyghe Thenne she took better hede & syghe This woman was fayr of vylage Fresshe lusty yong & tendre of age And so this lady there she stood Bethought hyr wel & vnderstood To this whiche come rydend tho Tydynges couthe telle of tho Whiche as she sawe to fore ryde And put hyr forth & prayd hyr abide And sayd O suster lete me here What ben they that ryden now here And ben so rychely arrayed This woman that so cam esmáyed Ausuerde with ful softe speche And sayd Madame I shal you teche These ar of tho that whylome were Seruauntes to loue & trouthe bere There as they had theyr hertes sett Fare wel for I may not let Madame I go to my seruyor So must I hast in al wyse For thy madame yeue me leue I may not long with you leue A good suster yet I preye Telle why ye be so beseye And with these haltres thus begone Madame whilome I was one That to my fadre had a kyng But I was slowe & for no thyng Me lyst not to loue obeye And that I now ful sore obeye For I why lome no loue had My hors is now feble & bad And al to tore is myn array And euery yere this fresshe may These lusty ladyes ryde aboute And I must nedes sewe her route In this maner as ye now see And trusse hyr haltres forth with me And am but her hors knaue None other offyce I ne haue Hem thynketh I am worthy no more For I was slowe in loues lore When I was able for to lere And wold not the tales here Of hem that couthe loue teche Now trsse me than I you byseche Where fore that ryche brydel serueth With that awey her chere she swerueth And gan to wepe & thus she told This ryche brydel whiche ye behold So ryche vpon myn hors hede Madame afore or I was dede When I was in my lusty lyf There felle in to myn herte a stryf Of loue whiche me ouercome So that therof hede I nome And thought I wold loue a knyght That last wel a fonrtenyght For it no lenger myght last So nyghe my lyf was at the last But now allas to late ware That I ne had hym loued are For deth cam so hast vyme ●r I therto had ony tyme That it ne myght ben acheued But for al that I am releued Of that my wylle was good therto That loue suffreth it be soo That I shal suche a brydel were Now haue ye herd al myn ansuere To god madame I yow betake And warneth al for my sake Of loue that they be nought ydel And byd hem thynke vpon my brydel And with that word al sodenly She passeth as it were a sky Al clene oute of the lady syght And tho for fore hyr hert aflyght And sayd to hyr self Allas I am ryght in the same caas But and I lyue after this daye I shal amende it yf that I maye And thus homeward this lady went And chaunged al hyr fyrst entent Within hyr hert & gan to s●bere That she no haltres wold bere Lo sone here myght thou take hede How / Idelnes is for to drede Namelyche of lone as I haue wryte For thou myght vnderstond & wyte Among the gentyl nacyon Loue is an occupacyon Whiche for to kepe his lustes saue Shold euery gentyl hert haue For as that lady was chastysed Ryght so the knyght may be auysed Whiche ydel is & wol not serue To longe he may per caas deserue A gretter peyne than she had When she aboute with her lad The hors haltres & for thy Good is to be ware ther by But for to loken abouen alle These maydens hou so it falle They shold take ensample of this Whiche I haue told forsothe it is My lady Venus whome I serue What wommen wol her thank deserue She may not thylk loue eschelbe Of peramours but she mote sewe Cnpydes lawe and netheles Men seyn suche loue selde in pees That it nys euer vpon afpye Of Iange lyuge & of fals enuye Ful ofte medled with dysese But thylk loue is wel at ease Whiche sett is vpon maryage For that dare shewen the vysage In alle places openly A grete meruaylle it is for thy How that a mayde wol lette That she her tyme ne besette To hast vnto thylke feste Wherof the loue is al honeste Men may recouer losse of good But so wyse a man yet neuer stood Whiche may recouer tyme lore So may a mayden wel therfore Ensample take of that she straungeth Hyr loue & long or that she chaungeth Hyr herte vpon hyr lustes grene To maryage as it is sene For thus a yere two or thre She left / or ▪ that she wedded be Whyle she the charge myght bere Of children whiche the wo●ld forbere Ne may but yf it sholde fayle But mayden that in her spousayle Wold tarye when she take may She shal per chaunce an other day Be let when that her leuest were Wherof a tale vnto thyn ere Whiche is culpable vpon this dede I thenke telle of that I rede

Ic ponit Exemplum super eodē● Et narrat de filla Iepte quc aim ●x sui patr●s voto in holocaustum deo oc cidi & offerri deveret ipsa pro eo quod virgo fuit & prolem ad augmētacionē populi dei nondum genuisset . xl . dierum spacium vt cum suis sodalibus virginibus suam defleret virginitatem priusquam moreretur in exemplum aliorum a patre postulauit

● Mong the Iewes as men told There was whylome by dayes old ▪ A noble duc which Iepte hyght / And felle he shold go to fyght Ageyne Amon the cruel kyng And for to speke vpon this thyng within his hert he made a vowe To god & sayd O lord yf thou Wol graunte vnto my men vyctorye I shal in tokne of thy memorye The fyrst lyf that I may see Or man or womman where it be Anone as I come home ageyne To the whiche art god souereyne Sleen in thy name & sacryfye And thus with his chyualrye He goth hym forth where that he sholde when be had wonne what he wolde And ouercam his fomen alle May noman knowe that shal falle This duk a lusty doughter had And fame whiche the world sprad Hath brought vnto this ladyes ere How that her fadre hath do there She wayteth vpon his comynge with daunsyng & with carolyng As she that wold be to fere Al other & so she was therfore In masphat at her fadres gate The fyrst & when he cometh ther ate And sawe his doughter he to brayde His clothes & wepend he sayde O myghty god amonge vs here Now wote I not in what manere This worldes ioye may be pleyne I had al that I couthe seyne Ayene my fomen by thy grace So when I cam to ward this place There was no gladder man than I But now my lord al sodenly My ioye is torned in to sorowe For I my doughter shal to morowe To he●e & brenne in thy seruyce To louynge of thy sacryfyce Though myn auowe so as it is The mayden when she wyst of this And sawe the sorow hyr fader made So as she maye with wordes glade Comforted hym & bad hym holde His couenaunt as he was beholde Towardes god as he behyght But netheles hyr hert aflyght Of that she sawe hyr deth comend And than vnto the ground knelend To fore hyr fadre she is falle And sayth so as it is falle Vpon this poynt that she shal dye Of one thyng first she wold hym prey That fourty dayes of respyte He wold hyr graunt vpon this plyght That she the while may be wepe Hyr maydenhede whiche she kepe So long hath had & not beset Wherof her youthe is let That she no children hath forth drawe In maryage after the lawe So that the peple is not encreced But that it myght be releced That she her tyme hath lore so She wold by his leue go With other maydens to compl●yne And after ward vnto the peyne Of doth she wold come ageyne The fader herd his doughter seyn And therupon of one assent The maydens were anone assent That sholden with this mayden wende So for to speke vnto this ende They gone the dounes & the dales With wepyng & woful tales And euery with hyr maydenhode Compleyneth vpon thilk nede That she no childer had bore Wherof she hath hyr youthe lore Whiche neuer she recouere may For so fel that hyr last day Was come in whiche she shold take Her deth whiche she may not forsake ●● thus she deyde a woful mayde For thylk cause whiche I sayde As thou hast vnderstonde aboue My fader as toward the loue Of maydens for to telle trouthe Ye haue thylk vyce of slouthe Me thynketh wonder wel declared That ye the women haue not spared Of hem that tary so behynde But yet it falleth in my mynde Toward the men hou that ye speke Of hem that wol no trauayl seke In cause of loue vpon desert To speke in wordes so couuert I not what trauayl that ye ment My sone & after myn entent I wol the telle hou that I thought Hou whilome men her loues bought Thorugh grete trauail in straunge londes Where that they wrought with her hondes Of armes many a worthy dede In sondry places as men may rede

Quem probat armorum probitas venus approbat & que in / Torpor habet reprobum reprobat illa virum / Vecors segnicies insignia nescit amoris Nam piger ad brauium tardius ipse venit

Hic loquitur quod in amoris causa milicie probitas ad armorum laboris eyercicium nullatenus torpescat

tHat euery loue of pure kynde Is fyrst forth drawe wel I fynde / But netheles yet ouer this , Deserte doth so that it is The rather had ▪ in many place For thy who so seche loues grace Where that these worthy women ar● He maye not than hym selue spare Vpon his trauayle for to serue Wherof that he may thank deserue These men of armes ther as they be Somtyme ouer the grete see So that by lond & eke by shyp He mote trauayle for worshyp And make many hasty rodes Sometyme in pruys somtyme in Rodes And somtyme in to Tartarye So that these herauldes on hym crye Vaylant Vaylant / lo where he goth And he yeueth hem gold & clothe So that his name myght sprynge And to his lady ere brynge Somme tydyng of his worthynesse So that she myght of his prowesse Of that she herd men recorde The better vnto his loue acorde And daunger put oute of her mood When al men recorden good And that she wote wel for her sake That 〈◊〉 no trauayl wold forsake My sone of this trauayle I mene Now shryue the for it shal be sene If thou art ydel in this cas My fader ye and euer was For as me thynketh truly That euery man doth more than I And of this poynt & yf so is That I haue ought done or this It is so lytel of acompte As who sayth it may not amonnte To wynne of loue his lusty yift● For this I telle you in shryft● That me were leuer her loue wynne Than Prayre & al that is therynne And for to slee the hethen alle I not what good ther myght falle So moche blood though ther were shad This fynde j so wryten that Cryst bad That no man other shold sle What shold I wynne ouer the see If I my lady left at home But passe they the salt fome To whome cryst bad shold preche To al the world & his feyth teche But now they rucken in her nest And resten as hem lyketh best In al the swetenes of delyces Thus they defenden vs the vyces And sytten hem self al amy●de To slee & fyghte they vs bydde Hem whome they shold as ● boke seith Connerten vnto Crystes feyth But here of haue I grete meruayle Hou they wold me byd trauayle A Sa●●syn yf I slee shal I slee the soule forth with al And that was neuer Crystes lote But now hoo therof I saye nomore

Hic allegat Amans in sui excusacionem qualiter Achilles apud Troiam propter amorem ●olixene●● arma sua per aliquod tempus dimisit

But I wol speke vpon my shri●●● And to Cupyde I make a yefte That who as euer pryce deserue Of Armes I wol loue serue As though I shold hem bothe kepe As wel wold I take kepe When it were tyme to abyde As for to trauayle & for to ryde For hou as euer a man laboure Cupyde hath euer his houre For I hane herd telle also Achilles left his armes soo Bothe of hym self & of his men At Troye fro Polyxenen Vpon hyr loue when he felle That for no chaunce that be felle Among the grekes vp or doune He wold nought ayene the touus B● armed for the loue of her And so me thynketh leue syr A man of armes may hym rest Somtyme in hope for the best If he may fynde a wey nerre What shold I than go so ferre In strannge londes many a my●● To ryde & lese at home the whyle My loue it were a short beyete To wynne chaf & lese whete But yf my lady byd wolde That I for her loue sholde Trauaylle me thynketh truly I myght flee thorugh oute the sky And so thorugh oute the depe see For al ne sett I not a s●re What th●ng that I myght elles gete What helpeth a man to haue mete When drynk lakketh on the boord What helpeth ony mans word To sey hou I trauayle fast Where as me fayllith at the last That thynge whiche I trauaylle fore O in good tyme were he ●ore That myght atteyne suche a nede But certes yf I myght spede With ony maner besynesse Of worldes trauayl than I gesse There shold me none ydelshyp Departe from hyr ladyshyp But this I see on dayes now The blynde god I wote not hou Cupyde whiche of loue is lord He set the thynges in dyscord That they that loue lest attende Ful ofte he wold hem yeue & sende Moost of his grace & thus I fynde That he that shold goo behynde Goth many a tyme fer to fore So wot● I not ryght wel therfore On wheder boord that I shal sey●e Thus can I nought my self counseyle But al I set on auenture And am as who seyth oute of cure For ought that I can sey or do For euermo I fynde it soo The more besynes that I lay The more that I knele & pray With good wordes & with soft● The more I am refused ofte With besynes & maye not wynne And in good feyth that is grete synne For I may sey of dede & thought That ydel man haue I ●e nought For hou as euer that I be slayde Yet euermore I haue assayde But though my besynes last Al is but ydel at the last When th effect is ydelnesse I not what thyng is besynesse Saye what auayleth al the dede Whiche helpeth no thyng at nede For the fortune of euery fame Shal of his ende lere a name And for ought that is yet befalle And ydel man I wol me calle And after myn entendement But vpon youre amendement Myn holy fadre as yen semeth My reason & my cause demeth Myn sone I haue herde the m●●●● Of that thou haste the shryn●n here And for to speke of ●ydel fare Me semeth that thou tharst not ●●●● But only that thou myght not spede And therof sone I wol the rede Abyde & haste not to faste Thy dyes ben euery day to caste Thou nost what chaunce shall bety●● Better is to wayte vppon the tyde Than rowe ayenst the stremes stronge For though so be ye thynke long ●er caas the reuolucyon Of heuene and thy condicyon Ne be not yet of one acord But I dar make this record To venus whoos preest that I am That sythen that I thyder cam To here as she me bad thy lyf Wherof thou els be gyltyf Thou myght herof thy conscyence Excuse & of greete dylygence Whiche thou to lone hast so dyspended● Thou oughtest wel to be commended But yf so be that ther ought fay●● Of that thou slouthest to trauaylle In armes for to be absent And for thou makest an argument Of that thou saydest here aboue Hou achilles thurgh strengthe of loue His armes left for a throwe Thou shalt an other tale knowe Whiche is contrayre as thou shalt wi●● For this a man maye fynde wryde When that knyghthode shal be werred● ●ust may nought thenne be preferred The bed mote than be forsake And shelde & spere on hond take Which thing shal make hem after glad When they worthy kynght●● 〈◊〉 ●●●● Wherof soo as it cometh to honde A tale thou shalt vnderstonde Hou that a knyght shalle armes sewe And for the while hi●●ase eschewe

Hic dicit ●●moris delectamento posi●●si●● miles arn●● sua preferre defet / Et ponit e●emplum de v●yxe cum ipse a bello Troiano prop●●r amorem ●●●e●o●● remanere domi voluisset / Nam plus pater Palamides cum tantis sermonibus allocutus est / ● vlixes thoro sue coningis relicto labores Armorum vna cum alijs Troie magnanimus su●●●●t

●on knyghthode I nede thus How whylome the kyng Nam plus / The fader of ●alamydes Cam for to preyen ●lyxes With other Gregoys eke also That he with hem to Troye goo Where that the●syege ▪ shold be Anone vpon ●enelope His wys whome that he loueth hote Thynkynde wold not hem behote But he shope than a wonder wyle Hou that he sholde hem begyle So that he myght du●lle stylle At home & weld his loue at wylle Wherof erly at the morowe day Oute o●●his bed where that he lay When he was vp / he gan to fare In to the felde & loke & stare As he whiche feyneth to be wood He took a plough where that it stood Wheryn anone in stede of Oxes He lete do yoken grete Foxes And with grete salt the lond he sewe But Namplus whiche the cause knew Ayene the sleyghte whiche he feyneth Another sleyghte anone ordeyneth And felle that tyme vlyxes had A childe to sone & namplus ●ad Hou men that child take shold And set hym vpon the mold Where that his fader helde the plough In thilk forugh whiche ●e tho drough For in suche wyse he thought ossaye Hou it vlyxes shold paye If that he were wood or none The knyghtes for the child forth gone The lamacus anone was fett To fore the ylough & euen sett Where that his fadre shold dryue But when he sawe his chyld blyue He droof the plough oute of the weye And Namplus tho bygan to seye And hath half in a iape cryed O vlyxes thou art aspyed What is al this thou woldest mene For openlyche it is now sene That thou hast feyned al this thyng Whiche is grete shame to a kyng When that for lust of ony slouthe Thou wylt a quarel of trouthe Of armes thylk honour forsake And duelle at home for loues sake For better it were honour to wynne Than loue whiche lykyng is inne For thy take worshyp vpon honde , And elles thou shalt vnderstonde These other worthy knyghtes alle Of Grece whiche vnto the calle Towardes the wol be ryght wroth And greue the per chans both Whiche shal be to the double shame Moost for the hyundrynge of thy name That thou for slouthe of ony loue Shalt so thy lustes set aboue And leue of Armes the knyghthode Whiche is the pryce of thy manhode And ought fyrst to be desyred But he whiche had his herte fyred Vpon his wyf when he this herd Nought one word there ayeue ansuerd But torneth hym haluyng ashamed And within hym self so tamed His herte that al the soty● Of loue for chyualrye He left & be hym leef or loth To Troye with hem forth be goth That he myght not excuse Thus stant it yf a knyght refuse The lust of armes to trauayle There may no worldes ease auayle But yf worshyp be with al And that shewed hath oueral For it syt wel in al wyse A knyght to be of hyghe empryse And put al drede aweye For in this wyse I haue herd seye

hIc narrat super eodem qualiter La adomia Regis Prothesalai vxor volens ipsum a bello Troiano secum re ●inere fatam sibi mortem in portu troie prenunciauit ▪ sed ipse miliciam poa●e quam ocia affectans Troiam adijt . vbi sue mortis pr●c●o perpetue laudis Troni●m ademit

The worthy kyng Prothesalay On his passage where he lay Toward Troye thylk syege She whiche was his owne lyege ●●●domye his lusty wyf Whiche for his loue was pensyf As she whiche al hyr herte he had Vpon a thyng whiche she●drad A letter for to make hym duelle Fro Troye send hym thus to telle Hou she hath axed of the wyse Touchend of hym in suche a wyse That they haue done to vnderstond Toward other hou so it stonde The destyne it hath so shape That he shal not the deth escape ●n c●●● that he at●yue at Troye For thy as to theyr worldes ioye With al hyr herte she hym preyde And many another cause alleyde That he with hyr at home abyde But he hath cast hyr letter a syde As ●e whiche tho no maner hede Took of hyr wommans drede And forth he goth as nought ne were To Troye & was the fyrst there Whiche ●ondeth & took ar●yuayle For hym was leuer in the bataylle He seyth to deyen as Turrian knyght Than for to lyue in al his myght And be reproued of his name Lo thus vpon the worldes fame Knyghthode hath euer yet beset Whiche with no cowardye is let

Adhn● super eodem qua●iler Rex Saul non obstante quam per Samuelem a Phitonissa suscitatum et coniu●atum responsum quam●pse in bello moreretur . accepisset hostes tamen suos aggredens mi●icie famam cunctis huius vite blam dimentis preposuit

oF kyng Saul also I fynde When samuel out of his kinde Thorugh that the phi●●nes hath lered / In Samarye was a●●●ed Long tyme after that he was dede The kyng Saul hym axeth dede If he shal goo fyght or none And Samuel hym sayd anone The fyrst day of the bataylle Thou shalt be slayn withoute faylle And Ionathas thy sone also But hou as euer it felle soo This worthy knyght of his courage Hath vndertake the vyage And wold nought his knyghthode let For no perylle he couthe set Wherof that bothe his sonne & ●e Vpon the Mount of Gel●oe Assemblen with here enemyes For they knyghthode of suche a prys By old dayes thenne helden That they none other thyng beh●lden And thus the fader for worshyp Forth with his sonne of felaushyp Thorugh lust of armes weren dede As men may in the byble rede There whos knyghthode is yet in mynd And shal be to the worldes ●nde

●Ic loquitur qd miles 〈◊〉 suis primordij● ad audaciam prouoc●re de●et / Et narrat qualitar Cyro Centaurues Athillem qui secum ab infancia in mon tem Pileon educauit vt auda● efficeretur primitus edocui● / quam cum ipse venacionibus insisteret ●eoues & Tigrides huiusmodique animalia resistencia & nulla alia fugitiua agitaret ▪ et sic Achilles in iuuentute animatus famosis sime milicie probitate in post●odum ad optauit

aNd for to loken ouermore It hath & shalle euermore That of knyghthode that prowesse Is grounded vpon hardynesse Of hym & that he wol vndertake And who that wold ensample take Vpon the forme of knyghtes ●awe Hou that Achilles was forth deawe With Chyro whiche Centaurus hyght● Of many a wonder lere he myght● For it stood thylk tyme thus That this Chyro this Centaurus Within a large wyldernesse Where was lyon & Leoness : The leopard and the Tygre also With hert / hynd / buk / and doo Hath his duellyng as tho byfelle Of Pyleon vpon the helle Wherof was than mochel speche There hath Chyro this child to teche What tyme he was of●● twelue yere age Wherfore to maken his courage The more hardy by other weye In the forest tho to hunte & pleye What tyme Achilles walke wold Cent●nrus bad that he ne shold After no beest make his chaas Whiche wold fleen oute of his place As ba●● doo herte & Hynde With whiche he may no we●●e fynde But tho that wold hym withstonde There shold he with his dart on honde Vpon the Tygre and the Lyon Purchace & take his venyso● As to a knyght is acordaunt And therupon a couenaunt This Chyro with Achilles set That euery day withoute lett He shold seche a cruel best Or fle or wounden at the lest So that he myght a tokne brynge Of blood vpon his home comyng Thus that of Chyro hym taught Achilles suche an herte caught That he no more a lyon drad When be his dart on hond ●ad Than yf a lyon were an asse And that hath made hym for to passe Al other knyghtes of his dede When it cam to the grete nede As it was afterward wel knowe

Confessor ●o thus my sone thou myghte knowe That the courage of hardyesse Is of knyghthode the prowesse Whiche is to loue suffysaunt Abouen al the remenaunt That vnto loues court pursu● But who that wold no slouth eschewe Vpon knyghthode & not trauayle I not what loue hym shold auayle But euery labour a●eth why Of somme reward wherof that I Ensamples couthe telle ynough Of hem that toward loue d●ough By old dayes as they sholde My fadre therof here I wold My sone it wold be resonable In place whiche is honourable If that a man his herte sett That than he for no slouthe le●t To do what longeth to manhode For yf thou wolt the bokes rede Of ●auncelet & other mo There myght thou seen how it wa● t●● Of armes for they wold atteyne To loue whiche is withouten pe●n● May not be gete of Pelnesse And that I take to wytnesse An old Crony●●e in specyal The whiche in to memoryal Is wryte for his loues sake Hou that a knyght shal vndertake

Hic dicit qd Miles priusquam amoris amplexu dignitatis efficiatur euentus bellicos victoriosus amplecteve debet / et narrat qualiter Hercules et achillous propter De●anitam Calidonie Regis Filiam singulare duellum ad inuicem ●merunt ▪ a●us victor Hercules existen ti● armorum me●tis amorem virginie ●audabiliter conquestauit

hHer was a kyng wich O●ne● Was hote & he vnder pees Held Calydonye in his empire And had a d●ughter Deyanyre M●n wyst in thylk tyme none ●● f●yre a wyght as she was one 〈…〉 she was a lusty wyght 〈…〉 ●o was than a noble knyght 〈…〉 mercurye fader was This ●nyght the ●●o pylers of bras T●● whiche yet a man may fynde Set v● in the deserte of Inde That was the worthy Hercules Wh●s name shal be endeles For the meruayles whiche wrought This Hercules the loue sought Of Deyanyre & of this thyng Vnto ●●r fadre whiche was kyng He s●a● touchend of maryage The kyng knowend his hye lygnage And drad also his myghtes sterne To hym ne durst his doughter werne And netheles this ●e hym seyde Hou Achylous or he fyrst preyde To wedden hyr and in acord They stood as it was of record But for al that this he hym graunteth That whiche of hem that other daunteth In armes hym she shold take And that the kyng hath vndertake This Achy●bus was a geaunt A subtyl man a deceyuaunt Whiche thorugh magyke & sorcerye Couthe al the world of Trecherye And when he this tale herde How that vpon that the kyng ansuerd With Hercules he must fyght He trusteth nought vpon his sleyght Al only when it cometh to nede But that whiche voydeth al drede And euery noble herte steryth The loue that no lyf forbereth For his lady whome he desyreth With hardyesse his herte fyreth And send hym word withoute fayle That he wol take the batayle They setten a day they chosen fesd● The knyghtes couered vnder shelde To gyder come at tyme sett And eche one is with other met It fel they foughten bothe on fote There was no stone there was no rote Whiche myght letten hem the weye But al was voyde & take a weye They smyten strokes but a fewe For Hercules whiche wold shewe His grete strengthe as for the nones He stert vpon hym al at ones And caught hym in his armes strong This geaunt wote he may not long Endure vnder so hard bondes And thought he wold oute of his hondes By sleyghte in som maner escape And ans he couthe hym self for shape In lykenesse of an adder he slypt● Oute of his hond & forth he skypte And efte as he that fyght wole He borneth hym in to a bole And gan to belwe in suche a soune As though the world shold al go doune The ground he sporneth & he traunceth His large hornes he auaun●●th And cast hym here & there aboute But he whiche stant of hym no doute A wayteth wel when that he cam And hym by bothe hornes nam And al at ones he hym cast Vpon the grounde & helde hym fast That he ne myght with no sleyghte Out of his hond gete on heyghte Tyl he was ouercome & ●olde And Hercules hath what he wolde The kyng hy●● graunted to fulfylle His axyng at his owne wylle And she for whome he had serued Hyr thought he had wel deserued And thus with grete deserte of armes He wan hyr to lygge in armes As he whiche hath hyr dere abought For otherwyse shold ●e nought

Not● de pantasilia Ama●onie Regina que Hectoris amore colligata contra Pireum Achillis filium apud Tro ●am arma ferre eciam specialiter non recusauit

And ouer this yf thou wylt here Vpon knyghthode of this matere Hou loue & armes ben acqueynted A man may see bothe wryte & peynted So ferforth that pantasile Whiche was the quene of Femyne The loue of Hector afore to seke And for thonou● of armes eke To Troye cam with spere & shelde And rode hyr self in to the felde With maydens armed al a●oute In rescous of the Towne al aboute Whiche with the grekes was byleyn

Nota qualiter Pholiphemeus propter mi●●cie famam a finibuo terre in defensionem Troie veniens tres puellas a Regno Amaz●nie quoli●et anno perci piendas sibi et heredibus suis imperpetuum ea de causa habere promeruit

Fro paphagonye & as men seyn Whiche stant vpon the worldes ende That tyme it lyked eke to wende Polyphemus whiche was kyng To Troye & come vpon this thyng In helpe of thylk noble Towne And al was that for the renoun Of worshyp & of worldes fame Of whiche he wold bere a. name And so he dede & forth with all He wan of loue in specyal A fayr Trybute for euermo For it felle thylk tyme soo Pirrus the sone of Achilles The worthy quene among the pres With dedely swerd sought oute & fond And slough hyr with his owne hond Wherof this kyng of Paphagonye Pantasile and to Amazo●ie Where she was quene with hym lad With suche maydens as she had Of hem that were left alyue For in this shyp tyl they aryue Where that the body was bygraue Wyth worshyp & the women saue And for the goodnes of this dede They graunten hym a lusty mede That euery yere as for truage To hym & to his herytage Of maydens fayre he shal haue thre And in this wyse spedde ●e Whiche the fortune of armes sought With his trauayle his ease he bought For other wyse he shold haue fayled If that he had nought trauayled

Nota pro ●o qd Eneas Regem Tur num in bello deuicit non folum amor●●auine / sed et Regnum Italie sibi sub ●ugatum obtinuit

Eneas eke within Itayle Ne hadde wonnen the bataylle And done his myght so besyly Ayene kyng Turne his enemy He had nought soueyne wonne But for he hath hym ouer ronne He gat his p●ys & wan hyr loue By this ●nsample here aboue ●o now my sone as I haue told Thou myght wel see who that is bold And dar trauayle & vndertake The cause of loue he shal be take The cather vnto loues grace For comonly●he in worthy place The wommen louen worthynesse Of manhood & of gentylnesse For the gentyls be most desyred My fader but I were Inspyred Thorugh low of you I wote no weye What gentylnesse is for to seye Wherof to telle I yow beseche

Hic dicit ꝙ Generosi in amoris can s● se●ius preferuntur super quo querit Amans quid si generositas / cuius veritatem questioni● Confessor per singula dissoluit

Th● ground my sone for to seche ●●●n this dyffynycyon The ●●●ldes constytucyon ●ath sei the name of gentylnesse ●●●n the fortune of Rychesse Whiche of long tyme is falle in age ●hat is a man of hyghe lygnage Af●●r the fortune as thou myght here But no thyng of the mat●re For who that reson vnderstonde V●on ryches it maye not stonde For that is thyng whiche fayleth ofte For he that stant to day alofte And al the world hath in his wones To morowe he fallyth al at ones Oute of ryches in to pouerte Soo that therof is no deserte Whiche gentylnesse maketh abyde And for to loke on other syde Hou that a gentylman is bore Adam whiche was al tofore With Eue his wyf as of hem two Al was alyche gentyl tho So that of generacyon To make declaracyon There maye no gentylnesse bee For to the reson yf we se Of mans byrthe the mesure It is so comon of nature That it y●ueth euery man alyche As wel to the poure as to the ryche For naked they ben bore bothe The lord hath no more to clothe As of hym self that ylk throw Than hath the pourest of the rowe And when they shal bothe passe I not of hem whiche hath the lasse Of worldes good but of charge The lord is more for to charge When he shal his compte here For he hath had his lustes here But of the body whiche shal deye Al though there be dyuers weye To deth yet is ther but one ende To whiche that euery man wende As wel the begger as the lord Of one nature of one acord She whiche oure elder moder is The erthe bothe that and this Receyueth & al alyche denoureth That she to nother part fauoureth So wote I noo thynge after kynde Where I may gentylnes fynde For lak of vertu lak of grace Wherof Rychesse in many place When men wene best to stonde Al sodenly goth oute of honde But vertu set in the courage There may noo world be so saluage Whiche myght it take & done aweye Tyl when that the bodye deye Then he shal be ryched soo So that may fayle neuermo That it may wel be gentylnesse Whiche yeueth so grete a sykernesse For after the condycyon Of resonable intencyon The whiche oute of the soule groweth And the vertu from vyce knoweth Wherof a man the vyce escheweth Withoute slouthe & vertu seweth That is very gentylman And no thyng elles whiche he can Ne whiche he hath ne whiche he maye But for al that yet now a daye In loues court to taken hede The poure vertu shal not spede That where the ryche vyce woweth For selde it is that loue alloweth The gentylman withoute good Though his condycyon be good But yf a man of bothe two Be ryche & vertuous also Than is he wel the more worth But yet to put hym self forth He muse done his besynesses For nother good ne gentylnesse May helpen hem whiche ydel be But who that wo● in his degre Trauayle so as it belongeth It happeth ofte that he fongeth Worship & ease both two For euer yet it hath be so That loue honest in sondry weye Profyteth for it doth aweye The vyce & as the bookes seyn It maketh curteys of the vyleyn And to the Coward hardyesse It yeueth so that very prowesse Is caused vpon loues reule To hym that can manhood reule And eke toward the womanhede Who that therof wold taken hede For they the better affayted be In euery thyng as men may see For loue both euer his lustes grene In gentyl folk as it is sene Whiche thyng ther may no kynde arest I trowe that there is no best That he with loue shold acqueynte That he ne wold make it queynte As for the whyle that it last And thus conclude at the last That they ben ydel as me semeth Whiche vnto thyng that loue demeth For slouthen that they shold do And ouer this my sone also To speke of loue yf I shal seke After the vertu moral eke Among the hooly bokes wyse I fynde wryte in suche a wyse Who loueth not is here as dede For loue aboue al other is hede Whiche bath the vertues for to lede Of al that vnto mannes dede Belongeth for of ydelshyp He hateth al the felaushyp For slouthe is euer to despyse Whiche in dysdeyne hath al appryse And that acordeth not to man For he that wyt & reson can It syt hym wel that he trauayle Vpon som thyng whiche myght auaile For ydelshyp is not comended But euery lawe it hath defended And in ensamples therupon The noble wyse Salamon Whiche had of euery thyng insyght Seyth as the byrdes to the flyght Be made so the man is bore To labour whiche is nought forlore To hem that thynken for to thryue For we whiche are now alyue Of hem that besy whylome were As wel in scoles as elles where Now euery day ensample take That yf it were now to make Thyng whiche fyrst they founden out It shold not be brought aboute Her lyues thenne were longg Here wyttes grete her myghtes strong Here vertues ful of besynesse Wherof the worldes redynesse . In body bothe & in courage Stant euer vpon his auauntage And for to drawe in to memorye Her names bothe & her storye Vpon the vertu of hyr dede In sondry bokes thou myght rede

Expedit in manibus labor vt de cotidiams ▪ Actibus et vita viue●● poseit homo / Sed qui doctrine causa fert mente labores / Preualet et merita perpetu ata parat

Hic loquitur centra ●ciosos quoscumque / et mayime contra istos qui excellentis prudencie ingenium habentes absque fructu operum torpescunt / Et ponit exemplum de diligencia predecessorum qui ad toci●● humani geneis doctrinam et auxi●●um suis centinuis laboribus & studne gracia mediante diuina artes & sci enc●as primitus inuenerunt

oF euery wysedome the parfyt The hyghe god of his spyryt Yafe to the men in erthe here Vpon the forme & the matere Of that he wolde make h●m wyse And thus cam in the fyrst apryse Of goodes and of al good Thorugh hem that whylome vnderstode The lore whiche to hem was yeue Wherof these other that now lyue But euery day to lerne newe But al the tyme that men sewe And that the labour forth it brought There was no corn though men it sought In none of al the feldes oute And or the wysedome cam aboute Of hem that fyrst the bokes wryte This may euery wyse man wyte There was grete laboure ●●e also Thus was none ydel of the two That on the plough hath vndertake The laboure whiche the lond hath take That other took to studye & muse As he whiche wolde not refuse The labour of his wyttes alle And in this wyse it is befalle Of labour what that they bygonne We be now ●ought of that we conne Here besynes is yet sene That it stant euer alyche grene Al be it so the body deye The name of hem shal neuer aweye In the Cronyke as I fynde Cham whos labour is yet in mynde Was he whiche fyrst the lettres fonde And wrote in bebrewe with his honde Of naturel philosophye He fonde fyrst also the clergye Cadmus the lettres of gregoys Fyrst made vpon his owne choys Theges of thyng that shal byfalle He was the fyrst angnrre of alle And Philemenon by the vysage Fonde to descryue the courage Cladius Eldras & Sulpyces Telmegis Panulf & Frigidylles Menander Epyloquorus Solius Pandar and Iosephus The fyrst were of endytours Of olde Cronyke & eke auctours And Heredot in his scyence Of metre / of Ryme and of Cadence The fyrste was whiche men note And of Musyke also the note In mans voys / or softe or sharp That fende Iubal / & of the harpe The mery soune whiche is to lyke That fonde polius forth with phisike Zeuers fond fyrst the portrature And Promotheus the seulpture After what forme that hem thought The resemblaunce anone they wrought Tubal in yren and in stele Fonde the forge & wrought it wele And Iadael as sayth the book Fyrst made nette & fysshes took Of huntyng eke he fonde the chace Whiche now is knowe in many place A tente for cold with cord & stake He set vp fyrst & dyd'it make Verconius the Coke●ye Fyrst made the delycacye The craft Myn●rae of wolle fonde And made clothe her owne honde And Dellora made it of lyne Tho women were of grete engyne But thyng which yeueth mete & drink And doth the labour for to swynk To tylle the londes & set vynes Wherof the cornes & the wynes Ben sustenaunce to mankynde In old bokes as I fynde Saturnus of his owne wyt Hath founde fyrst & more yett Of chapmenhode he fonde the weye And eke to coygne the moneye Of sondry metal as it is He was the fyrst man of this But hou that metal cam a place Thorugh mans wytte & goddes grace The Route of Philosophres wyse Contreueden by sondry wyse Fyrst for to gete it out of myne And after for to trye & fyne And also with grete dylygence They fonde thylk experyence Whiche cleped is Alconomye Wherof the syluer multyplye They made & eke the gold also And for to telle hou it is so Of bodyes seuen in specyal With foure spyrytes ioynt with al Stant the substaunce of this matere The bodyes whiche I speke of here Of the planettes ben bygonne The gold is tytled to the sonne The mone of syluer hath his part And Iren that stond vpon Mart The leed after Saturne groweth And Inbiter the ●ras bestoweth The Coper sette is to Venus And to his part Mercurius Hath the quyk syluer as it falleth The whiche after the book it calleth Is fyrst of ●hylk foure named Of spyrytes whiche ben proclamed And spyryte whiche is the second In Sal Armonyak is found The thyrd spyryt Sulphur is The fourth sewend after this Antimonium by name is hote With blowyng & with fyres hote In these thynges whiche I say They wo●then by dyuers way For as the Philosophre tolde Of gold & syluer they ben holde Two pryncypal extremytees To whiche al other by degrees Of the metalles ben acordyng And so thorugh kynde resemblyng That what man couthe awey take The ruste of whiche they woxen blake And the sauour of the hardnesse They sholden take the lykenesse Of gold & syluer parfytely But for to worche it sekerly Bytwene the corps & the spyryte Ex that the metal be parfyte In seuen formes it is sett Of al & yf that one be let The remenannt may not fayle But otherwyse it may not auayle For they by whome this art was found To euery poynt a certayne bound Ordeynen that a man may fynde This craft is wrought by wey of kynde So that there is noo fable ●nne But what man that this werk legynne He mote awayte at euery tyde So that no thyng be left a syde Fyrst of the dystyllacyon Forth with the congellacyon Solucyon Dyssencyon And kepe in his entencyon The poynt of sublymacyon And forth with Calcynacyon Of very approbacyon Doo that there be fyxacyon With temporat letre of the fyre Tyl be the parfyte Elyxer Of thylk Philosophres stone Maye gete of whiche that many one Of philosophres that whylome write And yf thou wolt the names wyte Of thylk stene with ether two Whiche as the clarkes maden the So as the bokes it recorden The kynde of hem I shal recorden

Nota de tribus lapidibus quos phi lcsophi compesuerunt . quorum primus ●apis vegetabilis qiu sanitatem conser uat / Secundus dicitur lapis Animalis que membra & virtutes sensibiles fortificat / Tercius dicitur lapis minera●●s que omnia metalla purificat / et in suum perfectum naturali potencta de ●ucit /

tHese old Phylosophres wyse By weye of kynde in sondry Wise The stones made thurgh clergye The fyrst I shal specyfye Was Lapis Vegetabilis Of whiche the propre vertu is To mans bele for to serue As for to kepe & to preserue The body fro sekenesse alle Tyl deth of kynde vpon hym falle The second stone I the behote Is ●apis Animalis hote Wh●s vertu is propre & couthe For erc and eye nose & mouthe Wherof a man may here & see And smelle & taste in his degre And for to fele & for to go It helpeth a man of bothe two The wyttes frue he vnder fongeth To kepe as it to hym belongeth The thyrd stone in fpecyal By name is cleped myneral Whiche the metals of euery myne Attempreth tyl that they be fyne And putteth hem by suche a weye That al the vyce goth aweye Of rust of stynk & of hardnesse Aud when they ben of suche clennesse This mynetal so as I fynde Transformeth al the fyrst kynde And maketh hem able to conceyue Thorugh his vertu & to receyue Bothe in substaunce & in fygure Of gold & syluer the nature For they two ben thextremytees The whiche after the propyrtees Hath euery metal his desyre With helpe & comfort of the fyre And with this stone / as it is sayd Whiche to the sonne & mone is layd For to the rede & to the whyte This stone hath power for to profyte It maketh multyplycacyon Of gold and the fyxacyon It causeth and of his habyte He doth the werke to be●parfyte Of thylk Elyxer whiche men calle Alconomye as it is byfalle To hem that whylome were wyse But now it stant al other wyse They speken fast of thylk stone But hou to make it knowe none After the soth experyence And netheles grete dylygence They setten vpon thylk dede And spyllen more than they spede For alwey they fynde a lette Whiche bryngeth in pouerte & dette To hem that ryche were to fore The losse is had the lucre is lore To gete a pound they spend fyu● I not hou suche a craft shal thryue In the manere as it is vsed It were better be refused Than for to worchen vpon wene In thyng Which stant not as they went But not for thy who that knewe The scyence of hym self is trewe Vpon the forme as it was founded Wherof the names yet be grounded Of hem that fyrste it founded oute And thus the fame goth at aboute To suche as soughten besynesse To vertu and of worthynesse Of whome yf I the names calle Hermes was one of the fyrst of alle To whome this art is most applyed Geber therof was magnyfyed And Ortolan and Maryen Among the whiche is Auycen Whiche fond & wrote a grete partye The practyke of Alconomye Whos bokes pleynly as they stonde Vpon this craft fewe vnderstonde But yet to putten in assay There ben ful many now a day That knowen lytel what they mene It is not one to wyte & wene In forme of wordes they it trete But yet they faylen of beyete For of to moche or of to lyte There is algate found a wyte Soo that they folowe not the lyne Of the parfyte medycyne Whiche grounded is vpon nature But they that wryten the scrypture Of Greke Arabe & Caldee They were of suche auctoryte That they fyrst founden oute the weye Of al that thou hast herd me seye Wherof the Cronyke of her lore Shal stonde in pryce for euermore But toward oure marches here Of the latyns yf thou wolt here Of hem that whylome vertuous Were and therto laboryous Carment made of here engyne The fyrst lettres of latyne Of whiche the tonge Romayne cam Wherof that Arystarchus nam Forth with Donat and Dyndymus The fyrst reule of scole & thus How that latyn shal be compowued And what wyse it shal be souned That euery word in his degre Shal stonde vpon congruyte And thylk tyme of Rome also Was Tullyus with Cythero That wryten vpon Rethoryke How that men shal the wordes pyke After the forme of eloquence Whiche is men seyn a grete prudence And after that oute of he bre●●e Ierome Whiche the langage knewe The byble in whiche the lawe is closed In to latyn he hath transposed And many another wryter eke Oute of Caldee Arabe & Greke With grete labour the bokes wyse Ttanslateden & another wyse The latyns of hem self also Here studye at thylk tyme so With grete trauayl of scole took In sondry forme for to look That we may take here euydence Vpon the lore of the scyence Of craftes bothe & of clergye Among the whiche in poesye To the louers Ouyde wrote And taught of loue to be hote In what maner it shold akele

Confessor For thy my sone yf that thou fele That loue brynge the tofore Behold Ouyde & take his lore My fadre yf they myght spede My loue I wold his bokes rede And yf they techen to restreyne My loue it were an ydel peyne To lerne a thyng whiche may not be For lyche vnto a grene tre If that men took his rote aweye Ryght so my herte shold deye If that my loue be withdrawe Wherof touchend vnto this sawe There is but only to pursewe My loue & ydelshyp to eschewe My good sonne soth to seye If there be syker ony weye To loue thou hast seyd the best For who that wol haue al his rest And doo noo treuayle at nede It is no reson that he spede In loues cause for to wynne For he Whiche dare no thyng begynne I not what thyng he shold ●cheue But ouer this thou shalt byleue So as it syt the wel to knowe That there ben other vyces slowe Whiche vnto loue done grete let Is thou thyn hert vpon hem set

●erdit homo causam linquene sua iu●● seperi / Et quasi dimidtum pars su● mortis habet / Est in amore vigil venus et quam habet vigilanti / Obsequium thalamis fert vigilata suis

Hic loquitur de Sompnelencia que Ac●idie Cameraria dicta est / cuius natura semunortua alicuius negocij vigi l●as obser●are seperi fero torpere recus●r / vnde quatenus amorem concernit Confessor Amanti diligencius opponit

tOward the slowe progenye There is yet one of Companye And he is cleped Sōpnole●ice Whiche deth to slouthe his reuerence ●● he whiche is his Chamberleyn That many an honderd tyme hath leyn To slepe when he sheld wake He hath with loue tre●●es take That wake who so wake wylle If he may couche a deune his bylle He hath al what hym lyst That ofte he goth to bedde vnkyst And sayth that for no druerye ●● wol not leue his sluggardye For though that noman it wold allowe To slepe leuer than to wowe Is his maner / & thus on nyghtes When he seeth the lusty knyghtes Re●●len where these women are Awey he seulketh as an hare And goth to ●●dde & leyth hym softe And of his sleuthe ●e dremeth ofte Hou that he siyketh in the myre And hou he sytteth by the fyre And claweth on his bare shankes And hou he clymeth vp the bankes And fallyth in the slades depe But than who so taketh kepe When he is falle in suche a dreme Ryght as a shyp ageynst the streme He routeth with a slepy noyse And brustleth as a monkes froyse When it is throwe in to the panne And other whyle selde whanne That he may dreme a lusty sweuene Hym thynketh as though he were in heuene / And as the world were holy his And than he speketh of that & this And maketh his exposycyon After his dysposycyon Of that he wolde & in suche a wyse He doth to loue al his seruyce I not what thank he shal deserue But sone but yf thou wolt loue serue I rede that thou do not so A good fadre certes noo I had leuer by my trouthe Er I were set on suche a slouthe And bere suche a slepy snoute Bothe eyen of my hede were oute For me were better fully dey● Than I of suche sluggardye Had ony name god me shelde For when my modre was with chil●e As I lay in hyr wombe cloos I wold rather Antropos Whiche is goddesse of deth Anone as I had ony breth Me had fro my moder cast But now I am no thyng agast I thanke god for lachesys ●e cleto whiche here felawe is Me shopen no suche destyne When they at my Natyuyte My werdes setten as they wold But they shopen that they shold Eschewe of slepe the truandyse Soo that I hope in suche a wyse To loue for to ben excused That I no sompnolence haue vsed For certes fadre Genius Yet vnto now it hath be thus At al tyme yf it befelle So that I myght come & duelle In place there my lady were I was not slo●●e ne slepy there For than I dar wel vndertake That when hyr lyst on nyghtes wake In chambre as to carole & daunce Me thynketh it may me more auaunce If I may gone vpon hyr honde Than yf I wynne a kynges lond For when I may h●r hond beclyppe With suche gladnes I daunce & skyppe Me thynketh I touche not the floor The Roo whiche renneth on the moor Is than nought so lyght as I So mowe ye wyten al for thy That for the tyme slepe I hate And than it fallyth other gate Soo that her lyketh not to daunce But on the dyes to caste the chaunce Or axe of loue somme demaunde Or elles that her lyst commaunde To rede & here of Troylus Ryght as she wol or so or thus I am alredy to consente And yf so is that I may hente Somtyme among a good leyser So as I dar of my desyre I telle a part but when I preye Anone she byddeth me go my weye And seyth it is ferre in the nyght And I swere it is euen lyght But as it falleth at the last There may no worldes ioye last So mote I nedes fro hyr wende And of my watche make an ende And yf she than hede toke How pytously on hyr I loke When that I shal my leue take Her ought of mercy for to slake Hir daunger whiche sayth euer nay But he seyth often haue good day That loth is for to take his leue Therfor whyle I may byleue I tary forth the nyght a long For it is nought on me along To slepe that I so sone go Tyl I mote nede algate so And that I byd god hyr see And so doune knelend on my knee I take leue / and yf I shal I kysse hyr & goo forth with al And otherwhyle yf that I dore Er I come fully to the dore I torne ayene and feyne a thyng As though I had lost a ryng Or somwhat elles for I wolde Kysse hyr eftsones yf I sholde But selden is that I so spede And when I see that I mote nede Departe I departe & thanne With al my herte I curse & banne That euer slepe was made for eye For as me thynketh I mote drye Withoute slepe to Waken euer So that I shold not dysseuer Fro hyr in whome is al my lyght And than I curse also the nyght With al the wylle of my courage And saye awey thou black ymage Whiche of thy derck cloudy face Maketh al the worldes lyght deface And causeth vnto slepe awey By whiche I mote now gone aweye Oute of my lady companye O slepy nyght I the defye And wold that thou lay in presse With Proserpyne the goddesse And with Pluto the helle kyng For tyl I see the day spryng I set by slepe not a rysshe And with that word I syghe & wysshe And sey why ne were it day For yet my lady than I may Beholde though I do no more And efte I thynke forthermore To somme man hou the nyght doth ease When he hath thyng that may hym please The long nyghtes by his syde Where as I fayle & goo besyde But slepe wherof I not it serueth Of whiche noman his thank deserueth To gete hem loue in ony place But it is an hynderer of his grace And maketh hem dede as for a throw Ryght as a stok were ouerthrowe And so my fadre in this wyse The slepy nyghtes I despyse And euer a myddes of my tale I thynke vpon the nyghtyngale Whiche slepeth not by wey of kynde For loue in bokes as I fynde Thus at the last I goo to bedde And yet myn hert lyeth to wedde With s●r ●bere as I cam fro Though I departe I w●l not so There is no bock may shet hym oute Hym nedeth nought to gone aboute That perce may the hard wal Thus is ●e with her oueral That be hyr ●ef or be it both In to hyr bed myn herte goth And softely taketh hyr in his arme And feleth hou that she is warme And wyssheth also his body were Tho to fele that he felyth there And thus my self I tormente Tyl that the dede slepe me hente But than by a thousand score Wel more than I was to fore I am tormented in my slepe But what I dreme is not on shepe For I ne thynk on no wulle But I am dretched to the fulle Of loue that I haue take to kepe That now I laugh & now I wepe And now I lese & now I wynne And now I ende & now begynne And otherwhyle I dreme & m●te That I alone with her mete And that daunger is left behynde And than I slepe suche ioye I fynde That I ne bede neuer awake But after when I heede take And shal aryse vpon the morowe Than is al torned in to sorowe Nought for the cause I shal aryse But for I mette in suche a wyse And at the last I am bethought That al is wyne & helpeth nought But yet me thynketh by my wylle I wold haue ley & slepe stylle ▪ To meten euer of suche a sweuen● For than I had a slepy heuene

Confessor My sone & for thou tellyst soo A man may fynde of tyme ago That many a sweuene hath be certeyn Al be it so that som men seyn That sweuenes be of no credence But for to shewe in euydence That they ful ofte soth thynges By tokne I thynk in my wrytynges To telle a tale therupon Whiche felle by old dayes gone

hIc ponit exemplum qualiter pre nostice veritatis quandeque certitudinem figurant / Et narrat ꝙ cum Ceix Rex Trocinie pro reformacione fratr●s sui Dedalionis in Ancipit●em transmutati peregre proficiscens m●●ar● lōgiue a patria dimersus fucrat / ●uno mittens ●ridem nunciam suam in partes Chimerie ad domum sompni iussit ꝙ ipse Alceone dicti Regis vxori huius rei euentum per sompnia certificaret / Quo facto Al●●ona rem perscrutans / corpus mariti suij vbi super fluctus mortuus iactabatur inuenit / que pro do lore augustiata cupiens corpus amplec tere in altum mare super Ipsum prosi●●it , vnde dij miserti amborum corpora in aues que ad huc Alceones dicte sunt / subito conuerterunt

tHis fynde I wryten in poesie Ceyx the kyng of Trocenye Had Alceon to his wyfe Whiche as her owne hertes lyfe Hym loueth and he hath also A broder whiche was cleped tho Dedalyon and he par caas Fro kynde of man forshape was In to a goshauk of lykenesse . Wherof the kyng grete heuynesse Hath take & ●thought in his courage To gone vpon a pylgremage In a straunge Regyon Where he hath his deuocyon To done his sacryfyce & preye If that he myght in ony weye To wardes the goddes fynde grace His broders he le to purchace So that he myght be reformed Of that he hath ben transformed To this purpos & to this ende This kyng is redy for to wende As he whiche wold go to shyp And for to done hym felaushyp His wyf vnto the see hym brought With al hyr herte & hym besought That he the tyme her wold seyn When that he thought come ageyne Within he sayth two monethis day And thus in al the hast he may He took his leue & forth he sayleth Wepend / & she hyr self bewayleth And torneth ther she cam fro For when the monethes were ago The whiche he set of his comyng And that she herd no tydyng There was no care for to seche Wherof the goddes to byseche Tho she bygan in many wyse And to Iuno her sacryfyce Aboue al other most she dede And for her lord she hath so bede To wyte & knowe hou that he ferd That Iuno the goddes herde Anone & vpon this matere She Irys bad h●r messagyer To slepes hous that she shold wende And byd hym that he make an ende By sweuene & shewen al the caas To this lady thou it was This Irys fro the hyghe stage Whiche vndertake hath the message His reyny cope dede vpon The whiche was wonderly begone With colours of dyners hewe An honderd mo than men knewe The heuene lyche vnto a bowe She bende / & she cam donne lowe The god of slepe where that she fond And that was in a straunge lond Whiche marcheth vpon Chymery● For there as seyth the poesye The god of slepe hath made his hous Whiche of entaylle is meruaylous Vnder an hylle ther is a caue Whiche of the sonne may not haue So that no man may not knowe ary●t The poynt bytwene day & nyght There is no fyre there is no spark There is no dore whiche may chark Wherof an eye shold vnshet So that inward there is no let And for to speke of that withoute There stant no grete tre nyhe aboute Wheron ther myght crowe or pye A lyght for to clepe or crye There is no cost to crowe day Ne best none whiche noyse may The hylle / but al aboute round There is growend vpon the ground Popy . whiche bereth the seed of slepe With other herbes suche an hepe A stylle water for the nones Rennend vpon the smal stones Whiche hyght of ●ethes the Ryuer Vnder the hylle in suche maner There is whiche yeueth grete appetyte To slepe & thus ful of delyte Slepe hath his hous & of his couche Within his chambre yf I shal touche Of Hebenus that slepy tre The boordes al aboute be And for he shold slepe softe Vpon a fether bed alofte He lyeth with many a pylwe of doun The chambre is strowed vp & doun With sweuenes many a thousand fold Thus come Irys in to this hold And to the bed whiche is blak She goth & therwith slepe she spak And in this wyse as she was bede The message of Iuno she dede Ful o●● her wordes she reherseth Er she his slepy eres perseth With moche woo . but at the last His slomerend eyen he vpcast And sayd hyr that it shal bedoo Wherof among a thousand tho Within his hous that slepy were In specyal he chese oute there Thre whiche shold do this dede The fyrst of hem so as I rede Was Morpheus the whos nature Is for to take the fygure Of what persone that hym lyketh Wherof that he therof entryketh The lyf whiche slepe shal by nyght And Ithecus that other hyght Whiche hath the voys of euery soune Theyr chere & theyr condycyoun Of euery lyf what so is The thyrd / sewend after this Is Pantafas which may transforme Of euery thynge the ryght forme And chaunge it in another kynde ●●on hem thre as I fynde Of sweuenes stant al thapparence Whiche otherwhyle is euydence And other whyle but a iape But netheles it is so shape That Morpheus by nyght allone A wereth vnto Alceone In lykenesse of her husbond Al naked dede vpon the stronde And hou he dreynt in specyal These other two it she wen shal The tempest of the blak clowde The wode see the wyndes loude All this met she & sawe hym dyen Wherof that she bygan to cryen Slepend a bedde there she laye And with that noyse of hyr affraye Her women stert vp aboute Whiche of her were in doute And axen her hou that she ferde And she ryght as she sawe & herde Her sweuen hath told hem euery dele And they it halsen al we le And seyn it is a tokne of good But tyl she wyst thou it stood She hath no comfort in hyr herte Vpon the morowe & vp she sterte And to the see where as she met The body lay withoute let She drough & whan that she cam nygh Stark dede his armes sprad she syghe Her lord fletend vpon the wawe Wherof her wyttes be withdrawe And she whiche toke of deth no kepe Anone forth lepte in to the depe And wold haue caught hym in hir arm This infortune of double harme The goddes from the heuen aboue Beheld / & for the trouthe of loue Whiche in this worthy lady stood They haue vpon the salt flood Hyr dreynt lord & hyr also Fro deth to lyf torned soo That they be shapen in to byrdes Swymmēd vpon the wawe amyddes And when she sawe hyr lord lyuend In lykenesse of a byrd swymmend And she was of the same sort So as she myght do dysport Vpon the ioye whiche she had Her wynges both anone she sprad And hym bothe so as she may suffyse Be●lypte & kyst in suche a wyse As she was whylome wonte to doo Her wynges for by r armes tho She took & for her lyppes softe Hyr hard bylle & soo ful ofte She fondeth in hyr byrdes forme If that she myght hyr self conforme To do the plesaunce of a wyf As she dyde in that other lyf For though she had hyr power lore Hyr wylle stood as it was to fore And serueth so as she may Wherof in to this ylk day To geder vpon the see they wone Where many a doughter & a sone They bryngen forth of byrdes kynde And for men sholde take in mynde This Alceon the trewe quene Her byrdes as it is sene Of Alceon the name bere Lo thus it may the stere Of sweuenes for to take kepe For oftyme a man a slepe May see what after shal betyde For thy it helpeth at som tyde A man to slepe as it belongeth But slouthe noo lyf vnderfongeth Whiche is to loue appertenaunt My fader vpon couenaunt I dare wel make this auo we That al my lyf in to nowe As ferforth as I can vnderstonde Yet took I neuer slepe on honde When it was tyme for to wake For though myn eye it wold take Myn herde is euer there ageyne But neuertheles to speke it pleyne Al this that I haue sayd you here Of my wakyng as ye may here It toucheth to my lady swete For otherwyse I you byhete In straunge place when I go Me lyst no thyng to wake soo For when the women lyst to playe And I her see not in the waye Of whome I shold myrthe take Me lyst not longe for to wake But yf it be for pure shame Of that I wold eshewe a name That they ne shold haue cause none To seye / A loo where suche one That hath forlore his contenaunce And thus among I synge & daunce And feyne lust there none is Fulofte syth I fete this Of thought whiche in myn hert falleth When it is nyght myn hert appallyth And that is for I see hyr nought Whiche is the waker of my thought And thus as tymelyche as I may Ful ofte when it is brood day I take of al these other heue And goo my wey & they byleue That seen pe● caas her loues there And I goo forth as nought ne were Vnto my bed so that alone I may ther lygge syghe & grone And wysshen al the long nyght Tyl that I see the dayes lyght I not yf that be sompnolence But vpon youre conscyence Myn holy fader demeth ye My sone I am wel payd with the Of shepe that thou the sluggardye By nyght in loues companye Esche west hast and thy peyne So that thy loue dare not pleyne For loue vpon his lust wakend Is euer & wolde that none ende Therof the long nyghte is set Wherof that thou be ware the bett To telle a tale I am bethought How loue & slepe acorden nought

Hic dicit ꝙ vigilia in Amantibus & non sompnolencia laudanda est Et ponit Exemplum de Cephal● filio Phebi qui nocturno silencio Auroram amicam suam diligencius amplectens solem & lunam interpellabat ▪ videlicet qd sol in circulo ab oriente distanciori currum cum luce sua retardaret et ꝙ luna spera sua longissima orbem circuiens noctem continuaret / Ita vt Ipsum Cephalum amplexibus amore volutum priusquam illa dies illucesceret suis deliciis adquiescere diucius permittere dignarentur

fOr loue who that lyst to wake By nyght he may ensāyle take Of Cephalus when that he lay With Aurora the swete may In armes al the longe nyght But when toward the lyght That he with in his ▪ herte sye The day whiche was the morowe nyhe Anone vnto the sonne he preyde For lust of loue & thus he seyde Phebus whiche the dayes lyght Gouerneth tyl it be nyght And gladest euery creature After the lawe of thy nature But netheles ther is a thyng Whiche onlyche to thy knoulechyngr Belongeth / as in pryuete To loue and to his dute Whiche oxeth not to ben a part But in sylence & in couert Desyreth for to be shadyd And thus when that the lyght is faded And vesper sheweth hym alofte And that the nyght is long & softe Vnder the clowdes derste & stylle Than hath thyng most of his wylle Fo● thy vnto thy myghtos hyghe As thou whiche art the dayes eye Of loue & myght no counseyl hyde Vpon this derk nyghtes tyde With al myn herte I the byseche That I plesaunce myght seche With hyr whiche syeth in myn armes Withdrawe the baner of thyn armes And sete thy lyghtas ben vnborne And in the sygne of Caprycorne The hous appropred to Saturne I preye the that thou wolt soiourne Where ben the nyghtes derk & longe For I my loue haue vnderfonge Whiche lyeth here by my syde naked As she whiche wold ben a waked And me lyst no thyng for to slepe So were it good to take kepe Now at this tyme of my prayer And that the lyke for to stere This fyry cart & so ordeyne That thou thy swyft hors restreyne Lowe vnder erthe in occydent That they toward thorrent By scr●le go the long were And eke to the Dyane I preye Whiche cleped art of thy noblesse The nyghtes mone & the Goddesse That thou to me be gracyous And in Can●eo thyn owne hous Ayene Phebus in opposyte Stond al this tyme & in delyte Byholde Venus with a glad eye For than vpon Astronomye Of due coustellacyon Thou makeste profyfycacyon And dost that children be begete Whiche yf that I myght gete With al myn herte I wolserue By nyght & thy vygylle obserue Loo thus this lusty Sephalus Prayd vnto Phebe & to Phebus The nyght in lengthe for to drawe Soo that he myght do the lawe In thylk poynt of loues heste Whiche cleped is the nyghtes feste Withouten slepe of sluggardye Whiche Venus oute of companye Hath put awey as thylk same Whiche lustles fer from game In chambre doth ful oft woo A bedde when it falleth so That loue shold be awayted But slouthe whiche is euyl affayted With slepe hath made his retenue That what thynge is to loue due Of al his dette he payeth none He wote not hou the nyght is gone Ne hou the daye is come aboute But only for to slepe & route Tyl hyghe mydday that he aryse But Sephalus dyd otherwyse As thou my sonne host herd aboue

Amans My fader who that hath his loue A bedde naked by his syde And wolde than his eyen hyde With slepe / I not what man is he But certes as touchend of me That felle me neuer yet or this But other whyle when so is That I may catche slepe on honde Lyggend alone than I fonde To dreme a mery sweuene or day And yf ▪ so falle that I may My thought with such a sweuen plese Me thynst I am somdele in ese For I none other comfort haue Soo nedeth nought that I shal craue The sonnes carte for to tarye Ne yet the mone that she carye Here cours a long vpon the heuene For I am nought the more in huene To worldes good in no degre But in my slepe yet than I see Somwhat in sweuene of that me lyketh Whiche afterward myn hert enteyketh When that I fynde it otherwyse So wote I not of what seruyce What sompnolence to man doth My sone certes thou sayst soth But only that it helpeth kynde Somtyme in Physyk as I fynde Whan it is take by mesure But he whiche can no slepe mesure Vpon the reule as it belongeth Ful oft of sodeyne chaunce he fongeth Suche infortune that hym greueth But who these old bokes leueth Of Sompnolence hou it is wryte There maye a man the sothe wyte If that he wold ensample take That other whyle is good to wake W●●rof a tale in Poesye I thynke for to specyfye

Hic loquitur in amoris causa contra istos qiu sompnolencie dediti ca que seruare tenentur amittunt / Et narrat ● cum Yo puella pulcherrima a Iunone in vaccam transformata & in argi custodiam sic deposita fuisset / superuemens mercurius Argum dormientem occidit vt ipsam vaccam a pastura rapiens quo voluit secum perduxit

oVyde thus telleth in his sawes Hou Iupiter by olde dayes Lay by a mayde whiche ys Was cleped wherof that Iuno His wyf was wrothe & the goddesse Of yo torned the lykenesse In to a Cowe to goo ther oute The large feldes al aboute And gete hyr mete vpon the grene And therupon this hyghe quene Betook hyr Argus for to kepe For he was seldon wonte to slepe And yet he had an honderd eyen And al alyche wel they sym Now herkne hou he was begyled Mercurye whiche was al affyled This Cowe to stele he cam desguysed And had a pype wel deuysed Vpon the notes of musyke Wherof he myght his eres lyke And ouer that he had affayted His lusty tales & awayted His tyme & thus in to the felde He cam where Argus he beheld With yo whiche besyde hym went With that his pype anone he hent And gan to pype in his manere Thyng whiche was slepy for to here And in his pypyng euer among He told hym suche a lusty song That he the fool hath brought a slepe There was none eye that myght kepe His hede whiche mercurye of smote And forth with al anone fote hote He stal the Cowe which Argus kept And al this fel for that he slept Ensample it was to many mo That mochel slepe doth ofte wo When it is tyme for to wake For yf a man this vyce take In sompnolonce & hym delyte Men shold vpon his dore wryte His Epytaphe as vpon his graue For he to spylle & nought to saue Is shaped / & though he were dede For thymy sone hold vp thyn heds And lete no slepe thyne eye englue But when it is to reason due My fader as touchend of this Ryght so as I you told it is That ofte a bedde when I sholde I maye not slepe though I wolde For loue is euer fast byme Whiche taketh none hede of due ▪ tyme For when I shal myn eye close A none my hert he wol oppose And hold his scole in suche a wyse Tyl it be day that I aryse That selde it is when that I slepe And thus fro sompnolence I kepe Myn eye / and for thy yf ther be Ought elles more in this degre Now axe forth my sone yis For slouthe whiche as moder is The forth drawer ▪ & the Noryce To man to many a dredeful vyce Hath yet another last of alle Whiche many a man hath made to falle Where that he myght neuer aryse Wherof thou the shalt auyse Er thou so with thy self mysfare What vyce it is I wol declare

Nil fortuna iuuat vbi desperacid ●●dit / Quo desiccat humor non viridesat humus / magnanimus sed amor s●em ponit & inde salutem ▪ Consequitur ● 〈◊〉 prospera fata fauent

Hic loquitur super vltima specie acadie / que Tristicia siue desperacio dicitur / auus olstinata condicio tocius con solacionis spem deponens alicuius remed● quo kberari poterit fortunam sib● euenire impossible credit

wHan slouthe doth al that he may To dryue forth the long day Tyl he bycome to the nede Then at last vpon the dede He laketh hou his tyme is lore And is so woo begone therfore That he within his thought conceyueth Trystesse & so hym self deceyueth That he wanhope bryngeth Inne Where is no comfort to begynne But euery ioye hym is dylayed So that within his herte affrayeth A thousand tyme with one breth Wepend he wyssheth after deth When he fortune fynt aduerse For than he wol his happe reheree As though the world were al forlore And sayth Allas that I was lore How I shal lyue how shal I doo For now fortune is my foo I wote wel god me wol not helpe What shold I than of ioye yelpe When ther no bote is of my care So ouer cast is al my welfare That I am shapen al to stryf Allas that I neuer of this lyf Or I be fullyche ouertake And thus he wol his sorowe make As god hym myght not auayle But yet ne wol he not trauayle To helpe hym at suche a nede But slouteth vnder suche a drede Whiche is affermed in his hert Ryght as he myght nought asterte The worldes woo whiche he is Inne Also when he is falle in synne Hym thynketh he is so fer culpable That god wol not be mercyable Soo grete a synne to foryeue And thus he leueth to be shryue And yf a man in thylk throwe Wold hym counseyle , he wol not knowe The soth though a●man it fynde For trystesse is of suche a kynde That for to mayntene his fely He hath with hym obstynacy Whiche is within of suche a slouthe That he forslaketh al trouthe And wol not to no reson bowe And yet he can not alowe His owne skylle / but of hede Thus dwyneth he tyl he be dede In hyndryng of his owne estate For where a man is obstynate Whan hope foloweth at the last Whiche may not longe after last Tyl slouthe make of hym an ende But god wote whether he shal wende My sone & ryght in suche manere There be louers of heuy chere That sorowen more than it is nede Whan they be torned of theyr spede And can not them self rede But lesen hope for to spede And stynten loue to pursewe And thus they faden hyde & hewe And lustles in her hertes waxe Herof it is that I wold axe If thou my sone art one of tho A good fadre it is soo Out take a poynt I am be knowe For elles I am ouerthrowe In al that euer ye haue seyd My sorowe is euermore vnteyd And secheth oueral my veynes But for to counseylle of my peynes I can no bote doo therto And thus withouten hope I goo Soo that ●y wyttes ben empeyred And I am as who sayd despeyred To wynne loue of thylke swete Withoute whome I you behete Myn herte that is so bestad Ryght only may neuer be glad For by my trouthe I shal not lye Of pure sorowe whiche I drye For that she sayth / she wol me nought With dretchyng of myn owne thoughe In suche a wanhope I am falle That I ne can vnnethes calle As for to speke of ony grace My lady grace to purchace But yet I say nought for this That al in myn defaulte it is For I am neuer yet in stede When tyme was that I me bede Ne sayde & as I dorst tolde But neuer fonde I that she wolde For ought she knewe myn entent To speke a goodly word assent And netheles this dar I seys That yf a synful wold preys To god for his foryeuenesse With half so grete a besynesse As I haue do to my lady In lak of axyng of mercy He sholde neuer come in helle And thus I may you sothly telle Sauf only that I ceye & byd I am in trystesse al amydde And fulfylled of dysperaunce And therfor yeue me my penaunce Myn holy fader as you lyketh My sone of that thy herte syketh With sorowe myght thou not amende Tyl loue his grace wol the sende For thou thyne owne cause empeyrese What tyme that thou thy self dyspeyrest I not what other thyng auayleth Of hope when the herte fayleth For suche a soor is Ina●rable And eke the goddes ben vengeable And that a man may ryght wel feede These old bokes who so rede Of thyng whiche hath byfalle or this Now here of what ensample it is

Hic narrat qualiter Iphis Regis Theucri filius ob amore in cuuisdā puelle nomine Araxarathen quam ne que donis aut precibus vincere potuit / des perans ante patris ipsius ianuas noctanter se suspendit / vnde dij comoti dic tam puellam in lapidem durissuuam transmutarunt / quam Rex Theucer vna cum filio suo apud ciuitatem Sala minam in Templo veneris pro perpetua memoria sepeliri & locari fecit

wHylome by old dayes fer Of mese was the kyng theucer Which had a knyght to son iphis Of loue & ●e soo mastred is That he hath set al his courage As to regard of his lygnage Vpon a mayde of lowe astate But though he were a potestate Of worldes good he was subgett To loue & put in suche a plyte That excedeth the mesure Of reson that hym self assure He can nought / for the more he prayd The lasse loue on hym she layd He was with loue vnwise constreyned And she with reson was with streyned The lustes of his herte he seweth And she for drede shame esche weth And as she shold toke hede To saue & kepe hyr womanhede And the thyng stood in debate Bytwene his lust & here estate He yaue / he send / he spak by mouth But yet for ought that euer he couth Vnto his spede he fond no weye So that he cast his hope aweye Within his hert he gan dyspeyre Fro day to day & so● empeyre That he hath lost al his delyte Of lust of slepe of appetyte That he thurgh strength of sone lasseth His wyt & reson ouer passeth As he whiche of his lyf ne tought His deth vpon hym self he sought So that by nyght his weye he nam That wyst none where he bycam The nyght was derk the mone shone To fore the gates he cam sone Where that this yong mayde was And with this woful word allas His dedely pleyntes he bygan So stylle that there was noman It herde & than he sayde thus O thou Cupyde / O thou Venus Fortuned by whoos ordenaunce Of loue is euery mans chaunce Ye knowen al myn hole hert That I ne may your hondes asterte On you is euer that I crye And yet you deyneth not to plye Ne toward me your ere enclyne Thus for I see noo medycyne To make an ende of my quarele My deth shal be in stede of hele Ha thou my woful lady dere Whiche duellest with thy fadre here And slepest in thy bed at ese Thou wotest no thyng of my dysese How thou & I be now vnmete A lord what sweuene shalt thou mete What dremes hast thou now on hond Thou slepest there & here I stond Though I no deth to the deserue Here shal I for thy loue sterue Here shal I a kynges sone ▪ deye For loue & for no felonye Whether thou therof haue ioye or sorow Here shalt thou me see dede to morowe O hard hert abouen alle This deth whiche shal to me falle For that thou wolt not do me grace It shal be told in many place That I am dede for loue & trouthe In thy defaulte & in thy slouthe Thy daunger shal to many mo Ensample be for euermo When they the woful deth recorde And with that word he took a corde With whiche vpon the gate tre He henge hym self that was pyte The morowe cam the nyght is gone Men come oute & syghe anone Where that this yonge lord was dede There was an hous withoute dede For noman knewe the cause why There was wepyng ther was cry This mayden when she it herde And sawe this thyng hou it mysferd Auone she wyst what it mente And al the cause hou it wente To al the world she told it oute And preyth hem that were aboute To take of her the wngeaunce For she was cause of thylk chaunce Why that this kynges sone is spy●t She taketh vpon hyr self the gylt And is al redy to the peyne Whiche ony man hyr wol ordeyne But yf ony other wold She sayth that hyr self she shold Doo wreche with hyr owne hond Thorugh oute the world in ▪ euery lond That euery lyf therof shal speke Hou she hyr self it shold wreke She wepeth she cryeth she swouneth oft She cast hyr eyen vp alofte And sayd among ful pytously A god thou wost wel it am I For Iphis is thus byseyn Ordeyne so that many may seyn A thousand wynter after this Hou suche a mayden dyd amys And so as I dyde do to me For I ne dyde noo pyte To hym whiche for my loue is lore Doo no pyte to me therfore And with this word she felle to grosid A swoune & there she lay astound The goddes whiche her pleyntes herde And sawe hou wofully she ferde Here lyf awey they took anone And shopen here in to a stone After the forme of hyr ymage Of body bothe & of vysage And for the meruaylle of this thyng Vnto the place cam the kyng And eke the quene & many mo And when they wysten it was foo As I haue told it here aboue Hou that Iphys was dede for loue Of that he had be refused They helden al men excused And wondren vpon the vengeaunce And for to kepe remembraunce This fayre ymage mayden lyche With companye noble & ryche With torches & with grete solempnyte To Salamyne the Cyte They lede & carye forth with all This dede corps & seyn it shall Besyde thylk Image haue His sepulture & be begraue This corps & this Image thus In to the Cyte to Venus Where that goddesse her Temple had To geder bothe forth they lad Thylke Image as for myracle Was sette vpon an hyghe pynacle That al it myght knowe And vnder that they maden lowe A tombe ryche for the nones Of marble & eke of Iaspre stones Wheryn this Iphys was byloken That euermore it shal be spoken And for men shal the sothe wyte They haue here Epytaphe wryte As thyng whiche shold abyde stable The lettres granen in a Table Of marble were & sayd thys Here lyeth which slough hym self Iphis For loue of Araxarathen And in eusample of the women That suffren men to dyen soo His forme a man may seen also Hou it is torned flesshe & bone In the fygure of a stone He was to nesshe & she hard Beware for thy here afterward Ye men & women bothe two Ensampleth you of that was tho Loo thus my sone as I the seye It greueth by dyuers weye In despeyr a man to falle Whiche is the last braunche of alle Of slouthe as thou hast herd deuyse Wherof that thou thy self auyse Good is or that thou be deceyued Wherof the hope of grace is weyued My fadre hou so that it stonde Nou haue I pleynly vnderstonde Of slouthes court the propyrte Wherof touchend in my degre For euer I thynk to be ware But ouer this so as I dare With al myn hert I yow byseche That ye me wold enforme & teche What there is more of youre apryse In loue als wel as other wyse So that I may me clene shryue

Confessor My sonne whyle thou art alyue And hast also thy ful mynde Among the vyces whiche I fynde There is yet one suche of the seuene Whiche al this world hath set vneuene And causeth many tymes wrong Where he the cause hath vnderfong Wherof here after thou shalt here The forme both & the matere

Expliat Liber Quartus

Incipit Liber Quintus

o●stat Auaricia nature legibus et que / Largue amor poscit strict●●e illa vetat / Omne ꝙ est nimium vi c●osum dicitur aurum / Vellera sicut oues seruat auarus opes / Non decet vt soli ser●abitur os sed amori / Debet homo so lam solus habere suam /

fIrst when the hyghe god began / This world and that the kynde of man / Was falle in to no grete encrees / For worldes good was tho no prees / But al was set to the comune / They speken than of no fortune Or for to lese or for to wynne Tyl Auaryce brought Inne And that was when the world was woye Of man of hore of shepe of Oxe And that men knewen the money Tho went pees oute of the weye And werre came on euery syde Whiche al loue leyd asyde And of comon his propre made So that in stede of shouel & spade The sharp was take on honde And in this wyse it cam to londe Wherof that men made dyches depe And hyghe walles for to kepe The gold whiche auaryce encloseth But al to lytel hym supposeth Though he myght al the world purchace For that thyng that may embrace Of gold of catel or of lond Lete it neuer oute of his hond But gete hym more & halt it fast As though the world sholde euer last So is he lyche vnto the helle For as these bokes telle What cometh ther in lasse or more It shal departe neuermore Thus when he hath his Cofer loken It shal not after ben vnstoken But when hym lyst to haue a syght Of gold hou it shyneth bryght That he theron may loke & muse For other wyse he dare not vse To take his part or lesse or more So is the power for euermore Hym lakketh that he hath Inough An oxe draweth in the plough Of that hym self hath no profyte A shepe ryght in the same plyte His wulle bereth vpon a day Another taketh the flees aweye Thus hath he that he nought ne hath For he therof his part ne hath To seye hou suche a man hath good Who so that reson vnderstood It is inproperlyche sayd That good hath hym & halt hym taid That he ne gladeth nought with alle But is vnto his good a thralle And as a subget thus serueth he Where that he shold Mayster be Suche is the kyng of Thauarous My sone as thou art amerous Telle yf thou farest of loue soo My fadre as it semeth no That auarous yet neuer I was So as ye setten me the caas For as ye tolden here aboue In ful possessyon of loue Yet was I neuer here to fore Soo that me thynketh wel therfore I may excuse wel my dede But of my wylle withoute drede Yf I that tresour myght gete It shold neuer be foryete That I ne wold faste holde Tyl god of loue hym selue wolde That deth vs shold departe a two For leueth wel I loue her so That euen with myn owne lyf If I that swete lusty wyf Myght ones welden at my wylle For I wold holde hyr stylle And in this wyse taketh kepe If I her had I wold her kepe And yet no frydaye wold I fast Though I her kepte & holde fast Fy on the bagges in the kyst I had ynough yf I her kyst For certes yf she were myn I had her leuer than a myn Of gold for al this worlde ryche Ne me myght make so ryche As she that is so Inly good I set nought of other good For myght I gete suche a thynge I had Tresour for a kynge And though I wold it faste holde I were therto mochel byholde But I myght pype now with lasse And suffre that it ouerpasse Not with my wyll / for thus I wold Ben auarous yf that I shold But fadre I you herd sey Hou the auarous hath yet somme wey Wherof he may be glad for be May when hym lyst his tresour se And grope & fele it al aboute But I ful ofte am shet ther oute There as my worthy Tresour is So is my lyf lyche vnto this That me tolden here to fore Hou that an Oxe his yok hath bore For thyng that shold hym not auayle And in this wyse I me trauayle For who that euer hath the welfare I wote wel that I haue the care And I am as who sayth loues knaue For I am had & nought ne haue Now deme in your owne thought Yf this be auaryce or nought My sone I haue of the no wonder Thongh thou to serue be put vnder With loue whiche to kynde acordeth But soo as euery book recordeth At is to kynde no plesaunce That man aboue his sustenaunce Vnto the gold shal serue & bowe For that may no reason auowe But Auaryce netheles If he may geten his encrees Of gold that wold he serue & kepe For he taketh of nought elles kepe But for to fylle of his bagges large And al is to hym but a charge For he ne parteth nought with al But kepeth as a seruaunt shal And thus though that he multyplye His gold withoute Tresorye He 〈◊〉 / for man is nought amended With gold but yf it be dyspended To mans vse wherof I rede A tale & take therof good heede Of that byfelle by old tyde As telleth vs the c●erk Ouyde ● Achus whiche is god of wyn Acordannt to his dyuyn A preest whiche Cillenus hiȝt He had & fel so that he by nyght Th●● preest was drunke & goth a straid ●●●rof the men were euyl apayd ●● Fryg●●ond where as he went ●●● at the last a chorle hym hent 〈…〉 strengthe of other felaushyp ●● that vpon his drunkeshyp 〈…〉 bounden hym with cheynes fast And forth they lad hym also fast ●●to the kyng whiche hyght Myde But he that wold his vyce hyde 〈…〉 curtoys kyng toke of hym hede And bad that men sholde hym lede ●● to a chambre for to kepe ●●●●e of leyser had a slepe And tho this preest was sone vnbound And vpon a couche fro the ground To slepe 〈◊〉 was le●d softe Inough And when he woke that kyng hym drough To his presence & dyd hym chere So that this preest in suche manere Wh●se that hym lyketh there he duelleth And al this he to Bachus telleth When that he cam to hym ageyne And when that Bachus herd seyn Hou myde hath done this curtesye Hym thynketh it were ● vylony● But he reward hym for his dede So as he myght of his godhede Vnto this kyng this god appereth And clepeth & that other hereth This god to Myde thanketh fayre Of that he was soo debonayre Toward his prest & bad hym sey● What thyng it were he wold preye He shold it haue of worldly good This kyng was glad & stylle stood And was of his axyng in doute And al the world he casteth aboute What thyng was best for his ●state And with hym self stood at debate Vpon thre poyntes whiche I fynde Ben leuest vnto mannes kynde The fyrst of hem it is delyte The two ben worshyp & profyte And than he thought yf that I craue Delyte though I delyte may haue Delyte shal passen in my age That is no syker auauntage For euery ioye bodely Shal ende in woo / delyte for thy Wol I not chese / & yf I worshyp Axe & of the world lordshyp That is an occupacyon Of proude Imagynacyon Whiche maketh an hert veyn within There is no certeyne for to wynne For lorde & knaue is al one weye When they be bore & when they deye And yf I profyte axe wolde I not in what maner I sholde Of worldes good haue sykernesse For euery theef vpon rychesse A wayteth for to robbe & stele Suche ●●ood is cause of harmes fele And also though a man at ones Of al the world within his wones The Tresour myght haue euery deele Yet had he but one mans dele Toward hym self so as I thynke Of clothynge of mete of drynke For more oute take vanyte There hath no lord in his degre And thus vpon the poyntes dyuerse Dyuersly he gan reherce What poynt hym thought for the best But pleynly for to gete hym rest He can no syker weye cast And netheles yet at the last He felle vpon the couetyse Of gold / & than in sondry wyse He thought as I haue sayd to fore How Tresour may be sone forlore And had an Inly grete desyre Touchend of suche recouer Hou that he myght his cause auayle To gete hym gold withoute fayle Within his hert & thus he preyseth The gold & sayth hou that he peyseth Aboue al other metal most The gold he sayth may lede an hoost To make werre ayene a kyng The gold put vnder al thyng And set whome hym lyst aboue The gold can make of hate loue And werre of pees . & ryght of wrong And long to short & short to long Withoute gold may be no fest Gold is the lorde of man & beste And may hem both bye & selle Soo that a man may sothely telle That al the world to gold obeyeth For thy this kyng to bachus preyth To graunte hym gold / but he excedeth Mesure more than hym nedeth Men tellen that the maladye Whiche callyd is Ioropesy● Resembled is to this vyce By weye of kynde & Auaryce The more Idropesye drynketh The more thyrsteth for hym thynketh That he may not drynke his fylle Soo that there may no thyng fulfylle The lustes of his appetyte And ryght in suche maner plyte Stant euer Auaryce & euer stood The more he hath of worsdes good The more he wolde kepe streyte And euer more and more coueyte And ryght in suche condicyon Wythoute good discrecyon This kyng with auaryce is smete That al the worlde it myght wete For he to Bachus then preyd That wherupon his honde he leid It sholde thorugh his touche anone Become gold / & therupon This god hym graunteth as he bad Tho was this kyng of Fryge glad And for to put it in assaye With / al the hast that he maye He toucheth that he toucheth this And in his hond al gold it is The stone / the tre / the leef / the gras The Floure the fruyte al gold it was Thus toucheth he while he may last But hongre att the last Hym took soo that he mote nede By wey of kynde his hongre fede The clothe was leyd / the boord was set And alle was forth byfore hym set His dissh / his drink / his cuppe his meet But when he wold drynk or ete As to his mouth anone cam nyghe It was al gold & then he syghe Of Auayrce the folye And he with that bygnne to crye And preyde Bachus to foryeue His gylt & suffre hym for to lyue And be suche as he was to fore Soo that he were nought forlore This god whiche of this greuaunce Herd / toke routhe vpon his repentaunce And bad hym goo forth redyly Vnto a flood was fast by Whiche paceole than hyght In whiche as sone as euer he myght He sholde hym wasshe oueral And said hym than he shal Recouere hys fyrst astate ageyn This kyng right as he herd seyn In to the flood goth fro the lond And wesshe hym bothe fote & hond And so forth al the remenaunt As hym was set in ●●uendunt And than he sawe meruayles straunge The flood his coloure gan to chaunge The grauel with the smal stones To gold they torne al attones And he was quyte of that he had And thus fortune his chaunge lad And when he sawe his touche gone He goth hym home ryght forth soone And lyueth forth as he dyde er And put al Auaryce a fer And the ryches of gold despyseth And seyth that mete & clothe suffyseth Thus hath this kyng experyence Hou fooles done the reuerence To gold whiche of his owne kynde Is lasse worth than is the rynde To sustenaunce of mans fode Then he made lawes goode And al his thyng set vpon skylle He lede his people for to tylle Her l●nd & lyue vnder the lawe And they also shold forth drawe Bestayl & seche none encrees ●f gold whiche is the breche of pees For this a man may fynde wryte To fere the tyme that gold was smyte In coygne that men the floren knewe There was wel nyhe noman vntrewe There was nother shelde ne spere Ne dedely wepen for to be bere T●o was the toune withoute walle The whiche now is closed ouer alle Tho was there no bro●●ge in lond Whiche now taketh euery cause on hond So may that man knowe hou the floreyn Was moder fyrst of malengyn And brynger in of alle werre Wherof this world stant oute of herre Thorugh the counseyl of auary●● Whiche of his owne propre vyce Whiche as the helle wonderful For it may neuermore be ful That what as euer cometh therynne Awey it ne may neuer wynne But sone myn do thou not so Late al suche auaryce go And take thy part of that thou hast I byd not that thou do wast But hold largesse in mesure And yf thou see a creature Whiche thorugh pouert is falle in nede Yeue hym somme good for this I rede To hym that wol not yeuen here What peyne he shal haue elles where There is a peyne among al Bynethe in helle whiche men calle The woful peyne of Tantaly Of whiche I shal the redely Deuyse hou theryn men stond In helle thou shalt vnderst●nd There is a flood of thylk offyce Whiche serueth al for auaryce What man that stonde shal therin He stant vp euen to the chynne Aboue his hede also there hougeth A fruyt whiche to that peyne longeth And that fruyt toucheth euer in one His ouerlyppe / and therupon Suche thyrst & honger hym assayleth That neuer his appetyte ne fayleth But when he wende his hongar fede The fruyt withdraweth hym at nede And though he haue his hede on hyghe The fruyt is euer alyche nyghe So is the honger wel the more And also though hym thurst sore And to the water bowe adoune The flood in suche condycyon Aualeth that his drynke areche He may not / loo now whiche a wreche That mete & drynk is hym so couthe And yet ther comth none in his mouth Lyche to the peynes of this flood Stant Auaryce in worldes good He hath Inough & yet hym nedeth For his scarcenes it hym forbedeth And euer his honger after / more Trauayleth hym alyche sore So is he peyned oueral For thy thy goodes oueral My sone loke that thou dyspende Wherof thou myght thy self amende Bothe here & eke in other place And also yf thou wolt purchace To be loued thou must vse Largesse for yf thou refuse To yeue for thy loues sake It is no reson that thou take Of loue that thou woldest craue For thy yf thou wolt , grace haue Be gracyous and do largesse Of Auaryce & the sekenesse Esche we aboue al other thyng And take ensample of Myde the kyng And of the flood of helle also Where is Inough of al wo And though there were no matere But only that we fynden here Men ought Auaryce esche we For what man thylk vyce sewe He gete hym self but lytel rest For though so that the body rest The hert vpon the gold trauayleth Whome many a nyght●s drede assaileth For though he lygge a bed naked His herte is euermore awaked And dremeth as he lyeth to slepe Hon besy that he is to kepe His Tresour that noo theef it stele Thus hath he but a woful wele And ryght so in the same wyse If thou thy self wolt wel auyse There be louers of suche Inough That wol vnto reason bough If so ●e they come aboue When they be maystres of her loue And that they sholden be most glad With loue they ben moost bestad So fayn they wolden it holden all That hir herte / hir eye is ouerall And wenen euery man be a theef To stele awey that hem is leef Thus thorugh her owne fantasye They fallen in to Ielousye Than hath the shyp to broke his cable With euery wynde & is meuable

Amans My fader for that ye now telle I haue herde oftyme telle Of Ielousye but what it is Yet vnderstond I neuer or this Wherfore I wold you byseche That ye me wold enforme & teche What maner thyng it myght be My sone that is hard to me But netheles as I haue herd Now herkne & thou shalt be ansuerd

Nota de Ielousia cuius fantastica suspicio amorem quentuis fidelissimum mul t●ciens sine causa corruptum Imagina tur /

aMong the men lak of manhod In maryage vpon wyshode Maketh that a man hym self deceyueth Wherof it is that he conceyueth That ylke vnesy maladye The whiche is cleped Ielousye Of whiche yf I the propyrte Shal telle after the nyorte So as it worcheth on a man A feuer it is cotydyan Whiche euery day wol come aboute Where so a a man be in or oute At home yf that a man wol wone This feuer is than of comon wone Moost greuous in a mans eye For than he maketh hym tote & prye Where so his loue euer go She shal not with hyr lytel too Mysteppe but he seeth al His eye is walkend oueral Where that she synge or that she daunce He seeth the lest countenaunce If she loke on a man a syde Or with hym rowne at ony tyde Or that she laugh or that she ●oure His eye is there at euery houre And when it draweth to the nyght If she soo than be withoute lyght Anone is al the game shente For than he set his parlement To speke it when he cometh to bedde And sayth yf I were now to wedde I wold neuermore haue wyf And so he torneth in to stryf The lust of loues dute And al vpon dyuersyte If she be fresshe & wel arayed He sayth her baner is dysplayed To cle●e in gestes fro the weye And yf she be not wel beseye And that hyr lyst not to be glad He beryth on hond that she is mad And loueth not her husbond And sayth he may wel vnderstond That yf she wold his companye She shold than afore his eye She we al the plesaunce that she myght So that by daye ne by nyght She not what thyng is best But lyueth wel oute of al rest For what as euer hym lyst seyn She dare not speke one word ageyn But wepeth & hold hyr lyppes cloos She may wel wryte Saunce ●●poos The wyf whiche is to suche one maryed Of al women be he waryed For with his feuer of jelousye His eche dayes fantasye Of soro we is euer alyche grene So that there is no loue sene Whyle that hym lyst at home abyde And when so as he wol oute ryde T●●● hath he redy his ●spye Abydyng in her companye A jangler an euyl mouthed one That she ne may no●●he ther gone Ne speke one word ne ones loke But he ne wol it wende & croke And torne after his owne entent Though she no thyng but honour ment When that the lord comth home ageyn The jangler must somwhat seyn So what withoute & what withynne This feuer is euer to begynne For where he cometh he can not ende Tyl deth of hym hath made an ende For though so be that he ne here Ne see nor wyte in no manere But al honoure & womanhede Therof the Ielous taketh none ●ede But as a man to loue vnkynde He cast his staf as doth the blynde And fynt defaulte where is none As who so dremeth on a stone Hou he is leyd & groneth ofte When he lyeth on his pylowe softe So is ther nought but stryf & chest Where loue shold make his rest It is grete thyng yf he her kysse Thuo hath she loste the nyghtes blysse For at suche tyme he grutcheth euer And beryth on hond ther is a leuer That she wold another were In stede of hym abedde there And with tho wordes & with mo Of jelousye he torneth her fro And lyeth vpon his other syde And she with that draweth hyr asyde And ther she wepeth al the nyght A to what peyne she is dyght ▪ That in her thought hath so beset The bonde whiche may not be vnknet I wote the tyme is ofte cursed That euer was the gold vnpursed The whiche was leyd vpon the book When that al other she forsook For loue of hym but al to late She pleyneth for as than algate She mo●e forbere & to hym / ●owe Though he ne wold it allowe For man is lord of thylk feyre So may the woman but empeyre If she speke ought ageyne thy wylle And thus she beryth her peyne stylle But yf this Feuer a woman t●ke She shal be wel the more harde sha●● But yf she bothe see & here And fynde that there is matere She dare but to her self pleyne And thus she suffreth double peyne Loo thus my sone as I haue ●ryt● Thou myght of jelousye wyte His feuer & his condycyon Whiche is fal of suspectyon But wherof that this feuer groweth Who so these olde bokes too weth There may he fynde hou it is For they vs teche & telle this Hou that this Feuer of jelousye Somdele it groweth of sotye Of loue and somdele of vntrust For as sekeman left his lust And when he may no sauoure gete He hateth than his owne mete Ryght so this feuerous maladye Whiche caused is of fantasye Maketh the jelous in feble plyght To leue of loue his appetyt Thorugh feyned Informacyon Of his Imagynacyon But fynally to taken heede Men may wel make a lykelyhede Bytwene hym whiche is auarou● Of gold & hym that is Ir●●us Of loue for in one degre They stonde bothe as semeth me That one wold haue his bagges styl And nought departen with his wyll And dare not for the theues slepe So fayne he wold his tresour kepe That other maye not wel be glad For euermore he is adrad Of these louers that gone aboute In aunter yf they put hym oute So haue they bothe lytel Ioye As wel of loue as of moneye Now hast thou sone at my techyng Of Ielousye a knowlechyng That thou myght vnderstonde this Fro when he cometh & what he is And eke to whome that he is lyke Beware for thy thou be not syke Of thylk feuer as I haue spoke For it wol in hym self be wroke For loue hateth no thyng more As men may fynde by the lore Of hem that whylome were wy●● Hou they speke in many wyse My fader sothe is that ye seyn But for to loke there ageyn Byfore this tyme hou it is falle Wherof there myght ensample falle To suche men as ben Ielous In what maner it is greuous Ryght fayn I wold ensample here My good sone at thy prayere Of suche ensamples I fynde Soo as they comen now to mynde Vpon this poynt of tyme gone I thynke for to tellen one

hIc ponit Confessor Exemplum contra istos maritos quos Ielousia ma●●la●●t / Et narrat qualiter vul canus cuins vxor venus extitit suspicionem inter ipsam & martem concipiens eorum gestus diligencius explorabat / Vnde contigit ꝙ cum ipse quadam vice ambos inter se pariter amplexantes in lecto nudo inuenit / et exclamans omnem cetum deorum et deatum ad tantum spectaculum conuocauit / super quo tamen derisum pocius quam remedium a tota cohorte consecutus est

oVyde wrote of many thynges Among the whiche in his wrytinges He told a tale in poesie Whiche toucheth in to Ielousye Vpon a certeyne caas of loue Among the goddes al aboue It felle that ylke tyme thus The god af fyre whiche Vulcanus Is hote & hath a craft forth with Assygned for to be the Smyth Of Iupyter and his fygure Bothe of vysage & of stature Is ●othly and malgracyous But yet he hath within his hous As for the lykyng of his lyf The fayre Venus to his wyf But mars whiche of bataylles is The god an eye had vnto this As he whiche was chyualrous It felle hym to ben amerous And thought it was grete pyte To see soo lusty one as she Be coupled with so hard a wyght So that his peyne day & nyght He dyd yf he her wynne myght And she that had a good insyght Toward so noble a knyghtly lord In loue fel of his acord There lakketh nought but tyme & place That he ny● syker of her grace But when two hertes fallen in one So wyse a wayte was neuer none That at somtyme they ne mete And thus this fayre lusty swete With Mars hath ofte companye But thylk vnkynde Ielousye Whiche euermore the herte opposeth Maketh Vulcanus that he supposeth That it is not wel ouerall And to hym self he sayde he shal A s●y● better yf that he may And so it felle vpon a day That he this thyng so slyghly ledde He fond hem bothe a ●edde Al warme / echone with other naked And he with craft al redy maked Of strong cheynes hath hem bounde As he to geder hem had founde And lefte hem bothe lygge so And gan than to crye tho Vnto the goddes al aboute And they assembled in a route Come al at ones for to see But none amendes had he Bat was rebuked here & there Of hem that loues frendes were And sayd that he was to blame For yf ther felle hym ony shame It was thorugh his mysgouernaunce And thus he lost contenaunce This god & lete his cause falle And they to scorne●●owen ●●●e And lo●en mars oute of his hondes Wherof these erthely husbondes For euer myght ensample take In suche a chaunce hem ouertake For Vulcanus his wyf bewrayd The blame vpon hym self ho layd● Wherof his shame was the more Whiche ought for to be a lore For euery man that leueth here To reulen hym in this matere Though suche an hap of loue asterte Yet shold he not apoynte his herte Of Ielousye of that is wrought But feyne as though he wyst it nought For yf he ●ete it ouerpasse The sklaunder shal be wel the lasse And he the more in ese stonde For this thou myght wel vnderstonde That where a man shal nedes le●● The lasse harme is for to chese But Ielousye of his vntryst Maketh that ful many an harme aryst Whiche elles shold not aryse And yf a man wold hym auyse Of that byfelle ▪ to Vulcanus Hym ought of reson thynke thus That syth a god was therof shamed Wel shold an erthely man be blamed To take vpon hym such● a vyce For thy my sone in thyne offyce Beware that thou be nought Ielous Whiche oftyme hath shent the hous My fadre this ensample is bard Hou suche thyng to the heuen ward Among the goddes myght falle For there is one god of alle Whiche is the lord of heuene●● helle But yf it lyke you to telle Hou suche goddes come a place Ye myght mochel thank purchace For I shal be wel taught with alle

Confessor My sonne it is soo ouerall● With hem that stonden mysbyleu●d That suche goddes ●en byleued In sondry place in sondey wyse Among hem whiche be vnwyst There is bytaken of credence Wherof that I the dyfference In the maner as it is wryte Shal do the pleynly for to wyte

Genti●us illusis signantur templade oru●● / Vnde deos ●●os nacio cecacolit nulla creaturi racio facit esse creatum / Equipa●ans quam ad huc Iura pagana so nant ▪

Quia secundum poetarum fabu●a● in huiusmodi likelli locis quampluribus nomina et gestus deorum falsorum intitulantur quozum infidelitas vt Cristianis clarius innotescat ●ntendit de ipsorum origine secundum barias paganorum sectas ●cribere consequeter / Et primo de secta Ealde●●um trac tare proponit

oRcrist was ●ore among b● here Of the byleues that tho were In four formes thus it was They of chaldee as in this cas Had a byleue of hem selue Whiche stood vpon the sygnes twelue And eke with the planetes seuene Whiche as they saw vpon the henen● Of sondry constellacyon In her Imagyuacyon With son●ry ●rerf & portrature They made of goddes the fygure In Elementes & eke also They hadden a byleue tho And al was that vnresonable For the elementes ben seruysable To man for ofte of accydence As men may see the experyence They ben corrupt by sondry weye So may no mans reson seye That they ben god in ony wyse And eke yf men hem wel auyse The sonne & mone eclypsen bothe Or be hem leef or be hem to the They suffre & what thynge is passyble To ben a god is inpossyble

Et qd Nembroth quartus a Noe ignem tanquam deum in Caldea primus adorari decreuit

These elementes ben creatures So ben these heuenly fygures Wherof may wel be iustyfyed That they may not be deifyed And what taketh awey the honour Whiche due is to the creatour And yeueth it to the creature He doth to grete a forteture But of Caldee netheles Vpon this feyth though it be les They holde affermed the creaunce So that of helle the penaunce As folk whiche stant oute of byleue They shal ●ceyue as we byleue Of the Caldees loo in this wyse Stant the byleue oute of assyse But in Egypt worst of alle The feyth is fals hou so it falle For they dyuers beestes there Honoure as though they goddes were And netheles yit forth with al The goddes most in specyal They haue forth with a goddesse In whome is al her sekernesse The goddes yet be cleped thus Orus Cyphon and Isyrus They were bretheren al thre And the goddes in here degre Hyr suster was & Isys hyght Whome Isyrus forlay by nyght And helde hyr after as his wyf So it byfelle that vpon stryf Typhon hath Isire his broder slayn Whiche had a child to sone Orayn And he his fader deth to herte So took that he may not asterte That he Typhon after ne slough Than he was ●ype of age Inough But yet the Egypcyens trowen For al this errour that they knowen That these bretheren ben of myght To sette & kepe Egypt vp ryght And ouer thurgh yf that hem lyke But Isys as seyth the Cronyke Fro Grece in to Egypte cam And she then vpon honde nam To teche hem for to sowe & ●re Whiche noman knewe to fore there And when the Egypcyans syghe The felde ful afore here eye And that the lond bygan to greyne Whiche whysome had be bareyne For the erthe bare● after the kynde His due charge this I fynde That ▪ she of byrthe the goddesse Is cleped / so that in dystresse The women ther vpon chyldyng To her clepe and here offryng They ●ere when ; that they be lyḡht Loo hou Egypt al out of syght Fro reson stant in mysbyleue For lak of bore as I byleue

De secta Grecorum Among the grekes out of the weye As they that reson put aweye There was as the Cronyke seyth Of mysbyleue an other feyth That ●ere goddes & here goddesse As who seyth taken al to gesse Of suche as weren ful of vyce To whome they made sacryfyce ●he hyghe god so as they sayde To whome they worshyp layde

Nota qualiter Saturnus deorum summns appellatur

Saturnus hyght & kyng of Crete He had be put out of his sete He was put doune as he whiche stood In frenesye & was so wood That fro his wyf whiche Reá hyght His owne children he to plyght And ete hem of his comon wone But Iupyter whiche w●s his sone And of ful age his fader bonde And kyt of with his owne honde His genytalles whiche also fast In to the depe see he cast Wherof the grekes afferme & seye Thus when they were cast awey Cam Venus forth by wey of kynde And of Saturnus also I fynde Hou afterward in to an yle This Iupyter hym dyd exyle Where that he stood in grete meschyef Loo what a god they maden cheef Whiche stood moost in his degre And sythen that suche one was he Among the goddes thou myght knowe These other that ben more lowe Ben lytel worth as it is founde

Iupiter ●eus deliciarum For Iupyter was the seconds Whiche Iuno had vnto his wyf And yet a lechour al his lyf He was & in auoutrye He wrought many a trecherye And for he was so ful of vyces They cleped hym god of delyces Of whome yf thou wolt wyte Ouyde the poete hath wryte But yet here sterres bothe twoo Saturne and Iupyter also They haue although they be to blame Attytled to her owne name

Mars deus belli Mars was another man in that laste The whiche in trace was forth drawe Of whome the clerk Vegecius Wrote in his book & told thus Hou he in to Italye cam And fortune there he nam That he a mayden there oppressyd Whiche in hyr ordre was professed As the whiche was the P●yo●esse In bestes Temple the goddesse So was she wel the more to blame Dame Ilya this lady name Men clepe & she was also The kynges doughter that was tho Whiche mynyter by name hyght Soo that ayene the lawes ryght Mars thylke tyme vpon hyr that Remus & Romulus he vygat Whiche after when they come in age Of knyghthode & of bessellage Italye al hoole they ouercome And foundeden the grete Rome In armes and of suche empryse They weren that in thylk wyse Hyr fader mars for the meruayle The god was cleped of the batayle They were his children both two Though hem he took his name soo There was none other cause why And yet a sterre vpon the sky He hath vnto his name applyed In whiche that he is ●●guyfyed Another god they hadden eke To whome for counseyl they byseke The whiche was broder to Venus Appollo men hym clepe thus He was an hunte vpon the helles There was with hym no vertu elles Wherof that ony bokes carpe But onlyche that he couthe harpe Whiche whan he walked ouer lond Ful of tyme he woke on hond To gete hym with his sustenaunce For lak of other purueaunce And other whyle of his falshede He feyneth hym to conne a rede ▪ Of thyng which afterward shold fall Wherof among his sleyghtes all He hath the leude folk receyned So that the better he was receyued Loo now thorugh what ▪ creacyon He hath deyfycacyon To suche as be the foles yet And cleped is the god of wyt Another god to whome they sought Mercurye hyght / & hym ne rought What thyng he stale ne whom ▪ he slough Of s●r●●rye he couthe ynough That when he wold hym self transfor me / Ful oftyme he toke the forme Of woman & his owne lefte So dyde he wel the more thefte Agrete speker in al thynges He was also & of lesynges An Autor that men wyst none An other suche as he was one And yet they maden of . this theef A god whiche was vuto hym leef And cleped hym in tho vyleues The god of marchauntes & of theues But asterre vpon the heuene He hath one of the planetes senene But Vulcanus of whome I spa Ho had a courbe vpon the bak And therto he was hyppe halt Of whome thou vnderstonde shalt He was a shrewe in al his youthe And he none other vertu couthe Of vertu to helpe hym self with But only that he was a smyth Whiche with Iupyter in his forge Dyuerse thynges made hym forge So wote I not for what desyre To clepe hym the god of fyre Kyng of Cecyle Ipolytus A sone had / and Eolus He hyght of his fader graunt He helde the weye of couenaunt The gouernaunce of euery Ile Whiche was longed vnto Cecyle Of hem that fro the lond foreyn Lye vpon to the wynde al pleyn And fro thylk Iles to the lond Ful ofte cam the wynd to hond And after the name of hym for thy The wynde is cleped Eoly And is cleped the god of wynd Loo no whou this byleue is blynd The kyng of Crete Iupyter The same whiche I spast of er Vnto his broder whiche Neptune Whiche was hote hym lyst comune Part of his god so that by shyp He made hym strong of the lordshyp Of anl the see in tho partyes Where that he wrought his tyrannyes And the straunge Iles al aboute He wan that euery man hath doute Vpon his marche for to sayle For he anone hem wold assayle And robbe that thyng that they ladden His sauf conduyt but yf they hadden Wherof the comon voys aroos ●n euery londe that suche a loos He caught al nere it worth a stre That he was cleped of the see The god by name & yet he is With hem that so byleue amys This Neptunus whiche was thylk also Whiche was the fyrst founder tho Of noble Troye & he for thy Was wel the more lete by The boresman of the shepeherdes And eke of hem that Netherdes Was of Archade & hyght pan Of whome hath spoke many a man For in the wode of Nouertyne Enclosed with the trees of pygne And oute of the mount of parysye He bade of beestes the baylye And eke bynethe in the valeye Where thylk ryuer as men may seye Whiche Ladon hyght made his cours He was the cheef of gouernours Of hem that kepen tame beestes Wherof they make yet the festes In the cyte of Stursalydes And forth with al yet netheles He taught men the forth drawyng Of bestaylle & eke the makyng Of Oxen & of hors the same Hou men hem shold ryde & tame Of foules eke so as we fynde Ful many a subtyle craft of kynde He fonde whiche noman knewe to fore Men dyd hym worshyp eke therfore That he the fyrst in thylk lond Was / whiche the melodye fond Of reedes when they were rype With double pypes for to pype Therof he yafe the fyrst lore Tyl afterward men couthe more To euery crāft of mannes helpe He had a redy wyt to helpe Thorugh natural experyence Thus the nyce reuerence Of fooles when he was dede The foote was torned to the hede And clepen hym god of nature For so they maden his fygure Another god so as they fele With Iupyter vpon Semele Bygate in his auoutrye Whome for to hyde his lecherye That none therof shal take kepe In a montayne for to kepe Whiche Dyon hyght & was in Inde He sente in bokes as I fynde And he by name Bachus hyght Whiche afterward when that he myght A wastor was & al his rente In wyn & bordel he dyspente But alweye he wonder bad Among the grekes a name he had They cleped hym the god of wyne And thus a gloton was dyuyne There was yet Esculapius A god in thylk tyme as thus His craft stood vpon Surgerye But for the lust of lecherye That he to Dayres doughter drough It fel that Iupyter hym slough And yet they made hym nought for thy A god & wyst no cause why In Rome he was long tyme so A god among the Romayns tho For as he sayd in his presence There was destroyed a pestylence When they to the yle of Delphos wente And Appollo with hem sent This Esenlapius his sone Among the Romayns for to wone And there he duelte for a whyle Tyl afterward in that yle Fro when he cam ayene he torneth Where al his lyf that he soiourneth Among the grekes tyl he deyde And they vpon hym than leyde His name & god of medycyne He ●at●e after that ylk lyne Another god of Hercules They made whiche was netheles A man but that he was so strong In al this world that brood & long So myghty was no man as he Merucyles twelue in his degre As it was couthe in sondry londes He dyd with his owne hondes Ageyne geauntes & monstres bothe The whiche were horeyble & lothe But he with strengthe hem ouercam Wherof so grete a prys he nam That they hym clepe amonges alle The god of strengthe & to hym calle And yet there is no reson Inne For he a man was fulfylled of synne Whiche proued was vpon his ende For in a rage hym self he brende And suche a cruel mannes dede acord Acordeth nought to the good lord They made of goddes yet another Which Pluto hyght / & was the broder Of Iupyter / & he fro youthe With euery word which cam to mouth Of ony thyng when he was wroth He wold swere his comon oth By Lethen and Flageton By Cocheton and Acheron The whiche after the bookes telle Ben the chyef flodes of helle By Segne & Styge he swore also That by the depe pyttes twoo Of helle the moost pryncypal Pluto these othes oueral Swore of his comon custumounce Tyl it felle vpon a chaunce That he for Iupyters sake Vnto the goddes late do make A sacryfyce / & for that dede One of the pyttes for his mede In helle whiche I spak of er Was graunted hym / & thus he ther Vpon the fortune of this thynge The name took of helle kynge Loo these goddes & wel mo Among the grekes they had tho And of goddes many one Whoos names thou shalt here anone And in what wyse they deceyuen The fooles whiche her feyth receyuen Oo as Saturne is souerayn Of al goddes as they sayn So is Cybylle of goddesses The moder whome withoute gesses The folk preyn honour & serue As they the whiche her lawe obserue But for to knowen vpon this Fro when she cam & what she is Bethnicia the countre hyght Where she cam fyrst to mannes syght And after was Saturnus wyf By whome thre children in her lyf She bare & were cleped tho Iuno Neptunus & Pluto The whiche of Nyce fantasye The people wold deyfye And for her children were soo Cybelle than was also Made a goddesse & they hyr calle The moder of the goddes alle So was that name bore forth And yet the cause is lytel worth A voys vnto Saturne told Hou that his owne sone hym shold Oute of his reygne put awey And he by cause of thylk wey That hym was shape suche an hate Cybelle his wyf began to hate And eke her progenye bothe And whyle that they were wrothe By Phyberem vpon a day In this auoutrye he lay On whome he Iupyter vygat And this child was after that Whiche wrought al that was prophecyed As it to fore was specyfyed So when that Iupiter of / Crete Was kyng / a wyf vnto hym mete The doughter of Sybell he took And that was Iuno sayth the book Of his deyfycacyon After the f●ls oppynyon That haue I told so as I mene And for this Iuno was the quene Of Iupyter and suster ●ke The fooles vnto her seke And seyn that she is the goddesse Of Regnes bothe & of Ry●hesse And ●ke she as they vnderstond The water Nymphes hath in hond To leden at her owne heste And when here lyst the sky tempeste The Reynbowe is her messagere Loo whiche a mysbyleue is here That she goddesse is of the sky I wote none other cause why Another goddesse is Myn●rue To whome the gr●kes o●●ye & serue And she was nyhe the grete lay Of Tyton fonde where lay A child for cast / but what she was There knewe noman the soth cas But ●n Affryke she was leyde In the maner as I haue seyde And caryed from that ylke place In to an Ile for in Trace T●● whiche Palene than hyght Where a Noryce hyr kepee & dyght And after for she was so wyse That she fonde fyrst in hyr auyse To clothe makyng of wolle & lyne Men sayden that she was deuyne And the goddesse of sapyence They clepen hyr in that credence Of the goddesse whiche pallas Is cleped sondry speche was One seyth hyr fader was pallaunt Whiche in his tyme was a geaunt A cruel man a batayllous Another sayth how in his hous She was the cause why he deyde And of this pallas eke som seyde That she Martes wyf was & soo Among the men that were tho Of mysbyleue m Ryote The goddesse of bataylles she hot● Was / and yet she bereth the name Now loke hou they be not for to bl●me Saturnus after his exyle Fro Crete cam m grete peryle In to the londes of Itayle And there he dyd grete meruayle Wherof his name duelleth yet For he fond of his owne wyt The fyrst craft of plough tyllyng Of eryng & of corne sowyng And hou men shold sette● vynes Of the grapes for to make wynes And this he taught / and it felle soo His wyf whiche cam with hym tho Was cleped Ceres by name And for she taught also the same And was his wyf that ylke throwe As it was to the peple knowe They made of Ceres a goddesse In whom in their ●ilthe yet they blesse And sayth that Try●olynus Here sone goth among vs And maketh that corn good chepe or dere Ryght as her lyst from yere to yere So that this wyf bycause of this Goddesse of corne cleped is Kyng Iupyter whiche his lykyng Whilome fulfylled in al thyng So pryuelyche aboute he lad His lust that he his wylle had Of Lat●na & of hyr that Dyane his doughter he bygat Vnknowen of his wyf Iuno And afterward she knewe it so That Latona for drede fled In to an Ile where she hyd Hyr wombe whiche of chyld aroos Thylk I le was cleped De●●os In whiche Dyana was forth brou●t And kepte so that her lakketh nought And after when she was of age She took none hede of maryage But oute of mannes companye She tooke hyr al to lecherye In forest and in wyldernesse For there was al here besynesse By day & eke by nyghtes tyde With arowes brode vnder the syde And be we in hond of which she slough And took al that she lyked Inough Of bestes whiche ben chaceable Wherof the Cronyke of this fable Sayth that the gentylnes most of alle W●rshyp hyr & to her calle And the goddesse of hyghe helles Of grene trees & of fressh● welles They clepen hyr in that byleue Whiche that no reson may acheue Proserpyna whiche doughter was Of Cereres byfel the cas Whyle she was duellyng m Cecyle Hee moder in that ylke whyle Vpon her blyssyng & her hest Bad that she shold be honest And lere for to weue & spynne And duelle at home & kepe her Inne But she cast al that lore awey And as she went her oute to pley To gader floures in a playne And that was vnder the Montayne Of Ethna felle the same tyde That pluto cam that way ryde And sodeynly or she was ware He toke hyr vp in to his chaar And as they ryden in the felde Hyr grete beaute he byhelde Whiche was so plesaunt in his eye That for to hold in companye He wedded hyr & helde hyr soo To ben his wyf for euermo And as thou hast to fore herd telle How he was cleped god of helle So is she cleped the goddesse By cause of hym ne more ne lesse Lo thus my sone as I the tolde The grekes whylome by dayes olde Her goddes had in sondry wyse And thorugh the lore of hyr apry●● The Romayne held ●ke the same And in worshyp of hyr name To euery god in specyal They made a Temple forth with al And eke of hem her yeres day Attytled had & of array The temples were then ordeyned And eke the peple was constreyned To come & done her sacryfyce The preestes ●ke in her offyce Solempne made thylk festes And the grekes thus lyke the beestes The men in stede of god honoure Whiche myght hem nought so coure Whyle that they were alyue here And ouer this as thou shalt here The grekes fulfylled of fantasye Seyne eke that of the helles hye And the goddes ben in specyal But of her name in general They hoten al Satyry There ben of Nymphes propyrly In the byleue of hem also Oreades they sayden tho Attytled ben to the Montaynes And for the wodes in demeynes To kepe tho ben Dryades Of fresshe welles Nayades And of the Nymphes of the see I fynde a tale m propyrte Hou Dorus whilom the kyng of grece Whiche had of Infortune a p●ce His wyf forth with his doughter alle So as the happes sholden falle With many a gentyl woman there Dreynt in the salt see they were Where of the grekes that tyme seyden And suche a name vpon leyden Nereydes that they ben ho●e The Nymphes whiche that they note To reygne vpon the stremes salt Lo now yf this byleue halt But of the Nymphes as they tells In euery place where they duelle They ben al redy obeysaunt As Damoyselles attendaunt To the goddes whos ser●yse They mot● obeye in al wyse Wherof the grekes to hem beseke With tho that ben goddes eke And haue in hem a grete credence And yet withoute experyence Sauf only of Illusyon Whiche was to hem dampnacyon For men also that were dede They hadden goddes as I rede And tho by name Manes hyghten To whome ful grete honour they diȝtē So a● the grekes lawe seyth Whiche was ayene the ryght feyth Thus haue I told a grete partye ●u● al the hole progenye O● goddes m that ylke tyme To longe it were for to ryme But yet of that whiche thou has● h●rd Of mysbyleue how it hath ferd There is a grete dyuersyte My fader ryght soo thynketh me But yet one thynge I you byseche Whiche stant in al mennes speche The god & the goddesse of loue Of whome ye no thyng here aboue ●aue told ne spoken of hyr fare That ye me wold now declare H●u they fyrst come to that name My sonne I haue lefte it for shame By cause I am her owne p●eest But for they stonden nyhe thy brest V●on the shryfte of thy matere Thou shalt of hem the soth here And vnderstonde now wel the caa● Venus Saturnus doughter was Whiche al daunger put awey Of loue & fond to lust a wey So that of her in sondry place Dyuerse men f●lle in to grace And suche a lusty lyf she lade That she dyuers children hade Now one by this now one by that Of hyr it was that ma●s bygat A childe whiche cleped was Armen● Of hyr also cam Andragene To whome mercurye fader was Anchyses bygate Eneas Of hyr also and Herycon Byten bygat and therupon When that she sawe ther was none other By Iupyter her owne broder She lay & he bygat Cupyde And thylke sone vpon a tyde When he was come vnto his age He had a wonder fayr vysage And fonde his moder amerous And was also lecherous So when they wer● bothe alone As he whiche eyen had none To reson his moder kyst And she also that nothyng wyst But that whiche vnto his lust bylongeth To ben her loue hym vnder fongeth Thus was he blynde & she vnwys But neuertheles this cause it is Whiche cupyde is the god of loue For he his moder durst loue And she whiche thought her lustes fonde Dyuers loues took on honde Wel more than I the told here And for she wold hyr self skere She made comon that dysport And set ● lawe of suche a port That euery woman myght take What man her lyst & nought forsake To ben as comon as she wold She was the fyrst also whiche told That women shold her body selle Semyramys so as men telle Of Venus kepte thylk apryse And so dyde in the same wyse Of Rome fayre Neabolye Whiche solde her body to Regolye She was to euery man felawe And held the lust of thylk lawe Whiche Venus of her self began Wherof that she the name wan Why men hyr clepen the goddesse Of loue & eke of gentylnesse Of worldes lust & of plesaunce See nowe the foule myscreaunc● Of grekes in thylk tyme tho When Venus took her name soo There was no ca●se vnder the mone Of the whiche they hadden tho to done Of wel or woo where so it was That they noo token in that ca● A god to helpe or a goddesse Wherof to take my wytnesse

Nota de epistola Dindimi Regis Bragmannorum Alexandro magno directa vbi dicit ꝙ Greci tunc ad corporis conseruacionem pro singulis membris singulos deds specialiter appropri ari credunt

The kynge of Bragmans Dyndymus Wrote vnto Alysander thus In blamyng of the grekes feyth And of the mysbyleue he seyth How they for euery membre hadden A sondry god to whome they spradden Here armes & of helpe besoughten Mynerue for the hede they soughten For she was wyse & of a man The wytte & reson that he can As in the celles of the brayn Wherof they made her souerayn Mercurye which was in his dawe● A grete speker of fals lawes On hym the kepyng of the tonge They layde when they speke or songe For Bachus was a gloton eke Hym for the throte they byseke That he it wolde wasshen ofte With soote drynkes & with softe The god of shulders & of armes Was hercules for he in armes The myghiyest was to fyght To hym the ●ymmes they behyght The god whome they cle●●n mart The br●●t to kepe hath for his part For with the herte in his ymage That he adresse to his courage And of the galle the goddesse For she was ful of hastynesse Of wrath & lyght to greue also They made & sayd it was Iuno Cupyde whiche the brond of fyre Bare in his hond he was the syre Of the stomack whiche boyleth euer Wherof the lustes ben the leuer To the Goddesse Cere●es whiche of the corne yafe her encrees Vpon the feyth that tho was take The wombes cure was betake And Venus thorugh the lecherye For whiche they her deyfye She kept al doune the remenaunt The whiche be to thylke offyce appertenāunt

Nota de prima Idolorum cultura que ex tribus precipue statuis exorta est quarum prima fuit illa quam in filij sui memoriam quidam Panceps noī● Cirophanes a Sculptore Promotheo fabricari constituit

Thus was dyspers in sondry wyse The mysbyleue as I deuyse with many an Image of entaylle Of suche as myght not hem auayle For they withoute lyues chere Vnmyghty be to see or here Or speke or do or elles fele And yet the fooles to hem knele whiche is her owne hande werke A lord hou this byleue is derke And fer fr● resonable wyt And netheles they done it yet That was this day a raggyd tr● To morowe vpon his mageste Stant in the Temple wel beseyne How myght a mans reson seyne That suche a stok may helpe or greue But they be of suche byleue And vnto suche goddes calle It shal to hem ryght so byfalle And fayl● hem at moost nede But yf the lyst to taken heede And of the fyrst Image wyte Petorynu● therof hath wryte And eke Nygagorus also And they afferme & wryte so That promotheus was to fore And fonde the fyrst craft therfore And Cyre phanes as they t●lle Thurgh coūscil which was take in hell In remembraunce of his lygnage Lete setten vp the fyrst Image Of Cyrophanes seyth the book That he for sorowe whiche he took Of that he sawe his sone dede Of comfort kne we none other rede But lete do make in remembraunce A fayre Image of his semblaunce And set it in the market place Whiche openly to fore his face Stood euery d●y to dene hym case And they that than wold please The fader shold it obeye When that they comen thylk wey●

Sta●nda siatua fuit ill●●uā ad sui patris ●eli culture in Rex Ninus ●●eri et adorari decreuit / Etsic de nomine ●●li posica Bel & Belzebub Idolum ●●●●●uit

And of Ninus kyng of Assyvr Arede hou that in his Empyre ●e was noet after the second Of hem that fyrst Images found For he ryght in semblable caas Of Belus whiche hyr fader was From Nembroth in the ryght lyne Lete make of gold & stones fyne A precyous Image ryche After his fader evenlyche And therupon a lawe he sette That euery man of pure dette With sacryfyce & with truage Honour shold thylk Image So that within tyme it felle Of Belus cam the name of Belle Of Bel can Belsabub & so The mysbyleue went tho

Tercia statua fuit illa que ad honorem Apis Regis Grecorum sculpta fu it / cui nomen postea Scrapis inponentes quasi deum pagani coluerunt

The thyrd Image next to this When the kyng of Grece Apys Was dede they made a fygure In resemblaunce of his stature Of this kyng Apys seyth the book That Serapys his name took In whome thorugh long contynuaunce Of mysbyleue a grete creaunce They hadden and the reuerence Of sacryfyce and of encence To hym they made & they telle Among the wondres that byfelle When Alexander fro Candace Cam rydend in a wylde place Vnder an hylle a caue he fond And Candalus whiche in that lond was bore / & was Candaces sone Hym told hou that of comon wone The goddes were in thylk caue And he that wold assaye & haue A knoulechyng yf it be soth Lyght of his hors & in he goth And fond therin that he sought For thorugh the fendes sleyght hym thought Among other goddes mo That Scrapys spak to hym tho whome he sawe there in grete aray And thus the fende from day to day The worshyp of Idolatrye Trough forth vpon the fantasye Of hem that were than blynde And couthen nought the trouthe fynde Thus hast thou herd in what degre Of Grece Egypte & Chaldee The mysbylene whylome stood And hou so they be not good Ne trewe yet they sprongen oute Wherof the wyde world aboute His part of mysbyleue took Tyl soo byfelle as seyth the book That god a peple for hym selue Hath chose of the lygnages twelue Wherof the sothe redyly As it is wryten in Genesy I thynke telle in suche a wyse That it shal be to hym a pryse

De Hebreorum seu Iudeorum secta quorum Sinagoga coclesia Cristi superueniente defecit

aFter the flood fro whiche Noe Was sauf the world in his degre Was made as who seyth new agein Of flour of fruit of gras of grein Of beest of byrde & of mankynde Whiche euer hath be to god vnkynde For not with stondynge al the fare Of that this world was made so bare And afterwarde it was restored Among the men was nothyng mored Toward god of good lyuyng But al was torned to lykyng After the flesshe so that foryete Was he whiche yafe hem lyfe & mete Of heuene & erthe creatour And thus cam forth the grete errour That they the hyghe god ne knewe But maden other goddes newe As thou hast herd me sayd to fore There was no man that tyme bore That be ne bad after his choys A god / to whome he yafe his voys wherof the mysbyleue cam In to the tyme of Abraham But he fond oute the ryght weye How only men shold obeye The hyghe god whiche weldeth al And euer hath done & euer shal In heuen / in erthe / & eke in helle There is no thyng his myght may telle This Patryarche to his lygnage Forbad that they to none Image Enclyne shold in no wyse But her offrend & sacryfyse With al the hoole hertes loue Vnto the myghty god aboue And they shold hym & no mo And thus in thylk tyme tho Bygan the feyth vpon the erthe Whiche of byleues was the ferthe Of ryghtwysenes it was conceyued So must it nedes be receyued Of hym that al ryght is Inne The hyghe god whiche wold wynne A people vnto his owne feyth On Abraham the ground he leyth And made hym for to multyplye In to so grete a progenye That they Egypte al ouer sprad But Pharao with wrong hem lad In seruytude ayene the pees Tyl god lete sende Moyses To make the delyueraunce And for his peple grete vengeannce He took / whiche to here a wonder The kyng was slayn the lond put vnder God bad the reed see deuyde Whiche stood vpryght on euery syde And yafe vnto his people a weye That they on foote it passed dreye And gone so forth in to desert Where for to kepe hem in couert The dayes when the sonne brent A large cloude hem ouer went And for to wyssen hem by nyght A fyry pyler hem alyght And when that they for hongre pleyn The myghty god began to reyne Manna fro heuen doune to grounde Wherof that eche of hem hath fonnde His fode suche ryght as hym lyst And for they shold vpon hym tryst Right as who set a tonne abroche And perced the hard roche And spronge oute water al at wille That man & beste hath bronke at wyll And afterward he yafe the lawe To moyses that hem withdrawe They shold not fro that he bad And in this wyse they be lad Tyl they took in possessyon The lond of promyssyon Where that Caleph and Iosue The marches vpon suche degre Departen after the lygnage That eche of hem as herytage His pourpartye hath vnderfonge And thus stood this byleue longe Whiche of prophetes was gouerned And they had eke the peple lerned Of grete honour that sholde hem falle But at moost nede of alle They fayleden when Cryst was bore But hou that they her feyth haue lore It nedeth nought to tellen al The mater is soo general When Luafer was best in heuene And ought moost haue stond in euene Towardes god he took debate And for that he was obstynate And wold nought to trouthe enclyne He fel for euer in to ruyne And Adam eke in paradys When he stood moost in al his prys̄ After the state of Innocence Ayene the god brake his defence And fell out from his hye place a wey And ryght by suche maner weye The Iewes in her best plyght When they shold moost parfyght Haue stonde vpon the prophecye Tho fellen they to moost folye And hym whiche was from heuen come And of a mayde his flesshe hath nome And was amonge hem born & fed As men that wold nought be sped Of goddes sone with one voys They henge & slough vpon the croys Wherof the parfyte of her lawe Fro then forth was forth drawe So that they stonde of no meryte But in truage as folk subgect Withoute propyrte of place They lyuen oute of goddes grace Dyspers in al londes oute And thus the feyth is come about● That whylome in the Iewes stood Whiche is nonght parfytely good To speke as it is now be falle There is a feyth abouen alle In which the trouthe is comprehended Wherof that we ben al amended

De fide Cristiana in qua perfecte legis complementum summi ●isterij sacramentum nostreque saluacionis fundamentum infallibiliter consistere credimus

tHe hyghe Almyghty mageste Of ryght wysenes & of pyte The synne / whiche that Adam wrought When he sawe tyme than he sought And sende his sone fro the heuene To sette mans soule in euene Whiche than was so forfalle Vpon the poynt whiche was so byfalle That he ne myght hym self aryse Gregorye sayth in his apryse It helpeth nought a man be bore If goddes sone were vnbore For than thurgh the fyrst synne Which whilom Adam brought vs Inne There sholden al men be lost But Cryst restoreth thylk lost And bought it with his flesshe & blood And yf we thynken hou it stood Of thylk raunson whiche he payd As seynt gregorye it wrote & sayd Al was behouely to the man For that wherof his woo bygan Was after cause of al his welthe When he whiche is the welle of helthe The hyghe creatour of lyf Vpon the nede of suche a stryf So wold for his creature Take on hym self the forfeture And suffre for the mans sake Thus may no reson wel forsake That Ilke synne orygynal Ne was the cause in specyal Of mans worshyp at the last Whiche shal withouten ende last For by that cause the godhede Assembled was to the manhede In the vyrgyne where he nome Oure flesshe & very man become Of bodely fraternyte Wherof the man in his degre Stondeth more worthy as I haue told Then he dyd erst a thousand fold Thorugh baptysme of the newe lawe Of the whiche Crist is lord & felawe And thus the hyghe goddes myght Whiche was in the vyrgyne alyght The mans soule hath reconsyled Whiche had long ben exyled So stant the feyth vpon the byleue Withoute whiche may no man acheue To gete hym paradys ageyn But this byleue is so certeyn So ful of grace & of vertu That what man that clepeth to Ihesu In clene lyf forth with good dede He may not faylen of heuen mede Soo that it stonde vppon byleue That euery man may wel acheue The whiche taken hath the ryght feyth For elles as the gospel seyth Saluacyon ther maye be none And for to preche therupone Thus Cryst bad to his Apostles alle Whos power as now is falle On vs that be of holy chirche If we the good dedes do wirche For feyth only suffyseth nought But good dede also be wrought Now were it good that thou for thy Whiche thorugh baptysme propyrly Art vnto Crystes feyth professed Be wa●e that thou be not oppressed With Antecrystes lollardye For as the Iewes prophecye Was set of god for auauntage Ryght so this newe tapynage Of lollardye goth aboute To sette Crystes feyth in doute The sayntes that were vs to fore By whome the feyth was first vp bore That holy chirche stood releued They oughten better be byleued Than these whiche men knowe Not holy though they feyne & blowe Here lollardye in mannes ere But yf thou wylt lyue oute of fere Suche newe lore I rede eschewe And hold forth the ryght weye & sewe As thyn Auncestres dyde or this So that thou byleue nought amys Cryst wrought fyrst / & after taught Soo that the dede his word araught He yafe ensample in his persone And we the wordes haue alone Lyke to the tree with leues grene Vpon the whiche no fruyt is sene

Nota ꝙ cum Anthenor palladium Troie a Templo Minerue abstulit Tho as ibidem summus sacerdos auro corruptus oculos auertit / et sic malum quasi non videns scienter fieri permisit

The preest Thoas whiche of Mynerue The Temple had for to serue And the palladyon of Troye Kepte vnder keye for moneye Of Anthenor whiche he hath nome Hath suffred Antherior to come And the palladyon to stele Wherof the worshyp & the wele Of the Troians ben ouerthrowe But Thoas at the same throwe When Anthenor the Iewele took Wynkend cast awey his look For a deceyte and for a wyle As he that shold hym self begyle He hyd his eyen fro the syght And wende wel that he so myght Excuse his fals conseyence I wote not yf thylk euydence Now at this tyme in here estates Excuse myght the prelates ●nowend hou the feyth dyscresyth And al moral vertu ●●cyth Wherof that they the keyes bere But yet hem lyketh not to stere Here goos●ly eye for to see The world in his aduersyte They wol no labour● vndertake To kepe that hem is bytake Cryst dyed hym self for the ▪ feyth But now oure ferful prelate seyth The lyf is swete & that he kepeth So that the feyth vnholpe slepyth And they vnder hyr ease entende And in her lust her syf dyspende And euery man do what hym lyst Thus stant this world fulfylled of mis● That noman seeth the ryght weye The wardes of the chirche keye Thorugh myshandelyng be mys wreynt The worldes wawe hath ny dreynt The shyp whiche Peter hath to stere The forme is kept but the matere Transformed is in other wyse But yf they were gostly wyse And that the prelates weren good As they by old dayes stood It were than lytel nede Among the men to taken hede Of that they here pseudo telle Whiche now is come for to duelle To sowe Cokkyll with the corn So that the tylthe is nere hand lo●n Whiche Cryst sewe fyrst his own hond Now stant the Cokkylle in the lond Where stood whylome the good greyne For the prelates now as men seyne For slouthen that they shold tylle And that I tro we be the skylle When there is lak in hem aboue The peple is straunged fro the loue Of trouthe in cause of Ignorance For where there is no pnrueaunce Of lyght men arn in the derk But yf the prelates wolde werk Vpon the feyth whiche they ve t●c●● Men sholde nought her weye seche Withoute lyght as now is vsed Men see the charge al day refused Whiche holy chirche hath vndertake

Gregorius Quando Petrus cum Iudea / Andreas cum Achaia / Thomas cum Iudea / et Paulus cum gente venient / quid dicemus nos Moderni quorum fossum talentum pro nichi●● computabitur

But who that wold ensample take Gregorye vpon his Omelye Ageyne the slouthe of Prelacye Compleyneth hym & thus he seyth When Peter fader of the feyth At Domesday shal with hym bryng Iudeam whiche thorugh his prechyng He wan & Andrew with Achay Shal come his dette for to pay And thomas este with his beyete Of ynde & poule the routes grete Of sondry londes shal presente And we fulfylled of lond & rente Whiche of this world we holden here With voyde hondes shal appere Touchend oure cure spyrytual Whiche is oure charge in specyal I not what thyng it may amounte Vpon thylk ende of oure acompte Where Cryst hym self is audytour Which taketh none hede of wyn honour The offyce of the Chauncellery Or of the kynges tresorye Ne for the wryt ne for the wyll To warant may not then auayle The world which now so wel we ●row Shal make vs than but a mowe Soo passe we withoute mede That we none otherwyse spede But as we rede that he spedde The whiche his ●o●des besauntes he dde And therupon gat none en●rees But at this tyme netheles What other man his thanke deserue The world so lusty is to serue That we with hym ben al acorded And that is wyst & wel recorded Thorugh oute this erthe m al londes Late knygh●es wynne with her hondes For oure tonges shal be stylle And stonde vpon the Flesshes wylle It were a trauayl for to preche The feyth of Cryst as for to teche The folk paynem it wol not be But euery prelate holde his see With al suche as he may gete Of lusty drynk & lusty mete Wherof the body fatt & ful Is vnto gostely labour dull And slough to handel thylk plough But elles we be swyft Inough Toward the worldes auaryce And that is as a sacryfyce Whiche after the Apostel seyth Is openly ayene the feyth Vnto the Idoles youe & graunted But netheles it is now haunted And vertu chaunged in to vyce So that largesse is Auaryce In whos chapytre mowe we trete My fader this mater is bete So fer that euer whyle I lyue I shal the bet heed yeue Vnto my self by many weye But ouer this now wold I prey● To wyte what the braunches are Of Auaryce & hou they fare Als wel in loue as other wyse My sone & I the shal deuyse In suche a maner as they stonde So that thou shalt hem vnderstonde

aGros iungit aḡris cupidus domibus que domosque / Possideā●●tam sic quasi solus humum / Solus & innumeros mulierum spirat amores / Sacra millenis sit sibi culta Menus

Hic tractat Confessor super illa specie Auaricie que cupiditas dicitur quam in amoris causa pertractans amanti super hoc opponit

dAme Auarice is nought soleyn Which is of gold the capiteyn But of her court in sondry wise After the scole of her apryse She hath of seruauntes many one Wherof that couetyse is one Whiche with the large world aboute To seche vauntages oute Where that he may profyte wynne To Auaryce and bryngeth inne That one halt & that other draweth There is no day whiche hem bedaweth Nomore the sonne than the mone When there is ony thyng to done And namely with couetyse For he stant oute of al assyse Of resonable mans fare Where h● purposeth hym to fare Vpon his lucre & his beyete The smal pathe the large strete The furlong & the longe myle Al is but one for thylk whyle And for that he is suche one holde Dame auaryce hym hath withholde As he whiche is the pryncypal Outward for he is oueral A purueon● and a spye For ryght as an hungry pye The storue beestes ben awayted Ryght so is c●uetyse affayted To loke where he may purchace For by his wylle he wold enbrace Al that this wyde world beelyppeth But euer somwhat he ouer hyppeth That he may nought al fulfylle The lustes of his gredy wylle But where it falleth in a londe That couetyse in myghty hond I● s●t / it is ful hard to fede For than he taketh none other hede But that he may purchace ● gete ●●● conscyence hath he al foryete And not what thyng it may amounte That he shal afterward c●●mpte But as the Luce in his degre Of tho that lesse ben thanhe The fysshes gretely deuoureth So that no water hem socoureth Ryght soo no lawe may rescowe Fro hym that wol not ryght allowe For where that suche one is of myght His wylle shal stonde of ryght Thus be the men destroyed ful ofte Tyl that the grete god alofte Ayene so grete a couetyse Redresse it in his owne wyse And in example of altho I fynde a tale wryte soo The whiche for it is good to lere ●●●afterward thou shalt here

Hic ponit Confessor Exemplum con 〈◊〉 mognates ●●pidos , Et narrat de ●●●sso Romanorum Imperatore / qui 〈…〉 in qua speculum virgiln Ro 〈…〉 ●●titerat dolosa circumuentus ●●●●ditate euertit / vnde non solum sui ●●s●●s ●erdicionem sed tocius ciuitatis intollerabilem dampnum contingere causauit

wHen Rome stode ● noble plite Virgile which was tho parfite A myrrour made of his cler●● / And set it in the To wnes eye Of marble vpon payler withoute That they by thyrty myle aboute By day & eke also by nyght In that my●our beholde myght ●yr enemyes yf ony ▪ were With al here ordynaunce there Whiche they ayene the cyte cast Soo that whyle thylk myrrour last Ther was no lond whiche myght acheue With werre Rome for to greue ▪ Wherof was grete enuye tho And felle thylk tyme soo That Rome had werres strong Ageyne Cartage & stonde long The two cytees vpon debate Cartage sawe the stronge astate Of Rome in thylk myrroure stonde And thought al pryuely to fonde To ouerthrowe it by somme wyle And hanybal was thylk whyle The prynce & leder of Cartage Whiche had set al his courage Vpon knyghthode in suche a wyse That he be worthy & be wyse And by none other was counseyled Wherof the world is yet merueyled Of the maystryes that he wrought Vpon the marches whiche he sought And fel in thylke tyme also The kyng of puyle whiche was tho Thought ayene Rome to rebelle And thus was take the quarelle Hou to destroye this Emperour Of Rome that tho was gouernour Crassus whiche was so couetous That he was euer desyrous Of golde to gete the pyllage Wherof that puyle & eke Cartage With philosophres wyse & grete Begynne ▪ of this mater trete And at last in this degre There were Philosophres thre To doo thys thyng whiche vndertake And therupon they ▪ with hem toke A grete tresour of gold in cofres To Rome & thus these philosophres To gedre in companye went But noman wyse what they ment When they to Rome come were So pryuely they duelt there As they that thoughten to deceyne Was none that myght of hem perceyue Tyl they in sondry stedes haue Her gold vnder the erthe begraue In tresours that to be holde They sheld seme as they were gold And so forth thenne vpon a day Al openly in good array ▪ To th emperour they then presente And tolden it was her entente To duelle vnder his seruyse And he hem axeth in what wyse And they hym told in suche a plyte That eche of hem had a spyryt The whiche sle●end a nyght appereth And hem by sondry dremes lereth After the world that hath betyd Vnder the ground yf ought be hyd Of olde tresour at ony throwe They shal it in sweuene knowe And vpon this condycyon They ▪ seyn what gold vnder the toun Is hyd of Rome they wol it fynde There shal nought be left behynde Be soo that he haluen dele Hem graunteth & he assenteth wele And thus cam sleyghte for to duelle With couetyse as I the telle This emperour bad redyly That they be lodged fast by Where he his owne bodye lay And when it was at morow day That one of hem sayth that he mette Whele he a gold hoord shold fette Wherof this Emperour was glad And therupon anone he had His ●●nours for to goo & myne And he hym self of that couyne Goth forth with al & at his hond The tresour redy there he fond Where as they sayd it shold be And who was than glad but he Vpon this other day second They haue another gold hoord found Whiche the second mayster took Vpon his sweuene & vndertook And thus the sothe ●●peryence To th emperour yafe suche credence That al his trust & al his feyth So sekyrlyc●e on hem he leyth Of that he fond hym so releued That they be parfytely beleued As though they were goddes thre Now herkne the subtylyte The thyrd mayster shold mete Whiche as they saiden shold mete Aboue hem al & couthe moost And he withoute noyse or bost Al pryuelycho so as he wolde Vpon the morowe his sweuene tolde To th emperour ryght in his ere And said hym that he wist where A Tresour was soo plentyuous Of gold & eke so precious Of Iewelles & ryche stones That vnto al his hors at ones It were a charge suffisaunt This lord vpon this couenaunt Was glade & axeth where it was The maister saide vnder the glas He told hym eke as for the myne He wolde ordeyne suche engyne That they the werk shold vndersett With timbre & withoute lett Men maye the Tresour sauely delue Soo that the myrrour by hym selue Withoute empeirement shal stonde And thus the maister vpon honde Hath vndertake in al weye This lord whiche had his wit alweye And with couetise blent Anone therto yafe his assent And thus to myne forth with a● The tymbre sette vp oueral wherof the pyler stood vp ryght Til it byfelle vpon a nyght These clerkes whan they were ware Hou that the Tymbre only bare The piler where the myrroure stood Here sleight no man vnderstood They go by nyght vnto the myne with pitche with sulphir & with ●●syne And when the cyte was a slepe A wylde fyre in to the depe They cast among the tymbre werk And so forth whyle the nyght is derk Desguysed in a pouer array They passeden the Towne or day And when they comen vpon an helle They sawen hou the myrrour felle Wherof they made ioye ynough And eche of hem with other lough And sayd / Loo what Couetyse May do with hem that be not wyse And that was proued afterward For euery lond to Rome ward Whiche had be subgett to fore When that myrrour was forlore And they the wonder herd seye Anone begonne dysobeye With werres vpon euery syde And thus hath Rome lost his pryde And was defouled oueral For this I fynde of Hanybal That he of Romayns in a day When he hem oute of away So grete a multytude slough That of gold rynges whiche he drough Of gentyle handes that ben dede Busshellys ful thre I rede He feld / and made a brydge also That he myght ouer Tyber goo Vpon the corps thant dede were Of the Romayns whiche he slough there But now to speke of the Iuyse The whiche after the couetyse Was take vpon this Emperour For he destroyed the myrrour It is a wonder for to here The Romayns made a chayere And set her Emperour therin And sayden for he wold wynne Of gold the superfluyte Of gold he shold plente Receyue tyl he sayde ho And with gold whiche they had tho Boylend hote within a panne In to his mouthe they poure thanne And thus the thirst of / gold was queint With gold whiche had ben atteynt Wherof my sone thou myght here When couetyse hath lost the stere Of resonable gouernaunce There falleth ofte grete greuaunce For there may be no werse thyng Then couetyse aboute a kyng If it in his persone be It doth the more aduersyte And yf it in ▪ his counseyl stond It bryngeth al day meschyef to hond Of comon harme & yf ▪ it growe Within his court it wol be knowe For than shal the kyng be ▪ pyled The man whiche hath his lond tyled Awayteth nought more redyly The heruest than they gredely Ne maken thenne warde & watche Where they the profyte myghten catche And yett ful ofte it falleth soo As men may seen among hem tho That he whiche moost coueyteth fast Hath lest auauntage at last For when fortune is ther ageyne Though he coueyte it is in veyne The happes ben nought al alyche One is made pouer another ryche The court to som it doth profyte And som ben euer in one plyte And yet they both alyche sore Coueyte but fortune is more Vnto that one part fauourable And though it be nought resonable This thyng may a man seen al day Wherof that I the telle may After ensample in remembraunce Hou euery man maye take his chaunce Or of Rychesse or of pouerte Hou so it stonde of the deserte Here is nought ▪ euery thyng aguyte For ofte a man may see this yet That who best doth lest shal haue It helpeth nought the worlde to craue Whiche oute of / reule & of mesure Hath euer stand in auenture As wel in court as elles where And hou in al dayes there It stood so as the thynges felle I thynke a tale for to telle

Ic ponit ●xhemplum contra illos qui in domibns Regum seruientes pro eo quam ipsi secundum eorum cupidita tem promoti non existunt de Regio ser uicio Puis in e●●nm defectu indiserete murmurant

IN a Cronyke this I rede Aboute a kyng as must nede Therof was knyghtes & squyers Grete route & eke offycers Som of long tyme hym had seruyd And thoughten that they haue deseruid Auauncement & gone withoute And som also ben of the route That comen but a whyle agone And they auaunced were anone These old men vpon this thyng So as they durst ageyn the kyng Among hem self compleynen ofte But there is no thynge sayd so softe That it ne cometh oute at last The kyng it wyst & als fast As he whiche was of hyghe prudence He shope therfore an euydence Of hem that pleynen in that cas To knowe in whos defaute it was And al within his owne entent That noman wyst what it ment Anone he bete two cofres make Of one semblaunce of one make So lyche that no lyf thylk throwe That one may fro that other knowe They were in to his Chambre brought But noman wote why they be brought And netheles the kyng hath bede That they be set in pryue stede As he that was of wysedome sly When he therto his tyme sygh Al pryuelyche that none it wyst His owne hondes that one kyst Of fyn gold & fyne perrye The whiche oute of his tresorye Was take anone he feld ful That other cofre of strawe & mull With stones meuyd he feld also Thus be they ful bothe twoo So that erlyche vpon a day He bad within there he lay There shold to fore his bed A boord vp set & fayre spred And than he lete the cofres fette Vpon the boord & dyde hem sette He knewe the names wel of tho The whiche ayene hym grutched so Bothe of his chambre & of his halle Anone & sente for hem alle And sayd to hem in this wyse There shal no man hym despyse I wote wel ye haue long serued And god wote what ye haue deserued But yf it is on long on me Of that ye bnauaunced be Or elles yf it be long on yow The soth shal be preued now To stoppe with your euyl word Loo here two Cofres on the boord These whiche you lyst of bothe two And wyteth wel that one of tho As with Trosour so ful bygone That yf ye happe therupone Ye shal be ryche men for euer Now chese & take whiche you is leuer But be wel ware or that ye take For of that one I vndertake There is no maner good therin Wherof ye myghten profyte wynne Now goth to gyder of one assent And maketh youre auysement For but I you this day auaunce It stant vpon youre owne chaunce Al only in defaulte of grace So shal be shewed in this place Vpon you alle wel ofyne That no defaute shal be myn They knelen al & & with one voys The kyng they thanken of this choys And after that they vp aryse And gone asyde & hem auyse And at last they acorde Wherof her tale to recorde That to what yssu they befalle A knyght shal speke for hem alle He kneleth doune to the kyng And sayth that they vpon this thyng Or for to wynne or for to lese Ben al auysed for to chese Tho toke this knyhht a yerd on hond And goth there as the cofres stond And with th assent of eueryehone He leyd his yard vpon one And seyth the kyng hou thylk same They chese in reguerden by name And preyth hym that they myght it haue The kyng whiche wold his honour saue / When he hath herd the comon voys Hath graunteth hem her owne choys And toke hem therupon the keye But for he wold it were seye What good they haue as they suppose He bad anone the cofre vnclose Which was fulfilled of straw & stones Thus be they serued al at ones This thyng than in the same stede Anone that other Cofre vndede Where as they sawen grete Rychesse Wel more than they couthen gesse Loo serth the kyng now maye ye see That there is no defaute in me For thy my self I wol acquyte And bereth ye your owne wyte Of that fortune hath refused Thus was this wyse kyng excused And they left of here cuyl speche And mercy of here kyng byseche

Nota hic de diuiciarum accidencia vbi narrat qualiter Fredericus Imperator Romanorum duos pauperrs auditut litigantes , quorum vnus dixit / bene potest ditari quem Rex vult ditare Et alius dixit quem deus vult ditare diues erit / que Rex cum ad experimentum postea probata fuisset ille qui deum inuocabat pastellum auro plenum sortitus est , alius vero caponis pastellum sorte preelegit

sOmdele to this mater lyke I fynde a tale hou frederyk Of Rome that tyme emperour Herde as he wente a grete clamour Of twoo beggers vpon the weye That one of hem bygan to seye A lord wel may the man be Ryche Whome that a kyng lyst to ryche That other sayd no thyng soo But he is ryche & wel begoo To whome that god wol sende wele And thus they maden wordes fele Wherof this lord hath hede nome And dyde hem both for to come To the paleys where he shal ete And bad ordeyne for her mete Two pasteyes whiche he lete do make And a capon in that one was bake And in that other for to wynne Of floreyns al that ▪ may within He lete do put a grete Rychesse And euen as lyche as myght gesse Outward they were bothe two This begger was commaunded tho He that whiche held hym to the kyng That he fyrst chese / vpon this thyng He saw hem but he felt hem nought Soo that vpon his owne thought He chese the capon & forsoke That other / whiche his felawe toke But when he wyst thou that it ferde He seyth aloude that men it herde Now am I certaynly conceyued That he may lyghtly be deceyued That trysteth vnto mans helpe But wel is hym that god wol helpe For he stant on the syker syde Whiche elles shold goo besyde I see my felawe wel recouer And I mote duelle stylle pouer Thus spak the begger his entent And pouer he cam & pouer he went Of that he hath Rychesse sought His infortuue it wold nought Soo may it shewe in sondry wyse Betwene fortune and couetyse The chaunce is cast vpon a dee But yet a man may ful ofte see Inowe of suche netheles Whiche put hem self euer in pres To gete hem good / & yet they faile And for to speke of this entayle Touchend of loue in thy matere My good sone as thou myght here That ryght as with tho men stood Of infortune of worldes good As thou hast me herd telle aboue Ryght so ful ofte it stant by loue Though thou coueyte it euermore Thou shalt haue noo dele the more But only that whiche the is shape The remenaunt is but a iape And netheles I nowe of tho There ben that now coueyte soo That where as they a woman see Ye ten or twelue though ther be The loue is now so vnauysed That where the beaute stant assysed The mannes herte anone is there And rouneth tales in her ere And seyth how that he loueth streyte And thus he sette hym to coueyte An honderd though he sawe a day So sholde he more than he may But for the grete couetyse Of sotye & fool empryse In eche of hem he fynt somwhat That pleseth hym or this or that Some one for she is whyte of kyn Some one for she is noble of kyn Some one for she hath a rody cheke Some one for that she semeth meke Some one for she hath eyen greye Some one for she can laugh & pleye Some one for she is long & smal Some one for she is lyte & tal Some one for she is pale & bleche Some one for she is softe of speche Some one for that she is camused Some one for that she hath not be vsed Some one for she can dauuce / & synge So that some thyng to his lykyuge He fynt & though no more he fele But that she hath a lytel hele It is Inough that he therfore Hyr loue & thus an honderd score Whyle they be newe he wold he had Whome he forsaketh she shal be bad The blynde man no colour demeth But al is one ryght as hym semeth Soo hath his lust no iugement Whom couetyse of loue blent Hym thynketh that to his couetyse How al the world ne may suffyse For by his wylle he wold haue alle If that it myght so byfalle Soo is he comon as the strete I set nought of his beyete My sone hast thou suche couetyse Nay fader suche loue I despyse And whyle I lyue shal done euer For in good feyth yet had I leuer Than to coueyte in suche a weye To ben for euer tyl I deye As poure as Iob & loueles Out taken one for haules His thankes is noman a lyue For than a man shold al vnthryue There ought no wyseman coueyte The lawe was not set so streyte For thy my self with al to saue Suche one ther is I wold haue And noue of al these other mo My sone of that thou woldest soo I am nought wroth but ouer this I wol the telle hou it is For there be men whiche otherwyse Ryght ouly for the couetyse Of that they see a woman ryche There wol they al hyr loue affyche Nonght for the beaute of her face Ne yet for vertu ne for grace Whiche she hath elles ryght Inough But for the park & for the plough And other thynges whiche therto longeth / For in none otherwyse ther longeth / To loue but yf they profyt fynde And yf the profyte be behynde Hyr loue is euer lesse & lesse For after that she hath rychesse Here loue is of proporcyon If thou hast suche condycyon My sone telle ryght as it is Myn holy fader nay Iwys Condycyon suche haue I none For truly fader I loue one So well with al myn hertes thouḡht That certes though she had nought And were as poure as Medea Whiche was exyled for Creusa I wold hyr nought the lesse loue Ne though she were at hyr aboue As was the Ryche quene Canda●e Whiche to deserue loue & grace To Alysander that was kyng Yofe many a worthy ryche thyng Or elles as Pantasylee Whiche was the quene of Femyne And grete Rychesse with hyr nam When she for loue of Hector cam To Troye in rescous of the toune I am of suche condycyon That though my lady of hyr selue Where also ryche as suche twelue I couthe not though it were so No better loue hyr than I do For I loue in so pleyne a wyse That for to speke of couetyse As for pouerte or for rychesse My loue is nouther more ne lesse For in good feyth I tro we this So couetous no man is For why & he my lady syghe That he thorugh lokyng of his eye Ne sholde haue suche a stroke withyn That for no gold he myght wyn He shold nought hyr loue asterte But yf he lefte there his herte Be so it were suche a man That couthe-skylle of a woman For there be men so rude some When they among the women come They gone vnder protectyon That loue & his affectyon Ne shal not take hem by the sleue For they ben oute of that byleue Hem lusteth of no lady cheere But euer thynkend here & there Where as the gold is in the Cofte And wol none other loue profre But who so wote what loue amounteth And by reson trulyche acompteth Then may he knowe & taken hede That al the lust of womanhede Whiche may ben in a lady face My lady hath & eke of grace If men shold yeuen here apryse They maye wel seye hou she is wyse And sobre & symple of contenaunce And al that to good gouernaunce Belongeth of a worthy wyght She hath pleynly for thylk nyght That she was bore as for the nones Nature set in hyr al at ones Beaute with bounte so byseyn That I maye wel afferme & seyn I sawe yet neuer creature Of comlyheede & of feture In ony kynges Regyon Be lyche hyr in comparyson And therto as I haue you told Yet hath she more a thousand fold Of bounte and shortely to telle She is pure heede & welle And myrroure & ensample of good Who so hyr vertues vnderstood Me thynketh it ought ynough suffyse Withouten other couetyse To loue suche one & to serue Whiche with hyr chere can deserue To be byloued better ywys Than she par cas that rychest is And hath of gold a mylyon Suche hath be myn opynyon And euer shal / & neuertheles I saye nought she is haueles That she nys ryche & wel at ese And hath Inough where with to plese Of worldes good whome that hyr lyst But one thyng I wold wel ye wyst That neuer for no worldes good Myn hert vnto hyr ward stood But only ryght for purr loue That wote the hyghe god aboue Now fader what ye say therto

Confessor My sone I saye it is wel doo For take of this ryght good byleue What man that wol hym self releue To loue in ony other wyse He shal wel fynde his couetyse Shal sore greue hym at last For suche a loue may not last But now men seyn oure dayes Men taken but a fewe assayes But yf the cause be rychesse For thy the loue is wel the lesse And who that wold ensamples telle By old dayes as they felle Than myght a man wel vnderstond Suche loue may not long stonde Now herkne sone & thou shalt here A grete ensample of this matere

Hic ponit Exemplum contra istos qui non propter amorem sed propter diuicias sponsalia sumunt ! Et narrat de quodam Regis Apubic Senescalla qui non solum propter pecuniam vxorem duxit / sed eciam pecunie come●cis vxorem sibi desponsatam vendidit

tO trete vpon the cas of loue Soo as we tolden here aboue I fynde wryte a wonder thyng Of puyle whysome was a kyng A man of hyghe complexyon And yong but his affectyon After the nature of his age Was yet not falle in his courage The lust of women for to knowe Soo it betyd vpon a throwe This lord felle in to grete sekenes Phisyk hath done the hesynes Of sondry cures many one To make hym hoole & therupon A worthy mayster whiche ther was Yafe hym counseyl vpon this cas That yf he wold haue parfyte heele He shold with a woman dele A fresshe a yong a lusty wyght To done hym compauye a nyght For than he sayd hym redely That he shal be al hole ther by And otherwyse he knewe no cure This kyng which stode in auenture Of lyf & deth for medycyne Assented was & of couyne His styward whome he trusteth wel He took & told hym euery del Hou that this mayster hath seyd And therupon he hath hym prayd And charged vpon his lygeaunce That he do make purueaunce Of suche one as be couenable For his plesaunce & delytable And bad hym hou that euer it stood That he shal spare for no good For his wylle is ryght wel to paye The styward seyd he wold assaye But now here after thou shalt wyte As I fynde in the bokes wryte What couetyse in loue doth This styward for to telle soth Amonges al the men on lyue A lusty lady hath to wyue Whiche netheles for gold he took And nought for loue as seyth the book A ryche marchaunt of the lond Hyr fader was & hyr fond So worthely / & suche Rychesse Of worldes good & suche largesse With hyr he yafe in maryage That only for thylk auauntage Of gold the styward hath hyr take For lucre & nought for loues sake And that was in the stiward wel sene Now herkne what it wol mene The styward in his owne herte Sowe that his lord may not asterte His maladye but he haue A lusty woman hym to saue And though he wold yeue Inough Of his tresour wherof he drough Grete couetyse in to his mynde And set his honour fer behynde Thus he whome gold hath ouerset Was trapped in his owne net The gold hath made his wyttes lame Soo that sechend his owne shame He rouneth in the kynges ere And seyd that he wyste where A gentyl & a lusty one Tho was & thyder wolde he gone But he mote yiue yeftes grete For but yf it be thurgh grete beyete Of gold he seyd he shold not spede The kyng hym bad vpon the nede That take an honderd pound he shold And yeue it where that he wolde Be so it were in worthy place And thus to stonde in loues grace This king his gold hath habandouned And when this tale was ful rouned The Styward toke the gold & went Within his hert & many a went Of couetyse than he cast Wherof a purpoos at the last Ayene loue & ayene his ryght He toke & sayd hou thylk nyght His wyf shal lygge by the kynḡ And goth thynkend vpon this thyng Toward his Inne tyl he cam home In to the chambre & there he nome His wyf & told hyr al the cas And she whiche rede for shame was With both hyr handes hath hym praid ●enelend / and in ; this wyse sayd That she to reson & to skylle In what thyng that he bydde wylle Is redy for to done his heste But this thyng were not honest That he for gold her shold selle And he tho with his wordes felle Forth with his gastely contenaunce Seyth that she shal done obeysaunce And folowe his wylle in euery place And thus thurgh strengthe of his ma nace / Her Innocence is ouerlad Wherof she was so sore adrad That she his wylle mote nede obeye And therupon was shape a weye That he his owne wyf by nyghte Hath oute of al mennes syght So pryuely that none it wist Brought to the kyng which as hym list May doo with hyr what he wolde For when she was there as she sholde With hym a bedde vnder the cloth The styward took his leue & goth In to the chambre fast by But hou he slepte that wote not I For he sawe cause of Ielousye But he whiche hath the companye Of suche a lusty one as she Hym thought that of his degre There was noman so wel at ese She doth al that she may to plese Soo that al / his hert she had And thus this kyng his ioye lad Tyl it was nyhe vpon the day The Styward than where she lay Cam to the bedde & in his wyse Hath bede she shold aryse The kyng sayd nay she shold not go His styward sayd ageyne nought soo For she mote gone er it be knowe And so I swore that ylke throwe When I her fette to you here The kyng his tale wold not here And seyth hou that he hath hir bought For thy she shal departe nought Tyl the bryght day be holde And in his armes he gan hyr folde As he whiche lyst for to pleye And bad his styward gone aweye And soo he dyd ayene his wylle And thus his wyf a bedde stylle Lay with the king the long nyght Tyl that it was hyghe sonne lyght But who she was he knewe no thyng Tho cam the styward to the kyng And prayd hym that withoute shame In sauyng of her owne name He myght leden home ayene This lady & told hym pleyne Hou that it was his owne wyf The kyng his ere vnto his stryf Hath leyd & when that he it herde Wel nyhe oute of his wyt he ferde And sayd A caytyf moost of al Where was it euer or this byfalle That ony Coward in this wyse Betoke his wyf for conetyse Thou hast hyr & me begyled And eke thyne owne estate reuyled Wherof that buxome vnto the Here after shal she neuer be For this auowe to god I make After this day yf I the take Thou shalt be honged & to drawe Now loke anone thou be withdrawe Soo that I see the neuer more This Styward that drad hym sore With al the hast that he may And fled awey the same day And was exyled oute of lond Loo there a nyce hysbond Whiche thus his wif hath lost for euer But netheles she had a leuer The kyng hyr weddeth & honoureth Wherof hyr name she secoureth Whiche erst was lost thurgh couetyse Of hym that lad hyr other wyse And hath hym self also forlore My sone be thou ware therfore Where thou shalt loue in ony place That thou no couetyse embrace The whiche is not of loues kynde But for al that a man may fynde Now in this tyme of thylk rage Ful grete dysese in maryage When venym medleth with the sucrē And maryage is made for lucre Or for the lust or for the hele What man that shal with other dele He may not fayle to repente My fader suche is myn entente But netheles good is to haue For good may oftyme saue The loue whiche shold elles spylle But god which wote my hertes wille I dar wel take to wytnesse Yet was I neuer for Rychesse Be sett with maryage none For al myn herte is vpon one So frely that in the persone Stant al my worldes ioye alone I axe nother park ne plough If I hyr had it were Inough Hyr loue shold me suffyse Withouten other couetyse Loo now my fader as of this Touchend of me ryght as it is My shryfte I am be knowe pleyn And yf yr wol ought elles seyn Of couetyse yf ther be more In loue agropeth oute the sore

Fallere cum nequeat propria vir fraude subornat / Testes sic que eis vera retorta fides / Sicut Agros cupidus dum querit amans mulieres / Vult testes falsos falsus habere suos / Non sine vi dicta periurus abibit in eis / Visu qui cordis intima cuncta videt / Fallere per iuro non est laudanda puella in / Glori a set falso condicionis opus

hIc tractat super illis auaricie speciebus que falsum testimonium et periurum nuncupantur quorum fraudulenta circumuencio tam in cupiditatis que in amoris causa sui desiderij propositum quam sepe fallaciter attingit

mY sone thou shalt vnderstonde Hou couetyse hath yet on honde In specyal two counseyllours That ben also his procurours The fyrst of hem is fals wytnesse Whiche euer is redy to wytnesse What thyng his maister wol hym hote Periure is the second hote Whiche spareth nought to swere an oth Though it be fals & god be wroth That one shal fals wytnes bere That other shal the thyng for swere When he his charged on the booke So what with hepe & what with croke They make here mayster ofte wynne And wol not know what is the sinne Of couetyse & thus men seyn They make many a fals barḡeyn There may no trewe quarel aryse In thylk queste & thylk assyse Where as they two the people enforme For they kepe euer one maner forme That vpon gold here conscyence They founde & take here euydence And thus with fals wytnes & othes They wynne hem mete drynk & clothe● Ryght so there be who that hem knewe Of these louers ful many vntrewe Now may a woman fynde ynowe That eche of hem when he shal wowe Anone he wold his hand doune leyn Vpon a book & swere & seyn That he wol feyth & trouthe bere And thus he profereth hym to swe●e T● se●uen euer tyl he deye And al is very trecherye For when the soth hym self tryeth The more he sw●reth the more he lyeth When he his feyth maketh al ther m●st Then may a woman truste hym lest For tyl he may his wylle acheue He is no l●nger for to leue Thus is the trouthe of loue exyled An● ma●y a good woman begyled And eke to speke of fals wytnesse There be now suche many I g●sse That lyche vnto the prouysours They make hem her preuy procura tours To telle hou there is suche a man Whiche is worthy to loue & can Al that a good man sholde conne Soo that with lesyng he hath bygonne The cause in whiche he wol procede And also syker as the crede They make of that they knowen fals And thus ful ofte aboute the hals Loue is of fals men embraced But loue whiche is so purchaced Come afterward to lytel pryse For thy my sone / yf thou be wyse Now thou hast herd this euydence Thou myght thyne owne conscyence Oppose yf thou hast be suche one Nay god wote fader I am none Ne neuer was / for as men seyth When that a man shal make his feyth His herte & tonge must acorde For yf so be that they dyscorde Then is he fals & elles nought And I dare say as of my thought In loue it is not dyscordable Vnto my word but a●ordablo And m this wyse fader I May ryght wel swere & saufly That I my lady loue wel For that acordeth euery del It nedeth nought to my soth sawe That I wytnesse shold drawe In to this day for neuer yett Ne myght it synke in to my wyt That I my counseyl shold seye To ony wyght or me bewreye To sechen helpe in suche manere But only of my lady dere And though a thousand men it wys● That I her loue & than ●em lyst With me to swer● & to witnesse Yet were that no fals wytnesse For I dare vnto this trouthe dwelle I loue her more than I can telle Thus am I fader gylteles As ye haue herd / and nethele● In your dome I put it al My sone wyte in specyal It shal not comonlyche fayle Al though it for a tyme faylle That fals wytnesse his cause spede Vpon the poynt of his falsheede It shal afterward be kyd Wherof so as it is betyd Ensample of suche thynges blynde In Cronyke wryte I fynde

Hic ponit Exemplum de illis qui falsum testificantes amoris Innocenciam circumu●niunt / Et narrat qualiter The●is Achillem filium suum adolescen tem muliebri vestitum apparatu asserens esse puellam inter Regis Lichomedis filias ad educandum produxit / Et si● Achilles d●cepto Rege filie sue Deidamie socia et cubicularia effectus super Ipsam Pir●um geniut ▪ qui poste a mire probitatis miliciam assecutus mortem patris sui apud Troiam Polix ene Tirannice vindicauit

tHe goddesse of the see Thetis She had a sone & his name is Achilles whom to kepe & warde Whyle he was yong & in to ward She thought hym saufly to be take As she whiche drad for his sake Of that was sayd in prophecye That he at Troy● shold dye When that the cyt● was byleyn For thy so as the bokes seyn She cast hyr wyt in sondry wyfe Hou she hym myght so desguyse That no man shold his body knowe And so byf●lle that ylke throwe Whyle that she thou●t vpon this dede There was a kyng whiche Lychomede Was hote / & he was wel begone With fayre doughters many one And duelt f●r oute in an yle Now shalt thou here a wonder wyle This quene whiche the moder was Of Achilles vpon this cas Hyr s●●e as a mayden were Lete cloth●● in the same gere Whiche longeth vnto womanhede As he was yong a toke no●● hede But suffreth al ●hat she hym dede Wherof she hath hyr women bede And chargeth by her othe● alle Hou so it afterward byfalle That they dyscouer nought this t●●ng But feyne & make a knoulechyng Vpon the counseyl whiche was nom● In euery place where they come To telle & to wytnesse this How he hyr lady doughter is And ryght in suche a maner wise She bad they shold done her seruyse So that Achilles vnderfongeth As to a yong lady belongeth Honoure seruyce & reuerence For Thetys with grete dylygen●● Hym hath so taught & affayted That thou so 〈◊〉 were awayted With sobre & go●tely contenaunce He shold his womanhede auaunce That none the soth knowe myght But that in euery mans syght He shold seme a pure maide And m suche wise as she hym saide Achilles whiche that Ilke while Was yong vpon hym to smyle Bigan when he was so besein And thus after the bokes sein With frette of perle vpon his hede Al fresshe bitwene the white & rede As she whiche tho was tendre of age Stood the colour in his visage That for to loke vpon his cheke And seen his childy maner eke He was a woman to beholde And than his moder to him tolde That she him had soo begone By cause that she thought gone To Lichomede at thilke tyde Where that she sayd he shold abyde Among his doughters for to duelle Achilles herd his moder telle And wyst nonght the cause why And netheles ful buxo●●ly He was redy to that s●e bad Wherof his mode● was ryght glad To Lychomede & forth they went And whe●●he kyng knewe her entent And s●we this youg doughter there And that it cam vnto his ere Of suche record of suche wytnesse He had ryght a grete gladnesse Of that he soth sawe & herde And he that wote not hou it ferde Vpon the counseyl of the nede But for al that kyng Lychomede Hath toward hym his doughter take And for Thetys his moder sake He put hyr in to companye To duelle with Deydamye His owne doughter the eldest The fayrest & the comlyest Of al his doughters whiche he had Loo thus Thetys the cause lad And left ther Achilles feyned As he whiche hath hym self restreyned In al that euer he may & can Oute of the maner of a man And took his womannyssh chere Wherof vnto his bedfere Deydamye he hath by nyght Where kynde wold hym selue ●yght After the Philosophers seyn There may no wyght be ther ageyn And that was thylk tyme sene The long nyghtes hem bytwene Nature whiche may not forbere Hath made hem bothe for to stere They kyssen fyrst / & ouermore The hyghe wey of loues lore They gone & al was done in dede Whorof lost is the maydenhede Aud that was afterward wel know For it byfel that ylk throwe As at Troye where the syege lay Vpon the cause of Menelay And of his quene Dame Eleyn● The greg●ys hadden moche p●yne Al day to fyght and to assayle But for they myght nought auayle Soo noble a cyte for to wynne A pryue counseyll they begynne In sondry wyse where they tret● And at last among the grete ▪ They fellen vnto his acord That Phor●eus of his record Whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a grete magycyen ▪ Shold of his calculacyon Serche after constellacyon Hou they the cyte myghten gete And he whiche had nought foryet● Of that belongeth to a clerk His study set vpon this werk So long aboute his wytte he cast Tyl that he fond oute●at last But yf they hadden Achylles Here●werre shal be endeles And ouer that he told hem pleyn In what manere he was byseyn And in what place he shal be founde Soo that within a lytel stounde Vlyxes forth with Dyomede Vpon this poynt to Lychomed● Agamen on to geder sent But vlyxes or he forth went Whiche was one of the moost wyse Ordeyned hath in suche a wyse That he the moost rychest aray Wherof a woman may be gay With hym he took manyfolde And ouermore as is told An harnoys for a lusty knyght Whiche burued was as syluer bryght Of swerde of plate & eke of mayle As though he shold doo batayle He took also with hym by shyp And thus to geder in felaushyp Forth this Dyomede & he In hope tyl they myghten see The place where Achylles is The wynde stood not than ●mys But euery topseyle cole it blewe Tyl Vlyxes the marches knewe Where Lychomede his regne had The styresman so wel hym lad That they be comen sauf to londe Where they gone oute vpon the stronde In to the burgh where that they found The kyng / & he whiche hath facounde Vlyxes dyd the message But the counseyl to his courage Why that he cam he told nought But vndernethe he was bethought In what maner he myght aspye Achilles from Deydamye And fro these other that there were Ful many a lusty lady there They pleyd them there a day or two And as it was fortuned so It fel that tyme in suche a wyse To Bachus that a sacryfyce These yong ladyes shold make And so the straunge mennes sake That come fro the syege of Troye They maden wel the more ioye There was reuel there was daunsyng And euery lyf whiche couthe syng Of lusty women in the route A fresshe carolle hath songe aboute But for al this netheles The grekes vnknowe of Achilles So weren that m no degre They ●outhen wyte whiche was he Ne by his voys ne by his paas Vlyxes than vpon this caas A thyng of high prudence hath wrought For thylk aray whiche he hath bought To yeue among the women there He let● do fetten al the gere Forth with a knyghtes harnoys eke In al a countre for to seke Men sholden nought a fay●er see And euery thyng in his degre Endelong vpon a boorde he leyde To Lychomede & than he preyde That euery lady ches● sholde What thyng of al that she wold And take it as by wey of yefte For they hem self it shold shefte He sayde after her owne wylle Achylles than stood nought stylle When he the bryght hel●e beheld The swerde the hauberk & the shelde His hert felle therto anone Of al ▪ that other wold he none The knyghtes ge●e he vnderfongeth And thylk array whiche that belongeth Vnto the women he forsoke And in this wyse as seyth the booke They knowen than whiche he was For he goth forth the grete paas In to the chambre where he lay Anone & made no delay He armeth hym in knyghtely wyse That better can no man deuyse And as fortune sholde falle He cam forth to fore hem alle As he whiche tho was glad Inough But Lychomede no thyng lough When that he sawe how that it ferde And than he wyst wel & herde His doughter had be forleyn But that he was so / ouerseyn The wonder ouergoth his wyt For in Cronyke is wreton yet Thyng whiche shal neuer be foryete Hou that Achilles hath byge●e Pyrrus vpon Deydamye Wherof cam oute the trecherye Of fals wytnes when they sayde Hou Achylles was a mayde But that was no thyng sene tho For he is to the syege go Forth with Vlyxes and Dyoinede Loo thus was proued m the dede And fully spoke at thylk whyle If one woman another begyle Where is there ony sekyrnesse When Thetys whiche was the goddesse Deydamye hath so beiaped I not hou it shal ben escaped With the women whos Innocence Is now al day thorugh suche credence Deceyued ofte as it is sene With men that suche vntrouthe mene For they ben slye in suche a wyse That they by sleyghte & by queyntyse Of fals wytnesse bryngen Inne That doth hem ofte for to wynne Where they be not worthy therw For thy my sone doo not soo My fader as of fals wytnesse The trouthe & the maner expresse Touchend of loue hou it bath ferd As ye haue told I haue wel herd But for ye sayden otherwyse Hou thylk vyce of couetyse Hath yet periure of his acord If that thou lyst of som record To telle another tale also In loues cause of tyme ago What thyng it is to be forswore I wolde preye you therfore Wherof I myght ensample take My good sone & for thy sake Touchand of this I shal fulfylle Thyn axyng at thyne owne wylle And the matere I shal declare How the women deceyued are When they so tender herbe bere Of that they here men so swere But when it cometh to thassay Ther fynde it fals another day As Iason dyde to Medee Whiche stant yet of auctoryte In tokne & in memoryal Wherof the tale in specyal Is in the book of Troye wryte Whiche I shal do the for to wyte

hIc in amoris causa ponit exemplum contra perinros Et narrat qualiter Iason priusquam ad Insulam col chos pro aureo vellere ibidem conquestando transmearet in amorem & couiugium Regis Othonis filie iuramento firmius se astrinxit / sed suo postea completo negocio cum ipsam secum nauigio in grecian perduxisset vbi illa senectam patris sui Esonis in floridam iuuentutem mirabili sciencia reformauit Ipse Iason fidei sue ligamento alijs que beneficijs post positis dictam Medeam pro quadam causa Regis Creontis filia periurus dereliquit

IN grece whylome was a kyng Of whom the fame & knoulechyng Byleueth yet & peleus He hyghte but it felle hym thus That his fortune hyr whele so lad That he no chylde his owne had To regne after his decesse He had a broder netheles Whos ryght name was Eson And he hath the worthy knyght Iason Bygoten / in whiche in euery lond Al other passed of his hond In armes so that he the best Was named & the worthyest He sought worshyp oueral Now herkne & I the telle shal An auenture that he sought Whiche afterward ful dere he bought There was an Ile whiche Colchos Was cleped & therof awos Grete speche in londe aboute That suche meruayle was none oute In al the wyde world nowhere As tho in that I le there There was a shepe as it was told The whiche his flees bare al of gold And so the goddes had it sette That it ne myght a wey be fette By power of no worldes wyght And yet ful many a worthy knyght At had assayed as they dorst And euer it fel hem to the worst But he that wold it nought forsake But of his knyghthode vndertake To doo what thyng therto belongeth This worthy Iason sore alongeth To see the straunge regyons And knowe the condycyous Of other / marches where he went And for that cause his hoole entent He set Colchos for to seke And therupon he dyde ▪ speke To Peleus his eme the kyng And he wel payd was of that thyng And shope anone for his passage Suche as were of his lygnage With other knyghtes whiche he chees With hym he toke & Hercules Whiche ful was of chyualrye With Iason wente in companye And that was in the moneth of may When colde stormes were away The wynd was good the shyp was yare They took hyr leue & forth they fare Toward Colchos but on the weye What hem byfelle is long to seye Hou Lamedon the kyng of Troye Whiche ought wel haue made hem ioyr When they to rest a whyle hym preide Oute of his lond he hem congeyde And so felle the dyssencyon Whiche afterward was destructyon Of that cyte as men may here But that is not to my matere But thus this worthy folk gregoys Fro that kyng which was not curtois And fro his land with seyl vpdrawe Thenne went hem forth & many a sawe They made & many a grete manace Tyl at last in to that place Whiche as they sought they arryue And stryken seyle & forth as blyue They senten vnto the kyng & tolden Who were there & what they wolden Oetes whiche than was kyng When that he herd this tydyng Of Iason whiche was comen there And of these other what they were He thought done hem grete worshyp For they anone come oute of shyp And strayt vnto the kyng they went And by the hand Iason he hent And that was at the paleys gate So fer on the kyng cam on his gate Toward Iason to done hem chere And he whom lakketh no manere When he the kyng sawe in presence Yafe hym ageyn suche reuerence As to a kynges state belongeth And thus the kyng hym vnderfongeth And Iason in his arme he caught And forth in to the halle he straught And there they sat & speke of thyngis And Iason told hym tho tydyngys Why he was come & fayre hym prayde To haste his tyme & the kyng sayde Iason thou art a worthy knyght But it lyeth in no mans myght To done that thou art come fore There hath be many a knyght forlore Of that they wolden it assaye But Iason hym wold not esmaye And / seyd of / euery / worldes cure Fortune stant in auenture Parauenter wel parauenter woo But hou as euer that it goo It shal be with myn hond assayed The kyng tho helde hym not wel paid For he the grekes sore dredde In aunter yf Iason ne spedde He myght therof here a blame For tho was al the worldes fame In Grece as for to speke of armes For thy he drad hym of his harmes And gan to preche hym & to preye But Iason wold not obeye But sayd he wold his purpoos holde For ought that ony man hym tolde When the kyng these wordes herde And sawe how that the knyght ansuerde Yet for he wold make hym glad After Medea gone he had Whiche was his doughter & she cam And Iason whiche good hede nam When he hyr sawe ageyn hyr goth And she which was hym nothing loth Welcomed hym in to that londe And softe took hym by the honde And doune they seten bothe same She had herd spoke of his name And of his grete worthynes For thy she gan hyr eye inpresse Vpon his face & his stature And thought hou neuer creature Was so welfarend as was he And Iason ryght in suche degre Nc myght not withholde his look But so good hede on hyr he took That hym ne thought vnder the heuene Of beaute saw he neuer hyr euene With al that felle to womanhede Thus eche of other took hede Though there was no word of record Here hertes bothe of one acord Ben set to loue but as tho There myghten be no wordes mo The kyng hym made grete joye & fest To al his men he yaf an hest So as they wol his thank deserue That they sholde al Iason serue Whyle that he wold there duelle And thus the day shortely to telle With many myrthes is dyspent Tyl nyght was come & tho they went Echone of other took his leue When they no lenger myghten leue A not hou Iason that nyght slepe But wel I wote that of the shepe For whiche he cam in to that yle He thought but a lytel whyle Al was medea that be thought Soo that m many wyse he thought His wyt wakend or it was daye Somtyme ye somtyme nay Somtyme thus somtyme so As he was styred to & fro Of loue & eke of his conquest As he was holde of his heste And thus he roos vp by the morowe And took hym seynt Iohn to borow And sayd he wold fyrst begynne At loue & after for to wynne The flees of gold for whiche he come And thus to hym good hert he nome Medea ryght in the same wyse Tyl day cam that she must ryse Lay & bythought hyr al the nyght Hou she that noble worthy knyght By ony weye myght wedde And wel she ne wist yf he ne spedde Of thyng whiche he had vndertake She myght hyr self noo purpoos take For yf he deyde of his bataylle She most than algate fayle To geten hym when he were dede Thus she vygan to sette rede And torne aboute her wyttes al To loke hou it myght falle That she with hym bad a leyser To speke & telle of his desyre And soo it felle the same day That Iason with that swete may To gyder sette & hadde space To speke & he besought hyr grace And she his tale goodly herd And afterward she hym ansuerd And seyd Iason as thou wylt Thou myght be sauf thou myght be spilt For wyte wel that neuer man But yf he couthe that I can Ne myght that fortune acheue For whiche thou comest but as I loue If thou wolt holde couenaunt To loue of al the remenaunt I shal thy lyf & honour saue That thou the flees of gold shalt haue He sayd al at your owne wylle Madame I shal truly fulfylle Youre hest whyle my lyf may last Thus long he prayd & at last She graunteth & hyght hym this But when nyght cometh & it tyme is She wold hym sende certeynly Suche one that shold hym pryuely A lone in to hyr chambre brynge He thanketh hyr of that tydyng For of that grace is hym begonne Hym thynketh al other thinges wonne The day made ende & lost his lyght And comen was the derk nyght The Whiche al the dayes eye blent Iason took leue & forth he went And when he cam out of the prees He took to cound●●● Hercules And told hym how it was betyd And praid hym it shold wel be hed And that he wold loke about The whyles that he shold be out Thus as he stood and hede name A mayden fro Medea came And to Chambre Iason ledde Where that he fond redy the ledde The fayrest and the wysest eke And she with symple cheere and meke When she hym sawe was al ashamed Then was hyr tale nowe entamed For sykernesse of mariage She set forth a ryche ymage The which was the fygure of Iubites And Iason swore and said there That also wys god shold hym help That yf Medea dyd hym help That he his purpoos myght wynne They shold neuer parte a twynne But euer whyle hym last lyf He wold hir hold for his wyf And with that word they kyssed both And for they shold hem vnclothe There come a maide in hyr wyse She dyde hem both ful seruyse Tyl that they were in fed naked I wote that nyght was wel a waked They had loth what they wold And than at loyser she hym told And gan fro poynt to poynt enforme Of this batuyle and al the forme The whiche that he / shold fynde there When he to that ybe come were She said at the entre of the paas How More that god of armes was Hath set two oxen sterne and stoute That casten fyte and flamme aboute 〈◊〉 al month and at the nas● Soo that they syttin al & bbose What 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that passeth hem bytwene And fer the●●ore vppon the grene There goth the ●●is of gold to kepe A serpent the whiche may neuer slepe Thus who that shold it wyn The fire to stoppe he must begyn The whiche that the fyers beestes cast And daunce he mote hem at the last So that he may yokke and dryur And therupon he must as bylyue The serpent with suche strength assails That he may slee hym in bataile Of the whiche he must the teeth outdraw As it longeth to that lawe And than he must the oxen yoke Til that they haue with a plowe to broke A forowe of londe whiche of the lowe The teeth of the serpent he muste so we And there shall arise knyghtes Armed wel at al ryghtes Of hem is nought to take hede For eche of hem in hasty hede Shalle other slee with dethes wounde And thus when they be leid to grounde And go so forthe / and take his pray Then must he to the goddes pray But and he faile in ony wyse Of that he haue herd my deuyse There may be sette none other weye That he ne must algates deye Now haue I told the perille all And will yow telle now forth with al Quod Medea to Iason tho That ye shal knowe er ye goo Ageyne the venym and the fyre What shall be recouere But for it is nygh day Arise vp soo that I may Delyuer yow what thyng I haue That maye youre lif & honoure saue They were both loth to rise But for they were bothe wyse Vp they rysen at the last Iason his clothes on hym cast And made hym redy ryght anon And she hir serke dyde vpon And cost on hir a mantee close Withouten more and than aroos Than tooke she forth a ryche tye Made of gold and of perrye Oute of the whiche she took a ryng The stone was worth al other thyng She said whyles he wold it were There myght no perylle hym dere In water maye he not be drenchyd Where as it cometh the fyre is quenchid It ouercometh also cruel beste There may none aduersite that man areste Where soo he be on see or londe That hath this rynge vppon his honde And ouer that she gan seyne That yf a man wylle not beseyne Within his honde close the stone And he maye inuysyble gone This ryng to Iason she ●ytaught And so forth after she hym taught What sacryfice he shold make And gan oute of hyr Cofre take Hym thought a heuenly figure The whiche al by charme & by coniure Was wrought and also was ful writ With names the whiche he shold wyt As she hym taught than to rede And bad hym as he wold spede Without rest of ony whyle When he were londed in that yle He shold make his sacryfise As ●●de his carecte in the wise And she hym taught on knees doun bent Th●e si●hes toward the oryent For so shold he the goddes plese And wynne hym self mochel ese And whan he had thryes radde To open a boxe she hym ●adde That she there toke hym in present And was ful of suche oynement That there was fyre ne venym none That shold fasten hym vpone When that he were anoynted with a● For thy she taught hym how he shall Enoyn●e his arines al aboute And for he shold no thyng doute She took hym than a maner of a glu● The whiche was of so huge vertue That where a m●n it wolde caste It shold bynd anone so faste That no man myght it doo aw●y And that she bad by al wey He shold in to the mowthes throwe Of these two oxen that fire so blowe Therof to stoppe the malyce The glewe shal serue of that se●●yce And ouer that hyr oynement Hyr ryng and hyr enchauntement Ageyne the serpent shold hym were Tille he hym slewe with sheld & spere And than he may sau●ly ynough His oxen yoke in his plough And the teeth sowe in suche a wyse Tyl he the knyghtes see aryse And ●chone on other doune be layd In suche a maner as I haue said Loo thus Medea for Iason Ordeyneth and prayeth therupon That he no thyng forgete shold And also she prayd hym that he wold When he had al his armes done To the grounde knele & thonke anone The goddes and so forth by ese The flees of gold he shold seese And when he had sesed so That then he were sone go Withoute ony taryeng When this was seid vnto wepyng She felle as she that was thorugh nom●● With loue and so forth ouercomen That all her world on hym she s●●te But when she sawe there was no bette That he ne must nedes parte her fro She took hym in her armes two A honderd tymes & gan hym kysse And said O al my worldes blisse My tryst / my lust my lyf my hel● To be thy help in thy quarele I praye vnto the goddes alle And with that word she gan doune falle On swounyng / & he hir vp name And forthwith the maiden came And ther to bed anone hyr brouht And than Iason hyr besought And to hyr said in this manere My worthy lusty ladyes dere Comforteth yow / for by my trou●h● It shall not fayle in my slouthe That I ne wylle thurgh oute fulfille Youre comaundement & your own wille An● yet I hope to yow to bryng Within a whyle suche tydyng The whiche shall make vs bothe ga●● But for he wold kepe hyr name When that he wyst it was nyhe day He said adyeu my swete may And forth with hym he took his ge●● The whiche she bad take hym there And streyght vnto his chambre he went And gothe to ●ed / & a slepe hym hen● And lay that no man hym awoke For Hercules hede of hym toke Tyl it was vnder of the day & more And than he ganne to syke sore And sodenly abrayed of slepe And than they took of hym kepe His chamberleyns ●en soone there And make redy al his gere And he awos / and vnto the kyng He went and said how to that thyng For whiche he cam / he wold go The kyng therfore was wonder woo And for he wold hym fayn withdraw He told hym many a dredeful saw But Iason wold it not recorde And at the last they were accorde When that he wold not abyde A ●ote was redy at the ●yde In that which this worthy knyght of gre●● Ful armed vp / at euery pece To his batayle that belongeth Toke other on hond & sore him longeth Till he the water passid were And whan he cam to that y●● there He set hym on his knee doun strauȝl And his carecte as he was taught He rad & made his sacryfyce And sythen anoynced hym m● wys● As Medea hym hath ●ede And than he arose hym fro the 〈◊〉 And with the glewe the fi●e he qu●ynt He anone after gan ateynt The grete serpent and hym slough But erst he had sorowe ynough For that serpent made hym to trauaile So hard and sore of his batayle That now he stood / & now he felle For long tyme so● it be felle Th●t with his swerd ne with his spere He myght not that serpent dere It was so shelled al aboute It spyld al edge tole withoute He was soo rude and hard of skyn There myght no thyng goo ther in Venym and fire to geder he cast That he ●ason greued sore with blast And yf it had not ben his oynement His rynge & his enchauntement The whiche Medea took hym beforn He had with that worm be lorn But thurgh the vertu that therof ca● Iason the dragon ouercam And he anone the tethe oute drowe And set his oxen in a plowe With the whiche he brake a pece of ●ond And sewe hem with his owne ●ond Than myght he grete merueyle see Of euery tooth in his degre Sprang vp a knyght with spere & sheld Of the whiche ryght anon 〈◊〉 the feld Echone slough other / & with that Iason not Medea forgat On bothe his knees he gan doune fall And ga● thankyng to the goddes all The flees he took & gothe to the bote The sonne shyneth bryght & hote The flees of gold shone forth with all The water glystered oueralle Medea weped / and syghed ofte And stode vppon a towre aloft Al pryuely within hir self There herd it not ten or twelf She prayd and said god hym spede The knyght that hath my maidenhede And dy she loked toward the yle And when she sawe within a whyle The flees glisteryng ●geyn the sonne She said O lord al is wonne My knyght the feld hath ouereomen Now wold god that he were comen O lord god I wold he were in londe But I dare take this on honde If that she had wynges two She wold haue flowen to hym tho Streyte there he was vnto the ●ote The day w●s clere the sonne was hote The grekes were in grete doute The whyle that hyr lord was oute They wise not what shold betyde But waited vpon the tyde To see what ende shold falle There stood also the nobles alle Footh with the comyn of the Towne And as they loked vp & doune They were ware within a throwe Where as cam the bote / as they wel know And saw how ●ason brought his prey And than they gan al to sey And ●●yden of with one sreuen O where was euer vnder heuen So noble a knyght as Iason is And wel ny●e al saiden this That Iason was a fayre knyght 〈…〉 t was neuer of mans myght The ●●●es of gold so for to wynne And thus to talk they begynne 〈…〉 that the kyng forth anone 〈◊〉 sawe the flees how that shone And when Iason cam to the londe The kyng hym self took his honde And kyssed hym ▪ and greete ioyr made ●he grekes were wonder glade And of the thyng right mery thought And forth with hym that flees they broght And euery man gan prece in For well was hym that myght wyn To see there of the propyrte And thus they passen the Cyte And gone vnto the place straught Medea the whiche forgate hyr naught Was redy there and sai● anone Welcome O worthy knyght Iason She wold haue kyst hym wonder fayne But shame borned hyr agayne It was not the maner as tho For thy she durst not do so She took hyr leue . and Iason wen●e In to his chambre / & she hym sente Hyr maide to see how he ferd The whiche whan she sawe and herd● How that he had faren oute And that it stood wel al aboute She told hyr lady what she wist And she for ioye hyr mayden kyst The bathes were than arrayd With herbes tempred and assayd And Iason was vnarmed soon● And dyde as it befelle to done In to his bathe he went anone And wysshe hym clene as ony ●one He took a soppe / and oute he came And on his best array he name And kempt his hede when he was glad And goth hym forth al mery & glad Ryght streyght in to the kynges hall● A●pmg the grete lordes alle And made hym glad welcomyng And he hem told the tythyng Of this & that how it befelle When that he wan the shepes felle Medea when she was after sent Came soone to that parlement And when she myght Iason see Was none so glad of al as she There was no ioye for to seche Of hym made euery man a speche Som men said one / somme saide other But though he were goddes broder And myght make fire and thonder There myght be no more wonder Then was of hym in that Cyde Eche man taught other this is he That hath in his power within That al the world myght not wyn Lo here the best of al goode Thus seid they that there stood And also that walked vp and doune Bothe of the Court & of the towne The tyme of souper cam anone They wysshen & therto they gone Medea was with Iason set Tho was there many a deynte fet And set to ●ore hem on the boord But none soo lykyng as the word Which was ther spoke among hem two So● as they dorst speke tho But though they ●adden lytyl space Yet they acorden in that place How Iason shold come at nyght When euery torche & euery lyght Were oute / & than of other thynges They speken a loude for supposynges Of hem that stoden there aboute For loue is euermore in doute If that it be wysely gouerned Of hem that be of loue lerned When al was doo that dysshe & cuppe And clothe & bord & ●l was vppe They ●ake whyle hem lyst to wake And af●●r that they leue take And gone to ●edde for to reste And when hym thought for the beste That euery man was fast a slepe Iason that wold his tyme kepe Both forth stalkend al pryuely Vnto the chambre & redyly There was a mayde whiche hym kepte Medea wook & nothyng slepte But netheles she was a bed And he with al hast hym spedde And made hym naked & al warme Anone he took hyr in his arme What nede is for to speke of ese Hem lyst eche other for to plese Soo that they hadden ioye ynough And tho they setten when & hou That she with hym awey shal stele With wordes such● & other fele When al was treded to an ende Iason took ●eue & gan forth wende Vnto his owne chambre in pees There wyst it none but Hercules He slepte & w●s when it was tyme And when it fel toward pryme He took to ●ym suche as he tryste In secre that none other wyste And told hem of his counseyl there And sayde that his wylle were That they to shyp had al thyng So pryuelyche in theuenyng That noman myght here dede aspye But that were of companye For he wol goo withoute leue And ●enger wol he nought byleue But he ne wold at thylk throwe That kyng or quene shold it knowe They sayde al thys shal be doo And Iason trust wel therto Medea in the mene whyle Whiche thought hyr fader to begyle The Tresour whiche hyr fader had With hyr al pryuely she lad And with Iason at tyme sett Awey she stal and fonde no let And straught she goth hyr in to shyp Of grece with that felaushyp And they anone drough vp the sey●●e And al that nyght this was counseylle But erly when the sonne shone Men seen hou that they were gon● And come vnto the kyng & told And he the soth knowe wold And axeth where his doughter was There was no word but out alas She was a goo / the moder wepte The fader as a wood man lepte And gan the tyme for to warye And swore his othe he wol not tarye That with Calyphe & with galeye The same cours the same wey● Whiche Iason took he wold take If that he myght hym ouertake To this they sayden al yee Anone they weren at the see And al as who sayd at one word They gone within shyppes boord The seylle goth vp & forth they strauȝt But none exployt therof they caught And so forth they tornen home ayene For al that laboure was in ●eyn Iason to grece with his prey Goth thorugh the see the ryght weye When he ther come & men it told ●i●y made ioye yong & old Eson when he wyse of this How that his sone comen is And hath acheued that he soughte And home with hym medea broughte In al the wyde world was none So glad a man as he was one To geder ben these louers tho Tyl they had sones twoo Wherof they weren bothe glade And olde Eson greete ioye made To seen the encrees of his lygnage For 〈◊〉 was of so grete an age That men away●●n euery day When that he shold gone away Iasen whiche sawe his fader old ●●en medea made hym bold Of art magy●e whiche she couth And prayth hyr that his fader youth She wold make ayeneward newe And she that was toward hym trewe Behyghte hym that she wold it do When that she tyme sawe therto But what she dede in that matere It is a wonder thyng to here But yet for the nouelrye I ●●ynke tellen a grete partye

N●t● qiubus medica mentis Esonē s●n●●tute decrepitum ad sue iuuentutis adolescenciam prudens Medea reduxit ▪

Thus it byfel vpon a nyght When there was nought but sterre light She was banysshed ryght as hyr lyst That no wyght but hyr seluen it wyst The world was stylle on euery syde And that was at mydnyght tyde With open ●xede & foote al bare Here here to sprad she gan to fare Vpon hyr clothes gyrt she was Al specheles & on the gras She glode forth as an adder doth None otherwyse she ne goth Tyl she cam to the fresshe flood And there a whyle she withstood Thryes she torned hyr aboute And thryes eke she gan doune loute And in the flood she w●et hyr here And thryes on the water there She gaspeth with a dretchyng onde And tho she took hyr speche on honde Fyrst she began to clepe & calle Vpward vnto the sterres alle To wynde to ayre to see to ●ond She preyd & held vp hyr hond To Echates & gan to crye Whiche is the goddesse of Sorcerye She seyde helpeth at this nede And as ye maden me to spede When Iason cam the flees to seche So helpe me now I you byseche With that she loketh & was ware Doune fro the sky there cam a chare The whiche / dragons aboute drough And tho she gan hyr hede doune bough And vp she styghe & fayre & wel She drofe forth both chare & wheel Aboue in the ayer among the skyes The lond of Crete & tho partyes She sought & gan fast hyr hyghe And therupon the hulles hyghe Of Othryn and Olymphe also And eke of other hulles moo She fonde & gade●eth herbes soute She pulleth vp som by the rote And many with a knyf she shereth And alle in to hyr chaar she ●ere●● Thus when she hath the hulles sought The flodes there forya●● she nought Erydyan and Amphrydos ●eneye● & eke Sperceydos To hem she went & there she nome Bothe of the water & of the f●m● She fond & eke the smal stones Whiche al she chese oute for the nones And of the rede see a part That was behouelycke to hyr art She took / & afterward aboute She sought sondry sedes oute In feldes & in many greues And eke a part she took of leues But thyng which myght hyr most aua●yle / She fond in Crete & in thessayle In dayes & in nyghtes nyne With grete trauayl & grete pyne She was purueyed of euery pece And torned homward in to grece Byfore the gates of Eson Hyr chare she lete awey to gone And took oute fyrst that was therin For tho she thought to begyn Suche thyng as semeth impossyble And made hyr self inuysyble As she that was with a pre enclosed And myght of no man be dysclosed She took of turues of the lond Withoute helpe● of mans honde And heled with the grene gras Of whiche an Aulter made there was Vnto Echates the Goddesse Of art magyke and sorceresse And eft another to iuuente As she whiche dyde here hole entente Tho took she felwood & berueyne Of herbes be not better tweyne Of whiche anone without ●●ett These aulters ben aboute set Two sondry pyttes fast by She made / & with that hastely A wether whiche was blak she ●●ouȝ And oute therof she the blood drough And dyde in to the pyttes twoo Warme mylk she put also therto With hony meynt , & in suche wyse She gan to make hyr sacryfyce And cryde & prayde forth with al To pluto the god infernal And to the quene proserpyne And so she sought oute the lyne Of hem that longen to that craft Behynd was noman laft And praid hem alle as she was couth To graunte Eson his fyrst youth This old Eson brought forth was tho A wey she bad al other goo Vpon peryl that myght falle And with that word they wenten alle And leften there them two alone And tho she began to gaspe & gone And made sygnes many one And sayd hyr wordes therupone So that with spellyng & hir charmes She took Eson in bothe hyr armes And made hym for to slepe fast And hym vpon hir herbes cast The blak wether tho she took And hewe the flesshe as doth a Cook On eyther aulter part she leyde And with the charmes that she seyde A fyre doune from the sky alyght And made it for to brenne lyght And when Medea sawe it brenne Anone she gan to sterte & renne The fyry aulters al aboute There was no beste whiche goth oute More wylde than she semeth there Aboute hyr sholders henge hyr here As though she were oute of her mynde And torned in to another kynde Tho lay there certeyn wode clefte Of whiche the peces now & efte She made hem in the pyttes wete And put hem in the fyry hete And toke the brond with al the blase And thryes she bygan to rase Aboute Eson there as he slepte And efte with water whiche she kepte She made a cercle aboute hym thryes And eke with fyre of sulphyr twyes Ful many another thyng she dede Whiche is not wryten in the stede But she can vp so & doune She made a wonder soune Somtyme lyche vnto the cok Somtyme vnto the lauerok Somtyme cacleth as an henne Somtyme speketh as done menne And ryght so as hir ●argon straungeth In sondry wyse hyl forme chaungeth She semeth fayre & no woman Forth with the craft that she can She was as who seith a goddesse And what hyr lyst more or lesse She dyde in bokes as we fynde That passeth ouer mannes kynde But who that wol wondres here What thyng she wrought in this matere To make an ende of that she gan Suche meruayle herd neuer man A poynted in the newe mone When it was tyme for to done She sett ● cauldron on the fyre In whiche was al the hoole a tyre Where on the medycyne stood Of Iuse of water & of blood And lete it boyle in suche a plyte Tyl that she sawe the spume whyte And tho she cast in rynde & roote And seed & floure that was for bote With many an herbe & many a stone Wherof she hath there many one And eke the Cympheyus the serpent To hyr hath al hyr scales lent ●he ●ydre hyr yafe his adders skyn And she to boyle cast hem in And part eke of the horned oule The whiche men here on nyghtes houle And of a Rauen whiche was told Of nyne honderd wynter old She took the heed with al the bylle And as the medy●yue it wylle She took therafter the bowele Of the see wolf & for the hele Of Eson with a thousand mo Of thyngis that she had tho In that caldron to gyder as blyue She put & took than of olyue A drye braunche hem with to ster● The whiche anone gan floure & bere And weye al fresshe & grene ageyn When she this vertue herd f●yn She lete the lest drope of alle Vpon the bare flore doune falle Where as the droppe falle was Anone there spronge floure & gras And waye anone al mede we grene So that it myght wel be sene Medea than knewe and wyst Hyr medycyne is for to tryse And goth to Eson there he lay And took a swerd was of assay With whiche a wounde vpon his syde She made that ther out may slyde The blood within whiche was old And seke & trouble feble & coldr And tho she took vnto his vse Of herbes al the best Iuse And poured it in to his wounde That made his beynes ful & sounde And tho she made his woundes close And took his hond vp he wse And tho she yafe hym drynk a draught Of whiche his youthe agayn be caught His heed his hert & his bysage Lyche vnto twenty wynter age And lyche vnto the fresshe may His hore heres were away When passed ben the cold shoures Ryght so recouereth he his floures Loo what myght ony man deuyse A woman shewe in ony wyse More hertely loue in ony stede Than medea to Iason dede Fyrst she made hym the flees to wyn And from alle her kyth & kyn With grete tresour with hym she stal And to his fader forth with al His elde hath torned in to youthe Whiche thyng none other man couth But hou it was to hyr a●uyt The remembraunce duelleth yet Kyng Peleus his eme was deed Iason bare coroune on his head Medea hath fulfylled his wylle But when he shold of ryght fulfylle The trouthe whiche to hyr afore He had in the ●le of Colchos swore Tho was medea moost deceyued For he hath another receyued Whtch● doughter was to kynge Creon Creusa she byght , & thus Iason As he that was to loue vntrewe Medea left & toke a newe But that was afterward sore abought Medea with hyr art hath wrought Of cloth of gold a mantel ryche Whiche semeth worth a kynges ryche And that was vnto Creusa sent In name of yeft and of present For susterhood was hem bytwene And when the yong fresshe quene That mantyl lappyd hyr aboute A none therof the fyre sprang oute And brent hyr bothe flesshe & bone Tho cam Medea to Iason With both his sones on here hond And sayd O thou of euery lond The moost vntre we creature Loo this shal be thy forfeture With that she bothe his sones slough Byfore his eye & he oute drough His swerd & wold haue slayn hyr tho But fare wel she was a goo Vnto Pallas the court aboue Where as she pleyneth vpon loue As she that was with that goddesse And he was left in grete dystresse Thus myght thou see what sorow it doth To swere an othe whiche is not soth In loues cause namely My sone be wel ware for thy And kepe that thou be not forswore For this whiche I haue told tofore Ouyde telleth euery dele My fader I may leue it wele For I haue herde it ofte seye Hou Iason toke the flees aweye Fro Colchos for yet herd I nought By whom it was fyrst thyder brought And for it were good to here If that thou lyst at my prayere To telle I wold you byseche My sone who that wol it seche In bokes he may fynde it wryte And netheles yf thou wolt wyte In the maner as thou hast preyde I shal the telle hou it is seyde

Nota qualiter aureum vellus in pardes Insule Colchos primo deuenit Athemas Rex philen habiut coniugem 〈◊〉 qua Faxum genuit et Hellen / Mortua autem Hellen Athemas Iunonem Regis Cadmi filiam postea 〈◊〉 vxorem dnxit / que more Nouerce di●tos infantes in tantum recollegit odi●que ambos in mari proici penes Regem procurauit / Vnde Iuno compaciens quemdam Arietem grandem aureo vestitum vellere ad litus natantem destinauit● super cuius dorsum pueros apponi iussit quo facto Aries super vndas regressus cum solo Frixo sibi adherente in Colchos applicuit / vbi Iuno dictum Arietem cūsuo vellere prout in alijs canitur ●coni●is sub a●ta custodia collocauit

tHe fame of thylk shepes felle Which in Colchos as it bifelle was al of gold shal neuer deye Wherof I thynke for to seye Hou he cam fyrst in to that I le There was a kyng in thylk whyle To wardes grece and Athemas The Cronyke of his name was And had a wyf whiche Phylen hyght By whome so as fortune it dyght He had of chyldren yong two Fay●s the fyrst was of tho A man chylde ryght fayre with all A doughter eke whiche men call Hellen he hade by this wyf But for ther may no mans lyf Endure vpon this erthe here This worthy quene as thou myght here Er that the chyldren were of age Took of her ende the passage With grete worshyp & was bygraue What thyng it lyketh god to haue It is grete reason to ben his For thy thys kyng so as it is With grete suffraunce it vnderfongeth And afterward as hym belongeth When it was tyme for to wedde A newe wyf he toke to bedde Whiche Iuo hyght & was a mayde And eke the doughter as men sayde Of Cadme whiche a kyng also Was holde in thylke dayes tho When Iuo was the kynges make She cast hou that she myght make These chyldre to hyr fadre loth And shope a wyle ayene hem both Which vnto the kyng was at vnknow A yere or two she sete doo sowe The lond with soden whete aboute Wherof no corn may spryngen oute And thus by sleyghte & by couyne Aroos the derthe & the famyne Thorugh oute the lond in suche a wyse Soo that the kyng a sacryfyce Vpon the poynt of this dyserrsse To Ceres whiche is the goddesse Of corne hath shape hym for to yeue To loke yf it may be foryeue The meschyef whiche was in his lond But she whiche knewe to fore the hond The cyraimstaunce of al thys thyng Ageyn the comynge of the kyng In to the Temple hath shape soo Of hyr acord that al tho Whiche of the Temple prestes were Haue sayd & ful declared there Vnto the kyng but yf so be That he desyuer the countre Of Fryxus & of hellen bothe With whome the goddes ben so wrothe That whyle tho chyldre ben within Suche tylthe shal no man begyn Wherof to gete hym ony corn Thus was it sayd thus was it sworn Of al the prestes that there are And she whiche causeth al this fare Seyd eke therto what that she wolde And euery man than after tolde Soo as the quene had hem preyd The kyng whiche bath his ere leyd And leueth al that euer he herde Vnto here tale thus ansuerde And seyth that leuer is hym to chese His chyldren bothe for to lese Than hym & al the remenaunt Of hem whiche are apperdendunt Vnto the lond whiche he shal kepe And bade his wyf to take kepe In What manere is best to done That they delyuerd were sone Oute of the world & she anone Two men ordeyneth for to gone But fyrst she made hem for to swere That they the chyldren shold here Vnto the see that none it knowe And hem therin both throwe The children to the see ben lad Where in the wyse as Yuo bad These men be redy for to doo But the goddesse whiche Iuno Is hote / appereth in the stede And hath vnto the men forbede That they the chyldren not ne slee ▪ But bad hem loke in to the see And taken hede of that they syghen There swam a sheepe to fore hyr eyen Whoos flees of burned gold was al And this goddesse forth with al Comaundeth that withoute let They shold anone the chyldre set Aboue vpon the shepes bak And al was do ryght as she spak Wherof the men gone home ageyne And felle so as the bokes seyne Hellen the yong mayden tho Whiche of the see was wo bego For pure drede hyr hert hath lore That fro the shepe whiche hath hyr bore As she that was swounend feynt And felle & hyr self deeynt Frixus & this shepe forth swam Tyl he to the Ile of Colchos cam Where Iuno the goddesse he fond Whiche toke the shepe to the lond And s●tte it there in suche a wyse As thou to fere hast herd deuyse Wherof cam●after al the wo Why Iason was forswore soo Vnto mede● as it is spoke My fader who that hath to broke His trouth as ye haue here told about He is not worthy for to loue Ne be beloued as me semeth But euery loue ne we quemeth To hym whiche newe fangle is And netheles now after this If that thou lyst to taken hede Vpon my shryfte to procede In loues cause ayene the vyce Of couetyse and Auoryce What there is more I wold wyte My sone this fynde I wryte There is yet one of thylk brood Whiche only for the worldes good To make a Tresoure of moneye Put al conscyence a weye Wherof in thy Confessyon The name and the condycyon I shal here afterwarde declare Whiche maketh one ryche another bare

Plus capit vsura sibi quam debetur et illud / Fraude colocata sepe latenter agit / Sic amoz excessus quam sepe suos vt cuarus / Spirat et viuus tres capit ipse loco

Hic tractat de illa specie Auaricie que vsura dicitur / cuius creditor in pecunia tantum numerata plus quam sibi de iure debetur incrementum lucri ad auget

●Pon the benche syttend on hygh With auaryce vsure I syghe Ful clothed of his owne sute Whiche after good maketh chase & sute With his brocours that renne aboute Lyche vnto ratches on a route Suche lucre is none aboue ground Whiche is not of the ratches founde For where they see beyete sterte That shal hem in no wyse asterde But they it dryue in to the net Of lucre whiche vsure hath set Vsure with the ryche duelleth To al that euer he byeth & selleth He hath ordeyned of his sleyghte Mesure● double & double weyghte Outward he selleth by the lasse And with the more he maketh his tasse Wherof his hous is ful withynne He retcheth nought be soo he wynne Though that he lese ten or twelue His loue is al toward hym selue And to none other but he see That he may wynne suche thre For where he shal ought yeue or lene He wol ayene ward take a bene There he hath lent the smal pese And ryght so ther be many of these Louers that though they ▪ loue a lyte That scarsely wold it weye a myte Yet wold they haue a pound ageyne And doth vsure in his bargeyn But certes suche vsure vnlyche It falleth more vnto the ryche Als wel of loue as of beyete Than vnto hem that be not grete And as who sayth be symple & pouer For selden is when they recouer But yf it be thorugh greete deserte And netheles men see pouerte With pursute & contenaunce Ful ofte make a grete cheuaunce And take of loue his auauntage For with the helpe of his brocage That maken seme where it is nought And thus ful ofte is loue bought For lytel what and mochel take With fals weyghtes that they make Now sone of that I sayd aboue Thou wost what vsure is of loue Telle me for thy what so thou wylt If thou therof host ony gylt My fader nay for ought I here For of tho poyntes ye tolden here I wol you by my trouth assure My weyghte of loue & my mesure Hath be more large & more certeyn Than euer I took of loue ageyne For so yet couthe I neuer of sleyghte To take ageyne by double weyghte Of loue more than I haue yeue For also wys mote I be shryue And haue remyssyon of synne And soo yet couthe I neuer wynne Ne yet soo mochel soth to seyn That euer I myght haue half ageyn Of so ful loue as I haue lent And myn hop were so wel went That for the hoole I myght haue half My thynketh I were a goddesse half For where vsure wold haue double My conscyence is not trouble I byd neuer as to my dele But of the hole an haluen dele That is none excesse as me thynketh But netheles it me forthynketh For wel I wote that wol not be For euery day the better I see That ho● so euer I yeue or lene My loue in place there I mene For ought that euer I axe or craue I can nothyng ayeneward haue But for that I wol not lete What so befalle of my beyete That I ne shal yeue & lene My loue & al my thought soo clene That toward me shal nougt byleue And yf she of hyr good leue Rewarde me wold nought ageyn I wote the last of my bargeyn Shal stonde vpon so grete a lost That I may neuer more the cost Recouer in this world tyl I dye Soo that touchend of this partye I may me wel excuse & shal And for to speke forth with al If ouy brocour for me went That poynt cam neuer in myn entent Soo that the more me meruayleth What thyng it is my lady eyleth That al myn herte & al my tyme She hath / & doo no better byme I haue herd sayd that thought is fre And netheles in pryuete To you my fader that ben here Myn hole shryfte for to here I dar myn hert wel dysclose Touchend vsure as I suppose Whiche as ye tellen in loue is vsed My lady may not ben excused That for one lokyng of hyr eye Myn hool herte hath tyl I deye With al that euer I may & can She hath me wonne to hyr man Wherof me thynketh good reson wolde That she somdele rewarde sholde And yeue a part there she hath al I not what falle herafter shal But in to now yet dare I seyne Hyr lyst neuer yeue ageyne A good word in suche a wyse Wherof myne hope myght aryse My greete loue to compense I not hou she hyr conscyence Excuse wol of this vsure By large weyghte & grete mesure She hath my loue & I haue nought Of that whiche I haue dere abought And with myne herte I haue it payde But al this is asyde layde But I go loueles aboute Hyr ought stonde in ryght grete doute Tyl she redresse suche a synne That she wol al my loue wynne And yeueth me not to lyue by Nought also moche as graunt mercy Hyr lyst to seye of whiche I myght Some of my greete peyne alyght But of this poynt lo thus I fare As he that payeth for his Chaffare And byeth it dere & yet hath none So mote he nedes pouer gone Thus bye I dere & haue no loue That I ne may come aboue To wynne of loue none encrece But I me wylle neuer the lese Touchend vsure of loue acquyte And yf my lady be to wyte I pray to god suche grace hyr sende That she my tyme it must amende My sone of that thou hast answerd Touchend vsure / I haue al herd How thou of loue hast wonnen smale But that thou tellest in thy tale And thy lady therof accusist Me thynketh thy wordes thou mysusist For by thyne owne knowlechyng Thou saist that she for one lokyng Thy hole herte fro the she took She may be suche that hyr one look Is worth the herte many fold And than hast thou thy herte wel sold Whan thou hast that is more worthy And also that thou tellest for thy How that hyr weyght of loue vneuen Maye to thy semyng vnder heuen Stonde euer euen in that balaunce The which stondeth in loues gouernance Suche is the statute of this lawe That though thy loue more drawe And peyse in the balaunce more Thou may not aske ageyn therfore Of doubte / but all of grace For loue is lord in euery place There may no lawe hym Iustyfye By ●eddour ne by companye That he ne wylle after his wylle Whom that hym liketh to spede or spille To loue a man may wel begynne But whether he shalle lese or wynne That wote no man till at the last And therfore coueyte not to fast My sone / but abyde thyn ende Per c●as al may to good wende But that thou hast me told and said Of one thyng I am ryght wel payd That thou by sleyghte ne by gyle Of no brocoure hast other whyle Engyned loue for suche dede Is more venged as I rede

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos marituss ▪ qui vltra id quod proprias habent vxores / ad noue voluptatis in crementum . alias mulieres superflue lucrari non verentur / Et narrat qualiter Iuno vindictam in Ecco lucris adquirendis de consilio mariti Iouis me diatrix exstiterat

bRokers of loue that deceyuen No wonder though they receyuen After the wrong that they deserue For somtyme they goo and serue And doo plesaunce for a whyle Yet at the last her owne gyle Vppon hyr owne hede descendeth The whiche god of his vengeance sendeth As by ensample of tyme a goo A man may fynde / it hath be so It felle somtyme as it was sene The hygh goddes and the quene Iuno than had in company A mayden ful of trechery For she was euer in one acord With Iubiter that was hyr lord To gete hym other loues newe Thorugh suche brocage / & was vntrew Al other wyse than hym nedeth But she the whiche no shame dredeth With queynt wordes and with slye Blynded in suche a wise her ladyes eye As she to whome Iuno tryst So that ther of she no thyng wyst But so pryuely may be no thyng That it ne cometh to knowlechyng For thyng that is done on the derk nyght Is after knowen whan the day is light So it befelle at the last Al that this slyghe mayden cast Was ouer cast and ouerthrowen For as the soothe must be knowen To Iuno it was done vnderstonde In what manere hyr husbonde With fals brocage hath taken vsure Of loue more than his mesure Whan he took other than his wyf Wherof this mayden was gyltyf The whiche hath ben of his ass●●t And thus was all the game shent She suffred hym as she must nede But the broucore of his mysdede She that hir counceylle gaf therto On hyr is the vengeaunce doo For Iuno with hyr wordes bryg●t This mayden whic●e Tito hyght Reproueth and saith in this wyse O traitresse of suc●e seruyse Hast thou thyne owne lady ser●ed Thou hast grete peyne wel deserued Thy slygh wordes for to peynte With flaterye that is so queynt Towards me that am thy quene Where thorugh thou madest me to went That my housbond trewe were When that he loueth els where Al be it soo / hym nedeth n●ught But vppon the it shall be bought The whiche arte pryue to these doynges And me ful oft of thy besynges Deceyued hast now is the day That I the whyle wel quyte . may And for thou hast to me counceyled That my lord hath with other deled I shalle the set in suche a kynde That euer vnto the worldes ende Al that thou herest / thou shalt telle And clappe it oute as doth a belle And with that word she was for shape There may no vyce her mouthe escape What man that in the world cryeth Withouten faile Hecco replyeth And what word that hym lust to say● The same word she saith agayn Thus she that somtyme had leue To be at large / is now morow & eue In woodes & on hylles bothe For suche brocage is wyues lothe The whiche doth lordes herte & chaunge And loue in other places straunge For thy / yf euer it soo befalle That thou herafter in chambre or hall● Me wedded man hold that thou hast For thy al other loue is wast One wyf shal wel to the suffys● And that yf tho● for couetyse Of loue wold aske more Thou sholdest done ageyne the lod● Of all men that trewe be My fader as in this degre My conscyence is not accused For I no suche brocage haue vsed Where thorugh that loue of lust is wōn● For thy speketh forth / as ye begonne Of auaryce vppon my shryft My sonne I shal the braunches s●yft By ordre as they ben set Of whome no good is wel beset

Pars verbis verba munus pro munere reddi / Conuenit vt pondus ●qu● statera ger●t / Preterea cupido non da● sua dona cupido / Nam qui nulla ●eri● gramina nulla metet

Hic tractat Auctor super illa specie Auaricie que parcimonia dicitur . cuius natura tenax aliqualem sue substancie porcionem / aut deo aut hominibus par ticipare nullatenus consentit

bLynd ●uaryce of his ly●nage For counceylle / & for co●●nage To withhold ageyne largesse H●th one the whos name is scarceness● The whiche is kepat of his howe And is so thorugh auarous That he no good will lete out of hond Though god hym self shold fonde Of gyft shold he no thyng haue And yf a man it wold craue He must than fayle at nede Wherof hym self may not spede And thus scarcenes in euery place By reason may no thyng purcha●● And 〈◊〉 in his ●egre Aboue al other most priu● With Aua●y●● he stondeth se That he is euermore in wo In his estate of his offyce After the rewle of that vyce He taketh his lepis he hoppeth he blent That lyght is to slee the flent That gede of hym ne hard ne nesshe Only the valewe of a Resshe Of good in helpyng of another Ne though be were his owne broder And in the ●●as of gyft and loue S●●ndeth euery man for hym aboue Thynketh of his vnkyndeship That hym nedeth noo felauship So that the bagge and he acorde Hym rekketh not what man recorde Of hym were it euyl or good For all his trust is on his good And so allone he falleth ofte When he best weneth to stond on lofd● As wel in loue as other wyse For loue is euer of somme repryse To hym that wol his lone holde For thy my sone as thou art holde Tonchend of this telle me thy shry●● Hast thou be searse of large gyft Vnto thy loue to whom thou serues● For after that thou wel deseruest Of gyft thou myght be the bett● F●● that good I wyl be sette For that whiche thou myght thou better fa●● Thenne is no wysedom for to spare For thus men seyn in euery nede He was wyse that fyrst made mede For where as mede may not spede I not what helpeth other dede Ful of● he faileth of his game That wylle with ydel hond reclame His hawke / as many a nyce man doth For thy my sone telle the sooth And saye the t●outhe / yf thou haue be ●on●● thy ●●ue scorse o● fro My fader it hath sto●den thus That yf the ●●●ou● of ●resus With alle the goood of Oc●auian And the ryches of Indyan Of perles and of ryche stones Were al to geder myn at ones I set it at no maner acounte Than wold bare sted amounde To gyue it hyr al on a day Soo that to that swete may It myght lyke more or lesse And thus the cause of my largesse Ye may vnderstonde and leue That I shall not the better acheue The purpoos whiche is in my thought But yf that I gaf hyr neuer nought Ne therto durst a profre make For wel I wote she wylle not take And gyue wylle she not also She is escheweng of bothe two And thus I trowe be the skylle Towardes me ▪ for she ne wylle That cause I haue of hope Nought as moche as a drope But toward other / as I may see She gyueth and taketh in suche degre That as by the wey of frendelyhede She can soo kepe hyr womanhede That euery man speketh of hyr wele But she wylle take of me no dele And yet she wote wel that I wold Gyue & doo bothe what I shold To pl●se hyr in al my myght By reson this wote euery wyght For that may by no wey asterte There she is mayster of the hert● She must be mayster of the goode For god wote wel / that al my mode And al my good whyles I haue ought And al my herte & al my thought As frely as god hath it me gyue It shal be hirs whyles I lyue Ryght as hyr lyst hyr selue commande So that it nedeth no demaunde To aske of me yf I haue be scarse To loue / for I to that parse Wylle answere and sey no My sone that is ryght wel doo For of tyme 〈◊〉 ●●●rcenesse It hath ben sene that fore the lesse Is lost the more as thou shalt ●e●e A tale lyke to this matere

Hic loquitur contra istos qui auaricia stricti largitans beneficium in amoris causa confundunt / Et ponit exemplum qua●●cer Croseus largu● et hilaris babionem auarum et tenacione de amore viole qui pulcherrima fuit / dono largissimus circumuenit

● Carcenes & loue acord neuer ffor euery thyng is wel that leue● When that a man hath bought it dere And for to speke in this matere For sparyng of a lytel cost Ful oftyme a man is lost The large cote for the hode What man that scarse is of his gode And wylle not gyue he shall not take With gyfte a man may vndertak● The hyghe god to plese & queme With gyft a man the world may deme For euery creature y bore If thou yeue hym is glad therfore And euery gladship as I fynd● Is comfort vnto loues kynde And causes of man to sped● So was he wise that first gaf me●● For mede kepeth loue in hows But when the men ben couetou● And space to gyue a parte They knowe not of Cupides a●●● For his fortune and his apryse Deceyueth al couetyse And hateth al negardry And for to loke on this party● A sooth ensample that it is s●● I fynde wryten of Babeo That had a loue of his menage There was no fayter of hyr age And hyght vyota by name The whiche ful of youthe & of game Was of hyr seft large and fre But suche another Chynche as ●e Men wise not m al the londe And had afaited to his honde His seruaunt whiche Spodius Was called / and in this wise thus The worldes good of suffysaunce Was had but lykyng & plesaun●● Of that that longeth to Ryc●esse Of loue stood in grete dystresse Soo that this yong lusty wyght Of the thyng that felle to lou●s right Was euer serued ouerall That she was so begone with al Tyl that Cupyde and ●oenus e●●e A medycyn for to seke Ordeyne wold in this c●●s Ryght as fortune than was Of loue vp●on the d●stene It felle ryght as it shold b● A fresshe a fre lusty man That nought of auary●● can The whiche crocius by name hyght And was lyberall al oute ryght And ther as she was he cam in presence She sawe hym large of his dispense And amerous and glad of there So that hyr lyked wel to here The goodly wordes that he said And therupon of loue he prayd It was of loue al that he m●nt And for that she shold to loue ass●●● He gaf hyr gyftes euer among But for men seyen that mede is strong Hit was wel sene that same tyde For as it shold of ryght ●etyde This vpol● largesse bath take And the negard she dyde forsake Of bic●●us she wyll no more For he was gratchyng and euer more There was with hym none other fare But for to pynche & for to spare Of worldes mukke to gete encrees So goth the wretche loueles Beiaped for his scarcyte And he that large was and free And set his herte to dispend This Crocius his to we hath bende The which Venus took him for to hold And shot as oft as he wold Loo thus departeth loue his al we That what man wol not be felawe To gyue & spend as I the telle He is not worthy for to dwelle In loues Courte to be releued For thy my sone yf I be leued Thou shalt be large of thy dispence My fader in my conscyence If there be ony thyng amys I wylle amend it after this Toward my loue namely My sone wel & redyly Thou saist so that wel paid with al I am / and ferthermore I shall Vnto thy shryft specyfye Of auary●● the progenye That vyce sueth after this Thou shalt haue wonder how hit i● Among the folk in many Regne That suche a vyce myght regne That is comune to alle assayes As men may fynde now a dayes

Cuncta creatum deus / et qui cuncta c●●●uit / Dampnant ingrati dicta quam facto viu / Non dolor a longe stat quo si●i t●●is ami●am / Traxit et in fine deserit esse suam

Hic ●●quitur super illa aborta specie auaricie que ingratitudo dicta es●cuius condicioni non ●●lum creator / sed it cuncte creature abhominabilem detestantur

tHe vyce lyke vnto the fende That neuer yet was mans frende And cleped is vnkyndeship Of Couyne & of felauship With auaryce he is witholde And thynketh that he shold be bolde Vnto the moder that hym bare Of hym may neuer man be●● are He wol not haue the meryte For that he wold not acquyte That in this world is moche vsed And fewe ben there excused To telle of hym is endeles And thus I saye neuertheles Where as this vyce cometh to sonde There taketh no man his thōke o●● honde Though he with al his myghtes serue He shall of hem no thyng deserue He taketh what ony man may gyue But whyle he hath one day to lyue He wylle nothyng reward ag●yne He grutcheth to gyue ageyne Where he hath a berne fulle That maketh a kynde herte dulle To sey his trust in suche frendship There as he fyndeth no kyndeship And for to speke wordes pleyne Thus here I many a man compleyne That now on dayes thou shalt fynde At nede fewe frendes kynde In what thou hast done for hem bifore It is forgeten as it were lore The bookes speken of this vyce And tellen how that god of his Iustice By wey of kynde & also of nature And euery lyuynge creature And the lawe also who that it can They dampne an vnkynde man

Ars et natura Cristus sit omnia iura Dampnant ingratum lamentantur fore natum

Hit is all one to s●y vnkynde A●●hynge that done is ageyne kynde For it with kynde neuer stood A man to yelde euylle for goode For he that wold take hede A beste is glad of a goood dede And loueth that creature After the lawe of his nature The whiche doth hym ese & for to se● Of this mater auctoryte Ful oftyme it hath befalle W●●rof a tale among vs alle The whiche of old ●●samplary● I thynke it for to specyfye

Hic narrat quod bestie in suis benefi●ns hominem ingratum naturaliter prece●●unt ▪ Et ponit Exemplum de a●●●no Rome senature qui in quadam for●sta venacionis insistens / dum predicta inseaucretur in cisternam profū●● nestia familia cor●uit / vbi perueniens auidam pauper nomine Bardus in●●ssa cordula putans hominem extrax 〈◊〉 primo Simeam extraxit / Secundo serpentem / Tercio Adrianum / qui paup●rem despiciens aliquid pro benefacto reddere recusabat . Sed tam serpens quam S●mea gratuita beniuolencia ipsum sin gulis d●nis sufficienter remnnerant

tO speke of an vnkynde man I fynde how somtyme Adryan Of rome that a grete lord was ●pon a day as he per ●as To the woode in his huntyng went It happeth at a sodeyne went After the chase as he pursueth Thorugh happe that no man escheweth He felle vnware in to a pyt Where as it myght not be let The pytte was depe & he felle lowe That of his men none myght knowe Where he bicame / for none was so nygh That of his falle the meschyef syghe And thus alone there he lay Clepend and cryend all the day For secoure & delyueraunce Til ageyne eue it felle per chaunce A whylo or it bicam to nyght A poure man that Bardus hyght Come forth walkend with his Asse And had gadred hym a tasse Of grene stykkes & of drye ▪ To selle whome that wold hem bey● As he that had no lyuelode But when he myght suche a loode To towne with his asshe carye And as it felle hym for to tarye That same tyme nyhe the pytte And had his trusse fast knyt●● And herd a voyce that cryed dymme And he his ere to the brymme Hath leyd & herd it was a man That seid O help Adryan And I wylle geue al my good The poure man this vnderstood As he that wold gladly wyn And to this lord that was within He spak & said yf I the saue What sikernes shalle I haue Of couenaunt that afterward Thow wilt me gyue suche reward As thou behyghtest now beforne That other hath his othe sworne By heuen & by goddes alle If that it myght so bifalle That he hym oute of the pytt brought Of all the goodes that he ought He shal haue euen haluendele This bardus seid he wold wele And with this word his asse anon● He did vntrusse & therupon Doune goth the co●d in to the pyt To the whiche he hath an ende knyt A staf wherby he said he wold That Adryan hym shold hold But it was thenne per ●as fallen In to that pytte was so fallen An ape the whiche at that throwe Whan that the rope doune cam lowe And sodenly therto he skypte And it in bothe his armes clypte And bardus with his asse anon Hym hath vpdrawen & is gone But when he sawe it was an ape He wend all had ben ● iape Of fayry & sore hym dradde And Adryan eftsones gradd● For help & cryed fast And he eftsones his cord cast But whan it come vnto the grounde A grete serpent it hath bewound● The whiche bardus anon vp drough And than hym thought wel ynough Hit was but fanton b●t yet he herd The voyce & therto he answerd What arte thou in goddes name I am quod Adryan the same The whiche good thou shalt haue euen half / Od bardus than a gods half The thyrd tyme assay I shall And caste his cord forth with all In to the pytte / & when it came To hym this lord of Rome it nam● And therupon hym hath dressid And with his hond ful ofte blessi● And than he bad Bardus hale And he that vnderstood his tale Bitwene hym & his Asse al softe Hath drawen & set hym vp a lofte Without● harme all esyly And he said not ones graunt mercy But forth hym went to the Cyte And lete this poure bardu● be And neuertheles this symple m●●● His couenaunt so as he ca● Hath asked & the other answerd & said That yf so were that he hym vp braide Of ought that hath be spoken or done It shall he wroken on hym soone That hym were better to be dede And he can none other rede But on his asse ageyne he cast His trusse & hyed hym homeward fast And when that he cam home to bedde He told his wyf how he spedde But fynally to speke ought more ●nto this lord dradde hym sore So that one word he durst not sey● And so vpon the morowe ageyne In the maner as I recorde Forth with his asse & with his cord To gader woode as he did er He goth / & when he cometh ther ●nto the place where that he wold He gan his ape anone behold The whiche had gadred al aboute Of stykkes here & there a rowte And leyd hem redy to his hond Wherof he made his t●isse & bonde Fro day do day . & in this wyse Thus profered he his seruyse So that he had of woode ynough And vpon a tyme as he drough Toward the woode he sawe beside The grete gastly serpent glyde Til that she came to his presence And in hir kynd a reuerence She hath hym done & forth with all A stone more bryght than a Castalle Oute of hir mouthe in his way She lete doune falle & went hir way For that he shold not be adrad Thenne was this poure bardus gladde Than●●end god & to the stone He goeth & taketh it vp anone And hath grete wonder in his wytte How that the beest hym hath quytte Where that the man hath failed For whome he had moost trauayled But all he put in goddes honde And torn●d home & what he fond ●nto his wyf he hath it shewde And they that were bothe lewd● A●●●den that he shold it selle And he no l●nger wold dwelle But forthe anone vpon the tale The stone he profereth to the sale And ryght as hym self he sette The ●●wler anone hym fette The gold and made his payement Therof was none delayement Thus when this stone was boght & sold Homeward with ioye many fold This bardus goth . & when he came Home to his hows and that he nam● His gold oute of his purse within He fond also his stone therin Wherfor for ioye his hert playd And to his wyf thus he said ●●● here my gold / loo here my ston● His wyf had wonder therupon And asked hym how it myght be Now by my trouthe quod he But I dare swere vpon a book That to my marchaunt I it took And he it had when I went So knowe I not to what entent It is now here but thurgh gods grace For thy to morow in other place ● wyl assay it for to selle And yf it wol not with hym dwelle But ●●pe in to my purse ageyne Than dare I sauely swere & seyn● ●t is the vertue of the stone The morowe cam / & he is gone To 〈◊〉 aboute in other stede His stone to selle & so he dede And left it with his chapman the● But whan that he cam e●s where In presence of his wyf at home Oute of his p●rs anone he nome His gold & fond his stone with a● And thus it felle hym o●●●ral Where he it sold in dyuerse place Suche was the fortune & the grac● But so wel maye no thyng b● hyd That it ne is at the last kyd This fame goth aboute Rome ●o ferforth that the wordes come To the Emperour Iustynyan And he lete send for that man And asked hym how that it was And bardus told hym all the ●s How that the serpent & eke the bes● Al though they made none biheste His trauaylle had wel quyt But he that had a mannes wyt And made his couenaunt by mouthe And swore therto al that he couthe To parte & gyue halue his good Hath now forgeten how that it stood As he that wold no trouthe holde This Emperour al that he tolde Hath herd & that vnkyndenesse He seid he wold hym self redress● And thus in Courte of Iugement This Adryan was after sent And the quarell in a●dyence Declared was in his presence Of the Emperour & many moo Wherof was moche speche tho And grete wondryng among the p●●s● But at the last neuerthelese For the party whiche hath pleyned The lawe hath demed & ordeyned By hem that were auysed webe That he shall haue the haluendel● Thorugh oute of Adryans good And thus of that vnkynde blode Stondeth the memorye vnto this day Where thorugh that euery wyse man may Ensamplyn hym & took in mynde What shame it is to be vnkynde Ageyne the whiche reson debateth And euery creature it hateth For thy my sone in thy offyce I rede thou flee that ylke vyce For right a● the Cronycle s●y●● How Adryan he his feyth Forgate for worldes cou●fys● Ful oft in suche a maner wys● Of louers now a man may see Ful many that vnkynd ●● For wel to promyse & euyl to las● That is here lyf for at the last Whan that they haue hir ●●ylle done Hir loue is gone after soone What saist thou soone to this ●as My fader I wol saye allas That euer was suche a man borne That ●hen he hath his trouthe sworn● And hath of loue what he wold That he ony tyme shold Euer in his berde after fynd● To be fals or to be vnkynde But fader as touchend of me I may not stonde in that degre For I took neuer of loue why That I ●e may goo therby And doo my profi●e els where For ony spede I fynd there I may wel thynk al about● But I dare not speke it ou●● And yf I durst I wold pleyn● That she for whome I suffre peyn● And loue euer hyr y lyche hot● That nother gyft nother byhote In rewardyng of my seruyce Hit lyst hyr in no maner wyse I wylle not sey that she is kynde And for to seye that she is vnkynde That dare I not but god aboue The whiche demeth e●●ry herte of loue He wote that on myn owne side Shall not vnkyndenes abyde If that I shall with my lady dwell● Therof dare I no more telle Now good fader as it is Telle me what ye thenke of this My sone of that vnkyndeship The whiche toward thy ladyship Thou pleynest for she wyll the nought Thou arte to blame in that thought For it may be that thy desyre Though it brenne euer as doth the fir● ●●r ●as to hir honoure mysset Or els tyme cometh not yet The whiche stondeth vpon thy destyne For thy my sone I rede the Thynke wel what euer the bifalle For no man hath his lustes alle But as thou toldest me biforne That thou to loue art not forsworn And hast do no vnkyndenysse Thou myght therof thy grace blysse And leue not for thy contenannce Forther may be no suche g●●uaunce To loue as it is vnkyndeship Wherfore to kepe thy worship So as the olde bokes tale I shalle the telle a ●●dy tale Now her●en & be wel ware therby For I wyl 〈◊〉 it openly

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos ●i ●os amo● ingratoe . Et narrat qualiter Theseus cadani filius consilio suffultus Adriane Regis Mynos filie in domo qd ●a●orinthus dicitur Minotaurum vincit / vnde Theseus Adriane sponsalia certissime p●omittens ipsam vna cum fedra sorore sua a Creta secum nauigio duxit / S●d statim postea oblito gratitudinis beneficio Adrianam ipsum saluantem in insula chion spretam post tergum reliquit . & fedrā A the nis sibi sponsatam ingratis coronauit

in Ynos as telleth the poete The wiche was sometyme kynge of Crete / A sone he had & androche / He hyght and so befell● that he ●nto Athenis for to ●ere Was sent / & so he bare hym there For that he was of his lygnage Suche pryde he tooke in his courage That 〈◊〉 forgeten hath the scoles And in ryote among fooles He dyd many thynges wrong And vsed that lyf so long Til at the last of that be wrought He fond the meschyef that whiche he sought Where thorugh he felle that he was slayn His fader the whiche it herd sayn Was wrothe / & all that euer he myght Of men of armes he hym dyght A strong power & forth he went Vnto Athenis where he brent The pleyne countre al about The Cytees stode of hym in doute As they no defence hadde Ageyne the power that he ladde Egeus that was there kyng His counceylle took vppon this thynge For he was than in the Cyte Soo that of pees in to trete Bitwene mynos and Egeus They fele & ben acorded thus That kyng mynos fro yere to yere Receyue shal as thou shalt here Oute of Athenys for truage Of men that were of myghty age Persones nyne . of whiche he shall His wyll doo in special For vengeaunce of his sonnes deth None other grace there ne geth But for to take the Iuyse And for that was done in suche a wyse The whiche stood in a wonder ca as For that tyme so it was Wherof that men yet rede and synge Kyng mynos had in his kepyng A cruel monstre as seith the geste For he was half man & half beeste And mynotaurus he was hote The whiche was bigoten in a ryote Vppon Phasyfe his owne wyf Whiles he was oute vpon the strif Of that greete syege of Troye But she that lost hath al ioye When that she sawe this moustre bore Bad men ordeyne another fore And it felle that same tyme thus There was a Clerk one Dedalus That had ben of hir assent Of that hir world hath myswent As he that made of his owne wyt Wherof the remembraunce is yet For mynotaure suche a hows That was so strong & merueylous That what man within went There was soo many a dyuerse went That he ne shall come oute But go amasyd al aboute And in this hows to loke & warde Was mynotaurus put in warde That what lyf that therm cam Man or beest he ouercam And slewe and fedde hym therupon And in this wise many one Of Athenys for truage Deuoured were in that rage For euery yere they shopen hem so They of Athenys or they go Toward thylke woful channce As it was set in ordynaunce Vpon fortune her lot they caste Til that Theseus at the last The whiche was the kynges sonne there Amonges other that there were In that there as it be felle The lot vppon his chaunce felle He was a knyght worthy with al And whan he sawe his chaunce falle He ferd as though he took no hede But al that euer he myght spede With hym & with his felauship Forth in to grece he goth by ship Where that the kyng mynos he sought And profereth al that hym is ought Vpon the poynt of hir acorde This sterne kyng / this cruel lorde Toke euery day one of the nyne And put hym in to disciplyne Of mynotaure to be deuoured But Theseus was so fauoured That he was kepte till at the last And the mene whyle he cast What mene thyng hym were best to do And felle that Adryane tho The whiche was the doughter of mynos And had herd the worthy los Of Theseus and of his myght And sawe that he was a lusty knyght For hole herte on hym she layd And he that also of loue hir prayd So ferforth that they were alone And ordeyned that anone In what maner he shold hym saue And shope so that she dyd hym haue A clewe of threde the wiche withynne Fyrst at-the dore he shal begynne And when he wold ageyn ward wende With hym to take that one ende He ●●●●t go the same wey And ouer this so as I sey Of speche she tooke hym a pelot The whiche he shold in to the throte Of mynotaure cast ryght Suche wepen also for hym she dyght That he by reson may not fayle To make an ende of his batayle For she hym taught in dyuerse wyse Tyl he was connyng of that enpryse How he this best shold kylle And thus shortely for to telle So as this mayden hym had taught Theseus with his monstre faught And smote of his hede the which he nam And by the thred so as he cam He gothe ageyne til he were oute Than was grete wonder al aboute Mynos the tribute hath rebeced And so the werre was al seced Bitwene Athenis & hem of Crete But now to speke of that swete The whos beaute was withoute wane This fayre mayden Adryane When she saw Theseus sounde Was neuer yet vppon this grounde A gladder wyght than she was tho Theseus dwellyd a day or two With this mayden spak & rowned That she to hym was abandouned In all that euer she couthe So that of hyr lusty youthe Al pryuely bytwene hem twey The first floure he took awey For he so fayre hyr than behyght That euer whyle he lyue myght He shold hyr take for his wyf And as his owne hertes lyf He shold hyr loue & trouthe hyr bere And she that myght not forbere So sore loueth hym ageyne That what as euer he wold seyne With al hir hert she it leuyth And thus his purpoos he acheuyth So that assured of his trouthe With hym she went & that was routhe Fedra hir yong suster eke A lusty mayden sobre and meke Fulfilled of al curtosye For susterhode and companye Of loue / the whiche was hem bytwene To see hir suster be made a quene Hir fader lefte & forth she went With hym that al his first entent Forgate within a litel throwe So that it was al ouerthrowe When that she wend that it shold stonde The ship was blowen fro the londe Wherin they lay sailend there This Adryan had mochel fere Of that the wyndo so lowde blewe As she that of the see ne knewe And praid for to reste a whyle And so felle that vpoon an yle That this nyght they ben dreue Where he to hyr leue hath yeue And she shall londe & take hir rest But that was nothyng for hir best For when she was to londe brought The whiche at that tyme thought nought But al trouthe & took no kepe Hath layd hir doune to slepe As she that long hath ben forwatched But certes she was euyl matched And fer from all loues kynde For more than the best vnkynde Theseus the whiche no trouthe kept While that this yonge lady slept Fulfylled of his vnkyndeship Hath forgeten al godeshyp The whiche Adryan had hym done And he bad the shypmen soone Hale vp the saile & not abyde But forth he gothe the same tyde Toward Athenys & there on londe He left his lady in the stronde Slepend til that she awoke But whan that she cast vp hyf loke Toward the stronde and saw no wyght Hyr herte than was sore aflyght That she ne wyst what to thynke But drowe hyr to the water bryncke Where so she biheld the see at large She sawe no ship / she sawe no barge As ferforth as she myght kenne O lord she said suche a synne As al the world shal after here Vppon this woful woman here This worthy knyght hath done & wroght I wend I had his loue bought And so deserued at nede When that he stode vppon his drede And also the loue he me behyght It is grete wondre how he myght Towardes me now be vnkynde And soo to lete out of his mynde Thyng that he said his owne mouthe But after this whan it is couthe And drawen to the worldes fame It shalle be hynderyng for his name For wel he wote and soo wote I He gaf his trouth bodyly That he my honoure shold kepe And with that word she gan wepe And sorowed more than ynough Hyr fair tresses she to drough And with hyr self she took suche a strif And she bitwene the deth & the lyf Swounend lay ful oft among And all was this on hym long The whiche was to loue vnkynd so Wherof the wrong shall euermo Stonde in Cronycle of remembraunce And also it asketh a vengeaunce To be vnkynde in loues cas So as theseus than was Al though he were a noble knyght For he the lawe of loues ryght Forfeyted hath for alwey That Adryane he putt awey The whiche was a grete vnkynde dede And after that so as I rede Fedra the which her suster is He took in stede of hyr and this Fel afterward to mekel tene For that vyce of whiche I mene Vnkyndeship whore it falleth The trouthe of mannes herte it palleth That he can no good dede acquyte So may he stonde of no meryte Towardes god and also Men calle hym the worldes soo For he no more than the fende Vnto another mannes frende But al toward hym self alone For thy my sone in thy persone This vyce aboue all other flee My fader as ye teche me I thynk to doo in this matere But ouer this I wold fayn here Wherof I shal me shryue more My good sonne and for thy lore After the reule of couetyse I shalle the propyrte deuyse Of euery vyce by & by Now herken & be wel ware thervp

Viribus ex clara res tollit luce rapina / Floris et iuncta virgine mella capit

Hic tractat super illa specie Auaricie que Rapina nuncupatur / cuius mater extorcio ipsam ad deseruiendum magnatum curijs specialius commendauit /

I 〈◊〉 the lygnage of Audry●● My sone yet there is a vyce His ryght name is Rauyne The whiche hath a route of his couyne Rauyne among the maystres dwelleth And with his seruauntes as men telleth Extorcion is now witholde Rauyne of other mennes folde Maketh his lord & payeth nought For where as euer it may be sought In his hows ther shall no thyng lack And that ful ofte abyeth the pack Of poure men that dwellen aboute Thus stondeth the comyn peple in doute The whiche can doo none amendement For whan hym fayleth payment Rauyne maketh none other skyle But taketh by strengthe what he will So ben other in the same wyse Louers as I shal deuyse That whan not els may auayle Anone with strengthe they assayle And gete of loue the sesyne When they see the tyme by Rauyne Of loue / Certes fader no For I my lady loue soo For though I were as was Pompey That al the world me wold obey Or els suche as Alisandre I wold not do suche a sclaundre He is no good man that soo doth In good feyth sone thou seyst sooth For he that wol of purueannce By suche a weye his lust auaunce He shal it after sore abye But yf these old examples lye Now good fader telle me one So as they conne many one Touchend of loue in this matere Now lysten my sone / & thou shalt here So as it hath befallen or this In loues cause how that it is A man to take the Rauyne The pray the whiche is femenyne

Hic ponit Exemplum contra istos in amoris causa raptores / Et narrat qualiter Pandyon Rex Athenensis du as filias progne autem Regi Tracie terres desponsata contigit quod cum Tereus ad instanciam vxoris sue Philomenam de Athenis in Traciam sorore visitacionis causa secum quadam vice perduceret in concupiscenciam Philoment tanta seueritate in Itinere dilapsus est quod non solum ipse violencia sue rapine virginitatem oppressit / sed et ipsiue linguam non factum detegeret forpice intulauit / vnde imperpetue memorie cro nicam tanti raptoris postea vindicarunt

tHer was a ryal noble kyng A ryche of al worldes thyng The whiche of his propre enherytance Athenis had in gouernaunce And who so thynketh therupon His name was kyng Pandyon Two doughters had he by his wyf The whiche he loued as his lyf The first doughter proygne hyght The second as she wel myght Was called faire philomene To whom felle after moche tene The fader of his purueaunce His doughter Proygne wold auance And gaf hir vnto maryage A worthy kyng of his lygnage A noble knyght also of his honde So was he kyd in euery lond Of Trace he hyght Thereus The Clerk Ouyde telleth thus This thereus his wyfe home ladde A lusty lyf with hir he hadde Till it be felle vppon a tyde This Proygne as she lay hym besyde Bethought hyr how that it myght be That she hir suster myght see And to hyr lord hir wylle she said With goodly wordes & hym praid That she to hyr myghe goo And yf it lyked hym not so That than he wold hym self wende Or els by somme other sende The whiche myght hir d●re sufter grete And shape how they myght mete Hir lord anone to that he herd Gaue his acord / & thus answerd I wille he said for youre sake The wey after youre suster take My self and bryng hir yf I may And she with that there as she lay ●igan hym in hir armes to clyppe And kyssed hym with hyr softe lyppe And said syre graunt mercy And he sone after was redy And tooke his leue for to go In sory tyme dyd he soo This thereus goth forth to shippe And with hym his felaushippe By see the right cours he nam In to the Countrey til he cam Where Philomene was dwellyng And of hyr suster the tydyng He told & than they were glade And mochel ioye of hym they made The fader and the moder bothe To leue hir doughter they were lothe But yf they were in presence And neuertheles at the reuerence Of hym that wolde hym self trauaile They wold not that he shold faile Of that he praid to gyue hir leue And she that wold not behynde leue In al hast made hir ●are Toward hir suster for to fare With Thereus and forth she went And be with his hole entent When she fro hir frendes is gone So sottith hym on hyr loue anone That his eyen myght he not witho●● That he ne must on hyr behold And with the sight he gan desyre And set his owne herte a fyre And fire when it to towe approchet● To hym anone the strengthe ●●rocheth Till with his hete it be deuoured The towe ne may be succoured And so that Tiraunt rauener When that she was in his power And he therto sawe tyme and space And he that lose hath al grace Forgate he was a wedded man And in a rage on hir he ran Ryght as a wolf that taketh his pray And she bygan to ●●ye & pray O my fader and moder dere Now help . but they ne myght it here And she was of to lytel myght Defence ageyne so rude a knyght ● To make when he was so woode That he no reson vnderstoode But helde hir vnder in suche a wyse That she myght not arise But say oppressid and dysesed And yf a Goushauke had seysed A byrd the whiche durst not for f●●● Remeue / and thus this Tiraunt the●● By●aft suche thyng as men seyn May neuer more be yolden ageyn And that was the Vyrgyny●● Of suche ●auyn was py●● But when she to her self came And of meschyef hede name And knewe how that she was no maid With woful herte thus she said O thou of al men the werse Where was there euer man that ders● Doo suche a dede as thou hast do That day shall falle I hope soo That I shalle telle oute my fylle And with my speche I shall fulfille The wyde world in ●rede and lengthe That thou hast done to me with str●gth And yf that I among the peple dwelle Vnto the peple I shall it telle And yf I be with in walle Of stones closed than I shalle Vnto the stones clepe and ●●y● And telle hem al the felonye And yf I to the wodes wende There shalle I ●●le ●ll● a● en●● And crye it to the byrdes oute That they shall here it al aboute For I so lowde shall reherse That my voyce shall the heuen perce That it shalle sowne in goddes er● O fals man where is thy fere O more ●●uel than ony beest How shalt thou hold thy byheste The whiche thou vnto my suster mades● O thou that al loue vngladese And arte ensample of al vntrewe Now wold god my suster knewe Of thyn vntrouthe how that it stood And he than as a lyon wode With his vnhappy hondes stronge He caught her by the tresses longe With the whiche he bond hir armes That was a feble dede of armes And to the grounde anone hyr case And oute he clyppeth also fase Hir tong with a payre of sheres So that what with blode & what with ●eres / Oute of hir eyen & of hir mouthe He made hir fayr fa●e vncouthe She lay swownyng vnto the deth There was vnnethe ony birth But yet when he hir tong reft A lytel parte yet he left But she no word with al may sowne But chi●●e & as a bird iargowne And neuertheles that woode hounde Hyr body hent vp fro the ground And put her in a towre strong Where that for right or for wronge He pur●osed that for alway She shold abyde to hir deyng day But neuertheles now taketh h●d● What after felle of this mysdede When al this meschyef was befalle This Thereus that fowle hym befalle When he was comen his palays ner● His wyf anon with mylde chere With al reuerence honourably hym kept And when he hit sawe / anon he wept And that he did for dissey●● For she bigan to oske streyte Where is my suster / & he said That she was dede & quam●●igue ab●●id As she that was a woful wyf And stood bitwene hir deth & lyf By cause she herd this tydyng But for she sawe hir lord wepyng She wende not but al trouthe And had wel the more routhe The perles were than forsaken To hir & black clothes taken As she that was gentil & kyn●e In worship of hir susters mynde She made a ryche entyerement For she found none amendement To syghe sobbe or sorowe more So was there gyle vnder the gore Now leue we this kyng & quene And torne we ageyne to philomene As I bigan to telle erste When she cam to pryson ferst It thought a kyngis donghtet straunge To make so sodeyne a chaunge Fro welthe vnto so grete a wo And she began to thynk tho Though she by mouthe no thyng praid Within hir herte thus she said O thou almyghty Iubyter That bye sittest & lokest fer Thou suffrest many a wrongful doyng And yet it is not thy wyllyng To the there may no thyng be hid Thou knowest how it is betid I wold I had not ben borne For than I had not forlorn My speche and my vyrgynyte But good lord all is in the Whan thou therof wil do no vengeance And shape my delyueraunce And euer among this lady wept And thought that she neuer kept To be a worldes woman more And that she wysshed euermore But of● vnto her sufter dere Hir her●● speketh on this manere And said O suster & ye knewe Of myn estate ye wold rewe I trowe and my delyueraunce Ye wold shap and d●o vengeaun●● On hym that is so fals a man And neuertheles so as I can I wpf you send somme tokenyng Wherof ye shal haue som know bechyng Of thyng I wote shal yow lothe The whiche you toucheth & me lothe And than within a whyle as T●●● She wafe a clothe of sylke al whyte With letters and ymagery In the whiche was al the foly That T●r●us to hir had done And lopped it to gedre sone And set hir signet therupon And sent it to proygne anon The messager that forth it bare What it amounted was not ware And neuertheles to proygne he goth And pryuely taketh hir the clothe And went ageyne ryght as he cam The Courte of hym no herde nam When Proygne of Philomene herd She wold knowe how it ford And opened that the man had brought And wo●● ther by what hath be wrought And what meschyef there is befalle In swoune she gan doune falle And efte aroos and gan to stonde And efte she taketh the clothe on hond And by●●ld the letters & the ymages But at the last oute of suche outrages She said to wepe is no bote And swereth yf that she leue mote It shall be ven●ed otherwise And with that she gan hir auyse How fyrst she myght vnto hyr wyn Hir suster that no man with● But only they that were swore It shold knowe & shope therfore That Thereus no thyng it wyst And yet ryght as hir seluen lyst Hir suster was delyuerd soone Oute of the pryson & by the mone To Proigne she was brought by nyght And when ●●he of other had a syght In Chambre there they were alone They made many a pit●us mone But Proigne most of sorowe made The whiche sawe hir suster pale & fade And specheles and dishonoured Of that she had ben de●●oured And also vpon hir lord she thought Of that he so vntruely wrought And had his spousede broken She made a vowe / it shold be wroken And with that word she kneled doune Wepyng in grete deuocion Vnto Cupide and Venus She praid and than said thus O ye to whome no thynge asterde Of loue may for euery herte Ye knowe as ye that ben aboue The god and the goddesse of loue Ye wyte wel that euer yet With all my wylle and al my wyt Sith first ye shope me to wedde That I lay with my lord in bedde I haue ben trewe in my degre And euer thought for to be And neuer to loue in other place But al only the kyng of Trace The whiche is my lord & I his wyf But now allas this woful strif That I hym thus ageynward fynde The most vntre we & the most vnkynde That euer in lady armes lay And well I wote that ne may Amend it ▪ his wrong is so grete For ful lytel of me he lete When he myne owne suster tooke And me that am his wyf forsoke Loo thus to Venus and Cupyde She praid / & ferthermore she cryde Vnto A●●ollo the hyhest And said O myghty god of rest Thou doo vengeaunce on this debate My suster and al hir estate Thou knowest ▪ & how she hath forlore Hyr mandenhede / and I therfore In al the world shall here a blame Of that my suster hath a shame That Thereus to hir I sent That wel thou knowest that myn entent Was al for worshyp and for good O lord that geuest lyues fode To euery wyght I pray the here The woful susters that ben here And late vs not to the be lothe We ben thyn owne women lothe Thus playneth proigne & asketh wreche / And though hir suster tack speche To hym that al thyng wote Hir sorowe is not the lesse hote But he that than herd hem two Hym ought to haue sorowed euermo For sorowe that was hem bitwene With signes pleyneth philomene And Proigne seith she shall it wreke That all the world therof shall speke And Proigne than sykenes feyned Wherof vnto hir lord she pleyned And praid she myght hir chambre kepe And as hir lysteth wake or slepe And he hir graunted to be so And thus to gedre be they two That wold hym but a lytell good Now herken herafter how it stood O woful auentures that be felle These susters that ben bothe felle And that was not on hem alonge But only on the grete wronge The whiche Thereus had hem done They purpose to venge hem soone This Thereus by proigne his wyf A sone had that as his lyf Beloued / and this he hyght And his moder wyst wel she myght Do T●reus no more greue Than slee his child that was so leue Thus she that was as who said madde Of wo / the whiche hath her ouerladde Withoute insight of moderhede Forgate pyte & lost drede And in hir chambre pryuely That child withoute noyse or cry She slewe & hewe hym al to peces And after with dyuerse spyeces The flesshe when it was hewe She taketh & made therof a sewe And the fader at his mete She serued & he gan hym ete That he ne wist how it stood But thus his owne flesshe & blood Hym self deuoured ageyne kynde To hym that was to fore vnkynde And than or that he can vp ryse For that his herte shold agryse To shewe hym his child was dede This Philomene took vp the hede Bitwene two disshes and al wrothe So cam forth the susters bothe And setten it on the borde And proigne than began the word And said O werst of all wykke Of conseyence whome no prykke May stere / loo what thou hast doo Lo here ben now we susters two O Rauener loo here thy praye With whome so falsely on the way Thou hast thy Tirannye wrought Lo now it is somdele bought And better it shall for thy dede The world shall euer synge & rede In remembraunce of thy defame For thou to loue hast done suche shame That it shall neuer be forgete With that he sterte vp fro the mete And shoue the boord in to the flore And caught a swerd anone & swore That they shold of his hondes deye And they vnto the goddes crye Bigan with so lowde a steuene That they were herd vp to heuene And in the twynkelyng of an eye The goddes that the meschyef seye Here formes chaunged al thre Eche of hem in his degre Was torned in to a birdes kynde Delyuerly as men may fynde After the seate that they were ynne Her formes were set a twynne And as it telleth in the tale The first in to a nyghtingale Was shapen & that was Philomene The whiche in the wynter is not sene For than be the leues falle And naked ●en the busshes alle For after that she was a byrde Hir wylle was euer to be hyd And for to dwelle in pryue place T●●t noman shold see hir face For shame that myght not be lassid Of thyng that was before passid Whan that she lost hir maydenhede For euer vpon hir womanhede Though that the gods wold hir change She thynketh / & is the more straunge And holdeth hir cloos the wynter day But whan the wynter goth awey And that nature the goddesse Wylle of hir owne fre largesse With herbis & with floures bothe Tse feldis & the medowes clothe Also the woodes & the greues Ben hylled all with grene leues So that a byrd hir hyde may Bitwene mars Apryl & may S●e that the wynter held cloos For pure shame & not aroos Whan that she sawe the bowes thyck And that there is no bare styck But 〈◊〉 is hyd with leuys grene To wode cometh this Philomene And maketh hir playnte nyght & day Say●ng as euery man here may O why ne were I yet a mayde For soo this old wyse said The whiche vnderstoode what she ment Hir notes ben of suche entent And eke they said how in her songe She maketh grete ioye & myrthe among And said now I am a bird And now my face may be hyd Though I haue lost my maydenhede Shal no man see my chekes rede Thus medleth she with ioye wo And with hir sorowe myrthe also Soo that of loues maladye She maketh dynerse melo●ye And said loue is a woful blysse A wysdom that can no man wysse A lusty feuer a wounde soft This note she reherceth ofte To hem that vnderstond her tale Now haue I of this nyghtyngale The whiche erst was cleped Philomene Told al that euer she wold mene Bothe of hir forme & of hir note Wherof men may the story note And of hir suster Proigne I fynde How she was torned oute of kynde In to a swalowe swyft of wynge That also in wynter lyeth sowyng There as she may no thyng be sene But when the world is woxen grene And comen is the somer tyde Then flyeth she forth & begyn to chyde And chatereth oute in hir langage What falshede is in maryage And telleth in a maner speche Of termes the spouse breche She wol not in woodes dwelle For she wold openly telle And also for that she was a spouse Among the folkes she cometh in howse To doo these wyues vnderstonde The falshede of hir husbonde That they be ware of hem also For there be many vntrewe of tho Thus ben these susters byrdes asthe And ben to ward the men so lothe That they ne wylle for pure shame To no mans honde be tame For euer it dwelleth in hir mynde Of that they fond a man vnkynde And that was fals Thereus If suche one be among vs A note but his condycyon Men saye in euery Regyon Within towne & eke withoute Now regneth comonly aboute And namely in remembraunce I wyll declare what vengeaunce The goddes had hym ordeyned Of that the susters had pleyned For anone he was chaunged And from his owne kynde straunged A lapwenche made he was And thus he hoppeth on the gras And on his hede stondeth vp ryght A crest in token he was a knyght And yet vnto this day men seith The lapwenche hath lost his feyth And is the byrd ful●est of alle

Confessor Be ware my sone or that ye so falle For yf thou 〈◊〉 of suche couyne To gete of loue the Rauyne Thy lust it may falle the thus As it befelle of Thereus

Amans My fader god forbede Me were leuer be fortrede With wyld horses & to drawe Er I ageyne loue & his lawe Dyd ony thyng or lowde or stylle The whiche were not my ladyes wylle Men seyen that euery loue hath drede So foloweth it that I hir drede For I hir loue / & who so dredeth To plese his loue & serue hym nedeth Thus maye ye knowe by what skylle That no rauyn doo I wyll Ageyne hir wylle by suche a weye But whyle I lyue I wylle obeye Abydynge on hir curtosye If ony mercy wold hyr ply● For thy my fader as of this I wote not that I haue doo amys But ferthermore I shalle byseche Thou that som other poynt ye me teche And asketh forth yf there be ought That I may be the better taught

●iu●t vt ex spolijs grandi quam sepe tumultum / Quo graditur p●pul●s latro perurget iter / Sic amor ex 〈◊〉 su poterit quo carpere predam / Si locus est aptus cetera multa timet

Hic loquitur super cupiditatis specie . quam furtum vocant / cuius ministri alicuius legis offensam non metutes tam in amoris causa quam ali●r saam quam sepe conscienciam offendunt /

WHan Couetyse in poure estate Stondeth with hym self vpon debate / Thurgh lack of mysgouernaunce / That he vnto his sustenaunce Ne can none other wey fynde To gete hym good than as the blynde The whiche seeth not what shalle after falle / That ylke vyce / that which men calle Of Robbery he taketh on honde Where thorugh the water & the londe Of thyng that other men forswynke He geteth hym clothe mete & drynke Hym retcheth not what to do he begyn Though theft soo that he may wyn For thy to make his purchaas He lyeth waytyng on the paas And what thyng that he seeth ther passe He taketh his paas more & lasse If it be ought worth for to take He can the pakkes wel rensake So pryncly bereth none about His gold ne be it fyndeth oute Or other ●ewel what it be He taketh it as his propyrte In wodes & in feldes eke Thus Robbery goth to seke Where as he may / his purpoos fynde And right so in the same kynde My good sone as thou myght here To speke of loue in this matere And make a veray resemblaunce Right as a thefe maketh his cheuesance And robbeth mennes goodes aboute In woode in feld where he goth oute So ben there of these louers some In wylde stedes where they come And fynd there a woman able And therto space couenable Withoute let or that they fare They take a parte of that chaffare Ye though she were a shepeherdesse Yet wold the lord of wantonnesse Assay all though he be v●mete For other mennes good is swe●● ▪ But therof wote nothyng the wyf At f●me / the whiche loueth as hir lyf Hir lord and sytteth alwey wysshyug After hir lordes home comyng But whan he cometh home at eue Anone he maketh his wyf to leue For she not els shold knowe He telleth hir how his hunte gan blowe And how his houndes haue wel ronne And how there shone a mery sonne And how his hawkes flowen wele But ●e wold telle hir neuer a dele How ●e to loue vntrewe was Of that ●e robbed in the pas And tooke his lust vnder the shawe Ageyne loue & ageyne his lawe The which thyng my sene I the forbede For it i● an vngoodly dede For who that taketh by Robberye His loue ●e may not ●ustyfye His cause & so ful oft sythe For onye that he hath ben blythe He shall be after sory thryes Examples for suche robberyes I fynde wryten as thou shalt here Acordynge vnto this matere

Hic loquitur contra istos in amō●s causa predones / qui cum suam furtiue concupiscenciam aspirant / fortuna in contra●ū operatur / Et narrat quod cum Neptunus quandam virginem no mine Cornicem solam inxta more deambulantem opprimere suo furto voluisset / superueniens pallas ipsam de manibus eius virginitate seruata gracius l● bera●it

I Rede how whilome w●s a m●id The fairest as Ouyde said That was in hir tyme tho And she was of the chambre also Of ●allas that is the goddesse Wyfe to mars / of whome the prowesse Is gyuen to these worthy knyghtes For he is of so grete myghtes That he gouerneth the bataile Withoute hym may not auayle The strong honde but he it helpe There maye no knyght of armes yelpe But he fyght vnder his banere But now to speke of my matere This faire fresshe lusty may Alone as she went on a day Vpon the stronde for to play There cam Neptunus in the way The whiche hath the see in gouernaunce And in his herte suche plesaunce He tooke when he this maiden sygh That all his hert aroos on hyghe For he so sodenly vnware Beheld the beaute that she bare And cast anone in his herte That she shall hym no wey asterte But yf he take in auauntage From that mayden some ●●l●ge Not of no broches ne of no thynges But of somme other smale thynges He thought to haue parte or that she went And hir in bothe his armes hent And put his hond toward the Cofre Wherfor to robbe he made a profere That lusty tresour for to stele The whiche passeth other goodes fe●● That called is the may●enhede The which is the floure of womanhede This mayde that C●●nyx by name Was cleped dredyng al shame Sawe that she myght not debate And wel she wyst he wold algate Fulfylle his lust of Robberye Anone began to wepe & crye● And said O pallas noble quene Shewe now thy myght & late be sent To kepe and saue myn honoure Help that I lese not my floure The whiche now vnder key is loken That worde was not so soone spoken When pallas shope recouyre After the wylle & the desyre Of hir the whiche a mayden w●s And sodenly vpon this cas Oute of hir womans kynde In to a byrdes lykenes I fynde She was transformed forth with all So that Neptunus no thyng stall Of thyng that he wold haue stole With federes black as ony cole Oute of his armes in a throwe She flewe before his eyen a crowe The whiche was to hir more delyte To kepe hir maydenhede whyte Vnder the wede of fethers blake Than in perlys whyte to forsake That no lyf may restore ageyne But thus Neptune his hert in veyn Hath vppon robbery set The byrd was flowen & he was let The fayr mayde is fro hym scaped So that for euer le was ●ei●●ed And sco●●●d of that ●e hath ●ore My sone ●e thou ware therfore That thou no maydenhede stele Wherof men see dyseses fele Al day befalle in dyuerse wyse So as I shal the yet deuyse Another tale therupon That felle by old ●●yes gone

Hic ponit ex●plū contra istos in causa virginitatis lese predonis et narrat qd cum Calistona Regis Lichoantis mire pulcritudinis filia suam virginitatem D●ane conseruare castissima● voluisset . Et in s●luam que tegea dicitur inter alias ●hidem Nimphas moraturam se transtulit ▪ ●ubiter virginis castitatem subtili furto surripiens quendam filium qui postea Archas nominatus est ex ea genuit / vnde Iuno in Calistonā semel eius pulcritudinem in vrse tur pissime deformitatem subito transfigurauit

KYn● Lychaon vpon his wyf A doughter had a goodely lif And cleue mayden of worthy fame / Calystona whoos right name Was cleped & of many a lorde She was besought / but hyr acorde To loue myght no man wyn As she that had no lust therin But swore in hyr herte & said That she wold euer be a maid Wherfor to kepe hir self & pees With suche as amadryades Were clexed were maydens tho And with the Nymp●es eke also ▪ Vpon the spryng of fresshe welles She shope to dwelle & nowhere ell●● And thus cam this Calistona In to the wode to Tegea Where she vyrgynyte behyght Vnto Dyane & therto plygh● Hir trouthe vpon the bowes g●●ne To kepe hir maydenhede clene The whiche afterward vpon a day Was pryuely stolen away For Iubiter thorugh his queyntyse From hir it toke in suche a wyse That sodenly forth with alle Hyr wombe aroos / & she to swalle So that it myght not be hydde And therupon it is betydde That Dyane the whiche it herd telle In pryue place vnto a welle With Nymphes al a companye Was comen and in aragerye She said that she bathe wold And bad that euery mayden shold With hyr al naked bathe also And than began the preuy woo C●listona wex rede shame But they that knewe not the game To whome suche thyng was befalle A none they made hem naked alle As they no thyng wold hyde But she withdrewe hir euer asyde And netheles in the flode Where that Dyana hir selue stood She thought to come vnperceyued But therof she was all deceyued For when she cam a lytell nyghe And that Dyana her wombe seygh She said awey thou fowle beest For thyn estate is not honeste This chast water for to touche For thou hast had suche a touche The whiche neuer may be hole ageyne And thus goth she that was forleyn With shame & the Nymphes fledde Til when that nature hir spedde That of a sonne that hyght Archas Was named she delyuerd was And Iuno that was the wyf Of Iubiter wrothe and hastyf In purpoos for to doo vengeaunce Came forth vpon that chaunce And to Calistona she spakke And set vpon hyr many a lacke And said a now thou arte take That thou thy werk may not forsake A thou vngoodly ypocryte Thou arte gretely for to wyte But now thou shalt fnl sore abye That ylke stelthe and mycherye That thou hast bothe take & doo Wherof thy fader Lychao Shall not be glad when he it wote Of that his doughter was soo hote That she hath broken hir chast vowe But I the shall chastyse now Thy grete beaute shal be torned Thorugh whiche that thou hast be mystorned Thy large fronte thy eyen gray I shall hem chaunge in other way And of the feture of thy face In suche a wyse I shall deface For euery man the shal forbere And forth with the lykenes of a fer● She took and was forshapen anon And within a tyme therupon Byfelle that with a bowe in honde To hunte and gamen for to fonde In to that woode gothe for to playe Hir sone Archas and in his waye He happed that this here came And when that she good hede name Where that he stood vnder a bowe She knewe hym well & to hym drowe For though she had hir forme lore The loue was not lost therfore The whiche kynde hath set vnder his lawe / When she vnder the woode shawe Hyr child belhed she was so glade That she with both hir armes sprade And though she were in womanhede Toward hym come & took no hede How that he bare a bowe bente And he with that an arowe sente And gan to tyse it in his bowe As he that can none other knowe But that it was a beest wylde But Inpiter that wold shylde The moder and the sone also Ordeyned for hem bothe so That they for euer were saue But thus my sone thou myght haue Ensample how it is to flee To robbe the vyrgynyte Of a yong Innocent awey And euer this by ouy wey In old bookes as I rede Sache robberye is for to drede And namely of that goode The whiche euer woman that is goode Desyreth for to kepe & hold As somtymes was by dayes old For yf thou here my tale wel Of that was than thou may somde● Of old ensample take heede How that the floure of maydenhed● Was that tyme holden in prys And so it was and so it is And so it shall for euer stonde And for thou shalt it vnderstonde Now herkene the tale next sewend How maydenhede is to commend

Hic loquitur de virginitat●● comm● dacione vbi dicit quod nuper Imperatores obstanti status dignitatem virginibus sedebant in via

oF Rome among the gestes old I fynde how Valery told That what man so euer were emperour / Of rome he shold do honoure To a vyrgyn & in the weye Where he hir mete he shold obeye In worshyp of vyrgynyte That was than of grete dignyte And not only of the women tho But of the chaste men also It was commended ouerall And to speke therof in special

Hic loquitur qualiter Phirinus iuuenum rome pulcherrimus vt ill●sā suam virginitatem conseruaret ambos oculos ●ruens vulti sui decorem abhominabilem constituit

tOuchend of men ensample I fynd Phirinus that was of mans kynd Aboue al other the fayrest Of Rome & also the comlyest That well was hyr that myght Behold & haue of hym a syght Thus was he tempted ofte sore But for the wold be no more Among the women so coueyted The beaute of his face streyted He hath & threst oute bothe his eyen That all wymmen that hym seyn Than afterward of hym ne rought And thus his maydenhede he bonght So may I proue wil for thy Aboue al other vnder the sky That maydenhede is for to preyse Who that the vertues wold peyse The which as the apocalipsis recordeth To Cast in heuen best acordeth

Hij sequntur Agnum quocumque ●erit

So may I shewe wel therfore As I haue told it bere afore In heuen & in erthe also It is except bothe two Oute of his flesshe a man to leuen Gregory hath this ensample geuen In carne preter carnem viuere pocius vita angelica est quam humana And Ierom seyth it shall rather be told Lyker to an Angel many fold Than to the lyf of mans kynde There is no reson for to fynde But only thorugh the grace aboue In flesshe withoute flesshely loue And man to lyue chast here And neuertheles a man may here Of suche as haue ben or this And yet there ben / but for it is A vertu that is selden wonne Now I this mater haue begonne I thynke to telle therof more The whiche my sone for thy lor● If that the lyst to take hede To trete vpon maydenhede

Vt Rosa de spinis spineto preualet orta / Vt filij flores cespite plura valent S●c sibi virgiuitas carnis sponsalia vincit / Eternos fetus que sine lahe parit

The bookes seyn that a manns lyf Vpon knyghthode in werre & strif Is set among his enemyes Right so the freel flessh whos nature is Ay redy for to spurne & falle The fyrst foman is of alle For that werre is redy ay It werreth nyght / it werreth day So that a man hath neuer rest And therfore is that knyght the best Thorugh myght & grace of gods sonde The whiche that bataill may withstonde Wherof it dwelleth the memorye Of hem that somtyme the vyctorye Of that dedely werre hadden The hyhe prowesse the which they hadd● Where thorugh the sowle stood amended Vpon this erthe is yet commended

Hic loquitur qualiter Valentinianus Imperator ipse octogenarius plures prou●ncias Romano Imperio belliger sub iugauit / dixit se super omnia magis gaudere de eo quod contra sue carnis concupiscenciam victoriam op●●nuisset / nam et ipse virgo omnibus diebus vite sue castissimus permansit /

aN Emperour by old dayes There was / & he at al assayes A worthy knyght was of his honde / There was no suche in all the lond But yet for all his vassellage He stood vnwedded al his age And in Cronycle as it is told He was an honderd wynter old But when men wold his dedes peyse And his knyghthode of armes preyse Of that he did with his hondes When he the kynges & the londes To his subiection put vnder Of all that pryce had he no Wonder For he it set at none acounte And seid ●ll that myght not amounte Ageyn one poynte that he hath nomen That his flesshe he hath ouercomen He was a virgyn as he sayde On that batayle his prys he laid Lo now my sone auyse the Fader all this may wel be But and al other did soo The world of men were sone ag● And in the lawe men may fynde How god to man the lawe of kynde Hath set the world to multyplye And who that wylle hym Iustyfye It is not to doo the lawe And neuertheles youre good sawe Is good to kepe who so may I wol not there ageyne seye nay My sone take it as I say If maydenhede be taken away Withoute lawes ordynaunce It may not fayle of vengeauuce And yf thou wylt the sooth wyten Behold a tale the whiche is wryten How that the kyng of Agamenon When he the Cyte of L●sbon Had wonuen / a mayden there he fond That was the fairest of the londe In that tyme that men wyst And he had of hir what hym lyst Wherof that she was daungerous Of the thyng that whiche was most precious This fayre mayden cleped is Creseyde the doughter of Crysys The whiche was that tyme speciall Of that tyme bisshop pryncipal Where Phebus had his sacryfyce So was it wel the more vyce Agamenon was than in way To Troyward and tooke a way This mayden that he with hym ladde And grete lust in hir he hadde But Phebus that whiche had grete disdeyne For that this maiden was forleyn Anone as he to Troye came Mengeaunce vpon this dede name And sent a comune pestylence They sought than hir euydence And made calculacion To knowe in what condicyon This deth cam in sodenly And at the last redyly The cause & also the man they fonde And forth with all the same stounde Agamenon opposed was The whiche hath knowleched all the cas Of the foly that he hath wrought And therupon mercy they sought Toward the god in dyuerse wyse With prayer & with sacryfyce And the mayden home they sende And gafe hir gold ynough to spende For euer whyles she wold lyue And thus the syn was forgyue And all the pestylence seced Loo what it is to be encrecid Of loue whiche is ylle wonne It were letter be vnbegonne Than take a thyng withoute leue Whiche thou must after nedes leue And yet haue maugre forth with all For thy to robben ouerall In loues cause yf thou begynne I not what ease thou shalt wynne My fader so wyl I I wys My sone be wel ware of this But now youre examplarye In loue is cause of Robberye I haue it right wel vnderstonde But ouer this how so it stonde Yet wol I wyte of youre apryse What thynge is more of Couetyse

In●idiando latens tempus rimatur et horam / Fur quibus occulto tempore furta parat / Sic amor insidijs vacat et sub tegmine laudes / Prendere furtiuos nocte fauente queat .

Hic tractat super illa cupiditatis specie que secrum latrocinium dicitur / cuius natura custodire rerum nesciente ea que cupit tam per diem quam per n●c tem absque strepitu clauculo fnratur /

wYth Couetyse yf I fynde A seruaunt of the same kynd Which steleth is hote & myche ●ye . With hym is euer in companye Of whome yf I shall telle sooth He stalketh as a Pecok doth And taketh his pray soo couerte That no man wote it in aperte And wote the lord at home Than wold he stalke aboute & come And what thyng he fynt in his way When that he sawe the men away He steleth it & goth forth with al That therof no man knowe shal And eke ●uf oft he goth a nyght Withouten mone or sterre lyght And with his craft the dore vnpykyth And taketh therin what hym lyketh And yf the dore be so shet That he be of his entre lette He wylle at the wyndowe in crept And whyle the lord is fast a slepe He steleth what thyng hym best lyst And goth his wey or it be wyst Ful ofte also by lyght of day Yet wold he stele & make assay Vnder the cete his hond he put And with a knyf his purs he cut And receyueth what he fynde therin And thus he auntreth hym to wyn And bereth an horne & not bloweth For no man of his counceyll knoweth That he may gete of his mychyng It is al bylle vnder the wyng And as an hound goth to fold And hath there taken what he wold His mouth vppon the gras he wypeth And so with feyned chere hym slyketh And what as euer of shepe he strangle There is no man therof shall iangle As for to knowe who it dede Ryght so doth stelthe in euery stede Where as hym lyst his pray take He can so wel his cause make And so wel feyne / & so wel glose That there ne shalle no man suppose But that he were an Innocent And thus a mannes eye he blent So that this craft he may vse Withoute helpe of ony refuse There ben louers of that degre With all hir lust in pryuete As who sey geten al by stelthe And ther of atteynen to grete welthe And for the tyme that it lasteth For loue awayteth euer & casteth How he may stele & catche his pray When he therto may fynde a way For be it nyght or be it day He taketh his parte when he may And yf he may no more doo Yet wol he stele a kysse or two Telle yf thou euer dydest so In ony wyse thy lady vnto My fader how my sone thus If thou haue stolen ony kus Or other thyng that therto longeth For no man suche theues hongeth Telle on for thy & sey the trouthe My fader nay / & that is routhe For by wylle I am a thefe But she that is to me moost lef● Yet durst I neuer in pryuete Mot ones take by r by the kne To stele of hir or this or that And yf I durst I wote wel what And netheles but yf I lye By stelthe ne by robberye Of loue whiche felle in my thought To hir dyd I neuer nought But as men seyn where herte is fayled There shalle no castel be assayled But though I had hertes ten And were as strong as all men If I be not myn owne man I dare not vsen that I can I may my self not recouere Though I be man neuer so pouere I bere an herte / aud it is Soo that me faileth wyt in this How that I shold of myn acorde The seruaunt lede ayenst the lord For yf my foote wold owhere go Or that my hondes wold els do● When that my herte is there ageyne The remenaunt is all in veyne And thus me lacketh al wee le And yet ne dare I not steele Of thyng whiche longeth vnto loue And eke it is so hie aboue I may not wel therto areche But so be at tyme of speche Ful seld yf that I stele may A word or two & go my way Betwyxt hir / his estate & me Comparyson there may none be So that I fele & wel wote Al is to heuy & to hote To set on hond withoute loue And thus I mote algate leue To stele that I may not take And in this wyse I mote forsake To ●en a thefe ageyne my wylle Of thyng whiche I may not fulfylle For that serpent whiche neuer slepte The flees of gold so wel ne kepte In Colchos as the tale is told That my lady a thousand folde Is bet●er yemed and bewaked Where she be clothed or be naked To kepe hir body nyght and day She hath a wardey●●dy ay Whiche is so wonderful a wyght That hym no mans myght With swerde ne wepen may daunte Ne with no sleyghte of charme enchāt● Wherof he myght be made tame And daunger is his right name Whiche vnder lock & vnder key That no man may hyr stele awey And al the tresoure vnderfonge That vnto loue may be longe The lest lokyng of hir eye That mote be stole yf he it seye And who so grutcheth for so lyte He wold sone set a wyte On hym that wold stelle more And that me greueth wonder sore For this prouerbe is euer newe That straunge lokes maken ●trewe A● that wolden stele and pyke For so wel can no man syke By hym nether by no other mene To whome daunger wold ●eue or lene Of that tresoure he hath to kepe So though I wold stalke or crepe And wayte on eue & eke on morowe Of daunger shall I no thyng borowe And stele I wote wel may I nought And thus I am right wel bethought While daunger stondeth in his offyce Of stelthe whiche he clepeth a vyce I shall be gylty neuermo Therfore I wold he were ago So fet that I neuer of hym hert● How so afterward it ferd For than I myght afterward perca● Of loue make somme purchaas By stelth or by somme other way That now stont fro me fer away But fader as ye told aboue Who steleth goth a nyght for loue I maye not wele that poynte forsake That oftymes I ne wake On nyghtes when that other slepe But how I pray you take kepe When I am loked in suche a wyse That by nyght I may aryse At somme wyndowe loken oute And see the howsyng al aboute So that I may the chambre knowe In whiche my lady as I trowe Lyeth in hir bedde & slepeth softe Than is my hert a thefe ful ofte For there I stonde to behold The long nyghtes that ben cold And thynk on hyr that lyeth here And than I wysshe that I were there As wys as was Nectanabus Or ●ls as was Protheus That couthen both of nygromance In what lykenes in what semblaunce Ryght as hem lyst hem self transforme For yf I were of suche a forme I saye that I wold flee In to hir chambre for to see If ony grace wold falle So that I myght vnder the palle Somme thyng of loue pyke or stele And thus I thynke thoughtes fele And though therof no thyng be sooth Yet case as for a tyme it doth But at the last whan I fynde That I am falle in to my mynde And sce that I haue stond long And haue no profyte vnderfonge Than stalk I to my bed within And there to thynke I begyn Of loue whan I shall by nyght My wylle is good / but my myght Me lacketh bothe & of my grace For what soo that my thought enbrace Yet haue I not the better ferde My fader / ●oo now haue ye herde What I by stelthe of ●oue haue doo And how my wylle hath be therto If I be worthy to penaunce I put it vnto youre ordynaunce My sone for stelthe I the byhete Though it be for a tyme swete At ende it doth but lytell good As by ensample how that it stood Whilome I maye the telle now I pray yow fader telle me how My sone of hym whiche gothe by day By wey of stelthe to assay In loues cause & taketh his pray Ouyde said as I shal say And in his methamor he tolde A tale whiche is good to holde

Hic in amoris causa super isto latelcinio quod dietim contingit ponit exem p●●m / Et narrat quod cum Linchotor Orchanni filia in camer●s sub Archa mat●●s custodia virgo conseruabatur / Phebus eiue pulchritudinem concupis hens in conclaue domus clara luce sub ●ntrans virginis pudiciciam matre absente deflorauit / vnde ipsa inpregnata ●ratus pater filiam suam ad sepeliendū●●ua effodit ex cuius tumulo florem sol sequium vocant / dicunt consequenter primitus accreuisse

tHe poete vpon this matere Of si●lth wrote in this manere Venus which hath the law in hande Of thyng whiche may not be withstand● As she with the tresour toward Of loue hath within hyr ward Phebus to loue hath so constreyned That he withoute reste is payned With all his herte to coueite A mayde whiche was warded streyte Within chambre & kepte so cloos That selden was whan she discloos Goth with hir moder for to play Lenchoter so as men say This mayden hyght / & Orc●anus Hir fader was . and befelle thus This doughter that was kept so dere And had ben bifore yere to yere Vnder hir moder discyplyne A clene malden and a vyrgyne Vpon the whoos natyuyte Of comelyhede & of beaute Nature hath set al that she may That lyche vnto the fresshe may With eyther monethes of the yere Sourmounteth so withoute pere Was of this mayden the feiture Wherof phebus oute of mesure Hyr loueth on euery syde A waiteth yf so may betyde That he thorugh ony sleygthe myght Hir lusty maydenhede vnright The whiche were al his worldes welth And thus lurkyng vpon his stelthe In his awayte so longe he lay Till it befelle vppon a day That he thorugh out hir chambre wall Came in al sodenly & stalle That thyng that was to hym so lyefe But woo the whyle that he was a thefe For Venus whiche was enemy Of thylk loues mycherye Discouerith all the playne caa● How it befelle & how it was Toward phebus his concubyne And she to lete the Couyne Of thylk loue dedely ●brothe To pleyne vpon this mayde he goth And told hir fader how it stood Wherof for sorowe well nyhe woode Vnto hir moder thus he said Loo what is to kepe a mayd To Phebus dare I no thyng speke But vpon this I shall be wreke Soo that these maydens after this Mowe take ensample what it is To suffre her maydenhede to be stole Where that she the deth may thole And bad with that / go make a pytte Wherin he hath his doughter sette As he that wold no pyte haue So that she was al quyck be graue And deed anone in his presence But Phebus for the reuerence Of that she had ben his loue Hath wrought thoruȝ his power aboue That she sprong vp oute the molde In to a floure was named gold Whiche stonte gouerneth of the sonne And thus when loue is euyll wonne Ful ofte it cometh to repentayle My fader that is no meruayle When that the counceyll is be wreyed And oftyme loue hath pleyed And stole many a pryue game Whiche neuer yet cam to blame What that he thynketh weren hydde But in youre tale as betydde Venus disturbed all the caas And eke also brode daye it was When Phebus suche a fylthe wrought Wherof the maide in blame brought That afterward she was so fore But for ye seyden now to fore How stelth of loue goth by nyght And doth his thynges oute of syght Therof me lust also to here A tale lyche to the matere Wherof I myght ensample take My good sone & for thy sake So as it befelle by dayes olde And so as the poete it told Vpon the nyghtes mycherye Now herken a tale of Poesye

Hic ponit ●yemplum super eodem quod de notte contingit ▪ Et narrat qualiter Hercules cum Eola in quadam spelunca nobili Thophis dicta sub monte thimolo ibi silua bachi est hospicio pernoctarunt / Et cum ipsi varijs lectis seperatim iacentes dormi●runt / contigit lectum Herculis vestimentis Eole lectum qȝ Eole pelle leonis contra Hercules induebatur operari super quo fobnns a silua descendeus speluncam subintrauit temptans si forte cum Eola sue concupiscencie voluptatem . nesciente Hercules furari posset / Et cum ad lectum Herculis muliebri palpata veste ex casu peruenisset putans Eolam fuisse cubiculum nudo corpore ingreditur quem senciens Hercules manibus apprehensum ipsum ad terram ita fortiter al lisit vt inpotens sui corporis effectus vsaȝ mane ipsum requieuit / vbi Saba cum Nymphis siluestribus superue niens ipsum sic illusum deridebat

tHe myghtyest of all men When hercules with Eolen Whiche was the loue of his courage / To geder vpon a pylgremage Toward Rome sholden goo It felle hem by the way so That they vpon a day the caue Within a roche founden haue Whiche was ryall & gloryous And of entayle curious By name & Thopis it was hote The sonne shone tho wonder hote As it was in somer tyde This Hercules whiche by his syde Hath Eolen his loue there When they at thylk caue were He seid it thought it for the best That she three for hir reste All thylk day and thylke nyght And she that was a lusty wyght In euery thyng to hym obeyd● ●it lyketh hir al that he seide The long day / & so befelle This caue was vnder the hylle Of thymolus whiche was ●●growe With wet●es / & at thylk throwe Fanus with Saba the goddesse And other Nimphus of hir kyndenesse In thylke tyme stood gouerned Were in a place as I am lerned Nyghe by whiche bachus woode hyght This fanus took a grete insight Of c●len that was nyghe For whan th●t he hir beaute syghe ●ute of his wyt he was assoted And in his herte he hath so noted That he forsoke the Nymphes alle And said he wold how so it falle Assay another for to wynne So that his herte thought withynne He set & cast how that he myght Of loue pyke aw●y by nyght That be by day in other wyse To stele myght not suffyse And therupon his tyme he wayt●th Now take gode b●de how loue affa●teth Hym which is with loue al oueroome Faire Eolen when she was come With Hercules in to the caue S●● said that so● wold haue His 〈◊〉 of & fire bothe And ech● of hem sheld other clothe And all was doo right as she bade He hath hir in his clothes clade And cast on hir his gypyon Whiche of the skyn of a lyon Was made & he vpon the wey It slough & euer thus to pley She took his grete mace also And knytted at hir gyrdel the So was she lyche to man awyd And Hercules hath than assayd To clothen hym in her array And thus they iape forth the day Till that hir souper redy we●● And when they hadden souped there They shopen hem to goo to rest And as it thought hem for the best They bad as for thylke nyght Two sondry beddes shold be dyght For they ●e geder lygge nold By cause that they offre wold Vpon the morowe hir sacryfice The seruaunte & dyn her offyce And sondey beddes made anon● Where in that they to rest gone Eche by hem self in sondry place Fair Eolen hath set the mace Besides her beddes bede aboue And with the clothes of hir loue She hylled all hir bedde aboute And he whiche had of no thyng douts Hir wympel wonde aboute his chek● Hir kyrtel & hir mantell eke Abrode vpon his bedde spredde And thus they slepen bothe a bedde And what of trauayle & what of wyn The seruaunt lyke to a dronken swyn Bygan for to rowte fast This Fanus whiche his stelthe cast Was than comen to the caue And fonde they were al saue Withoute noyse & in he went The derk nyght his syght blent And yet it happed hym to god Where Eolen a bed tho Was leyd alone for to slepe But for he wold take kepe Whoos bed it was he made assay● And of a lyon where he lay The cote he found & eke he feleth The mace / & than his herte ke●eth That there durst he not abyde But stalketh vpon euery side And sought aboute with his hond● That other bed till he fond Where lay wympled a vysage Tho was he glad in his courage For he hyr kyrtell fonde also And eke hir mantell bothe two Bespred ●pon a ●ed a●oft He made hym naked than soft In the bed vnware he crepte Where Hercules that tyme slept And wende well it were she And thus in stede of Eole Anone be profereth hym loue And he whiche felt a man aboue This Hercules hym threwe to ground So sore that they haue hym fond Lyggend therupon the morowe And tho was not a lytel sorowe That fanus of hym self made ●nt els they were al glade And loghen hym to scorne aboute Saba with Nymp●●s all the route ●am doune to loke how that he ferd And when that they the sooth herde He was beiaped oueral My sone be thou ware with al To vse suche mycheryes But yf thou haue the better aspy●● In aunture yf the so betyde As fanus did thylke tyde Wherof thou myght be shamed so My holy fader certes no But yf I had right good leue Suche mycherye I thynke leue Myn faynt herte wol not serue For maugre wylle I not deserue In thylke place where I loue But for ye tolden here aboue Of Couetyse & his pyllage If there be more of that lygnage Whiche toucheth to my shuft I pray That therof ye me wold assay So that I may the vyce eschewe My sone thou hast herd me shewe The vyces how they stont on rowe Of Cou●●yse thou shalt knowe There is yet one whiche is the last That is sacrylege be thou fast For he with god hym self debateth Wherof that a●●e the henen hym hatet●

Sacrilegus tantum furto loca sacra prophanat . Vt sibi sint agri sic domus a●ma dei / Nec locus est in quo non temptat amans quod amat / Si que posse nequit carpere ●elle capit

Hic tractat super vltima Cupidita●is specie que sacrilegium dicitur / cuius fructum ea quam altissimo sanctificantur bona depredans ●●●lesie tantum spolijs insidiatu●

tHe hyhe god with all good Purueyeth hath for mans fode Of clothes of mete & drynke Bade Adam that he shold swynke To geten hym his sustenaunce And eke be set in ordynaunce Vpon lawe of Moyses That though a man be haueles He shall not by theft stele But now a dayes ther be fele That wol no labour vndertake But what they maye by stelthe take They hold it sykerlyche wonne And thus the lawe is ouercome Whiche god hath set / & namely With hem that soo vntrewe●y The goddes robbe of holy chirche The theft whiche they than wyrch● By name is cleped sacrylege Ayene whome I thynke allege Of his condicion to telle Whiche rifeleth both book & belle So forth with all the remenaunt To goddes hows appertynaunt Where that he shold ●ydd● his bede He doth his theft in holy stede And taketh what he fynt therin For when he seeth that he may wyn He wendeth for no cursidnesse That he ne briketh the holynesse And doth to god no reuerence For he hath lose his conscyence That though the prest therfor to corse He seyth he fareth not the worse And for to speke it otherwyse That man that lasseth the fraunchyse And taketh of holy chirche his pray I note what bedes he shall pray When he from god the which hath yeue al The propirte in speciall Whiche vnto Crist hym self is due Bynemeth / he may not wel eschewe The payne comyng afterward For he hath made his forward With sacryl●ge for to dwelle Whiche hath his herytage in helle And yf we rede of the old lawe I fynde wryte in thylke dawe Of prynces there were thre Comparable al in this degre And one of hem was cleped thus The prowde kyng Antyochus That other Nabuzardon hyght Whiche enforced with al his myght The temple for to destroye & waste And so ●e dyde in al hast The thyrde whiche was after shamed Was Nabogo donoser named And he Ierusalem put vnder Of sacrylege & many a wonder There in the holy Temple he wrought Wiche Balthasar his heyre abought When mane techel Phares wryt Was on the walle as thou myght wyt ●o as the byble hath declared But for all that ●t is not spared Yet now a day that men it pylle And maken argument & skylle To sacrylege as it belongeth For what man that therafter longeth He taketh no hede what he doth And right so for to telle sooth An loues cause yf I shall trete There ben of suche smale & grete If they no leyser fynde els They wyll not leten for the belles Ne though they see the preest at masse That wol they leten ouerpasse If that they fond her loue there They stande & telle in her ere And aske of god none other grace Whyle that they ben in hooly place But or they go somme ananntage There wylle they haue & some pyllage Of goodly wordes & of byheste Or els they take at the lest Oute of hir hond a ryng or gloue So nyhe the weder they wyl shoue And as she said she shall not forgete Now I this token of hir can gete Thus halowe they the hye feste Suche thefte may no chirche areste For al is leful that hem lyketh To whome that els it myslyketh And eke right in the self kynde In grete Cytees men may fynde This lusty folk that make hem gay And wayte vpon the holy day In chirches & in mynstres eke They gone the women for to seke And where that suche one gooth about To sore the fayrest of al the route Where as they sytten al a rewe There wylle he his body most shewe His croked keyned & theron set An ouche with a chapelet Whiche late come out of the greues Or els one of the grene leues And all for he shold seme fresshe And thus he loketh on the flesshe Ryght as an hauke whiche hath a sight Vpon the fowle where he shall lyght And as he were a fayrye He sheweth hym to fore her ●ye 〈◊〉 hooly place where they sytte Al for to make hir hertes flytte His eye nowhere wol abyde But loke & pry on euery side On here & her as hym best lyketh And otherwhyle among he syketh Thynketh of hem that was for me And so ther thynken two or thre And yet he loueth none at alle But where as euer his chaunce falle And netheles to sey soothe The cause why he so doeth Is for to stele an herte or two Ouce of the Chirche or that he go And as I said it here aboue It is a sacrylege of loue For wel may be that he steleth away That he neuer after yelde may Telle me for thy my sone anon Hast thou doo sacrylege or none As I haue said in this manere My fader as of this matere I wylle yow telle redyly What I haue doo but truly I maye excuse myn entent That I neuer to chirche went In suche maner as ye me shryue For no man that is on lyue The cause why I haue it last May be / for I vnto that craft Am no thyng able for to stele Though there were neuer so fele But yet wylle I not sey this When I am there my lady is In whome lyeth hooly my quarelle And she to chirche or to Chappelle Goo to matens or to masse That tyme I wayte wel & passe To chirche I come & there I stonde And though I take a look in hond● My contenannce is on the look But toward hyr is al my loke And yf so falle that I pray Vnto my god & somwhat say Of pater noster & of Crede Al is for that I wold spede So that my bede in holy chirche There myght somme myracle wirche My lady berte for to chaunge Whiche euer to me hath be straunge So that all my deuocion And al myn contemplacion With al my herte & my courage Is only set on hyr ymage And euer I wayte vpon the tyde If she loke ony thyng a syde That I me maye on hir auyse Anone I am with Couetyse So smyt● that me were leef To be in holy chirche a theef But not to stele a vestyment For that is no thyng my talent But I wold stele yf that I myght A glad word or a goodly syght And euer my seruyce I profere And namely when she goth offre For her I lede then yf that I may For somwhat wold I stele away When I beclyppe hir on the wast Yet at the last I stele a tast And other whyle graunt mercy She seith ▪ & so wynne I therby A lusty touche a good word eke But al the remenannt to seke Is fro my purpoos wonder ferre So may I say as I said erre In hooly chirche yf that I wowe My conscyence yet wold I allowe Be soo that vpon amendement I myght gete assignement Wherfore I spede in other place Suche sacrylege I hold a grace And thus my fader sooth to sey In chirche right as in the wey If I myght ought of loue take Suche hansell haue I not forsake But fynally I me confesse There is in me no holynesse Whyle I hir see in ony stede And yet for onght that euer I dede No sacrylege of hyr I took But as it were a word or looke Or els yf that I herd frede When I toward offryng hir lede Take therof what I take may For els ●ere I nought away For though I wold ought ●ls haue At other thynges ben so saue And kepte with suche a pryuelege That I may doo no sacrylege God wote my wylle netheles Though I must nedes kepe pees And in all gree sone myn lete it passe My wyl therto is not the lasse For I myght otherwyse awey For thy my fader I yow prey Telle what thou thynkest therupon If I therof haue gylt or none Thy wylle my sone is for to blame The remenaunt is but a game That I haue the told as yet But take this lere in to thy wyt That all thyng hath tyme & stede The whiche serueth for the bede ●●e Chambre is of another speche But yf thou wystest of the wreche How sacrylege it hath abought T●ow sholdest vse it ryght nought And for thou shalt the more amende A tale on the I wol dispende

Hic in amoris causa super istius vi 〈◊〉 articulo ponit exemplum Et narrat pro ●o quod paris pr●ami Regis filius ●●●●nam menelai vxorem in quadam g●●at Insula a templo veneris sacrile ●●s abduxit / illa Troye famosissima ●●sidie per vniuersum orbis climita di nulgata precipue causabat / ita qd huiusmodi sacrilegium non solum ad ipsius Regis patriam omnium az suorum interitum / Sed ad perpetuam vrbis de solacionem vindicem fomitem ministrabat

tO al men as who saith know It is & in the world thorugh blow How that of Troye lamedon To Hercules and to Iasen When toward Colchos oute of gr●●● By see seylyng vpon a pece Of londe of Troye reste preyde But he wrongfully conueyde And for they found hym so vyleyne When they cam in to grece ageyne With power that they gete myght Towardes Troye they haue hem dyght And they took suche vengeaunce Wherof stant yet in remembraunce For they destroyed kyng & alle And leften but the brent walle The grekes of Troyes many slowe And prysoners they took ynowe Among the whiche there was one The kynges doughter lamedone Esyona the fayre thynge Whiche vnto the lamon the kyng By Hercules and by the assent Of all the hole parlement Was at his wylle yeue & graunted And thus hath grete Troye dannted And hym to torne in suche manere But after this now shalt thou here The cause why the tale I telle Vpon the chaunces that bifelle Kyng lamedon whiche dyed thus He had a sone one priamus Whiche was not thylke tyme at home But when he herd of this he come And fond how the Cyte was falle Whiche he bygan vpon the walle And made there a Cyte newe That they whiche other londes knewe Tho se●den that of lyme & stone In all the world so fayre was none And on that one side of the towne The kyng lete make ylyowne That hye toure that strong place Whiche was adrad of no manace Of quarell none nor of engyne And though men wold make a myne No mans craft it myght approche For it was set vpon a roche The walles of the Towne aboute Hem stode of al the world no doute And after the proporcyon Syx gates were there of the toun Of suche enforme / of suche entayle That hem to see was grete meruayl● The dyches were brode & depe And fewe men it myght kepe From al the world as semeth tho But yf the goddes weren foo Grete prees vnto that Cyte drowe So that there was of peple ynowe Of burgeys that therin dwellen There may no mans tong tellen How that Cyte was ryche of good When all was made & all wel stood Kyng Pry●mus tho hym bethought What they of grece whylome wrought And what was of hir swerd deuoured And how his suster dishououred With thelamon awey was ladde And he thynkyng he wex vnglad And set anone a parlement To whiche the lordes were assent In many a wyse there was spoke How that they myghten ben awroke But at the last netheles They seid al acord and pees To setten eyther party in rest It thought hem al for the best With resonable amendement And thus was Anthenor forth sent To aske Esyona ageyne And wyte what they wold seyne So passeth he the see by barge To grece for to sey his charge The whiche he said redyly Vnto the lordes by and by But where he spak in grece aboute He herd not but wordes stoute And namelyche of Thelamon The mayden wold he not for gone He said for no maner thynge And bad hym gone home to his kyng For there gate he none amende For ought he couthe doo or sende This Anthenor ayene goth home Vnto his kyng / & when he come He told in grece what that he herd And how that thelamon answerd And how they were at hir aboue That they wol neyther pees ne loue But euery man shall done his best But for men seyen that nyght hath rest The kynge bythought hym all the nyght And erly when the day was lyght He took his counceyll of this matere And they acord in this manere That he withouten ony let A certeyne tyme shold set A parlement to ben auysed And in this wyse it was anysed Of parlement he set a day And that was in the moneth of may This priamus had in his sight A wyf & Hecuba she hyght By whome that tyme she & he Sones fyue had & doughters thre Beside two and thyrty mo And weren knyghtes al tho But not vpon his wyt bygete But els where he myght hem get : Of whiche he had knowe Suche was the world that ylk throwe And so he was of children ryche And therof was no man hym lyche Of parlement the day was come There ben the lordes al & some Tho was prouounced & purposed And all the cause hem was disclosed How Anthenor in grece ferde They sytten ay stylle and herde And tho spak euery man aboute There was alledged many a doute And many a prowde word spoke also But for the moost partye as tho They wysten not what was the best Or for to werre or for to rest But he that was withoute fere Hector among the lordes there His tale told in suche a wyse And said lordes ye ben wyse Ye knowen this as wel as I Aboue al other moost worthy Stant now in grete manhode Of worthynes and of knyghthode For who so will it wel agrope To hem bylongeth al Europe Whiche is the thyrd parte euen Of alle the world vnder the heuen And we be but folke a fewe So were it reson to eschewe The perylle or we falle therin Better is to leue than to bygyn Thyng whiche may not be acheued He is not wyse that fynde hym greued And doth so that his greue be more For who that loketh all to fore And wylle not see what is behynde He may ful ofte his harmes fynde Wyck is to strif & haue the worse We haue encheson for to corse This wote I wel / & for to hate The grekes / but or we debate With hem that ben of suche a myght It is ful good that euery wyght Be of hym self ryght wel bythought But as for me thus sey I nought For whyle that my lyf may stonde If that ye taken werre in honde Falle it to the best or to the werst I shall my seluen be the ferst To greue hem what euer I may I stylle not ones say nay To thyng which that your counceil demeth For vnto me more wel it quemeth The werre certes than the pees But this I say netheles As me belongeth for to say Now shape ye the best way Whan Hector had said his deuyse Next after hym tho spak paryse Whiche was his broder and alyed When hym best thought thus he seid Strong thyng it is to suffer wrong And suffre shame is more stronge But we haue suffred both the two And for al that yet haue we doo What soo we myght to reforme This wrong & shame in better forme Sente Anthenor as ye wel knowe And they hir grete wordes blowe Vppon hir wrongfull dedes eke And who that wol not hym self meke To pees & lyst no reson take Men seyn Reson wyll hym forsake For in the multitude of men Is not the strengthe / for with ten It hath be sene in trewe quarele Ayene an honderd haluendele And hath the better by goddes grace Thus hath befalle in many place And yf it lyke vnto yow alle I wylle assay how so it bifalle Oure enemy yf I may greue For I haue caught a grete byleue Vpon a pleyne poynt I wol declare This yonder day as I gan fare To hunte vnto the grete herte Whiche was to fore my houndes sterte And euery man went on his syde Hym to pursewe and I to ryde Bigan to chase / & sooth to say Within a whyle oute of my way I rode / & nyst where I was And slope me caught & on the grasse Beside a welle I leyd me doune To slepe and in a vysyoun To me the god Mercurye came Goddesses thre with hym he name Mynerue Venus and Iuno And in his hond an Appel tho He held of gold with lettres wryte And thus he dyd me to wyte How that they put hem vpon me That to the fayrest of hem thre Of gold that Appel shold I gyue With eche of hem I was shryue And echone faire me behyght But Venus said yf that she myght That Appel of my gyfte gete She wold it neuermore forgete And said how that in grece londe She wold brynge in to my honde Of al this erthe the fayrest So that me thought it for the best To hyr and yaf that appel tho Thus hope I well yf that I goo But she for me wylle so ordeyne That they matere for to pleyne Shal haue or that I come ageyne Now haue ye herd that I wold seyne Saye ye what stont in youre auyse And euery man tho said his And sondry causes they recorde But at the last they acorde That parys shall to grece wende And thus the parlement took an ende Cassandre when she herd of this The whiche to parys suster is Anone she gan to wepe and wayle And said alas what may vs ayle Fortune with hir blynd whele Ne wylle not lete vs stonde wele For this I dare wel vndertake That yf parys his wey take As it is seid that he shal doo We ben euer than fordoo This mayden Cassandre hyght In al the world as it bereth syght In bookes as men fynde wryte Is that Sybell of whome ye wyte That al men yet clepen sage Whan that she wyst of this vyage How Parys shold to grece fare No woman myght werse fare Ne sorowe more than she dyde And ryght so in the same stede Ferd Helenus whiche was hir broder Of prophecy / and suche another And al was holde but a iape So that purpoos whiche was shape Or were hem leef or were hem lothe Was holde / and in to grece goth This parys with his retenaunce And as it felle vpon his chaunce Of grece he londeth in an yle And hym was told that same whyle Of folk whiche he began to freyne Tho wás in that yle quene Eleyne And eke of countrees there aboute Of ladyes many a lufty rowte With mochel worthy peple also And why they comen thedertho The cause stood in suche a wyse For worship and for sacryfyse That they to Venus wold make As they to fore had vndertake Some of good wyll & some of biheste For than was hir hyhe feste Within a Temple whiche was there Whan parys wyst what they were Anone he shope his ordynaunce To gone te done his obeysaunce To Venus on hir hooly day And dyd vpon his best aray With grete rychesse he hym behongeth As it to suche a lord longeth He was not armed netheles But as it were in londe of pees And thus he gothe oute of ship And taketh with hym his felauship In suche maner as I yow say Vnto the temple he hold his way Tydyng whiche gothe oueral To grete & smal forth with all Come to the quenes ere & told How parys come & that he wold Doo sacryfyce vnto Venus And whan she herd telle thus She thought how that euer it be That she wylle hym abyde and see Forth cometh parys with glad vysage In to the temple on pylgremage Where vnto Venus the goddesse He yeueth & offreth grete rychesse And prayeth hyr that he pray wold On that other syde he gan behold And see where this lady stood And forth in his fresshe mode Goth where she was & made hyr chere As he wel couthe in his manere That of his worlde suche plesaunce She took that al hir acqueyntaunce As ferforth as the herte lay He stale or that he went away So goth he forth & took his leue And thought anon as it was eue He wold done his sacrylege That many a man shal abyge When he ayene to ship was come To hym he hath his counceyll nome And all deuised the matere In suche a wyse as thou shalt here Within nyght al pryuely His men he warneth by and by That they be armed redy soone For certeyn thyng which was to done And they anon be redy alle And eche on other gan calle And wente hem oute vpon the stronde And took her purpoos there on londe Of what thyng they wold doo Towards the temple / & forth ther go So fyl it that of deuocion Heleyn in contemplaaon With many another worthy wyght Was in the temple and woke al nyght To byd & pray to the ymage Of venus as was than vsage So that parys ryght as hym lyst In to the temple or they wyste Came with his men al sodenly And al at ones set a skrye On hem whiche in the temple were Fr tho was moche peple there But of defence was no bote So suffre they that suffre more Parys vnto the quene went And hir in both his armes hent With hym & with his felauship And forth they bere her in to ship Vp goth the sayle / & forth they went And suche a wynd fortune hem sent Till they the hauen of Troy caught Where oute of ship / anon they strauȝt And gone hem forth toward the toun The whiche cam with procession Ayene Parys to sene his pray And euery man began to say To parys and to his felauship Al that they couthen of worship Was none so lytel man in Troye That he ne made myrthe and ioye Of that Parys had wonnen Eleyn But al that nyght is sorowe & peyn To Helenus and to Cassandre For they it token shame & sklaundre And losse of al the comon grace That Parys oute of hooly place By stelthe hath take a mans wyfe Wherof he shall lose his lyf And many a worthy man therto And the Cyte before doo Whiche neuer shall be made ayene And so it felle ryght as they seyne The sacrylege whiche he wrought Was cause why the grekes sought Vnto the towne . & it belay And wolden neuer parte away Tyl what by sleyght & what by strength They had it wonnen in brede & length And brent and slayn that was therin Now so my sone suche a syn Is sacrylege in hooly stede Beware therfore / & byd thy bede And doo no thyng in holy chirche But that thou myght by reson wyrche And eke take hede of Achilles When he vnto his loue chees Polixena that was also In hooly temple of Appollo Whiche was the cause that he dyede And al his lust was leyd asyde And Troylus vpon Creseyde Also his first loue leyde In hooly place & how he ferde As who seyth al the world it herde Forsake he was for Dyomede Suche was of lust his last mede For thy my sone I wold rede By this ensample as thou myght rede Seche elles where thou wylt thy grace And ware the wel in hooly place What thou to loue do or speke In aunter yf it be so wreke As ●●ou hast herd me telle to fore And take good hede also therfore Vppon what forme of Anaryce More than of ony other vyce I haue deuyded in partyes The braunches whiche of companyes Through oute the world in general Lyke as ye now here shall Of Couetyse and periurye Of fals brocage and of vsurye Of scarcenes and vnkyndeship Whiche neuer drough to felouship Of Robbery and of pryue stelthe Whiche done is for the worldes welth Of Rauyn and of sacrylege Whiche take the conscyence of a grege Al though it may rychesse atteyne It floureth / but it shal not greyne Vnto the swete of rightwysenesse But who that wold doo largesse Vpon the reule as it is yeue So myght a man with thought leue Toward his god / & eke also Toward the world / for by the two Largesse a wayteth as belongeth To neyther parte that he wrongeth He kepeth hym self & kepeth his frendes So stonte he sauf to both his endes In suche wyse that he be sure That he excedeth no mesure Wherof my sone thou shalt wyte So as Philosophre hath wryte

Prodegus et parcus duo sunt extrema quam largus / Est horam medins pl●●●s in ore bonus

Nota hic de virtute largitatis que ad oppositum auoricie inter duo extrema videlicet percimoniam et prodegalitem specialiter consistit /

●E 〈…〉 ix the two extremytres Of vyce stont the propyrtees Of v●rtu and to pr●ue it so Take auaryce and take also The vyce of prodegalyte Betwix hem lyberalyte Whiche is the vertu of largesse Stant & gouerneth his noblesse For tho two vyces in discord Stant euer as I fynd of record So that bitwene debate Largesse ruleth his estate For in suche wyse as Auaryce As I to fore haue told the vyce Thorugh streyte holdyng & scarsenesse Stant in contrarye to largesse Right so prodegalyte Reuers but not in suche degree For so as Auaryce spareth And for to kepe his tresoure careth That other al his owne & more Ayene the wysemans lore Yeueth and dispendeth here and there So that hym retcheth neuer where Whyle he may borugh he wol dispende Til at the last he seith I wende But that is spoken al to late For than is pouerte at the yate And taketh hym euen by the sleue For ●rst wylle he no wysedom leue And ryght as auaryce is synne That wolde his tresoure kepe & wynne Ryght so yonre prodegalyte But of largesse in his degre Whiche euen stant bitwene the two The hyghe god & the man also The vertu eche of hem commendeth For he hym seluen fyrst amendeth That ouer al his name spredeth And to al other where it nedeth He yaf his good in suche a wyse That he maketh many a man ryse Whiche els shold falle lowe Largesse may not be vnknowe For what lond he regneth in It may not ●ayle for to wyn Of his deserte loue and grace Where it shall fayle in other place And thus bitwene to moche & lyte Larges●e whiche is not to wyte Holdeth euer forth the myddel way But who that wol torne a way Fro that to prodegalyte Anone he leueth the propyrte Of vertu / & goth to the vyce For in suche wyse as Auaryce Lefte for scarsenes his good name R●g●t soo that other is to blame Which ●●●rgh his wast mesure excedeth For no man wote what harme it bedeth But mochel ioye ther leueth Where that largenesse an herte gydeth For ●●o m●sur● is so gouerned ●●●t he to be the par●y●s is lerned To god and to the world also He doth Reson to both the two The poure folk of his almesse Releued ben in distresse Of thurst / of honger & of colde The yeft of hym was neuer solde But frely yeue and netheles The myghty god of his encrces Reward hym of double grace The ●●uen ●e doth hym to purchace And yeueth hym eke the worldis good And thus the cete for the hoode ●orgesse taketh / & yet no synne ●●●●th bow so that euer he wynne What man hath horse men yeue hors And who none hath / of hym no for● For he may than on foote goo T●e world hath euer stond so But for to loken of the twey A man to go the syker wey Better is to yeue than to take With yeft a man may frendes make But who that taketh outher grete or small He taketh a charge forth with all And stant not fre till it be quyte So for to deme in mannes wyt It helpeth more a man to haue His owne good for to craue Of other men / and make hym bonde Where els he may stonde vnbonde

Seneca / Si res tue tibi non sufficiunt fac vt rebus tuis sufficias

Seneca counceyled in this wyse And seyth but yf thy good suffyce Vnto the lykyng of thy wylle Withdrawe thy lust and hold the stylle And be to thy good suffysaunt For that thynge is appertynaunt To trouthe & causeth to be fre After the rule of charyte Whiche first begynneth of hym self For thou richest other twelf Wherof thou shalt thy self be pouer I not what thonk thou myght recoue● Whyle that a man hath good to ye●e With grete rentes he may leue And hath his frendes oneral And eueryche of hem telle shall The whiche he hath his ful pak They say a good felawe is Iack And whan it foyleth at the last Anone his pryce they ouercast For than is there none other lawe But Iak was a good felawe Whan they hym poure and nedy se● They lete hym passe & fare wel he Al that he wende of companye Is than torned to folye But now to speke in other kynde Of loue a man may suche fynde That where they come in euery row●● They cast and wast hir loue aboute Tyl all her tyme is ouergone And than haue they loue none For who that loueth oueral It is no reson that he shal Of loue haue ony propyr●e For thy my sone auyse the If thou of loue hast ben to large For suche a man is not to charge And yf so be that thou hast Dyspended al thy tyme in wast And set thy loue in sondry place Though thou the substaunce of thy grace Lese at the last it is no wonder For he that put hym seluen vnder As who saith comyn ouer alle He leseth the loue specialle Of ony one yf she be wyse For loue shal not bere the pryse By reson when it passeth one So haue I sene many one That were of loue wel at ese Whiche after felle in grete dysese Thorugh wast of loue that they spent In sondry places where they went Ryght so my sone I aske of the If thou with prodegalyte Hast here or there thy loue wasted My fader nay / but I haue tasted In many a place where I haue goo And yet loue I neuer one of tho But for to dryue forth the day For leueth well my herte is ay Withouten mo for euermore All vpon one for I no more Desyre but hir loue allone So make I many a pryue mone For wel I fele I haue dispended My long loue & not amended My spede for ought I fynde yet If this be wast to youre wyt Of loue and prodegalyte Now good fader demeth ye But of one thyng I wyll me shr●●● That I shal for no loue thryue But yf hir self wyl me releue My sone that may wel I leue And netheles me semeth so For ought that thou bast yet mysdo Of tyme whiche thou hast myspendyd It may with grace be amendyd For thyng which may be worth the co●● Per chaunce is newther wast ne lo●● ●●● what thyng stont in auenture That can no worldes creature Telle in certeyne how it shall ende Tyl he there of may see an ende So that I note as yet therfore If thou my sonne hast wonne or lore For oftyme as it is sene Whan somer hath lost al his grene And is with wynter wast & bare That hym is left no thyng to spare Al is recouerd in a throwe The cold wynter is ouer blowe And styl ben the sharp showres And sodenly ayenst his flowres The somer happeneth & is ryche And so per caas thy grace lyche My sone though thou be now pouer Of loue yet thou myght recouer My fader certes graunt mercy Ye haue me taught so redyly That euer whyle I lyue shall The better I may beware with all Of thyng whiche ye haue said or this But euermore how that it is Toward my shryft as it belongeth To wyte of other poyntes me longeth Wherof that ye me wolden teche With all my herte I yow byseche

Explicit liber quintus Sequitur liber Sextus

Incipit ●iter Sextus

● St gula quam nostr●m maculauit pama p●●●tum / Ex veti to pomo / quo do let omnis home / Hec agit vt corpus anime cont●ana spirat / Quo cawsit crassa sp●●tuat●Ꝫ ma●●r . Intus & exterins si que vir tutis habentur / Potibus ebrietas conuia●ta ●uit ▪ Mersa sapore lebis que ba ●●●s inebriat hospes / Indignata venus oscula caro premit /

hIc in sextu libro tractare intendit de illo capitali vicio quod gula dicitur / ne● nen et eiusdem duabus solum modo speciebns / videlicet ebrietate & delicacia / ex quibus humane concupis ●nae oblectamentum habundancius argumentatur

tHe grete synne orygenal / Whiche euery man in gouernal / Vpon his byrthe hath enemyed / In paradys it was mystymed

When Adam of thylk Appel bote His swete morcelle was so hote Whiche dedely made the kynde In the bookes as I fynde This vyce whiche so oute of rule Hath set vs al is cleped gule Of the whiche the braunches ben so grete That of hem all I wol not irete But only as touchyng to two I thynke to speke of no mo Wherof the fyrst is dronkeship Whiche bereth the cuppe felauship Ful many a wonder doth that vyce He can of a wyseman make a nyce And of a foole that hym shal seme That he can al the lawe deme And yeue euery Iugement Whiche longeth to the fyrmament Bothe of the sterre● & of the mone And ▪ thus● maketh a gret clerk soone Of hym that is a lewde man There is no thyng that he ne can Whyle he hath dronkeship on honde He knoweth the see / he knoweth the londe He is a noble man of armes And yet no strengthe is in his armes There he was strong ynowe to fore With dronkeship it is forlore And al is chaunged his estate And wexeth anone soo feble and ma●e That he may nether go ne come But al to geder he is benome The power bothe of honde & foote So that algate abyde he mote And al his wyttes be foryete The whiche is to hym suche a lete That he note neuer what he doth Ne whiche is fals / ne whiche is sooth Ne whiche is day ne whiche is nyght And for the tyme he knoweth no wyght That he ne wote so moche as this What maner thyng hym seluen is Or he be man or he be best That hold I ryght a sory fest When he that Reson vnderstood So sodenlyche he is wexe woode Or els lyche the dede man Whiche nother go ne speke can Thus oft he is to bed brought And where he lyeth he reteheth nought Tyl he aryse vpon the mow we And than he seith / O which a sorowe It is a man to be drynkeles So that half dronke in suche a rees With drye mouthe he stert hym vppe He sayth baylegh sa the cuppe That made hym lese his wytte ageyne Is than a morow al be leyne The cuppe is al that euer hym pleseth And also that moost hym dyseseth It is the cuppe whome he serueth Whiche al care from hym herueth And al balys to hym bryngeth In ioye wepeth / in sorowe he syngeth It may no whyle stont in vers For dronkenshyp is so dyuers He drynketh the wyn / but at the last The wyn drynketh hym & bynt hym Fast / And leyth hym dronke by the walle As hym whiche is his bonde thrall● And al in his subiection And lyche to suche condycyon As for to speke it otherwyse It falleth that the most wyse B●n other whyle of loue adoted And so bywhapped and assoted O● dronken men / & neuer yet Was none whiche half so lost his wytt Of drynke as they of suche thynges do Whiche cleped the ●olyf wo And wexen of hir owne thought So dr●nk that they ne knewe nought What reson is more or lesse Suche is the kynde of that sykenesse And that is not for lack of brayne But loue is so grete a mayne That where he taketh a herte on honde There may no thyng his myght withstond With whiche Salamon was nome And strong Sampson ouercome The knyghtly Dauyd hym ne myght Rescue that he with the syght Of Bersabe ne was bestad ●yrgyly also was ouerlad And Aristotiles was put vnder For thy my sone it is no wonder Yf thou he dronke of loue amonge Whiche is aboue al other strong And yf so is that thou so be Telle me thy shryft in prynyte It is no shame of suche a thewe A yong man to be dronkelewe Of suche Phisyk as I can a parte And as me semeth in that arte Thou sholdest by phisonomye Be shapen to that melodye Of louedronke / and that is routhe A holy fader that is trouthe That ye me telle I am beknowe That I with loue am so bythrowe And al my herte is so thorugh sonkr That I am verylyche dronke And yet I may bothe speke & goo But I ouercome so And torned fro my self so clene That oft I wote not what I mene So that excusen I ne may My herte fro the first day That I am to my lady hythe I was neuer yet sobre sythe Where I hir see or see hir not With musyng of my thought Of loue whiche my herte assayleth So dronk that my herte fayleth And all my brayne is ouertorned And my maner so my●torned That I foryete all that I can And stonde lyke a mased man That oft whan I wold play It maketh me drawe oute of the way In soleyn place by my self As doth a laborer to delf Whiche can no gentylmans chere Or els as a lewde frere When he is put to his penaunce Ryght so lese I my contenaunce And yf it nedes so vetyde That I in company abyde Where as I must daunce & synge The houe daunce and carolynge Or for to goo the newe fote I may not wel heue vp my foote If that she be not in the way For than is al myrthe away And weye anone of thought so full Wherof my lymmes ben so dull I may vnnethes goo a pas For thns it is / & euer hit was When I on suche thoughtes muse The lust and myrth that men vse Whan I see not my lady byme Al is foryete for the tyme So ferforth that my wyttes chaungen And al lustes fro me straungen That they seyn al truly And swore that I am not I For as the man whiche ofte drynketh The wyn that in his stomake synketh Wexeth dronke & wytles for a throwe Right so my lust is ouerthrowe And of myn owne thought so mate I wexe / that to myn estate There is no lyme wylle me ser●e But as a dronk man I swerue And suffre suche a passyon That men haue grete compassyon And eueriche by him self merueyleth What thyng it is what one eyleth Suche is the maner of my wo Whiche tyme that I am hurte soo T●l efte ageyne that I hir see But than it were a nycete To telle yow how that I fare For whan I may vpon hir stare Hyr woman he de hir gentylnesse My herte is ful of suche gladnes That ouerpasseth so my wyt That I wote nowhere where it syt But am so dronken of that sight Me thynketh that for the tyme I myght Ryght streyte thorugh the hole walle And than I may wel yf I shalle Bothe synge and daunce & lepe aboute And hold forth the lusty rowte But netheles it falleth soo Ful ofte that I fro hyr gos Ne may but as it were a stake I stonde auysement to take And loke vpon hir fayre face That for the whyle oute of the place For all the world ne myght I wen●e Suche lust cometh than to my mynde So that withoute mete & drynke Of lustes thoughtes whiche I thynke Me thynketh I myght stonde euer And so it were to me leuer Than suche a syght for to leue For wel is me that I haue leue To haue so mochel of my wylle And thus thynkyng I stond stylle Withoute blemysshyng of myn eye Ryght as me thought that I sye Of paradys the moost ioy And soo there whyle I me reioy● In to my herte a grete desyre The whiche is hoter than the fire Al sodenlyche vpon me renneth That all my thought within brenneth And am so ferforth ouercome That I note where I am bycome Soo that amonge the hertes strong In stede of drynke I vnderfonge A thought so swete in my courage That neuer pyement ne vernage Was half so swete for to daynke For as I wold than I thynke As though I were at myn aboue For so thorugh dronke I am of loue That all that my soty demeth Is soothe as than it to me semeth And whyle I may the thoughtrs kepe Me thynketh as though I were a slepe And that I were in goddes barme But when I see myn owne harme And that I sodenlyche awake Oute of my thought & hede take How that the sooth stant in dede Than is my sykernes in drede And ioye torneth in to woo Soo that the hete is al ago Of suche soty as I was ynne And than Inward I begynne To take of loue a newe thurst Whiche me greueth all there worst For than cometh the blanche Feuer With chele and make me to cheuer And so it coldeth at my hert That wonder is how I asterte In suche a poynt that I ne deye For certes there was neuer keye Ne frosen is vppon the walle More Inly cold than I am alle And thus I suffre the hote chele Whiche passeth other poyntes fele In Cold I brenne and feese in hete And than I drynk a bytter swete With drye lyppe & eyen wete Loo thus I tempre my dyete And take a draught of suche relees That al my wyt is herteles And al my herte therin syt Is as who saith withoute wyt So that I preue it by reson In makyng of comparyson There may no difference be Bytwyx a dronke man & me But al the werst of euerychone Is euer that I thurst in one The more that my herte drynketh The more I may so me thynketh My thurst shall neuer be acqueynte God sheld that I be not dreynte Of suche a superfluyte For wele I fele in my degre That al my wyt is ouercast Wherof I am the more agast That in defante of ladyship Per chaunce in suche a dronkeship I may be cede or I beware For certes fader this I dare Beknowe & in my thyrst telle But I a draught haue of a welle In whiche my deth is and my lyf My ioye is torned in to staf That sobre shall I neuer worthe But as a dronken man for worthe So that in londe where I fare The lust is lore of my welfare As he that may no bote fynde But this me thynketh a wonder kynd As I am dronk of that I drynk Of these thoughtes that I thynke Of whiche I fynd no relees But yf I myght netheles Of suche a drynke as I coueyte Soo as me lust haue one receyte I shold assobre and fare we le But so fortune vpon hir whele On he me deyneth not to sette For euermore I fynd a lette The botyler is not my frende Whiche hath the key by the bende I may wysshe and that I waste For wel I wote so fresshe a taste But yf my grace be the more I shall assay neuermore Thus am I dronke of that I see Forcastyng is forfendyd me And I can not my seluen staunche So that my fader of this braunche I am gytlyf to telle trouthe My sone that me thynketh routhe For loue dronke is the meschyef Aboue all other the moost chyef If he no lusty thought assay Whiche may his sory thurst alay As for the tyme that it lesseth To hym whiche other ioye mysseth For thy my sone aboue alle Thynke well how so it befalle And kepe the wyttes that thou hast And late hem not be dronke in wast But netheles there is no wyght That may withstonde loues myght But why the cause is as I fynde But that there is dyuerse kynde Of loue dronke why men pleyneth After the Countrey whiche al ordeyneth I wylle the telle the manere Now lyst my sone / & thou shalt here

Hic narrat secundum poetam qualiter in suo cellario duo dolia jubiter hci bet / quorum primum liquoris dulassimum / secundum amarissimum plenum consistit / ita quod ille cui portata est pro spenta● de dula potabit / Alter bero cui adnersabitur poculum gustabit amarum

fOr the fortune of euery chance A f●r the goddes purueaunce To man it groweth from aboue So that the spede of euery loue Is shape there or it befalle For 〈…〉 er abouen alle Whiche is of goddes soueraynt Hath in his seller as men saynt Two tonnes ful of loue drynke That maketh many a herte synke And many an herte also to flete Or of the fowre or of the swete That one is ful of suche pyement Whiche passeth al entendement Of eny man yf he it taste And maketh a ioylyf herte in hast That other bytter as the galle Whiche maketh a mannes herte palle Whoos dronkeship is a sykenesse Thorugh felyng of the bytternesse Cupyde is boty●●r of bothe Whiche to the leefe & to the lothe Yeueth of the swete & of the soure That somme laugh & somme loure But for so moche as he blynde is Ful oftyme be aoth amys And 〈…〉 the badde for the good● Whiche hyndreth many mans fode Withoute cause & fortheteth eke So ben there of loue somme seke Whiche ought of reson to ben hole And somme comen to the dole In ●●●e & as hem self lyst 〈…〉 ynke vndeserueth of the best And thus this blynd botiler To suche as comen there Yeueth of the swetee in stede of truble L● how he can the hertes trouble And maketh dronke al vppon chaunce Withoute lawe or gouernaunce I● he drawe of the swete tonne Thenne is the sorowe al ouercome Of loue drynke & shall not greue So to the dronke euery eue For alis than but a game But when it is not for the same And he the bytter tonne draweth Suche dronkeshyp an hert gnaweth And febleth al a mans thought That better him were haue dronk nought And of his brede haue eten drye For than he leseth his lusty wey With dronkeship & wote not whyder To go the weyes ben so slyder In whiche he may par caas so falle That he shal breke his wyttes alle And in this wyse men ben dronke After the drynk that they haue dronke But all men drynke not y lyke For somme shall syng & som shal sike So that it me no thyng merueyleth My sone of loue that the assayleth For ●●●el knowe by thy tale That thou hast dronke of the dwale Whiche bitter is / til god the sende Suche grace that thou myght amende But sone thou shalt bydde & pray In suche wyse as I shal say That thou thy lust wel atteyne Thy woful thurstes to restreyne Of loue and mayst the swetenesse As Bachus dyd in his distresse When bodeliche thurst hym hent In straunge londes where he went

Nota hic qualiter potus allquando scicienti precibus adquiritur / Et narrat Exemplum quod cum Bachus de quodam bello ad Orientem repatrians in quibusdam libie partibus alicuius generis potum non inuenit / fusis ad ●ouem precibus a●●aruit / & sic potum pe tenti peticio preualuit

tHis Bachus sone of ●ubiter Was hote / & as he went fer By his faders assignement To make a werre in the Oryent And grete power with hym he ladde So that the hyher hond he hadde And vyctorye of his enemye And torneth homethard with his prys In suche a Countrey which was dreye A meschyef felle vpon the weye As he rode with his companye Nygh to the strondes of lumbardye There myght they no drynk fynde Of water ne of other kynde So that hym self & al his hoost Were for defaute of drynk almost Destwyed ▪ and than bachus prayd To Iubiter ▪ and thus he said O hyghe fader that seest alle To whome is reson that I shalle Byseche and pray in euery nede Byhold my fader and take hede This woful thurst that we ben ynne To staunche and graunte vs for to wynne And sauf vnto the Countrey fare Where that oure lusty loues are Waytyng vpon our home comyng And with the voyce of his prayng Whiche herd was to the goddes heye He sawe anone to fore his eye A wether whiche the ground hath spurned . And where he hath it ouerturned There sprong a welle fresshe & cleve Wherof his owne ●otylere After the lustes of his wylle Yaue euery man to drynk his fylle And for this ylke grete grace Forth with in the same place A ryche temple lete he arere Whiche euer shall sto●de there To thursty men in remembraunce For thy my sone after thy chaunce It syt the well to take hede So for to pray vpon the nede As Bachus prayd for the welle And thynk as thou hast herd me 〈…〉 How grace he grad & grace he had●● He was no foole that fyrst so radde For ●elden gete a domme man londe Take that prouerbe and vnderstonde That wordes ben of vertues grete 〈…〉 thy to speke thou ne lete To aske and pray erly and late Thy thurst to quenche & thynk algate The ●otyler whiche bereth the keye As blynde as thou herest me seye And yf it myght so betyde That he vpon the blynde syde ●er caas the swete tonne raught Than shalt thou haue a swete draught And wexe of loue dronke sobre And thus I rede thou assobre Thyn herte in hope of suche a grace For dronkeship in euery place To whether side that it torne Doth harme & make a man to sporne And falle of in suche a wyse Where he per caas may not aryse

Hic de amoris ebrietate ponit exemplum qualiter ●ristrans ad potum que Brangweyne in manu ei porrexit de a more bello Isolde inebriatus extitit

aNd for to loke in euydence Vpon the sooth in experyence So as it hath befalle or this In euery mans mouthe it is How ●rystram was of loue dronke With Beal Isawde when they dronke The drynk whiche Brangueyn hym bytoke / Er the kyng Mark his eme hir toke / To wyf as it was after knowe And eke my sone yf thou wylt knowe As it hath fallen euermore In lones cause and what is more Of dronkeshyp afore to drede As it whysome befelle in dede Wherof thou myght the better eschewe Of dronken men that thou sewe The company in no manere A grete e●sample thou shalt here

Hic ●e 〈…〉 lis ebrietatis causa in amore contingentibus narrat quod cum pirotheus illam pulcherrimaa ypotaciam in ●●●●●em duceret quosdam qui Centari vocabantur inter alios vici●os ad nupcias inuitauit qui vino in in●br●ati nupte formasitatem aspicien ●●s ●●plici ebrietatis a mensa ypotaciam a ●irotheo marito suo impetu rapuerunt

tHis fynde I wryte in poe●ye Of thylk fayre Ipotasye Of whoos beaute there as she Was / Spake euery man & felle per cas That Pyrotheus so hym spedde That he to wyf hir shold wedde Wherof that he grete ioye made And for he wold his loue glade Ageyne the day of maryage By mouthe bothe & by message His frendes to the fest he praid With grete worship & al men said He hath this yong lady spoused And whan that they were al day honsed And set and serued at mete There was no wyn which may begete That there ne was plente ynough But Bachus thylke tonne drough Wherof by way of dronkeship The gretest of the felauship Were oute of reson ouertake And Venus whiche also hath take The cause moost in special Hath yeue hem drynk forth with al Of thylke cuppe whiche exciteth The lust wherin a man delyteth And thus by double wey dronke Of lust that ylk ●yry fonke Hath made hem as who seith half wod● That they no reson vnderstoode Ne to none other thyng they seyen But hir whiche to fore hir exen Was wedded thylk same day That fresshe wyf that lusty may On ●ir it was al that they thoughte●● And so ferforth his lusstes sough●●● That they whiche named were Centauri at the feste there Of one assent / of one acord This yong wyf maugre hir lorde In suche a rage forth ladden As they none insight hadden But only to her dronken fare Which many a man hath made mysfare In loue as wel as other wey Wherof yf I shal more sey Vpon the nature of this vyce Of customme & of excercyse The mannes grace how it fordoth A tale whiche was whylome sooth Of fooles that so dronken were I shal reherce vnto thyn ere

● I● loquitur specialiter contra vicium illorum qui nimia potacione ex consuetudine chriosi efficiantur / Et narrat exemplum de Gabba & vitello qui potentes in hispania principes fuerunt / sed ipst cotidiane ebrietatis potibus assueti tanta vicinus intulerant enormia quod tandem toto conclamante populo pena sētencie capitalis in eos in dicialiter diffinita est / qui p●●usquam morerentur vt penam mortis alleuiarent spontanea vim ebrietate sopiti quasi porci semimort●● gladio perierunt

i Rede in ● Cronycle thus Of Gabba and of vi●●llus The which of spayn both were The grettest of al other there And bothe of one condicion After the disposicion Of glotony & of dronkeship That was a sory felauship For this thou myght wel vnderstonde That man may not wel long stonde Whiche is wyndronk of comyn vse For he hath lore the vertuse Wherof Reson shold hym clothe And that was sene vpon hem lo 〈…〉〈…〉 ●ayn there is no euydence Wherof to knowe a difference Bitwene the dronk & the wode For they be neuer neyther goode For where that wyn doth wyt awey Wysedom hath ●oft the ryght wey That he no maner vyce dredeth No more than a blynde man thredeth His nedel by the sonne lyght No more is Reson than of myght When he with dronkeship is blent And in this poynte they were shent This gabba bothe & eke 〈…〉 I le Vpon the cause as I shall telle Wherof good is to taken hede For they two with hir dronkenhede Of wytles ex●●tacion Oppresseden al the ●acion Of Spayne for a fowle vsaunce Whiche done was of coutynuaunce Of hem whiche al day dronken were There was no wyf ne mayden there What so they were fayre or fowle That they ne wolden defoule Wherof the lond was often wo And ●ke in other thynges mo They wroughten many a sondry 〈…〉 But how so that the day be longe The derke nyght cometh at the los● God wold not they sholden last And shope the lawe in suche wyse That they by the dome to the Iuyse Be dampned for to ben lore But they that hadden be to fore Encly●ed to al dronkenesse Here ande than ●are wytnesse For they in hope to aswage The payne of deth vppon the rage That they the lesse sholde fele Of wyn le●e fulfylle a mele And 〈…〉 ●ill so was bifalle Th●● her the strengthes loften alle With●●te wy●● of ony brayne And thus they ●en dede holf slayne That hem ne gr●ueth but a lyde My 〈…〉 if thou be for to wyde In ony poynt whiche I haue seide Wherof thy wyttes ben vntey●● I rede the clepe hem home ayene I shal do fader as ye seyn As ferforth as I may suffyse But wel I wote that in no wyse The dronkeship of loue awey I may remeue in no wyse It stont not vpon my fortune But yf thou lyst to comune Of the second glotonye Whiche cleped is delycacye Wherof ye spak here to fore Byseche I wold you therfore My sone as of that ylke vyce Whiche of all other is the noryce And stant vpon the retenue Of Venus so as it is due The propyrte how that it fareth The ●ook herafter now declareth

Delicie cum diuicijs sunt i●ra potē●um/●n quibus orta Venus excitat ora gule / Non sunt delicie tales quam corpora pascunt / Ex quibus impletus gaudia venter agit / Qui completus amor maiori munere gaudet / Cum data delicijs mens in amante fatur /

Hic narrat super illa specie gule que delicacia nuncupatur / cuius mo●●icijs voluptuose carni in personis precipue potentibus quequam complacencia corporaliter ministrauit /

oF this Chapiter in whiche I trete / There is yet one of suche dyete . To which no power may 〈…〉 . For al is paast of peindemayn And sondry wyn and sondry drynke Wherof that he wyll ete or drynke His 〈…〉 ben for hym affayted So that his body is a wayted That hym shal lacke no delyte As ferforth as his appetyte Suffyseth to the metes hote Wherof this lusty vyce is hote Of gule the delycacye Whiche all the hole progenye Of lusty folk hath vndertake To fele whyles that he may take Rychesse / wherof to be founde Of abstynence he wote no bounde To what proufyte it shold serue And yet ph●sik of his conserue Maketh many a restauracion Vnto his recreacion Whiche wold be to Venus leef Thus for the poynt of his releef The Cooke whiche shall his mete aray But he the better his mouthe assay His lordes thonk shall oft lese E● he be serued to the chese For ther may lacke not soo lyte That he ne fynt anone a wyte For but his lust be fully serued There hath no wyght his thonk deserūed And yet for mannes sustenaunce To kepe and hold in gouernaunce To hym that wylle his hele gete Is none so good as comon mete For who so loketh on the bookes It seyth confexion of Cookes A man hym shold wel auyse How he it took and in what wyse For who that vseth that he knoweth Ful seldom sykenes in hym groweth And who that vseth metes straunge Though his nature empayre & chaunge It is no wonder lyef sonne Whan that he doth ayene his wonne For in sykenes this I fynde Vsaunce it is second kynde

Philosophus / Consuetudo est alter● natura

And right so chaunged his estat● He that of loue is delycate For though he had to his honde The best wyf of al the londe Or the fayrest loue of alle Yet wold his herte on other falle And thynk hem more delycious Than he hath in his owne hou● Men seyn it is now ofte so Auyse hem wel they that so do And for to speke in other way Ful oftyme I haue herd say That he whiche hath no loue acheued Hym thynkth he is not releued Though that his lady make hym chere So as she may in good manere Hir honoure & hir name saue But yf he the surplus myght haue No thyng withstondyng hir estate Of loue more delycate He set hir chere at no delyte But he haue all his appetyte My sone yf it be with the so Telle me my hooly fader no For delycate in suche a wys● Of loue as ye me deuyse Ne was I neuer yet gyltyf For yf I had suche a wyfe As ye speke of what shold I more For than I wold neuermore For lust of ony womanhede My herte vpon none other fede And yf I dyd it were a waste But all withoute suche repaste Of suche as ye me told aboue Of wyf or yet of other loue I faste and may no foode gete So that for lack of deynte mete Of whiche an herte may be fedde I go fastyng to my bedde But myght I geten as I told So mochel that my lady wold Me fede with hir glad semblannt● Though me lacke all the remenaunt Yet shold I somdele be abesshed And for the tyme wel refresshed But certes fader she ne doth For in good feyth to tellen sooth I trowe though I shold ser●ue She wold not his eye swerue My herte with one goodely looke To fede / & thus for suche a Cooke I may goo fastyng euer mo But yf so is that ony woo May fede a mans herte we le Therof I haue at euery mele Of plente more than ynough But that is of hym self so cough My stomak may not it defye Loo thus is the delycacye Of loue whiche my herte fedeth Thus haue I lack of that me nedeth But for al this yet netheles I sey not I am gyltles That I somdele am delycate For els were I fully mate But yf that I somme lusty stound● Of comforte & of ese founde To take of loue somme repast For though I with the ful taste The lust of loue may not stele My honge● otherwyse I kele Of smale lustes whiche I pyke And for a tyme yet they lyke If that ye wysten what I mene Now good sone shryue the clene Of suche dayntees as ben good Wherof thou takest thyn hertes foode My fader I shall yow reherce How that my foodes ben dyuerse So as they fallen in degre If fedyng is of that I see Another is of that I here The thyrd as I shalle telle here It groweth of myn owne thought And e●●es shold I ●eue nought For who that fayleth foode of herde He may not wel the deth asterte

Not●i qualiter visus in amore se continet de 〈…〉

Of syght is al my fyrst foode Tho●ugh whiche my eye of al goode Hath that to hym is acordaunt A lusty foode suffysaunt When that I go toward the place Where I shall see my ladyes face Myn eye whiche is loth to fast Begynneth to hongre anon as fast That hym thynketh of one houre thre Tyll I there come and he hir see And than after his appetyte He taketh a foode of suche delyte That hym none other deynte nedeth Of sondry sightes he hym fedeth He seeth hir face of suche coloure That fressher is than ony floure He seeth hir fronte is large & pleyne Withoute frounce of ony greyne He seeth hir eyen lyche an heuen And seeth her nose streyte & euen He seeth hir rude vpon hir cheke And seeth hir reed lyppes eke Hyr chynne acordeth to the face And that he seeth is full of grace He seeth hir necke round & whyte And al this thyng withoute wyte He may see naked at the lest So is it wel the more feste And wel the more delycacye And to the fedyng of the eye He seeth hir shap forth with all Hir body round / hir myddel small So wel bigone with good array Whiche passeth all the lust of may When he is moost with soft showres Ful clothed in lusty floures With suche sightes by and by Myn eye is fedde fnll fynally When he the porte & the manere Seeth of hir womanlyche chere Than hath he suche delyte on honde He thynketh he myght stylle stonde And that he hath full suffysaunce Of lyue●●de and of sustenaunce And to his parte euermo And yf it thought all other so Fro then wold he neuer wende But there vnto the worldes ende He wold abyde yf that he myght And feden hym vpon the syght For though I myght stonde ay In to the tyme of domes day And looke vpon hir euer in one Yet whan I shold fro hir gone Myn eye wold as though he faste Ben honger storuen also fast Til efte ayene that he hir sye Suche is nature of myn eye There is no lust so deyntefull Of whiche a man shold not be full Of that the stomak vnderfongeth But euer in one myn eye longeth For loke how that a goushauk tyreth Ryght so doth he whan he pyreth And tutyth on hir womanhede For he may neuer fully fede His lust but euer y lyche sore Hym hongreth so that he the more Desyreth to be fedde algate And thus my eye is made the gate Thugh which the deyntees of my though● Of lust ben to myn herte brought Ryght as my eye with his look Is to myn herte a lusty Cook O● loues fede delycate Ryght so my ere is in his estate Where as my eye may not serue Can wel myn eres thonk deserue And feden hym fro day to day With suche fode as he may For thus it is that oueral Where that I come in special I may here of my lady pryce I here one sey that she is wyse Another seith that she is good And somme men seyn / of worthy blood That she is one / & is also So fayre that there is none soo And some preise hir goodly chere Thus euery thyng that I may here Whiche sowneth to my lady good Is to my herte a lusty foode And eke my ere hath ouer this A deynte feste when so is That I maye here hir selum speke For than anone my fast I breke On suche wordes as she seyth That ful of trouthe & ful of feith They ben and of so good disporte That to my ere grete comforte They done as they that ben delices For al the metes and al the spyce● That ony Lumbard couthe make Ne be so lusty for to take Ne so ferforth restauratif I seye as for myn owne lif As ben the wordes of hir mouthe For as the wyndowes of the southe Ben moost debonaire of all debonair● So when hir lust to speke faire The vertu of hir goodly speche Is verily my hertes leche And if it so bifalle among That she carole vpon a songe When I it here I am so fedde That I am fro my lyf so ledde As though I were in paradys For certes as to myn auys When I here of hir vois the steu● Me thynketh it is a blysse of heu● And eke m other vois also Ful oftyme it falleth so Myn ere with a good petaunce Is fed of redyng & of romaunce Of Ydome and of Amadas That whilome were in my cas And eke of other many a store That loueden long or I was bode For when I of hir loues redde Myn ere with the tale I fedde And with the lust of hir storye Somtyme I drewe it to memorye How sorowe maye not euer last And so cometh hope in at the last When I none other foode knowe And that endureth but a throwe Right as it were a chery feste But for to counten at the lest As for the while yet it eseth And somdele of my herte appeseth For what thyng to my ere spredeth Whiche is plesaunt somdele it eseth With wordes suche as she may gete My lust in stede of other mete Loo thus my fader as I sey Of lust the whiche my eye hath sey And eke of that my ere hath herd Ful ofte I haue the better ferd And the two bryngen in the thyrd The whiche hath in my herte amydde His place take to aray The lusty foode whiche assay I mete and namelyche on nyghtes When that me lacketh al sightes And that my heryng is awey Then is he redy in the wey My rere souper for to make Of whiche my hertes fode I take This lusty Cookes name is hoote Thought whiche hath euer his pottes hote / Of loue boylyng on the fyre With fantasye and with desyre Of whiche full ofte or this she fedde My herte when I was a bedde And than he set vppon my lorde Bothe euery sight & euery word Of lust whiche I haue herd or seyn But yet is not my fest all pleyn But all of wordes and of fisshes Therof I haue my full disshes But as of felyng and of taste Yet myght I neuer haue one repaste And thus as ye haue herd to forn I lycke hony on the thorne And as who seith vpon the brydell I chewe so that all is ydell As in effecte the fode I haue But as a man that wold hym saue When he is syke by medycyn Ryght so of loue the famyn I fond m all that euer I may To fede and drynke forth the day Til I may haue the gretter feste Whiche al my honger myght areste Loo suche ben my lustes thre Of that I thynke and here and see I take of loue my fedyng Withoute tastyng or felyng As the poure doeth of the heyre I lyue and am in good espyer● That for none suche delycacye I trowe I do no glotenye And netheles to youre auys My hooly fader that ben wys I recommaunde myn estate Of that I haue ben delycate My sone I vnderstonde well That thou hast told I here euerydele And as me thynketh by thy tale It ben delytes wonder smale Wherof thou takest thy loues foode But sone yf that thou vnderstood What is to ben delycious Thow woldest not be curyous Vpon the lust of thyn estate To ben to fore delycate Wherof that thou reson excede For in the bookes thou myght rede If mannes wysedome shall be shewed It ought wel to ben eschewed In loue as wel as other wey For as these hooly bookes sey The bodely delyces alle In euery poynt how so they falle Vnto the sowle done greuaunce And for to take in remembreunce A tale acordaunt vnto this wiche of grete vnderstondyng is In mans soule resonable I thynke to telle / & is no fable

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos de licatos / Et narrat de diuite et Laʒaro / quorum gestns m euangelio lucasuidencius describit .

oF Cristes worde who wil it rede How that this vyce is for to drede In the euangely it telleth pleyne wiche must algate be certeyne For crist hym self bereth wytnesse And though the clerk & the clergesse In latyn tong it rede and synge Yet for the more knowlechyng Of trouthe whiche is good to wyte I shall declare as I it wr●te In Englys●he / for thus it bigan Crist seith there was a ryche man A myghty lord of grete estate And he was eke so delycate Of his clothyng that euery day Of purpir / & bice he made hym gay And ete and drank to his fylle After the lustes of his wylle As he whiche stood al in delyce And took no hede of thylk vyce And as it shold so betyde A poure Laʒar vpon a tyde Came to the gate & axeth mete But there myght he no thyng gete His dedely honger for to staunche But he whiche had his ful paunche Of all lustes at the bord Ne deyneth not to speke a word Onlyche a Cromme for to yeue Wherof the peure myght leue Vpon the yeft of his almesse Thus lay this poure in grete distresse Ac●lde & hongred at the gate For whiche he myght goo no gate So was he woful besene That there as he lay on the grene The houndes comen fro the halle Where that this sike man was falle And as he lay there for to dye The woundes of his maladye They lyeken for to done hym ese But he was full of suche dysese That he may not the deth escape But as it was that tyme shape The so wle fro the body passeth And he whome no thyng ouerpasseth The hyghe god vp to the heuen Hym took where he hath set hym euen In Abrahams barme on hyghe Where he the heuens ioyr sighe And had all that he haue wold And felle as it befalle shold This ryche man this same throwe With sodeyne deth was ouerblowe And forth withouten ony went In to helle streyght he went The fende in to the fire hym drough Where that he had peyne ynough Of flamme whiche that euer brenneth And as his eye aboute renneth Toward the heuen he cast his loke Where that he sawe & hede tooke How Lazar set was in his see As ferre as euer he myght see With Abraham / & than he prayde Vnto the patriarke and sayde Sende Lazar doune fro thylk sete And doo that he his fynger wete In water / so that he may droppe Vpon my tonge for to stoppe The grete hete in whiche I hrenne But Abraham auswerd thenne And seid to hym in this wyse My sone thou the myght auyse And take in thy remembraunce How Lalar had grete penaunce Whyles he was in that other lyf But thou in al thy lusty iolyf The bodely delytes soughtest For thy so as thou than wroughtest Now shalt thou take to thy reward Of dedely payne herafter ward In helle whiche shall ener last And this Laʒar now at the last The worldes payne is ouer ronn● In heuen he hath his lyf begonne Of ioye whiche is endeles But that thou praydest neuertheles That I shal Laʒar to the sende With water on his fyngers ende Thyne hote tonge for to kele Thou shalt not suche graces fele For in that folble place of synne For euer in whiche thou shalt ben Inne Cometh none out of this place thidder Ne none of yow maye come hydder Thus be ye parted now a two The ryche ayeneward cryed tho O Abraham sith hit soo is That laʒar may not doo me this Whiche I haue axed in this place I wold pray another grace For I haue yet of bretheren fyue That with my fader ben alyue To geder dwellen in one hows To whome as thou arte gracious I pray that thou woldest sende Laʒar so that he myght wende To warne hem how the world is went That afterward they be not shent Of suche peynes as I drye Loo this I pray / & this I crye That they may hem self amende The patriarke anone sende Of his prayer answer nay And said hym how that euery day His bretheren myght knowe & here Of moyses in erthe here And of prophetes other mo What hem was best & he said no But yf there myght a man aryse From deth to lyf in suche a wyse To tellen hem how that it were He seyd thenne of pure fere They sholden than beware therby Quod Abraham / nay sikerly For yf they now wylle not obeye To suche as teche hem the wey And al day preche & al day telle How that it stont of heuen & helle They wylle not than taken hede Though it befelle so in dede That ony dede man so arered To ben of hym no better lered Than of another man on lyue If thou my sone canst descryue This tale as Cryst hym self told Thou shalt haue cause to be hold To see so grete an euydence There of the sooth experyence Hath shewed openlyche at the eye That bodely delycacye Of hym whiche yeueth no almesse Shal after falle in grete distresse And that was sene vpon the riche For he ne wold vnto his lyche A cromme yeuen of his brede Than afterward when he was dede A droppe of water hym was werned Thus may a mannes wytte be lerned Of hem that so delytes taken When they with deth ben ouertaken That erst was swete is than sowre But he that is gouernoure Of worldes good yf he be wyse Within his herbe he set no pryce Of al the world / & yet he vseth The good that he nothyng refuseth As he whiche lord is of the thynges The ouches & the ryche thynges The clothe of gold & the perrye He taketh . & yet the delycacye He leueth though he were all this The best mete that there is He eteth & drynketh the best drynke And taketh none hede to thynke Delycacye to put awaye As he whiche goth the right waye Not only for to fede & clothe His body / but his sowle bothe But they that taken otherwyse Her lustes ben none of the wyse And that whylome was shewed eke If thou these old bookes seke As wel by reson as by kynde Of old ensamples as men fynde

Hic loquitur de desicacia Newnis / qui corporalibus delicijs magis adherens spiritualia gaudia minus obtinuit /

tHat man that wold hym wel auise Delycacye is to despyse Whan kynde acordeth not with all Wherof ensample in special Of new whylome may be told Whiche ayens kynde many fold His lustes took till at the last That god hym wold all ouercast Of whome the Cronyke is so pleyne Me lust no more of hym to seyne And netheles for glotonye Of bodely delycacye To knowe his stomak how it ferd Of that no man to fore herd Whiche he wythin hym self bethought A wonder subtyle thyng be wrought Thre men vpon election Of age and of complexion Lyche to hym self by al way He toke to wardes hym to play And ete and drank as wel as he Therof was no dyersyte For euery day whan that they ete Tofore his o●ne borde they sete And of suche mete as he was serued Al though they had it not deserued They token seruyce of the same But afterward at thylk game Was in to woful ernest torned For when they were thus soiourned Within a tyme at after mete Nero whiche had not foryete The lustes of his freel estate As he whiche al was delycate To knowe thylke experyence The men lete come in his presence And to that one the same tyde A Courser that he shold ryde In to the felde anone he bad Wherof this man was wonder glad And goth to pryke and daunce aboute That other whyle that he was oute He leyd vpon his bed to slepe The thyrd whiche he wold kepe Within his chambre fayre and softe He gothe now vp now doune ful oft Walkyng a pace that he ne slepte Tyl he whiche on the Courser lepte Was comen fro the felde ageyne New than as bookes seyne These men dyde done take al thre And slewe hem for he wold see Whoo stomake was best defyed And when he hath the sooth tryed He found that he whiche goth the pas Defyed best of al was Whiche afterward he vsed ay And thus what thyng vnto his pay Was moost plesaunt he left none With ony lust he was bygone Wherof body myght glade For he no abstynence made But moost of al erthely thynges Of women vnto the lykynges Nero set al his hole herte For lust shold hym not asterte When he the thurst of loue hym caught Where that hym lust to take a draught He spareth neyther wyf ne mayde That suche another as men saide In al this world was neuer yet He was so dronke in al his wyt Thorugh sondry lustes whiche he toke That euer whyle ther is a book Of New men shal rede and synge Vnto the worldes knowlechyng My good sone as thou hast herd For euer yet it hath so ferd Delycacye in loues cas Withoute reson it is and was For where that loue his herte set Hym thynketh / it myght be no bet And though it be not fully mete The lust of loue is eure svete Loo thus to geder of felauship Delycacye and dronkeship Wherof reson stant oute of herre Haue made full many a man to erre In loues cause moost of alle For than how so that euer it falle Wytte can no reson vnderstonde But late the gouernannce stonde To wylle whiche than wexeth so wild That he can not hym self shyld Fro the perylle but oute of fere The way he secheth here and there Hym retcheth not vppon what syde For oftyme he goth besyde And doth suche thyng withoute drede Wherof hym ought wel to drede But whan that loue assoted sore It passeth all mens lore What lust it is that he ordeyneth Ther as no mannes myght restreyneth And of god taketh he none hede But lawes withoute drede His purpoos for he wol acheue Ayenst the poyntes of byleue He tempteth heuen & erthe & helle Here afterward as I shal telle

Dum stimulatur amor quicquid iubet ordo voluptas / Audet et aggredi tur nulla timenda timens / Omne quod astra quem herbarum siue potestas / Seu vigor inferni singula temptat amans / Quod nequit ipse deo mediante parare sinistrum / Demonis hec magica credulus arte parat . Sic sibi non curat ad opus que recia tendit . Dummodo nudatam prendere posset auem /

Hic tractat qualiter ebrietas et deticacia onus pridicicic contrarium insti tantes inter alia ad carnalis concupiscencie promocionem sacrilegio magicam requirunt

WHo dare do thyng whiche loue ne dare / To loue is euery lawe vnware / But to the lawes of his best The fisshe . the fowle / the man / the beest Of al the worldes kynde loutith For loue is he whiche no thyng douteth ▪ In mannes herte where he sytte He cometh not toward his wytte The woo nomore than the wele No more the hete than the chele No more the wete than the drye No more to lyue than to dye So that to fore ne behynde He seeth no thyng but as the blynde Withoute insight of his courage He doth mecuayles in his rage To what thyng that he will hym draw There is no god there is no lawe Of whome that he taketh heede But as baiard the blynde stede Tille he falle in the dyche a mydde He goth ther no man wyll hym bydde He stant so ferforth oute of rewle There is no wytte that may hym reule And thus to telle hym the sooth Ful many a thyng he doeth That were better to be laft Among the whiche is suche craft That somme men clepen sorcerye Whiche is for to wynue his drewry With many a circumstaunce he vseth There is no poynte whiche he refuseth The craft whiche Saturnus founde To make prykes in the sounde That Geamaunce cleped is Ful ofte he vseth amys And of the flood his Idromaunce And of the fyre the romaunce With questions echone of tho He tempteth ofte . & eke also Acremaunce in Iugement To loue he bryngeth of his assent For these craftes as I fynde A man may doo by wey of kynde Be so / it be to good entent But he goth al another went For rather than he shold faile With nygromancye he wold assayle To make his incantacion With hote subfumygacion Thilk arte whiche spatula is bote And vsed is of comon rote Among painēs whiche that craft eke Of whiche his auctor Thoseȝ the greke He wercheth one & one by rowe Rachell is not to hym vnknowe Ne Salamon Candarye His Ideote his entonye The figure and the howe with all Of balachame and of Genball The selle and therupon chymage Of the by th for his auauntage He taketh . and somwhat of Gy●ere Whiche helpend is to the matere Babilla with hir sonnes seuen Whiche heth renounced to the heuen With ceornes bothe square & round He grateth efte vpon the grounde Makyng his inuocacion And for ful informacion The s●ole whiche hono●us Wr●te / he pursueth / and loo thus Magyke he vseth for to wynne His loue & spareth for no synne And ouer that of his soty Ryght as he seeth sorcerye Of hem that ben magycyens Ryght so of the naturyens Vpon the sterres from aboue His wey he secheth vnto loue As ferre as he hem vnderstondeth In many a sondry wyse he fondeth He maketh ymage he maketh seulpture He maketh writyng / he maketh figure He maketh his cala●lacions He maketh his demonstracions His houres of Astronomye He kepeth as for that partye Whiche longeth to the inspectyon Of loue and his affection He wold now in helle seche The deuyll hym self for to byseche If that he wyst for to spede To gete of loue his lusty mede Wherof that he hath his herte set He lede neuer to fare bet Ne wyte of other heuen more My sone yf thou of suche a lore Hast ben or thie I rede the leue

Amans My holy fader by youre leue Of al that ye haue spoken here Whiche t●uchith vnto this matere To telle the soothe right as I wene I wote not one word what ye mene I wille not sey yf that I couthe That I nold in my lusty youthe Binethe in helle & eke aboue To wyn with my lady loue Done al that euer that I myght For therof haue I none insight Where afterward that I bycome So that I wynne & ouercome Hir loue whiche I coueyte My sone that gothe wonder streyte For this I may wel telle soothe There is noman whiche so doth For al the craft that he can cast That he ne byeth it at the last For ofte he that wol begyle Is gyled with the same gyle And thus the gylour is begyled I fynde in a book compyled To this matere an old hystorye Whiche cometh now to memorye And is of grete ensamplerye Ageynst the vyce of sorcerye Wherof none ende may be good But whylome how therof stood A tale whiche is good to knowe To the my sone I shal beknowe

Nota hic contra istos ob amoris causam sortologos / vbi narrat Exemplum quod cum Vlixes a subuersione Troie repatriare nanigio voluisset ipsum in Insula Cilli vbi illa expertissima magna nomine Cyrces regnauit contigit applicuisse / quem vt in sui amoris concupiscenciam exardesceret . Circes omnibus suis incantacionibus vincere conabatur Vlixes tamen Magica potencior ipsam in amore subegit / Ex qua filium nomine thelogonum genuit / qui postea patrem suum interfecit / et sic contra fidei naturam ge●●tus contra generacionis naturam patricidium operatus est /

● Monges whiche at Troye were Vlixes at the syege there Was one by name in special Of whome yet the memoryall Abydeth / for whyle ther is a mouthe For euer his name shal be couthe He was a worthy knyght and kyng And clerk knowyng of euery thyng He was a grete rethoryen He was a grete magycyen Of tullius the Rethoryk Of kyng Zorastes the magyke Of tholome the Astronomye Of plato the philosophye Of danyel the slepy dremes Of neptune eke the water stremes Of Salamon the prouerbis Of mater at the strengthe of herbes And the phisike of ypocras And lyche vnto pyctagoras Of surgerye he knewe the cures But somwhat of his auentures Whiche to my mater shal acorde To the my sone I wylle recorde This kyng of whiche thou hast herd seyne From Troye as he goth home ageyne By ship he found the see dyuerse With many wyndy storme reuerse But he thorugh wysedom that he shapeth Ful many grete perylle he escapeth Of whiche I thynk telle one How that maugre the nedel & stone Wynde dryue he was al sodenly Vpon the strondes of Cylly Where that he must abyde a whyle Two quenes weren in that yle Calypha named and Cyrces And when they herd how Vlixes Is londed therupon the Ryue For hym they senden also blyue With hym suche as he wold name And to the Courte to hem he came The quen●s weren as two goddesses Of art magyke sorceresses That what lord cometh to that ryuage They make hym loue in suche a rage That vpon hem assote soo That they wol haue o●● that he go● Al that he hath of worldes good ●lixes wel this vnderstood They couthe moche he couthe more They shape & cast ayenst hym sore And wrought many a subtyle wyle But yet they myght hym not ●egy But of the men of his nauye They two forshope a grete partye May none of hem withstond her hestes Some parte they shopen in to beestes Some parte they shopen in to fowles To beres tygres apes and oules Or els by some other way There myght no thyng hem disobeye Suche crafte they had aboue kynde But that arte couthe they not fynde Of whiche Vlixes was deceyued That he ne hath hem all weyued And broughte hem in to suche a rote That vpon hym they both assote And thurgh the scyences of his arte He took of hem so wel his parte That he bigate Cyrces with childe He kept hym sobre & made hym wyld He set hym self so aboue That with hir good & with hir loue Who that therof beleef or lothe Al quyte in to his ship he gothe Cyrces to swelle bothe sides He lefte & wayted on the tydes And streyght thorugh the salt fome He taketh his cours & cometh home Where as he fonde penelope A better wyf there may none be And yet there ben ynowe of good But who hir goodlyship vnderstood Fro first she wyfehode tooke How many loues she forsoke And how she bare hir al aboute Ther whyles that hir lord was oute S●e myght take grete auaunt Amonges all the remenaunt That she was one of all the rest Wel myght he set his herte in rest This kyng whan he found hir al in bele For as he couthe in wysedom dele So couthe she in womanhede And when she sawe withoute drede Hir lord vpon his owne ground That ●e was come sauf and sonude In al the world ne myght be A gladder woman than was she The fame whiche may not be hydde Thorugh oute the lond is sone kydde ●ir kyng is come home ageyne There may no man the ful seyne How that they weren al glade So mech●●●oye of hem they made T●● 〈…〉 euery day ●e newed He was with gyftes al be sewed The peple was of hym so glade T●●t ●●●ugh none other man hym bade T●●●ge vpon hem self they sette And as it were of pure dette T●●y y●ue her goodes to the kyng This was a glad welhome comyng Thus both Vlyxes what he wold His wyf was suche as she sholde His peple was to hym subiect As they shold be withoute lette But fortune is of suche a sleyght That whan a man is moost of myght S●● maketh hym rathest for to falle There no man wote what shall befalle The happes ouer mann●● hede B●● hanged with a tendre threde That proued was on Vlyxes For whan he was moost in his p●●s For 〈◊〉 sone gan to meke hym werre And set hie welthe oute of herre Vpon a day as he was mery As 〈…〉 there myght hym no thynge 〈…〉 / when nyght was come ▪ he goth to ●●dde / with sl●pe & bothe his ●yen fedde And whyle he slepte / he met a sweuen Hym thought he sawe a statue euen Whiche bryghter than sonne shen● A man it semeth was it none But as it was in fygure Moost lyche to mannes creature But as of beaute henenlyche It was moost to an Aungel lyche And thus bytwene Angel and man Beholden it this kyng began And suche a lust took of the syght That fayne he wold yf that he myght The forme of that figure embrace And goth hym forth toward the place Where he sawe that ymage tho And taketh in his armes two And it embraceth hym ageyne And to the kyng thus gan it seyne Vlixes vnderstood wel th●s The token of oure acqueyntaunce is Here afterward to mochel tene The loue that is vs bitwene Of that we now suche ioye make That one of vs the deth shal take When deth cometh of destyne It may none other wyse be Vlixes tho began to praye That this figure wold hym saye What wyght he is that seyth hym so This wyght vpon a spere tho A pensel whyte was wel bigone Enbrowdred shewed hym anone Thre fysshes all of one coloure In manere as it were a toure Vpon the pensel were wrought Vlixes knewe this token nought And praid to wyte in somme party● What thyng it myght ●ygnyfye A signe it is whiche answered Of an empyre / and forth it ferd Al sodenly when he that said Vlyxes oute of slepe he brayd And that was ryght ayene the day That lenger slepen he ne may Ayene a man hath knowlechyng Saue of hym self of all thyng His owne chaunce no man knoweth But as fortune it on hym throweth Was yet neuer so wyse a Clerke Whiche myght knowe al goddes werk Ne the secrete whiche god hath sette Ayene a man may not be lette Vlyxes though that he be wyse With all his wytte in his auyse The more that he his sweuen acounteth The lesse he wote what it amounteth For all his calculacion He seeth none demonstracion Al pleynly for to knowe an ende But netheles how so it wende He drad hym of his owne sone That maketh hym wel the more astone And shope therof anone with all So that within a castel walle Thelamon his sone he shette Tyl he myght knowe the bette The sooth / for there he ne knewe Til that fortune hym ouerthrewe But netheles for sykernesse Where that he myght wyte & gesse A place strengest in his londe There lete he make of lyme & sonde A strengthe where he wold dwelle Was neuer man yet herd telle Of suche another as it was And for to strengthe hym in that cas Of al his ●onde the sykerest Of seruanntes and of the worthyest To kepe hym within ward He charged hem they sholden harde And make suche an ordynaunce For loue ne for acqueyntaunce That were it erly / were it late They shold bete in at the yate No mauer man what so betydde But it so were hym self it bydde But al that myght hym not auayl● For whome fortune wyll assayle There may be no resistence Whiche myght a man make defence That al shall be must fal algate This Cyrces whiche I spake of tate On whome Vlyxes hath bigete A childe though he it haue foryete When tym● came as it was wonne She was delyuerd of a sonne Whiche cleped is thelogonus The child when he was bore thus Aboute his moder to ful age That he can reson and langage In good estate was drawe forth And when he was so mochel w●●th To stonde in a mannes stede Circes his moder hath hym bede That he shall to his fader go And told hym al to geder tho What man he was that hym bega● And when ●lelogonus herd that Was ware & had ful knowlechyng How that his fader was a kyng He prayd his moder fayre this To go where that his fader is And she hym graunted that he shall And made hem redy forth with all It was that tyme suche vsaunce That euery man the cong●ysaunce Of his Countre bare in his honde When he went in to straunge londe And thus was euery man therfore Well knowe where that he was bore For espyall or myst●o wynges They dyde than suche thynges That euery man may other knowe S●o it bifelle in that throwe Thelogonus as in this cas Of his Contre the signe was Thre fisshes whiche he sholde bere Vpon the pynon of a spere And when he was thus arrayd And had his harneys all assayd That he was redy euerydele His moder bad hym fare wele And said hym that he shold s●ythe His fader grete a thousand ●ythe Thelogonus his moder ky●● And took his leue & where he wyst His fader was / the way he name Til he vnto Nachare came Whiche of that lond the chyef Cyte Was cleped / & there asketh he Where was the kyng / & how he ferde And when that he the sooth herde Where that the kyng Vlix●s was Alone vpon his ho●s grete paas He rood● hym forth & in his honde He bare the signall of his londe With fisshes thre as I haue told And thus he went in to that hold Where that his owne fader dwelleth The cause why he came he telleth Vnto the kepars of the gate And wold haue cemen in ther ate But shortely they hym said nay And as fayre as euer he may Besought & told hem of this How that the kyng his fader is But they with proude wordes grete Biganne to manace and threte But he go fro the gate fast They wold hym take and set fast Fro wordes vnto strokes thus They felle so that Thelogonus Was sore hurte & wel nyhe dede But with his sharp speres hede He maketh defence how so it falle And wan the yate vpon hem alle And hath slayne of the best fyue And they aseryeden as belyue Thorugh oute the castel al aboute On euery syde men came oute Wherof the kynges herte aflyght And he with al the hast that he myght A spere caught / & oute he goeth As he that nyhe was woode & wroth He sawe the yates ful of blood Thelogonus & where he stood He sawe also but he ne knewe What man he was and to hym threwe His spere / & he sterte oute asyde But desteny whiche shold betyde Befelle that ylke tyme so Thelogonus knewe no thyng tho What man it was that to hym cast And whyles his owne spere last With al the signe therupon He cast vnto the kyng anone And smote hym with a dedely wounde Vlix●s felle anone to grounde Tho euery man the kyng the kyng Began to crye & of this thyng Thelogonus whiche sawe the caas On knees felle / & seid alas I haue myn owne fader slayn Now I wold deye wonder fayn● Now slee me who that euer wylle For certes it is right good skylle He cryeth he wepeth / he seid therfore Alas that euer was I bore That this vnhappy destyne So wofully cometh in by me This kyng which yet hath life ynoug● His herte ayene vnto hym drough And to that voyce an ere he leyd And vnderstood all that he seid And gan to speke & said on hyghe Bryng me this man & whan he syghe Thelogonus his thought he set Vpon the sweuen whiche he met And axeth that he myght see His spere / on whiche the fysshes thre He sawe vpon a pensel wrought Tho wyst he wel / it faileth nought And bad hym that he telle shold Fro whens he came & what he wold Thelogonus in sorowe & woo So as he myght told tho Vnto Vlixes all the caas How that Cyrces his moder was And so forth seid hym euery dele How that his moder grete hym wele And in what wyse she hym sent Tho wist Vlixes what it ment And tooke gym in his armes softe And al bledyng kyst hym ofte And said sone whyles I lyue This infortune I the foryeue After his other sone in hast He sente & he bigan hym has●s And cam vnto his fader ty●e But when he saw hym in suche plyte He wold haue ronnen vpon that other Anone & slayne his owne broder Ne had ben that Vlixes Bitwene hem made acord & pe●s And to his heyre thelamacus He had that he Thelogonus With al his power shold kepe Till he were of his woundes depe Al hole and than he shold hym y●●● Londe where vpon to lyue Thelamacus when he this herde Vnto his fad●● he answerd And said he wold done his wylle So dwellen they to geder stylle These bretheren and the fader sterueth Lo wherof sorcery serueth Thorugh sorcerye his lust he wan Thorugh sorcery his wo bygan Thorugh sorcerye his loue he chese Thorugh sorcerye his lyf he lese The child was get● in sorcerye Whiche dyd all this felonye Thyng which was ayene kynde wroght Vnkyndely it was bought The child his owne fader slough That was vnkyndeship ynough For thy take heede how that it is So for to wynne loue amys Whiche endeth ●l his ioye in wo For al this arte I fynde also That hath be do● for loues sake Where thou myght ensample take A grete Cronycle Emperyall Whiche euer in memoryall Among the men how so it wende Shal dwelle vnto the worldes ende

Hic n●rr●t Exemplum qu●●●ter Nectanabus ab Egipt● in Macedoniam fugiti●●s Olimpiadem philippi regis ibidem tunc absentis vxorem arte magi● decip●ens c●m ipsa concubuit● magnum quam ex ea Alexandrum sortelogus genuit / qui natus p●stea cum ad erudiendum sub custodia Nectanabi patrem suum ab altitudine cuiusdam turris in fossam profundam percipiens interfecit / Et sic sortil●gus ex suo sortilegio infortunij sortem sortitus est

tHe hye Creatoure of thynges Whiche is kyng of al kynges Ful many worldes chaunce L●te slyde vnder his sufferaunce There wote noman the cause why But he whiche is al myghty And that proued whilome thus When that the kyng Nectanabus Whiche had Egypte for to lede But for he sey before the dede Thorugh magyke of his sorcerye Wherof he couthe a grete partye His enemyes to hym comende Fro whome he myght not hym defende Oute of his owne londe he fledde And in the wyse as he hym dredde It felle for al his wytchecraft So that Egypte was hym beraft And he desguysed fledde awey By ship / & held the ryght wey To Macedoyne where that he Ar●yueth at the chyef Cyte Thre yomen of his Chambre there All only for to serue hym were The whiche he trusteth wonder wele For they were trewe as ony stele And hapneth that they with hym lad Parte of the best good he had They toke lodgyng in the towne After the disposicioun Where as hym thought best to dwelle He axeth than & herd telle How that the kyng was oute go Vpon a werre he had tho But in that cyte than was The quene whiche Olympias Was hoote & with solempnyte The feste of hir natyuyte As it be fell was than holde And for hir lust to biholde And prayd of the people aboute She shope hir for to ryde oute And after mete al openly Anone were al men redy And that was in the Monethe of may This lusty quene on good aray Was set vpon a mule whyte To sene it was a grete delyte The ioye that the Eyte made With fresshe thynges & with glade The noble t●une was al behonged And euery wyght was sore alonged To s●e this lusty lady ryde There was grete myrthe on euery side Where as passeth by the strete Th●re was full many tymbre bete And many a mayde carolyng And thus thurgh out that t●un playeng This quene vnto a pleyne rode Where that she houed and abode To see dyuerse g●me pley The lusty folk Iust and torney And so forth euery other man Whiche play couthe / ●is playe bigan To plese with this noble quene Nectanabus came to the grene Amonges other & drough hym nyghe But when that he this lady syghe And of hir beaute hede tooke He ●●uthe not withdrawe his loke To see nought elles in the felde But stood / & only hir biheld Of his clothyng & of his chere He was al vnlyche other there So that it hapneth at the last The quene vpon hym hir eye cast And knewe that he was s●raunge anone But he biheld hir euer in one Withoute blemysshyng of his cheere She took good ●ede of h●s manere And wondreth why he dyd so And bad men sheld for hym goo He came & dyd hir reuerence And she axeth in sylence From whome he came & what he wold And he with sobre wordes told And seyth madame a Clerke I am To yow and in message I cam The whiche I may not tellen here But yf it lyke yow to here It must be said al pryuely Where none shal be but ye and I Thus for the tyme he tooke his leue The day goth forth till it was eue That euery man mote lete his werk And she thought euer vpon this clerk What thyng it is that he wold mens And in this wyse abode the quene It passeth ouer thylk nyght Till it was on the moro we lyght She send for hym and he came With hym his Astrolahe he name Whiche was of fyne gold precious With poyntes and cercles merueylous And eke the heuenly fygures Wronght in a book full of peyntures He took this lady for to shewe And told of eche of hem by rewe The cours and the condycyon And she with grete affectyon Sate stylle & herd what he wold And thus when he seeth tyme he told And feyneth with his wordes wyse A tale and seyth in suche a wyse Madame but a whyle agoo Where I was in Egypte tho And radde in scole of this scyence It felle in to my conscyence That I in to the temple went And there with all my hole entent As I my sacryfice dede One of the goddes hath me ●ed● That I yow warne pryuely So that ye make yow redy And that ye be no thyng agaste For he suche loue hath to yow cast That ye shall ben his owne dere And he shall be youre bedfere Til ye conceyue & be with child And with that word ▪ she wex al myld● And somdele bicame for shame And axrth hym that goddes name Whiche so wol done her companye And he seid amos of luby And she said that may I not leue But yf I see a better preue Madame quod Nectanabus In token that it shal be thus This nyght for enformacion Ye shall hane a vysyon That Amos shall to yow appere To she we and teche in what maner● The thyng shall afterward befalle Ye oughten wel abouen alle To make ioye of suche a lord And when ye be of one acord He shall a sone of yow begete Which with his swerd shal wyn & gete The wyde world in lengthe & brede Al erthely kynges shall hym drede And in suche a wyse I yow behote The god of the erthe he shall be hote If this be sooth tho quod the quene This nyght thou se●●st it shall be sene And yf it falle in to my grace Of god Amos that I purchace To take of hym so grete worship I wol doo the suche ladyship Wherof thou shalt for euermo Be ryche / & he thanked hyr tho And took his leue / & forth he went She wist lytel what he ment For it was gyle and sorcerye Al that she took for prophecye Nectanabus thorugh oute the day When he cam home where he lay His chambre with hym self tooke And ouertorneth many a book And thorugh the craft of arte mage Of wex he forgeth an ymage And loketh his equacions And eke the constellacions He loketh the con●unctions He loketh the recepcions His signes his houre his ascendent And dr●weth fortune of his assent The name of the quene Olimpias In thylk ymage wryten was A myddes in the fronte aboue And thus to wyn his lust of loue Nectanabus this werk hath dyght And whan it came within nyght That euery wyght is falle a slepe He thought he wold his tyme kepe As he whiche hath his houre apoynted And than first he hath anoyn●eed With sond●y herbes that figure And therupon he gan coniure So that thorugh his enchauntement This lady whiche was Innocent And wyst no thyng of this gyle Mette as she slepte thylke whyle How fro the heuen cam a lyght Whiche al hir chambre made lyght And as she loked to and fro She sey hir thought a dragon tho Whoo scherdes shynen as the sonne And hath his soft paas begonne With al the chere that he may Toward the hed there she lay Til he cam to the beddes syde And she lay stylle & no thyng cryde For he did al his thynges fayre And was curtoys and debonayre And as he stoode hir fast by His forme he thaunged sodenly And the figure of man he nome And to hir in to hir bedde he come And suche thyng ther of loue he wroght Wherof so as hir than thought Thorugh lykyng of this god Amos With childe anone hir wombe ●roos And she was wonder glad with alle Nectanabus whiche causeth alle Of this metred the substaunce When he seeth tyme his nygromance He stynt & no thyng more seide Of his carecte & she abreyde Oute of hir slepe and leueth wele That it is sooth than euery dele Of that this Clerke hir had told And was the gladder many fold In hope of suche a glad metrede Whiche after shalle befalle in dede She longeth sore after the day That she hir sweuen telle may To this gylour in pryuete Whiche knewe it as wel as she And netheles on the morow soone She lefte all other thynges to done And for hym sent & all the caas She told hym pleynly as it was And said how than wel she wyst That she his wordes myght tryst For she fond hir auysyon Ryght after the condycyon Whiche he hir had told tofore And prayd hym hertely therfore That he hir hold couuenaunt So forth of all the remenaunt That she may thorugh his ordynaunce Toward the god doo suche plesaunce That she wakyng myght hym kepe In suche wyse as she met in slepe And he that couthe gyle ynough When he this herd for ioye he lough And said madame it shall be doo But this I warne yow therto This nyght when that he cometh to play That there be no lyf in the way But I that shall at his lykynge Ordeyne so for his comyng That ye ne shall of hym fayle For this madame I yow conusaile That ye it kepe so pryue That no wyght els but we thre Haue knowlechyng how that it is For els myght it fare amys If ye dyd ought that shold hym greue And thus he maketh hir to bileue And fayneth vnder gyle feyth But netheles all that he seyth She troweth . and ayene the nyght She hath within hir chambre dyght Where as this gyloure fast by Vpon this god shal pryuely Awayte as ye make hir to wene And thus this noble gentyl quene When she moost trust was deceyued The nyght cam the chambre is weyued Nectanabus hath take his place And when he sawe tyme of space Thorugh deceyte of his magyke He put hym oute of mans lyke And of a dragon took he the forme As he whiche wold al conforme To that she sawe in sweuen or this And thus to chambre comen he is The quene lay a bed and syghe And hopeth euer as he cam nyghe That he god of luby were So that she the lesse fere But for he wold hir more assure Yet efte he chaunged his figure And of a wether the lykenesse He took in fygure of his noblesse With large hornes for the nones Of fyne gold & precious stones A Corowne on his hede he bare And sodenlyche or she was ware As he whiche all gyle can His forme he turneth in to man And cam to bed / & she lay stylle Where as she suffred all his wylle And she whiche wende not mysdo But netheles it hapned soo Al though she were in parte deceyued Yet for all that she hath conceyued The worthyest of al the kythe Whiche was euer to fore or sithe Of conquest & of Chyualrye So that thorugh gyle & sorcerye There was that noble knyght begonne Whiche al the world hath after wonne Thus felle the thyng which falle shold Nectanabus hath that he wold With gyle he hath his loue spedde With gyle he cam in to the bedde With gyle he goth hym oute ageyne He was a shrewed chambyrlayne So to begyle a worthy quene And that on hym was after sene But netheles the thyng is do This fals god was soone goo With his deceyte & helde hym cloos Tyl morow cam that he aroos And tho when tyme of leyser was Tho quene told hym al the cas As she that gyle none supposeth And of two poyntes she hym opposeth One was yf that this god nomore Wyll come ayene and euermore How she shal stonden in acord With kyng philip hir owne lord When he cometh home & seeth hir grone Madame he seyth lete me alone As for the god I vndertake That whan it lyketh yow to take His company at ony throwe If I a day to fore it knowe He shall be with yow on the nyght And he his wylle of suche a myght To kepe yow from al blame For thy comforte yow madame There shal none other cause be Thus took he leue / & forth goth he And tho began he for to muse How he the quene myght excuse Toward the kyng of that is falle And fonnd a crafte amonges alle Thurgh which he hath a sefoul dasited With his magyke & so enchaunted That he flewe forth when it was nyght Vnto the kynges tent ryght Where that he lay amyddes his hoost And when he was a slepe moost With that the sefoull to hym brought Another charme whiche he wrought At home within his chambre stylle The kyng he turneth at his wylle And maketh hym for to dreme & see The dragon and the pryuete Whiche was bytwene hym & the quene And ouer that he made hym wene In sweuen how that the god Amoo Whan he from the quene aroos Toke forth a rynge wherin a stone Was set & graue therupon A sone in whiche whan he cam nyght A lyon with a swerd he syght With a prente as he tho mette Vpon the quenes womhe he sette A seall & goth hym forth his way With that the sweuen went his waye And tho bygon the kyng a wake And sighed for his wyues sake With that he lay within his tent And hath a greete wonder what it ment With that he hasted hym to ryse Anone and sent after the wyse Among the whiche there was one A Clerk his name is Amphyone When he the kynges sweuen herd What it bytokeneth he answerd And said as sykerly as the lyf A god hath leyn by thy wyf And gete a sone whiche shall wynne The world & al that was withynne As the lyon is kyng of beestes So shalle the world obeye his heestes Which with his swerd shal all be wonne As ferre as shyneth ony sonne The kyng was doutif of this dome But netheles when that he come Ageyne in to his owne londe His wyf with child grete he founde He myght not hym self stere That he ne made hir heuy chere But he whiche couthe of all sorowe Nectanabus vpon the morow Thorugh the deceyte of Nygromaunce Toke of a dragon the semblaunce And where the kyng sat in his halle Came in rampyng among hem alle With suche a noyse and suche a rore That they agast were all so sore As though they shold deye anone And netheles he greueth none But goth toward the deyse on hye And when he quene nyghe He stynt his noyse and his wyse To hir he profered his seruyce And leyd his honde vpon hir barme And she with goodly chere hir arme Aboute his neck ayeneward leyde And thus the quene with hym pleyde In sight of al men aboute And at the last he gan to loute And obeysaunce vnto hir make And he that wold his leue take And sodenly his lothely forme In to an egle he gan transforme And flewe and set hym on a rayle Wherof the kyng had grete meruayle For there he plumeth hym & pyketh As doeth an hawke when hym wel liketh And after that him self he shoke Wherof that all the halle quoke As it a terremote were They saiden alle god was there In suche a rees and forth he flygh The kyng whiche al this wonder sighe When he cam to his chambre alone Vnto the quene he made his mone And of foryeuenes he hir prayd For than he knewe wel as he said She was with child than with a god Than was the kyng withoute rod Chastysed & the quene excused Of that she had ben accused And for the gretter euydence Yet after that in the presence Of kyng philip and of other mo Whan they roode in the feldes tho A fesaunte came before her cye The whiche anone as they hir seye Fleyng lete an egge doune falle And it to brake among hem alle And as they token therof kepe They sawe oute of the shelle crepe A lytel serpent oute of the ground Whiche rampeth al aboute round And in ayene it wol haue wonne But for the brennyng of the sonne It myght not / & so he deyde And therupon the clerkes seide As the serpent when it was oute Went enuyroun the shelle aboute And myght not torne in ageyne So shall it falle in certeyne This child the world shal enuyroune And aboue all to bere the Crowne Hym shalle befalle in his yong age He shall desire in his courage When all the world is in his honde To turne ageyne in to the londe Where he was bore and in his weye Home ward he shalle with poyson deye The kyng whiche al this sawe & herd Fro that day forth how so it ferd His Ielousye hath all foryete But he whiche hath the child beḡete Nectanabus in pryuete The tyme of his natyuyte Vpon the constellacion A wayteth and relacion Maketh to the quene how she shalle d● And euery houre appoynteth so That no mynute therof was lore So that in due tyme is bore This child & forth with therupon There fell wondres many one Of terremote vnyuersell The sonne took coloure of the stele And left his lyght / the wyndes blewe And many strengthes ouerthrewe The see his propre kynde chaunged And al the world his forme chaunged The thonder with his fyry beuen So cruel was vpon the heuen That euery erthely creature Tho thought his lyf in auenture The tempest at the last seceth The child is kepte his age encreceth And Alysaunder his name is hote To whome Calystre and Arystote To techen hym philosophye Endenden and Astronomye With other thynges whiche he couthe Also to teche hym in his youthe Nectanabus took vpon honde But euery man may vnderstonde Of sorcerye how that it wende It wylle hym self proue at the ende And namely for to begyle A lady whiche withoute gyle Supposeth all that she hereth But often he that euyll stereth His ship is dreynte therin a mydde And in this caas ryght so betydde Nectauabus vpon a nyght When it was fayre & sterre bryght This yong lord lad vpon hyghe Aboue a towre where as he syghe The sterres suche as he acounteth He seeth what eche of hem amounteth And though he knewe of al thynge Yet hath he no knowlechyng That shall vnto hym self befalle When he hath told his wordes alle This yong lord than hym opposeth And asketh yf that he supposeth What deth he shall hym self deye He seith or fortune is aweye And euery sterre hath lost his wonne Or els of myn owne sonne I shall be slayn I may not fle Thought Alysandre in pryuyte Herof this old dotard lyeth And or that other ought aspyeth Al sodenlyche his old bones He shoof ouer the wal for the nones And seyth hym / lye doune there a part Wherof now serueth al thyn art Thou knowest al other mennes chaunce And of thy self hast ygnoraunce That thou hast said amonges alle Of thy persone it is not befalle Neccanabus whiche hath his deth Yet whyles hym lasteth lyf or brethe To Alysander he spak and seyd That he w●th wrong blame on hym leid Fro poynt to poynt & al che cas He told how he hie sonne was Tho he whiche sory was ynough Oute of the dyche his fader drough And told his moder how it ferde In counceyl / & when she it herd And knew the tokenes whiche he told She nyst what she sey shold But stoode abasshed as for the whyle Of his magyke and of his gyle She thought how she was deceyued That she hath of a man conceyued And wend a god it had be But netheles suche degree So as she myght hir honoure saue She shope the body was begraue And thus Nectanabus abought The sorcery whiche he wrought Though vpon the creatures Thorugh his carectis and figures The maystry and the power had His creatour to nought hym lad Ageyne whos law his crafde he vseth When he for lust his god refuseth And tooke hym to the deuyls ●aft Lo what profyte is hym belaft That thyng thurgh which he wende haue stonde / First hym exiled out of londe Whiche was his owne / & from a kyng Made hym to be an vnderlyng And sythen to deceyue a quene That torneth hym to mochel ●●ne Thorugh lust of loue he gate hym hate That ende couthe he not abate His old sleyghtes whiche he cast Yong Alisander hyn ouercast His fader whiche hym mysbigat He slewe / a grete myshappe was that But for one mys another mys Was yolde / and so ful oft is Nectanabus his craft myswent And so it mysfell hym or that he went I note what helpeth that clergy Whiche maketh a man to doo foly And namelyche of Nygromaunce Whiche stont vpon the mysereaunce

Nota qualiter rex Zorastes statim cum ab vtero matris sue nasceretur gaudio magno risit , in quo prenosticum doloris subsequentis signum figurabatur Nam et ipse detestabilis artis magica primus fuit inuentor / quem postea rex Surrie dira morte trucidauit . & sic opus operarium consumpsit

aNd for to see more euydence Zorastes which that experyence Of arte Magyke first forth drough ▪ Anon as he was bore he lough Whiche token was of woo sewyng For of his owne contreuyng He found Magyke / & taught it forth But al was hym lytell worth For of surry a worthy kyng Hym slewe / and that was his endyng But yet thurgh hym this craft is vsed And he thorugh all the world accused For it shal neuer wel acheue Thei stont not ryght with the byleue But lyche to wulle is euyl sponne Who leseth hym self hath lytell wonne And the ende proueth euery thyng Saul whiche that was of Iewes kyng Vpon peyne of deth forbede this arte And yet he took therof his parte The phitonysse in Samary Yafe hym counceyll by sorcery Whiche after felle to moche srowe For he was slayn vpon the morowe To conne moche it helpeth But of to moche no man yelpeth So for to loke on euery side Magyk may not wel betyde For thy my sone I wol the rede That thou of these ensamples drede That for no lust of erthely loue Thou seche so to come aboue Wherof as in the worldes wonder Thou shalt euer be put vnder My good fader graunte mercy For euer I shall beware therby Of loue what so euer me bifalle Suche sorcery abouen alle Fro this day forth I wyll eschewe That so ne wylle I not pursewe My lust of loue for to seche But this I wold yow byseche ●●eside that me stant of loue As I yow herd speke aboue How Asysandre was betaught Of Arystotle and so wel taught Of all that to a kyng belonged Wherof my herte sore longeth To wyte what it wold mene For by reson I wold wene That yf I herd of thynges straunge Yet for a tyme it shold chaunge My peyne & lesse me somdele My good sone thou shalt wele For wysedom how that euer it stonde To hym that can it vnderstond Doth grete preue in sondry wyse But touchyng of so hyghe a pryse Whiche is not vnto Venus knowe I may it not my self knowe Whiche of her courte am al forth draw And can no thyng but of hir lawe But netheles to knowe more As wel as thou / me longeth sore And for it helpeth to comune Of euery thynge in comune The scole of the philophye Yet thynk I for to specyfye In bookes as it is comprehended Wherof thou myghtest be amended For though I be not al connyng Vpon the forme of his wrytynge Somme parte / therof yet I hane herde In this mater how it hath ferd Explicit liber sextus Sequitur Liber septimus

● Mnibus in causis sapiens doctrina salutem / Consequitur nec habet quis nisi dectus opem / Naturam superat doctrina viro quod et ortus / Ingenij docilis non dedit ipsa dabit / Non ita discretus hominum per climata regnat / Quam magis vt sapiat indiget ipse scole /

Quia omnis doctrina bona humano regno salutem confert / in hoc septi mo libro ad instanciam amantis lang uēdi intendit genius illam ex qua philosophi et Astrologi philosophie doctrinam regem Allexandrum inbucrunt secun ● dum aliquid declarare / diuidit enim philosophiam in tres partes / quarum prima Theorica / secunda / Rethorica / Tercia practica nuncupata est / de quarum condicionibus subsequenter per singula tractabit

Incipit liber Septimus I Genius the preest of loue My sone as thou hast praid aboue That I the scole shal declare Of Aristotle and eke the fare Of Alysaundre how he was taught I am somdele therof distraught For it is not the matere Of loue why we sytcen here To shryue as Menus bad But nenertheles for it is glad So as thou seest for thyn apryse To here of suche thynges wyse Wherof thou myght the tyme blysse So as I can I shall the wysse For wysedom is at euery throwe Aboue al other thyng to knowe In loues cause & els where For thy my sone vnto thyn ere Though it be not in the Regystre Of Venus / yet of that Calystre And Aristotle whylome wryte To Alysander thou shalt wyte But for the lores ben dynerse I thynk fyrst to the reherce The nature of the philosophy Whiche Aristotle of his clergy Wyse and experte in the seyence Declared thylke intellygence As of the poyntes in pryncipalle Wherof the first in specialle Is Theoryk / whiche is grounded On hym whiche al the world hath founded Whiche comprehended al that lore And for to loken ouermore Next of seyence the second Is Rethoryk whoos facounde Aboue al other is eloquent To telle a tale in Iugement So wel can no man speke as he The last seyence of the thre Is practyke whoos offyce The vertu tryeth fro the vyce And techeth vppon good thewes To slee the company of shrewes Whiche stant in disposicion Of mannes fre election Practyke enformeth eke the rewle How that a worthy kyng shal rule His realme bothe in werre and pees Lo thys done Aristotles These thre scyrncrs hath deuyded And the nature also decydeed Wherof that eche of hem shall serue The first whiche is conserue And kepar of the remenaunt And that whiche is moost suffysaunt And chyef of the philosophye If I therof shall specyfye So as the philosophre told Now herken / & kepe that thou it holde

Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summi . Qui capit agnoscit sufficit illud ei ▪ Plura vires quandoque iuuat nescire set illud / Qd videt ex pediens sobrius ille sapit /

Hic tractat de prima parte philosophie que theorica dicitur / cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia / scilicet Theologia / Phisica et Mathematica / Set primo illam partem Theoryce declarabit

t F Theoryk pryncipalle The philosopher in specialle The propyrtees hath determyned / And thylk whiche is enlumyned Of wysedom & of hyhe prudence Abone al other in his scyence And stant experte vpon thre The first of whiche in his degree Is cleped in philosophye The scyence of Theologye That other named is phisik The thyrd is seid Mathematyk Theologye is that scyence Whiche vnto man yeueth euydence Of thyng whiche is not bodely Wherof men knowen redyly The hyhe almyghty trynyte Whiche is one god in vnyte Withouten ende and begyunyng And creatoure of al thyng Of heuen of erthe / and eke of helle Wherof as olde bookes telle The philosophre in his reson Wrote vpon his conclusion And of his wrytynge in a clause He cleped god the first cause Whiche of hym self this ylke goode Withouten whome / is nothyng good Of whiche that euery creature Hath his beyng & his nature After the beyng of the thynges There ben the formes of beynges

Nota qd triplex est essencia / prima temporalis que incipit et desinit / Secunda perpetuo que incipit et non desinit Tercia sempiterna que nec incipit nec desimt /

Thyng whiche bygan and ende shal That thyng to cleped temporall There is also by other wey Thyng which bigan & shall not deye As sowles that ben spirituell Here beyng is perpetuel But there is one aboue the sonne Whoos tyme was neuer bigonne And endeles shal euer be That is the god / whoos mageste Al other thynges shall gouerne And his beyng is sempyterne The god / to whome al honoure Belongeth / he is creatoure And other ben his creatures The god commaunded the natures That they to hym obeyen alle Withouten hym what soo bifalle Here myght is none / & he may alle The god was ener & euer shalle And they begonne of his assent The tymes al be present To god and to hem al vnknowe But what hym lyketh that they know Thus bothe an Angel and man The whiche of al that god hygan Be chyef & obeyen to goddes myght And he stont endeles vp ryght To this seyence ben pryue The clerkes of dyuynyte The whiche to the peple prechen The feythe of hooly chirche and techen Whiche in one caas of bileue Stant more than they conne preue By wey of argument sensyble But netheles it is credyble And doth a man grete mede haue To hym that thynketh hym self to saue Theology in suche a wyse Of hyhe seyence and hyhe pryse Aboue al other stant vnlyke And is the first of theoryk

Nota de secunda parte Theoryce / que Phisica dicitur ▪

Phisike is after the second Thurgh which the philosophre hath fonde To techen sondry knowbechynges Vpon the lodelyche thynges Of man of beest of erthe / of stone Of fisshe of fowle of euerychone That ben of dedely substaunce The nature and the circumstaunce Thorugh this scyence it is ful softe Which vaileth not & which vaileth ofte

Nota de tercia parte Theorice que Mathematica dicitur / cuius condicio quatuor in se continet intelligencies / scilicet Ausmetricam / Musicam / Geometriam et Astronomiam / Sed primo de Ausmetrice natura dicere intendit

tHe third poynt of Theoryk Whiche cleped is Mathematyk Deuyded is in soudry wyse And stant vpon dyuerse appryse The first of whiche is ars metryk And the second is said Musik The thyrd is eke gemetrye Also the fourth astronomye Of ars metryk the matere Is that of whiche a man may lere What Algarysme in nombre amounteth When that the wyse man acompteth After the formuel propyrte Of Algarysmes A / b / c By whiche mnltyplycacion Is made and deuysyon Of sommes by experyence Of this arte / & this scyence ▪

Nota de Musica que secunda pars artis Mathematice dicitur

The second of Mathematyk Whiche is the scyence of Musik That techeth vpon armony A man to make melody By voyce soune and Instrūment Thorugh notes of acordement The whiche men pronounce alofte Now sharp notes & now softe Now hye notes & now lowe As by gammuth a man may knowe Whiche techeth the prolacion Of note and the condycion

Nota de tercia specie artis Mathematice quam geometriam vocant

Mathematik of his scyence Hath the thyrd ntellygence Ful of wysedom and of clergy And cloped is Geometye Thorugh which a man hath thylk sleight Of length of brede of depth & of heyght To knowe the proporcion Of very calculacion Of this scyence in this wyse As these old philosophres deuyse Of al this worldes erthe round How large / how thyk was the ground Contryued by this experyence The Cercle and the circumference Of euery thyng vnto the heuen They setten poynte & mesure euen Mathematik aboue the erthe Of hye scyence aboue the ferth Whiche speketh vpon Astronomye And techeth of the sterres hyhe Begynnyng vp ward fro the mone But first as it was for to done This Aristotles in other thyng Vnto this worthy yong kyng The kynde of euery element Whiche stonden vnder the firmament How it is made / and in what wyse Fro poynt to poynt he can deuyse

Quatuor omnipotens elementa creauit origo . Quatuor et venti partibus ora dabat / Nostra q● quadruplici complexis sorte creatur / Corpore sic qy suo stat variatus homo

Hic interim tractat de creacione qua tuor elementorum / scilicet terre / Aque / aeris et ignis . Nec non et eorum naturis nam et sinḡulis proprietates singule attribuuntur

tO fore the creācion Of ony worldes stacion Of heuen of erth & eke of helles So as these olde bookes telles As sone to fore the songe is set And yet to geder knyt Ryght so the hyghe purueaunce Tho had vnder his ordynaunce A grete substaunce a grete matere Of whiche he wold in his manere This other thyng make and forme For yet withouten ony storme Was that mater vnyuersall Whiche his ylem in special Of Ilem as I am enformed These elementes ben made & fourmed Of ylem elementes they hote After the scole of Aristote Of whiche yf more I shal reherce Foure elementes there ben dyuerse

Nota de terra quod est primum elementum

The first of hem erthe men calle Whiche is the lowest of them alle And in his forme is shape round Substancialle / stronge / sadde / & sounde As that whiche made is suffysaunt To bere alle the remenaunt For as the poynte in a compas Stant euen amyddes ryght so was This erthe set & shal abyde That it may swerue to no side Philosophus Vnumquodque naturaliter appetit suum censum And hath his Centre after the lawe Of kynde to that Centre drawe Desyreth euery worldes thyng If there were no lettyng

Nota de aqua quod est secundum elementum

Aboue the erthe kepeth his bounde The water whiche is the second Of elementes and al aboute It vywneth ther withoute But as it sheweth not for thy This subtyle water myghtely Though it be of hym self softe The strengthe of erthe passeth ofte For right as veynes ben of bloode In man right so the water in floode The erthe of his cours maketh dyuerse veynes / As wel the hylle as the pleynes And that a man may see at the eye For where the hylles be moost hye There may men wel stremes fynde So preueth it by wey of kynde The water lyghter than the londe And ouer this now vnderstoude

Nota de aera quod est tercium elementum

Ayer is the thyrd of elemente Of whoos kynde his asperimente Taketh euery lyues creature Whiche shal vpon the erthe endure For as the fysshe yf it be drye Must in defaute of water dye Ryght so withoute eyer on lyue No man ne beest myght pryue The whiche is made of flesshe & bone There is oute take of al none

Nota quod aer in tribus periferijs diuiditur

This ayer in periferijs thre Deuyded is of suche degre Bynethe is one / and one amydde And aboue is set the thyrdde Of whiche vpon deuysyons There ben dyuerse oppressions Of moyst & eke of drye also Whiche by the sonne both two Ben drawe and haled vpon hye And maken clowdes in the skye As shewed is at mannes sight Therof by day and eke by nyght After the tyme of the yere Among vs vpon erthe here

De prima aeris periferia In sondry wyse thynges falle The first peryfery of alle Engendreth myst and ouermore The dewes & the frostes hore After thylk insterticion In whiche they take inpression

De secunda aeris periferia Fro the second as the lookes seyn The moost droppes of the reyn Descenden in to myddel erthe And tempereth it to sede and e●the And doth to spryng gras & floure And ofte also the grete sho●re Oute of suche place it may be take That it the forme shal forsake Of reyne / & in to snowe be torned And eke it may be so soiourned In sondry places vp alof●● ●hat in to hayle / it torneth ofte

De tercia aeris periferia The thyrd of ayer after the lawe Thorugh suche matere as vp is drawe Of drye thyng as it is ofte Among the clowdes vpon lofte And is so close it may not oute Than is it chased sore aboute Tyll it to fyre and leyte it falle And it breketh the clowdes alle The whiche of so grete noyse craken That they the f●rfull noyse maken The thonder stroke smyte or it lyght And yet men sene the fire ful ryght The thonder stroke or that men here So may it wel be proued here In thyng whiche shewed is fro f●r● A mans eye is there ne●● Than is the second to mannes ●●● And nethe●es it is grete fere Bothe of the stroke & of the fire Of whiche is no recouyre In place where that they descende But yf god wold his grace sende

Nota qualiter ignes quos no●antu● in ●ere diseu●●ere videmus secundum varias apparentes formas varia gestant nomina quorum primus / Assub Secuudus Capra saliens / tercius / eges Et quartus daali libus philosophorum nuncupatus est /

● No for to speken ouer this In this parte of the ayer it is That men ful ofte seen by nyght The fyre in sondry forme alyght Somtyme the fire drake it semeth And the lewde peple it demeth Somtyme it semeth as it were After whiche that glydeth there But it is nether of the two The philosophre telleth so And seith that of Impressions Thorugh dyuerse exaltacions Vpon the cause and the matere Men sene dyuerse forme appere Of fyre whiche hath sondry name Assub he said is thylke same The whiche in sondry place is founde When it is downe to the grounde So as the fire it hath anheled Lyke vnto slyme whiche is congeled Of exaltacions I fynde Fyre kendeleth of the same kynde But it is in another forme Wherof I shall conforme The fygure vnto that it is These old clerkes tellen this For it is lyke a gote skyppyng And for it is suche semyng It is hote Capra saliens And these Astronomyens Another fire also by nyght Whiche sheweth hym to mans fight They clepen eges / the whiche brenneth Lyke to the curraunt fire it renneth Vpon a corde as thou hast sene When it with powdre was so besene Of sulphur / & thre thynges mo There is another fire also Whiche semeth to a mannes eye By nyghtes tyme as though ther f●y● A dragon brennyng in the sky And that is cleped propyrly Baasy / wherof men sene fallen ofte ●o where the fyry drake alofte Fleeth vpon the eyer / & soo they semen But why the fires so semen Of sondry formes to beholde The wyse philosophre tol● So as the fore it hath ●en herd ●o thus my sone how it ferd Of ayre the due propyrte In sondry wyse thou myght see And how vnder the firmament It is ●ke the thyrd element Whiche enuyronned bothe the two The water and the sonde also

Nota de igne quod est quartum elementum

And for to telle ouer this Of elementes the whiche the fourth is That is the fire in his degre The whiche enuyroneth the other thre And is withoute moyste al drye But lyst now what seyth the clergye For vpon hem that I haue seyd The c●●atour hath set & leyd The kynde and the complexion Of al mennes nacion Foure elementes sondry ther be Lyche vnto whiche in that degre Among the men ther ben also Complexions foure and no mo Wherof the philosophre treteth That he no thyng behynde leteth And seyth how that they ben dyuerse So as I shall to the reherce

Nota hic aualiter secundum naturam quatuor elementorum quatuor in humano ●●rpore complexionis scilicet Melencolica / Fleuma / Sangnis et colera naturaliter constituuntur / vnde primo de melencolica dicendum est

● E whiche natur●d euery kynde The myghty god so as I fynde Of man whiche is his creature Hath so deuyded the nature That none ty● other wel acordeth And by this cause it so discordeth The lyf whiche feleth the sykernesse May stonde vpon no sykernesse Of the erthe whiche is cold & drye The kynd of man Melencolye Is cleped / & that is the first The moost vngoodlyest & the werst For vnto loues werke on nyght Hym lacketh bothe wylle and myght No wondre is in lusty place Of loue though he lese grace What man hath that complexion Is ful of ymagynacion Of dedes & of wrongful thought He fretyth hym self al to nought The water whiche is moyst & colde Maketh fleume whiche is many fold

De complexione Fleumatis Foryeteful slowe and wery soone Of euery thyng whiche is to done He is of kynde suffisaunt To hold loue his couenaunt But to hym lacketh appety●● Whiche longeth vnto suche delyte What man that taketh his kynd o● the ay●● He shal be lyght / he shall be f●yre

De complexione sanguinis Fyrst his complexion is bloode Of al there is none so good Forth he hath bothe wylle & myght To plese and pay loue his right Where he hath loue vndertake Wrong is yf he be forsake The fire of his condicion Appropreth the complexion Whiche in a m●n is cold hote Whoos propirt●●s ben drye & hote It maketh a man to be engynous And swyfte of foote & ●ke yrous Of conteke & ●ke ful of hastynesse He hath a ryght grete besynesse To thynk on loue and lytel m●y Though he be hote wel ● day On nyght when that he wol assay He may ful euyll his dette pay

Nota qualiter quatuor complexionis quatuor in homine hūacōnes diui●●m possident

After the kynde of the element Thus stant a mannes kynde went As touchyng his complexion Vpon sondry dyuysyon Of drye of moyst / of colde of hete And eche of hem his owne sete Appropred hath within a man And first to telle as I began

Splen domus est melancolie

The splen is to Melencolye Assigned for herborgery

Pulmo domus est fleumatis

The moyste fleume the whiche is cold Hath in the longes for his holde Ordeyned hym a propre stede And dwelleth there as he is bede

Epar domus est sanguiuis

To the sanguyne complexion Nature of his inspection A propre hows hath in the lyuer For his dwellyng made delyuer

Fel domus colere The fourth coloure with his het● By wey of kynde his propre sete Hath in the g●lle where he dwelleth So as the philosophre telleth

Nota de stom●cho qui vna cum alijs specialius deseruit

Now ouer ●●●s is for to wyte As it is in phisike wryte Of lyuer / longe / of galle / of splene They al vnto the herte bene Seruanntes and eche in his offyce Entendeth to doo hym seruyce As whiche is lord aboue The lyuer maketh hym for to loue The longes gyue hym wey of speche The galle serueth to doo wreche The splene doth hym to laugh & play Whan al vnclennes is away Loo thus hath eche of hem in dede To suffren hem and fede In tyme of recreacion Nature hath increacion The stomake for a comune koke Ordeyneth so as seith the booke The stomak / Cook / is for the halle And boyleth mete for hem alle To make hem myghty for to serue The herte that he shall not sterue For a kyng in his empyre Aboue al other is lord & syre So is the herte pryncipall To whome reson in special Is yeue as for the gouernaunce And thus nature his purueaunce Hath for man to lyuen here But god the whiche the sowle de●● Hath formed it in other wyse That can no man pleynly deuyse But as Clerkes vs enforme That lyche to god it hath a forme Thorugh whiche forme and lykenesse The sowle hath many an hye noblesse Appropred to his owne kynde But of hi● wyt be made blynde Al onlyche of this ylk poynte That hir abydyng is conioynte For with the body for to dwelle That one desireth toward the helle That other vpward vnto heuen So shold they neuer stond in en●n But yf the flesshe be ouercome And that the sowle haue hooly nome The gouernaunce and that is selde Whyle that the flesshe may he welde Al crthely thyng whiche god began Wao only made to serue man But the sowle al only made Hym seluen for to serue and glade And other beestes that men fynde They serue vnto hir owne kynde But to reson the sowle serueth Wherof the man his thonke deserueth And gete hym with his werkes good The perdurable syues foode

hIc loquitur vlterius de diuisione terre . ●ue post deluuium t●bus filijes Noe in tres partes seilicet Asiam / aff●●cam & Europam diuidebatur

oF that mater it shall be told A tale lyketh many fold The better yf it be spoke pleyne Thus 〈…〉 I for to torne ageyne And telle pleynly therfore Of the erthe / wherof now to fore I spake and of the waters eke So as these old clerkes speke And set propyrly the bounde After the forme of mappamounde Thorugh which the greund in partyes Departed is in thre partyes That is Asye / Affryke / Europe The whiche vnder the heuen cope Beg●ypeth al this erthe rounde As serre as stretcheth ony grounde But after that the hyhe wreche The water weyes lete oute feche And ouer goo the hylles hye Whiche euery kynde made dye That vpon myddel erthe stood Oute take Noe / & his bloode His sone & his doughters thre They were saue / & so was he Her names who that rede ryght Sem / Cam / Iaphet / the bretheren hyght And when thylk almyghty honde Withdre we the water fro the londe And al the rage was away And erthe was the mans weye The sones thre / of whiche I told Ryght after that them self wold This world departe they begonne Asia the whiche lyeth to the sonne Vpon the marche of Oryent Was graunted by a comune assent To whome whiche was sone oldest For that partye was the best And double as moche as other two And was that tyme bounded soo Wher as the flode whiche men nyle calleth Departed fro his cours & falleth In the see Alle●andryne There taketh Asye first sesyne Towards the west . & ouer this Of Cana hym where the flood is In to the grete see rennende Fro that in to the worldes ende After Asy it is algates Till that men comen vnto the gates Of paradys and there hoo And shortely for to speke it so Of Oryent in generall Within his bounde Assy hath all●

Nota hic de Affrica et Europa

And than vpon that other side Westward as it felle thylk tyde The brother whiche hyghte cam Vpon his parte Affryke nam Iaphet Europe tho took he Thus par●●d they the world in thr● But yet ther ben of londes fele In occident as for the chele In oryent as for the hete Whiche of the peple be forlete As londe deserte that is vnable For it may not be erable

Nota de mare quod magnum Occeanum diatur

The water eke hath sondry bounde After the londe where it is founde And taketh his name of thylk londes Where that it renne on the strondes But thylke see whiche no wane Is cleped the grete Occeane Oute of whiche aryse and come The hye floodes al and some Is none so lytell wel spryng Whiche there ne taketh his begynnyng Lyche a man that haleth brethe By wey of kynde so it gethe Oute of the see / and in ageyne The water as the bookes seyne

Nota hic secundum philosophum de quinto elemento quod omnia sub celo creata infra suum ambitum continet cui nomen orbis specialiter appropriatum est

oF elementes the propyrtees How that they stonden vy degrees As I haue told now myght thou here My good soone al the matere Of erthe / of water ayre and fire And for thou seist that thy desire Is for to wyten ouermore The forme of Aristotles lore He seeth in his entendement That yet there is an element Aboue the foure / & is the fyfthe Set of the hyghe goddes yefte The whiche that orbis cleped is And therupon he telleth this That as the shelle hole and sounde Encloseth al aboute rounde What thyng within an eye belongeth Right so this orbis vnderfongeth These elementes euerychone Whiche I haue spoke of one & one But ouer this now take good hede My sone for I wol procede To speken vpon Mathematyst Whiche grounded is on Theoryk The scyence of Astronomye I thynke for to specyfye Withoute whiche to telle pleyne Al other scyence is in veyne Toward the scole of crthely thynges For as an egle with his wynges Fleeth aboue that al men fynde So doth this scyence in his kynde

Lege planetarum magis magis in feria reguntur / Ista sed incedum regula fallit opus / Vir mediante deo sapi●̄s dominabitur astris / Fata nec inmerit● quod nouitatis agunt /

Hic loquitur de artis Mathematice quarta specie que astronomia nuncupatur / cui eciam Astrologia socia connumeratur / Sed primo de septem planetis que inter astra potenciores existunt Incipiendo a linea seorsum tractare intendit

bynethe vpon this erthe here Of al thynges the matere As tellen vs they that ben lerned Of thyng aboue it stonte gouerned That is to seyen of the planetes The cheles bothe and eke the hetes The chambre of the world also That we fortune clepen soo Among the mennes nacion All is thorugh constellacion Wherof that somme man hath the wele And somme men haue dyseses fele In loue as wel as other thynges The state of reames & of kynges In tyme of pees / in tyme of werre It is conceyued of the sterre And thns saith the naturyen Whiche is an Astronomyen But the dyuyne seith other wyse That yf men were good and wyse And plesaunt vnto the godhede They shold not the sterres drede For one man yf hym wel befalle Is more worth than they be alle Towards hym that weldeth alle But yet the lawe orygenalle Whiche he bath set in the natures More worchen in creatures That therof may be none obstacle But yf it stant vpon myracle Thorugh prayer of somme hooly man And for thy so as I bigan To speke vpon astronomye As it is wryte in the clergye To telle how the planetes fare Somme parte I thynke to declare My sone vnto thy audyence Astronomye is the seyence Of wys●dom and of his connyng Which maketh a man haue knowleching Of sterres in the firmament Fygure ●●res● and mocment Of eche of h●m in sondry place And what ●irwene hem is of space 〈…〉 so the mone stant fast 〈…〉 at the laste 〈…〉 with Astronomye I 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 Astrologye ●●● whiche in jugement acompteth T●● 〈…〉 what euery sterre amounteth And 〈…〉 they causen many a wonder To the clymates that stant vnder And for to telle it more pleyne T●●s● 〈◊〉 ●● philosophres seyne That 〈…〉 whiche I spak of er ●● that whiche the erthe a fer 〈…〉 t and fi●●●ament it calle In whiche the sterres stonden alle Among the whiche in speaalle Plenctes seuen pryncipalle There ben that manues sight demeth But thorugh oute as vs semeth And also ther ben signes twelue Which haue these clerkis by hem selue Compassed in the ●odyak In whiche they haue hir places take And as they stonden in degre Here cercles more or lesse be Made after the proporcion Of the erthe whoos condicion Is set to be fundament To susteyne vp the firmament And by this skylle a man may know The more that they stonden lowe The more ben the Cercles lasse That causeth why that somme passe Her due cours to fore another But now my lyeue dere broder As thou desivest for to wyte What I fynde in the bookes wryte To telle the of planetes seuen How that they stond vpon the heuen And in what poynte that they ben in Take hede for I wylle begyn So as the philosopher it taught To Alysander and he it raught Wherof that he was ful betaught Of wysedom whiche was hym betaught

Nota hic de prima planeta que alnes inferior luna dicitur

Bynethe al other stont the mone Which hath with the see to done Of stoodes hyghe & ●bbes lowe Vppon his chaunge it shal be knowe And euery fysshe whiche hath a schelle Mo●e in his gouernaunce dwelle To weye & wane in his degre As by the mone a man may see And al that stont vpon the grounde Of his moysture it must be founde Al other sterres as men fynde By shynyng of hir owne kynde Oute take only the mone lyght Whiche is not of hym self bryght But as he taketh it of the sonne And yet he hath not al full wonne His lyght that he nys somdele derke But what the let is of that werk In all mageste it telleth this The mones Cercle soo lowe is Wherof the sonne oute of stage He seeth hym not with full vysage For he with grounde so shaded That the mone is somdele faded And may not fulle shyne clere But what man vnder his powere Is bore / he shall his places chaunge And seche many londes straunge And of his condycyon The mones disposicion Vpon the londe of Almayne Is set and eke vpon britayne Whiche now is cleped Englond For they trauayle in euery lond

De secunda planeta que Mercurius diciture

Of the planetes the second Aboue the mone hath take his bond Mercurye and his nature is this That vnder hym who that bore is In book he shall be studyous And in wrytyng curyous And slouthe & lustles in trauayle In thyng whiche els myght auayle He loueth ese he loueth reste So is he not the worthyest But yet with somdele besynesse His herte is set vpon rychesse And as in this condycion The effect and disposicion Of this planete of his chaunce Is moost in Burgoyne & in Fraunce

De tercia planeta que Venus dicitur

Next to Mercurye as wylle befalle Stant the planets whiche men calle Venus whoos constellacion Gouerneth al the nacion Of loues whether they spede or none Of whiche I trowe thou be one But whether ward thy happes wende Shall this planete she we at ende As it hath do to many mo To somme we le / to somme woo And netheles of this planete The moost party is softe and swete For who that therof taketh his byrthe He shall desire ioye and myrthe Gentyl curtoys and debonayre To speke his wordes softe and fayre Snche shalle he be by wey of kynde And ouerall where he may fynde Plesaunce of loue his herte loueth With al his myght / and ther he woweth He is so ferforth amerous He note what thyng is vycyo●●s Touchyng for that lawe There may no maner man withdrawe The whiche Veneryen is bore By wey of kynde / and therfore Venus of loue the goddesse Is cleped but of wantonnesse The clymate of hir lecherye Is moost comune in lumbardye

Nota de sole qui medio planetaram residens Astrorum principatum obtinet

Next vnto the planetes of loue The bryght sonne stont aboue Whiche is the hynderer of the nyght And f●rthereth of the dayes lyght As he whiche is the worldes ●ye Thorugh whome the lusty companye Of fowles by the morol●e synge The fresshe floures sprede and spryng The hye tree the ground beshadeth And euery mans herte gladeth For it is the hede planete Now that he sytteth in his sete Of what rychesse and what nobleye These bookes telle and thus they seye

Nota de curru solis necnon de eius dem apparatu /

oF gold glispering spole & whele The sonne his carte hath fayr & we le / In which he sytteth & is coroned With bryght stones enuyroned Of whiche yf that I speke shal There be to fore in specialle Set in the frounte of his corone H●● stones whiche no persone Hath vpon erthe / and the fyrst is By name cleped Lycuthis That other two ben cleped thus Astryces and Seramyus In his Corone also behynde By old bookes as I fynde There ben of worthy stones thre Set eche of his degre Wherof a Cristal is that one Whiche that Coroune it set vpone The second is an admaunt The thyrd is noble and aduenaunt Whiche cleped is ydryates And ouer this yet netheles ●o●●n the sydes of the werk After the wrytyng of the clerk There syt / ● / stones ●●o The smaragdyne is one of tho ●os●●s and Elithropius And dendydes and Iacinctus Loo thus the Corowne is byset Wherof it shyneth wel the bet And in suche wyse his lyght to sprede Syt with his Dyademe on his hede The sonne shynyng in his carte And for to lede hym swythe & smarte After the bryght dayes lawe There ben ordeyned for to drawe Four horses his chare & hym with all Wherof the names telle I shall Ertheus the first is hote The whiche is tede shynyng hote The second acteos the bryght Lampes the thyrde hors hyght And philogeus is the ferth That bryngeth lyght in to this erthe And gone so swyft vpon the heuen In foure & twenty houres euen The carte with the bryght sonne They drawe so that ouer ronne They haue vnder the Cercles hyghe Al myddel erthe in suche an hyghe And thus the sonne is oueral The chyef planete Imperiall Aboue hym / and bynethe hym thre And thus bitwene tweyne renneth he As he that hath the myddel place Among the seuen & of the face Be glad al erthely creatures And taken after the natures Here ease and recreacion And in his Constellacion He that is bore in speciall Of good wylle & of lyberall He shalle ●e founde in al place And also stonden in myddel grace Toward the lordes for to serue And grete profyte & thonke deserue And ouer that it causeth yet A man to be subtyle of wytte To worche in gold to be wyse In euery thyng that is of pryse But for to speken in what Coost Of al this erthe he regneth moost As for wysedom it is in grece Where is appropred thylke spece

Nota de quinta planeta que mars dicitur

Mars the planete batayllous Next to the sonne glorious Aboue stant & doth meruaylles Vpon the fortune of batayles The Conquerours by dayes olde Were vnto this planete holde But who that his natyuyte Hath taken vpon the propyrte Of Martes disposicion By weye of constellacion He shall be fers and ful hastyf And desirous of werre and strif But for to telle redyly In what clymate moost contynuelly That this planete hath his affect Said is that he hath his aspect Vpon the hooly londe so cast That there is no pees stedfaste

Nota de sexta planeta que Iubiter dicitur

Aboue mars vpon the heuen The sixthe planete of the seuen Stant Iubiter he delycate Whiche causeth pees and no debate For he is cleped that planete Whiche of his kynde cold & heete Attempreth all that to hym longeth And whom this planete vnderfongeth To stonde vpon his rayment He shall be meke and pacyent And fortunate to marchaundye And lusty to delycacye In euery thyng whiche he shal d● This Iubiter is cause also Of the scyence of highe werkes And in this wyse tellen clerkes He is the planete of delyces But in Egypt of his offices He renneth moost in specialle For there be lustes oueralle Of al that to this lyf befalleth For there no stormy weder falleth Whiche myght greue man or beest And ●●e the londe is so honest That it is plentyuous and pleyne There is no ydell ground in veyne And vpon suche felycite Stant Iubiter in his degre

De septima planeta que reliquis celcior Saturuus dictus est

The hyest and abouen alle Stant the planete whiche men calle Saturnus whos complexion Is cold and his condicion Causeth malyce and cruelte To hym whoos natyuyte Is set vnder his gouernaunce For al his werkes ben greuaunce And enemy to mans hele In what degre that he shalle dele His clement is the oryent Where that he is moost vyolent Of the planetes by & by How that they stonde vpon the sky Fro poynt to poynt as thou myght here Was Alysander made to lere But ouer this touchyng his lore Of thyng that they hym taught more Vpon the scoles of Clergy Now herken the philosophy

Postquam dictum est de septem planet●s quibus sigule septimane dies sin gulariter attitulantur dicendum est ●ā de duodecim signis / per quem duodecim menses anni varijs temporibus effectus varijs assecuutur

He whiche departed day fro nyght That one derk / & that other lyght Of seuen dayes made a wyke A moneth of foure wekes eke He hath ordeyned in his lawe Of monethes xij & eke forth drawe He hath also the long yere And as he sette of his powere Accordaunt to the dayes seuen Planetes seuen vpon the heuen As thou to fore host herde deuyse To speke right in suche a wyse To euery moneth by hym selue Vpon the heuen of signes twelue He hath after his ordynalle Assigned one in specialle Wherof so as I shall reherce The tydes of the yere dyuerse But pleynly for to make it knowe How that the signes set arowe Eche after other by degre In substaunce and in propyrte The ydyote comprehendeth Within his Cercle it appendeth

Nota hic de primo signo quod Aries diatur / cuius mensis specialiter mar 〈◊〉 appropriatus est / Quo deus in primo produxit adesse creata

The whiche of the fyrst netheles By name is cleped Aryes Whiche lyche a wether of stature Resembled is in his figure And as it is seyd in almageste Of sterres twelue vpon the beste Bene set / wherof in his degre The w●●e hath two / the hede hath thre The tayle hath seuen / and in this wyse As thou myght here me deuyse S●●nt Aryes whiche hote & drye 〈…〉 of hym self and in partye 〈…〉 s the receyte & the howse Of myghty mars the bataylouse And euermore ●ke as I fynde The creatonre of al kynde V●on 〈◊〉 is si● ne first bygan The world when that he made man And of his constellacion The very operacion Auayleth yf a man therin The purpoos of his werke bigyn For than he hath of propyrte Good spede and felycyte The twelue monethes of the yere Attytled vnder the powere Of these twelue signes stonde Wherof that thou shalt vnderstonde This Aryes one of the twelue Hath marche attitled for hym selue Whan euery byrd shall chese his make That euery Adder and euery , suake And euery reptyle whiche may moue His myght assayeth for to proue To crepen oute ageynst the sonne Whan vere his season hath begonne

Secundum signum dicitur ●aur●●s cuiu● mensis est Apr●●●s Quo prius occulta● inuenit herba vi● as /

Caurus the second after this Of signes whiche fygured is Vnto a boole is drye and cold And as it is in bookes told He is the hows appertynaunt To Venus somdele discordaunt This boole is eke with sterres sette Thurgh which he hath his hornes knee Vnto the tayle of Aryes So is he not there sterreles Vpon his brest eyghten He hath & eke as it is sene Vpon his tayle stante there other moe His monethe assigned eke also Is aureel whiche of show●es Mynystreth wey vnto the floures

Tercium signum dicitur gemini c●●●us mensis mayus est Quo volucrum cantus gaudet de floribus cetis

The thyrd signe is gemyny Whiche is figured redyly Lyche to the twynnes of one kyn●e That naked stonden / and as I fynde They ben with sterres wel y goo The hede hath parte of thylke two That shyne vpon the booles tayle So ben they bothe of one paray●e But of the womle of gemini Ben fyue sterres not for thy And eke vpon the feete ben tw●● And so these olde bookes seye That wyse tholemeus wrote His propre monthe wel I wote Assygned is the lusty maye Whan euery brydde vpon his laye Emonge the grene leues syngeth And loue of his poynture styngeth After the lawes of nature The yongthe of euery creature

Quartum signum cancer dicitur cuius mensis iunius est / Quo falcat pra●is pabula tonsor equis

Cancer after the rule of space Of signes holde the fyrst place Lyke to the crabbe he hath resemblaunce And hath vnto his retynaunce Xvj sterres wherof ten So as these olde wyse men Discr●ueth bereth on hym tofore And in the myddel two ben bore And iiij he hath vpon his ende Thus goeth he sterred in his kynde And of hym self is moyste & colde And he is the propre hows & holde Whiche apperteyneth to the mone And doeth what longeth hym to done The monthe of Iune vnto this signe Thou shalt after the rule assygne

Quintum signum leo dicitur cuius mensis Iulius est

The fyfthe signe is leo hote Whos kynde is shape bothe drye & hote In whom the sonne hath herbegage And the semblaunce of his ymage Is a lyon whiche in bayllye Of stertes hath his purpartye The four whiche as cancer hath Vpon his ende leo hath Vpon his heed & than nexte He hath eke four vpon his breste And vpon his tayle behynde In olde bookes as we fynde His propre month is Iule by name In which men playen many a game

Sextum signum virgo dicitur cuius mensis augustus dicitur / Quo vacuata prius pubes replet horrea messis

After leo virgo nexte Of signes cleped is the sexte Wherof the fygure is a mayde And as the phylosophre sayde She is the welthe and the rysyng The lust the ioye & the lykyng Vnto mercurye & sothe to saye She is with sterres wel besaye Wherof leo hath lente hir one Whiche sette on hye hir heed vpon Hir wombe hath v / hir feet also Haue other fyue and euer mo Towchyng as of complexyon By kyndely dysposycion Of drye & colde this mayden is And for to tellen ouer this Her monthe thou shalt vnderstonde Whan euery felde hath corne on honde And many a man his backe hath plied Vnto this signe is august aplyed

Septimum signum libra dicitur cuius mensis septembris est , Vinea quo bachum pressa liquore colit

After virgo to rekene euen Libra syt in the nombre of heuen Whiche hath figure & resemblaunce Vnto a man whiche a balaunce Bereth in his honde as for to weye In book as it may be seye Dyuers sterres to hym longeth Wherof he vnderfongeth First thre & eke his wombe hath two And doun benethe viij other to The signe is hote & moyste bothe The whiche thynges be not lothe Vnto Venus so that a lofte She resteth in his hows ful ofte And eke saturnus often hyed Is in the sygne and magnefyed His propre monthe is said septembre Whiche yeueth men cause to remembre If ony sore be lefte behynde Of thyng whiche greue may by kynde

Octau●m signum soorpio dicitur cuius mensis octobris est / Floribus ●xclusis yemps qui ●auitor extat

Amonge the signes vpon heyghte The signe whiche nombred is eyghte Is soorpyo whiche as felon Fygured to a soorpyon But for al that neuerthelesse Is soorpyo yet not sterlesse For libra graunteth hym his ende Of vin sterres where he wende T●● whiche vpon his heed assysed He bereth & thre eke ben deuysed Vpon his wombe sterres thre And v●● vpon his tayle hath he Whiche of kynde is moyste & colde And vnbehouely many a folde He ba●meth venus and empe●reth But mars vnto his hows repeyreth But ware whan they to gyder dwellen His propre monthe is as men t●llen O●to● re whiche bryngeth the kalende Of wynter that cometh nexte suende

Nonum signum sagittarius dicitur cu●us mensis nouembris est . Qui mustum libulo linquit sua nomina vino

Th● 〈◊〉 ●●●●ne in nouembre also Whiche foloweth after scorpio Is eleped sagittarius Whos figure is marked thus A monstre with a bowe in honde On whom that sondry sterres stonde Thylke v●i● of whiche I spake tofore The whiche vpon the tayle be lor● Of scorpyo the heed al fayre Be spredden of the sagittayre And vii● of other stonden euen Vpon his wombe & other seuen There stonden vpon his tayle behynde And he is hote & drye of kynde To jubyter his hows is free But to marcurye in his degree For they be not of one assent He wercheth grete empeyrement This signe to his properte A month whiche of his deute After the seson that befalleth The plough oxe in wynter stalleth After fyre in to the halle it bryngeth And ●ke of whiche men syngeth He torneth must in to the wyne Than is the larde of the swyne That is nouembre whiche I mene Whan that the leef hath loste his grene

Decimum signum capricornius vicitur cuius mensis decembris est ipse diem nauo nectem que giganti figurat

The x signe drye and colde The whiche is capricornus colde Vnto a ghoot hath resemblaunce For whos loue & acqueyntaunce Within his hows to sorourne It liketh vnto satourne But vnto the mone it liketh nought For no prouffyte is there wrought The signe as of his propyrte Vpon his heed hath sterres thre And eke vpon his wombe two And two vpon his tayle also Decembre after the yeres forme So as the bookes vs enforme ●yth dayes shorte & nyghtes longe This ylke signe hath vnderfenge

Vndecimum signum aquarius dicitur cuius mensis ●anuarius est / Quo ianus vultum dup●● conuertit in annum

Of two that si●ten vpon the heuen Of signes in the nombre enleuen Aquarius hath take his place And stante wel in saturnus grace Whiche dwelleth in his berbegage But to the sonne he doth outrage This signe is berayly resembled Like to the man which hath assembled In eyther honde a water spoute Wherof the stremes rennen out He is of kynde moyste and hote And he that of the sterres wote Seyth that he hath of sterres twoo Vpon his heed & ben of ●ho That capricorn hath on his ende And as the bokes maken mynde That tholomeus made hym self He hath eke on his womle twelf And two vpon his ende stonde Thou shalt also vnderstonde Tho frosty colde ryuere Whan comen is the newe yere That ●anus wyth double face In his chayer hath take his place And loketh vpon bothe sydes Somme dele toward the wynter tydes Somme dele to ward the yere suyng That is the monthe bylongyng Vnto this sygne & of his dole Ye yeueth the fyrst prymerole

Duo decimum signum psicis dicitue cuius mensis februarius est ▪ Quo pluuie torrens riparum concitat ampnes

The xi● signe is laste of alle Of signes pisces men it calle The whiche is as telleth the scripture Beteth of two fysshes the fygure So is he colde and moyste of kynde And eke wyth sterres as I fynde Beset in son●ry wyse as thus Two of his ende aquarius Hath lente vnto his heed & two This signe hath of his owne also Vpon his wombe & ouer this Vpon his ende also there is A nombre of xx sterres righte Which is to seen wonder sight Toward this signe in to his hous Cometh ●ubyter glorious And venus eke with hym accordeth To dwellen as the book recordeth The month but to this signe ordeyneth Is february which be reyned And with londe flodes in his rage That fordes letteth the passage Now hast thou herde the properte Of signes but in this degree Albumazare yet ouer this Seyth so as the erthe parted is In four right so ben deuysed The signes twelue and stonde assised That eche of hem in his partye Hath his clymate to ●ustefye Wherof the first regyment Toward the parte of orryent From antioche and that contre Gouerned is of signes thre That is cancer virgo leo And toward thoc●●dent also From Armenye as I am lerned Of capricorn it stant gouerned Of piscis and aquarius And after hem I fynde thus Southward fro alisaunder forth Tho signes whiche moste ten worth In gouernaunce of that dayayre Librn they ben and sagittayre With soorpyo whiche is conioynt With hem & stante vpon the poynt Of constantynople the cyte So as the bookes tallen me The last of this dyuysion Stant outward septemtryon Where as by weye of pourue●un●e Aryes hath the gouernaunce Forth with Taurus and gemini Thus ben the signes propirly Deuyded as it is ●hersed Wherof the londes ben dyuersed Loo thus my sone as thou myght here Was Alysander made to lere Of hem that werken for his lore But now to loken ouermore Of other sterres how they fare I thynke herafter for to declare So as kyng Alysander in youthe Of hem that suche thynges couthe Enformed was tofore his eye By nyght vpon the sterres hyhe

Hic tractat super doctrina Nectanabi / dum ipse Iuuenem Allexandrum instruxit de illis precipue quindecim stellis vna eorum lapidibus et herbis ●ue ad artis Magice naturalis operaci onem specialius conueniunt

vPon sondry creacion Stant sondry operacion Some worth this some worth that / The fire is hote in his estat And brenneth what he may attryne The water may the fire restreyne The whiche is cold and moyst also Of other thyng it fareth also Vpon the erthe among vs here And for to speke in this manere Vpon the heuen as men may fynde There sterres ben of sondry kynde And worchen many sondry thynges To be that ben hir vnderlynges Among the whiche forth with alle Nectanabus in specialle Whiche was an Astronomyen And eke a grete magycyen And vndertake hath thylke empryse To Alysander in his appryse As of magyke naturele To knowe enformed hem somdele Of certeyne sterres what they mene Of whiche he seith th●● ben fyftene And sonderly to euerychone A gras belongeth and a stone Wherof men worchen many a wonder To set thyng lothe vp and vnder

Prima stella vocatur Alde●oran / cuius carbunculus et herba anabulla est

To telle right as he bigan The first sterre Alde●oran The clerest and the moost of alle By right name men it calle Whiche is of condicion To mars and of compleyion To Venus and hath therupon Carbuncle his propre stone His herbe is anabulla named Whiche is of grete vertu proclamed

Secunda stella vocatur Clota seu pliades cuins lapis cristallum et herba funiculus est

The second is not vertules Clota or els plyades Is hote and of the mones kynde He is and also this I fynde He taketh of mars complexion And lyche to suche condicion His stone appropred is Cristalle And eke his herbe in specialle The vertuous Fenel it is The thyrdde whiche cometh after this

Tercia stella vocatur Algol ▪ cuius la pis Diamans et herba Eleborum nigrum est

Is hote Algol the clere rede Whiche of Saturne as I may t●de His kynde taketh and eke of Io●e Complexion to his beloue His propre stone is Dyamant Whiche is to hym moost acordaunt His herbe whiche is hym betake Is hote E●●●pum the blake

Quarta stella vocatur Alhaiot / cuius lapis ●aphi●s et herba maribium est

So as it falleth vpon ●●tte The fourthe sterre is Albaiotte Whiche in the wyse as I said et Of saturne and of ●ubiter Hath take his kynde and therupon Saphire is his propre stone Ma●bium his herbe also The whiche acorden to the two Quint● stella vocatut canis mator cu ius lapis ber●●●us et herba sauina est And canis maior in his lyke The fifth sterre is of magyke The whoos kynde is veneryen As seith this Astronomyen His propre stone is said beryll But for to worche and to fulfylle Thynge whiche to this scyence falleth There is an herbe whiche men calleth Saueyne / and that he behoueth nede To hym that wol his purpoos spede

Sexta stella vocatur canis minor cuius lapis Arc●ates et herba primula est

The sixth sewyng after this By name canis minor is The whiche sterre is mer●●ryall By wey of kynde and forth with all As it is wryten in the carte Complexion he taketh of marte His stone and herbe as seith the scole B●● Achat●s and prymerole

Septima stella vocatur A●a● / cuius lapis garg●●●●● & herba c●●idonia est

The ryght sterre in speciall Of this seyence is Ariall Whiche sondry nature vndersongeth The stone whiche propre vnto hym longeth / Gargonaza propyrly it hyght His herbe also whiche he shall ryght Vpon the worchyng as I mene Is selidone fresshe and grene

Octaua stella vocatur Ala corui cuius lapis honochinus et herba lappacia est

Sterre ala corui vpon heyght Hath take his place in nombre of eyght Whiche of his kynde must performe The wylle of marte and of saturne To whome ●appacia the grete Is herbe but no beyete His stone is Honochinus hote Thorugh which men worchen grete ryote

Nona stella vocatur Alaezel / cuius lapis Smaragdis et herba salgea est

The nynthe sterre faire and we le By name is hote Alaezele Whiche taketh his propre kynde thus Bothe of mercurye and of Venus His stone is grene Emerawde To whome is gyuen many a laude Soulge is his herbe appertynaunt Abouen alle the remenaunt

Decima stella Vocatur Almareth cuius lapis Iaspis est et herba plantago est /

The tenthe sterre is Almareth Whiche vpon lyf and vpon deth Thorugh kynde of Iubiter & of marte He doth what longeth to his parte His stone is ●asper and of plantayne He hath his herbe souerayne

●●ndecima stella vocatur venenas cuius lapis adamans et herba ci●o●●a ●

The ●●●euenth storre is venenas The whoos nature is as it was Take of Venus and of the mone In thynge whiche he hath for to done Of Adamaunt is that perrye In whiche he worcheth his maystrye Thylke herbe also which hym befalleth Cicorea the booke it calleth

Duodecima stella vocatur Alpheta cu ius lapis topasyon et hetha rosamarina est ▪

Alpheta in the nombre syt And is the twelft sterre yet Of Scorpio whiche is gouerned And taketh his kynde as I am lerned And hath his vertue in the stone Whiche cleped is Topasione His herbe his propre rosemaryne Whiche shapen is for his couyne

Tercia decima stella vocatur cor scorpionis / cuius lapis Sardis et herba as trilogie est

Of these sterres whiche I mene Cor Scorpionis is the thyrtene The whoos nature marte and Ioue Haue youen vnto his behoue His herbe is Astrologye Whiche foloweth his Astronomye The stone whiche that this sterre alloweth / Is Sardys whiche to hym loweth /

Quarte decima vocatur botercadent cuius lapis Crisolitus et herba saturea est

The sterre whiche stant next to the last Nature of hym this name cast And cleped hym botercadent Whiche of his kynde is obedyent Vnto Mercurye and to Venus His stone is called Crisolitus His herbe is cleped Satureye So as these old bookes seye

Quinta decima stella vocatur cauda scorpionis / cuius lapis calcidonia et herba maiorana dicitur

But now the last sterre of alle The tayle of scorpio men calle Whiche to Mercurye and to Saturne By wey of kynde mote returne After the preparacion Of due constellacion The calcidome vnto hym longeth Whiche for his stone he vnderfongeth Of maioron his herbe is founded Thus haue I said how they be grounded Of euery sterre in specialle Whiche hath his herbe & stone with all As Hermes in his lookes old Witnesse bereth of that I told

Nota hic de auctoribus illis qui ad Astronomie scienciam pre ceteris studi oflus intendentes libros super hoc distinctis nominibus composuerunt

The scyence of Astronomye Whiche pryncipalle is of clergy To denie bitwene wo and we le In thynges that ben naturele They had a grete trauaill on honde That made it first he vnderstonde And they also whiche euermore Her study set vpon this lore They worden gracious and wyse And worthy for to bere a pryse And whome hit lyketh for to wyte Of hem that this scyence wryte One of the first whiche it wrote After Noe it was Nembrote To his disciple Ychonyton And made a book forth therūpon The whiche magastre eleped was Another Auctor in this cas Is Arachell the whiche men note Whiche a clerke knowe mote Dane tholome is not the leest Whiche maketh the booke of alma●●est And Affraganus dothe the same Whoos book Cathenus by name Gebus and Alpetragus eke Of palmesta whiche men seke The bookes made / & ouer this Ful many a worthy clerke is That wryten vpon the clergy The bookes of Aldemetry Pal nestry and eke also Whiche as belongynge both two So as they ben naturyens Vnto these Astronomyens Men seyn that Abraham was one But whether that he wrote or none That fynde I not and Moyses Eke was another but Hermes Aboue al other in this scyence He had a grete experyence Thoaigh hym were many a sterre assised / Whoos bookes ben yet auctorysed I may not knowen all tho That wryten in the tyme tho Of this scyence / but I fynde Of Iugement by wey of kynde That in one poynt thry al accorden Of sterees whiche they recorden That men may see vpon the heuen There ben a thousand sterres euen And two and twenty to the sight Whiche ben of hem self soo bryght That men may deme what they be The nature and the propyrte Now bast thou herd in suche a wyse These noble philosophres wyse Enformed this yong kyng And made hym haue a knowlechyng Of thyng whiche first the partye Belongeth of philosophye Whiche Rethoryke cleped is As thou to fore hast herd or this But now to speke of the second Whiche Aristotle bath so fonde ‛ And techeth how to speke faire Whiche is a thyng full necessaire The counterpeyse the balaunce Where lacketh other suffisaunce

Compositi pulcra sermones verba placere / Principio poterunt vera qʒ fine placent , Herba lapis sermo tria sunt virtute plato Vis tamen ex verbi pon dere plura facit

Hic tractat de secunda parte philosophie / cuius nomen Rethorica facundos efficit / loquitur eciam de eiusdem duabus speciebus / scilicet gramatica logica quacum doctrina Rethorica sua verba perornat

Aboue all erthely creatures The whiche maker of natures The world to man hath gyuen alone So that the speche of his persone Or for to lese or for to wyn The hertes thought whiche is within May shewe what it wold mene And that is nowhere els sene Of kynde with none other beest So shold he be the more honest To whome god hath so grete gyft And loke well that he ne shyft His wordes to noue wycked bse For worde the techer of vertuse Io cleped in philosophy Wherof touchyng this party Is Rethoryke the scyence Appropred to the reuerence Of wordes that ben resonable And for this arte shalle be vaylable With goodly wordes for to lyke It hath grammer / it hath logyke That seruen bothe vnto the speche Gramer hath first for to teche To speke vpon congruyte Logyke hath eke in his degre Bitwene the trouthe and the falshede The pleyne wordes for to shede So that no thynge shal goo beside That he the right shall not decyde Wherof full many a grete debate Reformed is to good estate And pees susteyned vpon lofte With easy wordes and with softe Where strengthe shold lete it falle The philosophre amonges alle For they commenden this scyence Whiche hath the rewle of eloquence In stone and gras vertu ther is But yet the bookes tellen this That worde about al erthely thynges Is vertuous in his doynges Where so it be euylle or good For yf the wordes semen good And ben wel spoke at mannes ere Whan that there is no trouthe there They done ful ofte ful grete deceyte For when the word to the conceyte Discordeth in so double wyse Suche Rethoryke is to despyse In euery place and for to drede For Plyxes thus I rede And in the booke of Troye is founde His eloquence and his faconde Of goodly wordes whiche he told Hath made that Anthenor hym sold The towne whiche he with treson wan Worde hath begyled many a man With word the wyld beest is daunted With worde the serpent is enchaunted Of worde amonge the men of armes Ben woundes heled with the charmes Wordes ben vertuous and fyne Where lacketh other medycyne Of sorcery the carectes The wordes ben of sondry sectes Of euylle and eke of good also The wordes maken frende and foo Of foo a frende and pees of werre And werre of pees and oute of herre The word the worldes cause entryketh And reconcyleth whome hym lyketh The word vnder the cope of heuen Set euery thynge or odde or euen With word the hyhe god is plesyd With worde the worldes ben apesed The softe worde the lowde stylleth Where lacketh good that word futfylloth To make amendes for the wronge Whan wordes medlen with the songe It doth plesaunce wel the more But for to loke vpon this lore How Tullius his Rethoryke Compouneth there a man may pyke How that he shalle his wordes set How he shalle loose how he shall knet And in what wyse he shall pronounce His tale pleyne withoute frounce Wherof ensample yf thou wylt seche Take hede and rede whi●ome the speche

Nota de eloquencia Iulij in causa Cateline contra Tilenum et alios tunc vrbis Romane continentes

oF Iulius and Cithero Which consul was of rome tho Of Caton eke and Tillene Beholde the wordes hem bit wene When the treson of Catelyne Discouered was and the couyne Of hem that were of his assent Was knowe and spoke in parlement And asked how and in what wyse Men shold done hem to Iewyse Cillenus first his tale tolde And as he was to trouthe beholde The comyn proufite for to saue ▪ He said treson shold haue A cruel deth ▪ and thus they speke The consull bothe & Caton eke And saiden that for suche a wronge There may no peyne be to strong But Iulius with wordes wyse His tale told al other wyse As he whiche wold his deth respite And foundeth how he myght excyte The Iuges thorugh his eloquence Fro dethe to torne the sentence And set hir hertes to pyte Now tolde they / now cold he They speken playne after the lawe But he the wordes of his sawe Coloured in another wey Spekyng / and thus bitwene the swey To trece vpon this Iugement Made eche of hem his argument Wherof the tales for to lere There may a man the scole here Of Rethoryke the eloquence Whiche is the second of scyence Touchyng to philosophye Wherof a man shalle justifye His wordes in disputacion And knytt vpon conclusion His argument in suche a forme Which may the pleyne trouth enforme And the subtile cautele abate Whiche euery trewe man shalle debate

Peacticat quemque statum pars tercia philosophie / Ad regimen recte donec in orbe vie / Set quanto maior rex est / tanto magis ipsum ▪ Ex scola concernit qua sua regna regat /

Hic tractat de tercia parte philosophie que practica vocatur ▪ cuius species sunt tres , scilicet Ethica Iconomia et policia / quarum doctrina regia inagestas in suo regimine ad honoris magnificenciam per singula dirigitur

tHe first whiche theoryk And the second Rethoryke Scyences of philosophy I haue hem tolde as in party So as the philosophre it told To Alysander and now I wold Telle of the thirdde what it is The whiche practyke cleped is Practyke stant vpon thre thynges To ward the gouernaunce of kynges Wherof the first Etyke is named The whoos seyence stant proclamed To trehe of vertu thylke rule How that a kynge hym self shal rule Of his moral condicion With worthy disposicion Of good lyuyng in his persone Whiche is the chyef in his corone It maketh a kyng also to lerne How he his body shall gouerne How he shalle wake how he shall slepe How that he shalle his he le kepe In mete in drynke in clothynge eke There is no wisedome for to seke As for the reule of his persone Whiche this scyence al one Ne techeth as by wey of kynde That there nothyng leue behynde That other poynt whiche to practyke Belongeth to Iconomyke Whiche techeth thylke honeste Thorugh whiche a kynge in his degre His wyf and child shalle rule & gy So ferforth all the company Whiche in his houshold shold abyde And his estate on euery syde In suche manere for to lede That he his houshold not myslede Practyke hath yet the thyrdde appryse Whiche techeth how and in what wyse Thorugh hyhe purueyed ordynaunce A kynge shalle set in gouernannce His reame . and that is pollycye Whiche longeth vnto regalye In tyme of werre / in tyme of pees To worship and to god encrees Of clerke of knyght of Marchaunte And so forth of the remenaunt Of all the comyn peple aboute Within borgh and eke withoute Of hem that ben artificers Whiche vsen craft and mysters Whoos arte is cleped Mathematyke And though they be not all lyke Yet neuertheles how so it falle One lawe mote gouerne hem alle Or that they lese or that they wyn After the state that they ben in Loo thus the worthy yong kyng Was fully laught of euery thyng Whiche myght yeue entendement Of good rule and of good regem●t Is suche a worthy prynce as he But of verry necessite The philosophre hym hath bitake Fyue poyntes which he hath vnderta●e / Toke and hold in obseruaunce ●fore the worthy gouernaunce Whiche longeth to his regalye After the rule of polycye

Moribus ornatus regit hic qui reg●● moderna / Tercius exspectat / cep●●● ntura peli / Et quia vetita virtus su●rem●n●t omnes ▪ Regis ab ore bo●● abu●a nulla sonat

Hic secundum policiam tractare in●●dit precipue super quiuque regula●ū a●ticu●●s que ad principis regimen ob●●ruande spe●●alius ●●●stat / quarum pri 〈◊〉 ventas nun●●patur ▪ per quam ve●●dicus sit sermo regie ad omnes

●O euery man behoueth lore But to no man belongeth more Than to a kyng which hath to 〈◊〉 / The peple for his knyghthede He may hem bothe saue and spylle And for it stont vpon his wylle It syt hym wel to be auysed And the vertues whiche ben assised Vnto a kynges regement To take his entendement Wherof to tellen as they stonde Herafterward now wol I fonde Among the vertuce one is chyef And that is trouthe which● is lyef To god and eke to man also And for it hath ben euer so Taught Aristotle as it is couthe To A●●sandre as he wel couthe He shold of trouthe thylke grace with all his herte enbrace So that his hert be trewe and pleyne Toward the world and so certeyne That in hym he no double speche For yf men shold trouthe seche And fynde it not within a kynge It were full vnsyttynge thynge The worde is token of that within There shalle a worthy kynge begyn To kepe his tonge and to be trewe So shall his pryce ben euer newe Auyse hym euery man to fore And be wel ware or he be swore For afterward it is to late If that he wold his worde debate For as a kyng in speciall A●●ue all other in pryncipal Of his power so sholde he be Moost vertuous in his degre And that may be wel signefyed By his croune and specifyed

Not● super hijs que Corona Regis designatur

The gold betokeneth excellence That men shold done hym reuerence A● to hir lyege souerayne The stones as the bookes sayn● Commended ben in trouble wyse Firste they ben hard and thylke assise Betokeneth a kyngis constaunce Soo that there shall no varyaunce Be founde in his condtcion And also by descripcion The vertue whiche is in the stones A very sygne is for the nones Of that a kynge shall be honest And holde trewe his byheste Of thyng which longeth to knygthede The bryght coloure as I rede whiche is in the stones shynyng Is in fignre betokenyng The Cronyke of his worldes fame whiche stant vpon his good name The Ce●●le whiche is rounde aboute Is token of all the ●onde without● Whiche stant vnder his Ierarchye That he it well shalle kepe & guye And for that trouthe how it falle Is vertu souerayne oue●alle That longed vnto regyment A tale whiche is euydent Of trouthe in commendacion Toward thyn ●●formacion My sone herafter thou shalt here Of a Cronyke in this ma●●r● As the Cronyke it doth wherce A soldan whi●●me was of perse Whiche daryes hyght and y●aspis His fader was and soothe it is Of hie lygnage and by discente The regne of thylke empyre he hent That thorugh wisedom & hy●e prudence More than by other reuerence And for he was hym self wyse The wyse men he held in pryse And sought hem oute on euery side That toward hym they shold abyde Among the whiche thre ther were That must seruyce vnto hym bere As they whiche in his chambre leyn● And al his counceylle herd and seyne Here names ben of straunge note Arphages was the first hote And Monachas was the second Zorababel as it is founde In the Cronyke was the thyrdde This Soldan what so hym betyde To hem he tri●t moost of all● Wherof the cause is soo bifalle This ●ord / whiche hath conceytes depe Vpon a nyght when he shold slepe As he which hath his wyttes disposed Touchynge a poynt hem hath opposed

Hic na●●at qualiter Darius filius Itaspis soldanus percie a tribus suis cubicularibus / qu●●um nomina A●phag●s / Monachas et Zorobabel / dicta sunt nomine questionis singillatim in terrogauit vtrum rex aut mulier / aut vinum maioris fortitudinis vim opti neret ipsis / Vero varias opiniones respondentibus Zorobabel vltimis asseruit qd mu●●er sui amoris complacencia tam regis quam vini potenciam excellit / addidit eciam pro finali conclusione dicens quod veritas super omnia vincit . cuius responsio ceteris laudabilior a●cepta●atur

tHe kynges question was this Of thynges which strengest is The wyn the woman or that kyng And that they shold vpon this thyng Of her answere auysed be He gaf hem dayes fully thre And hath bihote hem by his feyth That who so best reson seith He shalle receyue a worthy mede Vpon this thyng they token hede And studyed on disputacion That they by dyuerse opynyon Of argumentes that they holde Arphages first his tale tolde And said how that the strength of kynges Is myghtyest of al thynges For kyng hath power ouer man And man is whiche reson can As he whiche is of his nature The moost noble creature Of all tho that god hath wrought And by that skylle it semeth nought He seith that ony ●rthely thyng May be so myghty as a kyng A kyng may spylle a kynḡe may saue A kyng may make a lord a knaue And of a knaue a lord also The power of a kynge stondeth soo That he the lawes ouer passeth What he wylle make lasse he it lasseth What he wol make more he moreth He sleeth that no man it restoreth But he alone al other tameth Who hym displeseth he grameth And stant hym self of lawe fre Loo this is a kynges myght seith he So as his reson can argue Is strengest and of moost valewe But Monachas seith other wyse That wyne is of the more empryse And that he sheweth by this wey The wyne full ofte taketh awey The reson fro the mannes herte The wyn can make a crepul stert● And ●●●●lyuer man vnwylde It maketh a blynde man to behylde And a bryght eye somtyme derke It maketh a lewde man a clerke And fro the clerkes the clergy I● taketh awey and cowardy It torneth in to hardynesse Of Auaryce it maketh largesse The wyne maketh eke the good bloode In whiche the sowle whiche is good Hath chosen hir a restyng place While that the lyf her wylle enbrace And by this skylle Monachas Answerd hath vpon this was And seith that wyn by w●y of stynde Is thyng which may the hertes blynde Well more than the regalye Zorobabell for his partye Seid as hym thought for the best That women ben the myghtyest The kyng and the vynour also Of women comen bothe two And eke he seid how that manhede Thorugh strengthe vnto womanhede Of loue whether he wylle or none Obeye shall ▪ and therupone To shewe of women the maistry A tale whiche he sawe with eye

Nota hic de vigote amoris qui inter Cirum Regem persarum et apemen ba zasis fi●●am ipsius regis concubinam spectan●e tota curio experiebatur

aS for ensample he told this How Apem●n of basasis Whiche doughter was 〈◊〉 the pal●is / Sittyng vpon his deys Whan he was hottest in his yre Toward the grete of his empyre Cirus the kyng ti●aunt she took And only by hir goodly loke She made hym de●onaire and meke And by the chyn and by the cheke She logged hym right as hir lyst That now she ●●ped & now she kys● And dothe with hym what euer hir liketh / When that she loureth than he siketh / And when she gladeth he is glad And thus the kyng is ouerlad With hir whiche his lemman was Among the men is no solas If that there he no woman there For but yf that the woman were This worldes ioye were awey This is trouthe that I yow seye To knyghthode and to ●●●ldes same They make a man to drede shame And honour for to be desired Thorugh the beaute of hem is desyred The dar●e whiche Cupide throweth Wherof the iolyf peyn● groweth Whiche all the worlde ●oth vnderfo●● A woman is the manne●●ote His lyf / his deth his woo his we●● And this thyng may be she wed we●● How that wymmen ben good & kynde For in ensample thus I fynde

Nota de fide●●tate coniugis qua●●te● A●cesta vx●● Ameti vt maritum su● viuificaret seipsam m●●ti spontance subegit

wHen that the duke Ametus●ay Seke in his ●ed that euery day Men waiten whan he shold day Alcest his ▪ wyf goth for to prey Deuoutely pray●●g for to w●●●● with sacryfyce vnto Myn●●●e To wy●● answere of the goddesse How that h●r lord of his sykenesse Wherof he was soo ●o ●isene Recouer myght his hele ●y●ne Loo thus she cryed ●●o thus she praid Tille at the last a voys hir said That yf she wold for his sake The malady suffre and take And dye hir self he shalle lyue Of this answere Alceste hath yeue Vnto Mynerue grete thankyng She that hir deth and his lyuyng She chese with all hir hoole entent And thus acorded home she went In to the chambre and when she came Hir houshold anone she name In bothe hir armes and hym kyst And spak vnto hym what her lyst And therupon within a throwe She lay doune seke all ouerthrowe And dyed and he was hoole in hast So may a ●●n by reson tast How next after the god aboue The trouthe of woman and the loue In whome that al grace is founde Is myghtyest vpon the grounde And moost behoue●y many fold Loo thus Zorobabel hath told The tale of his oppynyon But for finall conclusion What strengest is of erthely thynges The wyn the wymmen or the kynges He seith that trouthe aboue hem all● Is myghtyest how euer it falle The trouthe how so euer it come May for nothyng ben ouercome It may well suffre for a throwe But at the last it shall be knowe The prouerbe is who that is trewe He shalle his whyle neuer rewe For how so that the cause wende The trouthe is shameles at the ende But thyng that i● troutheles It may not we● be shameles And shame hyndereth euery wyght So pryuely there is no myght Withoute trouthe in no degre And thus for trouthe of his degre Zorobabel was moost commended Wherof the question was ended And receyued hath his mede For trouthe whiche to mannes nede Is moost behouelyche ouer all For thy was trouthe in speciall The first poynt in obseruaunce Be take vnto the gouernaunce Of Alysander as it is seid For therupon the grounde was leyd Of euery kynges regyment As thyng whiche moost conuenyent Is for to set a kyng in euen Both in this world ▪ and eke in heuen

Absit auaricia tangat regia corda Cuius enim spolijs excoriatur humus Fama colit largum voluntas per secula regem / Dona tamen licitis suut moderanda modis

Hic tractat de regi● magestatis secunda policia ▪ quam Aristotiles largitatem vocat / cuius virtute non solum propulsata auaricia regis nomen magnificum extollatur sed et sui subicionum diuiciarum habundancia i●cundiores efficiuntur

nExt after trouthe the second In polycye as it is found Whiche serueth to the worldes fame / In worship of a kynges name Largesse it is whoos pryuelege There may no auaryce abrege The worldes good was first comune But afterward vpon fortune Was thylk comyn proufite cesed But when the peple stode encresed As the lygnage we●en grete Anone for singuler beyete With sacrefye vnto mynerue To wyte answere of the goddesse How that hir lord of his sekenesse Wherof he was so woo bysene Recouer myght his hele ayene Lo thus she cryed / lo thus she prayed Tyl at the last a voys hir sayed That yf she wold for his sake The maladye suffre and take And dye hir self he shal lyue Of this answer alcest hath yeue Vnto mynerue grete thonkyng She that hir deth & his lyuyng These with al her hole entente And thus accorded home she wente In to the chambre & whan she came Hir busbond anone she name In bothe hir armes & hym kyste And spake vnto hym what hir liste And there vpon within a throwe The good wyf was ouerthrowe She deyed & he was hole in haste So may a man by reson taste How nexte after the god aboue The trouthe of woman & the loue In whome that al grace is founde Is myghtyest vpon the grounde And most behouely many folde Lo thus Zorobabel hath tolde The tale of his opynyon But for fynal conclusyon What strengest is of erthely thynges The wyne the wymmen or the kynges He seyth that trouthe aboue hem alle Is myghtyest how euer it falle The trouthe how so ener it come May for no thynge ben ouercome It may wel suffre for a throwe But at the last it shal be knowe The prouerhys is who that is trewe He shal his whyle neuer rewe For how so that the cause wende The trouthe is shameles atte ende But thynge that is trouthlesse It may not wel be shamelesse And shame hyndereth euery wyght So pryuely there is no myght With out trouthe in no degree And thus for trouthe of his degree Zorobabel was moste commended Wherof the questyon was ended And he receyued hath his mede For trouth whiche to mannes nede Is moste behouelyche ouer al For thy was trouthe in specyal The first poynte in obseruaunce Be take vnto the gouernaunce Of alysaunder as it is sayed For ther vpon the grounde was layed Of euery kynges regymente As thynge whiche moste conuenyente Is for to sette a kynge in euen Bothe in this world & eke in heuen

Absit auaricia tangat regia corda Cuius enim spolijs excoriatur humus Fama colit largum voluntas per secula regem / Dona tames licitis sunt moderanda modis

Hic tractat de regie magestatis secunda policia quam aristotiles largita tem vocat cuius virtute non solum propulsata auaricia regie nomen magnificum extollatur sz et sui subditi om nium dunciarum habundancia iocundi ores efficiuntur /

nExte after trouthe the second In polecye as it is founde Which serueth to the worldes fame In worshyp of a kynges name Largesse it is whos preuylege There may no auarice abrege The worldes good was first comune But afterward vpon fortune Was thylke comyn prouffyt cesed But Whan the peple stode encresed As the lygnages wexen grete Anone for synguler byȝ●●e Drewe euery man to his partye Wherof comyn the fyrst enuye With grete debate & warees stronge And laste emonge the men so longe Tyl no man wyst who was who Ne which was frende ne whiche foo Whyl atte laste in euery londe Within hem self the peple fonde That it was good to make a kynge Whiche myght appesen al this thynge And yeue ryght to the lignages In partyng of her heritages And eke of al the other good And thus aboue hem al stood The kyng vpon his regalye As he whiche hath to iustefye The worldes good for couetyse So syt it wel in al wyse A kyng betwene more and lesse To sette his herte vpon largesse Toward hym self & eke also Toward his peple & yf not so That is to say yf that he be Toward his self large and free And of his peple take and pylle Largesse by no weye of skylle It may be said but auarice Which in a kyng is a grete vyce A kyng hehoueth eke to flee The vpce of prodegalyte That he mesure in expence So kepe that of indygence He may be saufe fro who that nedeth In al his werke the wers he spedeth

Nota super hoc qued aristotilus ad Alexandrium exemplificauit de exactionibus Regis chaldeorum /

aS aristotle vpon caldee Ensaumple of grete auctorite Vnto alisaunder taughte Of thylke folke that were vnsaughte Toward hir kyng for his pyllage Wherof he hade in his corage That he vnto thre poyntes entende Where that he wold his good dyspende Fyrst shold he loke how that it stood That al were of his owne good The yeftes whiche he wold yeue So myght he the better leue And eke he must taken hede Yf there be cause of ony nede Whiche oughte to be deffended Or that his goodes ben dyspended He mote eke as it is befalle Amonge other thynges alle Se the decertes of his men And after they ben of ken And of estate and meryte He shal hem largely acquyte Or for the werre or for the pease That none honoure falle in dyscreast Whiche myght torne in to deffame But that he kepe his good name So that he be not holde vnkynde For in cronycle a tale I fynde Whiche speketh som dele of this matere Here afterward as thou shalt here

Hic secundum gesta Iulij exemplum ponit qualiter Rex suorum militum quos probos agnouerit indigenciam largitatis sue beneficijs releuare tenetur / ▪

In rome to pursue his right There was a worthy poure knyght Whiche came allone for to seyne His cause when the courte was pleyne Where Iulyus was in presence And for hym lacketh of his dyspence There was with hym none aduocate To make plee for his estate But though hym lacke for to plede Hym lacketh nought of manhede He wist wel his purse was pouer But yet he thought his right receuer And o penly pouerte aleyed To the emperour & thus he seyed O Iulyns lord of the lawe Behelde my counceyl is withdrawe For lacke of golde to thyn offyce After the lawe of Iustyce Helpe that I had counceyl here Vpon the trouthe of my matere And Iulyus with that anone Assygned hym a worthy one But he hym self no worde spáke This knyght was wroth & fonde lake In the emperour & said thus O thou vnkynde Iulyus Whan thou in thy batayle were Vpon aufrik & I was there My might for the rescue I dyd And that no man in my stede Thou wotest woundes there I had But for I fynde the so bad That the ne list speke one worde Thyn owne mowthe or of thy horde To yeue a floreyn me to helpe How shold I than me be yelpe Fro this forth of my largesse Whan suche a grete vnkyndenesse Is founde in suche a lord as thou This Iulyus knewe wel ynow That al was sothe which he hym tolde And for he wold not ben holde Vnkynde he toke his cause on honde And as it were of goddes sonde He yaue hym good ynough to spende For euer vnto his lyues ende And thus shold euery worthy kyng Take of his knyghtes knowlechyng Whan that he sawe they had nede For euery seruyce axeth mede But other whiche haue not deserued Thorugh vertu but of ●apes serued A kyng shal not deserue grace Though he be large in suche a place

Hic ponit exemplum de rege antigo no qualiter dona regia secundum mame et minus & equa discrecione moderanda sunt

iT sitteth wel euery kyng to haue Discressyon whan men hym craue So that he may his gyfte wyte Wherof I fynde a tale wryte How Ciuichus a power knyght A somme whiche was ouer myght Prayed of his kyng antygonus The kyng answerd to hym thus And said how suche a yefte passeth His power estate and than he lasseth And axeth but a lytel peny Yf that the kyng wold yeue hym ony The kyng answerd it is to smalle For hym that is a lord ryalle To yeue a man so lytel thynge It were vnworshyp in a kyng By this ensaumple a kyng may lere That for to yeue is in manere For yf a kyng his tresour lasseth Without honoure & thankelesse passeth Whan he hym self wyl so begyle I note who shal compleyne his whyle Ne who by right hym shal releue But nethelesse this I beleue

Nota hic qd regis status a suis fidelibʒ omni fauore supportandus est

The whiche with his owne londe Behoueth euery mannes honde To sette vpon necessyte And eke his kynges ryalte Mote euery lyege man comforte With good & body to supporte Whan they see cause resonable For who that is not entendable To holde vp right his kynges name Hym ought for to be to blame

Nota hic secundum aristotelem qua liter principum prodigalitas pauperta tem induat co●nne●●

Of polecye & euer more To speke in this matere more So as the phylosophre tolde A kyng after the rule is holde To modefye & adresse His yeftes vpon suche largesse

Seneca sit alijs benefacito vt tibi non no●●gs

That the mesure not excede For yf a kyng shal in to nede It causeth ofte sendry thynges Which ben vngoodly to the kynges What man wyl not hym self mesure Men secth ful ofte that mesure Hym hath forsake & so doth he That vseth prodygalite Which is the moder of pouerte Wherof the londes ben deserte And namely whan that ylke vyce Aboue a kynge stante in offyce And hath with holde of his partye The cenetous flaterye Which many a worthy kyng deceyueth Or he the fallace perceyueth Of hem that seruen to the glose For they that can plese & glose Ben as men tellen the norice Vnto the fosteryng of the vyce Wherof ful ofte netheles A kyng is blamed gyltles

Nota qualiter principum curijs adula tores triplice grauitate offendunt

A philosophre as thou shalt here Spake to a kyng of this matere And said hym wel how that flaterours Coulpable were of thre errours One was toward the goddes on hye That weren wroth of that they syghe The myschyef whiche befalle shold Of that the fals flaterour tolde Toward the kyng another was Whan they by sleyght & by fallas Of feyned wordes make hym wene That blacke is whyt & blew is grene Touchyng of his condicion For whan he doeth extorcion With many another vyce moo Men shul not fynde one of tho To grutche or speke there ageyn But holden vp his oyle & sayn That al is wel what euer he doth And thus of fals they maken soth So that the kynges eye is blente And wote not how the world is went The third errour is harme comune with which the peple mote comune Of wronges that they bryngen ynne And thus they werchen treble synne That ben flaterours aboute a kynge There myght be no werse thynge Aboute a kynges regalye Than is the vyce of flaterye And nethelesse it hath ben vsed That it was neuer yet refused As for to speke of courte ryalle For there it is most specialle And many longe before bore But whan this vyce of hem is bore That shold the vertuous forth brynge And trouth is torned in to lesynge It is as who sayth ageynst kynde Wherof an olde ensaumple as I fynde

Hic contra vanitates adulandum loquitur et narrat quod cum arisippus de cartagine philosophus scole studium relinquens sui principio obsequio in magnis adulacionibus pre ceteris carior asistebat / Accidit vp ipse quodam die Dioginem philosophum uuper socium suum virum tam moribus quam probatissimum herbas ad olera sua collectas lauantem ex casu ad ripam inuenerat / Cui ait o diogene scito sicut et ego principi tuo placere scires huiusmodi herbas aut celligere aut non lauare indigeres O arisippe certe si tu olera tua lauare

scires be in blan●icijs et adulacioni●us principi tuo seruire non oporteret

●Mouge these olde tales wyse Of phylosophres in this wyse I trde how whilom two there were And to the foole for to lere Vnto athenis fro cartage Her frendes whan they were of age Hem sente & there they stoden longe Tyl they suche lore haue vnderfonge That in her tyme they surmounte Al other men that to accounte Of hem two was grete fame The first of hem his right name Was drogenes than hote In whom was founde no ryote His felowe arisippus hyght Whiche moche coude & myght But atte last sothe to sayne They bothe torned home agayne Vnto cartage & soole lete This dyogynes no beyete Of worldes good lasse or more Ne sought for his longe lore But toke hym onely for to dwelle At home & as the bookes telle His hows was nygh to the ryuere Besyde a bridge as thou shalt here There dwelled he toke his reste So as it thought hym for the beste To studye in his philosophye As he whiche so wold defye The worldes pompe on euery syde But arisippe his bookes a syde Hath leyed & to the courte he wente Where many a wyle & many a wente With flaterye & wordes softe He caste & hath compasse● ofte How he his prynce myght plese And in this wyse he gate hym ●ase Of veyne honour & worldes good The londes rule vpon hym stode The kyng of hym was wonder glad And al was do what thynge he bad Bothe in the courte & eke with out With flaterye he brought about His purpoos of the worldes werke Which was ageyn the state of clerke So that the philosophye he lefte And to the riches hym self vp lefte ●o thus had arisippe his wylle But dyogenes dwellyd stylle At home & loked on his boke He sought not the worldes croke For veyn honour ne for richesse But al his herdes besynesse He set to be vertuous And thus within his owne hows He lyueth to the suffysaunce Of his hauyng & fyl perchaunce This dyogynes vpon a day And that was in the monthe of many That whan these herbes ben holsom And walked for to gader som In his gardyn in whiche his iolytes He thought to haue & thus aboutes Whan he hath gadred what hym liketh He set hym doun than & pyketh And wysshe his herbes in the flode Vpon which his gardyn stode Nygh to the bridge as I tolde ere And happeneth whyle he sitteth there Came arisippes by the strete With many hors & routes grete And streyght vnto the bridge he rode Where that he houed & abode For as he caste his eye nygh His felowe dyogenes he syghe And what he dyd he sawe also Wherof he sayd to hym tho O diogenes god the spede It were certes lytel nede To sit here & wortes pyke If thou thy prynce coudest lyke So as I am in my degree O arisippe ageyn quod he If that thou coudest so as I Thy wortes pyke truly It were as lytel nede or lesse That thou that so worldly wold compasse With flaterye for to serue Wherof thou thynkest to dysserue Thy prynces thanke & to purchace How thou myght stonde in his grace For getyng of a lytel good If thou wold take in to thy mood Reson thou myght by reson deme That so thy prynce for to queme Is not to reson accordaunt But it is gretely discordaunte Vnto the sooles of athene ●o thus answerd diogene Ageyn the clerkes flaterye But men seen the assemplarye Of arisippe is wel receyued And thylke of dyogene is weyued Offyce in courte & golde in coffre Is now men sayn the philosophre Whiche hath the worshyp in the halle But flaterye passeth alle In chaumbre when the courte ●uaūceth For vpon thylke lotte it chaunceth To be byloued now a daye I note yf it be ye or nay How dante the poete answerde To a flaterour / the tale I herde Vpon a stryf betwene them two He sayd hym ther ben many mo Of thy seruauntes than of myn For the poete of his couyne Hath none that wyl hym clothe & fede But a flatour may rule & lede A kyng with al his londe aboute So stante the wyse man in doute Of hem that to folye drawe For suche is now the comyn lawe And as comune boece it telleth And where that flaterye dwelleth In ony londe vnder the sonne There is ful many thynge begonne Whiche were better to be lefte That hath he shewed now & efte But yf a prynce wold hym rule Of the romayns after the rule In thylke tyme it was vsed This vyce shold be refused Wherof the poyntes ben assoted But where the playn trouth is noted There may a prynce wel conceyue That he hym self deceyue Of that he hereth wordes pleyne Of hym that nought by reson pleyne That warned is or hym be woo And that was fully pre●yd tho Whan rome was the worldes chyef ●he sooth sayer tho was leef Which wold not the trouthe spare But with his worde playn● & bare To th emperour his sothes tolde As in cronyke is yet withholde Here afterward as thou shalt here Accordyng vnto this matere

Hic narrant super eodem qualiter nuper Romanorum Imperator cum ipso triumphator in hostes a bello rome rediret / Tres sibi laudes in signum sui triumphi precipue debebantur primo quatuor equi abbissimi currum in quo sedebat veherent Secundo tunica Iouis pro tunc indueretur Tercio sui captiui prope currum ad viriusque latus cathenati deambularent Set ne tanti honoris adulacio eius animum in superbiam extolleret quidam scurra linguosus iuxta ipsum in curru sedebat qui quasi contumatis vocibus improperando Notheos hoc est noscete ipsum quia & hodie fortunata sibi prospera sunt cras forte versa rota mutabilis aduersabitur

O see this olde ensaumplerye That whilom was no flaterye Toward the prynces wel I fynde Wherof so as cometh to mynde My sone a tale vnto thyn ere While that the worthy princes were At rome I thynke for to tellen For whan the chaunces so byfellen That ony emperour as tho Victorye vpon his foo And so came forth to rome ageyn Of treble honour he was certeyne Wherof that he was magnefyed The first as it is specefyed Was whan he came that ylke tyde The chare in whiche he shold ryde Four whyt stedes shold it drawe Of Iubyter by thilke lawe The cote he shold were also His prisoners eke shold goo Endlonge the chare on eyther honde And al the noblesse of the londe To fore & ●after with hym come Rydyng & broughte hym to rome In token of his chyualrye And for none other flaterye And that was she wed forth with al Where he satte in his chare ryalle Besyde hym was a rybaud set Which had his worde so beset To th emperour in al his glorye He said take in thy memorye For al this pompe & al this pride Lete no iustice goo a syde But knowe thy self what so befalle For men seen oftymes falle Thynges which men wende siker stonde Though thou victorye haue in honde Fortune may not stonde alwey The whiche perchaunce another day May turne & thou myght ouer throwe Ther lasteth no thynge but a throwe With these wordes & with moo This ribaulde which sat with hym the To th emperour hys tale tolde And euermore after what be wolde Or were it euyl or were it good So playnly as the trouth stood He spareth not but be speketh oute And so myght euery man aboute The day of that solempnyte His tale telle as wel as he To th emperour al openly And al was this cause why That while he stode in that noblesse He shold his vanyte represse With suche wordes as he herde Lo now how thylke tyme it ferde Toward so hygh a worthy lorde For this I fynde eke of recorde Whiche the cronycle hath auctorized What emperour was Intronyzed

Hic eciam contra adulacionem narrat qd primo die quo nuper Imperator intronisatus extitit latonij sui ab ipso constanter peterent de quali lapide sue sepulture tumulum fabricarent vt sic futuram mortem commemorans vani tates huius seculi transitonas facilius reprimeret

tHe first day of his corone Where he was in his ryal trone And helde his feste in the paleys Sittyng vpon his hye deys With al the lust that may be gete Whan he was gladdest at his mete And euery mynstral had played And euery gestour had sayed What moste was plesaunt to his ere Atte laste came in there His masons for they shullen craue Where that he wold be bygraue And what stone his sepulture They sholden make & what scripture He wold ordeyne there vpon Tho was there flatrrye none The worthy prynce to beiape The kyng was otherwyso shape With good counceyl & other wyse They were hem self than wyse And vnderstoden wel & knewen Whan suche softe wyndes hlewen Of flaterxe in to her ere They setten nought her hertes there But whan they herde wordes feyned The pleyne trouthe it hath disdeyned Of hem that weren so dyscrete So toke the flaterer no beyete Of hym that was his prynce tho And for to proue that it is so A tale which I fynde in dede In a cronycle of rome I rede

Hic inter alia gesta cesaris narrat vnum exemplum precipue contra illos qui cum in aspectu principis alijs sapi enciores apperere vellent quando que tamen similitate sapiencie talia comittunt per que ceteris stulciores in fine comprobantur

cEsar vpon his ryal trone Where that he satte in his persone And was hyest in al his pryse A man whiche wold make hym wyse Fyldoun knelyng in his presence And dyd hym suche a reuerence As though he hygh god were Men had grete meruayle there Of the worshyp which he dede This man aroos fro thylke stede And forth withal the same tyde He goeth hym vp & by his syde He set hym doun as there a pere And said yf thou that sittest here Arte god whiche al thynges myght Than I haue doo worshyp a right As to the god & otherwyse Yf thou he not of thylke assyse But arte a man suche as am I Than may I syt the faste by For we be bothe of one kynde Cesar answerd & said o blynde Thou arte a fole it is wel sene Vpon thy self yf thou wene If I be a god thou doest a mys To sit where thou seest that god is And I be a man also Thou hast a grete foly do Whan thou to suche one as shal deye The worshyp of thy god alweye Hast yeuen so vnworthely Thus may I preue redely Thou arte not wyse & that herde How wysely that the kyng answerde It was to hem a newe lore Wherof they dreden hym the more And brought no thynge to his ere But yf it treuth & reson were So ben there many in suche a wyse That faynen wordes to be wyse And al is veray flaterye To hym whiche can it wel aspyr

Nota qualiter ista circa principem adultores potius a curia expelli quam ad regie magestatis munera acceptan policia suadente delerent

tHe kynde flatour can not loue But for to brynge hym self aboue For how that euer his mayster fare So that hym self stonde out of care He retcheth nought & thus ofte Deceyueth with wordes softe The kynges that ben Innocent Where as for thastement The wyse phylosophre seyed What kyng that so his tresour leyed Vpon suche folke he hath the lesse And yet no doeth he no largesse ●nt harmeth with his owne honde Hym self & eke his owne londe And that by many a sondry weye Wherof yf that a man shal seye As for to speke in generalle Where suche thynge falleth ouer al That ony kyng hym self mysrule The phylosophre vpon this rule In speaal a cause sette Whiche is & euer hath be the bette In gouernaunce aboute a kyng Vpon 〈◊〉 myselyef of the thyng And that he seyth is sla●●ye Wherof to fore as in partye What that vyce is I haue declared For who that hath his wytte bywared Vpon a flaterer to beleue Whan that he weneth best acheue His god worde it is moste fro And for to preuen it is so Exaumples ther ben many one Of whiche yf thou wylt knowe one It is behouely for to here What whylom fyl in this matere

hIc loquitur vlterius de consilio adusantum quorum fabulis principes aures organiʒate veritatis auditum ca●ere nequeunt / Et narrat exemplum de rege achab oui pro eo qd ipse prophe a●s fidelis Michee recu auit blandiaas oue adulantis ȝedechye adhesit Rex Sir●e benedab in campo bellator ipsum diuino Iudicio deuictum interfecit

●Monge the kynges in the byble I fynde a tale & is credyble Of one that whylom achab hyght Whiche had al Israel to ryght But who that coude glose softe And ●latre which he sette on lofte In arete estate and made hem ryche But they that wroten wordes lyche To trouthe & wold it not forbere For hem was none estate to be●● The contre of suche toke none here Tyl atte laste vpon a nede That benadab the kyng of surry Of Israel a grete partye Which ramoth coloath was hote Hath seced & of that ●yote He toke counceyl in sondry wyse But not of hem that weren wyse And nethelesse vpon this caas To strengthe hym for Iosaphas Whiche thenne was kyng of Iudee He sende for to come as he Whiche thorugh frendshyp & alliaunce Was nexte to hym of acqueyntaunce For Ioram sone of Iosaphath Achabbes doughter wedded hath Whiche hyght fayr goodelye And thus came in to samerye Kyng Iosaphath & he founde there The kyng achab & whan they were To gyder spekyng of this thynge This Iosaphath saith to the kynge How that he wold gladly here Somme trewe prophete in this matere That he his counceyl myght yeue To what poynte it shal be dreue And in that tyme so befelle That there was suche one in Israel Whiche sette hym al to flaterye And he was cleped sedechye And after hym achab hath sente And he at his commaundement To hym came & by a sleyghte He hath vpon his heed on heyght Two large hornes sette of bras And he which a flaterour was And goeth rampyn● as a lyon And cast his hornes vp & doun And bad men ben of good espeyre For as the hornes persen the eyre He saith withouten resistence So wist he wel of his science That benadab is discomfyte Whan sedechye vpon this plyte Hath tolde this tale vnto this lord Anone they were of one accorde Prophetes false many m● To bere vp oyle and altho Affermed that whiche he hath tolde Wherof the kyng achab was bolde And yaue hem yeftes al aboute But Iosaphath was in grete doubte He helde fantasme al that he herde Prayeng achab how so it ferde Yf there were ony other man The whiche of prophecye can To here hym speke or that théy gone Quod achab than there is one A brothel which mycheas hyght But he ne cometh in my syght For he hath longe in pryson leyen Hym lyked neuer yet to sayen A goodely word to my plesaunce And nethelesse at thyn instaunce He shal come out & than he may Say as he hath said many a day For yet he said neuer wele Tho Iosaphath gan somme dele To gladen hym in hope of trouthe And bade hym withouten slouthe That men hym shold f●tte anone And they that were fro hym gone Whan that they came where he was They tolden vnto mycheas The manere how that sedechye Declared hath his prophecye And therupon they praye hym fayre That he wyl say no contrayre Wherof the kyng may be dysplese● For so shal euery man be esed And he may helpe hym self also Mycheas vpon trouthe tho His herte sette & to hem seyth Al that belongeth vnto his feyth And of none other feyned thynge That wyl he telle vnto the kynge As ferre as god hath yeue hym grace Thus came this prophete in to the place Where he the kynges wylle herde And he therto anone answerde Vnto hym in this wyse My lyege lord for my fernyse With treuth stonde hath euer yet Thou hast me with pason aquyt But for al that I shal not glose Of trouthe after as I suppose And as touchyng of this batayle Thou shalt not of the soth sayle For yf it lyke the to here As I am taught in that matere Thou myght it vnderstonde sone But what is afterward to done Auyse the of this I seye I was tofore the trone on heye Where al the world me thought stode And there I herde & vnderstode The voyce of god with wordes clere Axyng & said in this manere In what wyse may I best begyl● This kyng achab & for a whyle And vpon this poynte they speke fast Tho said a spyrit atte last I vndertake this empryse And god hym axeth in what wyse I shal qd he deceyue and lye With flateryng prophecye In suche mowthes as he leueth And he whiche al thynge acheueth Bad hym goo forth and do right so And ouer this I say also This noble peple of Israel Dispers as sheep vpon an hylle Without a kepar vnarayed And as they wente aboute & strayed I herde a voys vnto hem seyn Goeth home in to your hows ageyn Tyl I for you haue fetter ordeyned Quod sedechye thou hast feyned This tale in angeryng of the kyng And in a wrath vpon this thynge He smote mychee vpon the cheke The kyng hym hath rebuked eke And euery man vpon hym cryed Thus was he shente on euery syde Ageyn in to pryson ladde For so the kyng hym self badde The trouthe myght not be herde But afterward as it hath ferde The dede proueth his entente Achab to the batayle wente Where benadab for al his shelde Hym slewe so that vpon the felde His peple goeth aboute a straye But god whiche al thynge may So doth that they no myschyef haue Her kyng was deed & they be saue And home ageyn in goddes pees They wente & al was founde lees That s●●●chye hath sayd tofore So sit it wel a kyng therfore To loue theym that trewe mene For atte laste it wyl be sene That flaterye is no thynge worthe But now to my matere forth As for to speken ouer more After the phylosophers lore The third poynte of polecye I thynke for to specefye

Propter transgressores leges statuuntur in o●be / Vt vn●āt iusti regis honore v●● ▪ / Lex sine Iusticia populum sub principis vmbra / Deuiat vt rectum nemo videbit it●r

Hic tractat de tercia principum legie policia que iusticia nominata est ●●●us condicio legibus incorupta vniuiaue qd suum est cquo pondere distribuit

wHat is a londe there men be none What ben the men that are allone Without a kynges gouernaunce What is a kyng in his lygeaunce Where that there is no lawe in londe What is to take lawe on honde But yf the Iuges ben trewe These olde worldes with the newe Who that wyl take in euydence There may he se experience What thynge it is to kepe lawe Thorow which wronges be withdrawe And rightwysnes stande commended Wherof the regnes ben amended For where the lawe may commune The lordes forth with the comune Eche hath his propre deute And eke the knyghtes ryalte Of bothe his worshyp , vnderfongeth To his estate as it bylongeth Whiche of his worthynesse Hath to gouerne rightwysnesse As he whiche shal the lawe guyde And neuerthelesse vpon some syde His power stante aboue the lawe To yeue bothe and to drawe The forset of the mannes lyf But thynges whiche are excessyf Ageyn the lawe he shal not doo For loue ne for hate also

Imperatoriam magestatem non solum armis sʒ eciam legibus oportet esse armatam

b The myghtes of a kyng be grete But yet a worthy kyng shal ●et● Of wronge to done al that he myght For he whiche shal the peple right Yt sitteth wel to his regalye That he hym self fyrst Iustefye Toward god in his degree For his estate is elles fre Toward al other in his persone Saue onely to the god allone Whiche wyl hym self a kyng chastyse Where that none other may suffyse So were it good to taken hede That fyrst a kyng his owne dede Betwene the vertu and the vyce Redresse & than his iustyce So sette in euen the balaunce Towardes other in gouernaunce That to the powre & to the ryche His lawes myght stonde in lyche He shal excepte no persone But for he may not al hym one In sondry place to Iustyce He shal of his ryal offyce With wyse consyderacion Ordeyne his dysputacion Of suche Iuges as ben lerned So that his peple be gouerned By hem that trewe ben & wyse For yf the lawe of couetyse Be set vpon Iuges honde Woo is the peple of thylke londe For wronge may not hym self hyde But allas on that other syde Yf lawe stonde with the right The peple is glad & stonte vp right Where as the lawe is meuable The comyn peple stante resonable And yf the lawe torne a mys The peple also mystorned is

Nota hic iusticia maximinj imperatoris qui cum alicuius prouincie custodem sibi constituere volebat primo de sui nominis sama proclamacione facta ipsius condicionem diligencius inuesti gabat

aNd in ensaumple of this matere Of maxymyn a man may here Of Rome Whiche was emperour That whan he made a gouernour By weye of substytucion Of prouynce or of regyon He wold fyrst acquyre his name And lete it openlye proclame What man he were or euyl or good And vpon that his name stode Enclyned to vertu or to vyce So wold he sette hym in offyce Or ellis put hym al a weye Thus helde the lawe the right weye Whiche fonde no lette of couetyse The world stode than vpon that wyse By ensaumple thou myght rede And holde in thy mynde I rede

Hic ponit exemplum de iudicibus incorruptis & narrat qualiter Gaius Fabricius nuper Rome consul aurum a sampnitibus sibi oblatum remi●t dicens qd nobilius est aurum possidentes domino subuigare quam ex auri cupidi tate dominij libertacem am●●tere

IN a cronyque I fynde thus How that gayus fabricius Whiche whylom was consul of rome By whom the lawes yede & come Whan the sampnytes to hym brought A somme of golde & hym besought To done hym fauour in the lawe Toward the golde he gan hym drawe Wherof in al mennes loke A parte in to his honde he toke Whiche to his mowthe in al haste He put it for to smelle and taste And to his eye & to his lere But he ne foude no comforte there And than he began it to despyse And tolde vnto hem in this wyse I note what is wyth golde to thryue Whan none of al my wyttes fyue Fynde sauour ne delyte therin So it is but a nyce synne Of golde to be couetouse But he is ryche and gloriouse Whiche hath in his subieccion Tho men whiche in pocessyon Ben riche of golde & by this skylle For he may al day whan he wylle Or be hym lefe or be hym lothe Iustyce doon vpon hem bothe Lo thus he said & with that worde He threwe tofore hym vpon a borde The golde out of his honde anone And said theym that he wold none So that he kepte his lyberte To doo Iustyce and equyte With lucre of suche rychesse Ther ben now fewe of suche I gesse For it Was thylke tyme vsed That euery Iuge was refused Whiche was not frende to comyn right But they that wolden stonde vp right For trouthe onely to Iustyce ●referred were in thylke offyce To deme & Iuge comyn lawe Whiche now men sayn is al with draw To sett● a lawe and kepe it nought There is no comune prouffyt sought But abeue al nethelees The lawe whiche is made for pees Is good to kepe for the beste For that setteth al men in reste

Hic n●rrat de iusticia nuper conrar ●i imperatoris cuius tempore alicuius reuerencia persone aliqua seu precum in●●ruencione quacunque vel auri redempcione legum statuta commutari seu r●d●●i nullatenus potuerunt

tHe rightful emperour conr●de To kepe pees suche a lawe made That none within the cyte In dysturbaunce of vnyte Durst ones meuen a matere For in his tyme as thou myght here What poynte that was for lawe sette It sheld for no good be lette To what persone that it were And this brought in the comyn fere Why ony man the lawe dradde For ther was none which fauour had

Nota exemplum de constancia judicis vbT narrat de carunidotiro rome nuper consule aui cum sui statuti legem nes ciens offendisset Romani que super hee penam sibi remittere noluissent ipē propria manu vbi nullns alius in ipsum vnidex fuit sui criminis vindic tam ex●cutus est

sO as these olde lookes sayn I fynde write where a romayn Whiche consul was of pretoyre Whos name was caromydot●yre He sette a lawe for the pees That euery man be Wepenlees That came in to the counceyl hows And elles as malicious He shal ben of the lawe dede To that statute & to that rede Accorden al it shal be so For certeyn cause whiche was tho Now here what fyl herafter sone This consul had for to done And was in to the feldes ryden And they hym longe abyden That lordes of the couuceyl were And bad hym come and he came there With swerde y gyrde and had foryete Tyl he was in the couuceyl sete Was none of hom that made speche Tyl he hym self it wold seche And fonde out the defaute hym self And said vnto the twelfe Whiche of the senate weren wyse I haue deseruyd the juyse In haste that it were I do And they hym sayden al no For wel they wyst it was no vyce Whan he ne thought no malyce But onely of a lytel slouthe And thus they leften as for routhe To do justyce vpon his gylte For that he shold not be spylte And whan in the maner how They wold hym saue he made a vowe With manful herte & thus he sayed That rome shold neuer abrayed His heyres whan he was of dawe That her auncetour brake the lawe For thy that they weren ware Forthwyth the same swerde he ●are The statute of his lawe he kepte So that al rome his deth be wepte

Nota ●d fals● iudices mortis pen● pu●iendi sunt / narrat enim qualiter cambices Rex persarum quemdam iudicem coruptum excori●●● viuum fecit eius que pelle cathedram iudicialem ope●●●● constituit ●ta qd filius suus supe● pat●s pellem poste● pro tribunali sessurus iudicij equitatem euiden●ius me ●oraretu :

●N other places also I rede Where that a Iuge hys owne dede Ne wil not venge his lawe broke The kyng it hath hym self y wroke The grete kyng whiche cambises Was ho●e a juge lawles He fonde and to remembraunce He dyd vpon hym suche vengeaunce Out of his skyn he was befloyne Al quycke & in that wyse slayne So that his skyn was shape al met● And nayled vpon the same set● Where that his sone shold sitte Auyse hym yf ●e wold flitte The lawe of couetyse There sawe he redy his juyse Thus in defaulte of other juge The kyng mote other while inge To holden vp the right lawe And for to speke of the olde dawe To take ensaumple of that was tho I fynde a tale wryten also How that a worthy prynce is hol●● The lawes of his londe to helde First for the hygh goddes sake And for that hy● is betake The peple for to guyde & lede Whiche is the charge of his kynghe●●

Hic ponit exemplum de principi●u● illis qui non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant . Set ●t comune bonum adaugeant propriam fatultate in diminuunt / Et narrat qd cum liguri us atheum princeps in omni prosperitatis habundancia diues & vnanimes congruis legibus stare fecisse volens ad vtilitatem reipub●●e leges illas firmius obs●ruari pe●●gri prof●●ssi se fuixit set prius iuramentum solempne a leges suis sub hac forma exegit qd ipsi vsque in reditum suum leges suas milla●enus infringerent quibus miratis pere g●●nacionem suam in exiliū●bsque redditu perpetuo delegauit

IN a cronycle I rede thus Of the rightful lygurgyus Whiche of athenes prynce was How he the lawe in euery was Wherof he shold his peple rule Hath sette vpon so good a rule In al this world that cite none Of lawe was so wel begone Forthwith the trouthe of gouernaunce There was emonge hem no distannce But euery man hath his encrees There was without werre pees Without enuye loue stood Richesse vpon the comune good And not vpon the synguler Ordeyned was & the power Of hom that weren in estate Was sauf wherof vpon debate There stode no thynge so that in reste Myght euery man his herre reste And whan this noble rightful kyng Saw how it ferde of al this thynge Wherof the peple stode in ese He whiche for euer wold plese The hye god whos thonke he soughte A wonder thynge than he bethought● And shope how that it myght be How that his lawe in the cite Myght afterward for euer laste And there vpon his witte he caste What thynge hym were beste to sayen That his purpoos myght atteyne A parlemente & thus he sette His wysdom ●here that he be sette In audience of grete & smale And in this wyse he tolde a tale God wote & so ye woten alle Here afterward how so it falle Yet to now my wylle hath be To do iustyce and equyte In ferderyng of the comyn proffyt Suche hath ben euer my delyte But of one thynge I am beknowe The wh●les my wylle is that ye knowe The l●●e whiche I toke on honde Was al to gyder of goddes sonde And no ●ynge of myn owne wit So mote it nede endure yit And shal do lenger yf ye wyl For I wyl trlle you the skyl The god mercurius & no man He hath me taught al that I can Of suche lawes as I made Wherof that ye ben al glade It was the god & no thynge I Which dyd al this & now for thy He hath commaunded of his grace That I shal come in to a place Whiche ferre out in an yle Where I moto tarye for a whyle Wich hym to speke as he hath bede For as be saith in thylke stede He shal me suche thynges telle That euer while the world shal dwelle A●●nes shal the better fare But fyrst or that I thyder fare For that I wold that my lawe Amonges you ne be withdrawe The whiles that I shal be oute For thy to setten out of doubte Bothe you & me thus wil I praye That ye me wold assure & saye With suche an othe as I wyl take That eche of you shal vndertake My lawes for to kepe & holde They sayden al that they wold And there vpon they swere theyr othe That fro that tyme that he gothe Tyl he to hem be come ageyn They shullen his lawe wel & pleyne In euery poynte kepe & fulfille Thus hath lygurius his wylle And toke his leue & forth he wente But here now wel to what entente Of rightwysnes he dyd so For after that he was a goo He shope hym neuer to be founde So that athenes whiche was founde Neuer after shold be releced Ne thylke good lawe seced Which was for comune prouffyt sought The kyng his owne estate ne rought To do prouffyt to the comune He toke of exyle the fortune And lefte of pryuely thylke offyce Onely for loue & for justyce For whiche he thoughte yf that he myght For euer after his deth to right The cite which was hym betake Wherof men ought ensaumple take With hem whiche vnder gouernaunce The good lawes to auaunce And who that wold take kepe The lawes haue for to kepe Of hem that first the lawes founde As ferre as lasteth ony grounde Of londe her names yet be knowe And yf it lyke the to knowe Some of their names how they stonde Now herken & thou shalt vnderstonde

Hic ad eorum laudem qui iusticie causa leges statuerunt aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat

oF euery benefete the meryte The god hym self it wyl acquyte And eke ful ofte it falleth so The world it wyl acquyte also But that may not be euen syche To god he yeueth the heuen ryche The world yeueth onely but a name Which stante vpon the good fame Of hem that done the good dede And in this wyse double mede Receyuen that done wel here Wherof yf that thou list to here After the fame as it is blowe Ther myght thou wel the soth knowe How thilke honest besynesse Of hem that first of rightwysnesse Emonge the men the lawes made May neuer vpon this erthe fade For euer while there is a tonge Her name shal be redde & songe And hole in the cronyke write So that the men shullen wyte To speke good as they wel oughten Of hem that first the lawes soughten In forderyng of the worldes pees Vnto thebrewes was moyses The first & the Egypciens Mercurius & to troiens First was ne wma pompilius To athenes ligurius Yaue first the lawe vnto gregoys Foroneus hath thylke voyce And romulus of romayns For suche men as ben vylayns The lawe in suche a wyse ordeyneth That what man the lawe pleyneth By so the juge stonde vp right He shal be serued of his right And so ferforth it is befalle That lawe is comune emonge vs alle God lene it mo●e wel be holde As euery kyng therto is holde For thynge whiche is of kynges sette With kynges ought it not to be lette What kyng of lawe taketh no kepe By lawe he may no royame kepe Do lawe aweye what is a kynge Where is the right of ony thynge If that there be no lawe in londe This ought a kyng wel vnderstonde As he which is to lawe sworne That yf the lawe be forlorne Withouten execusyoun Hit maketh a londe torne vp so dou n Which is vnto the kyng & sclaundre For thy vnto kyng alisaundre The wyse philosophre hadde That he hym self first be ladde Of lawe & than forth with alle To doo justyse in generalle That al the wyde londe aboute The iustyce of his lawe doubte And than shal he stonde in reste For therto lawe is one the beste Aboue al other erthely thynge To make a liege drede his kynge But how a kyng shal gete hym loue Toward the hygh god aboue And eke a man in erthe This nexte poynte whiche is the ferthe Of aristotles lore it techeth Wherof who the foole secheth What polecye that it is The book reherceth after this

Nil racionis habens vbi vel tiranni 〈◊〉 regna / Stringit amor populi transiet exul ibi / Set pietas regnum que conseruabit in euum / Non tantum populo / set placet illa deo

Hic tractat de quarta principum re giminis policia que pietatis dicta est per quam principes erga populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi consecuntur

iT nedeth not that I debate The prynce which preised is algate And hath ben euer & euer shal Wherof to speke in special It is the vertu of pyte Thorough which the hye mageste Was sterred whan his sone alyght And in pyte the world to right Toke of the mayde flesshe & blood Pyte was cause of thylke good Wherof that we ben all saue Wel oughte a man pyte to haue And the vertu to sette in price Whan he hym self which is al wyse Hath shewed why it shal be preysed Pyte may not be counterpeysed Of tyrannye with no peyse For pyte maketh a man curteyse Bothe in his worde & in his dede It sit wel euery liege to drede His kyng & to his heste obeye And right so by the same weye It sit a kyng to be pytous Toward his peple & gracious Vpon the rule of gouernaunce So that he worche no vengeauuce Whiche may be cleped cruelte Iustyce which doth equyte Is dredeful for he no man spareth But in the l●nde where pyte fareth The kyng may neuer fayle of loue ▪ For pyte thorough the grace aboue So as the phylosophre affermeth His reygne in good estate confermeth The appostle iames in this wyse S●yth what man that shold do iuyse And hath not pyte forth wyth all The dome of hym whiche demeth all He may hym self ful sore drede That hym shal lacke vpon the nede To fynde pyte whan he wolde For who that pyte wyl beholde It is a poynte of cristes love And for to loken ouermore It is behouely as we fynde To reson & to lawe of kynde Tassyodre in his aprise telleth The royame is sauf where pite dwelleth And tullyus this tale auoweth And saith what kyng to pite boweth And with pyte stonte ouercome He hath that shelde of grace nome Which● vnto kynges yeueth victory● Of alisannder in his hystorye I rede how a worthy knyght Of sodeyn wrath & not of right Foriuged bath & he appeleth And with that word the kyng quareleth And said none is aboue me That wote I wel my lord ad he Fro thy lordshyp appele I nought But fro thy wrath in al my thought To thy pyte stante myn appele The kyng which vnderstode hym wele Of pure pyte gaue hym grace And eke I rede in another place

Constantinus imperator ait vere se dominum esse ▪ comprobat qui seruum pietatis se facit

Thus said whilom constantyne What emperour that is enclyne To pyte for to be seruaunte Of al the worldes remenaunte He is worthy to ben a lorde In olde bookes of recorde

Trai●nus ait qd cum ipse subditos suos solite pietatis fauore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere corum que be neuolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se attractare proponebat

tHis fynde I write of ensaūplayr Traian the worthy debonayr By whome that rome stode gouerned Vpon a tyme as he was lerned Of that he was to famulyer He said vnto that counceller That for to be an emperour His wylle was not for veyne honour Ne yet for reddour of Iustyce But yf he myght in his offyce His lord & his peple plese Hym thought it were a grete ease With loue her hertes to hym drawe Than with the drede of ony lawe For whan a thynge is done for doubte Ful ofte it cometh the wers aboute But where a kynge is pytous He is the more gracious That mykel thrist hym shal leiyde Whiche ellis shold torne a syde

Qualiter Iudeus predester cum pa ● gaue equitante itinerauit per desertum et ipsum de fide sua interrogauit

tO do pite supporte & grace The phi●●sophre vpon a place In his writyng of dayes olde A tale of grete ensaumble tolde Vnto the kyng of macedoyne How bytwene cayr & babyloyne Whan comen is the somer hete It happened two men for to mete As they shold entre in to a paas Where that the wyldernes was And as they wente forth spekende Vnder the large wodes ende That one man axeth of that other What man art thou my lyef broder Which is thy creaunce & thy feyth I am a paynym that other seyth And by the lawe which I vse I shal not in my feyth refuse To louen al men y liche The poure bothe & eke the riche Whan they be glad I shal be glad And sory whan they ben bestad So shal I lyue in vnyte With euery man in his degre For right as to my self I wolde Right so toward al other I sholde Be gracious & debonayr Thus haue I tolde the softe & f●y● My feyth my lawe & my creaunce And yf the lyst for acqueyntaunce Now telle what manere man thou art And he answerd vpon his part I am a Iewe / & by my lawe I shal to no man be felawe To kepe hym trouth in worde ne dde But yf he be without drede A veray Iewe right as am I For ellis I may truly Bereue hym bothe lyf & good The paynym herde & vnderstood And thought it was a wonder lawe And thus vpon their sondry sawe Talkyng bothe forth they wente The day was hote the sonne brente The paynym rode vpon an asse And of his catel more & lasse With hym a riche trusse he ladde The Iewe which al vntrouth hadde And went vpon his feet besyde Bethought hym how he myght ryde And with his wordes slye & wyse Vnto the paynym in this wyse He said / o now it shal be sene What it is thou woltest mene For yf thy lawe be certeyn As thou hast tolde I darwel seyn Thou wylt beholde my distresse Which am so ful of werynesse That I ne may vnnethe goo And lete me ryde a myle or two So that I may my body ese The paynym wold hym not dysplese Of that he spake but in pytee It list hym for to knowe & see The pleynte whiche that other made And for he wold his herte glade He light & made hym no thyng straunge Thus was ther made a newe chaunge The paynym the Iewe a lofte Was sette / vpon his asse softe Soo goon they forth carpend faste On this / on that / tyl on the laste The paynym myght goo nomore And prayed vnto the Iewe therfore To suffre hym ryde a lytel whyle The Iewe which thought hym to begyle Anone rode forth the grete paas And to the paynym in this caas He seid thou hast do thy right Of that thou haddest me behyght To do socour vpon my nede And that accordeth to the dede As thou arte to the lawe holde And in suche wyse as I the tolde I thynke also for my partye Vpon the lawe of Iewrye To werche & do my duete Thyn asse shal goo forth with me With al thy good whiche I haue sesed And that I wote thou arte dysesed I am right glad & not myspayed And whan he hath these wordes sayed In al haste he rode aweye The p●●nym wote none other weye But on the grounde he kneleth euen His hondes vp vnto the heuen And said / o hye sothfastnes That louest al rightwysnes Vnto thy dome lord I appele Beholde & deme my quarele With humble herte I the beseche The mercy bothe & the wreche I set al in thy Iugement And thus vpon his marrement This paynym hath made his prayere And thenne he was with drery chere And goeth hym forth & in his gate ●e caste his eye aboute algate The Iewe yf that he myght see But for a tyme it may not bee Tyl atte last ageyn the nyght So as god wold he wente a right As he whiche helde the hye weye And thenne he sawe in a valeye Where that the Iewe liggend was Al blody deed vpon the gras Which strangeled was of a leon And as he boked vp & doun He fonde his asse fast by Forthwith his harneys redely Al hool & sounde as he it lefte Whan that the Iewe it hym byrefte Wherof he thanked god knelende ●o thus a man may knowe at ende How the pytous pyte deserueth For what man that to pyte serueth As aristotle it bereth wytnesse God shal his foomen so represse That they shal ay stonde vnderfote Pyte men sayn is thylke rote Wherof the vertues spryngen alle What infortune that befalle In ony londe / lacke of pyte Is cause of thylke aduersite And that alday may shewe at eye Who that the world discretely syhe Good is that euery man therfore Take hede of that is said tofore For of this tale & other ynowe These noble princes whylom drowe Her euydence and her appryse As men may fynde in many wyse Who that these olde bookes rede And though they ben in erthe dede Her good name may not deye For pyte which they wold obeye To doo the dedes of mercy And who this tale redely Remembre as aristotle it tolde He may the wylle of god beholde Vpon the poynte as it was ended Wherof the pyte stood comended Which is to charite felawe As they that kepen bothe one lawe

Nota hic de pietate principis erga populum vbi narrat quod ●odius rex atheuis contra dorences bellum gere re deberet consulto prius appoline responsum accepit quod vnum de duobus v●●e●●cet seipsum preli● interfeci et populum saluari aut seipsum saluum fi●ri ● populum interfeci eligere oport●ret / Super quo rex pietate mot●● plebis que sui magis quam proprij corporis salutem affectans mortem sibi ▪ preelegit / Et sic bellum aggrediēce provita multorum solus incerijt

oF pyte for to speke playne Which is with mercy wel besayn Fuf ofte hym self he wold peyne To kepe another fro the peyne For charite the moder is Of pyte which no thynge a mys Can suffre yf he it may amende It sitteth to euery man lyuende To be pytons but none so wel● As to a kyng which on the whele Fortune hath set abouen alle For in a kyng yf so befalle That his pyte be ferme & stable To al the londe it is vaylable Onely thorugh the grace of his persone For the pyte of hym allone May al the large royame saue So sit it wel a kyng to haue Pyte / of this valere tolde And said how that by dayes olde Godrus which was in hys degree Kyng of athenes the cyte A werre he had ageynst dorrence And for to take his euydence What shal lefalle of the batayle He thought he shold hym self counceyl With appollo in whom he triste Thorough whos answer thus he wyste Of two poyntes that he myght chese Or that he wold his body lese And in batayle hym self deye Or ellis the second weye To seen his peple dyscomfyte But he which pyte hath persyte Vpon the poynte of his byleue The peple thought to releue And chese hym self to be dede Where is now suche another hede Which wold for the lymmes deye And nethelesse in somme parteye It ought a kynges herte stere That he his lyege men forbere And eke toward his enemyes Ful ofte he may deserue prise To take of pyte remembraunce Where that he myght do vengeaunce For whan he hath the victorye And than he drawe in to memorye To do pyte in stede of wreche He may not fayle of thylke speche Wherof ariseth the worldes fame To yeue a prynce a worthy name

Hic ponit exemplum de victoriosi principis pietate erga aduersarios suos / Et narrat qd cum pompeiu● Roma norum Imperator regem armonie aduersarium suum in bello victum cepisset captum quam vinculis alligatum Rome tenuisset tirannidis iracundie stumilos post ponens pietatis māsuetudinem operatus est dixit enim qd nobilius ●̄ regem facere quam deponere super quo dictum regem absquam ulla redempcione non solum a vinculis abso luitsz ad sui regni culmen gratuita uoluntate coronatum restituit

iRede whylom that pompey to whom that rome must obey A werre had in Iupartye Ageynste the kynge of ermonye Which of long tyme had hym greued But atte last it was acheued That this kyng dyscomfyte hadde And forth with hym to rome ladde As prisoner where many a day In sory plyte & power he laye The crowne of his heed deposed Within walles faste enclosed And with ful grete humylete He suffreth his aduersite Pompeye sawe his pacyence And toke pyte with conscience So that vpon his hygh deys Tofore al rome in his paleys As he that wolde vpon hym rewe Lete yeue hym his corone newe And his estate ful & playn And restored of his reygne ageyn And said it was more goodely thyng To make than to vndone a kyng To hym which power had of bothe Thus they weren longe wrothe Accorden hem to fynal pres And yet Iustyce nethelees Was kepte & in no thynge offended Wherof pompeye was commended There may no kyng hym self excuse But yf Iustyce be kepte & vse Which for to esch we cruelte He mote attempre with pyte Of cruelte the felonye Engendred is of tyrannye Ageyn to whos condycion God hym self the champyon Whos strengthe may no man withstonde For euer yet it hath so stonde That god a tyraunt ouer ladde But where pyte the reygne ladde Ther myght no fortune laste Which was greuous atte laste The god hym self it hath redressed Pyte is thylke v●rtu blessed Which neuer lete his maister falle But cruelte though it so befalle That it may reyne for a throlbe God wold it shold be ouerthrowe Wherof ensaumples ben ynowe Of hem that thylke mer●ll drowe

Hic loquitur contra illos qui tiranni 〈◊〉 potestate principatum optinentes ini ●uitatis sue mal●cia gloriatur / Et narrat exemplum qualiter leoncins tirannus pium iuscinianum non solum ● sl●o imꝑa●orie magestatis fraudulentur expulit sed vt ipē inhabilis ad reg num in aspectu plebis efficiretur ●aso et labris absasis ipm̄ tirannice mutilauit deus tamen qui super omiam pius est tibe ●io suꝑueniente via cum adiutorio Terbel Bulgarie regis iustianinum inter fecto leoncio ad Imperium restitui mise ricorditer proturauit

F cruelte I rede thus Whan the tyraunt leoncyus Was to th empyre of rome aryued Fro which he hath the strength priued Of the pyt●us Iustynian As he which was a cruel man His nose of & lyppes bothe He ●ut for he wold hym bothe Vnto the peple & make hym vnable But he which is al merciable The hygh god ordeyneth so That he within a tyme also Whan he was strengest in his yre Was shouen out of his empyre Tyberius the power hadde And rome after his power he ladde And for leonce in suche a wyse Ordeyneth that he toke Iuyse Of nose & lyppes bothe two For that he dyd another so Which more worthy was than he Lo which a falle hath cruelte And pyte was sette vp ageyn For after that the bookes s●yn Terbellis kyng of bulgarye With helpe of his chyualrye Iustynyan hath vnprisonned And to th empyre ageyn coroned●

Hic boquitur ulterius de ●rude●f●te Situly necnon et de berillo eiusdem consiariō qui ad tormentum populi qu●dam taurum eneum tirānic● coniectura fabritari constituit in quo tamen ipse prior ꝓprio crīe illud exigente vsque ad sui interitus expiracionem iudicia●iter torquebatur

I●● a cronycle I fynde also Of siculus which was eke so A cruel kyng lyke the tempest To whom no pyte myght areste He was the first as bokes s●ye Vpon the see which fonde galeye And ●ete hem make for the werre As he which was al out of herre Fro pyte and mysericorde For therto coude he not accorde But whom he myght s●een he slough And therof was he glad ynough He had of counceyl many one Emonge the which there was one By name which brillus hyght And he bythought hym how he myght Vnto the tyrannt do lykyng And by his owne ymagenyng Lete forge & make a tonne of bras And on the syde cast there was A dore where a man may in And he his payne shal begyn Of fyre which that men putten vnder And al this dyd he for a wonder That whan a man for payne cryed The bull of bras which gapeth wyde It shal seme as though it were Al belewyng in a mannys ere And not the cryeng of a man But he which al sleyghtes can The deuyl that lyeth in helle faste Hym that this made hath ouercaste That for a trespace which he dede He was put in the same stede And was hym self the fyrst of alle Whiche was in to the peyne falle That he for other men ordeyneth Ther was no man that hym compleyneth Of tyrannye & cruelte By this ensaumple a kyng may see hym self & eke his counceyl bothe How they be to mankynde bothe And to the god abhomynable Ensaumples that ben couenable I fynde of other prynces moo As thou shalt here of tyme ago

Nota hic de diomisio tiranno qui mire crude●●●atis seueritate eciam hospites suos ad deuorādum equis suis tribuit cui hercules tandem super venientes victum impium in impietate sua pari morte conclusit

The grete tyraunt dyonys Which mannes lyf set at no prys Vnto his hors ful o●te he yafe The men in stede of corne & chafe So that the h●rs of thylke stode Deuoureden the maunes bloode Tyl fortune atte laste came That hercules hym ouercame● And he right in the same wyse Of this tyraunt toke the Iuyse As he tyl other hath do The same deth he deyed also That no pyte hym hath socoured Tyl he was of his lyf deuoured

Nota hic de consimil● lichaontis tirannia qui carnes hoim̄ hominibus in suo hospicio ad vescendum dedit cuius formam condicioni similem qualiter coequans ipm̄ in lupum transformauit

oF lychaan also I fynde How he ageyn the law of kynde His hoost slewe in to mete And made her bodyes to be e●e With other men within his hows But Iubyter the glorious Which was meued of this thynge Vengeaunce vpon this cruel kyng So toke that he fro mannes forme In to a wolf he lete transforme And thus the cruelte was kyd Which of longe tyme he had hyd A wolfe he was than openlye By whos nature pryuelye He had in his condycion And vnto this conclusion That tyraunt is to dyspryse I fynde ensaumple in sondry wyfe And namelyche of hem ful ofte To whom fortune hath set a●ofte Vpon the warres for to wynne But how so that the wronge begynne Of tyrannye it may not laste But suche as they done atte laste To other men suche on hem falleth For ageyn suche pyte calleth Vengeaunce to the god aboue For who that hath no tender loue In sauyng of a mannys lyfe He shal be founde so gyltyfe That whan he wold mercy craue In tyme of nede he shal none haue

Nota qualiter beo homībgh stratis ꝑcit

Of the nature thus I fynde The fiers lyon in his kynde Which goeth rampyng after his praye Yf ●e a man fynde in his waye He wil hym slee yf he withstonde But yf the man coude vnderstonde To falle anone tofore his face In signe of mercy and of grace The lyon shal of his nature Restreyne his yre in suche mesure As though it were a beast y tamed And torne aweye halfyng ashamed That be the man shal no thyng greue How shold than a prynce acheue Th● worldes grace yf that he wold D●●●r●ye a m●n whan he is yolde And stante vpon his mercy alle But for to speken in specialle There haue be suche & suche there be Tyrauntes whos hertes ne pyte May to no poynte of mercy plye That they vpon her tyrannye Ne gladen hem the men to slee And as the ractes of the see Ben vnpytous in the tempeste Right so may no pyte reste Of cruelte the grete vltrage Which the tyraunt in his corage Engendreth hath wherof I fynde A tale now which cometh to mynde

Hic loquitur contra tirannos illos qui cum in bello vicere possunt huāni sanguinis effusio● saturare nequeunt et narrat in exemplum de quodam ꝑsa● rege cuius nomen sꝑtachus erat qui pre ceberis tunc in oriente bellicosus & victoriosus quoscumque gladio vincere poterat absque pietate interfeci constituit / Set tandem sub manu thamaris marsegittarum regine in bello captus quam a diu quesiuit seueritatem ꝓ seueritate final●t inuenit nam & ipam quoddm̄ has de sanguine ꝑsarum plenum ante se offerre decreuit in quo capud tiranni vsque ad mortem mergens dixit / O tirānarū crude●ssime semper esuriens sanguinem sicisti ecceiam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe

I Rede in olde bokes thus Ther was a due which spertachus Men cleped & was a wetrour A cruel man a conquerour With stronge power which he ladde For this condicion he hadde That where hym happeneth the victorye His lust & al his glorye Was for to slee & not to saue Of raunson wold he no good haue For sauyng of a mannys lyfe But al goeth to the swerde & knyfe So beef hym was mannys blood And nethelesse thus it stod● So as fortune aboute wente He fyl right heyre as by dyssent To pers & was crowned kynge And whan the worship of this 〈◊〉 ynge Was falle & he was kyng of pers If that they weren fyrst dyuers Hath shape for vpon a tyde Whan he was hyest in his pryde In his rancour & in his hete Ageyn the quene of mersagete Which thamaris that tyme hyght He made werre al that he myght . And she which wolde hir londe defend Hir owue sone ageyn hym sende Which the deffence hath vndertake But he dyscomfyte was & take And whan this kyng hym had in honde He wold no mercy vnderstonde But dyd hym slee in his presence The kyng of his vyolence Whan it came to the moders ere She sende a●one ay wyde where To suche frendes as she had A grete power tyl that she lad In sondre wyse & tho she caste How she this kyng may ouercaste And atte last accorded was That in the daunger of a paas Thorugh which this tyraunt shold pas She shope his power to compas By strengthe of men by suche a weye That he shal not escape aweye And whan she had thus ordeyned She hath hir owne body feyned For fere as though she wold flee Out of hir londe & when that he Hath herde how that thys lady fledde So fast after the chase he spedde That he was founde out of araye For it betyd vpon a day In to the paas whan he was falle The enbusshementes to breke alle And hym beclypte on euery syde That fle ne myght he not a syde So that there were dede & take Two hondred thousand for his sake That weren with hym of his hoost And thus was leyed the grete boost Of hym & of his tyrannye Hit helpeth not mercy for to crye To hym which whilom dyd none For he vnto the quene anone Was brought & when that she hym sye This word she spake & leyed on hye O man which out of mannes kynde Reson of man hath lefte behynde And lyued wors than a beste Whom pyte myght not areste The mannys blode to shede & spylle Thou haddest neuer yet thy fylle But now the last tyme is come That thy malyce is ouercome And thou tyl other hast mys do Now shal be do to the right so Tho bad this lady that men shold A vessel brynge in which she wolde See the vengeaunce of his Iuyse Which she began anone deuyse And toke the princes whiche she ladde By whom his chyef counceyl he hadde And while hem lefte ony brethe She made hem blede to the dethe In to the vessel where it stode And whan it was fulfilled of blode She caste the tyraunte therin And said to thus myght thou wynne The lustres of thyn appetyte In blode was whylom thy delyte Thou shalt now drynke al thy fylle And thus onely of goddes wylle He which that wold hym self siraunge To pyte fonde mercy so straunge That he without grace is bore So may it wel shelbe therfore That cruelte hath no good ende But pyte how so that it wende Maketh that god is merciable If there be cause resonable Why that a kyng shal be pytous But ellys yf he be doubtous To sleen in cause of rightwysnesse It may be sayd no pytousnesse But it is pusillanymyte Which euery prynce shold flee For yf pyte mesure excede Kynghode may not alwey procede To do Iustyse vpon right For it belongeth to a knyght As gladly for to fyght as reste To sette his liege peple in reste Whan that the warre vpon hem falleth For them he mote as it befalleth Of his knyghthode as a lyon Be to the peple a champyon Without vny pyte fayned For yf manhode be restreyned Or be it pees or be it werre Iustyce goeth out of herre So that knyghthode is set behynde Of aristotles lore ● fynde A kyng shal make good vysage That no man knowe of his corage But al honour & worthynesse For yf a kyng shal vpon gesse Without v●r●y cause drede He may be lyke to that I rede And though that it be lyke a fable The ensaumple Is good & resonable

Hic loquitur secundum philosophum di●ns ad sicut non decet principes ti●ānia 〈…〉 esse c●●deles ita nec ●●●●t ●●mo●osa pusillamitate esse vecor●●●

● S●● by olde dayes felle I rede whylom that an helle Vp●n the lo●des of arc●●de A wonder dredeful noyse made For so it fyl that ylke day This hylle on his chyldyng lay And when the th●● wes on hym come His ●oyse like the day of dome Was fereful in mannys thought Of thynges which that they see nought But wel they herden al aboute The ●oyse of which they were in doute As they that wenden to be lore Of thynge which thenne was vubore The nere this hylle was vpon chaunce To taken his delyueraunce The more vnbuxumlyche he cryed Euery man fledde a syde For drede & lefte his owne holbs And atte laste it was a molbs The which was lore & to notice Bytake & tho they helde hem nyce For they withouten cause dradde Thus yf a kyng his herte ladde With euery thynge that he shal here Ful ofte he shold chaunge his chere And vpon fantasye drede Whan that ther is no cause of drede

Nota hic secundum oracium de magnanimo ●a●●de & pusillanime thersite

Orace to his prynce tolde That hym were l●uer that he wold Vpon knyghthede achylles sewe In tyme of warre than eschewe So as thersites dyd at troye A chilles al his hole ioye Set vpon armes for to fyght Thersytes sought al that he myggt Vnarmed for to stonde and reste But of the two it was the beste That achilles vpon the nede Hath do wherof that his knyghthede Is yet commended ouer alle Kyng salamon in specialle Saith as there is a tyme of pees So is a tyme nethelees Of werre of which a prynce algate Shal for the comyn right debate And for his owne worshyp eke But it behoueth not to seke Onely the werre for worshyp But to the right of his lordship Which he is holde to deffende Mote euery worthy prynce entende Betwene the symplyesse of pyte And the fole hast of cruelte Where stante the hardynesse Therupon a kyng his herte adresse Whan it is tyme for to forsake And whan tyme is also to take The godely werres vpon honde That he shal for no drede wonde If rightwisnes be withal For god is myghty ouer al To forther euery mannes trouthe But it le thorugh his owne slouthe And namely the kynges nede It may not fayle for to spede For he stante one for hem alle So mote it wel the better falle And wel the more god fauoureth When he the comune right socoureth And for to ▪ see the soth in dede Beholde the byble & thou myght rede Of grete ensaumples many one Wherof that I wyl telle one

Hic dicit qd princeps iusticie causa bellum modo timere debet Et narrat qualiter dux gedeon cum solis ●ercentis viris quinque Reges scilicet Madianitharum amalichitarum amortanrum Amor●orum & ●●buseorum cum eorum excercitu qui ●d nonaginta milia numeratus est gracia cooperante diuina victoriose infugam conuertit

uPon a tyme as it byfelle Ayenst Iude of Israelle Whan sondry kynges come were I● purpoos & to destroye the●e The peple whiche god kepte tho And stode m thylke dayes so That gedeon which shold lede The goddes folke toke hym to rede And sende m al the londe aboute Tyl be assembled hath a route With xxx thousand of deffence To fyght & make resystence Ageyn the which he wold assayle And nethelesse that one batayle Of thre that were enemyes Was double more than was al his Wherof that gedeon hym drad That he so litel peple had But he which al thynge may helpe Where that ther lacketh mannes helpe To gedeon his aungel sente And bad or that he forther wente Al openlye that he do crye That euery man in his partye Which wold after his owne wylle In his delyte abyde stylle At home in ony maner wyse For purchace or for couetyse For lust of loue & lacke of he●te He shold not aboute sterte But holde hym stylle in pees Wherof vpon the morowe he lees Wel xx thousand men & mo Which after the crye ben goo Thus was with hym but onely lefte The thyrd parte & yet god efte His aungel sende & said this To gedeon yf it so is That I thyn helpe shal vndertake Thou shalt yet lesse pexle take By whom my wyl is that thou spede For thy to morowe take good hede Vnto the flode whan ye be come What man that hath the water nome Vpon his hande & lappeth so To thy parte chese out al ●●o And hym which wery is to swynke Vpon his Wombe & lyeth to drynke Forsake & put hem al albeye For I am myghty al weye Where as me lyse my helpe to sewe In good men though they be fewe This gedeon a wayteth welle ● Vpon the morowe & euery delle As god hym bade right so he dede And thus they laften in that stede With hym thre hondred & no moo The remenaunte was al a goo Wherof that gedeon merueyleth And therupon with god counceylleth Pleynyng as ferforth as he dare And god that wold ●e were ware That he shal spede vpon his right Hath bede hym goo the same nyght And toke a man to hym to here What shal be spoke in this matere Amonge the hethen enemyes So may he be the more wyse What afterward hym shal befalle This gedeon ●monges alle Phara to whom he tryst moste By nyght toke toward thylke hooste Whiche lodged was in a valeye To here what they wolden seye Vpon his fote & as he ferde Two sareʒyns spekyng he herde Quod one arede my sweuen a right Which I met in my sweuen to nyght Me thought I sawe a barley cake Which fro the hyll his weye hath take And came rollyng doun at ones And as it were for the nones Forth in his cours as it ran The kynges tente of madyan Of amalech of amareye Of amon & of Iebuseye And many another tente mo With grete ioye as me thought tho It threwe to grounde & ouercaste And al his hoost so sore agaste That I woke for pure drede This sweuen can I wel arede Qd the other sareʒyn anone The barly cake is Gedeon Which fro the hylle doun sodeynlye Shal come & set suche a skrye Vpon the kynges & vs bothe That it shal to vs al lothe For in suche drede he shal vs brynge That yf we hadden flight of wynge The weye of fote in dyspayre We shul leue & flee in the ayre For ther shal no thyng hym withstonde Whan gedeon hath vnderstonde This tale he thanked god of alle And pryuelye ageyn he stalle So that no lyf hym bath perceyued And than he hath fully conceyued That he shal spede & there vpon The nyght sewyng he shope to gone This multitude to assayle Now shalt thou here a grete meruayle With what wysdom that he wrought The lytel peple which he brought Was none of hem that he ne hath A potte of erthe which he hath A light brennyng in a cresset And eche of hem eke a trompet Bare in his honde eke besyde And thus vpon the nyghtes tyde Du● gedeon whan it was derke Ordeyneth hym vnto his werke And parted than his folke in thre And chargeth than that they ne fle And taught hem how they shold askrye Al in one wyse par companye And what word they shold eke speke And how they shold her pottes breke Eche one with other whan they herde That he hym self so first ferde For whan they came in to the stede He bad hem do right as he dede And thus stalkyng forth a pa●s This noble duc whan tyme was His pot he brake & loude ascryed And tho they brake on euery syde The trompe was not tho to seke He blewe & so they blewen eke With suche a noyse emonge hem alle As though the heuen shold falle ▪ The hylle vnto her voys auswerde This hoste in the valey it herde And saith how that the hylle a light So what of heryng & of syght They caught suche a sodeyn fere That none of hem be lefte there The tentes hooly they forsoke That they none other good toke But onely with her body bare They fledde as doeth the wylde hare And euer vpon the hylle they blewe Tyl that they sawe tyme & knewe That they be fled vpon the rage And whan they wyst th●ir auauntage They fyl anone vnto the chace Thus myght thou see how goddes grace Vnto the good auayleth But , ellis oftyme it faylleth To suche as be not wel disposed This tale nedeth not to be glosed For it is openlye shewed That god to hem that ben wel thewed Hath yeue & graunted the victorye So that thensaumple of this hystarye Is good for euery kyng to holde First in hym self that he beholde If he be good of his lyuyng And that the folke which he shal brynge Be good also for than he may Be glad of many Turrian mery day In what that euer he hath to done For he which sitte aboue the mone In al thynge may spylle & spede In euery caas & euery nede His good kyng so wel he dresseth That al his foo men he represseth So that ther may no man hym dere And also wel he can forbere And suffre a wicked kyng to falle In handes of his foon alle

Hic dicit qd vbi et quando causa & tempus requirunt princeps illos sub potestate sua quos iusticie aduersarios suo● agnouerit occidere de iure tenetur Et narrat exemplum qualiter pro eo qd saul regem agag in bello deuincit iuxta samuelis consilium occidere nolu it ipse diuino iudicio non sosum a regno israel priuatus set & heredes sui pro perpetuo exhereditati sunt

n ow ferthermore yf I shal seyn Of my mater & torne ageyn To speke of iustyce & pyte After the rule of ryalte This may a kyng wel vnderstonde ●enyghthode mote be take on honde Whan that it stonte vpon the nede He shal no rightful cause drede No more of werre than of pees If he wyl stonde blameles For suche a cause a kyng may haue Better it is to slee than saue Wherof thou myght ensaumple fynde The hygh maker of mankynde By samuel to saul bade That he shal no thyng be ad●ad Ageyn kyng agag for to fyght For this the godhede hym behyght That agag shal be ouercome And whan it is so ferforth come That saul hym hath dyscomfyte The god bad make no respyte That he ne shold hym slee anone But saul lete it ouer gone And dyd not the goddes heste For agag made a grete beheste Of raunsom which he wold gyu Kyng saul suffreth hym to lyue And fayneth pyte forth withal But he which sawe & knewe alle The hye god of that he feyneth To samuel vpon hym pleyneth And sende hym worde for that he l●f●e Of agag that ne by refte The lyf he shal not onely deye Hym self but fro his regalye He shal be put for euer mo Nought but eke his eyre also That it shal neuer come ageyn Thus myght thou see the sothe pleyne

Hic narrat vl●erius super eodem qualiter dauid in extremis iusticie caus● vt Ioab occideretur absque vlla remissione filio suo Salamoni iniunxit

tHat of to moche & of to ly●● Vpon the prynces stante the wy●● But euer it was a kynges right ●o do the dedes of a knyght For in the hondes of a kynge The deth & lyf is al o thynge After the lawes of Iustyce To sl●en it is a dedely vyce But yf a man the deth deserne And yf a kyng the lyf preserue Of hym which ought for to deye He sh●weth not the ensaumplerye Which in the byble is euydente How ●●●yd in his tes●amente Whan he no lenger myght leue Vnto his sone in cherge hath geue That he Ioab sheld slee algace And whan dauyd was gone his gate The yonge wyse salamone Hi●●●ders heste dyd anone And slewe Ioab in suche a wyse That they that herden the Iuyse Euer after dredden hym the more And god was eke wel payed therfore That he so wold his herte plye The lawes for to iustefye And yet he kepte forth with al ●yt● a● a prynce shal That he ne tyrannye wrought He fonde the wysdom which he sought And was so rightful nethelees That al his lyf ●e s●ode in pees That he no dedely warres hadde For euery man his wysdom dradde And as he was hym self wyse Right so the worthy men of pryse He hath of his counceyl withholde For that is euery prynces holde To make of suche his retenue Which wyse ben & renewe The fooles for there is no thynge That may be better aboute a kynge Than the oc●ceyl which is the substaunce Of al a bynges gouernaunce

Hic dicit qd pepulum sibi commissu bene re●ere super omnia principi laudabilius est Et narrat in exemplum qualiter pro eo qd salamon vt populum bene regeret ab altissimo sapienciam specialius postulauit omma bona pariter cum illa sibi habundancius aduerunt

iN salamon a man may see What thynge of moste necessyte Vnto a worthy kynge bylongeth Whan he his kyngdom vnderfengeth God bad hym chese what he wolde And said hym that he haue sholde What he wold aske of a thynge And he which was a noble kynge For ther vpon his bone prayed To god & in this wyse sayed O thynge by whome that I shal regne Yeue me wisdom that in my regne Forth with the peple which I haue To thyn honour may kepe & saue Whan salamon with loue hath taxed The god of that which he hath axed Was ryght wel payed & graunted sone Not al onely that he his bone Shal haue of that but of richesse Of bele of pees & of hye noblenesse For with wysdomes at his axynges Which stant● aboue al erthly thynges

Hic dicit secundum Salamonem qd regie magestatis imperium ante omiam sano consilio dirigendum est

Vt what kyng wil his reygne saue First hym behoueth for to haue After thy god & his beleue Snche counceyl which is to byleue Fulfilled of trouth & rightwysnes But aboue al in his noblenes Bytwene the reddour & pyte A kyng shal do suche equyte And set the balaunce in euen So that the hygh god in heuen And al the peple of his nobleye Longe vnto his name seye For moste aboue al erthely good Where that a kyng hym self is good It hel●th for in other weye Yf so be that a kyng forsueye

Quidquid delirant reges plectuntur achiui

Vl of be it hath be seyn The comyn peple is ouerleyn And hath the kynges synne abought Al though the peple agylte nought Of that the kyng his god mysserueth The peple taketh that he deserueth Here in this world but ellis where I note how he shal stonde there For thy good is a kynge to triste First to hym self as he ne wyste None other helpe but god allone So shal the rule of his persone Within hym self thorugh prouidence Ben of the better conscience And for to fynde ensaumple of this A tale I fynde & soth it is

Hic de lucio imperatore exemplum ponit qualiter princeps sui nominis famam a secretis consiliarijs sapienter inuestigare debet et siquid in ea sinistrum inuenerit prouisa discrecione ad dexteram conuertat

iN a cronycle it telleth thus The kyng of rome lucyus Within his chambre vpon a nyght The steuard of his hows a knyght Forthwith his chamberleyn also To counceyl had bothe two And stoden by the chymne To gyder spekyng al thre And happeth that the kynges fole Sat by the fyre vpon a stole As he that with his bable played But yet he herde al that they sayed And therfore toke they no hede A kyng hem axeth what to rede Of suche matere as came to mowthe And they hym tolde as they couthe Whan al was spoke of that they ment The kyng with al his hole entente Thenne atte laste hem axeth this What kyng men tellen that he is Emong the folke touchyng his name Or be it pris or be it blame Right after that they herde sayn He bad hem for to telle it playne That they no peynte of soth forbere By thylke feyth that they hym bere The stuard first vpon this thynge Gafe his answer vnto the kynge And thought glose in this matere And said as ferre as he can here His name is good & honourable Thus was the steward fauourable That he the trouth p●yne ne tolde The kyng than axeth as he sholde The chamberleyn of his auyse And he that was subtyl & wyse And somdele thought vpon his feythe Hym tolde how al the peple seyth That yf his counceyl were trewe They wyst than wel & knewe That of hym self he shold be A worthy kyng in his degree And thus the counceyl he accuseth In partye & the kyng excuseth The fole which herde of al this caas That tyme as goddes wylle was Se●th that they sayden not ynough And hem to scorne bothe lough And to the kyng he sayd tho Syr kyng yf it were so Of wysdom in thyn owne mode That thou thy self were good Thy counceyl shold not be bad The kyng therof merueyle had Whan that a fole so wysely spacke And of hym self fonde out the lacke Within his owne conscience And thus he felith euydence Which was of goddes grace ●nspyred Maketh that good counceyl was desired He put awey the vycious And toke to hym the vertuous The wrongful lawes ben amended The londes good is wel dyspended The peple was nomore opressed And thus stood euery thyng redressed For where a kyng is propre wyse And hath suche as hym self is Of his counceyl it may not fayle But euery thynge shal anayle The vyces than goeth aweye And euery thynge holdeth his waye Wherof the hye god is plesed And al the londes folke esed For yf the comyn peple crye And that a kyng list not to plye To here what the clamor wolde And otherwyse than he shold D●s●ayneth for to done hem grace It hath be seen in many place There hath be falle grete contrarye And that I fynde of ensaumplerye

Hic dicit qd seniores magis experti ad principis cousilium admittendi poci us e●istuut / Et narrat qualiter pro co qd roboas salomonis filius & heres senium sermouibus renuncians dicta iunenum preelegit de duodecim tribus israel a domino sud decem penitus ami sit & sic cum duabus tautūmodo il●usus postea regnauit

aFter the ●eth of salamone Whan this wise kyng was gone ●n● roboas in his persone Re●ryue shold the corone The peple vpon a parlement Auysed were of one assent And al vnto the kyng they preyden With comune voys & thus if 〈◊〉 seyd●● Our hege lord we the byseche That thou receyue our humble speche And graunte vs whiche the reson wyl Or of thy grace or of thy skyl Thy fader whyle he was on lyue And myght bothe graunte & pryue Vpon the werkes whiche he had The comyn peple streyte ladde Whan he the temple made newe Thyng which men neuer tofore knewe He brought vp than of his t●llage And al was vnder the vsage Of werkes whiche he made tho But now it is befalle so That al is made right as he seyed And he was riche whan he deyd So that it is nomore nede If thou therof wylt taken hede To pillen of the peple more Which longe hath be greued sore And in this wyse we the seye With tender herte we the preye That thou relese thylke det●● Which vpon vs thy fader sette And yf the lyke to done so We ben thy men for euer mo To gone & comen at thyn he●●e The kyng which herde this requeste Saith that he wyl ben aduysed And hath therof a tyme assysed And in the which ●s he hym thought Vpon this thynge counceyl he sought And first the wyse knyghtes olde To whom that he his tale tolde Counceyllen hym in this manere That he with loue & with glad chere Foryeue & graunte al that is axed Of that his fader had taxed For so he may his reygne acheue With thyng which shal hym litel greue The kyng hem herde & ouer passeth And with this other his wit compasseth That yonge were & no thynge wyse And they that these olde men despys● And saiden sit it shal be shame For euer vnto thy worthy name If thou ne kepe not thy right While thou arte in thy yonge myght Which that thyn olde fader gate But say vnto the peple plate That whyle thou lyuest in thy londe The leste fynger of thyn honde It shal be strenger ouer al Than was thy fader body alle And thus also shal be thy tale If he hem smote with roddes smale With scorpyons thou shalt hem smyte And where thy fader toke a lite Thou thynkest to take mychel more Thus shalt thou make hem drede sore The grete herte of thy corage So for to holde hem in seruage This yong kyng hym hath conformed To done as he was laste enformed Which was to hym vndoyng For whan it came to the spekyng He hath the yonge counceyl holde That he the same wordes tolde Of al the peple in audyence And whan they herde the sentence Of his malyce & the manace Anone tofore his owne face They haue hym entyerly refused And with ful grete reproue accused So they began for to raue That he hym self was fayne to saue For as the wylde wode rage Of wyndes maketh the see sauage And that was calme bryngeth to wawe So for defaute & grace of lawe This peple is stered al at ones And forth they goo out of his wones So that of the lignage twelfe Two tribus onely by hem selfe With hym abyden & no moo So were they for euer moo Of no retorne without espryre Departed fro the rightful heyre Al Israel with comyn voyce A kyng vpon her owne choyce Amonge hem self anone they make And haue her yonge lord forsake A polber knyght jeroboas They toke & lefte roboas Which rightful heyre was by dyssent Thus the yonge cause wente For that the counceyl was not good The reygne fro the rightful blood Euer afterward deuyded was So may it prouen by this caas That yonge counceyl which is to warme Or men be ware dothe ofte harme Olde age for the counceyl serueth And lusty yongth his thonke deserueth Vpon the traueyle which he dothe And bothe for to say a sothe By sondry cause for to haue If that he wyl his wygne saue A kyng behoueth euery day That one can & that other may Be so the kyng bothe rule Or ellys al goeth out of rule

Nota questionem cuiusdam philosophi vtrum regno conueniencius foret principem optare sapientem quam cum sano consilio ipsum eligere insipientem

aNd vpon this matere also A questyon betwene the two Thus writen in book I fonde Whether it be better for the londe A kyng hym self to be wyse And so to bere his owne pryse And that his counceyl be not good Or other●●kse yf it so stode A kyng yf he be vycious And his counceyl be vertuous It is answered in suche a wyse That better it is that they be wyse By whom the counceyl shold gone For they be many & he but one And rather shal an onely man With f●ls counceyl for ought he can From his wysdem be made to falle Than he allone shold hem alle Fro vyces vnto vertues chaunge For t●●t is wel the more straunge For thy the ●onde may wel be glad Wh●s kyng with good counceyl is lad Which sette hym vnto rightwysnes So that his hygh worthynes Betwene the reddeur & pyte D●th mercy forth with equyte A kyng is holden ouer alle To pyte and in specialle To ●●m where he is moste beholde Thy shold his pite most beholde That b●n the ●●ges of the ●onde For they ben euer vnder his honde A f●●r the go●des ordenaunce To stonde vnder his gouernaunce

Nota ad●u● precipue de principis ●●ga suos subditos debita pietate legitur ●nim ouabter anthonius a scipion● exemplificatus dixit quod mallet vnum de populo sibi commisso virum sa●uare ●uam centum ex hostibus a●enigenis in be●lo perdere

oF the emperour anthonyus I fynde h●w he sayd thus That leuer hym were for to saue One of his lieg●s than to haue Of enemyes an hundred dede As thus he lerned as I rede Of Cypyo which had be Consul of Rome & thus to see Dru●rs ensaumples how they stonde A kyng which hath ● charge on honde The comyn peple to gou●rne If that he wyl be may wel lerne Is none so good to the plesaunce Of god as is good gouerna●●●e And euery gouernaunce is due The pyte thus I may argue That pyte is the foundemente Of euery kynges reygnemente If it be medlyd wyth iustyce They two remeu●n al vyce And be of vertu moste vaylable To make a kynges royame stable Lo thus the foure poyntes tofore In gouernaunce as they be bore Of trouth first & of laregsse Of pyte forth with rightwisnesse I haue hem tolde & ouer this The first poynte so as it is Set of the rule of polecye Wherof a kyng shal modefye The flesshly lus●es of nature Now thynke I telle of suche mesure That bothe kynde shal be serued And eke the lawe of god obserued

Corporis et mentis regem decet omnis honestas / Nominis vt famam nulla libido r●at / Omne qd est hominis effe minat illa voluptas / Sit n●si magnanimi cordis vt obstat ei

Hic tractat secundum aristotilem de quinta principum xegiminis pol●cia quam castitatem concernit cuius honestas impudicicie motus obtemporans tam cor poris quam anime mundiciciam specialius pres●rnat

tHe male is made for the femele ▪ But where as one desyreth fele That nedeth not by weye of kynde For whan a man may redy fynde His owne wyf what shold he s●che In straunge places to beseche To borowe another mannes plough When he hath grete good yuough Affayted at his owne heste And is to hym wel more honeste Than other thynge which vnknowe For thy shold euery good man knowe And thynke how that in maryage His trouth plyte lyeth in morgage Which yf he breke it is falsehede And that discordeth to manhede And namely toward the grete Wherof the bookes al trete So as the phylosophre techeth To alysaunder & hym bytecheth The lore how that he shal mesure His body so that no mesure Of flesshly lust he shal excede And thus forth I shal procede The first poynte as I sayd ere Is chastyte which selde where Cometh now a dayes in to place But nethelesse but it be grace Aboue al other in specialle Is none that chaste may ben alle But yet a knyghtes hygh estate Which of his order as a prelate Shal be enoynted & scifyed He mote be more magnefyed For dygnyte of his corone Than shold another lowe persone Which is not of so hygh empryse Therfore a prynce ▪ hym shold aduyse Or that he falle in suche ryote And namely that he ne assote To chaunge for the womanhede The worthynesse of his manhede

Nota de doctriua aristotiles quasi ter princeps vt animi sui iocundita t●●● prouocet mulieres formosas c●●bro aspicere debet caueat tamen ne mens vo luptuosa torpesceus ex carnis fragilita te in vicium dilabatur

F aristotle I haue wel radde How he to alysaunder badde That for to gladen his corage He shold beholden the vysage Of wymmen when that they ben fayre But yet he set an exaumplayre His body so to guyde & rule That he ne passe mote the rule Wherof that he hym self begyle For in the wymmen is no gyle Of that a man hym self bywapeth Whan he his owne wytte by iapeth I can the woman wel excuse But what man wyl vpon hym muse After the folyssh Impressyon Of his ymagynacion Within hym self the fyre he bloweth Where of the woman no thyng knoweth So may she no thynge be to Wyte For yf a man hym self excite To drenche & wyl it not forbere The water shal no blame bere What may the golde though men coueite Yf that a man wyl lyue streyte The woman hath hym no thyng bounde Yf he his owne herte wounde She may not lette the folye And though so fyl of companye That he myght ony thynge purchace Yet maketh a man the first chace The woman fleeth & he purseweth So that by the weye of skyl it sueth The man is cause how so befalle That he ful ofte sythe is falle Where that he may not wel aryse And netheles ful many wyse Befooled hath hem self or this As now a dayes yet it is Emonge the men & euer was The s●ronge is febelest in this caas It syt a man by were of kynde To loue but it is not kynde A man for loue his wyt to lese For yf the month of Iuyle shal frese And that decembre shal be hote The yere mystorneth wel I wow To seen a man fro his estate Thorugh his soty eff●mynate And leue that a man shal do It is ●s hose aboue the shoo To man which ought not to be vsed But yet the world hath ofte accused Ful grete prynces of this dede How they for loue hem self myslede Wherof manhode stode behynde Of olde ensaumples as I fynde

Hic ponit exemplum qualiter pro ●o ●d Sardanapallus assiriorum prin●●ps m●●eri oblectamento effeminatus f●e concupiscencie torp●rem quasi ex c●nsuetudine adhibebat a barboro Rege ●●dorum super h●c insidiante in sui feruoros maiori voluptate subitis mutacioni bus ext●nctus est

These olde gestes tellen thus That whylom Sordanapallus Which helde al hole in his empyre The grete kyngdom of assyre Was thorugh the slouth of his corage Falle in to the ylke fyry rage Of loue which the man assoteth Where of hym self so ryot●th And wexeth so ferforth womannysshe That ageyn kynde as a fysshe A byde wolde vpon the londe In wymmen suche a luste he fonde That he dwelt euer in chambre stylle And onely wrought after the wylle Of wymmen so as he was bede That seldom whan in other stede If that he wolde wenden oute To seen how that it stod● aboute But there he kyste & there he played They taughten hym a lace to ●●ayed And weue a purs & to enfyle A perle and fyl thylke whyle One barbar●s the prynce of mede Seeth the kyng in womanhede Was falle fro chyualrye And gate hym helpe & companye And wrought so that atte laste This kynge out of his reygne he caste Which was vndoon for euer moo And yet men speken of hym so That it is shame for to here For thy to loue is in manere

Nota qualiter dauid amans muli●re● propter hoc probitat●m armorum non minus excercuit

kYng dauid had many a loue But nethelesse alweye aboue Knyghthode he kepte in suche a wyse That for no flesshly couetyse Of luste to lygge in lady armes He lefte not the luste of armes For where a prynce his lus●●s sueth That he the werre not purseweth whan it is tyme to been armed His contre stante ful ofte harmed Whan the enemyes be wexe bolde That they deffence none beholde Ful many a londe hath so be lore As men may rede ofte tyme tofore Of hem that so her ●ases soughten Which after they ful dere aboughten

Hic locuit●r qualiter regnum lasa ui● voluptatibus deditum de facili vin ●t●r Et ponit exemplum de ciro rege persarum qui cum ●ddo● mirum probitatis strenuissimos sibique in ●●llo aduer sant●s nullo modo vincere potuit cum ipsis tandem pacis tractatum dissimilans ●●●ordiam finalem stabilre finxit superquo ●ddi postea per aliquod t●mpus armis insoluti sub pacis tempore voluptatibus intendebant Quod cir●● percipiens in eos armatus subito irruit ipsos que indefensibiles vincens sub imperio tri●●tarios subiugauit

tO mochel ease is no thynge worth For it setteth euery vyce forth And euery vertu put a backe Wherof price torneth in to lacke As in a cronyke I may reherce Which telleth how the kyng of pers● That cyrus hyght a werre hadde A geynst the people which he dradd● Of a courte which lyddos hyght But yet for ought that he do myght As in batayle vpon the werre And had o● hem alwey the werre And whan he sawe & wyst it wele That he by strengthe wan no dele Thenne atte laste he caste a wyle This worthy peple to begyle And toke with hem a fayned p●e● Which shold laste endelees So as he sayd in wordes wyse But he thought al in otherwyse For it btyd vpon the caas Whan that this peple in reste was They token ese many folde And worldes ●se as it is tolde By waye of kynde is the noryce Of euery luste which toucheth vyce Thus whan they were in lustes falle The werres ben forgeten alle Was none which wold the worshyp Of arme● but in ydelshyp They putten besynesse aweye And toke hem to daunce and pleye But moste aboue al other thynges They token hem to the lykynges Of flesshly lustes that chastyte Receyued was in no degree But euery man doth what hym lyste And whan the kyng of pers it wyste That they vnto folye entenden With his power whan they leste wenden More sodeynly than doeth the thonder He came & put hem vnder And thus hath lecherye lore The londe which had be tofore The beste of hem that were tho And in the byble I fynde also

Nota hic qualiter facta belli luxus infortunat Et narrat qd cum Rex amolech hebreis sibi insultantibus resis tere nequijt consilio balaam mulieres regni sui pulcherimas in castro hebre orum misit qui ab ipsis conta●inath graciam statim an●iserunt Et ●●c ab amalech deuicti in magna multituine gladio ●●aderunt

a Tale lyke vnto this thynge How amalech the payen kynge Whan that he myght by no weyr Defende his londe & put albeyr The veray peple of Israel This sarasyn as it byfelle Thorough the counceyl of balaam A rowte of fayre women nam That lusty were & yonge of age And bad hem goo to the lynage Of these ebrewes & forth they wente With eyen greye & brolbes bente And wel arayed euery chone And whan they comen were anone Emong the brethes was none in syght But catche who that catche myght And eche of hem his sustes sought Which after they ful dere bought For grace anone began to fayle That whan they ●●men to batayle Than after that in se●y plyte They were take and dyscomfyte So that wythin a l●tel throwe The myght of hem was ouerthrowe That whylom were wonte to stonde Tyl ph●nces the cause on honde Hath take this vengeaunce laste But than it c●sed atte laste For god was poyed of that he dede For where be fonde vpon a stede A 〈◊〉 which mysferred so 〈…〉 te hem bothe two 〈…〉ge in mennys eye 〈…〉 which hem sye Ensaumyled hem vpon the dede And ●ra●ed vnto the godhede Her olde synnes for to amende And he which wold his mercy sende M●s●o●ed hem to newe grace This may it shewe in sondry place Of chas●yte how that clennesse Accordeth to worthynesse Of men of armes ouer alle But moste of alle in specialle This verta a ●yng ●ylongeth For vpon his fortune it hongeth Of that his bonde shal spede or spylle For thy but yf a kyng his wylle Fro ●ustes of his flesshe restreyne Ageynst hym self he maketh a treyne In to the which yf that he slyde Hym were better goo besyde For eurye man may vnderstonde How for a tyme that it stonde It is a sory luste to lyke Wh●s ende maketh a man to syke And torneth ioyes in to sorowe The ●r●ght sonne by the morowe Beshyueth not the derke nyght The lusey yongthe of mannes myght In age but it stonde we●e Mystorneth al the laste whe●e

Hic boquitur qualiter principum irre gulat● voluptas eos et semita recta multociens deuiare compellit / Et narrat exemplum de salamone qui ex sue carnis concupiscencia victus mu●ierum blandimentis in sui scandalum deos a●●enos colore presumebat

tHat euery worthy prynce is holde Within hym self hym self beholde To see the state of his persone And thynke how ther be ioyes none Vpon this erthe made to laste And how the flessh shal atte laste The lustes of his lyf forsake Hym ought a grete ensaumple take Of salamon whos appetyte Was hooly set vpon delyte To take of wymmen the plesaunce So that vpon his ygnor●unce The wyde world meruayleth yet That he which al mennes wyt In thylke tyme hath ouerpassed With flesshly lustes was so cassed That he which had vnder lawe The peple of god hym self withdrawe He hath fro god in suche a wyse That he worshyp & sacrefyse For sondry loue in sondry stede Vnto the false goddes dede This was the wyse ecclesiaste The fame of whome shal euer laste That he the myghty god forsoke Ageyn the lawe whan he toke His wyues & his concubynes Of hem that were sarazyns For which he dyd ydolatrye For this I rede of his sotye O she of sydone so hym ladde That he knelyng his fader spradde So strat●h●n with grete humblesse Which of her bonde was the goddesse And she that was of moabyte So ferforth made hym to delyte Thorugh lust which al his wyt deuou reth / That he chamos hir god honou honoureth / And other amonyt also With loue hym hath assoted so Hir god moloche that wyth encence He sacreth & doeth reuerence In suche a wyse as she hym badde Thus was the wysest ouerladde With blynde lustes which he sought But he it afterward abought

Nota hic qualit achias propheta in fig num qd regna pest mortem sabomonis ob eius peccatum a suo herede dimuneretur pallu●● suum in duodecim partes scidit vnde decem partes Ieroboe filio nabul qui regnaturus postea successit precep to dei tribuit

fOr achyas soleuytes Which was prophete or his deces Whyle he was in his lustes alle Betokeneth what shal after falle For on a day when that he mette Ieroboam the knyght he grette And bad hym that he shold abyde To here what hym shal betyde And forth with al achyas caste His mantel of & also faste He cut it in to py●ces twelfe Wherof two partyes toward hym selfe He kepte & al the remenaunte As ●od hath sette his couenaunte He toke vnto Ioroboas Of nab●l which the sone was And of the ●ynges courte a knyght And said hym suche is goddes myght As thou hast seen departed here My mantel in suche manere After the deth of salamon God hath ordeyned therupon This reygne than he shal deuyde Which tyme thou shalt eke abyde And vpon that dyuysyon Thy reygne as in proporcion As thou hast of my mantel take Thou shalt receyue I vndertake And thus the sone shal abye The lustes and the lecherye Of hym which now his fader is So for to taken hede of this It sit a kyng wel to be chaste For ellys he may lighlly waste Hym self & eke his reygne bothe And that ought euery kyng to bothe O which one synne vyolente Wherof a kyng was shente That the vengeannce of his persone Was not Inough to take alone But afterward whan he was passed It hath his heritage ●assed As I more openly tofore The tale tolde & thus tofore The phylosophre vpon this thynge Write & counseyld to a kynge That he the forfete of luxure Shal tempre and rule of suche mesure Which be to kynde suffyciaunte And eke to reson accordaunte So that the lustes ygnoraunce By cause of mysgouernance Thorugh which that he be ouerthrowe As he that wyl no reson knowe For but yf a mannys wyt be swerued Whan kynde is dulyche serued It ought of reson to suffyse For yf it fyl hym otherwyse He may the lustes sore drede For of anthony thus I rede Which of seuerus was the sone That he his lyf of comune wone Yaue holy vnto thylle vyce And ofte tyme he was so nyce Wherof nature hath hir compleyned Vnto the god which hath disdeyued The werkes which anthony wrought Of lustes which he ful sore abought For god his forfete hath so wroke That in cron●ke it is yet spoke But for to toke r●men ●r●unce Of specyal mysg●uernaunce Thorugh c●uetyse and ●niustyce Forth with the remenaunt of vyce And namesye of lecherye I fynde write a grete partye In a tale as thou shalt here Which is the saumple of this matere

Hic b●quitur de tarquino nuper Rome ●patore necnon & de eiusdem filio noien arr●us ● oim̄ vicierū vari●ta● repleti tam in h●●ēs quam in muli●res innumera sc●le ra ꝓpetrauīt set specialif super hijs oue contra gabinos fraudulenter operati sunt tractare intendit

SO as these olde gestes seyn The proude tyrauntee Romayn T●rquynus which was thenne kynge And wrought many a wrongful thyng Of sones he had many one Emenge the which arrous was one ●y●e to his fader of maners So that within fewe yeres With treson and with tyrannye They wonne of londe a grete partye And token hede of no Iustyce Which dewe was to her offyce Vpon the rule of gouernaunce But al that euer was ●lesaunce Vnto the flesshes luste they toke And fyl so that they vndertoke A werre which was not acheued But ofte tyme he had hem greued A●eyn the folke which than hyght The gabyens & al by nyght Thus arrous whan he was at home In rome a pryup place he nome Within a chaumbre & bete hym selfe And made hym woundes x or twelfe Vpon the bakke as he was sce● And so forth with his hurtes grene In al the haste that he may He rode & came that other daye Vnto gabye the cyte And in he wente & whan that he Was know anone the yates was shet The lordes al vpon hym set With drawen swerdes in honde And arrous wold hem not withstonde And said I am here at your wylle As lecf it is that ye me spylle As yf myn owne fader dede And forth within that same stede He prayed hem that they wold see And tolde hem in what degre His fader & his bredern bothe Which he said weren wrothe Hym had beten & reuyled And out of rome for euer exyl●d And thus he made hem to beleue And said yf that he myght a●heue His purpoos it shal wel be yolde By so that they hym helpe wolde Whan that the lordes herde sayn How wooful he was besayn They toke pyte of his greue And yet it was hem wonder ●eue That rome hym had exyled so This Gabyens by coun●●yl tho Vpon the goddes made hym swere That he shold to hen● trouthe bere And strengthe hem with al his myght And they also hym hath b●hyght To helpen hem in his ouar●le They shopen thenne for his h●le That he was bathed & anoynte Tyl that he was in lusty poynte And what he wold than he hadde That he al hole the cyte ladde Right as he wold hym self deuyse And than he thought hym in the whse He myght his tyrannye shewe And toke to his counceyl a shrewe Whom to his fader forth he sente And in his message he tho wente And prayed his fader for to saye By his auyse he fynde a weye How they myght the cite wynne Whyle he stode so wel therin And whan the messenger was come To rome & hath in counceyl nome The kyng it felle perchaunce so That they were in a gardyn tho This messager forth with the kyng And whan he had tolde the thyng In what maner that it stode And that turquynus vnderstode By the message how that it ferde Anone he toke in honde a yerde And in the gardyn as they gone The lyly croppes one and one Where that they were sprongen oute He smote of as they stode aboute And said vnto the messengere Lo this thynge which I do now here Shal be in stede of thyn answere And in this wyse as I me bere Thou shall vnto my sone telle And he no lenger wold dwelle But toke his leue & goeth with alle Vnto his lorde & tolde hym alle How that his fader had do Whan arrous herde hym telle so Anone he wyst what it mente And therto set al his entente Tyl he thorugh fraude & trechery● The prynces h●edes of gabye Hath smyten of & al was wonne His fader came t●fore the sonne In to the towne with the romeyns And toke & slewe the cyteseyns Without reson or pyce That he no spareth no degre And for the spede of this conqueste He lete do make a ryche feste With a solempne sacrefyse In phebus temple & in this wyse Whan the romayns assembled were In presence of hem al there Vpon the auter when al was dygkt And that the fyres were a lyght From vnder the auter sodeynly An hydous serpent openlye Came out & hath deuoured● alle The sacrefyse & eke with alle The fyres queynte & forth anone So as he came so is he gone In to the depe grounde ageyn And euery man began to s●yn A lord what may this sygnefye And therupon they praye & crye To phebus that they myght knowe The cause & he the same throwe With gastely voys that al it herde The romayns in this wyse answerde And said how for the wickednesse Of pride & of vnrightwysnesse That tarquyne & his sone hath do The sacrefyse is wasted so Which myght not ben axceptable Vpon suche synne abhomynable And ouer that yet he hem wysseth And saith which of hem first kysseth His moder he shal take wreche Vpon the wronge & of that speche They ben within her hertes glade Though they no semblaunce made Ther was a knyght which buitus hyght And he with al the haste he myght To grounde fyl & there kyste But none of hem the cause wyste But wende that he had sporned Perchaunce & so was torned But brutus al another mente For he knewe wel in his entente How th erthe of euery mannes kynde Is moder but they weren blynde And sawe not so ferre as he But whan they leften the cyte And comen home to rome ageyn Than euery man which was romeyn And moder hath to hir he bende And kyst & eche of hem wende To be the first vpon the chaunce Of torquyne for to do vengeaunce So as they herden phelus seyn But euery tyme hath his certeyn So must it nedes thenne abyde Tyl afterward vpon a tyde

Hic narrat qd cum tarquinus in obsidione ciuitatis ardee vt eam destru eret intentus fuit Arrous filius eius romam secreto adiens in domo collatini hespitatus est vbi de nocte illam castis simam dominam secrete lucreciam yma ginata fraude vi oppressit vnde illa pre dolore mortua ipse cum tarquino patri suo tota clamante Roma impꝑm̄ exilium delegati sunt

tArquinus made vnskylfully A werre which was fast by Ageyn a towne with walles stronge Which ardea was cleped longe And caste a sege there aboute That there may no man passe out So it befyl vpon a nyght Arrous which had his souper dyght A parte of the chyualrye With hym to sowpe in companye Hath bede & whan they comen were And sette at sowper there Emonge her other wordes glade Arrous a grete spekyng made Who had tho the beste wyf Of rome & there began a stryf For arrous saith he hath the beste So iangle they withouten reste Tyl atte laste one collatyne A worthy knyght & was cosyne To arrous said hym in this wyse It is qd he of none emprise To speke a word but of the dede Therof it is to take hede Anone for thy this same tyde Lepe on thy hors & lete vs ryde So may we knowe bothe two Vnwarely what our wyues do And that shal be a trewe assaye This arrous saith not ones nay On horsbacke anone they lepte In suche manere & no thynge slepte Rydyng forth tyl that they come Al pryuelye within rome In straunge place & doun they lyght They toke a chambre out of syght They ben dysgysyd for a throwe So that no lyfe shold hem knowe And to that paleys first they sought To see what thynge this lady wrought Of which arrous made a vaunte And they hir sawe al glad semblaunt Al ful of myrthes & of bordes But emonge al other wordes She spake not of hir husbond And whan they had al vnderstonde Of thylke place what hem lyste They gone hem forth that none it wist Besyde thylke yate of bras Collacea which cleped was Where collatyn hath his dwellyng There founden they at home sittyng Lncrece his wyf al enuyronned With women which were abandoned To werche & she wrought also with al And bade hem haste & sayth it shal Before my husbondes were Which with his swerde & his spere Lyeth at siege in grete dysese And yf it shold hym not dysplese Now wold god I had hym here For certes tyl that I may here Some good tydyng of his estate My herte is euer vpon debate For so as al men wytnesse He is of suche an hardynesse That he ▪ can not hym self spare And that is al my moste care Whan they the walles shold assayle But yf my wysshes myght auayle I wold it were a groundeles pytte By so the siege were vnknytte And I my husbond sye With that the water in her eye Aroos that she ne myght stoppe And as men seen the dewe bedroppe The leues & the floures eke Right so vpon her whyt cheke The wooful salte teeris felle Whan collatyn hath herde hir telle The menyng of her trewe herte A none with that to hir he sterte And said loo my good dere Now is he come to yon here That ye most bouen as ye sayn And she with goodely chere ageyn Byclypte hym in her armes smale And the colour which erste was pale To beaute than was restored So that it myght not be mored The kynges sone which was nyghe And of this lady herde & syghe The thynges as they ben befalle The reson of his wyttes alle Hath loste for loue vpon his parte Came than & his fyry darte With suche a wounde hym hath y smyte That he must nedes fele & wyte ▪ Of thylke blynde maladye To which no cure of surgerye Can helpe but yet nethelees At thylke tyme he , helde his pees That he no countenaunce made But openlye with wordes glade So as he coude in his manere He spake & made frendely chere Tyl it was tyme for to goe And collatyne with hym also His leue toke so that by nyght With al the haste that they myght They ryden to the syege ageyn But arous was so woo byseyn With thoughtes which vpon hym ronne That he al by the brode sonne To bedde goeth not for to reste But for to thenke vpon the beste And the fayrest forth with alle That euer he sawe or euer shalle So as hym thought in his corage Where he portreyed her ymage Fyrst the fetures of hir face In which nature had al grace Of womanlye bewte bysette So that it myght not be bette And how hir yelow here was tressed And hir atyre so wel adressed And how she wepte al this he thought And how she spake & how she wrought That he foryeten hath no dele But al it aketh hym so wele That in worde or in dede Hir lacked nought of womanhede And thus this tyrannysshe knyght Was soupled but not halfe a right For he none other hede toke But that he myght by somme croke Al though it were ageyn hir wylle The lustes of his flessh fulfylle Which loue was not resonable For where honour is remeuable It ought wel to ben aduysed But he which hath his luste assysed Wyth medlyd loue & tyrannye Hath founde vpon his trecherye A weye which he thynketh to holde And saith fortune vnto the bolde Is fauourable for to helpe And thus within hym self to yelpe As he which was a wylde man Vpon his treson he began And vp he sterte & forth he wente On horsbacke but his entente There knewe no wyglt & he name The nexte day tyl he came Vnto cellocea the yate Of rome & yt was somdele late Right euen vpon the sonne sette As he which had shape his nette Hir Innocence to berrappe And as it shold so myshappe As pryu●lye as euer he myght He rode & of his hors alyght Tofere cellatynes Inne And al frendeliche he goeth hym in As he that was cosyn of house As she which is the good sponse Lucrece when that she hym syghe With goodely chere drewe hym nyghe And she which al honour supposeth And hym so as she dare opposeth How it stode of hir busbond And he tho dyd hir vnderstonde With tales feyned in his wyse Right as he wold hym self deuyse Wherof he myght hir herte glade That she the better chere made Whan she the glad wordes herde How that hir busbond ferde And thus the trouthe was deceyued With shye treson which was perayued To hir which mente al good For as the festes than stode His souper was right wel arayed But yet he hath no worde assayed To speke of loue in no degre But with couert subtylte His frendely speches he affayteth As the tygre his tyme awayteth In hope for to catche his ●raye When that the herdes were aweye Whan they haue souped in the halle He sayth that slepe is on hym falle And prayeth he mote goo to bedde And he with al haste spedde So as hir thought it was to done That euery thynge was redy sone She brought hym to his chambre tho Ann toke hir liue & forth is goo In to hir owne chambre by And she that wende certeynly Had had a frende & had a foo Wherof fyl after mochel woo This tyraunt though he lye softe Out of his bedde he roos ful ofte And goeth aboute & leyed his ere To herken tyl that al were To bedde goon & sleped faste And than vpon hym self he caste A mantel & his swerde al naked He toke in honde & she vnwaked A bedde laye but what she mette God wote for he the dore vnshette So pryue lye that none it herde The softe paas & forth he ferde Vnto the bedde where that she slepte Al sodeynlye & in he crepte And hir in bothe his armes toke With that this worthy wyf awoke Which for tendernesse of womanhede Hir voyce hath loste for pure drede That one worde speke she ne dare And eke he bad hir to be ware For yf she made noyse or crye He sayd his swerde laye fast bye To slee hir & hir folke aboute And thus he brought hir in doubte That lyke a lambe whan it is cesed In wolues mowth so was she sesed Lucrece which he naked fonde Wherof she swouned in his honde And as who saith laye dede oppressed And he which al hym had adressed To lust toke than what hym lyste And goeth his were that none it wist In to his owne chambre ageyn And cleped out his chamberleyn And made hym redy for to ryde And thus this lecherous pryde To hors lepte & forth he rode And she which in her bedde abode Whan that she wyst he was a gone She cleped after lyght anone And vp aroos longe or the day And kyst aweye hir fresshe araye As she which hath the world fors●● And toke vpon the clothes blake And euer vpon contynueng Right as men see a welle sprynge With eyen ful of wooful treas Hir here hangyng aboute hir eerys She wepte & no man wyst whye For yet emonge ful pytouslye She prayed that they nolden dretche Hir husbond for to fetche Forthwyth hir fader eke also Thus they comen bothe two And brutus came with collatyne Which to lucrece was cosyne And in they wenten al thre To chambre where they myght see The woofullest vpon this molde Which wepte as she to water sholde This chambre dore anone was stoke Or they haue ought vnto her spoke They see hir clothes al dysgysed And how she hath hir self despysed Hir heer hangyng vnkempt aboute But nethelesse she gan to lowte And knele vnto hir husbonde And he wold fayne haue vnderstonde The cause why she fared soo With softe wordes axeth tho What may you he my good swete And she which thought hir self vnmete And the leste worthe of wymmen alle Her wooful chere lete doun falle For shame & coude vnnethes loke And they therof good hede toke And prayden hir in al weye That she ne spare for to saye Vnto hir frendes what hir ayleth Why she so sore hir self bewayleth And what the sothe wold mene And she which hath hir sorowe grene Hir woo to telle thenne assayeth But tendre shame her worde delayeth That sondry tymes as she mente To speke vpon the poynte she stente And they hir beden euer in one To telle forth & there vpon Whan that she sawe she moste nede Hir tale bytwene shame & drede She tolde not without peyne And he which wold hir wo● restreyne Hir husbond a sory man Comforteth hir al that he can And swore & eke hir fader bothe That they with hir be not wrothe Of that is do ageynst hir wylle And prayden hir to be stylle For they to hir hane al foryeue But she which thought not to leue Of hem wyl no foryeuenesse And said of thylke vnkyndenesse Which was to hir body wrought Al were it so she myght it nonght Here afterward the world ne shalle Reprouen hir & forth with alle Or ony man therof be ware A naked knyf the which she bare Within her mantel priuelye Betwene hir hondes sodaynlye She toke & thorugh hir herte it thronge And fyl to grounde & euer amonge Whan that she fyl so as she myght Hir clothes with hir honde she right That no man dounward fro the knes Shold ony thynge of hir see Thus laye this wyf honestlye Al though she deyed woofullye Tho was no sorowe for to seke Hir husbond & hir fader eke A swoune vpon the body felle There may no mannes tonge telle In which anguysshe that they were But brutus which was with hem there Toward hym self his herte he kepte And to successe anone he lep●● The blody swerde & pulleth out And swere the goddes al aboute That he therof shal do venge●unce And she tho made a c●untenaunce H●● b●dely eye and atte loste In th●● kyng as it were vp caste And so he helde hym in the wyse While she to boke may suffyse And brutus with a manly herte Hir husbond hath made vp stert● Forthwyth hyr fader eke also In al haste & said than th● That they anone without lette A bere for the body fet●● ●uc●●ce & there vpon bledyng He l●y●d & so forth without cryeng He goeth vnto the market place Of rome & in a litel space Thorugh crye the cyte was assembled And euery mannes herte trembled Whan they the soth herde of the ca●s And there vpon the counceyl was Take of the grete & of the smale And brutus tolde hem al the tale And thus came in to remembraunce Of synne of the contynnaunce Which arrous had do tofore And eke longe tyme or he were low ●f that his fader had do The ●●ronge came in to the place th● Of that the comyn clamour tolde The newe shame of synnes olde And al the towne began to crye Aweye aweye the tyrannye Of lecherye & of couetyse And atte laste in suche a wyse The fader in the same whyle Forthwith the sone they exyle And taken better gouernaunce But yet another remembraunce That rightwisnes & lecherye Accorden not in companye With hym that hath the lawe on honde That may a man wel vnderstonde As by a tale thou shalt wy●e Of olde ensaumple as it is write

Hic ponit exemplum super eod●m ●ua●●ter huius virginen● dux ex●●●●tus remanc●●m vnicam fikam pulcherimam habens cum quodam neb●●i vi●● nomine ●●cio vt i●●m in vxorem du●●ret fina●●ter concord●uit / Set interim apius claudius tune ●●n perator virginis formesitatem vt eam violaret concupiscens occasiones quius matrimonij impedire ipsam que ad sui ●●um apprehendere posset s●bdola censpiracione fieri coniect●uit et cum propositum sui desiderij productis falsis t●stibus in ●udicio ●mperator habere de ●uisset pater tunc ibidem presens exi●●e to gladio filie sue pectus mortali vulnere per medium transfobit dicens ●a 〈◊〉 michi de filia mea virginem habere mortuam quam in scandalum meretri cem reseruare uiuentem

aT Rome whan apyus Whos other name was claudius Was gouerrnour of the cyte There fyl a wonder to se Touchyng a gentyl mayde as thus Whom lyuyus vyrgyneus Begeten had vpon his wyfe Men sayden that so fayre a lyfe As she was not in al the towne This fame goeth vp and doune And to claudius came in his ere Wherof his thought anone was there Which al his herte hath sette a fyre That he began the flo●●e desyre Which longeth vnto mayden●●de And sent yf that he myght spede The blynde lustes of his wylle But that thynge he myght not fulfil For he stode vpon maryage A knyght of ful grete ●●gnage Ilyaus which than hyght Accordeth in hir faders syght Was that he shold his doughter wedde But or the cause were fully spedde Hir fader which in romanye The leder of the chyualrye In gouernaunce hath vndertake Vpon a werre which was take Goeth out with al the strengthe he had Of men of armes which he had So was the mariage lefte And stode vpon accorde tyl efte The kyng which herde telle of this How that this mayde ordeyned is To mariage thought another And had thylke tyme a broder Which marcus claudius was hote And was a man of grete ryote Right as the kyng hym self was They two to gyder vpon this caas In counceyl founden out this weye That marcus claudius shal saye How she by weye of couenaunte To his seruyce apurtenaunte Was hool & to none other man And there vpon he saith he can In euery poynte wytnesse take Sy that s●e s●al it not forsake Whan that they had shape so After the lawe which was tho While that hir fader was absent She was somned and assent To come in presence of the kynge And stode in answer of this thynge Hir frendes wysten al wele That it was falsehede euery dele And comen to the kyng and sayden ●pon the comune lawe and prayden So as this noble worthy knyght Hir fader for the comune right In thylk tyme as was be falle Lay for the profit of them alle Vpon the wilde feldes armed That he shold not be harmed Ne shamed while that he were oute And thus they preyden al aboute For al the clamour that he herde The kyng vpon his luste answerde And yaue hem onely dayes two Of respyte for he wente tho That in so s●orte a tyme appere Hir fader myght in no manere● But as therof he was deceyued For lyuyus had al conceyued The purpoos of the kynge tofore And thought to be there therfore In al haste he came rydyng And lefte vpon the felde lyggyng His ooste tyl that he came ageyn And thus this worthy capteyn Appered redy at his daye Where al that euer reson maye By lawe in audyence he doth So that his doughter vpon soth Of that marcus hir had accused He hath tofore the courte excused The kyng which saw his purpose faile And that ●o sleyght myght auayle In combred of his lustes blynde To lawe torned out of kynde And half in wrath as though it were In presence of hem al there Deceyued of concupiscence Yaue for his broder the sentence And bad hym that he shold cese His doughter & make hym wel at ese But al within his owne entent He wyst how that the cause went Of that his broder hath the wyte He was hym self for to wyte But thus this mayden had wronge Whiche was vpon the kynge alonge But ageyn hym was none appele And that his fader wyst wele Wherof vpon the tyrannye That for the luste of lecherye His doughter shold be dysceyued And that illicius was weyued Vntaily fro the mariage Right as a lyon fro the rage Which of no drede sette no counte And note what pyte shold amounte A naked s●e●de he ●ulled oute The which amonges al the route He th●●ste thorugh his doughter syde And al alowde thus he cryed Lo take hir there the wrongful kynge For me is leuer vpon this thynge To be ●●e fader of a mayde Though she be d●de than men sayde That in her lyf she were shamed And I therof were euyl named Tho bade the kyng men shold a●●ste His body but of thylke heste Lyke to the chaced wylde h●re The houndes whan he feleth sore To proueth & goeth forth his weye In suche a wyse for to saye This worthy knyght with swerd in honde His weye made & they hym wonde That none of hem his strokes kepte And thus vpon his hors bylepte And with his swerd droppyng of blode Which within his doughter stode He came there as the power was Of rome & tolde hem al the caas And said hem that they myght here Vpon the wronge of this matere That better it were to redresse At home the grete vnright●isnesse Than for to warre in straunge place And lefte at home hir owne grace For thus stant● euery mannys lyf In i●partye for his wyf Or for his doughter yf they be Passyng another in beute Of this meruayle which they sy● So apurtenaunte afore hir eye Of that the kyng hath hym mysbor● Her othes they haue al sw●t● That they wyl stonde by the ryght And thus of one acorde vp right To rome at ones home ag●●n They torne & shortely for to sayn This tyrannye came to mowthe And euery man saith what he couthe So that the pryuy trecherye Set was vpon lecherye Came openlye to mannes ere And that brought in the comyn fire That euery man perylle dradde Of hym that so hem euerladde For thy or it were worse falle Thorugh comyn counceyl of h●m alle They haue her wronge kyng deposed And hem in whom it was supposed The counceyl stode of his ledynge By lawe vnto the d●me they brynge Where they re●●yuen the penaunce That longeth to suche gouernaunce And thus the vnchaste was chastised Wherof they myght ben aduysed That shold afterward gouerne And by this euydence lerne How it is good a kyng eschewe The luste of vyce & vertu sewe

Hic inter al●a castitatis regimen con ●●rnencia loquitur quomodo matromonium cuius status sacramentum ●uasī continenciam equirerans eciam honeste delectacionis regimine moderari decet / Et narrat in exemplum ●ualiter p●o eo quod illi septem viri qui sat●e raguelis fille magis propter concupis tēciam quam propter matrimonium voluptuose nups●●unt vnus post a●●um omnes prima nocte a demone asmodeo singillatim ingulati interierunt

tO make in this partye Which toucheth to the polecye Of chasty●e in specialle As f●● conclusion fynalle That euery luste is to eschewe By grete ensaumple I may argewe How in ●ages a towne of mede Ther was a mayde & as I rede Sarra she hyght & raguelle Hir fader was & so byfelle Of body bothe & of vysage Was none so fayre of the lygnage To seche emonge hem al as she Wherof the ryche of the cyte Of lusty folke that couden loue Assot●d were vpon hir loue And axen hir for to wedde One was which laste spedde And that was more for lykyng To haue his luste than for weddyng As he within his herte caste Which hym repenteth atte laste For it fyl the fyrst nyght Whan he was to the bedde dyght As he which no thynge god ●esecheth But al onely his lustes secheth A bedde for he was fully warme He toke hir in his arme Asmode a fende of helle And serueth as the bookes telle To t●mpte a man in suche a wyse Which redy there & thylke empryse Which he hath set in suche delyte He vengeth than in suche a plyte That he his nec●e hath wronge a two This yonge wyf was woo tho Which wyst no thynge what it men●● And nethelesse yet thus it wente Not onely of this fyrst man But after this th●re began Syx other of hir husbondes Asmode has take in to his hondes So that they al a bedde deyden Whan that they hande toward hir leyde● Nought for the lawe of maryage But for that ylke fyryrage ●n which they wyl the lawe excede For who that wyl take hede What after fyl in this matere Ther myght he wel the sothe here Whan she was wedded to thobye And raphael in companye He taught hym how to be honeste Asmode wan nought at thylke fe●te And yet th●by his wylle h●● For he his luste so goddely ladde ● That bothe lawe & kynde is serued Wherof he hath hym self preserued That he fyl not in the sentence O which another euydence Of this ensaumple a man may see That whan lykyng degre Of mariage may forsuey Wel ought than in other weye Of lust to be the better aduysed For god the lawe hath as●ysed As wel to reson as to kynde But he the bestes wold bynde Onely to lawes of nature But to the mannes creature God gaue hym reson forth with alle Wherof that he nature shalle Vpon the causes modefye That he shal do no lecherye And yet he shal his lustes haue So ben the lawes bothe saue And euery thyng put out of sclaundre As whilom to kyng al●sanndre The wyse phylosophre taughte Whan he his first bore caughte Not onely vpon chastyte But onely vpon al honeste Wherof a kyng hym self may taste How trewe how large iust & chast● Hym ought of reson for to be Forthwyth the vertu of pyte Thorugh whiche thonke deserue Toward his god that he preserue Hym & his peple al in welthe Of his richesse henour & helthe Here in this world & ellis where eke My sone as we tofore speke In shrifte so as thou me saydest And for thyn ese as thou me preydest Thy louethro●bes for to asse That I the wold telle & wysse The forme of aristotiles lore I haue it sayd & somdele more Of other ensaumples for to assaye Yf ● thy paynes myght a laye Thorugh ony thynge that I can say Do weye my fader I you praye Of that ye haue to me tolde I thanke you a thousand folde The tales founden in myn ere But yet my herte is elly● where I may my self not restreyne That I nam euer in loues peyne Suche lore coude I neuer gete Which myght make me foryete O ●o●nte but yf so were I slepte That I my tydes ay ne kepte To thynke on loue & on his lalbe That ●erte can I not withdrawe For thy my good fader dere ●●ue & speke of my matere ●●uc●yng of loue as we begonne Yf that ther be ought ouer ronne ●● ought foryete or lefte behynde Which falleth vnto loues kynde Wherof it nedeth to be shryue Now axeth so that whyle I lyue I myght amende that is amys My good dere sone yis Thy shryfte for to make pleyne There ie yet nomore for to sayne Of loue which is vnaduysed But for thou shalt be wel aduysed Vnto thy shryfte as it bylongeth A poynte which vpon loue hongeth And is the laste of al tho I wyl the slewe and than ho

Explicit liber septimus

Incipit Liber octau●●

Que fauet ad vicium vetus he● modo regula coufert / Nec non econtra qui docet ordo placet / Ce●us amor dudum non dum sua lumina cepit / Quo venus impos●tū deuia fallit iter

pOst quam ad instanciam amantis confessi confessor Genius suy hijs que aristotiles regem Aloxandrum edocint vna cum aliarum cronicarum exemplis seriose tractauit Iam vltimo in isto oc cauo voluminead confessionem in amoris causa regrediens tracttare ꝓponit super hoc qd non vlli premordia nature ad ●ibitum voluptuose consequentes nullo humane racionis arbitrio sen ecclesie legum imposicione a suis excessi bus debite resrenantur vnde quatenus amorem conceruit amantis conscienciam pro finali sui confessionis materia genius rimari conatur

tHe myghty god which vnbegon Stante of hym self & hath begon Al other thynges at his wylle The heuen he lyste to fulfille Of al the ioye where as he Syt entronysed in his see And hath his aungels hym to serue Suche as hym lyketh to preserue So that he note forueye But lucyfer he put albeye With al the route apostasyed Which ben to hym alyed Which out of heuen in to helle From aungels in to fendes felle Where that there nys no ioye of light But derke as ony nyght The paynes shal be endelesse And yet of paynes nethelesse There is plente but they ben blake Wherof no syght may be take Thus whan the thynges ben by falle That lucyfers courte was falle Where dedely pryde hem hath conceyued A none forthwyth it was purueyed Thorugh hym which al thynges may He made adam the sixt day In paradyse & to his make Hym lyketh one also to make And bade hem crece & multeplye For of the mannes progenye Which of the woman shal be ●ore The nombre of aungels which was lore Whan they out fro the blysse felle He thought to restore & felle In hauen thylke holy place Which stode tho wyde vpon his grace But as it is wel wyst & knowe Adam & eue but a throwe So as it shold of hem betyde In paradyse at thylke tyde Ne dwelten & the cause why Is wryte in the book of genesye As who so al men haue herde How raphael the fyry swerde In honde toke & droue hem out To gete her lyues foode aboute Vpon this wooful erthe here Metodre saith to this matere As he by truelacion It had vpon a vysyon How that adam & ●ue also Vyrgynes comen bothe two In to the world & were ashamed Tyl that nature hem hath reclamed To loue & taught hem thylke lore That fyrst they kyst & ouermore They done that is to kynde dewe Wherof they had fayr yssue A sone was the fyrst of alle Caym by name they hym calle A bell was after the seconde And in the geste as it is fonde Nature so the cause ladde Two doughters Eue had The fyrst cleped calmona Was / & that other delbora Thus was mankynde to begynne For thy that tyme it was no synne The suster for to take her broder Whan that there was of choyce none other / To caym was calmana bytake And delbora hath abel take Of whom was gete nethelees The worldes fyrst encrees Men sayn that nede hath no lawe And so it was by thylke dawe And laste vnto the second age Tyl that the grete water rage Of noe which was said the flode The world which than in synne stode Hath dreynte out take lyues eyght Tho was mankynde of litel weyght Sem Cam Iaph●t of thyse thre That ben the sones of noe The world of mannes nacion In to multiplicacion Was tho restored newe ageyn So ferforth as the bookes seyn That of hem ●●re & of her yssue Ther was so large a retynue Of nacyons seuenty & two In sondry places eche one of tho The wyde world haue e●h●byted But as nature hath than excyted They toke than litel hede The broder to the suster yede To wedde wyues tyl it came In to the tyme of abraham Whan the third age was bygonne That nede it was ouer ronne For ther was peple ynough in londe Thenne alte fyrst it came to honde That systerhode of mariage Was torned in to cosynage So after that the right lyne The ●●syn wedded the cosyne For abraham or that he deyed The charge vpon his seruaunt leyed To hym in this wyse spake That he his sone ysaak Do wedde for no worldes good But onely to his owne blood Wherof the seruaunt as he ●adde Whan he was dede his sone hath ladde To ba●huel where he rebecke Hath wedded with the whyt necke For she wyst wel & syghe Was to the chylde ●●syn nyghe And thus as abraham taught Whan ysaak was god bytaught His sone Iacob dyd also And of bulam the doughters two Which was his eme he toke to wyfe And gate vpon hem in his lyfe Of hir fyrst which hyght lye Sy● senes of his progenye And of rachel two sones eke The remenaunt was for to seke That is to sayn of four moo Wherof he gate on bala two And of zelpha he had eke twey And these twelue as I the sey Thorough the prouydence of god hym self / Ben said the patriarkes twelf Of whome as afterward byfelle The tribus twelf of Israel Engendred were & ben the same That of hebrues the hadden name Which of sy●red in alyaunce For euer kepte thylke vsaunce Moost contynuelly tyl cryst was bore But afterward it was folore Emonge vs that ben buptyzed For of the lawe canonyzed The pope hath bode to the men That none shal wedden of his kyn Ne the second ne of the thyrd But yf holy chyrche it bydde So to restreyne mariage There ben yet vpon loues rage Ful many of suche now a day That taken where they take may For loue of which is ●nbeseyn Of al reson as men sayn Thorugh sotye & thorugh nycete Of his voluptuosite He spareth no condycyon Of kynne ne of religyon But as a cock emonge the hennes Or ●s a stalon in the fennes Which goes emonge al. the stode Right so can he nomore good But taketh what cometh next to honde My sone thou shalt vnderstende That suche delyte is for to blame For thy yf thou hast ben the same To loue in ony suche manere Telle forth therof & shryue the here My fader nay god wote the sothe My feyre is not of suche a bothe So wylde a man yet was I neuer That of my kynne or leue or leuer Me lust loue in suche a wyse I note eke for what empryse I shold assote vpon a nonne For though I had hir loue wonne It myght in to no pryce amounte So therof set I none acouute Ye may wel axe of this & that But sothely for to telle plat In al this world there is but one The which my herte hath ouergone I am toward al other fre Fnl wel my sone now I see Thy word stonte euer vpon a place But yet therof thou hast a grace That though the myght so wel excuse Of loue suche as somme men vse So as I spake of now tofore For al suche tyme of loue is lore And lyke vnto the bytter swete For though it thynke a man first swete He shal wel felen atte laste Thai it is soure & may not ●aste For as a morc●l enuenymed So hath suche loue his lust mystymed And grete ensaumples many one A man may fynde therupon

Hic loquitur contra istos quos 〈◊〉 nus sui desiderij feruore inflammar ita incestuosos efficit vt nequam preprijsororibus parcunt Et narrat exemplum qualiter pro eo qd Gayus Caligula tres sorores suas virgines coitu illicito oppressit deus tanti sceleris peccatum impium non ferens ipsum non solum ab imꝑio set a vita iusticia vindice preliauit / Narrat eciam aliud exemplum super eodent qualiter amon filius dauid fatui amoris concupiscenciam preuentus sororem suam thamar a sue virginitatis pudicicia inuitam deflora uit propter qd et ipse a fratre suo ab solon postea interfectus peccatum sue mortis precio inuitus dedemit

Trome fyrst yf we begyn Ther shal I fynde how of this syn An emperour was for to blame Gayus Caligula by name Which of his owne susters thre Byrefte the vyrgynyte And whan he had hem so forleyn As he which was al vylayn He dyd hem out of londe exyle But afterward within a whyle God hath byrefte hym in his yre His lyf & eke his large emp●ro And thus for lykyng of a throwe For euer his loue was ouerthrowe Of this soty also I fynde Amon his suster ageyn kynde Which hyght thamare he forley● But he that lust another day A bought whan that absolon His owne broder there vpon Of that he had his suster shente Toke of that synne vengemente And slewe hym with his owne hond And thus the vnkynde vnkynde fond

Hic narrat qualiter loth duas filias suas ipsis concencientibus carna● copu la cognouit duos que ex eis filios sci licet moab & Amon progenuit quorum postea generacio pratia & exasperans contra populum dei in terra saltim promissionis vario grauamine quam sepius insultabat

aNd for to see more of this thyng The byble maketh knowlechyng Wherof thou myght take euydence Vpon the soth experience Whan bothes wyf was ouergone And shape vnto the salte stone As it is spoke vnto this day By bothe his doughters than he lay With chylde he made hem bothe grete Tyl that nature wold hem lete And so the cause aboute ladde That eche of hem a sone hadde Moab the first & the second Amon of which as it is fonde Came afterward to grete encrece Two nacions & nethelece For that the stockes were not good The traunches myght not be good For of the false moabytes Forthwith the strengthe of amonytes Of that they were fyrst mysgete The peple of god was ofte vpsete In Israel and in Iudee As in the byble a man may see Lo thus my sone as I the say Thou myght thy self be besay Of that thou haste of other herde For euer yet it hath so ferde Of loues lust yf so byfalle That it in other places falle Than it is of the lawe set He which his loue hath so bysette Mote afterward repente it sore And euery man is other lore Of that befyl in tyme or this The present tyme which now is May be enformed how it stode And take that hym thynke good And leue that which is not so But for to loke of tyme a goo How lust of loue excedeth lawe It ought for to be withdrawe For euery man it shold drede And namelyche in his sybrede Which torneth ofte to vengeauuce Wherof a tale in remembraunce Which is a longe processe to here I thynke for to tellen here

Omnibus est communis amor sed et immoderatus / Qui facit excessus non reputatur amans / Sors tamen vnde venus attractat corda videre / Que rationis erunt non ratione sinit

Hic loquitur adhuc contra incestuosos amantum coitus / Et narrat mirabile exemplum de ●●●gno rege antiocho qui vxore mortua propriam filiam violauit et quia filie matrimonium penes alios Impedire voluit tale ab eo exiit edictum quod si quis eam in vxorem peterit nisi quoddam proble nia questionis quam ipse rex proposu erat veraciter solueret capitali sentencia puniretur super quo veniens tandem discretus iuuenis princeps tiri appolinus questionem soluit / Nec tamen filiam habere potuit sed rex indignatus ipsum propter hec in mortis odium recollegit / Vnde appolinus a facie regis fugiens quamplura prout inferius intitulatur propter amorem pericula passus est

oF a cronycle in dayes gone The which is cleped pant●one In loues cause I rede thus How that the grete aniyochus Of whom that antioche took His first name as saith the bock Was coupled to a noble quene And had a doughter them bytwene But which fortune came to honde That dethe which no kyng may with stonde / But euery lyf it mote obeye This worthy quene toke aweye The kyng which made mochel mone Tho stode as who saith hym allone Without wyf but nethelees His doughter which was peerlees Of bewete dwelte aboute hym stylle But whan a man hath welth at wyl The flesshe is freel & falleth ofte And that this mayde tendre & softe Which in hir faders chambre dwelte Within a tyme wyst & felte For lykyng of concupiscence Withouten insyght of conscyence The fader so with lustes blente That he caste al his entente His owne doughter for to spylle The kyng hath leyser at his wylle With strengthe & whan he tyme seye The yonge mayden he forleye And she was tendre & ful of drede She coude not hir maydenhede Defende / & thus she hath forlore The floure whiche she hath longe bore It helpeth not though she wepe For they that shold hir body kepe Of wymmen were absent as than And thus this mayden goeth to man The wylde fader thus deuoureth His owne flessh which none secoureth And that was cause of mochel care But after this vnkynde fare Out of the chambre goeth the kynge And she laye styl & of that thynge Within hir self suche sorowe made Ther was nought that myght hir glade For fere of thylke horryble vyce With that came in the norice Which fro chyldehode hir had kepte And axed hir yf she had slepte And why hir chere was vnglad But she which hath be ouer lad Of that she myght not be wreke For shame coude vnnethys speke And nethesse mercy she prayed With wepyng eye & thus she sayed Alas my suster wel away That euer I sawe this ylke day Thyng which my body firsst begat In to this world onelych that My worldes worshyp hath byrefte With that she swowneth now & efte And euer wissheth after deth So that welny she lacketh breth That other which hir wordes herde In comfortyng of hir answerde To lete hir faders foule desyre She wyst no recouryre Whan thynge is do ther is no lote So suffren they that suffren mote Ther was none other which hym wist So hath this kynge al that he lyste Of his lykyng & of his plesaunce And last in suche a contynuunce And suche delyte he toke there in Hym thought it was no syn And she durst hym no thyng withsey But fame which goeth euery wey To sondry royames aboute The grete bewte telleth out Of suche a mayde of hye parage So that for loue of mariage The worthy princes come & sende As they which al honour wende And knew no thyng how that it stode The fader whan he vnderstode That they his doughter thus lysought With al his wyt he caste & sought How that he myght fynde a lette And suche a statute thenne he sette And in this wyse his lawe taxeth That what man his doughter axeth But he coude his questyon Assoyle vpon sugestyon Of certeyn thynges that byfelle The which he wold vnto hem telle He shold in certeyn lese his hede And thus there were many dede Her hedes stondyng on the gate Tyl atte laste longe & late For lacke of answer in the wyse The remenaunte that weren wyse

De aduentu appo●oni in autiochiam vbi ipse filiam regis antioche in vxorem postulauit

Escheweden to make assay Tyl it befyl vpon a day Appollynus the prynce of tyre Which hath to loue a grete desyre As be which in his hygh mode Was lykyng of his h●te blode A yonge a fresshe a lusty knyght As he laye musyng on a nyght Of the tydynge whiche he herde He thought to assay how that it ferde He was with worthy companye A rayed & with good nauye To shyp ●e goeth the wynde hym dryueth / And saileth tyl that he ariueth Saufe in the porte of antyoche He londeth & goeth to approche The kynges courte & his presence Of euery natural science Which ony clerke hym coude teche He coude ynough & in his speche Of wordes he was eloquent And whan he sawe the kyng present He prayeth he must his doughter haue The kyng ageyn began to craue And tolde hym the condycyon How fyrst vnto his questyon He mote answere & fayle nought Or with his heed it shal be bought

Questio regis antiochi s●●lere vehor materna ca●ne v●soo● quero patrem me um matris mee virum vxoris mee filium

aNd he hym axeth what it was The kyng declareth hym the caas With sterne lock & st●rdy chere To hym & said in this manere With felonye I am vp bore I ete & haue it not forbore My modrs flessh whos husbond My fader for to seche I fonde Which is the sene eke of my wyf Herof I am inquysytyf And who that can my tale saue Al quyte he shal my doughter haue Of his answer yf he fayle He shal be deed without fayle For thy my sone qd the kyng Be wel aduysed of thie thyng Which hath by lyf in Ieopartye Appol●ynus for his partye When he this ou●s●yon had herde Vnto the kyng he hath answerde And hath reherced one & one The poyntes & said therupon The questyon which thou hast spoke Yf thou wylt that it be vnl●ke It toucheth al the pryuyte Betwyxte thyn owne chylde & the And stante al vpon you two The kyng was wonder sor●●tho And theught yf that he said it oute Thenne were he shamed al aboute With sly wordes & with felle He said my sone I shal the telle Though thou be lytel of wytte It is no meruayle as yet Thyn age may it not suffyse But loke wel thou not despyse Thyn owne lyf for of my grace Of thyrty dayes ful of space I graunte the to ben aduysed And thus with loue & tyme assysed This yonge prynce forth he wente And vnderstood wel what it mente Within his herte as he was lered That for to make hym afered The kyng his tyme hath so deloyed Wherof he drad & was amayed Of treson that he deye shold For he the kyng trouth tolde And sodeynly the nyght tyde The morowe wold he not abyde Al pryuelye his barge he hente And home ageyn to tyre he wente And in his owne witte he sayed For drede yf he the kyng bewrayed He knewe so wel the kynges herte That deth ne shold he asterte The kyng wold hym so pursewe But he that wold his deth eschewe And knewe al this tofore the honde Forsake he thought his owne londe For there wold he not abyde For wel he knewe on somme syde This tyraunt of his felonye By somme manere of trecherye To greue his body wyl not leue For thy with outen takyng leue As pryuelyche ashe myght He geeth to the see by nyght In shippes that ben with whete laden Her takyl redy tho they maden And haleth the sait● & forth they fare But for to telle of the care That they of tyre began tho Whan that they wyst he was agoo It is a pyte for to here They loste lust they loste chere They took vpon hem suche penaunce Ther was no songe ther was no daunce But euery myrthe & melodye To them was thenne a maladye For vnlust of that auenture Ther was no man which toke tonsure In dredeful clothes they them clothe The bathes & the stewes bothe They shyt in by euery weye Ther was no lyf which lust to pleye Ne take of ony ioye kepe But for hir liege lord to wepe And euery wyght saith as he couthe Alas the lusty floure of youthe Our prynce our hede our gouernoure Thorugh whom we stonden in honoure Without the conoune assent Thus sodeynly is from vs went Suche was the clamour of hem alle But see now what is befalle

Qualiter thaliartus miles vt appolinum veneno intoxicaret ab anti● oche in tirum missus ipse ibidem non Inuento antiochiam rediit

vpon the fyst tale playn And torne we thereto agayn Antiochus the grete syre Which ful of rancour & of yre His herte bereth so as he herde Of that this prynce of tyre answerde He had a felowe bacheler Which was his pryuy counceyller And thaliart by name he hyght The kyng a strong poyson hym dyght Within a boxe & golde therto In al haste & bad hym goo Strayte vnto tyre & for to coste Ne spare tyl he had loste The prynce which he wold spylle And whan the kyng hath said his wylle This talyart in a galeye With al haste he toke his weye The wynde was good / they seyled blyue / Tyl he toke londe vpon the ryue Of tyre & forth with al anone In to the borough he gan to gone And toke his ynne & bode a throwe But for he wold not be knowe Dysgysed thenne he goeth hym oute He sawe the wepyng al aboute And axeth what the cause was And they hym tolde al the caas How sodeynly the prynce was goo And whan he sawe that it was so And that his labour was in veyn A none he torneth home ageyn And to the kyng whan he came nyghe He tolde hym that he herde & syghe How that the prynce of tyre was fled So was he comen ageyn vnsped The kyng was sory for a whyle But whan he sawe that with no wile He myght acheue his cruelte He stynte his wrath & lete hym be

Qualiter apoollinus in portu tharsis appl●cauit vbi in hospicō cuiusdam magni vin nomine strangulionis hospitatus est

bVt ouer this now for to telle Of aduentures that byfelle Vnto this prynce of whom I tolde He hath his right cours forth holde By stone & nedyl tyl he came To tharse & there londe he name A bourgeys ryche of golde & fee Was thylke tyme in that cyte Which cleped was stranguyllyo His wyf was dyonysye also This yonge prynce as sayth the book With hym his herbegage took And it befyl that cyte so Bef●● tyme & thenne also Thou●gh stronge famyn which he lad Was none that ony whete had Appollynus when that he herde The myschyef how that the cyte ferde Al frelyche of his owne gyfte His whete emonge hem for to shyfte The which by shyp he had brought He yaue & toke of hem right nought But sythen fyrst this world began Was neuer yet to suche a man More ioye made than they hym made For they were al of hym so glade That they for euer in remembraunce Made a fygure in resemblaunce Of hym & in comyn place They set it vp so that his face Myght euery maner man beholde So that the cyte was beholde It was of laton ouer gylte Thus was his face nought spylte

Qualiter hellicanus ciuis tiri tharsim Veniens apollinum de insidijs anthiochi ●rrminiuit

vPon a day with a route This lord to pleye goeth hym oute And on his weye of tyre he mette A man which on knees hym grette And hellican by name he hyght Which prayed his lord to haue insyght Vpon hym self & said hym thus How that the grete antyochus Aweyteth yf that he myght hym spyl That other thought & helde hym styl And thanked hym of his warnyng And bad hym telle for no thynge Whan he to tyre came home ageyn That he in tharse hym had seyn

Qualiter appolinus portum tharsis relin quens cum ipse per mare nauigio securiorem quesiuit superuenieute tempestate nauis cum omnibus preter ipsum solum in eadem contentis iuxta pentapolim periclitabatur

fOrtune hath euer be muable And may no whyle stonde stable For now it hyeth & now it loweth Now stante vp right now ouerthroweth Now ful of blysse now ful of bale For now as in tellyng of my tale Here afterward a man may here Which is grete routhe for to here This lord which wold done his beste Within hym self hath lytel reste And thought he wold his place chaunge And seke a contre more straunge Of tharsyens his leue anone He toke & is to shyp gone His cours he name with sayle vp drawe / Where as fortune doth the lawe And sheweth as I shal reherce How she was to the lord dyuerce The which vpon the see she ferketh The wynde aroos the weder derketh It blewe & made suche tempeste That none anker myght the shyp arest Which hath broken al his gere The shypmen stood in suche a fere Was none that myght bestere But euer awayte vpon the lere Whan that they shold drenchen al atones Ther was ynough within the wones Of wepyng & of sorowe tho The yonge kyng maketh moche woo For to see the shyp trauayle But al that myght no thynge auayle The mast to brake the seyle to roof The shyp vpon the wawes droof Tyl that they see the londes coste Tho made a vowe leste and moste By that they myghten come a londe But he which hath the see on honde Neptunus wold not accorde But he al to brake cable & corde Or they to londe myght approche The shyp to claue vpon a roche And al goeth doun in to the depe But he which al thyng may kepe Vnto this lord was mercyable And brought hym saue vpon a table Which to the londe hath hym bore The remenaunte was al forlore Therof he made mochel mone Thus was this yonge lord allone

Qualiter appollinus nudus superlitus iactabatur vbi quidam piscator ipsum collobio suo vestiens ad vrtem pentapolim direxit

aL naked in a poure plyte His colour which was whylom whyt Was than of water fade & pale And eke be was so sore a cale That he hym self wyst of no bote It helpe no thynge for to mote To gete ageyn that he hath lore Which she that hath his deth forbore Fortune though he wold not yelpe Al sodeynly hath sente hym helpe Whan hym thought al grace aweye There came a fyssher in the weye And sawe there a naked man stonde And whan that he hath vnderstonde The cause of hym he hath grete routhe And onely of his power trouthe Of suche clothes as he hadde With grete pyte this lord he cladde And he hym thonketh as he sholde And saith hym that it shold be yolde If euer he gete his state ageyn And prayeth that he wold seyn Yf nyghe were ony towne for hym He sayd ye / pentopolym Where bothe kyng & quene dwellen This tale herde he tellen He gladeth hym and gan beseche That he the weye hym wold teche And he hym taughte & forth he wente And to god with good entente To sende hym ioye after his sorowe It is not passed yet mydmorowe

Qualiter appollinus pentapolim adueniente ludus a giguasij ꝑ vrbem publice proclamatus est

tHan thyderward his weye he nam Where sone vpon the none he came He ete suche as he myght gete And anone forth as he had ete He goeth to see the towne aboute And came there as he fonde a ronte Of yonge lnsty men with alle And as it shold tho byfalle That day was set of suche assyse That they shold in the londes gyse As he herde of the peple seye Her comune game thenne pleye And cryed was that they shold come Bothe to the game al & somme Of hem that ben delyner & wyght To do suche mastrye as they myght They made hem naked as they shold For so that ylke game wold And it was the custome & the vse Amonges hem was none refuse The floure of al the towne was there And of the courte also there were And that was in a large place Ryght euen before the kynges face Which artestraches thenne hyght The pleye was pleyed right in his sight And who moste worthy was of dede Reayue he shold his mede And in the cyte bere a pryce Appolynus which was ware & wyse Of euery game he coude an ende He thought to assay who so it wende

Qualiter appollinus ludum gignasij v●n●ens in aula regis ad cenam ho●on●ice receptus est

aNd fyl emonge hem vnto game And wan hym there suche a name So as the kyng hym self accounteth That he al other men surmounteth And ba●e the pryce aboue hem alle The kyng bad that in to his halle At souper tyme he shal be brought And he came than & lefte it nought Without companye allone Was none so semelyche a persone Of vysage & of lymmes bothe If that he had what to clothe At souper tyme nethelese The kyng amyddes al the prese Lete clepe hem vp emonge hem alle And bad his marchal of his halle To setten hym in suche degre That he vpon hym myght see The kyng was sone sette and serued And he which hath his prise deserued After the kynges owne worde Was made begyn a myddel borde That bothe kyng & quene hym sye He sette & caste aboute his eye And sawe the lordes in estate He with hym self wexe in debate Thynkyng what he had lore And suche a sorowe he toke therfore That he satte euer stylle & thought As he which of no mete rought

Qualiter appollinus in cena recum ●ens nichil comedit set dolo roso vultu capite maxime ingemescebat qui tandem a filia regis confortatus citheram plectens cunctis audientibus citherando vltra modum complacuit

tHe kyng behelde his heuynrsse And of his grete gentylnesse His doughter which was fayre and ●ood / And atte borde byfore hym stode As it was thylke tyme vsage He bad to goo on his message And fonde to make hym glade And she dyd as hir fader bade And goeth to hym the softe paas And axeth whan & what he was And prayeth he shold his thoughtes leue He saith madame by your leue My name is hote appolynus And of my ryches it is thus Vpon the see I haue it lore The contre where as I was bore Where that my londe is & my rente I lefte at tyre whan that I wente The worshyp there of which I ought Vnto the god I there betought And thus to gyder as they speke The teeris ranne doun by his cheke The kyng which toke therof good kepe Had grete pyte to see hym wepe And forth his doughter sende ageyn And prayed hir fayr & gan to sayn That she wold no lenger dretrhe But that she wold anone forth fetche Hir harpe & done al that she can To glade with that sory man And she to done hir faders heste Hir harpe fette & in the feste Vpon a chayer which they fette Hir self nexte to this man she sette With harpe bothe & eke with mowthe To hym she dyd al that she couthe To make hym chere & euer be sygheth And she hym axeth how hym lyketh Madame certeys wel he sayed But yf ye the mesure played Which yf you list I shal you lere It were a gladde thynge for to here A leue syr sayth she Take the harpe & lete me see Of what mesure that ye mene Tho prayeth the kyng & the quene Forthwith the lordes al arewe That he somme myrthe wold shewe And taketh the harpe & in his wyse He tempreth & of suche assyse Syngyng he harpeth forth with alle That as a voy●e cel●styalle Hem thought it sowned in her here As though it an aungel were They gladen of his melodye But moste of al the companye The kynges doughter which it herde And thought eke and that he answerd Whan that it was of hir apposed Within her herte hath wel supposed That he his grete gentylnesse His dedes ben therof wytnesse Forthwyth the wysdom of his lore It nedeth not to s●che more He myght not haue suche manere Of gentyl blood but yf he were Whan he hath harpyd al his fylle The kynges heste to fulfylle Awey goeth dysshe aweye goeth cup Doun goeth the borde the cloth was vp They rysen & goon out of halle The kyng his chamberleyn lete calle And bad that he by al weye A chambre for this man purueye Which nygh his owne chambre be It shal be do my lord qd he

Qualiter appollinus cum rege pro filia sua erudienda retentus est

aPpollynus of whom I mene Tho toke his leue of kyng & quene And of the worthy mayde also Which prayed vnto hir fader tho That she myght with the yonge man Of the sciences which he can His lore haue in this wyse The kyng hir graunteth hir apprise So that hym self therto assent Thus was accorded or they went That he with al that euer he may This yonge fayr fresshe may Of that he coude shold enforme And ful assented in this forme

Qualiter filia regis appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit / Et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quam plurius famulialiter intendebat / Vnde placata puella in amorem appolini exazdescens infirmab●tur

tHey toke lette as for that nyght And whan it was on morow right Vnto this yonge man of tyre Of clothes and of good attyre With golde & syluer for to spende This worthy yonge lady sende And thus she made hym wel at ease And he with al that he can plese Hir serueth wel & fayr ageyn He taughte hir tyl she thas certeyn Of harpe of cytole & of rote With many a tewne & many a note Vpon musyque vpon mesure And of hir harpe the temprure He taughte hir wel as he roel couthe But as men sayn that frele is youthe With le●●er & contynuaunce This mayde fyl vpon a chaunce That loue hath mad hym a quarele Ageynst yongthe fressh & frele That maugre wheder she wyl or nought She mote with al her hertes thought To loue & to his loue obeye And that she shal ful sore obeye For the wote not what it is But euer emonge she feleth this Towchyug this man of tyre Hir herte is hote as ony fyre And other whyle it is a cale Now is she reed now is she pale Right after the condycyon Of hir ymagynacyon But euer emonge her thoughtes alle Hir thought what may befalle Or that she laughe or that she wepe She wold hir good name kepe For fere of womannysshe shame But what in ernest & in game She stante for loue in suche a plyte That she hath loste al appetyte Of mete of drynke of nyghtes reste As she that note what is the beste But for to thynke al hir fylle She holde hir ofte tymes stylle Within hir chambre & goeth not oute The kyng was of hir lyf in doute Which wyst no thynge what it mente But fyl a tyme as he out wente tO walke of prynces sones thre There came & fyl to his knee

Qualiter tres filij principum filiam regis singillatim in vxorem suis supplicacionibus postularent

And eche of hem in sondry w●se Bysought & proferith his seruyse So that he myght his doughter haue The kyng which wold hir honour saue Saith she is seek & of that speche Tho was no tyme to beseche But eche of hem do make a bylle He bad & wrytc his owne wylle His name his fader & his good And whan she wyst how that it stood And had hyr lylles ouer seyn They shold haue answer ageyn Of this counceyl they were glad And wrote as the kyng hem bad And euery man his owne bock In to the kynges honde bytook And he it to his doughter sende And prayed hir for to make an ende And wrote ageyn hir owne honde Right as she in her herte fonde

Qualiter fitia regis omnibus alijs retictis appollinum in maritu 〈…〉 preclegit

tHe bylles were wel receyued But she hath al hir loues weyued And thought that than was tyme & space To put hir in her faders grace And wrote ageyn & thus she sayd The shame which is in a mayde With speche dare no● be vnloke But in wryfyng it may be spoke So wryte I fader to you thus But yf I haue apollynus Of al this world what so besyde I wyl none other man abyde And certes yf I of hym fayle I wote right wel without fayle Ye shal for me be faderles This lettre came & there was prese Tofore the kyng there as he stode And whan that he it vnderstode He yaue hem auswer by & by But that was do pryuelye That ●●●e ●f other counceyl wyste They toke her leue & where hem lyste And wente forth vpon theyr weys The kyng wold not bewreye The counceyl for no maner hye But suffreth tyl he tyme sye

Qualiter rex & regina in maritagium filie sue cum appolino consencierunt

And whan that he to chambre is come His counceyl therto hym nome This man of tyre & lete hym see The lettre & al the pryuyte The which his doughter to hym sente And he his knee to grounde bente And thonked hym and hyr also And or they wente thenne a two With good herte & good corage Of ful loue and ful mariage The kyng & he be hole accorded And after whan it was recorded Vnto the doughter how it stode The yefte of al the worldes good Ne shold haue made hir halfe so blythe And forth with al the kyng asswithe For he wyl haue hir good assent Hath for the quene hir moder sente The quene is comen & when she herde Of this matere how that is ferde She sawe debate she sawe dysese But yf she wold hir doughter plese And is therto assented ful Which is a dede wonderful For no man knewe the soth ●●as But he hym self what man he was And nethelesse so as hym thought His dedes to the sothe wrought That he was come of gentyl blood Hym lacketh but worldes good And as therof is no dyspeyre For she shal be hir faderes heyre And he was able to gouerne Thus wyl they not the loue werne Of hym & hyr in no wyse But al accorded they deuyse

Qualiter appollinus filie regies nup ● sit et primo nocte cum ea concubiens ipsam inpregnauit

tHe day of tyme of mariage Where loue is lorde of corage Hym thynketh longe or that he spede But atte laste vnto the dede The tyme is come & in her wyse With grete offryng & sacrefyse They wedde & make a grete feste And euery thynge was right he neste Within hows & eke without It was so done that al aboute Of grete / worshyp & grete noblesse There cryed many a man a largesse Vnto the lordes hygh & loude The knyghtes that be yonge & prowde They Iuste fyrst & after daunce The day is goo the nyghtes chaunce Hath derked al the bright sonne The lord which hath his loue wonne Is goo to bed with his wyf Where as they lede a lusty lyf And that was after somdele sene For as they pleyden hem bytwene They gete a chylde betwene hem two To whom fyl after mochel woo

Qualiter amtassiatores a tiro in quodam naui pentapolim venientes mortem regis antiochi Appollino nunciauerunt

Now haue I tolde of the spousayles But for to speke of the meruayles Which afterward to hem byfelle It i● a wonder for to telle It fyl a day they rode out Kyng & quene & al the route To pleye hem vpon the seconde Where as they seen toward the londe A shyp saylyng of grete araye To knowe what it mene may Tyl it be come they abyde Than sawe they stonde on euery syde Endlong the shyppes borde to shewe Of the penonnes a ryche rewe They ax●d whan the shyp is come Fro tyre anone answerd somme And ouer this they sayden more The cause is they comen fore Was for to seche & for to fynde Appollynus which of kynde Hir lyege lord & he appereth And of the tale which he hereth He was right glad for they hym tolde That for vengeaunce as god it wolde Antyochus as men may wyte With fire & lyghtenyng is al to smyte His doughter hath the same chaunce So ben they bothe in one balaunce For thy our lyege lord we the seye In name of al the londe and preye That lefte al other thynge to done It lyke you to come sone And see your owne lyege men With other that ben of your ken That lyuen in longyng & desyre Tyl ye be come ageyn to tyre This tole after the kyng it had Pentapolyn al ouer it sprad There was no ioye for to seche For euery man it had in speche And sayden al of one acoorde A worthy kyng shal ben our lorde That thought vs first an heuynesse Is shape vs now to grete gladnesse

Qualiter appollino cum vxore sua imprignata a pentapoli versus tyrum nauigantius contigit vxorem mortis artia●● angustiatam in naui filiam que postea thaysies vocabatur patere

tThus goeth the tydyng ouer al But nede he must that nede shal Appollynus his leue took To god he al that bonde bytook With al the peple longe & brode That he no lenger there abode The kyng & quene sorow made But yet somdele they were glade Of suche thynge as they herde tho And thus bytwene the wele & woo To shyp he goeth his wyf with childe The which was euer meke & mylde And wold not departe hym fro Suche loue was bytwene hem two Lycho rida for hir offyce Was take which was a norice To wende with this yonge wyf To whom was shape a wooful lyf Within a tyme as it betyd When they were in the see amyd Out of the northe they see a cloude The storme awos the wyndes loud They blewen many a dredesul blaste The welken was al ouer caste The derke nyght the sonne hath vnder Ther was a grete tempest of thondre The mone & eke the sterres bothe In blacke clowdes they hem clothe Wherof their bright loke they hyde This yonge lady wepte & cryde To whom no comforte myght auayle Of chylde she began to trauayle Where she laye in a caban choos This wooful lord fro hir awos And that was longe or ony morowe So that in anguysshe & in sorowe She was delyuerd al by nyght And dede in euery mannes syght But nethelesse for al this woo A mayde chylde was boren tho

Qualiter appollinus mortem vxoris sue planxit

Appollynus when he thys kuewe A swowne he hym self ouerthrewe That no man wyst in hym no lyf And when he woke he said a wyf My ioye my lust my desyre My welth & my recoueryre Why shal I lyue & thou shalt dye Ha thou fortune I the defye Now hast thou do to me thy werste A herte why ne wyl thou breste That forth with hir I myght passe My paynes were moche the lasse In suche wepyng & suche crye His dede wyf which laye hym bye A thousand sythes he hir kyste Was neuer man that sawe ne wyste A sorowe to his sorowe lyche Was euer emonge vpon the lyche He fyl swownyng as he that thought His owne deth which he besought Vnto the goddes al aboue With many a pytous worde of loue But suche wordes as tho were Herde neuer no mannes eere But onely thylke which he sayed The mayster shypman came & prayed With other suche as ben therin And sayn that he may no thyng wyn Ageyn the deth but they hym rede He be wel ware & take hede The see by weye of his nature Receyue may no creature Within hym self as for to holde The which is dede for thy they wolde As they counceyllen al aboute The deed body casten oute For better it is they sayden alle That it of hir so byfalle Than yf they sholden al spylle The kyng which vnderstode her wylle And knewe her counceyl was trewe Began ageyn his sorowe newe With pytous herte & thus to seye It is al reson that ye preye

Qualiter suadentibu● nautis corpus vxoris sue mortue in quadam cista plumbo et ferro obtusa & circumligata apoolinus cum magno thesauro vna cum quadam littera sub eius capite scripta reludi in mari proiti fecit

IAm ad he but one allone So wold I not for my persone There fel suche aduersite But whan it may no better be Doth than thus vpon my worde ●ete make a coofere stronge of borde That it be fyrme with lede & pytche Anone was made his coofre suche Al redy brought vnto his honde And whan he sawe & redy fonde This cooffre made & wel englued The deed body was besewed In cloth of golde & leyed therin And for he wold vnto hir wyn Vpon somme coste a sepulture Vnder hir heed in aduenture Of golde he leyed sommes grete And of Iuels stronge byyete

Copia littere capiti vxoris sue supposite

Forthwith a lettre & said thus Kyng of tyre Appollynus Doeth al men to wyte That heereth & seeth this lettre wryte That helpeles without rede Here l●eth a kynges doughter dede And who that happeth hir to fynde For charite take in his mynde And do so that she begraue With that tresour that she haue Thus whan the lettre was ful spoke A none they haue the coofre / s●oke And bounden it with yron faste So that it may with wawes laste And stoppen it by suche a wey● That it shal be within dreye So that no water myght it greue And thus in hope & good beleue Of that the corps s●●l n●l ary●e They caste it ouer borde as blyue

Qualiter appo●●●us vxoris sue cor●e in ●●are proiecto Tirum re●●nguens cursū●●um versus tharsim nauigio dolens arripuit

The shippes forth on the wawes went The prynce hath chaunged his entent And saith he wyl not come at tyre As thenne but al his desyre Is first to saylen vnto tharse The wyndy storme began to scarse The sonne aryseth the weder clereth The sh●●man which behynde stereth Whan that he sawe the wyndes softe Toward tharse his cours he sought

Qualiter cor●us predicte deffun ●●e super ●●ttus apud ephesim quidem medicus nomine Cerimon cum a●●au●●us suis dscipul●s inuenit quod in hospicium ●ortans et extra cistam 〈◊〉 ● nens spir● cu●o vite in ca inuento ipsam plene sanitati restituit

b●t now to my matere ag●yn To telle as olde bookes seyn This dede corps of which ye knowe With wynde & water was forthrowe Now here now there tyl atte laste At ephesym the see vp caste The cooffre & al that was therin Of grete meruayle now begyn May h●re who that s●te stylle That god wyl saue may not spylle Right as the corps was throwe on londe There came walkyng by the stronde A worthy clerke & surgyen And eke a gr●te physycien Of that londe the wysest one Which hyght mayster Ci●●mone Ther was of his dysaples somme This maistre is to the ●●offre come He poyseth ther was somwhat in And bade hym bere it to his ynne And goeth hym self forth with alle Al that shal falle / falle shalle They comen home & tary nought This cooffre in to his chambre is brought Which th●t they fynde faste st●ke But they with crafte it hath vnl●ke They looken in wh●re as they founde A body dede which was y bounde In cloth of golde as I said ore The tresour eke they founden there Forth with the lettre which they rede And tho they token better hede Vnsowed was the body sone And he that knewe what was to done This noble clerke with al hoste Began the veynes for to taste And sawe hir age was of youthe And with the craftes which he couthe He sought & fonde a signe of lyf With that this worthy kynges wyf Honestlye they token oute And maden fyres al aboute They leyed hir in a couche softe And with a shete warmed ofte Hyr colde breste began to hete Hir herte also to flacke & bete This maiste● hath hir euery ioynte With certeyn oyle & balsam anoynte And put a lycour in her mowthe Which is to fewe clerkes cowthe So that she couereth atte laste And first hir eyen vp she caste And whan she more of strengthe caught Hir armes bothe forth she straught Helde vp hir honde & pytouslye She spake & sayd where am I Where is my lorde what ●onde is this As she that wote not how it is But cerymon the worthy leche Answerd anone vpon hir speche And said madame y● b●n here Where ye be saue as ye shal here Here afterward for thy as now My counceyl is comforteth you For trysteth wel without fayle Ther is nothyng which shal you faile That ought of reson for to be do Thus passen they a day or two

Qualiter vxor appolini sanata domum religionis peciit vbi sacro velamine munitam cast● omni tempore se vouit

They speke of nought as for an ende Tyl she began somdele amende And wyst hir self what she mente Tho for to knowe hir hole entente This mayster axeth al the caas How she came there & what she was How I came here wote I nought Qd she but wel I am bethought Of other thynges al aboute Fro poynte to poynte & tolde hym out● As ferforthly as she it wyste And he hir tolde how in a chyste The see hyr threwe vpon the ●onde And what tresour with hir he fonde Which was al redy at hir wylle And he that shope hym to fulfylle With al his myght what he shold● She ●honked hym that so he wolde And al hir herte she dyscloseth And saith hym what she supposeth Hir lord be dreynt hir chylde also So sawe she nought but al woo Wherof as to the world nomore N● wyl she torne & prayeth therfore That in somme temple of the cyte To kepe & holde hir chastyte She myght emonge the wymmen dwell Whan he this tale herde tell He was right glad & made hir knowen That he a doughter of his owen Hath which he wyl vnto hir yeue To serue whyle they bothe lyue In stede of that which she hath loste Al onely at his owne coste She shal be rendred forth with hyr She sayth graunte mercy leue syr God quyte it you for I ne may And thus they dryue forth the day Tyl tyme was that she was hole And tho they toke her counceyl hole To shape vpon good gouernaunce And made a worthy purueaunce Ageyn the day whan they be veyled And thus whan they be counceylled In black clothes they them clothe The doughter & the lady bothe And yelde hem to religyon The feste & the professyon After the rule of that degre● Was made with grete solempnyte Where as dyane is sanctifyed Thus stant this lady ●ustyfyed In ordre where she thynketh to dwelle But now ageynward for to ●elle In what p●●te that hir ●ord stode ynne He sayleth tyl he may wynne The hauen of tharse as I sayd ere And whan he was aryued there

Qualiur appolinus tharsim nauigans filiam suam thaysim strangulioni & dionisie vxori sue edu●●n●am commen d●uit 〈◊〉 deinde tirum adijt vbi cum in es●imabi● gaudio a suis receptus est

tHo it was thorugh the cyte knowe Men myght see within a throwe As who saith al the towne attones That come ageyn for the nones To yeuen hym the reuerence So glad they were of his ● resonce And though he were in his a rage ●ysesed yet with glad vysage He made h●m there & to his ynne Where he whylom soiorneth in He goeth hym s●reyte & was ●●ceyued And whan the pr●es of peple is weyued He toke his hoost vnto hym tho And saith my s●●nde s●rangulyo ●o thus & thus it is byfalle And thou thy self arte one of alle Forthwith thy wyf which I must trist For thy yf you it bothe lyste My doughter thayse by your leue I thynke shal with you bleue As for a tyme & thus I praye That she be kepte by al weye And whan she hath of age more That she be set to book ●ere And thys au●we to god I make That I shal ueuer for ●ir sake My berde for lykyng sh●ue ●yl it befa●le that I haue In coueuable tyme of age Beset hir vnto mar●age Thus they accorden at his wylle And for to resten hym somdele As for a whyle ther be soiourneth A●d than he taketh his leue & torneth To shyp & goeth hym home to tyre Where euery man with grete desyre A wayteth vpon his comyng But whan the shyp came in saylyng And they perceyuen it is he Was neuer yet in n● cite Suche ioye made as they tho made His herte also began to glade Of that he seeth his peple glad Lo th●s fortune his happe hath ladd● In sondry wyse he was traueyled But how so euer he be assayled His latter ende shal be good And for to speke how that it stood Of thayse his dou●ter where she dwelleth / In tharse as the cronycle t●lleth She was wel kept she was wel ●oked She was wel taughte & wel ●oked So wel she sped hir in hir yout●e That she of euery wysdom couthe That for to seche in euery ●onde So wyse another no man fonde Ne so wel taught at mannes eye But euer woo worth false enuye

Qualiter thai●●s vna cum phi●otenna s●rangulionis et dionisie fil●a omnis sciencie & h● nestatis doctrina imb●ta ●st Set ●●aisis phi●●t●nnam pr●● llens in odium mortale pe● inuidiam a dio ●ia recollecta est

fOr it befyl that tyme so A doughter had strangulyo Which was cl●ped phy●●t●nne But fame which wyl euer renne Came al day to hir moders ●ere And saith where euer hir doughter were With thaise set in ony place The comyn voyce the comyn grace Was al vpon that other mayde And of hir doughter no man sayde Who was wroth but dyonyse than Hir thought a thousand yere tyl than She myght be of thaise wreke Of that she herde folke so speke And fyl that ylke same tyde That deed was trewe lecheryde Which had be seruaunt of thaise So that she was the wors at ease For she hath thenne no seru●se But onely thorugh this dyonyse Which was hir dedely enemye Thorugh pure treson and enuye She that of al sorowe can Tho spake she vnto hir bondeman Which c●eped was theo phylus And made hym swere in counceyl thus That he suche tyme as she hym sette Shal come thayse for to fette And lede hir out of al syght Where that no man hir helpe myght Vpon the stroude nygh the see And there he shal this mayden slee This chorles herte is in a traunce As he which drad hym of vengeaun● Whan tyme cometh another day But y●● durst he not say n●y But swore & said he shold fulfille Hir hestys at hir owne wylle

Qualiter dionisia thaisim vt occideret theopho●o s●ruo suo ●radidit qui cum nocturnanter ●ongius a● v●be ipsam ꝓpe ●itus maris interficere ꝓposuerat pirate i●id latitantes thaisim de manu car nificis erupuerūt ipsam 〈◊〉 vs●● ciuitatem mitelenā ducentes cuid leonino scortorum ibid magistro vendiderunt

aNd treson & the tyme it shape So fel it that the chorles knape Hath lad this mayden where he wold Vpon the s●ronde & what she shold She was a drad & ●e oute brayde A rusty s●berd & to hir sayde Thou shalt 〈◊〉 dede alas ●d she Why shal I soo 〈◊〉 thus quod he My lady dionise hath bede Thou shalt be murdred in this stede This mayde tho for sere shryght And ●or the ●●●e of god al myght She pr●●●th that for a litel stouude She myght knele vpon the grounde Toward the heuen for to c●aue Hir wooful sow● for to saue And with noyse & with this crye Out of a barge fast by Which hyd was there on scomer fare Men sterten out & were ● ware Of this fe●on & he to goo And she began to crye tho A● mercy helpe for goddes sa●e In to the barge they hir take As theues shold & forth they wente Vpon the se● the wynde hem hente And malgre where they wold or none Tofore the weder forth they gone Ther helpe no sayle ther helpe none oore Forstormed & forblowen sore In grete ●●ryl so forthe they dryue Tyl atte laste ●●ey aryue At Myte ●ne the cytee In hauen ●auffe & whan they be The mais●●r shypman made hym boun And goeth hym in to the toun And proffereth thayse for to selle One leonyum it herde telle Which mayster of the ●ordel was And bad hym goo a redy paas To fetchen hir & forth he went And thayse out of his barge he hent And to this borde●er he hir solde And that he by hir body wolde Take auauntage lete do crye That what man wold his lecherye Atempte vpon hir maydenhede Laye doun the golde & he shold spede And thus whan he hath cryed hi● oute In syght of al the peple aboute

Quater leoninus ●haisi ad lupa n●r destinauit vbi dei gracia preuenta ipsius virginitatem nullus viola●e potuit

He lad hir to the bordel tho No wondre is though she be woo Clo●s in a chambre by hir self Eche after other ten or ●welf Of yonge men in to hir wente But suche a grace god hath hir sente That for the sorowe which she made Was none of hem which power hade To done hir ony vylanye This leonyum l●t● euer espye And wayteth after grete beyete But al for nought she was forle●● That no man wolde there come Whan he therof had hede nome And knewe that she was yet a mayde Vnto his owne man he sayde That he with strengthe ageyn hir leue So shold hir maydenhode byreue This man went in but so it ferde Whan he hir wooful pleyntes herde And he therof hath take grete k●pe Hym lyst better for to wepe Than do cught ●llys to the game And thus she kept hir self fro shame And knelyd doun to th erthe & prayed Vnto this man & thus she sayed Yf so be that thy mayster wold That I his golde encrece shold It may not falle by thys weye But suffre me to goo my weye Out of this hows where I am in And I shal do hym for to wyn In somme place here of the towne By so it be of relygyowne Where that honest wymmen dwelle And thus thou myght thy mayster telle That whan I haue a chambre there Lete hym do crye al wyde where What bord that hath his doughter dere And is in wylle that she shal lere Of suche a scole that is trewe I shal hir t●che of thynges newe Which that none other woman can In al this londe & tho this man Hir tale hath herde he goeth ageyn And tolde vnto his mayster pleyn That she hath said & therupon Whan that he sawe byyete noon At bordel bycause of hir He bad his man g●o and spyr A place where she myght abyde That he may wynne vpon somme syde By that she can but atte leste Thus was she saufe of this tempeste

Qualiter thaisis a lupanari virgo liberata inter sacras mulieres hospicium habens scie●cias quib● edocta fuit nobiles regni puellas ibidem edocebat

He hath hir fro the bo●dell take But that was not for goddes sake But for the lucre as she hym tolde Now com●n tho that comen wolde Of wymmen in her lusty youthe To here & set what thynge she couthe She can the wysdom of a clerke She can of ony lusty werke Which to a gentyl woman longeth And some of hem she vnder fongeth To the cytole and to the harpe And whome it lyketh for to carpe Prouerbes & demaundes slye And other which they neuer sye Which that scyence so wel taught Wherof she grete yeftes raught That she to lyonyum hath wonne And thus hir name is so begonne In sondry thynges that she techeth That al the londe vnto hir secheth Of yonge wymmen for to lere Now lete we this mayden here And speke of dyonyse ageyn And of theophyle the vyleyn Of which I spake of now tofore Whan thayse shold haue be forlore

Qualiter theophilus ad dyonisiam mane rediens affirmauit se thaisim occidisse super quo dionisia vna cum stran gu●●one marito suo dolorem in publico confingentes ex●quias et sepulturam honorifice quantum ad extra subdola con●ectacione fieri constituerunt

His false chorle to his lady Whan he came home pryuely He sayth madame sleyn I haue This mayde thayse & is bygraue In pryuy place as ye me bede For thy madame taketh hede And kepe counceyl how so it stonde This fende which hath this vnderstonde Was glad & weneth it be sothe Now herken herafter how she dothe She wepeth she soroweth & compleyneth And of sekenes which she feyneth She saith that thayse sodaynly By nyght is deed as she and I To gyder lyen nygh my lorde She was a woman of recorde And al is leued that she seyth And for to yeue a more feyth Hir husbond & eke she bothe In blacke clothes they hem clothe And made a grete enterement And for the peple shal be blente Of thayse as for the remembraunce After the ryal olde vsaunce A tombe of laton noble & ryche With an ymage vnto hyr lyche Lyggyng aboue therupon They made aud sette it vp anon Hir epytaffe & good assyse Was wryte aboue & in this wyse It spake / ● ye that this beholde Lo here lyeth she which was holde The fayrest & the floure of alle Whos name thayse men calle The kyng of tyre appollynus Hir fader was now she lyeth thus Fourtene yere she was of age Whan deth hir toke to hir vyage

Qualiter appolinus in regno suo apud tirum existens parliamentum fieri constituit

Thus was this false treson hyd Which afterward was wyde kyd As by the tale a man shal here But to declare my matere To tyre I thynke to torne ageyn And telle as the cronycles seyn Whan that the kyng was comen home And hath lefte in the salte fome His wyf which he may not foryete For he somme comforte wold gete He lete sommone a parlement To which the lordes weren assent That of the tyme he hath ben ou ●e He seeth the thynges al aboute And tolde hem eke how he hath fare Whyle he was out of bonde fare And prayed al to abyde For he wold atte same tyde Do shape for his wyues mynde As he that wold not be vnkynde Solempne was that ylke offyce And ryche was the sacrefyce The feest ryally was holde And therto was he wel beholde For suche a wyf as he had one In thylke dayes ther were none

Oualiter appolinus post ꝑliamentū tharsim ꝓ thaise filia sua quereda adiit qua ibid non inuenta abinde nauigio recessit

Whan this was done than he hym thought Vpon his doughter & bysought Suche of his lordes as he wolde That they with hym to tharse sholde To fette his doughter thayse there And they anone al redy were To shyp they gone & forth they went Tyl they the hauen of tharse hente They bonde & fayle of that they seche By couertour & sleyght of speche This false man strangulyo And dyonyse his wyf also That he the better trowe myght They ladde hym to hane a syght Where that hir tombe was arayed The lasse yet he was myspayed And nethelesse so as he durste He curseth & saith al the worste Vnto fortuue as to the blynde Which can no syker weye fynde For hym she neweth euer emouge And medleth sorowe with his songe But sythe it may no better be He thonketh god & forth goeth he Saylyng toward tyre ageyn But sodeynly the wynde & reyn Began vpon the see debate So that he suffre mote algate

Qualiter nauis appollini ventis agi ta●● pertum v●bis metelene in die quo fe●●a neptuni ●elebrari consu●unt applicu it sz ●pse pre dolore thaisis fike sue quam mortuam reputabat in fundo nauis obs●uro ●a●●ns lumen videre noluit

The lawe which neptune ordyneth Wherof ●ul ofte tyme he pleyneth And helde hym wel the more esmayed Of that he hath tofore assayed So that for pure sorowe & care Of that he seeth this world so fare The reste he leueth of his caban That for the counceyl of no man Ageyn therin he nolde come But hath bynethe his place nome There he wepyng allone lay There as he sawe no lyght of day And thus tofore the wynde they dryue Tyl longe & late they arryue With grete distresse as it was sene Vpon this towne of mytelene Which was a noble cite tho And happeneth thylke tyme so The lordes bothe & the commune The hygh festes of neptune Vpon the stronde atte ryuage As it was custome & vsage Sole pnely they he syghe When they this straunge vessel syghe Comen & hath his sayle aualed That one therof hath spoke & tal●d

Qualiter athana goras vrbis metelene princeps nauim appolini īuestigans ipsum sic contr●statum nichil que respondente consola●● satage●at

tHe lorde which of that cyte was Whos name is at●nagoras Was there & said he wold see What shyp it is & who they be That ben therin & after sone Whan that he sawe it was to done His large was for hym arayed And he goeth forth & he assayed He founde the shyp of grete aray But what thyng that it mownte may He sawe they maden heuy chere But wel hym thynketh by the manere That they ben worthy men of blood And axeth of hem how it stood And they hym tellen al the caas How that her lord fordryue was And which a sorowe that he made Of which ther may no man hym glade He prayeth that he hir lord may see But they hym tolde it may not be For he lyeth in so d●rk● a place That there may no wyght see his face But for al that though hym be lothe He fonde the ladder & doun he gothe And to hym spake but none answere Ag●yn of hym ne myght he here For ought that he can do or seyne And thus he goeth hym vp ageyn

Qualiter precepto principis ut appollnū consolaretur thaisis cum cithe● sua ad ipsum in obscuro nauis vbi iacebat producta est

Thus was spoke in many a wyse Emongest hem that weren wyse Now this now that but atte laste The wysdom of the towne thus caste That yonge thayse was assent For yf ther be a mendement To glad with this wooful kynge Whiche can so moche of euery thynge That she shal glade hym anone A messager for hir is gone And she came with hir harpe in honde And said hem that she wold fonde By al the weyes that she can To glad wyth this sory man Bur what he was she wyst nought But al the shyp hir hath bysought That she hir wytte on hym dyspende In aunter yf he myght amende And sayn it shal be wel aquyt Whan he hath vnderstonden it She goeth hir doun there as he laye Wher that she harpeth many a laye And lyke an aungel songe with alle But he nomore than the walle Toke hede of ony thynge he herde And whan she sawe that he so ferde She falleth with hym vnto wordes And telleth hym of sondry lordes And axeth hym demaundes straunge Wherof she made his herte chaunge And to hir speche his erre he leyde And hath meruayle of that she seyde For in the prouerbe & in probleme She spake & bad he shold deme An many a subtyl questyon But he for no subiestyon Which toward hym she coude sterr He wold not one word answere But as a mad man otte laste His heed wepyng aweye he caste And halfe in wrath he bad hir goo But yet she wold not do so And in the derke forth she goeth Tyl she hym towcheth & than he wroeth And after hir with his honde He smote & thus whan she hym fonde Dysesed courteysly she sayd Do way my lorde I am a mayde And yf ye wyst what I am And out of what lygnage I cam Ye wold not be so saluage With that he sobreth his corage

Qualiter sicut deus destinauit patri filiam inuentam recognouit

And put aweye his heuy chere But of hem two a man may here What is to be so feble of blood None wyst of other how it stood And yet the fader atte laste His herte vpon this mayde caste That he hir loueth kyndely And yet he wyst neuer why But al was knowe or that they went For god which wote her hole entent Her hertes bothe anone dyscloseth The kyng vnto the mayde opposeth And axeth first what is hir name And where she lerned al this game And of what kyn she was come And she that hath his wordes nome Answereth & seith my name is thayse That was somtyme wel at ayse In tharse I was withdrawe & fedde There I lernyd tyl I was spedde Of that I can my fader eke I note where I shold hym seke He was a kynge men tolde me My moder dreynte was in the see Fro poynte to poynte to hym tolde That he hath longe in herte holde And neuer durst make hir mone But onely to this lorde allone To whome hir herte can not hel● Terned to woo torned to wele Torne it to good torne it to harme And he tho took hir in his arme But suche a ioye as she tho made Was neuer seen thus ben they glade That forth hadden be toforne Fro this day forth fortune hath sworn To set hym upward on the wh●le So goeth the world now woo now wele

Qualiter allenag●ras appollinum de n●● in he spiaum henorifice recollegit & tha●sim patre consenciente in vxorem ●uxit

tHis kyng hath founde newe grace So that out of his derke place He g●eth hym vp in to the lyght And with hym came that swete wyght His doughter thayse & forth anone They bothe in to the caban gone Which was ordeyned for the kynge And there he dyd of al his thynge And was arayed ryally And cut he came al openlye Where a●●enagoras he fonde Which was lorde of al the bonde He prayeth the kyng to c●me & see The castel bothe & his cyt● And thus they goon forth al in fere T●ie kyng this bord this mayden dere Thie lord tho made hym ryche feste With euery thynge that was honeste To these with this worthy kynge Ther lacketh hym no manere thynge But yet for al this nolle araye Wyu●les he was vnto that day As he that yet was of yonge age So fyl there in to his corage The lusty woo the glad payne Of loue which no man may restrayne Yet neuer myght as now tofore This lord thynketh al this world lore But yf the kyng wyl done hym grace He wayteth tyme he wayteth place Hym thought his herte wold to lreke Tyl he may to this mayde speke And to hir fader eke also For maryage & it fyl so That al was done right as he thought His purpoos to an ende he brought She wedded hym as for hir lorde Thus ben they al of one accorde

Qualiter appolinus vna cum filia & eius marito nauim ingredi●tes a metilena vsque thars●n ꝓposuerūt / sȝ appolinus in sompnis amoitus versus ●phesim vt ibid in t●plo diane sacrificaret vela per mare diuertit

Whn̄ al was done right as they wolde The kyng vnto his sone tolde Of tharse thylke trayterye And said how now in his companye His doughter & hym seluen eke Shal goo vengeaunce for to seke The shyppes were redy sone And whan they sawe it was to done Without ●ette of ony went With sayle vp drawe forth they went Towarde tharse vpon the tyde But he that wote what shal betyde The hye god which wold hym kepe Whan that this kyng was fast a slepe By nyghtes tyme he hath hym bede To seke vnto another stede To ephesym he bad hym drawe And as it was that tyme lawe He shal do there his sacrefyse And ●ke he bad in al wyse That in the temple emongest alle His fortune as it is befalle To w●hyng his doughter & his wyf He shal be knowe vpon his lyf The kyng of this auysyon Hath grete ymagynacion What thynge it sygnefye may Ande nethelesse whan it was day He bad cos●e anker & abode And whyle that he on anker rode The wynde that was to fore straunge Vpon the poynte began to chaunge And torneth thyder as it sholde Tho knewe he wel that god it wolde And ●ud the maister make hym yare Tofore the wynde for he wolde fare To ephesym & so he ●ede And whan he came in to the stede Where as he shold londe he londeth With al the haste he may & fondeth To shapen hym in suche a wyse That he may by the morowe aryse And done after the commaundement Of hym which hath hym thider sent And in the wyse that he thought Vpon the morowe so he wrought His doughter & his sone he nome And forth to the temple he come With a grete rowte in companye His yeftes for to sacrefye The cytezeyns tho herden seye Of suche a kyng that came to praye Vnto dyane the goddesse And lefte al other besynesse And camen thyder for to see The kynge and the solempnyte

Qualiter appolinus ephesym in tem plo dyane sacrifi●●ns vxorem suam ibid velatam inuenit qua secum assumpta nauim versus tirum regressus est

With worthy knyghtes enuyroned The kyng hym setf hath abandoned To the temple in good entente The dore is vp & in he wente Where as with grete deuocioh Of holy contemplacion Within his herte he made his shryfte And after that a ryche yefte He offreth with grete renerence And there in open audyence Of hem that stoden al aboute He tolde hem & declareth oute His happe suche as is hym byfalle Ther was no thynge foryete of alle His wyf as it was goddes grace Which was professed in the place As she that was abbesse there Vnto his tale hath leyrd hir eere She knewe the voys & the vysage For pure ioye as in a rage She straught to hym al at ones And fyl a swowne vpon the stones Wherof the temple flore was paued She was anon with water laued Tyl she came to hir self ageyn And than she began to seyn A blessyd be the hygh sonde That I may see my husbonde Which whylom he & I were one The kyng with that knewe hir anone And toke hir in his arme & kyste And al the towne this sone wyste Tho was there ioye many folde For euery man this tale hath tolde As for myracle & weren glade But neu●r man suche ioye made As doth the kyng which hath his wyf And when men herde how that hir lyf By hym saued & by whome it was They wondred al of suche a caas Thorugh al the londe aroos the speche Of mayster Cyrymon the leche And of the cure which he dede The kyng hym self this hath hym bede And eke the quene forth wyth hym That he the towne of ephesym Wyl leue & goo where that they be For neuer man of his degre Hath do to hem so mychel good And he his prouffyt vnderstood And graunteth with hem for to wende And thus they maden there an ende And token leue & went to shyp With al the fayre felawshyp

Qualiter appolliuus vna cum vxere ●t fi●ia sua tirum applicuit

This kyng which now hath his desire Sayth he wold holde his co●●rs to tyre They h●dden wynde atte wylle tho With topsayle cool & forth they goo And stryken neuer tyl they come To tyre where as they haue nome And ●●nden hem with mochel blysse Th●re was many a mowthe to kysse Echone ●●elcometh other home But whan the quene to londe come And thayse hir deughter by hir syde The ●●ye was t●ylke tyde Ther may no mannes tunge telle They sayden al here cometh the welle Of al womanlye grace The kyng hath take his ryal place The quene is in to chambre goo There was grete feste arayed tho Whan tyme was they goon to mete Al olde sawes ben foryete And gladen hem with ioyes newe The dyscolered peple hewe Is now become a ●●ddy cheke Ther was no myrthe for to s●ke

Qualiter appollinus anthenogo ●●m cum tharse vxore sua super tyrum c●rona●● fe●t

But euery man hath what he wolde The kyng as he wel ●●ude & shelde Maketh to his peple right good there And after sone as thou shalt here A parlement he had somoned Where he his doughter hath coroned Forthwyth the lord of metelene That one is kyng that other quene And thus the faders ordenaunce This londe hath sette in gouernaunce And said that he wold wende To tharse for to make an ende Of that his doughter was betrayed Wherof were al men wel payed And said how it was for to done The shyppes weren redy son●

Qualiter appollinus a tiro y mare versus tharsim iter axipiens vindictam contra strangulionem et dionisiam vx orem suam pro inuiria quam ipin thaysi filie sue intuler●nt iudicialiter assecutus est

aStronge power with hym he toke Vpon the skye he toke his loke And sawe the wynde was couenable They hale vp ancre with the calle The seyle on hye the stere in honde And seylen tyl they come on londe At tharse nygh to the cyte And whan they wysten it was he The towne hath doo hym reuerence He telleth hem the vyolence Which the traytour strangulyo And dyonyse hym had doo Tow●lyng his doughter as he herde And whan they wyst how it ferde As he which pe●s & loue sought Vnto the towne thus he bysought To done hym right in jugement Anone they weren bothe assente With strengthe of men & cemen sone And as hym thought it was to done Atteynt they were by the lawe And demed to be honged & drawe And brent & with wynde to blowe That al the world it myght knowe And vpon this condycyon The dome in execucion Was put anone without fayle And euery man hath grete meruayle Which herde telle of this chaunce And thonked goddes purueaunce Which doth mercy with iustyce Slayn is the mordrer & the mor●●●● Thorugh very trouth of rightwysnesse And thorugh mercy saue is symplenesse / Of hir whom mercy preserueth Thus hath he wel that wel deserueth

Qualiter artestrate pentapolim rege mortuo ipsi de regno epistolas su● hoc appolino direxerunt / Vnde appolinus vna cum vxore sua ibidem aduenientes ad decus imperij cum magno gaudio coronati sunt

When al this thyng is goo & ended This kyng which loued was & frended / A letter hath which came to hym By shyp fro pentapolym

In which the londe hath to hym write That he wyl vnderstonde & wyte How in good mynde & in good pees Deed is kyng arestrates Wherof they al of one accorde Hym prayden as her lyege borde That he the letter wyl conceyue And come his reygne to receyue Which god hath yeue hym & fortune And thus besought hym the comune Forth with the grete lordes alle This kyng sawe how it is befalle Fro tharse & in prosperyte He toke his l●ue of that cyte And goeth hym in to shyp ageyn The wynde was good that see was pleyn Hem nede not a ryff to slake Tyl they pentapolym haue take The londe which herde of that tydyng Was wonder glad of that comyng He resteth hym a day or two And toke his counceyl to hym tho And set a tyme of parlement Where al the londe of one assent Forthwith his wyf hath hym c●roned Where al good hym was forsoned Lo what it is to be wel grounded For he hath first his loue founded Honestlye as for to wedde Honestly his loue he spedde And had chyldren with his wyf And as hym lyst he ledde his lyf And in ensaumple his lyf was wryte That al louers myghten wyte How atte last it shal be sene Of loue what they wolden mene For see now on that other syde Antyochus with al his lewde pryde Which sette his loue vnkyndely His ende had sodeynly Set ageyn kynde vpon vengeaunce And for his lust hath his penaunce

Confessor ad amantem procedendo

Lo thus my sone thou myght lere What it is to loue in good manere And what to loue in other wyse The mede aryseth of the seruyse Fortune though she be not stable Yet at somtyme is fauourable To hem that ben of loue trewe But certes it is for to rewe To see loue ageyn kynde falle For that maketh a man sore to falle As thou myght tofore rede For thy my sone I wyl the rede To lete al other loue aweye But yf it be by suche a weye As loue & reson wyl accorde For ellis yf that thou discorde And take luste as doeth a leste Thy loue may not be honeste For by no skyl that I fynde Suche luste is not of loues kynde

Confessio amantis vnde pro finali conclusione consilium confessoris impetrat

mY fader how so that it stonde Your tale is herde & vnderstonde As thynge which worthy is to here Of grete ensaumple & grete matere Wherof my fader god you quyte But in this poynte my self acquyte I may right wel that neuer yet I was assoted in my wyt But onely in that worthy place Where al luste and al grace Is set that yf daunger ne were But that is al my moste fere I note what the fortune acounte But what thyng daunger may amoun te / I wote wel for I haue assayed For whan my herte is beste arayed And I haue al my wyt thorugh sought Of loue to beseche hir ought For al that euer I syke may ● am concluded with a nay That one syllable hath ouerthrowe A thousand wordes in a rowe Of suche as I best speke can ●●us am I but a l●ude man But fader for ye ben a clerke Of loue ● this matere is derke And I can euer lenger the lasse But yet I may not lete it passe Your hole counceyl I beseche That ye me by somme weye teche What is my beste as for an ende My ●●ne vnto the trouthe I wende Now wel I for the loue of the ●●te al other tryfles be

hIc super amoris causa finita confessione Confessor Genius ea que sibi salubrius expediunt sano cousilio finaliter iniungit

The more that the nede is hye The more it nedeth to be slye To hym which hath the nede on honde I haue wel herde & vnderstonde My sone al that thou hast me s●yed And eke of that thou hast me prayed Now at this tyme that I shal As for conclusyon fynal Counceyl vpon the nede sette So thynke I fynally to knette Thy cause where it is to ●●●ke And make an ende of that I spoke For I ●ehyght the that gyfte First whan thou come vnder my shryfte That though I toward venus were Yet spake I suche wordes there That for the preesthode which I haue Myn ordre & myn estate to saue I said I wold of myn offyce To vertu more than to vyce Enclyne & teche the my lore For thy to speken ouermore Of loue which the may auayle Take loue where it may auayle For as of this which thou arte in By that thou seest it is a synne And synne may no pryce deserue Without pryce & who shal serue I note what prouffyt myght auayle This foloweth it yf thou trauayle Where thou no prouffyt hast in pryce Thou arte toward thy self vnwyce ▪ And sythe thou myghtest lust atteyne Of euery lust the ende is peyne And euery peyne is good to flce So it is wonder thynge to see Why suche a thynge shal be desyred The more that a stocke is fyred The rather in to asshes it torneth The fote which in the weye sporneth Fuf ofte his heed hath ouerthrowe Thus loue is blynde & can not knowe Where that he goeth tyl he be falle For thy but yf it so byfalle With good counceyl that he be ladde Hym ought for to le●n a dradde For counceyl it passeth al thynge To hym which thynketh to be a kynge Aud euery man for his partye A kyngdom hath to iustyfye That is to sayn his owne dome If he mys●ule that kyngdome He leseth hym self & that is more Than yf he lost shyp or ●ore And al the ▪ worldes good with alle For what man that in specialle Hath not hym self he hath not ellys No more the perles than the shelles Al is to hym of one valewe Though he had of his retynewe The wyde world right as he wolde Whan he his herte hath not withholde Toward hym self al is in veyne And thus my sone I wold seyne As I sayd or thou aryse Or that thou falle in suche a wyse That thou ne myght thy self recouer For loue which blynde was euer Maketh al his seruauntes blynde also My sone & yf thou haue ben so Yet is it tyme to withdrawe And set thy herte vnder that lawe The which of reson is to be gouerned And not of wylle & to be lerned Ensaumple thou hast many one Of now & eke of tyme a gone That euery lust is but a whyle And who that wyl hym self begyle He may the rather be dysceyued My sone now thou hast conceyued Somme of that I wold mene Here afterward it shal be sene Yf that thou leue vpon my ●ore For I can do to the no more But t●che th● the right weye Now chese yf thou wylt lyue or deye

Hic ●●quitur de contrauersia que inter confessorem & amantem in fine confessiomis versabatur

My fader so as I haue herde Your tale but yf it were answerde I were mochel for to blame My wo to yow it is but game That feleth not of that I fele The felyng of a mannys hele May not be likened to the herte I note though I wold asterte And ye be fre from al the peyne Of loue wherof I me compleyne It is right easy to commaunde The herte whiche free goeth on the launde Not of an oxe what hym ey●eth It falleth ofte a man ▪ merueyleth Of that he seeth another fa●● But yf he knewe hym self the fare And felte it as it is in sothe He shold done right as he dothe O● ellis wors in his degree For wel I wote & so do● ye That loue hath euer ben yet vsed So mote I nede ben excused But fader yf ye wold thus Vnto cupyde and venus Ben frendely toward my quarele So that my herte were in hele Of loue which is in my breste I wote wel than a better preste Was neuer made to my behoue But al the whyle that I haue In none certeyn betwene the two I note where I to wele or wo● Shal torne that is al my drede So that I note what is to rede But for fynal conclusyon ▪ I thynke a supplicacion With pleyne wordes & expresse Wryte vnto venus the goddesse The which I praye you to bere And brynge ageyn a good answere Tho was betwene my preest & me Debate & grete perplexyte My reson vnderstood hym wele And knewe it was soth euery dele That he hath said but not for thy My wylle hath no thynge set therby For towchyng vnto a wyse aporte It is vnto loue no dysporte Yet myght neuer man beholde ●esen where loue was withholde They be not of one gouernaunce And thus we fellen in dystaunce My preest & I / but I spake fayre And thorugh my wordes debonayre Than atte laste we accorden So that he sayth he wyl accorden To speke & stonde on my syde To venus bothe & to cupyde And bad me wryte what I wolde And said me truly that he shold My letter l●re vnto the quene And I sat doun vpon the grene Fulfilled of loues fantasye And with the t●erys of myn eye In stede of ynke I gan to wryte The wordes which I wold end●te Vnto ●●pyde & to Venus And in my letter I said thus

Hic tractat formam cuiusdam supp●●●●●onis quam ex parte amantis genij S●●●rdot●s sui Venus sibi porrectam acceptabat

The wooful payn of leues maladye Ag●yn the which no physyke anayle My he●te hath so be wapped with soty● That where that I reste or trauayle I fynde it euer redy to assayle My reson which ▪ can not hym deffende Thus s●che I helpe wherof I myght amende First to nature yf that I me compleyn There fynde I how that euery creature Sometyme a yere hath loue in his demeyn So that the btel wrenne in his mesure Haue of kynde loue vnder his cure And I ●ut one desyre which I mys So ●ut I / hath euery kynde his blys The reson of my wytte it ouerpasseth Of that nature techeth me the weye To loue & yet no certeyn she compasseth How shal I spede thus betwene that tw●y I stonde & note where I shal lyue or dey For though reson ageyn my wyl debate I may not flee that I ne loue algate

Vpon my self this ylke tale come How whilon Pan which is the god of kynde / with s●ue wrestled and was ouercome / For euer I wrasile & euer I am behynde / That I no strengthe in al my herte fynde / wherof I may ston den ony trowe / Soo ferre my wytte with loue is ouerthrowe

Whom nedeth helpe he mote helpe craue Or helpeles he shal his nede spylle Pleynly & thorugh sought my wyttes al I haue / But none of hem can helpe after my wylle / But also wel I myght sitte stylle / As praye vnto my lady of ony helpe / Thus wote I not wherof my self to helpe

Vnto the grete Ioue & yf it byd To do me grace of thylke swete tonne which vnder key in his s●lere a●yd Lyeth couched that fortune is ouercome But of the bitter cuppe I haue begenne I note how ofte & thus I fynde no game / For euer I aske & it is the same

I see the world stondeth vpō●schaūge Now wynde lowde & ●ow the weder softe / I may see eke the grete mone chaunge / And thynge whiche now is lowe is ●fto in ●ofte / The dredeful wer res in to pees ful ofte / They torne & euer is daunger in one place / whiche wil not chaunge his wil to do me grace

But vpon this grete clerke ouyde / Of loue when he maketh his remembraunce

He saith ther is the blynde cupide The which hath loue vnder his gouernaunce / And with his hande many a fyry launce / He woundeth ofte there he wyl not h●●e / And that somdele is cause of my quarele

Ouyde sayth eke that loue to parfourme Stante in the ho●de of venus the goddesse But whan she taketh hir counceyl with satourne / There is no grace and in that tyme I gesse / Began my loue of which myn heuynesse / Is now & euer shal but I spede / So wote I not my self what is to rede

For thy to you cupyde & venus bothe with al my hertes obeysaunce I praye If ye were atte fyrst tyme wrothe whan I began to loue I you say Now stynte & do thilke fortune away So that daunger whiche stondeth of retynewe / wyth alle my lady hys place may renewe

O thou cupyde god of loues lawe That with thy darte brennyng hast sette a fyre / My herte so that wounde wythdrawe / Or yeue me salue suche as I desyre / For seruyce in thy courte wythouten hyre / To me whiche euer yet hath kepte thyn heste / May neuer be to loues lawe honeste

O thou gentyl venus loues kynde quene / without gylte thou doest o● me thy wreche / Thou wotest my peyn is euer elyche grene / For loue & yet I may it not areche / Thus wolde I for my laste word , byseche / That thou my loue acquyte as I deserue Or ellys do me playnly for to sterue

Hic loquitur qualiter venus accepta amantis supplicacione indilate ad singula respondit

wHen I thys supplicacion With good deliberacion In suche a wyse as ye now wyte Had after myn enteute wryte Vnto cupyde & venus This preest which hyght Genyus It toke on honde to presente On my message & forth he wente To venus for to wyte hir wylle And I bode in the place stylle And bode there but a lytel whyle Not fully the mountenaunce of a myle Whom I behelde & sodeynly I sawe where venus stode me by So as I myght vnder a tree To grounde I felle vpon my kne● And preyed hir for to do me grace She cast hir chere vpon my face And as it were haluyng a game She axeth me what was my name Madame I said Iohan gower Now Iohan qd she in my power Thou must as of thy loue stonde For I thy wylle haue vnderstonde In which to cupyde & to me Somdele thou hast compleyned the And somdele to nature also But that shal stonde emonge ye two For therof haue I not to done For nature is vnder the mone Maystresse of euery lyues kynde But yf so be that she may fynde Some holy man that wil withdrawe His kyndely lust ageyn her lawe But selde whan it falleth so For fewe men ther ben of tho But of thyse other ynough there be Which of her owne nycete Ageyn nature & hir offyce Delyten hem in sondry wyse Wh●rof that she ful ofte hath pleyned And eke my courte it hath dysdeyned And euer shal for it rec●yueth None suche that kynde so dysceyueth For al onely●he on genty ●loue My court stont / al courtes aboue And taketh not in to●retinewe But thynge whiche is to kynde delbe For ellys it shal be refused Wherof I holde the excused For it is many dayes gone That thou emonge hem were one Which of my courte hast be withholde So that the more I am beholde For thy dyscase to comune And to renewe that fortune Which many dayes hath the greued But of my counceyl may beleued Thou shalt be esed or thou goo Of thylke vnsely ioly woo Wherof than sayest thyn herte is fyred But of that thou hast desyred After the sentence of thy bylle Th●u must ●o therof at my wylle And I therof me wyl aduyse And be thou hole it shal suffyse My medecyn is not to seke T●● which is holsem to the seke Not al perchaunce as ye it wolde But so as ye by reson sholde Accordaunt vnto loues kynde For in the plyte which I the fynde So as my courte it hath awarded Thou shalt be duely rewarded And yf thou woldest more craue It is no right that thou it haue

Qui cupit id quod habere nequit sua tempora perdit / Est vbi non posse b●lle salute caret / Non estatis opus ge●●dis hirsuta capillos / Cum calor abc●ssit equiparabit hiemps / Sicut habet mayus non dat natura decembri / Nec poterit compar floribus esse lutum

Sic neque decrepita senium iuuenile vo luptas / Floret in obsequium quod venus ipsa petit / Coueniens igitur foret nec qd ●●ua senectus / Attigit veterius corpora casta col●nt /

Hic contra quoscumque viros inue teratos amoris concupiscenciam affectans loq̄tur venus huius qʒ amantis confessi suppstcationem quasi deridens ipsum ꝓ eo qd senexit debilis est multis exortutionibus insufficientem redargu it

venus which stonte with out lawe In none certeyn but as men drawe Of ragman vpon the chaunce She leyeth no peyse in the balaunce But as hir lyketh for to weye The trewe man ful ofte alle weye She put which hath hir grace bede And sette an vntrewe in his stede Lo thus blyndely the world she demeth In loues cause as to me semeth I note what other men shold seyn But I algate am so beseyn And stonde as one emongest alle Which am out of his grace falle It nedeth take no wytnesse For she which said is the goddesse To whether parte of loue it we●de Hath set me for a fynal ende The poynte wherto that I shal holde For whan she hath me wel beholde Haluyng of scorne she sayd thus Thenne wyst thou that I was venus Which al onely my lustes seche And wel I wote though thou beseche My loue lustes ben there none Which I may take of thy persone For loues lust & lockes hore In chambre accorden neuer more And though thou feyn a yonge corage It sheweth wel by thy vysage That olde grysel is no foole Ther ben ful many yerys stole With the & suche other moo That outeward thought so And beth within of power assaye My herte wold & I ne maye Is nought loued now a dayes Or thou make ony suche assayes To loue & falle vppn the fete Better is to make a beaw retrete For though thou myghtest lone atteyne Yet were it but an ydel peyne Whan thou arte not suffysaunte To helde loue his couenaunte For thy take home thy h●rte ageyn That thou traueyle not in veyn Wherof my courte may be dysceyued I wote & haue it wel conceyued How that thy wylle is good ynough But more behoueth to the plough Wherof the lacketh as I trowe So s●t it wel that thou be knowe In feble estate or thou begyn Thyng where thou myght none ende wyn What bargeyn shold a man assayr Whan that hym lacketh for to paye My sone yf that thou wel bethought This toucheth the foryete it nought The thynge is torned in to was The which was whylom grene gras Is ●elowed hey as tyme now For thy my counceyl is that thou Remembre wel how thou arte olde Whan venus hath hir tale tolde

Qualiter super derisoriam veneris exhortacione contristatus amans quasi mortuus in terram corru●t vbi vt sibi videbatur cupidinem cum in numera multitudine nuper amantum varijs turmis assistenaum conspicicbat

Whan I bethought was al abowte And wyst wel withouten doubte That ther was no recouyre And as a man by blase of fyre With water quencheth so fare I A colde me caught sodeynly For sorowe that my herte made My dedely fare pale & fade Bycome in swowne I fyl to grounde And as I laye the same stounde Ne fully quycke ne fully deed Me thought I sawe tofore myn heed Cupyde with his bowe bente And lyke vnto a parlement Which were ordeyned for the● nones With hym arme & al the world attones Of gentyl folke that whylom were Louers I sawe hem al there Forth with cupyde in sondry rowtes Myn eye I caste al aboutes To knowe emonge hem who was who I sawe where lusty yongthe th●● As he which was a capetayn Before al other vpon the playn Stode with his rowte wel begon Her heedes kempte & therupon Garbondes not of one coloure Some of the leef & somme of the floure And somme of the grete perles were The newe guyse of beme was there With sondry thynges wel deuysed I see wherof they be quentysed It was al lust that they with ferde Ther was no songe that I ne herde Of loue to loue touchyng Of Pan & al that was lykyng As in pypyng of melodye Was herde in thylke companye So loude that on euery syde I thought that al the heuen cryde In suche accorde & suche a soun Of bumbard & of claryoun With cor●emuse & shalmele That it was halfe a mannes hele So glad a noyse for to here And as me thought in this matere Al fresshe I sawe hem sprynge & daunce And do to loue her entendaunce After the luste of yongthes heste Ther was ynough of ioye & feste For euer emonge they loughe & pleye And put care out of the weye And he with hem ne sat ne stode And ouer this I vnderstood So as myn ●re myght areche The moste matere of her speche

De nominibus illerum nuper aman tum spasinoto aliqui inuenes aliqui se nes apparuerunt Senes autem precipue tam erga deum quam deam amoris ꝓ sauitate a mantis recuperanda multiplicatis precibus misericorditer instabant

It was ▪ of knyghthode & of armes And what it is to lygge in armes With loue whan it is acheued Ther was tristram which was fyleued With bele Isolde & lancelote Stode with gunnor & galahote With his lady & as me thought I sawe where Iason with hym brought His loue which creusa hyght And hercules with mochel myght Was there beryng his grete mace And moste of al in thylke place He payneth to make chere Wyth Eolen which was hym dere Theseus though he were vntrewe To loue al wymmen knewe Yet was he there nethelese And phedra whiche to loue he chese Of grece eke there was thelamon Which fro the kyng lameodon At troye his doughter refte aweye Eseonen as for his preye Which take was when Iason came Fro colcos & the cy●e name In vengeaunce of the fyrst hate That made hem after to debate When pryamus the newe towne Hath made & in auysyowne Me thought that I sawe also Ector forth with his brethe●n two Hym self stood with panrasylee And nexte to hym I myght see Where paryse stood with fayre helayn Which was his ioye souerayn And troylus stood with Crys●yde But euer emonge though he pleyde By semblaunce he was heuy chered For dyomede as hym was lered Claymeth to be his partynere And thus ful many a bachelere A thousand moo than I can seyn With yongthe I sawe there wel beseyn Forth with her loues glad & blythe And somme I sawe which ofte sythe Compleynen them in other wyse Emonge the which I sawe narcyse And pyramus that sory were The worthy grekes also were there Achylles which for lone deyed Agamenon eke as men seyed And menelay the kynge also I sawe with many another moo Which had by fortune sore Loues cause & ouer more Of wymmen in the same caas With hem I sawe where dyd● was Forsake which was with enee And phylles eke I myght see Whom demephon dysceyued had And adryane hir sorowe lad For theseus hir syster toke And hir vnkyndely forsoke He sawe there eke emonge the prees Compleynyng vpon hercules His fyrst loue dya●yre Which set hym afterward a fyre Medea was there eke & compleyneth Vpon Iason for that he feyneth Without cause & toke a newe She sayd ●ye on al vn●●●we I sawe there deya●ye Which● had loste companye Of ach●lles whan dyomede To ●●ye hym fette vpon the nede Emonge thyse other vpon the grene I sawe also the wooful quene Cleopa●●●s within a grane With serpentes hath hir self bygra u● Al quyche & so she was to tore For sorowe of that she had tore Antony which hir loue hath be And forth with I sawe hir thysbe Which vpon the sharpe swerdes poynte For loue deyed in sory poynte And as myn ere it myght knowe She sayd wo worth al slowe ●●● pleyne of proygne & phylomene 〈◊〉 herde I what it wold mene How ●●●us & his vntrouthe Vndyd hem bothe & that was couthe And nexte to hem I sawe can●ce Which maychayr hir faders grace Hath loste & deyed in wooful plyte And a● I sawe in my spyryte Me thought emonge other thus The doughter of kyng pryamus Po●x●na whom pyrrus slough Was there & made sorow ynough As she which deyed gyltelis For ●oue & yet was loueles And for to take the dysporte I sawe there somme of other porte And that was Circes & calypse That coude done the mone clypse Of m●n & chaunge the sykenesse Of ar●emagique sorceresse They helde in honde many one To loue whether they wold or none But aboue al wommen that there were Of wommen ● sawe foure there Whos name be here moost commended By hem the courte stode al amended Forth were they come in presence Men dyd theym the reueremce As though they had ben goddesses Of al the world or empresses And as me thought an ere I leyde And herd how that this other seyde Lo thyes ben the foure wyues Whos fey●h was proued in h●r lyues For in ensaumple of al goode With mariage so they stode That fame which no grete thing hideth Yet the cronyke of hem abydeth Penolope the oone was hate Whom many a knyght had loued hote Whyle that hir lorde vlyxes lay Ful many a yere and many a day Vpon the grete syege of troye But she which had no worldes ioye But onely of hir husbond Whyle that her lorde was out of londe So wel she kept her womanhede That al the world therof toke hede And namelyche of them in grece That other woman was lucrece Wyfe to the romayn collatyne And she constreyned of tarquyne To thyng which was ayenst hir wyll She wold not hir seluen styll But deyed only for drede of shame In kepyng of hir goode name As she which was one of the beste The thyrd wyfe was hote alceste Which whan ametus shold dye Vpon his grete maladye She prayed vnto the goddes so That she resceyueth al the wo And deyed hir self to gyue hym lyfe So was this thenne a noble wyfe The fourrth wyfe which I there syghe I herde of them that were nyghe How she was clered alsione Which to seix hir lorde allone And to no mo hi● body kept And whan she saw hym drenche she lepte Vnto the wawes where he swam And there a sce foul she becam And with hir wynges she hym besp●●d For loue that she to hym had Loo thyse foure weren tho Which I sawe as me thought tho Emonge the grete companye Whiche loue had for to gye But yongthe whiche in special Of loues courte was marchal So ●●sy was vpon his laye That he none hede where he laye Hath take & than as I behelde Me thought I sawe vpon the feld● Where ●lde came a softe pa●● Toward venus there as she was With hym grete companye he ladde But not so fele as yongthe had The moste parte were of grete age And that was sene in her vysage And not for thy so as they myght They made hem yongely to the syght But yet I herde no pypers there To make myrthe in mannes 〈◊〉 But the ●●nsyque I myght knowe For olde men which solbned lolbe With harpe & lute & ●ytole The houe daunce & the ca●●le In suche a wyse as loue hath bede A softe paas they daunce & trede And with the wymm●n otherwhyle With sobre there ●monge they smyle For laughter was there none on hye And nethe●●es ful wel I sye That they the more queynte it made For loue in whom they weren glade And there me thought I myght see The kyng dauyd with bersale And salamon was not without Passyng an hundreth in a route Of wyues & of concubynes Iewesses eke and sarazyns To hym I sabe al Intendaunt I note where he was suffysaunt But neth●lees for al his wytte He was attached with that writte Which loue with his honde ●nse●eth From whom none erthly man appe●eth And ouer this as for a wonder With his l●on whiche he put vnder With dalyda sampson I knewe Whos loue his strength al ouerthr●w● I sawe there arystotle also Whom that the quene of grece so Hath brydeled that in thylke tyme She made hym suche a sylagesyme That he foryate al his ●ogyque Ther was none arte of his practyque Thorugh which he myght be excluded That he ne was fully concluded To loue & dyd his obeysaunce And eke vyrgyle of acqueyntaunce I sawe where he the mayden preyd Which was the doughter as men seyde Of th emperour why●om of come Sortes & plato with hym come So dyd Ouyde the poete I thought thenne how loue is swete Which hath so wyse men reclamed And was my self the lasse ashamed Or for to lese or for to wynne In the myschyef that I was in And thus I lay● in hope of grace And whan they came to the place Where venus stode & I was falle This olde men with one voyce 〈◊〉 To venus prayden formy sake And she that myght not forsake So grete a clamour as was there Le●e pyte come in 〈◊〉 ere And forth with al vnto cupyde She prayeth that she vpon his syde Me wold thorugh his grace sende Some comforte that I myght amende Vpon the ●●as which is byfalle And thus for me they preyden alle Of hem that weren olde aboute And eke somme of the yonge row●● And of gentylesse & pure trouthe I herd hem telle it was grete couthe That I withouten helpe so ferd● And thus me thought I laye & herde

Hic traciat qualiter c●pito amantis senect●●● 〈◊〉 Viscera p●rsc●●t●ns ignita s●● concupis●●cie tela ab ●o peni tus extraxit quem venus postea ab●●●●●lore percipiens vacuum reliquid / Et sic tandem prouisa senectus racionem inuocans hominem interiorem per p●●ns amore infatuatum mentis sanitati p●enius restaurauit

cVpide which may hurt & hele In loues cause as for my hele Vpon the poynte which I hym pr●yde Came with venus where I was leyde So swownyg vpon the grene gras And as me thought anone there was On euery side so grete prees That euery lyf began to prees I wote not wel how many score Suche as I spake of now tofor● Louers that comen to beholde But moste of hem that ●en olde They stoden there that at ylke tyd● To see what ende shal betyde Vpon the cure of my sotye There myght I here grete party● Spe kyng & eche his owne aduy● Hath tolde one that another this But emonge al this I herde They weren woo that I so ferde And sayden that for no ryote An olde man shold not asso●● For as they tolden redyly There is in hym no cause why But yf he wold hym self be ny●● So were he wel the more nyce And thus despu●●n somme of tho And somme ●ayden no thynge so But that the wylde loues rage In mannes lyf forbereth none age Whyle there is oyle for to fyre The lampes be lyghtly set a fyre And is ful hard or it be queynte But onely yf it be somme seynte And thus me thou●t in sondry place God which prescrueth in his grace Of hem that walken vp & doun There was dy●●rs opynyon And so for a whyle it laste Tyl that cupyde at the laste Forthwith his moder ful aduysed Hath determyned & deuysed Vnto what poynte he wold descende And al this tyme I was lyggende Vpon the grounde tofore his eyen And they that my dysese syen Supposen not that I shold lyuen But he which wold than yeuen His grace so as it may be This blynde god which may not see Hath groped tyl that he me fonds And as he put forth his honde Vpon my body where I laye Me thought a fyry lau●cegaye Which whylom thorugh my herte he 〈◊〉 He pulleth out & also fast As thys was do / cupyde name His weye I note where he became And so dyd al the remenaunte Which vnto hym was entendaunt Of hem that in a vysyon I had a reuelacion So as I tolde now tofore But venus wente not therfore Ne genyus which thylke tyme A●oden bothe fast byme And she whiche may the hertes bynde In loues cause & eke vnbynde Or I out of my traunce aroos Venus which helde a boxe cloos And wold not I shold deye Toke out more colde thenne ony keye An oynement & in suche apoynte She hath my wounded her●● anoynte My temples & my royames also And forth with al she take me tho A wonder myrcour for to holde In which she bad me to beholde And take hede of that I s●ye Wherein anone my hertes e●● I caste & sawe my colour fade Myn eyen dym & al vnglade My chekes thynne & al my face With elde I myght see defa●e So ●yueled & so woo bysayn That ther was no thyng ful ne playn I sawe also myn h●●ris hore My wylle was tho to ●ce nomore Therwith for ther was no plesaunce And thenne in to my remembraunce I drewe myn olde dayes passed And res●n it hath compassed

Quod ●●atus hominis mensius anni 〈◊〉

I made a ●●knesse of my self Vnto the sondry monthes 〈◊〉 Wherof the yere in his estate Is made & stante in no debute That lyke to other none accordeth For who the tymes wel recordeth And thenne at ma●che yf he begyn Whan that the lusty yere cometh in Ty● it be passed septem●re The myghty yongth he may remembre In which the yere hath his deduyte Of gras of floure of corne of f●●yte Of leef & eke the Wyn grape And afterward this tyme is shape To frost to snowe to wynde to reyne Ty● efte that marche be come ageyne The wyntrr wyl no sommer knowe The grene leef is ouer throwe The clothed ●rthe is than bare Dyspoyled is the sommer fare Tha●erst was hote is than chele And thus thynkyng thoughtes fel● I was out of my swo●●e asrayed Wherof I sawe my wyttes a●trayed And gan to c●●pe hem home ageyn And whan reson it herde seyn That loues rage was albeye He came to me the right 〈◊〉 And hath remenyd the sotye Of thylke vnwyse fantasye Wherof that I was wonte to playn So that of thylke fyry payn I was made s●bre & hole ynough Venus behelde me thenne & lough And ●xeth as it were in game What loue was & I for shame Ne wyst what I shold answere And nethelesse I gan to swere That by my trouth I know hym neu●t So ferre it was out of my thought Right as it had neuer be My good sone tho ●d she Now at this tyme I leue it we●e So goeth the fortune of my Whele For thy my counceyl is thou loue Madame I said by your loue Ye wote wel & so do I That I am vnbehouely Your courte fxo this day forth to seru● And for I may no thonke deserue And also for I am refused I praye you to ben excused And nethelees as for the laste Whyle that my wyttes hath men laste Tow●hyng my confessyon I axe an absolucion Of genyus or that I goo The prcest anone was redy the And said sone as of thy shryfte Thou hast ful pardon & ful yefte Foryete it thou & so wyl I My holy fader graunte mercy Quod I to hym & to the quene I fyl on knees vpon the grene And toke my loue for to wende But she that wolde make an ende As therto which was moste able A pay●e of ●edes blacke as sable She toke & hang myn necke aboute Vpon the gaudees al without Was wryte of golde pur reposere ●o thus she said Iohan gowere Now thou a●te atte laste caste Thus haue I for thy ●●as caste That thou of loue no more seche But my wylle is that thou beseche And pray● herafter for the pees And that thou make a pleyn relees To loue which taketh l●tel hede Of olde men vpon the nede Whan that the lustes ●en albeye For thy to the nys but one weye For which reson be thy ●yde For he may sone hym self mysgyde That seeth not the pery●●e tofore My sone be wel w●re therfore And kepe the sentence of my lore And tarye thou my courte no more But goo there moralle vertu dwelleth Where ben thy bookes as m●n telleth Which of longe tyme thou hast wryte For this I do the wel to wyte Yf thou thyn hele wil purchace Thou myght not make suche a chace Where that the game is not prouable It were a thynge vnresonable A ●●an to be so ouerseye For thy take hede of that I seye For in the lawe of my commune We be not shapen to comune Thy self & I neuer after this Now haue I seyd al that there is Of loue as for thy fynal ende A dewe for I mo●e fro the wende And grete wel chau●●● whan ye me●e As my discyple & my poete For in the 〈◊〉 of his youthe In sondry wyse a● he wel couthe Of dy●ees & of songes glade The which he for my sake made The bonde fulfilled is ouer alle Wherof to hym in specyalle Aboue al other I am moste holde For thy now in his dayes olde Thou shalt hym telle this message That 〈◊〉 vpon his latter age To sette an ende of al his werke As he which is myn owne clerke Do make his testament of loue As thou hast doon thy shryfte about So that my courte it may recorde Madame I can me wel accorde Quod I to telle as ye me ●ydde And with that worde it so betydde Out of syght al sodeynlye Enclosed in a sterred skye Venus which is the quene of loue Was take in to hir place aboue More wyst I not where she bycam And thus of hir my leue I nam And forth with al the same ty●e Hir preest which wold not abyde Or me beleef or me be booth Out of my syght forth he gooth And I was lefte withouten helpe So wyst I not wherof to yelpe But that onely I had lore My tyme / & was sory therfore And thus bywhaped in my thought Whan al was torned in to nought I stode amased for a whyle And in my self I gan to smyle Thynkyng vpon the bedes ●lake And how they were me betake For that I shold byd & praye And whan I sawe none other waye But onely that I was refused Vnto the lyf which I had vsed I thought neuer to torne ageyn And in this Wyse soth to sayn Homewarde a softe paas I wente Where as with al myn hole entente Vpon the poynte that I am shryue I thynke to bydde whyle I lyue

Marce precor xpriste populus quo gau det iste / Anglia ne triste subeat rex summe resiste / Corrige quosque fragiles absolue reatus / vnde deo gratus vigeat ●ocus iste beatus

hE which within dayes seuen This large world forthwith the heuen Of his eternal prouydence Hath maad / & thylke intellygence In mannes sowle resonable Hath shape to be perdurable Wherof the ●an of his feture Aboue al erthely creature After the sowle is inmortal To thylke lord in special As he which is of al thynges The creatour & of the kynges Hath the fortunes vpon honde His grace & mercy for to fonde Vpon my bare knees I preye That he this londe in syker weye Wyl sette vpon good gouernaunce For yf men taken remembraunce What is to lyue in vnyte There is no state in his degre That n● ought to desyre pees Without which it is no lees To seche & loke in to the laste Ther may no worldes ioye laste Fyrst for to loke the clergye Hem ought wel to iustefye Thynge which bylongeth to theyr cure As for to praye & to pro●●re Our pees toward the heuen aboue And eke to sette reste & loue Emonge vs on this erthe here For yf they wrought in this manere After the rule of charite I hope that men sholden see This londe amended & ouer this To seche & look how it is Touchend of the chyualrye Which for to loke in somme partye Is worthy for to be commendyd And in somme parte to ●e amended That of her large retenue The londe is ful of meyntenue Which causeth that comyn right In fewe contrees stonde vp ●ight Extorcyon / contek / rauyne Withholde ben of that couyne Al day men here grete compleynte Of the dysease of the constreynte Wherof the peple is sore oppressyd God graunte it mote be redressyd For of knyghthode th ordre wolde That they deffende & kepe sholde The comyn right & the fraunchyse Of holy chirche in al wyse So that no wycked man it dere And therof serueth shelde and spere But for it goeth now other weye Our grace goeth the more aweye And for to ●oken ouermore Wherof the peple pleynen sore Toward the lawes of our londe Men say that trouth hath broke his bonde And with brocage is goon aweye So that no man can see the weye Wher for to fynde rightwisnesse Aud yf men seke sykernesse Vpon the lucre of marchandye Compassement & trycherye Of synguler prouffyte to wynne Men sayn is cause of mochel synne And namely of dyuysyoun Which many a noble toun Fro welthe & fro prosperyte Hath brought to grete aduersyte So were it good to be allone For mochel grace therupon Vnto the cytees shold falle Which myght auayle to vs alle Yf thyse estates amended were So that the vertues stoden there And that the vyces were aweye Me thynketh I durst thenne seye This londes grace shold aryse But yet to loke in other wyse Ther is astate as ye shal here Aboue al other on erthe here Which hath the londe in his balaunce To hym bylongeth the lygeaunce Of clerke of knyght of man of lawe Vnder his honde al is forth drawe The marchaunt & the laborer So stante it al in his power Or for to spylle or for to saue But though he suche power haue And that his myghtes be so large He hath hem nought without charge To which that euery kyng is swore So were it good that he therfore Fyrst vnto the rightwysnes entende Wherof that he hym self amende Toward his god & leue vyce Which is the chyef of his offyce And after al the remenaunt He shal vpon his couenaunt Gouerne & lede in suche a wyse So that there be no tyrannyse Wherof that he his peple greue Or ellis may he nought acheue That longeth to his regalye For yf a kyng wyl Iustefye His londe & hem that ●en within Fyrst at hym self he must begyn To kepe & rule his owne estate That in hym self be no debute Toward his god for otherwyse Ther may none erthely kyng suffyse Of his kyngdom the folke to lede But he the kyng of heuen drede For what kyng sette hym vpon pride Ad taketh his lust on euery syde And wyl not goo the right weye Though god his grace cast aweye No wondre is / for atte laste He shal wel wyte it may not laste The pompe which he secheth here But what kyng with humble chere After the lawe of god escheweth The vyces / & the vertues selveth His grace shal be suffysauunt To gouerne al the remenaunte Which longeth to his duete So that in his prosperite The peple shal not be oppressyd Wherof his name shal be blessed For euer & be memoryalle And now to speke as in fynalle Tolbchyng that I vndertook In englysshe for to make a book Which stante bytwene ernest & game I haue it made as thylke same Which axe for to be excused And that my book be not refused Of lered men when they it see For lacke of curyosyte For thylke scole of eboquence Bylongeth not to my scyence Vpon the forme of rethorike My wordes for to peynte & pyke As tullyus somtyme wrote But this I knowe & thus I wote That I haue done my trewe peyne With rude wordes & with pleyne In al that euer I couthe & myght This book to wryte as I behyght So as sekenes it suffre wolde And also for my dayes olde That I am feble & Impotente I wote not how the world is wente So praye I to my lordes alle Now in myn age how so byfalle That I mote stonden in theyr grace For though me lacke to purchace Her worthy thanke as by deserte Yet the symplesse of my pouerte Desyreth for to do plesaunce To hem vnder whos gouernaunce I hope spker to abyde But now vpon my last tyde That I this book haue made & wryte My muse dothe me for to wyte And saith it shal be for my beste Fro thie day ferth to take reste That I nomore of loue make Which many a horte hath ouertake And ouertorned as the blynde Fro reson in to salbe of kynde Where as the wysdem goeth aweye And can not see the right weye How to gouerne his owne estate But euery day stante in debate Within hym self & can not leue And thus for thy my synal leue I take now for euermore Without makyng ony more Of loue & of his dedely hele Which no physycyen can hele For his nature is so dyuers That it hath euer somme trauers Or of to moche or of to lyte That playnly may no man delyte For hym fayleth or that or this But thylke loue which that is Within a mannes herte affermed And stante of charyte conformed Suche loue is goodly for to haue Suche loue may the body saue Suche loue may the selvle amende The hyghe god suche loue vs sende Forthwith the remenaunte of grace So that aboue in thylke place Where resteth loue & al pees Our ioye may be endelees Amen

Explicit iste liber qui transeat obsecro liber / Ut sine liuore vigeat lectoris in ore / Qui sedet in scannis celi det ut ista Iohannis / Perpetuis annis stet pagina grata britannie / Derbie comiti recolunt auem laude periti / Vade liber prius sub eo requiesce suturus

Epistola super huius operis vet opusculi sui complementum Iohanni Golver a quodam philosopho transmissa

Quam anxere freta golber tua carmina leta / Per loca discreta canit anglia laude replita / Carminis at leta satirus tibi siue poeta / Sit laus completa quo gloria siat sine meta

Quia vnusquisaque prout a deo acoepit alijs impartire tenetur Iohes gow er super hijs que deus sibi intellectua liter donauit villicacionis sue racionem dum tempus instat scundum aliquid allemare cupiens inter labores et ocia ad aliorum noti●iam tres libros doctrine causa forma subsequenti propterea composuit

Primus liber galico sermone editus in decem diuiditur partes & tractans de viais et virtutibus necnon & de bariis huius seculi gradibus namaquequia peccator trausgressus ad sui creatoris agnicionem redire debet recto tramite docere conatur / Titulus libelli istius Speculum hominis nuncupatus est

Scandus enim liber sermone latino versibus exame tri compositus tractat super illo mirabi● euentu qui in anglia tempore Regis Ricardi secundi Anno regni sui quarto contigit quando seruiles rustici impetuose contra nobiles et ingenuos regni insurrexerunt innocenciam tamen dicti domini regis tune iunioris etatis causam inde excusabilem pronuncians culpas abunde et quibus et non a fortuna talia inter homines contingunt enormia euidencius declarat titulus que voluminus huius cuius ordo septem continet paginas / vox clamantis nominatur

Tercius iste liber ang●co sermone in octo partes diuisus qui ad instanciam serenissimi principis dc● domini regis anglie ricardi secundi conficitur / Secundum dauic●s propheciam / Super huius modi regnorum mutaciene a tempore regis no●o godonosor vsque nunc tempora distinguit / Tractat eciam secundum nectanabum et aristotilem / Super hijs quibus rex alexander tam in sui regimine quam aliter super amorem et amantum condiciones fundamentum habet vbi variarum cronicarum historiarum qʒ finem necnon poetarum philosophorum qʒ scripture ad exemplum distinctius inseruntur nomen qʒ presentis opuscuk Confessio amantis specia●●tre nuncu patur

Carmen quod quidam philosophus in memoriam Iohannis Golber super consummacione suorum tuum ●●brorum forma sub sequenti composuit / et eitem gratanter transmisit

Eneidos Bucoks que georgi●● me ●ra perhennis / virgi●o laudis certe dedere soo●s / Hijs tribus ille ●●bries prefertur honore poetis / Roma qʒ precipuis laudibʒ Instat eis / Golber sic que tuio tribus est dotata libellis Anglia morigeris quo tua scripta seris / Ille que latinis tantum sua me tra loque●●s / Scripsit vt Italicis sint recolenda notis / Te tua set trinis tria scribere carmina linguis / Constat vt inde viris sit scola lata magis Gallica ●●ngua / prius latina secunda set ortus / Lingua tui pocius angli●● complet opus / Ille quidem vanis / ro manas obstupet aures / Ludit et in studijs musa pagana suis / Set tua xpristicolis fulget scriptum renatis Quo tibi ●●licolis laus sit hab●da locis Quis sit vel qualies / sacer ordo cōnubia●s / Scripsi mentalis sit amor qd in ordine talis / Exemplo veteri poterunt ventura timeri / Cras caro sicut heri / leuiter valet illa moueri / Non ita gaudebit sibi qui de carne placebit Quin corpus flebit aut spiritus inde dolebit / Carne refrenatus / qui se regit inmaculatus / Omnes quoque status precellet in or●e beatus / Ille deo gratus / splendet ad omne latus

Carmen qd Iohannes golber super amoris multiplici varietate sub compen dio metrice composuit /

Est amor in glosa / pax bellica / ●is pietosa / Accio famosa / vaga sors / vis imperiosa / Pugna quietosa / victoria pe●niciosa / Regula discosa / soola deui uia / lex capitosa / Cura molestosa / grauis ars / virtus viciosa / Gloria damp nosa / flens / risus / et ira iocosa / musa dolorosa / mors leca / febris preciosa Esca venenosa / fel dulce / fames animosa / vitis acetosa / sitis ebria / mens furiosa / Flamma pu●inosa / nox clara dies ●enebrosa / Res dedignosa soci alis et ambiciosa / Garrula verbosa / se creta silene studiosa / Fabula formosa sapiencia prestigiosa / Causa ruinosa rota versa quies operosa / Vrticata rosa spes stulta / fides que dolosa

Magnus in exiguis variatus vt est tibi clamor / Fixus in ambiguis motibus errat amor / Instruat audit● tibi leccio sit repetita / mors amor et bita / participantur ita

Lex docet auctorum quod iter carnole he norum / Tucius est quorum sunt federa coniugiorum / Fragrat vt ortorum rosa plus quam germen agroa●●

Qrdo moriterū caput est et finis amorum Hec est nuptorum carnis quasi regula morum / Que saluandorum sacratur in orbe virorum / Hinc vetus annerum Eolber sub spe meritorum / Ordine sponsorum tutus adhibeo thorum

Orate pro anima Iohannis Golber Quiacunque enim pro anima ipsius Iohannis Golber orauerit t●ciens quo ●ens mi●● Quingen●●● dies indulgencie ab ecclesia rite conces●●● misericorditer in domino possidebit

Enprynted at westmestre by me Willyam Caxton and fynysshed the ij day of Septembre the fyrst yere of the regne of Kyng Richard the thyrd / the yere of our lord a thousand / CCCC / lxxxxiij /